Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, agricultural trade is critical to the state of Missouri. Exports of farm products boost Missouri's farm prices and farm income. Such exports support about 17,900 Show-Me State jobs both on and off the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation. In 2006, Missouri agricultural exports amounted to $1.4 billion and made an important contribution to Missouri's farm cash receipts that totaled $5.6 billion that year.

The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement would provide increased market access to Missouri's agricultural exports by making agricultural trade a two-way street. Currently, 98 percent of Peru's agricultural exports benefit from tariff-free access to the U.S. market. On the other hand, most U.S. farm and food exports to Peru are subject to high tariffs and other non-tariff restrictions.

Current tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods exported to Peru average 18 percent. As a result of this agreement, duties on more than 2/3 of these goods, such as prime and choice cuts of beef, soybeans, soybean meal, crude soybean oil, cotton, and wheat would be eliminated immediately. Duties on pork, dairy, corn, and beef varieties would be phased out over a period of time.

Because the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement is so beneficial to American agriculture, it has been endorsed by four former Secretaries of Agriculture--John Block, Bob Bergland, Dan Glickman, and Clayton Yeutter.

Additionally, eight former Secretaries of State have endorsed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement because it is in the national security interest of the United States to maintain and build strong economic alliances with our Latin American neighbors. These former Secretaries include Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, Lawrence Eagleburger, James Baker, George Shultz, Alexander Haig, and Henry Kissinger.

Over the past twenty years, Peru has transformed from bloody civil unrest to a democratic nation with freely elected leaders who are embracing reform and strengthening the rule of law. In that time, trade has fueled Peru's economic expansion and helped to increase per capita income levels. Peru has been a strong U.S. ally in our efforts to eradicate narcotics trafficking and to combat terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.

Because this agreement will benefit Missouri agriculture and strengthen our friendship with Peru, I am pleased to support the U.S.- Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and hope it will be quickly approved and signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, farmers in Missouri and throughout the Midwest depend upon our rivers for the transportation of agricultural goods and other products important to their businesses. Rivers afford producers greater market access, so it is essential that our river transportation system runs smoothly and efficiently.

Earlier this year, the House and Senate approved the Water Resources Development Act, a bipartisan bill to authorize funding for America's navigation, flood control, and environmental restoration projects. Important for Missouri's agricultural community, this long-overdue measure would modernize outdated locks and dams along the Mississippi River in order to facilitate the movement of commodities to the domestic and global marketplace.

On Friday, the President vetoed the Water Resources Development Act. I was extremely disappointed that the President chose to veto this bill, which is an investment in rural Missouri and in the sound water infrastructure of our entire country.

On behalf of the Show-Me State farmers I am privileged to represent, I am pleased to cast my vote in support of overriding the President's veto. I am hopeful it will garner the necessary two-thirds vote and that the Other Body will act swiftly so that Congress will enact; the water infrastructure bill despite the President's objections to it.

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

Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the selfless acts of Pat Kerr. Mrs. Kerr has tirelessly advocated on behalf of service members and their families.

After her daughter, CPT. Kat Numerick, was deployed to Iraq, Pat Kerr organized successful events at the Capitol to raise support for our troops. Mrs. Kerr has earned the reputation of refusing to turn down any soldier or family member. She regularly works late into the night, spending her own time and money to resolve each family's problems. Recently, Mrs. Kerr testified to Congress on the care of wounded servicemen.

Due to her relentless work to improve conditions for our troops, Mrs. Kerr has been recognized by Traditional Home magazine as a 2007 Classic Woman. She will be commended at an award ceremony in New York and will be featured in an article in Traditional Home's Classic Woman issue. This prestigious distinction comes with a $2,500 contribution from Traditional Home, which will be awarded to The Military Family Relief Fund.

Currently, Mrs. Kerr continues her career at the Missouri State Veterans' Commission. She and her husband, John, care for their grandson while Captain Numerick serves her third tour of duty. I trust that Members of the House will join me in thanking Pat Kerr for her devotion to the brave men and women in our military.

In the State of Oklahoma yesterday, weighing in at 6 lbs, 12 ounces, Janna Lou Boren was born to Andrea Boren and our colleague, Dan Boren.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the career of Dr. Jake Lippert. Dr. Lippert has served as the Executive Director for the Missouri Dental Association since 1998, who now ends his tenure.

Dr. Lippert earned an undergraduate degree from St. Louis University before completing its Dental School program in 1959. He then honorably served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy until 1961. Dr. Lippert has been a member of the American Dental Association since 1959 and a member of the Missouri Dental Association since 1961. During his career, Dr. Lippert has been awarded numerous professional honors, including being named the Missouri Dental Association's Dentist of the Year in 1998.

Beyond his private practice, Jake Lippert has been extremely involved in his community. He has served as an Instructor for East Central College, the President of the Union School Board, an assistant scout master for a local Boy Scout troop, and a certified high school football referee. Dr. Lippert is highly regarded for his generosity and hard work.

As Executive Director of the Missouri Dental Association, Dr. Lippert was instrumental in increasing legislative involvement, creating additional continuing education programs, and shaping a vision for the future of the organization. I'm certain that Members of the House will join me in thanking Jake Lippert for his exceptional leadership and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I think this is a very important piece of legislation.

Let me take this opportunity to compliment my friend from Hawaii for introducing it and for bringing it to the floor. Mr. Abercrombie is indeed to be commended for this work.

What this does is merely closes some loopholes that are presently in the United States law. Defrauding the Federal taxpayer should be a felony, and it is subject to considerable years in prison and a fine up to $1 million or twice the illegal profits of the crime.

When we're in a war situation, you want people to work hard. We expect a great deal from those in uniform. And we expect those who are supplying and building and reconstructing in the war-torn area to also play by the rules as we demand of those young men and young women in our United States military.

So this bill does the right thing. It goes after the war profiteering, that is the overcharging in order to defraud or profit excessively from the war. And this bill also confers jurisdiction within the Federal courts to hear and try such cases. It's the right thing. It's the right action for us to take in this Congress.

I, again, compliment the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), and I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for giving me the opportunity to express my condolences to the Jo Ann Davis family, her husband and two sons.

It's always difficult to say good-bye to a friend. And Jo Ann Davis was my friend. She was my colleague. We served together on the Armed Services Committee since she came to Congress. She represented the First District of Virginia, which had and has a strong military tradition. She was preceded in this Congress by my friend through the years Herb Bateman.

She was a strong advocate for the men and women in uniform, and she will be sorely missed in supporting them as the days lie ahead. Shipbuilding was the centerpiece of her work because of the district she represented, and she understood and advocated the importance of shipbuilding for the United States Navy. She was a member, actually a subcommittee ranking member, on the Readiness Subcommittee.

And it is interesting that we should, this evening, point out that she fought a disease with grace and dignity, and that this is the Breast Cancer Awareness month, that I think we should make note of.

She fought a tremendous fight. She came back when she could, and our heart was with her. She fought the good fight. But in looking back at my friend, Jo Ann Davis, I remember her most for her sense of humor, how we would joke with one another and how absolutely pleasant she was. Those are attributes that people remember just as much as they remember the good work that she did as a Member of this body. So I thank the gentleman from Virginia for allowing me to say a word or two about my friend, Jo Ann Davis.

Madam Speaker, let me take this moment to recognize the extensive career of Command Sergeant Major Frank D. Gross. CSM Gross has spent over 41 years serving in the Missouri Army National Guard and Engineer Regiment.

Frank Gross earned a master's degree in education from Central Missouri State University. In 2001, he successfully completed the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. During his career, CSM Gross has been awarded over 18 medals and ribbons for his selfless leadership and dedication. He is highly respected by his peers, as well as by the soldiers who he has led.

CSM Gross's service to our country in wartime has been invaluable. Beginning in 2002, Gross served as CSM for the 35th Engineer Brigade for over 2 years, where he supervised the deployment of three battalions and two

companies. Due to CSM Gross's exceptional guidance, these units effectively completed the missions to which they were assigned.

Currently, CSM Gross is the Missouri State Command Sergeant Major for the Joint Force Headquarters. In this capacity, he is responsible for the enlisted soldiers' promotion system, as well as training other CSMs. I'm certain that Members of the House will join me in honoring Command Sergeant Major Gross for his outstanding service to our country.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the long and selfless career of Bobbie Roggero. Mrs. Roggero has spent over 30 years as a dedicated educator.

Bobbie Roggero received a BA degree in Education before beginning her extensive career as a public school teacher. She has earned the reputation of being an exceptional instructor who fosters the potential she sees in every student. Mrs. Roggero regularly spends her nights and weekends developing teaching strategies and planning for class, proving her commitment to the success of her pupils.

Mrs. Roggero was recently named the 2007 Educator of the Year for the Camdenton, Missouri, school district. This prestigious distinction comes with a stipend which Mrs. Roggero will use to offer her students additional opportunities not afforded in the standard curriculum.

Currently, Mrs. Roggero teaches Kindergarten at Osage Beach Elementary. She has been tirelessly serving the Camdenton District since 1995. I trust that Members of the House will join me in thanking Bobbie Roggero for her devotion to the youth of our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3087) to require the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military leaders, to develop and transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces in Iraq, as amended.

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

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 3087, a bill to require the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the status of planning for the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq.

This bill is the rarest of creatures, a bipartisan compromise on one of the most significant issues facing our country today, the war in Iraq. This bill was marked up in the Armed Services Committee with the support of our ranking member, Duncan Hunter of California. The committee took the excellent work of Representative Neil Abercrombie and Representative John Tanner and built on it.

The committee adopted a comprehensive amendment developed by Mr. Abercrombie and Representative Mike Turner, two of our leaders on our committee on the advancement of national defense. The bill, as amended, passed our committee 55-2.

I am proud of the work of our committee. I am glad it has been brought to the floor. The bill seeks to accomplish two primary goals. First, it affirms the critical need for comprehensive, well-thought-out planning for a redeployment of troops from Iraq, the kind of planning that, frankly, was not done for the post-war period in Iraq, the so- called phase 4 of the war before we invaded.

This will help Congress fulfill its duties to ensure that such a mistake is not repeated.

Second, it requires that the planning the Pentagon is doing for deployment from Iraq be shared with Congress, as it should. It lays out a clear statement on the need for appropriate, detailed contingency planning for our redeployment of troops from that country, including consideration of force protection for our military and civilian personnel, and the need to continue to protect our vital national security interests.

It requires by statute that the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff provide us with a report and briefing on redeployment planning from Iraq within 60 days of enactment, and that updated reports and briefings from senior Department of Defense officials continue to be provided on a quarterly basis thereafter. It will allow the Armed Services Committee to perform the oversight function, which is central to our purpose.

Time is not on our side. In my view, it's time to begin responsible redeployment of forces and a change of mission in Iraq. Members are on different places on Iraq, but we can agree that we must be engaged in serious planning for the redeployment of American forces.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield 1 minute to my colleague, my friend, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, my colleague, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), who is the chairman of the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee and is also an original cosponsor of this legislation along with Mr. Tanner from Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, during further proceedings today in the House, the Chair be authorized to reduce to 2 minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on any question that otherwise could be subjected to 5-minute voting under clause 8, rule XX.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague and my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) who is an original sponsor of the bill together with Mr. Abercrombie.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my colleague, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez) who, by the way, is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz) who is a cosponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield at this time 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend, our leader, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

May I inquire of the Chair how much time is remaining.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Some will knock, Mr. Speaker, the importance of this legislation. It is a bill to require the Secretary of Defense to submit to us here in Congress reports on the status of planning for the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq. Further, it requires the Secretary to meet with Congress to brief us on the matters contained in those reports.

Under the Constitution, Mr. Speaker, we are charged here in Congress with raising and maintaining the military. It's important for us to be able to look

around the corner to unseen challenges that are out there. The last 30 years we've had 12 military engagements, most of which were a surprise to us. So consequently, it's important for us in Congress to understand the progress and the status of planning for the redeployment of our Armed Forces from Iraq, because there may be those contingencies out there. We hope it doesn't come to pass, but if the future is anything like the past, our forces will be necessary.

So let us understand what this bill does. I think it's a step in the right direction. I am absolutely pleased with the bipartisanship we have had, both in the Armed Services Committee and here on the floor. And special thanks to my friend, my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Turner) for his work and his amendment on this legislation.

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

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

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this moment to recognize the extensive career of Skip Rich. Mr. Rich spent over 30 years serving Cole County as its Collector of Revenue, but will retire on October 3, 2007.

Skip Rich was first appointed as collector in 1977, and he was re- elected to that position every term thereafter. His record as collector has been outstanding. He has presided over notable increases in county collections and he was instrumental in starting the Cole County employee retirement system.

Skip Rich has also honorably served our country in uniform. He is a Marine who served a tour of duty in Vietnam and who later joined the Missouri Army National Guard. In that position, he held the rank of command sergeant major for over 14 years and received over twenty awards and service medals.

Having devoted his life to public service, Mr. Rich's leadership will indisputably be missed. He plans to spend his retirement traveling with his wife, Eva, and spending time with his three children and four grandchildren. I trust that Members of the House will join me in wishing Skip Rich and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, today I want to recognize and pay tribute to a true patriot and exceptional leader of our military, General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for his more than 40 years of dedicated service to the U.S. Armed Forces and to our country.

General Pace was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Teaneck, NJ. A 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from The George Washington University and attended Harvard University for the Senior Executives in National and International Security program. The General is also a graduate of the Infantry Officers' Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Georgia; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, in Quantico, Virginia; and the National War College, at Ft. McNair, Washington, DC.

In 1968, upon completion of The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia, General Pace was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam, serving first as a Rifle Platoon Leader and subsequently as Assistant Operations Officer. He joined his platoon, their third platoon leader in as many weeks, during the battle for Hue City. He was decorated for valor during his tour in Vietnam, yet General Pace holds as one of his most valued treasures the photo of LCpl Guido Farinaro, the first Marine he lost in combat. The lance corporal's forever young likeness is under the glass on General Pace's desk, each day reminding him of the impact of his decisions as a military leader. Following Vietnam, he was assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, where he served as Security Detachment Commander, Camp David; White House Social Aide; and Platoon Leader, Special Ceremonial Platoon.

General Pace has held command at virtually every level, and served in overseas billets in Nam Phong, Thailand; Seoul, Korea; and Yokota, Japan. While serving as President, Marine Corps University, then Brigadier General Pace also served as Deputy Commander, Marine Forces, Somalia, from December 1992-February 1993, and as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force-Somalia from October 1993-March 1994.

After an assignment as the Director for Operations (J-3), on the Joint Staff in Washington, DC, then Lieutenant General Pace served as the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic/Europe/South. He was promoted to Generaleral and assumed duties as the Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command in September 2000.

General Peter Pace was sworn in as the sixteenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on September 30, 2005, giving him the distinction of being the first Marine to serve in this role. In this capacity, he served as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. Prior to becoming Chairman, General Pace served as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 2001 to August 2005, also earning him the distinction as the first Marine to have served in this capacity.

General Pace and his wife, Lynne, have a son, Peter, a daughter, Tiffany Marie, and a daughter-in-law, Lynsey Olczak Pace.

General Pace represented the U.S. Armed Forces with great distinction for the past 2 years as its senior military officer and throughout his more than four decades of service to our great Nation. He is a highly respected source of military counsel for our country's leaders, always keeping at the forefront the best interests of our men and women in uniform. General Pace is known for his thoughtful manner, his sense of humor, and his integrity. One Pace trademark we have all come to value is his constant consideration of ``PFC Pace'' in all military-related discussion, thereby ensuring the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, the Homeland Defense Council, and this body of Congress consider the impact of their decisions on even the most junior members of our military. General Pace's leadership significantly contributed to the success of military operations in recent years and improved the security of the United States.

General Pace took every opportunity to recognize the tremendous efforts of the 2.4 million active, guard and reserve members of the Armed Forces, and he likewise recognized the invaluable dedication and sacrifices of the family members who sustain our all-recruited force. During his tenure as Chairman and Vice Chairman, General Pace traveled more than 715,000 miles to meet with his counterparts around the world, and visit troops stationed overseas and across the United States.

Madam Speaker, I know the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to General Pace and in thanking him for his dedicated leadership to our country.

Madam Speaker, on September 6, 1757, 250 years ago today, a Frenchman named Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert Du Motier was born. This young man, who would later be known as Marquis de Lafayette, had a profound influence on the formation of our country and on Western democratic fundamentals of freedom and human rights.

As a lifelong resident of Lafayette County, Missouri, I was pleased to draft legislation earlier this year to mark the 250th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette's birth. The House of Representatives approved my bill on May 22, 2007, honoring, as Americans have done time and again, Lafayette's role in our nation's history.

On July 7, 2007, the French Embassy's Military Attache, Major General Jean-Luc Delon, traveled to my hometown of Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri, and participated in a public ceremony honoring Marquis de Lafayette. It was a distinct honor and privilege to have a representative of the French government in Missouri to discuss Lafayette's life and the important bilateral friendship he helped establish between the United States and France.

More than any one person, Marquis de Lafayette symbolizes the assistance American colonists received from Europe in the struggle for independence from Great Britain. As we celebrate his 250th birthday, I am hopeful that all Americans will take a moment to remember his legacy on the United States.

Madam Speaker, it has been brought to my attention that Command CMSgt Vicki Orcutt of Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, MO, has retired after 29 years of service.

Command Chief Master Sergeant Orcutt joined the Air Force in the mid- 1970s. In her current role, she advises the Wing Commander on matters related to the health, morale, and welfare of the enlisted force and on matters related to the proper training, equipment, and utilization of enlisted personnel. Throughout the entire Air Force there are 138 Command Chief Master Sergeant positions. Only nine are women.

In her early years, Command Chief Master Sergeant Orcutt obtained a degree in Human Resources. She is now considering a teaching

job and hopes to stay in Lafayette County, MO, her current home.

Madam Speaker, Command Chief Master Sergeant Orcutt has been a valuable asset to Whiteman Air Force Base and the entire Nation. She has helped to shape the future of the Air Force through her dedicated service of 29 years. I know that the Members of the House will join me in paying tribute to Chief Master Sergeant Orcutt.

Madam Speaker, on September 7th, the Missouri Press Association's Missouri Press Hall of Fame will have as its newest member a person who has devoted her life to community journalism, community philanthropy and community service, all while raising a family of public servants and serving as a business and civic partner with her late husband.

Wanda Brown was born June 16, 1918, in Franklin County, AR. She attended Draughon's Business College in Ft. Smith, AR, from 1936-1938. After graduation, she was business manager for Robbins Buick Motor Company in Ft. Smith. She met her husband, J.W. Brown, Jr., when he came into the dealership to buy tires. They were married June 14, 1946. From 1946 until 1955, they made their home in Willow Springs, MO, where J.W. owned the newspaper and also served as Postmaster. In 1955, they purchased the Harrisonville Democrat-Missourian and formed the Cass County Publishing Company. Under the ownership of J.W. and Wanda Brown, Cass County Publishing Company operated the Cass County Democrat- Missourian, the Lee's Summit Journal, the Belton Star Herald, the Bates County Democrat and the Lawrence County Record.

Two generations of Cass County residents have known Wanda Brown as the author of a column in the Democrat-Missourian, ``Wanda's Favorite Recipes,'' and have prepared many of them for their families. Few probably are aware that the proceeds from two of her recipe books were given to support The Way Off Broadway Players and the Cass Medical Center Foundation.

With her retirement in 1985, after 30 years as Business Manager of the Cass County Publishing Company, she accelerated her contributions to her community and to the State of Missouri. Wanda Brown has been a generous supporter of the Missouri Press Foundation, the Harrisonville Memorial Hospital, and the Harrisonville Public School Foundation. In her hometown of Harrisonville, she has contributed to the construction of the Harrisonville Baseball Fields, to the Harrisonville High School Bleacher Project, the Children's Library at the Cass County Information Center, and to the creation of a nursing scholarship at the Cass Medical Center. She was a leader in the campaigns to fund the Thermal Imaging Camera for the Harrisonville Fire Department, the construction of the Harrisonville Parks Amphitheater, and the creation of the Harrisonville Public School Foundation Endowment. She also helped to fund the Community Journalism Chair at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

I would like to extend my most sincere congratulations to Wanda and her family--Larry and Jean Snider, Bill and Mary James, Alex, Doug, Kate, Anne, and Molly. I am certain that my colleagues will join me in commending Wanda for her decades of community service.