Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3123, which would allow Liberians living in the United States to be eligible for a 1-year extension of their temporary protected status. This measure, introduced by my colleague from Rhode Island, Representative Kennedy, will give Liberian refugees in our State an opportunity to plan their return home instead of being forced back before they are ready.

For many years, Liberians were ruled by the cruel hands of dictators, including Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor. They controlled their country by fear and violence, which provoked the United States Government in 1991 to seek temporary protected status for Liberian nationals who were in the U.S.

Since Charles Taylor was forced out of office, Liberia has made progress in peace and democracy building efforts, and the election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005 has brought stability to the region. President Johnson Sirleaf has made many efforts to improve relations with both the U.S. Government and Liberian communities across our country. However, Liberia's security situation, while stable, is still fragile, and its economy and state structures remain devastated by war.

In Rhode Island, our Liberian population has become part of the fabric of our community. They work for local companies, they attend our schools, and they enrich cities and towns. The majority of Liberians in our State wants to return to their homeland, but they understandably wish to first ensure the country's safety and stability. In the meantime, they are learning how to better serve their country by taking advantage of opportunities offered to them in the United States. They are an integral part of

our communities, and in return, we owe them the chance to return when they are ready--and without fear--to Liberia.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank the gentleman from Mississippi, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee for his outstanding leadership on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, the 9/11 Commission provided an eye-opening assessment of how terrorists were able to exploit security vulnerabilities on September 11. It made 41 key recommendations to address these shortcomings. We promised the American people that the Commission's efforts would not be in vain, and today we made good on that promise.

Our threat environment presents unique challenges. While good intelligence will always be the pointy tip of the spear, it will always be critical to our anti-terror efforts. We know that it's not foolproof.

Among the many things that this conference report accomplishes, it fulfills a key commission recommendation by creating a stand-alone program for communications interoperability. It also requires 100 percent advance screening of maritime cargo, which will ensure a weapon of mass destruction never even has a chance of reaching American shores by being smuggled in a cargo container.

I am proud to have served as a conferee on this bill, and I believe we have an excellent final product before us today.

The best way to honor those who died on September 11 is to learn from the lessons of that tragic day and take action. This conference report represents a major step towards that goal of which the American people can be proud.

I thank the distinguished chairman of the committee for his great work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding friend and fellow Rhode Islander, Mr. Angelo S. Rotella, Esq.

Our Nation faces a considerable public health challenge in providing for the long term care needs of frail, elderly, and disabled Americans. Meeting this challenge, and especially caring for those who have sacrificed so much in defense of our great nation, requires both leadership and expertise. Without a doubt, Angelo Rotella has both.

The owner and administrator of the Friendly Home and Berkshire Place skilled nursing facilities in Rhode Island, Angelo also serves as Chair of the American Health Care Association, AHCA, which represents nearly 11,000 nursing homes, assisted living residences, and facilities for the care of people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

In October, Angelo will conclude his term as Chair of the AHCA. A healthcare professional with more than twenty years of long term care experience, Angelo has been an elected leader of AHCA for more than a decade and has also served in many leadership roles with the Rhode Island Health Care Association. In addition to these responsibilities, he maintains professional membership in the National Fire Protection Association and the National Health Lawyers Association.

Angelo's first-hand knowledge of facilities and experience at the state level make him a formidable advocate for quality long term care-- one who appreciates the challenges ahead while working now to ensure that all Americans will continue to have access to the best care.

Madam Speaker, I salute my good friend Angelo Rotella for his years of service with the American Health Care Association, and for his example to those who care for our Nation's most vulnerable citizens. He has truly made a difference in countless lives, and I know my colleagues will join me in expressing our appreciation for his efforts. Congratulations, Angelo, and thanks for all you have done.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation this evening requiring the establishment of a Quadrennial National Security Review. I am joined in this effort by my friend and colleague on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry) who has been an advocate for enhanced interagency cooperation and improved strategic planning on national security issues. His input and support on this bill have been invaluable.

This measure has the support of Armed Services Committee Chairman Skelton, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lantos, and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Thompson, as well as numerous other Members with strong national security credentials.

Currently, the United States establishes its national security goals in the National Security Strategy, required by law to be submitted annually to Congress. However, only two versions have been published in the last 6 years and those documents provide little insight into how we can harness all assets of national power to achieve our national security goals.

Many experts in the field of national security, including members of the 9/11 Commission, have emphasized the importance of using all of our Nation's capabilities and levers of influence to advance our national security goals.

Dr. Joe Nye, the former dean of the Kennedy School of Government and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, has written extensively about the need to supplement our military might with ``soft power,'' efforts to win the world's hearts and minds with our values and culture.

Successfully exercising this type of power requires that we pursue many fronts, including international diplomacy, democracy building, cultural exchanges, economic development, educational initiatives, and communication about our values and ideals.

Even though our Nation has many assets and capabilities to advance our national security goals, we have done a poor job of integrating them all. From my experience on the House Intelligence Committee, as well as the Homeland Security and Armed Services Committees, I am deeply concerned about the tendency of agencies with national security responsibilities to focus exclusively on their own programs' initiatives, while losing sight of the larger strategic goals, an unfortunate phenomenon that leads to stovepiping when information and intelligence are not shared among Departments and agencies.

Madam Speaker, we must ensure that all components of our Federal Government are working together toward the same purpose and that they are able to coordinate their efforts to the greatest extent possible.

In its ``Beyond Goldwater-Nichols'' study, the Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended the establishment of a Quadrennial National Security Review to create an interagency process that would identify national security goals, assess existing needs and capabilities, establish priorities for funding, and recommend specific policy and budget proposals.

From that recommendation, I have worked with other experts, Members of Congress, and committee staff to draft the legislation that we are introducing today. This bill would create a Quadrennial National Security Review, a process to coordinate all assets of national power and identify and achieve our national security objectives.

Under the measure, every 4 years the President would conduct a review of the national security goals of the United States in consultation with all relevant national security related Departments and agencies, as well as Congress. The process would include a thorough investigation of America's national security interests and objectives, the strategy for implementing security goals, risk assessments, identification of all assets of national power needed to meet security goals, an explanation of how agencies would coordinate their efforts, and an assessment of what additional resources are needed. The effort would culminate in a comprehensive national security strategy document, policy recommendations, and a unified security budget proposal that reflects national security priorities.

Finally, after publication of the QNSR, an outside panel of the national security experts would conduct independent review and perform their own analysis, reporting their findings to Congress and the administration within 2 years.

I am hopeful that the establishment of a QNSR and an independent review process will lead to greater coordination and cooperation and facilitate strategic budget and resource decision-making.

In closing, I would like to thank the many Members, staff and national security experts who have provided feedback and guidance in the crafting of this bill. It is not an easy task to move our entire national security decision-making structure forward from the status quo, but I know many people in this body recognize the importance of doing so, and I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction. I urge my colleagues to join me in this vital effort.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on the vote on passage of H.R. 404. Had I been present on rollcall vote No. 687, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, I am pleased to rise in strong support of the Ferguson-Langevin amendment. Last year, I was so pleased to work closely with Mr. Ferguson to ensure the passage of the Lifespan Respite Care Act, which will offer relief to so many family caregivers across the country.

I had the privilege of traveling with Mr. Ferguson to Iraq going back a couple of years now, and I know his personal commitment to this issue. He shared the story with me about his mom, and so I know, as in my case as well as with Mr. Ferguson, this is certainly a very personal issue that we have personal knowledge about and we care passionately about. So I am pleased to join him today and in the effort to direct funding now for this important program. As I mentioned, I know firsthand what a difference a dedicated caregiver can make in the life of a person with a disability or chronic condition.

Family caregiving is an essential yet often overlooked aspect of our Nation's health care system. The ability to live at home and remain a part of one's community can make a tremendous difference in a person achieving independence, recovery, or treatment. And whether they are caring for a child with a behavioral disorder or a parent with ALS or a spouse with multiple sclerosis, we all know someone who is a family caregiver. They live in all of our communities and they are often silent heroes, ensuring family stability and helping those who struggle with disease or disability to avoid more costly out-of-home placements.

We were so excited last year when this Congress really took a bold initiative in enacting the Lifespan Respite Care Act, and it gave hope to so many families across America. Today, this amendment that we are proposing directs $10 million toward the Lifespan Respite Care Act, which would authorize grants to make quality respite care available and accessible to family caregivers regardless of age or disability. So it is exciting if we can actually put now the funding into the Lifespan Respite Care Act that we so desperately need to help America's families who are providing this type of care in the home.

I urge all of my colleagues who are so supportive of the passage of this bill to vote in favor of the Ferguson-Langevin amendment.

I also want to commend my colleague Mr. Ferguson, the gentleman from New Jersey, for his passion and dedication on this issue. It has truly been a team effort. And, again, I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, over the recess I had the opportunity to have several public hearings back home, and Iraq was one on everyone's mind. The overwhelming consensus was that we need a new strategy in Iraq, a view shared by national security experts and illustrated by continued violence in the region. Today, we can chart a new path so that we can finally bring our troops home.

Americans know the Bush strategy isn't working, and today's Iraq status report confirms the lack of progress. The Iraqi Government has failed to promote political reconciliation, and our military is paying the price. Our troops have done a superb job, but they were not sent to Iraq to referee a civil war.

Today's bill requires our military to start redeploying out of Iraq within 120 days, to be completed by April 1, 2008. We will not abandon Iraq, but we must implement a new strategy based on political, economic and diplomatic initiatives.

I want to thank Chairman Skelton for his leadership on this measure, and I urge all my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, every day now, it's becoming more and more apparent that the President's troop escalation plan is not stemming the civil war in Iraq.

In fact, since the plan took effect earlier this year, violence in Iraq is up, and our soldiers are paying a heavy price on the battlefield. For months now, Democrats have stood united in our commitment to forge a new direction in Iraq, but our efforts have received very little support from congressional Republicans.

It appears that is beginning to change. Earlier this week, one of the most respected Members of the Republican party on international affairs, Senator Richard Lugar, said that we must recalibrate our strategy in Iraq to fit our domestic political conditions and broader needs of national security. Then yesterday, Senator Voinovich said that he doesn't believe the Iraqis are going to get it until they know we are leaving.

Both Senator Lugar and Senator Voinovich's comments are a blow to the White House and serve as yet another example of long-time supporters of the President's Iraq policy believing we are long overdue for a new direction. It's time for the congressional Republicans to face the reality and join us in dramatically changing course in Iraq.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy with Chairwoman Lowey and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Madam Chairman, thank you for engaging in this discussion to clarify the language related to international family planning and abortion restrictions in the bill. I understand that you have included a provision in the underlying bill that makes certain exemptions for contraceptives from the Mexico City policy.

I further understand that the intent of this provision is to allow international nongovernmental organizations, otherwise known as NGOs, to receive U.S.-donated contraceptives for distribution to the poorest men and women in the poorest regions of the world.

As the chairwoman knows, I do not support providing direct funding to international NGOs that do not adhere to the Mexico City policy. I have concerns that the language, as it is currently drafted, could be interpreted more broadly than intended and could be construed to permit not only the provision of contraceptives, but also the provision of funding directly to organizations that perform or advocate for abortions.

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

I thank the gentleman. I would like to thank the chairwoman for her comments and her willingness to offer this clarifying amendment and to make it absolutely clear that the bill would only allow for the provision of contraceptives and not for direct funding.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to have this opportunity to rise in support of the Lowey amendment.

I share Chairwoman Lowey's concerns about the lack of access to contraceptives, the lifesaving tool for disease prevention in the developing word.

The World Health Organization estimates that 80 million women face unwanted pregnancies each year. More than 150 million couples have no access to family planning, and more than 75,000 women die each year due to complications related to unsafe abortion. These staggering statistics reflect the dire situation in countries such as Ghana, Ethiopia, Romania and many others as nations struggle to provide health care and basic services to their citizens.

It is a tragedy that 24.5 million people are living with HIV in sub- Saharan Africa, where more than 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. I know that I speak for the vast majority of Americans when I say that we have a responsibility to respond to this crisis.

Like so many of my colleagues, I am opposed to abortion. And this position compels me to work to promote access to contraception and other methods of pregnancy prevention. I also feel that being pro-life means working to protect life at all stages, and to alleviate suffering wherever I am able to do so is an important priority. Rarely has the world known such intense suffering as that faced by sub-Saharan Africa today.

Mr. Chairman, we must do everything in our power to ensure that the money we spend on international family planning, $441 million in this bill, will be used in the most effective way. The Lowey amendment makes sure that we do that.

I want to thank Chairwoman Lowey for her leadership.

Mr. Chairman, I unfortunately must rise in opposition to the Smith-Stupak amendment. I have great respect for the passion displayed by Mr. Smith and Mr. Stupak and I share their opposition to abortion. However, in this instance I must strongly disagree with their decision to prevent the distribution of contraception to some of the most poor and needy people and nations in the world.

Mr. Chairman, we are asked to make an important decision in this year's debate on the Foreign Operations bill. Our commitment to providing international family planning speaks volumes about who we are as a nation. These funds reach some of the most vulnerable populations in the world and can literally mean the difference between life and death.

I know that Americans regardless of their position on abortion are horrified by the statistics on HIV/AIDS in Africa and the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions throughout the developing world. I believe that it is our responsibility, as people committed to the sanctity of life and the basic human dignity of all people, to respond to this crisis. I believe that it is also our responsibility to do so in the most effective manner possible while staying true to our core values. The language that Chairwoman Lowey proposes makes it possible for the United States to provide developing nations access to contraceptive products, products that save lives. The Lowey language ensures that the organizations best equipped to distribute these products to the neediest, poorest parts of the world are able to do so. Finally, it respects the law of the land that prohibits Federal financial assistance to organizations that provide abortions or abortion counseling.

I know that crafting this language was no easy feat and I commend Mrs. Lowey for her dedication to moving forward with a bill that reflects the values of our Nation and respects the strong feelings that Members have on both sides of the abortion debate. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Smith-Stupak amendment and allow this critical, lifesaving assistance to reach those who so desperately need it.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2641, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2008. I commend Chairman Visclosky for his efforts on this measure and for investing in the needs of our Nation's future.

As a former member of the House Armed Services Committee and as chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I am particularly pleased that this bill recognizes the importance of nuclear non-proliferation efforts. I have become convinced that the nuclear terrorist threat is real, requiring the full and urgent attention of our government. We have learned about the relative ease with which a terrorist can build a crude nuclear device, and we need to do all we can to prevent the nightmare scenario in which someone smuggles a device onto U.S. soil and detonates it in a city.

We must pursue a three-pronged approach of prevention, detection, and response. I have supported efforts to increase our radiation detection capabilities at our ports of entry, as well as to improve our government response efforts if our nation is ever attacked with a nuclear or radiological device.

This bill addresses the third component of that strategy--securing nuclear material at its source. This measure increases funds for the National Nuclear Security Administration to secure nuclear weapons and materials in the former Soviet Republic. The NNSA's efforts are vital to improving the security of nuclear materials at civilian, naval, and nuclear weapons complex facilities, and helping Russia dispose of plutonium removed from nuclear weapons.

However, the challenge of fissile material security goes far beyond Russia and the former Soviet Union and will require our government to expand its non-proliferation programs outside of the former Soviet Union. The revelations of A.Q. Khan's black market proliferation network, for example, provided a striking wake-up call that we must focus on other nuclear states if we are going to be successful in deterring nuclear terrorism. Consequently, the bill more than doubles funding--providing $251 million--for the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, which aims to identify, secure, remove, and facilitate the disposition of high-risk, vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials and equipment around the world.

Again, I thank Chairman Visclosky for his leadership on nuclear non- proliferation programs and for his fine work in crafting this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2642, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. This measure shows what a high priority our Nation places on providing for our servicemembers, their families and our veterans.

The new Democratic leadership in Congress has faced many challenges in recent months regarding the treatment of servicemembers and veterans. Earlier this year, we learned about horrific conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including overused outpatient housing in disrepair, patients confused about where to go after serious operations, and the tangled bureaucracy confronting servicemembers and their families. It was clear that administrative policies needed to be revised, not only at Walter Reed, but across the system at locations both here and abroad.

It was also clear that increasing the funding level for military health care was a priority. As a result, Congress passed a supplemental spending bill that contained an additional $1.8 billion for veterans' health care, and today we will pass a bill that is $6.7 billion above fiscal year 2007 funds and $3.8 billion over President Bush's request. The total amount in this bill is even more than what is requested in the Independent Budget, a needs estimate published by four veterans' service groups. If passed, H.R. 2642 will mark the largest annual increase to VA health care funding in over 75 years.

Mr. Chairman, we must ensure that servicemembers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have the services they require and as well anticipate the increasing number of returning veterans who have earned their promised benefits. To that end, H.R. 2642 provides $43.2 billion for veterans medical care to alleviate the backlogged claims processing system and fund improvements for VA facilities. I am also pleased that this measure allots $600 million for new initiatives for improving mental health and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) centers, $1.9 billion to improve the electronic health records system, and $130 million to assist homeless veterans.

After a recent visit to the Providence VA Medical Center, I was impressed with the treatment of veterans, as well as the ongoing innovative research at the facility. I am also optimistic that upcoming construction projects will improve the facility, especially knowing that the VA will play a larger role in the coming years as more servicemembers return from ongoing conflicts. Today's bill provides $4.1 billion for ongoing maintenance and renovations of existing facilities, which will help Providence attain its goals. I am also pleased that $15 million is allocated for the Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund, which allows the Department of Defense and VA to increase research, improve access to care, and ensure a seamless transition for our veterans.

H.R. 2642 also includes $21.4 billion for military construction. This amount is $5.1 billion above the amount for fiscal year 2007, and will fully fund Base Realignment and Closure. This funding will also help improve training and quality of life facilities for active duty troops and members of the National Guard and Reserves, all of whom are playing critical roles in ongoing conflicts and need our support now more than ever. Finally, this measure includes $2.8 billion to help increase the size of the Army, Marine Corps, the National Guard and Reserves over the next five years.

Mr. Chairman, we must maintain strong support for our men and women in uniform and all those who have bravely served our nation, and H.R. 2642 will do just that. May we all keep those currently serving abroad in our thoughts and wish them a safe return home.

Mr. Chairman, as chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I have worked to bring greater attention to the issue of cybersecurity, which remains a vulnerability in our national infrastructure.

I believe it is critical that adequate funding for cybersecurity research and development be made a priority at the Science and Technology Directorate.

Unfortunately, this issue has been largely overlooked within the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, out of the $22.7 million in fiscal year 2007 funding appropriated for the S&T Directorate for Cybersecurity R&D, only $13 million actually has been spent on cybersecurity. The rest has been reallocated to other programs at the directorate. For fiscal year 2008, the President slashed the budget again, requesting only $14.8 million, which is an $8 million cut from the previous year.

As the chairman knows, my subcommittee has raised attention to this

issue, and the full committee authorized $50 million for cybersecurity research and development. As the committee's authorization and appropriations bills move forward, I would like to work with the chairman so that we can assure appropriate funding for cybersecurity research.

I thank the gentleman, and again I want to thank you for your attention to this matter of national significance, and I do look forward to working with you. And I also appreciate all your hard work on the Homeland Security appropriations bill in general. Again, I appreciate the gentleman's efforts.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to say that I rise in strong support of the FY 2008 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. I want to begin by commending Chairman Price's leadership in crafting a measure that will provide an additional $2.1 billion above the President's request and fill many of our remaining security gaps.

As chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I am particularly pleased that this bill incorporates language I worked on to strengthen chemical security by allowing State and local governments to set chemical safety rules that are stronger than Federal mandates.

Further, this legislation incorporates an additional $307 million for aviation security, an area the 9/11 Commission highlighted as a priority. This bill will allow TSA to install vital explosive detection systems at commercial airports nationwide and will double the amount of cargo screened on passenger aircrafts.

This bill also takes the critical step of lifting the cap on TSA airport screeners, a provision which is of tremendous importance to T.F. Green Airport in my district.

In addition, H.R. 2638 incorporates robust funding to strengthen border protection, including $8.8 billion to fund

an additional 3,000 Border Patrol agents for FY08.

Finally, this legislation will help our first responders who place their lives on the line each and every day by restoring funding to the local law enforcement terrorism prevention program and the assistance to firefighter grants program.

Of course, no appropriations measure is perfect and this bill is no exception. I am especially disappointed with the inadequate funding level for R&D for cybersecurity. Cybersecurity poses potentially devastating threats to our Nation's critical infrastructure, and I hope we can improve the bill in this area. I have a later amendment to that effect that I hope to discuss with the chairman.

Overall, however, this is an excellent bill. I again want to commend the chairman and the committee for their outstanding work on this measure. It provides support to many critical programs, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Offered By: Mr. Langevin

Amendment No. 3: Page 50, line 26, insert ``: Provided

further, That $50,000,000 of such amount shall be for

cybersecurity research and development'' after ``Impact

Assessment''.