Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am pleased to speak in support of the bill before us. I wish to thank Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton for their leadership in crafting a bill that will provide our military--and the men and women who serve in it--the resources they need to keep America strong in the 21st century. It is always a daunting task to craft legislation that balances the needs of our services, and such an effort is even more challenging during a time of military conflict. Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton have succeeded admirably in this endeavor, and the product before us today is a fine example of careful craftsmanship and bipartisan cooperation. I am particularly appreciative of the Chairman's theme of ``The Year of the Soldier,'' and the commitment this legislation demonstrates to force protection and quality of life enhancements. We are proud of our men and women in uniform, and we must ensure that they are given the resources necessary to succeed in their mission.

I am pleased that the legislation includes provisions that I offered with Congressman Jim Cooper during committee consideration to ensure that civilian employees at the Department of Defense do not lose their jobs to private contractors without first having the opportunity to compete for the work. The legislation closes loopholes that have allowed the Department of Defense to reclassify or reorganize work to avoid Congressionally mandated competition requirements. It also supports efforts to provide civilian employees with comparable legal standing to private-sector workers when appealing contract decisions. These provisions will offer equality to our civilian employees and significant savings to our taxpayers.

I also appreciate the committee's effort to correct the problem of reduced survivor benefits for military spouses. For too long, military spouses have witnessed their survivor benefits drop by more than one- third once reaching the age of 62. Comparable civilian plans provide survivors a lifetime annuity of 50-55 percent of retired pay and protect against a drop in annuity at age 62. As a cosponsor of the Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act, I have supported efforts to repeal this unfair burden and am pleased that this legislation would restore benefits gradually to 55 percent by March 2008.

As we move forward on this legislation, I hope to work with the Chairman and the Ranking Member to address my concerns about our nation's shipbuilding rates. This legislation would postpone by one year construction of our next-generation destroyer, DD(X), and the Littoral Combat Ship, at a time when our naval fleet is shrinking and our shipbuilding industry is struggling. The proposed $221 million reduction for DD(X) is particularly disconcerting when the project has been running on budget and on schedule. Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations, has indicated his opposition to these shipbuilding cuts, and I look forward to working with the committee to restore funding for DD(X) and LCS.

Overall, this legislation is a well-balanced approach to the needs of our nation's military, and I commend the Chairman, Ranking Member, and my colleagues on the committee for a fine work product. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to the conference report on S. Con. Res. 95, the Republican budget.

Rhode Islanders are facing challenges on many fronts, and the budget resolution gave us an opportunity to address many of them, including education, health care, and housing shortfalls. Instead, Republicans chose to continue borrowing money from future generations to pay for their failed fiscal policies that have left the economy more than two million jobs lighter since the beginning of the current Administration. Under the Republican budget, the obstacles we face today will only grow in the coming years.

Although I did not believe it possible, the conference report before us today is actually less fiscally responsible than the budget which barely passed this House in March by a razor thin margin of 215-212. As a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security and the Armed Services Committee, I understand the unprecedented challenges our nation is facing at home and abroad. All of us want to ensure that our troops have all the resources needed to protect us and themselves at home and abroad. Both the physical and economic security of our families are at stake. Working within this framework, the Republican leadership could have negotiated a bipartisan compromise that both parties could support, but instead continued down an ideological path without reaching out to Democrats.

This budget has too many shortfalls to list, so I will just cite a few of the most egregious problems. For the first time in more than two decades, the budget conference report fails to specify multi-year policy numbers. By providing the costs for only a single year of programs and policies, the budget provides no plan to reduce the deficit and no commitment that critical resources for defense, homeland security, education, health care, veterans, and other priorities will be available in future years. The absence of meaningful numbers beyond the first year masks the true consequences of Republican priorities.

In addition, this budget automatically raises the debt limit by nearly $700 billion, to $8.1 trillion. There will be no further debate or votes on this crucial issue that affects the pocketbooks of every American. At a time when the CBO anticipates a budget deficit of more than $400 billion, Congress must make the difficult decisions to return our budget to balance, but the Republicans failed to do so.

Finally, the budget rejects legitimate Pay-As-You-Go enforcement rules to keep the

budget deficit in check. The PAYGO rules would ensure that the government does not increase spending or cut taxes unless these changes would not add to the deficit. PAYGO rules fueled the unprecedented economic and job growth during the 1990s, but the budget before us chooses irresponsible deficits over fiscal restraint.

Deficit spending has stymied job growth and is plaguing our economy. We are facing a record deficit with no plan to return the budget to balance. No Rhode Islander would write a check without sufficient funds to cash that check. Neither should the government.

I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the Republican budget and working towards a bipartisan, fiscally responsible plan.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin) and others for their leadership in organizing this special order, especially also the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone). The two of you deserve a great deal of credit, and I thank you for your leadership.

America's health care delivery system, Mr. Speaker, is incredibly flawed and in crisis. As premiums for employer-sponsored insurance rapidly rise, employers are struggling to maintain the same level of benefits or are offering less coverage and fewer options, and in some cases they are being forced to drop coverage altogether.

Even worse, the number of small businesses offering health insurance to their employees is rapidly declining. Existing public programs meant to reach those without access to private insurance are strained and still do not reach everyone. The challenges of the current system are affecting the health security of every American. Meanwhile, as we learned this week, the number of uninsured Americans is rising.

Mr. Speaker, we depend on coverage from a very haphazard system. If you do not qualify for a public program and do not work for an employer who is able to offer comprehensive benefits, you do not have access to affordable group coverage.

I find it staggering that over 30 percent of uninsured Americans are working and making more than $50,000 per year. Most of these individuals who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid are willing to contribute a fair share of their own income to a health insurance plan, if only they had access to a reasonably priced private plan.

The fastest growing segment of the uninsured population is young adults. There are 8 million 18 to 24-year-old Americans without health insurance. We need to find a way to pull these people into the system, which is breaking under the strain of rising costs and an aging population.

Like my other colleagues here tonight, I am going to read a letter that I received earlier this year from a young man in my home State of Rhode Island.

Mr. Speaker, it reads: ``I am a 28-year-old resident of Warwick. The cost of medical care is astronomical. I do not have a job which gives me coverage, so I was forced to pay over $400 a month to Blue Cross for my health coverage. Well, I am no longer able to afford that incredible price and they have dropped me. I then applied to the Department of Human Services in Buttonwoods for medical assistance, and I was rejected. They said my medical condition was not severe enough to warrant assistance.

``My medication and medical bills are far too expensive for me to afford more much longer. I live with my family and they have been giving me help, but it is an extreme strain. I have just recently gotten a job delivering papers, but that will not be much help.

``Are there any Federal programs which could help? Are there any State programs? There seems to be no information out there for people such as myself who are in desperate need of medical coverage. I can afford maybe $100 to $200 per month for coverage, but I do not know of any private companies in Rhode Island that provide that.

``I have heard of the Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and Right Aide, but they seemed designed for families and I was told initially I probably wouldn't qualify. What about singles such as myself?

``Do you or does anyone on my staff know how to help? Can you direct me to any government or private agencies, and can you tell me of any private health insurance companies in Rhode Island, aside from Blue Cross, that provide reasonably affordable health coverage? I have looked on the net, but most of what I see are scams and junk web sites.

``Also, I am a registered Democrat and I am aware of your work on health care, but I think that the U.S. Congress and our State could do a much better job at getting the uninsured more help and more information. Thank you.''

Mr. Speaker, my constituent sees the value of health coverage and has expressed a willingness to contribute a fair amount of his salary towards the cost of his medical care. Yet, because he does not fit into one of the categories I described earlier, there are no affordable options available to him.

Mr. Speaker, this is morally and economically wrong. We must begin a meaningful dialogue about how to reach those who have been left out of our health care system.

I am presently at work on a health care proposal that will assure a system that can include people like my constituent. The plan that I am proposing, that I am working on, uses the Federal

Health Employee Benefit Plan as a model and would make a major step forward in achieving health care for all.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues on this effort and other legislative initiatives that will extend the promise of health insurance for every American.

Mr. Speaker, again I want to thank my colleagues for organizing this special order on such a critically important issue at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Rebecca Galloway for winning the Reading Is Fundamental National Poster Contest. In this back-to-school reading-motivation contest, Rebecca competed with more than 500 other entries nationwide. The poster she created, depicting a child reading a book with the sun, earth and stars in the background, took the top honors in this contest.

Ms. Galloway is a 10-year-old student from Warwick, Rhode Island. She is in the 5th grade at the Warwick Neck Elementary School. Rebecca enjoys reading in bed with her mother at night and they are both fans of the Nancy Drew Mystery series. Rebecca and her family understand how important reading is for children and they take advantage of the opportunities that books create for them daily. Rebecca hopes her poster will encourage other children to take advantage of these same opportunities.

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is a nationwide non-profit group that aims to ensure that all children have access to free books. RIF encourages children, especially those most at-risk, to take home and keep the books they distribute. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and Nestle, RIF distributed 16.5 million new books in 2003 to children throughout the country. RIF also supports various programs to encourage reading, such as the poster contest.

Ms. Galloway will receive a gift certificate to purchase books, a laptop computer, a basket of Nestle products, and a $1000 U.S. Savings Bond for winning the poster contest. She will also attend a special awards ceremony and her school will receive funds to purchase books for their library. In this day and age with so many forms of media competing for our children's attention, it is important that we encourage them to turn toward the infinite possibilities offered by books. Once again, I congratulate Rebecca Galloway for her award- winning poster and thank the Reading Is Fundamental organization for the work they do for the young minds of America.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I rise in support of H. Res 627. Recent reports regarding the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers are deeply disturbing and inexcusable. While I know this outrageous behavior is not characteristic of our men and women in uniform, we must make it clear to the international community and our own citizens that such actions are not our policy or common practices in Iraq, and they will not be tolerated under any circumstances. It is unfortunate that these abuses have overshadowed the work of the many service members performing critical, and dangerous, missions to ensure a stable and safe Iraq for the newly-freed Iraqi people.

I am equally troubled by the Administration's lack of attention to such abuses in Iraq and elsewhere. There is no excuse for their failure to act swiftly to remedy this stark violation of both the Geneva Convention and basic human rights. Not only did they withhold such allegations and the subsequent investigation from Congress, but the flouting of international law continued while those responsible went unpunished.

The Administration and the Pentagon must find those responsible and hold them accountable for these heinous actions. I have joined many of my colleagues in requesting that the Military Inspector General of the Department of Defense supervise the investigation of tortured Iraqi prisoners of war, and other reported violations of the Geneva Convention at Abu Ghraib Prison. In addition, I have urged Attorney General Ashcroft to investigate the role of private contractors in these abuses. I hope that thorough and open investigations will allow us to hold the appropriate parties responsible and ensure such behavior never occurs again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 605, which recognizes the importance of increasing awareness of autism. This resolution supports research on the treatment of autism, the improvement of training and support for individuals with autism and those who are for them.

As a member of the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research & Education, and the uncle of a little boy of autism, I am well acquainted with the issues faced by families of children with this disorder. I am struck by the rapid increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism in the last decade. While we have certainly made progress in assessment, diagnosis and treatment, there is room for improvement. We must commit ourselves to providing parents, pediatricians, early childhood educators and all those who have contact with very young children the resources and training to identify children who need help early enough to begin effective interventions. We must take advantage of ongoing data collection in the state and use it to construct better policies and programs to serve our children and families struggling with autism.

Like all children, those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders are individuals with unique talents and abilities. Across the state, special education teachers, psychologists and others are working hard to bring these gifts and talents to light, and help these children realize their potential. We must recognize and support this honorable work through promoting research and resources dedicated to the study of autism. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 605.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Ian Hardman, David Fowlkes, and Henry Seemore, who were all recently honored as the 2004 Rhode Island Small Business Persons of the Year by the United States Small Business Administration. Mr. Hardman, Mr. Fowlkes, and Mr. Seemore are the founders of Davin Wheels, an automobile wheel company based in Providence, RI.

It was David Fowlkes' design that made Davin Wheels so popular. While attending the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Fowlkes created a stylish wheel composed of the base wheel and a spinner. After the car stops moving, the spinner continues to rotate, giving the appearance that the car's wheels are still in motion. Today, with 12 years of experience in the engineering and manufacturing industries, Fowlkes still puts his creative touch on all the products of Davin Wheels, where he currently serves as the President and Chief Operating Officer.

Ian Hardman, the Chief Executive Officer of Davin, met Fowlkes while they were both working at Reebok. Ian worked in marketing

while David was a senior designer. Ian used his 15 years of experience in finance, operations, and marketing to help launch and run Davin Wheels. His knowledge and expertise have driven the development, expansion, and success of Davin Wheels since the beginning.

Hank Seemore, Davin's Chief Financial Officer, met Fowlkes while he was Vice President of Fleet Bank's Private Client Group. After 17 years in the banking industry, Seemore was responsible for a $200 million portfolio. Upon observing Fowlkes' prototype, Seemore and Hardman teamed up with Fowlkes to launch the company in 1998.

Davin Wheels' first product, the Revolution 1.0, made its official debut in January 2001. Since then, sales have been driven by word of mouth and celebrity plugs, including features on MTV, ESPN, and in various music videos. Davin Wheels is seen as the final touch to many celebrities' and athletes' flashy cars. The first three lines of the Revolution wheels have completely sold out, a sign that this Rhode Island company is sure to succeed for years to come on this simple, stylish product.

Fowlkes, Seemore, and Hardman join a distinguished group of Rhode Islanders who have been named Small Business Person of the Year. Small businesses are key to the economic growth in my home state, and I wish these gentlemen, and the 33,000 other small business owners in Rhode Island, great success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the late Mr. Neil Jay Rosenberg, formerly of Westerly, Rhode Island, who will be awarded the Carnegie Medal for his heroism on the morning of July 17, 2002. This year, 19 individuals from throughout the United States and Canada will receive the Carnegie Medal for risking their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The medal and $3,500 grant will be presented posthumously to Mr. Rosenberg's father of Brooklyn, New York.

Alerted to a fire in the livingroom of his family's two-story house on July 17, 2002, Mr. Rosenberg quickly evacuated his step father, Robert L. Ingram, who required the use of a wheelchair. He then turned back into the house where his girlfriend, Tara Verrier, and two half sisters, Crystal L. and Carol Ingram, remained on the second floor. Tragically, neither Mr. Rosenberg nor the others survived the fire.

Mr. Speaker, I hope our colleagues will join me in honoring a true hero, Mr. Neil Jay Rosenberg, for sacrificing his life in the hopes of saving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Miguel Blanco, Olabisi Davies, and Taja Gonsalves on winning the 2003 President's Environmental Youth Award. These three students are all residents of Providence, Rhode Island, and participate in the Groundwork Providence Education Team.

Groundwork Providence, which is part of the national nonprofit Groundwork USA network, develops community based partnerships that work to regenerate, improve and manage the physical environment. The Education Team is aimed at getting students involved in taking care of their community and teaching others to do the same. The President's Environmental Youth Awards program is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Education. The program helps promote environmental awareness and community involvement among young people. Only ten exceptional projects are picked per year.

Mr. Blanco, a junior at Mt. Pleasant High School; Ms. Davies, a senior at North Providence High School; and Ms. Gonsalves, a freshman at the Health & Science Technology High School, plan and run after school programs for younger students. They also help run summer environmental education camps, attend training sessions and workshops, and take part in projects to clean up the community.

Mr. Speaker, these inspiring students have become important role models not only to younger children, but also to their communities. I hope my colleagues join me in congratulating them on their accomplishments and wishing them all the best as they continue their education and community involvement.

Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sorrow that I rise to recognize the death of Lance Corporal Matthew K. Serio, a brave Marine who served with dignity and honor in Iraq. I join his family and the people of Rhode Island in mourning this great loss.

On Monday, April 5, Lance Corporal Serio was killed by enemy fire during combat operations near Fallujah, Iraq. A member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Lance Corporal Serio was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq. He graduated from North Providence High School in 2001, where he distinguished himself as a member of the football team. After graduation, he pursued a lifelong dream and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

I extend my deepest condolences to his parents Anthony and Sharon, his younger brother Chris, and his older brother A.J., who serves in the Navy. The people of North Providence and Rhode Island have demonstrated their love and appreciation for Matthew's sacrifice and have spoken highly of his contributions to their lives. Those who knew him well recalled his friendliness and compassion, as well as his patriotism and love of service.

His loss causes us to reflect on the bravery demonstrated by our men and women in uniform as they carry out their obligations in the face of danger. When their nation called them to duty to preserve freedom, liberty and the security of their neighbors, they answered without hesitation. We remember those who have fallen not only as soldiers, but also as patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. May we keep their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers as they struggle to endure this difficult period and mourn the heroes America has lost.

We will continue to hope for the safe and speedy return of all of our troops serving throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sorrow that I rise to recognize the death of Master Sergeant Richard L. Ferguson, United States Army--a brave soldier who served with dignity and honor in Iraq. I join his family and the people of Rhode Island in mourning this great loss.

On Tuesday, March 30, Master Sergeant Ferguson was killed in Samarra, Iraq, when the vehicle in which he was riding overturned in a non- hostile incident. He served with 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group out of Fort Carson, Colorado. Raised in Coventry, Rhode Island, Master Sergeant Ferguson joined the Army at the age of 17 and served his nation honorably as a member of the elite Special Forces. His assignments sent him around the globe on important and challenging missions, and it was while stationed in Germany that he met his wife, Marianne. Marianne now lives in Colorado with their children, Jonathan, Jordan, and Jason.

Master Sergeant Ferguson's many years in the Army demonstrate his dedication to our nation's freedom, a belief shared by others in his family that were also called to service; his father, Lee F. Ferguson, Sr., served in Korea, his brother, Lee Jr., was a member of the 82nd Airborne, and his brother Eric is in the Air National Guard. Richard Ferguson also leaves a sister, JoAnn Phillips of Coventry, and a daughter, Audrey. Those who knew him well spoke highly of his love of his family, and his patriotism. He was described as a leader who demonstrated humility, commitment and courage.

His loss causes us to reflect on the bravery demonstrated by our men and women in uniform as they carry out their obligations in the face of danger. When their nation called them to duty to preserve freedom, liberty and the security of their neighbors, they answered without hesitation. We remember those who have fallen not only as soldiers, but also as patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. May we keep their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers as they struggle to endure this difficult period and mourn the heroes America has lost.

We will continue to hope for the safe and speedy return of all of our troops serving throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban. In 1994, President Clinton signed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which banned the manufacture and importation of many semiautomatic assault weapons. This law is set to expire on September 13, 2004, just 144 days away.

In 1995, the FBI reported that trace requests for assault weapons declined 20 percent only one year after enactment of the ban. Since enactment, criminals are using these guns less frequently, and innocent lives are saved every day as a result.

I am proud to join 108 of my colleagues as a cosponsor of H.R. 2038, the Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act. This vital legislation will permanently extend the 1994 Act and help keep these weapons out of our country and away from criminals.

If we allow the assault weapons ban to expire, our streets will again be flooded with an arsenal of Uzis and AK-47s--guns which are responsible for pre-ban killings such as the Stockton Schoolyard Massacre and a shooting at the CIA Headquarters.

Twenty percent of police officers killed in the line of duty today are shot using these banned assault weapons. This number is sure to increase if these weapons are more readily available. The weapons banned under current law pose too great a risk to the general public, and especially law enforcement officers, to be legalized. For this reason, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police both support extending the ban.

In addition to this important measure, I have introduced two other pieces of legislation to cut down on shooting deaths. Approximately 1 percent of the nation's gun stores are the source of 57 percent of the firearms traced to crimes. H.R. 1540, the Crackdown on Deadbeat Dealers Act, would increase the ability of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate record-keeping compliance among these delinquent gun dealers. The second bill is H.R. 821, the Accidental Shooting Prevention Act, which requires chamber load indicators on handguns, allowing gun owners to quickly recognize if their weapons are loaded. I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor these two bills and help reduce the number of gun deaths in America without infringing on the rights of lawful gun owners.

The three pieces of legislation I have mentioned do not unreasonably restrict law-abiding citizens from using appropriate firearms for sporting purposes or self-protection. Rather, sensible gun control prevents firearms from getting into the wrong hands.

My colleagues in the House and Senate must understand how important it is that we continue this ban on assault weapons to prevent parents and children from suffering life-altering senseless violence should these guns again become legal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the millions who lost their lives during the Holocaust as we observe Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day.

Yom Hashoah commemorates the April and May 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Led by 23-year-old Mordecai Anielewicz, 750 Jewish resistance fighters battled heavily armed German troops and police attempting to deport the surviving ghetto inhabitants to concentration camps. In an appeal to the world community to end the atrocities of the Holocaust, the fighters wrote, ``A battle is being waged for your freedom as well as ours. For you and our human, civic, and national honor and dignity.'' Unfortunately, their call went largely unanswered. While the fighters were able to hold out for nearly a month, the German firepower was too much. In the end, more than 56,000 Jews were captured, 7,000 were shot, and the remainder were deported to concentration camps.

Between the years of 1941 and 1945, more than 12 million innocent civilians were murdered in the Holocaust, including 6 million Jews. These people were singled out not because of any wrongdoing, but rather because of their families' religion or where they were born.

Nearly 60 years after the end of this attempt to exterminate an entire religion, anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia continue to plague humanity. People are discriminated against and even targeted for violence simply because of where they were born or who their ancestors are. Every day, this occurs not only in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also here in America. Now more than ever, we all must work to understand those of different cultures, races, and religions. Mutual respect for differences will lead to the end of hostilities, and only then will the opportunity for world peace exist.

As philosopher George Santayana said, ``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' I encourage my constituents to take this opportunity to visit the Rhode Island Holocaust Memorial Museum, speak to a Holocaust survivor, or read a book by Eli Wiesel. I solemnly remember and honor all of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust, and I will do all in my power to ensure that similar atrocities never occur again.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his fine work on this important legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this legislation and am disappointed that we are not able to discuss the matter of continuity in the thoughtful, thorough, and nonpartisan manner it deserves. Many of my colleagues, including the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird), the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney), and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), have tried to encourage dialogue on this matter, but this bill does not address many of the concerns raised by Members of this House and outside experts during the last 2\1/2\ years.

Under H.R. 2844, if the House experienced the deaths of more than 100 Members, the Speaker could direct States to conduct special elections within 45 days. Well, as a former secretary of state, I know how to run elections, and the 45-day time frame in this bill would severely limit election officials' ability to prepare ballots, train poll workers, select polling locations, and inform the voting public about the process. The short time frame would also disenfranchise our military and citizens living abroad, as well as certain elderly and disabled citizens who would not be able to apply for, receive,

and return their absentee ballots by mail. All of these things and many more would clearly undermine the process and the outcome of such a special election.

Now, while 45 days is not enough time to conduct special elections, it is certainly too long for Congress to remain inactive. In the 6 weeks after the attacks of September 11, Congress passed legislation authorizing the use of military force, an airline assistance measure, an economic stimulus bill, the Defense Authorization Act, numerous appropriation bills, the farm bill, and legislation pertaining to bioterrorism, victims assistance, and going after terrorism financing. H.R. 2844 would leave important decisions to a greatly diminished and possibly an unrepresentative House. In the case of widespread incapacitation, the House would be unable to achieve a quorum and become inoperative during a time of crisis.

I am disappointed that H.R. 2844 does not address these important issues and ignores a priority of mine, deciding how Congress could communicate and function if terrorist acts prevented it from meeting in one location. These matters warrant greater discussion than the limited bill before us, and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) has introduced a discharge petition for a full and fair debate on continuity, which I have signed.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 2844 and to sign the Baird discharge petition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kathleen Mellor for being named the 2004 National Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Mellor, a resident of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, is the first Rhode Islander and also the first English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher to be honored with such an award.

Mrs. Mellor currently teaches at Davisville Middle School and Hamilton Elementary School. She has twenty-three years of experience as a teacher and has worked with the North Kingstown School Department since 1985. She developed an ESL program for the school system that allowed ESL students to remain in mainstream classrooms for the majority of their day. She fostered a community within the school, while encouraging students to share their own cultures and languages with one another. This first-rate program flourished and is still in place today.

In addition to her many academic accomplishments, Mrs. Mellor volunteers in her community and started a program called Ladybugs where mothers of ESL students can practice their conversational English, so they can better understand their children's new lives. In recognition of her creation of a warm learning environment, energetic disposition, and determination for her ESL students to succeed, she was nominated for, and won, the 2004 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Award.

Mrs. Mellor was named National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers on April 20th, 2004. Today she will be recognized for her achievements by President Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House. In the next year, 150 national and international groups will have the honor of hearing Mrs. Mellor speak while she travels as the national ambassador for the teaching profession.

Mr. Speaker, it is not often enough that the hard work and determination of our educators are acknowledged, so it is with great pride that I recognize an exceptional teacher like Kathleen Mellor for all her accomplishments.

I hope our colleagues will join me in congratulating Kathleen Mellor on her award.