Floor Statements

Reserving the right to object, Mr. Chairman, I am in strong opposition to the underlying amendment, and I also have great concerns about the unanimous consent request.

Mr. Chairman, I believe the unanimous consent request is designed to make minimal changes in the underlying amendment. I also believe that the unanimous consent request is designed to make the bill less objectionable to some Members and thereby encourage them to vote for it.

I am so opposed to the underlying amendment that I am therefore opposed to the unanimous consent request.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Chairman, further reserving the right to object, I appreciate the gentleman's explanation. The underlying amendment makes unnecessary disclosure of very sensitive information. It is burdensome upon each of the departments that it requires this disclosure to be brought forward, and as a matter of fact, the explanation that the gentleman just gave saying that makes it only available to HPSCI and SSCI, the two intelligence committees, does not include the Committee on Armed Services, which has great responsibility for military defense intelligence.

So I do object, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an extraordinary gentleman who I am honored to call a friend. On July 1, 2005, Rabbi Richard Levine will retire after 41 years of service as the spiritual leader of Congregation Adath Emanu-El. Since 1964, Rabbi Levine has worked tirelessly on behalf of his Congregation and the greater Jewish community of southern New Jersey. As my friend continues his journey after retirement, it is with great pride and admiration that I look back on his tenure as a spiritual and community leader.

After graduating from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Richard Levine went on to the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion where-upon completion of his studies, he was ordained as a Rabbi. Arriving in Willingboro, New Jersey in 1964, Rabbi Levine began to get involved with a countless number of Jewish and non-sectarian organizations and causes. In addition to holding the Presidency of the Delaware Valley Association of Reform Rabbis and the Tri-County Board of Rabbis, he was the first New Jersey Rabbi ever to serve as President of the Greater Philadelphia Board of Rabbis. He has served on the Boards of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, Jewish Family and Children Services and the Board of Jewish Education.

Rabbi Levine's dedication to our local community goes far beyond his service on Rabbinical and community boards. Over the years he has worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Operation Head Start, various multi-ethnic human relations organizations and has taught classes at local schools. He has served with distinction as a ``scholar in residence'' in other communities and has led over a dozen trips to Israel. During these trips, the participants enjoy his first- hand knowledge of the country, its history, people and spiritual meaning.

Today, as we honor the accomplishments of this exceptional American, Rabbi Levine is still hard at work, as the patriarch of a growing family. He and his lovely wife Judith are the proud parents of nine children and are celebrating the arrival of their eighth grandchild! As a father, grandfather and rabbi, Richard Levine has earned the respect, gratitude and admiration of all of us who have had the privilege to work with him over the years.

Mr. Speaker, my friend Richard Levine has dedicated his professional life to the service of his people and the greater community of which I am honored to be a part. As he begins his well-earned retirement, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for his friendship, leadership and service.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 256) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in remembrance of the brave servicemen who perished in the disastrous April 24, 1980, rescue attempt of the American hostages in Iran, as amended.

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

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

Madam Speaker, to begin, let me extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) for his assistance in bringing this resolution to the floor.

The men and women of our Armed Forces are fortunate to have such a dedicated person serving as chairman of the Committee on Armed Services and I am deeply honored to serve with him.

Madam Speaker, on November 4, 1979, Americans were shocked by the news that terrorists had stormed our embassy in Tehran and took 66 of our fellow citizens hostage. This deplorable act of barbarism caught our Nation off guard and, frankly, ill-prepared to fully realize the growing threat in the region.

As days became weeks and weeks became months, back-channel diplomacy was failing. The American people were becoming impatient and a wide array of individuals were demanding action. As a Nation, the United States was being held hostage by a regime that had no intention of negotiating.

Finally, President Carter made the decision that enough was enough; it was time to bring our people home. On April 16, 1980 a plan called ``Operation Eagle Claw'' was approved, and our Nation's Special Operations Forces were prepared to answer the call.

Madam Speaker, 8 days later on April 24, a task force of highly trained personnel from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force was formed. The task force was comprised of highly trained individuals and intensely dedicated people, probably the most dedicated ever assembled to set forth on a mission that would end abruptly in disaster.

The plan called for 8 helicopters, 12 airplanes and a lethal combination of United States Army Special Operations Forces, Army Rangers, Air Force Special Operations Wing personnel, and United States Navy, Marine, and Air Force pilots to work without a unified command structure deep inside hostile territory, a daunting task.

The mission's first objective called for the task force to rendezvous at a location named Desert One. Once there, U.S. Special Forces combat controllers and translators were to be offloaded from Air Force airplanes, C-130s, and reloaded onto Navy helicopters which would take them to the outskirts of Tehran, in preparation for the final rescue.

Before the rendezvous could even take place, weather problems and mechanical failures plagued the mission. Eight helicopters took off from the USS Nimitz, but only 6, the bare minimum required to complete the mission successfully, successfully arrived at Desert One.

Once the birds were on the ground, Operation Eagle Claw received its final blow when one of the remaining helicopters' hydraulic system malfunctioned and therefore rendered the bird useless for the final assault on Tehran. At that point, despite the desired and sheer ability of the Special Operations Forces on the ground, the order to abort the mission was given.

As the helicopters and airplanes maneuvered to return to their respective launching points, another disaster struck. One of the helicopters collided

with a parked C-130 and both aircraft erupted in flames. In the chaos that followed, the soldiers on the ground acted courageously, with absolutely no regard for their personal safety, and managed to save many of their colleagues.

But despite this uncanny display of bravery, 8 of America's finest young men lost their lives: Captain Harold L. Lewis, Jr., Captain Lyn D. McIntosh, Captain Richard L. Baake, Captain Charles McMillan, Master Sergeant Joel C. Mayo, Staff Sergeant Dewey Johnson, Sergeant John D. Harvey, and Corporal George N. Holmes. They deserve our admiration and appreciation for the supreme sacrifice made on behalf of our country.

This morning, Madam Speaker, when I looked at my e-mail, I had received an e-mail from someone who read an op-ed which was published, which I wrote for the Washington Times, which was published yesterday. I would like to read it in part.

He says: I will never forget the day, as a young second lieutenant serving in the 82nd Air Force Division, across Fort Bragg from Special Forces Headquarters, we knew very little about the Special Forces people at that time, but I did know the leader's daughter. So in addition to recognizing that these were America's finest warriors with all the physical strength, hooah, and military skills one can imagine, I also appreciated that they had families who loved them dearly and who suffered anguish, fear, and loss in Eagle Claw. So that is what I recall from my 25 years ago and what I recall every day when I open the newspaper and read of the tremendous sacrifice our forces make, each of them with families who love them.

Madam Speaker, although the results of the mission were tragic, Operation Eagle Claw's contribution to the American military was invaluable. One of the central recommendations made by the investigative commission called upon the military commanders and policy makers to look at ways to bring together various Special Operations Forces of each branch of the military. This crucial observation led to the creation of the United States Special Operations Command, SOCOM, a model of jointness that serves as an example of the transformed 21st century military which we are seeking to help create.

Today, SOCOM officers and soldiers and others who are serving our Nation serve under one command structure, and they are leading the war on terror. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, I have the distinct honor of working with the members of SOCOM. It is clear that our Nation's Special Operations Forces are the most unified, well equipped and fiercest fighting force in the world. In the post-911 world that we live in, their contribution to our national security is more important than ever.

Madam Speaker, we stand here today in remembrance of the lives that were lost in Operation Eagle Claw. We are also thankful for the men who have followed in their footsteps. As the warriors of SOCOM continue to lead the fight in the war on terror, I join my colleagues in applauding their efforts and successes and thanking them for their dedication to our country.

The meaning of Operation Eagle Claw will be remembered in different ways by different people, but it will always be remembered.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from western Florida (Mr. Miller) whose district is the home of the Air Force component of the Special Operations Command, AFSOC.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline), a great veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Madam Speaker, we have no more speakers on our side, and we yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1815, the National Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year. Last week, the Committee on Armed Services approved this bill by an overwhelming vote, as was noted by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), 61 to 1. This demonstrates once again the committee's long tradition of bipartisanship in addressing the defense needs of our Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend the chairman and the ranking member for leading us through this process this year in a bipartisan basis.

Mr. Chairman, the war on terror requires the determination of this Nation. This bill demonstrates that determination.

The war on terror requires flexibility to be able to change to meet the threat. This bill demonstrates our ability to change to meet the threat.

The war on terror requires the use of new technology, information technology, robotics, detection equipment. This bill demonstrates our ability to do that.

The members of the Committee on Armed Services never forget that we are a Nation at war. Our young people in uniform face danger daily, while bringing peace and prosperity to benighted areas around the world. Moreover, they are taking the fight to the terrorists on their home ground, keeping the terrorists on the run and fearing for their very lives.

The highest responsibility of those of us privileged to serve on the Committee on Armed Services is to do whatever we can to help our troops. We make the point of visiting the troops in the theater to better appreciate the conditions they live and operate under and the needs they have.

My subcommittee and I have been diligent in that regard and have tried our best to include measures that help our soldiers. We have taken several actions in the bill that will provide the resources and direction to better protect our men and women who are selflessly serving in dangerous conditions overseas.

We have not forgotten our valiant warriors in the Special Operations Command in particular. We have authorized funds for several items in the SOCOM commander's unfunded requirements list and have authorized additional funding that would provide some necessary operational flexibility for special operations forces on the ground.

The bill provides increased funding to accelerate the development and fielding of advanced technologies that I mentioned earlier for emerging critical operational needs, including protection of our forces against improvised explosive devices and rocket and mortar attack and to provide real-time surveillance of suspected enemy activities.

The bill also provides increased funding for combating terrorism technology support to accelerate the development and fielding of advanced technologies in the war on terror. We continue our successful initiative to develop chemical and biological defense countermeasures and start a new initiative for medical defensive countermeasures.

The bill recommended by the committee recognizes that we remain a nation at war. The asymmetrical threat that I have warned of since the middle 1980s has indeed grown to be a worldwide menace. Our successes in meeting this new world threat are measured by our ability to evolve our warfighting strategies and tactics more quickly than the enemy. While we certainly have the initiative, we do not have a monopoly on all of the ideas. The enemy is clever, growing desperate and must be taken seriously by the people of our country. This bill will help our soldiers keep the enemy on the defensive.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, I want to express my appreciation again to you and to the ranking member, as well as to the ranking member on our subcommittee, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan), with whom I have worked closely over the years and particularly this year. This is an excellent bill, and I urge all Members to support it.

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

Mr. Chairman, first let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) for bringing this important amendment to the floor. I think it is very important. I would also like to commend the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and the gentleman from Kentucky (Chairman Rogers) for the great job he has done in doing his job as the chairman of this important subcommittee.

I would like to bring my perspective as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threat and Capabilities on the Committee on Armed Services. I like to look at the war on terror in three parts. We have the part that is taking the fight to the enemy. That is the armed services and the intelligence community. We have the job of gathering information both domestically and internationally in this very difficult war on terror. And third, we have the job, the task of securing the homeland.

We are talking about building block No. 3 today. This year, unfortunately, it has been found necessary for the fiscal year 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations bill to include $500 million for the Coast Guard's Integrated Deepwater System, cutting the program by $466 million below the President's request. I think this is a mistake. I do not think there is anything more important today, and I remember Ronald Reagan telling me when I was first elected to Congress 20 years ago that there are many things that the Congress does that are important, but nothing is more important than providing security to the American people.

Cutting nearly half of the funding will result in huge delays for Deepwater. This is simply unacceptable. If funding remains at this reduced level, it will add an additional 20 years to the program's completion. We cannot wait. This would serve a tough blow not only to this program but to taxpayers who ultimately have to fund the program over the long term.

Continuing to underfund the Deepwater program only puts off the acquisition of new replacement assets and further stresses already failing legacy systems. The gentleman from New Jersey went into some detail on that subject. With reduced resources, the service is forced to sink the majority of its funding into keeping legacy systems literally afloat and literally in the air.

Failure to fully fund the Deepwater program creates a readiness gap that we cannot afford to create. The Coast Guard performs countless critical missions to aid in the war on terror and we must not intentionally reduce or hamper their capabilities.

I understand that the gentleman from New Jersey is going to withdraw this and there will be pending considerations by the chairman of the committee. I thank both gentlemen for their effort in this regard.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will transfer control of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund from the National Park Service to the nonprofit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to ensure the much needed maintenance and repairs to the memorial are made in an effective and timely manner.

In 1996, the United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 was signed into law. This law mandated the minting and sale of several commemorative coins, including the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Silver Dollar. Surcharges from the coin sale were to be placed in a special interest-bearing account established by the U.S. Treasury and to be maintained by the National Park Service. The revenues generated were then to be used to maintain the memorial and interest accrued was to be used towards establishing a scholarship fund for the children of officers who were killed in the line of duty.

Unfortunately, due to a series of unintentional oversights, the nearly $1.4 million generated from the sale of the coin was misplaced and until recently was never invested by the U.S. Treasury in an interest-bearing account, as required by law.

For the past 6 years, the Memorial Fund has tried, unsuccessfully, to gain access to the maintenance fund to make needed repairs to the memorial. During this time, the Memorial Fund has spent more than $250,000 of its own funds, despite the existence of the $1.4 million.

Therefore, to ensure the money of the maintenance fund is spent in accordance with the original intent of the law, I have worked with the National Park Service and the National

Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to introduce legislation requiring the Park Service and the Officers Memorial Fund enter into a cooperative agreement outlining how the money in the maintenance fund will be spent. It is imperative that we correct this oversight and ensure the financial viability of the Officers Memorial Fund.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2107, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Maintenance Fund of 2005. The bill will transfer control of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund from the National Park Service to the non-profit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to ensure the much needed maintenance and repairs to the Memorial are made in a timely and effective manner.

In 1996, the United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 was signed into law. This law mandated the minting and sale of several commemorative coins, including a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Silver Dollar. Surcharges from the coin sale were to be placed in a special interest-interest bearing account established by the U.S. Treasury and to be maintained by the National Park Service. The revenues generated were then to be used to maintain the Memorial, and interest accrued was to be used towards establishing a scholarship fund for the children of officers who were killed in the line of duty.

Unfortunately, due to a series of unintentional oversights, the nearly $1.4 million generated from the sale of the coin was misplaced, and until recently, was never invested by the U.S. Treasury in an interest-bearing account, as required by law.

For the past six years, the Memorial Fund has tried, unsuccessfully, to gain access to the maintenance Fund to make needed repairs to the memorial. During this time, the Memorial Fund has spent more than $250,000 of its own funds, despite the existence of $1.4 million they raised from the sale of the commemorative coin. These funds were intended for the purpose of making repairs to the memorial, as specifically outlined in federal legislation.

Therefore, to ensure the money in the maintenance fund is spent in accordance with the original intent of the law, I have worked with the National Park Service and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund to introduce legislation requiring the Park Service and the Officers Memorial Fund enter into a cooperative agreement outlining how the money in the maintenance fund will be spent. It is imperative we correct this oversight, and secure the financial viability of the Officers Memorial Fund.

This past Friday, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial held their annual candlelight vigil, honoring the 153 brave men and women who lost their lives in defense of their communities in 2004. The Memorial hosted nearly 20,000 family members, law enforcement officers, and friends of law enforcement, who gathered to pay tribute to these fallen heroes. In addition to the pain and suffering of tragically losing a loved one, can you imagine the added stress had these families visited an unkempt site? Had the Officers Memorial Fund not used their own funds to provide routine maintenance and repair, grieving families would not have descended upon a memorial fit to honor the sacrifices made by their loved ones.

Ladies and gentlemen, in 1984, Congress honored those officers who worked devotedly and selflessly on behalf of the people of our Nation by authorizing a memorial built in their honor. Over a decade later, Congress again authorized support for our law enforcement community by issuing a coin sale to help cover the costs of maintaining their memorial. Which brings us to today, over 20 years later, we must continue to ensure these sacrifices made are memorialized in perpetuity.

This week, the Nation pays tribute to our law enforcement community by celebrating National Police Week. Enacted 43 years ago, this weeklong celebration commemorates law enforcement officers, past and present, who have, through their courageous and enduring commitment to maintaining the safety and security of all citizens, earned the respect and recognition of this grateful Nation.

Please join me in continuing to honor these brave men and women by supporting H.R. 2107.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joseph Anthony Citta who is retiring at the age of 97 after almost a century of life lived to its fullest.

An attorney in Toms River, New Jersey, Joe was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1934. After his induction into the U. S. Army in 1941, he was discharged as a Major in 1946, following duty in Germany with the War Crimes Section.

Returning to Toms River with his wife and children, he built his law practice, Citta, Holzapfel, Azbarsky and Simon, of which he is CEO today.

He has served on the State Veterans Service Council, having been appointed by Governor Driscoll. Joe Citta was appointed as first Public Defender in Ocean County, and is a member of the Ocean County Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Joe has served as President of many community organizations, among them the Toms

River Athletic Association, the Board of Education of Toms River, the Ocean County Bar Association, the Toms River Rotary Club, the Ocean County Council Boy Scouts of America, and Toms River Chamber of Commerce. He was named Ocean County College (OCC) Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year twice, and also twice received the OCC Distinguished Service Award.

His benevolent acts in the community through the Citta Foundation are legendary. His significant contributions through the Foundation are directed at the betterment of education and life in Dover Township, which he has called home for so many years.

I am pleased to congratulate my friend, Joseph A. Citta, on his retirement, and to extend the gratitude of the community for his generosity and support during a lifetime of service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Walter J. Rudder, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools of the Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT), who is retiring after 16 years of meritorious service to the community.

A veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, Dr. Rudder has served the students of Burlington County for 38 years.

A teacher of fourth, fifth and sixth grades reading and mathematics in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania public schools, Walt moved to the Pemberton Borough School District as Chief School Administrator. Maple Shade Township then welcomed him as Assistant Superintendent and School Business Administrator, followed by service to the students of Northern Burlington County Regional High School District, with his career culminating at BCIT.

Dr. Rudder also contributed to the education field by training prospective educators as an Adjunct Instructor and Visiting Assistant Professor at the College of New Jersey, Southern Illinois University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

At the helm during expansion projects at both the Medford and Westampton Campuses of BCIT, Dr. Rudder enhanced the adult-school program offerings, strengthened district admission policy and instituted a dress code, while seeing his district gain 600 students during his tenure.

While he plans to become more active as a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson, he also plans to play golf, travel and spend more time with his wife, Pat, and his family.

I and all those whose lives he has touched these many years wish health, happiness and dreams come true in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

I would like to make a few remarks to kind of put in perspective at least my view of the war on terror. Before I do that let me thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) for taking out this time to permit several of us to makes these remarks.

Let me just say that the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) has been a very energetic Member of the House of Representatives in spite of the fact that he has been here a relatively short time as a member of the Committee on Armed Services, and we certainly enjoy having him here and serving with him.

We all know that we have many people deployed overseas in a number of places. The most often talked about today, of course, are Afghanistan and Iraq, and I think it is fitting at this time to thank and pay tribute to the members of our Armed Services who are, in fact, a part of that deployed force, and to note as others already have today that they often times pay a very high price for volunteering to help their country in this way.

In addition to those folks who are members of the military, there are civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan as well, members of private securities forces that are employed by the Iraqi government and by our State Department and other agencies to provide the security that is necessary. They put themselves in harm's way as well.

I am reminded of one of my constituent families who lost a civilian son who went to Iraq to carry out his private pursuits. And so there are many people who have volunteered, and we thank them all for the sacrifice they and their families have made in carrying out the mission that the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis) has described as trying to solve a set of issues, a problem that is perhaps the most serious international problem that we have had since World War II.

The use of terror in carrying out political objectives is certainly not new. It goes back well over a century and we can find examples of it throughout the world and primarily perhaps in the Middle East as far back as 1900. And, of course, in 1928 it bubbled up in Egypt, where organizations were formed for the purpose of carrying out various types of ill-conceived missions, ill-conceived goals. And, of course, in modern history it has become very prevalent, for example, subsequent to the establishment of the country of Israel, those who wished the Israeli government and the Israeli people ill will and tried to create harm and perhaps do away with the state of Israel, began a war of terror in the Middle East and has continued, I think it is fair to say, continues today. It certainly did very recently.

I first became interested in these issues in the late eighties when on a trip to Israel I happened to pick up a Time Magazine and read a story, an article about Hamas. When I got there I began to ask Israeli officials about this group and they enlightened me over the period of time that I was in Israel on that trip, and I came home convinced that the subject of terrorism was something that our country was going to have to pay attention to and that, in fact, it could end up in the situation where we were going to have a very significant problem. And, of course, the rest of that story is history.

We know that during the nineties we suffered attacks in Saudi Arabia on American interests. We suffered attacks in two countries, in Africa on our embassies there, and we suffered the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen. Of course, in 2001 on September 11 our country was attacked here in the homeland.

We had been fairly passive, I must say, about this subject during the decade of 1990s and before. But subsequent to 9/11 and President Bush, who stood at this podium and talked about the global war on terror and declared the war on terror, our country has had some tremendous successes overseas. And through the help of people, some of whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but all of whom sacrificed in one way or another, we have had some great successes.

For example, in Afghanistan with the use of air power and some folks on the grounds, we were able to take down the regime that we know as the Taliban, and we were able to disburse the al Qaeda forces that were supported by the government known as the Taliban.

The al Qaeda forces were scattered. We believe that we have captured or taken down in one way or another something in the neighborhood of 75 percent of their leadership and have, in effect, provided an opportunity for our country to claim a success with regard to the al Qaeda organization.

Of course, I had the opportunity along with some of my colleagues to travel to Afghanistan last February and to see the progress that has been made in that country because of our country's policies. Obviously, along with routing out the Taliban and taking down much of the al Qaeda leadership, the economy of Afghanistan is growing in leaps and bounds. It is not the kind of economy that we know, but still, it is an indigenous economy that is, in fact, growing at a good pace.

The Karzai government has been stood up. In talking with President Karzai, much progress has been made in the goals of education and society generally in that country. Of course, with the coming legislative elections, we will have another democratic victory in Afghanistan when the parliament is actually elected.

We had another opportunity in Iraq. We had problems in Iraq and took advantage of the opportunity in Iraq to take down one of the most despotic, tyrannical governments in the history of the world, the government run by Saddam Hussein and his Baathist party. So we move forward in the war on terror and we fight against insurgents and terrorists in Iraq and rebuild Iraq, bring its economy back up and provide opportunities for the Iraqi people, not only to have their economy grow but also to have that election that was symbolized by the purple finger of over 8 million Iraqi people who stood in line, sometimes being shot at, in order to be able to vote for their new government.

These things have all gone forward and they have set an example for the rest of the world, and as President Bush said not long ago, any country in the world that wants to establish a democracy, we will be there to help.

Today, as we look around the world, in Egypt, there are tendencies that are developing for democratic opportunities. The first real election perhaps in the history of Egypt will be held this year, and of course, in Lebanon, we all see on the news every day that the democracy there is progressing as well as in the West Bank and with regard to the Palestinians who are also in the process of forming a new government and providing for the elections that were recently held.

This is a problem. Terrorism is a problem, always has been. It has become a major issue today, however, primarily I believe because of the possibility of terrorists acquiring the possession of weapons of mass destruction which, of course, would be a very serious and unthinkable kind of a situation.

Once again, let me commend the gentleman from Kentucky for taking out this time to give me and others who will follow me an opportunity to express our views of the current situation

and the successes that are our military men and women and our government and the newly elected democratic governments in the Middle East are having.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett) for yielding me time. I would also like to thank the chairman and ranking member and other members of the committee that made it possible for this resolution to come to the floor on a strictly bipartisan basis.

I would also just like to say that during the consideration of the previous resolution, it was pointed out by the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) and others how encouraging it is to see democracy springing up around the world, particularly in the Middle East. This is a trend which is tremendous for us to see, and certainly it should be the policy of the House of Representatives and our government

generally to do whatever we can to help promote the trend which is so well under way. And of course at the same time it, would be good if we could help remove obstacles that may stand in the way of democracy being successful in places like Lebanon and the trend which is under way perhaps in Egypt and Iraq and Afghanistan and many other places.

So let us be clear on this subject of Hezbollah. Hezbollah is a radical terrorist organization, and this resolution simply asks the European Union to officially list it as such.

Its core beliefs are based on a perverse doctrine of anti-Westernism and anti-Semitism. Hezbollah has led a 23-year campaign targeting American, German, French, British, Italian, Israeli, Kuwaiti and countless other civilians from a variety of other countries.

Whether it is the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 where 241 Americans were killed, the deadly attacks against Jewish targets in South America during the 1990s or any other atrocious acts of tyranny perpetuated by this organization, there is one thing clear: Hezbollah represents a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States, to the progress of countries that are in the process of democratizing and to many others around the world.

Mr. Speaker, there is no denying the fact some of us in this Chamber disagree from time to time on tactics, on techniques and procedures that are needed to win the war on terror. However, we all agree, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that organizations that openly call for the death of innocent civilians have no constructive role to play.

H. Res. 101 was not introduced for the purpose of angering our allies on the other side of the Atlantic. It is no secret that without the assistance of various European intelligence services and the steadfast support of many of our allies there would be more terrorists at large today and more threats to our national security than there is at this time.

However, it is with these thoughts in mind that I urge our European friends to ponder the following facts:

The main reason that France has led the efforts to block the European Union from placing Hezbollah on the list of terrorist organizations is due to the fact that the French believe that the military and political wings of the organizations are separate and, therefore, must be judged in that way. My question is simple: How can one separate the political and military wings of an organization if members of that organization, of the organization in question, have made statements contrary to that very fact?

For example, Mohammad Raad, a member of the Lebanese Parliament from Hezbollah, stated very plainly, ``Hezbollah is a military resistance party and its task is to fight the occupation of our land. There is no separation between politics and resistance.''

In a book recently published by another member of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy secretary, he states, ``Hezbollah is a jihad organization whose aim, first and foremost, is jihad against the Zionist enemy, while the political, pure and sensible effort can serve as a prop and a means of support for jihad.''

Mr. Speaker, after hearing these statements stated by members of Hezbollah, how can anyone, European or American, deny the simple fact that the ideological fabric of Hezbollah is based on the ideals of radical Islam and the central purpose of the organization is to kill innocent human beings?

I have been concerned during the last several days about constant references in the media that seem to indicate that at the behest of our European allies, our government in the United States is ready to accept Hezbollah as a legitimate political force in Lebanon.

Despite the disconcerting statements being perpetuated by the media, just yesterday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared in the clearest of terms that the United States still regards Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and I was encouraged last Thursday when our colleagues in the European Parliament passed a resolution that was mentioned just a few minutes ago by my friend from California that the EU Parliament has passed a resolution urging the European Union leadership and the governments there to list Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. The resolution stated the simple fact that there are ``irrefutable proofs of Hezbollah's terrorist actions.'' It is my sincere hope that the EU leadership will follow the advice of their own parliament.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this important piece of legislation and send a message to the European Union that in order to secure a peaceful future for the people of Lebanon, the greater Middle East, and the world, organizations such as Hezbollah must not be tolerated.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Lester A. Drenk Behavioral Health Center, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2005. Founded by Judge Lester A. Drenk and the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Burlington County as the Burlington Guidance Center on December 31, 1954, this organization has helped adolescents with serious mental health issues for half a century.

Judge Drenk saw many of these adolescents in his courtroom and felt compelled to help them rather than remand them to the juvenile justice system. Beginning with 16 boys, in a building purchased by the Freeholders, the program has treated over 100,000 consumers since its inception.

Currently serving over 8,700 consumers each year in a variety of programs including the Screening and Crisis Intervention Program; Outpatient Services; Supportive Housing for the homeless mentally ill; Host Homes, a series of programs offering temporary shelter for children; Family Crisis Intervention Unit; School Based Youth Services; Family Matters; and many other services so needed by troubled youth, this vital program continues its mission of assisting those in need in our community.

I congratulate the Drenk Behavioral Health Center on this milestone in their history, and wish them many, many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lieutenant Colonel William H. Jefferson on his retirement from the United States Army National Guard Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison, United States Army, the Pentagon, Washington, DC effective December 2, 2004.

Lieutenant Colonel William H. Jefferson has distinguished himself by twenty two years of exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service to the Army in a series of key positions as an Army Air Defense and Military Intelligence Officer, culminating in service with the Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison responsible for liaison between the Army, Members of Congress, their personal staffs, and the professional staffs of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.

Lieutenant Colonel William H. Jefferson commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Air Defense Artillery, after graduating from the United State Military Academy at West Point and assigned as an Improved Hawk Missile Defense Battalion, Platoon Leader in 3d Bn, 30th Air Defense Artillery in Germany and transferred to the Military Intelligence Corps where he served as an Intelligence Officer, Operations Officer and Company Commander for the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade and later served with the National Security Agency and then to the Northeastern Reserve Intelligence Support Center from 1996 to 1998.

Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson was selected and served as an Army Congressional Fellow for Congressman Jim Saxton of New Jersey's 3d District in 1999 and applied his legislative experience and missile defense and strategic intelligence expertise as a Hardware Congressional Liaison Officer in the Office of the Secretary of the Army, Legislative Liaison Programs Division from February 2000 through December 2004 maintaining a constant liaison with Professional Staff Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on issues relating to Army Procurement programs focusing on Army Space and Missile Defense.

Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson has provided outstanding leadership, advice, and sound professional judgment on numerous critical issues of enduring importance to both the Army and Congress. His actions and counsel were invaluable to Army leaders and Members of Congress as they considered the impact of important issues. Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson's dedication to accomplishing the Army's legislative liaison mission has been extraordinary. He is truly an outstanding officer who displays superb professional leadership skills and is totally dedicated to mission accomplishment in the highest traditions of military service.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 537, adoption of the Conference Report on H.R. 1350, to authorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, I was not present. I was attending the funeral of a fallen soldier. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my long-time friend, Edward A. ``Ed'' Kelly as he is honored as the recipient of this year's Lloyd Ritter Community Service Award by the Volunteer Center of Burlington County.

Involved in more than 70 different service clubs, professional organizations and fraternal and charitable nonprofits through the years, Ed Kelly is a man of accomplishment, one who ``gets things done.''

During the past decade much of his effort has been in the area of veterans service and assistance to active-duty military at nearby McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix. Spending much time as a volunteer in Burlington County's Veterans Service Office, Ed continues to serve on Save McGuire and Fort Dix

Committees, is a member of Burlington County's Military Affairs Committee, and is a past State Chairman of the Employers Support of the Guard and Reserve organization.

Ed also has been active in the Burlington County Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America; the Congressional Medal of Honor Society; the Chapel of the Four Chaplains, who honored him with their Legion of Honor Award; and, the Knights of Columbus, who selected him for their Distinguished Citizen Award.

It is obvious to all who come in contact with Ed Kelly that he is a special individual, one whose caring and commitment to the community have led him through a life of volunteering his time and energies for the betterment of others.

For these reasons, it is fitting that he receive this prestigious honor. I thank his loving wife, Millie, for sharing Ed with the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend CureSearch for the admirable work it does to fight against childhood cancers, the number one disease killer of children in the United States today.

CureSearch, a coalition between the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and Children's Oncology Group; which is comprised of over 5000 children's oncologist around the country, is on the frontlines of our nation's war against childhood cancer. Their efforts are making a considerable impact upon the lives of children who have been diagnosed. CureSearch's work has enabled more than 77 percent of those diagnosed to survive these diseases. This is dramatic impact considering that forty years ago childhood cancer was almost always fatal.

Certainly, this is an improvement, but we are still not doing enough to prevent children from dying of cancer. The fact that cancer still kills is proof enough that more research is crucial to eliminate these terrible diseases.

A cure for all children fighting cancer is within our grasp. By further developing the Federal partnership with CureSearch and increasing funding for research, we can eliminate these diseases within our lifetime. By uniting to fight childhood cancers, soon there will be a day when every child with cancer can be guaranteed a cure.