Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, yesterday, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker presented their reports to Congress. Their testimonies were professional, fact-driven accounts, and I am extremely grateful for their service.

During the hearing, I summarized al Qaeda spokesman Zawahiri, who has outlined his plan for Iraq. The first stage, expel the Americans from Iraq. The second stage, establish authority in Iraq. The third stage, extend the jihad wave to the secular nations neighboring Iraq. And the fourth stage, the clash with Israel and extermination of the people of Israel.

Ambassador Crocker acknowledged these goals, but said al Qaeda may not follow this timeline. They may try to attack America as soon as possible.

The Ambassador also agreed al Qaeda would not be satisfied with simply the destruction of the people of Israel.

We should remember what is at stake in Iraq. A failure in Iraq, a defeat at the hands of these extremists, would mean a failed state, a breeding ground for extremists. It is the scenario we saw in Afghanistan prior to 9/11.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 167, I was delayed due to attending the Foreign Affairs Committee hearing for Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on Monday, funeral services were conducted in the Midlands of South Carolina for two gentlemen who symbolized achieving the ``American Dream'' of extraordinary fulfillment promoting their families.

Louis Gonda and E.D. Phillips will always be cherished in our community for their service to others.

Louis Gonda was born in Murska-Lobota, Yugoslavia, and immigrated at age four to Cuba. In 1960, he fled with his family to America for freedom, where he established the innovative Fergon Tool & Machine Co.

His courage was proven when he was preparing to flee Communist Cuba. He bought multiple suitcases at a local shop, and as he arrived home, the secret police met him to interrogate him about his unusual purchase. The totalitarian enforcers accepted his story that his children were taking a short trip to New York to visit a sick aunt.

E.D. Phillips was a proud native of South Carolina and graduate of the University of South Carolina. As an independent entrepreneur, he founded the Phillips Farmer Garden and Phillips Plants at the State Farmers Market. He courageously ran as a pioneer for the State House at the beginning of the new Republican Party in 1968 and 1970. He and his late wife, Emily, were among the founding members of Republican efforts in Richland, Orangeburg, and Lexington Counties providing the foundation for dozens of successful candidates at the county, State, and Federal levels. In 1988, they were Congressional District chairmen for President George H.W. Bush.

Both Mr. Gonda and Mr. Phillips were married to active, strong, and supportive wives, who partnered with them to raise outstanding children as loving families.

Mr. Gonda is survived by his wife, Nena, who he met when he was 11 and she was 8. Their children are Luis Gonda, Maria Gonda Smoak, Diane Gonda, Frank Gonda, and Rick Gonda. Services were at St. Peter's Catholic Church of Columbia.

Mr. Phillips is survived by his children Becky Phillips, Deedie Belangia, Jackie Finch, Hal Phillips, and Steve Phillips. Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Windsor Lake Ward of Columbia.

Madam Speaker, this morning I joined many of my colleagues from both political parties with over 400 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans at an event organized by Vets for Freedom. This nonpartisan organization is dedicated to supporting our veterans by achieving victory in the global war on terrorism to protect American families by defeating terrorism overseas. I am proud to stand with these patriotic Americans.

Their visit to Washington comes on the eve of General David Petraeus' and Ambassador Ryan Crocker's presentation to the House of their report on Iraq. I hope my colleagues will listen to General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker with an open mind.

As a grateful veteran with two sons who have served in Iraq, I know these two men serve the best interests of our troops and the safety of American families. They deserve attention to what they have to say.

The old, failed talking points that ``the war is lost'' or ``so the surge is a failure'' do a disservice to this debate. Those claims have been soundly refuted by the facts on the ground, as I saw last month on my ninth visit to Iraq. Let's be sure our policy going forward is based on the facts.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11th.

Mr. Speaker, today has been historic for the Capitol building, in that today we were able, through the Friends of Scotland Caucus, to welcome the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond. This was a great honor for me because he presented to the Heritage Golf Foundation an authentic golf club from the St. Andrews course. This was presented to the trustees of the Heritage Golf Tournament, the members who were present, John Curry and Bill Miles. And this is in recognition of the strong relationship that we have of the United States, particularly the State of South Carolina and Scotland.

We were very pleased that the very first golf course located in North America was in South Carolina. In recognition of this, we have the Heritage Golf Classic which is held every year, April 14, this year, through the 20th, at Hilton Head Island at Sea Pines Golf Course, sponsored by Verizon. Indeed, the money raised for this goes for scholarships for persons in the low country.

This has been an exciting time for those of us Scottish heritage. Last night we had a reception with the St. Andrews Society of Washington, recognizing Alex Ferguson, the Speaker of the Scottish Parliament.

For me, the week began with a Kirkin' o' the Tartan at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina with a program that was hosted by the St. Andrews Society of Columbia. And our church, the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, is very grateful that our pastor is Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, who is a native and very distinguished son of Scotland.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to congratulate my cousin Elizabeth Hatchell Burt and her husband Travis Ryan Burt of Columbia, South Carolina, on the birth of their new baby girl. Sarah Elizabeth Burt was born on March 31, 2008, weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces. She has been born into a loving home where she will be raised by parents who are devoted to her well-being and bright future.

I am so excited for this new addition to our family. I want to congratulate Sarah's grandparents James Clarence Hatchell, Jr., and Dale Wilson Hatchell of Lexington, SC, and George W. Burt and Ramona L. Burt of Williston, SC. Additionally, I wish to send our best wishes to Sarah's great grandparents Richard Bryan Wilson and Mary Dale Lott Wilson of West Columbia and James C. Hatchell, Sr., of Columbia, as well as Frances Burt of Alabama. On behalf of my wife Roxanne, and our entire family, we want to wish Elizabeth, Travis, and Sarah all the best.

Mr. Speaker, right now Americans are feeling the pinch from rising gas prices, health care costs, and food prices. There has been a slowdown in the growth of our economy. In light of this, it seems downright wrong for Congress to be proposing a budget that will raise $683 billion in taxes, the largest tax increase in America's history. This will hit 116 million Americans, while spending billions more on wasteful government spending.

American taxpayers will have to foot this bill if we do not stand up and protect their wallets from the Washington tax and spend machine. I support the Republican Study Committee budget, a plan that meets the needs of the American people, balances the Federal budget by 2012, fixes the AMT, addresses the runaway entitlement crisis, and does not raise $1 of taxes on hardworking Americans. At a time when Americans pay too much at the pump, at the store, and at the hospital, it is wrong to ask them to pay more to the government.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

Madam Speaker, it's been over 40 days since the Protect America Act expired and our Nation's ability to defend itself

was jeopardized. Before Congress left for a 2-week recess, the majority leadership brought a bogus bill to the floor that narrowly passed the House of Representatives, that probably will never see the light of day in the Senate, and most assuredly would be vetoed by the President. They knew this. And yet they chose a flawed piece of legislation over a bipartisan fix to the FISA loophole.

There is a bill that has been supported by a bipartisan majority of Senators, including the chairman of the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence, the Department of Justice, the White House, our Intelligence Community, and publicly by Democrats in the House. Rather than take the necessary steps to protect American families by holding a vote on this legislation, the majority leadership has chosen to try and discredit the entire issue and claim that all is well. The American people know better and deserve better.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

Mr. Chairman, the Democrats proposed budget is tax and spend all over again.

Instead of preserving tax relief for Americans, the Democrat budget includes a $683 billion tax increase. This is $683 billion dollars the majority plans to take from everyday American, who are already feeling the pinch from rising gas prices, increasing food costs, and credit card debt. These horrendous tax increases are meant to pay for the tens of billions in wasteful, new Federal spending proposed in the Democrat budget.

And where is the entitlement reform that we so desperately need to ensure our children and grandchildren are not saddled with the price of our inaction? It is nowhere to be found in the Democrat budget.

For a majority leadership that sailed into power under the guise of change, it is terribly obvious that what this budget represents is merely more of the same--more of the same wasteful spending and tax increases to pay for it all. Washington does not have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. The Democrat budget has got it backwards.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11th.

Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize Peggy Dodds, a native South Carolinian for her service, loyalty, and dedication upon her retirement from the South Carolina Research Authority, SCRA.

Before her commitment to SCRA, Mrs. Dodds worked for Columbia College for 13 years. concluding her tenure as the executive assistant to the president.

On its upcoming 25th anniversary, SCRA is looking forward to celebrating its two and a half decades of building and managing multi- organization teams for industry, government, and academia to advance our country's technical competitiveness, During Mrs. Dodds' service to SCRA, she dedicated herself to the premise that SCRA was founded upon-- to more quickly deploy our research successes for practical and competitive uses. This is still the bedrock of the organization across many disciplines, which include: manufacturing, shipbuilding, composites, law enforcement, homeland security, health care, and energy.

Mrs. Dodds rose to the position of director of corporate relations and has been an integral contributor, often behind the scenes, to SCRA's many successes. As Bill Maloney, SCRA's CEO and president, has said, ``in a variety of ways and across a variety of programs, Peggy has provided consistently effective interface and execution capabilities on behalf of both the CEO and the entire company, punctuated with a unique signature of polite, pleasant professionalism.''

During Mrs. Dodds' 18 years of service to SCRA, she has skillfully served and admirably performed in her capacity. Mrs. Dodds actively coordinated official business matters with the State's General Assembly and the South Carolina congressional delegation on behalf of SCRA presidents. Other responsibilities included scheduling and interaction with the

SCRA trustees and chairman, recording secretary for the company and the All-Associates' meetings, and program management for the South Carolina Nutrition Research Consortium. Mrs. Dodds also assisted program management for SC Launch!, which is working to expand the knowledge economy of South Carolina. Additionally, she has contributed significantly to not only the day-to-day execution, but also the long- term transformation of SCRA. Her integrity is reflected in the thoughts and comments of her peers. Robert Henderson, past president and CEO of SCRA. has remarked that ``she was a great friend and an astounding organizer.'' Another former president and CEO of SCRA, Larry Druffel, says it best with ``Peggy was not only the soul of the organization but she knew the history, the people and most importantly the culture, which she worked to nurture.''

I am grateful for Peggy Dodds' service to the South Carolina Research Authority and her service to the many lives she has helped to improve in the State of South Carolina and the Nation. I know Peggy looks forward to focusing on her lamily and her church as well as traveling with her husband, Dave. I wish her good health and Godspeed for her future.

Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize Mr. Nick McNair, Jr., who resides in Lexington, SC, on the occasion of his retirement from AgFirst Farm Credit Bank on April 1, 2008.

Much of Nick McNair's life and career has been dedicated to agriculture and the cooperative Farm Credit System. His interest began as a child growing up on his family's row crop and livestock farm south of Leary, GA. At a young age, Nick began to appreciate the vital role that agriculture played in his community and in his home State. After receiving his education from Leary Elementary School and Edison High School, Nick pursued his education at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA and graduated in 1967.

From 1961 through 1963, Nick supported himself by working at Morris Cattle Company in Leary, GA. He also worked for Arlington Oil Mills, Inc., in Arlington, GA, in their cotton ginning operation. As Nick's interest in agriculture continued to grow, he worked for the Baker and Newton County ASCS offices as a performance reporter during the summers of 1963-1966.

In August of 1967, Nick began his career with the Farm Credit System as a fieldman and association appraiser for the Federal Land

Bank Association of Camilla in Camilla, GA. Over the next several years, Nick was employed as a vice president with the Northeast Florida Farm Credit Service in Jacksonville, FL and also the FLBA of Dawson, before being selected as President of the FLBA of Ahoskie in Ahoskie, NC, in 1979.

In 1982, Nick was employed by the Farm Credit Bank of Columbia, SC, now known as AgFirst Farm Credit Bank. He has served in many capacities including vice president of marketing as well as vice president of legislative and public affairs. In 2001. he was named Distinguished Cooperator of the year by the South Carolina Cooperative Council. He has also served as president of the Friends of Agriculture in South Carolina.

I certainly appreciate the outstanding work Nick has done throughout his distinguished career to promote not only cooperative principles but the vital role that agriculture plays in our everyday Iives. I thank his wife. Phyllis, and two daughters, Shonna and Angie, and the entire McNair family for their support of Nick throughout the years. I congratulate Nick on his retirement and thank him sincerely for his many positive contributions to AgFirst and the State of South Carolina.

Madam Speaker, today I have introduced a resolution calling on Congress to recognize and embrace the success we have seen on the ground in Iraq and dedicate ourselves to support these efforts in achieving victory.

I have visited our troops in Iraq nine times. I have seen firsthand the success of the surge. While meeting with General David Petraeus last week in Baghdad, he reported an over-60 percent reduction in violence, with al Qaeda on the defense in Anbar province.

The success our military men and women and people of Iraq have achieved is real. The best way to protect American families is to stop terrorists overseas. The best way to end the war is through victory. We, as representatives of the American people, must put aside politics and recognize what is at stake in Iraq. As my resolution states: ``Congress must support the idea that the war in Iraq is not lost'' and that it ``will do all it can to ensure coalition victory.''

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September the 11th.

Madam Speaker, for over 20 days, the majority leadership in this House has refused to bring a permanent fix to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to the floor. Everyone knows that the bill which passed the Senate would pass the House with bipartisan support. Yet, we have seen no action on the part of the majority. We need to send a clear message to our law enforcement, to our military, and to our intelligence community that they will have every lawful resource necessary to do their jobs and to protect American families. We need to send a clear message to our friends and to our enemies that America will do everything possible to stop those who have declared war on all Americans anywhere, anytime. It is misguided to obstruct our ability to track our enemies out of an unfounded fear that our intelligence community has the intent and the time to go spying on everyday Americans. The original FISA law addresses those concerns. This fix to FISA is about tracking potential terrorists overseas and not punishing individuals and businesses that would cooperate with our government.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

Madam Speaker, last weekend I was honored to travel with a delegation to visit our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am grateful to report that I saw significant success while walking the market district of Haditha in Anbar province, Iraq, to driving across Asadabad, Afghanistan, to see a new bridge under construction.

Violence in Iraq has declined by over 60 percent since the beginning of the surge. In Afghanistan I appreciate the success of the 218th Brigade of the South Carolina Army National Guard, led by Brigadier General Bob Livingston, to train Afghani forces to secure their own homeland. The best way to protect American families at home is to stop terrorists overseas.

There are many challenges we face both in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the brave men and women fighting on the front lines have done everything we have asked of them. So let's do what they have asked of us. Let them complete the mission, protecting American families.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

Mr. Speaker, the budget season is upon us. Today, the Budget Committee will meet to mark up the 2009 budget resolution.

With a new year and new opportunity, I hope the majority does not resort to the Big Government policies of the past. That means no more tax increases for hardworking Americans. Taxpayers already pay enough out of their pockets to fund the Washington bureaucracy. They should not be asked to fork over more money to subsidize billions of dollars in new wasteful government spending.

Republicans and Democrats need to craft a budget that accurately reflects the needs of the American people, honors our obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, and above all, takes a realistic and proactive approach to reining in runaway entitlement spending. Future generations should not be forced to pay the price while the leadership here in Washington refuses to make the tough decisions.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.