Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, poet and capitol tour guide Albert C. Caswell has penned a number of heartfelt tributes to our military, and recently, he has recognized the service of Major Alea Hokuao Morningstar, U.S. Army.

Major Morningstar has served in Iraq extending care to coalition and civilian casualties. As an emergency physician, she has served honorably and bravely at three combat support hospitals and as a field surgeon.

Major Morningstar symbolizes the professionalism of America's military. I want to thank her and all the brave men and women of our armed forces for their service. They are fighting to defend our freedom and protect American families.

I gladly submit the following into the Record.

A Morning Star,

That's who you are . . .

A light which shines so very fine . . . so very far, that's

who you are . . .

A woman of heart,

Of Hopi Sioux, great American Indian blood . . . a fine woman

of soul . . .

A healer, a great Hawaiian . . . For, but the gift of life .

. . to so give, as what you chose . . .

A light,

In the darkest of days and nights . . .

Which burns bright, as a Morning Star . . . can cheat death,

can so bless . . . and can give fight!

Out in darkness of evil war, out in harms way . . .

Amidst the darkness and solemn gray . . . amidst the death,

and all of that sad decay . . .

To save a life, to hold a dying hero's hand until that night

. . . Morning Star, that was your way . . .

As there, in The ER . . .

You'd hear the screams, and the devil's roar it seems . . .

trying to save life, you'd go far!

All in the midst of his evil gore, all in the face of hell .

. . you fine heart choose to swell, for one life more

Living in the shadow of death,

Pouring out your very heart and soul, until none lies left .

. .

As with your God given skills, the gift of life and hope you

instilled . . . staying with the dying until death!

A young hero's last vision, before they were gone . . .

A bright Morning Star, holding their hand . . . as was your

decision, not leaving them alone . . .

The last Angel they would see on Earth, showing your worth .

. . with tears in eyes your mission honed!

And in the coming years,

There will be many a tear, when in that moment it all comes

back to you . . . so here . . .

But, what baby born . . . to save the world . . . or love so

great, to this our world adorned that you saved here!

And for all of those Mothers of Sons,

And all of those Fathers of Daughters, who so lost their most

precious of all loved ones . . .

They may gain strength, in knowing what your love to their

dying loved ones so meant! At the end!

A Morning Star,

Yes, my Lady . . . that's who you are . . .

A light which shines so very bright . . . so very far, into

the night, that's who you are!

High above,

With your gift of life, you gift of love . . .

Holding a dying hero's hand, On The Wings of a Dove!

Mr. Speaker, as the proud sponsor of House Resolution 747, I am pleased that this legislation recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali has been brought to the floor today for consideration.

Celebrated by the people of India, the Indian Diaspora and the nearly two million Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains who call America their home, the Diwali festival is a five day event held in the fall that celebrates the values of kinship, knowledge, and goodness. It signifies the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. This is commonly represented by individuals lighting oil lamps and placing them outside their homes.

My resolution acknowledges the international, religious, and historical importance of the festival of Diwali as well as the religious diversity in India, the United States, and throughout the world. It shows our support for the strong and growing partnership and dialogue in international efforts between the United States and India. Lastly, it recognizes the importance of Indian Americans--a strong and vibrant immigrant community.

As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, as well as a lifelong supporter and admirer of the Indian American community, I am grateful for the opportunity to show my appreciation. My father served in India during WorId War II, and he told me how entrepreneurial and competent the people of India are. I call on my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to do the same for the citizens of India, a strategic and economic ally.

I would like to commend Ishani Chowdhury with the Hindu American Foundation, my Chief of Staff Dino Teppara, my Legislative Assistant Paul Callahan, and Arshi Siddiqui with Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for their cooperation and dedication in bringing this important resolution to the floor.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, with great sympathy, in honor of the memory of Sergeant Edward Philpot of South Carolina National Guard's 218th Brigade Combat Team. Sergeant Philpot and his fellow soldiers were traveling as a convoy near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, last Tuesday when his Humvee accidentally went off the road.

Sergeant Philpot is the first member of the 218th, my former National Guard Brigade, to lose his life while serving in Afghanistan. His sacrifice is a reminder of the courage and dedication to duty shared by so many of our fellow Americans. We must never forget the immense sacrifices these brave men and women are making to defend freedom and to protect American families.

My thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Philpot's wife, Stephanie; their three daughters; his parents, Ottas and Willa; and his entire family, friends, and fellow soldiers who continue to defend our country overseas. His sacrifice is a testament to the love for his country, his family, and his fellow soldiers.

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

Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize a long time friend and fellow South Carolinian Judge Thomasine Grayson Mason.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Judge Mason has been recognized as a Who's Who of American Women, a Who's Who in American Law, and a Who's Who in America. She has served as a public school teacher, a civil service representative during World War II, an attorney for the Department of Justice, one of the first elected females to the South Carolina State Senate, and most recently as an administrative law judge for the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability Adjudications and Review in South Carolina.

Throughout her seven decades of service to federal and state government, Judge Mason has earned a reputation as a hard working advocate and community leader. She has participated and continues to participate in numerous organizations at the local and Federal level-- often holding positions of leadership.

Our family especially appreciates her friendship as she and my wife, Roxanne, have been

lifelong friends, and she has virtually adopted two of our sons, Alan and Julian, as her own.

On Saturday, we will congratulate Judge Mason on her 89th birthday and thank her for nearly 70 years of public service. She has dedicated her life to serving her country and the people of South Carolina. I applaud my friend Judge Mason on this occasion and wish her the best in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, last week, America's number one radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, auctioned off for charity a letter shamefully signed by a group of 41 Democratic Senators. The letter to Limbaugh's employer attacked Rush for comments blatantly distorted by Media Matters regarding persons who had lied about their service in the military.

I am happy to report that the Senate letter of infamy was auctioned for $2.1 million, an amount Rush says he will generously match. That brings the total to $4.2 million.

The money will be donated to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. This charitable organization provides financial assistance to the children of fallen marines and law enforcement officers. I wish to commend Rush for overcoming what was clearly a political ploy to chill his first amendment rights of free speech. Rush took an abusive power by Democratic leadership and turned it into something positive. Between Rush Limbaugh and Senate Democrats, America knows who really supports our troops.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to remember a friend and colleague; Charlie Norwood, and to support H.R. 1808, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, as the ``Charlie Norwood Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''.

Charlie dedicated his life to medicine and public service--as a captain in the Army assigned to the Army Dental Corps during Vietnam, a dentist in private practice, and as a Member of Congress. During his 12 years in the House of Representatives, Charlie fought hard for conservative values, the military and our veterans, and remained dedicated to seeing a patients' bill of rights passed into law. Although this dream of his has not yet become a reality, it is all too fitting that we name the VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, after one of that state's favorite sons.

Our military veterans had no stronger advocate in Congress than Charlie, and with the passage of this bill, we will be honoring that legacy. Additionally, I want to thank his wife Gloria for her loving support and her service as First Lady of Georgia's Tenth Congressional District.

As an original co-sponsor of H.R. 1808, a fellow veteran, a friend, and an admirer of Charlie Norwood, I want to thank Representative Jack Kingston for introducing this legislation, and I look forward to its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate our colleague, Bobby Jindal, who on Saturday was elected to serve as the

next Governor for the State of Louisiana. Republican Governor-elect Jindal successfully defeated 11 opponents to become the youngest sitting Governor in America.

The son of immigrants, Bobby has built a reputation as a hard worker and dedicated public servant. As a fellow Member of Congress, I have had the opportunity to work with Bobby. I know from his representation here in Washington and his years of service to the citizens of his State that the people of Louisiana have elected a strong leader.

I want to congratulate Bobby; his wife, Supriya; his dedicated staff; and his entire family for this wonderful victory. As Republican cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and a strong supporter of the Indian American community, I am grateful for Bobby's success and praise him for being the first Indian-American Governor in our Nation's history.

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

Madam Speaker, despite all the rhetoric about the State Children's Health Insurance Program which was created by Republicans, the fact remains that we all want low-income children to have access to health care. The only difference is that Republicans have stood by the principle of covering poor children first and not covering adults, illegal aliens, and those already covered by private insurance.

The President's SCHIP proposal provides an increase of $5 billion to cover those who are currently enrolled and the 500,000 children eligible but not yet covered. The billions more in spending that the Democrats are requesting will use taxpayer dollars to provide health care for individuals SCHIP was never meant to cover. Additionally, the Democrat proposal pulls the rug out from underneath these children when funding to the program is drastically cut in 2012.

When you take the Democrat legislation at face value and look past the political rhetoric and the demagoguery, the Republican proposal to promote SCHIP is best for families and children.

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

Mr. Speaker, in this day and age of new technologies and vicious unconventional terrorism, we need to provide our intelligence community with the tools and resources necessary to protect our families. That is why we must pass a permanent update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that will protect the privacy of Americans while restoring our intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Unfortunately, the RESTORE Act, the Democrat FISA bill, jeopardizes our intelligence capability and provides unprecedented protections for terrorists. It is a step in the wrong direction. The Protect America Act signed into law in August made critical changes that help intelligence officials properly track our enemies. It should be extended.

The National Intelligence Director, Mike McConnell, said this law was urgently needed by our intelligence professionals to close critical gaps in our capabilities and permit them to more readily follow terrorist threats. We should keep American families safer and make these changes permanent.

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

Madam Speaker, we need to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program so children from low- income families without health insurance can get it. That is why my Republican colleagues and I remain supportive of a program and funding that will do just that. Unfortunately, the current SCHIP bill would send precious health care dollars to cover adults, illegal aliens, some children from families that are not low income, and others that have private insurance.

Republicans remain committed to putting children first. We want to provide the funds necessary to cover eligible children and enroll the low-income children still not covered. President Ronald Reagan foresaw this diversion of funds. He once said, ``You know, we could say the Democrats spend their money like drunken sailors, but that would be unfair to drunken sailors. It would be unfair because the sailors are spending their own money.''

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

Madam Speaker, the Department of Treasury and Office of Management and Budget have announced that today's budget deficit is $85 billion less than last year. That marks a $250 billion decline over the last 3 years and brings us even closer to balancing the budget.

This good news is a clear sign that a government which taxes less and spends less taxpayer dollars and spends them wisely can balance its checkbook. These recent record tax revenues are paying down the deficit, but we must do our part by honoring the hard work of the American people and not passing future bloated budgets and tax hikes.

The American people have learned to live within their means; it is time that Washington do the same. That means we do not spend $22 billion more than we need to or tax Americans $400 billion more than they deserve. Above all, the government must address the pending entitlement crisis. This is a situation where Congress cannot pass the buck.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 624, which congratulates the State of Israel for chairing a United Nations committee for the first time in its history. This accomplishment is long overdue. Israel, as a fully democratic and sovereign state, should be entitled to all of the privileges and opportunities of any member state of the United Nations.

Unfortunately, the anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias that pervades the United Nations has long prevented Israel from fully participating in that body. To this day, Israel remains only a temporary member of the U.N.'s Western European and Others Group and is excluded from many consultations, discussions and leadership posts within the group and the U.N. itself.

The anti-Semitic, anti-Israel attitude shown by some members of the U.N. is unacceptable. It shames the principles of the United Nations. The United Nations has slowly begun to make progress in addressing this problem in restoring Israel to its rightful place at the U.N. However, there is much to be done, and this resolution calls upon U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to resolve this disgraceful problem. Until this happens, the United Nations will not live up to its own charter where the preamble states that the U.N. was founded ``To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and nations large and small.''

In addition, Madam Speaker, Israel's ability to finally chair a U.N. committee is a well-deserved accomplishment for Israel and a privilege and honor for a U.N. that has not done nearly enough.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and longtime friend from the State of Florida (Mr. Hastings) for introducing this resolution, and I urge its adoption.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I support this resolution, which condemns both Syria and Iran for their continuing campaign of murder and intimidation aimed at anti-Syrian politicians and public figures of Lebanon. It warns them against interfering either directly or through their many representatives in the Lebanese presidential elections scheduled for later this month.

Over 2 years after the Cedar Revolution, and despite the withdrawal of Syrian troops, Lebanon's fragile government continues to be targeted for destruction by internal and external threats. Hezbollah has continued to carry out its strategy of assassinating anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians. The aim is to gain a parliamentary majority that would allow both Syria and Iran to impose their choice for a president on the Lebanese people.

Furthermore, the inclusion of pro-Syrian, Iranian and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah in the Lebanese political process only empowers the Syrian and Iranian regimes and holds Lebanon hostage to their whims. Allowing a terrorist entity to use the political process and legitimize itself without first demanding a renouncement of violence has only served to perpetuate and enhance the threat.

We support the underlying intent of this resolution, which is to advocate for the sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. The Lebanese people deserve the right to be free of interference and intimidation by any outside country or terrorist group. However, despite supporting the resolution, we are concerned about language in this resolution referring to the entire Lebanese Parliament as ``democratically elected,'' because it sets a dangerous precedent by both legitimizing and providing congressional approval for the role of a foreign terrorist organization in the political process in Lebanon. Sadly, it legitimizes current election law which was constructed by the Syrians and imposed on the Lebanese people.

Finally, it undermines the very essence of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, aimed at truly removing Syria from the Lebanese political process. Elections conducted under a Syrian- controlled electoral process where foreign terrorist organizations are allowed to participate without first requiring them to lay down their weapons should not be considered ``democratic'' by this Chamber.

Madam Speaker, the United States and other responsible nations must encourage the Government of Lebanon and leading Lebanese policymakers not to compromise on their commitment to reform the political process by purging from it the influence of Syria, Iran and Hezbollah. Our support for the Lebanese people and the pro-democracy forces in Lebanon is vital to counterbalance the pressures surrounding Lebanon.

The brave people of Lebanon continue to stand against the tyrannical regime in Damascus, and they deserve nothing less than our support. It is for this reason that, despite reservations about the implications of some of the clauses in this resolution, I will vote for this resolution, and ask my colleagues to do the same.

I especially remember Congressman LaHood being prophetic. Last year I attended a White House meeting with the President of members of both parties giving reports on their recent trips to Iraq. Congressman LaHood pointed out progress in Iraq, but he also stated the public needed reassurance of the capture or killing of the al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Zawahiri. Just as he concluded, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, sitting next to me, received an important cell call which he took and then several hours later could announce: the butchering beheader Zawahiri had been killed by a successful American airstrike.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), an esteemed member of the Committee on Appropriations and a distinguished American of Lebanese heritage.

Madam Speaker, prior to yielding, I want to note that Mr. LaHood has announced he will not be running for reelection next year. I want all of us to acknowledge that he will truly be missed. When I was elected 6 years ago, one the first persons I found out who has the respect of the Members here is indeed Ray LaHood. He has made such a great difference for the people of the United States.

(Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, I urge support for the resolution promoting the Cedar Revolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize the South Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce and, specifically, the Lake Murray Junior Chamber for their leadership and service in our community during this year's Junior Chamber Mission Week.

In 1929, the United States Junior Chamber established Junior Chamber Mission Week, or ``Jaycee Week'', to celebrate its founding with seven days of public relations opportunities for its member chapters. Each day of the week, they highlight a different basic tenet that the chamber has adopted. These tenets are as follows: a faith in God, the purpose of brotherhood, free enterprise, government laws, human personality, and service to humanity.

For over 70 years, the South Carolina Junior Chamber has been actively involved in our community by devoting time to developing future community leaders. Over those seven decades, it has contributed to humanitarian projects such as Jaycee Camp Hope, Family Talk and JAYS. As a former member of the Jaycee-West Columbia Jaycees for over 20 years and as former state legal counsel of the South Carolina Jaycees, I know firsthand of the positive impact of South Carolina Jaycees.

I wish to thank Lake Murray Chapter President Angie Wedekind, South Carolina State President Scott Bryant, the National Junior Chamber President Chris Oldham, and the Junior Chamber International President Scott Greenlee. Their leadership is helping to shape today's young people into successful leaders of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say that Democrats remain ready to tax and spend as much as they can. Whether it's a war tax, an Internet tax, or a cigarette tax that will overly burden low-income families, the first Democrat solution seems to be to tax hard-working Americans.

And when they are not trying to raise taxes on American workers, they are spending their hard-earned money at reckless levels. The $23 billion in new domestic spending this majority has proposed is just another sign that they feel they know better how to spend your own money.

We must restore fiscal sanity to government, but we should do that by making the necessary decisions here in Washington to save taxpayer money and spend wisely. Both parties need to pass fiscally responsible appropriations legislation rather than wait until we are forced to vote on a giant omnibus spending bill that will be full of earmarks. Let's stop asking Americans to pay for government's inability to get the job done.

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