Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today, I wish to congratulate Assistant Solicitor Larry G. Wedekind of Lexington County's eleventh Judicial Circuit for being sworn in as a Captain in the South Carolina Army National Guard. He will be joining the Judge Advocate General Corps.

Captain Wedekind of Chapin has devoted his career to public service. After graduating from The Citadel--The Military College of South Carolina, he served 8 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a communications officer and as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. A 1997 graduate of the University of South Carolina's School of Law, Captain Wedekind has worked as a lawyer for the Fifth and Eleventh Judicial Circuit courts as well as in the office of the Attorney General.

As a soldier and lawyer, Larry remains committed to the citizens of his country and his State of South Carolina. He is a true role-model. I applaud his tremendous sense of duty. I want to wish him and his wife, Angie, all the best in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, last night, Republicans offered a motion to recommit the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would have sent the bill back to the Appropriations Committee ``promptly'' for them to amend. But that didn't happen.

Instead, Democrats shut down the vote when it looked like the outcome wasn't going to come out in their favor.

Last night's Democratic tactics amount to the disenfranchisement of American voters.

Four Republicans were not able to cast their vote for their constituents--representing over 2.4 million Americans who were not allowed to have their voice heard.

This is the biggest broken promise to the American people--tax increases, hidden earmarks, budget deficits--none of these broken promises match up to the unfair acts of the Democrat majority last night.

This is not what the American people expect of their elected representatives.

They deserve better and the Republicans in Congress will stand united to ensure they get what they paid for.

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

Madam Speaker, this Sunday will mark the 20th anniversary of the day the Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to abolish the ``Fairness Doctrine.''

Under President Ronald Reagan's leadership, the ``Fairness Doctrine'' was removed from our airwaves because it undermined freedom of speech. Reagan was a man who realized that Washington should not tell the press what to write and say. His vision led to the development of the people's forum of talk radio.

In the wake of this decision, talk radio has grown from fewer than a hundred shows to several thousand. Today, radio commentators like Keven Cohen in Columbia, South Carolina, and Bill Edwards in Savannah, Georgia, play a vital role in bringing intelligent and thoughtful perspective to the many issues facing America.

The ``Fairness Doctrine'' is a relic of a bygone era. Let's keep it a part of our past and not of our future.

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

Madam Speaker, we are debating critical legislation that would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This law must be updated to allow American agencies to listen to foreigners in foreign countries without a warrant. Like many of my colleagues, I believe that this is crucial to our national security. We must remain on the offense, and updating FISA will help us prevent future terrorist attacks.

Just yesterday, the Director of National Intelligence issued a statement urging Congress to make changes to FISA so we may protect American families. He said, ``We must urgently close the gap in our current ability to effectively collect foreign intelligence. The current FISA law does not allow us to be effective. Modernizing this law is essential for the intelligence community to be able to provide warning of threats to the country.''

Congress must act immediately to ensure that our intelligence community can do their job successfully. They should not be forced to obtain court orders that hinder them from learning of terrorist threats. We must ensure that those who help our Government and report suspicious activity are protected. I urge my colleagues to act now and help keep your constituents and our country safe from impending terrorist attacks.

I have said many times on the floor of the House of Representatives that I have not forgotten September 11th. I urge my colleagues to act now to protect American families. We must face our enemies overseas so we do not have to face them here at home. Let's enact commonsense real reform that gives our intelligence officers the tools they need to effectively protect us.

Mr. Speaker, last week, General Jack Keane, a retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, urged the Armed Services Committee to ``find the courage that our troops display so openly, to deserve their honorable and selfless sacrifice, and to not squander their sacrifices and the gains they have made.''

General Keane reviewed that the counteroffensive led by General David Petraeus is reducing sectarian violence. Sunnis are rejecting al Qaeda, and more Iraqis are working with our troops.

Osama bin Laden has described Iraq, quote, ``The most important and serious issue today for the whole world is this third world war. It is raging in the land of the two rivers. The world's millstone and pillar is in Baghdad, the capital of the caliphate.''

We must have resolve to stop our enemies and support our brave troops who are fighting to defend our freedom and protect American families.

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

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the final report from the President's bipartisan Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors was released. The main goal for the Commission is to assure that every member of our Armed Forces receives the prompt, exceptional care most are already receiving. Included in these recommendations were prevention and treatment of posttraumatic distress disorder and strengthening VA support for families of the wounded. In addition, a single point of contact for patients and families is crucial so the way toward recovery is simplified.

We are striving to ensure that our brave men and women returning from battle are given the best treatment possible. Commission Co-Chair Bob Dole points out that, ``Today, seven out of eight survive, many with injuries that would have been fatal in past wars.''

I am grateful for the medical personnel that are working diligently to make sure our brave troops are receiving the care they deserve.

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

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 100th year of the Boy Scouts. On August 1, 1907, Robert Baden-Powell, along with 20 young men, opened a camp at Brownsea Island, England. Since that day, Scouting has been responsible for inspiring more than 300 million individuals from over 216 countries and territories. The role and mission behind Scouting is to create an education program that promotes common ideals such as loyalty and honor.

Scouting has achieved success with dedicated adult volunteers who encourage young people to be constructive citizens. As the grateful father of four Eagle Scouts, encouraged by my wife, Roxanne, I have seen firsthand the positive influence of Scouting.

Four years ago today, I participated in my second backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. I wish the Boy Scouts a happy 100th birthday and congratulate them on their 21st World Scout Jamboree.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate your leadership for the people of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2831. This legislation is being improperly classified as a narrow bill with limited ramifications, that simply overturns a Supreme Court decision made on May 29, 2007. In actuality, it is one of the most overreaching pieces of wage discrimination legislation that has ever been considered. If enacted, this legislation would make it impossible for businesses to defend themselves against actions that occurred years in the past.

We all oppose discrimination. Action against those who discriminate in the workplace should be taken quickly. Current laws ensure that disputes over discrimination are addressed expeditiously and with certainty. This bill would eliminate the 1964 Civil Rights Act statute of limitations governing the time within which a party must make a pay discrimination claim, currently 180 days or 300 days, depending on the State of employment.

As an inactive attorney and a person who practiced for 25 years and the proud father of an attorney, who appreciates the legal profession, I believe a statute of limitation serves many purposes. It encourages the timely filing of claims, helps prevent the filing of stale claims, and, most importantly, protects against abuse of the legal system.

Cases should be brought to court as soon as possible after an incident occurs to guarantee memories are fresh and witnesses are available to testify. In the absence of a statute of limitation, a worker or retiree could sue for pay discrimination resulting from an alleged discriminatory act that might have occurred 5, 10, 20 or even 30 years earlier. This same worker or retiree could seek damages against a company run by employees and administrators that had nothing to do with the initial act of alleged discrimination that occurred dozens of years ago.

I am grateful for the leadership of the Education and Labor Committee ranking member Buck McKeon on this issue. I urge my colleagues to oppose this flawed legislation

Mr. Speaker, this week history was made in India. Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil was elected President. On July 25 she became the first woman to serve as head of state, now serving as India's 12th President.

Mrs. Patil was born in 1934 in the western state of Maharashtra and has a distinguished record of public service. Joining the Congress Party in the early 1960s, she spent over two decades in the state legislature. She then went on to participate in national politics and served in both the lower and upper chambers of India's national parliament. In 2004 Mrs. Patil became the first woman governor of Rajasthan.

Congratulations, President Patil, for continued success leading 1 billion citizens.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-Chair of the India Caucus, I welcome this achievement. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George Bush have developed a strategic partnership between India and America. Friendship between the world's largest democracy and the world's oldest democracy have never been better. The future is bright for both India and America.

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

Mr. Speaker, some Members of Congress are proposing legislation that would attempt to develop a new military strategy for our troops in Iraq. This meddling by politicians ties the hands of our capable military. We should trust in the leadership of GEN David Petraeus and not second-guess his efforts to protect American families.

Senator Joe Lieberman, former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, recently said, ``The fanatics . . . who exhort the tens of thousands to shout `Death to America' . . . don't distinguish between Republicans and Democrats . . . and we should have the common sense, let alone the sense of responsibility to our country, to come together to defend our Nation against those who want to destroy us.''

Failing to secure Iraq will provide a fertile ground for terrorist safe havens, threatening America and our allies. Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri have both stated that Iraq is a central front in the global war on terror. We must stop the terrorists overseas and not face them again in the streets of America.

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

Mr. Speaker, after serving nearly 8 years in a Libyan prison, five Bulgarian nurses yesterday were joyously released home to Sofia, Bulgaria, escorted by Cecilia Sarkozy, wife of the President of France, America's first ally. These nurses and a Palestinian doctor were sadly sentenced to life in prison for allegedly contaminating children with the AIDS virus.

This successful outcome could not have been achieved without the diligent efforts of the state of Qatar; the European Union; and the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy. I commend their efforts to reach a peaceful result with Libya. This is positive for the people of Libya and the people of Bulgaria. This is a crucial achievement of extraordinary advances for North Africa and Southeast Europe, who will be partners with America.

As the co-Chair of the Congressional Bulgaria Caucus along with Congresswoman Tauscher of California, it is my privilege to work with Ambassador Elena Poptodorova. God bless the nurses of Bulgaria.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th and the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport.

Madam Speaker, last Tuesday the Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, editorialized: ``After more than 5 years of impasse and hostility, the patient multinational diplomacy launched by President Bush has borne its first fruit in North Korea. The intricate deal reached last spring for a path to a nuclear- free Korean Peninsula is advancing with the shutdown of a reactor that produces plutonium for the dictatorship's nuclear weapons program.

``It signals that North Korea is committed, so far, to a step-by-step bettering of relations with its neighbors and particularly with the United States. The shutdown was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.''

In 2003, I participated in a rare delegation visiting Pyongyang, and I am grateful that ``the six-nation framework devised by Mr. Bush and ably hosted by China . . . has led to the current progress.'' I saw firsthand where North Korea can benefit by opening its economy.

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

Madam Speaker, today, I am happy to congratulate Joseph and Kathryn Murray of Alexandria, Virginia, on the birth of their beautiful baby girl. Joella ``Ella'' Gale Murray was born on Thursday, June 21, 2007, at 1:03 pm weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. Ella has been born into a loving home, where she will be raised by parents who are devoted to her well-being and bright future. Her birth is a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, all Americans should be grateful that the New York Stock Exchange closed at a record high of 14,000 last Thursday. Students benefit as college endowments grew, reducing tuition costs. Retirees benefit as retirement accounts appreciated. And with increased liquidity, jobs are created for small businesses. The stock market in 5 years has soared 91 percent from the decline caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

More than 2 million jobs have been created in the last year, and 8.2 million jobs have been created since the tax relief was initiated in June 2003. This has led to an unemployment rate lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. There is record high homeownership.

The Republican tax reductions are helping workers. I urge my colleagues to act immediately to make the tax cuts permanent so American workers, not the Federal Government, can continue to decide how to spend their hard-earned money. This proves the point of Jerry Bellune, editor of the Lexington County Chronicle, that the earnings of America's workers belong to the people and are not a handout from the government.

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

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to our troops for capturing the highest ranking Iraqi in al Qaeda's leadership. Mashhadani, known to be the most senior Iraqi in al Qaeda leadership, operated as chief communicator between his terrorists and senior al Qaeda leaders, including bin Laden and Zawahiri.

This arrest further confirms the connection between al Qaeda and Iraq and

the global terrorism network. I believe this news is significant in proving that the al Qaeda our troops are fighting in Iraq is inseparable in the front on the global war on terrorism.

Our troops are fighting to protect American families. Stopping the terrorists in Iraq, which Zawahiri and bin Laden have identified as the central front in the global war on terrorism, is vital to this effort. Our troops' courageous efforts in Iraq are working, and we must support our brave men and women in uniform to defeat this enemy who promotes mass murder.

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