Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of the resolution honoring the life of former President Gerald R. Ford.

Gerald Ford served America with great distinction--first in the military, then as a Member of the U.S. House, and later as Vice President and President of the United States. After faithfully serving his Michigan constituents for 25 years in the House, he was called to serve all of the American people in the White House when his country needed him most.

The Watergate crisis was one of the most difficult times in our nation's history, and President Ford's unflinching leadership helped heal a nation and restore the American people's faith in their government. His decision to pardon President Nixon was a controversial and difficult move that drew a great deal of criticism. But in hindsight, I think most Americans would agree it was the right decision, the honorable decision, and reflected President Ford's good judgment and straightforward approach.

Throughout the ordeal, President Ford earned our affection and respect. He will be remembered for the integrity, character, and grace he exhibited in his work and throughout his life.

As public servants we owe a huge debt to those who have served before us, and we owe President Ford a debt of gratitude for the enormous contributions and sacrifices he made on behalf of his country. I am humbled to serve in the same elected leadership post he occupied for eight years during his tenure in the House.

Our thoughts and prayers, and those of a grateful nation, are with Betty and the Ford family. I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to H.R. 3, a bill to expand taxpayer funding of human embryonic stem cell research. I support stem cell research with only one exception, research that requires the killing of human life. Taxpayer-funded stem cell research must be carried out in a way that is ethical and in a way that respects the sanctity of human life.

Fortunately, ethical stem cell alternatives continue to flourish in the scientific community. Earlier this week we learned that amniotic non-embryonic stem cells may offer the same research possibility as stem cells obtained through the destruction of human embryos. We have also seen stem cells from noncontroversial sources, like umbilical cord blood, be used to treat humans afflicted with more than 70 afflictions. I think we need to be funding the research that shows the most promise.

I am deeply disappointed today that Democrat leaders have pressed ahead with this vote, rather than having hearings and markups where breakthroughs like amniotic fluid cell research could have been fully examined. This research offers the potential for a new consensus approach to the difficult issue of stem cell research, and I am disappointed that the Democrat majority was not willing to allow time for this new development to be thoroughly examined.

We all know what is going to happen with this bill. This bill is going to move through the House. It will move through the Senate and go to the White House, where it was vetoed last year, and it will be vetoed again.

We have a bill that has been introduced by Mr. Bartlett from Maryland and Mr. Gingrey from Georgia that says, let's put more funding into amniotic stem cell research. This is a bill that I think the Congress can support, the House, the Senate and the White House, that really will provide new breakthroughs in medical science.

But that isn't going to be allowed today, and it is not going to be on the floor today. Instead, we are going to go through a political exercise that will get us nowhere. And for that, I am deeply disappointed.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton) and the remainder of my time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) and I ask unanimous consent that they be allowed to control that time.

Not as yet.

I will.

That is correct.

Madam Speaker, Leader Hoyer, my distinguished colleagues, welcome to you all. I would particularly like to welcome our new colleagues. It is an honor and a privilege to serve in this great institution, and I would like to thank you in advance for the sacrifices and contributions you will make to this body during your time here.

As colleagues, we owe a huge debt to those who have served before us. I would be remiss if I did not mention the enormous contributions of one of my predecessors, Gerald Ford. Former President Ford served in the House over 25 years, including 8 of those years as Republican leader from 1965 to 1973. He served his Michigan constituents and the American people with great distinction not just here in Congress, but as Vice President and as President of the United States. The thoughts and prayers of this House and those of a grateful Nation are with Betty and the Ford family.

This is an historic day. In a few moments, I will have the high privilege of handing the gavel of the House of Representatives to a woman for the first time in American history.

For more than 200 years, the leaders of our government have been democratically elected, and from their ranks our leaders have always selected a man for the responsibility and honor as serving as Speaker of the House. Always, that is, until today.

It is sometimes said the Founding Fathers would not recognize the government that exists here in Washington today. It has grown in size and scope far beyond anything they could ever have imagined, much less endorsed or advocated for our future. But today marks an occasion that I think the Founding Fathers would view approvingly. And my fellow Americans, whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent, today is a cause for celebration.

Today also, of course, marks a change in the House majority. Twelve years ago, some of us stood proudly in this Chamber as our former colleague, Dick Gephardt from Missouri, handed the gavel to the Republican Speaker, Newt Gingrich from Georgia. There were some great achievements during those 12 years that followed, and we are fortunate that the man who was the driving force behind many of those achievements will continue to serve with us: The gentleman from Illinois, Denny Hastert.

There were some great achievements during those 12 years that followed; there were also some profound disappointments. If there is one lesson that stands out from our party's time in the majority, it is this: A congressional majority is simply a means to an end. The value of the majority lies not in the chance to wield great power but in the chance to use limited power to achieve great things.

We refer to the gavel that I am holding as the Speaker's gavel; but like everything else in this Chamber, it really belongs to the American people. It is on loan from the real owners. This is the people's House; this is the people's Congress. Most people in America don't care who controls it. What they want is a government that is limited, honest, accountable, and responsive to their needs; and the moment a majority forgets this lesson, it begins writing itself a ticket to minority status.

The 110th Congress will write the next chapter in American history, but the American people will dictate it.

Today, the Democrat Party assumes the challenge and opportunity of majority power in the people's House. Republicans will hold the incoming majority accountable for its promises and its actions, but we also want to work with the incoming majority for the good of our Nation that we were all elected to serve.

Fundamentally, democracy is a battle of ideas. The battle of ideas, I believe, is healthy and is important for our Nation. But it is also a battle that can take place respectfully. Republicans and Democrats can disagree without being disagreeable to each other. Sometimes what people call partisanship is really a deep disagreement over a means to a shared goal, and we should welcome that conversation, encourage it, enjoy it, and be nice about it.

It is now my privilege to present the gavel of the United States House of Representatives to the first woman Speaker in our history, the gentlewoman from California, Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Mrs. Ann Baird, County Commissioner of Miami County, OH, and to express my appreciation for her dedication and commitment to public service. For more than 40 years, Mrs. Baird has contributed her talents to the betterment of Miami County, and for this, I offer her my utmost congratulations and thanks.

Her love of Miami County is unmistakable. During her long career in public service, Mrs. Baird has served on countless community boards and organizations in various roles including: Director of Community Services at Upper Valley Medical Center, Past President of the Miami County Chapter for the American Cancer Society, Past President of the United Methodist Women, Past President of the Troy United Fund, member of the Edison Community College Board of Trustees, and of course serving as the first female Miami County Commissioner for the past 12 years.

Mrs. Baird's record--as an elected official, a church leader, and as a good neighbor helping those in need--will leave an enduring legacy in Miami County. Her leadership will be missed, but the footprint she has left will inspire many to emulate her good works.

Mrs. Baird, I offer my congratulations and gratitude for your long and successful career in public service. I wish you well in your future retirement, and I hope you continue to achieve happiness and success wherever your life journey may lead you.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 1108) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the chairman

and ranking minority member of each standing committee and each subcommittee be permitted to extend their remarks in the Congressional Record, up to and including the Record's last publication, and to include a summary of the work of that committee or subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members may have until publication of the last edition of the Congressional Record authorized for the Second Session of the 109th Congress by the Joint Committee on Printing to revise and extend their remarks and to include brief, related extraneous material on any matter occurring before the adjournment of the Second Session sine die.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on this legislative day pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet on the third Constitutional day thereafter, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 503, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday, December 13, 2006.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Madam Speaker, the conference report I am filing is the conference report on the nuclear agreement, the India nuclear agreement which will be named after our esteemed colleague, Henry Hyde, who is on the verge of his retirement.

When I came here some 16 years ago, I think one of the first meetings I had as a Member was with Henry. And I went to Henry because he was one of the most respected Members of the House. I thought I could learn something from him, and, as importantly, I wanted him to know who I was.

But over the years, I have learned an awful lot from Henry Hyde. And I can remember vividly the spring of 1995 when the Republicans had taken control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years. We had pledged that we would move the Contract with America in the first 100 days of a Republican Congress. And I don't think any of us realized the amount of work that was involved in that contract, nor how much of it fell within the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee of which Henry Hyde was the new chairman.

And Mr. Hyde, in his committee, worked tirelessly day and night for 93 days to produce their part of the Contract with America. And I remember sitting in leadership meetings where we were concerned about Henry's health during that 93 days. And here it is, some almost 11 years later, Henry is strong, still with us and still doing a great job and producing good work.

It was an honor for me to serve with Henry Hyde, and I was proud that he supported me to be the majority leader. Thinking back some 16 years ago, I would have never looked at myself as a potential majority leader. I would have been looking towards Henry. But he is a fine man and a great asset to this institution.

Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues, I want to give everyone an update on the schedule for the balance of the week. We were attempting to finish our business by late tomorrow. That does not look possible to me at this point. And in order to give everyone as straight a heads-up as possible, I do expect that we will be finished by the end of business on Friday. And so I would suggest to Members that sometime Friday we will be finished. It is only Wednesday, so I can't tell you what time Friday, so don't ask. But for those of you that have big plane reservations, if you want to make reservations for Saturday morning, I think that you will be relatively safe.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 1083) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 496) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a joint resolution (H.J. Res. 101) and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.