Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on June 23, 2009, I was called away on personal business. I regret that I was not present for the following votes:

On the passage of S. 407, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On the passage of H.R. 1016, as amended, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

On the passage of H.R. 1211, as amended, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On the passage of H.R. 1172, as amended, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

On the passage of concurring on a Senate amendment to H.R. 1777, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Judiciary, I call up House Resolution 520 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield 30 minutes to the distinguished ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Lamar Smith of Texas, and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control the time on his side for purposes of debate.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, we are here today to perform one of the most solemn duties under the Constitution, which is to consider the impeachment of a sitting member of the judiciary, a Federal judge, who, but for the congressional power of impeachment, holds a life tenure on his office.

The judge in question, Samuel B. Kent of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, has already pled guilty to obstruction of justice and has entered into and is residing in a Federal prison at this moment.

The Judiciary Committee's independent investigation, conducted admirably by a special task force established for that purpose and led by the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), has concluded that the charge underlying that guilty plea is overwhelmingly borne out by the evidence, as are the related charges of repeated sexual assault against various court employees under his supervision.

Judge Kent's conduct is described in greater detail in the report filed by our committee, which voted unanimously 29-0 to recommend four articles of impeachment to the House. The court documents and other materials are available on the committee's Web site.

Of the three branches of government devised by the framers of our Constitution, only the judicial branch is insulated from the accountability of standing for election. This is by design. The other two branches, the legislative and the executive, are designed to be democratically responsible to the people, but the judicial branch is designed to be independent, to interpret the laws passed by the Congress without favor and without fear of political reprisal.

And so, article III, section 1 provides that Federal judges hold their offices during ``good behavior.'' And when a judge abuses his power, when by his conduct he proves himself unfit to hold his office, he cannot be turned out by the voters; instead, it falls to the Congress to ensure that the public trust of that office is protected through the power of impeachment.

Congress has used this power sparingly. In our Nation's history, only 13 Federal judges have been impeached, and even fewer convicted. Needless to say, the conduct at issue here is both shocking and shameful. In due course, many of the disturbing details of Judge Kent's appalling conduct will more than likely be revealed, but now I want to emphasize for the Members the following points:

The committee is recommending impeachment not merely on the fact that the judge has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to prison; rather, it is his conduct--making false statements to his fellow judges in an official inquiry and sexually assaulting courthouse personnel--that the committee has independently determined to constitute high crimes and misdemeanors warranting his impeachment and removal from office.

The Judiciary Committee has determined overwhelmingly and unanimously, after most careful examination, that the judge's conduct plainly renders him unfit to remain a Federal judge.

Entrusted to use the power of his office to dispatch justice impartially, this judge abused his power blatantly, with partiality and favor, for his own personal gain. Entrusted to render justice, he has instead sought to evade it. Only Congress can remove Judge Kent from office. Until we do so, he will continue to draw a salary as a sitting Federal judge, even from his prison cell.

While the executive can prosecute him and the judiciary can impose punishment for his criminal conviction, only the Congress of the United States has the power to remove him from office, and that is our constitutional duty here today.

I bring this resolution to the floor with heavy regret that we are even called upon to take such action. But let it be clear, I have no doubt that this member of the judiciary must be removed from the office that he has so blatantly abused. The evidence is overwhelming and the grounds for impeachment perfectly clear. I therefore urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to recognize one of our most distinguished members of the Judiciary Committee who headed the

task force for impeachment in our committee. Adam Schiff has performed remarkably well. It is a bipartisan committee. And his former experience himself as an assistant U.S. attorney held him in very good stead.

I recognize the distinguished gentleman from California for 10 minutes.

I am pleased now to recognize for 5 minutes the distinguished member of the Judiciary Committee who served on the task force with great skill, Sheila Jackson-Lee from Houston, Texas, who has been an anchor in the proceedings that have brought us to this stage. I also want to commend Bob Goodlatte for his services during that period of time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to recognize for 3 minutes a former magistrate himself, Hank Johnson of Georgia, who is Chair of the Courts Subcommittee and an important member of the task force that was headed by Chairman Adam Schiff.

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), a member of the task force and also the Chair of the Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, we would like to close on this side by calling a senior member of the Judiciary

Committee, Jerry Nadler of New York, who, in addition, is the serving member of the Chair of the Constitution Subcommittee, the remaining time on our side.

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Barbara Alice Ringer, who served as Register of Copyrights from November 19, 1973 through May 30, 1980, and was the first woman to hold this position. Ms. Ringer was known for her enduring modesty, her dedication to authors and artists, and her unsurpassed expertise in the field of copyright law.

Ms. Ringer was born in Lafayette, Indiana on May 29, 1925. Ms. Ringer earned a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from George Washington University, and then went on to become one of a handful of women to receive a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School in 1949.

Following her graduation from law school, Ms. Ringer joined the Copyright Office as an examiner, and worked her way up through the ranks of the Copyright Office, serving as Head of the Renewal and Assignment Section, Chief of the Examining Division, Assistant Register of Copyrights for Examining, and Assistant Register of Copyrights.

In 1971, after 22 years of service to the Copyright Office, five of which were as the second in command of the Office, Ms. Ringer was passed over for promotion to Register of Copyrights. Ms. Ringer challenged this decision and filed a discrimination suit. While the suit was pending, Ms. Ringer served as Director of the Copyright Division of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris.

A federal hearing revealed that there was a consistent pattern of discrimination within the Library of Congress, and that Ms. Ringer had been passed over because of her gender and because she had always vocally supported the promotion of African Americans in the Copyright Office. This ultimately led a federal judge to order that she be named Register of Copyrights. She went on to serve as Register from November 19, 1973, until her retirement in 1980; she was later called back to serve as Acting Register again, from 1993-1994.

Ms. Ringer's most notable accomplishment was the Copyright Act of 1976. Ms. Ringer was one of its chief architects and was the principal author of the Act, which brought sweeping changes and needed updates to United States copyright law. Her efforts, which culminated in passage of the Act, spanned 20 years and involved countless hours forging compromises between parties with conflicting interests and educating Members of Congress on the complexities of copyright law. In 1977, Ms. Ringer received the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service for her work related to the Act.

Barbara Ringer passed away at the age of 83 on April 9, 2009, in Lexington, Virginia. In keeping true to her passion for service, she donated upon her death her personal collection of 20,000 movies and 1,500 books on film to the Library of Congress. On behalf of the American people, thank you Ms. Ringer; you are missed.

Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2009,'' legislation that would help level the playing field for merchants and retailers negotiating with banks for the cost of certain fees, and ultimately reduce the costs of everyday goods for consumers. I am joined by Representative Bill Shuster.

Every time a consumer uses a payment card--at the mall, at the grocery store, at a gas station, or on the Internet--the merchant is charged a fee. This fee gets divided up three ways--between the merchant's bank, the consumer's bank, and the credit card company. It covers processing fees, fraud protection, billing statements, and other expenses such as system innovations.

As much as 90 percent of this fee comprises a so-called ``interchange fee,'' which is the payment made by the merchant's bank to the consumer's bank. The percentage is set by the credit card companies, generally Visa or MasterCard, and averages 1.75 percent of the total purchase. In 2008, interchange fees from these two companies totaled approximately $48 billion, an increase of 189 percent since 2001. These fees are ultimately passed on to all consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services, whether the consumers purchase these items by credit card, check or cash. The average U.S. family paid an estimated $427 in interchange fees in 2008, nearly triple the amount in 2001.

These interchange fees are set by the credit card companies. The two largest, Visa and MasterCard, control over 73 percent of the volume of transactions on general purpose cards in the United States and approximately 90 percent of the cards issued. Banks that are members of the Visa association are often also members of the MasterCard association.

Merchants are forced to deal within this system because it is simply not an option to refuse to accept Visa or MasterCard from their customers. They are presented with take-it-or-leave-it options and are not part of the process by which the fees are set.

The bill creates a limited antitrust immunity for negotiating voluntary agreements. This legislation is intended to give merchants a seat at the table in the determination of these fees. It is not an attempt at regulating the industry and does not mandate any particular outcome. This legislation simply enhances competition by allowing merchants to negotiate with the dominant banks for the terms and rates of the fees.

It is time to level the playing field for merchants and consumers. I am hopeful that Congress can move to enact this worthwhile and timely legislation.

Madam Speaker, I, along with Geoff Davis and others--Bob Filner, Gene Taylor, Walter Jones--are putting forward House Concurrent Resolution 94 so that we can avoid the incidents of the sea that could happen in the Straits of Hormuz because of the incredible number of commercial ships that traffic that area. Eight Navy ships, 250 oil tankers and naval craft of a dozen other nations pass through the strait. These negotiations have been done before. We did it with the Soviet Union a generation ago. It's very pragmatic. It avoids any incidents which could start a war, and could change our relationship with the oil cartels.

I urge Members to give it consideration.

Madam Speaker, due to events in my congressional district, I was unable to vote today. If I were present, I would vote ``yea'' to the following bills:

H. Res. 421, recognizing and commending the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on its 75th year anniversary;

H.J. Res. 40, Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009;

H. Res. 489, recognizing the 20th anniversary of the brutal suppression of protesters and citizens in and around Tiananmen Square.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the Committee on the Judiciary's Rules of Procedure for the 111th Congress adopted on January 22, 2009, reflecting the addition yesterday of Mike Quigley as a member of the Committee.

Rules of Procedure

Rule I.

The Rules of the House of Representatives are the rules of

the Committee on the Judiciary and its Subcommittees with the

following specific additions thereto.

Rule II. Committee Meetings

(a) The regular meeting day of the Committee on the

Judiciary for the conduct of its business shall be on

Wednesday of each week while the House is in session.

(b) Additional meetings may be called by the Chairman and a

regular meeting of the Committee may be dispensed with when,

in the judgment of the Chairman, there is no need therefor.

(c) At least 24 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and

legal holidays when the House is not in session) before each

scheduled Committee or Subcommittee meeting, each Member of

the Committee or Subcommittee shall be furnished a list of

the bill(s) and subject(s) to be considered and/or acted upon

at the meeting. Bills or subjects not listed shall be subject

to a point of order unless their consideration is agreed to

by a two-thirds vote of the Committee or Subcommittee.

(d) In an emergency that does not reasonably allow for 24

hours' notice, the Chairman may waive the 24-hour notice

requirement with the agreement of the Ranking Minority

Member.

(e) Committee and Subcommittee meetings for the transaction

of business, i.e., meetings other than those held for the

purpose of taking testimony, shall be open to the public

except when the Committee or Subcommittee determines by

majority vote to close the meeting because disclosure of

matters to be considered would endanger national security,

would compromise sensitive law enforcement information, or

would tend to defame, degrade or incriminate any person or

otherwise would violate any law or rule of the House.

(f) Every motion made to the Committee and entertained by

the Chairman shall be reduced to writing upon demand of any

Member, and a copy made available to each Member present.

(g) For purposes of taking any action at a meeting of the

full Committee or any Subcommittee thereof, a quorum shall be

constituted by the presence of not less than one-third of the

Members of the Committee or subcommittee, except that a full

majority of the Members of the Committee or Subcommittee

shall constitute a quorum for purposes of reporting a measure

or recommendation from the Committee or Subcommittee, closing

a meeting to the public, or authorizing the issuance of a

subpoena.

(h)(1) Subject to subparagraph (2), the Chairman may

postpone further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on

the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting

an amendment. The Chairman may resume proceedings on a

postponed request at any time.

(2) In exercising postponement authority under subparagraph

(1), the Chairman shall take all reasonable steps necessary

to notify Members on the resumption of proceedings on any

postponed record vote.

(3) When proceedings resume on a postponed question,

notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous

question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to

further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the

question was postponed.

(i) Transcripts of markups shall be recorded and may be

published in the same manner as hearings before the

Committee.

(j) Without further action of the Committee, the Chairman

is directed to offer a motion under clause 1 of rule XXII of

the Rules of the House of Representatives whenever the

Chairman considers it appropriate.

Rule III. Hearings

(a) The Committee Chairman or any subcommittee chairman

shall make public announcement of the date, place, and

subject matter of any hearing to be conducted by it on any

measure or matter at least one week before the commencement

of that hearing. If the Chairman of the Committee, or

Subcommittee, with the concurrence of the Ranking Minority

Member, determines there is good cause to begin the hearing

sooner, or if the Committee or Subcommittee so determines by

majority vote, a quorum being present for the transaction of

business, the Chairman or Subcommittee chairman shall make

the announcement at the earliest possible date.

(b) Committee and Subcommittee hearings shall be open to

the public except when the Committee or Subcommittee

determines by majority vote to close the meeting because

disclosure of matters to be considered would endanger

national security, would compromise sensitive law enforcement

information, or would tend to defame, degrade or incriminate

any person or otherwise would violate any law or rule of the

House.

(c) For purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence

before the Committee or any Subcommittee, a quorum shall be

constituted by the presence of two Members.

(d) In the course of any hearing each Member shall be

allowed five minutes for the interrogation of a witness until

such time as each Member who so desires has had an

opportunity to question the witness.

(e) The transcripts of those hearings conducted by the

Committee which are decided to be printed shall be published

in verbatim form, with the material requested for the record

inserted at that place requested, or at the end of the

record, as appropriate. Individuals, including Members of

Congress, whose comments are to be published as part of a

Committee document shall be given the opportunity to verify

the accuracy of the transcription in advance of publication.

Any requests by those Members, staff or witnesses to correct

any errors other than errors in the transcription, or

disputed errors in transcription, shall be appended to the

record, and the appropriate place where the change is

requested will be footnoted. Prior to approval by the

Chairman of hearings conducted jointly with another

congressional Committee, a memorandum of understanding shall

be prepared which incorporates an agreement for the

publication of the verbatim transcript.

Rule IV. Broadcasting

Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by the Committee or

any Subcommittee is open to the public, those proceedings

shall be open to coverage by television, radio and still

photography except when the hearing or meeting is closed

pursuant to the Committee Rules of Procedure.

Rule V. Standing Subcommittees

(a) The full Committee shall have jurisdiction over the

following subject matters: copyright, patent, and trademark

law, information technology, tort liability, including

medical malpractice and product liability, legal reform

generally, and such other matters as determined by the

Chairman.

(b) There shall be five standing Subcommittees of the

Committee on the Judiciary, with jurisdictions as follows:

(1) Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy:

antitrust law, monopolies, and restraints of trade,

administration of U.S. courts, Federal Rules of Evidence,

Civil and Appellate Procedure, judicial ethics, other

appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant

oversight.

(2) Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and

Civil Liberties: constitutional amendments, constitutional

rights, federal civil rights laws, ethics in government,

other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and

relevant oversight.

(3) Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law:

bankruptcy and commercial law, bankruptcy judgeships,

administrative law, independent counsel, state taxation

affecting interstate commerce, interstate compacts, other

appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant

oversight.

(4) Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland

Security: Federal Criminal Code, drug enforcement,

sentencing, parole and pardons, terrorism, internal and

homeland security, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure,

prisons, criminal law enforcement, other appropriate matters

as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.

(5) Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees,

Border Security, and International Law: immigration and

naturalization, border security, admission of refugees,

treaties, conventions and international agreements, claims

against the United States, federal charters of incorporation,

private immigration and claims bills, non-border enforcement,

other appropriate matters

as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.

(c) The Chairman of the Committee and Ranking Minority

Member thereof shall be ex officio Members, but not voting

Members, of each Subcommittee to which such Chairman or

Ranking Minority Member has not been assigned by resolution

of the Committee. Ex officio Members shall not be counted as

present for purposes of constituting a quorum at any hearing

or meeting of such Subcommittee.

Rule VI. Powers and Duties of Subcommittees

Each Subcommittee is authorized to meet, hold hearings,

receive evidence, and report to the full Committee on all

matters referred to it or under its jurisdiction.

Subcommittee chairmen shall set dates for hearings and

meetings of their respective Subcommittees after consultation

with the Chairman and other Subcommittee chairmen with a view

toward avoiding simultaneous scheduling of full Committee and

Subcommittee meetings or hearings whenever possible.

Rule VII. Non-Legislative Reports

No report of the Committee or Subcommittee which does not

accompany a measure or matter for consideration by the House

shall be published unless all Members of the Committee or

Subcommittee issuing the report shall have been apprised of

such report and given the opportunity to give notice of

intention to file supplemental, additional, or dissenting

views as part of the report. In no case shall the time in

which to file such views be less than three calendar days

(excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays when the

House is not in session).

Rule VIII. Committee Records

The records of the Committee at the National Archives and

Records Administration shall be made available for public use

according to the Rules of the House. The Chairman shall

notify the Ranking Minority Member of any decision to

withhold a record otherwise available, and the matter shall

be presented to the Committee for a determination on the

written request of any Member of the Committee.

Rule IX. Official Committee Website

(a) The Chairman shall maintain an official website on

behalf of the Committee for the purpose of furthering the

Committee's legislative and oversight responsibilities,

including communicating information about the Committee's

activities to Committee Members and other Members of the

House.

(b) The Chairman shall make the record of the votes on any

question on which a record vote is demanded in the full

Committee available on the Committee's official website not

later than 3 legislative days after such vote is taken. Such

record shall identify or describe the amendment, motion,

order, or other proposition, the name of each Member voting

for and each Member voting against such amendment, motion,

order, or proposition, and the names of the Members voting

present.

(c) The Ranking Member is authorized to maintain a similar

official website on behalf of the Committee Minority for the

same purpose, including communicating information about the

activities of the Minority to Committee Members and other

Members of the House.

Madam Speaker, Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Scott and I would like to take this opportunity to thank one of the most productive and dedicated members of the Judiciary Committee staff, Mario Dispenza. For the past two years, Mario has served as a counsel for the Committee, working principally with the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee.

Mario came to the Judiciary Committee on a detail from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), where he has worked for 20 years. After graduating with honors from Kean University, he began his distinguished career with the ATF as a special agent in Cleveland, quickly moving up through the ranks to become a Program Manager in the Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations. While working for the ATF, Mario studied in the International Human Rights Programme at the New College of Oxford University, and earned his law degree with honors from The George Washington University Law School.

Mario's tenure with the Committee included work on legislation of critical importance to our nation's criminal justice system. He ushered several important measures through the Committee and the full House, including during the 110th Congress: H.R. 923, the ``Emmet Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act,''; H.R. 1199, the ``Drug Endangered Children Act of 2007''; H.R. 1759, the ``Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2007''; H.R. 1943, the ``Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007''; H.R. 2286, the ``Bail Bond Fairness Act of 2007''; H.R. 2878, the ``Enhanced Financial Recovery and Equitable Treatment Act of 2007''; H.R. 3480, the ``Let Our Veterans Rest in Peace Act of 2007''; H.R. 3456/S. 231 to Reauthorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistant Grant Program at Fiscal Year 2006 Levels through 2012; H.R. 3971, the ``Deaths in Custody Reporting Act of 2008''; H.R. 4056/S. 2565, the ``Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2007''; H.R. 4238, the ``Literacy, Education and Rehabilitation Act of 2007''; H.R. 4300, the ``Juvenile Justice Accountability and Improvement Act of 2007''; H.R. 5057, the ``Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008''; H.R. 5938, the ``Former Vice President Protection Act of 2008''; H.R. 6083, To authorize funding to conduct a national training program for State and local prosecutors; H.R. 6295/S. 3598, the ``Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008''; H.R. 6838, the ``Campus Safety Act of 2008''; H.R. 4110/S. 973, the ``Restitution for Victims of Crime Act of 2007'' and H.R. 845, the ``Criminal Restitution Improvement Act.'' During the 111th Congress, Mario has been integral to the progress of: H.R. 738, the ``Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2008''; H.R. 748, the ``Center to Advance, Monitor, and Preserve University Security (CAMPUS) Safety Act of 2009''; H.R. 503, the ``Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009''; H.R. 1741, the ``Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act of 2009''; H.R. 1667, the ``War Profiteering Prevention Act of 2009''; and the Department of Justice reauthorization appropriations.

We would like to thank the ATF for their generosity in lending such an able, responsible, and genial member of their team to the Congress. Mario will be missed, for he has become a trusted colleague, mentor, and friend to many members of the staff and Committee. We wish him the best of luck and extend our deepest gratitude for his service and professionalism.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations on the one year anniversary of President Ma of Taiwan. President Ma has accomplished much during his tenure to reduce the tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

I want to shed light on the third Chiang-Chen talks that occurred last month to highlight my point.

The third Chiang-Chen Talks, which took place in Nanjing, brought together top officials from both sides of the Taiwan straits to discuss issues that are of mutual benefit to Taiwan and China. Three important agreements were signed at these talks.

The ``Agreement on Joint Cross-Strait Crime-fighting and Mutual Judicial Assistance'' will improve cooperation between the two sides with respects to criminal investigations by sharing information and lending other law enforcement assistance as needed.

Secondly, the ``Cross Strait Financial Cooperation Agreement'' will help improve monetary exchanges and may lead to Taiwan opening financial institutions on the mainland.

Lastly, a ``Supplementary Agreement on Cross-Strait Air Transport'' was signed to increase the number of daily flights, both passenger and cargo, between Taiwan and China plus increase the number of airports by which these flights will depart.

In addition to these three agreements, China has agreed to encourage investments from the mainland into Taiwan ventures.

All of these important agreements would not have been possible without President Ma's leadership and courage. Again, congratulations to President Ma and both countries on each side of the Taiwan Strait.

Mr. Speaker, one of the great strengths of our nation is our collective ability to learn from our mistakes--to reject conventional thought and embrace innovation. During his short time in office, the President has been the physical embodiment of this strength. He has challenged the status quo where he has found it and laid bare the contradictions inherent in policies and modes of thought that have outlived their usefulness. From reforming our domestic auto industry, to turning away from outdated forms of energy production, to finally recognizing that a person's health and a person's ability to work are, in fact, intimately related, the President is leading our nation toward progress.

It is unfortunate then, that the President has not challenged our most pervasive and dangerous national hubris: the foolhardy belief that we can erect the foundations of civil society through the judicious use of our many high tech instruments of violence. That belief, promoted by the previous administration in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, assumes that the United States possesses the capacity and also has a duty to determine the fate of nations in the greater Middle East.

I oppose this supplemental war funding bill because I believe that we are not bound by such a duty. In fact, I believe the policies of empire are counterproductive in our struggle against the forces of radical religious extremism. For example, U.S. strikes from unmanned Predator Drones and other aircraft produced 64 percent of all civilian deaths caused by the U.S., NATO, and Afghan forces in 2008. Just this week, U.S. air strikes took another 100 lives, according to Afghan officials on the ground. If it is our goal to strengthen the average Afghani or Pakistani citizen and to weaken the radicals that threaten stability in the region, bombing villages is clearly counterproductive. For every family broken apart by an incident of ``collateral damage,'' seeds of hate and enmity are sown against our nation.

I must also oppose this resolution because of the decision to strip $80 million in funding for the closure of the detention center located at Guantanamo Bay during deliberations in the Appropriations Committee. Here as well, I implore my colleagues to consider the message we send to the world about our commitment to the rule of law. Closing this sordid chapter in our national history is a tremendously important part of our campaign to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

There are those who will say that the Taliban and the tribal warlords of the Pashtun will not yield to reason or diplomacy. This may be true. However, this vote is a referendum on our means, not on our goals in the region or our commitment to defeating those who would wish us harm. The President has assembled the best minds that our nation has to offer. He has all of the myriad tools of statecraft at his disposal. With these factors in mind, I refuse to believe that constraining these tribal warlords and extremists, whose influence is limited to a mountainous and economically derelict region halfway around the world, requires the mightiest nation in the world to indefinitely

commit our precious national resources in this particular manner.

Obviously, Afghanistan is not Iraq. It presents unique geographic, economic, and cultural challenges that will be orders of magnitude more difficult to solve. Let us remember that we are on the verge of extracting our troops and treasure from the quagmire of Iraq. Over the last six years, the strength of the forces of arrogance has waned as a direct result of our national experience with the horrors, costs, and futility inherent in a military occupation. Yet, here we are--on the precipice of hastily injecting our military men and women into a far more difficult and unwieldy situation.

Should we support this measure, we risk dooming our nation to a fate similar to Sisyphus and his boulder: to being trapped in a stalemate of unending frustration and misery, as our mistakes inevitably lead us to the same failed outcomes. Let us step back; let us remember the mistakes and heartbreak of our recent misadventures in the streets of Fallujah and Baghdad. If we honor the ties that bind us to one another, we cannot in good faith send our fellow citizens on this errand of folly. It is still not too late to turn away from this path.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in order to thank my colleague Eddie Bernice Johnson for sponsoring National Nurses Week.

Nurses are America's national heroes. Day after day, they deliver life saving health care in nursing homes, hospitals, community clinics, and public schools across this nation. They deliver our babies, take care of the disabled, and make sure that senior citizens receive the tender loving care and attention they need when they are sick and infirm.

Sadly, too many nurses are working in hospitals, clinics and other health care work settings that are stressful, inhumane, and not conducive to safe patient care. Many nurses experience painful and debilitating work related injuries from lifting patients--injuries that could be avoided if there were mechanical lift devices in hospitals which could safely assist nurses in the lifting of patients.

Nurses across the nation rightfully complain of working too many hours, supervising too many patients at one time, and having to spend endless hours filling out paper work. Much of the paper work is related to private insurance billing.

Many nurses leave the profession early because of stressful and difficult work conditions. This is contributing to a growing nursing shortage in America. Unfortunately, patients across this nation are getting less quality care from nurses because there are simply not enough nurses to provide the care that patients need and deserve. America must address the nursing crisis now, especially as we move towards major health reform.

We must thank President Obama for having the vision and courage to address our dysfunctional health care system by calling for passage of a major health reform bill this year. I believe that creating a national health insurance system would be the most cost effective and humane way to achieve universal health care in America. This is why I have introduced HR 676, ``The United States National Health Insurance Act,'' in every Congress since 2003.

We as a nation must ensure that we have the best trained and optimal number of nurses possible. However, if we are to achieve this very important goal, the President and the Congress must have a ``federal national nurse policy'' that reflects the needs of the nursing profession.

This can be best accomplished by having members of Congress and the President listen to the many challenges that our over worked nurses experience every day, and then passing meaningful federal nurse reform legislation that can substantively address the nursing shortage in this country, and improve their work conditions.

Our nurses deserve the best work conditions possible, and so do the millions of patients they care for in America.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 204, which honors one our nation's oldest African-American medical professional organizations, the National Dental Association. For nearly 150 years, the NDA has committed itself to opening the doors to the dental profession--a profession that has traditionally been dominated by the privileged few who could afford dental training--to men and women of color.

Even more importantly, the NDA has been a voice for the under-served in our society, often speaking out about disparities in access to dental care when others in the provider community would not. The dentists who make up the NDA, like I, believe that the right to dental care must be a fundamental human and civil right--not a privilege. In the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, there is no reason that some Americans lack access to a dentist or oral surgeon.

We all mourn the loss of Demonte Driver, a young African-American boy who died in 2007 as the result of not getting timely and medically necessary dental care because his family was uninsured. I am committed to working with the NDA and all other provider groups to ensure that our country reaches a point where stories like Demonte's will become increasingly rare and, eventually, cease to exist. We must work to ensure that young dental students who wish to practice in communities served by Medicaid have the fiscal flexibility to do so. This necessarily means addressing the $145,000 debt the average dental student incurs during the course of his or her education.

To this end, I will soon introduce legislation that expands funding for the National Health Service Corps. The program provides for medical and dental students' reasonable educational expenses and a monthly stipend for room and board. After school, the student must apply for pre-approved positions in underserved areas. By increasing the funding levels between 2009 and 2019 by $100 million each year, my bill will ensure that every citizen in every community has access to the doctor and dentist of their choice.

I applaud the NDA for their 150 years of excellence and compassionate advocacy and I wish them 150 more. Together, we will end dental access disparity once and for all. I encourage my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, due to events in my congressional district, I was unable to vote today. If I were present, I would have voted in favor of the following bills: H. Res. 299, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the Nation during Public Service Recognition Week, May 4 through 10, 2009; H. Res. 338, supporting the goals and ideals of National Community College Month; H. Res. 353, supporting the goals and ideals of Global Youth Service Days.