Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I object.

I object, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my objection. I will agree to 5 minutes each side.

Mr. Chairman, the defense part of this bill is the Congress' version of shock and awe.

The President the other day complained after only giving this to us 9 days ago, the largest supplemental in history, or in my 30 years; maybe it was larger in World War II, but the largest supplemental I have ever known.

We have had hearings, we have discussed it with the agencies, and we did our part in accountability. We want to make sure that these agencies are accountable to us, to the people that are elected to represent the people in this country.

It is a bipartisan bill. We sat down and we looked at what was done in 1991, we looked at how we handled things in the past, and we have tried to make sure that the public is protected and that this money is protected and they have accountability.

I compliment the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) in the work that he did; the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young); and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey). This is an accountable bill, but the defense portion takes care of the troops. That is what it is all about. We take care of the money that was spent already, and we take care of getting the troops back home. We hope they will be there as short a period as they could possibly be.

But we have to keep in mind, here we have a bill, $70-some billion in supplemental, which is bigger than almost every other bill that we have passed. In just a little over a week we have it on the floor, and within 2 weeks we will have it passed. So all the grumbling that goes on from some of the folks outside the legislature have to realize that we have a responsibility, and we have accepted that responsibility. We have made darned sure that this bill was something we can be proud of.

Obviously, I believe that in the end we are going to have to pass another supplemental, because of just the way things have gone. I am pleased that the troops are doing so well. Unfortunately, we will have casualties in any kind of a war like this. But one thing for sure, we have done everything we could do humanly possible in the legislative process to make sure that they had everything that they could possibly have and could get to the field. I am proud of this.

I would hope we would have large, bipartisan support for this supplemental, and it will pass overwhelmingly in as short a time as possible.

Mr. Speaker, in a shining example of how Americans pull together in times of crisis, the Elks USA has pledged its support of the families of Reservists and National Guard Members who have been called to active duty. The Army of Hope, comprised of volunteers coordinated by the Elks, will assist families with all sorts of needs to ease their stress and financial burdens.

This could not be a more welcome and needed gesture of support and I am pleased to place the attached letter from the Elks to the President, of which I received a copy, into the Congressional Record. We should all applaud them for their patriotism. This is a trying time for our military families. Supporting them is one of the most patriotic things we as Americans can do.

Elks USA,

Richland, WA, February 21, 2003.

Hon. George W. Bush,

President of the United States of America, The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: The families who have a father or

mother in the military reserves or National Guard called to

active duty during our War on Terrorism and the current Iraq

crisis will experience severe economic burdens as well as

emotional stress. As National President of the one million

men and women who comprise the Benevolent and Protective

Order of the Elks, I am writing to express our organization's

support of these families.

Mr. President, the Elks have mobilized the volunteers as an

Army of Hope. We are teachers, lawyers, accountants and

health workers. We are carpenters, electricians, mechanics,

plumbers and tradesmen of every type. We are the hearts and

hands of our communities. We will help with the kids, make

minor home repairs and provide other assistance to these

families of our service men and women as they attempt to keep

hearth and home together during these trying times.

I cannot begin to stress to you our Order's willingness and

preparedness to lend any further assistance as directed. We

are committed to do everything you request of us and for

these valiant people and their families. Mr. President,

please know the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks

is here for our nation.

Pledging you the full support of the men and women of the

Elks, I remain,

Sincerely Yours,

Roger R. True,

Grand Exalted Ruler

(National President).

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) reminded me that Greg Dahlberg was still here. I thought he was gone.

Yesterday we praised him in a closed briefing. Not only did the gentleman

from California (Mr. Lewis) and I praise him, but the Secretary of Defense praised him because not only was he Under Secretary, he was Acting Secretary of the Army for a period of time.

I was shocked when he came back. This guy went over there, he had an office as big as this room here. He had a bathroom, car, an airplane, and he came back to the cubbyhole where we share a little room 12 by 12 with six other people.

Greg Dahlberg is a dedicated staffer. I have never seen a guy so dedicated. This guy is one of the finest people I know. It is completely bipartisan. He tries to get things done. He wants to take care of not only the military, but every other job he has been involved in. We are going to miss the honorable Greg Dahlberg. This is his last day.

Mr. Speaker, knowing that we are not going to vote before 6:30 regardless of the situation, I thought I would put my suggestion in about Medicare reimbursement. I see the chairman of the committee here, my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas). There is no person that has more concern about the hospitals than him. In my latest campaign, all I heard from my hospitals, in a rural area, We need more reimbursement. I know this is not the right vehicle. I know the vehicle should be the Committee on Ways and Means. I understand that. But these hospitals are bleeding. They are losing money. The biggest employer in every single community that I have is the hospitals and people related to the hospitals. If we do not do something, and I do not have to tell the Members who are here on the floor, if we do not do something, the doctors' reimbursement is going to go down 4.4 percent.

This will raise, not a lot, but it will raise the percentage that rural hospitals get equal to the urban hospitals. There can be all kinds of excuses why urban hospitals ought to get better reimbursement, but their problem is, the facts of life, we are having a difficult time in Pennsylvania, in my district in western Pennsylvania. Because of malpractice, we are losing doctors. That has got nothing to do with this bill, but the other thing is reimbursement for small hospitals. I meet periodically, I would say every 6 months, with administrators from hospitals. These instructions do not mean anything. It is like some of the resolutions we pass. They do not mean a damn thing, and all of us know they do not mean anything; but the point is we would send a signal, hopefully, to the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means that we have got to do something about this.

A lot of times we passed instructions by unanimous vote and we went into committee and we obviously had no jurisdiction; we did not do anything about it. But here where this is so serious and so many hospitals are suffering, we need to voice our concern about the reimbursement in rural hospitals. I would hope that my good friend, the chairman of the committee, would listen to us and when he comes into his first meeting, one of the first things that he does in the Committee on Ways and Means, and I hope he would join us today in urging that something be done about this. I know, I voted a lot against instructions, because I felt like we did not need to be instructed; but in this particular case, I think it is so important that I would hope that all the Members would join the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) in passing this instruction to the conferees to do something about Medicare.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege for me today to recognize an extraordinary Pennsylvanian who has dedicated herself to the service of her country for more than half a century.

Ms. Lillian Wood, born in East Millsboro, Pennsylvania, graduated from Brownsville High School in 1951. She began working as a civilian clerk-typist for the Marine Corps in February 1952. ``Lil,'' as she is known to generations of Marines, quickly demonstrated a commitment and dedication and was recognized with a rapid series of promotions in several divisions within Headquarters, United States Marine Corps.

Based on her superb performance in support of the Personnel, Aviation, G-4, and Reserve Affairs divisions, Lil was selected as the Branch Supervisor for the newly created Special Correspondence Branch of the Manpower and Reserve Affairs Department in 1966. Lil was charged with supervision of 28 employees, both military and civilian, and was responsible for providing updates and responses to all Congressional inquiries into Marine Corps affairs.

``The Few and the Proud'' is not just a recruiting slogan, and it applies as much to Marines in combat as to the civilian Marines who make it possible for them to deploy and come home safely. The success of Marines in battle throughout the history of our great nation is due, in no small measure, to the support they receive from civilian Marines and families back home.

Lil Wood stands as a shining example to all Marines, civilian Marines, and civil servants throughout the government. Lil and I both began our service to our country in 1952, both in the Marine Corps. Her accomplishments and fifty years of dedication to the Corps and to our country are remarkable and commendable. The Marine Corps is losing a valuable asset, and I offer Lil my best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.