Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Foundation for a Fit Nation Act, legislation to establish the National Physical Fitness and Sports Foundation which would fund the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Despite the undisputed benefits of physical activity, most Americans continue to lead alarmingly inactive lifestyles. Studies by the Center for Disease Control show that more than 50 percent of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits, and 24 percent are not active at all in their leisure time. According to the CDC, 61.5 percent of children between the ages of 9 and 13 do not participate in any organized physical activity outside of school; however, the American Heart Association found that schools are cutting back on physical education, the best method to combat childhood obesity.

In the United States, obesity among both children and adults has become a problem of epidemic proportions. The number of Americans who are overweight and obese is staggering. The American Obesity Association reported 127 million overweight adults in the United States. The most disturbing statistics, however, revolve around the growing rates of obesity of American children. The Department of Health and Human Services predicts that 20 percent of American youth will be obese by the year 2010.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to ignore these statistics any longer. We owe it to ourselves and our Nation to support a healthy lifestyle for our constituents. We should be especially cognizant of the importance of instilling in our young people an appreciation of the value of maximizing physical fitness. The creation of the National Foundation on Physical Fitness serves as an important first step towards reaching these goals.

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is an advisory committee created in 1982 to promote physical activity and fitness in the United States. Currently, the President's Council on Physical Fitness operates on a shoestring budget, a mere $2.1 million, a figure which is vastly incommensurate with the importance of the PCPF mission. The Council is among several departments within the Center for Disease Control which are eligible to receive private contributions, however it is currently not authorized to solicit contributions.

When the Foundation for a Fit Nation Act is passed, it would direct the President's Council on Physical Fitness to establish a nonprofit foundation designed to promote and encourage the solicitation of private contributions as an independent source of funding for the Council. This budget increase would allow the President's Council on Physical Fitness to expand its scope and activities with no cost to taxpayers. This bill would help further an important national goal, encouraging and fostering physical fitness and well-being through three specific measures:

First, establishing the nonprofit National Physical Fitness and Sports Foundation to promote and improve physical fitness and sports programs in conjunction with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports;

second, allowing the Foundation to solicit, receive and administer private contributions for the President's Council;

and third, establishing a bipartisan nine-member board of directors to oversee the Foundation.

Physical activity is not only vitally important for our health, but serves as an enjoyable means for the development of commitment, perseverance and teamwork, all of which foster strong societies.

I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation which would provide a private source of funding for an organization critical to the well-being of our constituents.

I thank my colleague. And I know we have a number of people here that are going to speak, and if at any time I say something where you would like me to yield to add to the discussion, please let me know as we move forward.

There is no more important issue than children's health insurance coverage. And I think it's incomprehensible to certainly all of us here this evening who are talking about the issue, but I think to most Americans, that the President of the United States initially even threatened to veto, but then today took the action of vetoing this bill which would increase to 10 million children the number that are covered under this health insurance program.

I wanted to speak just a moment about two faces on this issue that my life has intersected with. They come from the State of Maryland, and actually over the last few months they've become known to millions of Americans across the country. The first face is the face of Diamonte Driver, who was a young man in Prince George's County, Maryland who had a toothache and ended up dying because he didn't get the treatment that he needed. If his family had had the coverage available that SCHIP provides, his mother could have gotten him to a doctor, a dentist. He would have been seen early, like is the experience of most of us when we have a toothache, and his life would have been saved.

I came to know Diamonte because I worked for years with an organization called the Public Justice Center in Maryland. And the Public Justice Center has been championing increasing Medicaid coverage for children in the State of Maryland. And they had worked with the Driver family. They were actually working with Diamonte's older brother, trying to get him some help that he needed through the Medicaid program, and got to know the family that way, and then Diamonte's situation occurred. So that hit me right there because I was aware of what had happened with this family through my personal interaction with that organization. That's the terrible tragic face on this issue. That's what happens when the coverage isn't there, when children don't get the health care coverage that they need.

There is a positive face on this issue, which was illustrated by the Frost family, Graham and Gemma Frost. Graham Frost was part of the Democratic statement across the country this past weekend where he talked about how his sister and he were in a terrible car accident, and because they were covered by the SCHIP program, they got the treatment they needed, it did not bankrupt the family, and that family is intact, healthy and able to move forward because of the SCHIP program.

So, on the one hand you have the example of Diamonte Driver, someone who didn't have access to this kind of coverage, and on the other hand you have the experience of Graham and Gemma Frost, who did.

I don't understand how the President can line himself up against 10 million children in this country. It is mind-boggling to me, and I've been trying to figure out why he would do it. I think there's maybe a philosophical imperative that he is laboring under, this notion that somehow a government program, already proven to work well, can't continue to work well because there is this investment in the notion that government can't do good things, that government can't design programs that work effectively. And so that philosophy apparently this administration is prepared to sacrifice. At the alter of that philosophy, the government can't do anything right, they're prepared to sacrifice the interests of millions and millions of children across this country.

The President made a statement the other day where he said, ``Well, what's the problem? If children need to get treatment, they can always go to the local emergency room.'' I know we all heard that. Some of us were stunned with the callousness of that comment. But I was impressed as much with its callousness as I was, or in addition to its callousness, as with its lack of insight.

I have spent 18 years working with hospitals. I know that the emergency room of a hospital is the highest-cost part of our system. Why would you want children to go there to get treatment when you could build clinics and otherwise empower our health care providers, through the SCHIP program, to provide service at an earlier stage? Not only is it less expensive, but you intervene before children reach a more acute condition where the cost of treating them is going to be higher. So this, I think, illustrates a fundamental lack of understanding of how we can enhance coverage in our health care system.

Let me just make a couple of final comments here. We didn't send the SCHIP bill to the President. We, the Members of the House and the Members of the Senate who voted for it, didn't send it to the President. We delivered it to the President. We delivered it on behalf of America's children. That is what we did. That is our job. We are an instrument of the American people, and in this case, of America's children, so we delivered this to the President on behalf of America's children. His decision to veto it is not a rejection of this Congress. It is a rejection of the interests of America's children.

What I hope Americans all across this country will do, starting tonight and going forward over the days to come, is make it perfectly clear that they want this Congress to override the veto of the President on SCHIP. Call us. Call every Member in this Chamber and make that point. Because if you do that, you are going to send a powerful message to the President that he made the wrong decision here. In spite of the decision he made, we can move forward on behalf of America's children.

I yield back to my colleague and thank him for the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Villa Julie College in Stevenson, Maryland on its Founder's Day which recognizes the accomplishments of the remarkable women who helped establish the College and honors those who have since contributed and continue to contribute to Villa Julie's vitality.

Villa Julie has developed from a one-year women's secretarial college into a four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution offering career-focused Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a variety of programs. It has transitioned from a local commuter college to a regional residential institute of higher learning. Enrollment has increased more than 45 percent in 7 years; revenues have doubled and the endowment has increased by more than $11 million since 2000.

Today Villa Julie is Maryland's third largest independent college and it has earned recognition as a ``best value'' by several national news sources including U.S. News and World Report which ranked it in the top quarter for its classification. Villa Julie's distinct approach of blending liberal arts with a career focus continues to attract terrific students from around the region. Students have benefited significantly from Career Architecture, an award-winning process developed to assist them in building a career plan based on individual values, skills, and interests. More than 70 percent of incoming freshmen over the past six years say the College's reputation of preparing students for rewarding careers was ``very important'' in their decision to attend.

As the College continues to expand, it has stayed true to its mission of increasing access to higher education. Student surveys indicate that about 60 percent of Villa Julie students are the first in their family to attend college.

Madam Speaker, Villa Julie is a special place. The College, its founders and supporters can take enormous pride in how it has successfully adapted over time and in the difference it has made in the lives of so many in this area. I take this opportunity on Founder's Day to congratulate Villa Julie for its commitment to higher education over the past 60 years.

I want to thank Chairman Davis for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1389, the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission Act, which I had the privilege of introducing. This legislation would empower a commission to plan and coordinate what I believe is going to be one of the most spectacular and memorable commemorations in recent history in this country, and that is the bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812 and the Francis Scott Key poem written during the British bombardment of

Fort McHenry, Maryland, which later became the Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem.

The Park Service recommended the creation of such a commission in a 2004 study. Its membership would be drawn from citizens from historically significant States, from National Park Service officials, historical experts, and other individuals selected by congressional leadership.

Because we are fast approaching the bicentennial of the War of 1812, I am pleased the House has taken up this legislation. I hope that the Senate will do so as well and the measure can be signed into law in the near future.

Mr. Speaker, many refer to the War of 1812 as the ``second war of independence.'' When the war began, our fragile experiment in democracy was still in its early stages, and the Nation found itself under attack from one of the most powerful countries in the world. Many wondered whether a democracy could hold together through the trials of war. The War of 1812 proved that it could, and set the stage for the spread of democracy around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Waxman and Chairman Davis for bringing this measure to the floor. I hope all of my colleagues will support the bill, which will help ensure a fitting celebration of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner bicentennial.

Madam Speaker, 10 years ago the Children's Health Insurance Program was instituted. Since then, 6 million children have been given access to private health care insurance in this country. It was absolutely the right thing to do.

But new evidence from the Census Bureau released last week suggests that we are now slipping backwards. The number of children without health insurance coverage in this country increased from 8 million in 2005 to 8.7 million in 2006. That is why we passed 4 weeks ago the CHAMP Act which would increase insurance coverage for children to an additional 5 million children in this country. That's the direction we need to be going in.

Unfortunately, the President is threatening to veto the CHAMP Act. I hope the President will reconsider, stop posturing on this issue, and do the right thing by America's children.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding and for his support of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues, Congresswoman Maloney, Congressman Bilirakis, Congressman Space and many, many others in this body, in support of H. Res. 629, expressing the deepest of sympathy to the families who have incurred enormous loss and who continue to suffer the effects of the terrible fires that have raged across Greece since June.

I also want to thank Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen and their staffs for their assistance in bringing this resolution to the floor.

Official reports of damage from the Greek Government will be forthcoming in the next few weeks, but on Monday, the New York Times reported that over a 10-day period an estimated 4,000 people saw their homes destroyed by the wildfires which razed dozens of villages, destroyed livestock and charred an estimated 469,000 acres of mostly forest and farmland.

As of Sunday, the official death toll had risen to 65. According to the Greek fire brigade, thousands have been rendered homeless, and hundreds of thousands of acres of pristine forest have been destroyed. The fire has also affected a substantial part of Greece's agricultural sector. According to Reuters, hundreds of thousands of mature olive trees, vineyards and thousands of animals perished in the flames. Overall damage to the economy is estimated at 1.2 billion to 4 billion Euros.

As the resolution reads, we take this moment to stand with the people of Greece and vow to come to their aid as they have done for us and others throughout the world time and time again. There is no doubt that the people of Greece will prevail in the face of this difficult time. There is no doubt that they will succeed in the recovery effort.

My colleagues and I have been working to identify areas where the United States Government can assist in the near term and as part of the longer commitment that will be needed in reversing the damage. We are grateful that the U.S. Government has already extended funding and other support in this regard, and we are very proud of the commitment already demonstrated by our friends and organizations in the Greek American community who are coordinating a substantial relief effort of their own.

I'd like to thank the Greek ambassador, Ambassador Mallias, for his leadership in reaching out and helping to coordinate assistance to his country. He's here with us today in the gallery.

Madam Speaker, I'd like to tell a story briefly. I had the opportunity to visit Greece in 1985, more than 20 years ago, with my grandmother who had not been there for almost 30 years. I remember her taking me by the hand as we walked through her village, which

is in the southern Peloponnese, and the Peloponnese has been particularly hard hit by these fires.

And as we walked the paths of her childhood, I remember that she was looking for one particular olive tree that she remembered not from 30 years prior but from 60 years before that she played under as a small child. It was a touchstone of her childhood and of her memories, and it made an incredible impression on me, the love, the connection that she had to this village and to that land.

Today, for many Greeks and for many Greek Americans, these touchstones, these sacred markers have gone up in flames. Beyond this, the loss of life is tragic. For these reasons, Americans all across this country are moved to reach out to the citizens of Greece.

Madam Speaker, the spirit of the Greek people is indomitable. It will triumph over this tragedy, and with this resolution, America signifies that it stands with Greece and its people in this hour of need.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding his time and for his support. I thank Congressman Duncan for his support of H.R. 3218, which it was my privilege to introduce in the House.

This legislation honors Cal Ripken, Jr. on his induction into the pro baseball Hall of Fame by renaming Interstate 395 in Baltimore, which runs into the city and ends near Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as ``Cal Ripken Way.'' It is fitting that we would pass this measure today on the eve of the 12th anniversary of Cal's setting the consecutive games record. I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar for his assistance in bringing this measure to the floor.

Cal's stellar career no doubt made him worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame. In fact, he was elected to the Hall with the highest vote total ever, the highest vote percentage for any position player, and the third highest vote percentage in history.

But the numbers don't even begin to explain what he means to our national pastime. Too often, our sports stars are famous for all the wrong reasons. But time and again Cal Ripken, Jr. has been a source of pride for baseball.

Cal was a spectacular player but not a flashy one. He played fundamental baseball, always doing the little things and setting the example for how a professional should perfect his trade. And he showed up every day.

From the heights of the World Series championship in 1983 to the depths of the 21-game losing streak that began the 1988 season, Cal was there every day. After the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, many fans mark September 6, 1995, the night Ripken played in his 2,131st game, as the night that America came back to baseball.

Ripken's commitment to working hard and playing by the rules became known as ``The Ripken Way.'' He inspired the people of Baltimore every season with his quiet and unassuming dedication to his work and continues to do so in retirement through numerous charitable works and his youth baseball foundation.

In fact, I believe that Cal has inspired Americans all over the country. I think Tony Kornheiser captured this well in a column that appeared in the Washington Post on September 7, 1995. He wrote: ``When I look at this record, I think I hear the rhythms of America. This celebration of Cal is the fanfare for the common man. Going to work every day . . . building a career, providing for our family like our fathers did before us is something we can all relate to.''

Madam Speaker, if we pass this legislation, when travelers come to visit Baltimore or pass by on their way to another destination, they will not only be reminded of a terrific ballplayer whose name has become synonymous with the Orioles but also a model American and the promise of doing things the ``Ripken Way.'' I hope my colleagues agree that this is a fitting tribute to one of the best loved and most enduring figures in the history of baseball.

Mr. Speaker, let the people's voice be heard in the people's House. That voice comes to us every day in letters and e-mails and phone calls from Americans all over this country.

In their stories, millions of Americans are telling us, millions of families with children are telling us that they're struggling to make ends meet every day. And that is why it is incomprehensible that in the richest Nation on Earth, in the year 2007, this President would even threaten to veto the Children's Health Insurance Program, which guarantees health care coverage for America's children.

Mr. Speaker, it only takes 1 minute to convey the hopes and dreams of the American people. They don't want the moon. They don't want the stars. They want a decent life, a healthy life, a life with dignity, and a future for their children. We're trying to make that happen here. We ask the President to do the same.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I am quite aware that I am the last one in line before the Committee rises.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer the Sarbanes-Wolf amendment to promote telework options for the Federal workforce. The amendment is in keeping with the provisions of the energy bill that seek to promote a new carbon neutral Federal Government. In fact, it is estimated that about one-third of carbon emission in the United States is transportation related.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Waxman for his support of the amendment.

This amendment, combined with other provisions of the bill, such as higher emissions standards for vehicles owned and operated by the Federal Government, seeks to ensure that we in government do our part to reduce automobile emissions.

I would like to salute the distinguished gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Wolf, who has joined me today in offering this amendment, and is a tireless advocate for telework in the Federal Government. Over the last decade, he has put telework on the map as a management option within the Federal workforce, and I want to thank him for his leadership.

The amendment requires that agencies establish a telework policy within 1 year. Employees who handle national security or intelligence materials or special equipment would be exempted from the policy. It provides for training and monitoring, designates a senior telework managing employee in each of the agencies, and requires the GAO to examine and evaluate the telework policies of each agency.

I thank Congressman Wolf for his leadership in this area, and I hope all of my colleagues feel this is a win-win for the Federal Government and the Federal workforce.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with pride to introduce legislation honoring Cal Ripken, Jr. on his induction into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.

My bill would rename as Cal Ripken Way Interstate 395 in Baltimore, which runs into the city and ends near Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr. grew up in Aberdeen, Maryland. A baseball standout from an early age, he led his little league team to the Little League World Series and was a baseball star at Aberdeen High School.

As a professional, Cal spent his entire career with his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles. Drafted out of high school, he rose through the minor leagues, joining the Orioles full time in 1982 when he was named Rookie of the Year. He then won American League Most Valuable Player honors and led the Orioles to their third World Series Championship in 1983.

From May 30, 1982, until September 19, 1998, Cal never missed a game. He played in an incredible 2,632 consecutive games, passing Lou Gehrig's record of 2,131 on September 6, 1995, in front of family, friends and fans at Camden Yards.

His career redefined the shortstop position, setting multiple offensive and defensive records, and paving the way for a new generation of players.

Cal's stellar career no doubt makes him worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame. In fact, he was elected to the Hall with the highest vote total ever, the highest vote percentage for any position player, and the third highest vote percentage in history. But the numbers don't even begin to explain what he means to our national pastime.

Baseball fans, and especially parents, are too often disappointed when our American idols fail to live up to our American ideals. Too often, our sports stars are famous for all the wrong reasons, but time and again Cal Ripken,

Jr. has been a source of pride for baseball.

Cal was a spectacular player, but not a flashy one. He played fundamental baseball, always doing the little things and setting the example for how a professional should perfect his trade, and he showed up every day.

From the heights of the World Series Championship in 1983 to the depths of the 21-game losing streak that began the 1988 season, Cal was there every day. After the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, many fans marked September 6, 1995, the night Ripken played in his 2,131st game, as the night that America came back to baseball.

Ripken's commitment to working hard and playing by the rules became known as ``the Ripken way.'' He inspired the people of Baltimore every season with his quiet and unassuming dedication to his work. In fact, I believe that Cal has inspired Americans all over the country.

``The Ripken way'' is in many ways synonymous with ``the American way.'' When you ask people about American values, they often mention dependability, loyalty, humility, and old-fashioned hard work. Cal Ripken embodies these values.

Madam Speaker, I think Tony Kornheiser captured this well in a column that appeared in The Washington Post on September 7, 1995. He wrote, ``When I look at this record, I think I hear the rhythms of America. This celebration of Cal is the fanfare for the common man. Going to work every day, come hell or high water, building a career, providing for a family like our fathers did before us is something we can all relate to. I think America looks at Cal Ripken playing every game, playing them in the same small town where he grew up, putting his hand over his fluttering heart as the ovations pour over him like tidal waves and signing autographs afterward, and says to itself, here is a man I can respect, here is a man with values I admire. You don't often hear that about professional athletes anymore.''

Madam Speaker, if we pass this legislation, when travelers come to visit Baltimore or pass by on their way to another destination, they will not only be reminded of a terrific ballplayer whose name has become synonymous with the Orioles, but also a model American and the promise of doing things ``The Ripken Way.''

I hope my colleagues agree that this is a fitting tribute to one of the best loved and most enduring figures in the history of baseball.

Cal, congratulations on your induction into the Hall of Fame.

I thank my colleague for yielding his time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask for my colleagues' support of the Star- Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Act.

At the outset, I would like to thank Chairman Grijalva and Chairman Rahall for their support of this bill all through the process.

This legislation is the product of thorough study and planning by interested parties such as the Park Service; local jurisdictions in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia; and historians and experts on the War of 1812.

There are too many to mention here, but over several years these individuals have been dedicated advocates for creating the Star- Spangled Banner Trail. This legislation represents the culmination of their efforts and hard work.

With the bicentennial of the War of 1812 fast approaching us, now is the time to pass the legislation and begin the process of implementing the Star-Spangled Banner Trail, which will measurably enhance the celebration of one of the seminal moments in American history.

The Star-Spangled Banner Trail, through the Park Service at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Shrine, would commemorate the routes used by the British and Americans during the 1812 Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812.

The trail, which, in fact, is quite clearly demarcated, would begin with the June 1814 battles between the British Navy and the American Chesapeake Flotilla in St. Leonard's Creek in Calvert County, Maryland, and end at Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key composed our national anthem as he witnessed the Battle of Baltimore and the British met their ultimate defeat. It would also mark the British invasion of Washington, D.C., the burning of the Capitol and the White House, and other battles in between.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation has special meaning for me because of the time I spent growing up in Baltimore and the long relationship my family has had with the centerpiece of the trail, Fort McHenry. On countless occasions, I've enjoyed the fort's history, its vistas of the Chesapeake Bay, and the surrounding wetlands. I highly recommend that Members visit the site themselves.

Many refer to the War of 1812 as the ``second war of independence.'' When the war began, our fragile experiment in democracy was still in its early stages, and the Nation found itself under attack from one of the most powerful countries in the world. Many wondered whether a democracy could hold together through the trials of war. The War of 1812 proved that it could, and set the stage for the spread of democracy around the world.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill. And I yield my time back, again, with many thanks to Chairman Grijalva for his strong support.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 384) congratulating the University of Wyoming Cowgirls for winning the Women's National Invitational Tournament for the first time and for their most successful season in school history.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may insert material relevant to House Resolution 384 into the Record.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the University of Wyoming Cowgirls for winning the 2007 Women's National Invitational Tournament basketball tournament.

On March 31, 2007, the University of Wyoming won the Women's NIT by defeating the University of Wisconsin Badgers 72-56. The Cowgirls won the title in front of the largest women's basketball audience in school history, with over 15,000 in attendance.

Wyoming had their most successful season in team history, winning 21 regular-season games and tying for second in the Mountain West Conference. Overall, the Cowgirls finished 27-9, besting the previous team record of 25 wins, a record which had stood for nearly 30 years. They also advanced deeper into postseason play than any Cowgirls basketball team before them.

I want to congratulate head coach Joe Legerski, athletic director Tom Berman, University of Wyoming president Tom Buchanan, and the student athletes who won the NIT title.

I also want to extend my congratulations to the University of Wisconsin Badgers on their impressive season. Wisconsin finished their season with a school record 23 wins. Their 17 home wins were also the most in program history.

Winning the NIT title for the first time proved the Cowgirls have arrived as a force on the national scene, and I know all the fans of the university will continue to be proud of this team for years to come.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I might also ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on House Joint Resolution 44, as amended, that was previously discussed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 33rd year since the invasion and subsequent occupation of the Island of Cyprus.

Since 1974, Turkish military forces have illegally occupied the northern part of the island, forcibly dividing communities, and depriving a nation of its cultural heritage and peaceful existence.

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus physically separated the Greek Cypriot community and Turkish Cypriot community along ethnic lines for the first time in the island nation's history. The unlawful occupation of 37 percent of the territory of Cyprus continues unabated to this day. There are currently 43,000 Turkish troops garrisoned in the occupied areas, and Turkey has resettled nearly 100,000 mainland Turkish citizens into those areas.

The continued Turkish occupation of Cyprus stops the Greek and Cypriot communities from building national institutions, from building intercommunal trust, and from promoting the diversity and uniqueness of a truly Cypriot culture. In short, because of Turkey's continued occupation and division of the island nation, the people of Cyprus are prohibited from reclaiming a true Cypriot national identity.

Furthermore, thousands of Cypriots continue to be refugees in their own land, blocked from the homes and the communities they inhabited for generations. Some have been marooned in tiny enclaves, trapped by the occupation forces, cut off from the outside world and basic human rights. A new generation of Cypriots has inherited the terrible dislocation that military occupation brings.

In the face of all this, the Greek Cypriot inhabitants of the Republic of Cyprus have struggled and succeeded in building a strong society, one whose economic progress, development of democratic institutions and capable governance has led to membership in the European Union in May 2004. Sadly, until there is an end to the occupation, the reunification of the island under a bi-communal, bi- zonal federation will be impossible, and the occupied areas of Cyprus will be denied the full benefits of EU membership.

For the United States, there is a clear imperative to resolve the situation in Cyprus as a matter of justice and the rule of law, principles we hold dear. But beyond that, achieving reunification of the island is critical to the strategic interests of the United States.

The Cyprus problem pits American allies against one another. The strategic interest in facilitating a negotiated settlement is significant for the region, but also for the world. Cyprus can either fester as a potential flashpoint, or become a starting point for reconciliation.

Today, we have a new opportunity. The opportunity for reconciliation is real. Since Cyprus' entry into the EU, the borders between the occupied areas have been partially opened, and there have been more than 12 million crossings of Greek and Turkish Cypriots without serious incident. Turkish Cypriots cross into the Republic of Cyprus every day to go to work. Approximately 35,000 Turkish Cypriots have applied for and received passports from the Republic of Cyprus.

The people of the island want reunification to occur. The Turkish government now must demonstrate a legitimate will to participate with good faith in U.S. and U.N. mediated efforts to resolve this conflict. Perpetuating the status quo hurts not only Greek and Turkish Cypriots, but the nation of Turkey and its relation to the United States and to the world.

Mr. Speaker, we have in place, brokered by the U.N., a workable framework for reunification. The so-called ``July 8 Agreement'' reached in 2006 calls for an immediate initiation of comprehensive negotiations on two different levels; one that addresses everyday issues to build confidence and momentum, and the other addressing more serious disputes over territorial and power-sharing arrangements in the prospective federal state.

This agreement is a real way forward to the reunification of Cyprus within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. But a year has passed, and the process as laid out by the U.N. has yet to be meaningfully engaged by the Turkish representatives. It should not stall any longer.

As my colleague, Mr. Bilirakis, has urged through legislation introduced earlier this year, the United States can and should play a powerful role in moving forward and pushing for immediate implementation of these U.N.-backed negotiations.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 980, the Public Safety Employer- Employee Cooperation Act of 2007.

Now, more than ever, public safety employees are being stretched to capacity. With the deployment of our National Guard to Iraq, our local communities are being asked to respond to emergencies with often depleted resources and manpower.

Our local first responders represent the highest in public service. By providing them with collective bargaining rights, we can help these patriotic men and women secure adequate equipment, ensure workplace safety, and promote pay and benefits that will allow us to recruit the best and brightest to these important professions. This legislation represents an effort to put words into action.

Madam Speaker, our Nation's firefighters, police officers, and EMS personnel do right by the American people every day, keeping our families and communities safe. It is high time that we honor their service by enacting this legislation and providing them with the Federal resources they need to do their job.

Mr. Speaker, last week the White House released an interim report on Iraq that unfortunately reaffirms what we have known for quite some time: The President's troop escalation plan is not working and we are desperately in need of a new direction in Iraq.

Since the President announced his surge 6 months ago, we have lost 600 American troops and spent another $60 billion. And yet by the Bush administration's own admission, there is unsatisfactory progress on all of the political reconciliation benchmarks announced by the President in January.

Mr. Speaker, just days after this report was released, the White House once again asked for more time to pursue the President's failed strategy. But the American people and this Democratic Congress know that more time and lower standards are no substitute for real progress.

It is time for a new direction in Iraq. The House acted last week. The Senate has the opportunity this week. They should join us in changing course.