Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join others in commemorating the life and legacy of Congressman Parren J. Mitchell. Growing up in Baltimore, I came to understand the tremendous positive impact this great man had on my community, the State of Maryland and indeed this country.

The first African American Congressman from my State, Parren Mitchell fought against racism at every turn, but he fought on other fronts as well, wherever he saw injustice, and inhumanity. At his memorial service earlier today in Baltimore, we heard again and again of a man unafraid to speak truth to power.

I would like to share my own personal story of how I felt the presence of this man.

Some years ago, Congressman Mitchell was honored at the 15th anniversary of the Public Justice Center, an organization committed to building systemic change in our society.

It was an easy choice to salute Congressman Mitchell, but it was not easy for him to attend the event. He was by then quite frail, and as he was helped to the stage to receive the honor, I remember wondering whether he would have the energy to speak.

I needn't have worried. A steady and resonant voice filled the hall, and from this slightly built man, at that point in his life no longer able to stand up, came simple and powerful words of gratitude and inspiration.

He spoke at length and without hesitation about his core principles of honesty, justice and compassion. It was, Mr. Speaker, a tour de force. I can only imagine what that voice was like when it held forth in this Chamber and carried the day on so many critical issues.

Something else happened that night that is worth relating. After Congressman Mitchell finished speaking, the organization honored a young man from the community who had struggled and succeeded in overcoming unfair labor practices in his industry. That young man, looking out on a crowd of 500 people, said this: ``We need to make sure that the big corporations pay the little guy for the hard work.''

I looked at Congressman Mitchell, and I saw a smile creeping across his face. It was truth to power at its very best, all that Parren Mitchell had ever stood for.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to salute this fine American and great son of Baltimore.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Jewish American Heritage Month to recognize the contributions the Jewish people have made to our country.

I have come to understand that to the Jewish people, the word ``heritage'' has deep meaning. It is not simply a sense of pride or history. It is a belief that each person should in some way improve the world. The often quoted Rabbi Hillel asked the question, ``If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, who am I?''

It is this same set of values that brings Jewish groups to the Hill advocating not just for so-called Jewish issues, but for issues that affect everyone; better education, better healthcare, more protections for the environment, free speech, and separation of church and state. The Jewish community feels a special obligation to repair the world, one little piece at a time, for all people, not just their own.

I am grateful to the organizations in my own district for their contributions to our community. From providing educational and social services, to involvement in local and national policy,

the commitment to improving our society is one of the many values I have come to respect in the Jewish community in Baltimore and across this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, as Americans across the country begin planning their summer vacations, one major constraint they will have to face is the severely high price of gas. We are once again seeing record gas prices this Memorial Day, making the prospect of travel daunting for many families. Why is this trend continuing? For 6 years, President Bush and the Republican Congress failed to enact a comprehensive energy strategy to provide relief from these skyrocketing costs.

This Democratic Congress is ready to act and move our Nation in a new direction on energy. Already we have voted to roll back billions of dollars in subsidies to Big Oil and instead reinvest those funds in renewable energy. And now this week we will take up the issue of price gouging by the oil industry. We have seen the first quarter reports. The oil companies are making record profits, and it is time they were held accountable.

Mr. Speaker, this Democratic Congress will work hard to pass legislation that can establish a new, smart, and fair energy policy for the American people.

Madam Speaker, National Teacher Appreciation Day provides us with a special opportunity to reflect on the importance of the teacher in our society and to note with deep appreciation the incalculable contribution that teachers have made to the educational and personal development of our citizenry.

It has been said that half of us is what we make of ourselves and the other half is made by others. There can be little doubt that ``the rest of us'' is profoundly and powerfully influenced by our teachers. Teachers affect our lives in significant ways--they guide our acquisition of knowledge, they facilitate our personal growth and they stimulate the development of our personalities and our imaginations. In short, they inspire us to be our greater selves.

Our greatest and most successful citizens and achievers have been molded and encouraged by their teachers. Conversely, where there is a failure to educate and inspire--where our young people don't have the guidance of good teachers--the consequences are clear, both in the short and long term.

In the United States today, our teachers hold the fortunes and futures of millions of children and young persons and, by extension, the fortune and future of our Nation as a whole. I am especially aware of this fact as a member of the Education and Labor Committee which is charged with examining the issues for reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. As the 110th Congress moves toward reauthorizing this legislation, we have sought to involve the teachers at every stage in the development of the plan. Second to our children, our Nation's teachers are the most important stakeholders in the future of NCLB.

As we observe National Teacher Appreciation Week, 2007, I would like to congratulate all teachers for continuing to give their best in the noble task of educating the children of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act.

When the Japanese invaded Guam during World War II, six U.S. servicemen remained on the island. Rather than surrender, these six men fled into the jungle. The Japanese soon learned of their presence and demanded that they turn themselves in. They threatened execution of anyone found helping the American soldiers.

Despite these threats, the American soldiers refused to surrender and the people of Guam continued to help them avoid capture. They faced long odds with the Japanese military conducting intense searches of the island, but one soldier, George Tweed, survived. Tweed was later awarded the Legion of Merit medal for his efforts. One of his protectors, Antonio Cruz Artero, was awarded the Medal of Freedom. Countless others who aided Tweed received nothing but the satisfaction of knowing they helped save the life of a man who symbolized hope for Americans to return and liberate Guam.

Today's vote will recognize the patriotism of the people of Guam, who risked their lives to save a U.S. serviceman.

I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1595.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the men and women who serve at Fort George G. Meade for their second place finish in the Army Communities of Excellence competition. The Communities of Excellence award program recognizes top installations from all over the world that demonstrate organizational maturity and outstanding capabilities. Brigadier General John Macdonald, Deputy Commanding General of the Installation Management Command, called the winning installations the ``flagships of performance excellence for the Army.''

I have the pleasure of representing Maryland's Third Congressional District in the House of Representatives, which neighbors Fort Meade and includes many of the surrounding communities. I am therefore acutely aware of the exciting and difficult work that is done at Fort Meade.

Colonel Ken McCreedy, garrison commander at Fort Meade, is a tremendous leader. He is charged with management of one of the Army's most important installations and has taken command at a time of great upheaval due to the impact of the 2005 BRAC. Despite these tremendous demands on his time, Colonel McCreedy has also involved himself in the community off post. He certainly deserves this recognition and I congratulate him on his fine work.

The men and women who serve with Colonel McCreedy at Fort Meade are exceptional individuals. For 90 years, they have worked to keep our Nation safe. Most people know that the National Security Agency, our military's foremost intelligence agency, is located at Fort Meade but there are many other organizations inside and outside of the intelligence community that contribute to our national security. One example is the Fort Meade Freedom Center, where they are housing soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. They stepped up to assist Walter Reed in housing these soldiers and provide shuttle service so they may receive their medical treatments.

Madam Speaker, I've been fortunate to visit Fort Meade twice in my first few months in Congress. The more I learn about this facility, the more I am impressed. They truly deserve this honor and I congratulate the entire Fort Meade community on their achievement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation addressing the disposition of the Oak Hill Juvenile Detention Center in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Senators Cardin and Mikulski have introduced identical legislation in the Senate.

There is consensus that the current Oak Hill facilities must be shut down. They are aging and dilapidated and not properly configured to provide rehabilitative services to the youth residing there. The legislation I introduce today would ensure that this facility is closed and a new, more modem facility is built in the District of Columbia so that residents can be loser to their families.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Congress sent the President an emergency supplemental bill that provides our soldiers and our veterans everything the President asked for and more. It was a bill supported by the American people, this Congress and military experts who believe it is time to change the course of the war in Iraq. The President's response? A veto.

The President's action last night shows not only his stubbornness and his inability to work with others, it also demonstrates that he simply refuses to change the status quo.

The President refuses to give our troops, this Congress, or the American people any timelines as to when this war will end or under what conditions he would finally bring our troops home.

Mr. Speaker, the President says that things are getting better in Iraq, but that's simply not true. Last month was

one of the deadliest months for American troops in Iraq. One hundred four soldiers were killed.

It's time for a new course. It's time for the President to sit down and work with this Congress so we can finally produce the change that will end this war.

Madam Speaker, before I say anything else, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies and prayers to the families and friends of the victims of yesterday's tragedy, and to the entire Virginia Tech community.

I rise today in support of H. Res. 293 which recognizes the diligent efforts of federally funded and volunteer programs, and generally observes the role of volunteers in the life of our country. When somebody volunteers to perform a service, it is not only a service for other people, it is a service for them as well.

Now more than ever, Americans need a restored sense of greatness and purpose. On the release of the Corporation for National and Community Service's report on volunteering in America, CEO David Eisner's remarks poignantly address the importance of community and national service. He said, ``Service and volunteering aren't just nice things to do, but are necessary parts of how our Nation deals with its challenges.''

In the wake of tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of thousands of lives have been changed for the better because of the dedication and hard work of volunteers all across the country. But it is not enough. We can do much more. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, while there has been a significant increase in the number of volunteers nationwide, one in three Americans dropped out of volunteering between 2005 and 2006. Volunteer programs need more than just willing and able volunteers, they need national support.

By reinvigorating national and community service programs, and honoring our volunteers, we feed our democratic spirit and cultivate citizenship. Being engaged in democracy through service, we bolster the best of what citizenship is about. The result will be more vibrant communities and a stronger America, cultivated through experiences that all people share regardless of their background. No young American should be deprived of these opportunities due to a lack of commitment from Washington.

I ask for your support of H. Res. 293.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 71, which pays tribute to the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, AHEPA, on the occasion of its 85th anniversary. I commend my colleague, the chair of the Hellenic Caucus for her leadership on this and other issues of importance to Hellenism.

AHEPA was formed in July of 1922 as part of an effort to combat the bigotry of the Ku Klux Klan and others who were espousing anti- immigrant sentiments toward immigrants, including those of Greek descent. It soon joined forces with the likes of the NAACP and B'nai B'rith to engage in the fight against discrimination and for a just and equal society.

Early on, AHEPA also sought to help newly arrived Greeks become United States citizens and to share in the civic life of our country by forming schools that taught English and the principles of American government. At the same time, AHEPA sought to educate all Americans about the significant heritage and contributions immigrants of Greek descent add to the American community.

As an organization, it fast grew to make enormous contributions to our society. To cite one early example, AHEPA raised more than $253 million in the U.S. War Bond drive during World War II, which earned it distinctive recognition from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Today the AHEPA mission has evolved, but it still seeks to bring the ideals of ancient Greece--including philanthropy, education, civic responsibility, and family and individual excellence--to the modern day community. AHEPA's Educational Foundation now has an endowment of over $4 million which annually provides for more than a half a million dollars in scholarships at the local, district and national levels. Thousands of young men and women have benefited from AHEPA scholarships. From its Centennial Foundation and its Cooley's Anemia Foundation to its National Housing Corporation, the contributions AHEPA now makes, both here in the United States and around the globe are too vast to mention individually.

But Mr. Speaker, I take personal pride in each of these contributions and accomplishments because I myself am a member of AHEPA. So on this important occasion, I am especially honored to commend President Gus James and the rest of the AHEPA leadership not only for continuing AHEPA's phenomenal tradition of service and philanthropy, but also for their very thoughtful innovations which have helped AHEPA make distinct strides in the evolution of its mission for today.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Women's History Month. Though we have designated March as the particular month for this celebration, we must pause everyday to salute the spirit, courage, and contributions of women in our own country and around the world.

With the election of the new Speaker of the House, our own Baltimore native Nancy Pelosi, we brought down another barrier and took another step towards equal and enfranchised participation of women in government. On her swearing-in day, Speaker Pelosi said ``It says to women everywhere that not only a glass ceiling but a marble ceiling can be broken and that anything is possible.'' Out of the 180 countries that directly elect representatives to national legislatures, the United States ranks 60th in terms of female representation. Of the nearly 600 persons who have served in a President's Cabinet since George Washington's presidency, only 29 have been women. We have come a long way in giving a voice to the many disenfranchised and under- represented communities in our nation but the fight for social advancement is not over.

Maryland has been called home by many of America's trailblazing women. This month, Rachel Carson, who spent many years in Maryland and later died in Silver Spring, would have celebrated her 100th birthday. Ms. Carson received her masters degree in Zoology from John's Hopkins University and penned many feature articles on Natural History for the Baltimore Sun. But she was best known as the author of Silent Spring-- the book that pulled back the curtain on the human and environmental impacts of chemical pesticides such as DDT. Facing a rash of criticism and in some cases harassment, Ms. Carson persevered and became known as the mother of the environmental movement. In 1964, her life was cut short by a disease that today has a grip on far too many lives, breast cancer.

Madam Speaker, the first female President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Mary Robinson, once said, ``In a society where the rights and potential of women are constrained, no man can be truly free. He may have power, but he will not have freedom.'' Celebrating women's history gives girls and women the courage to dream bigger and gives us all the opportunity to redouble our efforts in helping them realize these dreams. I salute the great women of our nation and encourage the next generation to further the cause of equality and freedom.

Mr. Speaker, let this be the day that, respectful of the sacrifice of our men and women overseas, inspired and emboldened by the clarion call of the American people on November 7, 2006, and determined to show a decent respect for the opinions of thoughtful and caring people the world over, this Congress says to an administration that has been arrogant in its bearing and incompetent in its execution, no longer shall you turn a blind eye to the readiness of our troops. No longer shall you ignore the needs of our veterans. At long last, you are being called to account for a failed policy in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the supplemental appropriation bill, which marks the return of sanity and wisdom in the conduct of American foreign policy.

Madam Speaker, when our Nation is at war, it is our government's responsibility to provide the best protection and care for the men and women who willingly volunteer to serve in our armed services.

Now as we enter the fifth year of the Iraq war, it is no secret that the administration's strategy has dangerously eroded our military readiness. Troops are being sent overseas without the proper training, equipment and armor necessary to keep them safe.

And as the conditions at Walter Reed's Building 18 starkly testify, we must bring much more attention and support to our troops when they return home.

Madam Speaker, this Democratic Congress is committed to supporting our men and women in uniform. The supplemental legislation coming before this House will provide an additional $1.7 billion for military health care, including conditions at Walter Reed, $1.7 billion for veterans health care, $2.5 billion for improving the readiness of our troops, and $1.4 billion for military housing. As long as they are at war, our troops deserve our support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in observance of the 186th anniversary of Greek independence.

In 1821 when Greek patriots revolted against their Ottoman oppressors, they sounded a clarion call for liberty that was heard by freedom-loving men and women all over Europe and around the world.

On March 25 we celebrate a courageous struggle for independence that spanned 8 long and hard-fought years, creating a foundation for the modern Greek state.

Americans and Greeks have long shared a profound commitment to the principles of democracy, and both peoples have worked to create societies built upon these values. Throughout history each nation has taken inspiration from the other's experience.

In 1823 Greek patriot, intellectual, and physician Adamantios Koraes wrote one of many letters to his friend Thomas Jefferson seeking counsel on how to draw up a constitution for Greece to use upon its liberation. Jefferson wrote extensively in response, expounding the virtues and the fundamentals of the freedoms we cherish today: freedom of religion; freedom of person, habeas corpus; trial by jury; the exclusive right of legislation and taxation reserved to the representatives of the people; and freedom of the press. Greek Independence Day marks the moment the people of Greece realized these freedoms.

A shared commitment to liberty has been the hallmark of our collective histories. In the two world wars, Greece fought heroically in the allied campaign to maintain liberty and democracy. Similarly, during the Cold War, Greece fought against totalitarian aggression and emerged as a democratic nation with a vigorous economy, a strong partner in the United States, and a full member of both NATO and the European Union. Most recently, Greece's tremendous performance as host to the 2004 Olympic Games has shone a light on what this longstanding commitment to democratic values and institutions can yield.

Mr. Speaker, this occasion also offers us an opportunity to reflect on the enormous and distinctive contributions that Greek Americans have made to every aspect of life in our Nation, including the arts, business, science, public service, and scholarship. As Greek Americans have made this remarkable progress, they have also preserved important traditional values of hard work, education, and commitment to family and church, principles that strengthen and invigorate our communities.

In one of his letters to Koraes, Jefferson wrote this: ``Possessing ourselves the combined blessings of liberty and order, we wish the same to other countries and to none more than yours, which, the first of civilizations, provided examples of what man should be.''

In America and Greece we choose this day to celebrate the courage, the liberty, and democracy that is the foundation of every civilized society.

I thank the gentleman from California for yielding his time.

I rise to strongly support H.R. 1362, the Accountability in Contracting Act, and I want to thank Chairman Waxman for his leadership in shepherding this bill through to the floor.

This will establish a structure that will rein in the abuses in government contracting that we have been having hearing after hearing about over the last few weeks. By putting emergency no-bid contracts into position where they are limited to 1 year, requiring agencies to develop plans to try to limit the number of those contracts, and also to promote fixed-price contracts instead of cost-plus contracts, we can promote much more transparency in the way these contracts are let.

One particular way in which these emergency no-bid contracts can be exploited came to our attention during a hearing, and that is, often the cost structure is not put in place for some time after the contract is let under emergency conditions. This allows the contractor to front- load a lot of costs that can be very difficult for the auditors to come in and question later. And so in limiting the number of no-bid contracts and emergency contracts that are let, we can discourage that kind of activity.

Madam Chairman, the administration is really engaged over the last few years in sort of a two-step shuffle that seeks to discredit good government, and bad contracting gives a bad name to good government.

On the one hand, what they have done with many of our Federal agencies is they have cut resources. That makes it more difficult for good Federal employees to do their job, and they point at that and then they say government doesn't work. And on the other hand, they have this impulse to outsource and contract things to the private sector in situations where that may not be warranted, without any accountability or oversight. And then, when things go wrong, they point to it and they say, see, government doesn't work.

There are going to be times when we have to outsource things, when we have to procure services from the private sector. At a very minimum, when we do that, we need to make sure that it is done with transparency and accountability. If we do that, we can restore faith in the notion of good and accountable government.