Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(3) of Rule XI, by direction of the Committee on House Administration I submit the rules of the Committee for the 110th Congress for publication at an appropriate place in the Congressional Record.

Rules of the Committee on House Administration--One Hundred Tenth

Congress

Rule No. 1

General provisions

(a) The Rules of the House are the rules of the Committee

so far as applicable, except that a motion to recess from day

to day is a privileged motion in the Committee. Each

subcommittee of the committee is a part of the committee and

is subject to the authority and direction of the chair and to

its rules as far as applicable.

(b) The Committee is authorized at any time to conduct such

investigations and studies as it may consider necessary or

appropriate in the exercise of its responsibilities under

House Rule X and, subject to the adoption of expense

resolutions as required by House Rule X, clause 6, to incur

expenses (including travel expenses) in connection therewith.

(c) The Committee is authorized to have printed and bound

testimony and other data presented at hearings held by the

Committee, and to make such information available to the

public. All costs of stenographic services and transcripts in

connection with any meeting or hearing of the Committee shall

be paid from the appropriate House account.

(d) The Committee shall submit to the House, not later than

January 2 of each odd-numbered year, a report on the

activities of the committee under House Rules X and XI during

the Congress ending at noon on January 3 of such year.

(e) The Committee's rules shall be published in the

Congressional Record not later than 30 days after the

Committee is elected in each odd-numbered year.

Rule No. 2

Regular and special meetings

(a) The regular meeting date of the Committee on House

Administration shall be the second Wednesday of every month

when the House is in session in accordance with Clause 2(b)

of House Rule XI. Additional meetings may be called by the

Chair of the Committee as she or he may deem necessary or at

the request of a majority of the members of the Committee in

accordance with Clause 2(c) of House Rule XI. The

determination of the business to be considered at each

meeting shall be made by the Chair subject to Clause 2(c) of

House Rule XI. A regularly scheduled meeting may be dispensed

with if, in the judgment of the Chair, there is no need for

the meeting.

(b) If the Chair is not present at any meeting of the

Committee, or at the discretion of the Chair, the Vice Chair

of the Committee shall preside at the meeting. If the Chair

and Vice Chair of the Committee are not present at any

meeting of the Committee, the ranking member of the majority

party who is present shall preside at the meeting.

Rule No. 3

Open meetings

As required by Clause 2(g), of House Rule XI, each meeting

for the transaction of business, including the markup of

legislation of the Committee shall be open to the public

except when the Committee in open session and with a quorum

present determines by record vote that all or part of the

remainder of the meeting on that day shall be closed to the

public 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: Provided, however, that no person other

than members of the Committee, and such congressional staff

and such other persons as the Committee may authorize, shall

be present in any business or markup session which has been

closed to the public.

Rule No. 4

Records and rollcalls

(a)(1) A record vote shall be held if requested by any

member of the Committee.

(2) The result of each record vote in any meeting of the

Committee shall be made available for inspection by the

public at reasonable times at the Committee offices,

including a description of the amendment, motion, order or

other proposition; the name of each member voting for and

against; and the members present but not voting.

(b)(1) Subject to subparagraph (2), the Chair may postpone

further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the

question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an

amendment. The Chair may resume proceedings on a postponed

request at any time.

(2) In exercising postponement authority under subparagraph

(1), the Chair 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.

(c) All Committee and subcommittee hearings, records, data,

charts, and files shall be kept separate and distinct from

the congressional office records of the member serving

as Chair; and such records shall be the property of the

House and all members of the House shall have access

thereto.

(d) House records of the Committee which are at the

National Archives shall be made available pursuant to House

Rule VII. The Chair shall notify the ranking minority member

of any decision to withhold a record pursuant to the rule,

and shall present the matter to the Committee upon written

request of any Committee member.

(e) To the maximum extent feasible, the Committee shall

make its publications available in electronic form.

Rule No. 5

Proxies

No vote by any member in the Committee may be cast by

proxy.

Rule No. 6

Power to sit and act subpoena power

(a) For the purpose of carrying out any of its functions

and duties under House Rules X and XI, the Committee or any

subcommittee thereof is authorized (subject to subparagraph

(b)(1) of this paragraph)--

(1) to sit and act at such times and places within the

United States, whether the House is in session, has recessed,

or has adjourned, and to hold such hearings; and

(2) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance

and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such

books, records, correspondence, memorandums, papers,

documents and other materials as it deems necessary,

including materials in electronic form. The Chair, or any

member designated by the Chair, may administer oaths to any

witness.

(b)(1) A subpoena may be authorized and issued by the

Committee or subcommittee in the conduct of any investigation

or series of investigations or activities, only when

authorized by a majority of the members voting, a majority

being present. The power to authorize and issue subpoenas

under subparagraph (a)(2) may be delegated to the Chair

pursuant to such rules and under such limitations as the

Committee may prescribe. Authorized subpoenas shall be signed

by the Chair or by any member designated by the Committee,

and may be served by any person designated by the Chair or

such member.

(2) Compliance with any subpoena issued by the Committee or

a subcommittee may be enforced only as authorized or directed

by the House.

Rule No. 7

Quorums

No measure or recommendation shall be reported to the House

unless a majority of the Committee is actually present. For

the purposes of taking any action other than reporting any

measure, issuance of a subpoena, closing meetings,

promulgating Committee orders, or changing the rules of the

Committee, one-third of the members of the Committee shall

constitute a quorum. For purposes of taking testimony and

receiving evidence, two members shall constitute a quorum.

Rule No. 8

Amendments

Any amendment offered to any pending legislation before the

Committee or a subcommittee must be made available in written

form when requested by any member of the Committee. If such

amendment is not available in written form when requested,

the Chair will allow an appropriate period of time for the

provision thereof.

Rule No. 9

Hearing procedures

(a) The Chair, in the case of hearings to be conducted by

the Committee, and the appropriate subcommittee chair, in the

case of hearings to be conducted by a subcommittee, shall

make public announcement of the date, place, and subject

matter of any hearing to be conducted on any measure or

matter at least one (1) week before the commencement of that

hearing. If the Chair, with the concurrence of the ranking

minority member,

determines that there is good cause to begin the hearing

sooner, or if the Committee so determines by majority vote, a

quorum being present, the Chair shall make the announcement

at the earliest possible date. The clerk of the Committee

shall promptly notify the Daily Digest Clerk of the

Congressional Record as soon as possible after such public

announcement is made.

(b) Unless excused by the Chair, each witness who is to

appear before the Committee or a subcommittee shall file with

the clerk of the Committee, at least 48 hours in advance of

his or her appearance, a written statement of his or her

proposed testimony and shall limit his or her oral

presentation to a summary of his or her statement.

(c) When any hearing is conducted by the Committee upon any

measure or matter, the minority party members on the

Committee shall be entitled, upon request to the Chair by a

majority of those minority members before the completion of

such hearing, to call witnesses selected by the minority to

testify with respect to that measure or matter during at

least one day of hearings thereon.

(d) All other members of the Committee may have the

privilege of sitting with any subcommittee during its

hearings or deliberations and may participate in such

hearings or deliberations, but no member who is not a member

of the subcommittee shall count for a quorum or offer any

motion or amendment or vote on any matter before the

subcommittee.

(e) Committee or subcommittee members may question

witnesses only when they have been recognized by the Chair

for that purpose, and only for a 5-minute period until all

members present have had an opportunity to question a

witness. The 5-minute period for questioning a witness by any

one member can be extended as provided by House Rules. The

questioning of a witness in Committee or subcommittee

hearings shall be initiated by the Chair, followed by the

ranking minority member and all other members alternating

between the majority and minority. In recognizing members to

question witnesses in this fashion, the Chair shall take into

consideration the ratio of the majority to minority members

present and shall establish the order of recognition for

questioning in such a manner as not to disadvantage the

members of the majority. The Chair may accomplish this by

recognizing two majority members for each minority member

recognized.

(f) The following additional rules shall apply to hearings

of the Committee or a subcommittee, as applicable:

(1) The Chair at a hearing shall announce in an opening

statement the subject of the investigation.

(2) A copy of the Committee rules and this clause shall be

made available to each witness as provided by clause 2(k)(2)

of Rule XI.

(3) Witnesses at hearings may be accompanied by their own

counsel for the purpose of advising them concerning their

constitutional rights.

(4) The Chair may punish breaches of order and decorum, and

of professional ethics on the part of counsel, by censure and

exclusion from the hearings; and the Committee may cite the

offender to the House for contempt.

(5) If the Committee determines that evidence or testimony

at a hearing may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate any

person, it shall--

(A) afford such person an opportunity voluntarily to appear

as a witness;

(B) receive such evidence or testimony in executive

session; and

(C) receive and dispose of requests from such person to

subpoena additional witnesses.

(6) Except as provided in subparagraph (f)(5), the Chair

shall receive and the Committee shall dispose of requests to

subpoena additional witnesses.

(7) No evidence or testimony taken in executive session may

be released or used in public sessions without the consent of

the Committee.

(8) In the discretion of the Committee, witnesses may

submit brief and pertinent sworn statements in writing for

inclusion in the record. The Committee is the sole judge of

the pertinence of testimony and evidence adduced at its

hearing.

(9) A witness may obtain a transcript copy of his testimony

given at a public session or, if given at an executive

session, when authorized by the Committee.

Rule No. 10

Procedures for reporting measures or matters

(a)(1) It shall be the duty of the Chair to report or cause

to be reported promptly to the House any measure approved by

the Committee and to take or cause to be taken necessary

steps to bring the matter to a vote.

(2) In any event, the report of the Committee on a measure

which has been approved by the Committee shall be filed

within 7 calendar days (exclusive of days on which the House

is not in session) after the day on which there has been

filed with the clerk of the Committee a written request,

signed by a majority of the members of the Committee, for the

reporting of that measure. Upon the filing of any such

request, the clerk of the Committee shall transmit

immediately to the Chair notice of the filing of that

request.

(b)(1) No measure or recommendation shall be reported to

the House unless a majority of the Committee is actually

present.

(2) With respect to each record vote on a motion to report

any measure or matter of a public character, and on any

amendment offered to the measure or matter, the total number

of votes cast for and against, and the names of those members

voting for and against, shall be included in the Committee

report on the measure or matter.

(c) The report of the Committee on a measure or matter

which has been approved by the Committee shall include the

matters required by Clause 3(c) of Rule XIII of the Rules of

the House.

(d) Each report of the Committee on each bill or joint

resolution of a public character reported by the Committee

shall include a statement citing the specific powers granted

to the Congress in the Constitution to enact the law proposed

by the bill or joint resolution.

(e) If, at the time any measure or matter is ordered

reported by the Committee, any member of the Committee gives

notice of intention to file supplemental, minority, or

additional views, that member shall be entitled to not less

than two additional calendar days after the day of such

notice, commencing on the day on which the measure or

matter(s) was approved, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and

legal holidays, in which to file such views, in writing and

signed by that member, with the clerk of the Committee. All

such views so filed by one or more members of the Committee

shall be included within, and shall be a part of, the report

filed by the Committee with respect to that measure or

matter. The report of the Committee upon that measure or

matter shall be printed in a single volume which--

(1) shall include all supplemental, minority, or additional

views, in the form submitted, by the time of the filing of

the report, and

(2) shall bear upon its cover a recital that any such

supplemental, minority, or additional views (and any material

submitted under subparagraph (c)) are included as part of the

report. This subparagraph does not preclude --

(A) the immediate filing or printing of a Committee report

unless timely request for the opportunity to file

supplemental, minority, or additional views has been made as

provided by paragraph (c); or

(B) the filing of any supplemental report upon any measure

or matter which may be required for the correction of any

technical error in a previous report made by the Committee

upon that measure or matter.

(3) shall, when appropriate, contain the documents required

by Clause 3(e) of Rule XIII of the Rules of the House.

(f) The Chair, following consultation with the ranking

minority member, is directed to offer a motion under clause 1

of Rule XXII of the Rules of the House, relating to going to

conference with the Senate, whenever the Chair considers it

appropriate.

(g) If hearings have been held on any such measure or

matter so reported, the Committee shall make every reasonable

effort to have such hearings published and available to the

members of the House prior to the consideration of such

measure or matter in the House.

(h) The Chair may designate any majority member of the

Committee to act as ``floor manager'' of a bill or resolution

during its consideration in the House.

Rule No. 11

Committee oversight

The Committee shall conduct oversight of matters within the

jurisdiction of the Committee in accordance with House Rule

X, clause 2 and clause 4. Not later than February 15 of the

first session of a Congress, the Committee shall, in a

meeting that is open to the public and with a quorum present,

adopt its oversight plan for that Congress in accordance with

House Rule X, clause 2( d).

Rule No. 12

Review of continuing programs; budget act provisions

(a) The Committee shall, in its consideration of all bills

and joint resolutions of a public character within its

jurisdiction, ensure that appropriation for continuing

programs and activities of the Federal Government will be

made annually to the maximum extent feasible and consistent

with the nature, requirement, and objectives of the programs

and activities involved. For the purposes of this paragraph a

Government agency includes the organizational units of

government listed in Clause 4(e) of Rule X of House Rules.

(b) The Committee shall review, from time to time, each

continuing program within its jurisdiction for which

appropriations are not made annually in order to ascertain

whether such program could be modified so that appropriations

therefor would be made annually.

(c) The Committee shall, on or before February 25 of each

year, submit to the Committee on the Budget (1) its views and

estimates with respect to all matters to be set forth in the

concurrent resolution on the budget for the ensuing fiscal

year which are within its jurisdiction or functions, and (2)

an estimate of the total amounts of new budget authority, and

budget outlays resulting therefrom, to be provided or

authorized in all bills and resolutions within its

jurisdiction which it intends to be effective during that

fiscal year.

(d) As soon as practicable after a concurrent resolution on

the budget for any fiscal year is agreed to, the Committee

(after consulting with the appropriate committee or

committees of the Senate) shall subdivide any allocation made

to it in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the

conference report on such resolution, and

promptly report such subdivisions to the House, in the manner

provided by section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of

1974.

(e) Whenever the Committee is directed in a concurrent

resolution on the budget to determine and recommend changes

in laws, bills, or resolutions under the reconciliation

process it shall promptly make such determination and

recommendations, and report a reconciliation bill or

resolution (or both) to the House or submit such

recommendations to the Committee on the Budget, in accordance

with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Rule No. 13

Broadcasting of committee hearings and meetings

Whenever any hearing or meeting conducted by the Committee

is open to the public, those proceedings shall be open to

coverage by television, radio, and still photography, as

provided in Clause 4 of House Rule XI, subject to the

limitations therein. Operation and use of any Committee

Internet broadcast system shall be fair and nonpartisan and

in accordance with Clause 4(b) of rule XI and all other

applicable rules of the Committee and the House.

Rule No. 14

Committee and subcommittee staff

The staff of the Committee on House Administration shall be

appointed as follows:

A. The staff shall be appointed by the Chair or her or his

designee except as provided in paragraph (B), and may be

removed by the Chair and shall work under the general

supervision and direction of the Chair;

B. All staff provided to the minority party members of the

Committee shall be appointed by the ranking member or her or

his designee, and may be removed, by the ranking minority

member of the Committee, and shall work under the general

supervision and direction of such member;

C. The Chair shall fix the compensation of all staff of the

Committee, after consultation with the ranking minority

member regarding any minority party staff, within the budget

approved for such purposes for the Committee.

Rule No. 15

Travel of members and staff

(a) Consistent with the primary expense resolution and such

additional expense resolutions as may have been approved, the

provisions of this rule shall govern travel of Committee

members and staff. Travel for any member or any staff member

shall be paid only upon the prior authorization of the Chair

or her or his designee. Travel may be authorized by the Chair

for any member and any staff member in connection with the

attendance at hearings conducted by the Committee and

meetings, conferences, and investigations which involve

activities or subject matter under the general jurisdiction

of the Committee. Before such authorization is given, there

shall be submitted to the Chair in writing the following:

(1) The purpose of the travel;

(2) The dates during which the travel will occur;

(3) The locations to be visited and the length of time to

be spent in each; and

(4) The names of members and staff seeking authorization.

(b)(1) In the case of travel outside the United States of

members and staff of the Committee for the purpose of

conducting hearings, investigations, studies, or attending

meetings and conferences involving activities or subject

matter under the legislative assignment of the committee,

prior authorization must be obtained from the Chair. Before

such authorization is given, there shall be submitted to the

Chair, in writing, a request for such authorization. Each

request, which shall be filed in a manner that allows for a

reasonable period of time for review before such travel is

scheduled to begin, shall include the following:

(A) the purpose of the travel;

(B) the dates during which the travel will occur;

(C) the names of the countries to be visited and the length

of time to be spent in each;

(D) an agenda of anticipated activities for each country

for which travel is authorized together with a description of

the purpose to be served and the areas of committee

jurisdiction involved; and

(E) the names of members and staff for whom authorization

is sought.

(2) At the conclusion of any hearing, investigation, study,

meeting or conference for which travel outside the United

States has been authorized pursuant to this rule, members and

staff attending meetings or conferences shall submit a

written report to the Chair covering the activities and other

pertinent observations or information gained as a result of

such travel.

(c) Members and staff of the Committee performing

authorized travel on official business shall be governed by

applicable laws, resolutions, or regulations of the House and

of the Committee on House Administration pertaining to such

travel.

Rule No. 16

Number and jurisdiction of subcommittees

(a) There shall be two standing subcommittees, with party

ratios of members as indicated. Subcommittees shall have

jurisdictions as stated by these rules, may conduct oversight

over such subject matter, and may consider such legislation

as may be referred to them by the Chair. The names and

jurisdiction of the subcommittees shall be:

(1) Subcommittee on Capitol Security--(2/1). Matters

pertaining to operations and security of the Congress, and of

the Capitol complex including the House wing of the Capitol,

the House Office Buildings, the Library of Congress, and

other policies and facilities supporting congressional

operations; the U.S. Capitol Police.

(2) Subcommittee on Elections--(4/2). Matters pertaining to

the Federal Election Campaign Act, the Federal Contested

Elections Act, the Help America Vote Act, the National Voter

Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens

Absentee Voting Act, the Federal Voting Assistance Program,

the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the Americans with

Disabilities Act (accessibility for voters with

disabilities), the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), the

Elections Assistance Commission (EAC), and other election

related issues.

(b) The Chair may establish and appoint members to serve on

task forces of the Committee, to perform specific functions

for limited periods of time, as she or he deems appropriate.

Rule No. 17

Referral of legislation to subcommittees

The Chair may refer legislation or other matters to a

subcommittee, or subcommittees, as she or he considers

appropriate. The Chair may discharge any subcommittee of any

matter referred to it.

Rule No. 18

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. No subcommittee shall meet during any

Committee meeting.

Rule No. 19

Other procedures and regulations

The Chair may establish such other procedures and take such

actions as may be necessary to carry out the foregoing rules

or to facilitate the effective operation of the committee.

Rule No. 20

Designation of clerk of the committee

For the purposes of these rules and the Rules of the House

of Representatives, the staff director of the Committee shall

act as the clerk of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 244) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement in March 2007, we rise to thank Mr. William P. Mainey for his long years of service and support to the United States Government, most of it here at the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bill served proudly and honorably as a Marine. Following his military service, in 1973 Bill started his career as a technician with Xerox Corporation. He now retires as a Xerox Solutions and Sales Executive. As an employee of Xerox, Bill has provided tireless support to countless House offices, spending his entire 34-year career in support of the U.S. House of Representatives.

On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Bill for his many years of dedication and outstanding contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish him many wonderful years in fulfilling his retirement dreams.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the rule previously adopted, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 202) providing for the expenses of certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Tenth Congress, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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

I would like to thank the ranking member, Mr. Ehlers, and all of the members on the Committee on House Administration for their assistance in meeting a very tight schedule. We have been able to perform what normally takes many months in a much shorter time period. Unfortunately, that necessitated some quick decisions, which we would all have preferred more time to make.

I would also like to thank the Chairs and the ranking members of the committees for meeting the deadline that I set forth. I know that there were concerns about foreshortening the process, but this resolution will provide for operating certainty.

The committee's recommendations are driven by the amount of funds available to be allocated to the committees. The continuing resolution, the CR, funding all government operations contained a very modest amount for committees, and it is the CR funds which my committee had to work with.

All committees which testified were treated in exactly the same way. At our hearing, the first question of each committee was, Is the minority satisfied with the allocation of funds for its operations? Almost without exception, Mr. Speaker, the minority expressed satisfaction. Even when there was initial disagreement, the chairman and ranking member found common ground before the House Administration markup.

This committee recognizes that each standing committee carefully assessed its anticipated workload and requested all of its sums it considered necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Unfortunately, when the 109th Congress adjourned, the fiscal 2007 appropriations process was unfinished. That led to the CR, which greatly limited this committee's options in the authorization process for the 110th Congress. And with severely limited resources, my committee was able to recommend across-the-board inflationary adjustments of 2.6 percent for 2007, and 2.94 percent for 2008. Without additional appropriations, no further adjustments were possible.

My committee's amendment in the nature of a substitute authorizes $280,234,490 for the entire 110th Congress, and that includes funding for the select committee just added by the rule.

The committee believes that the Chairs and ranking members will shepherd their resources carefully and despite the approximately $1 million shortfall will still be able to fulfill their responsibilities to the House. The lone panel to receive a supplemental amount was the Armed Services Committee, which bears an exceptionally heavy burden and must be considered a special case.

The war in Iraq has taken the lives of more than 3,000 American service personnel, wounded tens of thousands more, and consumed hundreds of billions of dollars over the last 4 years. The Armed Services Committee has an enormous responsibility going forward and must have the resources with which to oversee America's military policy in Iraq and around the world.

Given the gravity of Armed Services' task, House Administration recommended an additional increase of $500,000 for 2007. While appropriations for 2008 have yet to be enacted, the committee's amendment reflects the best assessment by the appropriators and by the House financial managers of the amount that will be available to support committees during the second session.

Committee workloads increase during the second session of any Congress, and I expect this pattern to continue as committees engage in the critical legislative and oversight work which the American people voted for last November.

As I indicated earlier, every effort was made to ensure that the fairness principle was applied during the funding process. The purpose is to ensure that the minority party can serve as the loyal opposition and contribute fully to the legislative and oversight initiatives of each committee.

The fairness principle takes the form of the one-third rule, which was advocated by both Republicans and Democrats when they served in the minority. The committee believes the principle has now become firmly established in the allocation of resources, committee by committee, and that irrespective of which party is in the majority, the one-third rule will be carried forward. Each committee must nonetheless implement the principle consistent with its own operating practices and procedures. As Chairs and ranking members change from Congress to Congress, the committee expects that the fairness principle will continue to address the needs of the minority.

There were many concerns expressed during this year's truncated funding process, not the least of which was the overall inadequacy of funds to meet the collective needs of the committees. From the beginning of the Congress, even before the adoption of the CR, committees were counseled to operate on a flatline spending basis in order to avoid a shortfall later in the Congress. Most committees followed that guideline and many kept their eventual funding requests within a few percentage points of the flatline spending rate of the preceding session, one committee even restraining its request to preclude an inflation adjustment for both personnel costs and operating expenses.

The committee appreciates the efforts of committees to keep their requests as low as feasible, given the backlog of the oversight responsibilities to be carried out and the legislative agenda set out by the House leadership. However, the committee recognizes the continuing needs of many committees to support and expand their agendas. As a result, both I and the ranking member, Mr. Ehlers, indicated that if additional funds became available for distribution, the committee would entertain future requests to supplement the authorized levels in this resolution.

In addition to the Chairs' and ranking members' concerns about the overall spending shortfall and the impact on staffing levels, there were additional concerns expressed about the ability of committees to attract and maintain senior legislative and oversight professionals because the current salary cap is not competitive with the private sector. A few committees indicated that some new employees were accepting committee positions at salaries below their previous private sector levels based upon a desire to perform public service, and we are very grateful to those staff persons who have done that and will do that. While this is laudable, and some individuals may be willing to make such sacrifices, it remains imperative that committee salary caps become competitive or congressional oversight will suffer.

Another theme carried forward from the 109th Congress committee funding process was crowding, insufficient office space to manage and maintain operations and adequately house the staff necessary to perform the legislative and oversight duties. While some committee have received additional work space, it is often in other buildings, and not even contiguous to other committee offices, making it very difficult to work. This broken-up space introduces operation inefficiencies, and we recognize that, Mr. Speaker. And while the committee does not assign or manage office space, it agreed to bring the committee's overall office space concerns to the attention of the House leadership in the hope that future building changes or innovations will take committee needs into consideration.

Again, I thank all of the members on the Committee on House Administration. I thank the ranking member, Mr. Ehlers, and all of those committee members, both sides of the aisle, who partook of this extremely long hearing that we got all of the committees and the ranking members in, and I applaud all of them for their tolerance.

And with that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with Mr. Daniel E. Lungren that we need to take another look at perhaps supplemental funding, and we welcome that thought and we will pursue that, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren, because there is no Member of this House who doesn't want to make sure that the voices of the American people last year will not be taken seriously and will be heard and responded to.

I am so very happy, Mr. Speaker, that the chairwoman on the Committee on Standards and the Ethics Committee came to the floor during the rules deliberation, and she stated that while she would want additional funding, she will guarantee us that that committee will work effectively and efficiently to provide the type of service that is necessary to make sure that the Ethics Committee gives us what it wants us to have. And she said that the best standards of ethics will still be maintained irrespective of.

Now, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren did say we need an extra million dollars. If you look at this, there is a possibility that half a million per session each year would perhaps be the type of funding that we need. If that is the case, Mr. Speaker, the supplemental expense resolution pursuant to House rule X for additional funding is where we will pursue that.

I thank the gentleman, but we are complying with, and the Ethics Committee chairwoman said that there will still be maintained, the highest level of standards, and they will do their work efficiently.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to join with the ranking member again in thanking him for his forbearance during that very strenuous hearing process.

I also join him in thanking the staff: Charlie Howell, who is just an extraordinarily effective person, and who worked very hard with me to make sure that all of the very thick material that was needed for this process of hearings was available. And also Matt Pinkus, Janelle Hu and Kristin McCowan, who all played an extraordinary part in making sure that the process went smoothly, although it was very long.

I would also like to thank the minority staff because together they worked very well with the staff to ensure that this process went as smoothly as it could. So I thank all of these folks and the ranking member and all of the members of the committee, the Chairs and the ranking members of all committees, for bearing with us in a tightly budgeted Congress.

I know that our resolution satisfies no one; however, I also know that when legislative and oversight agendas are set, they will be set with a keen eye to how to best use available funds. I want to assure all Chairs and ranking members that my committee will consider all requests for supplemental funding based upon whether or not additional funds are made available to the House. Right now, however, we must all live within our flatline budget constraints because, after all, there was no budget passed last year in the 109th Congress, and we are operating under a continuing resolution.

Indeed, the American people have spoken. They spoke last year, and the Congress must respond to their demands. We all serve as trustees for their voices and their dollars, and I know that each committee will use the funds entrusted to it wisely.

This committee recognizes that each standing committee carefully assessed its anticipated workload and requested only the sums it considered necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Nonetheless, with severely limited resources, the across-the-board inflationary adjustments share the pain equally.

This resolution has the lowest overall committee expenditure authorization level in the last three Congresses, even including the new select committee. At $280 million for the entire 110th Congress, it is an overall decrease of approximately 2 percent, Mr. Speaker. And that is a reversal for which this House should take credit.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on H. Res. 202.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 15) authorizing the Rotunda of the Capitol to be used on March 29, 2007, for a ceremony to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution 15, which would authorize the use of the Capitol rotunda on March 29, 2007, to present a Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Tuskegee Airmen.

With the passage of the Civilian Pilot Training Act of 1939, Tuskegee University, along with various civil rights groups and the black press, began an effort to transform Federal Government policies and procedures that excluded African Americans from pilot training programs.

In this initial phase, Tuskegee Institute, which had a proven civilian pilot training program and had a history of producing graduates with the highest of flight aptitude exam scores, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Air Corps to help train America's first black military aviators.

Between 1940 and 1946, nearly 1,000 black pilots were trained at Tuskegee University. This undertaking produced the unrivaled Tuskegee Airmen, who are credited with not losing a single bomber to enemy fire in more than 200 combat missions as air escorts, a record unmatched by any other fighter group.

The Tuskegee Airmen destroyed some 260 enemy aircraft. These brave men accumulated a total of 850 medals for their service and valor. Tuskegee University continues its legacy of leadership in aeronautics.

Today, it is the first and only Historically Black College or University to offer a degree in aerospace science

engineering. Since 1983, it has produced the largest number of black aerospace engineers of any institution in America.

In spite of the adversity and limited opportunities, African Americans have played a significant role in the U.S. Navy and military history. The Tuskegee Airmen overcame segregation and prejudice to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II.

So on March 29, 2007, the President of the United States will present the Congressional Gold Medal to the survivors expected to attend the ceremony, after which the medal will be given to the Smithsonian Institution and will be displayed in the future as appropriate.

Last year, the House and Senate unanimously passed legislation brought to the floor by the Financial Services Committee to authorize the Congressional Gold Medal, which became Public Law 109-213. The bill had 310 cosponsors in the House and 77 in the Senate. Our colleague, the Honorable Charlie Rangel of New York, has worked tirelessly as the lead House sponsor of this legislation, and he has been the catalyst to ensure that these men got their rightful spot in history.

Since the House Administration Committee has jurisdiction over matters relating to the Smithsonian Institution, I am especially pleased that language was able to be worked out in the bill which would allow the Smithsonian to accept this historic medal on behalf of the American people and to display it as appropriate, including a location associated with the Tuskegee Airmen.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

On March 29 of this year, this Nation will give to its Americans, rightfully, the Congressional Gold Medal that they deserve

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on Senate Concurrent Resolution 15.

Mr. Speaker, let me first offer my warmest thanks to my dear friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois, who led the debate on the floor today in my absence on my bill that is recognizing this month as American Heart Month. I was told that she did a great job, and I am very grateful to her for that. Traveling from California to Washington sometimes is quite a task, and we appreciate our friends for standing in for us.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak briefly in support of this resolution, as heart disease is an issue of great importance to our Nation's health, especially women who many have felt for years that breast cancer was the number one killer for women.

For over 40 years, the Federal Government has recognized February as American Heart Month, and during this time we have made great strides in fighting heart disease in this country. New medical innovations have improved the treatment of heart disease, and public education campaigns have made Americans more aware of the importance of prevention.

Nonetheless, heart disease is still the number one killer of Americans, both men and women. One in three Americans has some form of heart disease, whether it be high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, or congenital cardiovascular defects. And while men are more likely to suffer from heart disease in their lives, women are not far behind.

While women may have a lower incidence of heart disease than men, women with heart disease are less likely to receive the proper preventative, diagnostic, and treatment interventions. This could be due to the fact that medical professionals consider heart disease to be primarily an affliction of men and are therefore slower to recognize it in women.

Additionally, women suffering from a heart attack or angina are more likely to have atypical symptoms. In fact, women with atypical heart attack symptoms who are sent home undiagnosed from the hospital are about twice as likely to die from a heart attack as individuals who are admitted.

Another problem with managing heart disease in women is that most of the research on coronary heart disease has been exclusively or primarily done on men. As a result, test and treatments developed from these studies may be less effective in women. This is why there is an urge to test more women and do more research on coronary heart disease with women.

Mr. Speaker, American Heart Month is a time to remember how far we have come, as well as how far we need to go. Heart disease is not just a man's disease, and one of the next big frontiers in battling heart disease involves improving its management in women. Additionally, men and women alike need to remember that preventing heart disease early is preferable to treating it later. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and avoidance of smoking all reduce a person's risk for heart disease. By enhancing both treatment and prevention of heart disease, we will go a much further way, a long way, to improving the health and the hearts of all Americans.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation when it comes to the floor tomorrow for a vote.

I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding the time to me.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are having this open discussion and this debate on Iraq, but let me first make my position very clear: I did not vote on this war. After 9/11, when the President urged military action against Osama bin Laden, I, like all other Members, was fully supportive of that position and voted to send our troops to Afghanistan. Despite the heroic efforts of our Armed Forces, Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of America's darkest hour, has yet to be brought to justice.

While the search for bin Laden has not been completely abandoned, President Bush turned his attention away from our most deadly adversary and devoted our military resources into invading Iraq. The search for bin Laden was neglected for a search for weapons that were never found and perhaps may have never existed.

One thing is very clear here, Mr. Speaker: All Members of this Congress support our troops. Many of us have been with families who have lost a loved one. Many of us have gone to visit them. And on Memorial Day I give special recognition to those whom I have lost in my district in the State of California. Also, I have a special community pride, where I give the names of all of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. So let it be very clear that the Members of this Congress support our troops.

Now, while the war has hindered our search for Osama bin Laden, it is shocking and regrettable that Iraq is more of a breeding ground for terrorism than it was before we invaded in March of 2003.

So many Americans, in my district and throughout the Nation, have fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who are being placed in harm's way by being deployed two or more times to Iraq. Transfixed and horrified, we watch an escalation in violence that has all the characteristics of a civil war. We recognize that on November 7 the American people asked for a new

direction. But they also asked for the truth as we know it.

We know that there is too much rhetoric surrounding this issue. But the truth is, first, the President's proposal for an escalation or resurgence is a flawed strategy that will put more than 21,500 more Americans in harm's way. In fact, this escalation leaves Americans and Iraqis in a perpetual state of war, a condition that is not sustainable or supportable.

Secondly, Iraq's problems are best solved by Iraqis. While a number of American troops will be needed to continue training operations of Iraqi forces, it will only be successful if those living in Iraq, the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds alike, fully embrace democratic principles and work together to make their nation secure.

Thirdly, I support the principal recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, that we engage Iraq's neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and others, in problem-solving. The President's plan should emphasize diplomacy. There is no Commander in Chief that I know of that does not, and did not, during a war engage in diplomacy. That is the answer, not military force. This type of position that the President is going, this is a brute force that will not deter the insurgency. Any viable solution must contain a diplomatic element.

Mr. Speaker, the House has taken 4 days to debate the war because clearly we need a sensible resolution to this quagmire. Democrats have borne much criticism for bringing this resolution to the floor, but it is fair to remind our Republican detractors that they also brought nonbinding resolutions to the floor. What it is, is to really send a message to the American people that we are moving in the wrong direction. Stay the course is not the course to take. The resolution we are considering today is entirely straightforward, and the premise is simple: Do you or do you not support the President's escalation?

The resolution before us marks the first time this Chamber will vote whether or not to disagree with the President's war plans. I hope that everyone who recognizes that this ``stay the course'' is not the issue, that we vote for H. Con. Res. 63. It is an important step.

Madam Speaker, today we mark the seventh year that we commemorate National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This is a bittersweet accomplishment. While I am proud to say that awareness of this epidemic's effect on the black community has grown over these 7 years, it pains me to admit that this disease continues to affect African Americans at a disproportionately large and growing rate.

I consider the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic to be one of the most pressing issues of our time and of my tenure here as a Member of Congress. This issue attracted my concern years ago when I became aware of the staggering rate at which infants contract HIV from their mothers during birth or breast-feeding.

I helped to raise awareness of this important issue when I came to Congress in 1996 through the introduction of and authorizing a bill and going to the Appropriations Committee to target the mother-to-child transmission. At that time, it was mother-to-child transmission internationally, and President Bush eventually incorporated aspects of my legislation in PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

While mother-to-child transmission continues to be a pressing problem abroad, we have shown some success in

fighting this here in the United States. The rate of perinatal HIV has decreased steadily from 122 in 2000 to 47 in 2004. Of course, the only acceptable rate of mother-to-child transmission is zero. However, we would do well to achieve a similar 60 percent reduction in all categories of HIV infection.

So today we focus on the HIV epidemic among African Americans. The statistics are staggering, and it highlights the growing impact this epidemic has on African Americans.

In 1985, blacks accounted for 25 percent of AIDS diagnosed, whereas in 2005 they accounted for 50 percent of new diagnoses. This statistic is all the more staggering because in 2005 African Americans only made up 12 percent of the population of this country.

In 2005, 75 out of every 100,000 African Americans had AIDS, compared to only 7.5 out of every 100,000 whites.

Perhaps more disturbing, African American women and children suffer at a rate that is even greater than that of African Americans overall.

Black women accounted for 67 percent of new AIDS cases among women in 2005, compared to 16 percent among white women.

In 2005, young African Americans accounted for only 15 percent of U.S. teens, yet they accounted for 75 percent of new AIDS cases.

In 2002, HIV was the number one cause of death for black women between the ages of 25 and 34, and this is why, Madam Speaker, that I started the first-of-its-kind AIDS Walk for minority women and children and dedicated that to minority women and children. We celebrated 10 years last year because of the staggering statistics that we are still faced with, and we will not stop until we eradicate this dreadful disease. It is ravishing the communities of Latinos, especially Latinas, African American women and both our children.

The devastating effects of this epidemic have not escaped the notice of African American communities, in part due to the success of the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Half of the African Americans say the HIV/AIDS is a more urgent problem than it was a few years ago, and indeed, it is. Half of African Americans also believe that the U.S. is losing ground in the fight against this epidemic domestically.

Today is an important day in the effort to increase awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African American community. However, awareness is not enough. We must work toward solutions to reduce and eventually eradicate not only the racial disparities of HIV/AIDS, but the disease itself. To do so we must increase funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs, particularly those that target minorities. We must strengthen our efforts to educate the public, particularly young people. We must work harder to encourage HIV testing, and we must also work to care for those who already have contracted this devastating illness.

Madam Speaker, during the month of February, we celebrate Black History Month. This year's theme is ``From Slavery to Freedom: The Story of Africans in the Americas.''

I would like to call the attention of my colleagues to a man who exemplifies the characteristics of a leader in the African American community. It is with great pride that I introduce and honor Farrell J. Chiles as he celebrates his 9th year as a member of Blacks In Government (BIG) and on completion of his 5th consecutive year as its Chairman of the Board.

In 2000, Mr. Chiles began his leadership role within BIG as the President of the Los Angeles/Long Beach Area Chapter. The following year, he was elected to the board of directors of the National Organization.

In 2000, Mr. Chiles became the Chairman of the Board and has been re- elected for 4 consecutive years. During his chairmanship, the organization has grown and achieved remarkable successes.

Mr. Chiles is also a Life Member of the NAACP and the ROCKS, Inc., and an associate member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

Mr. Chiles is presently employed with the Department of the Army, at the 63rd Regional Readiness Command in Los Alamitos, California where he serves as the Division Chief of the Human Resources Division. He is a member of the United States Army Reserve, a Vietnam Veteran, and was mobilized for a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He is a Life member and former board member of the United States Army Warrant Officers Association. Mr. Chiles is also a Life Member of the Reserve Officers Association. During Black History Month in 2005, he presented a report at its MidWinter Conference entitled ``African American Warrant Officers--In Service to their Country--Their History, Achievement, and Contributions to the Military and the United States.'' This year, his presentation is on African American Warrant Officers during World War II.

Mr. Chiles served on the 37th Congressional District's Veterans Congressional Council and is a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

It is my sincere hope that my colleagues will join me in honoring and recognizing Mr. Chiles and his significant accomplishments throughout his career, his leadership with Blacks In Government, and his service to the African American community and his country.

Mr. Speaker, as chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration, which shares jurisdiction over H.R. 512 with the Committee on Natural Resources, I urge my colleagues to move quickly so that the bill can become law this year and we can begin the process of planning a National Museum of the American Latino here in Washington, D.C.

I congratulate Representative Becerra and Representative Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership in introducing this legislation and for their hard work in pushing it successfully through the House last year.

Persons of Hispanic, or Latino, descent have lived in the Western Hemisphere for 500 years. In the United States, they have become the largest minority group, and their impact will only grow stronger in the future. The culture of the Americas reflects a unique mixture of what was brought from Europe, inherited from the indigenous Native Americans, contributed by Africans forced to come here during the era of slavery, and stirred in the melting pot of interaction with later immigrants from all around the world.

I am pleased to support consideration of a Latino Museum which I hope would undertake serious scholarly research, as well as create and display exhibits to tell the story of the American Latino to an ever growing population which will be increasingly exposed to such cultural influences in the years ahead. This is a project which all Americans can enthusiastically embrace.

Our Committee on House Administration worked for years with the gentleman from Georgia, Representative John Lewis, to establish the Smithsonian African American Museum which finally became law in 2003. That legislation worked its way through Congress over a period of 17 years, passed the House and the Senate in different forms during that time, and then was successfully revived and studied by a Commission appointed by the President and Congress.

Mr. Speaker, that Commission worked through 2002 and early 2003 to compile information and recommendations for Congress to use in considering whether to finally establish the museum, and in what form. While we did not accept all of the Commission's recommendations, I found that it provided invaluable focus and momentum in moving the project forward.

H.R. 512, and any future legislation to establish a new museum which may spring from it, will hopefully enjoy a less tortuous path to a successful conclusion. The Commission to be created relating to the Museum of the American Latino is largely patterned after the African American Museum Commission, and this time we are considering establishing the Commission at the beginning of the process of studying a museum rather than near the end.

The new Commission will examine, among other issues, whether this new museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, as is the new African American Museum. The Smithsonian has unique expertise in both museum governance and successfully presenting information which tells a story in both educational and entertaining ways.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to plead for health care reform. In recent weeks, I have received more than 150 letters from my constituents asking for health care reform. No one has written expressing satisfaction over the current health care system. Most seniors feel that their medicine coverage is still costing too much. Others cite fear and losing access to choice of health insurance plans or medicines.

I am in favor of sweeping reforms to the system rather than the piecemeal and ``quick-fix'' methods of the past.

In Dallas, the poor, elderly and disabled are hurting the most when it comes to health care. Texas has the largest number of uninsured in the Nation, and our emergency rooms are bursting.

Madam Speaker, it is time for a new strategy. Let's consider comprehensive health care reform that will improve our health care system and make a real difference for Dallas and for America's citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 476) to amend title 5, United States Code, to make noncreditable for Federal retirement purposes any Member service performed by an individual who is convicted of any of certain offenses committed by that individual while serving as a Member of Congress, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 8 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today was introduced by my distinguished colleague, Representative Nancy Boyda from Kansas. It represents part of a continuing effort by the Democratic leadership to clean up the ethics outrage left over by the Abramoff scandal.

The fundamental concept of this bill is simple. If Members of Congress are convicted of engaging in illegal behavior during the performance of official duties, then in addition to going to jail, their public pension will be eliminated. The language was included in the Republican lobby reform bill last year. The only difference is one enhancement responsive to Senate concerns. We have added language to deny pension benefits to Members who ask others to lie for them, or help them cover up their crime.

Applying this penalty to those convicted of corruption is another step toward comprehensive ethics reform and restoring the public trust in Congress.

It goes without saying that no one should ever violate their oath of office. No one in this body should ever engage in criminal conduct. Such conduct distorts the people's business and leads to the formulation of bad public policy. It breaks the social contract that Americans have with one another, and with their elected leaders. Such conduct demoralizes the Nation, and it damages the reputation of this great institution.

The bill before us represents one step toward discouraging illegal and unethical abuses of our office. As a consequence of enacting this bill, Members hopefully will think twice before stepping over the line.

The Boyda pension forfeiture bill denies a congressional pension to any Member of Congress who is convicted of certain felonies and who has exhausted all appeals. It does not apply to a Member's own contributions to the retirement system.

The covered felonies include: Bribery of public officials and witnesses; acting as foreign agent; conspiracy to commit the above offenses, or conspiracy to violate the postemployment restrictions; perjury by falsely denying any of the above-listed crimes; and subornation of perjury by getting someone else to lie or cover up for you.

Every act constituting any of the above felonies: Must have occurred while the Member is in office; must directly relate to a Members's official duties; and must take place after the date of enactment.

Any element of a crime leading to a final conviction can occur at any time after enactment. So passage of this initiative, Mr. Speaker, puts every current and future Member on notice that there will be an additional price to pay for criminal behavior while holding an office of public trust.

Now does this bill go too far or not far enough? I have heard it argued both ways. Some say that more crimes should be included. Others ask: ``Why should a criminal's spouse or child be eligible for the criminal's forgone pension?'' Some argue that prosecutors should be empowered to use pension forfeiture as a negotiating tool. Others argue that judges should be able to adjust pension forfeiture to fit the crime, and there are many more such questions and thoughts.

I will tell you now that this policy is an important step, but it is only a first step. It is a way to lay down the law. It is a way to tell the public that we reject criminal behavior while in office. It is a way to tell the American people that we are serious about addressing illegal and unethical behavior by our colleagues. And it is a way to get this pension forfeiture penalty enacted. No, it is not perfect, but it moves us in the right direction.

You will hear arguments that it doesn't go far enough, that previously convicted Members should not presently be allowed pensions. And while I am not unsympathetic with the underlying sentiment, we are prohibited, as legislators, from passing ex post facto laws, which criminalize or penalize past behavior, which is again a violation of the Constitution.

You will hear arguments that more types of criminal behavior should be covered. One of my colleagues indicated last Friday that more types of criminal behavior should be covered. Up until this point, pension forfeiture has only applied to treason and espionage and related offenses. So this is a big step. We are extending pension forfeiture to cover those offenses that lie at the heart of violations of the public trust and relate to the performance of official congressional duties. We are not applying this to others in the executive branch, so this is without precedent.

You will hear arguments that an innocent spouse or child should be punished along with the criminal. On balance, I don't think that is good policy. It may satisfy one's desire for revenge, but if you believe in individual responsibility, then you don't punish an innocent person for another's bad behavior just because they are related by marriage or parentage. I think we need to take a look at this principle in other situations as well, but today we are looking at it in the context of criminal behavior by Members of Congress.

The American people are rightly outraged by elected officials' criminal acts, but the American people are also humane and understanding. Although the first response to this outrage is likely to be ``throw the bum in jail,'' most Americans will not countenance throwing the child of a criminal into the street, or anyone's child.

Assuming family members are innocent of any wrongdoing, this bill gives the Office of Personnel Management the discretion to respond to hardships placed on the family and caused by the Member's criminal wrongdoing. If OPM decides to do so, it will come out of any amounts contributed directly by the Member, and to which he or she is still entitled. That is fair and just, in my opinion. OPM could still impose full pension forfeiture, or something less if the totality of the circumstances warrants a different outcome.

There are lots of other arguments we can have about the merits of this initiative and whether it goes too far or not far enough. Some may even question whether it even goes in the right direction. All of these are legitimate policy concerns, which can be pursued by the interested Members with the committees of jurisdiction through future legislation. But the bill before us today, however imperfect you may judge it, is an immediate response to the American people's demand that we change the way we do business here in Washington.

There are many other initiatives we will be taking to reverse the last decade of criminal and ethical decline. We will do them, and we will be a better and more responsive government for having done so. But this is step one. The American people are sending an unequivocal message to all Representatives and Senators: If you lie, cheat or collude with others to cover up your criminal abuse of public office, you will not only go to jail, but you will sacrifice something that the American people provided you, and that is trust, which the American people can take away from you if you violate that trust. Dishonor that trust, and you break your contract with the American people, and the consequences are clear.

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

Parliamentary Inquiry

Is that a parliamentary inquiry that he is just suggesting here?

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, with reference to the question raised by the gentleman from Michigan, the effective date is upon enactment of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to just take about 30 seconds to correct a misrepresentation of the ranking member. He spoke of mail fraud, of which Mr. Rostenkowski was convicted, was not one of the crimes contained in the House bill that was passed out of this House by the Republicans last year. So that is a mischaracterization.

I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Irrespective of, it was not one of those that were, as you had suggested in your opening statement.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield such time as she may consume to the author of this bill, the outstanding new Member who introduced this bill, the gentlewoman from Kansas (Mrs. Boyda).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire as to the time left for both sides.

Mr. Speaker, just a couple of seconds, and I would like to speak to the speaker who has just spoken. He spoke about the amendment to this bill, the subornation of perjury. This is in the gentleman's bill that he has introduced, so I don't know why his objection to that. The Democrats have added two additional crimes to this bill, and one is that; the other is a conspiracy to violate postemployment restrictions. We have tried to put in this bill to strengthen this bill two additional crimes, and so I am concerned that his argument is one that is in his bill that he has introduced.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California, Mrs. Susan Davis.

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing that my colleague has said that the bill could be stronger. That is an argument that we could make on every bill that comes to this floor, it can be stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to now yield to our majority leader 1 minute, the Honorable Steny Hoyer.

Mr. Speaker, the speaker who just spoke stated that we changed the date. We changed the date of the bill to comply with the leadership on the Republican side. So he was disingenuous.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader.

Mr. Speaker, the statement that I made earlier about the gentleman from Arizona, it was not my intent to question his motives. And I look forward to working with him in the coming days and weeks and months ahead. And so I do not intend for him to take that personally, and I am sorry for that.

Mr. Speaker, and all of my colleagues who are listening and have listened to this debate today, please take note. The Democratic leadership of this institution plans to clean up the criminal and ethical morass it inherited. This bill is a down payment on the new ethical climate control system we are building.

The American people deserve to know that criminal and unethical behavior by any of our colleagues will be punished, and that the penalties for violating the sacred trust which has been bestowed upon us by our voters and the States we represent will be substantive and serious and not window dressing.

We have more to do after this bill passes, so we can continue this discussion during the next installment of ethics reform. But I urge my colleagues to take this leap with me today and with the very distinguished gentlewoman from Kansas who introduced the bill, to begin this journey toward a more open and honest government, and toward a more ethical direction in this 110th Congress. The American people deserve it, and it is up to us, you and I, to deliver it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back whatever time that I have left.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 476 considered earlier this evening.