Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to pass the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement. I have spoken here many times on the benefits of this bill and what it would bring to our Nation and to the State of Florida, but let us remember also the benefits of free trade flow both ways.

Not only would expanded trade opportunities help American businesses, agricultural products, ranchers, and workers by removing expensive trade impediments and leveling the trade playing field; but also with improved conditions, we can look forward to a time when the threat of illegal narcotics, human smuggling, illegal immigration, and other criminal activities is no longer part of the fabric of life in Central America, Mexico, and our southern United States border.

Such a development would contribute to the security of the United States and all of our partners in this hemisphere and would greatly benefit the people of Central America. With greater development, it will contribute to more political stability and a strengthened rule of law for our partners in the DR-CAFTA region, a region that has suffered under the heels of civil war and political corruption for far too long.

With expanded trade, the people of the Central American region will enjoy a higher standard of living and greatly improved work conditions. In the 1980s, Congress cast difficult votes to militarily assist these nations to foster fledgling democracies. Today, these efforts have proven successful, and we are voting to expand our trade opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical politically stabilizing act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage our colleagues to pass the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, or DR-CAFTA, when it comes before the House. DR-CAFTA is vital to our Nation's economic competitiveness in today's global marketplace and will serve as an economic engine for driving growth and economic opportunity in the United States and Central America.

In Florida, the Nation's gateway for trade with Central America, we recognize the importance of this regional bloc. The DR-CAFTA countries represent our State's largest export market and the second largest United States market in Latin America. By lowering trade barriers, we can expand this market even further. That is good news for Florida businesses, good news for Florida agricultural products, and good news for Florida workers. The American Farm Bureau estimates that United States exports for agricultural goods could increase by $1.5 billion each year.

This agreement has generated thoughtful bipartisan support from various agricultural, textile, business and political groups. Former United States President Carter as well as several key Clinton administration officials support DR-CAFTA. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this crucial trade agreement that will help promote economic growth, political stability and regional security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark an important anniversary in our Nation's history. Eighty-five years ago, on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, extending the right to vote to American women.

The road to the 19th amendment was long and difficult, paved with hard work and struggle. The birth of the women's suffrage movement can be traced to the Women's Rights Commission in Seneca Falls, New York, in July of 1848, which laid out the principles that would guide the women's movement.

More than seven decades later, those principles were at last codified into our Constitution, moving our Nation closer to meeting the promise of its founding.

Today, we have more women than ever serving in elected and appointed positions in our local, State, and national governments. Not only in this Chamber, but also in the United States Senate, in the President's Cabinet, and in a wide range of Governors' offices, as well as other positions. This represents a vast change from where we stood 85 years ago, and our Nation is stronger for it.

As we watch the spread of freedom across the globe, and as more and more women take on the rights and responsibilities of full political citizenship, let us pay tribute to those women who blazed the trail for those of us who have followed.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to join my colleague in offering an amendment that would restore funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOPE VI program. Created in 1992 by former Secretary Jack Kemp and President Bush, this program offers to renovate existing public housing sites and replace them with new mixed- income housing.

This grant program has been remarkably successful in its revitalizing of some of the most troubled and distressed communities. We have all seen these conditions that exist in public housing developments throughout the Nation: dilapidated buildings and homes, rampant rodent and insect infestation, barely functioning plumbing, and sometimes sewage that flows into our children's playgrounds, with high rates of violence and crime. These are the conditions that have overtaken too many of our public housing facilities, the very same conditions in which too many families are struggling to live and to raise their children.

This program is aptly named because hope is exactly what these grants supply to our communities. I can speak firsthand of the outstanding results of this program I have seen in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton, areas that have been completely revitalized as a result of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National Homeownership Month. I am a strong advocate of homeownership, not only because it is a key component of the American dream but also because it is vital to America's economic security. Statistics show that higher levels of homeownership translate into safer and stronger communities, communities in which people feel more rooted and engaged, in which they feel stronger stakes in their local schools, civic organizations, businesses as well as their churches and synagogues. Additionally, children who are raised in families that own their own homes have shown greater academic success as well as greater levels of self-esteem.

Two years ago, we passed the American Dream Downpayment Act which I introduced to help more American families enter the market for quality, affordable housing. This was an important step on the way toward making homeownership available to everyone, but it was only a first step. We still have much more work to do.

I am proud to have been a cosponsor of the resolution we passed yesterday in honor of National Homeownership Month and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring the American dream of homeownership to more families across this country.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 305, the Obey Amendment, I was recorded as voting ``no'' and wished to vote ``aye.''

Amendment Offered by Mr. Owens

Mr. Speaker, I encountered plane difficulties Monday, June 20, 2005, that caused me to miss floor votes regrding H.R. 2863, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Since this bIll is one that I believe is vital to our Nation, I am very dismayed that I was unable to participate. I would have voted ``nay'' on the Obey, Doggett, Velazquez, and DeFazio Amendments. Additionally, I would have voted ``yea'' on the Hunter Amendment and for final passage of H.R. 2863.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act. We have seen in recent years a steady stream of reports detailing mismanagement, corruption and outright abuse of the U.N. operations, from the Oil-for-Food Scandal in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, to reports of U.N. peacekeepers raping children in Bosnia and Sudan, to reports of nepotism, cronyism, and financial irregularities in the U.N. missions around the world.

We have seen clearly evidence of mismanagement and corruption, fraud and abuse in this institution. The U.N. Reform Act was developed to address these failings by streamlining U.N. programs, restoring accountability, setting clear budget and operational priorities. These are baseline reforms that many U.N. supporters agree have been needed for years, and that can be achieved within a reasonable timeframe to restore the U.N.'s functionality and credibility.

To drive the process of reform, this bill sets forth a strong enforcement mechanism by withholding 50 percent of U.S. dues if these reforms are not instituted by 2007. With this enforcement mechanism we can ensure that the U.N. lives up to the ideals it was founded to advance six decades ago.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Hyde for his leadership, for his wisdom and for his statesmanship in developing this legislative package to bring a new era of oversight and accountability to the U.N.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1544, the Faster and Smarter Funding For First Responders Act of 2005.

This critical, bipartisan, and historic legislation implements the 9/ 11 Commission's recommendations in streamlining terrorism preparedness grants and making certain that our first responders have the resources they need when they need them.

As police officers and first responders gather in Washington to honor their fallen comrades during National Police Week, the images of September 11 remain frozen in our minds and etched into our souls.

Since fiscal year 2002, Congress has appropriated, and the Department of Homeland Security has awarded, $6.3 billion in terrorism preparedness grants. Yet shockingly, State, territorial, and local governments have spent just 31 percent of this funding. Clearly, our first responders and the communities they put their lives on the line to protect remain dangerously at risk, all due to government bureaucracy.

H.R. 1544 requires State, territorial, and local governments to assess their greatest threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences before they request the Federal funding money. Then, it holds these Governments accountable, requiring them to issue grants to first responders within 45 days.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, this legislation constitutes a long overdue dose of common sense. The gentleman from California (Chairman Cox) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Ranking Member Thompson) have already proven the wisdom in establishing the Committee on Homeland Security through their vision and leadership in producing this legislation so quickly.

We remember the valor of firemen--who rushed through an inferno to save others, without regard for their own safety.

We recall the courage of police officers--who braved falling bricks and mortar to provide those in danger with their hands and their reassurance.

After many years during which our children searched among athletes, movie stars, and other celebrities for their role models, they learned the real definition of the word ``hero'' on that awful day.

And as four hurricanes visited unprecedented devastation upon my district in southwest Florida last year, we learned once again how much we rely upon the bravery, expert training, and compassion of first responders when disaster strikes.

Since Fiscal Year 2002, Congress has appropriated and the Department of Homeland Security has awarded 6.3 billion dollars in terrorism preparedness grants. Yet--shockingly--state, territorial, and local governments have spent just 31 percent of this funding.

Clearly, our first responders and the communities they put their lives on the line to protect remain dangerously at risk--all due to government bureaucracy.

H.R. 1544 requires State, territorial, and local governments to assess their greatest threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences before they request Federal grant money. Then, it holds these governments accountable--requiring them to issue grant awards to first responders within 45 days.

H.R. 1544 also enables regional planning and coordination--allowing localities and States to jointly apply for terrorism preparedness grants, which must remain consistent with State homeland security plans.

Mr. Chairman, this legislation constitutes a long overdue dose of common sense. Chairman Cox and Ranking Member Thompson have already proven the wisdom of establishing the Homeland Security Committee through their vision and leadership in producing this legislation so quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8, which will finally free America's hard-working farmers and small business owners from the specter of the death tax.

Benjamin Franklin said: ``In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes,'' but I doubt even the inventive Mr. Franklin imagined the taxation of death itself.

Americans get taxed when they earn money. They get taxed again when they spend what is left, and government pursues them beyond the grave, devastating their relatives who must sell the family farm or liquidate the family business just to pay the taxes.

The impact of the death tax extends far beyond the pain it inflicts upon grieving families. The death tax distorts economic decisions on a massive scale. It punishes thrift. It reduces savings and investment, and it diverts capital away from job creation to tax avoidance.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses has estimated that the death tax will compel one-third of small business owners today to sell some or all of their business. The Center For the Study of Taxation found that 70 percent of all family businesses cannot survive the second generation and 87 percent do not make the third.

All of this wasted money, energy and over 100,000 jobs lost per year and for what, a tax that the Joint Economic Committee says costs just as much to collect as it generates in revenue.

Mr. Speaker, the opponents of H.R. 8 cannot provide any justification for the continued existence of this useless relic. It hurts the people it is intended to help, and it reduces stock in our economy by $497 billion a year.

I urge my colleagues to drive the final nail in this coffin so 6 years from now Americans will not wake up to find that, like a vampire, this unfair tax has arisen from the dead to once again suck the blood from a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 190, which honors the heroic life and historic pontificate of Pope John Paul the Second.

For over a quarter century, John Paul the Second provided powerful, charismatic, and effective leadership for the world's one billion Catholics. But his legacy will forever reach far beyond the boundaries of faith or nationality.

In the faithful service of God, he confronted evil and injustice wherever he found them, from the Nazism and Communism that gripped his beloved Poland to the hunger, suffering, and poverty that continues to afflict the world.

He affirmed life through his teachings and through his example. He lived vigorously and inquisitively--and he confronted suffering and death with courage and serenity.

Today, we mourn his passing--while celebrating with thanksgiving the powerful and eternal spiritual model he left for us all.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the gentleman from Jacksonville for hosting such an honorable memory to Tillie Fowler.

Mr. Speaker, America lost a remarkable leader last week. The people of Florida lost a passionate and effective ally, and our brave men and women in uniform lost a stellar advocate. I lost a dear friend.

Congresswoman Tillie Fowler was much more than a role model for women who followed her into public service. Though her trail-blazing example and her indomitable spirit will always inspire us, she was much more than northwest Florida's greatest promoter. Through her service, her dedication to the people will always guide us.

She was much more than a trusted colleague, to members of both parties, and her unimpeachable standard of honor and integrity will always instruct us.

In fact, today, I was even speaking with one of her colleagues at Holland & Knight, and we said, you know, we feel like she is still here, we can still see her smile, we can still see those big glasses, we can still hear her laughter. Not often does someone leave you and you still feel them so strongly.

Tillie Fowler's contributions as a public servant, as an attorney, as a civic volunteer and, most important, as a beloved wife and mother were routinely extraordinary. Why? Because at every stage of her life, she had the

courage to follow common sense and uncommon dreams.

Whether she was graduating as one of five women at Emory University Law School's class of 1967, or successfully challenging a political establishment dominated by male Democrats, Tillie Fowler never met a barrier that she could not shatter.

Yet, while fighting relentlessly for her principles for Florida and for America, she never lost her love of humanity, her charity or her grace.

Mr. Speaker, as we offer our prayers and condolences to her husband of 37 years, Buck, and her two lovely daughters, Tillie and Elizabeth, let us honor Congresswoman Tillie Fowler's memory by elevating our purpose as well as the means we choose to achieve it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mote Marine Laboratory on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary.

In 2004, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy released a ground- breaking report that underscored the need to strengthen public awareness regarding the critical importance of the oceans in supporting life on earth.

Based in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida, Mote Marine Laboratory has vigorously and successfully pursued this goal for 50 years. Through its manifold programs emphasizing research and education, Mote Marine Laboratory has advanced the science of the sea while enthralling children and adults alike with the adventure of discovery.

Cape Haze Marine Laboratory was founded in 1955 by the now-famous shark researcher Dr. Eugenie Clark. William and Alfred Vanderbilt financed the project, issuing Dr. Clark the charge to ``teach people about the sea.'' While the Laboratory initially operated in the humble surroundings of a 12-foot-by-20-foot shed in Placida, Florida, Dr. Clark's able direction enabled it to develop a strong reputation as a shark research center during its first ten years of existence.

As the Laboratory's standing grew, so did its facilities. The Laboratory moved to Siesta Key in 1960, where it benefited from the munificence of William R. Mote and his sister, Elizabeth Mote Rose. Accordingly, the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory became Mote Marine Laboratory in 1967. The Laboratory moved to its current location on City Island, Florida, in 1978, thanks to a public-private partnership with the City of Sarasota that continues to thrive today.

Thanks to the expert leadership of William Mote, former directors Dr. Sylvia Earle, Dr. Charles M. Breder, Jr., Dr. Perry W. Gilbert, Dr. William H. Taft, Dr. Robert F. Dunn; and current President Dr. Kumar Mahadevan, the Laboratory has expanded to encompass eight buildings on a 10.5-acre campus, providing nearly 200,000 square feet of research, education, and conference space. The Laboratory

also performs research in a Sarasota inland aquaculture park and in field stations located on Charlotte Harbor and in the Florida Keys.

Mote Marine Laboratory has become much more than an impressive facility, however. The little lab with a handful of researchers that once focused solely upon sharks has become a powerhouse of near-shore marine research. Through its seven centers, the Laboratory undertakes projects involving all kinds of marine life and ecology--from sharks to red tide to marine mammals and fisheries. Comprising one of the world's few remaining private, independent marine research centers, the Laboratory employs a staff of more than 230, which includes approximately 40 Ph.D. scientists who remain leaders in their respective fields.

A diverse array of biologists, chemists, engineers, and education and information experts--as well as many other specialists--performs research under the aegis of Mote Marine Laboratory in more than 50 countries. Moreover, the Laboratory hosts visiting scientists from across America and around the world. Due to the expanse of its reach and the quality of its contributions to scientific understanding, Mote Marine Laboratory has earned international acclaim.

Despite the evolution of its functions, however, Mote Marine Laboratory has never abandoned William and Alfred Vanderbilt's directive to ``teach people about the sea.'' In fact, education remains at the core of its mission. Children and adults alike learn about our world's fragile marine and estuarine ecosystems through the Laboratory's educational opportunities, which include an annual science lecture series, a speakers' bureau, and a multitude of adult and family programs. The Laboratory teaches nearly 50,000 children per year, many of whom study through the Laboratory's own distance learning program entitled ``SeaTrek.'' This innovative initiative utilizes interactive videoconferencing to reach students in places as far away as Switzerland and Hungary.

Established in 1980, Mote Aquarium provides the keystone of Mote Marine Laboratory's commitment to education. The Aquarium hosts almost 400,000 visitors from the United States and abroad every year and provides educational materials in five languages. As in the Laboratory's other pursuits, the Aquarium's main strength rests in its people. Trained volunteers thrill visitors with tales of science and the sea, while a mobile aquarium ensures that all Floridians can enjoy a similar voyage through these wonders.

For one-half century, Mote Marine Laboratory has explored some of the oceans' most pressing questions, sharing its findings with the world. This time of perpetual change has revealed one constant truth: Much remains to be discoved.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation has made tremendous strides in securing our homeland since the 9/11 attacks. Americans have performed amazingly well in staying alert and aware, while the Federal Government has done an excellent job in making travel safer for airline passengers.

Nevertheless, our achievements merely highlight how much more work remains. Before we can truly be safe, we must direct more funding and attention to securing our ports.

America's seaports have become the locomotives of economic growth, receiving 95 percent of our Nation's imports. Florida alone has 14 deepwater seaports, and 56 percent of all of our imported oil comes through the Gulf of Mexico border region. Thus, terrorists know what devastating death and destruction would be wrought through the detonation of one dirty bomb in one cargo container, which would bring international commerce to a screeching halt.

We spend a great deal of time debating how to secure our land border. We must start devoting the same amount of time and energy to the security of our water border, starting today. Through the Gulf of Mexico States Caucus, we will work to ensure that the House accomplishes this goal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my distinguished friend and Florida colleague, Congressman C.W. Bill Young, as he concludes his remarkable tenure as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

During his 17 terms in Congress, Chairman Young has set the benchmark for integrity, compassion, and diligence in serving his constituents, our State, and our Nation. With his steady hand at its tiller, the Appropriations Committee has remained a sanctuary of comity and productivity as it navigated the heavy winds of terrorism, recession, the stock market crash, and corporate scandals, as well as the budgetary pressures that these crises produced.

Of course, we Floridians were extremely fortunate that this island of calm resolve was serving as Appropriations Chairman when our State suffered the devastating, unprecedented blows of four hurricanes earlier this year. Within days after we returned from the August District Work Period, Chairman Young built a consensus around a $2 billion relief package that the victims of this disaster desperately needed--just as FEMA's available funds were exhausted.

During our consideration of the subsequent $12.6 billion supplemental relief bill, the pressure to include other disasters naturally arose. Exhibiting the same empathy and fairness that served as the hallmark of his chairmanship, Chairman Young managed to address these concerns while achieving swift passage of this legislation.

Our Nation has been just as fortunate that Chairman Young headed the Appropriations Committee as we confronted the daunting challenges of a changed world in the aftermath of September 11. A veteran of the Army National Guard, Chairman Young has garnered national recognition for his expertise on defense and security issues. He had previously chaired the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, and he has served the longest term on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of any member in history.

While ensuring that our military has the best resources available to fight the War on Terror, Chairman Young has always placed his highest priority upon the men and women who risk their lives to preserve our freedom. He regularly meets with enlisted personnel and officers to assess their needs. As a result of his unflagging efforts on their behalf, Congress has invested in improved base housing, better medical care, increased pay, and more modern equipment.

Chairman Young has also successfully fought for the health security of every American. A leading advocate for increased biomedical research, he has worked to double Federal medical research over 5 years. He has striven to increase the immunization rate for preschoolers, improve public health programs, and provide the resources necessary to find cures for scourges like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

In 1986, Chairman Young played a leading role in founding a national registry for bone marrow donors, which now bears his name in his honor. Today, the registry contains more than 4 million volunteer donors for patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases and serves as a model for similar diseases around the world.

Mr. Speaker, we look forward to many more years of effective, caring service from this dedicated public servant, who exemplifies the appellation, ``the gentleman from Florida.''