Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 861. Republicans aren't interested in debating or discussing the merits or conduct of the War in Iraq; they only want to play politics with it.

Republicans wrote this resolution. Democrats were not consulted or allowed any input. Republicans then rigged the process and outlawed any amendments, so that the only real choice in voting was not yea or nay, but take it or leave it.

There are serious issues we have to discuss that are being ignored.

The war in Iraq has cost our country $320 billion so far--money we have had to borrow--and it will no doubt cost hundreds of billions more. It has cost the lives of 2,500 American service men and women and more than 18,300 have been wounded. The needs of our veterans are being shortchanged. Some of our troops are on their fourth deployment since 2001. Our military readiness is affected because we are wearing out both our equipment and our troops. And House Republicans are still pretending that the war against terror somehow has to be fought in the same basic way we fought in Korea and Vietnam.

The American people deserve better than a sham resolution and a staged debate.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to come before the House once again, the 30-something Working Group. I would like to thank the Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, and also Mr. Steny Hoyer, who is our whip; Mr. James Clyburn, our chairman; and also Mr. Larson, who is our vice chairman.

And I think that it is very appropriate at this particular time, Mr. Speaker, to talk about the great comeback by the Miami Heat in the series of the NBA finals. And I can say on behalf of Ms. Wasserman Schultz and those of us from the south Florida delegation and from the Florida delegation that we are very, very pleased of the outstanding play by the Heat. We want to continue to support them in every way possible. We know that they will be victorious. We have been wrestling with our friends in the back in the Speaker's lobby from Dallas and the surrounding area, letting them know that the final outcome will be a great parade in downtown Miami with the new NBA champions. As you know, as we look at it from a religious standpoint, you have to claim it. And we are excited.

There are some extraordinary things that are happening now. Dwyane Wade. If Shaquille O'Neal falls on a Chevy truck, he would hurt it. But Dwyane Wade has been able to overcome the injury, and also several of the Heat players and the Heat fans have persevered. So we look forward to Father's Day. I know that Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade are all fathers, and we know on Father's Day they will deliver a gift to themselves and to me and to other folks.

So I just want to say since we have the hour, Mr. Speaker, there are Members, I am pretty sure, from Texas, from Dallas who would love to come to the floor, whom we will not yield to at this time, to give their side of the story.

We are happy we have this hour. We honor the Heat and we are glad that there is a great series going on. And while we are at it, before I yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz to make comments on this, I want to thank the NBA for all the work that they have done not only in Dallas but in Miami, in their charities, and giving to the Heat center. At Little River Middle School, they have actually put some computers in, and they have been there over the years, but they have made a new commitment to that center and they have named it after the late wife of the Heat trainer. So we want to encourage the NBA to keep doing what they are doing.

I yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

Mr. Speaker, just as a point of information, as we start working in a bipartisan way towards the spirit of the Miami Heat, and it is bipartisan, we have Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, also Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, also Jeff Miller from the Panhandle of Florida that have joined in in this Heat spirit. On our side we have Ms. Wasserman Schultz, myself, Congressman Alcee Hastings, and also Mr. Robert Wexler. So I mean it is kind of balanced off as it relates to who has the beads in support of the Miami Heat. We rallied them when they were down by 0-2, and we will continue to rally around them now that it is even.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we would like to go into what we usually do when we come to the floor as it relates to the 30-something Working Group, talking about the issues that we have been meeting on, wanting to bring to the floor and share with the American people and also share with the Members of the House.

We talk about the agenda that was released, ``A New Direction for America'' by the Democratic Caucus, and not talk about what we may do when we take the majority if the American people find it fit for us to take the majority, but what we will do, and I think it is important to say ``will.'' And I always say we have the will and desire to lead. We have the will and desire to pass legislation. We also have the will and desire, Mr. Speaker, to take the rubber stamp out of the Republican majority's hands and put it in the garbage because that is not what this Congress should be all about. It should be oversight. It should be evaluation of policies that we would like to pass, need it be health care, need it be Iraq policy, need it be economic development. And in our plan, it is important to understand that we want to make health care more affordable for Americans, make sure that we have a fair share as it relates to prescription drugs on behalf of the American people, making sure that we can move into the area of investing in stem cell research for medical research for some of the cure that we can do now. Also work toward alternative fuels, making this country independent of the Middle East and invest in the Midwest as it relates to E-85, alternative fuels, making sure that we pass legislation to bring about flex vehicles.

Also helping working families. It is not a question of if we will. It is we will raise the minimum wage. And that is what we are saying on this side of the aisle. There is no question about it. The minimum wage will be raised, and that is a promise. Cutting also and reversing many of the Republican majority increases on student tuition. This is a very important point and we are going to talk a little further about it because we have legislation that is filed now to reverse that, make sure that families have tax credits and make sure students don't have to pay through the nose and come out of college in debt more than they are today.

Also ensuring that seniors and individuals receive Social Security benefits, need it be survivor benefits or need it be the disabled or just simple retirement, not privatizing Social Security. The ``security'' part is to make sure that when all else fails that there is some level of income for those individuals who have worked their entire lives. And requiring fiscal responsibility. This is the most important, if not the point, of the Democratic agenda of making sure if we say we are going to spend it, we had better show how we are going to pay for it. Not like we are doing now, spending and borrowing from foreign nations, making this country more indebted to foreign countries than at any other time in the history of the republic.

So we will talk a little further about that and define this a little bit more as we go along.

I would like to yield to my colleague, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and we will focus more on these issues as we go through the points again.

Thank you so very much, Ms. Wasserman Schultz. I am glad that you brought a visual aid down because I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we break this down for the Members because we want to make sure that Members don't go back home in November and giving political speeches saying that, oh, well, I didn't know we were doing that. Or I didn't know that we were breaking a record in borrowing from foreign nations. We want to make sure that the Congressional Record reflects that those of us on this side of the aisle actually brought it to the floor in a form that a middle school or a fifth grader can understand. And it is important that we break it down to this point so that no one can say that they misunderstood, they didn't quite know what they were voting for, I made a mistake or whatever the case may be because now, in this day, in this Congress, we are making history in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways.

I think it is important that we point this out. I want to make sure that I get that Washington Post article that talked about a special meeting at the White House. The innovation agenda, I want to make sure that the Members go on housedemocrats.gov and get a copy of the innovation agenda so that hopefully folks can be enlightened on what we have been talking about and promoting, not just yesterday, not just last month, this has been around, and the only reason why it is not implemented now is that the Republican majority will not allow legislation to come to the floor outside of the original thoughts of President Bush or the Republican leaders.

I think it is important that we understand an innovation agenda. We talk about education and creating the workforce for the future, making sure that there is math and science education, that we work on that and we provide the necessary dollars for it.

Invest in research and also development that promotes public-private partnerships, where many CEOs you will see on housedemocrats.gov have already become a part of what we are talking about and encouraging that to happen.

Affordable, guaranteed broadband access throughout the country. Need it be if you are in the heartland of America, you are on the east coast, you are on the west coast, you are down south, you are up north, you should be able to have an opportunity at this broadband initiative that we have for all Americans.

Achieving energy independence. We talked about that, within 10 years. Not maybe one day, not counting on the oil companies to do it but the Congress setting the stage, this House setting the stage for that to happen.

Providing small businesses with the tools that they need to be able to create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I am just going to take about 10 minutes here breaking this thing down, if not shorter, of talking about how we are making history in all the wrong ways. The Republican majority, I must say, has done an outstanding job on behalf of President Bush. You have got to hand it to them. If there was an Oscar, an Emmy or a Grammy to give out, the Republican majority would get it as it relates to rubber- stamping everything the administration hands down.

I hold here, Mr. Speaker, and this is no secret to many of the Members and it should not be a secret to the staff

that works here in the House of Representatives, this chart, this chart of the fact that in just 4 years, President Bush and the Republican majority has borrowed $1.05 trillion from foreign nations. We have the Republican Congress right under the President's picture because he couldn't do it by himself.

Forty-two United States Presidents, 224 years, were only able to borrow $1.01 trillion from foreign nations. How could that be? One may say, how can you do this in 4 years? $1.05 trillion from foreign nations. In 224 years, 200 years shy of what the President has been able to do, $1.01 trillion.

Let me tell you, that is staggering. That is not something that it happened in the forties or it happened in the thirties once upon a time. Calculate it. Forty-two Presidents, 224 years. Mr. Speaker, we are not just here as the 30 Something Working Group and dreaming up something. Those numbers are from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Who do we owe? Who has their hands in the pockets of the American taxpayer? I don't care if you are a Republican, independent, you don't vote yet, or whatever the case may be, a Democrat, you have to have a problem with these nations owning a piece of the American apple pie.

Japan. Like it or not, I know it is painful for some of the Members to hear this, but this is the reality under a Republican majority. Japan, $682.8 billion that they own of the American apple pie thanks to the Republican majority rubber-stamping the Bush policies.

China, $249.8 billion of the American apple pie that they own right now, not because of the American people lack of making the right fiscal decisions but it is because the Republican majority has allowed it to happen with the American taxpayer dollar.

The U.K., $223.2 billion

Caribbean nations, $115.3 billion.

Taiwan, $71.3 billion.

OPEC nations. Oh, my goodness, OPEC nations. We can't do enough for them, but they are buying our debt, $67.8 billion.

Germany, $65.7 billion.

Korea, $66.5 billion.

And Canada, $53.8 billion.

The reason why, Mr. Speaker, you see the American flag in silhouette as it relates to the United States of America, excluding Alaska and Hawaii and Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, but just to show this silhouette of the mainland of the United States of America, the reason why we have that, if you want to do away with the debt, elect a Democratic majority because we have done it.

The Republican majority, they are saying, well, we're going to cut it in half. It is almost like if there is a cliff, Mr. Speaker, and you are in a vehicle and you have to stop the vehicle before it goes over the cliff. We are saying stop. You are saying go at half speed. You go at half speed, you are going over the cliff regardless. We have stopped the deficit from continuing to continue on when we balanced it, without one Republican vote. And so it is important if the American people, if they are looking at the resume, they will elect Democrats to be able to lead.

What are we doing right now, Mr. Speaker? I think it is important for us to outline this. We are saying pay-as-you-go. If you are going to spend a hundred dollars, you better talk about how you are going to pay for it. What the Republican majority is doing now, they are spending a hundred dollars and they are saying put it on a foreign credit card so we would owe foreign countries money and leave it for future generations and this generation, which is unfair to our young people. Before they even get a chance at life, they are already going to owe folks that they don't even know because of the wrong decisions that have been made here in the Republican majority and that they have been rubber-stamping.

Substitute amendment to House Concurrent Resolution 95 in the 2006 budget resolution. Mr. Spratt, who is our ranking member on the Budget Committee, put forth an amendment for pay-as-you-go like I just outlined. Not one Republican voted for it. To say that we are going to have fiscal discipline, not one Republican voted for it. 228 Republicans voted against it.

Again in 2005, a substitute amendment to the budget, saying pay-as- you-go. Not one Republican voted for it, Mr. Speaker. 224 Republicans voted against it.

I am coming in for a close. I just want to share this with you. I mentioned the issue about energy. Oh, well, the Republican answer, the Republican majority here in this House because I do know some Republicans who do feel that the Congress should not be rubber-stamping everything that the administration puts forth, and let me just read my article real quick to bring this into focus. I thank my colleague for bearing with me.

November 16, 2005 front page of the Washington Post: White House documents show that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force in 2001, something long expected by environmentalists but denied as recently as November 2005, last week by industry officials testifying before Congress. The document obtained this week by the Washington Post shows that officials from ExxonMobil, also Shell Oil Company, BP of America met in the White House complex with Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy, parts of which became law, parts of which are still being debated.

I wanted to just read that to show you that when we talk about alternative fuel and we talk about flex vehicles, I don't think the oil companies are with us on this.

This is actually a picture of an ExxonMobil pump where it shows regular, special, super. That is keeping us, like the President says, addicted to oil. And that is an interesting statement, too, by him.

E85 is an alternative fuel. ExxonMobil has said you cannot use your Mobil credit card to purchase this product. I can take a Mobil credit card when I go there to put gas in the tank, I can go in there and buy a bag of chips.

I am not a cigarette smoker, but somebody can go in and buy a carton of cigarettes with their Mobil card. Someone can go in there, probably end up in some States, buy a Lotto ticket with their Mobil card. But they can't buy an alternative fuel that is made here in America by American farmers and should be supported by the American people.

They are trying to make it even harder. They are putting the block in front of them, because they want to keep this thing going. Now I am not a Member of the House with a conspiracy theory; but, Mr. Speaker, Ms. Wasserman Schultz talked about record profits.

Here are the facts. This is not fiction; this is fact. In 2001, a meeting took place in the White House. Then all of a sudden we started being handed down legislation, Republican majority by the Bush administration. Oil profits went up $34 billion in 2001. I think that was a meeting worth scheduling.

In 2003, oil profits went up $59 million, billion, goodness gracious. I am getting confused by saying a million, a billion dollars. In 2004, $84 billion in profits; and 2005, $113 billion.

What I can't help, Mr. Speaker, is to say that it will be over $113 billion in oil profits in 2006 even before the year has ended, because when you have the Republican majority passing subsidies, and you don't have to spend your own money for quote, unquote, innovation, you can have those kinds of profits and have the American people paying through the nose.

Last point on the relationship, just one more chart here. I could care less about the former CEO of ExxonMobil as a person. You know, I am not going after him as a person. I am just saying that the Republican majority has allowed this to happen. He has $398 million of a retirement package, and on top of the Republican majority's tax policy, he gets a $2 million tax break.

You want to talk about the winners and losers in America, this is a perfect example; and this is allowed to happen here in this House and here in this democracy because the special interest has a special relationship. Here is the King and the President, talk about relationships.

We are on the side of the American people; it is just that simple. ``Energizing America,'' HouseDemocrats.gov, you get a copy of it, and you will see whose side we are on. If you are a Republican, you got to have a problem

with the way this House has rubber-stamped what the President has handed down.

If you are an Independent, you have to have a problem with the K Street Project that was alive and well to allow the special interests to do a pay and you play as it relates to getting policy passed on to the House. If you are Independent and if you are a Democratic, you have to have a problem that there is no input as it relates to bipartisan approach to policymaking.

Because if there were, and we did have a bipartisan approach, I wouldn't be able to stand here with a straight face, Mr. Speaker, and share with the Members and American people what has happened here in this House with the facts backed by third-party validators by the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Congressional Record.

I just want to make sure that we break out many visual aids because some Members of the House seem to be a little confused about what is happening and what is not happening.

I am glad you pointed out the fact that a lot of rubber-stamping is going on. The reason I voted against the Iraq resolution today, Mr. Speaker, is I will not dishonor the memory of those individuals that have died and those individuals who have been forever maimed or lost a leg or limb or that mother or that father that will never see their son or daughter, or that child that will never see their father, aunt, uncle or niece again.

The reason why I did that is that many men and women in uniform are fighting on behalf of, what, a democracy or something like it. You have a resolution that says, Democrats, we are not even going to allow you to put anything on the floor, we are not going to allow you to amend the resolution.

The rules are set on the third floor up here, Mr. Speaker, in the Rules Committee that says we won't even allow an alternative resolution. They say we won't even allow. Yes, welcome to the floor, and you will talk. But you know something? Talk is cheap. Action means everything.

So as a member of the Armed Services Committee along with my ranking member and along with a lot of other members of the Armed Services Committee, we voted against the resolution today, not because we believe in something else; we do believe this democracy. But we do believe in a fair debate in oversight and policy.

That is why it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we move in a way that will have our Constitution honored at the same time, and we move in a way as it relates to fairness for every Member of this House.

One thing that Leader Pelosi, if the Democrats take control will be the Speaker, had said we will work in a bipartisan way. Ms. Wasserman Schultz talked about the whole rubber-stamping issue. This rubber stamp has been used far too many times for the Republican majority. How did we get in the deficits, the deficits as far as the eye can see? Because of the rubber stamp?

Defense contractors and contractors in Hurricane Katrina were able to steal money from the American taxpayer through a lack of oversight because of the rubber stamp.

States are suing the Federal Government under Leave No Child Behind because we are only funding it to the low 30 percent and allowing States and local governments to be able to have what they need to have to carry out the mission of educating our children.

The trouble is because the Republican majority has rubber stamped everything that the Bush White House has handed down, and when we look at tax policies, how does a billionaire here, Mr. Speaker, have a $398 million retirement package with a cherry on top, $2 million tax break, of the policies of the Republican majority? Still we have individuals going to work for $5 and some change on minimum wage.

So I think it is important that we look at this whole issue rubber stamping, and we look at this issue of following Article 1, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution and making sure that we do what we are supposed to do here at the House.

I yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

I want to thank Ms. Wasserman Schultz for coming down to the floor today, as you always do, and we continue to work on these issues that are facing Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that since we are all kind of draped up in the flag this week and talking about who is a patriot and who is not, and I will not stand judgment even on my Republican colleagues, many of whom that have cast dye on some of the Members of the Democratic aisle of saying who is with the troops or who is not with the troops.

I just want to say that fact, not fiction, always prevails in history and also in the future.

We want to make sure, in the Republican budget, that we point out the fact that there will be a copayment for veterans. There will be a copayment of some $250 for veterans because that is what is in the Republican budget package. That is a fact. Their prescription drug costs will go up. That is a fact. So, if we want to get all draped up and teary-eyed and saying I have a tattoo, saying I support the troops more than you do. My car that I got is painted that I support the troops. It is not what you say or hear on this floor. It is about how you vote and where your dollars are as it relates to respecting the men and women that laid down their life, many of whom and those individuals that have that will never walk again to allow us to salute one flag here today.

I think it is important, and I take issue with the fact because I will not let their memory be dishonored. I take issue with the fact that individuals are coming to the floor saying one thing and doing another with their vote as it relates to those individuals.

When our men and women come home, they are going to have issues. They are going to have issues because they are not going to be able to deal with the effects of the IEDs that are going off, their friends being maimed, and still there is no policy as it relates to how we are going to deal with the issue of Iraq, how we are going to take the training wheels off the Iraqi government.

The only resolutions that have been put forward to deal with those issues are on the Democratic side of the aisle, and because the President does not want to talk about it, the Republican majority does not want to talk about it.

What is so frustrating is the fact that we have plans on this side to have discourse and dialogue in a bipartisan way so that those individuals that are there now in some areas in the Western parts of Iraq, eating meals Ready to Eat, okay, MREs, for those individuals and those individuals that are talking to their children by long distance, saying I am coming home soon and they really cannot answer the question because I have a 9-year-old son and I have an 11-year-old daughter.

I have been to Iraq twice, but you know something, when a Member of

Congress goes to Iraq we are coming back in two or three days on a Federal plane, being served food and drink. We are coming home. We are going to land at Andrews Air Force Base, and the air force people, God bless them and I love them, they are going to give us a ride back here to the Capitol. We are going to get out and we are going to go home, not like those individuals who volunteered, not drafted, volunteered to serve this country.

If they agree or not, they deserve a policy on Iraq, not just a cheerleading resolution saying, well, we are going to do a lot of wordy stuff; then we are going to mail this over to the troops and say we are with you. They know that they are with us. There is not a Member of this House, there is not a person I have received a phone call from, that says I do not support the troops and I do not think you should support the troops.

That is not what this debate is about. The debate should be about how we are going to deal with the Iraqi government, how we are going to continue to pull coalition forces in.

Guess what, you would assume under the resolution that passed today and with the speeches that the President is giving, that we have coalition partners that are running in saying how can we help. There is something wrong, Mr. Speaker, when the coalition is getting smaller of nations that are involved in this effort with the United States of America.

I think if I start giving a speech, and I am home giving a political speech, a campaign speech and folks started leaving the room, that means I am saying something that they disagree with, that they do not believe in.

So I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we pay very close attention and tell my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle that we pay very close attention. This is not a Republican executive committee. This is not a Democratic executive committee. This is not the Reform Party. This is not the Green Party. This is the U.S. House of Representatives, and I want the record to reflect in this time that we are making history in all the wrong places. We are allowing foreign countries to own a piece of the American apple pie who have never owned, at these numbers in the last 4 years, a piece of the American apple pie. The Republican majority is allowing it to happen, and it is unpatriotic for us to even think about being unpatriotic at a time such as this.

We should be coming together as Republicans and the one Independent in this House and Democrats, and figuring out how do we work our way out of this. It will take a generation fiscally for us to work ourselves out of the deficit that has been put forth here today and has been led on by the Republican majority because it has been handed down by the Bush White House.

Now, the President can invite as many Members of the House and the Senate to the White House for tea and coffee and cookies, but guess what, that is not going to cut it. That is not going to cut it. What is going to cut it is a Republican majority saying, you know something, enough is enough, let us put politics aside; let us make sure that Democrats are a part of a conference committee in a real discussion on a strategy of dealing with Iraq, dealing with education, dealing with how we are going to treat our veterans when they come home.

They are going to be at the dining room table with their families, and we cannot be stuttering when they get back as it relates to our commitment to those individuals that has sand in their teeth and are away from their families 12 months, in some cases being extended beyond that another 6 months, to say that, oh, well, we had to up on your copayment because we promised that we will provide health care to you because we want to make sure we guarantee these tax cuts for these billionaires.

Now, I think it is important and I think that we should get passionate and we should get emotional about what we should be doing versus talking back and forth at one another. We have to see it in black and white in the Congressional Record and legislation and resolutions that are passed here on this floor that are going to benefit those individuals in harm's way.

If that is going to be the topic of the day, then let it be the topic of the day. Let us see resolutions that come to the floor from the Democratic side of the aisle about how do we deal with Iraq, with Republican input. Let us see if there is some sort of resolution outside of a bunch of words saying, well, you know, we feel that the war on terror, and you know, the President and people are doing good work, and you know, the indicators show what the indicators show.

That is not policy. That is a speech for someone to go home and say you see, I voted for this because it said a lot of good things, but it did nothing. To say that we are passing this to send a message, well, guess what, that message is not penetrating the reality of this war, and it is important that we deal with it in a way that the American people and the troops know that we have their back 110 percent or reassure Americans that we have their back 110 percent by not shunting our policy responsibility. Right now we are punting. The Republican majority is punting because the White House does not want to do anything. Yet the White House, the White House says we listen to our military commanders.

Can we bring our military commanders out. We have eight generals that are retired that have said that they do not agree with how the way things are going now, eight of them, eight generals, eight generals that are saying they do not know what is happening. They have questions on what is happening, eight generals. So many generals are saying I was there, these policies are not right, but no one wants to listen. I guess they are not patriots now. I guess these generals, they have a cowardly way about them because they disagree with the President and they disagree with the Republican majority.

The thing about it is, in America someone should be able to say what they want to say, and there should not be any repercussions. I think, too, it is fighting in Iraq to try to bring some sort of democracy to Iraq. We are so much in the front seat, the Iraqi government cannot even get in the front seat because we have a policy that no one can figure out on the Republican side.

So I guess we are not going to figure it out. Forget about what those Democrats are saying in the House and Senate, about how can we do it in a comprehensive way and pull it together.

Maybe, Mr. Speaker, other coalition forces and other countries may come in and say now how are you going to deal with Iraq and have the Iraqi government take over security operations in Iraq, maybe we want to be part of it because we do not want to continue to go on with the plan of just saying let us just go on.

I will use this analogy by saying this as I close, Mr. Speaker. To pass a resolution without true instruction on how we are going to deal with the issue in Iraq is almost like taking a carton of milk out of the refrigerator and opening it, saying, oh, it is sour, let me put it back in, it will be fresh tomorrow. It may be okay when the issue is a carton of milk, but it is not okay when we are dealing with the lives of the American troops that are in Iraq and in harm's way at this time.

It is not the right policy, and it is not the right thing to do when we have got kids coming home from school saying is Daddy or Mama home yet. It is not the right policy as it relates to those individuals that are our generals and our commanders in Iraq that are looking for some policy direction from the Congress on what we feel because we are the representatives of the American people. It is not the right way to do things.

So I am here to say, Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about what we are going to do. We know we have a new direction for America. We know we have a security policy on this side of the aisle. We know that we have a policy as it relates to innovation. We know that we have a policy as it relates to the fact that the minimum wage will be raised. It is not a question of we are not. It is going to be raised if we are in the majority.

We have a promise to the American people of sending in a new direction on this side of the aisle, that if we get the control of this House of Representatives, that we will institute pay-as-we-go policies to make sure that we work towards balancing the budget, and you have a commitment on this side of the

aisle, Mr. Speaker, from the Democratic side of the aisle that if we become the majority, that this country will be working towards energy independence within 10 years, using alternative fuels and passing policy that will have motor companies building flex vehicles so that we no longer have to be dependent on the Middle East and that we can fund and support the Midwest as it relates to corn, as it relates to sugar cane, as it relates to other energy-related issues to make E-85 here in the United States of America.

Maybe, just maybe, we will not be having the debate up here and resolutions of the House, spending a day and a half with speeches on a resolution that was written, handwritten by the Republican majority without not one word, not even an ``and,'' ``not,'' a ``but,'' not a comma, not a dot, by the Democratic side of the aisle and expect for us to come to the floor in a democracy and just say, okay, I will vote for it?

You wrote it, so I will vote for it, even though there was no input. My only input is to come in here and press the red or green button. Because the way you wrote it is the way you want it. And I think the American people are going to stand up against that kind of policy.

With that, I say for the Members to go on, if they want to get a copy of anything we talked about here today, to housedemocrats.gov/ 30something, that is housedemocrats.gov/30something. You can get everything, every chart that I showed here, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the Democratic leader for allowing us to have this hour, and I want to thank my colleagues in the 30-something Working Group for all of their assistance and time that they have spent, and I would like to thank the staff. It was an honor addressing the House.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 16 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, June 19, 2006, at 12:30 p.m., for morning hour debate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Once again it is an honor to address the House. The 30-Something Working Group is back again to share with the Members what we have been working on the last week and not only coming up with new ideas for America but making sure that we package the ideas that are clogged up in this process here from moving onto the statute books of the United States laws to allow Americans to live a better life and to also put forth policy that will benefit those that are overseas fighting on behalf of this country and what we have asked them to do.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, we have talked a lot about fiscal responsibility. We have talked a lot about the lack of health care in the United States of America. We feel we have proposals that are on the table, ready to be considered if the Republican majority would allow it to be considered. Unfortunately, that has not happened. There has been a lot of discussion on the floor about Iraq, but there has also been a plan that was unveiled in the last few days to share not only with the American people but with the full House that if we can't work together in passing legislation in a bipartisan way that is going to help all Americans, not just Republicans, not just Democrats, not just independents, not just individuals that are wealthy, not just individuals that are poor, not just individuals that are making a way out of no way, to help all Americans so that we can move forth and we can find ourselves in a better situation than what we are in now, then we are willing to take the mantle and to have an opportunity to be the majority in this House.

We have the will and the desire to lead in the areas that we need to lead in. And we have this plan on housedemocrats.gov on the Internet for individuals to go on and take a look at what we are talking about as House Democrats.

When we have the opportunity to put forth this plan, if the American people see fit that that should happen, which I believe they will, hopefully they will, because the situation that we are in right now is dismal and presents a very, very challenging future for our children and for our grandchildren, because so many issues are facing this country in unprecedented ways. I think it is important that you take a good look at that. That's housedemocrats.gov.

In that plan which was unveiled by Leader Pelosi and other Democratic leaders in the Democratic Caucus this week, we talked about making health care more affordable for Americans. This is a major issue, Mr. Speaker, not only for individuals that work on jobs, work for individuals but individuals that are providing jobs. They cannot continue to take on this health care burden without a true plan, a true leadership from the Federal Government. States can't do it alone. Local communities can't do it alone. We are going to have to do it in a way that is going to benefit the people and not the special interests. I think where we are right now, Mr. Speaker, is that the majority here in this House has benefited the special interests as it relates to health care. I think the American people and small business men and women are yearning for some leadership right now.

Also, when we look at lower gas prices to achieve energy independence, this is something that is very, very important. We have pieces of legislation out there that promotes alternative fuels, to see more of E85 so that we can have flex vehicles that are out there, and it is a part of our innovation plan. Again, going on housedemocrats.gov, you can download this information, share it with your friends, with your family, and other Members can take it to their staffs and say, we want to implement this. But, of course, that is not going to happen under the Republican-controlled House of Representatives because I don't think the will and the desire is there to really have true innovation in alternative fuels.

The other thing I want to point out, Mr. Speaker, and I think it is important, a part of our innovation plan that is also endorsed in comments by CEOs in this country, not just Democratic CEOs, independents, individuals who just lost faith in voting that are a part of major companies that are saying that the House Democratic plan, which will hopefully be a bipartisan plan once we are able to take control of this House with the help of the American people because of what is not happening here on behalf of the American people in innovation, they want us to be first in mathematics and science; they want us to be first as it relates to broadband access throughout this country; and they want us to be first in taking the lead and making sure that we push for energy independence in 10 years and develop that and make sure that we promote that through our legislation and through our appropriation. Not just giving dollars to the oil companies and saying, go ahead, we trust you, you do what you wish to do with the taxpayers' money while you continue to make record profits on the backs of the American people and we pay higher gas prices, and we are stuck in neutral with the engine running as it relates to true innovation.

I am not finished with our rollout, but I just want to point this out since I am mentioning profits. As you know, Mr. Speaker, I have read an article time after time again about the secret meeting at the White House in 2001 of the energy task force, that we know now that that task force meeting has worked in the best way for the oil companies and in the worst way for the American people.

Again, I am not a Member of Congress with a conspiracy theory, but I just want to say that we have third-party validators that are here. My staff just handed me this and I think it is important that I read this off: White House documents show that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force in 2001, something long expected by environmentalists but denied as recently as last week by industry officials testifying before Congress. The document obtained this week, November of 2005, the Washington Post, shows that officials from ExxonMobil, Phillips, Shell Oil Company and BP met in the White House complex with Cheney aides who were developing national energy policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated.

I am saying that, and I just want to point this out, Mr. Delahunt, and I am going to flip it over to you, sir. 2002, it is not a coincidence that profits were up. Profits is not a dirty word but when you have profits and, quote-unquote, price gouging and the American people putting $10 in their tank at a time.

And corporate welfare, you can't help but put this together. $34 billion in profits for Big Oil, 2002. 2003, $59 billion in profits. Looks pretty good. I think that meeting was worth going to. 2004, $84 billion. This meeting is now something that will be placed in the annals of oil industry that this should happen prior to major profits coming on.

Then, on 2005, $113 billion. This will continue to climb because the Republican majority doesn't have the will nor the desire to fight on behalf of the American people as it relates to energy, and the White House has shown that it has the will and the desire to allow special interests to come into the White House, write policy, and then come to the Hill and fight for that policy so that the oil companies can see this. Meanwhile, the American people are paying more for oil and for energy.

Then the individuals from the oil company have the audacity, and I am not going to blame them, because I think it is important that we put the blame where it should be. They don't have a Congressional voting card to vote for a policy to allow these prices to go up like this or profits to go up like this. It takes Members of Congress to do that, and I must say that I am proud to announce that a number, a supermajority of Democrats voted against this philosophy of oil companies having the opportunity on the backs of the American taxpayers, having their hand in the taxpayers' pocket and then, grabbing their wallet out of the other hand, they spend their money for necessities.

We are giving the taxpayers' money out in subsidies, but at the same time the oil companies are winning both ways, at the pump and with the tax dollars that the American Congress has appropriated. That is a fact, that is not fiction, and it is sad that it is a fact.

Mr. Delahunt, I am sorry, sir, for having you standing by so long.

Go ahead. Mr. Ryan is doing such an outstanding job.

Will you yield, Mr. Delahunt?

Thank you, sir. The bottom line is that we have a Republican majority that rubber stamps everything that the administration hands to them. They can't even put the paper on the desk fast enough before they rubber stamp it. When you start

talking about the fact that by the Constitution we are supposed to carry out oversight, that is not a value of the Republican majority.

Oversight of what? No, see, they are too busy taking care of the special interests. You would think that some Members were more concerned with trying to make sure that special interests got what they needed because we do not want to forget the K Street Project where you pay to play and you get access into this Republican majority House.

So, when you look at the rubber-stamping of what has happened here, I cannot help but have this stamp here because that is how we got here, but what is very, very unfortunate is the fact that we have ourselves in a situation, in a fiscal situation that is going to take a generation almost to recover from. We have ourselves in a situation in Iraq we do not know how many years it may take for us to recover from that, and I am using the President's words now.

We have ourselves in a situation where the White House now, Mr. Speaker, wants to invite Members over to have tea and cookies right now and trying to be nicey-nice, to say we want to hear from you now; but we have men and women caught in the crossfire and we have millions and billions of dollars that have been wasted and stolen in Iraq. I am going to say stolen because of the rubber-stamp Republican majority. Anything that the administration sends down, how can we rubber-stamp it? Matter of fact, I think the Republican majority walks around with a little mini rubber stamp in their pocket, saying oversight: this is the way you want it and how you want it.

The American people HAVE to send a very strong message to this Republican majority here in the Congress that we have three branches of government for a reason, not two branches of government that deals with legislation and policy, but three branches.

We have the judicial branch that is separate and aside, but when you look at the legislative branch we are supposed to carry out oversight. Only a couple of Members of the Republican majority actually gets that and tries to practice it, but they are in a superminority.

And so the reason why we come to the floor is to shed light on the lack of oversight. When it was a Democratic House and a Democratic White House, there was oversight. Call Bill Clinton up and ask him. I think we know that. Republican majority, the reason why you are going to see people around here scratching and fighting and begging and trying to do anything and throwing out the sods and trying to get press releases out, because the White House is very, very concerned that they will no longer be able to send legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives and that it passes through committees that may have a half a meeting on it and come to the floor, not allowing Democrats to do anything to improve the legislation because they are too busy rubber-stamping the process, and it will disrupt that.

It is all about power and influence, and I can tell you right now, the Republican majority has gone too far with this because that is the reason why we are in the situation we are in now, and they are known. They have to shake it and they know it and they deserve the rubber stamp because that is what they have been doing since the President has been in the White House.

I am coming to Ms. Jackson-Lee. I just want to give you a perfect example of what happens in a rubber-stamp Congress. Exhibit A, how can you borrow, Mr. Speaker, $1.05 trillion in 4 years? I do not even know how that can be achieved in 4 years. The Republican majority has handed President Bush, he cannot do it on his own, we have the Republican Congress right under him from 2001 to 2005, $1.05 trillion, now here is the other kicker, that comes in, and with interest. Forty-two Presidents, 224 years, 224 years, 42 Presidents, were only able to borrow $1.01 trillion.

Mr. Speaker, I rest my case on that. I rest my case on the fact that the Republican majority has given the Bush White House everything they wanted on the backs of the American people. The special interests got what they wanted. The billionaires got what they wanted.

This is just the foreign debt. This is countries that we have borrowed money from and now we owe them.

Now, I am going to be quiet for a minute, but I just want to make this one last point and it is going to be 30 seconds.

Ms. Jackson-Lee, if I borrowed $100 from you, and let us say I still have not paid you back, our relationship will change. Matter of fact, your respect for me as an individual to be able to handle my own finances will be altered. Even though we are considered friends, our relationship is forever changed.

Now, for the first time in the history of the Republic, Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Republican majority has countries like China, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Korea, the Caribbean nations, Taiwan, Canada, Germany and the OPEC nations looking at us in a different way, in an unprecedented way. The fact that, man, how can y'all tell me what to do on foreign policy and how can y'all point your finger to me as it relates to war on terror when you cannot even handle your own finances? That is not the American people. That is the Republican rubber-stamp majority. They have allowed this President to run this country into a fiscal nightmare.

So I close with that by saying, Mr. Delahunt, for you to say the generals are coming out, they are coming out because the American spirit is coming out of the chest of Americans that have put themselves in harm's way, because this administration and this Congress asked them to put themselves in harm's way.

Well, I would like the Members, Mr. Speaker, to go to housedemocrats.gov, housedemocrats.gov, which has a new direction for America that the Democratic Caucus unveiled this week to let people know exactly what we are going to do.

Real security. We are going to implement all of the 9/11 recommendations to secure this country, our ports and our airports, and make sure that we have hometown and front-line security, so local law enforcement officers and law enforcement agencies don't have to rub two pennies together to make sure they can secure their communities, which are our front line here in America.

Also, we plan to bring about affordable health care along the lines of not only prescription drugs but also making sure that there is a health care system that can work for the private sector, the public sector, GM, and all of those companies that are having issues, including the Federal Government.

Good paying jobs. We will raise the minimum wage. That is not a question, that is a fact. That will happen, and it will pass this House of Representatives here when Democrats get in control of this House.

Affordable college education. We will reverse what the Republican Congress has done as relates to increasing student tuitions by $2,000, which has gone up 57 percent at public universities and in private universities about 32 percent; and also making sure that they have tax deductions for college opportunities.

We will energize America by having flex vehicles and energy independence within 10 years. That is not something, oh, well, maybe; we are thinking about it. No, we are doing that. That is under the new direction that Mr. Ryan was talking about.

And also making sure that people can retire in a dignified way and not privatize Social Security. And that is what that is about, and it goes on and on and on. So I encourage the Members to go on housedemocrats.gov. And if individuals want to talk about a plan, you can see a plan right there.

And we have Ms. Jackson-Lee, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Delahunt, and the rest of the Members of the 30-something Working Group, the will and the desire to carry out the plan, not just talking about it. We said we had the will and the desire to balance the budget, and we balanced the budget. Period, dot.

And the other thing I just wanted to add real quick, Ms. Jackson-Lee, it is almost like you see a cliff, okay? You see a cliff. Now, the goal is to stop before you go over the cliff, not to go half speed. Republicans are talking about cutting it in half. Cutting the deficit in half is not going to get us to where we want to be. You want to stop before you go over the cliff and they are going half speed. So eventually they are going over the cliff. I feel in a fiscal way we have gone over the cliff, and we are saying we want to take America in a new direction.

We have the resume for action and for fiscal discipline in this country and passing policies that will help the rich, those that are middle class, the poor, and making sure that businesses can prosper in this society. We have shown it during the Clinton years. Everyone was making money, everyone had hope, and everyone knew that the Congress and the White House had the will and the desire to put forth policies that would help the American people.

I yield to Ms. Jackson-Lee.

If the gentleman will yield for just 30 seconds, I have to tell you about the committee I was in today, Mr. Speaker. I leaned over to one of my Republican colleagues, who I respect and who will go unnamed. And I said, you can do something good. Because it was one of those votes that you know Democrats vote one way and Republicans vote the other way and what have you. And I said, you can do something good by voting ``yes'' for this amendment. And she said, well, a million here and a million there, that adds up eventually, Kendrick.

I said, you are telling me? I said, believe me, your caucus and your leadership have found a way to borrow as much as you can borrow, and then when you ran out of borrowing where you could domestically, you went over and borrowed $1.05 trillion from foreign nations that some of us have questions about. So you are telling me we know how to spend? You all have broken a record. You have made history in 4 years.

So when you look at it, it is sad, Mr. Speaker, that we can come to the floor with fact and not fiction. Some folks come to the floor with rhetoric and you can see right through it: Like, what is this guy talking about here on the floor? How could he possibly say that? That is not true. But, guess what, what we are talking about is true, unfortunately, because of the bad policies.

And that is the reason why we are saying, Ms. Jackson-Lee, that we want to head in a new direction and we want the American people, Democrat, Republican, and Independent, to know that, A, we have got the will and we have the desire to lead in that direction. And it will happen. It is not like, well, we may get around to it. We are going to do it, whether the White House wants to do it or not.

I yield to the gentleman.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we would like to not only thank the Democratic Caucus but also thank Members of the House for allowing us to come to the floor to address the House one more time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. and Mrs. Edgar and Magali Fernandez. For nearly four decades, they have been pioneers and leaders in the field of early childhood care and education, which is of crucial importance to our society and to every parent of young children.

Their careers have culminated in the establishment of the South Florida Association for Child Care Management (SFACCM), a non-profit professional organization which was established in 2000. On Saturday, June 10, 2006, SFACCM will hold its first summer institute, a one-day seminar for those seeking to become early childhood education professionals.

SFACCM, which is an affiliate of the Florida Association for Child Care Management, is a professional organization of education providers dedicated to ensuring quality in early learning through advocacy, education, and accreditation. Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez's leadership of SFACCM has served as an inspiration to countless other educators and has helped set high standards in early childhood care. Those helped by SFACCM's programs number in the thousands.

Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez have long realized the importance of early childhood education as key to success in adulthood; it creates a strong foundation for our society and helps families and businesses to thrive. Edgar and Magali Fernandez truly value the need for the quality care and learning that our children deserve.

I know that my colleagues join with me in expressing our sincere appreciation for the contributions of Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez to our community and to our state. Their endeavors to ensure the quality and affordability of early childhood care and education are having a huge, positive impact on the lives of countless children--our most important national resource. Congratulations to them both on 36 years of caring.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor being before the House once again. As you know, the 30-something Working Group, we come to the floor as often as possible to not only share with the Members what is going on as it relates to legislation here in Washington, D.C., but also what is not going on on behalf of the American people.

And hopefully we can put forth ideas and extending the arm to work in a bipartisan way on behalf of the American people. So we are glad to come to the floor week after week. Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Democratic Leader for allowing us to have this hour, and also our Democratic Whip, Mr. Steny Hoyer, and Mr. James Clyburn, who is our chairman of our Democratic Caucus, and Mr. Larson, who is our vice- chair.

I think it is important that we come to the floor to share a unified message from this side, that we are willing and able. We have the will and the desire to work on behalf of the American people in general. Not just Democrats, not just Republicans or independents, but the American people in general, to make sure the people of good will prevail in their everyday lives.

If they are a veteran, if they are an individual that has fallen on hard times, if they run a small business in this country, if they have a mid-sized business that they want to turn into a big business, we want to be able to be of some assistance as it relates to legislating here on behalf of the American people.

Also, I think it is important that we do not leave our children behind. Even though they cannot vote, many of them are under the age of 18 years old, not eligible to vote, I think it is important that we stand for them.

There are a number of things that I am going to try to touch on today, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that we can cover all of, just about all of what is happening and what is not happening here in Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 24 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, June 12, 2006, at 12:30 p.m., for morning hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, Jeffrey Johnson was a strong and gifted young man. I recognized it, and my staff recognized it, when he served as a high school intern in my Congressional office. His teachers also recognized his abilities, as did his coaches, and even college administrators at institutions he never attended. He was a bright and shining young man with talent, direction and purpose, and he had unlimited potential.

When Jeffrey put his mind to something, and focused his energy on it, he would overcome any obstacle to achieve it. Today, Thursday, May 25th, Jeffrey would have graduated Summa Cum Laude, and received the Miami-Dade County School Superintendent's Diploma of Distinction, from Carol City Sr. High School. He was imbued with intelligence, as evidenced by his grade point average, which landed him a Bright Futures full academic scholarship to St. Thomas University in Miami, where he looked forward to studying law.

I truly believe that Jeffrey would have become a leader in our community and perhaps even in our country, a person of consequence, a role model for others, and a force in the world for good.

Sadly, however, this strong, gifted, 17-year-old young man was tragically and senselessly killed in a shooting early Sunday, May 21, 2006. Our entire Dade County community is consumed in grief and sorrow because of his passing. His funeral services will be held Saturday, May 27th, at the New Birth Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith in Miami, Florida. The heart of every caring person aches because of the burden that now must be borne by his father, Jeffrey Sr., his mother, Brenda, and his beloved sister, Jarrika. The magnitude of their loss is truly beyond understanding.

I had the distinct honor and special privilege to have this young man serve as an intern in my office, where he epitomized standards of excellence and personal warmth in responding to the needs and concerns of my constituents. Many of them recall Jeffrey as the young intern who greeted them with utmost respect and empathy. He easily stood as a model student, defined by his quiet but dignified demeanor. His exemplary conduct and his study ethic garnered him the unique distinction that served as an example to all students seeking to prepare themselves as the leaders of tomorrow through the power of the educated mind and the sensitivity of a caring heart.

Jeffrey was a very special young man, and we are fortunate to have known him and are grateful for the gifts he left with us. Every person of goodwill is moved by his extraordinary life and the tragedy of his premature passing. I pray that his family will somehow be comforted by the fact that Jeffrey graced our lives, that he touched the lives of so many people during his all-too-brief time on this earth, and that we will never forget him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Michael M. Adler, who today concludes his two-year term as President of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, marking 30 years of dedicated service to the Federation and the community.

Michael Adler's connection to Miami is strong, and for him, community involvement is a family affair. He has the distinction of being Federation's only second-generation president, following in the footsteps of his father, the late Samuel I. Adler, who held the position from 1984 to 1986. For two years prior to being elected President of Federation, Michael served as the General Campaign Chair for the Federation/United Jewish Appeal Campaign, which raises more than $22 million annually for much-needed services in Miami, Israel and in almost 60 countries around the world.

Michael has also served on and chaired numerous committees as part of his service to Federation. Along with his wife, Judy, he was a founding member of the Young Adults Division, chairing it from 1975 to 1977, and was later Chairman of the National Young Leadership Cabinet. In addition to his Federation activities, he has also served as President of Temple Emanu-el on Miami Beach from 1995 to 1998. Over the years Michael has received many awards and honors for his involvement, including the UJA's Herbert H. Lehman Award for Distinguished Service, and the Federation's prestigious Stanley C. Myers Presidents' Leadership Award.

His successes extend far beyond his activities in the Jewish community. He is Chairman and CEO of the Adler Group, one of South Florida's largest and most successful real estate companies, and he has been involved with several successful business ventures in Israel, working closely with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon when Sharon served as Israel's Housing Minister, to oversee the construction of new homes for immigrant families.

Michael is also active in the political community, founding NACPAC, a local pro-Israel action committee. He now serves as Chair of the Jewish Democratic Council's Political Action Committee, and is very active in the Democratic Party.

Our entire community owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Michael Adler for all that

he has contributed to so many people over his years of caring and service. I know I speak for all my colleagues in extending to him a heart-felt ``thank you'' and our best wishes to Michael, his wife, Judy, and their children Matthew, David and Rachel.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to one of Miami's great spiritual leaders, Pastor Arthur Jackson, III, of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Carol City, which is located in my Congressional District.

Pastor Jackson came to his calling through the love and influence of both his father, the late Rev. Arthur Jackson, Jr., and his mother, Mrs. Arthur Jackson. Spiritually, God has lifted and anointed him to preach the gospel to the wounded, lost, and broken. Ask any of Pastor Jackson's thousands of congregants what they most like about him, and you are likely to hear, ``He is real'' He relates to his flock in an honest and genuine way that brings out the best in people. During the hurricane season, for example, Pastor Jackson sent his deacons out to check on the elderly, to make sure that their houses were properly boarded up before the storm and afterwards, to make sure they had food and water and any other help they may have needed.

During Pastor Jackson's tenure at Antioch, the church has gone through a complete spiritual, financial, and structural metamorphosis. In December of 1996, the Congregation purchased surrounding lots and broke ground for a new structure--a $2 million building that was consecrated in August 1998. After only seven years, the congregation had already paid off their multi-million dollar mortgage.

A man of character, integrity and wisdom, Pastor Jackson's consistent obedience to God has taken the Antioch congregation from the ``Faithful Fifty'' members, to a blossoming ministry of nearly 6,000 members. Pastor Jackson serves God and his community through the ministries he has nurtured. I congratulate Reverend Jackson on his Pastoral Anniversary and extend best wishes to him, his wife, Jacquaneise, and their daughter, Jaden.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to come before the House once again. I would like to thank the Democratic Leader for allowing the 30-Something Group to come to the floor, Ms. Pelosi and also our Democratic Whip, Mr. Hoyer, and Mr. Clyburn, who is our chair of the Democratic Caucus, and Mr. Larson, who is the vice chair.

Mr. Speaker, we were here the night before, and as you know, we come to the floor talking about issues that we would like to see brought to the floor and also talk about how we on the Democratic side would like to work in a bipartisan way to make America stronger.

Last night we talked quite a bit about energy. We talked about the difference between what we would do if we were in the majority versus what the Republican majority has not done and the cost it has brought about to all Americans. And it is very, very unfortunate that this continues to happen, and there is very little leeway that has been given to the American people as it relates to gas prices. We talked about the fiscal irresponsibility of the Republican majority that we are willing to work to pay as we go as it relates to our budget. We talked about the fact that students that are now graduating, that will be walking across the stage, a very proud moment for many Americans across the country, watching their young people pick up their diplomas, knowing that as they go to college they will pay more for college because the Federal Government or the Republican majority has decided to cut student benefits and also make it harder, make more of a reality of debt for students who are going to college because we have cut back, and we have Democratic initiatives to roll back the Republicans tuition tax on students.

When we talk about tuition tax on students, it is a tax on the parents and on the grandparents and the family that is trying to help that individual get through college, that is making sure that we have a stronger and brighter America in the future.

Of course, Mr. Speaker, we always talk about solutions, and we back it up with fact and not fiction. So we are here tonight, half of the time split before midnight, to talk about these issues quickly.

Tonight, as always, we have Ms. Wasserman Schultz from Florida. We have Mr. Delahunt, who is going to join us tonight. We look forward to a fruitful dialogue with an abbreviated time.

Ms. Wasserman Schultz, do you care to share anything because I am going to talk about the fiscal irresponsibility and how the Republican majority has allowed foreign countries to have a piece of the American apple pie? We talked about that last night as it relates to the irresponsible spending that has taken place, unaffordable and in many, many areas and is putting America more in debt, not only in domestic debt but foreign debt, unprecedented to any other time in the history.

Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

We have had 224 years, Mr. Speaker, of leadership that has only has been able to borrow $1.01 trillion from foreign nations. The Republican majority along with the President has in 4 years, from 2001 to 2005, has been able to borrow $1.05 trillion in just 4 years. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, since we do not have our chart, I just wanted to give those facts.

Mr. Speaker, very quickly, I believe we have until 34 after the hour. So let me just quickly, since you are talking about the debt and what this Republican Congress has done, we actually have a new chart here tonight.

As you know, Japan has bought $682.8 billion of our debt. China, we are just talking about China, Red China, $249.8 billion of our debt.

Okay, great. UK, $223.2 billion; the Caribbean, $115.3 billion; Taiwan, $71.3 billion; and you have OPEC Nations that are oil Nations, $67.8 billion; Germany, $65.7 billion of our debt; Korea, $66.5 billion of our debt; Canada, $53.8 billion of our debt.

But let me just give you this silhouette here. This is the United States of America. It does not belong to those countries, and guess what, the American people have not delivered it to the countries. The policy of the Republican majority has delivered that debt and that ownership of the American economic pie in a record-breaking way, Mr. Speaker, in the last 4 years, $1.05 trillion of foreign debt borrowed by this country and by this administration and by this Congress.

So it is very, very important, if we are going to have a paradigm shift, that we talk about those pay-as-we-go amendments. Time after time, if we say we are going to buy it, we are going to pay for it; we are going to find a way to pay for it. We just will not put it on the credit card.

Ms. Wasserman Schultz, do you want to close real quick?

Mr. Speaker, it has just been truly a pleasure watching you share not only with the Members, Mr. Speaker, but also with the American people, and we wonder how we got to where we are now. I am just wondering how did we got to where we are now?

Mr. Speaker, I think we have gotten there because of this rubber stamp that is here. It is not just a rubber stamp. It is the Republican Congress rubber stamp, and it is very, very unfortunate that the people that are paying the price for this rubber stamp are the American people at the gas pump. This is graduation time. A lot of parents are going to see their children walk across the stage, but guess what, college assistance and affordable loans will not be there for those children because we are willing to give $42,000, $43,000 in tax breaks to millionaires.

The Republican Congress says they gave tax cuts for the American people. Yes, they are American people, too, but I am not talking about the middle class. The middle class family does not consider themselves millionaires.

I am holding this rubber stamp because this is what got us here. Mr. Ryan talks about paying for that. Let us put that rubber stamp over here.

How we are paying for it is we are making history in all the wrong places: 224 years, $1.01 trillion borrowed, Mr. Speaker, over 224-year, 42 Presidents combined, $1.01 trillion. The Republican Congress and President Bush, he could not do it without the Republican Congress, has been able to borrow $1.05 trillion over just 4 years. 224 years versus 4 years, even though we are at war, even though we have little health care for Americans, if any, and Mr. Speaker, we have given out tax breaks to the oil companies.

And the special giveaways and special interests.

Let me just quickly, I just want to make the point here. Oil companies, look at the subsidies and look at the profits. They have reaped $113 billion in record breaking profits in 2005; 2004, $84 billion; 2003, $59 billion; 2002, $34 billion. It is coincidental, Mr. Speaker, that after the meeting at the White House with the oil companies, that was uncovered, after they denied all of this, that they were a part of the working group, that the profit level went up.

Now, I am not just a Member with a conspiracy theory, but just the other day in the Democratic Caucus, we had a gentleman that came to speak to us about alternative fuel sources. The question was asked, well, is not the oil companies, I mean, they have commercials going on talking about how they are investing in alternative fuels. This is an actual shot of a pump at an ExxonMobil station. Here you have regular, you have special and then you have super plus.

But this is the interesting part, Mr. Speaker, because this is the ethanol part here that says E-85 which is an alternative fuel. Guess what is happening here. This sign here, and I hope that, Mr. Speaker, the Members can see it. You cannot use your Mobil credit card.

So basically what they are saying is that you can use your credit card for the gas because we want to keep you on this stuff, but if you get a vehicle with alternative fuels, even though you are a customer of ours, you cannot use our card for that fuel. Now, I guarantee you I can walk into the little food mart here at that ExxonMobil and buy a case of sodas if I wanted to with my ExxonMobil card. Someone who is a smoker can buy eight packs of cigarettes.

Sunflower seeds, what have you, but we cannot buy alternative fuels.

Now, meanwhile, back at the ranch, I see the ExxonMobil CEO on The Today Show, and he is saying, oh, we believe in innovation and alternative fuels, but that is not what it is saying at the pump, Mr. Speaker.

So I think that when we start looking at what is wrong with the Republican majority and what we are willing to do, if the American people sees fit to put Democrats in control of this House, that we will fight the big oil companies. We will make sure that there is no price gouging. It will not be a question of having to appoint a group to go out and look at this issue. They will no longer have the kind of open access special interests has had in this House and that is a fact. That is not fiction; that is fact.

So I think it is important when you start looking at all the money that is being borrowed to fund the millionaire tax break, all the money that is being borrowed to make sure that special interests get their tax cut and their subsidies and all these things, meanwhile the American people are paying for it.

I am not going to pull this stuff off the chart tonight, but these are the countries that are owning a part of the American apple pie due to the fact they want to have the great American giveaway.

Mr. Ryan and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, it is just not natural to think that the oil industry, the CEOs, the board members of the oil industry will say, well, we want to do the right thing. Matter of fact, we are going to take money out of our pockets and profits and we are going to put it on the table and we are going to make America energy independent.

It goes against financial logic for them. Their stockholders now are making more money than they have ever made in the history of the country. When they have their shareholder meetings, Mr. Speaker, they do not go there and say, boy, people are paying a lot of money at the pump. What should we do? What should we do? No. We are making more money than we have ever made in our lives, and we are being subsidized by the Republican majority in Congress. What can we do to keep the Republican majority in control of the Congress so we can continue getting what we are getting? That is what is happening.

What has to happen on behalf of the American people, they have to have a Congress that is willing to say, you

know, that is not going to happen any more. We are going to make sure we work very hard so we can start stroking away from this kind of business here. Folks are talking out of both sides of their mouths saying that, oh, we believe in innovation and in alternative fuels, yet at the same time denying their customers the right to use their credit card to buy ethanol.

This is on a pump. This is on the pump. This is on the pump. This is not something that some environmental group ran out and put a sticker on a pump. You can pull up to an ExxonMobil station now and see that on the pump. That is very unfortunate, Mr. Speaker. It is not natural for that to happen.

It is not natural for the Republican majority to say, well, Mr. President, we don't agree with your tax policy because its wrong that we are borrowing money from foreign nations and we are selling America way. It is not natural. It is not natural for the Republican majority to say we have to have oversight. We have to make sure that we have no more Hurricane Katrinas.

Yes, there were some committees that met and found out the obvious, that things went wrong. But there were no solutions that came out of the report of the partisan committee here in the House.

It is not natural for the Republican majority to stand up to companies that are raking in record profits off the backs of the American people. This is well documented. And, Mr. Speaker, I am not even going to beg the Republican majority to do the right thing at this point, because history doesn't reflect that they are willing to be bipartisan in a way that will benefit all Americans, with making sure we work in a bipartisan way.

One thing our leadership has said and one thing we have embraced here in the 30-something Group is that when the American people see fit, hopefully in November, if they are willing to have a Democratic Congress to stand up to this White House and to stand up to the special interests here in Washington, D.C., then we will have bipartisanship. Because bipartisanship can only happen when the leadership allows it. I am saying the leadership in charge allows bipartisanship.

Mr. Speaker, well documented. There are conference committees when we pass a bill in the House and the Senate that comes together and the Democratic members are not even welcome to the conference committee to sit and talk about the ideas and exchange with the Senate so we can send a positive package to the President of the United States. That is not happening.

Ms. Wasserman Schultz, as I close, and then I am going to be quiet, because I just want to make this last little point.

It is unfortunate that it is not natural for the Republican majority to do the right thing. I don't care if you are a Republican or an Independent or a Democrat, or you are thinking about voting and you are 17\1/2\ years old and you can register and vote in November, you have to have a problem. Or 17 and about to vote in November, because you have to be 18. You have to have a problem the way the Republican majority has put this country in a bad posture for the future and the present.

If I don't say anything else tonight, I just want to make sure that the Members understand what they are doing to the country. Not to Democrats. We are all in this. When we go to the pumps, they don't have a price for Democrats and a price for Republicans and a price for Independents. We are all paying the same price. We are all paying the same price at the pump.

So when folks pass policy and say, oh, well, we got what we wanted. It is not about carrying the Republican leadership on your shoulder saying we beat the Democrats on this one. No, you beat the American people, and the American people have had enough of it.

We are here to make it abundantly clear, and we are carrying a message on behalf of all our colleagues on this side of the aisle, and hopefully a few Republicans on that sides of the aisle, that we are willing to lead on behalf of the American people and not K Street, not the special interests, not somebody's cousin that happened to get a lobbying job that came here to get the right policy here, like they did in the White House on these oil companies.

Am I upset? You're doggone right I am upset. So I just want to make sure that we are clear on that, crystal; that everyone understands and we break this down so that the average Joe and Sue and Sally can understand what we are talking about here.

You know why it is breaking down, because special interests have been allowed to infiltrate the U.S. House of Representatives. The K Street Project until denounced a few months ago was alive and well in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, you know it. I know it. The majority and minority know it. Articles were written, you have to be a part of the K Street Project or you are out of it. There was one Member of this House who said if they are not on the list as being a part of the K Street Project that is contributing to make sure that Republicans stay in the majority here in the House, and that also means if they did not hire staffers or ex-staffers that Republican leadership Members asked them to hire, they were not going to have access.

I am going to read this Washington Post article, Wednesday, November 16, 2005, front page: White House documents show executives from big oils companies met with the Vice President's energy task force in 2001.

Well, let us look at the chart. What happened in 2002 after they met? Wow, $34 billion in profits.

``Something long expected by environmentalists but denied as recent as last week by industry officials testifying before Congress. A document obtained this week by The Washington Post,'' and that was November 2005, ``shows that officials from ExxonMobil, Phillips, Shell Oil and BP, Inc., met in the White House complex with Cheney's aides who were developing national energy policies, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated.''

The bottom line is it is just not natural for the Republican majority to be part of my revolution. Their revolution is making sure that the special interests get what they want, not the revolution of accountability or any Contract for America that they came up with.

So they got in majority, and they lost touch with the rhetoric that they were sharing with the American people, and look at what happened.

The facts, after the meeting in the White House complex was documented, not the fact that the White House came forward and said, we had a meeting; no, we had to do some insight and investigation. And guess what? The American spirit broke through, and somebody said, yes, there was a meeting, I was there. Not me, but the person who reported that. There was $34 billion in profits after the meeting. Let us look at the profits here. I think that was a pretty good meeting on behalf of the special interests.

That is why Mr. Toomey is saying what he is saying. That is why Mr. Gingrich is saying what he is saying, and that is the reason why the average American person is saying, I am not voting party; I am voting for my family. I am not voting because somebody said, you are a Republican and this is what you have to do. I am not a registered Republican, but I guarantee you those people who delivered the Republican majority in this House voted for the things that they were promised some 12-14 years ago, not what is going on right now here in this House.

If they want a change, they have an opportunity to do it, and we want to make sure that everyone knows they have the power, and not to believe the rhetoric of the 30-second ad about why you need to elect me because the facts are not there on the majority's behalf, the Republican majority's behalf, that they are going to deliver for the average American worker, the average American senior citizen, the average American child that is trying to get an education. Because when they walk across that stage this week and next week, they are going to pay more than ever for their education, and it comes by way of the cuts in the budget to make sure that oil companies and millionaires get their tax breaks, and make sure that individuals who are carrying out bad policy as it relates to not having a strategy in Iraq continue to carry on that bad policy, and no one can wave an Independent or Republican or Democratic flag and say what is happening right now is good in Congress.

What we have to do is change the majority in this House to a Democratic majority because we have the will and the desire to lead, and I believe the American people know. And I believe the Republican majority knows it. I think it is going to happen, and it is going to happen because of what they have not done and what we are willing to do.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at midnight), the House adjourned until today, Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at 10 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to 15 outstanding students in Miami-Dade County schools who were honored on May 16th at an impressive ceremony in the Dade County Auditorium. These 2006 Miami Herald/EI Nuevo Herald's Silver Knights were cited for their academic excellence and all-around leadership, as well as for their dedication to uplifting the lives of others. This honor reflects their personal achievement as ``visionaries and role models'' for whom we feel absolute pride and unique honor. These exceptional students represent the best and the brightest of our youth, and it is in this spirit of service and commitment to their fellow man that our community will rest assured of a bright future.

The awardees and their achievement areas are: Athletics--Amanda Estevez from Florida Christian School; Business--Stephanie Fink from Coral Gables Sr.; English--Gerardo Munoz from Miami Sr.; General Scholarship--Xavier Gonzalez From Coral Park Sr.; Journalism--Marcus Parramore from Coral Gables Sr.; Math--Gongqi ``Gina'' He from Palmetto Sr.; Music--Cathy Kim-King Ng from Sunset Sr.; News Media--Kemy Joseph from Homestead Sr.; and Speech--Clarissa Parks from Coral Reef Sr.

I would also like to commend the following honorees, who are my constituents and attend schools in my District. They are: Art-- Charolette Jarrett from Dr. Michael Krop Sr.; Drama--Brittany Little from Miami Northwestern Sr.; Foreign Language--Dave Fils-Aime from Dr. Michael Krop Sr.; Science--Zachary Sandoval from Dr. Michael Krop Sr.; Vocational-Technical--Chynna Clayton from Turner Technical Sr. In a special manner, I am extending my commendation to Nicholas Nelson- Goedert from North Miami Beach Sr., the Social Science awardee, who is currently serving as an intern in my District Office.

There are other Silver Knight Honorable Mentions from my District: Business--Diana Augustin from Turner Tech Sr.; English--Dmitriy Rokhfeld from Dr. Michael Krop Sr. High; Foreign Language--Carol Toro from Miami Country Day School; Music--Drew Davis from Dr. Michael Krop Sr. and Trestiese Davis from Miami Central Sr. High; Math--Willedra Mosley from Miami Carol City Sr. and Kevin Pan from Dr. Michael Krop Sr.; Science--Genevieve Carvil from Carol City Sr.; and Speech--Rhyanne Carrington from Miami Norland Sr.

This group of accomplished young men and women represent the finest high school seniors around, and their individual and collective achievements give me comfort in knowing that the future of our community is in good hands. With earned scholarships they will soon be attending their respective schools of higher learning to once again compete and demonstrate their abilities and character in tackling the demands of a yet greater challenge. Bound by the same commitment to hard work and personal ethic, I am confident that they will bring to fruition their dreams of personal achievement and scholastic excellence in a manner that will benefit society as they go about spreading their contribution of good will as productive and responsible citizens.

Against innumerable odds that would have intimidated lesser spirits, and guided by their faith, work ethic and utmost discipline, these young men and women have genuinely earned their kudos as the 2006 Silver Knights. My pride and honor in representing them in Congress are only exceeded by my deep gratitude for all that they have done to uphold the honor and dignity of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of my colleagues the 80th anniversary of the City of Opa-Locka, Florida, which I am proud to represent in the United States Congress.

Home to more than 15,000 residents in Northwest Miami-Dade County, ``The Great City'' of Opa-Locka has had a long and colorful history, from its founding in the mid-1920s, rapid expansion prior to and during World War II and its recent efforts at revitalization.

The name Opa-Locka is a contraction of the Native American name for the area, ``Opa-tisha-woka-locka'', meaning a dry place in the swamp with trees. The area was developed in the early 1920s by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss and was based on the Arabian Nights theme with streets that have names like Sultan Avenue, Ali Baba Avenue, and Sesame Street. The Arabian Nights style is also reflected in the city's architecture, which features 105 original buildings with an array of domes, elaborate minarets and outside staircases in brightly painted colors built between 1925-28 during Florida's land boom. Officially incorporated in 1926, Opa-Locka today maintains the largest collection of Moorish architecture in the Western hemisphere and 20 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Opa-Locka Airport also has a long and colorful history. In 1918, the Navy relocated a blimp hangar to Opa-Locka from Key West. In the early 1930s, a Naval Reserve Training Base was established here. Commissioned NAS Miami in August 1940, training in fighter, dive-bombing and torpedo bombing skills took place at various times during the history of the base. In addition to serving as headquarters for the 7th Naval District, the station supported a naval air gunnery school, a Marine Corps Air Station, a Coast Guard Station, and a small craft-training center. The peak complement, reached in 1945, consisted of 7,200 officers and men and 3,100 civilians. During the early days of World War II, Opa-Locka's pivotal role in training pilots resulting in the airport having the unique distinction of supporting more takeoffs and landings than any other airport in the world.

Opa-Locka today is a working community that is looking to the future and working hard to revitalize its economic and cultural base while maintaining its small town, close knit sense of community. City Hall, the old Opa-Locka Hotel and the original Opa-Locka Train Station have recently been renovated. Additionally, a new State of Florida Services Building and a variety of new business have located in the City in recent years, and recent interest in Opa-Locka airport holds promise for the future.

As the city begins its ninth decade, I congratulate its leaders and citizens and look forward to working with the government, businesses and people of Opa-Locka in building an even stronger, more vibrant community in the coming years.