Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, America is no stranger to the plague of illegal drugs and drug addiction. For decades, Congress has fought to curb the flow of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into our country.

Today, America is facing a new threat--prescription drug abuse. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription drugs now rank second--only behind marijuana--as America's drug of choice.

The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that as many as 7 million Americans are addicted to prescription drugs--more than the number of cocaine and heroin addicts combined.

Today, prescription painkillers cause a higher number of overdose- related deaths than cocaine or heroin. And large quantities of these drugs are just a few mouse clicks away. The dangers posed by illegal online pharmacies are real. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse reports a 542-percent increase in abuse of prescription opiates among 12- to 17-year olds between 1992 and 2002.

Hundreds of rogue online pharmacies peddle these highly-addictive painkillers to adults and teenagers without a valid prescription. The most popular of these drugs is commonly known as Vicodin.

Teenagers are fast becoming addicted to prescription painkillers, in large part because of their availability on the Internet. The Partnership for a Drug Free America reports that every day, 2,500 teenagers use a prescription drug to get high for the first time. Teenagers are abusing prescription drugs at a higher rate because they perceive them as less dangerous than illegal drugs.

Today, the House has the opportunity to put a stop to illegal online pharmacies. I am pleased to join Congressman Bart Stupak and Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack as an original sponsor of H.R. 6353, the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008.

On February 12, 2001, Ryan Haight died of an overdose of Vicodin. He was just 18. An investigation into his death revealed that Ryan ordered the drugs from a doctor he had never seen and who had never examined him. The drugs were shipped directly to his home by an online pharmacy.

This legislation amends the Controlled Substances Act to address the growing sale of prescription drugs by these so-called online pharmacies. The bill prohibits the sale or distribution of all controlled substances via the Internet without a valid prescription and requires online pharmacies to display information identifying the business and any pharmacy and doctor associated with the Web site. The bill also provides tough penalties for the illegal sale of prescription drugs.

Legislation sponsored by Senators Feinstein and Sessions unanimously passed the Senate in April. It is time for the House to do the same.

This legislation represents months of hard work and bipartisan negotiations by House and Senate Republicans and Democrats. I wish to thank my House colleagues, Mr. Stupak and Mrs. Bono Mack and my Senate colleagues, Senators Feinstein and Sessions, for their efforts to complete this legislation.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill.

Madam Speaker, by a 5-to-1 ratio, Americans believe the media are trying to help Senator Obama win the Presidency. The following partial list of the ``Best of the Worst'' examples of media bias shows why Americans are right to be concerned.

One, Senator Obama has led Senator McCain in news coverage for 12 consecutive weeks, according to the Nonpartisan Project For Excellence in Journalism.

Two, journalists who gave money to Senator Obama outnumber those who contributed to Senator McCain by a 20-1 margin, according to Investors Business Daily.

Three, while the media often label Governor Palin ``conservative,'' they rarely call Senator Obama or Senator Biden ``liberal,'' even though the National Journal ranked Senator Obama as the most liberal Member of the Senate and Senator Biden as the third most liberal Member of the Senate.

Four, the New York Times opinion editor, a former staff member in the Clinton administration, refused to publish an op-ed by Senator McCain about the Iraq war, just days after publishing an op-ed on the same subject by Senator Obama.

Five, although the media criticize Senator McCain for running negative TV ads, the nonpartisan Wisconsin Advertising Project found that 77 percent of Senator Obama's recent ads have been negative, far more than Senator McCain's.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is more symbolic than substantive. It will not

change the way the alcohol industry distributes their products, and it will not change the way States regulate alcohol distribution. But regrettably, it does celebrate the ``successful system of alcoholic beverage regulation, distribution and sale.''

My opposition is not a reflection on those who support this resolution; it is just that I am uneasy about Congress considering a resolution with this purpose.

Certainly, the alcoholic beverage industry is a legitimate one. I have hardworking business owners in my district who create jobs and pay taxes. Most brewers, distributors and retailers try to ensure that alcohol is made, transported and sold in a safe and legal manner. However, the abuse of alcohol causes incalculable pain and suffering. It has cost thousands of lives, devastated families, and ruined the mental and physical health of many Americans. For the same reason, I would voice concerns about a resolution celebrating the ``successful distribution'' of cigarettes and tobacco products.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, alcohol ranks as a leading cause of death among young people age 10 to 24 due to motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, homicide and suicide. Vehicle accidents have become the number one cause of death for teens in the U.S., over one-third are alcohol related.

And although States have passed laws to prevent individuals from driving while under the influence of alcohol, a huge number of alcohol- related deaths occur on roads across the Nation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that last year drunk driving killed almost 13,000 people.

I do appreciate efforts of the alcoholic beverage industry, small businesses and distributors to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. However, reports tell us that 33 percent of 12th graders still drink beer on at least a monthly basis and over 70 percent say that beer is easy to get.

When Congress can attest that alcohol is no longer easily accessible to teens, that alcohol no longer contributes to 13,000 accident deaths each year, and that alcohol no longer devastates families and individuals, then a resolution celebrating the ``successful distribution'' of alcohol might be in order. Until then, I continue to have concerns with this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to my good friend and colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Coble).

Mr. Speaker, before yielding back the balance of my time, I do want to thank my friend and colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Cohen, the gentleman from Tennessee, for those nice comments. He is right to point out the connections between Texas and Tennessee. Frankly, I

think they're a source of great interest and pride to residents of both States. I certainly appreciate his friendship. I appreciate the way he has conducted this debate tonight as well.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, sometimes the worst examples of unfair news coverage are what reporters choose not to say. For example, while the media often label Governor Sarah Palin ``conservative,'' they seldom call Senator Barack Obama or Senator Joe Biden ``liberal,'' despite the fact that the National Journal ranks Senator Obama as the most liberal member of the Senate, and Senator Biden as the third most liberal member of the Senate.

A comparison of television network news programs immediately after each vice presidential selection shows that newscasters continually referred to Governor Sarah Palin as ``conservative,'' but did not one time, not a single time, label Senator Joe Biden as ``liberal.''

The American people should encourage the media to apply the same rules to both Presidential tickets. Only then can we restore Americans' faith in news reporting.

Madam Speaker, I would like the record to show that on rollcall vote 575, H.R. 6630, I inadvertently voted ``yea'' when I intended to vote ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, according to a recent Rasmussen poll, more than half of U.S. voters now think reporters are trying to hurt Governor Sarah Palin with their news coverage, while a scant 5 percent think reporters are trying to help the VP candidate with their coverage.

The encouraging development is that the American people are letting the media, from MSNBC to Us Weekly to Oprah, know that they will not stand for slanted election coverage. By sending e-mails, canceling subscriptions, and contacting advertisers, they are making their voices heard.

This is an important development. The American people know that they do have a say in the media's coverage. For all those who are dissatisfied with the election coverage, I urge you to contact your local and national media outlets and demand the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 4081, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act. And I want to thank Congressman Weiner from New York for working hard to bring this legislation to the floor today.

This bipartisan bill will help combat cigarette trafficking, which is a growing problem in America. Combating cigarette trafficking is an issue both Congress and the manufacturers want to address together.

Taxes on cigarettes vary greatly from State to State. This difference in tax rates creates a market for criminals and organized crime syndicates to purchase cigarettes from one State and smuggle them to another State to resell them below market value and without paying local taxes.

The PACT Act closes loopholes in current tobacco trafficking laws and provides law enforcement officials with ways to combat the deceptive methods being used by cigarette traffickers to distribute their products. First, the legislation strengthens the Jenkins Act, a long- standing law that requires vendors who sell cigarettes to out-of-State buyers to report these sales to the buyer's State tobacco tax administrator. The PACT Act makes it a Federal felony for anyone to sell cigarettes by telephone, the mail, or the Internet and not comply with all relevant State tax laws.

The PACT Act requires Internet cigarette sellers to verify the purchaser's age and identity through easily accessible databases. This measure protects children and ensures that they cannot anonymously purchase cigarettes from the Internet.

The PACT Act also empowers the Attorney General to compile a list of delivery sellers who fail to comply with State tax laws. Any seller who lands on that list will be prohibited from using the U.S. Postal Service or common carriers like FedEx or DHL to deliver their products.

The PACT Act creates reasonable procedures to ensure that the Attorney General's list of noncompliant tobacco delivery sellers is both accurate and complete.

In summary, Mr. Speaker, the PACT Act prevents the loss of tax revenue, combats cigarette smuggling, and limits children's access to cigarettes; all worthy goals.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

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

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

Madam Speaker, yesterday the House voted on a motion to censure the gentleman from New York, Mr. Rangel.

Members had no advance notice of the vote, and I did not familiarize myself with the substance of the motion as much as I would have liked.

If the vote were taken again, I would vote present rather than ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, the story of the 2008 election is being told by a partisan media. If you have any doubt, just follow the money.

An analysis by Investor's Business Daily shows that journalists contributed 15 times more money to Democrats than Republicans during this election cycle. While 235 journalists donated to Democrats, just 20 gave to Republicans, a margin of more than 10-1. And journalists who gave to Senator Obama outnumbered those who contributed to Senator McCain by a 20-1 margin. No wonder nearly seven in 10 Americans say the media wants Senator Obama to win the election, according to a recent poll.

Mr. Speaker, we need to promote fairness and objectivity in journalism. Only then we will restore Americans' faith in the media.

Madam Speaker, I submit the following:

Requesting Member: Congressman Lamar Smith.

Bill Number: H.R. 6599.

Account: Department of the Army, Military Construction.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Sam Houston.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1206 Stanley Road, Suite A, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-5001.

Description of Request: The funding would be used to construct a Trainee Barracks Complex. This project will provide a 1200 PN barracks, a Battalion Headquarters, Two Company Operation Buildings and a Central Energy Plant.

Madam Speaker, today I want to congratulate Dr. John George on the occasion of his retirement after 28 years of Federal service with the United States Department of Agriculture.

Through his continued effort and diligence, Dr. George has established a distinguished career in both academia and research. In 1979, Dr. George joined the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) as Research Leader of the Tick Research Unit of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, KBUSLIRL, Kerrville, TX. Dr. George is currently the Research Leader of all Current Research Information System projects at the KBUSLIRL, and in addition was designated Laboratory Director in 1999. Dr. George's work with the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program has been instrumental in protecting the U.S. cattle industry from Texas Cattle Fever Ticks.

In addition to the many contributions that Dr. George has made to the ARS, KBUSLIRL, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, Veterinary Services, and international tick control organizations, he has been an active leader of various professional organizations. He has served as President of the Acarological Society of America, President of the Southwestern Branch of the Entomological Society of America, the Southwestern Branch Representative to the Governing Board of the ESA, and Vice-chairmanship to the Parasitic Diseases Committee of the U.S. Animal Health Association. In addition, to numerous societal committee assignments he has served on the editorial boards of three ESA Journals. In 2003, his peers in livestock entomology recognized his devotion and contributions to his profession when he was presented with the Life-Time Achievement Award, sponsored by Bayer Animal Health, at the 47th Annual Livestock Insect Workers Conference, Atlantic Beach,

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank Congressman Calvert for introducing the original bill on which this legislation was based, and for sponsoring this legislation as well. Also, thanks go to Chairwoman Lofgren, who just spoke; Ranking Members McCrery and Johnson, and Chairman Rangel for reaching a compromise on such an important issue.

The E-Verify Program protects American workers by ensuring that jobs are reserved for legal workers. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 created the basic pilot program, which is now known as E-Verify. For the last decade, this program has provided American employers who want to do the right thing with an effective way to ensure that they are hiring a legal workforce. It ensures that new employees are not providing their employers with fake Social Security numbers.

As the E-Verify Program has grown more popular--over 69,000 employers nationwide now participate--it has become the subject of some very unfair criticism. To set the record straight, participating employers are happy with

the basic pilot program. Last year, an outside evaluation determined that ``most employers found the Web basic pilot to be an effective and reliable tool for employment verification'' and that an amazing 96 percent did not believe that it overburdened their staffs.

The accuracy of the databases that lie at the heart of the basic pilot program also has been unfairly maligned. However, the facts about these databases could not be more encouraging.

Last year's outside evaluation found that in less than 1 percent, only .6 percent of cases, do employees who were eventually determined to be work-authorized undergo secondary verification. This means that persons eligible to work receive immediate confirmation 99.4 percent of the time. For the native-born, 99.9 percent receive immediate confirmation. For employees born outside of the U.S., 97 percent receive immediate confirmation. That is a success rate any company in America would be happy to have.

A common misperception is that secondary verification means error by a Federal agency. That is simply not the case. Secondary verification usually means that an illegal immigrant has been caught providing false information or that an employee has failed to update their records with the Social Security Administration. This is seldom acknowledged by those who question the E-Verify Program.

Of the employees who were asked to contact local Social Security Administration offices as part of the verification process, 95 percent said their work authorization problem was resolved in a timely, courteous, and efficient manner.

Finally, it has been alleged that the Social Security Administration's Inspector General has found the agency's database to be inaccurate. However, the Inspector General actually stated, ``We applaud the agency on the accuracy of the data we tested.''

The legislation before us tonight reauthorizes the E-Verify Program for 5 years and puts in place a system to help ensure that the Department of Homeland Security covers the cost of the program.

It is hard to believe that those who attack E-Verify are serious about reducing illegal immigration or saving American jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the bill is on the House floor. I urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), a member of the Appropriations Committee, a sponsor of the bill that we are considering tonight, and the author of the legislation on which the bill tonight is based.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my Texas colleague, Sam Johnson, who is the ranking member of the Social Security Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for her comments and her endorsement of this bill.

I yield now 3 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) who is the ranking member of the Immigration Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray), who is the chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, we have one last speaker on this side and I will recognize him or yield to him right now, and that is, again, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) my remaining time, which I believe is 2 minutes.

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

Madam Speaker, I submit the following:

Requesting Member: Congressman Lamar Smith.

Bill Number: H.R. 6599.

Account: Defense Medical Program, TRICARE Management Activity, Military Construction, Defense-Wide.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Fort Sam Houston.

Address of Requesting Entity: 1206 Stanley Road, Suite A, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-5001.

Description of Request: The funding would be used to construct a medical instruction facility. This project provides general and applied instructional space, administrative space and automation-aided classroom space.

Madam Speaker, in a blatant show of partisanship, the New York Times this week refused to publish an op-ed by Senator John McCain about Iraq just days after publishing an op-ed on the same subject by Senator Barack Obama. The Times' op-ed editor, a former staff member in the Clinton administration, said he wanted something from McCain that ``mirrors Senator Obama's piece.''

Instead of permitting one candidate to set the rules, maybe the Times should allow equal opportunity for the Presidential candidates to both express their views on major issues like Iraq.

The American people should demand more fairness and less favoritism from the New York Times. Voters deserve the highest standards of journalism both during this important election and afterwards.

Mr. Speaker, I, in turn, thank the gentlewoman and the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that there are good arguments for and against this bill, but I want to focus on a provision that many Members may not be aware of.

Under current law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to consider HIV/AIDS a communicable disease of public health significance; as a result, aliens with HIV/AIDS are inadmissible. Section 305 of the bill rescinds the statutory designation of HIV/AIDS as a communicable disease. This change would allow the current or a future administration to decide that HIV/AIDS is not a communicable disease of public health significance, and immigrants with HIV/AIDS would be admitted.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this provision will result in the entry of thousands of persons with HIV/AIDS. This change of policy inevitably will threaten the health and lives of many Americans. The CBO also estimates that allowing entry of thousands of persons with HIV/AIDS will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. The cost of health care for each person with HIV/AIDS averages more than $600,000. Mr. Speaker, this provision removes a safeguard that protects the health of Americans and costs many millions of dollars.