Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to a civic club in Williamson County, Tennessee that has provided benevolent support to the people living in the City of Franklin for sixty years.

With fourteen original members eager to be of service to the community, Franklin Noon Rotary sought official recognition and was charted on January 13, 1948. Mr. Jim Warren was elected the Rotary's first president.

One of the club's first actions was the creation of the Franklin Rodeo. The rodeo, now entering its 60th year, has grown into an impressively large community event and charity fundraiser. Through charitable giving, which totals in the millions, thousands of people have been helped. This money has taken the form of college scholarships, books, medical education, health care, band uniforms, help for the mentally and physically handicapped, support of exchange students, construction of park facilities, donations to local charities, Polio Plus and many more worthwhile projects.

Madam Speaker, no other Franklin Civic Club has raised and spent more money in the community than the Franklin Noon Rotary Club. It is only fitting that I rise today to thank the past and present officers and past and present members of the Franklin Noon Rotary for contributing their time and hard earned money so that others may have a better life. They have made a great contribution to Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee and the United States of America.

I am honored to stand with them today to recognize their efforts and to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Franklin Noon Rotary and Franklin Rodeo. May God continue to watch over these fine Rotarians and those they seek to help.

I thank the gentlelady from California.

All of us, I'm sure, have had an opportunity--at least most--to visit the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. And being there, we have observed the greatness of the volunteers who volunteer their service for this great country and to help preserve, defend, and to bring about liberty and freedom to others in different parts of the world today, mainly in those two war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the third one in the area of the Balkans.

But as they serve, some give the ultimate sacrifice. And for all of those who serve and who have served, and for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, we can never really do enough as a Nation to thank them for their service and, ultimately, leaving their families with the loss of their lives.

In 1775, a shot heard around the world brought American men and women into battle at the Siege of Boston that lasted through the spring of 1776, which eventually brought us into war for our independence. After several years and the loss of many lives, we obtained our independence. Since that time, our young men and women have been willing to volunteer to go into the battlefields to preserve the freedom that our first military men and women fought to give us, and we've been willing to preserve that and we should continue as a Nation.

But I think when we look at those who give the ultimate sacrifice, sometimes we give the medals and we show sympathy and appreciation to the families, and then after a while, we forget that. I know in every courthouse and every city hall there are monuments that have the names of those who have given their lives for this country and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

On Memorial Day we visit and Veterans Day we visit, perhaps some special days like 9/11 we again remember and we visit those who have their names engraved on the markings and on the monuments in our courthouses and city halls throughout this country.

But I believe that just those two or three special occasions are not enough.

And, Mr. Speaker, I didn't realize how little we were showing appreciation for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice until my very first visit in early 2004 to Iraq. We had just traveled from one part of Iraq, flying back into Baghdad in a C-130. And before we boarded the plane, there was an escort detail. And we noticed that there was a casket, a flag-draped casket. A very solemn occasion as you looked at the lines of the young men and women who were saying farewell to the one who had given his life. And they placed that in that cargo bay off the C-130. Those of us who were Members of Congress sat more to the front--those who have traveled obviously know that we ride the jump seats as we go in and out into Iraq or Afghanistan.

And for some reason, when I looked in the faces of those young men who were the escorts, the solemn faces, the faces who weren't looking to anyone, I don't think, for sympathy, but just understanding, for me, on that occasion, I said, I don't think we do enough. And in 2004, I introduced this bill, the same one that's here today, to where we can at least once a month--12 times a year, plus the other occasions--say thank you to the mothers and fathers, to the brothers and sisters of the one who gave his life, and to the one who gave his life, that America still cherishes, respects, loves and remembers the sacrifice that you gave to this Nation.

So for me, it is my hope that this bill passes unanimously, and that we honor those who have given their life for this great Nation of ours.

Mr. Chairman, it is good to be here to discuss what I believe is the foundation of our society and America, our Constitution.

In 1787, the articles were proposed that ultimately became the foundation for our Constitution. In 1789, 12 amendments were offered, of which only 10 were approved immediately, or pretty well immediately, by 1791.

Included in those are 10 amendments we often called the Bill of Rights. The first one, a lot of us talk about, our ability to have religious freedom. In the South, where I am from, that is something that we treasure. Our freedom of speech is included in number one. And number two is the right to bear arms.

Now, I know we don't live on the frontier anymore, but if you can imagine a farmer or someone moving his family into the wilderness in Tennessee, or as we moved westward, one of the things that you would find with them, pieces of equipment, more than just the farm equipment, was generally a muzzleloader, that would hang on many cases on the beam that supported the loft in the cabin in which the family would live. It was there for protection.

When he would go into the fields to farm, he would also take his muzzleloader with him, oftentimes leaning it upon a stump or a tree, where it would be for protection from wildlife or wild animals or from those who might be intending to do harm to his family or himself.

The second amendment gives us that right to protect our homes and our family, whether it is in Pall Mall, Tennessee, where I am from, are whether it is right here in Washington, D.C. We can't suspend the Constitution depending on where we live.

We had a huge argument over what is called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, about whether or not our individual rights were about to be jeopardized. In fact, many of us argued on this floor that there are certain constitutional guarantees that guarantee our liberty and our freedom from oppression and from an oppressive and intrusive government. In fact, that is not just for Washington, D.C., and it was just not for Pall Mall, Tennessee. It is for all of us who live in this Nation. So, for me, we cannot cherry pick and pick and choose what that Constitution guarantees us.

To me, I applaud the efforts of the gentleman from Mississippi to offer the substitute amendment that I believe will give individuals who live in Washington, D.C. the same opportunity to defend their sons and their daughters, their husband or their wife, and the home that they own from those who would do harm or be intrusive in their homes.

Thank you, Mr. Ross.

Certainly, it's always a pleasure to be here to speak when the Blue Dogs have a special session and an opportunity to come and speak before the Members of Congress, as well as the American people. There are some facts that I believe all of us need to know. I think the American people need to know this.

When you look at the oil reserves, the proved oil reserves, that we have in the world, America has about 3 percent. When you look at the actual production of the consumption of oil in the world, we produce about 10 percent of the world's consumption. Unfortunately, we consume almost 25 percent of all the production in the world, and in doing that, it makes us almost be a hostage to oil-producing countries.

Now, let's talk a little bit about how much oil that we use. We use over 7.5, almost 8 billion barrels of crude oil a year. We produce about 2.5 billion of that, and the rest we import, mainly from our hemisphere, some small amount from the Middle East, but mostly, from our hemisphere, whether it's Canada, Mexico, Venezuela. Different parts of our hemisphere comes to America.

Now, what does that tell me? If we have got 3 percent of the oil reserves, then we're always going to be held hostage. But where are those reserves located?

They tell us that we've got roughly 150 billion barrels of crude oil in the Outer Continental Shelf. That's the max. Good estimates say we probably have no more than 85 billion barrels of crude oil in the Outer Continental Shelf, add about 10 billion max up in ANWR or about 7.5 billion that we could actually take out of ANWR for a profitable margin for our oil companies.

That being the case, we have a 1-year supply in ANWR. We're hearing from folks who are making this a political issue that we just drill and drill our way out of it.

We import 5 billion barrels of crude oil a year, 5 billion barrels. If we, in fact, have 100 billion barrels of crude oil, which is the estimate that we would have probably in both ANWR, in the Outer Continental Shelf in Alaska, in the Outer Continental Shelf in the Pacific--about 24 billion in the Outer Continental Shelf in Alaska; 20 billion barrels in the Outer Continental Shelf in the Pacific; in the gulf about 44 billion; very little on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, about 3 to 4 billion barrels; little over 100 billion barrels total. That's a 20-year supply of what we're importing today.

And we will use all that up, and if we have another war, by the time we have to defend ourselves and have the abundance of oil, are we going to go to Saudi Arabia or Iraq or Iran and ask them for oil so we can fight them with it?

I think we have got to look at alternatives more than we have ever looked. Ten years ago, in 1998, the average price of a barrel of oil was $14 a barrel. Let me rephrase that. Just 10 years ago, $14 a barrel. Volatile conditions in the world, over-consumption, and in many cases, an unplanned energy policy that will make us totally self- sustainable has not occurred.

I did some research on windmills. From 1850 to 1900 over 6 million windmills were sold in this country. They ground our corn with it to make cornmeal. They ground our wheat to make flour. In some cases, they even used it

for electricity. In 1880, this country had 50 million people in it: 9.5 million families, 8.5 million households. In that 50-year period of time, 6 million windmills. They were smarter than us because we've become dependent on the combustion engine. We've become dependent on foreign sources for our crude oil.

It is time that we take a serious look at all the alternatives, including wind and solar, including nuclear. I'm not sure I'd like to say this. T. Boone Pickens is one of those guys, Mr. Speaker, that helped fund Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. When that guy comes to the Democrat Caucus and says you are on the right track, a staunch Republican, it tells me we are doing something right.

I would love to spend about 20 minutes here.

Would the gentleman yield?

One last word.

This issue demands and requires leadership probably more than any other issue that we've addressed in this Congress, leadership on doing what's right, not fabricating an issue that we can solve it by just drilling our way out of it. It's going to take leadership to give us an energy policy that will sustain America's future.

Mr. Speaker, I say thanks to my good friend from Ohio (Mr. Space) and others on the other side of the aisle who have taken it upon themselves to be sure that the ARC, the Appalachian Regional Commission, continues to exist.

Appalachia has long been plagued by lack of job opportunities and high unemployment, resulting in low per capita income, educational deficiencies, and a dilapidated infrastructure.

The Conference of Appalachian Governors was formed in 1960 to develop a regional approach to resolving these problems. In 1961 they brought their cause to President John F. Kennedy, known to have been moved by the poverty he saw during his campaign trips to West Virginia. At the time, one of every three Appalachians lived in poverty. Per capita income was 23 percent lower than the U.S. average. High unemployment and harsh living conditions had, in the 1950s, forced more than 2 million Appalachians to leave their homes and seek work in other regions of the Nation. By 1963, Kennedy had formed the President's Appalachian Regional Commission and directed it to create a comprehensive program for economic development of the Appalachian region. The resulting report was endorsed by the Conference of Appalachian Governors and President John Kennedy's cabinet. Soon after, Lyndon B. Johnson used the report to create legislation which ultimately created the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1965.

The ARC has long worked to address the long-term economic distress and isolation of the Appalachian region, and to press for greater Federal involvement in addressing the region's common problems. The ARC funds several hundreds projects annually affecting one of our Nation's most underserved populations. The ARC has played a leading role in granting consistently impoverished communities with improving water and sewer systems, sometimes providing running water for the first time, improving educational resources and teacher training in schools, access to health care, access to telecommunications and the Internet, and providing technical assistance for new business initiatives. They provide State and local agencies such as economic development agencies and human resource agencies in my 10,000-square mile congressional district, as well as nonprofit organizations. These projects have resulted in thousands of jobs.

Mr. Speaker, this is just the tip of the iceberg of ARC's good works. It is necessary and appropriate to reauthorize this valuable asset for rural America. It is my hope this Congress does. And on a note from those that I represent, without that funding from ARC and many of the Federal agencies, people who are my neighbors would not be able to have a water line that has usable water, safe water, a sewer system, nor would they have in many cases first responder buildings, as well as equipment that is much needed.

Madam Speaker, born in Putnam County and raised in Cumberland County, Lt. General William E. Odom rose to great prominence in the U.S. military intelligence community and was a widely known expert on matters relating to the Soviet Union.

A natural born leader, Odom graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1954. Over the next twenty years Gen. Odom earned a Masters Degree and Ph.D. from Columbia University, was stationed in East Germany for a lengthy period of time, taught at West Point, and served at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

In 1977, he was appointed as the military assistant to President Carter's National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski. General Odom served in that position till 1981. Shortly after leaving the White House and for a little more than 3 years, Odom held the position of Assistant Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence. By 1985 General Odom was named the 11th Director of the National Security Agency, our nation's largest intelligence agency.

Retiring in 1988 from the Army and the National Security Agency, General Odom embarked in a career in academia. Over the next twenty years he taught at Yale University and Georgetown University and was a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute.

General Odom is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame at the United States Army Intelligence Center in Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

On behalf of Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District and a grateful nation, we thank General Odom for his service in defense of our country.

Madam Speaker, it's a pleasure today to come on the floor and talk about ways that this Congress and those of us who serve here can help those who are unfortunate to have lost a job.

I have watched the opposition on the other side attempt for the last couple of years to make illegal immigration their issue. I have watched with dismay as they continue to bring to this floor and blame Democrats in this Congress for the cost of gasoline at $4 a

gallon. Back home we have a saying: that dog ain't gonna hunt in this Congress.

In fact, when you look at what they attempted to do on immigration, their Presidential candidate introduced an amnesty bill, and now their attempts on the floor are to block this Congress from even introducing legislation or passing legislation that would have been an energy package that would even attempt, that would attempt, to tell oil companies you have to pay your fair share of taxes.

So what they're now trying to do is block legislation that gives amnesty to big oil companies. Again, that's not going to work.

And now they come to the floor saying pay-as-you-go principles are not being followed with this bill that's been introduced, and I hope it passes today.

So as we look at this legislation, let's talk about pay-as-you-go. I used to be an employer. Today in Tennessee, if you employ someone, you pay between .15 percent, less than 1 percent, up to 10 percent as an employer of what each employee earns. They're paying as they go. At Forbus General Store, my friend Joe pays every paycheck every week so much percentage of what his employees earned into a Federal trust fund. He's paying as he goes. And when someone has to be laid off because jobs are not available, the economy turned sour, those individuals apply for and receive unemployment benefits.

We're paying as we go constantly. We have close to $40 billion in the trust fund. Currently, this bill today scored with the CBO saves roughly $10 billion cost over 10 years. This Congress has attempted to address the issues of oil prices and unemployment.

It seems to me that as we listen to the other side, they're constantly trying to find some way that would be a head shot on issues for an election campaign. I tell you who's getting a head shot right now, folks who work at furniture factories in Tennessee and North Carolina, folks who work at auto industries. Their jobs are being lost. That's a head shot to them.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3229) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the legacy of the United States Army Infantry and the establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to advise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

The oldest and largest branch of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army infantry, was established on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress ordered the formation of 10 companies of riflemen. The riflemen comprised the first armed force of a new Nation, a Nation destined to become the greatest democracy the world has ever known. Since that time, the infantry has gone where other forces could not go and accomplished missions others could not attempt.

The story of the Queen of Battle has been written by individual infantrymen who have done their duty with pride, courage and honor. Their suffering and sacrifices won our freedom, preserved that freedom for over two centuries and will guarantee it in the future. Some were called heroes, some were not, but they were all members of a band of brothers who fought for their country in the cause of freedom.

For more than two centuries the United States infantry has fought alongside other armed forces to protect their freedom. Their missions have sent them around the world and literally brought them face-to-face with the enemy.

From the Siege of Boston of 1775 to San Juan Hill, to the Battle of New Orleans, to the Argonne Forest, where Sergeant York distinguished himself, to the beaches of Normandy, they hunted the enemy in the Shau Valley, parachuted into Panama, and currently subdue our enemies on cold mountainside and hot desert sands in both Iraq and Afghanistan. When policymakers finished talking, when debate has ceased, when negotiations have failed and orders are given, it becomes the mission of the United States infantry to execute our national policy.

Their courage, pride and sense of beauty to country and each other stood tall above any fear they faced. But the battle for our freedom has been costly. As many as 80 percent of all the servicemen and women who have died serving their country were part of the infantry.

To honor the infantry's decorated history, the National Infantry Foundation, in coordination with the United States Army, have broken ground on a new world-class museum honoring them. Located on a 200-acre site of Fort Benning, Georgia, the National Infantry Museum will serve as a tribute to the infantry's legacy of valor and sacrifice. This museum will honor these soldiers for their selfless service to our country, while also preserving for all time the artifacts so poignantly telling their stories.

It will tell the story of our ground soldiers, from the colonial period to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lessons of the past will be retold to help lead us in the future.

Our children must learn and know that there are values and beliefs worth living for and worth dying for, that the freedom and liberty we enjoy today has come at a high price, and that the American values of patriotism, duty, courage and leadership are the hallmarks of the infantry and must be preserved.

With 290 cosponsors, this bipartisan legislation honors the legacy of the United States infantry with the minting of the infantry coin. Money raised from the sale of the coins will go towards maintaining the National Infantry Museum.

I applaud the efforts of the National Infantry Foundation, its rich history deserves to be kept alive for all who follow. These heroes are perhaps too humble to tell their own story, so we will have to do it for them.

I thank the gentleman from Georgia for authoring this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following correspondence:

House of Representatives,

Committee on Ways and Means,

Washington, DC, May 22, 2008.

Hon. Barney Frank,

Chairman, Financial Services Committee, Rayburn House Office

Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Frank: I am writing regarding H.R. 3229, the

``National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative

Coin Act.''

As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means maintains

jurisdiction over bills that raise revenue. H.R. 3229

contains a provision that establishes a surcharge for the

sale of commemorative coins that are minted under the bill,

and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on

Ways and Means.

However, as part of our ongoing understanding regarding

commemorative coin bills and in order to expedite this bill

for Floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action.

This is being done with the understanding that it does not in

any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the

appointment of Conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives

on this bill or similar legislation in the future.

I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 3229, and would ask

that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be

included in the record.

Sincerely,

Charles B. Rangel,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, over 250 years ago, Benjamin Franklin created the Union Fire Company, the first volunteer fire fighting company in America. Today, volunteers make up over 70% of United States firefighters, with 820,000 Americans dedicating their free time to protecting their neighbors, homes and communities from fire and other calamities.

More than 21,000 of the roughly 30,000 fire departments in the country are entirely comprised of volunteer service members ready and willing to respond to over a million fires every year. Our volunteer fire fighters spend their time and resources to train, prepare and equip themselves so they are ready to face whatever challenge might threaten our homes or safety. Moreover, firefighters are summoned to address a wide variety of emergencies in our country every year, from emergency medical care to natural disasters, water rescue to threats from hazardous materials and more.

The volunteer firefighters of today are working hard to carry on a tradition of commitment to each other that outlasts America itself. As long as fires threaten the well-being of our neighbors and loved ones, the volunteer firefighters of America will continue to answer the call in our defense. For all they do, they deserve our thanks and respect. I rise with my colleagues today to applaud their service and that of paid full-time and part-time firefighters to our country and their noble regard for the protection of us all.

Madam Speaker, watching over the air and sea while providing exemplary support for our land based services, the United States Navy has a service record that history has looked favorably upon from the Revolutionary War through the Battle of Midway to their present day services around the globe.

One alumni of this cherished brotherhood, Admiral Frank Kelso II, a man who dedicated his life to service of his country, was recently bestowed with the 2008 Distinguished Graduate Award during the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association's annual ceremonies in Annapolis, Maryland.

With a Naval career as long as it is distinguished, Admiral Kelso, born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, steadily rose through the ranks following his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1956.

Serving various tours on Balao, Skipjack, Permit, and LaFayette class submarines and attending the Navy's Submarine School, Admiral Kelso was promoted to Commanding Officer of the Naval Nuclear Power School, USS Finback and USS Bluefish.

In subsequent tours, the Admiral served as Executive Assistant to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. He was then assigned to reestablish and command Submarine Squadron Seven.

In 1980 he was selected as Rear Admiral, where his Pentagon assignments included Director, Strategic Submarine Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and Director, Office of Program Appraisal, Office of the Secretary of the Navy.

By 1985 Admiral Kelso was commanding the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and NATO Naval Striking Force and Support Forces Southern Europe. During this time the Admiral led successful operations against Libya.

Earning his fourth star, Kelso was promoted to Admiral in 1986, shortly before assuming the duties of Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Admiral Kelso later became NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command.

Admiral Kelso's naval career reached its high point when he was named the 24th Chief of Naval Operations in 1990, making him the first Tennessean to hold that position. He served as CNO for nearly four years.

Beyond serving in a high ranking military position in the U.S. government and the numerous medals he has earned, Admiral Kelso has remained humble and grounded--saying his greatest accomplishments are his children and grandchildren. As a father of three and grandfather to five, I can say family is the driving force in life and is to be cherished as described by the Admiral.

We are proud to have Admiral and Mrs. Kelso as native residents of the 4th District and wish them the best.

Madam Speaker, it was nearly 100 years ago that the so-called ``Central Powers'' of Europe opposed the free world in what would become the first of two World Wars. In the midst of our fight against Germany and her Allies at the beginning of the 20th century, one of Fentress County, Tennessee's most famous sons earned a Medal of Honor, and his place in history.

Sergeant Alvin C. York exemplifies perhaps the most common understanding of what a hero embodies: an individual who answered the call of duty and risked themselves for the betterment of others. However, it is the lesser known heroes that I rise today to commend.

Stacy Prater of Pikeville, Tennessee, probably did not have thoughts of heroism in mind as he traveled home from work a few weeks ago. But, when he noticed that the car in front of him was on fire, Stacy stepped in to help the driver and her three children get to safety. With the driver and two children safely out of the vehicle, Stacy rushed into the fire to rescue a third child from a safety seat completely surrounded by flames. Using only a pair of scissors, Stacy released and pulled the child safely out of the vehicle. Through Stacy's efforts, all three children and their mother survived the unexpected incident.

History will probably not remember Stacy, or countless others like him, as it remembers Alvin York. Stacy acted this month not for the glory of heroism, but for what it means to the survivors of that fire. I am proud today to commend Stacy's selfless service, and to commemorate a hometown hero who deserves our continued thanks and appreciation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to welcome to Washington and to the U.S. Congress a close friend of the United States, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.

On the occasion of this important visit, I am also pleased that Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina has joined me to serve as co- chair and co-founder of the Kurdish-American Caucus.

America has no better friend in Iraq than Prime Minister Barzani and the country's Kurdish population. The Kurds have been among America's best allies in the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime and in supporting the transition to a democratic Iraq. Kurdish forces fight and die alongside U.S. troops in support of our mission in Iraq and are unambiguously grateful for America's many sacrifices in Iraq. They welcome a continued military presence in the Kurdistan Region as part of any redeployment of U.S. forces in the future, and offer their sincere friendship in the peace process. The Kurds are a model of stability and moderation in Iraq and have set themselves apart from the bloody sectarianism and factionalism that bedevils the political establishment in Baghdad today.

For those of my colleagues who have not visited the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, I would urge you to do so. My visit to Erbil earlier this year was an extraordinary lesson in how democracy can flourish in the Middle East. It is economically vibrant, peaceful and secure, and pro- American. The Kurdistan Regional Government has seized the opportunity of liberation from Saddam Hussein to establish a government that is both a model for Iraq and a gateway to the rest of the country. This is not to say that there are no challenges ahead. However, with the inspired leadership of Prime Minister Barzani and his colleagues in the region, and his excellent representative in Washington, I am confident of a bright future. I invite my colleagues to join me in the Kurdish- American Caucus and to visit the Kurdistan Region of Iraq so they, too, can see how the ideals of a free and peaceful people can succeed even in war-torn nations of the Middle East.

Madam Speaker, on Monday, May 5th, 2008, I was absent for legislative business to attend a Department of Defense event in my district.-

Had I been present, on H. Res. 952 to establish a National Teacher's Day, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, this month, our nation's Capitol will lose a good friend in Dale Wen-chieh Jieh, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO). Dale will be leaving Washington for his new post as Director- General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Kansas City, Kansas. Dale has served as Director of the Political Division since July 15, 2005, as well as Director of the Congressional Liaison Division since July 1, 2006. During the last three years in Washington, D.C., Dale has made many friends in the administration and on Capitol Hill. He is well known for his scholarly demeanor, warm personality and quick grasp of the issues. He is truly a diplomat's diplomat.

Born in Taiwan, Dale was destined for academic excellence. He attended the National Cheng-chi University in Taiwan and the Graduate Institute of International Relations in Geneva, earning his Master of Arts in International Relations at the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. In addition to Mandarin Chinese, Dale is fluent in English and French.

Dale joined Taiwan's government service in the 1980's. He was a Specialist for the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (1986- 1987); Assistant to the Vice Foreign Minister (1987-1989); Third Secretary, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago; Second Secretary, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand (June 1993- August 1995); Second Secretary on home assignment, Department of African affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Section Chief, Department of International Organizations, MOFA (June 1997-November 1998); Director, European Union Affairs, Taipei Representative Office in Belgium (November 1998-July 2002); Principal Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (July 2002-April 2003); Deputy Director General, Department of International Organizations, MOFA (2003); Director, Political Division, TECRO (2005) and currently serves as Director of the Congressional Liaison Division, TECRO, a post Dale has lead with honor and distinction since 2006.

Though he will be missed in the halls of Congress, I trust Dale will continue to be an effective representative of the Taiwan government in his new post in Kansas City. I am confident Dale will continue to strengthen the relations between Taiwan and the United States in his new post, a task as important as ever as America continues to trade and do business with our friends and neighbors around the world. We will forever call upon the dedicated service of people like Dale to foster better, stronger and more valuable relationships between the United States and its allies.

So today, Madam Speaker, I rise to commend and congratulate my friend Dale Wen-chieh Jieh for his service to his country and also to the United States of America. I will always treasure my friendship with Dale and wish him, his charming wife and two beautiful daughters the best of luck as they journey west to their new home in Kansas City.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, I have listened to the debate on the floor, and I am somewhat puzzled. I have listened to the Republicans accuse Democrats of increasing gasoline prices. It reminds me of the fellow who said it would be like Roho the Rooster going to dinner with Colonel Sanders to imply that we are the ones that have caused this situation to occur this way.

I am looking at places like Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East, who are being protected by our young men and women, our brave men and women in the Middle East, in the Middle Eastern war that we have with Iraq. And I watched them build these huge mansions and ski slopes, going out in the ocean and building whatever you would like to have, I guess. Are they selling sand?

I wonder if our President when he went over there realized that the most folks he was going to be protecting were the oil tycoons who are over there in the Middle East.

I wonder why Saudi Arabia is not spending more money to held rebuild Iraq. I wonder why United Arab Emirates and Dubai are building these palatial estates for their folks to have ski slopes in the desert. I wonder why they aren't helping Iraq rebuild. We are there protecting them.

And why isn't Kuwait, who is producing all of the oil, is not helping America, at least helping to defuse the situation in the Middle East?

Why is this President not calling on Saudi Arabia to increase their production so at least we can put maybe a glut of oil on the market that will be threatening and intimidating to the stock markets that choose to drive the price of oil the way that it is. There is no reason it should be inflated the way it is.

Why is this administration not doing something about this? Don't blame Democrats who came on this floor 16 months ago. How in the world can you in all honesty try to imply that it is the Democrats' fault that we are paying $3-plus a gallon for gas today. Look at the circumstances and the situations. Have the Democrats, who in the last few months have tried to say let's find some way to resolve the issue in Iraq, are we the ones who said we ought to stay forever over there, and to disrupt the oil markets, to make people throughout the world, including those in places like India and in China, who are using an increased amount of oil that we can't control in this country, but we can at least control our foreign policy that we have established.

So let's think about what we are being told here. The poorest countries in the world are paying $100-some for oil, just like we are in this country, considered to be one of the richest nations of the world.

India and China are paying the same price that we are paying in this country. I guess the Democrats forced the price up also in China and India. Maybe I'm missing something, but let's be honest in this debate and let's be honest with the American public and let's stop blaming folks for what is happening.

The turmoil and instability in the Middle East has brought about most of the situation that we have, and the economic growth, that may recede dramatically, may also drop it down. That might please you if that happens.

But I can tell you this much, the folks that I represent in my district came to the open meetings, and their concern was gasoline prices just like you're saying about your district.

They are also worried about health care costs and whether or not they will be able to survive. Small business folks are literally losing their business because they cannot afford to keep up the cost both of fuel and of health care costs.

We have a lot of problems we need to address, but blaming someone and saying the last 16 months we have brought to this Nation the high gasoline prices, Democrat leaders have, to me stretches the truth a little bit to where that rubber band breaks.