Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 631) honoring the sacrifice and courage of the six missing miners and three rescuers who were killed in the Crandall Canyon mine disaster in Utah, and recognizing the rescue crews for their outstanding efforts in the aftermath of the tragedies.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may insert material relevant to H. Res. 631 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is sponsored by Representative Matheson from Utah where, just last month, six miners and three rescuers were lost in a mine tragedy at the Crandall Canyon mines.

Let me begin by expressing the horror and outrage I felt as I, like millions of other Americans, watched this tragedy unfold last month. First, six miners, working some 1,500 feet underground, were trapped when the mine collapsed. And then three rescuers were killed as they mounted a dangerous operation to rescue their fellow miners. The operation was so dangerous it was actually called off.

The Crandall Canyon disaster joins the other mine tragedies that have occurred in the last 2 years. My heart goes out to the families of the lost miners. My heart goes out to the rescuers who were also killed at Crandall Canyon.

This tragedy is compounded by the fact that the administration and the mining industry have not taken the necessary steps to stop them. There is a background piece on mine safety actually that has been prepared by the staff of the Education and Labor Committee and is available on the committee Web site. I really hope that Members will access this information. The paper actually provides background on the situation prior to the year 2006, the accidents that year, the enactment of the MINER Act, and the work of the committee so far this year. It also includes a summary of the legislation introduced in June of this year by Chairman Miller, by Chairman Rahall, myself and others that are particularly relevant to the incident in Crandall Canyon. And this piece has some initial thoughts on the lessons of Crandall Canyon.

The full committee will be holding a hearing on the Crandall Canyon incident on October 3. Thereafter, the committee will be holding a markup on the legislation on which my subcommittee held a legislative hearing just before the recess. I hope all Members on both sides of the aisle will join us in our effort to bring the mine safety and health laws of this country into the 21st century.

But today, we are not here to talk about deficiencies in the laws or in problems with particular mine operators; rather, we're here to honor those whose lives were lost in this tragedy, all those who tried bravely to rescue them, honoring their families and all who lent a helping hand.

I know Representative Matheson spent hours at the site and with the families, and I commend him for his hard work and courage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall).

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

Mr. Speaker, there will be a great debate in Congress in the coming days about the administration's escalation strategy in Iraq. The administration has been trying during this time to influence that debate by launching a saturation public relations campaign designed to convince us that the escalation is working. Before the debate in Congress begins, however, it is really important for every Member of this House to know the facts; and the truth is the escalation is not working. It is failing. Here are the facts:

First, this summer has been the bloodiest summer of the occupation for American troops since the occupation began. Between June and August, 261 of our brave troops died. Over the same three months last year, 169 died. That is too many, absolutely; but it is a 54 percent increase this year over last year.

Second, the escalation has been deadly for U.S. troops ever since it began: 654 U.S. troops were killed between February, when the escalation began,

and this August. That is 63 percent more than over the same period last year.

Third, the escalation has been a disaster for the Iraqi people. Over 5,000 more Iraqi civilians were killed between the start of the escalation in February and this August than died over the same period last year; and according to news reports, the number of internally displaced Iraqis has more than doubled since the escalation began, from 500,000 to 1.1 million refugees.

Next, despite the administration's claims of progress on security, the Government Accountability Office has reported that average daily attacks against civilians have remained unchanged, unchanged, since the escalation began and that the Iraqi Government has failed to meet most of its key benchmarks for military and political progress. A National Intelligence Estimate describes the Iraqi leaders as unable to govern effectively and that the Iraqi Government's ability to bring about political reconciliation is likely to become even more precarious.

Fifth, and finally, the statement on Monday that the administration might, might, might, that ``might'' is the operative word, might consider bringing a few troops home, I believe that was a brazen political maneuver designed to give Members of Congress who are needing a reason to stay the course a way out.

Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous that the administration is playing politics with the lives of our troops and with the emotions of their families. But their real goal couldn't be clearer: General Petraeus told a congressional delegation that went to Iraq in August that American troops will have to be in Iraq for 9 or 10 more years. I doubt that even the White House's most ardent supporters want the occupation to continue for another 10 years. Yet, incredibly, that could be the plan.

We can only come to one conclusion, which is that under the administration's leadership, there is no light at the end of this tunnel. There will be more deaths, more wounded, more refugees and more destruction, with absolutely no end in sight. Meanwhile, our standing in the world will continue to deteriorate. The terrorists will continue to hatch their plots against us in their safe havens far from Iraq, and the occupation will continue to rob our Treasury of the resources we desperately need for healthcare, for education, for infrastructure, for energy independence, for the environment and real homeland security.

The administration will never end the madness in Iraq. The American people have called upon Congress to do it, and history will judge each of us by how we answer that call.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. This bill invests $50 billion in our children and our seniors. The minority has had no objections to spending half a trillion dollars in Iraq but objects to $50 billion over 5 years for our children and seniors? Where are their priorities?

Passing this bill will mean that 5 million more children who are already eligible for SCHIP will be enrolled. That will bring the total number of children covered by SCHIP to 11 million. Passing this bill will mean a real investment for our children, our seniors, and, indeed, our Nation.

I urge you to vote ``yes'' on the CHAMP Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act. This bill invests $50 billion in our children and our seniors. The minority has had no objections to spending half a trillion dollars in Iraq but objects to $50 billion over 5 years for our children and seniors. Where are their priorities?

Passing this bill will mean that 5 million more children who are already eligible for SCHIP will be enrolled. That will bring the total number of children covered by SCHIP to 11 million. Passing this bill will mean a real investment for our children, our seniors, and, indeed, our Nation.

I urge ``yes'' vote on the CHAMP Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3159 and thank Congresswoman Tauscher for her leadership.

We have had a lot of disagreement on the occupation of Iraq. There is one thing we all agree upon, however--the support of our troops.

The toll that has been taken on our men and women in uniform is unimaginable. They have volunteered to sacrifice so much in service to their Nation.

Unfortunately, political decisions by this administration have prevented us from bringing this misguided occupation to an end.

Today, we try to fulfill our commitment to the brave troops who are out there serving on the front line. The least we can do is to ensure that every service member gets the right amount of training and rest. It is our moral obligation.

I support H.R. 3159 and look forward to the day when we can bring our troops home for good.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about the importance of purchasing domestically grown and processed foods for school meals.

We all heard the recent reports about toxic products coming from China--everything from food to toothpaste. The last thing we want is to have any of that making its way into our children's school lunches.

Already, Congress has approved legislation encouraging schools to ``Buy American.'' This not only supports our farm communities, but also puts locally-grown products on our students' lunch trays.

It serves our farmers and producers as much as it serves schoolchildren throughout this country.

I am concerned, however, that the Department of Agriculture has failed to follow directives given to them by Congress.

This serious problem surfaced again recently. Earlier this year, at a convention hosted by the School Nutrition Association, one prominent school food display marketed products that were not only produced overseas but also processed overseas.

Nancy Montanez Johner, the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, and several other Government officials were there.

I hope now that they have seen this problem for themselves, the Department will move quickly to take immediate action to correct it, and stop purchasing foreign agricultural products for use in the School Lunch Program.

The Department should be promoting products from our U.S. farmers and producers. The Buy American provision should not be some secret Government provision buried low in the small type.

Chairwoman Delauro assured me she would work with me on this important issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor Tobias ``Toby'' Giacomini who died July 17, 2007, at the age of 88. Toby was a long-time businessman and leader in the West Marin community whose warmth and generosity were as legendary as his' feed store and trucking enterprises.

Born in Petaluma in 1918, Toby moved to Point Reyes Station almost 70 years ago to manage the produce department in the Palace Market, which was purchased by his brother Waldo. A few years later, he acquired a truck and began a milk pick-up business, serving the far-flung ranches of the area. He soon expanded to include delivery of supplies and hay, later growing his own in Nevada, and opened Toby's Feed Barn to augment the delivery service.

The trucking and feed barn businesses grew into two of the largest in the area, developing in new directions to meet the changing needs of the community. And Toby always claimed his success was due to conducting business with his word and a handshake, not formal contracts.

In 1983, after a heart attack, Toby turned the businesses over to his sons, Joe, Toby, and Chris. However, he supervised both the business and Point Reyes Station's Main Street, from a rocking chair on the porch, where he always had a friendly word or a light-hearted joke to dispense along with a fresh selection from the store's produce stand. The accompanying twinkle in his eye never dimmed.

Locals enjoyed stopping by for a friendly chat because they appreciated his care for his community and its future.

Toby helped organize the West Marin Lions Club and was active in its Western Weekend Parade and Barbecue for many years. His support for the Halleck Creek Riding Club, which provides therapeutic horseback riding for the disabled, was crucial to the group's ability to serve an expanding need. He was a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, the Young Men's Institute's Petaluma Council, and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and always supported the schools and other local nonprofits. Seeing working families getting priced out of the community, he advocated for affordable housing, making it possible for a housing project to acquire land he owned to construct rental homes.

Toby is survived by a loving family including his wife Vetalena ``Vet''; daughter Carol; sons Joe, Toby, and Chris; a brother Ralph and sister Esther; as well as 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, Tobias Giacomini will be missed in West Marin. His memory will live on in his good works and in Toby's Feed Barn, now a gathering place on Main Street which is host to a community garden, a summer farmer's market, an art gallery, and many popular events and classes. He exemplifies what caring people who follow their hearts mean to a community.

Mr. Speaker, the sound of gunshots could be heard throughout Iraq last week. Unlike most days, however, it was not the sound of civil war. Instead, it was the sounds of celebration as Iraq won a pivotal soccer match over their Saudi rivals. The return to violence that is the new Iraqi way of life did not take long, however.

Most Iraqi families are living in unimaginable circumstances. Nearly one-third of the children are malnourished, and some 15 percent of Iraqis regularly cannot afford to eat. That's according to a recent Oxfam report.

The high for Baghdad today was forecast at 121 degrees. Electricity is available for about 2 hours a day. Children are out of school, and regular employment is becoming harder and harder to come by. In these conditions, it is hard to sustain hope. For a country so rich in resources, it is disturbing to hear the stories of families trapped in slums begging for clean drinking water. Mothers scourge to find books and paper for school lessons. It is no wonder. Over 4 million Iraqis have been displaced from their homes and have sought refuge in neighboring provinces or nations.

The United Nations estimates that 50,000 Iraqis leave their homes and become refugees every single month. That is the equivalent of one Biloxi or one Idaho Falls every month. It hits home even more when we think of a population the size of San Rafael or Petaluma, both in my congressional district. This is each month, Mr. Speaker; and the situation isn't getting any better.

We have spent half a trillion dollars on this occupation. Where has it gotten us? If only a fraction of the money we were spending on tanks and bombs was redirected to reconstruction and reconciliation, what a different country Iraq could be.

In my district in Marin and Sonoma counties alone, the taxpayers have shelled out $1.5 billion for this Iraqi occupation. If we really wanted to make America safer, this same amount, just the money from my district alone, could have paid for nearly 29,000 public safety officers or 20,000 port container inspectors. That's the real way to defend our homeland.

We don't need to wait until September to see if the administration's efforts in Iraq are working. They haven't worked from the beginning. We were not met as liberators. We are not making America safer. Our continuing

presence only serves as a recruiting tool for new terrorists. How can anyone think to put our troops in harm's way merely to serve a political legacy?

Both the American and Iraqi people have consistently sent the clear message: Bring the troops home. Not in 2009 or whenever a new President comes along. The time is now, and we must not delay.

This will require bold actions, but our troops deserve nothing less than to be brought safely home to their families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 180, the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007. Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Payne are to be commended for their continued dedication to the people of Africa--and to the people of Darfur in particular.

It was September 2004--almost three years ago--when then Secretary of State Colin Powell declared that the situation in Darfur could be described in no other way than ``genocide.''

And yet today, millions of people have been run off of their homeland. Children who should be in school, learning, are forced into armies. Women are raped and brutalized daily. Refugee camps are overrun. For many, the situation seems hopeless.

World leaders take the stage day after day talking--calling for an end to violence. Enough talking. It is clear the government of Sudan will not listen. Maybe the only way they will listen is to hit them in their pocket book--and that is exactly what we will do today.

This bill will identify which companies are conducting business in Sudan--some would say at the expense of the Darfur people. Once these companies are identified, the U.S. Government will be prohibited from doing business with them. If the Sudanese Government won't listen to reason, maybe they will listen to the sound of quiet cash registers.

We send a clear message that we will not forget the people of Darfur.

From small groups like ``Dear Sudan, Love Petaluma'' in my hometown to larger relief organizations like UNICEF, we are committed to peace and to a future of hope.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 121, and I thank my colleague, Mike Honda, for his leadership on this issue.

I particularly thank Representative Lane Evans, who was with us up until this year, and I hope he is watching today, because he was right when he first introduced this legislation, and his reasons and his legislation remains correct and right today.

Many may claim that the exploitation of the comfort women should be left in the past. That could not be further from the truth. Anyone who has met these brave women knows that they live with the haunting memories in the present every single day. The sexual exploitation, some would say enslavement, must be marked, and it must be remembered. The acts of violence the comfort women faced were inhuman, and it cannot be erased.

This should not be a day of sadness. Today is about accountability and hope for the future. We will remember that those who did not live to see this day and, yet, are still celebrated for their courage. In their honor, we will speak for all of the world here: Never again.

The lesson will be learned. Women are not prizes of war. This has been a long time coming, but there is no statute of limitations on courage and on dignity, and that is what we honor today. We honor the perseverance of comfort women. We call on governments worldwide to accept responsibility for past deeds and work towards a just future.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation overturns the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision, which offered a very restricted and decidedly unrealistic reading of just when a discriminatory action regarding compensation actually occurs. In doing so, this legislation restores the common and long-standing understanding of employees, employers and the circuit courts alike, that when it comes to discriminatory pay, the protection of title VII extends not only to pay decisions and practices, but to each and every paycheck as well.

Let me say a word about the plaintiff in this case, Lilly Ledbetter. Lilly will not reap the benefits of our legislation, and, as a result, will continue to feel the effect of the court's discriminatory decision to pay her less than her male colleagues for the rest of her life.

Lilly Ledbetter went to work at Goodyear Tires every day for 19 years. She was one of the few female supervisors at the plant. That was quite an accomplishment in and of itself. But what she didn't realize was that for all those years, she was paid less than her male colleagues, 20 percent less by the time she retired, because of discrimination based on her gender.

A jury found that she was discriminated against. They gave her over $3.8 million in back pay and damages. But the Supreme Court said to her, Ms. Ledbetter, you didn't file your claim within 180 days of the decision to discriminate, and, even though each and every one of your paychecks reflects the discriminatory decision, and you didn't have proof of the discrimination until long after the decision was made, you are out of luck. Lilly Ledbetter, we don't care that your monthly pension and your Social Security benefits also reflect that discrimination.

Now, the President says that he is planning to veto this legislation, and we shouldn't be surprised. But as a tribute to Lilly Ledbetter and other women who work hard to support their families, to get ahead, who face discrimination every day of their lives, vote for H.R. 2831.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bipartisan Farm Bill, and, in particular, section 4302. This section includes language directing the Secretary of Agriculture to undertake training, guidance, and enforcement of current Buy American Statutory requirements. I applaud the Agriculture Committee for including this important provision in the Farm Bill.

Congress has time and time again expressed its desire that taxpayer dollars be used to purchase domestically produced goods. We have consistently stated, through public law and senses of the Congress, that American-made goods should be given top priority.

Despite the repeated efforts of Congress, however, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has chosen not to enforce the law. Schools, if they are even aware of the Buy American requirement, need training and assistance in how to incorporate the requirement into their bid solicitations.

Some companies blatantly disregard the requirement. A year ago, at a national school food conference, a food company marketed their peaches to school foodservice authorities. However, these peaches were clearly marked: ``peaches from China, packed in Thailand.'' If a school foodservice authority were to purchase this product for use in the national school lunch and breakfast programs, it would be an outright violation of Federal law.

After this was brought to the attention of USDA, a letter was issued to the conference host. No additional guidance, no additional training, no attempt to bring awareness to the issue. Obviously, the problem has not been adequately dealt with. A year later, at the same national school food conference, held just a week ago, the same product was exhibited: ``peaches from China, packed in Thailand.'' Evidently, nothing has changed. USDA needs to take responsibility to fulfill its duty to implement the law.

We produce, and should be promoting, plenty of high quality fresh, canned, and frozen product in the U.S. There is no reason to violate the law and purchase foreign goods. Now, more than ever, when our farmers need support, when we are facing food imports of questionable safety, it is vital that we ensure our school children are eating products produced by American Agriculture.

I applaud the Agriculture Committee for including this important language.

Madam Speaker, many of my colleagues are eagerly waiting for General Petraeus's report on the situation in Iraq this September. But I don't know why we are waiting because we have already heard from General Petraeus in September; September of 2004, that is.

On September 26, 2004, General Petraeus wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post giving his assessment of the situation in Iraq at that time. I think it would be very constructive for us to review that article, and I would like to read pieces from it.

Near the beginning General Petraeus says: ``Eighteen months after entering Iraq, I see tangible progress. Iraqi security elements are being rebuilt from the ground up. The institutions that oversee them are being reestablished from the top down. And Iraqi leaders are stepping forward, leading their country and their security forces courageously . . . ''

He goes on to recognize that the Iraqis face a violent insurgency, but he says: ``Nonetheless, there are reasons for optimism . . . Iraqi police and soldiers . . . are performing a wide variety of security missions. Equipment is being delivered. Training is on track and increasing in capacity. Infrastructure is being repaired. Command and control structures and institutions are being reestablished.''

And after citing many other examples of progress, the general ended his piece this way: ``I meet with Iraqi security force leaders every day . . . I have seen their determination and their desire to assume the full burden of security tasks for Iraq. There will be more tough times . . . along the way. Iraq's security forces are, however, developing steadily and they are in the fight. Momentum has gathered in recent months. With strong Iraqi leaders

out front and continued coalition support, this trend will continue.''

Obviously, the general could not have been more wrong.

Madam Speaker, we can only hope that when General Petraeus reports to us this September that he will take off his rose-colored glasses and see things more clearly. The American people deserve a full accounting of what is really going on. But it actually looks like we won't get it. Ambassador Crocker has said that the report will be just a ``snapshot.'' So it looks like the White House spin machine is already trying to lower expectations and do preemptive damage control again.

But the damage in Iraq has already been done, and the American people deserve more than spin. What we need is a national security plan that is based on what will actually make our Nation safe. Such a plan must include diplomacy, strong international alliances against terrorism, initiatives to address the root cause of terrorism, and a new approach to foreign policy, an approach that restores America's credibility and moral leadership in the world.

I have proposed such a national security plan. It is called SMART, which stands for Sensible, Multilateral American Response to Terrorism. I invite all my colleagues to learn about it and consider this plan.

In the meantime, the runup to General Petraeus's report continues. I hope that this September he will be more accurate than he was in September 2004. But I am not holding my breath. In fact, I will not breathe easily until all of our troops are home safely.

Mr. Speaker, today we are sending a clear message that our commitment to the Iraqi people will be ongoing, but that our military presence will not be permanent. Over and over this Congress and the American people have clearly called for an end to the occupation in Iraq. We are calling for bold action, action to bring our troops home and return Iraq to the Iraqi people.

The actions of this administration have clearly put our troops in danger.

Troops were sent in without adequate training, and even yet without appropriate equipment, and now our heroic soldiers are being returned to extended and repeated tours of duty. All of this is unacceptable, and now the administration says they want to leave the troops there for future Presidents to sort out the mess.

We say ``no way.'' No more putting our troops in danger, and no permanent bases. Show the American people, show the Iraqis, show the international community we have no plans to occupy Iraq. Vote ``yes'' on the Lee amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment because I believe we

should respect state authority in regards to medical marijuana.

Like my constituents, I believe that doctors should be permitted to prescribe marijuana for patients suffering from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, spastic disorders, and other devastating diseases.

The people that I represent from Marin and Sonoma counties have made it clear that they want doctors to be permitted to prescribe marijuana for their patients suffering from debilitating diseases, and I believe that the Federal Government must not stand in the way.

I support this amendment because it would stop the Justice Department from punishing those who are abiding by their state's law. Please join me in supporting this important amendment so that those who suffer from debilitating diseases can continue to get relief without the fear of federal interference.

The Federal Government should get its priorities straight--and stop going after fully licensed physicians and their patients instead of the real criminals.