Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1134) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the proper tax treatment of certain disaster mitigation payments, with a Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman for yielding and certainly for his help in supporting this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call up H.R. 1134, as amended by the other body, and with the bill's many supporters urge its adoption.

I remind my colleagues that the House passed this bill by voice vote 1 month ago. It was a bipartisan effort. We worked with the administration to develop a bill that makes disaster mitigation grants tax free. The bill also extended tax-free treatment to outstanding grants, as the administration's budget clearly provided for.

The amendment gilds the lily by making the relief in outstanding grants more explicit. During the past month, there has been some discussion in the other body of raising taxes and of adding unrelated tax breaks. I am pleased and thrilled that neither of those ideas was added to the bill and that this amendment is acceptable.

As I said when the bill was considered on this floor on March 14, H.R. 1134 will make disaster mitigation grants attractive to those we want to help avoid loss of life and property. These grants have saved Americans $2.9 billion in property losses during the past 15 years. Passing this bill today will clarify a difficult tax issue just in time, and I must underline just in time, for our April 15 filing and help those Americans who are even now struggling with their tax returns. And I hope all here will join me in passing the bill.

Of course, I thank the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), and the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), for their quick consideration of this important bill and, of course, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), a member of the committee, for his excellent work on this as well.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate that invitation, but I am quite proud of serving Florida.

I think it is important to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) has been a prime sponsor, as have been Democrats and Republicans. That is one of the joys of the process when we actually get something done with bipartisan support.

I want to thank the staff on the Committee on Ways and Means but specifically Elizabeth Nicholson from my staff, my deputy chief of staff who has labored very long, hard hours on trying to get this to fruition. We are here on the floor and I am very excited and pleased that we will be able to provide this relief for our taxpayers. And, of course, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) clearly stated without their help and the entire delegation that this effort would have been for naught.

So we appreciate all involvement and all support.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1134, the bill just passed.

Mr. Speaker, as reported by Reuters recently, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is ready for a ``political settling of accounts with history'' provided that historians would prepare an unbiased study of claims that millions of Armenians were the victims of genocide under Ottoman rule during the First World War.

That accounting has already been done. A March 7, 2000 public declaration by 126 Holocaust Scholars affirmed the incontestable fact of the Armenian Genocide and urged Western democracies to officially recognize it.

This declaration by foremost scholars from around the world was adopted at the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Scholar's Conference on the Holocaust convening at St. Joseph University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 3-7, 2000. The petitioners, among whom is Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiesel, also called upon Western democracies to urge the government and parliament of Turkey to finally come to terms with this dark chapter of Ottoman-Turkish history and to recognize the Armenian Genocide. According to this renowned gathering, Turkish acknowledgment would provide an invaluable impetus to that nation's democratization.

As part of the groundbreaking conference held in September 2000 by the Library of Congress and the Armenian National Institute in cooperation with the U.S. Holocaust Museum, the prestigious Cambridge University Press, early in 2004, released a vital new publication-- ``America and the Armenian Genocide of 1915.'' This edition covers all facets of the leading U.S. response to the Armenian Genocide, which encompassed the first international human rights movement in American history. Oxford University's Sir Martin Gilbert, Cambridge University's Jay Winter and more than a dozen American academics were among the participants in that landmark conference. In a keynote address, Sir Martin recalled that Rafael Lemkin, who developed the concept of genocide, derived the word itself from the atrocities inflicted on the Armenians.

Prime Minister Erdogan's apparent willingness for a political settling of accounts with history should be treated as an important opportunity for those who have been urging Turkey to come to terms with its Ottoman past. If Turkey is prepared to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, then its leaders can proceed immediately to direct dialogue with its counterparts in Armenia to define a common vision for the future.

I also urge the government of Turkey to: decriminalize speech within Turkey, destroy all monuments, museums and public references to the specious notion that the Armenian minority committed genocide against the majority Turks, end denial within Turkey, specifically within textbooks and reference books, officially condemn any attacks against all Turks that acknowledge the facts of history, and end the global campaign of threats against any nation that is in the process of affirming the Armenian Genocide.

By so doing, Turkey will begin the vital process of preparing its citizens for a more complete and honest assessment of the final acts of the Ottoman Turkish state. Facing history squarely will liberate Turkey.

Mr. Speaker, for those who are Irish, those that think they are Irish, and those that wish they were Irish, happy, happy St. Patrick's Day.

I would also like to take a moment to congratulate and commend the President of the United States, George Bush, for his appointment of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, as the next United States Trade ambassador.

The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) is an outstanding, outstanding choice. He is one of the hardest working, most thoughtful members of our panel. He has immersed himself in the details of trade and tax law. He is an extraordinary individual who has served this President in a wonderful way as adviser to the White House and one of the closest confidants he has here on Capitol Hill.

I believe it is an extraordinary opportunity, not only for the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and his family but for the United States trade representation around the globe. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the building to quickly dispatch that name forward to the committee of responsibility and urge the passage and allow the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) to show the great credentials he has displayed in our committee on this floor and ultimately as the next trade ambassador for the country.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 82 I was unavoidably detained at a meeting at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 2 In the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. Hensarling

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 83 I was unavoidably detained at a meeting at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 84 I was unavoidably detained at a meeting at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 415, and my name be added to H.R. 414.

Madam Speaker, I come to the floor today to bring up a subject that is of great concern to me and that is the tarnishing of a gentleman's reputation in this town and that is Alan Greenspan, the head of the Federal Reserve. I do not always agree with Alan Greenspan; but over the last couple of days, he has been called a political hack, he has been called a lot of things, and I think it is important to come to the floor to defend somebody's credibility in this town that has been largely responsible for the tranquil waters we find ourselves in on the financial markets.

Alan Greenspan has been reappointed by Republican and Democratic Presidents because of his ability to manage our national economy, his ability to see through problems that have cropped up around the world, his ability to intervene at times when it has saved the countries that we have assisted; and now because he has disagreed, or at least ventured an opinion on private accounts relative to Social Security, he has now come under scrutiny, ridicule, and been called things like political hack. Senator Reid made these comments on TV recently. Senator Clinton made the comments recently. Senator Clinton, I would remind her that her husband reappointed Alan Greenspan to this post.

I think it is important to note that how dare anybody disagree with the

other side of the aisle and if they do so, they will find themselves subjected to the kind of terminology like political hacks. It takes me back to the Medicare debate that we had in this Congress when AARP decided to embrace the Republican plan. Up until that day, the other side of the aisle described the AARP as the gold standard of organizations out protecting the welfare of seniors in America. The day they chose to embrace a plan offered by President Bush, they became the scoundrels, the leadership of their party went down and picketed at their front door and declared that the AARP was an enemy of senior citizens.

What a difference a year makes. Now that they are opposing any plans even to consider personal accounts, they are back in the good graces and AARP once again is fighting for people. What is desperate about this attack is that Alan Greenspan has presided over the economy in an extraordinary fashion. It is interesting that when Mr. Greenspan speaks, the world listens. The Wall Street market-makers listen. Political leaders around the world listen. His words are carried across every wire story in the world because of the impact his words have on the economies of our Nation and our allies. He is not viewed as a political hack by those allies. He is viewed as a sage, stable, steady hand on the controls and levers of the American economy.

As I said earlier, I do not agree with Mr. Greenspan on all issues. I think sometimes we raise rates too slowly or raise them too quickly and then ultimately do not lower them enough to get the kind of economic recovery that we had hoped through rate adjustment. That being said, though, I hardly would describe a man that is lauded by virtually every facet of the American economy as a political hack or somebody whose time has come for them to leave.

So I just make the point that I do not mind debating the intricacies of Social Security; I do not mind having a debate representing the fifth largest Medicare-eligible population in America, the various opinions on whether you raise caps, change age of retirement, consider for a moment personal accounts just as a conversation point; it does not have to necessarily end up in law, but let us at least talk about it to see if it fixes Social Security. But it does trouble me that somebody of Mr. Greenspan's credibility, somebody of his reputation, somebody who has certainly served this Nation in a wonderful way would be pilloried by a political party simply because he chose to talk about how we may solve the woes of Social Security in the future.

I commend him for his work. I salute him for his brilliance on handling America's markets. I ask the other side of the aisle to reflect back on the history of his service to this country as the Federal Reserve chairman. I ask them to look at the collapsing of some economies in Asia during his tenure when he sought and was able to rescue those economies from fiscal collapse. It is often said if the United States gets a cold, the rest of the world gets the flu. The same could happen if you allowed the economies of these nations to collapse without our intervention.

I salute Mr. Greenspan, and I do ask that my colleagues refrain from making him the object of their political ire. Let us debate the merits and the wisdom of our direction, but let us not ruin somebody's personal and business career simply to get even for their statements or their opinions.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the administration for their strong stand in bringing peace to the Middle East and to all regions in the world.

Several weeks ago I displayed an editorial drawing showing where the seeds of peace had been planted thanks to our work in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Syria is withdrawing from Lebanon. Iraqi citizens have voted in its first democratically held election. India and Pakistan are cooperating over Kashmir. The Israelis and the Palestinians are making strides towards settlement of their long-standing disputes. Libya has surrendered its nuclear arms. And now as we turn our sights on Iran and North Korea, we urge them to join other nations in surrendering these dangerous weapons.

Only through this administration have these strides and gains been made possible. Only through the firmness of this presidency have we finally stood up to terrorists worldwide and said enough is enough.

Finally, leaders of the Muslim community have stood up and rebelled against Osama bin Laden, commemorating the one-year Spanish train bombing.

Finally, people are starting to recognize freedom and peace do have a cause, they do have a price. The cost is loss of life of American personnel. But if peace comes to the world, those sacrifices would have been worth it.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1134) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the proper tax treatment of certain disaster mitigation payments.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

First, let me thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, for his consideration and expeditious handling of this bill in allowing us to bring it to the floor. I will include for the Record the statement of the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas), but first let me read two paragraphs which crystallize the need for the debate.

The gentleman from California states: ``Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 1134 which embodies the President's budget proposal to provide tax relief to those who will and who have accepted Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster mitigation grants. The bill is necessary to promote effective use of the mitigation grants. These mitigation grants alleviate the severity of the damage caused by unpredictable but anticipated natural disasters. These grants save taxpayer dollars by reducing future Federal disaster relief payments resulting from such disasters.''

If I can read the last paragraph of the statement of the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas): ``H.R. 1134 will cut taxes by $105 million over the next decade. FEMA estimates that mitigation projects over the past several years have saved our Nation nearly $3 billion in disaster-related costs. Clearly, when one compares the price of H.R. 1134 with what we might pay in future relief efforts, this bill is worth moving forward and passing into law.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise personally in strong support of H.R. 1134. As a member of Florida who has experienced three hurricanes which made landfall in my district and a fourth which came through the panhandle, out across North Carolina, back into the Atlantic, and made its way back to my district, my congressional district in essence suffered four disasters this past year.

I strongly support H.R. 1134 and ask and thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their help and efforts in bringing this to fruition on the floor. It is a very simple bill. It simply says those taxpayers who receive help under FEMA's hazard mitigation grant program will not be penalized under the Tax Code for receiving that help. It exempts these grants from being considered income for tax purposes.

The FEMA mitigation program has been around for 15 years. It has helped property owners who live in disaster-prone areas avoid future disaster damage through mitigation projects in conjunction with State and local government agencies. In its 15 years, it has helped more than 2,500 properties and saved $2.9 billion in property losses. Never once have these grants been taxed, nor were they ever intended to be.

But the IRS decided last summer that unfortunately nothing specifically in tax law allows the tax exemption, and it let people know these FEMA grants would be considered taxable unless Congress directed otherwise. Therein lies the urgency of our effort. That is why 87 Members of the House have signed onto H.R. 1134; and that is why we are here today, to ensure that those who participate in mitigation projects are not punished for doing so.

Mr. Speaker, these grants help save both property and lives from the wrath of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquake, and other disasters. They also help save the Federal Government money in the long run through emergency disaster spending. To penalize taxpayers for accepting help in mitigating future and costly property damage is simply penny wise but pound foolish. Fifteen years ago Congress authorized these programs, but unwittingly neglected to spell out that they are, indeed, tax exempt, like many, many other disaster grant programs. We are here today to correct that oversight.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) who has been extraordinarily helpful in the promulgation of both this bill and, of course, working with the State of Oklahoma in creating safe rooms and other mitigation grant programs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal), a new Member of Congress who has been a very active participant in helping us bring this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert), a new Member and former sheriff of King County.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), a member of the Committee on Financial Services, another active participant in our efforts to get the bill on the floor today.

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

Let me again personally thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) for both his co-sponsorship and his helping us in bringing this bill to the floor today. I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) in her considered comments. I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman); the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal); the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Reichert); the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for their comments; and of course the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), who has worked with me side by side on this measure, bringing it to the floor today.

I think we have heard from all of the speakers the reasons for this important legislation; so I thank my colleagues for taking an active participating interest in this legislation. I thank the 87 co-sponsors who joined with us in urging the leadership to bring this measure to the floor. Again, thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) for allowing the bill to be scheduled for consideration; and of course the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, without whose guidance and help this bill would not be possible.

We know it is important. We believe it helps mitigate against future losses. The record is clear how much we save as a government by providing these mitigation grants that never were intended for taxable treatment. This bill makes that record clear. I underscore and underline the gentleman from Oklahoma's (Mr. Istook) comments concerning reactivity. We believe once this bill is passed into law and signed by the President that those prior acts of governments working together to mitigate disasters will not be taxable items. That should be coming from the Treasury to instruct the IRS relative to that procedure.

Mr. Speaker, I want to also thank my staff, Liz Nicolson. I want to thank the Members of the Ways and Means staff: Bob Winters, Chris Giosa, Shahira Knight, Allison Giles; and of course my colleagues on the Senate side, Senators Bond and Landrieu, for their efforts in bringing this bill to the Senate.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to your attention an underground industry preying on our children, and that is exploitive child modeling Web sites. These Web sites contain images of young girls as young as 4 years of age wearing only their underwear, tiny bathing suits or other suggestive clothing, posing in sexually provocative ways. In most cases, these Web sites are nothing more than child pornography hiding under the guise of child modeling. These Web sites do not sell products, they do not sell services, and they serve our young people on a platter for America's most depraved. These Web sites are nothing more than a fix for pedophiles.

Let us be clear. These are not Web sites used for the modeling industry. No child has been hired as a bona fide model. They are only used to exploit these children.

In fact, these web sites are nothing more than gateways to child and adult pornography.

I have recently introduced legislation that would ban these sites once and for all, the Child Modeling Exploitation Act. This bill will not harm legitimate modeling nor families from being able to post photos of their families on the Internet, but the legislation has been carefully crafted to prevent exploiters from being able to use our children as sexual objects for money.

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

On behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, I rise in support of the tax provisions that will finance H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users.

H.R. 3 extends the Highway Trust Fund expenditure authority for highway projects through fiscal year 2007. This bill addresses the need to upgrade our Nation's highways and infrastructure, to improve driver safety and reduce congestion.

The American highway system is a critical component of our economic growth in terms of job creation and the movement of goods. Unless we act, funding for the Highway Trust Fund will be cut off after May 31, 2005.

Last year the House and Senate did not complete negotiations on the 6-year reauthorization of the Federal highways programs.

This left Congress with no choice but to extend the authorization on a short-term basis, which is never an ideal solution. H.R. 3 would provide $284 billion of funding for the Federal highways programs through fiscal year 2009, the same amount proposed in the administration's budget, and $5 billion more than the House approved last year.

It is my hope that the House and the Senate will reach agreement on a reauthorization bill this year so that critical transportation needs can be addressed. The tax provisions before us today do more than extend the expenditure authority of the Highway Trust Fund through fiscal year 2009. They reauthorize transfers from the Highway

Trust Fund to the Aquatic Resource Trust Fund to account for fuel taxes collected from motor boat use, but it does not extend the general fund retention of motor boat fuel taxes.

It also extends the excise tax to fund the Highway Trust Fund at current levels. Mr. Chairman, these tax provisions will fund new highway projects that will strengthen local economies and create local jobs.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

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

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

To quickly summarize, this bill, on behalf of the Committee on Ways and Means, provides new highway projects that will strengthen local economies and create local jobs; extends the authority to spend money from the Highway Trust Fund through September 30, 2009; provides $284 billion in needed funding for Federal highways; and extends the present law excise tax that finances Highway Trust Funds through September 30, 2011. It reauthorizes Highway Trust Fund transfers to the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund to account for fuel taxes collected for motorboat use, but it does not extend the general fund retention of motorboat fuel taxes. The administration supports the $284 billion funding level.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw) for arranging this Special Order.

As all of my colleagues probably know, as we remember Tillie it is always easy to remember the great, wonderful stories of an incredible life. When she left Congress, I knew how proud she was of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw) replacing her, if you can replace anyone in this world. She knew the important things for her community, for her Nation were to be able to lead in a strong collective voice on national security. In that effort, she was the most incredible of spokespersons.

She was an incredibly strong voice for Jacksonville, a stronger voice for women, a role model for any person striving to serve in public life, and an incredible friend to all who knew her. There was not a day that went by that she did not mention Buck or her children, Elizabeth or Tillie, Jr. Whether it was just a casual comment; that she was heading back to see them at home this weekend; that they had just bought a condo at the beach; that they were getting ready to embark on another adventure; or that Tillie, Jr. had got a job, it was always about her family that she shared the joys of her life in service here.

I know Buck, Elizabeth, and Tillie, Jr. that your hearts ache, but they certainly do not ache alone. I will always remember her generosity of spirit and the time she took for a new Member of this Congress. Her first question whenever she saw you, in that gorgeous Southern accent, was ``How are you, dear?'' ``How is your day?'' ``How can I help?''

She had a little ceremonial leather chair that was a beautiful antique. And when she was leaving Congress, she rolled it down to my office and said, ``You always admired this chair. I want you to have it.'' I hope the office of the Capitol architect does not come looking for it, but I do have Tillie's chair.

When I ran for the Senate, I remember her coming from across town, sitting in my office and asking me if I really wanted to do this and if I knew what I was getting into. I told her I thought I did. And she said, well, if you are ready for the challenge, I am ready to saddle up and ride alongside you. And she never, never wavered in her support.

When I would go to Jacksonville and meet new friends, they would first ask me, what does Tillie think; what does Tillie think of your chances; does Tillie support you; and if Tillie supports you, that is good enough for me.

This business of politics, it is incredible when that universal voice of a community would always first ask, regardless of party, what does Tillie think?

As we honor her memory and pray for her soul, we thank God that he gave us a chance to get to know her. And those that did not, you missed an incredibly vivacious, talented and smart woman. We honor her commitment to this Nation and the legacy she leaves behind. And we pray for Buck and her kids, as they struggle through these dark days and as they reflect on her life, they know, yes, she was larger than life, but she was simply and modestly just Tillie. That is how she would want to be remembered, and we remember her in that way, a hero among us, a great patriot, a loving mother and wife, a superb human being. We pray for her soul.

Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Iraq risked life and limb to vote. They showed the world that freedom and self determination were things worth fighting and dying for.

The people of Iraq have spoken and in doing so, have undermined the terrorists who claim to be the true representatives of the Iraqi people.

No one expects the transition to representative government to be easy. After winning independence from Britain, it took our Founding Fathers years to draft and adopt a constitution that brought together the widely different factions that comprised the original 13 colonies.

There is one thing that is beyond dispute. The overwhelming majority of Iraqis want to live in a free and tolerant society. They have no use for the discarded Saddam and his henchmen.

As this editorial cartoon shows, a seed of democracy has been planted in the very heart of the Middle East. As Iraq continues to defeat the terrorists and build a flourishing society, the other oppressed peoples of this troubled region will demand and seize the same freedom for themselves. The mullahs of Iran should take note and realize that their people will throw them out sooner or later.

Again, I wish to congratulate the people of Iraq on their successful election.

Mr. Speaker, we are delighted to be here today to swear the electoral votes from all the States in the Union. Having witnessed in 2000, very upfront and personal, there were a lot of charges made at that time that votes were stolen, elections were rigged. Time and time again evidence proved that those charges were false and malicious; and the President of the United States, who was elected and sworn into that office, was in fact the rightful recipient of that title.

Now, I understand today that there may be more mischief relative to another State in the Union who is having the laser beam of focus on it and that is Ohio.

Now, Florida was declared victorious for President Bush in 2000. In 2004, for a larger plurality of Floridians, the Democratic party worked tirelessly to provide workers in Florida, having witnessed new faces from around almost every county, participating in the democratic way of trying to help their candidate. No excuses can be made. The President of the United States, George W. Bush, won reelection; and we are here today to do our constitutional duty to convey those electoral votes as properly counted and tabulated and declared for the candidate who received the majority.

Ohio declared the victory for George W. Bush. Florida did as well, as did many other States; and our Commander in Chief and President of the United States is duly entitled to receive the swearing-in ceremonies on these grounds on January 20.

Now, having Floridians subjected to a lot of catcalls and acrimony over their voting habits, we are delighted another State has taken that honor; but without question, having analyzed the documents, having witnessed committee hearings on allegations and yet no one brought meaningful charges, we are pleased and delighted that President Bush again will serve this Nation for the next 4 years.

This weekend I would like to remind our Members that we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 104th Congress. We are proud of the class that was elected. My colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), has made arrangements for us all to go to Arizona to think back on what we have achieved the last 10 years and what we hope to go forward with. A lot of important issues like Social Security, Medicare, prescription drug coverage, things of that nature, will be discussed at this conference.

The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller) have been leaders in the effort, and I see my colleague approaching the mike.

I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I was not going to brag about the weather in Florida, but I have repeatedly on either Fox News Channel or in other circumstances.

If I could also make one other mention on Social Security while I have the floor reserved. Social Security is a very, very important issue for Americans. There have been a lot of comments in the newspaper about potential damage, destruction of Social Security; and I can assure my colleagues, as one Member who comes from the fifth largest Medicare-eligible population in America of all 435 districts, that this truly is an important endeavor for our Congress, and we should not be using brick bats to demonize one side or the other about plans.

We should talk constructively about the opportunities to engage, both sides of the aisle, whether it is the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) or the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), who have significant ideas about how to improve the structural nature of this important program.

No one's trying to destroy it. Nobody's trying to uncouple it, but we are trying to look at rational ways in which we can deliver the benefits not only to those who are currently enrolled in the system, but those who are starting their first job or just born.

It is much too important to have polarization on a topic that is so critically important to our citizens. Our seniors need not be frightened. Forty-five-year-olds need not be wondering whether it is going to be there for them. A 30-year-old should not consider Social Security like UFOs, unattainable, unavoidable or unlikely.

The system is going to be preserved. How we do that depends on the willingness of both sides of the aisle to talk constructively about how to create a financial network, strengthen the system in order that recipients in the future may, in fact, receive their full benefits.