Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to recognize before this House the courageous men and women of the 890th Transportation Company, who just days ago returned from their deployment overseas.

For nearly one year, the Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin-based 890th served under perilous conditions in Iraq, delivering vital supplies to their comrades throughout the country. The vast majority of their missions took place in the Sunni Triangle--home to some of the most intense violence in Iraq. However, despite the threat of roadside bombs and surprise attacks, the brave men and women of this unit faithfully and successfully executed their duties. And, although they encountered enemy engagement on nearly 40 percent of their missions, the unit suffered zero casualties.

Mr. Speaker, there's no question the 890th Transportation Company helped nourish the seeds of freedom and democracy in Iraq, and their service and sacrifice are to be commended. It is my honor to recognize their brave efforts today, and on behalf of the citizens of Wisconsin's Eighth Congressional District, I say thank you. They are our genuine heroes.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to recognize before this House Miller Electric Credit Union, which was recently awarded the Desjardins Youth Financial Education Award for its extraordinary service to its members and the community of Appleton, Wisconsin.

Helping young people learn the value of money is one of the most significant social and economic challenges we face as a nation. Despite the principles of thrift and prudence embraced by our parents and grandparents, today the importance of saving is being overshadowed by the ease at which folks can spend. And, as a result millions of Americans have charged and financed their way into a life of debt and financial turmoil.

Fortunately, there are folks out there working to break the spending cycle. Miller Electric Credit Union spends hours upon hours teaching individuals lessons on financial education. They've created innovative programs to help their members, young and old, learn how to budget and save for important purchases down the road. One program in particular-- the Undersea Saver's Club--gives prizes to kids who make a habit out of depositing, rather than withdrawing, money in their savings account.

Mr. Speaker, Miller Electric Credit Union has been a valued member of the Appleton community for nearly 60 years, and its 2,800 member-owners are a testament to its success. I congratulate them on receiving this outstanding honor, and wish them continued success in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to recognize before this House the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (HCCW), and its President and CEO Maria Monreal-Cameron.

For over 30 years, HCCW has been helping hard-working Hispanics throughout Wisconsin, share in a fundamental slice of the American dream--running a business. A nonprofit organization founded in 1972, HCCW serves as an incubator for Latino-run businesses across the state--focusing primarily, however, on the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The organization helps create greater opportunities for Hispanic entrepreneurs by offering some of the educational and technical resources necessary to start a business, while promoting greater involvement in the Hispanic community.

At the helm of this fantastic organization has been Maria Monreal- Cameron. For the past 16 years, Maria has served as President and CEO of HCCW, helping the Hispanic Chamber's membership swell to over 600 members. On top of that, under her leadership the organization has provided nearly $350,000 in scholarships to college-bound high school students in Wisconsin. Maria has left an indelible mark on HCCW, and Wisconsin's Latino community.

Mr. Speaker, few have done more for Wisconsin's Hispanic citizens than the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin and Maria Monreal- Cameron, and that is why I consider it such a wonderful privilege to honor them today. I commend them for their work, and wish them continued success in 2006.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to commemorate the life of Dr. Vang Pobzeb, an extraordinary man who recently passed away on August 23, 2005 after a life of passionate service to human rights and Hmong people across the globe.

Dr. Pobzeb began his activism in the mid 1970s and was among the first to achieve national recognition in the Hmong American Community. In 1987 he founded the Lao Human Rights Council--an organization devoted to improving the living conditions of Hmong people both in Laos and the U.S. Dr. Pobzeb was a tireless advocate for a people and culture that faced tremendous persecution, and he took every opportunity to remind the international community of the plight of the Hmong people in Laos. I was proud to work together with him, time and time again, in this fight.

Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to commemorate the life of such an incredible man. Dr. Pobzeb was truly an exemplar of compassion and dedication, and on behalf of the citizens of Wisconsin's Eighth Congressional District, I offer my condolences to his family, and pay tribute to his life of activism and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from Washington on Tuesday, December 6, 2005. As a result, I was not recorded for rollcall votes No. 609, No. 610 and No. 611. Had I been present, I would have voted aye on rollcall No. 609, No. 610 and No. 611.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize before this House the Brown County Home Builders Association as they celebrate their 50th anniversary.

As we all know, home ownership in this country has had quite a run over the last few years, with more Americans than ever before settling into their very own homes. Last year alone, 1.18 million families purchased single-family homes--a new record. This has had a direct impact on our economy at all levels, boosting revenues, attracting new business, and spurring community revitalization.

The Brown County Home Builders have made the dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of families in northeastern Wisconsin. For the last 50 years they have helped create safe and affordable housing opportunities for Brown County residents, raising the quality of life in communities throughout my district. Despite its humble beginnings, this great organization has grown from a mere 18 members to over 1,100, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the Brown County Home Builders Association on this wonderful occasion. Fifty years is an outstanding accomplishment, and on behalf of the citizens of Wisconsin's Eighth Congressional District, I say congratulations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his leadership in bringing this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, in all of America's rich history there are perhaps a few dozen images that seem to summarize and symbolize the American experience, our struggles, our challenges and, yes, our triumphs. One of those unforgettable photographs is of six U.S. servicemen raising the stars and stripes over Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.

As you know, that scene has been immortalized by Hollywood and in countless publications. It makes up the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.

One of the brave men in that breathtaking photograph is Pharmacist's Mate Second Class John H. Bradley. The purpose of this legislation is, as the chairman indicated, to rename the wonderful veterans outpatient clinic in Appleton, Wisconsin, for that man, John Bradley.

As I hope my remarks will make clear, there are many reasons why this title is appropriate, reasons that go well beyond a famous photograph.

John Bradley was born on July 10, 1923, in Antigo, Wisconsin, to parents James and Kathryn. He was the second of five children and spent his boyhood years growing up in Appleton, Wisconsin, in my congressional district.

In March of 1943, John enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee, but strong protest from his father led him to receive training as a Navy Corpsman instead. He was known as Doc Bradley and was assigned to a United States Marine Corps infantry battalion formed at Camp Pendleton. He was then shipped off to the island-hopping campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

One of the most deadly, and most important, parts of that campaign came at Iwo Jima, where, over some 36 days, 70,000 American troops fought. That battle claimed over 25,000 U.S. casualties, including nearly 7,000 killed. The famous flag-raising moment may be how many people will remember Doc Bradley, but, of course, there is so much more to the story of Doc and his comrades.

After he raised the flag on Mount Suribachi, Doc Bradley rushed to the aid of a wounded Marine under heavy Japanese fire, and he did win the Navy Cross for this selfless and heroic act. Later, he received several shrapnel wounds to his leg and was evacuated to a hospital in Hawaii.

Upon completion of his service in World War II, John moved back to Wisconsin and settled in Antigo, where he and his wife Betty raised eight children. In the years after the war and until his death in 1994, he maintained a lifelong commitment to veterans and to veterans health care. Interestingly enough, Doc Bradley's family never knew he received the Navy Cross for service until after he died.

Of the six men in that famous photo, three were killed in the battle itself. The survivors were proclaimed almost overnight heroes and symbols, something they were all uncomfortable with. Doc Bradley told his children, ``the real heroes of Iwo Jima were the guys who didn't come back.'' He never displayed a copy of the famous flag-raising photo in his home.

Mr. Speaker, Doc Bradley would be a little embarrassed by having a clinic named after him. After all, he did not want glare and he did not want acclaim. However, his wife Betty has said that this is a fitting tribute to Jack because the clinic is involved in health care for veterans and because it is located in the community where he was raised.

Through his courage, his humility and his commitment to his comrades during and after the war, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not, John ``Doc'' Bradley does symbolize the American serviceman and the American experience. I cannot think of a better name for the Appleton clinic than the John H. Bradley Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. Dedicated professionals work hard there, and they do great things for our veterans who deserve so much.

I am proud to honor one of Wisconsin's greatest veterans with this legislation, and I strongly encourage the support of my colleagues and again thank the chairman for bringing this legislation forward.

Mr. Chairman, first and foremost, the implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommendations will provide badly needed cost savings to our Nation. With the current state of our Federal budget, the enormous estimated spending reductions of over $35 billion achieved through this new BRAC round are necessary to help put our fiscal house in order. These recommendations will also better enable our military services to confront the new threats our Nation faces today--increasing efficiency and effectiveness, and improving our national security.

That said, I still firmly disagree with some of the specific BRAC recommendations, such as the closure of the 440th Airlift Wing at General Mitchell Field in Milwaukee. The closure of the 440th is the wrong decision,. and I have done everything in my power to try and convince the BRAC Commission that keeping the 440th up and running is an important priority. The 1,100 brave men and women of this unit have proven themselves often in recent missions to Honduras, Haiti, Somalia, Rwanda, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and several trips to Iraq. I believe their continued operations would have enhanced the security of our country.

Today, however, we were faced with an up-or-down vote on the BRAC Commission recommendations as a whole. On balance, I found the recommendations to be worthy of approval, and voted--with some reservations--against the motion to disapprove the final BRAC report.

Mr. Speaker, today, I voted against the conference report on H.R. 2744, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2006, primarily because it did not include an extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program. I have fought very hard for the MILC extension and was disappointed that it could not be included. In addition, the conference report is $199 million over its budget allocation. While I was given assurances that future funding will be cut to offset this discrepancy, this appropriations bill should not have been brought to the floor over its allocation. I will be watching very closely to ensure this funding is offset in future bills.

That said, I support many of the provisions in this conference report. In particular, I was pleased to help secure $2.25 million for the Wisconsin and Minnesota Health Care Cooperative Purchasing Alliance Demonstrations

Projects. This funding will provide health care coverage to small businesses and family farms in rural areas across the State. The bill also contains $1.75 million I requested for the State of Wisconsin to combat Chronic Wasting Disease. Despite the many positive aspects of this legislation, on balance--because of the negative factors I mentioned--I believe it was not worthy of my support.

Mr. Chairman, I supported Chairman Oxley's Manager's Amendment to H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005, because it maintains progress on several key issues Congress has been working on this session. I was pleased to see that the manager's amendment gave the victims of Hurricane Katrina priority in receiving grants from the Affordable Housing Fund for the first two years after its inception. I continue to urge my colleagues to look for ways to ease the burden of recovery that currently rests on the taxpayers. I also support the sunset provision of this amendment so that a future Congress can revisit this issue and again evaluate the needs of affordable housing recipients. Finally, I would like to express my full support for the ability of non-profit organizations to compete for the funds created by H.R. 1461.

I agree that there must be full oversight of the groups receiving grants from the Affordable Trust Fund, and that no dollars from the fund may be used for lobbying, travel, or election activities. However, I do have concerns that some of the language included in the manager's amendment was overly broad. Some have argued that the amendment may prohibit groups like Catholic Charities, Lutheran Services in America, and Habitat for Humanity from receiving Affordable Trust Fund grants. I would strongly urge House conferees to revisit and narrow the language included in this amendment so that these organizations, along with other well-meaning non-profit groups, can access the funds and grow their affordable housing programs.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 520.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill. It has many great programs. But there is one I would like to focus on today, one that I authored and worked on extensively as a separate bill, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. I am proud to say it is part of the bill before us, and I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin and the gentleman from Michigan for their support to make this happen. I am pleased, and I think it is an important day for all of us.

As the Members know, VAWA was originally passed 10 years ago; and since that time, it has helped us make remarkable gains in fighting domestic and sexual violence. During that decade, VAWA, quite simply, has saved lives. It has helped millions of women and children find safety, security, and self-sufficiency.

Because of the Violence Against Women Act, victims have found help to escape violence and get treatment. Law enforcement and the judicial system have learned how to better help these victims through what can be a very daunting and difficult legal process, and more people recognize the signs of abuse because of our public awareness campaigns.

Every step we take in fighting domestic violence helps not only save the immediate victim but it can help break the cycle of abuse that lasts, sadly, all too often generation after generation after generation. In this bill we are building on the successes of the Violence Against Women Act not only by reauthorizing effective programs but also by including innovative, cost-effective new programs that will continue the great work of those who have come before me and others, work that will help the criminal justice and legal systems better help and protect victims.

This law was first created 10 years ago. When it was reauthorized 5 years ago, it was improved; and I am hoping that we are doing the same thing here today.

We are doing this improvement through training grants; providing direct services for victims; providing services to children, teens, and young adults who have experienced violence in their lives, and educating young people about domestic violence and sexual assault.

By strengthening the health care system's response to violence against women and investing in broad remedies and services for victims, we will continue to make progress in preventing these crimes and ensuring that future generations are safe from domestic and sexual violence.

We have made great strides, but I think everyone here would be quick to admit that we have a long way to go. Any law enforcement agency will tell us that a huge portion of the violent crime they encounter is, sadly, domestic violence. If we give law enforcement better tools and training, if we go further to raise public awareness through campaigns, then we can break the cycle of violence and abuse that does seem to slide too easily from generation to generation.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the courts in Milwaukee and saw some of the groundbreaking work that they are doing. What we need to do as Members of Congress is stand shoulder to shoulder with our domestic violence leaders and organizations all around this country, make sure that they have the tools and the resources they need to be effective, that they need to be compassionate. I think this legislation does just that.

Again, I want to thank Members of both sides of the aisle who have worked so hard to make this legislation come forward today. It is a good day, and I am proud to be involved.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to recognize before this House the Times-Villager newspaper in celebration of its 125 years in publication.

The first edition of the Kaukauna Times-Villager was published on September 16, 1880 by C.H. Hopkins and L.A. Gates. Despite its humble beginnings, the paper's circulation has grown to include the Villages of Kimberly and Little Chute, helping record their unique history and culture. From the Great Depression to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Times-Villager has reported some of the most monumental events in our nation's history. But through it all the newspaper has remained true to its Heart-of-the-Valley roots.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the Kaukauna Times-Villager for its years of dedicated service to northeastern Wisconsin. And, on behalf of the citizens of Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, I say congratulations on this incredible accomplishment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

We just heard some explosive rhetoric. Let me boil this down. This amendment really stands for two simple basic principles: Number one, that those who are in need should have the right to receive vital services from the most effective source in the most effective way possible. That should be their right as Americans. Now, in the vast majority of cases that is going to be a public entity, but in some cases and in some places it might just be a faith-based organization. It might be a faith-based organization, it might be a religious organization, that is the most effective choice for those in need, that family in need, those children in need. Should they not have the right to those services in the most effective way?

Secondly, the second basic principle is if it is a faith-based organization that is providing those services and participating in the program, they should not have to surrender their religious character merely because they choose to try to help out. That is what this is really all about. These organizations that are trying to reach out, that are taking a chance to help provide these services because they see people in need, the government should not say to them if they are going to help out, I am sorry, they have to surrender much of their religious character. I think that is wrong.

Let me be very clear. If we fail to adopt this amendment and fail to protect the rights of these faith-based organizations to retain their religious character in such things as hiring, it is not these groups that will suffer. They are not making money. They are not profiting by serving as Head Start providers. It will be our neediest children; it will be our families who participate in Head Start. Those will be the ones who suffer.

Let us adopt this amendment and stand for the principle that kids need help and they should be able to get it in the most effective way possible.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Green Bay East and West High Schools as they prepare to celebrate their 100-year-old football rivalry this weekend.

The seed for this historic gridiron contest was planted a century ago, on November 30, 1905. Football fans from across the region came out in droves to support their teams, and their enthusiasm quickly spilled out into the surrounding communities. Now, one hundred years later, it is one of the most intense and emotional high school sporting events in the state of Wisconsin and the nation.

For many years the football game between East and West High School was the largest public event in the city, with only Green Bay Packer games drawing a larger crowd. The celebration in Green Bay this weekend is one of community and pride, where friends and family can come together to reflect on the traditions of school spirit, kinship and community.

Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure to recognize this historic football game and pay tribute to the one hundred years of tradition surrounding it. On behalf of the residents of Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, I say congratulations and best of luck to both teams this weekend!