Floor Statements

I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding time.

Mr. Chairman, today we have an historic opportunity in the House of Representatives. Today we are faced with a momentous decision on energy and global warming. With this bill, we are turning toward the future for the sake of our children and our planet. With this bill, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act, Congress can indeed take our Nation in a new direction. This is a moment when we can make a decision in favor of the future.

Mr. Chairman, you acknowledged all of the chairmen and chairwomen who have contributed to the success of this legislation that we are bringing forward today, and I want to commend all of them. I want to say that the principles that have been put into this legislation are very important. Our energy independence is a national security issue. It is an economic issue for our country and for America's families. It is an environmental health issue for our children. And it is a moral issue. This beautiful planet is God's gift to us. We have a moral responsibility to preserve it. That is why I am so pleased that so many in the religious community are supporting our actions today.

This bill makes the largest investment in homegrown biofuels in American history. We know that America's farmers will fuel America's independence. We will send our energy dollars to middle America, not to the Middle East.

The bill promotes cleaner and efficient means of transportation, including alternative fuels in busses and ferries and hybrid automobiles in hauling goods around the country.

I have a very long statement about this bill, I'm very enthusiastic about it, and I will use that enthusiasm to submit most of my statement for the Record.

But I do want to acknowledge the important work that Mr. Dingell did on this legislation because in his bill, renewable energy offers a new direction for our country. And what he does is, 10.4 billion tons of dioxide emissions are reduced. That's more emissions than are used by all of the cars on America's highways today. It's very important. And I want to thank Mr. Rangel, who we will hear from later, on the fact that this bill is paid for.

So it's about our national security. We cannot be dependent on foreign oil. As I said, this is God's creation. This issue is as local as our neighborhoods; it is as global as the planet. It is about how we educate our children in this new green economy. It's how we create jobs. And Congressman Miller and Congresswoman Solis will be talking about that in a moment.

The Prophet Isaiah has said, Mr. Chairman, that ``to minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore that is to dishonor the God who made us.'' I firmly believe from the bottom of my heart that if we do believe that, that we should pass this legislation today. It's about our children, their future, the world in which they live to fulfill their lives, and it's about America being number one and in the lead.

So I urge my colleagues, I promise to submit it for the Record if you promise to read it.

intro

My colleagues, today we are fced with a momentous decision

on energy and global warming.

Will we turn toward the future, for the sake of our

children and our planet? Or will we remain mired in the

disputes and regional differences that have so often

prevented the Congress from adopting new, innovative

approaches to our energy needs?

With this bill, the ``New Direction for Energy

Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection

Act,'' Congress can indeed take our nation in a New

Direction.

Energy independence is a national security issue, and

environmental and health issue, an economic issue, and a

moral issue.

As it says in the Bible, ``To minister to the needs of

God's creation is an act of worship, to ignore those needs is

to dishonor the God who made us.''

This is the moment when we can make a decision in favor of

the future, while ministering to the needs of God's creation.

acknowledgements

Ten committees have been hard at work for months to develop

this legislation, and I salute the leadership of our

Chairmen. These committees have held extensive hearings and

markups. The Appropriations Committee has also highlighted

sustainable energy and global warming in their bills.

As a result, almost every Member of Congress has had the

opportunity to participate in this process. Thank you all for

your creativity and hard work.

principles

With broad input, and a commitment to the future, Congress

has created this bill with four principles in mind. We must

strengthen our national security by reducing our dependence

on foreign oil; lower energy costs with greater efficiency,

cleaner energy, and smarter technology; create new and good-

paying American jobs, and reduce global warming.

And we must do it all in a fiscally sound way.

To fund these key investments in our future, we have

demanded greater accountability to the taxpayer from oil and

gas companies that drill on Federal lands.

energy independence

This bill makes the largest investment in homegrown

biofuels in American history. We know that America's farmers

will fuel America's energy independence, creating jobs and

prosperity across rural America.

This bill will send our energy dollars to middle America

and coast to coast; not the Middle East.

This bill promotes cleaner and more efficient means of

transportation, including alternative fuel buses and ferries,

and hybrid locomotives for hauling goods around the country.

protecting consumers

With the energy efficiency provisions in this legislation,

we will lower costs for American consumers and businesses in

key areas, such as electricity, home heating, and cooling--

saving Americans more than $300 billion dollars.

With these energy efficiency measures, we will also reduce

carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 10.4 billion tons

through 2030, more than the annual emissions of all the cars

on the road in America today.

This bill is essential to developing renewable energy

sources in America. It makes a strong commitment to research

and innovation. It extends tax provisions that have provided

a strong foundation for our renewable energy industries,

provides new incentives, and bolsters research.

Renewable energy offers a new direction for our country by

improving energy independence and reducing global warming.

jobs

As we address energy independence and global warming with

innovation and market-based solutions, we will grow our

economy and create good paying jobs--including ``green-

collar'' jobs.

Because small businesses are the backbone of our economy,

this bill ensures small businesses can reap the economic

benefits of new energy technologies.

global warming

The consequences of global warming will be as local as our

neighborhoods, and as broad as our entire planet. So too must

our solutions be both local and global.

This bill lays out specific steps the Administration should

take for the U.S. to resume a constructive role as the global

leader in combating global warming.

Here at home, the Federal Government should lead by

example. This bill requires the Federal Government to become

carbon-neutral by the year 2050, and lays out a number of

specific measures that will assist our government to achieve

that goal.

States and local communities need to know how to plan for

the global warming that is already underway. This bill

reorganizes the federal climate change research, so every

locality has information it needs to prepare.

It also assists us in tracking the effects of global

warming on the oceans and wildlife so we can take steps to

protect them.

conclusion

Mr. Chairman, the legislation we debate today is just the

ambitious first phase in what will be a series of

revolutionary actions for energy independence.

But it is a very serious first step, that honors God's

creation--our planet, and creates a better world for our

children.

With confidence in American ingenuity and faith in our

future, today we can declare a New Direction in our energy

policy--one for our future generations. I urge my colleagues

to do just that by supporting this bill.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Dr. Philip R. Lee, who has been a dynamic leader in health policy for more than 40 years. He has served during challenging times and has shown leadership as a physician, advocate, teacher, researcher, and policymaker.

This September, the health policy program that Dr. Lee founded 35 years ago at the University of California, San Francisco, will be renamed the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies in recognition of his significant contributions at the international, national, State, and local levels.

Dr. Lee contributed to global health as Director of Health Services at the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, by advising health policymakers in many countries. At USAID he drafted the first U.S. policies for international family planning services and helped to strengthen the Agency's health and nutrition initiative.

Dr. Lee contributed to the health of our Nation serving as Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services during the Johnson and Clinton administrations. He was involved in the passage of many landmark bills in 1965, including Medicare and Medicaid; Health Professions Education Assistance Amendments; Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke Amendments; the War on Poverty; Job Corps; Food Stamps; and Head Start. Especially significant was Dr. Lee's work to establish the National Center for Health Services Research, now the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to fund graduate medical education under Medicare, and his efforts to desegregate 1,000 of the Nation's 7,000 hospitals in compliance with the Civil Rights Act.

Dr. Lee has contributed to the health of Californians, especially during his tenure as the third chancellor of UCSF, where he was known for his commitment to academic excellence and affirmative action. Dr. Lee continues to help policymakers and others understand that California is a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse State, and that both its educational and health care institutions must meet the needs of a diverse population.

Dr. Lee has also worked to improve the health of people in my district of San Francisco, particularly during his term, 1985-1989, as president of the newly established Health Commission of the City and County of San Francisco.

Dr. Lee is a rare role model in his exceptional accomplishments, as well as in his enthusiasm, tenacity, integrity, imagination, and compassion. His unwavering commitment to the needs of the disadvantaged, including the elderly, the disabled, and those without access to care has inspired a new generation of leaders in key positions as researchers and teachers in academia, and as leaders of professional associations, public health agencies, foundations, and in the private sector. We in California owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to the State and to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I thank you, Mr. Oberstar, you and Mr. Mica, for your leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor in such an expeditious manner so we can remove all doubt in anyone's mind in Minnesota that we are there for them.

A disaster of this kind, I know, coming from California where we have had our earthquakes and others coming from places that had been struck by one disaster or another, that people wonder if the compact between themselves and the government is real, and today you are telling them that it is so. We can extend all of the sympathy in our hearts to the people who have lost their loved ones or who have been injured or have just been struck by the tragedy in such an extraordinary way, but we also have to not only extend compassion but present assistance. And for that I want to thank you Mr. Oberstar, and Mr. Walz, Congresswoman McCollum, Mr. Ellison. My sympathy to you and your constituents for all that you are suffering, Mr. Peterson, as well from the State of Minnesota and our Republican colleagues from the State of Minnesota as well.

Sometimes in the course of events, there comes a coming together of a person and an event that is almost God given. And I think that is this case, Mr. Oberstar. No one in the country knows more than you do about the infrastructure of our country, the needs that we have out there, and the solutions that are the best ones. We are sad that your State was stricken, but maybe it is fortuitous for the country because it hit home for you. The spotlight is on your State. The spotlight is on your committee as we reach out with this $250 million for the highway emergency fund. I think that the opportunity that is there and the knowledge, wisdom, solutions that you know better than anyone will serve our country very well.

I really appreciated the remarks of the gentleman from Alaska. We do have to make an investment in our infrastructure. In this case, no maintenance is the most expensive maintenance, as the people in Minnesota found out as some of their loved ones paid with their lives. So we have to figure out a way to pay as we go, no deficit spending, but understand that a capital budget is necessary to invest in the infrastructure of our country. It is what we owe the American people. It is about our environment, by relieving congestion. It is about quality time for families to spend less time on the roads. And as we learned, of course, and always knew but what was driven home in Minnesota, it is about the safety of our people.

Imagine, to be a mom or dad and to have a loved one leave home, a husband or wife, sister or brother, leave home in the morning or sometime during the day, of all the things you can protect your children from, of all the anticipation that you can have, you would never think, What if the bridge goes down? We want to remove that fear from America's families.

I know, Mr. Oberstar, that you are in a position to do so. I'm sure you will let us know how we can all help. And, Mr. Mica, you as well. This is bringing us together this evening in a very special way. I hope it is a comfort to the families who lost their loved ones that so many people in our country feel this as a personal loss and are praying for them at this very difficult time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him for championing civil liberties in our country for such a long, long time. I want to express my admiration and respect for you, Mr. Conyers, as the distinguished Chair of the Judiciary Committee. And to the distinguished Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Mr. Reyes, congratulations to you for this excellent work. It is difficult, because we have to balance security and liberty. Two great patriots have brought this bill to the floor. Mr. Reyes, you have served our country in many capacities to secure our country, and you are doing so in your capacity as Chair of the Intelligence Committee.

Madam Speaker, in my service in Congress I have had the privilege of

serving on the Intelligence Committee longer than anyone, 10 years as a member directly and now my fifth year ex officio as leader and now Speaker of the House.

I considered it a service to our country that was important to our national security. I salute the men and women who serve our country in the intelligence community for their bravery and for their patriotism.

Congress has always for many years had a special interest in intelligence. We all recognize that we want our President and our policymakers to have the best possible intelligence. We want to do so in a way, though, that again balances liberty and security. We want to use every tool at our disposal to collect the intelligence that we need, again, to protect the American people, but we must do so under the law. That is what we are talking about here tonight.

In 1978, it was recognized that Congress had a role, the checks and balances, in determining how our intelligence was collected, analyzed and disseminated. Those are the three aspects of intelligence. Tonight, we are talking largely about collection.

In 1978, when the FISA law was passed, we were in a different era. It is clear that as it established Congress' rights in this arena and the checks and balances necessary to protect the American people, we also have to recognize today that technology is vastly different than it was at that time. So Congress has always stood willing, in a bipartisan way, to make amendments to the FISA act that would reflect the change in technology.

If anything in what we do should be nonpartisan, it is intelligence. It should be analyzed in a way that has no political approach to it, and the laws governing it should be written in a nonpartisan way.

That is why so many of us worked so closely, the distinguished Chairs of the committees of jurisdiction, Judiciary and Intelligence, including the majority leader, who just spoke, we worked closely with the Senate leadership, with the administration, trying to work in a bipartisan way to meet the needs of the American people.

As Mr. Hoyer indicated, and I won't go into it in detail, this involved a series of communications, both in person, on the telephone and otherwise, with the Director of National Intelligence. He presented to us, as I believe Congresswoman Harman has indicated and the chairmen have indicated, he presented us his three must-have provisions in the FISA law, and we wrote a bill that reflected, in fact echoed, the request of the Director of National Security.

When we sent that to him, he came back and said, I have additional changes that I am requesting, and we accommodated them as far as we could under the balance of liberty and security.

As Mr. Hoyer said, when we asked in the presence of the majority leader in the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Chairs of the intelligence committees, House and Senate, and Armed Services from the Senate, the Director of DNI, that group of people gathered said that our bill would make us significantly safer. It was a positive contribution, as the leader said. Not that he endorsed the bill, because by then the administration had a different approach.

It made it seem for some time, why we were going back and forth with this, trying to accommodate the DNI. I know that he was negotiating in good faith. I hope that he will accept what we are proposing in that same good faith.

Some of the things that have been rejected since those conversations, but I hope will reappear in the Senate bill, are to diminish the role of the Attorney General in the decision-making on this. We have always said that there would be a third branch of government, the courts, to issue the warrants. The discretion in this situation is now given to the Attorney General.

Without any reference to the current Attorney General, and there will be some who might question his judgment, I don't want Alberto Gonzales to have this much power, but in a Democratic administration, I would not want that Attorney General to have this much power. It should be a different branch of government.

So we have seen them come up with these pieces of legislation that substitute the Attorney General for the FISA courts. It is just totally unacceptable.

While we are trying to address the emergency concerns of the Director of National Intelligence, we know we will have a bigger bill down the road to go into some other issues of concern, but without the same urgency. That is why this legislation must be sunsetted, because no matter how you look at it, it gives extraordinary power to the administration beyond the intent of the FISA law, and certainly outside the values of our Founding Fathers, to balance liberty and security.

Having made the changes to our proposal that respond to each of the Director's concerns and having him describe our proposal as a significant improvement in his current capabilities, I would have expected that he would be leading the charge for this bill's passage.

That is not happening, but that does not mean that this bill is inadequate. The judgment of the Director of National Intelligence stands. He knew to whom he was speaking that evening, and he was clear in his assessment.

All of us in Congress want to do everything within our power to protect the American people from terrorism. As I say, as a 15-year member of the Intelligence Committee, both as a member and ex officio, I know full well and sadly the threats to our country. I know full well the capabilities that we have and some that we need. Every person, as Congresswoman Harman said, every person in this body is fully committed, is fully committed to collecting the intelligence that we need to protect the American people. But we must do it under the law, and sometimes that's where we differ.

You will hear our colleagues stand on this floor and say, terrorist to terrorist in foreign lands, the Democrats don't want you to collect on them; and they want to make you have a warrant to do it.

When I hear my colleagues say that, I think either they don't know or they don't care about the truth. Because that is patently untrue. And it has always been a mystery to me about this House of Representatives that somebody can misrepresent the facts, some would call, I don't like the word ``lie,'' but if you said they were lying, your words would be taken down. And yet misrepresentations about the intentions of Members of this body are being made here tonight that simply are not true.

So let's put that aside and talk about how we can work together to honor the needs of our people, to recognize the changes in technology and to honor the oath of office that we take here to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States as we protect and defend the American people.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

What an exciting day for the Congress. Some of you are too young to know this, but you have read about it in the history books. Mr. Hall and I remember when President Kennedy came forward and said that he was going to inaugurate a program that would send a man to the moon and back, safely, within 10 years.

Now, for those of you who weren't born yet, you have read about it in history, you have to know that sending a man to the moon as an idea was such an impossibility. It would be almost like a magician cutting somebody in half and then putting them together again.

How could this possibly happen, that somebody would go into the sky, to the moon and come back?

At the time that he did that, it was a remarkable lift to the American people because it had followed upon Sputnik, as many of you know or have read in the history books and some of us remember. When he did that, President

Kennedy made the following statement. He said, ``The vows of this Nation can only be fulfilled if we are first, and therefore, we intend to be first. Our leadership in science and in industry, our hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves as well as others all require us to make this effort,'' hearkening back to our Founders, those magnificent, courageous, optimistic, confident people, and President Kennedy referenced our vows to their great work.

This is our innovation agenda which is reflected in the legislation before us today. In answering President Kennedy's call, at that time, to put a man on the Moon, America unleashed unprecedented technological advances that built the world's most vibrant economy. The talent, intellect and entrepreneurial spirit of the American people that made this country the leader is being seriously challenged today by other countries. Americans must continue to innovate in order to create new, thriving industries that will produce millions of good jobs here at home and a better future for the next generation.

The distinguished chairman of the Science and Technology Committee and the distinguished ranking member, in bringing this bill to the floor today, are giving us our opportunity at our time to meet the challenge for the future. Today Congress has the opportunity to make a decision for the future.

Nearly 2 years ago, House Democrats created our innovation agenda in a very bipartisan way, which guarantees our national security and our economic prosperity, expands markets for American products, and asserts our leadership throughout the world in the decades to come. Already this year the New Direction Congress has led the way in promoting innovation and investments in education, science, research and development.

Today, with the COMPETES Act, we have bipartisan, bicameral legislation that implements much of the innovation agenda. Again, I want to recognize the extraordinary leadership of Chairman Bart Gordon and the Science and Technology Committee and the ranking member for their leadership on this conference report. Chairman Gordon has energized this committee, ensuring that our Nation will continue to be the world leader in education, innovation and economic growth.

The COMPETES Act focuses on four key areas, as has been referenced: education, research and development, energy independence, and small business.

In education, the COMPETES Act recognized that America's greatest resources for innovation are in the classrooms across this country. This legislation invests in creating the most highly qualified teachers and training the next generations of scientists, mathematicians and engineers through public-private partnerships. This bill also takes steps to ensure that future innovators reflect the diversity of our country.

What I love about this bill and this legislation is that it's market- oriented, public-private entrepreneurial partnerships to keep us number one.

We know that innovation begins in the classroom and that scientific research provides the foundation for innovation and future technologies. The COMPETES Act makes a sustained commitment to research and development by putting us on a path to doubling funding for the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology and the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

I heard Congressman Wamp with great enthusiasm talk about the ARPA-- Energy. I'm excited about it as well. To help achieve energy independence, the COMPETES Act focuses on energy research and innovation by creating a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy, ARPA-E.

Mr. Chairman, I know your enthusiasm for that issue for a long time, and congratulations on bringing it to fulfillment here. This initiative will provide talent and resources for high-risk, high-reward energy research and technology development and attract investment for the next generation of revolutionary technologies.

And finally, the COMPETES Act recognizes that small businesses are often the catalyst for technological innovation and the backbone of the strong economy. It puts us on a path to doubling the funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and creates a new initiative, the Technology Innovation Program, to support high-risk, high-reward, pre- competitive technology for small and medium-sized companies.

Because this bill is a decision in favor of future jobs and future economic strength, it's earned the endorsement of the Chamber of Commerce, many university presidents, ITI, TechNet, and the National Association of Manufacturers, among others.

I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it. And before I close, I want to acknowledge the great leadership of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman George Miller, who is the Chair of our Policy Committee, for the work they did bringing people together, Democrats and Republicans, entrepreneurs, high tech, biotech, academics, people in the work force, students, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, all to come to bear, all over the country. Meetings were held all over the country to put together the innovation agenda which is reflected in this legislation. Mr. Baird had an event in Washington State. As I look around, I could name so many Members who had events in their States. In doing so today, in passing this bill, we will assert our global economic leadership, create new business ventures and jobs, and give future generations the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.

I began my remarks, Mr. Speaker, by quoting President Kennedy, who was an inspiration to so many of us of a certain generation who are active in public service today.

He hearkened back to our Founders and our vows to our Nation, and I want to hearken back to that place too, because our Founders were among the earliest American entrepreneurs. They were magnificent disrupters. They thought new and fresh and different ways. They came together. Imagine the confidence. They came together, declared their independence from the greatest naval power in existence at the time, did so in a declaration that asserted the equality of all people, and then went forward to win the Revolutionary War, write a Constitution that made us the freest people in the world. Thank heavens they made it amendable so that we could even become freer. And when they did so, they designed the Great Seal of the United States. And on it, it's in your pocket. You're carrying it around if you don't know it. It's on the dollar bill. And on that great seal it says, ``Novus Ordo Seclorum.''

These people, with all that revolutionary spirit, with all that disruption of the status quo, had so much confidence in what they were doing, so much faith in themselves, faith in this country to be and faith in God that they said that what they were establishing was for the centuries, for the ages, ``seclorum.'' Those of you who know Latin know that that means ``forever.'' And it was that optimism, that confidence that built America. And it is in that spirit of disruption, of change, of doing something different, of having a big goal of aspiring to greatness, that we, as President Kennedy said, do honor the vows of our Nation. And this legislation is very much in their pioneer and entrepreneurial spirit.

I thank you again, Chairman Gordon, for your tremendous leadership.

Mr. Speaker, as I rise here today, something after 6:30 p.m., I was reminded as I listened to the presentations of a poem that most of us memorized when we were young by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Between the dark and the daylight,

When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day's occupations,

That is known as the Children's Hour.

That's this time of day. This is the children's hour. Because of the leadership of so many of our colleagues, we are able to meet our moral obligation to our children. It isn't a pause in our occupation. It is our mission, this moral obligation that we have to the future.

When I was sworn in as Speaker, I was surrounded by children. It was very exhilarating, and I called the House of Representatives to order on behalf of all of America's children, establishing this Chamber as the champion for our children and for the future.

Our legislation is called CHAMP because it does just that. It champions quality health care for America's children and for our seniors, strengthening families. It is just one way in which this new direction Congress is putting health care and particularly the needs of our children at the top of the Nation's agenda.

With the passage of this legislation, the new-direction Congress will ensure that 11 million of America's children receive health care coverage, and seniors will receive improved benefits under Medicare.

I want to join those of my colleagues who have expressed their appreciation for the exceptional leadership of our chairmen of the full committees and the subcommittees and the ranking members of the full committees and the subcommittees for the honest debate that we are having about this legislation today.

I think it's important to note, because it's history, that our distinguished chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Dingell, when he was a new Member of Congress gaveled down the Medicare bill. That's his family tradition, looking out for health care for all Americans. His father was a leader on that subject in this Congress, and imagine that he as a young Member, well still a young Member, but a younger Member of Congress, gaveled down Medicare. And today, he is in the lead on this legislation that will strengthen Medicare for America's seniors.

And at the same time, thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Rangel. Between the two of them, Mr. Rangel and Mr. Dingell, they had 22 hearings on the subject of SCHIP. So this Congress has had a thorough review of this subject, and this excellent legislation is the product of that.

I was inspired by your speech, Mr. Rangel. You persuaded me, not persuaded me to vote for the bill. I always intended to do that, but persuaded me that it was possible that we might have a strong bipartisan support for this bill because it is so much the right thing to do.

I thank Congressman Stark and Congressman Pallone, Chairs of the appropriate subcommittees of their committees, for their leadership, their intense knowledge of this subject, the judgment they were able to bring on decisions that we had to make about what would be in this bill. Thank you, Mr. Stark and Mr. Pallone, and thank you again, Mr. Rangel.

And I thank again Mr. McCrery for his, again, comity and the dignity and the knowledge that he brings to this debate. Thank you, Mr. McCrery.

And to all of the staff on both sides of the aisle, thank you for your hard work on this. Their efforts will help millions of American children and seniors live better lives.

SCHIP, created by a Republican Congress and a Democratic President, signed into law by President Clinton, SCHIP has dramatically reduced the number of poor, uninsured children in America. The legislation before us today will improve SCHIP and the lives of millions of working families in America by improving coverage for all 6 million children currently insured under SCHIP and by extending that coverage to 5 million additional children. Those children will receive dental care and, thanks to Congressman Patrick Kennedy, mental health services.

Dental care, we so take it for granted for our own children, but after this legislation is passed, no more will we have the Demonte Driver where we have to have a situation like that where a child will die because he had an abscessed tooth that turned into a brain infection. We're all familiar with the details of that sad story. Today, we are doing something about it.

Let us be clear, most SCHIP beneficiaries receive their coverage through private managed care plans, not through the government.

And let us be clear, as the chairman just pointed out, this legislation is paid for; no new deficit spending, no heaping mountain of debt on these children to pay for the health care they so rightly deserve.

In addition to providing coverage to children, the CHAMP Act also, as we know, strengthens and improves Medicare for every senior by eliminating coinsurance requirements and deductibles for preventive care. Imagine that, for preventive care, how important that is. The legislation reduces copayments and provides for mental health parity, and many more seniors will no longer face the doughnut hole. Remember our old friend, the doughnut hole. Well, many more seniors will no longer face the doughnut hole in the prescription drug benefit. We do all of this and more for seniors and, I repeat, with pay-as-you-go budget rules and extend the life of the Medicare trust fund by 3 years.

By passing the CHAMP Act, the New Direction Congress is keeping our promise to seniors on Medicare and meeting our obligation to our future, our children. Again, and it is paid for. I can't say that enough.

The distinguished chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee read a long list. There are pages and pages. I would submit them for the Record, except it would be very expensive to print. There are so many names that are endorsing this legislation. They range from the Children's Defense Fund, as was mentioned, the Catholic Hospitals Association, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the old, the young, everyone across the board, all the health organizations that administer to the needs of our children and our seniors.

I just say in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, as Pearl Buck said, ``If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all.'' With this CHAMP Act, we are not going to fail America's children. We are championing them and their grandparents.

This legislation has fiscal soundness. It has a values base, and it should have the support of everyone in this body.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate an outstanding athlete and role model, Cal Ripken, Jr., on his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As a native Baltimorean, I am honored to have this chance to pay tribute to a man who has given so much of himself to the people of Baltimore, to their beloved Orioles, and to the game of baseball itself.

The outpouring of love and affection we witnessed at Cal's induction ceremony this Sunday in Cooperstown was a fitting tribute to a man whose love for the game and dedication to his craft knew no bounds. Greeted by a record crowd for a Hall of Fame induction ceremony estimated at 75,000--so many of whom traveled north from the Baltimore area--Cal again showed why he is held in the highest esteem by fans across America and by his fellow Hall of Fame members.

Cal Ripken's accomplishments on the field made him a certain first ballot Hall of Fame member. Cal exploded onto the baseball scene in 1982 and was named American League Rookie of the Year. He would twice win the League's Most Valuable Player award, his first honor coming in only his second full season, in which he also helped lead the Orioles to a World Series title. Over his 21-year Oriole career, Ripken compiled 3,184 hits--including 431 home runs--was selected to represent the American League in the All-Star Game 19 times, and won two Gold Gloves.

Of course, Cal is best remembered for breaking one of baseball's most cherished records when he surpassed Lou Gehrig's mark of 2,130 consecutive games played. A time when some thought interest in baseball was waning, Cal Ripken's ``Iron Man'' streak renewed America's love affair with our national pastime and helped create a new generation of baseball fans. The Streak was more than just a personal record; it was Cal's daily lesson to us all about how the game should be played.

Cal's dedication and respect to the game was engrained in him by his father, the late Cal Ripken, Sr., who spent 36 years in the Orioles organization and piloted the Orioles through the 1987 season. In a loving tribute during his induction speech, Cal said of his father, ``He was for me and many others an example of how to play and prepare for the game the right way--the Cal Sr. way.''

For Oriole fans, this past Sunday was a special moment as we watched Cal unveil his Hall of Fame plaque surrounded by so many Oriole stars of the past, including Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, and former Oriole manager Earl Weaver. It brought back so many wonderful memories of summers past at Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards. It also made me proud remembering the role my father, Thomas D' Alesandro, played in bringing the franchise to Baltimore in 1954 when he was the city's mayor.

For many, Cal's Hall of Fame induction was a mere formality because we already knew his play on the field and his positive demeanor off it had earned him a place among baseball's immortals. I congratulate him on this tremendous honor and look forward to his continuing contributions to the greater Baltimore community.

Madam Speaker, 50 years ago next month, a group of courageous champions of civil rights united to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which became a driving force behind the fight for equality and economic opportunity for African Americans. Led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, the SCLC's commitment to non-violent civil disobedience exposed the evils of segregation and the violence and intimidation necessary to enforce this immoral policy.

The heroic efforts of the SCLC and the great faith and courage of its members were indispensable to the epic and defining struggle of our history: to secure rights for all and to live up to the purpose for which this nation was founded--equality and justice for all.

At the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs, where Dr. King delivered his famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech, the SCLC created a turning point in the national debate over civil rights, helping propel passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These twin victories shattered the policy of segregation and reaffirmed our nation's commitment to equality for all of our citizens. The SCLC changed the nation with a vision of justice, equality, and opportunity for all.

Today, the SCLC continues its commitment to improving the lives of African Americans, focusing on issues of economic empowerment, access to health care, and opportunity through education. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, I honor the SCLC for its commitment to positive social change through direct action and non-violence, and I look forward to the victories we will achieve together in the name of equal justice and equality for all Americans.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, the distinguished chairman of the Agriculture Committee for yielding, and I want to congratulate him for this achievement for bringing this important bill to the floor.

I rise to tell you why I am supporting this legislation. Before I do though, I want to commend the exceptional leadership of our colleague, Ron Kind, for his work over the years in helping to move us to a place where this farm bill, called the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy bill, looks quite different than the bill would have looked without his persistent and brilliant advocacy for conservation issues that are included in the bill. I think that he has moved this Congress and this legislation to a very important place that signals change and shows a new direction in our farm policy.

I support the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act because it begins to reform farm policy while investing in energy independence, supporting conservation, strengthening nutrition assistance, and recognizing the importance of specialty crops. That means fruits and vegetables. It recognizes the vital role of our farmers and ranchers in providing food, fiber, and fuel for America and the world.

It was a big effort to bring this legislation to the floor. I acknowledge the achievements and the great work of the distinguished chairman. I want to acknowledge Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, the Chair of the Rules Committee, who had to be available very late and very early in the morning to make this discussion possible. I want to commend Chairman Rangel of the Ways and Means Committee and Congressman Lloyd Doggett for their leadership in helping to pay for this bill because this bill has all along, in all of its formation, been intended to be a bipartisan bill, which we had hoped it would be, a bill that met the needs of the American people and that is paid for. And paid for it is, indeed.

I strongly support the efforts Chairman Peterson has made in this bill to ensure that America's family farmers fuel America's energy independence. Because of this legislation we will be sending America's energy dollars to the Midwest, not to the Middle East.

The 2007 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act makes an historic $2.4 billion investment in renewable energy, including biofuels and wind power. It boosts renewable energy investments by 600 percent and provides loan guarantees for the development of refineries that process renewable fuels. These efforts will ensure that, again, we send our energy dollars to the Midwest and across America, not to the Middle East and across the sea.

Energy independence is a national security issue, it is an environmental issue, it is an economic issue for our Nation and America's families. Thanks to this bill, it will also be an economic opportunity for America's farmers. It will create a rural renaissance that will reenergize farm country and create new businesses and good- paying jobs in rural America.

I have seen that firsthand. It has already begun. It is an important initiative that is supported and endorsed in this legislation.

So, reason number one, why I am supporting this bill, is energy independence. Not in order of priority but in order of mention.

Next, conservation: the farm bill recognizes that those who work the land, America's farmers and ranchers, are also stewards of the land.

In the area of conservation, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy bill improves access to, and funding for, initiatives to take environmentally sensitive land out of production. It encourages environmentally friendly practices on working lands. And it will invest $4.3 billion in new mandatory spending to preserve farm and ranchland, improve water quality, enhance soil conservation, air quality, and wildlife habitats on working lands.

Again I commend Congressman Ron Kind for his exceptional work on the conservation issue over time.

The issue of nutrition, of course, is fundamental to all of the people of our country. And as a mother, I take special interest in the nutrition aspects of this bill. I want to commend the committee, Democrats and Republicans, our chairman; and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, the chairman of the Ag Subcommittee of Appropriations, who worked very hard to get the most money, made mandatory, and paid for in this legislation.

In the effort of feeding the people, and many of them in need, the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy bill invests over $11 billion over 10 years in nutrition initiatives to help low-income families. For the first time in 30 years, thank you, Mr. Peterson, for the first time in 30 years, the bill increases the minimum food stamp benefit and increases and indexes to inflation the standard deduction, ensuring that rising food costs do not erode a family's purchasing power. It also eliminates the cap on child care costs to help the working poor, because in order to get the food stamps, you could only spend so much money on child care. What a self-defeating policy. This bill corrects that. The food stamp provisions in this bill will prevent benefit cuts for more than 13 million working Americans over the next 5 years.

That is why the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, Catholic Charities USA, America's Second Harvest, and the Food Research and Action Center all support the nutrition funding contained in this bill.

In addition to recognizing Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro's exceptional work in this area, I want to recognize Congressman Jim McGovern for his work in ensuring that the McGovern-Dole legislation, no relation, just a coincidence, Jim McGovern is not the McGovern in the McGovern-Dole. That would be George McGovern and Senator Dole, former Republican leader of the Senate Dole. Their initiative for the international food programs, which help American farmers and farmers in other parts of the world, is a very important way for America to protect our friendship and our values to the rest of the world. In this legislation, the McGovern-Dole initiative is mandatory, and it is funded to $890 million, a big increase, and paid for.

As a Californian, I take special interest also that the bill makes a historic investment in specialty crops, providing $1.7 billion in new mandatory spending. This investment was made possible by the leadership of Congressman Dennis Cardoza. And many provisions in his bill, the EAT Healthy America Act, which is a very important bill for us, EAT Healthy America Act, were incorporated in this bill that is before us today.

This legislation supports specialty crops, that is, fruits and vegetables, by increasing market access, encouraging and facilitating consumption of nutritious agricultural products, funding research initiatives and increasing opportunities for family farmers in conservation initiatives.

Specifically, just so you know what falls under this, the bill invests $365 million for Specialty Crop Block Grants; $350 million to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program to all 50 States, and I repeat that, $350 million to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable School Snack Program to all 50 States; $215 million to create a new dedicated research initiative for specialty crops; $200 million to create a new initiative for early detection, prevention, and eradication of emerging pests and disease; $55 million for organic agriculture.

What is important about all of this is many of these resources will be invested in the Northeast, in the Middle Atlantic States, in the Northwest and California, where agriculture is a very important part of the economy but where not very much attention had been paid in the past in the farm bills. This is a big change and signals a new direction in this farm bill.

Specialty crop producers, our fruit and vegetable growers, account for nearly half of all cash crop receipts in America and are a part of the farm economy in all 50 States, as I mentioned, especially important, California, the Northeast, Northwest, and Florida.

I mentioned that I was a Californian. I was also born in Maryland; so I know the importance of the Chesapeake Bay, and I salute the chairman for the initiative in here in support of the Chesapeake Bay. I see my colleague Majority Leader Hoyer nodding his head in agreement. But I want to acknowledge Chairman Chris Van Hollen, for whom this has been a priority since he came

to Congress, and now he has been joined by John Sarbanes in support of this. And I know it has bipartisan support because Congressman Gilchrest supports these initiatives as well.

From Monterey Bay across the country to the Chesapeake Bay, this bill represents a new direction. Let me just say that is why this bill is supported by the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, a national coalition of more than 120 specialty crop organizations.

Before I leave that point, I want to talk about food safety. One of the reasons that many of us are in politics, and I know many moms come to politics, is for our having a safer, clean environment for our children. Clean air, clean water, food safety, these are things we can't do for them, but we depend on public policy to do; and the initiatives in this legislation for food safety are important. They will be greatly enhanced by the legislation put forth next week by the Appropriations subcommittee Chair, Congresswoman DeLauro, in her appropriations bill. But the bills are very compatible in that respect.

The farm bill also includes key provisions that invest in rural communities, including economic development initiatives and access to broadband telecommunications services to bridge the digital divide in rural, underserved areas. It also addresses health care, emergency, and first responder needs of rural areas, as well as creating new markets and rebuilding rural infrastructure.

And it pays special attention to the area of minority outreach and socially disadvantaged farmers by including an additional $150 million, all paid for, to provide greater outreach, coordination, and technical assistance.

Finally, this bill takes a critical step toward reform by eliminating farm payments to millionaires and closing loopholes that for decades have allowed some to evade the payment limits. More needs to be done, but we have gone in the right direction for change and for reform.

As I said before, this legislation is paid for. And that is a very, very important part of this. It is part of our PAYGO, no-new-deficit spending. It was a challenge. It has been met. And it has been met in a way that meets our values.

The Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act will ensure that future farm bills will never look the same as those of the past. I see one of the co-Chairs of our Rural Working Group here, very important, who is putting forth the initiative on energy independence for rural America, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. I thank you for your leadership in that regard. And thanks as well to the efforts of Chairman Peterson and many others who have made an historic investment in energy independence and nutrition assistance. This bill's effects will also be felt far from farm country.

As George Washington said: ``I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture . . . '' That is as true now and it was then. President Washington understood, as this bill's authors understand, that encouraging and investing in American agriculture pays dividends to the entire Nation. In this legislation we will strengthen America's agriculture, but we also will do much more. We will help reignite rural America's economic engine and create good-paying jobs and create good businesses here at home. We will fuel a Nation's energy needs through clean, American-made renewable energy. We will be better stewards of the land and protect our environment. And, by the way, we hope to do much more in that regard when we go to conference. And we will be a more caring Nation by better meeting the needs of the most vulnerable.

Those great goals can be achieved with the help of this legislation and with the strong bipartisan support of the House today.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you why I am supporting the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act. And, once again, I salute the distinguished chairman for this achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for making us so very, very proud of his chairmanship, Mr. Thompson's chairmanship of this very important committee. Homeland security is as local as our neighborhoods and our front porches and as national as our interests wherever they are threatened throughout the world.

I rise today in strong support of this legislation to make the bipartisan independent 9/11 Commission recommendations into law. With this bill, we will be keeping our promises to the families of 9/11. We will be honoring the work of the 9/11 Commission, and we will be making the American people safer.

I salute the steadfast leadership of so many of our colleagues; as I mentioned, Chairman Thompson and the distinguished ranking member, Mr. King. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. King, as well. I also want to acknowledge Chairmen Lantos, Dingell, Conyers, Oberstar, Skelton, Markey and Nadler, who played an important role in the conference report, as well as all of your ranking members, Mr. King, on the Republican side.

Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago this week the bipartisan and independent 9/ 11 Commission released its report outlining urgent and achievable recommendations for securing our Nation. Under the outstanding leadership of Chairman Tom Kean and Vice Chair Lee Hamilton, the 9/11 Commission presented a road map to protect the American people from terrorism.

In assuming power, Democrats promised a new direction for America, and nowhere was that new direction more critical than ensuring the safety of the American people. That is why on the very first day of the new Congress, our very first legislative act was to pass H.R. 1, the 9/ 11 Commission recommendations. It was our highest priority, to make the American people safer, and we passed it on the first day in our first legislative act.

Today we will pass the final version of this bipartisan bill. We will send it to the President for his signature which we expect he will apply to it. And when we do, we will have done in 6 months what previous Congresses failed to do in nearly 6 years.

We could not have accomplished this without the courage and determination of those whose loved ones were lost on September 11. The families of 9/11 turned their grief into strength and advocacy, and that made America safer.

Implementing the recommendations will fundamentally change the way the President and the Congress deal with matters related to terrorism, making us more unified and more effective. This is because this bill closes loopholes and weaknesses that terrorists seek to exploit and that leave Americans vulnerable.

I know others have addressed these, but in commending the committee in a bipartisan way, I want to highlight some of the important things that make America safer.

Federal funding for homeland security will now be focused on those parts of the country that are at the greatest risk. By securing loose nuclear material abroad, this bill will help prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. That is a very, very important issue.

Our bill requires that 100 percent of shipping containers be scanned and sealed abroad before they ever reach our shores and move through our waterways and across the country. Mr. Nadler, thank you for your exceptional leadership and your persistence on this matter. 9/11 occurred in your district, and you have been a relentless advocate for safety for all Americans.

It also requires the screening of 100 percent of cargo on our passenger aircraft, a provision again relentlessly pursued by Congressman Markey.

We know that lives were lost on 9/11 because our first responders were not able to communicate with each other in real-time. This bill makes a $1.6 billion investment in the equipment for our fire fighters, police and other emergency personnel, the equipment they need to communicate with each other more effectively to protect us and for them to protect each other.

These are just but a few provisions of the bill. Others have referenced a more extensive list; each of them is very important.

Mr. Speaker, as we learned in the National Intelligence Estimate released last week, the threat of terrorist violence against the United States is growing. Al Qaeda is gaining strength, and Osama bin Laden continues to elude capture. There is not a moment to spare to take the steps necessary to keep the American people safe.

With this bill, we are honoring our solemn responsibility to protect and defend the American people. We take that as our oath of office, to protect the Constitution and, in the preamble, to provide for the common defense as a major charge to us. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and the President to sign it.

I thank my colleagues again, Mr. Thompson and Mr. King, for bringing this legislation to the floor.

I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and to acknowledge the exceptional leadership of my colleagues from California, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, for their leadership on this issue, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee's authorship of this legislation. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Congressman Tom Allen, Congressman David Price, Congresswoman Maxine Waters have all been important in the leadership of bringing this legislation to the floor and continuing our debate on the involvement in Iraq.

The legislation is timely and a key part of our strategy for a new direction in Iraq. Thank you all.

I am very pleased to join our distinguished colleagues on the minority in support of this legislation. Yes, I have had the privilege of working with Mr. Rohrabacher, with Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen and others, Mr. Wolf and Mr. Smith, over the years on issues that relate to human rights throughout the world. I respect them for their leadership in so many arenas. It has been a privilege to work with them. I am so glad they are supporting this legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I think it's very important for us to measure any initiative in relationship to the war in Iraq against the backdrop of what does this do to contribute to a vision for stability in the Middle East, whether we are talking about no permanent bases, whether we are talking about redeploying our troops out of Iraq, a change of mission there, to leave troops only for specific limited purposes. This is what the generals have told us. General Odom, for one, has said any vision for stability in the Middle East must begin with the redeployment of troops out of Iraq. So, too, this issue today, no permanent bases.

Yes, our colleagues are correct that this has been brought before the Congress before and has been passed into law, but the fact is that it may not have been heard adequately by the administration and certainly not by the people in the region.

This legislation clearly signals that the United States does not seek a permanent military presence in Iraq. This action is necessary to clarify confusing and contradictory statements from the administration regarding our Nation's long-term strategic relationship with Iraq.

In its final report, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended that the United States clearly state that our Nation does not seek permanent military bases in Iraq or to control Iraq's oil. It did so to help shape ``a positive climate for . . . diplomatic efforts,'' which are essential to ending the U.S. presence in Iraq and bringing greater stability to the Middle East.

While the administration has previously indicated it would not seek permanent bases in Iraq, recent statements raise contrary questions. Administration officials have remarked that the President envisioned a continued military presence in Iraq similar to our presence in Korea, where U.S. forces have been stationed for more than 50 years.

The American people have made it clear in the election that they want a new direction in Iraq that brings the troops home. The Iraqi people and regional powers must also be reassured that the United States does not seek to exploit Iraq either by building permanent military facilities there or by exercising control over its oil. We can make that statement by passing this legislation overwhelmingly today as part of our strategy for a new direction in Iraq and for stability in the Middle East.

The President's remarks in South Carolina yesterday were really saddening. Just when you think you have seen it all, just when you think you have heard it all, the President mentioned al Qaeda nearly 100 times to justify his course of action in Iraq. Let us remove all doubt. This Congress, every single person here, is committed to fight the war on terror, but let us not misrepresent what the troops in Iraq are doing.

Everyone who examines the situation with the knowledge says we do not belong in a civil war in Iraq. So, again, the President's statements give great cause for grave concern. They crystallized why the Congress must continue to pressure the administration to change course in Iraq. Yet again, President Bush mischaracterized the facts on the ground in Iraq and the latest intelligence on the real threat of international terrorism.

Just yesterday news reports were that the administration plans a continued substantial troop presence in Iraq through the summer of 2009; heaven knows, beyond then.

As the latest National Intelligence Estimate reveals, the war in Iraq has not made America safer or turned the tide against terrorism. In fact, while we have been tied down in Iraq, al Qaeda has been regenerated, has regenerated its ability to attack the United States while enjoying safe haven in vital areas of our ally in the war on terrorism, Pakistan.

The President's Iraq policy is unacceptable to the American people, and to Democrats in Congress, because it has allowed al Qaeda to regain its footing, reinforce its numbers, and refocus on another spectacular and deadly attack on the United States. That is why we must change direction in Iraq and do it now before it is too late.

America cannot afford another 2 years of war in Iraq. We have already lost more than 3,600 brave Americans to this bloody conflict. There can be no discussion of the situation in Iraq without pausing to remember and acknowledge the sacrifice, the courage and the patriotism of our men and

women in uniform and their families who have sacrificed so much for our country. We thank them, we honor them, and we think they deserve better than no plan for a redeployment of troops out of Iraq.

We have lost 4 years that could have been spent bolstering Homeland Security, strengthening counterterrorism efforts, and focusing all of the resources at our disposal on combating the terrorist threat. Today's vote can again make clear to the President, and to the administration, to the American people, to the people in the Middle East, to the people in Iraq that the American people are opposed to a permanent military presence in Iraq.

The American people are demanding a new direction. The Democratic Congress will go on record every day, if necessary, to register a judgment in opposition to the course of action that the President is taking in Iraq. The Democratic Congress will go on record every day, if necessary, to fight for a redeployment of our forces as a central element of a new direction strategy for Iraq.

I urge my colleagues to vote in overwhelming numbers for this important legislation.

Again, I thank our colleagues, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Congressman Tom Allen, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Congressman David Price and all the others who played such an important role in bringing this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Chairman, last evening the airport at Sao Paolo, Brazil was a scene of a terrible tragedy that took the lives of as many as 200 people. Among those lost was a member of the Chamber of Deputies, Representative Julio Redecker, the Brazilian House minority leader.

As fate would have it, many of us here today were scheduled to have a meeting with him and the President of the Chamber of Deputies here in the Capitol. Of course, the tragedy in Brazil and the loss of Representative Redecker changed those plans, very sadly.

Moments ago I spoke with the Brazilian President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arlindo Chinaglia; and Brazil's Ambassador to the United States, Antonio Patriota. I conveyed to them the deepest sympathy of the Members of the House of Representatives to the people of Brazil, to the family of Representative Redecker. They were, I think, very comforted by the fact that I told them that later today, now, we would have a moment of silence and extend our sympathy to the people of Brazil for the terrible loss of 200 people and, of course, the special sympathy to our friend in the Chamber of Deputies and to the family of Representative Redecker for the loss of the minority leader of that important chamber.

I now ask that the House observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Julio Redecker and all of those who lost their lives in Brazil yesterday evening.

Mr. Chairman, if I may convey our condolences to his widow, Salete Redecker.

Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding, and I want to express the appreciation of so many in this Congress and this country to him for his tremendous leadership. For 30 years, he has been a great champion for our men and women in uniform; for the quality of their lives and their families as they serve our country; for their readiness as they prepare to go to war; for their well-being as they fight for our country; for his appreciation of the sacrifice that they and their families are willing to make.

Thank you, Mr. Skelton, for being such a great leader, and thank you for giving us this opportunity today to speak on behalf of the American people, to take a step to end the war in Iraq and to have a vision of a strategic plan for stability in the Middle East.

Your bill is excellent and your timing, Mr. Skelton, is perfect, because today the Bush administration released a progress report on the Iraq benchmarks required by the supplemental appropriations bill passed in May. The report makes clear that not even the White House can conclude that there has been significant progress on the Warner resolution benchmarks.

This is hardly surprising, given what is publicly available each day in the media: truck bombs killing scores of people in the markets; the supposedly secure Green Zone is rocked by a 30-inute mortar and rocket barrage; despite 30,000 additional American troops to increase security, Iraqi leaders are urging their people to arm themselves for their own protection; legislation to make the Iraqi political process more inclusive is stalled in the Iraqi legislature; and the cost of the war in precious lives and wounded American heroes continues to rise. Since the surge began, we have lost nearly 600 American troops.

The benchmarks that are being reported on today were endorsed by President Bush and the Government of Iraq to measure political reconciliation and the promotion of security in Iraq. In the 5th year of the war, the President's strategy has failed to meet those key benchmarks.

President Bush continues to urge patience, but what is needed and what the American people are demanding is a new direction. Remaining bogged down in a sectarian civil war in Iraq continues an unacceptable strain on our military and serves as an effective recruiting tool for al Qaeda. Reports about the resilience of al Qaeda in Iraq are alarming, but assessments that the global al Qaeda network is reconstituting its capabilities describes a far greater threat.

The war is not making our military stronger to protect our interests, the American people safer or the Middle East more secure. It prevents a refocusing of our efforts on the real war on terrorism in places like Afghanistan, and it hinders the development of a new direction strategy for greater stability in the Middle East.

As General Batiste has said, ``Iraq is distracting America from what should be the focus of main effort. It is in America's best interests to rethink our national strategy, deliberately disengage from Iraq, refit and rearm our military, get serious about homeland security, and prepare to win the next phase of the struggle against worldwide Islamic extremism.''

The American people see the danger of clinging to an untenable situation in Iraq. That is why by large margins they favor a redeployment of our troops. Passage of Chairman Skelton's bipartisan bill will reflect the will of the American people and reaffirm the judgment of the House that the redeployment of our troops is a central element and an effective way forward in Iraq.

We will repeat that judgment legislatively as often as necessary, hopefully with an increasing level of support from our Republican colleagues, until pressure from the American people causes the President to change his mind and his policies.

To those who urge that we wait until September, I say that it has been 4\1/2\ years and half a trillion dollars, at least. We have already waited too long. The troops in their third and fourth tours in Iraq, those who have been so grievously wounded and the families of those who have died, deserve far better than that.

After more than 3,600 lives have been lost to a flawed strategy, we have a responsibility to create a new direction. After spending $329 million every day, $329 million every day on the war in Iraq, on a war that is not making our country safer, we have an obligation to change course. After 5 years of a failed policy in Iraq, we have a duty, not just to voice our opposition, but to vote to end the war.

Chairman Skelton's bipartisan bill offers a step we can take today toward bringing the troops home, to creating a strategic vision for stability in the Middle East and for beginning to rearm our military.

Let us pass this bill and those that will follow in the coming weeks and provide the new direction on Iraq that the American people demand and that is so urgently needed. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the Skelton bill.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your great leadership in bringing us to this historic day. I thank all of the other members of the committee for their leadership in making this day possible, for expanding America's middle class, for giving opportunity to America's children, and for making our future brighter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007.

In 1944, when the GI Bill of Rights became law, our Nation made a decision. They made a decision to invest in the future. It was an investment that transformed the lives of millions of Americans. It transformed America to the benefit of all Americans. Indeed, it built America.

Over the years, the GI Bill offered opportunity and economic security through education to more than 20 million of the brave men and women who wore our Nation's uniform. It has given America hundreds of thousands of engineers, teachers and doctors, and it has given us a model for the value of investing in the education of our people for our country.

Today, with this legislation, we will make the single largest increase in college aid since the GI Bill of Rights revolutionized America. It is an investment for a bright future for our children, and, just as the GI Bill has been, an investment in a bright future for our Nation.

Any economist will tell you that any dollar spent on education is a dollar that makes a big return to our Treasury. In fact, no dollar invested or spent, no tax credit, no financial initiative you can name brings more money to the Treasury than investing in education.

I want to again thank Chairman Miller and the distinguished members of the Education and Labor Committee for their leadership in making sure higher education is affordable and accessible.

In today's competitive job market, a college education often makes all the difference. Americans with college degrees can earn 60 percent more than those with only a high school diploma. So in the interests of individuals, this is very, very important. Indeed, higher education is the single best investment our young people can make in themselves, that families can make in the success of their children, and our country can make in its future strength.

It is important to note why this legislation is very important. Financial barriers will prevent 4\1/2\ million high school graduates from attending a 4-year public college over the next decade and prevent another 2 million high school graduates from attending any college at all. Over 6\1/2\ million students will not have access to some college or any college at all.

Higher education, as we all know, is the key to achieving the American dream. This legislation has made sure that all who are qualified and determined to have that education will have access to it.

It has been said that cutting interest rates in half will make it possible for more Americans to achieve their potential. This is especially important for strengthening the middle class. Middle-income families in America struggle to educate their children. This interest rate cut is very important for them. By increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship by over $500, nearly 6 million students will be given help to afford expanding college costs.

In hearing the debate on the cost, I think that it is important to note that the cost of this bill is the equivalent of 6 weeks in Iraq; 6 weeks in Iraq. Imagine that, for 6 weeks in Iraq, we can expand higher education to all who wish to achieve it in America. That investment has a return to our Treasury. It will grow our economy and prepare us for the future.

This legislation is a very important part of our Innovation Agenda, where we do need to invest in many more scientists, engineers and mathematicians. By giving opportunities to highly qualified teachers in our classrooms for this Innovation Agenda, it provides an essential component for a bright future for our Nation. It will provide up-front tuition for highly qualified teachers who agree to teach in high-needs areas, increase loan forgiveness for those who practice civic responsibility and encourage students to give back to their communities as teachers, librarians, childcare and welfare workers and public sector employees.

Members have talked about this over and over again. The fact is that, again, for the cost of 6 weeks in Iraq, we can ensure the education of our young people across the broad spectrum of America. We can reward those who want to be civically involved as teachers. It is all paid for.

Today, we are not only relieving the debt of America's students, but doing so in a way that not only helps relieve their debt but does not heap mountains of national debt on top of our young people. This legislation keeps our promise to pay as you go with no new deficit spending. Democrats believe that is just as essential as ensuring that American students have the opportunity to attend college.

Mr. Speaker, the College Cost Reduction Act strengthens the future for our students and it strengthens our Nation. I think, again, that this is a historic day, because it is a day that is about the American dream. It is a day about expanding opportunity in our country. It is a day that recognizes that the best dollar that we can spend is a dollar spent on education. It recognizes that education is the key to a brilliant future, not only for the self-fulfillment of our people, but for the success of our country. It is about our self-fulfillment personally. It is about growing our economy. It is about our National security. It is about carrying the banner of our Founders who have made a commitment to future generations.

Thank you, Chairman Miller, and members of the Committee on Education and Labor, for helping us honor that commitment to future generations. I urge our colleagues to support this very important and historic legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a true patriot and dedicated public servant, Jack Valenti, whose passing we continue to mourn. From his days as a brave fighter pilot in World War II to his sound advice and counsel to President Lyndon Johnson, Jack always served his country with distinction and honor. A Democrat committed to the ideals of justice and equality, he approached each issue in the spirit of bipartisanship, earning respect on both sides of the aisle for his intellect and his passion.

As a fellow Italian-American, I take special pride in the life, leadership, and many accomplishments of Jack Valenti. His brilliant career, in both the public and private sector, was marked by humanity, humor, and excellence. As head of the Motion Picture Association of America, Jack's leadership helped promote and spread the best of American art and creativity on the silver screen all around the world. It was his sense of responsibility for the well-being of our children that inspired his efforts to establish a rating system to help parents monitor what their children watched.

As a passionate advocate for our children, Jack fought to protect our next generation, lending his powerful voice for those who could not be heard. His concern for the health and well-being of our children spurred his efforts as founder and president of the Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, TB, and Malaria, fighting diseases across the globe that for too long have extinguished the flame of hope that should burn brightly in the eyes of every child.

Jack Valenti will be greatly missed, and his accomplishments will be long remembered in the lives of all those he touched. My husband Paul and I express our deepest sympathy to his family, whom he adored, and hope that it is a comfort to his wife Mary Margaret, his children Courtenay, John, and Alexandra, and his two grandchildren that so many people share their loss and continue to pray for them.