Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, what we have today is more liberal lunacy. Billionaires like the Daddy Warbucks of the Democratic Party, George Soros, are pushing their left-wing agenda by funneling hundreds of millions of dollars through shady organizations called 527 groups.

Section 527 groups operate outside of campaign finance laws by spending hundreds of millions of dollars on ads and partisan voter recruitment efforts with no oversight and no accountability.

Mr. Speaker, $370 million flowed through 527 groups in the last campaign election cycle, and this is outside of campaign disclosure. So much for taking big money out of politics.

Over one-fifth of the $370 million channeled through 527s came from four individuals. This is money laundering on a scale that would make even Tony Soprano blush.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we close this loophole on 527s and open transparent and accountable campaigns to the American people.

Mr. Speaker, it is often said that America is a nation of immigrants, but there is also another important point, not to be ignored. America is a nation of laws. We are increasing border security, and security is very important in this day and age, in this tough world that we live in. We are increasing border security by constructing fences, bolstering our border patrols and escalating our surveillance capabilities.

It is of first and most importance to our Nation that we step up and halt this mass influx of foreign trespassers known as illegal immigrants. To grant amnesty to these trespassers is to say: You crossed our border illegally, you broke our laws, and now we are rewarding you with U.S. citizenship. Congratulations.

That is absolutely the wrong way to go. A guest worker program is nothing more than amnesty wearing make-up. It is easier to look at, but it is still ugly underneath.

For legal immigrants, we must replace our outdated bureaucratic procedures with updated technology. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services currently processes 7 million immigration applications in our country every year. They do it using Windows 95 and paper printouts. This system is obviously and absolutely flawed. We need to fix the process for immigrants to come here legally.

That is why I introduced the Comprehensive Immigration DATA Act, H.R. 4412, to modernize the immigration application process by creating a Federal, computerized database that more efficiently and effectively tracks immigrants applying for visas or for U.S. citizenship.

It is time that we step up in terms of our governmental policy, to make sure our government bureaucrats here in Washington are being responsive to our Nation's needs and to be accountable. The best way we can do that is by giving them the technology to do their jobs, and that is what I am trying to achieve with this bill. It is good in terms of policy for legal immigrants. It is the right thing to protect our borders, and it is good for our national security.

Mr. Speaker, it is progress that we need to make as a country.

Madam Speaker, a once great party left with nothing, nothing but a nifty little slogan, and that slogan is, ``We can do better.'' Madam Speaker, that is the Democrat Party here in Washington,

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 60 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment Offered by Ms. Velazquez

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the Supreme Court for upholding the Solomon amendment, which permits the withholding of Federal funds from colleges that close their doors to military recruiters.

This case is a glaring indictment of our liberal influence within our colleges and institutions of higher learning, these spineless liberals who speak of the concept of allowing differing points of view, but in reality they oppose it.

Look no further than one of our Nation's most liberal colleges, Yale University. Last year, it admitted a Taliban spokesman as a special student, even as Yale Law School was suing in Federal Court to ban U.S. military recruiters from its campus.

As Americans, we should be appalled with this seditious behavior and hold these liberals accountable for their actions. Mr. Speaker, the Supreme Court's verdict last week is a victory for common sense and for the protection of our country against liberal lunacy.

Mr. Speaker, Rutherford County, in the 10th district of North Carolina, will be swearing in a new Sheriff on December 30th of this year. I would like to recognize and congratulate the extremely qualified Chief Deputy C. Philip Byers on becoming Sheriff of Rutherford County.

Sheriff-elect Byers has 15 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, and has faithfully served the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office for the past 4 years as the Chief Deputy. Having degrees from Appalachian State University and Western Carolina University, he was a teacher and a business owner before deciding to serve his community as a police officer. In addition, his wife Sheila is dedicated to serving the community through the North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation

Services, a state agency that educates and trains disabled and developmentally challenged persons to obtain meaningful jobs.

Mr. Speaker, Sheriff-elect Byers has a superb record as an officer of the law, and is dedicated to making Rutherford County a safe and peaceful place in which to live. Combating the methamphetamine epidemic is a perfect example of his leadership for the county. He is an excellent choice for this position, and I congratulate him on this great honor. I thank Sheriff-elect Byers and his wife Sheila for their dedication to the community and look forward to his service as Sheriff of Rutherford County.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida for yielding me this time.

Ladies and gentlemen, I say Merry Christmas to you. We are presenting you a budget that the American people can be proud of. To the Democrats, I say, happy holidays. But I will tell you, ladies and gentlemen of the House, my colleagues, what we are doing here is right for the American people.

My colleague from New York asks, have we touched everyone in America? Well, yes. If you live in a $2 million house, you will not qualify for aid to the poor. Under this budget, we pass that reform; that if you live in a million dollar house, if you live in a $2 million house, if, heaven forbid, you live in a $10 million house, you would not be eligible for Medicare. You would not be eligible for the government paying for your nursing home. That is the type of reform that we have in this budget. It is the right thing to do.

Beyond that, if you are a student in college today, if you are a student in college today, you will be eligible for that student loan next year under this budget. You will be eligible for that same loan you got today. The only difference would be that the Federal Government would not be paying that loan giver, that company that provides the loan, we would not be paying them 9.5 percent interest. We would go back to a market-based interest, which we all know is somewhere around 5 percent today. That alone would save $13 billion over 5 years.

So, ladies and gentlemen of the House, if you vote for this motion to instruct, you are voting against reform; you are voting against savings; you are voting against positive changes that will help more Americans. And it is the right thing to do.

Look, Mr. Speaker, this motion to instruct is something that Mr. Grinch would be proud of. So, ladies and gentlemen, I bid you merry Christmas, and ask that you vote against this motion to instruct and vote for our conservative, realistic, reform-based budget.

Merry Christmas to all.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of their new building dedication on November 20, 2005, I commend Hickory First Assembly of God for their committed service to communities locally and globally for almost 50 years. The first small group of faithful believers set the standard for selfless service that church members today still honor and follow.

Pastor Brian Campbell, the devoted pastoral staff, and a team of church members have worked together to plan a new space with additional seating in the sanctuary and more room for fellowship in the foyer, offices and nurseries. The expansions are part of Hickory First Assembly's efforts to continue the mission of Acts 1:8, which says ``But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.''

Locally, the church reaches out to those in need by organizing teams to serve in the community. Nationally, church teams ministered in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina; And internationally members actively participate in foreign missions through financial giving and traveling with groups to different countries in need.

As Christians, we are called to do great things for God. Living in a free nation, we have the privilege to practice our faith and make a difference in the lives of others. Truly a gateway church, Hickory First Assembly demonstrates a positive influence on the community by consistently communicating and living out biblical values.

Mr. Speaker, the only con game we have here in the House this evening is from the other side of the aisle. We have cons and cons.

Have I made my point? Have I made my point? Do we hear enough hypocrisy from the left on this budget? Do we hear enough shouts and screams about how we are hurting people?

What we are trying to do is save future generations from mountains and mountains upon mountains of debt. And what we are trying to do is reform the budget. The only con has been perpetrated through rhetoric here on the House floor, Mr. Speaker.

The deception is saying that we should do nothing, that we should allow our government to continue on this massive growth rate that 40 years of Democrat control provided this country.

I think it is wrong to leave future generations in debt. I think it is right to step forward and reform much-needed programs in this country to ensure that Medicaid is available to future generations, that student loans are available to young people. We must reform these programs to make sure they are available in the future. Not to look the other way, not to provide more tax increases, not to provide for a larger, more intrusive government.

Let us stop the con, Mr. Speaker. Let us provide for budget reform and reconciliation. I thank the gentleman for this moment to ensure that no future cons are provided here tonight.

Mr. Speaker, Congress will soon debate much-needed immigration reforms. One of the most pressing matters is the sad state of technology used to process immigration case files. The U.S. Customs and Immigration Service uses paper printouts to process over 7 million applications per year.

To address this glaring deficiency, I am introducing the Comprehensive Immigration Data and Technology Accountability Act. This legislation will do three things. First, it will create a database that allows real-time access to pending casework and move to a fully electronic system. Second, the database will be linked to Federal law enforcement agencies, reducing the number of illegal immigrants released into our communities. Third, the legislation sets deadlines for the planning, implementation, and review of the new database.

It is past time that we used the fee-based immigration system to upgrade technology and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our application process. It is the right thing to do for Americans, and it is the right thing to do for those coming to America.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 13, 2005, I commend Burke Community Bible Church and Pastor David Doster, New Day Christian Church and Pastor George Logan, and First Hmong Baptist Church and Pastor Nhia Yee Her for gathering in worship and prayer on behalf of Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith.

Hebrews 13:3 says, ``Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.'' This day of prayer is an opportunity to live that verse, and to remember that prayer changes things. Today we place a special focus on their situation, and we need to continue to remember and pray for those being persecuted, those involved in the persecution, and those that choose to ignore it.

With over 100,000 United States churches representing nearly every denomination taking part in this day of remembrance and prayer, I urge the country to remember those believers who are suffering because of their faith.

As Christians living in a free nation, we often take our freedoms for granted. Remembering those who can not worship in freedom should cause us to thank God for His blessings to us, and compel us to live out our faith in every single aspect of our lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address Iran's growing threat to our allies in the Middle East and to America's national interests.

The Iranian president recently said Israel should be ``wiped off the map.'' This malicious language must not be ignored, especially considering Iran's long-standing support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah, and its unlawful nuclear ambitions.

Terrorist groups supported by Iran are operating today in Gaza, the West Bank, and Iraq, undermining the region's quest for democracy and threatening the lives of innocent civilians.

Iran's radical government seeks to develop nuclear weapons. If Iran gains nuclear capabilities, millions of innocent Israelis, as well as our allies in the Middle East, will be jeopardized and our hopes for Middle East peace will be lost.

Mr. Speaker, we must not abandon Israel, leaving them to stand alone against this imminent threat. The United States must lead, with our allies, in eliminating Iran's support for terrorist groups and requiring Iran to fulfill nuclear nonproliferation agreements.

Mr. Speaker, the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, will be celebrating its 125th anniversary on November 6th of this year. I wish to congratulate its Pastor, Reverend C.A. Feemster, its dedicated Deacons, and its faithful congregation on this joyous occasion.

Built in 1880, the first Mount Zion Baptist Church building was located on Piedmont Avenue and was led by their very first pastor Reverend R.L. Veal. The church was relocated to King Street in 1916, where it stook proudly until November 3, 1974, when then Pastor Norris moved his congregation into their current building.

Since that day, the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church has been blessed with such wonderful rewards as its first full time, and current, pastor Reverend C.A. Feemster, an informative church newsletter, and an active missionary program.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the 125 years of faithful service to God, the community, and its congregation members, I wish to congratulate the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church on this truly blessed occasion, and I look forward to their continued service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support our House Republican leadership and their pledge to control government spending through deficit reduction. We must restore fiscal discipline to the Federal Government, ensuring our children and grandchildren live in a society based on opportunity, not dependence on a bloated Federal bureaucracy swimming in greater debt.

It comes as no surprise to hear Democrats cry: raise taxes; spend more. I feel like Bill Murray in ``Ground Hog Day,'' that great movie. Regardless of the day, regardless of the problem, Democrats have no new ideas, just crying: more taxes; more spending.

Higher taxes are a problem, not a solution, and always lead to larger, more intrusive governments, and larger budgets. As elected officials, Madam Speaker, we must make prudent decisions to reduce the deficit. I urge my colleagues to support deficit reduction and work constructively to control government spending.

Mr. Speaker, the Republic of China (Taiwan) will celebrate its National Day October 10, 2005. I wish to congratulate the President and the People of Taiwan on this festive occasion.

Taiwan is a small island with few natural resources, yet it has prospered because of the opportunity provided by freedom and democracy. With one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves, its 23 million people enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. Politically, Taiwan is a full democracy, with free elections and a free press. Taiwan fully embraces the values of economic liberalization, democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights.

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian recently stopped in Miami, Florida en route to Central America. Through a teleconference, President Chen was honored by the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in recognition of Chen's life-long campaign to promote and safeguard human rights not only in Taiwan but also in other parts of the world. In his teleconference, President Chen told Congressional members that Taiwan's democratic development is irreversible, that China could and should learn from Taiwan's history of democratization and that he would like to have direct talks with China's President without any prior conditions. I hope President Hu will take up President Chen's offer and move toward permanent peace in the Taiwan Strait based on personal freedom and individual liberty.

Mr. Speaker, President Chen is a man of peace. For the good of his country and his people, he has been pleading with Chinese leaders to resume talks over cross-strait disputes. In the meantime, President Chen has been asking the international community, to set up a mechanism to ensure that there would not be unnecessary military conflicts over the Taiwan Strait. I believe that the United States should, at the very least, continue to impress upon the Chinese that we will uphold our commitment and defend Taiwan if it is attacked without provocation.

On Taiwan's National Day, I join my colleagues in congratulating the Taiwanese people. We deeply appreciate our common bonds and friendship with them and look forward to strengthening our relationship in the future.