Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, last spring, China passed the anti- secession law to give Chinese leaders the right to use force against Taiwan if they suspect separatist activities in Taiwan. In addition to the enactment of the anti-secession law, China's rapid military build- up has given the Taiwanese people a sense of fear. China's deployment of more than 700 missiles along the southeast coast indicates that China still stubbornly clings to a military solution of the Taiwan issue. In response to China's provocative actions, we need to emphasize that military intimidation over Taiwan is not a solution to the cross strait relations.

China must respect the aspirations of Taiwan's 23 million people who want the freedom to determine their own future. China has no justification to change the status quo either through the anti- secession law or military intimidation. Last spring, the House of Representatives went on record in expressing our grave concern over China's anti-secession law by passing H. Con. Res. 98 authored by Chairman Hyde in a vote of 424-4. I was proud to vote for this legislation, and I commend my fellow colleagues for the overwhelming decisive nature of the vote in demonstrating the House's sincere interest in preserving peace in the Taiwan Straits through the ending of the anti-secession law.

In other important issues, China must not block Taiwan's attempts to gain international recognition or return to international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Taiwan is a free and democratic nation and deserves to be treated properly and with respect by the international community. Taiwan's exclusion from the United Nations has deprived the identity of 23 million people.

President Chen is a man of peace and he has reaffirmed his commitment to maintain the status quo on many occasions. In the last six years, he has kept his pledges and offered many goodwill gestures to China. His goal of reducing tension between Taiwan and China remains unchanged. Let us hope that China will reciprocate Chen's olive branch by renouncing the use of force against Taiwan and resuming dialogue on an equal footing and without pre-conditions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud Congress for including $1.8 million for Tourette Syndrome research in H.R. 3010, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006, and to encourage the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue its partnership with the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA).

The Tourette Syndrome education program provides intensive training and education about Tourette Syndrome for the public, physicians, allied healthcare workers, and teachers. Its objectives are to increase recognition and diagnosis, decrease the stigma, increase the provision of and improve the nature of treatments, decrease negative impacts on families, and improve academic outcomes for children with this disorder.

In May 2004, Chairman Regula indicated in a letter to the CDC Director that the money Congress was appropriating to help those with Tourette Syndrome should be sole-sourced to the Tourette Syndrome Association. He respected TSA's expertise, and I congratulate him for recognizing that they would be the entity best able to undertake the following kinds of successful and efficient use of the funds. It is my sincere hope that CDC will continue to work in partnership with TSA, so they can build upon the successes they have demonstrated to date.

TSA, in partnership with the CDC, completed the first year of the program on August 31, 2005 and began the second year on September 1, 2005. In the first year, TSA offered 25 expert medical education programs, as well as five major education-allied professional programs. The medical programs trained 2,149 physicians, nurses and medical- related allied professional while the education programs trained 745 teachers and school-based allied professionals. These program sites were well distributed across the country.

An April 2005 analysis found that 73.5 percent of the physicians who responded to TSA's evaluation reported that over half of the material presented in the training was new to them.

The Tourette Syndrome Association also videotaped Dr. John Walkup's presentation on ``Diagnosis and Treatment of Tourette Syndrome'' which has been made available on TSA's website as the first of several Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs. To learn more about Tourette Syndrome or to view this presentation please, visit http:// tsa-usa.org. All ready for year two of this program, the Tourette Syndrome Association has scheduled twenty medical education programs and seventeen education programs. TSA also plans to videotape Dr. Jorge Juncos offering training for neurologists in both English and Spanish for a future CME presentation on TSA's website.

It is in the best interest of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue its partneship with the Tourette Syndrome Association, so that this established program will continue to reach medical and education specialists across the country.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 631 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

This resolution provides that certain specified measures may be considered under suspension of the rules at any time on the legislative day of Sunday, December 18, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, we are gathered here on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C., December 18, 2005. We have had our priest to open up this beautiful House today, asking that America and Americans understand our responsibilities. We are here today because we still have work yet to be done, but there are people that we need to give thanks to.

Mr. Speaker, our families expected us home weeks ago, but we are here because we have an obligation and a duty.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today under protection of members of the Capitol

Hill Police Department, members of the United States military who protect our great country, our staffs, as well as the people who work for the United States House of Representatives who serve with honor and distinction. We deserve to give them thanks for all that they have done on what surely will be the last day of this first session of Congress. But there is still much work left to be done, and we recognize that we are here to do that.

The Republican leadership of this House has set forth yet again a positive legislative agenda for the remainder of this week and the balance of this first session of the 109th Congress. The goal of this plan is to address a number of outstanding issues that still remain on Congress' calendar before we adjourn, and we must utilize this schedule to make sure we maintain our commitment to improving America's economic and national security.

One of the things, Mr. Speaker, that sets America apart from other nations is that we do not expect others to do the work for us. We take part and get it done ourselves, and that is what this Congress is doing.

Over the past year, we have passed a number of important new education, health care, trade, tax and national security bills that will keep America safer and healthier, create new jobs and improve our economy. This rule will allow the House to consider a number of additional bills today under suspension of the rules that will ensure that Congress can complete more additional work necessary before we go home for the holidays.

This rule makes in order the consideration of eight bills under suspension of the rules. These bills will accomplish important domestic goals such as reforming the Federal deposit insurance system and reauthorizing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program through March 31, 2006.

The suspension authority allows us to consider necessary and noncontroversial items such as H.R. 4501, which amends the Passport Act in order to comply with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; a bill to authorize the transfer of items in the War Reserves Stockpile; and H.R. 2329, to allow an officer of a foreign government to receive an award under the Department of State Rewards Program under certain circumstances.

This rule also recognizes the importance of democracy throughout the world. H. Con. Res. 284 expresses the sense of Congress with respect to the 2005 presidential and parliamentary elections in Egypt. Another resolution, H. Res. 545, expresses the sense of the House of Representatives on the arrest of Sanjar Umarov in Uzbekistan.

Finally, we have a great opportunity today to honor a very dear friend of mine and a friend of this House, Helen Sewell, as part of the suspension calendar today. This resolution honors Helen for her outstanding service to the United States House of Representatives throughout her work in the Republican cloakroom. During this time, Helen has not only touched the lives of countless Members who have served in this body but also counts President Ford, former President George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush as good friends. It is an honor to stand here today and to join my colleagues in recognizing Helen Sewell for her over 70 years of service in the United States Congress.

All of these bills scheduled for consideration today by the House leadership are on behalf of the American public who enjoy broad support from both Members of the majority and the minority parties.

This rule simply provides us with the tools needed to ensure that all of this important work is completed before we adjourn and leave Washington to join our families and our communities to celebrate the holidays. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this noncontroversial and balanced bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts, who has very well articulated some of the differences that exist in this body. Our ability to work through those differences is why we come to work.

We recognize and know that we began this year with a presentation of the State of the Union by the President of the United States who clearly outlined those things which would be important goals for the year, not only for Congress but for the American people and certainly those things that deal with the war in Iraq.

My party, the Republican Party, has been very conscientious about those things which we believe we told the American people that we would do last November. We reiterated we would not raise taxes, as the Democrat Party wanted to do. We indicated that we would not cut and run from the war, which is what many people in the Democrat Party want to do. We recognize that those things that are ahead of us are very difficult choices that have to be made.

We have concentrated our activities on an attempt to streamline the budget process and make ourselves available to working with government for more efficiency. We accomplished for the first time this year a chance for all of our appropriations bills to be done by the July 4 break. Given the world as it was, that was a great idea. But we then were struck with a number of the largest hurricanes that have ever hit the United States of America, the largest storms in the history of the world.

We have worked through adversity. It has not been easy. It has caused great consternation throughout the United States. But I am pleased to tell you that this Congress has still come to work, we have debated the ideas, and it is the Republican Party that has the responsibility as a result of our being the majority party to come up with a plan of how to lead.

We have attempted to work as much as possible with the President of the United States and with our colleagues on the other side of the Capitol in the United States Senate on those things that would empower America. One of those things which we think we have done a very good job on is to say that we disagree with the rhetoric that says we have to raise taxes; that we have to increase spending; that we have to have government to be the answer.

We still reject those ideas here on what we think will be the last day of the first session of the 109th Congress; I still reject that in the face of adversity from the Democrat Party and those elements today who bring their case forward. We respect those thoughts and ideas. I respect very much the disagreement that we have in the Rules Committee on a regular basis. The articulation not only by the gentleman from Massachusetts but by others is very measured and very well said. However, we simply disagree with that; and that is why we will proceed the way in which we do. I respect our colleagues who bring adversity and their thoughts to the floor, and we will continue to do that today.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have had an opportunity again today to hear wonderful debate on the floor of the House of Representatives, the gentleman from Cleveland, speaking about some of those things which he deeply believes in. I also have a deep belief that we should be drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The American way of life, our ability to have energy independence, the opportunity for us to be able to explore for and find energy will determine, in my opinion, the success or failure of the economy of the United States. I do understand that many people who talk about this new way of life simply want us to ride bicycles and to destroy our economy to where we are no better or no worse than a Third World nation.

America, I believe, has set itself on a course where we believe that there is no problem bigger than a solution, and that we will find those avenues through research and development that can lead us on. An example of this would be we have utilized technology in our past for some 25 years. We have used about 21 million barrels of oil a day. It has been about constant what our utilization has been in the United States, and yet we continue to grow our economy. We continue to utilize these things with an increased population through efficiency.

The gentleman from Ohio had a chance to vote for a comprehensive energy bill just this year, a comprehensive energy bill that would put the Federal Government at the apex, at the forefront of making sure that we would lead the way through the government of finding and utilizing new technologies. The government will create a critical mass as a result of the spending which we will do to change government buildings and the way we do business to the most efficient forms that are available to us now and to create the future.

But I would say that this body, Mr. Speaker, needs to be mindful of a future that we are not afraid of, that the past which some of our Members would want us to go to find this opportunity for a new world with tribes and with global people who have been incapable of solving their own problems and addressing change is not the direction we should go.

We need to support an economy. We need to move forward to make sure we are solving the world's problems. Poverty and hunger are still problems in this world. We have opportunity today, as we handle bills, to solve some of the most basic problems through research and development, through medicine, and the opportunity for us to go to world leaders like Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, a leading edge in technologists and research and development people, people out at Stanford University Medical Center, like Dr. Bill Mobley, who are looking at genes and gene therapy and the opportunity through research and development to solve problems.

These problems, Mr. Speaker, are what America develops and spends their precious resources on to help the people of the world.

Yes, we know that there are people who want to go back and who want us to ride bicycles everywhere we go and to have an economy that is far different and do not do trade with the world, and isolate America, and cut and run from the war, and do not accept the responsibilities of the world leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I reject that thought process. I believe it will be done through the constant prodding and leadership of this House of Representatives, through our Speaker, Dennis Hastert, and through committee chairman like David Dreier from the Rules Committee, who give of themselves some 27 years of service as Mr. Dreier has given. Yes, we will even talk about years of service for Helen Sewell, who for over 70 years came to work almost every day for the benefit of America's future.

This is simply an experiment that we are engaged in, Mr. Speaker. There is no blueprint. There is no direction to say how we will handle things in the future, for we know not, any of us, what lies ahead of us.

But I have the confidence that the Republican Party and the things which we have done and will do will lead this great Nation, and the people will understand a vision, and we shall not perish. In God we trust.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for the opportunity for us to be here today and his collegial support of this rule. The gentleman very clearly understands as a result of his career that he has spent not only serving as a member of professional staff but also as a Member of Congress that Congress does engage in a lot of issues and ideas.

I would submit to him two things: Number one, that the process that we are going through is not perfect. It has existed this way because we have chosen the form of government that we have whereby two bodies get together on pieces of legislation that are of importance. This is something that we have lived through for a long period of time.

I would say to the gentleman that I respect his disagreement about how we should do everything in the day, and in the light of day and hold everything for days and let everybody know. In fact, almost every single piece of any bill has been debated and voted on. There are positions that Senators and Members of this House have taken that I hope are included. I hope that even though they may not be something that was completely understood by one body or another, they were well thought through thoughts and ideas that would be contained.

I believe that the idea of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one that has been debated in this country for over 10 or 12 years. It is time for resolution. For someone that does not understand that putting this on the DOD bill would be appropriate, I wonder who uses more energy than anyone, and it would probably be the Department of Defense. I think there is an intrinsic interest in us making sure that our own security of this country is participated in by and as a result of this being on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, lastly, I disagree with those who say that we need a change of leadership.

I do recognize that the other side, the Democrat Party, has different ideas about how to do things. But I am proud of my leadership, and I believe that the service of Dennis Hastert and those that are committee chairmen and those that are part of our leadership have stood the test of time to make sure that we are open and ready to do business, that we have the leading-edge thought process of this great Nation, that we are open to hearing from those who can help lead us to the greater pathways, and lastly, that we work with those constitutionally elected officials in a process to make sure that our Constitution is alive and well and a model to the world.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of Dennis Hastert and his leadership of this House of Representatives and those Members, whether they be from Iowa, Texas, California or Massachusetts, who come to this great body for service to this great Nation. Once again, I am proud of that which we do.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Sessions

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, again I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this rule to provide that suspensions will be in order at any time on the legislative day of December 18, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the amendment and on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 623 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides that certain specified measures may be considered under suspension of the rules at any time on the legislative day of Saturday, December 17, 2005.

Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership of this House has set forth a positive legislative agenda for the remainder of this week and the balance of the first session of the 109th Congress. The goal of this plan is to address a number of outstanding issues remaining on Congress's calendar before we adjourn that maintain our commitment to improving America's economy and national security.

Over the past year, we have passed a number of important new education, health care, tax, trade and national security bills that will keep Americans safer and healthier, create new jobs and improve our economy. This rule will allow the House to consider a number of additional bills today under suspension of the rules that will ensure that Congress can complete some additional important work before we adjourn for the holidays.

This rule makes in order the consideration of nine bills under suspension

of the rules. These bills accomplish necessary and noncontroversial goals, such as extending funding for the operation of State high-risk health insurance pools, providing for collection of human cord blood stem cells for medical treatment and research, and improving the proficiency testing of clinical laboratories.

The suspension authority will also allow us to consideration legislation to authorize appropriations for the Department of Justice, improve medical benefits for patients, extend important educational programs and help NASA to continue its human space flight, aeronautics and science programs.

Perhaps most notably, it provides for consideration of the conference report to extend the applicability of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Extending TRIA is a goal upon which I have worked very closely with my friends and fellow House conferees, Chairman Mike Oxley and Chairman Richard Baker, and I commend them for their hard work in preparing this bill for President Bush's signature.

This legislation represents a fiscally responsible response to the threats that acts of terrorism pose to the American economy. It also includes important taxpayer protections and will ensure that this important program does not expire and leave the marketplace for terrorism insurance in uncertainty.

After the tragedy of September 11, the marketplace for terrorism insurance largely disappeared. This lack of terrorism coverage terminated or delayed billions of dollars in commercial property financing, threatening business operations and development and job creation and our overall economy.

TRIA has proven its ability to stabilize the market, and it will continue to provide essential protection for businesses of all sizes in our country. I urge my colleagues to take the opportunity later today to follow up on this program's successful record and to reauthorize TRIA so that the program does not lapse and hurt businesses and policyholders around this great Nation.

Like TRIA, all of the bills scheduled for consideration by the Republican House leadership on behalf of all Americans enjoy broad support from Members of both the majority and the minority parties. This rule simply provides us with the tools needed to ensure that all of the important work is completed before we adjourn to our families and communities to celebrate for the holidays.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this uncontroversial and balanced rule.

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

Mr. Speaker, I, like my wonderful colleague, Mr. Hastings, am here doing the work of the American people. We are proud of what we are doing. It is just 1 week before Christmas, and we have a lot of work left to do. That is why we are here. We are here to work.

There are a number of my colleagues who showed up for work today prepared and ready. We know they miss their family and friends. Nathan Deal of Georgia, Tom Price of Georgia, and John Shimkus of Illinois are just an example of three Members of Congress who, even on a weekend and even a week before Christmas, show up.

So it is my hope that this same spirit we all talk about today, of accomplishing our work on behalf of the American people, the importance of completing our work because we said we would do it, to be responsible to the people of this whole country, all the people, that that spirit will carry through because that is why we are here today.

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

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Massachusetts has very appropriately talked about this important act, this TRIA legislation; and I would like to take time to thank the ranking member of the Financial Services Committee (Mr. Frank of Massachusetts) for not only his work for a long time on this bill but for working clearly and closely with industry and consumer groups to make sure that what we had control over of here in the House that we passed.

I do admit that there is frustration. There is frustration on my part, too, as the gentleman is well aware. And I will tell you that the process that has taken place may not be perfect, but I want to thank the gentleman not only for his support of the work that we were able to accomplish but for sticking with it.

The good part is there will be a process here today and the gentleman will be able to speak very clearly about his thoughts on that, and we will move forward.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their thoughtful comments this morning about the circumstances, as we are here on December 17, almost a week before Christmas. I would like to thank all my colleagues for coming down and speaking clearly.

There is a lot of frustration, but I believe the process is important for us to follow through. I am proud of what we are doing. We can accomplish it all together.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the amendment and on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Highland Park Scots Tennis Team for winning its third straight State Championship. On Saturday, November 5th, the Scots defeated New Braunfels High School 10-3 for the title.

This program and its coach have shown an incredible amount of character since losing to San Antonio Alamo Heights in the 2002 state finals. They have not lost a single match since then, winning a state record seventy straight team matches.

The team of twenty-five varsity players (thirteen boys and twelve girls) is so filled with talent that Head Coach Dan Holden had reserve players who are nationally ranked on the sidelines, a testament to the depth of this team. Coach Holden has not only prepared his players for the championship match, however; he has also helped them to seek higher education. This two-pronged approach to coaching is what Coach Holden calls his ``Win-Win'' strategy. He kept practices shorter than normal so that the players could have time to work with their personal coaches to improve their abilities for U.S. Tennis Association Tournaments. These tournaments provide excellent recruiting opportunities for college scouts, in turn providing the exposure necessary for the players to impress scouts in the hopes of earning a college scholarship.

Proof of his success is evident. For example, Tyler Taransky, a senior at Highland Park, came back to Highland Park for his last year after a brief foray into the world of full-time competitive tennis and home schooling. As a result, he helped to lead his team to victory one last time before enrolling at Texas A&M, where he will play tennis next fall for the Aggies.

For his efforts, the United States Professional Tennis Association named Coach Holden the 2004 National High School Coach of the Year. He was also honored as the Dallas Morning News' 2004 All-Area Tennis Coach of the Year.

In closing, I would like to congratulate Coach Dan Holden and the Highland Park Scots' Team Tennis on their outstanding achievement. Their competitive spirit and domination in their field are truly inspirational.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Scots of Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas for winning their first State Championship in almost half a century, defeating the Marshall High School Mavericks by the largest margin of victory in Texas High School eleven-man Football Championship history. I am proud to represent Highland Park as part of the 32nd District of Texas.

Head Coach Randy Allen and his team put on an impressive display at Tyler's Rose Stadium in front of over 14,000 fans plus several thousand more who couldn't get in due to a lack of seating. It was a fitting end to their first-ever undefeated, untied season of 15-0. Highland Park dominated the competition throughout the season on their way to their first State Championship appearance since 1957, with only one game in the entire season decided by 7 points or less.

This team and its fans have certainly waited a long time to reach this point. They have come extremely close to reaching the final game several times in recent years, but have always come up just a little shy. Twice in the past 10 years the Scots have seemingly been within arm's reach of the championship game, losing in the semifinals in both 1996 and 2003. After having come so close with such talented teams, they and their fans were very ready to return to glory.

Their avid fans came out in droves to support them in the championship game, even prompting the operators of the Rose Stadium to erect more seats at the last minute to accommodate up to 2,000 more fans. They also lobbied successfully to have the game broadcast live so that all of the Highland Park faithful who were unable to get tickets to the game could at least watch from afar as their beloved Scots brought home their first championship in 48 years.

The 2005 Scots, dubbed the ``Band of Brothers,'' fielded quite a large and talented team. It consisted of 116 total players, including at least one national standout. Matthew Stafford, the Scots quarterback, broke the school's passing record on the team's road to victory by throwing for over 8,000 yards in his three seasons at the helm. Stafford, considered by some to be the top recruit in the country at his position, will attend the University of Georgia next year. Another notable performance was that of senior Jake Feldt, who scored an incredible five touchdowns in a valiant effort for his team during the championship game.

In closing, I would like to honor the Highland Park Scots Football Team, HP coach Randy Allen, and the Community of Highland Park for their spirit, dedication, and winning attitude in their best season in a historically competitive program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) selecting Jose Angel Gurria Trevino as their next Secretary-General. Angel Gurria has been a good personal friend of mine for several years, and I am certain that his impressive leadership skills will be a tremendous asset to the

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida, not only for his leadership but also working so diligently with the Budget Committee, including the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle), our great chairman.

Mr. Speaker, tonight is an opportunity for the Republican majority to meet the demands of this great Nation when we talk about the ability to have a plan that will help control spending, where we can move forward to make sure that we better the circumstance that this country is in.

Earlier this year, this Congress began engaging Governors from all across this great Nation about ways in which we could make Medicaid spending and Medicaid programs work more efficiently across this government. I participated with the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) in meetings with Mark Warner, who is a Democrat Governor from Virginia, and Tom Vilsack, who is a Governor from Iowa. We talked about ways that this Congress could go about giving the Governors more flexibility and the ability to manage those processes and programs that they have in place.

The Budget Committee, as a result of work that has been done by other committees, one-eighth of the bills which we bring tonight simply talk about

ways that we can make sure that the spending that is done tonight is done more efficiently and more effectively, but done in a way that will create better services to the American public. What we find now, as we come to the floor to do the things that literally Governors all across this country have asked for, the flexibility to run their programs without just giving them waivers, but to let them run their own programs, we are told we are cutting services to poor people and how mean we are.

The truth could not be further from that which is said, Mr. Speaker. The fact of the matter is that we are going to put more money than ever in Medicaid that will allow States the opportunity to take care of their problems.

I am proud of this bill tonight. I support it, and I hope that the American people see it for what it is, a great opportunity to save money.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Dr. Dan Joseph Pickard who passed away on Thursday the 20th of October. I was greatly saddened to hear the news that Dr. Pickard had passed, and I will be keeping his wife, Patty, and surviving family members in my prayers during this very difficult time for the Pickard family.

Dr. Pickard led an accomplished life and was a community leader in Dallas, Texas. At the age of 15, Dan became an Eagle Scout. He and I would often talk of our shared experiences in Scouting and care for the young boys who grow and prosper through the program. Upon earning his Doctor of Optometry degree from Indiana University, Dan and Patty moved to Dallas in 1981 to start their professional careers. Dan served as the President of the Dallas Society of Optometrists, and was a valued community leader whom I enjoyed working with on a variety of issues.

I knew Dr. Pickard best as the Optometrist for my family and me, who always had a kind word and the best interests of his patients at the forefront of his priorities. Additionally, Dr. Pickard served on the Board of Directors during my term as Chairman of the Board of the Dallas Northeast Chamber of Commerce. Throughout his 5 years affected by Multiple Systems Atrophy, Dan continued to lead a life of support for others, and now he has passed away with dignity and peace in his heart.

Dr. Pickard's compassionate professionalism, enthusiasm for life, and sincere friendship will be greatly missed, yet his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of the many people touched by his life. My wife, Nete, and I mourn his passing, and we honor the memory of his vibrant and inspiring life. May God bless the Pickard family during this time of great loss.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 509 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

This structured rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Financial Services. It waives all points of order against consideration of the bill, and provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered as read. It waives all points of order against the amendment in the nature of a substitute and makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution.

It provides that the amendments made in order may be offered only in the order printed in the report, offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, and shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and opponent. They shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.

Finally, the rule waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the report and provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. This bill, cosponsored by my good friend, Chairman Richard Baker, was accepted at its full committee markup last May and reported to the House by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 65 to 5. This balanced rule under debate makes in order a manager's amendment and an equal number of additional amendments from Members of both sides of the aisle, with four Republican and four Democrat amendments also made in order.

The purpose of this legislation is simple: to provide for the creation of a world-class regulator to oversee the housing government- sponsored entities that help make America's mortgage and capital markets the envy of the world.

Currently, approximately 70 percent of American households own their own home, a fact that is due in no small part to the liquid and strong capital markets that allow families to achieve the American dream of homeownership at rates never seen before.

But the same GSEs that help to drive high ownership rates are also among the largest U.S. financial institutions, with approximately $2.5 billion in assets. Between the two largest GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, nearly half the residential market is either owned or guaranteed. Because of their size and potential to have a disproportionate impact on America's capital markets, they require strong and effective oversight of their operations. The Federal Housing Finance Reform Act, brought forth by Chairman Mike Oxley and Chairman Richard Baker, will accomplish this goal.

This bill will provide for the continued strength of our mortgage markets by creating a new, world-class regulator with strong safety and soundness and mission powers to oversee these GSEs. It merges the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, which currently regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with the Federal Housing Finance Board, which currently regulates the Federal home loan banks, into a single entity. This new entity, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, will be headed by a Director who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It will also be comprised of an advisory board, represented by the Department of the Treasury, HUD, and two nongovernmental members.

This regulator will be empowered to ensure the safety and soundness of GSEs through a number of increased powers similar to ones already given to bank regulators, including the ability to determine minimum and risk-based capital standards, to review and adjust portfolio holdings, to approve new programs and business activities, to mandate prudent management and operational standards, to take prompt corrective and enforcement actions, and to put critically undercapitalized GSEs into receivership, to require corporate governance improvements, and, lastly, to hire examination and accounting experts.

This legislation also establishes an Affordable Housing Fund, based on the Affordable Housing Program already in place for the Federal home loan banks. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will now have the opportunity to manage affordable housing programs funded by a percentage of their earnings. These funds will be awarded through a competitive application process to for-profit builders, State housing agencies, and nonprofit organizations; and, this fund will streamline HUD's current affordable housing goals for the GSEs to meet pressing needs in low-income and rural communities.

Under this rule we also have the opportunity to discuss a manager's amendment to this legislation, which makes a significant number of improvements to the bill. Chief among these is the recognition that Congress must provide strong, market-based incentives to rebuild the devastated gulf coast region in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The manager's amendment will ensure that during the first 2 years, additional weight will be given to Hurricane Katrina and Rita disaster areas and to those families affected by these catastrophes. Priority will be given for other disaster areas and to areas of greatest impact and geographic diversity.

The manager's amendment also recognizes the need for fast action in the gulf region, and speeds up the effective dates of this legislation from 1 year to 6 months after enactment. Finally, the manager's amendment sunsets the fund after 5 years, at which point the Director will report to Congress on whether funds should be extended or modified to improve its efficiency and effectiveness so that Congress can exercise appropriate oversight of this new program.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation to reform and improve oversight of housing GSEs, and I would like to thank Chairman Richard Baker and Chairman Mike Oxley and their colleagues on the Financial Services Committee for their hard work on this important legislation. I encourage my colleagues to support this fair and balanced rule and the underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is right out there in front of everybody: Republicans are good on policy and, evidently, the Democrats do not like the politics. The policy is what this Financial Services Committee is all about. That is why they produced this great bill.

I am pleased to yield 3 minutes at this time to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney) who serves on that committee.

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

I am very disappointed that the gentleman from Maryland referred to this as a closed rule, when in fact he knows it is not a closed rule.

The gentleman from Maryland understands that what we have done and undertaken in this rule is the opportunity that would allow any Member, but in particular a Member of the minority, a chance to vote on a manager's amendment, a motion to recommit, and certainly final passage.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, so that the gentleman does understand the facts of the case, the committee had no discussion on this point. The discussion took place in the Rules Committee, because a decision was made well after May, at the time that the committee brought it forward.

I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, my point is that the gentleman from Maryland referred to this as being a closed rule. It is not a closed rule.

Mr. Speaker, I will insert in the Record a campaign plan from ACORN that is very much a part of this debate today about what organizations and groups plan to do with politics and money.

Floridians for All--Campaign Plan for a November 2004 Minimum Wage

Constitutional Amendment Initiative

Introduction

A Florida constitutional amendment initiative to create a

minimum wage of $6.15 with indexing will help defeat George

W. Bush and other Republicans by increasing Democratic

turnout in a close election, will deliver wage gains to at

least 300,000 Floridians, and will catalyze the construction

of permanent progressive political infrastructure that will

help redirect Florida politics in a more progressive,

Democratic direction.

The 2004 election in Florida is shaping up to be just as

close as 2000, which Al Gore won by 537 votes. Although there

have been demographic changes and growth throughout Florida

when the 2000 total is adjusted for 2004 it is still-razor

thin: Unofficial NCEC analysis shows that Gore's adjusted

margin is 404, combined with the 2004 adjusted Nader voter--

25,138 (assuming 25 percent stay home, 25 percent vote for

Bush and 50 percent vote for Gore). The 2004 adjusted margin

is 25,542--too close for comfort.

The 2004 projections indicate addition turnout of 370,000 a

total of 6.4 million, increasing the vote goal by 200,000 in

order to have a winning margin. The other significant change

in preliminary analysis is that the electorate will have 10

percent fewer ticket splitters than 2000. With less

persuadable voters, the need to increase base voters and

turning out more infrequent voters is critical to reach the

vote goal in Florida.

Given that turnout is down when the economy is bad, since

our voters are more discouraged, the need for a exciting

ballot initiative strategy that works to address the needs of

the most economically needy, and also likely Democratic

voters, is a fundamental part of a winning strategy in

Florida.

Florida ACORN is building a coalition, called Floridians

for All, that will unite labor unions, community and civil

rights organizations, the faith community, elected officials,

sectors of the business community, political organizations,

and thousands of grassroots activists behind the proposed

strategy. At the same time, we are building the

infrastructure to carry out the campaign and ensure the

accomplishment of our objectives.

The empirical evidence from other states indicates that

initiatives generally increase voter turnout, and that

minimum wage initiatives can significantly increase the

turnout of supporters without increasing turnout from the

opposition. [ACORN's own experience running municipal and

state minimum wage ballots [Denver, Houston (1996), Missouri

(1996), New Orleans (2002)] supports the conclusion that

these efforts are highly motivating to low-wage voters.] In

2000, 6.1 million voters came to the polls in Florida, a

turnout of approximately 70 percent. A targeted campaign that

works to turn out 1 percent of that electorate, approximately

61,000 voters, would not only make the difference for the

Democratic Presidential candidate but also lend significant

support to Congressional and local races. [As an example,

Congressional District 5 was won by conservative Republican

Ginny Brown-Waite, by little over 4,000 votes. From the top

of the ticket on down, a ballot initiative strategy which

mobilizes infrequent voters and energizes unregistered

Democratic constituency will help defeat George W. Bush

and allow Floridians to vote themselves a raise.]

An estimated 300,000 Florida workers would receive a direct

raise from our proposal. Moreover, thousands more would

receive residual raises because of their wage level just

above the new minimum. Floridians sorely need this proposed

raise. In 2001 over 28 percent of Florida's workers earned

less than the poverty line (approximately $8.70 an hour). A

full 20 percent of those workers earned less that $7.69 an

hour, a result that can be partially explained by the

concentration of workers in the lowest wage job sectors--

retail and service. A whopping 37.3 percent of the state's

workforce is employed in service sector jobs, with another

19.6 percent in the low wage retail sector. The additional

earnings of minimum wage workers, almost $700 mi1lion in the

first year alone, would be directly pumped back into the

economy, helping to stimulate the stagnant economy created

under the watch of Bush's destructive tax cuts. Not only is

this proposal beneficial to Florida's economy, it also helps

to seed a mass constituency for future change.

Because we are starting this campaign early, and because we

have a plan, the Floridians for All Campaign will challenge

the institutional forces for progressive and Democratic

change in the state to build permanent political capacity.

This is particularly important to rehabilitating the long-

term prospects of our side. In a state where Democrats

control only 53 of 160 legislative seats, and zero

Constitutional offices, the need to rebuild infrastructure

and capacity to win, has never been more important. For

example, the signature gathering phase of the campaign wil1

lead to the construction of a vast database of hundreds of

thousands of economic justice activists and voters in the

state. These are the same voters the Democratic Party must

court and win to regain a presence in state politics. The

campaign will also force organizations like ACORN to build

massive field capacity to deliver these necessary signatures

and GOTV. A vast network of activists and voters, combined

with sophisticated field campaign will act as a unifying

force among Democratic electoral forces. The combined

strength of community, labor, and--faith organizations

committed to mobilizing their members and leaders at the

grassroots level, will result in a cohesive strategy to

retake the White House in 2004 and rebuild the Florida

Democratic Party.

Campaign Goals

The goals of this campaign are threefold:

1. To increase voter turnout of working class, mainly

Democratic voters without increasing opposition turnout;

2. To increase the power of progressive constituencies by

moving a mass agenda, putting together the capacity to get on

the ballot and win, and by putting our side on the offensive;

3. To deliver a wage increase to hundreds of thousands of

Floridians.

Increasing turnout is crucial to a successful 2004

electoral strategy from the top of the ticket all the way

down, through the many key races in Florida that include not

only the Presidency, but also a key Senate race,

Congressional seats and also significant turnover in the

Florida Legislature. Given these many key races, exciting

and mobilizing constituency has never been more important,

but in order to do this there must be a compelling issue

on the ballot. Though presidential year elections always

result in

higber turnout, the 2000 elections demonstrate the

importance of every vote in Florida; and we do not want to

leave turnout to chance. These turnout figures from the

most recent Florida elections demonstrate the overall

decline in voter participation and the need to refocus

efforts on mobilizing and motivating our base.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1992.......................................................... 83 1994.......................................................... 66 1996.......................................................... 67 1998.......................................................... 49 2000.......................................................... 70 2002.......................................................... 55

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Kansas City very clearly articulated the exact reason why this bill is moving forward, and the reason why Chairman Richard Baker and the chairman of the committee, Chairman Mike Oxley, have moved forward a bill that is so powerful, that will include more dollars.

But I believe that the argument that is here is about politics, pure and simple politics, rather than policy. And this bill is about policy. It is about getting millions of dollars that will be given to the source at which we will create more and better housing for really poor people.

The gentleman referred to him being a member of the United Methodist Church. I am a member of the United Methodist Church. When you look at a Web site for Habitat for Humanity, you will see large corporations on that list who contribute to new houses in this country, not-for-profits and others; and number four on that list is my church, of the entire country, my church the Highland Park United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas. We build houses in Dallas, Texas, for poor people, people who are without that ability for their families.

But what we are asking here is the ability to move this bill to create thousands of more homes. And I think what Mike Oxley wants in this bill is to make it about policy, not about politics. And I am proud of how we are doing this.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the Fifth Congressional District of Texas (Mr. Hensarling).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Baton Rouge (Mr. Baker), the author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley), chairman of the Committee on Financial Services.

(Mr. OXLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. Speaker, I heard the gentleman from Massachusetts refer to his 25 years of service in this distinguished body, and I have great respect for that; but I want him to know, and I am certain he remembers this, that the Democrats when they were in the majority, many times denied Republicans an opportunity in the legislative and rulemaking process to have motions to recommit. In fact, the Republican majority has given the minority that under this rule, as we have the entire time we have been in the majority.

This vote today is simply on the rule. The committee voted for the bill 65-5. Members are going to have an opportunity during consideration of these amendments to voice their disapproval of the manager's amendment and vote it down if that is what they choose to do.

The purpose of these changes that we are talking about in the manager's amendment is to prevent nonprofits from receiving these funds and engaging in political activity, to ensure that the scarce and available funds for housing resources are allocated effectively and for their intended purpose, pure and simple. We want to make sure that they are used for rebuilding houses with the primary emphasis in the gulf region.

This legislation does not prevent nonprofit organizations from pursuing a political agenda if they so choose. It simply prevents them from accepting these funds if they put politics first. It is their choice.

Hurricanes do not take party affiliation into account, and these funds are being contributed by the housing GSEs to rebuild this important region of our country. It should not be done on a political basis. I am very proud of this bill and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, the Rules Committee may meet next week to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 1461, the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005. The bill was introduced on April 5 and referred to the Committee on Financial Services which ordered the bill reported out by a vote of 65-5 on May 25 and filed in the House on July 14.

Any Member wishing to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in room H-312 of the Capitol by noon on Tuesday, October 25, 2005. Members should draft their amendments to the text of the bill as reported by the Committee on Financial Services on July 14. Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format. Members are advised to check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentleman not only asking these questions but bringing up and talking about some important issues.

First of all, I would be the first one to admit that we have for the last few weeks been dealing with issues related to Katrina and other important matters as it relates to housing.

To answer the gentleman most directly, I must say that the instructions that I have given are that we are going back to the bill of July 14. There have been no changes made at this time to that. That will be the text that will be considered by the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee, as we deliberate, we take into consideration amendments of how people would wish for the bill to be changed, new thoughts and ideas; and that will be just as current as the filing date that we have set. So it is my hope that you would have the opportunity to work with Members of your party, and that this announcement would be available for Members of my party to say that we are open to any amendment, any thought process that people would like to come to the Rules Committee.

It is not unusual for us to hold hearings and take testimony that may take hours and hours and we hear from people. That thought process will be considered next week. The chairman of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from California, has instructed me to advise Members that we will be ready to do business next week and be open to the amendment process as Members choose.

I would say to the gentleman, reclaiming my time, that the Rules Committee has been visited by the gentleman from Massachusetts. He is no stranger to the Rules Committee. You also in your leadership capacities and otherwise as a Member of Congress representing your constituents from Maryland have been very vigorous in your support of the things which you believe, the ideas which you choose to press to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee is very open, and our esteemed chairman will make available that time.

We do not know the content of that manager's amendment that you are talking about at this time. We once again encourage all Members, including the process that will be followed for the manager's amendment, to be filed on that date, October 25.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of the Dallas Fire Fighters who have laid down their lives in the line of duty while serving the citizens of the City of Dallas. They will be remembered at the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department Memorial Service at the Dodd J. Miller, Jr. Training Center on October 22. In addition, I honor the family, friends and fellow fire fighters who grieve their loss and carry out their legacies.

Many times it is only the fire fighters that stand between our communities and countless dangers. In times of need, they are the first to arrive and remain vigilant on the front lines. We have come to depend on their heroism, fortitude and bravery and they never falter.

I encourage the loved ones of these fallen heroes to reflect on the selflessness of their sacrifice and the glory of their actions. In the face of great danger, they did not waver in their commitment to help those who could not help themselves.

I am privileged to represent these true American heroes. They served with pride and died with honor and we will forever be grateful for their selfless service. May their loved ones and colleagues accept the many thanks of our grateful nation.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 474 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today is the standard rule for the consideration of a conference report. It waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration and provides that the conference report shall be considered as read.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. This rule, brought to the floor today by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, funds our most important Federal programs aimed at securing this Nation against terrorist attacks.

It provides $30.8 billion for the operations and activities of the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2006, an increase of $1.4 billion above fiscal year 2005 and $1.3 billion above the President's request. The conference report agreement reflects the DHS organizational structure recommended by the Secretary on July 13, 2005, and does not create any new aviation security fees.

This legislation secures our homeland first and foremost by protecting our borders and revitalizing immigration enforcement. It provides nearly two-thirds of the overall budget for the Department, $19.1 billion for border protection, immigration enforcement and related activities.

This represents an increase of $1.2 billion over funding in 2005 and $490 million over the President's request. These funds are used to support cutting-edge technologies for high-risk cargo screening, to expand cargo inspection at foreign ports, and to support a robust revitalization of immigration enforcement along our borders and around our Nation.

Among other security enhancing measures, this funding includes $1.8 billion for border security and control, funding an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents. When combined with this year's supplemental appropriations, 1,500 new agents will be hired in 2006. It provides for $3.4 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, funding an additional 250 criminal investigators and 100 Immigration Enforcement agents. When combined with this year's supplemental, 568 new ICE agents and officers will be hired for year 2006.

It provides $41 million for border security technology, including surveillance and unmanned aerial vehicles; $562 million for Air and Marine Operations to maintain the integrity of our borders and aerospace security, as well as drug interdiction; $94 million for the Institutional Removal Program, including an additional 100 agents; $40 million for implementation of the READ ID Act; $5 million to train State and local officials and officers to enforce immigration laws; $1 billion for immigration detention custody operations; and $135 million for transportation and removal of illegal immigrants.

This conference report also recognizes the active role that the Department of Homeland Security must play in disaster mitigation and relief efforts. It prioritizes spending on Federal response capacities as well as increased planning and coordination with the States.

To accomplish this, it includes $1.77 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund; $20 million for Urban Search and Rescue Teams; $20 million for FEMA catastrophic planning; $22 million for the National Incident Management System; $200 million for the Flood Map Modernization Program; a requirement that DHS develop guidelines for mass evacuation plans; and a requirement that DHS reports on the status of catastrophic planning in each of our 50 States.

This conference report also provides $3.3 billion for first responders, in the form of performance grants to high-threat areas, firefighters and emergency management. Since September 11, 2001, $32.1 billion has been provided to first responders, including funds for terrorism prevention and preparedness, general law enforcement, firefighter assistance, airport security, seaport security and public health preparation.

This conference report includes funding of over $1 billion for high- density urban areas, including $765 million for urban area grants, $150 million for rail security, $175 million for port security and $65 million for other infrastructure protection, $655 million for firefighter grants, $400 million for State and local enforcement terrorism prevention grants and $185 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants.

Finally, this conference report provides $1.5 billion for the research and development of leading-edge technologies and $625 million to protect our critical infrastructure and key assets. These funds will be used to test and transition these technologies for use by Federal, State and local officials. It will also support ongoing efforts to develop secure communication systems with Federal, State and local entities and continue efforts with the private sector to implement protective measures around this important infrastructure.

To accomplish this, the bill includes $538 million to develop radiological, nuclear, chemical, biological and high explosives countermeasures; $110 million for the research and development and testing of antimissile devices for commercial aircraft; $318 million to start up the new Domestic Nuclear Detection Office to help coordinate global nuclear detection and tracking; $14 million to identify and characterize potential biological terrorist attacks; and $93.3 million for cyber-security technology.

Mr. Speaker, I could spend a lot of time listing the many strengths of this bill and the thoughtful and threat-based way that it funds the programs that keep American families safe. Instead, I want to take time to strongly support this legislation with an open rule.

I commend my colleagues on the Committee on Appropriations for their hard work.

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

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

The gentleman from Massachusetts was very kind to enunciate and talk about the contributions that have been made on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats working together in an effort to make sure that Katrina is taken care of. I also take him at face value that he will not vote for this because there is not enough spending in the bill. There is not enough money that is being spent, and he outlined that money that he wants to spend.

The majority party does need to make sure that the bill that comes forth is balanced and one that maintains the priorities of this country. So we on this side are standing up in strong support of this not only well-balanced bill but really will allow equal distribution as we see the needs of this country and the spending and to control that which we do.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the chairman of the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller).

Mr. Speaker, serving as a member of the conference, when you go and you look at an appropriations and tear apart where all the money goes and what the priorities are and what the needs are and work with the Senate, one of the most important attributes of getting a good bill is listening to both sides, Republicans and Democrats, and to understand those priorities as they relate not only to, in this case, homeland security, but really the needs of the entire country.

The next gentleman, who is a leader in this Congress, did exactly that. He took time with Hal Rogers and John Carter to understand the needs as expressed by this administration, as expressed by the Senate, and by the House.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), who is a speaker who

also had an opportunity to serve on this appropriations conference in a detailed fashion and made sure that he looked at those priorities which were necessary for spending for this very important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) who, once again, is a gentleman who served on the conference report, who is a person, who is a veteran of the Committee on Appropriations, a person who sits directly on the border of the United States and Mexico; he is a person who has been involved for many years in making sure that tough questions were asked and that we made sure that a balance for delivery of money was given to agencies with an expectation of performance.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New York is exactly correct. We do need more competition engaged in not only homeland security but all across our government. The last session of Congress, I had an opportunity to serve on the Select Committee on Homeland Security and had an opportunity to work very closely with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney). As part of this appropriations conference, he very clearly and carefully brought forward thoughts and ideas, just exactly what our colleague from New York (Mr. Meeks) stated about the ability to create better competition but also to expect results. Several years ago the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) was the first Member of Congress to bring forward a threat-based funding analysis plan. That was that we would aim our funding at the most likely threats that our Nation would be facing. And it is this kind of leadership that has allowed us, and I know we all do not agree on this. I know that there are a lot of people that think you ought to divide up the pie and every State or every city get so much money and every first responder gets so much money. But that is not what this administration and not what this Congress believes is the right way to do that.

I am pleased right now to have as our next speaker the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney) and I would yield him 3 minutes.

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

I am pleased and proud today to have the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) to lead us today as we have an opportunity to debate, discuss, and vote on this important appropriations bill for homeland security.

Mr. Speaker, I will admit to my colleagues we worked hard on this bill. It is a bipartisan effort. It was one that employed a lot of people with a lot of thoughts and ideas. We worked with the Senate, we worked with the administration, a lot of work, but what we have done is produce a package that is threat-based. It is based on those experts who see the threat that is aimed against the United States, and they are numerous. They are numerous. They are not in our largest cities, but along our border, but, Mr. Speaker, we have worked together to make sure that in a bipartisan fashion this was addressed, and I am pleased and proud today to say that this is a threat-based bill, based upon what the experts tell us is facing the United States today.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to highlight the retirement of a very important person in the administration. He is a former commissioner of U.S. Customs; and under Homeland Security, he has been commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Judge Robert Bonner from Los Angeles, California, who has served this great Nation for a number of years as a Federal judge and once again in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Judge Bonner will be leaving in just about a month from his service to the administration; and Judge Bonner has been a man of not only substance and vision but a person who has offered Members of Congress his best advice on how best to deal with the threats against this Nation.

So I would like to highlight not only the service to this country that the Members of Congress have done in this appropriations bill but also working with the administration, with such fine people as Judge Bonner.

Mr. Speaker, I will confess to my colleagues that this bill that we have here today is aimed at averting and stopping the next terrorist attack that comes aimed at this country. I hope that we have put the best minds to this and that we are prepared.

I am prepared to tell my colleagues right now I support this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 216th Anniversary of the United States Marshals Service (USMS), our nation's oldest federal law enforcement agency.

The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the United States Marshals Service. That same year, President George Washington appointed the first thirteen U.S. Marshals. At that time the Service's primary mission was to support the federal courts; however, U.S. Marshals and Deputy U.S. Marshals also performed a myriad of duties such as executing warrants, distributing presidential proclamations, registering enemy aliens in time of war, controlling riots, conducting the national census, collecting commerce statistics, and protecting the President. Many of these responsibilities have changed over the past 216 years, yet the Service's dedication to integrity and justice has remained constant.

Today, the USMS provides for the custody and transportation of federal prisoners, ensures protection for witnesses, and manages the maintenance and disposal of seized and forfeited properties. Also of great importance is the Service's fugitive apprehension mission. The USMS apprehends more federal fugitives than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. State and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have found the Service to be an invaluable fugitive apprehension resource. U.S. Marshals and Deputy U.S. Marshals carry out complex and life-threatening missions daily, striving to maintain the integrity of the American judicial process.

Over the years, the USMS has earned its reputation as one of the most versatile and effective law enforcement agencies in the world. The 4,500 men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service are justly proud of their history. I too am proud, and wish to commend the United States Marshals Service and thank them for their contributions to the law enforcement community and to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer congratulations to my good friend Steve McCullough upon his retirement from employment as the city manager for the city of Irving, Texas. He has dedicated himself to the betterment of his community and neighbors and his tireless commitment and service should be commended.

Steve began his 30-year career with the City of Irving in June 1975 when he was employed as an administrative assistant in the Finance Department. He joined the City Manager's Office in 1978 and was named deputy city manager in 1986. He has held the position of city manager in Irving since December 1993. Additionally, Steve was appointed by the governor of Texas to the Texas Municipal Retirement System Board of Trustees in 1990 and served as chairman in 1992 and 1995.

During his tenure as city manager, Steve served under five mayors and 26 council members. He was essential in developing and implementing many key initiatives including the Texas Transportation Summit and TEX- 21, the Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century and a new Comprehensive Plan for the City of Irving. Under his direction, the Lake Chapman Water Supply project, the Family Advocacy Center, the North Police Substation, the Heritage Senior Center, Campion Trails and the Valley View Municipal Complex were constructed. In addition, Steve was instrumental in the planning of a DART light rail line through Las Colinas to DFW International Airport and achieving and maintaining the city's AAA bond ratings.

I want to thank Steve McCullough for all that he has done to make Irving a better place to live, work and raise a family. He leaves behind a vision of pride, progress and continued success for the City of Irving, and I wish him all the best upon his retirement.