Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding. I rise to strongly, strongly oppose the Oberstar-LoBiondo-Poe amendment, because just exactly as the chairman and others have spoken in opposition to this amendment, this would jeopardize the open skies agreement between the United States and the EU.

The domestic airline industry in this country is struggling with fuel costs. This would literally be a knockout blow to them. In regard to the rulemaking, it assures still that 75 percent of stockholders must be Americans on a domestic airline, and two-thirds of the seats on the boards of directors must be United States citizens.

I think we need to move forward with this rulemaking so that we can complete this open skies agreement with the EU. This is a benefit to our airline industry that we have an opportunity to open up the markets to more international flights, more flights of their carriers into our smaller non-hub cities.

Mr. Chairman, this is a jobs bill. I strongly, strongly voice my opposition to this amendment. I ask my colleagues to vote against it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Betty Brady for nearly 30 years of service to the Powder Springs, Georgia community, most recently as the city clerk.

Betty's retiring from public service this year, and I know the whole city will miss her enthusiasm and her dedication.

Betty has worked with the City of Powder Springs since 1977, and in 1992, she was appointed city clerk. Over the past 14 years, Betty has worn many hats, accomplishing administrative, organizational and public relations duties for the mayor and city council.

As a native of Powder Springs, Betty brought a passion to her role as city clerk. Never one content to sit on the sidelines, Betty gave her time and energy to almost every aspect of city government.

In retirement, Betty will have more time to spend with her husband Aubrey, her three sons and her seven grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me and all my colleagues in thanking Betty Brady for her years of service to the Powder Springs, Georgia community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4894, the School Safety Acquiring Faculty Excellence Act, and I congratulate the leadership of my friend and colleague, Mr. Porter, and of course of Chairman Sensenbrenner, for bringing this important piece of legislation to the floor today.

This bill allows all States to access national criminal databases to obtain criminal information when hiring teachers. The safety of our children in America's schools is a major priority not only to our Nation's educators, but to every parent and guardian; and that is why I stand in support of it today. We need to make every resource available to our schools to ensure that the qualifications and the background of the faculty they hire are unquestioned.

This legislation streamlines the process and ensures that those who are hired to work with and educate our children are trustworthy, honest, and law abiding citizens. Mr. Speaker, this is a great opportunity for the House of Representatives to take a stand with our communities and our schools and give them the tools necessary to make certain that our children are safe.

I thank my colleague from Georgia for yielding. I certainly, certainly appreciate, Mr. Speaker, the Official Truth Squad that the gentleman has led, and particularly tonight in regard to this subject.

The gentleman spent 10 or 15 minutes actually going through a historical perspective, taking us, Mr. Speaker, all the way back to the 1960s, as he outlined the attacks that have occurred against this country, and made the point that this policy that we have had heretofore prior to our President's response to 9/11, on September 11, 2001, this so-called policy of containment that has proven itself to be a dismal failure because of these attacks, one right after another, as the gentleman pointed out, Khobar Towers, U.S.S. Cole, first attack on the World Trade Center, and finally leading up to the horrendous killing of over 3,000 people on September 11.

We didn't start this fight, Mr. Speaker; and I think that is the gentleman's point. It was just astounding to me to hear someone from the other side earlier this evening imply that we started this battle, that we have got no business defending freedom and standing up for the rule of law.

Edmund Burke once said that ``all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.'' And quite honestly, Mr. Speaker, over the last 40 years, as the gentleman from Georgia has pointed out, we basically did nothing. It was like turning the other cheek, or I dare you to do that again, or I double dog, even triple dog dare you to strike at us again, and on and on and on. And finally this President and this Congress had the courage to stand up and take it to the enemy. And I would point out that at that particular time, Mr. Speaker, this battle was not against any one individual but this was a long slog, that it was going to be tough, that the global war on terrorism would not end with just one battle.

It is so interesting, as we hear from the other side, that finally the tracking down and the killing of Zarqawi was almost a nonevent. It doesn't matter. They are going to replace him with someone just as terrible and we won't even notice the difference. That would be like saying that Knute Rockne was going to be replaced at Notre Dame, or a Lou Gehrig was going to be replaced by the New York Yankees and nobody would know the difference.

This guy was the worst of the worst. And I think that what we have done last week in killing Zarqawi is a tremendous accomplishment for our military, for the Iraqi people, for the intelligence that was brought to bear that led to the success and also, Mr. Speaker, in regard to the Iraqi Government finally, very carefully vetting individuals to place as ministers of defense, ministers of interior, and minister of their national security. These are huge items of success.

I want to say to my colleagues on the other side that we will, as the gentleman from Georgia has pointed out, we will discuss this thoroughly, and every Member in this body will have an opportunity to have their say about what we are trying to do and whether we support continuing this battle or whether we decide that it is time that, as the gentleman from the State of Washington said earlier this evening, to bring our troops home. I think it is very simple. I hear the Members on the other side of the aisle saying, well, the American people are against this, the American people have turned against this. Well, if that is the case, when we have this simple resolution on Thursday or Friday morning, then they will have an opportunity then to vote the way they think the American people want.

I, Mr. Speaker, refute that. I think the American people stand strong and understand that when you are in a contest, you don't say, we are going to play the game for 60 minutes, but if it happens to go into overtime then we are going to pull our team off the field because we don't want to go any further. This is what this is all about.

And, again, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia for leading the Official Truth Squad. As he said at the outset, you are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts, and these are the facts that Congressman Price has brought to us as he outlined what has happened over the last 40 years.

It is time that we stood up. We are going to win this battle, and we want

to make sure that every Member of this body has an opportunity to vote yea or nay. So I commend the gentleman from Georgia, and I yield back to him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate our United States military for eliminating a ruthless and brutal terrorist in Iraq.

Late Wednesday night, it was announced that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, had been killed in an air raid. This is a tremendous victory in our war on terrorism and a tremendous day for the Iraqi people. In fact, the air strike resulted from tips given to Iraqi Security Forces by residents in Diyala.

Mr. Speaker, al-Zarqawi was responsible for an untold number of bombings and kidnappings. He is even believed to have personally beheaded two American hostages. His death lets our enemies know we will not bow to their ruthless tactics.

America, our allies and the Iraqi people are committed to the triumph of liberty over terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, our military is doing an outstanding job protecting our Nation from those who wish us harm. I ask that you join me in thanking our servicemen and women for their selfless courage and congratulate them on their most recent victory, the elimination of the brutal terrorist leader, al-Zarqawi.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding.

WHINSEC is a Department of Defense institute that instructs current and future civilian, military and law enforcement leaders from Nations in the Western Hemisphere.

It was created in 2001 to replace the School of the Americas. The School of the Americas, as a Cold War legacy program, was not meeting the needs

and standards required to operate in the world's new security environment.

Its goals, which were set by Congress, explicitly include strengthening democracy, instilling a respect for the rule of law, and honoring human rights.

WHINSEC's curriculum, and I have been there, I am on the board of visitors, WHINSEC's curriculum includes instruction in leadership development, peace support, counterdrug operations, disaster preparedness and relief planning.

As mandated by Congress, WHINSEC formulated and implemented a human rights training program that, Mr. Chairman, is among the best offered by military educational institutions in this hemisphere. All students and instructors, without exception, receive comprehensive human rights instruction and training.

So I strongly disagree with this impression created by the School of the Americas/WHINSEC critics that somehow all or most of the WHINSEC graduates are brutal and murderous thugs. In fact, more than 61,000 officers, noncommissioned officers and soldiers have graduated from or attended courses at these U.S. Army schools. They have helped foster a spirit of cooperation and interoperability among militaries throughout Central and South Americas.

The vast majority, Mr. Chairman, of graduates have contributed positively to the region's transition to democracy, while helping to avoid interstate conflict in the hemisphere. While credible accusations of human rights abuses have been leveled against some graduates, most have served their Nation with honor and distinction.

In the interest of full disclosure, Mr. Chairman, I am a Catholic and I was educated by the Jesuits, and I understand the opposition that is coming from that direction of some abuses and torture, yes, that occurred 30 years ago, but this is a classic example, this amendment, of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It would be equivalent to saying that we should shut down Fort Benning because of the My Lai massacre, and Lieutenant Calley that occurred in the Vietnam War.

It just does not make sense, and I am totally opposed to my good friend Mr. McGovern's amendment, and I respectfully ask my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Upson-Lee Middle School in Thomaston, Georgia, on being recognized as a ``School to Watch'' by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

This award recognizes Upson-Lee's academic excellence, especially the school's commitment to challenging every student's mind. Upson-Lee was one of only 82 schools nationwide to receive this honor.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Upson-Thomaston Superintendent Howard Hendley, Upson-Lee Principal Patsy Dean and all the Upson-Lee teachers, administrators and parents for the dedicated work on behalf of Georgia's children.

As a former school board chairman, I know the importance of a good middle school education. Our children learn more when they are inspired by the leadership of teachers and principals, and Upson-Lee is doing a great job inspiring the youth of Thomaston.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating Upson-Lee Middle School on this exciting recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chairman Deal of the Health Subcommittee of Energy and Commerce. I thank Representative Hinchey and Representative Capps and all Members who bring this resolution, 833, before us this evening.

Those of us involved in health care, like Representative Capps, as a registered nurse, and myself, as a physician, and not only a physician, but also a specialist dealing with women's health issues, as an OB-GYN, understand the importance of recognizing that this is National Women's Health

Week. It promotes awareness of diseases that specifically affect women and encourage them to take preventive measures to ensure good health.

It is a time when we need to tell all the women in our lives, our mothers, our wives, our sisters, our daughters, our aunts, in my case, my children and grandchildren, and friends, how important it is to take time out for their health. It can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of an elevator, eating healthier or scheduling an appointment with a health care provider.

Mr. Speaker, as an OB-GYN physician for nearly 30 years, I cannot stress enough how important a good relationship with your doctor is in maintaining your health. Women need to have conversations with their physicians regarding family history. They clearly need to understand the importance of screening tests and how to manage chronic diseases.

I want all of America's women to take a moment to focus on promoting health and preventing disease and illness by taking very simple steps to improve their physical, mental, social and spiritual health.

And I thank the chairman for allowing me to address this issue.

Madam Speaker, I also rise today in support of the principled leadership of the Speaker of the House, Mr. Dennis Hastert.

As we all know, Denny is a former high school wrestling coach, and he brings those same values of teamwork and fair play to his work here in Congress. It is often said that to be a good leader, one must first be a good listener, and Denny's door is always open to every Member.

Under his leadership, this House has passed scores of legislation benefiting American families, children, seniors, taxpayers. We have achieved historic tax reform, a prescription drug benefit for our seniors and legislation to secure our border and prepare our military.

Madam Speaker, last night's news report's attempt to cast a shadow on Mr. Hastert, despite the fact that the Justice Department has categorically refuted ABC News claims about the Speaker, this is a case of sensationalism over reporting and it should not continue.

Madam Speaker, I know this Congress will continue to focus on passing good legislation for the American people and not resort to muckraking and partisan attacks. I know all my colleagues in this Chamber join me in thanking Speaker Hastert for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Health Information Technology, one of the most important and immediate ways we can increase patient safety and help more Americans access quality health care.

Health Information Technology, like electronic medical records and e- prescribing, can help doctors save money, time and, most importantly, save lives. But as I speak to practicing physicians across America, I am hearing the same thing time and time again, Mr. Speaker: I would love to invest in this new technology, but the costs are simply prohibitive.

This is why I have introduced H.R. 4641, legislation to increase tax deductions for physicians who invest in Health Information Technology. If more physicians can afford Health IT, more Americans can benefit from these systems.

Mr. Speaker, a recent RAND study reveals that a widely adopted Health IT system could save the United States more than $126 billion each and every year. We have a unique opportunity then to help doctors, patients and the American taxpayer in one fell swoop.

It is absolutely crucial that we encourage the adoption of HIT, Health Information Technology. Congress must act, and we must act now. H.R. 4641 is the right approach to lower the cost barriers to Health IT for our physicians.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my support for the striking amendment offered by my fellow Georgian and friend, Congressman Deal.

Section 110 would prevent the Corps of Engineers from moving forward with their revision of the master control plans and master manuals for the Alabama, Coosa, Tallapoosa River Basin in Alabama and Georgia or the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, Flint River Basin in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

These control plans are essential to the corps' management of water resources in our region, not only to ensure equitable distribution of water resources but also to prevent flooding and preserve critical water infrastructure for the people of our region.

Mr. Chairman, these master control plans have not been updated since the 1950s. In the 50-plus years since the last update, our region and its water needs have fundamentally changed, and these changes must be accounted for, not only as a matter of equity but as a matter of safety. Specifically, FEMA is investing heavily in revising the flood plain maps. This is necessary due to the overwhelming growth, not just in my State of Georgia but also in Alabama.

The population explosion in the Southeast requires that the flood characteristics of the watersheds be updated as soon as possible. And delaying the update of the master control plan would delay the court- ordered implementation of the D.C. settlement agreement. Any further delay is bad policy for the regional economy, and it is a safety risk for our residents.

Section 110 is ill-conceived. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment to strike this language from the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of border security.

Every day we fail to put a meaningful immigration reform bill on President Bush's desk is 1 more day illegal immigrants will steadily flow across our border, seeking the unearned rewards of American society.

I strongly support President Bush's call for temporarily utilizing members of our National Guard along the border. Guardsmen have the training and skills needed to support our overburdened Border Patrol, as we continue to expand its numbers.

As they have in the past, National Guard units will assist with constructing barriers, providing surveillance operations, and analyzing intelligence. All of these functions will help secure our border while rightfully leaving law enforcement duties to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Mr. Speaker, the National Guard units are a temporary solution to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this Nation. I remain committed to legislation that gives our Border Patrol better tools, more personnel and the resources they need to secure our borders.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to join both of my colleagues, the gentleman from Texas, Judge Carter, who is managing the hour with the gentleman from California that you just heard from, Mr. Speaker, my colleague, Representative Rohrabacher, who very passionately explained what the issue is.

You know, and again, I think as I represent the 640,000 or so constituents of the 11th District of Georgia, West Georgia, great, great people. And when I go home, and I am sure Representatives Carter and Rohrabacher are hearing the same thing from their constituents, they say and I agree, that this is a country of law abiding people.

And we have to have respect for the rule of law. I was real interested, Mr. Speaker, this weekend on one of the Sunday morning news shows, one of our colleagues, in fact, indeed one of my colleagues from Georgia, Representative Norwood, who is such a great spokesperson on this issue was debating one of the Senators who happened also to be from the Southeast, in regard to the Senate bill versus the Sensenbrenner, very sensible, as the name would have it, the legislation that we passed in the House before the first of the year that emphasizes border security and border security first.

And that is what my colleagues were speaking about before me, that there is all of this talk about, you know, what to do with 11 or 12 million people who are in this country illegally, and what to do about the fact that there are certain sectors of our economy that are dependent on a lot of foreign workers.

Unfortunately, a lot of those foreign workers are among the 11 or 12 million that are here illegally. So maybe we need a temporary worker program. I

agree with my colleague who just spoke that if the pay and benefit package and health care and these things that go with those jobs were a decent wage, I think in some instances, Mr. Speaker, they are, but in some instances, maybe far too many, they are not.

If they were, then there are plenty of legal aliens, legal immigrants, United States citizens who are out of work today who would take those jobs. Now, everybody says, well, golly, we have this low unemployment rate of 4.5 percent. Well, that is 4.5 percent of people without jobs. Until it gets to zero percent, I cannot really see where we necessarily need a temporary worker program.

But what I was saying about that program, Mr. Speaker, that television news show this past Sunday morning, we are talking about the rule of law. The Senator incredulously said, well, the law is okay as long as it is a ``just law''. You know, that is just shocking to me. I do not know what the Senator's occupation is or profession, I know there is a lot of lawyers over there in the other body. But our laws are our laws. If they are not just laws, we have a way in this chamber and that chamber to change those laws, because after all we are the ones that make them.

If they are not just laws, then we change them, and we do it in the right way. We do not just ignore it, if we do not like the law. There are lots of laws that I do not like. But by golly I abide by them, whether I am on this Hill, inside the Beltway, or back home in Georgia. And that is the way my constituents feel, and that is the way my colleagues who are sharing this hour with me feel.

I am dead set with them on securing our borders first and foremost. The President spoke to the Nation the other night, Mr. Speaker, talked about putting some National Guard troops, 6,000 I think he said on a temporary basis, to sort of back up the Border Patrol. We have got what 10,000 or 12,000 U.S. Border Patrol agents on the southern border.

I think we need more. I think my colleague, Mr. Norwood, on Sunday morning said maybe we need 30,000. But at least we need 18,000 or 20,000. And we are going to get there. And we are going to, according to the House version of immigration reform to secure the border, we are going to build facilities and have more bed space so that we can retain these illegal immigrants that are referred to as OTM, that acronym that stands for Other Than Mexicans, that we have been catching and releasing in that catch-and-release program.

I think the whole point here is history: if you do not pay attention to it, you are going to repeat it; and you are going to make the same mistakes over and over again if you do not learn from the past. We can go back; my colleagues have probably already done that in the earlier part of the aisle. I may have missed part of that discussion, but that Bracero program that we had from 1942 to the 60s, dismal failure. That was a temporary worker program. Dismal failure. And then our great communicator and one of my very favorite all-time Presidents, Ronald Reagan, in the Immigration Reform Act of 1986, an amnesty, really pretty much a blanket amnesty for 3 million people.

Now, that would probably have been okay 19 years ago if we had secured our borders, but we didn't. There was no border security that went along with that as a companion. And we estimate and, Mr. Speaker, do not take my word for it, this is a CRS report that I am reading in front of me dated May 15, 2006. That is pretty darn recent, I think. It is talking about the fact that there probably are today 11 to 12 million illegal aliens in this country. If you do the math, that is about 500,000 a year that are coming through that border which is nothing but a sieve, and that hemorrhaging continues. And if we grant any kind of amnesty program today and we do not secure that border, you do the math. In 20 years from now, we will be talking about 35 or 40 million illegal immigrants, illegal aliens in this country.

My colleagues talked about the stress that that puts on public education, on our health care system. The fact that we do not know really that these, hopefully the majority are law abiding. I think they are, but in this day and time after 9/11 and with the threat of a global terrorism, how do you know who is coming in this country? Are they all coming to work? Absolutely not. Some are members of gangs. Some are involved in drug trade. So it is absolutely imperative.

I commend Chairman Sensenbrenner, Mr. Speaker, and I commend my House colleagues. I commend the Speaker, the majority leader, this Republican majority in this body, this House of Representatives for doing what we did. In fact, the first bill we passed was the REAL ID Act and that was in complete and total lockstep response to what the 9/11 Commission asked us to do in regard to driver's licenses and this abuse of the claim of asylum, to be able to in an expedited fashion to get rid of someone who was allowed to come in this country and then was involved in terrorist activity. So these things are so important.

I just thank my colleague, my good friend, classmate from Texas, Mr. Carter, for letting me come and just share a little bit of time with him because we are compassionate. Everybody talks about the President and his great compassion. I do not doubt that. I think he does have great compassion. But I think if he wants to insist on granting an amnesty program that even comes close to what is happening in 1986, he is dead wrong on this issue.

I want to work with employers and I think in the House bill we do that. We are going to provide a biometric tamper-proof identification card so when we get this combined program done, and we do not have to do it all in the next 2 weeks, and I think if we can get the Senate to agree as my great colleague and Senator from Georgia, Johnny Isakson said, let's get the border secured first. We can do the rest of this stuff, which is in my opinion sort of cosmetic surgery, once you stop the hemorrhaging.

If we go back and look at a temporary worker program and what to do with the 11 million that are here illegally, I personally think, yes, they should pay back taxes, pay a fine, pass a criminal background check and then be notified that they have got about a year to make arrangements to go back home, to go to the border and then get in one of three lines.

One line would be to stay home, decide that they want to stay in their country of origin. The second line would be the temporary worker program. We could even give those who have been in this country for more than 5 years working and passing all those litmus tests, good people, we could put them in the front of the temporary worker line; or if they wanted to come back in this country as permanent legal residents and get on a track to citizenship, then they could get in that line.

Maybe it is too simple. Maybe I am a simple kind of guy. That is the way I see it.

I want to thank the judge for taking the time tonight and giving me a chance to share my thoughts with my colleagues.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of turn for 5 minutes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my State of Georgia on its new voter ID law which hopefully will be fully implemented soon. Additionally, I rise today to honor a friend and former Republican colleague in the Georgia State Senate, Joe Burton of DeKalb County.

Though retired, Senator Burton was one of the legislature's greatest proponents of voter identification reform, as well one of the legislative architects of this reform. While he may no longer be in the Georgia State Senate, the passage of this voter ID reform legislation can be directly attributed to his efforts.

Madam Speaker, Senator Burton, like most of us, realized open and fair elections are critical to the preservation of our democratic form of government. Every citizen has not only the right but, in many ways, the obligation to choose their leaders through the electoral process.

However, to ensure the integrity of our elections, we must verify those who vote are actually registered voters and the person they claim to be. Preventing election fraud and taking reasonable precautions to do so are fundamental in reassuring us all that our election results are a legitimate expression of the will of the people.

Last year, Madam Speaker, the Georgia legislature passed, and Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law a comprehensive voter identification bill. This bill requires an individual to produce a photo ID in order to vote rather than 1 of 17 different forms, including utility bills, bank statements, mail, and various non-photo licenses, which in no way guarantee that the possessor of the document is actually the identified person.

Madam Speaker, this law hit a slight speed bump when a Federal appeals court maintained an injunction on the voter ID law pending certain changes. Thankfully in the opening weeks of this year's legislative session, the Georgia legislature and the governor quickly passed a bill making all the necessary changes ensuring every Georgian can obtain a free photo ID in each and every one of Georgia's 159 counties.

Madam Speaker, this path to reform has not been an easy one. Legislators on both sides of this issue feel very passionately, and throughout this debate, emotions ran high, and they will probably continue to run high until these reforms are enacted and the law's opponents can see these reforms actually help, not hinder, voters.

While this law may have a few more legal tests to pass, it has been reviewed by the Department of Justice throughout the process. I remain confident that, given a fair hearing, this law will stand all legal tests and will provide all Georgians with a more fair electoral process.

Madam Speaker, strengthening voter confidence in the electoral process will only encourage more people to vote. I know this, and I know Senator Burton knew this when he helped lay the foundation for this reform in the Georgia Senate. Now, with a Republican majority in the Georgia legislature and a Republican governor, these nonpartisan reforms will become a reality to strengthen the integrity of our elections for the sake of all Georgians.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 13 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, May 23, 2006, at 9 a.m., for morning hour debate.