Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to America's first responders, the men and women who work every day to safeguard our communities. This Nation owes so much to the firemen, the EMTs and other emergency workers who put themselves in harm's way to keep us and our loved ones safe.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, our country is once again reminded of the dedication and bravery of our first responders. Their contributions in the gulf coast were felt by every person rescued from a rooftop, by every person receiving medical care, and every person evacuated from a flooded city.

These past few weeks, we have been able to watch the valor of our first responders on TV and we have read about it in the newspapers, but we should remember that these men and women are protecting our community every single day, not just when a disaster strikes. And while it may not be televised every day, their heroism is certainly valued every day.

Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me in thanking America's first responders.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 451 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, House Resolution 451 is a structured rule. It provides 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Science. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. It provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science and 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 committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. It makes in order only those amendments printed in the Committee on Rules report accompanying the resolution. It provides that the amendments printed in the report may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by the Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, 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.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 451 and its underlying bill, H.R. 250, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2005.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to recognize the contributions of the Committee on Science chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert); the gentleman from Tennessee (Ranking Member Gordon); the gentleman from Oregon (Ranking Member Wu); and the gentleman from Michigan (Subcommittee Chairman Ehlers), of course, the author of H.R. 250. I thank all of them for this timely piece of legislation.

Today, the House has an opportunity to consider legislation that will make the United States even more competitive in the global economy. Through the establishment of an interagency committee to coordinate Federal manufacturing research and development efforts, H.R. 250 provides many useful tools to keep the United States on the cutting edge of technological and manufacturing innovation.

H.R. 250 would direct the President to establish or designate an interagency committee on manufacturing, research, and development. And in order to ensure sufficient review and diverse input, the committee would also receive assistance from an advisory committee representing nongovernmental interests. This essential component ensures that government efforts are as relevant and responsive as possible to the needs of our manufacturing base.

Without question, Mr. Speaker, some of this country's greatest intellectual and innovative resources rest in the halls of our educational institutions and in the research and development departments of our businesses across the country. Therefore, this bill establishes a pilot grant program within the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology to fund research partnerships between firms, community colleges, universities, research institutions, State agencies, and nonprofits to develop new, cutting- edge manufacturing technologies.

Additionally, through the Manufacturing Extensive Partnerships, the MEP program, there are regional centers across the country that provide States with grants to allow the successful transfer of technology from the Federal Government to the private sector.

Obviously, there is no sense in developing new and innovative technology if it cannot be successfully passed on to the manufacturing sector of our economy, the true engine of economic growth.

H.R. 250 would refine the guidelines and the requirements established through the Manufacturing Extension Program to ensure that these regional centers are fulfilling their duty to keep innovative manufacturing technology flowing.

Mr. Speaker, I can personally speak to the successes of the Manufacturing Extension Program. The Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership is led by my alma mater, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute, along with the University of Georgia, Georgia Power, and others coordinate and deploy experts to advise and work with manufacturers throughout the State of Georgia, so they can be more innovative, more productive, and maximize their efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, on a couple of occasions I have had the opportunity to tour facilities in my district that have been assisted through Georgia's MEP program. Specifically, I toured A&L Shielding, Inc., in Rome, Georgia; and I was able to see concrete improvements made to their facility. These improvements enhanced their efficiency, increased their productivity, making A&L Shielding much more competitive.

So, Mr. Speaker, I do not think there is any Member of this House who does not realize the importance of education and fostering new and more efficient technology. Therefore, this act would establish a standards education program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to award grants on a cost-shared basis to institutions of higher education.

These grants will go a long way to develop top-notch curricula related to engineering, business, science, and economic standards. This investment in educational standards is not only an investment in future development, but it also is an insurance policy for American competitives.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 250 marks an excellent opportunity for the House to improve this country's manufacturing and technological potential for many years to come. Again, I would like to encourage each of my colleagues to support not only this rule but also the underlying bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that in response to some of the remarks made by my friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), in regard to the funding of this bill, I want to point out to my colleagues that it does create additional competitive grant programs from which the MEP centers can obtain supplemental funding for manufacturing-related projects.

H.R. 250 would also allow MEPs to accept and distribute funds from other Federal agencies without requiring matching funds, and the MEP funding would be authorized at $110 million in fiscal year 2006, including funds for a competitive grant program. The authorization would actually increase by $5 million per year to $120 million in fiscal year 2008.

I want to also, Mr. Speaker, highlight again an outstanding MEP program in my State of Georgia, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, my alma mater, Georgia Tech, and the Economic Development Initiative.

Let me just highlight Georgia's MEP partnership. It is led by Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute, and it provides technical assistance, management training and other types of assistance intended to increase productivity and help companies become more competitive in the global market.

We know how important that is. This program comprises a team of more than 125 professionals located both at Georgia Tech and throughout regional offices across the State of Georgia. This incredible staff offers a number of vital services and programs to business and industry.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to name a few of these services and programs to demonstrate the extensive range of assistance that is available: Quality and International Standards, Lean Enterprise, Energy Management, Environmental Management, Information Technology, Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, Government Procurement Assistance, B2B Marketing For Manufacturers, Strategic Planning, Economic Development Research, Community Services, Economic Development Training, Tourism, Facilitec, Georgia State-Wide Minority Business Development Center.

While this is not an exhaustive list, it is a long one, and I believe it clearly attests to the important impact MEPs have had on and continue to have on business and industry in Georgia.

The criticism that this administration or this leadership is not doing enough and is not concerned enough about manufacturing job losses is certainly not true. This is a good bill. As I say, I commend the chairman and the ranking member.

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

I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding to me.

I want to point out to him that of the amendments that were made in order, other than the manager's amendment, these were all, all four amendments made in order were Democratic amendments.

No, I think there were probably some Republican amendments that were left out as well.

If the gentleman will continue to yield, the Udall amendment is the one I particularly wanted to reference. The gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall) has an amendment that will be thoroughly discussed here this morning, which actually increases the authorization level of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technology Education Program.

Let me again say the gentleman, as ranking member of the Committee on Science, knows that I was not there for subcommittee markup or whole committee markup to debate these amendments that came through committee. I am not a member of that committee, as the gentleman knows.

All I can say is in this rule we are giving the minority side an opportunity to bring this issue in the form of an amendment to the floor so we can have a fair and open debate and we can have an up-or- down vote on it. And I am not going to discuss the merits of the amendment. We will let the Member presenting the amendment, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall), do that, and then we will vote on it.

Again, in response to the gentleman from Tennessee, I am not going to stand here in presenting the rule and try to discuss the merits of the amendments that were made in order.

I would just say to the gentleman that the Committee on Rules, I think in an abundance of fairness, looked at these amendments. There were other amendments submitted, probably on both sides of the aisle, that were not made in order; but these four amendments submitted by Members of the gentleman from Tennessee's party, and that means that we felt these should be discussed and that these are reasonable amendments. They are germane to the issue. And the gentleman will have an opportunity to do that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), the subcommittee chairman and author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor), a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I rise again in support of House Resolution 451 and the underlying bill.

I want to thank my colleagues for a very productive discussion on this very important piece of legislation. Additionally, I would again like to recognize the chairman of the Committee on Science, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), for all of their work on the committee and the final result, H.R. 250.

Mr. Speaker, despite the fact that this economy has added over 4 million jobs in less than 2 years, we should not limit our potential growth or fail to protect against any future threats to our economic base. For this reason, H.R. 250 epitomizes innovative thinking in an ever-competitive global marketplace. From the establishment of an Interagency Committee on Manufacturing Research and Development, to the reauthorization of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, this bill goes a long way to ensure that our manufacturers are partnered with the resources they need to retool for more efficient production and to be innovative in the future.

I want to point out to my colleagues on the other side that this bill in the last Congress was killed in the Senate over disagreement regarding ATP, the Advanced Technology Program. One of Abraham Lincoln's famous quotes was this: ``When it is not possible to achieve the best, it is best to achieve the possible.'' And these manufacturers need this MEP program and they need this bill, and that is what we are doing here today.

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly believe American manufacturers should be allowed to compete openly and fairly in this global marketplace. This Congress must ensure that our manufacturers have every tool available to grow and to sell in any and all markets. Therefore, let us pass this bill and make sure that we are untying the hands of our manufacturers so they can fight and win in a global market. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents in the state of Georgia, it is a privilege to welcome President Chen of the Republic of China to the United States. As you know, the United States has a rich history of personal liberty, democracy, and republican government. It has been over 26 years since Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act recognizing our nation's friendship. It is my hope that all of China will one day live in a peaceful Democratic society, enjoying free enterprise and personal freedom.

Our shared goals of democracy, increasing standards of living, peaceful association, and economic development are vital to the growth and security of our nations. The Republic of China is a strong example of the achievement of these goals. Mr. Speaker, Taiwan enjoys a democratic government that fully upholds human rights, where its citizens enjoy the freedom to assemble and practice their religion of choice. These attributes allow the Republic of China to benefit from the world's 14th largest economy and one of the world's highest standards of living.

I personally cherish the close relationship between the Republic of China and the United States. Thousands of Taiwanese students study at U.S. colleges and universities while Taiwanese tourists choose the United States as their number one overseas destination outside of Asia. Moreover, Taiwanese consumers make the Republic of China one of our nation's closest trade allies.

I would like to thank President Chen for the support and friendship of the Republic of China. I believe he deserves a great deal of credit and thanks for his leadership in successfully maintaining the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you will join me in once again welcoming President Chen to the United States as our nation looks forward to working with his administration to promote peace, explore new economic frontiers, and expand our friendship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share one of the many stories of human compassion and generosity that have emerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Organizations across the 11th District of Georgia are working hard to assist Katrina's victims, and the State University of West Georgia in Carrollton is a shining example. As evacuees from the gulf coast began making their way north into our State, the University of West Georgia community realized these victims needed shelter, food, and support immediately.

So the university arranged to house 180 evacuees, including 80 children, in Roberts Hall, an empty dorm in the middle of campus. Dormitory living is now providing these families with the privacy and security they need to begin piecing their lives back together.

But the State University of West Georgia did not just house these evacuees. The community understood that shelter was only the first step to helping these victims get back on their feet. So the university and Carroll County community mobilized all their resources to assist their adopted residents.

The health services staff and nursing department faculty worked to provide the victims with health care services. The university opened its computer labs, and volunteers helped victims locate family members and find relief resources. The community came together to provide food, clothing, personal necessities, and home items for their guests, and local organizations are helping many of these victims find work in the area.

Mr. Speaker, it would have been more than enough for the University of West Georgia and Carroll County residents to house, feed and clothe these victims, but this generous community wanted to do more. They wanted to help these victims get their lives back together and start them on the path to recovery.

So the Carrollton public school system quickly registered children so they would not fall behind in their education. Because a college dormitory is only a temporary living situation, the Carroll County Housing Authority is

helping these evacuees locate more permanent housing in West Georgia. Counselors and social workers are on the university's campus every day helping victims access both emotional and financial resources.

Perhaps what is most inspiring, Mr. Speaker, is the way the West Georgia student body has gotten involved. Students are supervising play activities for the children. They are helping school-aged kids with their homework every night. Campus organizations are planning social and recreational activities for the evacuees, trying to bring some joy to their incredibly trying days.

Mr. Speaker, this level of personal and organizational generosity would be impressive anywhere in America, but in Carrollton, Georgia, this outpouring of support is especially heartening. Carroll County was hit by severe tornadoes and storms in the days following Hurricane Katrina. The community spent much of Labor Day weekend cleaning up the 30 homes that were destroyed and the many other community resources damaged by the storms and, yes, mourned a life tragically lost.

Yet even as this community was recovering from its own hardships, it was eager to help others in need. By opening their doors and hearts to Katrina's evacuees, Carroll County residents assured their guests that together they would rise to the challenges of this natural disaster. And, together, they have.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in praising the amazing work of the University of West Georgia and Carroll County community.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we have seen the best side of humanity. We have shown that no American is a stranger, and the State University of West Georgia exemplifies this amazing American capacity to help others, no matter how great their need.

I thank the school and the community for their service.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona. In fact, I am humbled to follow my colleagues in this discussion about this great man, Justice Roberts, and of course my colleagues, the gentleman from Arizona and the gentleman from Iowa, are both members of the House Committee on the Judiciary, and my great friend and classmate, in fact all four of us are classmates, but our own judge, we have several in the House, but my judge, the gentleman from Texas Mr. Carter. It is an opportunity, though, for this physician Member to stand up here before this body, Mr. Speaker, and say while sometimes physicians are probably pitted against attorneys, I have great respect for them. In fact, I have two members of my immediate family, my brother and my daughter who are attorneys, who I am very proud of.

But just to have watched this gentleman in the hearings in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Mr. Speaker, after a week of questioning by our counterparts in the other body, I believe that the Congress and our Nation has a good sense of what kind of a jurist John Roberts will be if confirmed as our Nation's 17th Chief Justice. In fact, on one of the television news shows this past Sunday, a member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the gentleman from South Carolina, Senator Graham, when asked how did Judge Roberts perform, he said, ``Well, let me just put it this way: If it had been a prizefight, they would have called it in the second round as a technical knockout and the person on the ropes would not have been Judge Roberts.''

Without question, it was a technical knockout heading for a knockout.

Judge Roberts will indeed, Mr. Speaker, bring a refreshing, fair, and balanced approach to the United States Supreme Court which has not had a vacancy in 11 years.

Our Nation is a different place than it was in 1994. We have more access to information, more technology, a stronger economy; we have our brave soldiers defending democracy in our global war against terrorism. The United States Supreme Court needs a perspective that understands accountability to both the American people and, as the gentleman from Iowa said, especially to the United States Constitution. Like one of his mentors, the late Justice William Rehnquist, Roberts has a strict constructionist view of the Constitution. He interprets laws considering the intentions of our Founders instead of the whims and desires of a political party or electorate. That is why we need Judge Roberts on the Supreme Court. He can restore a sense of restraint to some very creative interpretations of late. The gentleman from Arizona just talked about a few.

Judge Roberts' qualifications are, Mr. Speaker, unquestioned. However, the Supreme Court nominee has to face a litmus test on ideology. Some Senators are asking whether or not this particular justice will protect their favorite judicially constructed rights. Others have questioned how he might use the position as Chief Justice to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Roberts very politely responds that he will interpret our laws on a case-by-case basis, he will hear each side and will always heed restraint to the separation of powers and constitutional government.

I could go on and on, but my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, have said it so well. This is a man that is a brilliant jurist, and it showed through so clearly during the Committee on the Judiciary hearings. I hope that when they have the vote on Thursday, or whenever it comes to a vote in the Committee on the Judiciary, there should not be many, if any, ``no'' votes, and I look forward to a speedy confirmation by the United States Senate.

I thank the gentleman from Arizona and my colleagues, the gentleman from Texas and the gentleman from Iowa, for letting me participate in this special hour. It is so important, as the gentleman from Texas said, that while we do not have any official role in regard to advice- and-consent responsibilities, we do have a responsibility and we have a voice, and it is good that we have this opportunity tonight to express that voice and to commend to the American people the new Chief Justice, John Roberts.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take this opportunity briefly to just say that in the aftermath of this terrible natural disaster known as Katrina we certainly have heard a lot of name-calling and finger-pointing on both sides of the aisle in regard to who might be responsible, who did good, and who did bad. I think at the end of the day, after we have an opportunity in this House to thoroughly investigate that, we will have answers to those questions.

In the meantime, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to let my colleagues know that when I had an opportunity to go down to Baton Rouge to one of the shelters over the Labor Day weekend, I did not see the worst in human nature, as depicted in some of the TV scenes with the looting and the crime in the immediate aftermath of the levee break. I saw the best of human nature. I saw people pulling together, working hard; the Red Cross folks and volunteers doing all they could, driving down to Baton Rouge or trying to get down into the gulf coast or into Mississippi or New Orleans; just dropping everything and taking days off work and bringing supplies. It was really an amazing show of the best in human nature.

It is something that I want to tell my colleagues that have not seen that side of the issue, a lot of good is coming out of this natural disaster. Hopefully we will continue to see that good as we help the people in the gulf coast, and particularly in the city of New Orleans, put their lives back together.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time to touch on this. As we go through this week and the next several weeks, we will be talking more and more about this, hopefully during Special Orders,

and drawing from other experiences, and experiences I experienced myself a week or so ago in the gulf coast area.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Iowa for yielding to me in this Special Order tonight. Of course, he brings to us an expertise that few Members of Congress really have and an understanding of this rather complex system of levees. The city of New Orleans, how it is constructed and how it is protected, and the lower Mississippi, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King), of course, understands that and had an opportunity within the last 10 days to actually go down to the area of devastation, as he points out; and I am very happy that he is going to be working to try to restore and get it right as we seek to rebuild.

I had, Mr. Speaker, an opportunity that I want to share with my colleagues. It was entirely different really, not from the engineering technical perspective, which I have very little expertise on. But as a physician Member of the Congress, I found myself going into the Labor Day weekend enjoying a dove shoot. The opening day of dove season in my great State of Georgia was that Saturday of Labor Day, the long Labor Day weekend. And as I was sitting in a dove field waiting for these few birds to come over that I had very little chance of hitting, I began to feel a little bit compelled to do something, especially as a physician Member.

And I was fortunate enough, when I got back home, to call around and realize that there was an opportunity to go into Louisiana, into Mississippi, and to try to help out a little bit. A lot of folks have done that; and I am sure that they felt, coming back from that experience, just as I did, tremendously gratified to have made the effort.

But I basically, Mr. Speaker, hooked a ride with an angel flight. Angel flights are private pilots or corporate pilots who are willing in an emergency situation to donate their aircraft to fly either medical personnel or supplies and equipment into an area. And that is exactly what I ended up doing. On Sunday morning of the Labor Day weekend, a good friend, a compassionate citizen from Rome, Georgia, Mr. Bob Ledbetter, Jr., allowed me to fly down on his plane, an angel flight, to Baton Rouge with medical supplies, three nurses, two from Emory, one from Cobb County.

We basically went to one of the largest shelters in Baton Rouge, 5,000 people there at the River Center, took those medical supplies. And then I spent some time seeing patients. No life-threatening emergencies, but stress patients that have been through a lot, fatigue, some who had swallowed the contaminated water and were suffering symptoms from that. But mainly I just had an opportunity to talk to evacuees to get a sense of what they went through and to also see volunteers who were just working day and night with very little sleep and doing it in a most compassionate way. Not perfect order, but organized to the best of their ability.

I want to give very high marks to the Red Cross, Mr. Speaker, at the River Center in Baton Rouge. If the gentleman from Iowa will allow me, I would like to mention some names of people that I felt need some pats on the back and some accolades.

First, I met the director of the Red Cross effort at the River Center, Mr. Jeff Schnoor. His name is a little difficult to pronounce, but Jeff is a retired military man, 21 years in the military, a single parent, I think from San Antonio, had been working with the Red Cross for 12 years, been through a lot of disasters, but told me that this was the toughest assignment that he had ever had. And he handled himself in that entire center with 5,000 evacuees with such calmness and patience. It was a very difficult time, but he handled it extremely well.

I also was able, Mr. Speaker, to meet with a group of physicians who had gone down from Atlanta, and I want to particularly mention Dr. Cecil Bennett. He had an organization that he put together through his Atlanta primary care practice, some of his partners, some of the nurses that work for him, and he called this Operation Brother's Keeper. And his focus was to not let these angel flights just come down with medical supplies and personnel and fly back empty, but he was determined to see that any evacuee, displaced person, that had family or friends in another State, particularly in Georgia, to be given an opportunity to fly back and to get into maybe a less crowded situation and join family or friends in another location.

And so when I came back from Baton Rouge, it was with another angel flight pilot, Mr. Steve Stemmer, in a very small plane carrying the pilot, myself, and four evacuees, one of whom had just had a baby a week before the hurricane hit. So it was really quite a thing to see.

There was a couple in Baton Rouge. We had worked all afternoon in the shelter seeing patients; and then, lo and behold, it got to the wee hours of the morning and we realized we had no

place to sleep except maybe on the concrete floor. And this couple, Eva and David Kelley, took in six of us, and their teenage boys had to sleep on the couch, and they gave us their beds.

I guess what I want to say, and I appreciate the gentleman from Iowa for giving me the opportunity, is that I had a chance to see the best of human nature. I know right after the levees broke and we were all so shocked to see all that water in the city of New Orleans and particularly shocked by the looting and the kind of mob behavior that we see in situations like that, maybe that did bring out the worst of human nature in a very limited few; but what I saw, Mr. Speaker, was the best of human nature in the majority, the vast majority of people.

And not just in the volunteers and the professionals, the Red Cross, who were doing their job, but really in the evacuees themselves. They are good people. They explained to me why they did not leave. I was very curious to know if they had been able to hear the warnings. In almost every instance, Mr. Speaker, they had clearly heard the warnings. Some of them had never been out of the city of New Orleans in their entire lives, and they had been through plenty of near misses without this big perfect storm flooding their city, and they knew that some of the neighbors in the past had actually left their property, only to come back and find New Orleans dry but their property totally ransacked and looted and destroyed.

Even if they did not own. If they were renting property, everything that was in there was theirs. It was their stuff. They had that pride, that sense of ownership. So it gave me a much better understanding as to why these people did not leave. They were not stupid. They had a good reason.

So we need to continue to be compassionate and realize that, while it is hard to look for any good out of such a tremendous disaster, natural disaster, I think we do have a chance, if we all pull together and do not get into too much partisan bickering over this and finger-pointing, to help New Orleans and the gulf coast and the State of Mississippi and Louisiana rebuild and maybe make the lives better for a lot of these people that did not have such a good existence prior to this storm.

So I thank the gentleman for allowing me to come and share just a few thoughts tonight with my colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 437. I think we are completely doing the right thing for the right reasons.

I have heard the other side of the aisle argue that what is the hurry, you are rushing to create an oversight committee and let us wait a couple of months. I want to point out to my friends on the other side of the aisle that we are still in the hurricane season. In fact, we are just getting into the hurricane season, and we need to get this investigation going as soon as possible. It is very important that we not wait. We have a 5-month opportunity to study this problem and find out exactly where the responsibilities lie.

The other side of the aisle also is suggesting that this is a Republican majority investigating a Republican administration. I point out we were not focusing just on the Federal aspects of this, as they would like us to do, but we are also focusing on the local and State aspects of this. There are Democrats and Republicans all up and down the line. This is not a partisan thing. This is a way to do it. This is what Congress has a responsibility to do and has done 41 times over the last 30 or 40 years. I could name any number of instances. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle know that is true.

The creation of an outside independent commission, as they call it, they are calling for doing that and spending an additional $5 million to $10 million. We do not need to do that. We have the staff within this Congress on both sides of the aisle, both in the majority and on the minority, and hopefully we would not spend more than $500,000 to get this work done and get it done in a bipartisan fashion. That is why we call it the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and the Response to Hurricane Katrina. I am fully in support of that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise an organization in my district, Georgia 11, that has done a phenomenal job of delivering food, clothing, housing supplies, and even employment to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Rome Kares is a model of coordinated community response. The group has aided more than 100 families who have temporarily relocated to Rome, Georgia, and Floyd County from Louisiana and Mississippi.

Rome Kares is a group that distributes an electronic newsletter detailing the items that relocated families need and acts as a clearinghouse for organizations and individuals looking for ways to help. Above all, Rome Kares helps evacuees get set up and settled in their new adopted community.

These efforts have been incredibly successful. Rome Kares has delivered gasoline, diapers, water, and bedding to hurricane-stricken areas, and furniture supplies and clothing to local evacuees.

Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we have seen the best of America; and Rome Kares is a model of this generosity and compassion. I ask that you join me in thanking Rome Kares.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 436 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), 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, House Resolution 436 is a modified open rule that provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. It waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. This rule provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment. It provides that the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 5-minute rule and that it shall be read by title.

It makes in order only those amendments to the bill that are preprinted in the Congressional Record or are pro forma amendments for the purpose of debate, provides that each amendment printed in the Congressional Record may be offered only by the Member who caused it to be printed or a designee, and that each amendment shall be considered as read. It provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of House Resolution 436 and the underlying bill, H.R. 3132, the Children's Safety Act of 2005.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to commend Chairman Sensenbrenner for this comprehensive bill addressing the unconscionable atrocities perpetrated against our children by sexual predators and for his committee's thorough work and committed devotion to seeing this bill realized.

Mr. Speaker, this fight is not a new one. The sexual and physical abuse of our most fragile and defenseless citizens, our children, is perhaps the most offensive and utterly unconscionable act that can be committed.

Members on both sides of the aisle recognize the need to continually find new ways to prevent sexual abuse and to thoroughly and justly punish those who commit these heinous acts.

The Children's Safety Act of 2005 would combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of our children through mounting an offensive on numerous fronts and through combining various pieces of good, solid legislation into this one comprehensive bill. The final product compiles the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, the DNA Fingerprinting Act of 2005, the Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2005, the Protection Against Sexual Exploitation of Children Act of 2005, and the Foster Child Protection Act of 2005.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3132 is a commonsense bill. For too long the laws have

not fully reflected or reacted to the changing environment in which our children are vulnerable. While the Constitution always protects the accused and harmed alike, we should not allow the law to be procedurally twisted by child abusers to keep them on the streets to harm another child because of a technicality or because of insufficient support for our law enforcement and communities.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3132 would require that the definition of sex offender be expanded to include both felony sex offenses and misdemeanor sex offenses. Additionally, this bill would make the possession of child pornography a triggering offense for registration and notification requirements.

Another important provision of this bill would require a State to maintain a statewide Internet site to provide thorough and current information about sex offenders. This information would include the current location of the sex offender, the facts underlying the offender's conviction, any vehicles owned or used by the offender, a picture and other up-to-date information to keep communities informed and give them every possible piece of information available to assess the potential threats of these individuals.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this bill makes full use of new and innovative technologies available to law enforcement. Specifically, DNA technology. It has grown by leaps and bounds, and today this technology gives law enforcement new and more precise tools to keep innocent people free and keep criminals behind bars, where they belong. This bill would also require the Attorney General to create a prioritized DNA database focused specifically on those violent predators who would prey on our children.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot emphasize enough that our primary goal must be to prevent child abuse and stop these deviants before they get their hands on a child and before they destroy a child's fragile life. However, when one of these deviants does harm a child, then the full weight of the law should be upon them.

This bill would impose new mandatory minimum penalties for violent crimes committed against children. These mandatory minimums include the death penalty or life imprisonment when a child is murdered. It imposes a 30-years-to-life imprisonment when the offender kidnaps, maims, commits aggravated sexual abuse, or causes serious bodily harm to a child. Additionally, the bill requires a 20-year minimum sentence when the crime of violence results in a nonserious bodily injury to a child. Fifteen-years-to-life imprisonment is required when the defendant uses a dangerous weapon, and in any other case the minimum penalty ranges from a mandatory 10 years to life imprisonment.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this bill would increase the existing mandatory penalties for several existing sexual offenses, including engaging in a sexual act with a child, committing abusive sexual contact and sexual exploitation of a child, trafficking child pornography, and the use of the Internet to prey on children.

I would also like to add that this bill places new requirements on our States to ensure that they perform complete background checks on potential foster and adoptive parents, and grants relevant State agencies access to national criminal history databases. Our State and local governments should never, let me repeat, never deliver a child into the hands of a sexual predator.

The Children's Safety Act also addresses the growing problem of kidnapping and sex trafficking. The trafficking of children is a problem not just here in the United States but globally, and this bill will increase the penalties for sex trafficking of children. We have to root these thugs out and shut down their operations. Sexual abuse of children must be stopped at all levels and in all degrees. From the lone abuses to a network of criminals peddling children for the pleasure of perverts, this must be stopped, and this bill goes a long way to strengthen law enforcement capabilities and making sure the punishment justly fits the crime.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to unite behind this commonsense legislation. Let us keep sexual predators away from our children, off the streets, and serving their time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), who has been extremely active in the crafting of this legislation. Her bill, which she will talk about, is actually included in this overall comprehensive bill. And she knows well, if not better than all of us, about these matters because some of these heinous acts occurred within the last year in her great State of Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume; and, in closing, I would like to begin by saying that there are very few matters in our society that are as clear-cut as this one. Child abduction and abuse is not a new problem. It did not begin yesterday, and it will not end tomorrow. This is a continuing struggle to protect our children; and I truly believe that it will help protect my grandchildren, 7-year-old twins Ali and Hannah Manning, 5-year-old Hank Manning, IV, and 10-month-old Grey Collins.

The recent tragedies that have grabbed the attention and sympathy of the Nation only serve as a grim and poignant reminder that our work is not done and we must continue to do everything that we can to stop the abuse and exploitation of our children.

As I noted in my opening statement, this is commonsense, comprehensive legislation that attacks the problem in many different ways, from expanding the definition of sex offenders, to strengthening law enforcement's tools, to increasing mandatory minimums for child abusers and kidnappers.

Additionally, I believe this legislation protects the constitutional rights of the accused while ensuring that the guilty see justice and the victims are protected.

Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the Committee on the Judiciary for putting this bill together. H.R. 3132 is sound, well-crafted legislation. I am confident that this legislation will empower the innocent over the guilty, victims over the predators. With its passage, our country, our children and our grandchildren, will be the winners. For that reason I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.

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 express my serious concerns for the process, let me repeat, the process under which these supplemental appropriations are being considered.

First, I want to emphatically express my full support for aiding those lives and those cities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Having been to Baton Rouge, having physically worked with the victims, there is no doubt in my mind that these people need our help.

However, Mr. Speaker, we should help them in a responsible and thoughtful manner. There is no question that time is of the essence, but we are not talking about pocket change, $50 billion is not pocket change, Mr. Speaker, and fellow members of this body, we have a Constitutional duty to spend the people's money very carefully and with deliberate consideration. Even in times of crisis, a blank check does not guarantee results and can often lead to wasteful spending. Wasteful spending will not save one life. Wasteful spending will not rebuild one destroyed house, will not clear one single road, and will not feed one starving child.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in both this House and especially in the Senate to refrain from tacking on any pork. This supplemental should not be a gravy train for any special or individual interests.

Every member of this body should condition their support of this supplemental upon strict oversight and follow up with sound policy

changes. We cannot just throw billions of dollars at this catastrophe or any catastrophe for that matter.

Mr. Speaker, we need to follow-up these dollars with thorough oversight and investigation to make sure that every penny, I repeat, every penny goes to help the victims. And, we need to cut down every unnecessary piece of red tape in the process, such as suspending the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act to help the reconstruction of this devastated area. Let's untie the hands of those who are ready to help and rebuild. We have enough obstacles to overcome as it is. We don't need any kind of bureaucratic surcharge on saving lives.

Mr. Speaker, I want to again caution my colleagues. Let's get help to the people in need but let's do so in a responsible and sound manner. The American people expect no less of us, and we owe them no less.

Mr. Speaker, over the Labor Day weekend, I had the opportunity to go to Baton Rouge not as a Member of Congress but as a physician and to work in the River Center where the evacuees, over 5,000, so many of them were there, and to help provide basic health care needs.

What I saw in Louisiana was the best of human nature: a level of confusion, of course, and some disorganization, but people pulling together and trying to do the best they could in a difficult situation.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle at a time like this, probably the greatest tragedy this Nation has ever seen, to pull together, avoid the temptation to get into a finger- pointing, blaming situation, and let us see as a result of this the best of the human nature of this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana not only for bringing forward this resolution but also for the great work that he did in the State of Louisiana in regard to organizing medical clinics and emergency health care, and I commend him for that.

This is a great resolution. It emphasizes a positive. There is no finger-pointing, name-blame game. This is exactly the kind of resolution that shows the spirit of this Congress.

I want to say, Mr. Speaker, that the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson), I will just tell a little story about that, what really inspired me to go to Louisiana over the Labor Day weekend in Baton Rouge and try to help out in a medical clinic.

I saw the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson) on television talking about Jefferson Parish and the devastation and how much they had suffered. I was fortunate enough when I went to the emergency command center in Baton Rouge to run into my friend, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson); and we had a brief hug, pat on the back, sincere handshake and the spirit of cooperation that he just expressed so eloquently.

I want to echo what the gentleman said and what the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) and, of course, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) and all of the legislative delegation Members of this Congress from the States that have been so adversely affected, especially Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, said.

My own state of Georgia was not unscathed.

We had a number of tornadoes that came as a result of the hurricane that touched down in the 11th Congressional District, and one life was lost and a business destroyed in Carollton, Georgia.

So, again, I commend and support, as we all do, this resolution, which is just saying it in the right way, totally nonpartisan.

When I was on the ground in Louisiana, I had an opportunity to see a lot of the evacuees and the Red Cross and the many people coming together. I saw the best of human nature, not the worst. And I think this is truly a time for the best of the human nature of the Members of this Congress, on both sides of the aisle, both bodies, to come together because this is all about uplifting people and the ones that are suffering so much.

And let us not forget that the suffering continues. It is not just the emergency response, but it is going to go on a long time, and fatigue might set in for some of the volunteers; so we need to keep a list and keep going and continue to support the gulf coast in that great part of the United States.

Again, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) for the resolution and thank him for yielding me time for the opportunity to join in and say a few words.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share one of the many inspiring stories of personal commitment and sacrifice that have occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In the Eleventh District of Georgia in the town of Marietta, my hometown, a community came together to rescue more than 30 hurricane victims from the Waldo Boys Home in Louisiana.

It started when Marlene Murphy, an employee at InfoMart, a local company in Marietta, made a desperate appeal to her fellow workers. Marlene's sister and brother-in-law were counselors at the Waldo Burton Boys Home in New Orleans. They were stranded, along with many of the residents and staff, after floodwaters engulfed that city.

Without wasting a bit of time, InfoMart employees, led by the company's president, Tammy Cohen, swung into action, taking on the cause as their own. The employees brought food, clothing, and necessities for the stranded boys. They notified the Coast Guard of the situation. Naval Air Station Atlanta's Captain Sean King and other leaders in the community quickly organized a mission to rescue these victims.

InfoMart rented three passenger vans and a truck, and they started that long trip to New Orleans. On the way, there were plenty of reasons to turn back: 2-mile long lines for gas, police barricades, and even cars driving on the wrong side of the interstate.

But these volunteers did not for a second think of themselves or their troubles. They were only focused on rescuing these boys, no matter what; and I am proud to report that their mission was a success. Fifteen boys, aged from 12 months to 15 years, along with 16 staff and family members, were brought back to Marietta, Georgia, where now they were welcomed by a generous community eager to help.

After spending the night in donated rooms at the Marietta Conference Center, the boys are now being transitioned into three homes owned by the YWCA. They have been fed. They have been given fresh clothes and personal necessities. Efforts are being made also to locate other family members, and local businesses and charities are donating the resources needed to get these victims settled.

Mr. Speaker, if I thank all the people who deserve praise for this astonishing and selfless effort, we would be here all night. A gas station in Birmingham donated gas for the trip home, and local restaurants, like Panera Bread and Mellow Mushroom Pizza, are donating food for the boys. InfoMart employees and community members have donated supplies, clothes, and that most important gift of all, their time.

This is a shining example of a community coming together to help another community. In this time of crisis we can draw strength from the knowledge that Americans are helping Americans. It is good to know that the American way is a generous and giving one.

Mr. Speaker, the acts of kindness I have witnessed in Katrina's wake make me proud to be a citizen of this great Nation. Neither waves, nor rain, nor wind, nor blistering heat can crush the American spirit. Wherever nature kicks us down, there are millions of hands waiting to lift us up.

There are many acts of kindness taking place across this Nation, and I ask that you join me in praising the selfless dedication our citizens have shown in opening their wallets, their homes, and, most importantly, their hearts.

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

First of all, let me join my colleagues in thanking the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Petri), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) for bringing this bill to fruition. I know it was not easy. It was a heavy lift.

I am particularly grateful because in my district, the 11th Congressional District of Georgia, we have a project called the 411 Connector. We have been working on that at the State level for 25 years. It is a very congested area. It involves Floyd and Bartow Counties in particular, and will connect a congested road to I-75.

We have had great help on that project from the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) in getting the necessary funding. I want to thank my two Senators, Senators Chambliss and Isaakson. I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) for helping us keep the necessary funding for this project. Certainly, I thank Secretary Norman Mineta for placing this on a fast track list of only six projects in this country.

Last but not least, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mary Peters. I heard the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) say she would be retiring to her home State of Arizona. Highway Administrator Peters came to my district, met with the folks from Bartow and Floyd Counties, and talked to us about how to get this project, apply for fast track; and I am very grateful to her for those efforts.

I want to say to Mary Peters, good luck on her retirement and be safe on that motorcycle in Arizona, and just ask all of my colleagues to support this bill, as I know they will.