Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Johnnie Burton and Terri Shaw, two of President Bush's administration's foxes that have been guarding the henhouse, are stepping down. And now they are gone and the American people are better off.

At the Interior Department, Johnnie Burton let Big Oil drill at taxpayers' expense and got away with it until Congress stepped in, costing the taxpayers billions of dollars.

At the Education Department, Terri Shaw is stepping down after several scandals were uncovered in the student loan industry. On her watch, lenders and Education Department officials undermined the student loan program, which millions of students and middle-class families count on to go to college with and achieve their American Dream.

Every day we see another headline and another story. Congress does its oversight job, and another Bush administration official at the center of the storm is eventually forced to step down.

The White House has had an approach of letting the industry govern itself. They cut out the middleman. They are the government industry lobbyists. From our energy and production to our college loans, nothing is out of bounds. And Americans sent a clear message last November. They are tired of corruption. They want a change and an end to business as usual here in Washington. Democrats got the message, and we're restoring accountability to the American people's government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, not one of us would be here if it wasn't for the ability to afford a college education, and although we are talking about cleaning up a mess, it is quite clear we should also remember what is happening here. For a long time, there was no oversight or

any accountability in administration, and people from industry were actually in the responsibility, and their response was to govern and oversee industry they came from. So what did they do? They cut out the middleman. There is no need for a lobbyist, because the industry is the government in this case.

What is most ironic in this situation on the student loan situation is industry was getting taxpayer subsidies to run a business in which the very students that were also dependent on their parents were also paying the bill. They were paying on the front end and on the back end. And it was a total rip-off of the American taxpayers. And it is on a subject, college education, that is so essential, because we know, today, in the new economy, you earn what you learn.

What we are taking is people's ability to achieve the American Dream, which is so essential, a college education, that ticket to the American Dream. And rather than see what was an honorable profession, something important that could be done with good business practices, it has turned into a scandal that has affected both the schools and the administrators of those schools, public officials responsible for it, and the lenders in that industry. It was affecting everybody.

Now, I hope, and from conversations with the chairman, we can rest assured this is just the first step in changing the rules of the game so industry and those in the lending industry understand and those in the regulatory side of it that there is a new way we are going to do business. And there is a new code of conduct for both the public officials and those in the lending industry, because we must fundamentally remember, a college education is a ticket to the American Dream, in a society and economy where you earn what you learn.

I do want to recognize the Attorney General of New York for leading this effort, for Congress in a bipartisan fashion stepping up to the plate and taking the first step with this sunshine act.

But we are not done in cleaning up the mess as it relates to the college loan industry. This is only the first step to doing that, to cleaning up this mess, because it relates to other areas. We saw it today when the individual responsible for the oil and gas leasing and royalty payment industry because of congressional oversight is now stepping down because it is clear taxpayers were not given their fair shake.

We are doing the right job, and I commend both parties in the committee for holding these oversight hearings and producing this legislation and hope that we continue, as we did in the Six in '06, we voted, first of all, to cut the interest rates on student loans; we take this sunshine act, we come back with the higher education bill. We come with the FASA reform. We constantly make sure that we are reforming higher education and the access to higher education, so we serve the people who are doing right, working hard, paying taxes and raising their kids with the right sense of values to do right. This is an industry that needs a whole top-to-bottom cleaning and washing.

Thank you for your leadership, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 6 years, the public has had to watch as scandal after scandal fell on deaf Republican ears.

How times have changed.

Today, Democrats are demanding accountability and ending business as usual.

We've put the spotlight on the rampant corruption in the Bush administration and the scandals that used to be shoved under the rug are now being exposed.

And the new Democratic Congress is getting results for the American people.

The latest corruption scandal involves lenders, schools and public officials and has undermined a vital student loan program that millions of students depend on.

On Monday the New York Times reported that over 4 years ago a researcher at the Education Department tried to warn his supervisors that student lending companies were improperly collecting hundreds of millions in overpayments.

Big companies were getting millions from the very taxpayers who were getting the bill on the other side. So what did the Bush administration do?

Nothing.

Top officials at the Department of Education's Student Aid Office made millions when they sold stock they held in lending companies.

What did the Department do when confronted with this obvious conflict of interest?

Nothing.

It wasn't until the media and this Congress began in oversight demanding accountability that these officials were put on leave. And yesterday, the head of Federal Student Aid abruptly announced her resignation.

Additionally, the Attorney General of New York uncovered a number of improper relationships between lenders and schools, where colleges received payments in exchange for steering loan volume to particular lenders.

It is time to clean up this mess and bring transparency to the system.

The legislation before us will do just that and help ensure this sort of scandal never occurs again.

Madam Speaker, students and families have been the victims of corporate greed, bribery and corruption in the Bush administration.

Now, it's time to put an end to these scandals and pass real reform.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to hate and discrimination, America speaks with one voice, ``no.'' Zero tolerance. You cannot be a beacon of freedom around the world and fail that test here at home.

President Kennedy was moved on the civil rights movement because he understood, in the battle of the Cold War, you could not be a beacon for freedom against intolerance around the world if we weren't free here at home. You could not. And as we talk, all our colleagues always say, as we battle on the issues on the war in Iraq, Islamic fascism, the whole world will watch what we say here in Congress.

People will watch this vote and understand, most importantly, whether America remains true to its principles on freedom or not. People will watch this vote. And I would hope my colleagues will remember, as we do this today, that every time America widens the circle of democracy to protect more of its citizens who sit in the shadows, it is true to its principles.

I would hope people will vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, the list of Republicans under investigation or resigning in this administration in disgrace keeps growing. This morning, The Washington Post reported Julie A. MacDonald, the deputy assistant Secretary of the Interior Department, resigned, just as she was being investigated for changing scientific reports to protect the interests of oil and gas companies and real estate developers, all the people she was supposed to be actually holding accountable. I wish this was an isolated case in the Bush administration.

This morning, The New York Times reported the Department of Commerce Inspector General faces three separate investigations in conduct of his office. Scott Block, the special counsel of the Justice Department, is being investigated for the management of his office. Lucita Doan at the GSA is being investigated for politicization of the office. Monica Goodling of the Justice Department resigned. Sue Ellen Wooldridge at Justice stepped down. Matteo Fontana at the Department of Education has stepped aside. David Safavian at OMB has been prosecuted. Stephen Giles at the Interior Department had to step down. All have had their conduct scrutinized while in their professional office.

It is time, in fact, and justifies why this Congress is doing its job of oversight and accountability, and bringing people's professional conduct in order.

I thank my colleague from Miami. I can think of no other city if Chicago didn't have it than Miami. And also my colleague from New Jersey.

You know, both of you have mentioned something about Chicago's

physical beauty. The reason we are so proud, those of us from Chicago, of hosting the Olympics is not only our physical beauty, but I think you will see the character of our people in this greater part of Chicago, not just the city, but the suburbs, the entire metropolitan community, come together and host this Olympics and be the representation for the United States as we go forward in 2009 and try to win for Chicago and the greater Chicago area the ability to host these Olympics.

We do have a physically beautiful city. Its architecture is world renowned; its lakefront is known to everybody. In fact, Chicago is known as the third coast between both the Pacific on the west side and the Atlantic on the east side. It is known as the third coast in America, sitting on Lake Michigan and part of the Great Lakes. It has a great physical beauty, but its strength comes from the character of the people. And I cannot think of anything better for city that hosts, any time you go to one of its public schools we have across the city 50 some odd languages being spoken, Chinese being spoken in the school, Arabic being taught in the school.

Different languages from all over the world. People come to Chicago. It is the quintessential American city. There is no better place for us to have as our standard bearer for the United States than Chicago for 2016 to host the Olympics. And it is my hope, and great hope, that it would become the city and be the nominee in 2016 in the selection by the Olympic Committee.

You know, Carl Sandburg, the great poet, once said about Chicago, ``Stormy, husky, brawling. We are the city of big shoulders.'' That is Chicago.

We have a great mayor, who is a great mayor of a great city with great people. And you can see it in the pride that everybody felt that we were selected by our colleagues from around the country to be the city to host the 2016 Olympics. Our sports teams, known as the Chicago Cubs, Bulls, Bears, the White Sox, Blackhawks, and the Sky and the Fire, our soccer teams. And I hope, as we go to 2009, that we do have and will receive from the international community the nod to represent the Olympics and show to the rest of the world what all of us know in Chicago and all of those who come to our city know, that we are a great city, with a great mayor, with a great people that will do right by the world in hosting the Olympics.

I want to thank my colleagues for letting me offer this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1678, the Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2007, legislation which provides grants for medical centers that administer therapeutic treatment for victims of torture.

Currently, there are approximately 400,000 victims of torture who reside in the United States, all of whom live with painful memories of their trauma. America's torture treatment centers provide crucial recuperative services to these individuals who have suffered both physically and mentally, often while serving our country.

Victims of torture are in a unique position, requiring ongoing psychiatric counseling as well as physical therapy. These individuals carry the scars of their torture on their bodies and minds, and require years of support to overcome these wounds.

In my district and home-town of Chicago, the Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture provides comprehensive, community-based services in which survivors of governmental or political torture work together with specialists to identify individual needs and overcome barriers to healing. At the Marjorie Kovler Center, patients find a welcoming and accepting environment which nurtures the body and mind, allowing individuals to successfully transition back into healthy social relationships. This crucial organization generously provides all of its services free of charge to its patients, and centers like it across the country utilize the funding provided in this legislation to deliver services and care to countless victims of torture.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to co-sponsor and support H.R. 1678. This legislation bolsters the therapeutic network for torture victims who have suffered tremendously, and are in great need of care. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the organizations that serve the men and women who are living with the mental and physical scars of torture by voting for H.R. 1678, the Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, according to our military leaders, the status quo is not working in Iraq. Major General Batiste said, ``The administration got it terribly wrong and I applaud Congress for stepping up.'' Lieutenant General Odom said our bill ``gives the President a chance to pull back from a disastrous course, reorient U.S. strategy to achieve regional stability, and win help from many other countries, the only way peace will eventually be achieved.''

Our military has done everything the President and the Congress and American people have asked it. The President asked our men and women in uniform to invade a country, and they did. The President asked them to go to war against a nation's army, and they did. The President asked them to seize a capital, and they did. The President asked the men and women in uniform to depose a dictator, and they did. The President asked the men and women in uniform to capture that dictator, and they did.

Given all these military achievements by our Armed Forces, why do we have today the worst national security crisis in over a generation? There is not now, nor has there ever been, a political plan that matches the military leadership that we have seen from our Armed Forces. But this administration has offered no real plan for success, and our troops have been asked to back the Iraqi Government that has yet to stand up for itself. The entire plan over the last 4 years offered by the President and the Republican Congress has been more troops, more time, more money, and more of the same, even though we know that the challenges we face today require more than the status quo. The President's policy has come down to the status quo plus.

Secretary of Defense Gates had it right: ``Any solution in Iraq is not purely military but also political.''

Our plan holds the Iraqi people accountable for their own nation. It requires the Iraqi people to meet the benchmarks for success, the same benchmarks that the President outlined on January 10 before he turned against his own benchmarks. We will give our troops and commanders the resources and freedom to do their job. But we will do the one thing that a Republican Congress has refused to do over the years: demand accountability from the Iraqis.

I urge my colleagues to support the rule and to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Earth Day, which we will celebrate April 22, 2007. On the very first Earth Day in 1970, 20 million Americans stood together for the environment. They filled our country's streets, parks, and auditoriums to announce their dedication to protecting the earth, and they asked their government to stand with them.

What began 37 years ago as a grassroots movement in the United States has now spread to 175 countries, and is observed each year by 500 million people worldwide. The importance of Earth Day is underscored by the threat of global climate change. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded with near certainty this February, people are a large part of the problem, but we are also capable of coming up with solutions.

I am proud that the new House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming met this week for the first time. I commend the Speaker for making this issue a priority, and I commend the new panel's members for their efforts in moving us towards solutions to the problem of global climate change.

The City of Chicago is leading the way in transitioning to a ``green- friendly'' world and is now a model for other cities across the country. Chicago is among the largest users of green energy in the country, and the city has set a goal of using renewable energy for roughly a quarter of city operations.

As part of the process, Chicago has attracted two solar panel manufacturers to the city. Additionally, Chicago has planted or negotiated the construction of over 2 million square feet of rooftop gardens, more than all other U.S. cities combined.

Madam Speaker, I recognize that as a member of Congress and a father, we have a duty to preserve our Nation's environmental treasures for generations to come. This Earth Day, I hope that we can build on the momentum of my hometown and work together to improve the outlook for our planet and make this a better place for our children. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this Earth Day, and many more to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of my friend, Frank Kruesi. After 9 years of dedicated service, Kruesi is retiring as President of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).

Prior to his service at the CTA, Mr. Kruesi served as Chief Policy Officer for the City of Chicago for Mayor Richard M. Daley. He also served as the Executive Officer of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and was the legislative assistant to then-Senator Richard M. Daley in the Illinois General Assembly, where he focused on mental disabilities, human services, and juvenile justice legislative initiatives.

Mr. Kruesi's more than 30 years of public service have included service at every level of government including serving as Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy in the United States Department of Transportation under President Clinton. In that post, he advised two Secretaries of Transportation and developed policy initiatives in all forms of transportation.

Throughout his career, Frank Krusei has overseen numerous achievements met by the CTA. Under Mr. Kruesi's leadership, CTA has made service improvements on two-thirds of its bus routes and on all, its rail routes. A total of 281 bus of service improvements have been implemented which include 25 new bus routes, expanded hours of service, added trips to reduce wait time, and route changes to improve access and connectivity.

Innovative programs such as U-Pass, a program of discounted passes for college students, have also been implemented during Mr. Kruesi's tenure. The program is the largest of its kind in the Nation, with 76,000 students at 33 area colleges participating.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I congratulate Frank Kruesi on his long career and thank him for his service to the City of Chicago. I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Mark Everson for his dedication to public service and to congratulate him on his new position as President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross. Everson's commitment to this country as the Internal Revenue Service Commissioner is an example for everyone in public service.

Mark Everson has served as Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) since 2003, and we will certainly miss him when he officially leaves to lead the American Red Cross on May 29th. His dedication to making sure that taxpayers' needs were heard, and his commitment to expanding access to and knowledge of the Earned Income Tax Credit deserve our congratulations.

Prior to his confirmation as IRS Commissioner, Everson has worked in several other high-profile positions in the public and private sectors. During the Reagan Administration, he worked tirelessly in various positions at the U.S. information agency and the Department of Justice, and he also served at the Office of Management and Budget for the current Administration.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to call Mark Everson a friend, and I thank him for his fine work at the IRS over the last four years. It has been an honor to work with him throughout the years. He is a true public servant who is committed to the highest level of integrity, and the American Red Cross will be well served by his dedication and leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 293, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Volunteer Week. This bill recognizes the beneficial effects of volunteerism in our Nation, and thanks the millions of individuals who have generously donated their time for charitable efforts.

Volunteerism is a hallmark of a civil and compassionate society, and since 1974, National Volunteer Week has consistently encouraged and supported the charitable and selfless contributions of America's volunteers. From the men and women feeding the hungry at the Chicago Food Depository to the volunteers that master information about Chicago's museums and cultural institutions, these individuals deserve our thanks for all of their hard work.

Last year alone, over 61 million Americans offered their time and effort to volunteer in a myriad of ways. These individuals recognized the vital importance of lending a helping hand to beneficent causes and donated their time and efforts in order to make a difference in their communities.

The striking importance of volunteerism was highlighted in the recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast. The communal effort extended after these disasters exemplified the American spirit of fellowship and altruism, and provided the crucial support necessary to begin rebuilding homes and business in this battered region.

National Volunteer Week promote's these selfless acts and raises awareness of the need for personal involvement within America's communities. For this reason I celebrate and support this institution.

Madam Speaker, as we observe National Volunteer Week, I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation for all of the efforts of our Nation's volunteers. Their work reflects the gracious and humanitarian character of the American Nation, and provides countless hours of service to valuable community organizations. I ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H. Res. 293, in order to recognize the volunteers of America and National Volunteer Week.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month the President said, ``If Congress fails to pass a bill that I can sign by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair and quality of life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces.''

Today, though, the Pentagon reports it has enough money to pay for the war in Iraq through June. So despite the doomsday reports from the White House, our military leaders are confident we have sufficient funding while we debate a new direction for the war in Iraq.

Then the President said that the timeline for redeployment that was part of our funding would undermine our troops and send the wrong signal to the enemy. Yesterday, Secretary Gates said our debate here in Congress has had a positive impact by ``communicating to the Iraqis that this is not an open-ended commitment.''

Mr. Speaker, this is not the time for scoring political points or posturing and positioning. The President should know that after 4 years of chaos and bloodshed, the American people sent Democrats to Washington to bring a new direction to our Iraq policy.

Today, thousands of American troops find themselves in the middle of someone else's civil war, backing an Iraqi government that has yet to stand up for itself.

Democrats are calling for a new direction in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, today we will once again hear from the Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, on the prosecutor purge. When it comes to the U.S. Attorney firings in public corruption cases, we have heard plenty of different explanations from the Attorney General and his associates.

What we have not heard is the simple truth. We know many of the fired U.S. Attorneys were pursuing public corruption cases. Contrary to the administration's earlier assertion, we know the decision to fire these prosecutors reached the highest levels of government in the administration and involved Members of Congress and Republican Party officials. So this administration either originally hired incompetent U.S. Attorneys in the first place, or hired competent attorneys but incompetently fired them.

Which is it? Are the public corruption cases that implicate Members of their own party off limits in the Bush Justice Department? Is this blind justice? Democrats have been asking these questions for months and for months, and we have been consistently told other stories. Now the time for misdirection is over. Today we will demand and seek the truth.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1945, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). As the Democratic Majority begins our second 100 days, we are continuing to move America forward, and WRDA does just that.

This bill will help commerce by improving navigation on waterways and making it easier to bring products to market. This bill will invest in our future by modernizing the locks and dams on the Mississippi River and elsewhere. This bill will protect the Great Lakes by finally making the Asian Carp barrier permanent. This bill invests in rural and urban America alike by renewing our commitment to protecting the environment and the economy.

The Water Resources Development Act is a good bill that has been written in a bipartisan process to address the needs of the whole country, but there are two parts of the bill in particular that I am especially proud are included.

The locks on the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterways are in need of repair, and WRDA finally addresses the long overdue need for lock modernization. Navigation in the upper Mississippi supports more than 400,000 jobs and 90,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs, and passage of WRDA will create more jobs in the region. Every year, shipping in the upper Mississippi River adds up to about $1.2 billion to our economy. Modernizing the locks will go a long way to ensuring the livelihoods of the men and women that rely on these waterways.

Another project in WRDA that is critical to the Great Lakes and important to all of Chicago is the Asian Carp barrier. As the residents of the Fifth Congressional District know, invasive species pose a severe threat to Lake Michigan, capable of billions of dollars in economic losses and inestimable environmental damage.

The Asian Carp in particular has affected Great Lakes fisheries, and I have been working with my Great Lakes colleagues in making sure that this barrier is funded and operational to protect the Great Lakes from Asian Carp.

Mr. Chairman, the Water Resources Development Act is a hat trick-- it's good for the environment, it's good for the economy, and it's good for America's future. I want to thank Mr. Oberstar and Mr. Mica for all of their good work, and I am glad that we are getting this bill done. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the long and distinguished career of Cherif Bassiouni. Professor Bassiouni is retiring from his position as President of the International Human Rights Law Institute and Distinguished Research Professor of Law at DePaul University after 43 years of dedicated service.

Throughout his legendary career, Professor Bassiouni has been a champion of the poor and voiceless worldwide. His creation of the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University is just one of his many lasting contributions to human rights and international law.

For 30 years, Professor Bassiouni has been an important leader within the United Nations, holding such positions as Chairman of the Security Council's Commission to Investigate War Crimes in the Former Yugoslavia and the Independent Expert on Human Rights in Afghanistan for the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Often considered the father of the International Criminal Court, Professor Bassiouni was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee during the 1998 United Nations Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court. As a testament to his lifelong dedication to international criminal justice, he was nominated for a Noble Peace Prize in 1999.

For his global efforts, Professor Bassiouni has received medals from his native Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. He has also received numerous academic and civic awards, including the Special Award of the Council of Europe; the Defender of Democracy Award, Parliamentarians for Global Action; and the Adlai Stevenson Award of the United Nations Association.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate Cherif Bassiouni on his long and noteworthy career, and thank him for his contributions to the international community and to the people of Chicago. DePaul University is certainly going to miss him, and I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.