Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in the past week all Americans, in fact, the whole world, has witnessed the devastation along our gulf coast. As a nation and as a Congress there are three ways to respond to this crisis: rebuilding, restoring, and retrospection.

We must pinpoint the errors made prior to the storm and the flooding; develop an action plan on what needs to be done, ensuring these times of failures do not happen again to Americans; and focus on rebuilding the lives. And we will rebuild those lives. As many tomorrows as those folks along the coast need, every American will dedicate themselves to being there as they regather their lives, regather their loved ones, and regather their property. We will be there every step of the way. That is the most important message they need to know.

Before we do anything, we need to dispense with the myths that we were not warned. Earlier this year, the New Orleans Times-Picayune ran a series of articles on the possibility of a Category 5 hurricane and what would happen to New Orleans.

In December 2004, the Army Corps issued a report saying the levees needed to be raised. According to Newsweek, Senator Breaux from Louisiana personally discussed this issue with the President last year. So let us not kid ourselves. The warnings were there about where the weaknesses existed.

Now, that is as it relates to the hurricane. We also have articles relating to, and reports just yesterday in the Wall Street Journal about, how, in fact, FEMA directors around the country reported up to the head of Homeland Security that, in fact, the way we were structured we could not handle a major crisis in the country, leading to a meeting in August with Director Chertoff because everybody was upset about what was happening to FEMA and the degradation of the operation.

We need to be honest with the American people. They ultimately pay for this government. They need to know, and that is not going to be about pointing fingers or about blaming anybody, because you cannot fix a problem if you do not think you have a problem. And there are a lot of individual actions where people can be proud of people who have served, volunteered, or who have done heroic things beyond the call of duty. That is all good and that is the right thing and that needs to be supported.

But we need to be honest with ourselves, and that does not mean pointing fingers for political gain. If FEMA was not up to snuff, it was not up to snuff. If the director of Homeland Security did not take the type of hands-on approach that was needed and people were concerned internally, we need to deal with that.

Here we had a natural crisis. The Wall Street Journal noted the other

day about how this may be a boon to the terrorists. We need to improve our response to an emergency so this does not happen again to any American, anywhere, any time, because failure when it comes to an emergency is not an option. When lives are at stake, and this was the worst tragedy in America and lives could have been saved, we need to be honest with ourselves and the American people who pay the bills here, because they expect that type of service, and they should, from their government.

Now, pointing fingers and attributing blame does little to put our country back together. On the other hand, acting Pollyanna, as if everything went according to plan, would be dangerous and foolish. Again, you cannot fix a problem if you do not think you have a problem. My colleagues, we have a problem.

In times of crisis like this, the American people rightfully look to their government. This time, the government at all levels failed them. That is unacceptable. People should and will be held accountable. But today our utmost important task and this body's primary task should be putting the people's lives back together and building communities.

Here are four things I think we can do immediately. First, anyone affected by this tragedy should be exempted from the recently enacted bankruptcy laws immediately. Many have lost everything, including their jobs. Expecting them to honor their obligations would be unrealistic and against the values of this country.

Second, we need to make sure that all the children have universal health care and access to education, and we should provide these children and their families universal health care at least minimally for the next 18 months. We should also consider making community health care part of our emergency response on the part of FEMA, like any first responders. We must also make sure they do not miss a day of school by quickly enrolling them in new schools and providing those schools with the types of services they need.

In addition to that, on education, every individual who is going to get either a GED, college education, postgraduate work, or job training should get a $3,000 voucher for their education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. David J. Rudis on his being honored by the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago at their annual Hall of Fame Heritage Society Luncheon.

David Rudis is a distinguished resident of Glencoe and has contributed greatly to the Chicago area Jewish community through his entrepreneurship, energy, and warm heart. His ability to fulfill the dual role of business leader and philanthropist is truly remarkable, and he has worked tirelessly to enhance the effectiveness of local civic, educational, and cultural organizations.

As the president of Personal Financial Services at LaSalle Bank, David is highly regarded in Chicago's business community. He sits on a number of important committees for the bank, which is among the largest in the nation. He also oversees strategic growth and development for LaSalle Bank.

David's contributions extend far beyond his business acumen. He is tirelessly devoted to the future and vitality of his community and actively participates in many charitable organizations.

He has held leadership positions at a wide array of community organizations, from the Merit School of Music to the Standard Club of Chicago. David has always been a strong supporter of Chicago Public Radio. He is a former chairman of the Governing Board of WBEZ, and he is currently a member of the WBEZ Executive Board. He is also a well- respected and active member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois I thank David J. Rudis for his many outstanding contributions to our community. His efforts have had a profound impact on the lives of his co-workers, friends, and family. I wish him continued success in his business and philanthropic endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a milestone in the lives of my parents, Benjamin and Marsha Emanuel. On August 21, 2005, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. On behalf of their four children and eleven grandchildren, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish them a very happy golden anniversary.

My father, Dr. Benjamin Emanuel, was born in Israel and moved to Chicago. While he was completing his medical residency he met my mother Marsha Smulevitz, a nurse in the same hospital. They were married on August 21, 1955, and settled in Chicago's North Andersonville neighborhood where they went on to raise four children in a loving home where we learned the values of public service and compassion which continue to guide me to this day.

My mother is a loving and caring person with a remarkable history of serving the greater good. In the early 1960's, she served 4 years on the Congress of Racial Equality, founded by students at the University of Chicago, and participated in Freedom Marches in the South. She went on to earn an advanced degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University. For over 20 years, my mother has maintained her commitment to public service by working as a social worker and counselor to local children and adults.

My father was a practicing pediatrician on Chicago's North Side for over 40 years and continues to volunteer at Children's Memorial Hospital. My constituents in the Illinois Fifth District include many former patients of my father, and people often tell me of how much his life's work has meant to them.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be the son of Benjamin and Marsha Emanuel, and I want to thank them for all of their love and support through the years. I ask that my colleagues please join me in wishing these two extraordinary people a very happy 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, as we consider this energy bill, here are a few numbers we might want to keep in mind: $7.4 billion. That was Exxon Mobil's income in the second quarter, an increase of 32 percent. Net profit at Shell rose 35 percent, going from $4 billion to $5.5 billion. BP's second-quarter profits soared by 29 percent, revenues were $5 billion. ConocoPhillips' earnings up 33 percent.

One more number: $14.5 billion. That is the total amount of taxpayer hand-outs to oil and gas companies in this bill, the same companies reporting very good profit margins. With oil at $60 a barrel, not $14, not $28, not $32, we are paying oil companies to execute their business plans. So American taxpayers, American consumers are being asked to pay twice, once at the pump and then again on April 15.

The sad truth is that this conference report is a lost opportunity. There are some very, very good provisions in the bill, but instead we have missed an opportunity to present a comprehensive energy policy and filled it instead with gifts to Big Oil. We could have accomplished things on conservation, we could have accomplished things on renewable sources, but we chose to give $14 billion of taxpayer money away to companies to do their business plans. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I speak as both the son of a doctor and the son of a nurse. I introduced the Vioxx amendment that would prohibit this special liability protection for the pharmaceutical companies. Many Americans across the country are watching the Vioxx trial in Texas where the Ernst family has lost their loved one, a marathon runner, a personal trainer, who died a premature death because he took Merck's Vioxx medication, and the FDA was not provided with all the information that should have warned of the dangers from that. According to the FDA's doctor, approximately 55,000 premature deaths occurred because of Vioxx. That is the trial the American people are watching.

And then they tune in here to this Congress. What is this Congress trying to do? They are trying to protect Merck and the other pharmaceutical companies in a way that no other industry would get that type of protection from any liability. This Congress would intervene in that civil trial down in Texas where the Ernst family is trying to get their proper redress from the premature death of a marathon runner who had a heart attack because the information was withheld.

The irony of this whole situation is just last year, this Congress, bipartisan, said the FDA did not have the proper resources to regulate these medications. And now you want to hide behind the FDA's Good Housekeeping seal to give protection to an industry in a way that no other industry in America gets.

Last year this Congress gave the pharmaceutical industry $132 billion in additional profits through the prescription drug benefit. Now you want to give them liability protection in a way that no other industry gets. You are like the gift that keeps on giving. There is a gift ban that is on in this Congress, and at some point the pharmaceutical industry has got to be held accountable just like everybody else.

The Ernst family lost a loved one. According to the FDA, about 55,000 other deaths also have occurred. Let us have a debate about medical malpractice. Don't muck it up with your political goals of trying to protect the pharmaceutical industry and other families from the proper redress of the courts.

Mr. Speaker, the stars have aligned. Senator Frist has agreed to a vote on drug reimportation. That is how we recognize health care reform and Health Care Week and make a dent in skyrocketing health care costs. Now we are getting somewhere.

I should not have to remind Members of this body that in the last Congress here in the House we passed reimportation with a bipartisan majority. It is time now for an up-or-down vote in this House. In the very week we are debating health care reform, only 1 week, I might add, what is conspicuously absent? The one item which actually would help control costs of drugs and pharmaceutical products, the reimportation, providing Americans with a 50 percent reduction in the price of their prescription drugs.

Springfield, Massachusetts saved $6 million in the first year they began importing prescription drugs. But we cannot have any of that here in the people's House. No. We get to vote on protecting drug companies like Merck, who make Vioxx, from any public redress for misleading the public. George Orwell would appreciate that.

Americans can no longer afford double-digit increases in prescription drugs. Mr. Speaker, it is time we give them a break and a vote on reimportation of pharmaceutical products. That is the right way to make progress on controlling health care costs.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in recognition of the fifty-ninth birthday of former President William Jefferson Clinton, a man whose Presidency was marked by great strides in both global tranquility and economic prosperity.

As a young man, President Clinton was an excellent musician and a scholar, attending Georgetown University, Yale University, and, in 1968, winning a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University.

President Clinton diligently served the citizens of Arkansas as both Attorney General and Governor before he went on to serve the country as a whole as the forty-second President of the United States of America.

The Presidency of Bill Clinton was a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity, marked by America's lowest unemployment rate in modern times, the lowest inflation rate in 30 years, and the highest home ownership rates in our country's history. President Clinton proposed the first balanced budget in decades and left the country with a budget surplus.

President Clinton was a strong leader who improved America's international standing and showed compassion towards people around the world. President Clinton rallied the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to put an end to ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and played a major role in the effort to end violence in Northern Ireland. His service to the people of the world continues years after his Presidency, including his recent efforts with former President George H. W. Bush in spearheading the United States effort to provide private aid to victims of the devastating tsunami that struck southeast Asia.

It was an honor to serve in the White House under President Clinton, as he helped extend health insurance to millions of uninsured children, placed 100,000 new police officers on the street, passing the North American Free Trade Agreement, reformed welfare, raised the minimum wage, and balanced the federal budget.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from New York for introducing this resolution, and I join my colleagues in wishing a happy and healthy 59th birthday to our 42nd President and my friend, William Jefferson Clinton.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 59, expressing the support of Congress for the establishment of a day to honor the women suffragists who

fought for and won voting rights for women in the United States.

On July 19, 1848, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton convened the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. From that time onward the leaders of the women's suffrage movement exhibited boundless courage and perseverance in their quest for equal representation.

Their journey was neither quick nor painless, and leading suffragists experienced public scorn and official persecution during nearly a century of campaigning. The women's rights movement relied on different methods of protest ranging from picketing and marches to hunger strikes. One suffragist, Alice Paul, led a famous protest in which she and several other women chained themselves to the White House fence.

These and similar acts of civil disobedience often landed the suffragists in jail. In 1872, when Susan B. Anthony and a group of women voted in the presidential election in Rochester, New York, she was arrested and fined. However, no amount threats or abuse could deter her or the other suffragists. At the close of her trial and with the whole nation watching, Susan B. Anthony made a fiery speech, stating ``Resistance to Tyranny Is Obedience to God.''

Even in the face of persecution, this unrelenting commitment to justice, democracy, and the ideals set forth in the Constitution of the United States ultimately won the day. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women in the United States the right to vote.

The women who led the fight for equal voting rights for women deserve our recognition not only for their tireless pursuit of justice in the face of persecution, but also for their tremendous contribution to the creation of a more perfect Union.

The success of the suffragists proved that even a prejudice rooted in centuries of custom and reinforced by all of the laws of the day cannot stand indefinitely against reasoned appeals to the ideals upon which our great nation was founded.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in support of setting a day to commemorate the contributions of these courageous Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for yielding me this time.

I was a sponsor of the Vioxx amendment, to strip out the protection of the pharmaceutical industry. As Americans are watching this debate here, here we are on the floor debating about protecting the pharmaceutical industry from all liability in a protection that no other industry in America would receive, and on the other side of the screen the American people are going to be watching the trial on Vioxx

down in Texas, where a marathon runner, who was also a personal trainer, and who took Vioxx for 6 months, died a premature death. They will see what this Congress is doing on that civil case.

Now, we know from the head of FDA that by their estimate 55,000 Americans died because of Vioxx and the medication. Yet my colleagues want to deny that man's family their day at trial and give this industry, the only industry in America, a single protection.

Last year, my colleagues voted for a prescription drug bill to give the pharmaceutical industry $132 billion in extra profit, and now you want to give them liability protection. This Congress is like the gift that keeps on giving. You just do not know how to stop yourself.

Now, there is a place to redress these grievances. It is called the courtroom. With 55,000 deaths, have you no shame? Have you no respect for what is going on in America? The American people will see what is being done and understand the cost. But Merck, with Vioxx, is not the only pharmaceutical company. There is beckstra, accutane. There is phen-fen. Those are just some of the medications where other companies have not provided the FDA the material they needed to make the decision, and then, after the fact, after the consequences, those drugs get pulled.

What is ironic about this whole case and this whole piece of legislation is very simple. Just a year ago, many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle joined us in agreeing that the FDA did not have the authority, the capability, or the funding to regulate the drug market. We were talking about in this very Chamber, on both sides of the aisle, setting up another whole entity to regulate this agency. So now what do we do in the dark of night, and nonrelevant to the medical malpractice legislation, you want to stick in a provision to protect the pharmaceutical industry because the FDA approval somehow gives them a Good Housekeeping seal when you said here in the well that the FDA was not doing its job.

George Orwell would smile upon this Chamber for the hypocrisy that runs free. You have done it with the pharmaceutical industry in the prescription drug bill last year, with $132 billion in additional profits over 10 years, and now you give them liability protection that no other industry in the Nation has, to our knowledge. And all the while Americans will watch their TVs, read in their newspapers, and listen on radio of the case of an individual's death because of the medication he took that was prescribed, and Merck, the company, had data before that drug got approved that it would lead to heart attacks and premature deaths.

The right forum is the American court. Yet my colleagues want to do this. Let us have an up-and-down vote. Do not be scared. Do not hide behind some little rule. Come on out here. Put it out on the table, and let us have a vote. The Senate knew it was wrong and pulled it out. So do not hide behind the rule. If this is what you want to do, let us have an up-and-down vote. You can put your votes right up there if you want to stand with this industry, and then the American people can see what it is all about.

I would recommend to my colleagues on the other side that there is a gift ban here. You gave them $132 billion in additional profits last year. There is a gift ban. The gift has got to stopping giving to the pharmaceutical industry.

Mr. Speaker, the New York Times reports that during the Vioxx trial in Texas, a cardiologist testified that the pain killer likely led to the needless death of Robert Ernst. Mr. Ernst was a produce manager at Wal-Mart who also ran marathons and worked as a personal trainer.

He took Vioxx for 8 months before he died of an irregular heartbeat, making him one of the 55,000 people who needlessly died as a result of taking Vioxx.

As we debate medical malpractice legislation tomorrow, I hope my colleagues will keep Mr. Ernst's tragedy in mind. Only in this Congress would we consider legislation that specifically protects the drug manufacturers like Merck from any form of liability while a trial is presently ongoing that directly affects that legislation. I am not aware of any other industry that gets this type of liability protection just for going through a governmental approval process.

While families such as Mr. Ernst's fight for fairness in court, this body, the people's House, is fighting to protect the drug companies. I plan to introduce the Vioxx amendment striking this blatantly beneficial provision written for and by the pharmaceutical industry.

Mr. Speaker, when your gavel opens up the people's House, it should open up the people's House and their voices should be heard, not the auction house.

Mr. Speaker, this body is scheduled to vote on medical malpractice legislation. This bill contains an egregious provision to protect drug companies from any form of liability.

Why would this Congress protect companies like Merck, who deceived the American public by hiding the side effects of Vioxx? An estimated 139,000 people have had heart attacks as a result of taking Vioxx, and, according to the FDA, 55,000 people have died. I am not aware of any other industry that would receive this type of liability protection just for going through the government approval process.

The fact is that drug companies have made a smart investment. There is no other place in the world that would give them this type of return on their investment but this Congress.

On one side of the screen, Americans are fighting for fairness in the court. On the other side of the screen, Congress is mounting a rear- guard action to protect the pharmaceutical companies.

Mr. Speaker, when Congress takes up this medical malpractice legislation, I will introduce the Vioxx amendment to strike this blatantly beneficial provision just for the drug companies. When the Speaker's gavel comes down, it is intended to open the people's House, not the auction house.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the citizens of the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago in celebrating the unveiling of the new statue of Thomas Jefferson. The ceremony that will take place tomorrow is the I culmination of years of work by many members of the community, and I am pleased to offer my gratitude and congratulations on this exciting event.

Jefferson Park, on Chicago's northwest side, is one of the most unique and interesting neighborhoods in Chicago and I am proud to represent its citizens in the U.S. House of Representatives. The mix of cultural and ethnic divergences is unrivaled in our great city. The Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce is one of the most active organizations in my district, and I applaud their efforts to honor our nation's 3rd President with this outstanding statue.

The bronze statue, the first life-sized statue of President Jefferson in the state of Illinois, was created by sculptor, Edward Hlavka. It depicts President Jefferson at a writing table signing a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Surrounding the statue are 13 pedestals representing the original American colonies, along with the inscription of one his most famous quotes, ``The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government.''

The statue will adorn the front of the Chicago Transit Authority station in Jefferson Park, the major hub for commuters on the northwest side, and was made possible through the leadership of the Jefferson Park Chamber, Alderman Patrick J. Levar, State

Representative Joseph M. Lyons, and countless other members of the Jefferson Park neighborhood.

Mr. Speaker, the City of Chicago and the 5th District of Illinois are truly honored to welcome the new Thomas Jefferson statue to Jefferson Park, and I thank all of those responsible for making this possible.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 364, commending the continuing improvement in relations between the United States and the Republic of India. This historic relationship is exemplified by the current official visit of the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh. This important resolution recognizes the benefits of our two nations working together towards our common goals of promoting peace, prosperity, and freedom among all countries of the world.

The Fifth District of Illinois is enriched by the presence of long- time residents and recent immigrants from India. Indian-Americans have proven that America is made stronger by their contributions to our cultural richness and diversity.

I am also pleased to recognize the continuing and growing friendship between the nations of India and the United States. India is the most populous democratic country in the world and has historically been a steadfast ally and loyal friend of the United States. We have benefited from our close and mutual friendship with India, through cooperation on security, trade and technological advancements which improve lives in both countries and help promote safety throughout the world.

It is a particular pleasure to pass this Resolution on the occasion of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh's visit. His Excellency has, in his previous capacity as Finance Minister, helped shape India's economic policies to permit the growth of free markets, which has led to much greater economic prosperity for many people in India and the creation of a large middle class.

With this bipartisan resolution, the American people recognize that we will be more effective and successful with India as a partner in achieving our mutual objectives to promote democracy, combat terrorism, pursue nuclear non-proliferation, strengthen the global economy and trade, and slow the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this concurrent resolution and I look forward to continue working with my colleagues on all of our efforts to promote peace and cooperation between these two great nations.

Mr. Speaker, here we go again. Today's Wall Street Journal reports that Delta Airlines executives have warned that the airline's current turnaround plan may be futile and that avoiding chapter 11 will soon be impossible.

In other words, we may soon add Delta to the list of bankrupt airlines and Delta's employees to the list of those whose pension plans are now going to be bailed out by the taxpayers at PBGC.

That should serve as a stark reminder of what is at stake in this debate about the future of Social Security.

Delta Airlines' news is yet another example of America's retirement insecurity. Now we should go ask those Delta employees what they think of Social Security.

For airline employees, steel industry employees, and probably the future of auto industry employees, Social Security is the linchpin to their retirement.

It may come as a shock to some in this Chamber, but the American people like the security that comes with Social Security. They reject the idea of doing to Social Security what is now happening to their private retirement plans. And, most of all, they reject the privatization of one of the most successful programs in the Nation's history.

Mr. Speaker, this debate is about more than the solvency of Social Security; it is about the financial security of every American.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H. Res. 328, and I rise on behalf of the more than 111,000 of my constituents who are of Polish descent to recognize the 25th anniversary of the workers' strikes in Poland in 1980. These strikes pressured the government to recognize the Solidarity Trade Union and, eventually, to enact fundamental changes in the government in Poland. It is my privilege to join with Poland, friends of Poland and people of Polish descent around the world in honoring this historic date.

The summer of 1980 was a turbulent time in Poland. Soviet domination resulted not only in political oppression but in deep economic crisis. In response to these conditions, workers were striking in several cities across the country. In 1979, the visit by Pope John II added to the hope and desire of all Polish people for change and demonstrated the possibility of mass independent movements.

The Independent and Self-Governing Solidarity Trade Union was established as a result of the Gdansk Accords signed on August 31, 1980 between striking workers and the communist government. In this agreement the government conceded to striking workers' requests and allowed them to form free trade unions, independent from the government and communist party, an unprecedented situation under the Iron Curtain.

By signing the accords the communist government hoped to appease workers while entrenching their power. To the government's great disappointment, the Solidarity Trade Union grew rapidly. By 1981, Solidarity boasted an unparalleled membership of nearly 10 million workers or more than a half of the Polish labor force and almost one third of the entire population. Employees from all sectors of economy and positions joined en masse, including workers, professionals, intellectuals, students and members of political opposition. The Solidarity Trade Union became a huge social and political movement, representing the Polish nation's aspirations for freedom, democracy and better living conditions after more than thirty-five years of communism and Soviet control.

However, the road to freedom was not easy. Seeing how popular and powerful the union was becoming, the communist government of Poland imposed Martial Law in 1981, followed by persecution, imprisonment and forced emigration of many Solidarity members, including Lech Walesa. Nonetheless, the banned Solidarity Trade Union kept aggravating both within Poland and abroad with the instrumental support of Pope John Paul II.

In 1989, the will of millions prevailed: the communist government gave in and held talks with the Solidarity Trade Union. These ``round table negotiations'' resulted in free elections to the National Assembly, won almost completely by candidates supported by the Solidarity Trade Union. Subsequently, the noncommunist prime minister was elected later that year, and in 1990, Lech Walesa, a former worker- electrician and the leader of the Solidarity Trade Union who had been instrumental in workers' strikes of 1980 and in the Gdansk Accords, became the first elected president of the newly non-communist Poland. Communism was peacefully overthrown.

Within a year, following the Polish example, the regimes in the Czech Republic, Hungary and East Germany had fallen. By 1991, communism was overthrown throughout Europe thanks to the inspiration of the Solidarity Trade Union.

With its long and rich history and traditions, Poland regained its rightful place among free and independent nations, first as a contributing partner in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, and last year, as a full member of the European Union. Today, Poland

continues to be our staunch ally and steadfast friend in Europe in our fight against terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my 111,000 Polish American constituents, I am honored to recognize this important anniversary and honor the events in Poland 25 years ago that helped restore freedom and democracy in Poland and throughout Europe.