Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in 1996, Congress designated the United States Civil War Center (USCWC) at Louisiana State University (LSU) and the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College as the co-facilitators of the Sesquicentennial, or 150th, Commemoration of the Civil War in 2011- 2015. Legislation establishing the Sesquicentennial Commission was to be introduced in Congress in 2003. Today I rise to offer this aforementioned legislation.

The American Civil War (1861-1865) was one of the most violent times in the history of the United States, touching not only every state and territory, but claiming more than 600,000 lives, bringing freedom to over 4 million black slaves and destroying property valued at $5 billion. The ripple effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction remain today as our nation continues to wrestle with its legacy of race relations and federal, state and civil rights.

In 1993, the USCWC was created as a department of the LSU College of Arts and Sciences under founding director David Madden. In 2000, the USCWC became a department of LSU Libraries' Special Collections. The mission of the USCWC is to promote the study of the American Civil War from the perspectives of all professions, occupations, and academic disciplines in order to facilitate a deeper, more thorough understanding of one of the most important events in our nation's history. This mission is fulfilled through a variety of projects, including an official web site featuring over 9000 links to Civil War- related sites, the Michael Shaara Award for Civil War Fiction, Civil War Book Review, the Michael Lehman Williamson Collection of Civil War Books for Young People, the David Madden Collection of Civil War Fiction, and the Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the Civil War.

Mr. Speaker, I fully support the objectives and services the USCWC provides. What is more, I am pleased to introduce legislation today that will include the USCWC in the creation of the commission to provide grants and other assistance to institutions nationwide to conduct interdisciplinary Civil War commemorative activities between the years 2011 to 2015. The commission will include members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, directors of the Library of Congress and National Archives, and academics in history, anthropology, sociology, political science, art history and law. I believe this commission will provide the direction and resources needed for proper Sesquicentennial Commemorations of the Civil War throughout this nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate four outstanding students from the 6th district of Louisiana who won an essay contest titled ``What Makes America Great.''

As you know, Mr. Speaker, following the terrorism of September 11, when Americans were attacked for who we are, and at a time when young Americans are defending our freedoms on foreign soil, it is important to recall what America is all about and what we stand for. In an effort to remind us all of the greatness of our country, I turned to high school students in my district to draft essays and poetry that expresses their feelings of ``What Makes America Great.'' I would now like to read the winning submissions to the members of Congress.

The honorable mention of the essay contest is Alexander Edelen who attends Bishop Sullivan High School in Baton Rouge and is in the 10th grade. Alexander writes:

What makes America great? The great diversity of cultures,

religions, and people make the United States a unique melting

pot. This diversity brings different voices with different

views to the government, allowing the United States to

prosper. There were many cultures that came to America,

including the French, English, African and Spanish. Each

culture brought its technology, religion, and livelihood to

America. The blending of these cultures made the United

States evolve into the America seen today. America also has

many religious denominations, such as Native Indian

religions, and the Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian

denominations. These varied beliefs give the United States a

unique background for viewing the world from different

perspectives. America's many cultures and religions have

influenced the development of the United States, but it was

the amazing cooperation of the people that held the United

States together through good and bad times. The bravery,

strength, wisdom, and willpower of the people have made life

better for the United States and for the rest of the world.

It was the people who chose this republican form of

government, the people who saved the Union, the people who

saved the world during the World Wars, and the people who now

wish to see the end of terrorism. Is the United States a

great place in which to live? Yes. In the United States of

America, citizens and legal aliens are free to be diverse; it

is this diversity that makes America a strong and proud

nation.

Our third place winner from Denham Springs High School is Steven Sikes. Steven writes:

What makes America great is not its military might or the

strength of its industry or even some kind of technological

superiority. It is something less tangible but at the same

time much more powerful that makes America great. It is the

unconquerable spirit of its inhabitants that makes this

country so special. The nature of this American spirit is

demonstrated in revolutionary war slogans such as, ``Give me

liberty or give me death!'' It is the belief that the

personal freedoms of the individual are more important than

anything else and should be fought for no matter what the

cost. It is embodied in the nature of our government, which

is unique in that it exists only as a tool for achieving

the will of the American people and not for its own sake.

Finally, the true nature of the American spirit is most

evident in the courage and strength of the ordinary

American citizen. The powerful and enduring American

spirit is what makes this nation so incredible. Without it

America would not be what it is today. It is what has

enabled America to withstand all of the trials it has

faced so far, and it is what will guide our country into a

prosperous future.

Mallory Braud of East Ascension High School placed second with her poem America the Great:

Greatness comes in many forms

Not just brains and brawn

Like now in this time of war

We keep on, keeping on

United our nation stands

Always proud and true

We show our heroic pride

Through the red, white, and blue

Our strength is in our numbers

We stand together now

A band of faithful brothers

Our freedom shows us how

We live in peaceful harmony

Unless we choose to fight

We welcome all these strangers

To try to do what's right

We are too united to fail

And too determined to fall

We lend our helping hands

So our nation may stand tall

The people who all live here

By chance, choice, or fate

All come together to form

America the Great.

Colleen Wesley wrote our first place essay and she attends Denham Springs High School. Colleen writes:

What makes America great? Is it the stock market or the

government? Is it the culture

or the food on our plates? Many people have different views

on what makes America great, but to me, freedom is the only

answer. Without freedom, we would not be able to choose our

religion. Without freedom, we would not be able to state our

opinions. Without freedom, we would not be able to express

the many talents God has given us. As Americans, we have laws

protecting us against religious persecution. We are free to

worship as we choose. We are also free to choose to not

worship. We are able to criticize our government without

being thrown in jail and we are able to decide our future

career. There are many things that make America great, but

freedom is most important to me. I stand strong saying, ``I'm

proud to be an American!''

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the students who participated in the ``What Makes America Great'' essay contest, and also in offering a special word of congratulations to our four finalists.

Mr. Chairman, after considerable work by Chairman Oxley and Mr. Bachus, the House of Representatives is once again considering legislation to reform Federal deposit insurance. This is important legislation that will have an impact on our constituents and our economy.

As I stated last year, I am concerned about the potential effects of possible FDIC actions to develop and implement risk-based assessment standards under sections 4 and 7 of the legislation. My concern is that the FDIC may give excessive weight to Federal Home Loan Bank advances in the assessment process so that insured institutions with certain amounts or percentages of such advances would be classified as more risky and, therefore, pay higher deposit insurance premiums.

My concern arises from the FDIC's report on deposit insurance reform, issued in April 2001, which indicated that, under a risk-based assessment system, the FDIC could use a sample risk ``scorecard'' that would result in institutions with increased amounts of FHLB advances paying higher risk-based insurance assessments.

In my opinion, the use by the FDIC of risk-based assessment authority in this way would be contrary to Congress's clear intent to broaden access to FHLB advances in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act of 1999. In the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act, we wanted to ensure that community institutions and housing lenders would be able to obtain adequate, reasonably priced FHLB advances as a source of funds to serve the borrowing needs of their customers. Providing this source of liquidity may actually reduce risk. I would anticipate, should the FDIC place undue weight on FHLB advances for its risk-based assessment system, the agency will likewise account for the risks associated with depository institutions holding U.S. agency debt and securities.

As the principal House sponsor of the FHLB provisions in the Gramm- Leach-Bliley act, I will follow very closely the FDIC's implementation of any new risk-based assessment standards to ensure such standards do not adversely affect the prudent use or cost of advances.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt) for his good work. I have some concerns about the proposed amendment. It is not broad enough in its constitution. For example, when we construct the list of those who have been intransigent and unwilling to listen to the rational thoughts of those of us in America trying to free people from oppression, we have left off the list the country of Turkey who refused to let our troops cross their territory to bring about freedom to those oppressed people from Iraq.

It was only a few years ago when we conducted our operation in Afghanistan, when we asked those in Mexico to stand by our side. They refused to send troops. But when they were on the verge of bankruptcy, the President of the United States went around the Congress and sent billions of dollars to rescue them from financial calamity.

Vincente Fox has been unusually quiet in the recent weeks and days as America's young men have placed their lives at risk.

Yes, this group of identified nations should be known as an axis. It is called the ``axis of weasels,'' those who refuse to take a stand in defense of freedom, in the face of tyranny and oppression.

Tonight, as we sit and debate this resolution, the axis of weasels is watching as our young men and women storm the streets of Baghdad, trying to free young men and women from the fear of oppression and the Fejadin taking the lives of kids.

Is there any doubt? Is there any question? Is any Member of this House standing here tonight listening to this debate in question about what should be done about the axis of weasels? Are we going to tax the American workers, take their money and send it back to people to rebuild Iraq who criticized our efforts from its outset?

What are we thinking? They are our allies who have laid their lives on the line, who have more than adequate resource and contracting capability to join with American hardworking people and give back the people of Iraq the standard of living to which they are entitled, which was taken from them not by a coalition forces, but by the despot Saddam Hussein, whose fortunes I hope are not favorable this evening.

We have to join together in this House, stand up not only to this axis of weasels, but to all of those who stand in the face of Americans who fight only for one thing, to bring democratic opportunities to poor people around the globe.

Oh, I know there are those who say this was fought for the case of big oil. If we wanted oil, we would have simply taken Kuwait. If we wanted to oppress, we would not have left Afghanistan. Look at our record. We stand here tonight united as a Congress not for the cause of dominating the world interests. We stand united in the face of tyranny to free people who are oppressed.

It was only a few short months that the women of Afghanistan got the right to drive a car, to teach their children how to read publicly. Their tyranny cannot be fully comprehended, but what we are about tonight is the beginning of a new day, a day that brings justice and responsibility to those who refuse to give dignity to humans.

Mr. Chairman, I wish to address some comments made earlier in the debate where a vote for this bill was characterized as eliminating the only hope for the suffering and the dying. I just hope that that is an insensitive representation, and not based on a true understanding of the issue.

By voting for this bill, Members are not casting themselves as scientific Luddites nor moral zealots; they are merely saying there are alternatives that are existent in the current scientific community that are relevant to developing the cures and promises that have been held out by that of embryonic research but not yet fulfilled.

Much of the limitations on embryonic research's success has come from the results of cellular meiosis. When the cell has divided, those genetic defaults it would sometimes trigger that were developed to terminate are artificially preserved, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the embryonic cell line, which has been touted as the only hope for medical survivability.

Other than that, placental embryonic and cord blood research has moved far beyond clinical research, and in fact now there is a corporation within my own district that is in the process of marketing products. For example, a corneal implant used after surgery produced from stem cells, put over the surgical incision, does not have to be removed because it is incorporated into the body. Stem cells from placental research inserted after a myocardial infarction has provided 100 percent recovery of heart function. The list goes on and on and on.

By voting for this bill, Members are not religious zealots, not scientific Luddites, but they are merely saying that the issue of cloning is entirely different from stem cell research. There are avenues highly successful, highly provable, and I can take anyone who cares to see it to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and walk through the halls of this facility where this research has moved beyond where human suffering has been responded to and addressed, and offers the hope and promise that all of us seek with the passage of this bill.