Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H. Res. 106.

Madam Speaker, our society tends to think of drugs only as illicit, illegal products sold on the street. Yet there are other dangers closer to home, in our own medicine cabinets and a click of the mouse away. Common household products, such as cough syrup, contain ingredients that can provide a high if taken in large enough doses.

The Partnership for a Drug Free America estimates that 1 in 10 teenagers or approximately 2.4 million young people have intentionally abused cough medicine in order to get high. The primary active ingredient in most cough medicines is dextromethorphan, also known as

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ms. Herseth Sandlin for speaking on behalf of this critical legislation. I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture as well for helping bring H.R. 3184 to the floor.

The livelihoods of many families in Washington State depend upon the health and vitality of the Puget Sound. Unfortunately, as we already heard, there is no denying the health of the Puget Sound has been declining. Salmon and other species call the sound home and are either threatened or endangered. Water quality is extremely poor in certain places, and some aquatic species have shown harmful levels of toxins.

Agriculture is a large and important part of the economy in the Puget Sound region, and I represent much of it; and we do not want to see our ag economy decline either. Ag producers face the constant challenge of keeping good ag land in production while being responsible stewards of the land and of the Puget Sound watershed. That is why the State of Washington and our State's Governor Chris Gregoire have led the charge in pulling together ag producers, business, industry, and local nonprofits and many others to develop long-term strategies to restore the Puget Sound.

However, our State cannot do it alone. This legislation takes a first step, and only a first step, to provide critical Federal support to those efforts by developing a competitive, comprehensive, conservation program to help determine the right conservation planning efforts for local agriculture producers. As well, again, this is only a small piece of the puzzle. Most of that puzzle will come from State and local governments.

These types of efforts have been done or are being done in other areas of the country. The results of comprehensive conservation planning helps ag producers make smart conservation decisions and investments, and, in turn, takes important steps restoring the health of the Puget Sound. This bill will provide the capacity that local conservation districts simply do not have in meeting the unique challenges of this critical watershed.

Ag producers in Washington State have a role to play in protecting the health of the Puget Sound, and they are more than willing to do their part, but we need a comprehensive conservation strategy to get that job done, and that is what H.R. 3184 helps us do. I urge the passage of H.R. 3184 and again thank the chairman and the ranking member of the committee for helping to bring this to the floor

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Hunger Awareness Day.

Each day millions of our fellow Americans will go to bed hungry. In my home State of Washington, around 95,000 families suffer from hunger. Each day, approximately 300,000 families in Washington State are forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying their bills. Worst of all, 39 percent of those served by Washington's largest hunger relief agency are children.

In the wealthiest and most agriculture-rich nation in this world, this is simply unacceptable. As Americans, we all must do our part to make sure everyone in our communities, young and old, get enough to eat.

In my district, organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Monroe, Washington, are using today to hold food drives and benefit dinners to support local food banks. Many organizations across the State and Nation are doing their part to fight the hunger epidemic. We need to match their efforts in Congress.

So as Congress works to reauthorize the farm bill this year, we need to make sure that Federal anti-hunger programs and emergency food assistance programs get the resources they need. I want to thank our local leaders in Washington State and across the country for their work fighting hunger, and I call on my colleagues in Congress to join their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased today that the House will vote to reauthorize the successful COPS program, and I commend our leadership for bringing H.R. 1700 to the floor.

The Community Oriented Policing Services program has allowed our law enforcement agencies to hire over 100,000 police officers nationwide. This has led to significantly reduced crime rates between 1995 and 2005. Unfortunately, the hiring component of this grant program has not been funded in recent years and the program overall has taken severe cuts.

Post-9/11, we have asked our State and local law enforcement agencies to protect not only our communities from crime, but to protect our homeland as well. We cannot continue to put unfunded mandates on our local police forces and expect them to also provide protection from terrorism if we are not willing to provide the Federal aid for them to do so. If Congress fails to fund the hiring of additional peace officers, we risk losing the progress we have made in crime reduction. We must keep pressure up on crime.

By helping to hire local police officers, the COPS program helps our State and local law enforcement bust drug-trafficking rings, take down domestic meth labs, and keep our communities safe.

I encourage my colleagues to vote for H.R. 1700, the COPS Reauthorization Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of creating the first wilderness area for Washington State in over 20 years. The Wild Sky Wilderness will be unique, protecting 106,000 acres of the most pristine forests and streams in my district, while providing a clean and accessible place to hike, hunt, and fish.

The Wild Sky Wilderness Act has been carefully crafted, and it reflects years of community input. It will protect the peaks, forests and lakes of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, as well as thousands of acres of lower-elevation forest and salmon-bearing streams. Wild Sky will protect more lower-elevation acres than any other wilderness area in Washington State, bringing wilderness closer to our communities and benefiting Washington families and businesses for generations to come.

Congress passed the last national forest wilderness act in 1984 when a bipartisan effort brought a bill to President Ronald Reagan for signature that created, among other areas, the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. This Wild Sky Wilderness Act has strong bipartisan support as well. This bill has received strong support from local Republican and Democratic legislators, former Republican Governors, and our current Democratic Governor, Christine Gregoire. Additionally, State legislators and the Snohomish County Executive have expressed their support.

The Wild Sky Wilderness Act has local support. The former mayor of the town of Index, the closest local government to the proposed wilderness, has said that ``the Wild Sky Wilderness will be the best thing that ever happened in the valley.'' The cities of Monroe and Snohomish, both located on Highway 2 on the way to the Wild Sky, have passed resolutions of support.

The Wild Sky Wilderness Act has strong business support. REI, Inc., the Nation's largest consumer cooperative with its focus on the outdoor adventure, is an endorser, as are David and Lynn Meier, co-owners of A Stone's Throw Bed and Breakfast and A Cabin in the Sky vacation rental just down the way from the wild Skykomish wilderness. Additionally, the Snohomish County Economic Development Council supports this proposal.

This bill again marks the summit of a 5-year process of inclusiveness and compromise. My staff and the staff of Senator Patty Murray, who is the bill's prime sponsor in the Senate, have worked over the last 5 years to address local concerns. As a result of this community input, the original idea of a 120,000-acre proposal has been whittled down to the 106,000-acre bill that we are voting on today.

The spirit of compromise has been a constant in this bill's development over the last 5 years. This past winter, as an example, massive floods altered the path of the Skykomish River, displacing and destroying parts of the primary road that snakes through the proposed wilderness area. Immediately, Senator Murray and I brought together Snohomish County, the Forest Service and local advocates to responsibly adjust the boundaries of the proposed wilderness to ensure that the road could be repaired and remain open in the future.

The spirit of compromise has earned the support of groups such as the Washington Sea Plane Pilots Association, local tribes, the Wild Steelhead Coalition, the Back Country Horsemen and the Washington Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. Additionally, my office has received approximately 4,000 letters and e-mails in support of the Wild Sky and a petition with over 10,000 names in support. Over 5 years of collaboration and compromise has resulted in a bill that has gained broad support in the best tradition of past Washington State wilderness areas. It is time to create the next generation of Washington State wilderness.

Finally, I want to thank Chairman Rahall and his staff, Jim Zoia and Rick Healy, for their tremendous help and unwavering support for the Wild Sky Wilderness Act.

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to submit the following names for the Record. These people conceived, fine-tuned, negotiated, along with many other people, the boundaries of the Wild Sky. Without their tireless effort, we would not be here today, and we owe them our thanks as well.

Mike Town, John Leary, Larry Romans, Tom Uniack, Rick

McGuire, Mark Lawler, Harry Romberg, Norm Winn, Don Parks,

Charlie Raines, Jon Owen, Michael Carroll, Jill Mckinnie,

Brandon Hall, Christian Gunter, Jasper MacSlarrow, Louis

Lauter, Doug Clapp, Abbey Levenshus, Charla Newman, Amanda

Mahnke, Kim Johnston, Jeff Bjornstad, Jaime Shimek, Karen

Waters, John Engber, Rachelle Hein, Cindy Lewis, Christy

Gullion, Nalani Askov, Michelle Ackerman, Jennifer Ekstrom,

Doug Scott, Bill Arthur, Doug Walker, Bill & Sue Cross, Bob

Hubbard, Conway Leovy, Mark Heckert, Kem Hunter, Aaron

Reardon, Peter Jackson, Tracy Nagelbush, Brian Bonlender,

Michelle Koppes, Dave Sommers, Amit Ronen, Carrie Desmond.

Finally I would like to thank the late Karen M. Fant, 1949-2006. Throughout her adult life Karen spurred thousands of citizens across the State of Washington to speak up for the protection of wild places and wilderness. Early on Karen recognized the need to bring together and involve local people in efforts to protect wilderness. To do so she cofounded

and directed the Washington Wilderness Coalition. She was instrumental in forming an effective statewide community of wilderness advocates. To those who knew her, she provided never-ending inspiration and enthusiasm to keep working for the goal of protecting wilderness and wildlands in Washington State. Above all, Karen saw the potential and opportunity in everyone to be involved, play an important role, and make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from eastern Washington for yielding.

I rise today to pay tribute to the Honorable Jack Metcalf, who was my predecessor in Washington State's Second Congressional District.

Before Jack was a Congressman, and we have heard about his running for office, but he was a teacher for 30 years. Public service was more than a profession for Jack. It was very much a passion. He placed a premium on honesty and hard work, and he was admired for being a person of his word. He built relationships not only with traditional allies, but with anyone concerned with improving the quality of life for his constituents.

Jack forged a bipartisan alliance with Senator Patty Murray to protect our marine habitat in Washington State. The work done by the Murray-Metcalf Commission continues today to benefit the people of Washington State. Jack's dedication to protecting our marine resources stands as a challenge to his successors and as a legacy to our State.

I personally had the pleasure of working with Jack on flood issues when I was a local elected official. Flooding had created terrible problems for Snohomish County, and Jack brought people together and harnessed Federal, State, and local resources to find solutions.

We will miss ``Gentleman Jack'' Metcalf. He had no need for partnership or grandstanding, and he stood out for his commitment to the people that he represented. And certainly tonight our hearts go out to Jack's wife Norma and to their children.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my friend and colleague from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Skelton for yielding time, and I rise today certainly in support of this resolution.

I rise also today in support of a strong U.S. military, a military that is ready to combat terrorists and a military that is ready for the challenges of this century. And for these reasons, I have to oppose the President's plan to escalate the war in Iraq and support the resolution before us.

The President's announcement to add 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq is a step in the wrong direction. The American public does not want an escalation of the Iraq war, especially without an explanation of what we are trying to achieve. The President promised a new approach, but more troops does not equal a new way forward.

The United States has a choice. We can stay in Iraq to keep a lid on Iraq's civil war or we can devote enough time and attention to fighting terrorists wherever they are and securing a military that is prepared to protect our national security.

I choose the latter. At a time when we need to manage our strategic risk in the face of terrorists and nuclear uncertainty, at a time when our enemies are numerous, unpredictable and dangerous, this administration has made the wrong choice.

I believe this approach damages our military readiness today and damages our ability to prepare for threats in the future.

This war has strained our ability to train here at home with functional equipment. It has strained the ability of our services to recruit for the future. It has strained our ability to prepare a defense budget that can prepare us for 21st century threats.

Every State in this Union, including Washington State, has National Guard units that are depleted. They do not have the equipment that they need to train and are forced to leave equipment in theater, making it harder to do their job at home.

In Washington State, 90 percent of the Army National Guard and 65 percent of the Air National Guard have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and performed admirably and honorably; but at home, they only have 55 percent of their required equipment on hand, equipment that is integral to the training of these Guardsmen.

The President's escalation plan will not solve these problems. It will make them worse. The President's plan will not decrease our strategic risk. It will exacerbate it.

Units at home are struggling just to meet the training requirements necessary to deploy to Iraq. With this escalation plan, units at home will suffer as the Army and Marine Corps are forced to take more of their equipment to supply the additional brigades going into Iraq, depleting their training opportunities.

Equipment shortages at home are what we hear about most, but the war's effect on our prepositioned equipment abroad may be as serious a threat.

The Army relies on prepositioned sets of equipment in strategic locations around the world. This equipment ensures that our troops are able to deploy at a moment's notice. A large portion of this equipment has been taken to support the troop increase, increasing the chance that equipment will not be available in the case of an emerging crisis.

I personally have lost confidence in the Iraqi Government to fulfill its commitments to the United States. I want our women and men in the military to know that we have a strategy that is worthy of their individual actions and sacrifice and that they will have the resources necessary to do their job. But most of all, I am concerned that the President's decisions have led us away from our greatest national security threat; that is, fighting terrorists who will do us harm.

Make no mistake, while some of us support this escalation and some of us oppose it, all of us can agree on the need to support our women and men in the military, honor their commitment, and make sure they get the resources they need to do their jobs.

I recently heard from a friend of mine who, I will conclude with this, who served in the Army Reserve in Iraq and likely will return. This is what he said.

``Here I am, socially and culturally aware of the greater world. I am educated and a father of two beautiful children, children who have not been touched by war or tragedy. People tell me I should get out of the military because I have done my part, I don't need to serve again; but I do because if not me, then whom? I serve as an instrument of the State because I believe in the institution which is the Army and in turn with what that institution supports. As an officer, I have a duty to provide leadership to those under my command, and if it means I give my life at the expense of my children and all the things I love and hold so dear in life, then that is what I will have to do. I do not seek this action blindly. I am cognizant of the dangers inherent in soldiering and understand the risks and rewards involved. As a soldier, I will always pray for peace, but in a time of war, I am willing to move towards the sounds of the guns. I will fight for the Army and I will fight for my country, but most importantly, I will fight so others will not have to experience the mental anguish and soul-crushing reality which is war. For in the end, I know that I can love the Army all I want, but the Army and this country will never love me back, no matter what the sacrifice. I am at peace with this dichotomy.''

We owe my friend and his brothers-in-arms the training and equipment he deserves, and we owe him a national strategy that honors our military and our safety. That is why I ask everyone to vote for H. Con. Res. 63 to show that this escalation is a step in the wrong direction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 365, and I want to thank Chairman Gordon, Mr. Hall and my fellow cochairs of the Meth Caucus, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Boswell and Mr. Cannon for their work in drafting this bill, getting it to the floor here today.

Meth is literally a chemical cocktail. It is made from hazardous caustic substances. In the process of cooking a batch of meth, those chemicals seep into the interior of a home, and often innocent families move into these houses and apartments completely unaware that their new home was once used to cook meth. It isn't until they become ill that they know something is terribly wrong.

The DEA reported over 12,000 meth lab busts in 2005 in 49 States. There are currently no Federal standards or health-based guidelines to determine when a former lab is safe to inhabit.

This bill will create the research both to know when a home is safe to reinhabit and the health impacts of exposure to a lab. We owe it the children

found in meth labs each year to know how their health has been affected and how best to treat them. This bill does that.

As a cochair of the Meth Caucus, I am very pleased to see an important meth bill like this one brought to the floor, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Dextromethorphan Destruction Act.

DXM is a major ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines and is perfectly safe when used correctly. However, when taken in large amounts in its powdered form, it can cause hallucinations, brain damage, seizures and even death. DXM is not available to the public in its pure powder form but can be obtained.

Unfortunately, as our Nation's kids search for ways to get high, they have begun abusing both cough syrup and pure DXM purchased over the Internet. As the parent of two young boys, I am concerned about the growing number of teens consuming unfinished DXM. According for the Partnership for Drug-Free America, one out of 11 teenagers used cough medicines to get high last year. Substance abuse experts have noticed sporadic reports of teens intentionally obtaining unfinished DXM to get high by consuming large amounts of powder or mixing it with other drugs or alcohol.

In April 2005, two teenagers in my district overdosed on DXM they had purchased online and died. The investigation of their deaths showed that the teenagers had ordered the drug over the Internet from two men in Indiana who had set up shop in their garage. Three other kids from Florida and Virginia also died from overdosing on DXM they had ordered from the same two men.

This is a simple piece of legislation that requires anyone who purchases bulk DXM to be registered with the FDA. This legislation is commonsense legislation. The only people who should be buying DXM in bulk are those who manufacture cough and cold medicines. We must protect our kids from a new form of drug dealer, dealers, men like these folks in Indiana who decided they could make money by selling DXM to the two teens in my district.

This legislation send a strong message to individuals who are legally distributing DXM to our teenagers for recreational use. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for this simple, commonsense legislation that will keep our kids safer.

I also want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) for his work in drafting this bill and making sure that it made it here to the floor today.

I rise in full support of the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006.

This bill is the result of months of hard work. I want to commend Chairmen Young and Barton and Ranking Members Oberstar and Dingell, as well as committee staff for the countless hours they put in to get this bill done.

It was over 7 years ago, on June 10, 1999, that a pipeline explosion claimed the lives of two 10-year-old boys and an 18-year-old young man in my district in Bellingham, Washington. Since that time we have made excellent progress in ensuring the safety of our Nation's pipelines.

The 2002 Pipeline Safety Improvement Act did a lot of good things. It increased penalty fines, improved pipeline testing timelines, and allowed for state oversight.

This bill is another step forward.

As a body, we can all be proud that we'll now be regulating low- stress liquid pipelines just as we regulate all other hazardous liquid pipes. What happened with BP lines in Alaska this summer shouldn't have happened and this bill will ensure operators are properly maintaining their low-stress lines.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an often overlooked group of Americans who have made great contributions to the health and safety of our Nation. Those who have made a career out of counseling individuals with alcohol and drug addictions deserve our recognition, respect, and gratitude, as we celebrate National Addiction Recovery Month this September. Furthermore, I would like to recognize that September 20th is National Addiction Counselor's Day.

Last year, over 19 million Americans used illicit drugs. Fifty-five million engaged in binge drinking, and over 16 million were considered heavy drinkers. These numbers are staggering. Imagine the entire populations of New York and Los Angeles as illicit drug users. Imagine if the entire population of Florida were heavy drinkers.

This is a prevalent problem.

The problem of addiction is not restricted to illicit, illegal drugs or products sold on the street. There are dangers in our homes and our medicine cabinets. Common household products, such as cough syrup, contain ingredients that can provide a high if taken in large enough doses.

According to research conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, one in 10 teenagers, or 2.4 million young people, have intentionally abused cough medication to get high. Teens take excessively large amounts of over-the-counter cough medicine or abuse the main active ingredient in most cough syrups, dextromethorphan (DXM). DXM can be purchased over the Internet in bulk and is very dangerous when abused.

Since cough medicine is a necessity in every home with a child, we must take action to ensure our kids are protected from DXM abuse. First, parents need to talk to their children about the dangers of overdosing on DXM and cough syrup. Second, Congress needs to ensure that bulk amounts of DXM are not sold over the counter, or over the Internet, to entities not registered to do so with the FDA. I urge congressional leadership to bring legislation I introduced with Rep. Fred Upton, H.R. 5280, the DXM Distribution Act of 2006, to the floor of the House for a vote.

The professionals who treat the destructive disease of addiction are a dedicated, knowledgeable group. Today there are hundreds of thousands of clean and sober individuals living happy, productive lives because a counselor was there and made the difference. Not only do these counselors assist in recovery, but in prevention and intervention as well. Addiction professionals are an essential cog in the health services machine. Through training and experience, addiction professionals can help turn a life around and often even save a life.

I call upon all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing the invaluable contributions of addiction counselors. Congress has shown strong support for this issue in the past, yet we are far from victory. We must continue our steadfast fight against drug and alcohol addiction. The hard work of addiction professionals should be recognized, honored, and appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of John Watters Wright. I had the privilege of meeting John 3 short years ago when I was able to present a commendation and his Bronze Star he had earned in World War II.

In 1944, as a soldier in World War II, actually as a marine in World War II, John was badly wounded during a sniper attack. Despite serious injuries, he kept fighting. He destroyed the enemy sniper's nest, saving himself and the lives of others in his division. His CO recognized John's heroism and promised to cite him for a deserved medal to commemorate his actions.

In 2003, I had the privilege of presenting John with the awards that he had earned 59 years earlier. So nearly 60 years after his self- sacrificing actions, the United States finally acknowledged the heroism he displayed in World War II with a Bronze Star, but it was an acknowledgment delayed far too long.

Corporal Wright died last month, and as we honor the life of Corporal Wright, we are challenged by his patriotism. He challenged us not only to recognize our veterans, but he challenged us to care for our veterans when they come home from deployments. He challenged us to defend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights without question, but do that through debate and sometimes dissents.

So I stand today to honor the life of Corporal John Watters Wright, who is truly an American hero.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to provide $5 million for the Drug Endangered Children Program.

I want to thank Chairman Wolf and Ranking Member Mollohan for their work to increase funding for many law enforcement programs and the fight against methamphetamine. I am particularly encouraged by the $99 million allocated for the Meth Hot Spots Account in this appropriations bill.

I respect the tough job our appropriators have in writing these spending bills. They have admirably allocated dollars to programs that help our law enforcement do their job. However, one authorized program that was not fortunate to receive dollars in this bill is the Drug Endangered Children Program.

Children are too often the silent victims of drug abuse. As a cochair of the House Meth Caucus, I have talked to many social service workers and treatment providers about the risks that drug-endangered children face. I have heard repeated stories of meth users leaving their children unattended for days as they cook and use methamphetamine and sleep off its intense effects.

We have often talked about the need for more money to help local law enforcement to bust the bad guys, but we rarely talk about the impact those busts have on the kids who may be living in drug-infested homes.

So I want to thank the gentleman from California for his work on this amendment, and I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I want to thank the chairman for accepting this amendment as well.