Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 4036) to clarify the National Credit Union Administration authority to make stabilization fund expenditures without borrowing from the Treasury, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 67) celebrating 130 years of United States-Romanian diplomatic relations, congratulating the Romanian people on their achievements as a great nation, and reaffirming the deep bonds of trust and values between the United States and Romania, a trusted and most valued ally, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1704) honoring the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, H. Res. 1704 honors the anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, a watershed event in the protection of the then-fledgling form of government we continue to practice to this day and we know as democracy.

As the story goes, a messenger ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the Greek victory over the Persians, a feat commemorated today by millions of athletes around the world through the running of marathons.

In this anniversary year, the town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the sister city to Marathon, Greece, created ``Marathon 2010'' to encourage a global celebration of the victory at Marathon and to connect marathoners throughout the world in the shared experience of running.

The commemorative Flame of Marathon was brought from Marathon to Hopkinton nearly 2 years ago as a symbol of the twin cities common heritage as caretakers of the sport of the marathon.

As part of the celebration of the 2500th anniversary, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., celebrated the military roots of long distance running by receiving the flame in October.

We commend the hundreds of thousands of marathon runners throughout the world who exemplify the words of the philosopher Confucius, a contemporary of the battle who said: ``I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.''

We join together with marathoners around the world in celebrating the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for introducing this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the author of the bill, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Madam Speaker, I certainly would like to acknowledge the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his cosponsorship of the bill as well. I am looking forward to Mr. Smith, Mr. McGovern, and me all planning for next year's marathon and getting ready for the big race.

I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1402) recognizing the 50th anniversary of the

National Council for International Visitors, and expressing support for designation of February 16, 2011, as ``Citizen Diplomacy Day,'' as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

For 50 years, the National Council for International Visitors has operated on the conviction that every day American citizens can be some of our country's greatest diplomats. Through its facilitation of the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program and other exchange programs, the NCIV has been an essential part of American diplomacy.

In order to welcome international visitors across the country, the NCIV requires the energy and commitment of more than 80,000 volunteers every year. These volunteers create and implement professional and cultural programs for the visitors, and they also open their homes.

Over 190,000 foreign leaders, including 286 current and former heads of state, have come to the United States through the International Visitor Leadership Program and have benefited from this hospitality. The experiences they have had and relationships they have built in the United States have left a lasting impression of the values and strength of the American people.

In an increasingly interconnected world, technology can unite us, but face-to-face interaction can bond us. Our citizen diplomats help to dispel myths about the United States and can convey potent messages of American goodwill. They also help to increase understanding within the United States about the world.

The service that our citizen diplomats have provided for over half a century has been invaluable to our country, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, which designates February 16, 2011, as ``Citizen Diplomacy Day.''

Of course, I would like to thank the author of the resolution, Congressman Moran.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia, the author of the resolution, Mr. Moran.

Madam Speaker, again I thank the gentleman who brought this forward to us, Mr. Manzullo as well, and Mr. Smith.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1717) congratulating imprisoned Chinese democracy advocate Liu Xiaobo on the award of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this resolution congratulates Chinese democracy activist Liu Xiaobo on being awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize and calls for his immediate release from imprisonment by the Chinese Government.

I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for sponsoring this resolution and bringing it forward to discuss with many of us, as well as the other six Members of Congress who originally nominated Mr. Liu for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mr. Liu was a leader during the 1989 pro-democracy Tiananmen Square protests and one of the drafters last year of Charter 08, a document signed by more than 300 Chinese intellectuals and rights advocates that called for political reform and improvement in China's human rights policies. As a result of his activism, the Chinese Government charged Mr. Liu with the phony offense of ``inciting subversion of state power.'' He was convicted on Christmas day of last year and subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison, a sentence that has been widely regarded as unusually harsh.

This past October, Mr. Liu became the first Chinese citizen residing in China to win the Nobel Peace Prize and one of three laureates to have received it while in prison. The Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Mr. Liu ``for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.''

Mr. Liu's wife visited him in prison shortly after he learned of winning the prize, and during their visit Mr. Liu reportedly was moved to tears and said that the prize was ``for the lost souls of June 4.''

Mr. Liu remains locked away in a Chinese cell and thus is not able to receive the prize in person. The Chinese Government has also placed his wife under house arrest and is preventing her and Mr. Liu's other family, friends and supporters from leaving China to attend the awards ceremony in Norway.

The Chinese Government has denounced the prize as a ``political tool'' of the West, blocking all media reporting of the news in China and trying to bully foreign governments from sending representatives to the awards ceremony later this week. China's boorish and arrogant behavior over Mr. Liu's award won't produce the global respect and clout that Chinese authorities so desperately crave, and its tactics only underscore China's failure to uphold the very principles to which Mr. Liu has dedicated his life and work and for which he is being recognized by the Nobel committee.

Today, the United States House of Representatives stands in solidarity with Mr. Liu and all those who have risked their lives to promote democratic reform in China. We call on China to immediately release Mr. Liu from prison and to cease its harassment and detention of Mr. Liu's wife and supporters.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu).

Madam Speaker, as we've been discussing, this is a travesty of great magnitude. The Chinese Government has shown over and over again its lack of respect and dignity for human life. And, certainly, for someone who has such great respect in the academic community and worldwide as a leader in the views of nonviolence to be locked up and put away when the rest of the world recognizes the importance of his respect and his leadership in this important endeavor is obviously more than disgusting.

But we have an opportunity, obviously, today to create a resolution and speak on behalf of the United States and our people about what we believe are human rights and the respect that should be given someone who has been given the Nobel Peace Prize.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and thank the Speaker of the House for her leadership in the fight for human rights throughout the world, and I yield 1 minute to the Speaker of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) to close.

I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his very eloquent presentation, and all the speakers today, including the Speaker of the House. This is a statement of the American people, a statement of all of us from whatever background we come, about the importance of human rights and the recognition that all of us fight for human rights, no matter what the situation, politically or otherwise.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1751) mourning the loss of life and expressing condolences to the families affected by the tragic forest fire in Israel that began on December 2, 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.

As my colleagues are aware, last week the State of Israel faced the worst natural disaster in its history. A forest fire ravaged the Carmel Forest, killing over 40 people, displacing over 17,000 Israelis, and burning 4 million trees. People from all over the world have planted trees in forests throughout Israel to make it greener and make the desert bloom.

This is a tragedy, because of the loss of these forests, that really is something that has to be recognized. But, more importantly, this is a moment that we, as Americans, want to send a message of condolence to the Israeli people for the loss of life, loss of property, and to make an important statement of support and solidarity with our ally and friend, the State of Israel.

Thankfully, over the last day or so, the fire has now been successfully contained, and hopefully it will soon be fully extinguished. With the help of the international community, Israel will now be able to rebuild, and that's why it's important that at this moment in time we recognize the importance of this international effort from countries around the world who offered or provided assistance to fight the fire.

Those countries include Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Norway, the Netherlands, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

We're also proud of our State and local governments in the United States who selflessly mobilized to send firefighting supplies and firefighting experts to Israel. I would like to especially acknowledge the round-the-clock efforts by USAID, Department of Defense, National Security Council, U.S. Fire Services Professionals, as well as our embassy personnel in Tel Aviv, who were in constant contact with their Israeli counterparts offering assistance and support at every juncture.

We must note that time and again Israel sends its supplies and its experts to disasters around the world. It was one of the first countries that provided support to the people of Haiti after the earthquake. And certainly we know in the aftermath of floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and other natural and manmade disasters, Israel offers its expertise. Now Israel knows that it can rely on others as well.

Restoration will be a long-term effort after this fire and will require cooperation on many fronts. I would like to commend the important efforts of the Jewish National Fund which is taking a leading role in the replanting effort as it has operated for decades.

I would like to thank my partner in this bipartisan legislation, Congressman Peter King, the chairman of the Fire Services Caucus, and many others who have cosponsored this piece of legislation. And I would also like to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for quickly bringing this resolution to the floor.

Our expeditious consideration allows us to send a message to the people of

Israel: we stand with you in your time of need. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for his support of this resolution. I think we all understand when it comes to disasters, that we're all in this together--whether it's people of the State of Israel, people in the United States and other countries around the world. And I think certainly after watching Israel over the years come to the aid of other countries in their time of need, it's obviously important on a humanitarian level, logistical level, and a respect level that we can all help the State of Israel in its time of need as well as in this time of this natural disaster. I ask the Members of the House to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 267) congratulating the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the 20th anniversary of the reestablishment of their full independence, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution that congratulates Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the 20th anniversary of their declarations on the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Representative Shimkus, the gentleman from Illinois, and a good friend of the Baltic people, for introducing this measure today.

In June 1940, Soviet troops occupied the Baltic states under the auspices of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and then forcibly incorporated them into the Soviet Union. The following year, Nazi Germany invaded the Baltic states and illegally incorporated them into the Third Reich.

The Soviet Union re-occupied the Baltic states in 1945 until they regained their independence in 1991. During this period of foreign domination, thousands of Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians were subject to brutal repression, exiled, imprisoned and even executed. The United States never recognized the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union.

I had a chance a few years ago to visit the states with a number of other Members, and we heard directly from the people, the government leaders about their level of appreciation to the United States for taking that position that they were never recognized as Baltic states under the Soviet Union.

This policy gave rise to the principle of legal continuity, which held that they remained de jure independent during the period of illegal occupation.

Furthermore, the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania never relinquished their hope for freedom and democracy. In August of 1989, the world watched as an estimated 2 million Balts--over one-quarter of the total population--formed a 370-mile human chain that spanned the three capitals in a peaceful act of solidarity and defiance of Soviet rule.

Just over 6 months later, in March of 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare independence. Estonia and Latvia followed suit within weeks. All three regained their full independence in late August 1991, which was recognized by the Soviet Union on September 6.

In the intervening 20 years, these states have made remarkable progress in reforming their political and economic systems. They have joined the family of European democracies, become members of NATO and the European Union. Indeed, all three Baltic states are valued participants in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and have worked to build stability and prosperity throughout eastern Europe.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution that celebrates an important anniversary of our Baltic allies. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the close relations that our nations have continued to enjoy.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I think that when we think back to Eastern Europe from decades ago, the type of place it was under Soviet dominance and occupation, it is a different place today. Those of us who have a chance as Americans to travel to these three countries have seen tremendous change.

We know that the fight that they have, and the respect they have for the United States is strong because we held and stood with them during the time of the Soviet occupation. We appreciate their belief in freedom and democracy. We share that with them.

One little side note: When I was in Lithuania, a number of us were interested in encouraging Lithuania to continue to move forward quickly with Holocaust restitution, which has been languishing for quite some time, and we encourage them to move quickly before many of these survivors perish by natural causes.

But we are here today to celebrate. This is a very big milestone. And of course we ask Members of this body to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank all of my colleagues here in the House and especially my constituents back home in south Florida.

The opportunity to serve in this body has been the privilege and honor of a lifetime. I truly have been honored and feel honored to have been entrusted with the responsibility of fighting for families, businesses, seniors, and veterans in our community every single day.

And fight we did. When I came in 4 years ago, we were challenged with a war; we were challenged with a lot of other things. And as those years have passed, there have been new challenges, economy and others.

Together we fought to take on skyrocketing homeowners' insurance costs in Florida and other places. We wrote a commonsense solution that makes insurance look and work like it was supposed to. It wasn't easy, but we brought together every single member of Florida's delegation, Republican and Democrat alike, as well as allies from around the country and passed the Homeowners' Defense Act in a very bipartisan way. I am very proud of that.

We also fought to deliver on a campaign promise in my first race to close the Medicare part D doughnut hole, something that is so significant to so many seniors in my community. Our seniors should never have to make the choice between food and medicine. And because we shall and will bring down the cost of prescription drugs, many in our community will no longer have to.

We stood up for our Nation's veterans, something that is a prized responsibility that every American shares in, because I believe it is our responsibility to fight for those who have fought for us. We passed the biggest increase in VA history to make sure that our servicemembers have access to everything that they need. And we turned local ideas from our Palm Beach and Broward County veterans advisory boards into the law of the land.

But we didn't stop there. We took on energy and the recognition that there is a national security threat of an energy policy that continues to support Middle East rogue countries, in particular Iran. I helped work with others in writing and passing the toughest sanctions in history, because we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, not on our watch and certainly not on our dime.

We tackled health care and equal pay for women. We expended Pell Grants so that every child and every student has a right to go to college and help create a workforce that will compete worldwide. We passed an innovative and forward-looking energy plan to end our dependence on foreign oil. But most of all, many of us worked together to do what is best for our community.

Some might disagree with any one policy; but I think at the end, each of us in this Chamber knows that we have a responsibility to our country, we believe in our country, and we try to do the right things.

Madam Speaker, my colleagues and south Floridians who are watching today, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me this privilege. Choosing public service isn't always easy. There are bad headlines and tough attacks and long weeks away from your family, and our families truly make the greatest sacrifice. But it is worth every one of those sacrifices for the opportunity to make our country better for our children and our grandchildren than it was for us.

This is the American Dream, and that is what I fought for and many of us fight for every single day at home at here and in town here. When I first came to this historic U.S. Capitol building, a very wise colleague said to me--and it stuck with me to this very moment--look up at the Capitol dome at nighttime. Look at it when we are working late. You see the light at the top and a beautiful dome.

And I look up and I see that every time I am here in the evening, and I see that magnificent dome against the dark sky. And I think about the great figures that have passed through in time here. Most names we will never know, but every one of them was truly just passing through, whether here for 2 years, or 10 years or 20 years. Every one had the same goal to make this country a little better place.

My colleague said to me, if you look up at that dome at one point and you aren't inspired, then it's time to go home. Well, certainly I have been inspired every day I have been here and continue to be inspired, and he was right. The opportunity to serve our community in these hallowed Halls does inspire me, and I hope it continues to inspire every single other person and the next generation of leaders who come into this Chamber.

So I want to thank all of you. Thank you for allowing us to be here. Thank you for the privilege of serving, and I look forward to being part of our community and continue to work on behalf of it.

I thank the lady.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Con. Res. 323, a resolution that calls attention to the thousands of Holocaust survivors who are living below the poverty line. We know in Florida we have a tremendous number of people that have come from that background. They deserve to live their lives in dignity. Holocaust survivors have endured torturous and unimaginable nightmares. All the more so they should be assured a life of comfort and security. It is truly tragic that Holocaust survivors are five times more likely to live below the poverty line than other older Americans.

We are coming together as Members today to send a clear message that we must all help lift Holocaust survivors out of poverty. This is a community obligation because we are human, and we must not allow suffering like this to reach those who have already suffered so much.

I would like to thank my friend, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chief sponsor of this legislation. South Florida is truly lucky to have you. I would also like to commend the many good organizations in Florida and around the country that provide stellar social services to Holocaust survivors. They understand the unique needs of the survivor population and the urgent imperative to solve this crisis.

I call on my colleagues to swiftly pass this important resolution so that we may tell Holocaust survivors, you are not alone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the ``Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act.'' I am a proud cosponsor of the House version because it will finally tear down an unnecessary barrier to clinical trials for people with life-threatening rare diseases like cystic fibrosis.

Under current law, patients with rare diseases face an unconscionable choice. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits, then you could potentially lose these benefits if you participate in a clinical trial. That's because many clinical trials offer compensation in accordance to ethical guidelines in exchange for your participation. This compensation can put you over the income requirements for the SSI program. So in effect, the choice becomes this: take a chance on a cure for tomorrow, or risk losing the critical support you depend on today. That's no choice that anyone should ever have to make.

The ``Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act'' removes this barrier by exempting the income from a clinical trial from the SSI threshold, thus freeing people to participate if they so choose. It's a common- sense fix that is long overdue and will help groundbreaking research into the cures of tomorrow for rare diseases.

I am also proud to support this legislation because one of my personal missions is to support research to fmd a cure for cystic fibrosis. Long before I ever came to Congress, my wife, Dori, and I supported the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation because of our close connection to people with this rare disease. Andrea Levy, from my hometown of Boca Raton, is one such person.

At the age of six, Andrea was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. She has fought this disease with courage, and volunteers her time as an advocate for others that face similar health challenges. After graduating from the University of Florida with honors, she earned a masters' degree and is now working full-time as a counselor at a local school so she can continue to help others and give back to our community. Yet every day, she has to set aside hours for treatment and therapy to fight her disease. Andrea and the many others like her with CF should be able to live the American Dream without the burdens of a genetic disease. Yet this quirk in SSI law prevents more clinical trials from going forward because of a lack of people who will sign up.

It's for Andrea and all the people with rare diseases that I have pushed not only for greater access to clinical trials, but for greater investments in biomedical research. I am a longtime supporter of both the National Institutes of Health and private sector organizations such as The Scripps Research Institute and the Max Plank Institute. Finding cures to diseases that afflict so many must remain a fundamental goal of both the public and private sector. On this point, I will not waver.

Let me close by saying that the passage of this important legislation is a shining example of how this body should work. We have strong bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. My good friend from Florida, Mr. Stearns, has been a champion for cystic fibrosis and this legislation on the Republican side. I am proud to stand with him today and encourage our colleagues to support this important legislation and for President Obama to sign it into law.

We are currently in the midst of the Jewish High Holidays, a holy time when we reflect on the past year and welcome a new one. To everyone who celebrated Rosh Hashanah last week, I wish you and your family a healthy and happy 5771.

During the Rosh Hashanah service at my synagogue, I was honored to offer the Jewish prayer for the United States. This prayer hopes for the day when ``Peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.'' And I can think of no more laudable and important goal than to work towards that day with all of our heart and energy.

As we pray for and work towards peace and security for the United States, we also extend those prayers to the State of Israel. The threats against the Jewish homeland are real, and we cannot allow them to go unchecked. The American people stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel, and the alliance and friendship between our two Nations remains unbreakable.

I hope that all who celebrate these meaningful High Holidays have the opportunity to do so amongst loved ones. Reflection with our friends and family is the hallmark of this time of year. From my family to yours, warmest wishes during this special season.

Madam Speaker, we rise today to honor the life and memory of an extraordinary member of our South Florida community.

Ceil Steinberg passed away this week at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of service and strength.

Throughout Ceil's remarkable life, she maintained a steadfast commitment to serving our Nation's veterans. She served as President of the Ladies National Auxiliary of the Jewish War Veterans, and continued to be active in our local veterans community into her 80s.

Ceil's two wonderful daughters, Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson and her sister Anita Kahn, who has taught in South Florida public schools for over 30 years, blessed their mom with 4 grandchildren and 4 great- grandchildren, who Ceil adored.

When we think of public service, we think of Ceil, and her determination to give back, especially to those who have served our Nation in uniform.

We want to express our deep personal condolences to all of Ceil's family, and her beloved partner Bill Kling, who is also a fixture in our local veterans' community.

We will miss seeing Ceil, but the light of her legacy will continue to burn brightly well into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strongest possible support for Social Security--an essential lifeline that some 130,000 seniors in my congressional district depend on every day.

Social Security is an earned benefit that American workers have paid into

over a lifetime of their careers. That is why it is outrageous, at least from my perspective, to hear some of my colleagues propose to cut Social Security as a mechanism to reduce the national deficit or to pay for the war in Afghanistan.

This is irresponsible, shortsighted, and overwhelmingly reckless; and I personally won't stand for it. Social Security is one of the only Federal programs that has a dedicated source of revenue, what we pay into that has paid for itself in full for over 75 years now without contributing to the national deficit. In south Florida and around the country, seniors rely on Social Security as a stable, guaranteed source of income in their retirement years, particularly in these tough economic times.

I adamantly oppose and will work to defeat any attempts to weaken America's retirement security and pay down national debt unrelated to the Social Security program--all on the backs of our Nation's seniors.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Randa Flinn, a teacher at Northeast High School in Oakland Park, Florida. Mrs. Flinn was selected as one of only 10 Society for Science & the Public fellows in the entire country. She earned this honor for her hard work inspiring excellence in scientific thinking and research among her students.

The SSP fellowship includes an award of $8,500 for Mrs. Flinn to use directly in her classroom and full support to attend a Fellows Institute here in Washington, where I will have the personal pleasure of thanking her for her contributions to our schools and our community.

My mother was a public school teacher, and I personally know how hard they work to help our children learn and grow. And that's why Mrs. Flinn and her actions in shaping our future leaders and scientists of our country and her efforts are an inspiration to all of us.

Thank you to Randa Flinn and to all the teachers in south Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor all American veterans and especially those who served in the Korean War. Although it's too often mischaracterized as ``the forgotten war,'' we will never forget the sacrifice of the 294,000 Floridians who put on the uniform and served our country in that conflict. This year we are marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean War which provides us another opportunity to say ``thank you'' to those who fought for the freedoms that we all enjoy.

Once again, our community in south Florida has come together to honor the veterans of the Korean War, and we are dedicating a new memorial in Palm Beach County to make sure these servicemembers and the war they fought are never forgotten. I would personally like to thank Joe Green, the president of our local chapter of the Korean War veterans, for his tireless dedication. Without his hard work, this memorial would not have become a reality; and we owe him a great deal of gratitude.

I personally wake up every day committed to serving those who served our country. Standing with our local veterans is a top priority, and today I am honored to ask the House to remember those who served in the Korean War on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.