Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as I speak today, more than 170,000 of our servicemen and -women are serving in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are grateful for their service. We owe these brave men and women the best that we have to offer. At a minimum, we owe them what they were promised. I am talking about medical exams before and after we send them into combat.

A 1997 law requires the DOD to perform comprehensive pre- and post- deployment medical examinations on all deployed troops, including National Guard and Reservists. DOD has unilaterally decided to define these exams not as was intended, as a hand's-on examination by a doctor, but as a self-administered survey to determine if a service member is fit for combat or if he or she suffered as a result of war.

It is beyond irresponsible to base the health of our troops on their individual ability to self-diagnose. Therefore, today, I am introducing legislation to require the Department of Defense to comply with the 1997 law and guarantee each of our men and women will receive an actual clinical examination before and after they are deployed.

Today, I request my colleagues to join me and support the Healthy Troops Act. We owe our troops that much.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to pay special tribute to one of our nation's many heroes, Army Pfc. Marquis Antoine Whitaker. Pfc. Whitaker lost his life April 27 while serving his country in Iraq. He was only twenty years old.

A beloved son and brother, a proud American and a devoted Christian, Marquis loved football, music, his GMC Jimmy and his girlfriend, Tarai, who misses him very much. He graduated from Kendrick High School in 2002 and joined the Army only months later, to give back to his country and put his career on a responsible path.

He began basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and eventually became a motor transport operator assigned to the Regimental Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Pfc. Whitaker was deployed to Iraq in July 2003. Although his family expected him home April 14, his tour was extended due to the increase in insurgent activity in Iraq. Two weeks later a truck crashed into the back of his Humvee, pushing it partially over the side of a bridge. Marquis Whitaker fell while attempting to climb to safety.

Pfc. Whitaker joins 756 American troops who have given their lives to bring freedom to the people of Iraq. We mourn their loss and the promise of their futures, like that of Marquis, were cut all too short.

Mr. Speaker and distinguished colleagues, I ask you to join me in honoring Pfc. Marquis Whitaker. I promise his mother Jacqueline, his father Anthony, his five sisters and two brothers that Marquis will forever remain a hero in the eyes of his country and that we will never forget the sacrifice he made in the name of freedom and democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support, and most heartfelt gratitude to our troops and their families.

It is often said that ``freedom is not free,'' Mr. Speaker. I couldn't agree more. The price of freedom--the freedom that we enjoy here in the United States and freedom that we have helped preserve or create--is great. The cost of freedom is measured in dollars, in time lost away from family and friends, and it is measured in human lives lost on distant battlefields thousands of miles away.

Wherever you serve, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and around the world, you rise to answer the call for freedom without reservation.

So today I rise, in support of our troops who continue to help ensure peace and freedom around the world, and to the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of freedom.

We are grateful and humbled by your capabilities, your courage, and your commitment to the great cause of freedom. You are our heroes and our greatest hope for the future.

Thank you for all that you do. God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of S. 1920 and for the rule which preserves the institution of bankruptcy, and provides an important safety net for American families, individuals, and businesses.

At first glance, the bill before us, S. 1920, provides for a 6 month extension of Chapter 12 bankruptcy protection for America's family farmers. I am again happy to support this greatly needed extension, but there's more to this bill than that.

The rule that we are also considering today substitutes into S. 1920 the text of the much larger bankruptcy reform bill (H.R. 975) which we in the House passed on March 19, 2003 by a vote of 315-113. This was great news and progress in preserving the institution of bankruptcy protection. Unfortunately, the bill has not yet been taken up in the Senate--not surprisingly since previous House versions of bankruptcy protection have died on the vine in the Senate when extraneous provisions were included.

So today we have an opportunity for a second bite at that apple. The provisions in S. 1920 (and H.R. 975 by incorporation) preserve bankruptcy by ensuring this protection to those who really need it as a result of unforeseeable medical bills, unemployment, and other legitimate needs. I am also extremely pleased that it also includes a permanent extension of Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcy protection, and I'd like to also acknowledge the efforts of Representative Baldwin, whose amendment we are also considering, similarly makes permanent this important protection. Importantly, H.R. 975 ensures that more family farmers will be eligible for Chapter 12 by easing some of the income and debt limitations that currently restrict access to this type of bankruptcy relief. While reasonable minds may differ as to the best vehicle for family farmer bankruptcy protection, currently family farmers are without the bankruptcy protection they need. This is completely unacceptable.

Broadly speaking, Mr. Chairman, the bankruptcy system in America is broken and needs to be fixed. Bankruptcy filings have soared in recent years, with thousands of filers who are capable of repaying their debts, simply walking away from their debts and obligations through the current bankruptcy filing system.

We need a greater and more sustainable safety net for all Americans, and we need it now. The bill before us protects those who truly need it most, while also including protections for business so that they can get back on track and get back to work.

This bill is a good deal for Americans, Mr. Chairman, saving American taxpayers billions of dollars each and every year. It is a powerful and greatly needed measure that protects consumers and creditors against those who would abuse the system, while ensuring a fresh start to those who legitimately need the safety net that is the bankruptcy system.

Let me be perfectly clear--one way or another, we must pass family farmer bankruptcy protection now in order to lift up America's farmers by making this protection permanent. I believe that the bill before us holds this promise. But if this bill fails for any number of political obstacles between the House and the Senate, we must still honor our responsibility to ensure that our family farmers are protected. I know that I will, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 850.

Mr. Speaker, although the massive conference agreement over Medicare reform contains some of the provisions the country needs and that I support, the overall legislation is deeply flawed. Congress can do better. By voting against the agreement, I am calling on Congress to correct the flawed provisions that would deny many seniors any prescription drug benefit, increase health care costs for many lower income citizens, push many seniors into managed care, put employer-based prescription drug coverage at greater risk, and create an uncertain privatization process that could change the face of Medicare forever.

By voting down this proposal, we could fix the critical flaws and still have time to enact a sound Medicare reform bill that the country desperately needs before the end of the 2003 session. I am cosponsoring a bill introduced Friday (11/21) that would shore up rural providers and maintain the integrity of Medicare for rural communities, while putting aside the more rancorous issues until later. I urge its consideration.

Among the agreement's provisions that I strongly support are those that would provide realistic reimbursements to providers, including giving rural hospitals parity with urban hospitals. Many community hospitals have shut down, and many are struggling to survive. This puts the health of many of our rural citizens, and the vitality of many rural communities, at risk. Relief for at-risk hospitals is one of the positive things about the agreement, and it should be a part of any health care reform enacted by Congress.

But I cannot overlook the agreement's overwhelming downside.

Dr. Kenneth Thorpe, a noted health policy authority from Emory University, calculates that under this agreement 51,450 Georgians would lose employer retiree health benefits; 161,300 Georgians would pay more for prescriptions; 82,000 fewer Georgians would qualify for low-income benefits than under the Senate version; and 34,000 Georgians would pay more for Part B premiums for doctor and outpatient care.

There are other sections of this lengthy bill, released the same day debate began, that few outside the conference committee have had an opportunity to examine. But much of what we know is disturbing.

There are no measures in this bill to respond to the problem of skyrocketing of drug costs. Not only would the government be prevented from negotiating drug prices, the possibility of reimportation of less expensive medicine from Canada is effectively killed.

The actual prescription drug benefit is skimpy, with an enormous coverage gap and an asset test designed to limit access for thousands of truly needy Americans. Moreover, millions of retirees will see the superior coverage they now receive from their former employers weakened or eliminated. That's nearly 3 million individuals nationally and more than 50,000 in the state of Georgia alone.

One of the biggest concerns is the agreement's push to privatization. As drafted, it appears private insurers would tend to pull in the healthiest beneficiaries while those with medical problems would remain with Medicare, causing Medicare costs to sharply rise. This could create what some are calling a `death spiral' of escalating costs in traditional Medicare. More and more seniors would be pushed into the less-expensive HMOs and PPOs simply because they could not afford the higher cost of Medicare.

From the enormous premium support ``demonstration projects'' to the weakened Federal fallback for areas without meaningful access to private prescription drug plans, this agreement reveals a poor understanding of the needs of rural providers and residents.

All of these flaws make this agreement unattractive in the short term. But if we look just a bit further down the line, the picture becomes even bleaker. In 2006, when the prescription drug benefit would actually begin, the benefit would be essentially worthless to the average citizen. And, when 45 percent of spending on Medicare comes from general revenues, extreme measures to curtail Medicare spending would be triggered. It's extremely cynical to include such a dramatic cost-containment mechanism while excluding responsible measures to control Medicare spending.

There is much that is wrong in this bill, and much less that is right.

Rarely will we consider any legislation that will have a greater impact on the well being of the American people.

Let's get it right!

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 27, the Second Congressional District of Georgia and the entire U.S. House suffered an irreparable loss with the passing of Franklin Aubrey ``Frank'' Spooner, Jr., who served as a case worker in our Albany, Georgia office for the past six years.

Many people have served in this institution longer but no one could have possibly served with greater courage, commitment, or concern and compassion for the people we strive to help. Although he suffered from a life-threatening health condition when he joined our staff, and was eventually given a terminal diagnosis, Frank worked as often and as hard as he could to the end. Even when death was

near, he focused more on the needs of others than on his own, remaining the same soft spoken, good humored, down-to-earth, hard-working, bright and decent guy we had always known.

Frank was born in Macon, Georgia and raised in Fort Gaines, Georgia. He attended Mercer University in Macon. He was a newspaper reporter; managed retail businesses; operated his own small business when he turned his baseball card hobby into a profession; and served as a social worker and finally a Congressional case worker. He often said he was doing exactly what he wanted to do. For him, there was no higher calling than helping others, and he did it extraordinarily well.

At an early age, he was diagnosed with a congenital kidney problem that eventually led to a transplant at the age of 23. When the transplant failed some years later, he was sustained with regular kidney dialysis. Several years ago, he was found to have cancer. Eventually, his condition proved to be untreatable. He died at the age of 49 at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Della Spooner Bell of Albany; a brother, Robert A. McKay (Juline) of Bushnell, Florida; an uncle, R.S. Spooner of Donalsonville, Georgia, and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins. Our prayers go out to his family.

The Frank Spooner I have known would likely be embarrassed by all of the praise that has come his way in recent days from the many people who loved him, worked with him, and were helped by him. He would say he was not doing anything special--just doing his job as best he could.

Frank did his best--and left the world a better place because of it.

Mr. Speaker, when the Nation observes Veterans' Day, our collective purpose is to thank the men and women who have faithfully worn the uniform of the country's armed services for the service and sacrifice that has kept us strong and free.

But I think we should thank veterans for something else, as well.

In addition to their service in the military, we should also express the Nation's gratitude for the unshakeable foundation of patriotic citizenship that veterans have always provided in civilian life--and that the country cannot do without, especially during times of peril such as these.

Veterans never stop fighting for a free and secure country.

They have fought for a strong defense and strong foreign policy. They have fought for integrity and responsibility in government. They have fought to protect the U.S. flag and all it represents, including the respect we owe to those who have paid the price for freedom. They have fought for the benefits veterans have earned and deserve, including disability benefits for those who have suffered permanent injuries in military service. They have fought for the American ideal of freedom and justice for all.

Those of us who serve in Congress should thank veterans not only by making speeches, but also by rolling up our sleeves and addressing the critical unmet needs of our veterans' population.

We need to act on long-pending ``concurrent receipt'' legislation so that we no longer deny disability payments to military retirees. Last year, Congress provided some new benefits to disabled retirees in lieu of concurrent receipt. But many disabled veterans still do not believe equity has been achieved. There is nothing that justifies a denial of these benefits to any eligible veteran, and Congress should correct this wrong right now.

We need to improve the veterans' health care system so that we no longer have a backlog of more than 100,000 veterans who are waiting six months or more to receive the care they need. Some veterans are waiting up to a year or more. This means many are getting sicker while they wait, and I fear some are not making it. This is intolerable.

We need the most cost-effective system possible, and I have no quarrel with the concept of the Veterans' Administration's Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services program. But we need to make sure that any reorganization does not end up downsizing or eliminating facilities that veterans need, thereby reducing access even more.

We need a VA budget that meets the needs--not one that falls below the new fiscal year's authorization by $1.8 billion and barely keeps pace with inflation. I believe we need to cut taxes to stimulate the economy and provide relief to middle and lower income working Americans, but we do not need to provide an average tax cut of $88,326 to Americans earnings more than $1 million a year when we could trim that amount by just a few thousand dollars and save enough revenue to take care of some of our critical needs.

We need to fulfill the country's promise to our fellow Americans who have devoted a substantial part of their lives in defense of the country, many putting their lives on the line.

We live in difficult and dangerous times.

But we should be confident about the country'a ability to meet the grave challenges we face.

As long as we have people in our country who stand ready to make whatever effort and sacrifice is necessary, we should be confident that our Nation has what it takes to defeat the forces that would do us harm and that we will succeed in advancing the cause of freedom for our generation and for generations to come.

As our veterans demonstrate every day, patriotism is alive and well.

And that should give us all hope for the future.

As we celebrate Veterans' Day, 2003, let us say to all of the Nation's 25.1 million veterans: ``We thank you, we support you, we need you, and may God bless you for keeping the country free and strong.''

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize National Family Week and the importance of strong families to the future of our communities and our country.

The purpose of National Family Week, November 23-29, 2003, is to recognize that Connections Count when it comes to strengthening families and communities. Strong families are at the center of strong communities. Everyone has a role to play in making families successful, including neighborhood organizations, businesses, nonprofits, policymakers, and of course families themselves.

Families thrive when they are connected to the opportunities, networks, support, and services that enable them to succeed. This includes everyday access to high-quality transportation, technology, education, and child care; opportunities to build a solid financial foundation; and positive social relationships within and among families, as well as quality support from community networks and institutions.

National Family Week is a great time to honor the connections that support and strengthen families year-round. These connections can be as simple as the grandmother or the neighbor who watches the kids while parents work; the network of friends or the placement center that connects parents to a new job; the place of worship or neighborhood organization that connects the family to others in the community, the community leader or policymaker who rethinks, revamps, or redirects policies, practices, and resources to better benefit families, and the parents who listen to their children and always have time for a big hug.

For 33 years, the Alliance for Children and Families and its more than 350 nonprofit members have promoted National Family Week throughout the nation. Every day these child- and family- serving organizations make a difference for families of all shapes and sizes. This holiday season, for example, One Columbus, Inc. in Columbus, Georgia, is sponsoring a series of events to recognize families. Several of these events include a community breakfast, the awarding of family friendly business awards, a community family walk, and community-wide non-denominational church services.

National Family Week is a great time for all of us to recommit to enhancing and extending

all families' connections. As we gather with our families this Thanksgiving, let us remember the special connections that help our families thrive and encourage one another, our neighbors, our businesses, and our organizations to reach out to families in new ways and honor the special gifts each can bring to our communities and to one another.

Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened when I learned of the passing on October 12, of Eddie James Gibson, 57, of Edison, Georgia, one of the most highly committed, courageous and inspiring citizens I have ever known.

The son of sharecroppers, Mr. Gibson was horrifically injured at the age of 15 when the tractor he was operating overturned on the land farmed by his family. He spent years in hospitals, undergoing countless operations and receiving intense therapy. His life was saved, but he was left permanently paralyzed.

After he was finally able to return home to Calhoun County, he quickly demonstrated that he had no intention of giving up and sinking into despair. Even though severely handicapped, he decided to do something about the poverty and injustices that he saw around him. He became involved in the civil rights movement, organizing efforts to increase voter participation and bring down the racial barriers that then existed. Even though wheelchair bound, he never hesitated to put himself on the movement's front lines.

Later, he became president of the Calhoun County NAACP, a member of the Edison City Council, and a member of the Calhoun County School Board. He was active in voter registration, and was incredibly effective in motivating people to exercise their rights as citizens. Although a member of the Enon Missionary Baptist Church, he helped a number of churches in the area with their fund raising and enhancement programs. He was always involved in civic and charitable activities.

Many people came to him with problems. Armed with a telephone, he was effective in getting many of them resolved. We worked with him on many cases, and found it to be a highly productive relationship. I visited with him often, and was always uplifted by his good humor and positive outlook that he invariably reflected in spite of any pain and discomfort he may have been feeling.

With sharp intelligence and strength of character, he overcame all of the adversities of a hardscrabble upbringing, of the discrimination he encountered, of the lifelong injuries he sustained as a teenager-- rising to become one of the most prominent citizens in Calhoun County's history as he worked tirelessly to raise the

quality of life for people throughout his community and area.

If we're looking for true American heroes, I submit the name of Eddie James Gibson of Calhoun County. He meets all of the qualifications.

Mr. Speaker, if there has been a more dynamic or visionary leader in public service anywhere in the United States in recent years than James H. ``Jimmy'' Rainwater, who served as Mayor of Valdosta, Georgia for 16 years until his death from a heart attack on Sunday, October 12, I don't know who it would be. In the words of the Valdosta Daily Times, he was ``Valdosta's voice, the city's representative, its administrator, ambassador, negotiator, cheerleader and leader.''

Mayor Rainwater seemed to be everywhere at once. If there was a groundbreaking or ribbon cutting, he was there as a booster. If there was a new business or grant to secure, he was always in the thick of it. If a disaster struck, he was there to help and comfort those who suffered. As his city experienced an extraordinary acceleration of growth and development, he was there, leading the way.

Valdosta emerged under his leadership as an officially designated metropolitan community. He played a leading role in the successful effort to save Moody Air Force Base, the community's largest employer, when the base was threatened with closure. He promoted tourism, which generates $175 million annually for the Valdosta area thanks to such developments as the Wild Adventures Theme Park, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center, the new Valdosta Regional Airport, the new industrial park, and many new hotels and restaurants. His support helped Valdosta State College become Valdosta State University. He pushed hard to strengthen the city's infrastructure, and during his tenure the city built a water treatment plant, completed a citywide paving program, and organized a nationally accredited police department.

Mayor Rainwater was born and raised in another growing city within the Second Congressional District, Tifton, which I also have the privilege of representing. Citizens in Tifton remember him as one of the most outstanding students to ever come out of Tifton High, where he quarterbacked the football team, served as homeroom president, and was named to the Who's Who list. He more than fulfilled that early promise. In addition to serving as Mayor of one of Georgia's great cities longer than any other person in history, he was a successful businessman and was prominent in statewide municipal affairs as an active member and next year's President-to-be of the Georgia Municipal Association.

When I learned of Jimmy Rainwater's passing at the age of 62, my first thought was that I had lost a wonderful friend. So did everyone who lives in Valdosta and our area of Georgia. He will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, family reunions are one of America's great traditions. This is especially true in my area of southwest Georgia, where some of the country's oldest and biggest family reunions are held. One of these is the Pryor family reunion, which has convened in the community of Leslie every year for the past century, attracting hundreds of people from Georgia and other States. This year's reunion was held on October 4. I would like to share an article about this year's 100th anniversary reunion in the Cordele Dispatch written by Ms. Betsy Butler, a descendant and a writer and editor for the newspaper.

The year was 1903. Only 14 percent of the homes in the

United States had a bathtub. Only 8 percent had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. and only 144 miles of

paved roads. The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona,

Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted

to the Union yet. Today, 100 years later, we live in a world

of airplanes and computers that connect people on opposite

ends of the earth. Boy, how things change. But one thing has

stayed the same--the Pryor family gathering.

Since 1903 the family has been coming to the small town of

Leslie. What started as a gathering to mark the 50th wedding

anniversary of Shepherd Green Pryor and Penelope Eudora Tyson

Pryor on October 4, 1903, has continued to bring the family

together for 100 years.

Shepherd and Penelope had seven living children, 32

grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Most of these

attended the celebration, which would become the first annual

family reunion.

According to Frank Wilson, a descendent, the menu has

stayed the same for 100 years--barbecue. Over the years, each

generation has assumed the responsibility for being sure the

reunion goes on. ``The family has stuck together and done

what needs to be done,'' Wilson said. ``We have never

struggled to have a host.''

There is a lot of history to the family. With two published

books about the family, one being a narrative and the other,

``A Post of Honor,'' being a collection of letters written

between Shepherd and Penelope during

the Civil War. In June of 2001 over 140 descendants traveled

to Virginia for the dedication of Civil War breastplates.

Quotes from the letters . . . were used on the Confederate

breast-works plaques.

This year's reunion is no different from the 99 before it

(as) hundreds of family members ascend on Leslie and spend

the afternoon together over a barbeque lunch. In 100 years

the world has evolved from a world of only one in 10 homes

with a telephone to a world with an information highway. But

one thing has stayed the same--the Pryor family gathering.

Mr. Chairman, I'm proud to represent the Second Congressional District of Georgia, which is home to several major military installations and where military retirees and veterans make up a big percentage of the population. At last count, 11,248 active duty, Reserve and National Guard personnel from Georgia bases are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A total of 149 Georgia-based soldiers have been wounded in Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 49 have been killed in action--49 brave Americans.

Like virtually everyone who lives in my area of southwest Georgia, I believe it would be an unconscionable dereliction of duty if we failed to provide for the essential needs of our troops we have sent into harms way. In spite of the strong objections many of us have about the bill's flaws, we cannot deny funding for such things as safe drinking water, which many soldiers lack; body armor and other equipment essential to the safety and success of our troops; and housing and other basic living needs.

We've learned many of the troops serving in Iraq have never been issued the Kevlar flak jacket inserts, or body armor, and some have spent up to $650 out of their own pockets to purchase this updated protective gear. We're told our troops have gone without other critical equipment, such as portable jammers to block the radio signals used to detonate remote control bombs--the same bombs we continually hear about, day in and day out, in attacks that are wounding and killing our soldiers.

Today, we have an opportunity to correct these troubling deficiencies. And we must not fail.

At the same time, people in the Second District are also concerned about the extreme federal deficit, the shortcomings in our own infrastructure, and the burden this added spending imposes on taxpayers. I, too, am concerned when Congress could avoid a bigger deficit by deferring tax cuts just for the wealthiest 1 percent of our citizens, and when U.S. taxpayers are stuck with the entire cost of Iraqi reconstruction even though Iraq is capable of eventually paying for its infrastructure upgrades from its vast oil reserves, the second largest in the world.

It's an affront to the people I represent to spend millions of dollars for roads, schools, hospitals and economic development initiatives in Iraq while these same needs are drastically under funded in the U.S.; to provide high-speed internet access to the people of Iraq while widespread areas of the U.S. including areas of the Second District, are denied the same access; to provide millions of dollars to train unemployed Iraqi workers while U.S. job training programs are cut.

I'm not against helping Iraq rebuild. I support efforts to secure Iraq's borders, to train Iraq's security forces, to restore Iraq's water sanitation, electricity and other utility services, to restore Iraq's transportation and oil production capability, and to help provide the Iraqi people educational and employment opportunities.

But I'm concerned when we unnecessarily pay for these needs with borrowed money, when we fund non-essential reconstruction projects as well as essential ones, which we shortchange the needs of our own communities, and when our international partners have not stepped up to the plate to contribute their fair share of the reconstruction costs.

Mr. Chairman, I support our troops and the funding they must have, while I continue to look to the Administration to present a clear and fiscally responsible plan that makes it possible for our service men and women to carry out their mission as safely and effectively as possible and to bring stability and democracy to the suffering people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1828, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003.

Mr. Speaker, the United States and our allies around the world have stood steadfast in holding accountable terrorist states, those who harbor or otherwise provide sanctuary for terrorist, or those who threaten the world with weapons of mass destruction. That's what the legislation before us today is all about.

The Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 does not advocate the use of force against Syria. Instead, it gives the President and the Secretary of State expanded authority to impose U.S. diplomatic and economic sanctions against Syria unless serious action is taken by Syria to rid itself of the cancer of terror and the policies by which terror manifests itself throughout the region and the world.

It's no secret that Syria hosts terrorist organizations including Hizballah, Hamas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all of which maintain offices, training camps, and other facilities within Syrian borders and within areas of Lebanon currently occupied by Syria. This is a threat that simply cannot continue to be ignored.

This Act holds Syria accountable for its part in facilitating terrorism and in so doing, threatening the world. It requires Syria to withdraw from the nation of Lebanon, and to finally cease Syria's ongoing pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. It calls for sanctions against Syria including a prohibition on the export of defense and dual-use items. In addition, it also requires the President to impose two or more sanctions which may be waived in the interest of national security. These are: prohibiting the export of products of the U.S. other than food and medicine to Syria; prohibiting U.S. businesses from investing or operating in Syria; restricting the travel of Syrian diplomats to within a 25-mile radius of Washington, DC or the United Nations; reducing levels of U.S. diplomatic contracts with Syria; and blocking transactions in any property in which the Government of Syria has any interest.

Mr. Speaker, let us act today and hold accountable terrorist states by eliminating policies which advance terrorism. Let us pass the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker I rise today in support of the gentleman from Alabama's (Mr. Davis) motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 1308, the child tax credit, and I thank the gentleman for this very important motion because tax relief and tax fairness are the very core of what we in Congress should be doing to improve the lives of Americans in each and every community across this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to recognize the bipartisan work of the United States Senate which has already voted 94 to two to provide Americans with real and meaningful tax relief in the form of a child tax credit. The Senate knew that this was the right thing to do, and they made no bones about coming together for hard-working American families. In fact, the President of the United States, through his press secretary, said that we ought to pass this legislation, legislation that has been held hostage in this House by the Republican leadership for 111 days. This is wrong, Mr. Speaker, and it ought not to happen in America because tax relief for American families, a real child tax credit, is not a Democrat issue, not a Republican issue. It is a children issue.

The relief it provides is targeted to parents who need it the most, those earning between 10,000 and $26,000 a year, about 6.5 million families and 12 million children. They await relief while the Republican leadership in the House stalls on this bill.

The House version of the child tax credit also shortchanges our servicemen and women and particularly those who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq. The House Republican leadership insisted that the calculation of the allowable child tax credit be based on taxable income, that is, wages in excess of personal exemptions and deduction, rather than on total earned income. This accounting gimmick adversely affects our military personnel who are in combat because, while in combat, their pay is not treated as taxable income. For example, a stateside grade E-6 serviceman or woman earning $29,000 a year, supporting a spouse and two children, would enjoy the full $1,000 child tax credit for each of their two children. But if that servicemember is deployed in Iraq for as much as 8 months, he or she could lose the entire child tax credit. That is because two-thirds of his or her income would not be taxable and the remaining one-third would fall below the $10,500 threshold at which the refundable portion of the child tax credit begins to be calculated. In fact, some 260,000 children, one in five children of the military, in 200,000 active duty military families would be left out of this unfair House version while the

Senate version avoids this problem entirely.

Last month the census released new figures showing that the number of families and children living between below the poverty line rose by 1.3 million last year, 1.3 million more families than there were last year. Times are really tough. They need help, Mr. Speaker, and they need it now. I would like to say that help is on the way, but the truth be told, Mr. Speaker, help is going away. Our fiscal priorities are not in touch with real needs.

A recent House Committee on the Budget staff analysis reveals that the true cost of the war in Iraq and the postwar reconstruction effort will be more than $178 billion and could exceed $400 billion during the period 2003 to 2013. That is pretty big money. Who pays that bill? Hard-working Americans and their families, including the servicemen and women who have been disproportionately disadvantaged by the unfair tax policy in America today.

In May of this year, this House passed a tax cut, despite the mounting deficit and the cost of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I am a big supporter of tax relief, but the last round of tax cuts excluded the full benefit for most working Americans and was fiscally irresponsible.

We have before us today an opportunity to level that playing field for most American families. I hope that we will. I urge my colleagues to stand with us for tax fairness and to vote for the gentleman from Alabama's (Mr. Davis) motion to instruct conferees on this very important bill.