Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for this opportunity. I applaud her for being here not only tonight, but on so many nights when you bring these important issues to the American public. I will be brief, and I just want to go back to one of your very first comments that you made as you began this night's program.

You started out by saying, ``I do not know whether people who are listening here tonight are going to be interested on this debate on the budget or whether they are not. Some people are going to be interested, other people are not.''

I think the debate that we have here in Congress when it comes down to the Federal budget in reality is absolutely no different than the debate that goes around the kitchen table in the families across America, once, twice, three times a month with regard to the family budget. That is really all we are doing here, is we are just one large family, the American family and the American family budget.

You know, back at home right now, as I say, once or twice a month, people probably sit down as I do with the household checkbook, and you sit there with a stack of bills on the one side and you write out the checks to pay for them, whether it is the electric bill or the gas bill or other utility bills, the rent or the mortgage or other expenses that you have, maybe some more luxurious items, going out to eat or buying videos or other luxuries, a new car or what have you. And, at the end of it, at the end of that evening as you write out that check, you hope that you are able to write out that last check and that there was money in your checking account to pay for all those necessary and extra bills. But if there was not, if at the end of it you look at it and you say, ``Gee, there just is not enough money going around this month,'' what does the American family have to do with their budget? What they have to do is set priorities, set boundaries, set parameters, set a limit as to what they are able to do next month in their budget.

This is nothing different than what the Founding Fathers of this country said. Madison said in Federalist Number 45 that: The powers of the Federal Government are few and limited, but the powers of the States and the people are numerous and indefinite.

For that reason, we come to the Budget Committee and the budget process here in the Federal level realizing that those are limits on us and what we have to do so that we can protect the American family budget.

So I applaud you for doing what needs to be done here, and we can discuss later today and at other times, what are those priorities, and what are those waste, fraud, and abuse, as Mr. Hensarling has addressed in the past, that we must do to cut out so we put more priorities back into the family budget.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

When we talk about the Federal budget, sometimes the numbers are just so large that it goes out of our sphere of understanding, as I was referencing before our conversation with regard to the family budget and the dollars that they spend there, but at the end of the day the issue has really come down to the exact same thing, and that is, are you taking in as much money, income, your paycheck, what have you, through Federal tax revenues as you are paying out at the end of the day? Do you have a balanced budget? Do you have a paycheck?

That is a problem for the American family. This is a problem for the States, as well as the gentlewoman knows I come from the great State of New Jersey, and people from New Jersey know right now our State is having a difficult time with the State budget. Other people are looking in and they realize we are having a difficult time with the State budget. We have a new Governor who is trying to deal with this issue. As a matter of fact, in the State of New Jersey, we are looking at a $6 billion shortfall in revenue coming in. What that means is that we have less money coming in than is going out at the end of the day for the State treasurer when he writes out his checkbook at the end of each day.

But what the State of New Jersey has to do now, of course, is the same thing as the family budget. That is, they have to set priorities, boundaries or limits, but so, too, does the Federal Government.

The Federal Government is basically on some of the items that you have already raised. We have to decide what are the priorities of the Federal Government.

I think one major word that you described for almost all of them is security: homeland security, economic security.

In the area of homeland security, if you look at the budget that came out of the Budget Committee that I serve on, we are planning to spend a 3.8 percent increase in homeland security to make sure that Americans at home feel more secure, that our borders are secure, that the Department of Homeland Security and the people that work for them have adequate money in order to get the job done.

Another area, of course, for us in the area of security is defense. We want to make sure that we are able to protect our Nation, protect the freedoms and the liberties that our Fore Fathers have fought and other generations have fought since that time. For that reason, in this budget, we will be seeing a 7 percent increase in defense.

Veterans, of course, is another area that this budget does not skimp on at all, and I think the gentleman from Texas gave some of the numbers before as far as the policy and the goals of this administration and of this Republican Congress to make sure that our veterans are adequately taken care of and protected.

So this budget does continue what this Republican Congress has done in the past. It sets out what the appropriate priorities have got to be for this Congress and for this Nation, and once we establish those priorities, we can establish our spending.

And if the gentlewoman will yield. After anyone, a State or a family or the Federal Government sets its priorities, the second half of the equation then must be what are the items that don't rise to that level of a significant priority? Where are those areas, again as Mr. Hensarling referred to that we can begin to say maybe we should not be spending all the money that we have been in the past. And I would humbly suggest a couple that I would at least suggest that may not be the top priorities.

Some of the areas where we could see some savings, for example, the Great Ape Conservation program, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation program, the African Elephant Conservation program. Certain areas and important issues, I am sure, but when you compare them against making sure our veterans have the TRICARE services they need, I would say they pale in comparison.

How about the exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners program, or the Native Hawaiian Vocational Educational program, or the Native Hawaii Health Care program, for that matter.

If the gentleman has yielded.

Normally, the press and the media would say that if you had unemployment under 6 percent that you are doing good. We have seen because of the actions of this Republican Congress in cutting the taxes and returning the money to the family budget, as opposed to keeping it here in Washington for the Federal budget, we now see unemployment in this Nation around 4.7 percent.

Normally, the press and the national media would say if you have growth in the economy of around 2 percent that

you would be doing good. Well, we, of course, know that because of those tax cuts that you referenced just a moment ago, we have seen the growth in the economy of over 3 percent for the last 11 straight quarters. So it is because of this pro-growth economic policy you just set forth that we are seeing the economy grow.

And by having a strong national economy, obviously it is helping the revenue stream on this side and obviously it also affects the family budget.

I yield back.

Will the gentleman yield?

Just for a quick point. I don't normally do this, but I would reference you to The New York Times and today's edition, because they verify that too. You can't go by what their headlines say, because their headline is a little misleading. But they did an article in the business section in The New York Times today saying who benefitted from the tax cuts that this Republican-led GOP Congress and this administration passed. And if you get beyond the headlines and you dig down into the weeds, even The New York Times admits that the benefits to them are to the middle class and the lower class, as opposed to the higher incomes, as the other side would argue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong and enthusiastic favor of H. Res. 744, which expresses support for the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 as the blueprint for lasting peace in Northern Ireland and support for continued police reform in Northern Ireland as a critical element in the peace process.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have been a strong supporter of reinforcing the strong ties between Ireland and the United States. As a member of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, one of my top goals is the achievement of peace, justice, human rights, and political stability in Northern Ireland.

Since the completion of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the U.S. has worked with all interested parties to help with its implementation. With over 40 million Americans being of Irish heritage, it is vital that the United States continue to play an active role in this process and contribute both the political and economic support needed to ensure that peace continues in Northern Ireland.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the efforts of the involved parties who are working daily to make the promise of the Good Friday Agreement a reality. In recent months, there has been a promising softening of the Unionist position with relatively more favorable comments toward the Agreement. And, of course, the Sinn Fein has backed and overseen the IRA's abandonment of its armed campaign.

These are exciting steps toward a sustained and lasting peace in Northern Ireland. And, I remain very hopeful that the parties can make further progress toward a fully functioning government that operates in regular order to meet the needs of the Irish people.

I commend the Irish people on all of its successes and hard work and encourage all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the State of Israel for once again serving as a model to the Middle East region of what a successful democracy should be. With the threat of severe violence from their neighbors, Israelis proudly went to the polls to take part in the single most important part of any government-- expressing one's voice through the vote.

I offer my congratulations to all who were successful in yesterday's elections. You have the will of the people, and more importantly, the responsibility to protect and defend both the land and the people of Israel.

In the coming months and years, you will have many important decisions relating to security and defense that you will need to make. I urge you to resist external political pressures and do what needs to be done to maintain the physical integrity of Israel and uphold the security of your people.

As a Congressman, I vow to continue to do what I can to work with the State of Israel and help one of America's closest allies and I look forward to working with the new Israeli government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 185th anniversary of Greek independence and to pay tribute to the contributions of Greek Americans to the American melting pot.

In 1821, an underground rebellion began by Greeks who had been living for generations under occupied rule by the Ottoman Turks for over 400 years. The War for Independence ended roughly 7 years later, when Greece achieved its liberation with the Treaty of Andrianople. Only then, were Greek citizens able to fully celebrate their culture, their religion, and their democratic heritage.

And, it was that rich philosophical history on which our Founding Fathers drew inspiration. When drafting our Constitution over 200 years ago, many ideas came from the world's first democracy in Ancient Greece.

Greece has long been one of the United States' closest allies. Fighting alongside America in every war of the 20th Century, Greece continues to offer strong support with the current War on Terrorism.

With over 3 million Greek Americans living in the U.S. today, Greek culture still plays an important role in communities all across the Nation. Public service organizations, like AHEPA's Chapter 453 in Wyckoff, New Jersey, are committed to being positive participants in our society. And, it has been an honor to work with them over the past several months.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Americans to recognize Greek Independence Day and the valuable contributions that so many Greeks and Greek Americans have made to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the efforts to allow the United States Capitol rotunda to be used for the annual ceremony commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.

This period of genocide against the Jewish race remains one of the darkest stains on the history of humanity. It is vitally important that we take time each year to remember the victims of this horrific event. The people of the United States must never forget the tragic actions spurred by hatred, bigotry and extremism.

Having this ceremony at our Capitol rotunda is both important and symbolic. We are the beacon of democracy and freedom for the world and have been defenders of the oppressed throughout history. Our brave young men heroically crossed the Atlantic to fend off and defeat the Nazis who were bent on racial imperialism. It is fitting at this center of our Federal Government that we express our deepest gratitude to the veterans of World War II and pay our respects to all the innocent victims of the Holocaust we were not able to save.

My heart and prayers go out to all the victims of the Holocaust-- those who did not survive, those who did and the families of all. Each went through an unimaginable experience, one that no one should ever have to undergo.

As both a Member of Congress and as a private citizen possessing a strong faith, I vow to always remember and respect those who suffered such a tragic fate and I support this body's efforts to do the same.

May we as a people never forgot those who have suffered nor ever let such an occurrence happen again.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, we are on the floor tonight to discuss a supplemental emergency appropriation, supplemental meaning that we are adding to something to complete it or to bring it to fruition. An emergency, just ran out and grabbed the dictionary, meaning an unexpected serious occurrence or situation urgently requiring prompt action.

Well, unfortunately, the language in the bill in this area of additional foreign aid is not an unexpected situation or emergent. That is just not my opinion. That is actually the opinion of the committee itself.

The language that we seek to strike is approximately $15 million in additional foreign aid, $5 million to expand public diplomacy information programs relating to Iran, and $10 million in democracy funds for the promotion of democracy, governance, human rights, independent media, and the rule of law in Iran.

Iran is certainly not an ally of this Nation that we are here tonight to seek assistance of $15 million. Again, not my opinion, that it is not an ally of this country. This administration itself called Iran part of the Axis of Evil. Iran, who wants to wipe Israel off the map of the world; Iran, who wants to assist Hamas in any way they possibly can; Iran, who neglects and fails to listen to the world's heed and continues to expand its nuclear program. And yet tonight we have a supplemental program of approximately $15 million to assist that nation.

Again, I say that this is not my opinion, that this is not an emergency situation. The committee in its report says that it is disappointed in the Department of State's failure to provide adequate and timely justification of the emergency nature of these funds.

If the State Department then cannot supply us and cannot supply the committee with the very information that it needs to say that this truly is an emergency situation, why then is this House considering providing an additional $15 million to support Iran?

The rest of the supplemental obviously has worthwhile programs in it. We are trying to assist our men and women overseas who find themselves in harm's way as we speak here tonight with military assistance. We are trying to assist those people down in the gulf coast to rebuild their lives with Katrina aid.

But, at the same time, we have articles such as this added to this Christmas tree list, if you will, of programs to the supplemental bill that do not meet the criteria of an emergency situation.

So, Mr. Chairman, I would say that we should strike the language in the bill that would delete $5 million for public diplomacy and $10 million for economic support fund for Iran.

Point of Order

Mr. Chairman, if I may have a colloquy with the chairman?

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I have come to the floor tonight to address the issue of an emergency supplemental in which we are spending upwards of $15 million more in essence on what I call foreign aid. I am here tonight on this particular amendment to strike approximately $5 million of that foreign aid.

As I stated before and as people look to this program and what we do here tonight, one must wonder what makes this situation an emergency. Well, the committee itself raised that same question when they said, ``The committee is disappointed in the Department of State's failure to provide adequate and timely justification for the emergency nature of these funds.''

What are these funds going to? These funds are going to the country of Iran. An ally of ours? Not by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, Iran has been called by this administration part of the Axis of Evil. Iran is a country that wishes to wipe Israel off the face of the map. In fact, the President of Iran has even said that they wish to wipe the United States off the face of the map.

So one wonders who at the State Department was looking at this situation in the past and did not know that there was a need for funds in this particular area, either in the past budget which we have already gone through or in the budget process that we are going through as we speak now. Apparently no one knew at the State Department that Iran is a problem country that we have to deal with and needed additional funding for, and so they come to us at the last minute with a supplemental emergency appropriation.

With all of the problems that we have today in this country, now is not the time to be adding more to our Nation's debt for foreign aid. Other portions of this bill certainly have merit to them. Portions, for example, for aid to our soldiers. Our men and women who find themselves in harm's way as we speak here tonight need the additional dollars and cents to get the job down there.

We have heard also the issues with regard to the folks down in the gulf coast, and there is additional funding for that program as well, to assist those people in New Orleans and elsewhere as far as their needed relief.

But do we need to spend additional emergency funds tonight for foreign aid in essence for diplomatic and consulate programs for Iran, not by any stretch of the imagination an ally of this country?

Mr. Chairman, I would suggest we should not. This is not a program that

we will be putting on the burdens of today's taxpayers. No, we will be putting this burden on our children and our children's children. Why is that? It is because we are already in deficit spending in this Nation, and the emergency supplemental we are debating tonight will simply add to that debt and add to that burden.

I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, to strike this additional foreign aid which is not an emergency by any stretch of the imagination.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I come once again to the floor to raise the issue that I have raised earlier this evening, and that is in this time of spiraling deficits and excess spending by the Federal Government, is now the time to be spending money on an emergency supplemental where the nature of the emergency comes into question? In this case, as I classified in my terminology before, I called it foreign aid, I don't know whether anyone can really say that this is not.

The funding here is $5 million for academic, professional and cultural exchange focused on Iran. As I pointed out before, and it was agreed, Iran is no ally of the United States Government. As we agree, Iran is a part of the Axis of Evil. They are supporting Hamas. They do wish to eliminate and see Israel wiped off the map of the world. They do wish to see the United States wiped off the map of the world. They are continuing with their nuclear program. In this, we are all in agreement. Iran is a threat.

This is not something new. This is not something that just came about in the last few days, weeks, months or what have you. We have known that Iran is a threat to the world community for some time, at least this House did. We have had many debates and discussions on this in the past on this floor as to the threat that Iran poses to this Nation, to its area community and the world in general.

The question then becomes, is this new news to the State Department? Apparently it is, because were it not new news to the State Department, they would have gone through regular order and they would have sought this $5 million or the $10 or $15 million for the other appropriations that we previously spoke about.

They would have gone through regular order, and they would have asked for and put this through the budget process in the current budget cycle year, or they would have included it in the budget proposal that we are currently considering as we go forward for the next fiscal year. They did not. Instead, they come to us now at the last minute and ask for an emergency supplemental appropriation.

I would ask that the State Department pay more attention to these matters. If they were not aware that Iran was such a threat and that these programs are needed, and I am not about to debate right here that they are not needed, but if they were needed, they should have gone through regular order, they should have come through the process earlier.

In addition, all other areas of spending in this House, when it goes through regular order, has to compete against other necessary expenditures. Some foreign threats that we have, Afghanistan, and Iraq and elsewhere, have to be weighed against other competing interests.

Likewise, they must be weighed against domestic interests as well. As in this bill, there is money here for Katrina. They have to assist those people down there. They have an interest as well. Other domestic programs also have to be weighed against other competing domestic interests.

I would simply suggest to this body that while Iran is a threat, it is not a new threat. It is a threat that we have known has been out there for some period of time.

The appropriate manner would have been for this to have gone, as with the other legislation amendments that I discussed previously, through regular order, so that we would have had a complete and full debate on it.

Again, I agree with what the committee said on those other matters, that the committee, as I quote from their report, ``is disappointed in the Department of State's failure to provided adequate and timely justification of the emergency nature of these funds.'' I concur with the committee. The State Department has not provided that justification.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to delete this additional $5 million.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I come here today to announce what we begin as hopefully a regular occurrence here on the House floor. Members of the Congressional Constitution Caucus will use these opportunities to highlight for our colleagues and for the Nation the need, justification, and plan to ensure that our government is operating consistently with our Founding Fathers' intent, and that is limited, leaving most authority over domestic issues to the States, local governments, and the people themselves.

As the founder of this caucus, a caucus dedicated to the adherence of the 10th amendment, I strongly believe that this body must begin to be more squarely focused on these important constitutional principles that we have already heard tonight.

Before I begin, let me express my sincere gratitude to my friend from Utah, who has volunteered to lead this effort here on the floor, this important education effort, but has also been a consistent and long- time champion of the notion of a limited and effective and efficient Federal Government. He routinely fights to ensure that his home State and the other States as well are entrusted with the authority and oversight promised to them as each was admitted to this Union.

I look forward to working with the other members of the caucus, as well, who share the sentiment that our Federal Government has taken far too much authority over programs that State governments have traditionally been much more effective in administering. And I invite my other colleagues to join with us.

This is really as old as our Nation itself. Our founders were very clear when establishing our system of government. They intended to set up a republic of sovereign States capable of self-governing, with a small, central government with clearly defined and limited powers.

Only the powers specifically limited and set out in the Constitution are to be administered by the Federal Government. All others are to be left to the States, local governments, or to the people themselves.

Dividing sovereignty between the Federal Government and those of the States and localities prevents an unhealthy concentration of power at any one level of government, and this is something that James Madison in The Federalist No. 51 wrote is a ``double security'' for the people.

Unfortunately, throughout the last few generations in particular, the intent of the 10th amendment, that of a limited and efficient central government, has basically melted away. There are those who support a bigger, more centralized government. They believe that a government-run bureaucracy can make the best decisions for the American people. They believe the good is in higher taxes. Well, sir, I strongly disagree. As a Member of the House Budget Committee, I am very much aware of where this leads our government, an overbloated Federal Government, consumed by deficits of over $400 billion that delivers sub-par public service.

Congress on almost a daily basis allows our government to grow, to push us further into debt and to take away from the limits imposed on the historic day when the Constitution was first ratified. What every Member of Congress needs to ask themselves each time they slide their card into one of these spots and votes, they must ask, does the bill I am voting on violate the U.S. Constitution? Does it take away the rights promised to our constituents and put them in the hands of the bureaucracy here in D.C. instead?

Mr. Speaker, I remind this body, the Constitution does not only protect the rights of the people, it also protects the rights of the States. This is our responsibility, to remember them when we write, debate and vote on legislation here in this Chamber.

What I am urging here is not only a political philosophy that most would argue has drifted from the mainstream, but a most important one that has affected our budget, and a gloomy budget forecast it has been for the future.

This is what the caucus is about, these weekly information sessions. It is really well past time that we turn a critical eye on to the Federal Government. This will be how we will lower our deficit, grow our economy and ensure that America remains that ``beacon on the Hill.''

Now, aside from being informational, this caucus also seeks to make specific legislative gains in the name of governmental efficiency and constitutional adherence. We will support legislation that seeks to return power and authority back to where it belongs, to the States, to the local governments and to the people.

So, to close, I look forward to working with my friend from Utah and other members of this caucus and other Members of this body, from both sides of the aisle, as we work each week in the days and weeks ahead. We owe nothing less to our constituents and to generations, both past and future, to defend this great experiment of American republicanism and democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 87th anniversary of the March 1st Movement for the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese oppression. This was the day that Korea regained its independence and since then it has continued to become a major economic and cultural force on the world stage.

There is a flourishing and growing relationship between the United States and Korea. Korea is a major economic partner and our 7th largest trading partner. Whether in education, science, business, or the arts, Korea

has played and continues to play a vital role in shaping communities throughout New Jersey and the entire United States.

Several years ago, I had the distinct pleasure of traveling to Korea. While there I was able to meet with Korean government leaders, high- level U.S. military officials, and top Korean business executives. In addition, I shared a meal and conversed with troops from New Jersey's 5th Congressional District.

I was honored to take part in this informative diplomatic trip. The opportunity contributed to my understanding of what issues affect the economic, political, and military policies of Korea, and in turn, their impact on United States interests.

During the visit, I met with opposition party leader Chairman Choe, Korean cabinet members and members of the Korean Chamber of Commerce. We discussed enhancing the visibility of the important United States- Korea relationship and addressed the tensions in the region surrounding the North Korean nuclear issue. In addition, I was taken by the U.S. Army, led by General Leon Porte, Chief in Command of the United States Forces in Korea, to the Joint Security Area on the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Now more than ever there is a need to increase mutual understanding between the United States and Korea. The 2 countries have become increasingly important regional and global partners, as Korea has become a stronger advocate for democracy and a free-market economy. It is critical that the working relationship between the 2 countries flourish for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1096, a piece of legislation that benefits an important historic landmark from my home State of New Jersey, the Thomas Edison National Historic Site.

I also want to thank my colleagues from the other side of the aisle for their support and their hard work on this as well, Congressman Donald Payne and Congressman Bill Pascrell for all their work in joining with me in sponsoring this important legislation.

Tom Edison's contributions, most notably the incandescent light bulb, the motion picture camera, and the phonograph, have had a profound effect on the way people live their lives around the world. In fact, Life Magazine once honored him as the most important individual for the last 1,000 years.

The Thomas Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, New Jersey is a national treasure, encompassing Edison's home of 45 years, his laboratories and offices, and a vast collection of artifacts and historic documents.

Since 1997, the Edison Preservation Foundation has successfully partnered with the National Park Service to provide resources for the restoration of the site's historic buildings, artifacts and such, and plans to establish an endowment to support it for future operation including education programs for children. This partnership is really a great example of the public/private partnership working together and can serve as a role model for other programs in the future considering scarce financial Federal resources.

Unfortunately, both the historic structures where Edison lived and worked and irreplaceable treasures they now hold are at serious risk due to extensive water and damage and age-related decay. Although the site historically has been a major education destination for students from around the region, the need for renovations has led to a temporary closure of the site to visitors. While private support through the efforts of the Edison Preservation Foundation is crucial to efforts to restore the site, a long-term commitment from the Federal Government is also necessary for future success. So to ensure this long-term commitment, we have H.R. 1096, which commemorates Edison's lifetime accomplishments; redesignates, consistent with the National Park Service guidelines, the Edison Historic Site as the National Historic Park; and authorizes appropriations for the support of the site. This legislation will enable the Edison site to more effectively compete for scarce Federal funds and it would also strengthen the Edison Preservation Foundation's ability to raise private dollars.

Finally, Thomas Edison's legacy is an important component of the history of the State of New Jersey and the United States. So it is important that this Congress affirm its support for the Edison site by advancing this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pledge my support for S. Con. Res 79, which expresses Congress's disapproval of any foreign aid distributed to the Palestinian Authority if a group holding the majority of seats supports the destruction of one of America's closest allies, Israel.

The recent election by the Palestinian people that put Hamas in control of their governing body should be troubling to all. This organization, with a foundation of hate and a track record of evil, has as its platform, one goal--the annihilation of the Jewish State of Israel.

It is quite troublesome that a people, desperate to prove to the world that they are deserving of recognition, peaceful, would with overwhelming support put in power a group solely motivated by the ruin of the peaceful and freedom-loving Nation of Israel.

Hamas is responsible for the tragic deaths of thousands of innocent Israelis and Americans, including women and children. They have refused to take part in any peace talks, including the Oslo Accords. They have refused to participate in previous, formal governmental operations that have worked with Israel. And they actively recruit children to accomplish their malevolent and homicidal agenda.

For generations, we have been working towards a plan that will finally bring peace to the most unstable region in the world--the Middle East. In recent years, peace looked as close as it ever has, held together by fragile promises of Arab leaders to end their over half-century assault on the nonviolent and democratic State of Israel. The control of the Palestinian Authority by Hamas could very well tip the scales away from a peaceful resolution.

Congress, who holds the purse strings of the peoples' money, should never provide any aid to any organization set on such destructive results. As a Member of Congress representing a district whose sightline used to include the Twin Towers, I know all too well the devastating effects of vengefulness and abhorrence.

I am proud of Congress's actions today and commend those who have worked to bring this resolution to the floor. I was similarly proud to stand with my colleagues in December when with strong bipartisan support, we passed H. Res. 575, warning against the very inclusion of Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Palestinian elections. I am also a proud original cosponsor of H.R. 4668, a House bill denying aid to a Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority.

As our only ally in a region filled with unrest and American hatred, I vow to continue to stand firm with the State of Israel. The rise to power by the terrorist establishment Hamas only spells trouble for Israel and the United States, as well as for all our collaborative efforts to reverse the trend of a region that has been a breeding ground for terrorists sought on eliminating freedom and liberty from this world.

Mr. Speaker, last spring, China passed the anti-secession law to give Chinese leaders the right to use force against Taiwan if they suspect separatist activities in Taiwan. The deployment of more than 700 missiles along the southeast coast indicates that China still stubbornly clings to a military solution to the Taiwan issue. Mr. Speaker, military intimidation over Taiwan is no solution to the cross-strait relations.

China must learn to respect the aspirations of Taiwan's 23 million people who want to be masters of their own land. China must not block Taiwan's attempts to gain international recognition or to return to international organizations. Taiwan is a free and democratic nation and deserves to be treated with respect by the international community.

Recently, President Chen proposed to prudently think over abolishing all ad hoc institutions under the Office of the President that were not established by law. One of those programs, the National Unification Commission (NUC), has long had its effectiveness in question and he doesn't want to see unification become the only option for the cross- straits relations.

President Chen is a man of peace who has reaffirmed his commitment to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait on many occasions. His goal of reducing tension between Taiwan and China remains unchanged. It is my hope that China will reciprocate Chen's olive branch by renouncing the use of force against Taiwan and resuming dialogue on equal footing and without pre-conditions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the country of Poland and its citizens for their successful Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

On October 23rd, a Conservative Law and Justice candidate Lech Kaczynski defeated Civic Platform candidate Donald Tusk in the Presidential Election runoff. A month earlier, in the Parliamentary elections, the Law and Justice Party won a plurality by capturing 27 percent of the vote while the Civic Platform party garnered the 2nd highest amount at 24 percent.

In addition to the remarkable political reform that has swept Poland over the last 15 years, there has been considerable economic progress as well. The Polish GDP continues to grow and because of its skilled workforce and a competitive free market economy, it has received significant foreign investment.

Poland has been a strong ally to the United States in our war on terror and has provided considerable aid to the military and diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident that when President-Elect Kaczynski is sworn in on December 23rd, U.S.-Polish relations will continue to grow and prosper under his leadership.

Mr. Speaker; I rise in strong support of today's commonsense resolution condemning the participation of terrorist organizations in the Palestinian elections. It is disappointing that Congress even needs to make this statement, yet time and time again, history has proven it is necessary.

The Middle East peace process requires that the Palestinian Authority recognize the right of Israel to exist and that it reject the terrorism and violence that have plagued the region since the 1940s. It stands to reason that this requirement can only be met if the very organizations which threaten peace in the Middle East, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are removed from the official political process.

As it is, these organizations currently operate with little interference or admonition from the Palestinian Authority. Were they to become a part of the governing authority, the integrity of the Palestinian government would be compromised. Clearly, the Authority cannot condemn the anti-Israel and anti-American bias of the same groups of which it is comprised.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to reaffirm their support for our strong ally, Israel, and to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4473, the Commodity Trading Commission Reauthorization Act. And I support the underlying bill, and I salute the chairman's efforts to reauthorize the CFTC. But I do have a little concern with the specific section of the bill dealing with natural gas price transparency. Title II of the bill contains new regulatory burdens on the trading of natural gas, such as future contracts, over-the-counter transactions and cash market purchases. While these provisions will place unwarranted and open-ended regulatory burdens on legitimate business activities, they will in no way reduce volatility or lower the price of natural gas. See, the Commission currently has full authority now to examine and oversee the futures market and to request complete trading information from any participant in the futures market if it suspects price manipulation is occurring.

But the bill now, with that provision, would shift the regulatory intervention away from fraud manipulation to an undefined standard that is not based upon law but is based upon legitimate movements in natural gas prices. I would just urge the conferees, when this bill goes to conference, not to add any new missions to the responsibility and take away from the core responsibilities of the CFTC.