Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the chairman for obtaining this position. I know he is going to do a remarkable job.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and in support of a United States ally and a fellow democracy.

For over 50 years, Taiwan and the United States have enjoyed a strong political and economic partnership. In the last two decades, we have watched Taiwan blossom into one of the world's leading democracies, holding a number of open, fair, and internationally approved elections. Its constitution guarantees fundamental freedoms and civil liberties, and ensures all citizens have a voice in local and national affairs.

Mr. Speaker, in an age of terrorism and political violence, it is absolutely imperative that the United States stand up for and stand with peaceful and free countries around the globe. We must make certain that our fellow democracies can determine their own destinies at the ballot box without fear of attack or violence.

This resolution calls on our government to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to Taiwan's democracy and security. One way for us to do this is to support this election and avoid being seen as taking sides. Only by standing firmly with a democratic Taiwan can we uphold the principles, our principles, of promoting peace and democracy worldwide. I urge support for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and thank him very much for his leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2005, Israel voluntarily withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Making incredibly painful concessions, the Israeli Government forced its own citizens to abandon their homes, businesses, and synagogues in Gaza in the hope that the Palestinians would use this opportunity to build a functioning state, to demonstrate that they were capable of self-governance.

Instead, Hamas burned down those homes and businesses and used Gaza as a missile launching pad to attack Israelis who live on undisputed Israeli territory. Hamas does not want a Palestinian state. Its mission is to destroy Israel. That is painfully clear.

First, it was Sderot, just a few kilometers from the Gaza, a constant barrage of short-range, imprecise missiles falling indiscriminately and occasionally hitting a school or a home or a child in Sderot.

Now Hamas has longer range missiles acquired from Iran, and they have now hit Ashkelon, a thriving city of 120,000 men, women, and Israeli children. What next? Tel Aviv? Jerusalem? How many Israelis have to die before Israel is justified in defending its citizens?

Instead of applauding Israel for standing up to Hamas, the world denounces this democracy at every turn. When the Israelis finally cut off, after much provocation and extraordinary constraint, cut off the water and electricity to Gaza in an effort to weaken Hamas' grip, the world called it a human rights violation. And when Israel goes after Hamas, a terrorist organization that purposely puts its own civilians in harm's way and has vowed to destroy Israel, they are called war criminals. Abu Mazen likened Israel's action to the Holocaust. Abu Mazen is a Holocaust denier, and he has the audacity to liken survival of the State of Israel to the Holocaust? What nation in the world provides electricity and water to its enemy so they can lob missiles back at them?

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Israeli Government for standing up to Hamas and for doing what every state would

do in their position: defend their citizens. And I find it astonishing that the United States Congress must periodically affirm Israel's right to exist and Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. I urge support for this resolution.

I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on this and so many other issues.

Mr. Speaker, as a former utility company attorney, I rise in strong support of this important legislation which will help our Nation and my home State of Nevada to move towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

I am very proud of my State of Nevada. Our legislature has passed a renewable energy portfolio. It mandates that by the year 2015, 20 percent of the power sold to Nevadans must be produced from renewables.

Energy providers in the State of Nevada have built or planned half a dozen major solar power projects in order to meet this requirement. And that's just solar. There is also wind, geothermal, and countless other projects that can and will help lessen our dependence on fossil fuel with the passage of this bill.

This bill provides substantial tax incentives for energy produced from renewable resources, including wind, including solar, geothermal, biomass, many other possibilities. These incentives will provide badly needed assistance to companies that are working hard to diversify our energy resources, improve the economy by creating green jobs, and clean up the air we breathe and our environment.

I believe energy independence is an economic issue, an environmental issue, and a national security imperative.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that our Nation stop depending on corrupt dictators and nations that finance and support terrorists and terrorism around the planet to satisfy our energy needs. We pay exorbitant prices for foreign oil from countries who support and encourage terrorist activities around the world. We must stop funding both sides of this war on terror. By encouraging the development of renewable energy and energy independence, this bill helps move this country in the right direction; $102 for a barrel of oil is reason enough for everybody in this body to support this bill. This package is good for Nevada. It's good for our Nation.

Madam Speaker, due to flight delays in traveling from my congressional district to Washington DC, I was unable to vote on rollcall Nos. 23 and 24. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

I thank the gentleman from Connecticut.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan stimulus package. This bill will provide tax relief for over 1 million Nevada families who will receive an average rebate of over $800.

With the unemployment rate in my State climbing above the national average to a 5-year high of 5.8 percent, this timely support will help these families weather the financial storm while they search for and find new employment.

I'm also especially supportive of the provisions of the bill that address the housing crisis. Unfortunately, my State of Nevada has the highest rate of foreclosures in the country. The increased funding for mortgage counseling, along with new higher loan limits for loans from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the FHA, will help thousands of Nevadans avoid foreclosure and keep their families in their homes.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the gentleman for giving me so much time.

Madam Speaker, because I was attending to important constituent matters in my congressional district involving the historic Nevada Presidential Caucus, I was unable to vote on rollcall Nos. 1 through 18. Had I been present, I would have voted ``present'' on rollcall No. 1; ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 2-7, 11-12, and 17-18; and ``no'' on rollcall Nos. 8-10 and 13-16.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to acknowledge the all too short life of Dr. Joseph Snyder who lost his valiant battle against cancer Monday, December 17.

Dr. Snyder was the preeminent kidney transplant specialist in the State of Nevada. He wrote the protocols and procedures that govern the transplantation of kidneys in our Nevada hospitals. Hundreds, if not thousands, of his fellow citizens are alive today due to the dedication, expertise, and extraordinary talents of this gifted physician.

Joseph Snyder was a caring doctor, a loving husband, and a wonderful and dedicated father to his two children, Johanna, age 6 and Sebastian, age 3.

Dr. Joe and his wife MaryJhan were happily married for 7 years. Together they shared a wonderful life and made a home for their children filled with joy and love.

In addition to his family, Dr. Joe enjoyed reading and attending the theatre. His interest was history, particularly the period surrounding America's Civil War.

A senior partner in the nephrology group Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, Dr. Snyder received his medical training at Georgetown University, graduating cum laude, and completed his fellowship at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia. He received his transplant training at the University of California at San Francisco. He was board certified in both internal medicine and nephrology.

Dr. Snyder held professional memberships in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, International Society of Nephrology, and American Society of Transplant Physicians.

He relocated to Las Vegas in 1991. In addition to his partnership with Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, Dr. Snyder was a clinical assistant professor at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, as well as the head of the transplant program for the medical school. Dr. Snyder was a noted author of numerous publications in the field of renal disease and kidney transplantation procedures.

Dr. Joseph Snyder will be mourned and missed by his family, his colleagues, and his patients. His untimely death leaves a great void in the medical community of southern Nevada.

Most of all he will be remembered as a kind and loving family man, a dedicated physician, and a pillar of our community.

I extend my deepest sympathies to the Snyder family at this time of grief and reflection.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the AMT Relief Act, a bill that's going to provide tax relief to millions of middle-income Americans.

If this legislation is not passed, more than 128,000 Nevada taxpayers will see their taxes increase by the AMT. This includes more than 30,000 people in my district who were never intended to pay this tax, and they elected me to make sure that they don't.

Now, I believe the alternative minimum tax should be eliminated, but until it is, this bill provides the necessary temporary solution to protect 23 million Americans who would be hit cruelly by an increase in the AMT in 2007.

This bill also ensures that more working parents will be able to benefit from a refundable child tax credit. Currently, some of the families who would benefit the most from the $1,000 refundable credit actually make too little to qualify. This bill lowers the income barrier, allowing all eligible families earning more than $8,500 to benefit.

It's also important to note that the tax relief in this bill is fully paid for and will not add a single dollar to the national debt. That's fiscal responsibility.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this important legislation. For too long, our Nation has depended on the old way of doing things, on corrupt dictators, on non-renewable and polluting sources of energy.

With this bill today, We stand at a crossroads: we can either continue down the old, failed road, or we can move ahead with new ideas that wean us off foreign oil, clean our skies, and ensure that our children inherit a cleaner, safer world.

In my home State of Nevada, our legislature has required that by 2015, 20 percent of power sold to Nevadans is derived from renewables. Already, energy providers have built or planned half a dozen major solar power projects in order to meet the requirements. Nevadans are looking to the future and so are our fellow Americans.

This bill is a great first step toward securing our energy independence. It provides the right incentives to energy providers to move to cleaner, renewable sources of energy. It sets realistic standards for utilities to provide renewable energy sources. It sets higher fuel efficiency standards so we can stop relying on corrupt dictators for our energy needs.

We are far from being energy independent, but today's bill is a good place to start, and I urge my colleagues to look to the future rather than the past. Let's break from our old ways and support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jackie and Mollie Singer, remarkable twin sisters from my district in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the age of four, Mollie was diagnosed with diabetes. Since that time, both sisters, now eighteen, have worked tirelessly to raise money and promote awareness of the disease which afflicts more than 20 million Americans.

The Singer sisters first came to my attention nearly ten years ago on their first visit to my office for the important advocacy work they began at such a young age. As part of their spirited efforts, Mollie and Jackie organize annual walks and numerous other events to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Altogether their efforts have raised more than $500,000 for the cause. The sisters have also formed the Diabetic Angels, an international support group for those suffering from juvenile diabetes.

The Singer sisters have put a memorable face to this alarming medical crisis through speaking engagements, meetings with policy makers, and numerous print and television interviews. They have compiled many of their experiences into a booklet entitled ``The Road to a Cure,'' which gives pointers to parents and kids on fundraising, health fairs, and public speaking. Members of my staff and I have had the pleasure of meeting with Mollie and Jackie and their family on many occasions through the years.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor the work of Mollie and Jackie Singer and their family to raise awareness of diabetes and to work toward a cure, and I wish them continued success in their efforts.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Ms. Geraldine Gennet for her diligent service to the Office of General Counsel for the House of Representatives. Ms. Gennet joined the General Counsel's office 12 years ago, and served in the capacity of General Counsel for more than a decade.

Ms. Gennet worked tirelessly to carry out her office's mandate to provide legal assistance and representation without regard to political affiliation. The advice and guidance she has provided to Speaker Pelosi, as well as to former Speakers Gingrich and Hastert, was unfailingly rooted in sound legal judgment and an impartial reading of the law. In carrying on an important tradition of nonpartisanship, Ms. Gennet significantly advanced the long-term, institutional interests of the House. Specifically, her vigorous defense of the Constitutional Speech or Debate clause has preserved the rights of Members, committees, and staff in their official capacities.

Ms. Gennet's capable leadership of the General Counsel's office through an era marked by partisan conflict is a testament to her integrity and professionalism. I consider it an honor to have formed both a personal and

working relationship with Geraldine during my tenure in Congress. I wish her continued success, and once again thank her for her service to the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill that provides tax relief to parents and teachers, college students, homeowners and to millions of other middle-income Americans. If this legislation is not passed, more than 128,000 Nevada taxpayers will be slammed by the alternative minimum tax. This includes more than 30,000 people in my district alone.

I believe the alternative minimum tax should be eliminated, but this bill provides a necessary temporary solution to protect over 20 million Americans who will be hit by the AMT in 2007. Nevada residents will benefit from the extension of the deduction for State and local sales taxes contained in this bill. For homeowners, this bill extends the tax deduction for private mortgage insurance, and it provides relief to those who lose the roof over their heads by eliminating the foreclosure tax.

This bill ensures that more hardworking parents will be able to benefit from the child tax credit. But, most important, the tax relief in this bill is fully offset and will not add a single dollar to the national debt.

Madam Speaker, as Veterans Day approaches, the timing could not be more appropriate for Congress to be considering the HEART Act. This legislation will help veterans and their families, and it will also show them that their fellow citizens appreciate their service and honor their sacrifices for our country.

Nevada has one of the fastest growing veterans populations in the country, and I have seen firsthand the economic hardship that extended military deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused. The HEART Act will allow more families to qualify for the earned income tax credit or to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans in time of true economic need to help ease the burden of deployment.

Nevada has suffered 59 deaths during the global war on terror, including 46 in Iraq. I support the provisions of this bill that will allow the spouses of those who sacrificed their lives to be better able to plan for their futures and those of their children.

As a member of both the Ways and Means Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I strongly support this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote for this bipartisan legislation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and in support of the human rights movements worldwide. This movement for Soviet Jewry demonstrated that a small group of people who are dedicated and committed to principle can make an enormous difference, not only in their home countries but throughout the world.

Just this past weekend, I attended a meeting in Philadelphia where Natan Sharansky spoke. Sharansky has been a hero to so many of us in the United States in his struggle for freedom from Soviet oppression. He and his fellow refusniks embody the spirit of determination and unbelievable courage to stand up for human rights and freedom and demand that Soviet Jews be able to leave the Soviet Union and immigrate to Israel or the United States or other countries of their choice.

Sharansky told us the movement for Soviet Jewry not only freed him and other refusniks, but that it set in motion the process that ultimately brought down the Soviet Union. By demanding human rights for some, we hastened the demise of one of the most repressive, most dictatorial regimes in history.

This movement demonstrated that human rights questions do not exist in a vacuum separate from larger questions of global politics or trade. We have a tremendous capacity to be global leaders by tying questions of human rights to other issues that we deal with in the international arena, whether in trade or the environment or immigration policy. While we do business with other countries, we should not, we must not, turn a blind eye to human rights abuses. It is as true today as it was 40 years ago.

While human rights are trampled on in so many parts of the world, from Darfur, North Korea, to the Arab world, we look to the movement for Soviet Jews as a shining example of how we as a country can succeed in bringing human rights issues to light through citizen activism for the greater good.

Mr. Speaker, when I was in Philadelphia listening to Natan Sharansky, they showed films of the March on Washington for Soviet Jewry, and it put me in mind of the fact that Members like Mr. Waxman who were here 20 years ago were in the forefront of this fight.

As a point of personal privilege, the next speaker on our side of the aisle, Mr. Eliot Engel, Congressman from New York, before he was a Member of Congress, he was on that stage fighting for the basic human rights and dignity of Soviet Jews and human rights worldwide, as was our very good friend Jerry Nadler.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield back, and I thank the gentleman once again for bringing this to the floor of the House for a vote.

I thank the chairman of the VA Committee for yielding me this time.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. I listened to what Mr. Boswell had to say. He is the prime sponsor of the bill. I heard him in committee and I heard him again on the floor, and I appreciate so much the fact that he has brought this to Congress' attention. And a special thank you to Joshua's family and his parents. I am not sure if my child had committed suicide after his service in Iraq that I would have the strength to not only go on as they have, but to try to bring PTSD to the attention of the American people and actually do something about it.

I want to share why this is important to me and why I am supporting this bill. More than 1,600 Nevada veterans have returned from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these brave men and women suffer from PTSD. Nationally, one in five veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD; 35 percent have been diagnosed with some sort of mental disorder. It is vital that our veterans receive the help they need to deal with this condition.

A few years ago a constituent of mine, Lance Corporal Justin Bailey, returned from Iraq with some physical injuries as well as a diagnosis of PTSD. He struggled with addiction to legal prescription and illegal drugs. After consultation with his parents, he checked himself into the West L.A. VA facility where he was given five additional prescription drugs, including

methadone, without proper oversight. The next day, the man was dead.

I can't understand, it is incomprehensible to me why a facility would give anyone with a substance abuse problem a 30-day supply of medication unsupervised under a self-medication policy. This devastating loss of life could have been and should have been prevented. This is a systemic problem in our VA system, and that's why this issue needs immediate attention.

One other quick story, if you can call it a story. About a month ago I called a grandmother in Pahrump, Nevada. It is a small town outside of Las Vegas. Her grandson lived with her. He came home from his first tour of duty in Iraq, and he was messed up mentally. He was suffering from PTSD. It was apparent to anybody who spoke to him. He didn't want to go back. He felt he couldn't handle it. He was emotionally and physically drained, and he begged not to go back.

So the military's response was they gave him Prozac because he was depressed and they sent him back to the front lines in Iraq. The day he got back to Iraq, he blew his brains out. That is a very difficult thing to come to grips with if you are the grandmother of a grandson who begged you not to let him go back to Iraq.

We have problems with PTSD. It is imperative that we provide adequate mental health services for those who have and are currently sacrificing for our great Nation. This bill takes a step in the right direction in providing our veterans with the health care they have earned.