Floor Statements

I rise in support of the Skelton-Berman- Lowey amendment.

Mr. Chairman, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted why Congress and the executive branch must do a better job of marshalling all elements of national power in support of U.S. goals abroad and ensure that future missions are not military-centric but joint interagency efforts.

The creation of an interagency advisory panel required to make recommendations to each department is an excellent first step.

As important as the creation of this new panel is, the coordination between the committees that we see here today is also critical.

We know that part of the interagency problem is the rigid stovepipe structure found right here in this body. So while this amendment seeks to influence the executive branch, it will take reforms on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to have the type of interagency coordination we need to address the challenges of the 21st century.

I applaud the sponsors of this bill, Chairman Skelton, Chairman Berman and Chairwoman Lowey. They deserve an enormous amount of credit for bringing this forward, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Akin amendment.

Our men and women in uniform and their families are bearing the brunt of the wars. Those who volunteer to protect our freedom face deployment after deployment, and we know that. Their families at home are facing difficulty getting the health care they need from military hospitals because of resource shortages.

This amendment was offered in committee and failed by a vote of 33- 24. The question, Mr. Chairman, for Members on the Akin amendment is clear, how much do we support our military families? Are they really our high priority?

I urge my colleagues to stand with our troops and their families and oppose the Akin amendment.

Mr. Chairman, as the chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, I'm pleased to support H.R. 5658, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.

As my colleagues and the other subcommittee Chairs have noted and will note, I think, as they speak, this bill is a bipartisan effort. I want to recognize the committee chair, of course, Mr. Ike Skelton, and the ranking member, Mr. Duncan Hunter, for their exemplary leadership.

I would also like to recognize my ranking member on the subcommittee, Mr. McHugh, for his support. I also want to thank our dedicated staffs on both sides of the aisle for extraordinary work.

Each year has been extremely challenging to meet all of the wishes that we seek for those who are serving in harm's way. And this year was certainly no exception. However, the defense bill before us continues to enhance and improve the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families who are bearing the brunt of 6 years of war.

Let me highlight some of the important initiatives that we address. The committee supported the President's proposal to increase end strength for the Army and Marine Corps and restores the military to civilian conversions within the medical community that were prohibited in last year's bill.

The bill includes a 3.9 percent pay raise which is one-half of 1 percent above both the President's budget request and private sector raises as measured by the Employment Cost Index, the ECI. This is the 10th consecutive year of pay raises above ECI, and this raise will further reduce the gap between military and private sector raises from 3.4 percent to 2.9 percent from a high of 13.5 percent during fiscal year 1999.

The bill establishes a tuition-assistance program for eligible military spouses to develop careers that are portable as they move with their servicemember from base to base.

The bill also authorizes a career intermission pilot program that would allow those who are seeking a military career time-off from active duty for a period of several years in order to pursue other life achievements.

The reserve components have moved from a strategic force to an integral and vital part of the operational force, particularly in the Army. The bill would increase full-time manning for the Army National Guard to 30,450 and the Army Reserve to 17,070.

The bill prohibits TRICARE health and pharmacy fee increases proposed in the President's budget. I'm pleased that we were successful in finding the offsets necessary to prohibit the fee increases to protect our military beneficiaries.

However, the committee remains concerned that the department continues to put forward proposals that place the focus solely on our military retirees and fails to address other cost drivers within the system. So we must work together to find a fair and equitable solution that protects our beneficiaries and ensures the financial viability of the military health care system for the future. The bill begins efforts to improve the health care readiness of our force and their families by establishing preventive health care programs.

Mr. Chairman, the bill before the Members today is a good bill, and Members can be proud of what we are doing for the troops and their families.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Rangel and my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee for including provisions from H.R. 337 and H.R. 515 in the HEART Act. Including these two bills is particularly meaningful for me because both were inspired by servicemembers and veterans in my district who came to me and said we have problems needing your attention.

The first bill addresses a harmful glitch in the Supplemental Security Income program. Because eligibility for SSI benefits is based on income, a family struggling to get by actually loses benefits for their children from any increase in military pay considered ``unearned income.'' Military families do not deserve to lose the benefits they badly need because a parent chooses to serve in the Armed Forces.

The second bill fixes a serious flaw in the CalVet Home Loan program limiting eligibility to servicemembers who signed up prior to 1977. This prevents many veterans from the first Gulf War and nearly all veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from taking advantage of the CalVet program. H.R. 6081 removes the date of service provision, giving servicemembers retiring in California a greater opportunity to own a home.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 986) recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict, as amended.

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

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

I rise today to urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 986 which recognizes members of the Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict, and calls for a full accounting of the 1,729 members who still remain unaccounted for from that conflict.

``Never leave a comrade behind'' is the motto of our Armed Forces. However, one of the regrettable results of war is the possibility of being forced to leave behind missing personnel or prisoners of war.

At the conclusion of the Vietnam War, 2,646 members of the Armed Forces were considered prisoners of war or were declared missing in action. While many servicemembers were returned, 1,729 of our soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines remain unaccounted for to this very day.

During the course of the Vietnam War, as many as 700 American military personnel were held by the enemy. One of the infamous prison facilities in Vietnam was referred to as the ``Hanoi Hilton.'' Located in downtown Hanoi, the prison held American servicemembers including then Lieutenant Commander John McCain, now

Senator McCain, and another of our esteemed colleagues, former Major Samuel R. Johnson. Sam Johnson was shot down April 16, 1966, as he flew his 25th Air Force mission over Vietnam.

Bravery and passion filled the hearts of our servicemembers in Vietnam who willingly gave their life and liberty to protect the rights that Americans hold dear. We honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in defense of our Nation, and to those who were prisoners of war as they epitomize the very best of America.

For nearly 7 years, Mr. Johnson and 700 servicemembers endured beatings, torture tactics, starvation, denial of medical attention and denial of contact to the outside world. January 27, 1973, marked the beginning of Operation Homecoming, the mission to end the brutal mistreatment of American troops following the cease-fire agreement between the United States and North Vietnam. Operation Homecoming concluded on April 1, 1973, when the last of 591 prisoners of war were released. However, it is clear that much work remains to be done in finding the 1,729 troops who did not return home.

Since 1985, the Vietnamese Government has been working with the United States to help return our servicemembers back to their families, and we appreciate their efforts, and ask them to renew their efforts to help us bring these Americans home.

On behalf of the American people, our deep appreciation and heartfelt thanks go to the prisoners of war from Vietnam and other conflicts and to their families.

I urge my colleagues to join in support of this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty).

Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close after my colleague has yielded back his time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say what an honor it is for me to serve with a great American, Mr. Sam Johnson, here in the House, and I thank God, as my colleagues do as well, that he is here to share with us his extraordinary experiences and to remind us of individuals like himself who serve this country with such honor and valor.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1054) honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans, as amended.

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

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

Every time I visit military installations, at home and abroad, I'm constantly impressed by the tremendous job our servicemembers are doing, and I'm particularly impressed by our

brave servicewomen, whom I seek out at every chance.

Over 350,000 American women are currently serving in our Armed Forces, following in the footsteps of women who have voluntarily served in every military conflict in United States history since the Revolutionary War.

During the revolution, women served on the front lines as nurses, water bearers and even saboteurs. For years, women had to disguise themselves as men in order to enlist in our military. Although the Army and Navy Nurse Corps were established in the early 1900s, it was not until the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 that women were granted permanent status in the regular and Reserve Armed Forces.

As Memorial Day approaches, we should recognize that our servicewomen play an increasingly important role in America's military forces. Women serving in the Armed Forces make up approximately 15 percent of active duty personnel, 15 percent of Reserves and 17 percent of the National Guard.

Women are flying helicopters and fighter aircraft. They are saving lives as nurses and doctors, and they are driving support vehicles and policing perimeters.

Servicewomen are also receiving recognition of their service, including awards for valor. Most recently, Private First Class Monica Lin Brown became only the second woman since World War II to receive the Silver Star, our Nation's third highest medal for valor, for her service in Afghanistan. The first woman since World War II to receive this honor was Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, who received the Silver Star in 2005 for her service in Iraq.

When I visit installations, I am so grateful for the response and insight I receive from women in the Armed Forces. They are adamant they do not want to be treated differently; yet they would like us to understand and recognize the additional burdens that are inherent in the many roles they play as wives, as mothers and caretakers.

Later this week, the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues will host its annual ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery to honor our Nation's servicewomen and women veterans and to remember women who have died while on duty serving the United States.

As Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and co-Chair of the Women's Caucus Task Force on Women in the Military and Veterans, I'm privileged to honor the legacy of servicewomen in the past, the courage with which women serve today, and the enthusiasm inherent in the young women who dream of serving this great Nation in the future.

Part of honoring them is asking the tough questions about the expanding roles our servicewomen are taking on and excelling in. We hear from women in the military in person and through the media about their contributions in combat zones and their willingness to risk their lives in defense of their fellow servicemembers, our country and our families. These are issues we should recognize and address. They deserve nothing less.

We should never fail to remember the sacrifices our servicewomen and their families make to keep our families safe.

This resolution honors the service and achievements of women in the military and women veterans and encourages all people in the United States to do the same and to learn more about these wonderful accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to have offered this resolution. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter), a thoughtful member of the Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Mr. Speaker, it's a joy to celebrate the women of our armed services. At this time, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 961) commending the Alaska Army National Guard for its service to the State of Alaska and the citizens of the United States.

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

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 961, commending the Alaska Army National Guard for its service to the State of Alaska and the citizens of the United States.

Let me first take a moment to thank Representative Don Young of Alaska for taking the lead and getting this resolution to the floor here today.

The 297th Infantry and the scout group of the Alaska Army National Guard's deployment of almost 600 Alaskans was the largest deployment of the Alaska National Guard since World War II.

The deployment of the 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry included servicemembers from 80 different communities across Alaska, and included 75 soldiers from New York, Mississippi, Illinois, Georgia and Puerto Rico.

The term ``citizen soldier'' is a term that rings true for these patriots that have stepped forward to serve our great country.

Five hundred eighty-six servicemembers of the 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry were mobilized in July of 2006 and deployed to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry was deployed to Camp Virginia, Camp Navstar, and Camp Buehring in northern Kuwait where they courageously performed route and perimeter security missions, mounted combat patrols and inspections and searches of vehicles going into Iraq from Kuwait.

Over the course of 12 months in Kuwait and Iraq, they inspected and searched over 30,000 semi-trucks and designed all force protection plans in northern Kuwait.

We would like to thank the families of these servicemembers who have provided unwavering support while waiting for their loved ones to return. It is through the support of our families that our servicemembers are able to serve our great Nation, especially during times of war.

In addition, when members of the National Guard deploy, their families are not the only ones affected. Since our servicemembers live and work in their communities, the communities, too, are affected by these deployments, especially their employers. We would like to recognize and thank those employers who have displayed patriotism over profit by keeping positions saved for the returning soldiers and supporting the soldier's families during this time. Our soldiers and their families could not have made it through these difficult times without that support.

The courageousness and dedication to duty of the members of the 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry is evident in the awards and decorations received during their deployment, which included three Bronze Stars, 12 Meritorious Service Medals, 142 Army commendations, and more than 200 Army Achievement Medals for their outstanding service.

As a Nation, we thank you for your service to the Commonwealth of Alaska and the citizens of the United States upon completion of this deployment.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 32) honoring the members of the United States Air Force who were killed in the June 25, 1996, terrorist bombing of the Khobar Towers United States military housing compound near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, as amended.

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

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

I stand before you and my colleagues today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 32, honoring members of the United States Air Force who were wounded and killed in the June 25, 1996 terrorist bombing of the Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

The June blast took the lives of 19 airmen from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and destroyed the entire front of Dhahran's Khobar Towers housing compound. More than 500 U.S. Air Force troops were wounded, and 297 Middle Eastern citizens were killed or injured as a result of the bombing. Five thousand pounds of plastic explosives disguised in a water tanker truck claimed the lives of servicemembers whose families were left grieving the loss of their loved ones.

Life, our most treasured asset, is too often taken unexpectedly. It was the sworn duty of our airmen to protect and serve this country by all means, and in our commitment to them and others who have given their lives in defense of our great Nation, we honor their selfless sacrifice and take a moment to reflect upon their contribution that provides us the freedoms we enjoy today.

House Concurrent Resolution 32 extends our sympathies to the families of loved ones whose perpetrators have yet been brought to justice.

Although this tragedy acknowledges the cost we pay in our fight against terrorism, we remain proud of our courageous and steadfast troops who are no doubt the best in the world. We call upon every American today to pause and pay tribute to the brave airmen who died, and to take a moment to thank our members of the Armed Forces currently serving around the world and express our appreciation for their duty and honor to protect America's interests around the world.

This resolution recognizes the service and sacrifice of those airmen whose lives were lost on that fateful day. I strongly urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 32 in remembrance of the 19 fallen heroes on the 12th anniversary of the Dhahran terrorist bombing.

I thank my good friend and colleague from Florida (Mr. Miller) for bringing forward this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Miller for bringing this resolution forward in honoring the brave men killed in the Khobar Towers bombing.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a distinguished former Member of this body.

On Sunday, May 18, the San Diego community was grieved to learn of Lionel Van Deerlin's passing. He was a Member of the House for 18 years, between 1962 and 1980, having served the San Diego region honorably, and with a tenacious spirit and the purest sense of loyalty to his constituents.

Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin, who liked to be called simply Van, was equally respected on both sides of the aisle, well known for his grace, civility and humor that he brought to any debate.

As the chairman of the House Communications Subcommittee at the time, Representative Van Deerlin was a pivotal player in positively transforming our Nation's telecommunications industry.

Before and after his days in the House, Congressman Van Deerlin had a distinguished career in journalism and education. Even at 93 years old, Van was a regular commentator to the San Diego Union Tribune, passionately observing both local and national politics with a keen wit. I remember reading his final column last Tuesday, and was awaiting his next, as I always did.

He was unfailingly optimistic, always present with a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his face. This consummate gentleman will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, his colleagues, and certainly the entire San Diego community.

I yield to my colleague from San Diego, Mr. Hunter.

Mr. Speaker, I ask we observe a moment of silence in memory of Lionel Van Deerlin.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the contribution of the State of Israel as it celebrates its 60th anniversary as a vibrant and open democratic society.

Madam Speaker, my colleagues have already gone into detail about the accomplishments of the State of Israel, and how Israel has gone through an astonishing evolution since 1948. I echo many of their remarks.

I had the great privilege to live and work in Israel in the mid-1960s and celebrated Israel's 22nd anniversary by taking part in a 3-day walk from the shores of Tel Aviv to the hills of Jerusalem. Now I marvel with every visit at the extraordinary changes that have taken place.

With every visit to Israel and each article I read about events on the ground, I am reminded of the enormous complexities and challenges Israel faces--internal as well as external. So we must ask ourselves, what will the future bring for Israel? How can Israel reconcile the great contradictions that its victories from the 1967 war delivered and address the occupation of Palestinian territories that now threatens Israel's very existence as a democratic state with a Jewish majority?

Israel has sought peace with its neighbors and made some progress toward peace with neighboring Arab states. Today, with Gaza controlled by HAMAS and the West Bank by the Palestinian Authority, Israel still lacks a real partner for peace. However, this does not mean efforts for peace should not continue. . . . and this does not mean that the United States should not play an active leadership role in the region.

We must continue our strong support for Israel's very right to exist while continuing to bring life to the peace process between Israel and its neighbors. Our assistance must be a sustained diplomatic effort, on the ground in both Israel and the territories, so we can maximize every effort for dialogue and concrete negotiations.

Addressing these concerns will not be easy, but I remain hopeful that Israel, her neighbors, and the U.S. can get the peace process back on track and that Israel will continue to thrive as a vibrant and open democratic society.

I join my colleagues in recognizing Israel's 60th Anniversary.

Thank you, Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

Mr. Speaker, I really am delighted to join my colleagues here and to hear the warm stories that they've told and how critical, how important the issue that we're speaking about this evening is because, you know, what is it about? It's really about our national security, and it is about the willingness of men and women to serve.

I found a quote from our first Commander in Chief, President Washington, and I think it's appropriate to what we've been talking about here today because he said that ``The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.''

And I would add to what President Washington said that the willingness with which our families are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive families of early wars were treated and appreciated by our Nation.

When I first came to Congress and I found this fabulous opportunity to serve on the Armed Services Committee, we were not at war. And I met with many of our families and our ombudspeople in the Navy and began to understand what they go through. And I remember so strongly that one of the spouses, one of the ombudsmen said to me, You know, people think of our husbands who deploy on ships, obviously, in the Navy. But, you know, all of us prepare and deploy, that families prepare for this. She was talking about a time when we are not at war.

So we can imagine how difficult it is for families who are preparing for that deployment, preparing for the kind of uncertainties that they know will be around the corner. And that's so difficult.

You have the picture of the family here and the children, and I look at the faces of the children; and I see such resilience in their eyes, and children are tremendously resilient. But the reality is that our children who go to school, and most of our children go to regular schools; they don't go to schools where there are only military families, and on some of our bases that's true, but I have learned on many of our bases that most of the families are in public schools out in the community.

Many of those children come to school with great fears of what is going to happen that day. They don't know if Mommy and Daddy are even going to come home, those who are a little more sophisticated about what they are going through. So we have to be very, very careful, be very, very supportive of those families.

We can even think about our own struggles at home, our own struggles with financial issues and just the general stuff that any couples go through and then magnify that for our families. Many of our families are very young, and we especially need to be supportive of them.

We've covered a lot of ground here this evening, so I don't want to have to go over some of that ground. But if we're going to deploy our men and women at the current pace that we're doing today, we really have to understand the consequences of our policy decisions and sufficiently address how they affect the brave men and women who are serving.

And there is one area that I think the public is learning more about now. And the other day, I had a few hours, and I decided that I didn't have anybody to go with at the time but I wanted to just go see the movie Stop-Loss. And I wanted to just sit in that theater by myself and feel the full impact of that movie because there is a policy involved there that we have undertaken. And I think when you go and you see the movie, and I would certainly encourage people to do that to understand the pain that our families go through, how unpredictable it is and how difficult it is.

We have been looking at this policy, of course, and we would like to stop it. But we know that in fact we need the men and women serving today. So as much as we want to stop that, we're not able to do that right away. Stop-loss, as we know, allows the military to extend a servicemember's time in uniform, and it has been used far too often, and there have been some attempts to change that. We also know, very significantly, predictability is so important to our men and women who serve, and the repeated deployments make that very, very difficult.

So I think we need to focus, and we are, on the dwell-time that families have. They need to readjust. I have had spouses tell me that now that they've been through so many deployments, they're beginning to teach other families about how to give their loved ones space because when you come home, the family wants to just be right there. Well, sometimes that doesn't work so well, and people need to learn that.

So I think that with many of the policies that we're working on today, and yes, we are learning more; we're learning more about PTSD, we're learning about how we can erase the stigma, and I think the military can actually lead the way for the country in that if we do it right.

So I just want to commend you for having this time today and let you know that we are working hard on this. I wish we could work a lot faster on these issues. But we are trying very hard and keeping in mind every day our wonderful men and women who are serving and their families. They are the ones who are sacrificing today, and we need to give them every support that we can.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution honoring the service and achievements of women in the Armed Forces and female veterans. Every time I visit military installations, both at home and abroad, I am constantly impressed by the tremendous job our service members are doing.

I am particularly impressed by our brave servicewomen, whom I seek out at every chance. Almost 350,000 American women are currently serving in our Armed Forces, following in the footsteps of women who have voluntarily served in every military conflict in United States history since the Revolutionary War.

During the Revolution, women served on the frontlines as nurses, waterbearers, and even saboteurs. For years, women had to disguise themselves as men in order to enlist in our military.

Although the Army and Navy Nurse Corps were established in the early 1900s, it was not until the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 that women were granted permanent status in the regular and Reserve Armed Forces.

Today, our servicewomen play an increasingly important role in America's military forces. Women are flying helicopters and fighter aircraft; they are saving lives as nurses and doctors; they are driving support vehicles and policing perimeters. We should never fail to remember the sacrifices our servicewomen and their families make to keep our families safe.

As Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and Co-Chair of the Women's Caucus Task Force on Women in the Military and Veterans, I am privileged to honor the legacy of servicewomen in the past, the courage with which women serve today, and the enthusiasm inherent in the young women who dream of serving this great nation in the future.

Madam Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to introduce this resolution today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to bring awareness to the link between animal cruelty and other forms of societal violence by designating the month of September 2008 as National Link Awareness Month.

This resolution would highlight the need for more attention and resources to be focused on how violence toward animals is indicative of other violent tendencies. By investigating the link further, information could be gathered that will help mitigate societal violence.

Psychological, sociological, and criminological studies have shown that violent offenders frequently had a history of abusing animals during their childhood and adolescence. The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested that most had killed or tortured animals as children. Research has also shown patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of child abuse, spousal abuse, and elder abuse. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty

one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder.

The link between animal abuse and domestic violence is a recognized fact. Each year, defenseless pets face the sad and disturbing reality that they will be victims of cruelty and abuse. Domestic abusers commonly torture or kill family pets as a method of exerting control and ensuring submission. This causes victims, children and adults alike, to remain in violent households in order to ensure their beloved pets are not harmed further.

Research indicates that children who are exposed to domestic violence are nearly three times more likely to mistreat animals than children who are not exposed to such violence. Tragically, this behavior is often symptomatic of future abuse toward other animals or human beings. Significant research documents a relationship between childhood histories of animal cruelty and patterns of chronic interpersonal aggression.

Due to the correlation between animal abuse and other forms of family and community violence, animal abuse must be taken very seriously. Human services, animal services, and law enforcement agencies must share resources and expertise to address animal and human related violence in communities. By effectively and comprehensively addressing the link between violence towards animals and other forms of societal violence, we can learn information that will help stop violence in the home as well as the community at large.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the designation of September 2008 as National Link Awareness Month so that more awareness will be brought to the link between animal cruelty and other forms of violence in society.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1084. In today's security environment, it is absolutely essential that we authorize the creation of the Response Readiness Corps and Response Readiness Reserve within the State Department and USAID. This legislation is a vital step toward achieving a proper balance between civilian and military efforts in stabilization and reconstruction missions.

Iraq and Afghanistan have really highlighted a need for better interagency coordination and a more robust civilian capacity. As someone who went to Iraq early and saw a void of adequate civilian support, I know that we need to improve the civilian apparatus for future stability in reconstruction efforts. In Iraq and Afghanistan, we have relied on the military to act as diplomats, help build government capacity and conduct combat missions, all at the same time.

Simply put, stability and reconstruction have fallen too heavily on our military in recent years. Unable to tap into a viable, full-scale deployable civilian force, our great men and women have been asked to perform jobs outside of their area of expertise. Congress must, must do a better job of marshalling all elements of national power in support of U.S. goals abroad and ensure that future missions are not military- centric, but joint interagency efforts. Part of this effort must be greater capacity within civilian agencies, a bench to pull from when contingencies arise. This legislation by my friend from California will help do just that.

Congress must also be thinking about how to capture the skills and lessons learned from military personnel and civilians who have served on PRTs or other interagency projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. These individuals now have vital skills that could be used to help train Federal civilian employees deploying to zones of conflict.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1084 gets us on the right path, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I worked as a social worker before my career in public office, and I've seen firsthand the results when mental illnesses go untreated. Those who develop a severe mental illness can go from having a career and a family to losing everything.

About half our States now have implemented full mental health parity requirements, and these States have learned a very valuable lesson. They've learned that the benefits of ensuring parity are worthwhile.

Far too many people's illnesses, mental illnesses, linger without treatment, triggering physical complications that only result in more costs. So, proper diagnosis and treatment greatly offset these costs and save health care dollars over the long term.

This bill will also help our servicemembers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as they transition to civilian life because national barriers to mental health care ripple out to everyone. Post-traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related conditions can take months, if not years, to develop after discharge. Many of these veterans will not have access to VA health facilities and will rely upon private health insurance to obtain treatment.

Finally, and most importantly, this legislation also addresses the stigma

attached to mental health care. It loudly communicates that mental health care is on an equal footing with physical health care.

Mr. Speaker, I give my enthusiastic support to the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. I thank the sponsors and encourage my colleagues to join me in voting for it today.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 67) establishing the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on this concurrent resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 67, which establishes the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies during the 110th Congress to begin work on preparations for the Presidential inaugural ceremonies at the Capitol on January 20, 2009.

The joint committee we are creating today expires on January 3, 2009, but will be renewed at the start of the 111th Congress to conclude its work. Congress routinely passes this concurrent resolution every 4 years. The Speaker, majority leader, and minority leader customarily represent the House on the joint committee.

I urge passage of the motion.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.