Floor Statements

I want to raise an issue that I think has really not gotten a lot of attention, and that is the fact that our troops have been asked to play roles that they really didn't train for. One moment our troops are being asked to work with civilians in Iraq and with the local governments. They are being asked to teach them negotiating skills. And then in the next minute, they are being asked to go outside and control the chaos that is swarming in the streets. Well, you know what? We know that our soldiers have answered these calls, and they do it better than anyone could have ever expected them to. But the fact that they have had to perform these different roles is disturbing evidence of the way the President and his civilian leaders have planned so poorly for this war and the aftermath that we are still in today.

But don't listen to me. Listen to General McCaffrey who has made numerous trips to Iraq and to Afghanistan and he has publicly stated that that critical interagency coordination that was really important to get the kind of provincial reconstruction themes are just beginning to emerge now up and running. What disturbs me is not just the fact that our military has been asked to perform those tasks; but in the place of people who should have been performing those tasks, we have very inexperienced and young individuals who really have never played that role before.

So just now we see some changes; we see that they are trying to put together the right Foreign Service officers in the field. Even today, Secretary Rice said she is still struggling to do that in many cases. What was needed was a plan for post-occupation Iraq that honored the sacrifices of our troops. And instead they have been given this burden unnecessarily and at great cost.

I join in applauding my colleagues, as we all are, trying to raise the facts and the realities of Iraq today. And I yield to Mr. Skelton.

Mr. Speaker, American families are facing record-breaking prices at the gas pump this summer. But apparently, the priority of Republicans in Congress is to keep providing giveaways to wealthy oil companies.

This week, Republican leaders are bringing another unnecessary piece of legislation to the House floor in an effort to make it seem like they're meeting the challenge of high fuel prices. As most of us know, however, appearances can be deceiving.

Let's be clear about what this Republican refinery bill won't do. Just like the Republican push to drill for oil in Alaska, today's refinery bill won't take one penny off high gas prices. Not one penny.

Let's also be clear about what this Republican refinery bill will do. Quite simply, it gives rich oil companies free real estate to build refineries.

And what if the free land happens to be in your backyard? What if a refinery violates local environmental concerns? What if your neighborhood objects to having a refinery in your backyard? According to this bill, well, you're just on your own.

If you care anything about alternative energy development, State and local rights, the environment, or American families, vote ``no'' on this misguided bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a horrible form of identity theft.

We have heard plenty lately about the need to take swift action to prevent this serious crime. Just this month, one of the largest data security breaches in history occurred when the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lost the names, Social Security Numbers, and the dates of birth of over 26 million Americans. We hear a lot about security breaches and the identity theft of living Americans. One aspect of the crime you do not always hear about is the misuse of personal information of deceased Americans.

This is a serious issue for many reasons. For one, it is their loved ones who pay the price. Months or even years after a family member passes away, surviving spouses or other relatives will begin to receive credit card bills or even phone calls from bill collectors. A predator can go onto certain websites and purchase Social Security Numbers that are sold for purposes of tracking family histories and genealogy. The predator then uses the Social Security Number to apply for credit cards, loans, and other forms of consumer credit.

There were even reports that a predator was misusing the personal information of a New York resident who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In another case, a woman began to receive bills addressed to her daughter who had passed away 17 years before.

In my hometown of San Diego just recently, the local news media shed light on another unfortunate case. A predator took information on a woman published in an obituary and used it for identity theft crimes. It was up to her son to repair the damage and put an end to the abuse. I cannot imagine the emotional toll these cases must take on surviving relatives, and I rise today to take action to prevent further cases of this crime.

It is time Congress acted to block this form of identity theft from continuing. Predators can collect this information with relative ease giving them a study supply of Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, and the information they need to commit these horrible crimes. Furthermore, this form of identity theft can ruin the good names and pristine credit histories of

those who are deceased. Unless we take action, family members will continue to suffer from the misuse of their loved one's personal information.

My legislation, the Identity Theft Protection for the Deceased Act, requires that the federal government inform each national credit bureau when an individual passes away. In turn, the credit bureaus will flag the histories of those who have deceased and potential creditors will know not to issue lines of credit or new loans to those attempting to misuse their personal information.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we act to stop this vicious form of identity theft and protect the relatives of America's deceased.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate Blair L. Sadler, who has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital and Health Center of San Diego since 1980. Mr. Sadler celebrates his retirement after more than a quarter of a century of service in the field of pediatric healthcare.

A native of New York City, Blair graduated from Amherst College with a bachelor's degree in economics and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He served as a law clerk with the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and as a medical-legal specialist for the National Institutes of Health. He was an Assistant Professor at Yale University for 3 years and served for 4 years as Assistant Vice President at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey. Prior to his appointment at Children's Hospital, Blair served as Vice President and Director of the hospital and clinics at Scripps Clinical and Research Foundation for 3 years.

Before coming to California, Blair had already established a national and international reputation in several fields, including organ transplantation, physician assistant programs, and emergency medical care and trauma services. While at the National Institutes of Health, with his physician twin brother, he was very involved in writing a model organ donation law that was adopted in all 50 states and published leading articles on transplantation and the law. While on the Yale University Medical School faculty, he co-authored two books The Physician's Assistant--Today and Tomorrow and Emergency Medical Care: The Neglected Public Service, which were widely utilized. At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, he designed and led their first national competitive grants program in regional emergency medical communication systems that became a model for the Foundation's work.

His many accomplishments show a deep commitment to improving healthcare. He has skillfully integrated quantitative indicators along with qualitative elements to fashion a truly unique healing experience for the patients at Children's Hospitals.

Under his leadership, Children's has become one of the leading pediatric hospitals in America and was the country's first children's hospital to receive the prestigious Ernest A. Codman Award in recognition for its pioneering work in quality of care. Children's is the major pediatric partner of the entire Sharp and Scripps health care systems and, in 2001, signed a historic agreement combining the UCSD pediatric programs with Children's.

Blair's leadership has enabled Children's to grow and develop as one of the Nation's best pediatric hospitals and, during his tenure, Children's has provided care for more than a million children in the San Diego region since 1980. Children's has added many nationally recognized programs and services and has developed strong collaborative relationships with virtually every healthcare provider in San Diego. While Blair has been at the helm, the hospital has planned and constructed more than 200,000 square feet of facilities and he has championed a healing environment for Children's.

Thanks to Blair's vision, Children's is not just a conglomeration of buildings; it represents a model healing environment for kids and their families. In 1999, Children's built the first healing garden in an American children's hospital and there are now four gardens on its campus. In 2001, in partnership with the nonprofit Society for the Arts in Healthcare, he created and personally funded the Blair L. Sadler Healing Arts Award program that annually recognizes professional and student artists who have made measurable contributions to improved health care through the arts.

On behalf of the people of San Diego, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation

for Blair's commitment and my best wishes for his retirement. I wish him and his family the very best in their new endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, in San Diego, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.43 a gallon, highlighting the expanding energy crisis in the country and fueling the frustration of many Americans. It is quite clear that the energy policies of President Bush and the Republican majority have failed.

The American people want Congress to come together and fix this crisis. House Democrats are energized in providing quick relief and long-term solutions. Democrats want to provide quick relief by expanding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and expanding tax credits and grants to small businesses. We do this by repealing the $8 billion in Federal giveaways Republicans dished out to the oil and gas companies.

Democrats are committed to funding groundbreaking research and new technologies so that we can be independent of foreign oil by the year 2020. The energy policy of this administration and this majority is draining the wallets of Americans. It is time we implement a comprehensive energy policy that helps consumers and emphasizes alternate renewable energy.

Madam Chairman, in his first appearance as our Commander in Chief, President Bush told servicemembers at Fort Stewart, you deserve a military that treats you and your families with respect. Well, I couldn't agree more.

Today we are considering how the defense bill can demonstrate our respect for the people who serve in uniform by providing for their equipment, their training and their well-being. Together with my colleagues today, I am offering an amendment to lift the current ban on abortion services in overseas military hospitals.

Under current law, women serving our country overseas have to return home to the U.S. for medical services after obtaining permission from their commanding officer and finding space on military transport. Their only other option is venturing out to a hospital in a foreign country.

Madam Chair, I believe we can do better. I would just like to clarify a few points about this amendment. No Federal funds would be used for those procedures. Women would use their own funds, and that would include overhead costs as well, for overhead costs. This amendment affects only U.S. military facilities overseas in countries where abortion is legal, and it also observes the refusal clauses and will not force providers to perform abortions.

Madam Chair, women serving in uniform are fighting to protect our freedom and our rights. Yet these women do not receive the protection of the Constitution they so ably defend. Even for those who don't require this service, the presence of this ban sends a demoralizing message. I believe we can do better.

Today, I have heard Chairman Hunter and certainly Mr. McHugh and others who have spoken so eloquently about how this bill incorporates important military personnel issues. I support this bill, and I support the work that went into it. I support the compassion and the passion of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee.

But I do believe, Madam Chair, that if we don't lift this ban we continue to make women serving in uniform, who face the intimate, most personal issue, we continue to make these women invisible to us.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time and look forward to my colleagues' comments.

Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Chairman, I have one more speaker and will close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

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

Mr. Chairman, as we consider this amendment today, I want to urge my colleagues to reflect on the following: We ask women to serve in the military. We trust women in the military to secure our safety. We ask women to put their lives at risk for our freedoms. They have saved many lives as they have gone to war for us.

So I ask you, ladies and gentlemen, let us not turn our backs on the women in uniform in our country.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an inequity facing America's men and women in uniform who seek an education in return for their military service.

For years, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) has allowed thousands of men and women in uniform attend college or to receive vocational training to prepare for a new career after the military.

It is an excellent program and one we must preserve.

However, Mr. Speaker, I would like to remedy an inequity that exists in this program with legislation I am introducing today.

To receive the benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill, our service members must pay $1,200 to $1,800 into the program at the beginning of their military service.

A $100 is deducted each month from their military pay for the first 12 months, for example.

With the legislation I offer today, our service members would still make the initial contribution. However, this contribution would no longer count against them later on when they apply for federal student aid.

In many cases, Mr. Speaker, the Montgomery GI Bill alone does not cover the cost for college or job training. Our service members must also apply for federal student aid to cover tuition and other expenses.

The Department of Education considers their benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill as ``income''--thereby reducing the amount they are eligible to receive from federal student aid programs.

This legislation goes back to the $1,200 out-of-pocket contribution that a service member made to become eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill.

It is not fair to ask our service members to pay the original amount out of their own pocket and then penalize them for it later on.

This bill would simply exempt the original contribution that came from their own pocket from the Department of Education's income consideration.

This legislation does not present significant cost to the federal government but would go a long way to help America's individual service members afford college.

I offered the provisions contained in this legislation as part of the College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609) when it was on the House floor.

Unfortunately, the amendment was not accepted, but I plan to pursue the issue until we correct this inequity.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take just a moment to thank those who have worked on

this issue and who have pushed for the exemption in the past.

I am proud to offer this legislation along with Ranking Member Lane Evans of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. Evans and his staff have been seeking a remedy for this inequity for several years.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to offer legislation benefiting America's military service members and helping them to attend college or receive job training.

Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud my colleague, Mr. Schiff, for bringing us all together this evening so we can talk about real security for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, America has the absolute finest military in the world, and that wouldn't be possible without the people who wear the uniform. I want all Americans to know that it doesn't matter to me whether they call themselves a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or anything else. I stand here tonight to simply tell Americans that there are indeed Democrats in Congress who are strong on national security. We get it, and we have a plan to get America back on track.

Let me be just clear at the outset. Support for the troops has no party affiliation, and that is definitely true here in Congress. There are hundreds of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, who want to do right by the troops who are in harm's way right this minute all around the globe. I am convinced, however, that the Democratic plan to protect America is the path this Nation needs to embark upon now, and I say that because the Democratic plan for a 21st century military focuses on the same resource that the military itself focuses on, and that is the people. It is about the people who volunteer to wear that uniform.

I have been very proud to serve in Congress as a Member of the House Armed Services Committee since I was first elected to represent the people of San Diego. As anyone from San Diego can tell you, we are the epitome of a military town. San Diegans have a deep and long-standing relationship with the military that gives our community a very unique level of interaction and familiarity with the Armed Services. San Diego's operational bases provide a valuable network of military resources that, taken together, equate to bottom-line military readiness. We host the Pacific fleet's largest concentration of carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships and submarines, and our regional training and support facilities supplement these resources superbly.

But at the end of the day, while these are valuable assets, what it really comes down to is the people. Outside their uniforms and off the battlefield, these brave men and women serve double duty. They are our neighbors, they are our Little League coaches, they are our PTA presidents, and they are our community volunteers. In short, our military servicemembers are extraordinary people who lead ordinary lives, just like you and me.

For those people and communities who are not as familiar with the military, I think it may be easy sometimes to think of them in a more desensitized, mechanical way, almost as if the troops themselves are made of the same steel and weaponry they use to accomplish their missions and protect themselves with. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Our troops are a mirror image of the American people themselves. They find strength in their convictions as Americans. They are

strong in their education and training and they are strong in their diversity and their mutual respect for one another.

Mr. Speaker, you may wonder why I would choose to spend so much time this evening talking about the human characteristics of our military personnel in the context of a Democratic plan to protect America. But the people who make America's military great are really the heart of the Democratic plan. Americans expect their elected leaders to take care of the troops, and that is exactly what Americans and what Democrats here today are prepared to do.

First, that means having enough people. This administration ignored the advice of respected senior military leaders by sending too few troops to Iraq. No matter how you look at it, that was a serious miscalculation. It impaired America's ability to accomplish its mission quickly. Democrats will insist on 21st century military forces that are large and strong enough to meet any challenge America may face in the future without creating neverending states of deployment.

A 21st century military also demands fully equipping and supplying our troops, and that is exactly what the Democratic plan would do. Democrats will fight to ensure America's troops are never underequipped. The Democratic plan is a plan that would emphasize the body and vehicle armor our troops need before they find themselves in harm's way. Moreover, we must rebuild and replace the equipment that has been used in Iraq and Afghanistan so our troops can continue to rely on it with confidence in the future.

The Democratic plan also means a renewed investment in research and development. We simply must invest in technology today that will lead to advancements for the battlefield that will keep on protecting our soldiers and sailors and will keep on helping them to accomplish their future missions.

Similarly, we must continue to make investments in the way we educate and train our military personnel. Training and education is a key component in the dominance and success of America's military, and this will be no different for a 21st century military. We must commit to providing superior ways to continue expanding and advancing the minds of our military professionals.

The Democratic plan for a 21st century military also envisions a renewed commitment to the National Guard and Reserve. Our efforts must reflect the level of respect and commitment our reserve components have earned and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, the Democratic plan for a 21st century military encompasses many more components, including increased human intelligence, honoring veterans and retirees, and making good on America's promise to take care of the health and well-being of our soldiers and also their families. It is really about the people: Our training them, equipping them, and our support for them. The troops demand better, Mr. Speaker, and Democrats are poised to provide it to them.

I am happy to return to Mr. Schiff and join with my colleagues as we discuss the rest of the Democrat plan and the pillars of security.

I think it is, and because our families prepare as well as the men and women who actually go into war, it provides a particular burden on all of them. And I think that is why it has been, in a community like San Diego, why we have felt this so acutely.

And know how important it is for people to have a sense of comfort that they have the equipment they need and that once deployed and coming home, particularly for the guard and reserve, that they will not see these kind of endless deployments. That has been very important and it has been really hard for the families to sometimes get a really good handle on that.

Madam Speaker, I want the women who have served in uniform to know one thing. Some of us in Congress understand your struggle, and we are fighting for you.

Shockingly, the Republican budget adopts significant increases to out-of-pocket costs for our women retirees who depend on the TRICARE program for their health care.

Managed care enrollment fees for senior enlisted women retirees would double, and those for retired female officers would triple.

I have serious doubts about the validity of any projected cost savings from these fee increases. It is insulting to even think of shifting such costs onto the backs of the brave women who have sacrificed so much and so selflessly.

Moreover, this budget sends a terrible message to our past and present servicewomen at a time when we should be doing all that we can to appreciate and to reward their contributions.

The United States made a promise to these women and to every woman before them who has worn the uniform. This Nation promised to take care of them, and the Republican budget just does not fulfill that promise.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 80, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Dr. Rudy Castruita of California on the occasion of his retirement as San Diego County Superintendent of Schools. I have known Dr. Castruita since 1994 when he became County Superintendent in San Diego and have always been impressed by his tireless commitment to children and the students across the school districts he served. He dedicated his career to furthering the cause of education and to helping our kids learn.

Prior to his appointment as Superintendent in San Diego, he served with great distinction for six years as superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District where he was recognized for his tremendous leadership and innovation. Among the recognition his leadership has brought to local schools are several highly coveted California School Boards Association Golden Bell Awards for leading edge efforts to address the educational needs of students, the Federal Blue Ribbon Schools designation and California Distinguished Schools designation. He has also received the prestigious Marcus Foster Award from the Association of California School Administrators and in 1992, he was named California's Superintendent of the Year.

As a San Diegan with deep roots in the public schools there, I took great pride in the role that Dr. Castruita played as Chair of the statewide effort to set standards for high school graduates in the state of California. This endeavor was perhaps the most important state education reform of the past several decades. He also served on the State Superintendent's Advisory Committee for implementing the Public School Accountability Act of 1999, a law that helped to instill rigorous standards into the curriculum and educational delivery system throughout the state.

He also served on the Governance Task Force of the statewide committee to develop a Master Plan for Education, and State Reading First Committee. Dr. Castruita's abiding personal commitment to eradicating illiteracy across our community has made the San Diego County Office of Education a beacon in literacy programs and distinguished him as a prominent leader in this important Issue.

I have had the pleasure, along with a number of state leaders including governors from our state and other state constitutional officers to utilize the San Diego County Office of Education's state- of-the-art regional technology center that exists today because of Dr. Castruita's efforts. His enthusiasm and interest in cutting-edge technology to lift student achievement resulted in his being named one of 12 ``tech savvy'' superintendents in the nation by eSchool News.

In San Diego, we are also proud of Dr. Castruita's notable commitment to national leadership, serving on several national boards including Scholarship America and the prestigious Education Research & Development Institute. He was nominated by the President of the United States and appointed by Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education, to serve on the President's Advisory for the Department of Defense Schools, which are military- based schools overseas.

He has also built impressive and lasting relationships in the community with our public schools that includes work with the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, San Diego United Way/CHAD, the San Diego YMCA, the Natural History Museum, Laurels for Leaders, and the California Center for the Arts.

His work on behalf of California's children and our schools has made a real difference across our state, and we all owe him a great debt of gratitude for championing these issues. It is hard to imagine substantive discussions of education policy in our state without Dr. Castruita involved. He has provided me with tremendous guidance and advice on these important issues on countless occasions and his wise counsel will be missed. I wish both he and his family well in his retirement. Dr. Castruita continues a lasting and impressive legacy of commitment to public education within California and across the country as he begins other endeavors that will undoubtedly contribute to the well being of children and public education.

Thank you very much Mr. Speaker for allowing me this time to honor such a great leader and important figure to education.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 67 on the motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4297, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 64 on the motion to recommit H.R. 4939 with instructions, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 59 on the Conaway amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 58 on the Millender-McDonald amendment to H.R. 4939, I was on a leave of absence due to illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''