Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this bill because it is the wrong debate at the wrong place at the wrong time; and most importantly, it sends the wrong message.

It is the wrong debate because it serves no useful purpose. We know this bill will never become law. If it passes, it will be vetoed, and that veto will be sustained. We are wasting the time and trying the patience of the American people for no useful purpose.

It is the wrong place because it is what happens in Iraq, not here, that will determine the outcome of the current struggle. Our forces and those of the Iraqi Government are in a tough fight. We should reinforce them, not undercut them, and we should encourage the Iraqi Government, not abandon it.

It is the wrong time because it is too early to debate the outcome of the current effort in Iraq. I have great respect for the author of this bill, but it is General Petraeus's report and assessment that should guide our deliberations in this body. He has asked us to wait until September before he offers us an assessment of the progress and prospects of the current effort. Having given him a tough job, we owe it to him to adhere to the timeline he has requested.

It is the wrong message, most importantly, because it strengthens rather than weakens our enemies.

They know they cannot defeat our forces, but they can and they do believe they can outlast this Congress. This debate and this bill will only strengthen them in that belief.

By strengthening our enemies, we undercut the best efforts of our forces, the forces of Iraq and the Iraqi Government. The best way to undo the damage that this bill has already done is to defeat it, and I urge my colleagues to do so.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor one of Oklahoma's genuine treasures, Ms. Sammie Olkinetzky, who recently observed her 50th anniversary as a church choir director.

Through her service as a choir director, hundreds of Oklahomans were encouraged to develop their singing abilities, utilize their gifts to entertain others, and most importantly, express praise to God through their talents.

Ms. Olkinetzky was born and raised in Ada, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Oklahoma and received a master's degree in music education.

Her first appointment as a choir director came in 1957 to Trinity Lutheran Church in Norman. While at Trinity, Ms. Olkinetzky had the opportunity to lead two children's choirs, the St. Timothy Choir and the Bach Choir, as well as a choir for adult church members. In 1963, Ms. Olkinetzky served as a dual choir director to both Trinity Lutheran Church and University Lutheran Church, which had recently partnered their choir with the Trinity congregation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Sammie Olkinetzky for her fifty years of service. She has spent decades enriching the cultural and spiritual life of residents in the fourth district. I want to thank Ms. Olkinetzky for all of her contributions to the state of Oklahoma.

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

H.R. 2121 is a simple measure that updates a land patent reference to an outdated management plan currently being used by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. This 8-acre property was obtained in 1992 from the Department of the Interior under a land grant patent. Under the new resource management plan, the museum will be able to greatly improve its visitor access to wildlife areas and to expand its facilities to accommodate additional shipwreck exhibits.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, some of our Members believe H.R. 986 has significant negative implications on private property in Connecticut. Fuzzy language included in this bill may leave the door open for the Federal Government to use eminent domain to seize private property in this new designation. This is especially concerning because this is the same congressional district where the Kelo v. New Haven case originated. I remind my colleagues that many times the Federal Government uses just the threat of condemnation to frighten private property owners and to intimidate them until they become so-called ``willing sellers.'' We must protect our constituents from this wanton abuse of power by making our intentions clear in this legislation.

Resource Committee Republicans made numerous efforts in both subcommittee and full committee to insert language that would have protected property owners in Connecticut. The language was plain and clear: Congress would not empower the Federal Government to condemn land and pressure owners into selling.

Unfortunately, these efforts were rebuffed by committee Democrats. It is still unclear to our side of the aisle why the majority wants to expose property owners to the threat of eminent domain. The only reasonable conclusion is that they believe the Federal Government should and must confiscate private property.

Because this bill has been brought under suspension of the rules, the minority will not have the opportunity to clean it up before the full House.

I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill and stand up against this and other Kelo-style assaults on private property rights.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1337.

This bill, which I authored, provides for a water feasibility study to ascertain additional sources of water for the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District, which serves the cities of Norman, Midwest City, and Del City, Oklahoma. This bill provides limited Federal assistance, with the Conservancy District providing a local 50/50 match and demonstrating their dedication to this critical initiative. This legislation will help address and alleviate the water challenges facing these three cities. I would like to commend and sincerely thank all the parties involved in working hard to help see this bill pass into public law.

The primary source of water for the Conservancy District is Lake Thunderbird, completed in 1965 by the Bureau of Reclamation. Incidentally, since 1988 one of the cities serviced by the Conservancy District, Norman, Oklahoma, has on numerous occasions exceeded their annual share of Lake Thunderbird's supplies. As a result, Norman has been forced to pull additional water from its original water source used before Lake Thunderbird was built and create an emergency supply line from

nearby Oklahoma City. Recognizing that the projected demand on water supply will only increase as these three cities grow in population, the Conservancy District is taking proactive steps to find long-range solutions to their water needs.

In 2003, working with the Conservancy District and recognizing the water strain in central Oklahoma, Congress provided the Bureau of Reclamation with funding for an initial water study, which it completed in August of 2005. This appraisal explores and proposes much-needed viable opportunities to enhance the current and long-term water supply of the Conservancy District. I introduced H.R. 1337 both at the behest of the Conservancy District and in the same spirit that Congress previously funded the building of Lake Thunderbird and the appraisal investigation: to facilitate the long-term vitality and well-being of the citizens served by the Conservancy District and, as an extension, the vitality and well-being of Oklahoma as a whole. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that the Conservancy District provides waters for more than 175,000 residents, meaning that no fewer than one out of every four of my constituents stands to benefit from this study.

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely appreciate the chairman and ranking member's diligent work on this bill, and I strongly urge support and passage of

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1725 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 1725, introduced by our colleague, Mary Bono of California, authorizes funds to complete a three-stage plan for water recycling in Riverside County, California, Mr. Speaker.

This legislation would help ease the county's dependency on imported water and will help drought-proof this arid region of southern California.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlelady from California (Mrs. Bono).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1904 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 1904, introduced by our colleague, Heather Wilson, directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide New Mexico with technical assistance and grants for the development of comprehensive State water plans and to assess the quality, quantity and interaction of groundwater and surface water resources in the State.

This legislation recognizes that States have primacy over groundwater but provides limited Federal assistance to help the State carry out its efforts and help water consumers.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

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

The majority has adequately explained this resolution. We join with them in recognizing the 63rd anniversary of Big Bend National Park and hope this occasion will further highlight the need to secure our public lands from the ecological devastation caused by unfettered, illegal crossers and drug traffickers.

I urge colleagues to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2381 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Democratic bill manager has more than adequately explained this piece of legislation. The House has passed a similar version of this bill in the previous two Congresses. I am certainly happy to see that we are doing so again.

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

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the Holcim (US) cement plant in Ada, OK, for ensuring a century of continuous cement operations, for its use of

recycled materials and for directing distribution. The Holcim plant in Ada provides jobs to over 100 employees, and many of their families have worked at the plant for two generations.

Madam Speaker, since 1921 the Holcim plant has produced more than 33 million tons of cement used in the construction of roads, highways, airports, homes, and oil wells throughout Oklahoma. As such, this plant has been a dependable business in the region, a great example of American ingenuity and technology, and a leader in Oklahoma's industrial revolution.

Madam Speaker, companies like this are rare. When so many have moved to other States and Nations, we are truly fortunate and blessed that Holcim has remained in place. I truly believe that this is testament not only to the company, but to the workers and the larger community of Ada, OK. Companies can only be faithful to a community if a community reciprocates. Ada's demonstrated dedication and its people reveal the pride we all have in our hearts for Holcim.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Holcim cement plant in Ada, OK for a century of continuous service. The plant is a part of the fabric that makes up present-day Oklahoma, and is an integral part of the economy for Ada by providing jobs and opportunities for our citizens. During Oklahoma's centennial year I want to salute Holcim (US) for the company's contributions to this State.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent for rollcall vote No. 515, on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 2284. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and having formerly served on the Rules Committee, I'm both disappointed and disturbed by the manner in which the rule has been reported to the floor.

Let's be forthright about this, Madam Speaker. The committee authorized an enormous number of amendments. But numbers alone do not translate into meaningful policy options and good debate on the floor of this body.

Let's look at a couple of things that the committee chose not to make in order. The committee did not make in order an amendment by Mr. Akin that addresses important concerns, including the evisceration of the Army's only modernization effort and reducing by $867 million the Future Combat System.

The committee did not make in order many of the amendments that were necessary to address the evisceration of our Missile Defense System and that, Madam Speaker, at a time when our intelligence tells us the North Koreans and the Iranians are continuing to develop dangerous missile capability.

With respect to the underlying legislation itself, Madam Speaker, Chairman Skelton was given an incredibly difficult job. He was not given enough money, in my opinion, enough authorizing authority to address all the needs that he faced.

Nevertheless, he and Ranking Member Hunter and their subcommittee chairmen accomplished some important things that we should not lose sight of. One good thing that was accomplished was the increase in the end strength of both the Army and the Marine Corps, something many of us have long advocated, something the President now agrees to and something I'm glad to see underway.

Additionally, the legislation included the Wounded Warriors Act, and also included my language to create a program for pre- and post- deployment neurocognitive assessments of our servicemen. I think that was a very good thing, and I appreciate the chairman for working with us on that.

The underlying legislation also addresses depot concerns and maintenance in a way that encourages me, that increased the amount of money in depot accounts.

And finally, I was happy to see that the majority continues to recognize, as we do, the importance of developing the non-line-of-sight cannon and remains committed to the new field increase.

With that, I still remain disappointed the rule did not allow the options.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1294, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2006. This is a bill that is long overdue and provides an opportunity to right an historical wrong.

As clearly outlined in the language of this legislation, these six tribes are of great historical significance. These tribes were some of the first Native Americans to come into contact with European settlers, and save for the active cooperation of these tribes, a number of the first English settlements in America may not have survived.

Having clearly impacted the course of our Nation and having endured in a country of drastic change and challenges for four centuries, I am pleased to support a bill that will provide these six tribes federal recognition at long last.

Mr. Speaker, the only reservation I have with this bill is the fact that it prohibits every single one of these tribes from gaming. For if indeed this bill passes ``into public law, these tribes should be afforded every right they deserve as a sovereign entity as granted to them under the Constitution of the United States. These tribes should not have to bargain away any one piece of their sovereignty they have sought to preserve in order to receive federal recognition. This diminishes the tribes, and places them at a lesser status than states and other tribes. In the future, I hope that Congress recognizes that it is not fair to blackmail tribes into giving up part of their rights in order to provide them sovereignty.

With that said, Mr. Speaker, I recognize that these tribes negotiated with the House and the state in which they reside and ultimately agreed to this prohibition on their right to engage in certain forms of lawful economic activities. Therefore, although I fear the precedent this may establish, I honor the settlement reached between the House, the state of Virginia, and the tribes, and urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1294.

Madam Speaker, I was inadvertently detained for rollcall No. 278, Mr. Sestak's amendment to H.R. 1429. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor from H.R. 65.