[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 10, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H3063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SCORING VICTORIES ON EVERY FRONT

  (Mr. DeLAY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, ever since the terrorist attacks of September 
11, 2001, punctured both our national security and our national 
economy, the House has responded on both fronts. We have worked 
tirelessly to both secure our homeland and defeat our terrorist enemies 
around the world, and we have worked with equal determination to secure 
our economy, helping it to grow and create jobs over the last 3\1/2\ 
years.
  These two missions, economic prosperity and military victory, are so 
intertwined that it could be said that winning the war on terror is 
America's top economic priority, while growing our economy is a wartime 
necessity. Both prongs of our agenda are succeeding, Mr. Speaker.
  Last week, the Department of Labor reported that 274,000 jobs were 
created in April, far more than economists predicted, while 
unemployment came in at just 5.2 percent. Meanwhile, the Congressional 
Budget Office reported that the deficit projection for the first 7 
months of the fiscal year is $50 billion lower than previously 
estimated. The deficit is going down. New home sales grew 12.2 percent 
over last year, and the overall economy grew at 3.1 percent for the 
first quarter of 2005. The economy is strong, it continues to grow, and 
that strength and growth make it possible for us to meet the needs of 
our military and conquer the challenges of the war on terror.
  Last week, Mr. Speaker, we built on those successes by passing 
President Bush's emergency supplemental war budget with strong 
bipartisan support. And at the same time, offensive operations in the 
Iraqi and Afghani theaters have netted our troops significant victories 
over the last week. Dozens of terrorists and insurgents have been 
captured, and our intelligence gatherers continue to close the noose 
around our enemies.
  Our continued success around the world enhances our security here at 
home, where this week we will add to that momentum by taking up a bill 
to reform the way that the Federal Government funds our first 
responders.
  Under the new bill, firefighters, police, and emergency medical 
personnel will get the money they need via a streamlined funding 
system. That will help bolster our homeland security and national 
preparedness, which will further protect our economy, which will, in 
turn, continue to support our war effort.
  All of these priorities are of a kind, Mr. Speaker: homeland 
security, national security, and economic strength; and this week, the 
House will score victories on every front.

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