[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 28, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8501-H8504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  PUSHING AHEAD WITH AMERICA'S AGENDA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Reichert). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. 
Blackburn) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority 
leader.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, tonight I want to talk a little bit 
about all the great things that Americans are doing day in and day out 
to help our friends and neighbors from the gulf coast.
  But first, Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the Republican Conference 
for taking decisive action today to be sure that we continue to push 
ahead with our agenda here in this House, that agenda of spending 
reductions, immigration reform, and keeping our focus on national 
security. It is clear that we will not let partisan wrangling get in 
the way of progress, and that is exactly why the American people have 
elected us to serve in this body. We are focused on their agenda.
  I think it is important too, Mr. Speaker, to let the American people 
know that we have heard them loud and clear; and what they are wanting 
to see is action, decisive action on fiscal responsibility. They want 
fiscal accountability. After all, as so many of my constituents have 
reminded me in these last few days as we have talked about the pressing 
needs that we have in our country, this money is their money. It is not 
government's money.

                              {time}  2030

  It is the taxpayers' money, and it is our responsibility to be good 
stewards of that money. Many people have told me that they have just 
really grown ill and fatigued with seeing money spent and that they are 
not seeing it accounted for. They feel like it is time for bureaucrats 
to turn around and be responsible to taxpayers that are sitting at 
kitchen tables.
  I have a lots of things I would like to respond to from my colleague 
across the aisle. He spoke about blunders that have taken place, and he 
seemed to have lost a little bit of hope with the U.S. and spoke 
negatively with how we have progressed with certain areas and 
positively of things that are happening in other areas in other 
countries. It just made me recall something that I remembered President 
Reagan would time and again say when he talked about spreading freedom 
and about what a noble goal, a noble goal it was to spread freedom to 
every corner of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, you know, as we talk about what is happening in Iraq and 
as we talk about what is happening in Afghanistan, and we look at the 
agenda that our men and women in uniform carry out every day, as we 
look at how committed our President and his team have been to spreading 
freedom, we know that that is done because in the end having peace 
spread across this Nation, through the Middle East is going to give a 
peace dividend for our children and our grandchildren.
  And in that peace dividend people find the opportunity to dream those 
big dreams. They find the opportunity to seek a better education, to 
seek opportunity, to build those businesses and to create a life that 
they would like to have for themselves and for their children. That is 
possible because of freedom. It is possible because of a commitment, a 
commitment that we make to move forward in spreading freedom.
  My colleague also was talking about blunders and rebuilding and 
looking at

[[Page H8502]]

the wonderful gulf coast area and how it is going to be rebuilt. Mr. 
Speaker, I would just have to tell you, I feel that those are some 
mighty resilient folks down there in the gulf coast. They are people 
who when that stormed passed through and it cleared away, I know many 
of the folks down in southern Mississippi that I was working with, they 
threw that chain saw in the back of that pickup truck, they grabbed 
their work gloves, they grabbed their work boots, they got out there 
and they started cutting trees. They started clearing the way. They 
went to work. They were not waiting for somebody else. They went to 
work.
  Now, as we get to the rebuilding phase, it is important that we be 
innovative, that we be creative, that we bring some great solutions to 
the table, that we think about tax incentives, that we think about 
enterprise zones, that we think about going in here and encouraging 
ownership.
  What can we do to encourage private property ownership? What can we 
do to encourage businesses to redevelop?
  Possibly, Mr. Speaker, going into this area is a great place to go 
and run a pilot project to see how a flat tax would work so that we are 
making it easier on hard-working men and women, making it easier on 
families to come back and reestablish those homes and reestablish those 
businesses and rebuild those communities. Because right now they are 
looking at physical infrastructure that has been damaged. Their 
economic infrastructure has been damaged. The social infrastructure of 
their community has been damaged. They want to take ownership of those 
projects.
  I commend the good communities along the gulf coast region, whether 
they are in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, or Texas. Communities are 
coming together to meet their needs. And I want to talk a little bit 
about those Americans and the folks that have taken time to show 
compassion and caring. And I want to express some things tonight. I 
think it is important for us to stand and thank all of the churches and 
the not-for-profit organizations and the faith-based organizations who 
have led the way, who have led the way in caring for those who have 
provided shelter, who have provided money, have continued to raise 
money, that have donated supplies, and people who have even traveled 
into areas to help with caring, to help with feeding those that need to 
be fed, to help with clean up, and are committed to staying with these 
communities as they rebuild.
  You know, photos do not do the degree of damage justice. I think that 
during this process that we have been through for the past month, we 
have seen government make some mistakes. We have seen government do 
some things right, and I know that most of us have probably been both 
impressed and sorely disappointed at the very same time. And I think 
one of the things that we have seen is that we have seen ordinary 
people do some truly extraordinary things.
  I will have to tell you, as I said earlier, for me there is a 
personal connection to all of this. I grew up down in south 
Mississippi, and I was a high school girl when Hurricane Camille hit. 
And I can tell you from what I have seen, Katrina is much worse than my 
memories of Hurricane Camille. And just a few days after Katrina 
struck, I was down at where I grew up in southern Mississippi.
  I went down there with my family so that we could help those in my 
home community. We took in supplies, and we went down to assist. My 
parents are long-time Red Cross volunteers; and they had been working 
at the shelter before the storm hit, trying to help those who were 
fleeing out of Gulf Port and Biloxi right along the coastal areas.
  Even though my home community in southern Mississippi where I grew up 
suffered a lot of damage, those folks were there tending to others. It 
did not seem to matter that they did not have water, they did not have 
electricity, that some people did not have roofs. What they were doing 
was tending people that really had a need. They felt like that was the 
most important thing to do: tend to those that were injured; tend to 
those that were grieving; go clean things up and then let us get around 
to rebuilding.
  The thing that I could not help but notice is the way that people 
from all walks of life were coming together to clear debris, to clear 
fallen structures. The spirit of America truly has been alive and well, 
even in the very tough days that we saw after Hurricane Katrina and we 
have seen this past week with Hurricane Rita. And since then we have 
learned more about some of these ordinary folks who stepped forward and 
did extraordinary things to help those who had lost their homes and 
their community.
  In my district, which runs from the Mississippi border north to the 
Kentucky border, I have seen our communities across this entire 
district pull together to offer assistance. In many of our counties 
they have done so.
  Mr. Speaker, that is what I am hearing from congressional Members all 
across this country. Forty-eight States have evacuees that are seeking 
refuge and a place to call home, maybe temporarily, maybe a little 
longer. They are all coming together, 48 States, communities across 48 
States. A great example of this is our Memphis Corps of Engineers has 
been in New Orleans helping to repair the levees while our Shelby 
County, Memphis area nonprofits and faith-based groups have been 
pitching in as well. They have been incredibly generous.
  We have had so many, and I would like to list just a few: the 
Bellevue Baptist Church, the Cathedral of Faith Ministries, Christ 
United Methodist Church, the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, 
Cummings Street Baptist Church, Greater Harvest Church of God In 
Christ, the Greater Praise Church of God In Christ, the Independent 
Presbyterian Church, Memphis Union Mission, the Mid-South Baptist 
Association, and the Baptist Children's Home.
  Mr. Speaker, it is like this in districts all across our country. All 
are working to provide shelter for evacuees. And then those that are 
coming forward with meals and shelters, the Friendship Baptist Church, 
the Germantown Presbyterian Church, Oakland First Baptist Church, and 
then the Breath of Life Seventh Day Adventist, Calvary Episcopal 
Church, the Holy Rosary Catholic church and School, and Hope 
Presbyterian Church, the Hutchinson School, and Impact Ministries of 
Memphis.
  They are finding a way to feed volunteers and to feed evacuees. Mr. 
Speaker, all of this is such a testament to the greatness of our 
country. Up in the greater Nashville area, Montgomery County areas, 
they are in middle Tennessee, we have seen the Crievewood Baptist 
Church, Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Clear View Baptist Church, Hilldale 
Church of Christ all open their doors and provide shelter for those 
that were needing a temporary home.
  We have also seen a wonderful evacuation center open in Franklin, 
Tennessee. I had the opportunity of inviting Secretary Mineta to join 
me as he had the opportunity to work with the Red Cross volunteers and 
look at this wonderful shelter, visit with our local elected officials, 
visit with the evacuees who had come out of Texas, out of Louisiana, 
out of Mississippi to call Franklin, Tennessee temporarily home.
  We have also had the kitchen at Clear View Baptist Church and Near 
Ministry providing food; Grace Works Ministries collecting clothing and 
hygiene kits. Our Interfaith Dental Clinic providing acute care.
  Mr. Speaker, while folks were receiving evacuees there, they were in 
the process of loading 18-wheelers and trucks and sending much needed 
supplies into the gulf coast area.
  The Montgomery Bell Academy Service Club loaded an 18-wheeler full of 
supplies that were needed and sent it south into Jones County, 
Mississippi. This is happening all across the country in many 
districts.
  I would like to mention a few of the things that some of our 
colleagues have done. In fact, just last Thursday my good friend, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), rented two U-Haul trucks and went 
to a local food bank in Tyler, Texas. He then drove the trucks to 
Lufkin, Texas, which was out of food and water. They had received an 
influx of evacuees at several of their shelters. They were out of food 
and water and needed some help. So the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Gohmert) unloaded the supplies and then went to the emergency 
operations center to meet with the local officials

[[Page H8503]]

to see what else it was they needed. So he found out.
  After midnight he visited a shelter. He found out there were nearly 
200 evacuees there. They did not have pillows and blankets. So off he 
went to the local Wal-Mart where he bought the supplies that were 
needed. He returned and distributed these to the folks that were there 
that were in need.
  That is a good deal of work, and it is a great thing a good man did 
for some folks in need. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Gohmert) and all of those across the country who like him are reaching 
out to help others. I also want to thank those in his district that 
helped him in meeting these needs.
  We have also seen some of the Nation's largest companies really step 
up to the plate on this. We have watched Wal-Mart really do some 
fantastic work. They have now donated in excess of $20 million in funds 
and in goods to help those that have been displaced, $20 million. 
Motorola has provided $1 million to an education fund to help rebuild 
schools and educate displaced children in the gulf coast region.
  There again, another company that is stepping up to the plate to 
help. To date, they have provided several mission-critical responses to 
the gulf coast, including the delivery of replacement communications 
equipment to first responders, direct financial support to the American 
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and more than 300 Motorola employees 
and partners are on the front lines in the impacted areas to repair and 
restore communications.
  It is going to be a heavy lift. There is a lot of devastation in this 
area; and, indeed, it is going to take each and every one of us working 
together as a team, working together as a team from the local, the 
State, and the Federal levels, from the private, not-for-profit and 
public sectors, and here in Congress from both sides of the aisle as we 
work to meet the needs of this region of our Nation.
  We all know that for so many prescription drugs are critical for 
survival, and we know that many people escaped thinking they would 
return in a day or two and be back home, not thinking to bring 
documents, prescriptions, health care information with them. And of 
course, we know many times when you escape and you are leaving and 
evacuating for a hurricane, in a couple of days you are back.

                              {time}  2045

  This time was different, and so we have watched as the Nation's 
pharmaceutical companies have contributed $120 million in refrigerated 
insulin, vaccines, antibiotics, antiseptics, nonprescription pain 
relievers, and millions of cans of infant formula.
  One of our former colleagues here in the House, a Louisianan, Billy 
Tauzin, who had been a Republican Member from Louisiana, now works with 
these pharmaceutical companies. He said, ``We want to make certain that 
every single person who needs help gets it during the difficult weeks 
and months ahead.''
  I want to thank him and the companies he represents for their 
donations. They are literally saving lives.
  Mr. Speaker, I can tell my colleagues firsthand, having been in some 
of these shelters, having talked with the medical teams that are there, 
having worked with them to find out what their needs are, they are 
incredibly appreciative of the medical supplies and the pharmaceuticals 
that have come into the shelters to help them, to help our medical 
professionals meet the needs that so many of the evacuees are having 
with their health care.
  Mr. Speaker, another word on another Member of this body. The 
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass) has created an informal relief 
committee in his hometown of Peterborough, and I want to tell my 
colleagues a little bit about what he is doing. This is the kind of 
partnership that is going to make a tremendous difference.
  The gentleman from New Hampshire's (Mr. Bass) rural New England town 
will provide essential resources to the small southern city of Collins, 
Mississippi. That little town is represented by the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Pickering). It is down in south Mississippi. They 
sustained a tremendous amount of devastation and damage in Hurricane 
Katrina.
  The gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Pickering) and the gentleman from 
New Hampshire (Mr. Bass) have worked to connect these two communities, 
and these two communities, miles apart, are forging a sister city 
relationship that will help ensure the swift delivery of goods and 
services to the citizens of Collins, Mississippi. Grateful citizens 
they are to the wonderful citizens of Peterborough, New Hampshire, and 
we thank them for that effort.
  The gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) helped kick off ``Hunger 
Drive 2005'' for the hurricane victims by donating groceries, preparing 
meal packages and announcing that his Wilmington congressional office 
will serve as a satellite office in collecting goods.
  The gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) said that, ``In the 
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we have all been searching for ways to 
help, and help in more ways than just donating money. We wanted to do 
something that directly impacted the lives of the victims and their 
families.''
  I thank the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) for stepping forward 
and for working with his constituents in Delaware to help our citizens 
in the gulf coast region.
  Mr. Speaker, I will have to tell my colleagues one little story, too. 
While driving to Mississippi, I stopped in the gentleman from Alabama's 
(Mr. Aderholt) district. I was going to grab a quick sandwich and get 
back on the road and continue driving so that we could get the load of 
supplies that we were taking down to where we wanted them to be.
  I walked into the fast food restaurant. I was greeted at the counter 
by a friendly young man, big smile. I placed my order. He invited me to 
drop some change in the hurricane relief jar that they had put on the 
counter, and I thanked him for doing that, told him where I was 
heading, and he said, I have got to tell you, we are working with our 
congressman and his wife; we have got a great congressman and they are 
going to help us help some folks down in the gulf coast.
  So we thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), his staff and 
his family for taking the lead in Cullman, Alabama.
  I really think this sums up some of what this country is feeling and 
how we are reaching out right now. It is certainly clear that this 
effort is having an impact on our kids.
  In Kalamazoo, Michigan, third graders are selling pickles at school 
to raise money for the hurricane victims.
  In Maryland, high school students are collecting thousands of 
backpacks for needy children.
  A group of children in Forest Acres, South Carolina, spent their day 
off from school to help those in need. The students sold baked goods 
and lemonade on a neighborhood sidewalk. They raised $145 in just a few 
hours, and all of it is going to help the victims and the families that 
are victims of Hurricane Katrina.
  We, in Tennessee, have seen our great country music community come 
together in order to put their unique talents to work for the relief 
effort. This weekend in Oxford, Mississippi, there is an enormous 
concert. It is filled with country music stars. We thank them. They are 
performing, they are travelling, they are participating to raise money 
and raise awareness, raise the funds that are necessary to help 
hardworking Americans rebuild their lives and, as I said, raise 
awareness about what the true needs are in the gulf coast area.
  Alan Jackson, Craig Morgan, Terri Clark, LeAnn Rimes, Marty Stuart, 
Keith Urban, Alison Kraus, just to name a few, sold out the 4,400-seat 
Grand Old Opry House to raise money. They were able to donate, get 
this, $230,000 to the Red Cross.
  One of our great Nashville companies, the Great American Country 
owner Scripps Network, they contributed $1 million.
  Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on because America has once again 
risen to the challenge. The American people have been incredibly 
generous, but I want to end this time tonight with this. To every 
individual, to every community who is out there, helping to ease the 
suffering of our friends in the gulf coast, I want to say thank you. I 
want to encourage them to keep up the

[[Page H8504]]

good work because, indeed, Mr. Speaker, this is what we are a great 
Nation of, freedom, free people who group together to stand together to 
help one another and to be there to support one another when times are 
tough.
  Mr. Speaker, we thank them all for their contribution to this Nation. 
We thank them for their commitment to being certain that American 
families, that American communities continue to be the beacon of light 
and hope and freedom for the entire world.

                          ____________________