[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 20 (Thursday, February 16, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H365-H371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          OFFICIAL TRUTH SQUAD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Conaway). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the courtesy that the 
leadership has extended me in hosting this hour. We are going to talk 
about a number of things this hour, but I think it is important for the 
folks at home to know what this hour is. This is called the leadership 
hour, and what that means is that the leadership of the Republican 
party allows individuals to come to the floor for this hour. The 
leadership of the Democrat party allows individuals to come to the 
floor and speak about topics that are of interest to Congress and of 
interest to the American people, of interest to the world.
  And what you have just heard is an interesting presentation that, 
apparently, the leadership of the Democrat party endorses. I am not 
certain what, how one would describe it or how one would categorize it, 
but it was more fiction than truth. I would love to hear the other 
side, the leadership of the other side stand up and say what they 
disagree with about what has just been presented.
  You know, when I go home and I talk to constituents, one of the 
things that they say over and over and over again is that they just 
cannot understand the tone that is going on in Washington. What is 
going on? Why are people so angry? And I do not understand it, frankly.
  We are all elected here to come solve problems, and that is the 
challenge that we have been given. But the tone that we get so often is 
this culture of cynicism. It is a culture of pessimism. It is a culture 
of negativity. To make statements about our members of the executive 
branch and leaders who are elected in ways that just have no foundation 
does a disservice to everybody.
  So I am a member of the freshman class, and as a member of the 
freshman class we get together once a week. And one of the things that 
we talked about toward the end of last year was we need to try to raise 
the level of the rhetoric here. We need to try to put a more positive 
message out because of the tone that we so often hear in Washington.
  So we have developed what we call the Official Truth Squad. This is a 
group of individuals who are willing to come to the floor and talk 
about messages, talk about things that are of interest to the American 
people in a positive light and also to bring truth to the debate. 
Because, as you oftentimes hear, those who have been watching, we are 
given great latitude in what we can say and, in fact, it does not have 
to be the truth. Many people put issues out here and things are not 
countered, so people begin to believe them. You know, they say that in 
Washington, if somebody says something three times, that makes it true. 
Well, it just is not so, Mr. Speaker, as those around the Nation know.
  So what we would like to do is to talk about things in a truthful way 
to try to make certain that we counter much of the negativity that has 
been presented. You know, Senator Moynihan had a wonderful, wonderful 
quote that he had. It was, you know, everybody's entitled to their 
opinion, but they are not entitled to their facts. And I think that is 
so true.
  So this afternoon, what we, the Official Truth Squad, are going to be 
talking about is national security. It kind of dovetails with the 
discussion that we have just heard.
  I am pleased to be joined by many of my colleagues in the freshman 
class and others, and I would like to introduce first to talk about 
national security, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. Congresswoman Schmidt is 
from Ohio. She comes with great expertise, representation at the State 
level, and has a passion for not just America, a positive passion for 
America, but a passion for national security and national defense.
  So, Congresswoman Schmidt, I would like to yield to you and have you 
bring us some words about national security.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, Congressman Price, I rise today to speak 
on the importance that we as a Nation do all that we can to prevent 
another terrorist attack on our homeland.
  Like many of my colleagues, I will never forget the attacks of 
September 11. My daughter lived in New York City at the time. I 
remember that morning all too well because I did not know where she 
was. I did not know how close she was to the proximity of the attacks. 
For hours and hours, literally, almost 2 days, I could not get through 
to her, worrying about her safety and her well-being, worrying about 
how she was. My husband and I were so blessed and so grateful that she 
was just scared, but certainly safe.
  But, you know, thousands of other people were not lucky like us. 
Thousands of others lost their loved ones in that attack. We must do 
everything in our power to prevent another attack from happening.
  I rise today to congratulate the hard-working men and women of our 
intelligence agencies and the first responders on preventing another 
attempt like 9/11. I, like most Americans, wake up each morning safe, 
proceed with my day without even worrying about the threat of an attack 
because I know, from law enforcement to our national security 
apparatus, thousands of highly trained professionals are diligently 
watching and working. Men and women using the latest technologies and a 
lot of muscle are hard at work around the clock making sure that those 
that want to hurt us are kept at bay.
  I hope everyone understands that the desire of the terrorist 
organizations to launch a deadly attack has not gone away. It has not 
subsided. They are out there. They want to attack us.
  What has changed is our ability to thwart the attacks. That ability 
has dramatically increased. The latest in database technology, coupled 
with surveillance technologies, is proving to be a powerful force in 
identifying potential attackers. We owe a great deal of gratitude to 
these men and women on the front lines of our defense here at home as 
well as abroad.
  Just this week the media reported that some 200,000 people across the 
globe are on our watchlist, persons that we have reason to believe wish 
us harm, wish us death, wish our Nation destruction.

                              {time}  1400

  But most importantly, 200,000 persons we have already identified as 
potential threats. When we wake up each morning and turn on our 
television sets and there is no news of an attack, we do not even think 
that there might have been one. That in itself is a tribute to

[[Page H366]]

the hard work of our national security team. We go about our lives 
without fear of an attack each day because of the job they are doing. 
We must give them every tool needed to complete their mission. Their 
mission is not only important; it is a matter of life and death.
  Much has been said about the National Security Agency's surveillance 
program in the media. Much of it is nonsense and distortion. Mr. 
Speaker, I asked my constituents in a survey what they think of the 
National Security Agency's surveillance program. Over 2,000 people have 
responded to date. Almost 80 percent support the program, eighty 
percent is a huge supermajority of folks representing all kinds of 
ideologies and political affiliations. Eighty percent. The media just 
does not always get it, Mr. Speaker, but the American people do.
  The American people first and foremost want to be safe in their homes 
and go about their lives without the fear of another attack. They 
exhibit far more common sense than the media ever gives them credit 
for. One of our colleagues from the great State of Texas has a great 
saying that Texas could use a whole lot less of Washington and 
Washington could use a whole lot more of Texas. Unfortunately, someday, 
I believe, and I really hope and pray in the very far distant future, 
we may well be attacked again. That attack may well be much larger in 
scope than we ever could believe, much larger than 9/11. On that day I 
hope and I pray we can say honestly and wholeheartedly we did 
everything we could to prevent it.
  It is our job, Mr. Speaker. It is our job as Members of Congress to 
make sure that Americans are safe, safe and free, safe and free from 
the terrorist attack of yesterday and tomorrow. We have to continue to 
do that. To do nothing less is not just irresponsible; it is un-
American.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio 
for her leadership on this issue.
  And what a moving story that was about the communication that you had 
with your daughter, and it brings back the memory of September 11 to 
all of us and where we were and what we were doing that day.
  As Members of Congress, as you know, we have some opportunities to 
get some information about our intelligence and about what things are 
happening in the world that we are not often able to share, and I am 
moved by the stories like that that I hear; but I also, when I go home, 
tell folks that the fact that we have not been attacked again is not a 
mistake. It is not a mistake. We have thousands, millions of men and 
women who are just working night and day to make certain that we are 
safe as a Nation, and I am proud of that fact. I am proud of that fact.
  Joining us now is Congressman Ted Poe. Congressman Poe is a judge 
from Texas, a leader in his area, his community and his State and 
certainly in our Nation, and an individual who has such an incredible 
fund of knowledge as it relates to national security and specifically 
border security. I know that in Georgia we have got major challenges. I 
know that in Texas there are major challenges.
  So I yield to Congressman Poe to discuss some things about national 
security and border security.
  Mr. POE. Thank you, Dr. Price. I appreciate this opportunity to share 
this time with you and discuss the things that are important to our 
country.
  As you know, my background has always been one that enforced the law, 
law enforcement, down in Texas. I prosecuted, and then I tried cases as 
a judge for 22 years, and now I am here. So I probably see things from 
maybe a different background and perspective than many other people. 
And I always like to relate what is going on today to history. As our 
good friend, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Schmidt), just said about 
September 11, we are working on 3\1/2\ years since that event occurred, 
and it is still fresh in the minds of many Americans.
  On that day I was driving my Jeep to the courthouse, and I am 
listening to the country western station here on the radio that a plane 
had hit the World Trade Center. And then a few minutes later, a second 
plane hits the World Trade Center. People on the highway that morning, 
some of them were pulling over to listen to the national broadcasting 
of what was occurring, that attack on America. Then the third plane 
crashes in Pennsylvania because some good people on that plane, some 
real American heroes, took control of that situation and saved some 
building, either this building or the White House, from being hit that 
morning. And then that fourth plane that hit the Pentagon.
  And later that day, I, like many other people, was watching 
television, and I noticed that when those planes hit the World Trade 
Center that there were thousands of Americans, thousands of people from 
all over the world, when those planes hit the World Trade Center, they 
were running as hard as they could to get away from that terror, that 
terror in the skies. I am not faulting them for that, but that is what 
took place.
  But there was another group of people, not very many, but a group of 
individuals who, when those planes hit the World Trade Center, they 
were running as hard as they could to get to that terror. They were 
volunteers; emergency medical technicians; firefighters; and cops, 
police officers. And while it is very important that we continue to 
remember the people who died that day, we also need to remember the 
people that lived because those first responders did the first duty of 
government, which is to protect the public; and we will never know how 
many lives they saved. Many of them gave their own lives that day, 
because it is the duty of our country to protect America, to protect us 
against criminals that live among us and to protect us against those 
criminals that live in other lands that want to do us harm. And we 
cannot say enough about those first responders that are still working 
throughout our country protecting us at home.
  Because of those events, one thing led to another and we took the war 
on terror to the enemy. And now we have the greatest military ever 
assembled on Earth in Iraq and Afghanistan and other parts of the world 
fighting and winning the war on terror.
  I was privileged, as many Members, to go to Iraq. I got to go there a 
year ago on election day, one of two Members that were there on 
election day, January 30, when Iraq had their first free elections in 
the history of their country. But I was also there to see our military, 
and I think it is very important that if Members of Congress are going 
to send our young men and women into combat, we ought to be there on 
the ground to see firsthand what the situation is like. That is why I 
went. That is why I am going back. And it is interesting to me, Dr. 
Price, how there are some who criticize what is taking place in Iraq 
and Afghanistan but yet refuse to go there to see what it is like. I 
have invited those people to go with me. Some of them are down the 
hallway. We call that the U.S. Senate. To go with me, I will plan the 
trip and all they have got to do is show up. But if we are going to 
send people into combat, we need to see what it is like so we can make 
better judgment calls on this end. But our troops, the morale is 
tremendous.
  It is interesting how we see a lot in the media about the war on 
terror, but very seldom do we ever see an interview of some soldier, 
sailor, marine, somebody in the Air Force, a personal story about their 
reflections on what they are doing in the war on terror.
  Some people ask, why are we fighting the war on terror over there? 
Well, there is more to it than that. We are also fighting the war by 
establishing a democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan because democracies 
are the enemy of terrorists. They do not want democracies. They want 
chaos. They want dictatorships. They want a safe haven where they can 
strike throughout the world. So that is why the war is there in Iraq 
and Afghanistan. It is because those two countries are going to be 
democracies, just like Japan and Germany were democracies at the end of 
World War II. And the cynics and the skeptics, oh, they lived back then 
too, said it is not going to happen, that the Japanese cannot have a 
democracy and certainly not the Germans. Now look at them. Democracies, 
world powers today.
  So democracy, of course, takes time. It took us 7 years to free 
ourselves from the British. The British did not get the point. They 
came back in 1812, burned this building down, and we had

[[Page H367]]

to fight them again. And the Iraqi people are doing a tremendous job of 
securing their own nation.
  I had a general tell me when I was in Iraq, and he said this in a 
kind way but he was serious, about the Americans being there and the 
Iraqi security forces. He said, If the Americans stay much longer, we 
are going to start charging them rent for being here. And what he was 
saying was another version of what the plan is. The plan is relatively 
simple: secure the stability of the country, train the Iraqi security 
forces, and let them take care of their own country. And that is what 
is going on. And we see now on a daily basis the casualties of the 
Iraqi security forces. Those people are giving up their own lives for 
their own democracy, fighting the war on terror.
  So we are winning that war. The national security, public safety, is 
an obligation of this country, at home, overseas, and to fight that war 
wherever it occurs.
  Just one other thing I would like to mention. I do not want to take 
up too much of your time, Doc, but there is a third area where we have 
to have national security. It is not just locally with our first 
responders, our police officers, and our small towns and big cities. It 
is not just overseas where we have the war on terror going and our 
military doing a good job working with the CIA and the FBI. But then we 
have the national security issue of the dignity and sovereignty of this 
country, and I am talking about border security.
  I live down in southeast Texas. The southern Texas border, some have 
said, is a war zone because it is an area of national concern for three 
reasons: we have the narcoterrorists coming across the border. Those 
are drug dealers that are armed better than our own sheriffs, bringing 
in that cancer to sell throughout the United States. That is a national 
concern. It is also a national security problem.
  The second thing is we have those next terrorists that come into the 
United States. They are probably not going to fly over to Reagan 
National Airport, get off the airplane, look around and see what damage 
they can do. They are probably not going to do that. But they are 
probably going to come across our Texas border, our southern border, 
and do some harm to us. We know that that is the plan of many of those 
terrorists because our borders are open.
  And, of course, we have the third problem of just purely folks coming 
here illegally. It is not that people are coming here that is the 
problem. It is the way they are coming here. If we are going to have 
the rule of law, the government has the responsibility to support and 
make sure the rule of law is enforced.
  One example of how our national security maybe needs to be revved up 
a little more on our southern border, let me speak specifically about 
our narcoterrorists. I have been down to the southern Texas border with 
our sheriffs, and we had 16 of the Texas border sheriffs up here last 
week. I do not know if you saw them or not. It would be hard to miss 16 
Texas sheriffs walking down Pennsylvania Avenue.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. They are big.
  Mr. POE. They were impressive fellows. And let me tell you something, 
Doc. They look like Texas sheriffs. You have that image. They all look 
like that. But they are concerned about border security as well, and it 
is more than just the terrorists that are coming over. It is the 
narcoterrorists that are coming in. But one of them not too long ago 
took this photograph.

                              {time}  1415

  His deputies took this photograph. This is a photograph in the Rio 
Grande River taken from the Texas side looking over to the Mexican 
side. In this, you have a raft. You see there are six or seven 
individuals who are all dressed in black camo outfits, armed with AK-
47s. You will see one of them right here, an AK-47. On their backs they 
have backpacks which were later determined to be cocaine, bringing it 
to the United States.
  And who are these people? It turns out that probably these 
individuals are Guatemalan mercenaries hired by the drug cartels to 
bring drugs into the United States. It is an epidemic, it is a border 
war, and it is a violent war.
  So I would just hope that we in Congress can make sure that we 
enforce the rule of law, enforce the first obligation of government, 
which is to protect the public. Public safety is our number one 
concern.
  Let me just conclude by saying that we should make sure that people 
throughout the world know that this country believes in freedom and 
liberty because of all of the benefits of it, whether you are here in 
the United States or some other country, like Iraq or Afghanistan.
  President Kennedy said it probably better than anybody when he made 
the comment that let every nation know that, whether it wishes us well 
or ill, that we will pay any price, we will bear any burden, we will 
meet any hardship, we will support any friend, and we will oppose any 
foe to assure the survival and success of liberty. He couldn't have 
said it better.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Congressman Poe, I thank you ever so much for 
your leadership in this area. Your knowledge is just so very, very 
helpful to all of us, not just in Congress but literally across the 
Nation. As you were relating your story about where you were on 9/11, 
we all have those stories, and I get chills listening to you and what 
you were describing. I remember that day just as clearly as everybody 
else.
  It is just phenomenal when you think about again the fact that we 
have so many wonderful men and women working right now to make certain 
that that doesn't happen again and for bringing clarity to what is 
happening in Iraq, the positive news that is coming from Iraq.
  As the Official Truth Squad, we have got some truths I would like to 
just share with the American people and with our colleagues, because 
you oftentimes don't hear of all of the good things that are happening 
over there. We are making incredible, incredible progress, regardless 
of what you think about how we got there or the like of it, incredible 
progress. I know this is tough to read, but I will go through a few 
points.
  In August of 2004, about a year-and-a-half ago, there were only a 
handful of Iraqi army battalions in the battle, in the fight. Today, 
there are 100 Iraqi Ministry of Defense combat battalions in the fight, 
in the battle.
  In July, 2004, there were no operational army division or brigade 
headquarters. Today, there are eight brigade headquarters and 37 
battalions that have assumed battle space.
  In July, 2004, again about a year and a half ago, there were no 
operational special police commandos, public order, mechanized police 
or emergency response units under the Ministry of the Interior in Iraq. 
Today, there are 28 such battalions in the fight.
  November, 2004, just a little over a year ago, there were there 
115,000 trained and equipped Iraqi security forces. How many today? 
227,000 trained and equipped security forces. There are more if you 
count all of the local police officers.
  The experience and ability of the Iraqi forces has increased 
remarkably. This is General Peter Pace who said just a week ago in 
December the Iraqi armed forces had more independent operations than 
did the coalition forces. Did you hear that, Mr. Speaker? The Iraqi 
forces were providing more independent operations than the coalition 
forces. That didn't make any headline. You didn't hear that on the news 
or read that in your newspaper. That is progress for freedom, it is 
progress for liberty, and it is progress for, frankly, I believe the 
stability of that region certainly and ultimately the world.
  We are sharing some thoughts, Mr. Speaker, about national security, 
and the operation Official Truth Squad is pleased to have Congresswoman 
Marsha Blackburn join us again. Congresswoman Blackburn is just an 
incredible leader from Tennessee. She has I know a great interest in 
the area and great expertise in what it means to provide national 
security, homeland security and to fight for liberty and freedom.
  Congresswoman Blackburn, thank you so much for joining us today.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Thank you so much. I thank the gentleman from Georgia 
for his exceptional work on the Truth Squad and his commitment to this, 
to being certain that we get the message out.
  You know, I, like you, believe in the American dream and believe in 
the goodness of this great country and

[[Page H368]]

search each and every day for ways that we can all work together to be 
certain that we preserve freedom and hope and liberty for future 
generations. I think that is a worthy goal.
  We had talked about national security one night on this floor. 
Yesterday, we talked about economic security. Today, we are back on the 
national security focus. I like what you are saying, because you are 
addressing the military efforts that are taking place so that we are 
fighting terrorists over there and we are not having to fight them over 
here.
  As Judge Poe was saying, we have got different fronts in this war, 
with our first responders and the work they do on our home streets, 
with our border agents and the work they are doing along the border, 
and then also with our military operations. I think it is something 
that we want to keep our focus on as we address this situation in the 
Middle East and being certain we are addressing taking this fight to 
the heart of where terrorism has had its breeding ground and addressing 
it right there on their own soil.
  A couple of points, too, I think that we need address as we talk 
about homeland security and we talk about national security and the war 
on terror. Things that we want to remember is our President and the 
leadership, our military leadership, has told us from day one, this is 
going to be a very long war. It is not going to be easy. But this is 
going to be a long war, and we need to remember that and use that to 
keep it in perspective.
  We feel like we take two steps forward and one step back so very, 
very often, and it is going to be a long time. But preserving freedom 
and the fight for freedom, that is a worthy, worthy goal.
  I think another thing we need to keep in mind is that when all of 
this started in 2003, our President and our military leadership said, 
basically, it is a seven-step process and told us at that point we 
would go in, secure the country, they would appoint an interim 
government, they would appoint a constitution writing committee, they 
would go through the process of writing that constitution, ratifying 
that constitution, then they would hold their national elections and 
install their national government, and then the seventh and final point 
will be to dissolve the coalition.
  Right now, the Iraqi people are in the process of installing that 
government; and following that government standing up on its feet, then 
we will begin to dissolve the coalition.
  Another thing we have to keep in mind, I love your points, Mr. Price, 
about what is taking place there and the progress that is being made. 
One of the things that I have enjoyed talking with my constituents 
about is how dealing with Iraq has to be an orderly process, and a part 
of that orderly process is being certain that we do some things in 
conjunction with other things. We want to be certain we raise up the 
military at the same time we are raising up the government so that one 
can support the other.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to make certain that people 
are hearing what you are saying. Because so oftentimes we hear there is 
no plan, the President doesn't have a plan, we don't have a plan. But 
what you have said so clearly is that when the President talked about 
this in the spring of 2003, 3 years ago, that he outlined a seven-step 
process. As far as I can tell, we are on the sixth step of that. So the 
plan is there.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. That is correct, and I thank the gentleman for those 
comments. That is correct. Going through an orderly process. And now as 
that government is standing up, and that is the sixth step, and as we 
move forward, we look at being certain that the military operations and 
your government operations, and you need that infrastructure. We know 
in our own Nation it has worked well to have divisions in our 
government with your executive and legislative and judicial branches. 
So as we stand the military up and the government with those different 
branches standing up, we also have an eye on education and what is 
being done to help lift the people.
  We forget many times that many of these individuals did not have 
access to an education. When I first went into Iraq in October of 2003, 
one of the things that stunned me and one of the facts that I was 
really quite amazed to learn was that the country's population was 
about 65 percent female and, out of that, about 70 percent of that 
female population was considered to be illiterate. That is so 
troublesome to know, with the education process for women, the 
education process for children, the fact that young girls are able to 
go to school, and putting in place the schools, I think it is 2,800 
schools that our U.S. military has helped to rehabilitate and get the 
doors open. And, of course, USAID has supplied notebooks and backpacks 
and the things that are necessary to begin to put that quality of life 
in place.
  So it is the ability to go in and assist with those processes and the 
functions of the military, the government and the community, the 
quality of life that will enable Iraq to stand up and to stand on their 
own two feet and to enjoy, enjoy successes, and that is what General 
Pace was speaking of, with their forces actually conducting more 
operations than the coalition forces. I think that is really quite 
remarkable.
  You think of how far they have come in 3\1/2\ years. To us, many 
times, yes, we live in a world where we expect instant everything. We 
watch a 30-minute TV show or a one-hour TV show, and we want the 
problem solved within that period of time.
  Freedom is a little bit harder. It doesn't move quite that quickly. 
Three-and-a-half years, look how far they have come in their steps to 
freedom and their steps to readiness.
  I will close with saying my last trip into Iraq over New Year's this 
year and spending time with some of our troops and then spending time 
with three women who are each one running a different woman's 
organization in Iraq was a very touching time. One of the things they 
repeatedly do is to express thanks to our coalition forces and then to 
place a reminder with us, don't leave us now. Do not leave us now. Be 
certain that we are standing on our own two feet before you leave us.
  I thank the gentleman again. The freshman class is doing a wonderful 
job with the Truth Squad. It is always a pleasure to come and stand 
here in this wonderful hall before this great body and join you in 
talking about the good work that is being done and the focus of this 
Republican Conference to address the security of this great Nation.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank the gentlelady for coming and being 
such an integral part of the discussion and the leadership in this 
House of Representatives. Again, I think it is incredibly important 
that we appreciate that those that say that there is no plan, hasn't 
ever been a plan, that that is just not truthful.
  Again, we are the Official Truth Squad, and the truth of the matter 
is that there has been a plan, and that plan was outlined very 
eloquently by the gentlelady from Tennessee, a seven-step process. The 
final step is to have coalition forces leave, and we are on the sixth 
of seven steps. So we are moving incredibly well and orderly, moving 
through a process that is bringing about freedom and liberty to people 
who, frankly, may never have even hoped that it could occur.
  The gentlelady was so appropriate in defining those different areas 
of the Nation that we are addressing, not just the military but 
standing up the government, education, educating individuals who in 
their wildest dreams could never have dreamed of the opportunity to 
have the kind of education that they are able to receive now because of 
their freedom.
  As a physician, I know that the health care services that are being 
provided there in Iraq now are of a higher quality than before and 
accessible to all, which certainly was not the case before.
  So truth, truth is so incredibly important when you talk about public 
policy. If we don't deal in truth when we talk about these issues that 
come before our Nation, then it is difficult to reach the right 
conclusion. It is difficult to reach the right solution. So that is why 
we are so enthusiastic about the need and the importance of truth.

                              {time}  1430

  I have been searching for a number of quotes on truth. This is one 
that I am very fond of. George Washington, in a letter to Edmund 
Randolph in 1795 said

[[Page H369]]

that there is but one straight course, one appropriate course, one 
straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily.
  Seeking truth and pursuing it steadily. And I think that is what is 
so imperative, because so often you hear from the folks who want to 
blame America first, all of the things where they have stretched, 
stretched is being generous, the truth; and so it is appropriate that 
we come here day after day, literally, and put forward to the American 
people the appropriate information that is necessary for individuals to 
have the truth.
  And the other quote that I have shared with folks before is the one 
from Senator Moynihan, that is, that everyone is entitled to their own 
opinion, but not their own facts. And so with that, I would like to 
talk about another aspect of truth. And one of the things, as I 
mentioned before, we have some great latitude in this Chamber to talk 
about things and to say things that may not necessarily be so.
  Just yesterday, as a matter of fact, in one of the speeches that was 
given from the well on the other side, a Member of the other side said, 
we are talking on this side of the aisle, that is, the Democratic, the 
minority side, Mr. Speaker, that we embrace and we appreciate our 
troops and veterans. That is a wonderful thing.
  But meanwhile, this is the statement on the floor, meanwhile in the 
President's budget it talks about cuts in veterans affairs, cuts in 
veterans affairs. I know this is a little hard to read over here, but, 
in fact, the truth of the matter, in particular $34.3 billion for 
medical care a $3.5 billion, 11.3 percent increase over the 2006 
enacted level, and an increase of 69 percent since President Bush took 
office.
  So what you see here is the allegation, and here is the truth. There 
are a couple of other ways to show that, to demonstrate that with 
certainty, and it is even more vivid. This chart, this graph, shows the 
Department of Defense military discretionary budget in billions of 
dollars from 2000 to projected 2007. That asterisk there is because we 
have not adopted the 2007 budget yet, will not do so until later this 
year.
  But the President's proposal is listed. What you see here are the 
levels of expenditures, Federal expenditures for the Department of 
Defense. Now remember the allegation is that there are cuts in the 
military: 2000, $287 billion; 2001, $303 billion; 2002, $328 billion.
  You notice that we are going in a direction that looks like it is 
increasing. Only in Washington can a cut be an increase. Only in 
Washington can a cut be an increase: 2003, $365; 2004, $376; 2005, $400 
billion; and last year, $411 billion.
  Now I do not know about you, Mr. Speaker, but where I come from those 
are not cuts, those are increases, and appropriate increases, 
appropriate increases to our defense establishment and to the veterans 
who are serving so well.
  What about medical care? You hear about veterans medical care. All 
the time the allegation was, as was in that quote just yesterday, that 
veterans medical care is being cut. Well, here is the before and after. 
1995: what happened in 1995 was that the Republicans took control of 
the House of Representatives, and you see before then the gradual 
increases, mostly fixed to inflation, sometimes not even at inflation.
  And then the entire budgetary allotment for medical care, veterans 
medical care, is in the yellow bars there from 1995 to 2005. And what 
you see is an increase from $16.2 billion to $29.9 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, that does not look like a cut to me. That does not look 
like a cut to America. That does not look like a cut to veterans. They 
know the truth. And it is so important. You cannot reach the right 
conclusions, you cannot reach the right solutions if you are not 
talking truthfully. So we are pleased to come to the floor and talk 
about what is true.
  What about discretionary spending on veterans, not just medical care, 
but discretionary spending on veterans? This is the same kind of graph: 
before 1995 and since 1995. Again, remember the allegation is that this 
money, discretionary spending for veterans, is being cut.
  Well, Mr. Speaker, again, I mean, my eyes may deceive me sometimes, 
but I cannot for the life of me figure out how moving from $17.6 
billion in 1995 to $30.7 billion in 2005 could ever be described as a 
decrease or a cut.
  This is a commitment by the Republican leadership and the Republican 
House to make certain that we appropriately, appropriately, provide 
resources for veterans, our military individuals who serve us so 
incredibly well.
  But, again, truth. The truth is that the resources have been 
increased every single year, that there has been no cut. And so I am 
pleased to have the opportunity to be able to come and share that kind 
of truthful information with the American people.
  I am honored to be joined right now by another colleague, another 
gentleman from Texas, another judge from Texas, Congressman Gohmert, 
who has a wealth of experience in his State and is a true leader in the 
area of national security knowledge and intelligence.
  So we appreciate Congressman Gohmert you coming and joining us today. 
Please, I look forward to your remarks.
  Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that from my good friend from 
Georgia. And it is an honor to not only be on the floor here, but to 
serve with the kind right honorable gentleman from Georgia, a physician 
to the body before he got here and now a physician to the heart of 
America since he is here. So that is an honor.
  But, you know, you were talking about, and to observe the House rules 
we do not call people by their first names here, so, Dr. Price, you 
were talking about truth. And one of the great disappointments over the 
last few decades has been the United Nations. It should be an integral 
part of our national security.
  Yet it has failed miserably. It has taken the wrong side so often, 
and yet we had an administration and a President who wanted someone as 
an ambassador to the U.N. who would be truthful, call things like they 
were.
  And as we saw in the Senate, when it came time to confirm Mr. Bolton, 
they threw on the brakes. Oh, my gosh, this guy can be rude. He will 
actually tell people what he thinks. We do not want someone going to 
the U.N. representing the United States that tells them what he thinks. 
Goodness, that might offend them. They need some offending.
  We needed Mr. Bolton in there. Son of a gun, that is his history. He 
tells people what he thinks. He got to the U.N. and he has been doing 
that, but without any thanks to the Democrats in the Senate that 
blocked it at every turn.
  But as we look today, a matter of national security is what is 
happening with Iran. Iran wants to have nuclear weapons. They have said 
that Israel has no right to exist. They want to nuke it out of 
existence. This is a dangerous country. And so what have we done? Well, 
we are sending that to the U.N. to let them see what they can do.
  Well, we are better off with Mr. Bolton there helping us and 
representing our interests. But the trouble is, that is one person in a 
myriad of people who are just overwhelmed with self-interest. And I 
really rise in frustration to the toothless tiger that we call the 
United Nations. You know, it was born out of the best of intentions. It 
was born out of the greatest and noblest aspirations, that we would 
bring peace to a war-torn world and justice to the oppressed.
  Yet what has happened is living proof that there is no such thing as 
institutional evolution. What has evolved has not been a higher, better 
entity in the United Nations. The U.N. has devolved into a mire of 
self-aggrandizement and self-absorption. They provided wealth to family 
members in the U.N., wealth to their own cronies, along with some of 
the most evil oppression in history.
  The U.N. sometimes barks, but never has any bite. It reminds me of a 
school teacher I had once years ago who often defended the bullies in 
our class and would lash out at anybody that tried to defend themselves 
against the bully. She would not help the oppressed; she took up for 
the bullies. That is what has started happening with the U.N.
  They do not want to help address the issue of bullies; they want to 
turn their heads, continue to help family members and cronies. But 
anyway, the U.N. has been a willing accomplice to some of the world's 
worst, most oppressive people; and sometimes it has been one of the 
biggest obstacles to people's liberty, freedom, and self-respect.

[[Page H370]]

  We all know, or we should know, that referring Iran to the U.N. is 
problematic because of the lies and the intentional distortions. Iran 
has said that they want to destroy another nation, and yet the U.N. has 
shown they have no stomach for doing what is required. They pass 
resolution after resolution. But when it comes to putting teeth in 
anything, they just do not do it. They will try to justify what they 
are doing.
  I mean, I guess asking the U.N. to protect us would be tantamount to 
saying let us send in Scott Ritter to protect us from an oncoming 
train. I mean, he will notice the train's existence, try to justify why 
it is about to run over him and everybody on the track, but he will do 
no good. The U.N., that is the kind of actions they take. They try to 
justify things' existence, lash out at those being bullied, but not do 
what needs to be done.
  The U.N.'s word means nothing, and its corruption and deceit are an 
embarrassment, and it is no longer an advocate or a defender of truth 
and justice. In fact, they are often the impediment to those very 
things. It is high time we confronted them with that.
  And I would submit, Dr. Price, that sending an item to the U.N. for 
action is a bit like sending raw food to a kitchen that is filled with 
corruption, confusion, and selfishness. You are lucky if they act in 
that kitchen before the food spoils. And even if they do act before the 
food spoils, odds are they are going to consume it, and you will never 
seen it again.
  That is kind of what it is like when you send something to the U.N. 
They are either going to let it spoil, let it go rotten, or they are 
going to use it to their own self-fulfillment. What a sad nightmare 
this once great dream has become in the United Nations. I hope and pray 
that they will assist us with this international problem in Iran, 
because it involves our own national security. Some want to turn their 
heads and say, just like they did with Hitler, well, if we just let him 
have a little bit of what he wants, then he will leave us alone.
  But that kind of ambition and that kind of desire for world conquest 
does not ever go away. It continues to proceed on, and in some cases 
unimpeded where you meet pacifists, Dr. Price, I saw back a couple of 
years ago a bunch of signs being held by protesters about the war in 
Iraq. And they actually said this: war never brought about peace. That 
is it. War never brought about peace.
  I thought, my goodness, these people never studied history. War never 
brought peace? That is the only time there has been any kind of 
sustained peace where people had liberty during that peace is when 
there has been a war and the good guys won.
  So it is unfortunate that we have uneducated people who do not know 
history, refuse to learn from history. But I appreciate so much your 
efforts at bringing truth. And as you and I have talked about, and you 
have said, sunlight is one of the best disinfectants there is.
  So bringing truth out, I know at times we struggle as we listen to 
things that were not true. It is like there is a culture of deceit in 
this body, and the people need to know the truth.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman 
Gohmert for his kind words and for his truth. Sometimes truth is a 
bitter pill to swallow.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. GOHMERT. But you prescribe that, do you not?
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. But the area of support that the United States 
has received for freedom and for liberty around the world from the 
United Nations is often time lacking. And that is a bitter pill to 
swallow, but it does not mean that you do not keep working. It does not 
mean that you do not keep trying. But I think it is important, the 
perspective you bring, to maybe hopefully wake up some Americans who 
need to hear the information and appreciate that the U.N. needs to be 
moving in a bit of a different direction.
  I thank you so much for your participation.
  Mr. GOHMERT. If the gentleman would yield for one more moment, you 
come from a background as a physician of healing people. I come from a 
background of being a judge and chief justice and wanting to see 
justice. And it is amazing how we can work together and America allows 
that kind of freedom. So thank you for your efforts at bringing about 
what they used to say, as Superman started, truth, justice and the 
American way.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank Congressman Gohmert so much for your 
comments and for your participation.
  What we are doing is the Official Truth Squad. The Official Truth 
Squad is primarily a group of freshmen Congressmen and women frustrated 
by the tone in Washington, frustrated by the animosity and doing our 
doggonedest to raise the level of discussion, raise the level of the 
rhetoric, be a little more positive, and put out the word that, yes, 
there are individuals in Congress who love this Nation, who believe 
that it is the finest Nation on the face of the Earth and are proud of 
the work that we are doing and trying to correct the record sometimes, 
bringing truth to light.
  To that end, I think it is important that we sometimes highlight 
statements by people who may have a certain forum or a certain podium 
that simply is untrue, because it is important that somebody stand up 
and say, no, that is not the case; and I refer now to comments that 
were made just this past Sunday by former Vice President Al Gore.
  He was visiting Saudi Arabia and he was talking to an audience there, 
and oftentimes when he talks sometimes there is a bit of hyperbole, but 
this is not hyperbole. These are flat-out lies. This is just not the 
truth. What he said was that the U.S. government has committed 
``terrible abuses'' against Arabs after the September 11, 2001, 
attacks. He went on to say that the United States ``indiscriminately 
rounded up'' and held in ``unforgivable conditions.''
  Now, I ask you, Mr. Speaker, where is the evidence for that? I ask 
you, where is the evidence for that? That is as unconscionable and 
irresponsible a comment as I have ever heard uttered.
  I ask the Democratic leadership, are you supportive of these 
comments? Is that what you believe? The silence from the other side 
really is, again, a disservice to the debate. It does a disservice to 
the Nation, frankly.
  So I call on my colleagues to stand up and be counted on this. If you 
got the evidence, then let us show it. But to make those kind of 
comments, especially overseas, there used to be some protocol or some 
common courtesy that former members of the executive branch, especially 
when traveling overseas, would not criticize a sitting President or the 
United States. Well, those common courtesies are long since gone.
  Again, that is kind of what the Official Truth Squad is all about, 
raise the level of the rhetoric and hopefully be able to bring some 
truth to light.
  I have a few minutes left, and I wanted to talk about the National 
Security Agency and the domestic terrorism surveillance. When I talk 
with constituents back home in Georgia and I ask them and I ask big 
groups, tell me if you were running the country and you knew that there 
were certain cell phones or certain telephones of communication devices 
that were owned or utilized by terrorists, international terrorists, 
and you knew that, and you knew when one of those individuals was going 
to make a call into the United States, would you want to know who they 
were talking to? Would you want to know what number they were calling?
  I have not gotten a single person yet to tell me that they would not 
want to know that. Not one.
  The American people know the truth about this program, this domestic 
terrorist surveillance program. They know that what this government is 
doing is protecting them. It is protecting them. So much so that when 
the discussion initially occurred about this program, the Members on 
the other side, many Members of the other side stood up and just 
shouted it down, just said awful things about the individuals 
performing it, awful things about its being in place.
  Then they heard from their constituents. Most districts, it is 65, 
75, 80 percent of folks at home who believe this type of program is 
appropriate. We are not talking about listening to American calls. We 
are talking about, appropriately so, to calls from known terrorists, 
outside the United States into the United States. I would suggest to 
the

[[Page H371]]

House, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to the American people that if we 
were not doing that, if we were not doing that, we would be 
irresponsible.
  Well, the Members on the other side of the aisle certainly got that 
information at home. Because this past Sunday on Meet the Press Mr. 
Russert had the sitting ranking member of the House of Representatives 
on the Intelligence Committee, Representative Harman, and former 
Senator Daschle, who was the minority leader in the Senate when this 
program began, and asked them some very specific questions.
  One of the questions he asked was, Senator Daschle, were you briefed? 
He was talking about this program. Senator Daschle's response, it goes 
into long details, but, yes, we were briefed. We were briefed.
  As the President said, if he wanted to break the law, why did he come 
to Congress and tell him what he was doing? So the truth is that this 
is an appropriate program. The truth is Congress knew about it in the 
appropriate ways.
  Representative Harman was asked, do you support the program? And she 
says, I still support the program. This is the thing they are arguing 
so much about and complaining so much about.
  Senator Daschle, should the President stop this program? Senator 
Daschle replies, no, absolutely not.
  Mr. Russert asked Representative Harman, do you think the program 
should be stopped? Representative Harman, no, I think the program 
should go on.
  So, Mr. Speaker, truth is an important thing to talk about when we 
are discussing about matters of public policy.
  As Congressman Gohmert and others have mentioned, I am a physician. I 
am an orthopedic surgeon. I practiced for nearly 20 years in the 
Atlanta area, and I know if you do not listen to the right results of 
tests, if you do not investigate, if you do not get the right 
information, if you do not get the truth, you cannot make the right 
diagnosis. And the same is true in public policy. If you are not 
talking about things in a truthful manner, if you are not putting out 
information that is accurate, then there is no way that you can reach 
the right solution.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the leadership that the Speaker is 
providing. I am proud of the leadership the Republican leadership is 
providing about the area and the issue of national security. Because 
this is not a Republican issue, it is not a Democrat issue, it is an 
American issue, and it may be the most important thing that we have to 
do as Members of the House of Representatives.
  So my hope and prayer truly is that all Members of the House and the 
Senate will work together in this most solemn, solemn of challenges and 
tasks that we have and ensure the protection of our Nation.

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