[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20646-20647]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            CONGRESS NEEDS TO REFOCUS ON SECURITY OF NATION

  (Mr. RODRIGUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, Americans want Congress to strengthen 
homeland security and help workers after the terrorist attacks. They 
want us to look at our borders and make sure that they are secure and 
make sure we have sufficient vaccine and make sure that we are sure 
that we have the security that is needed.
  But at the same time, Christmas came early yesterday. The leadership 
of the House decided to give a tax break to the corporations and the 
special interests of this country. At a time when we should be looking 
at what is occurring as far as the security of this country, they chose 
to send checks out.
  Mr. Speaker, Ford Motors will receive a $2.3 billion check. Chevron 
will get $314 million. Exxon will get $254

[[Page 20647]]

million. IBM will get $1.4 billion. General Motors, they are going to 
get a check for $832 million. Christmas came early.
  The only ones that are benefiting from the atrocity of September 11 
are the corporations. We need to refocus and concentrate on the 
security of this Nation. I ask the leadership of the House to 
reconsider their position.

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