[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21605-21611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       30 SOMETHING WORKING GROUP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Reichert). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) is 
recognized for 60 minutes.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, once again, it is an honor to come 
before the House, and we would like to thank the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic leader, for allowing us to have 
an hour here on the floor on the Democratic side.
  Our 30 Something Working Group has been coming to the floor now for 
the second Congress, talking about issues that are facing Americans, 
issues that we are working on here in the Congress, issues that are 
facing the Congress and things that we feel very strongly about. Every 
week, we come together to talk about these issues and then we come to 
the floor.
  As of recent, we have been coming to the floor if not every other 
day, every day, because there are so many issues that are facing the 
country and this Congress. I think it is important that we continue to 
not only speak to the Members of this House of Representatives and this 
Congress, but this administration and the American people.
  We have been talking for quite a few weeks now on the action or lack 
of action as it relates to Hurricane Katrina. We have had a couple of 
events today that I think is worthy of merit of discussing, and also, 
as it relates to still, Mr. Speaker, pointing out the fact that we have 
over 100,000 Americans still in shelters, some based on the fact that 
we have had a natural disaster, two natural disasters, but some based 
on the fact of we have not governed in the way that we should have 
governed to protect those Americans.
  Many of the experiences that these Americans have gone through and 
loss of life has been a breakdown in government operation. Either it be 
local or State or Federal, it is important that we address these 
issues.
  Before we really get into what we are here to talk about tonight, the 
last time we left this floor, we talked about an independent panel, a 
bipartisan independent panel outside of this Congress, to deal with the 
issues that are facing some may say, well, it is just dealing with the 
gulf States, but I think that is an understatement. I think we are 
dealing with all Americans when we are talking about $200 billion-plus 
of the Federal tax dollars.
  I can also share with my colleagues and Members, Mr. Speaker, the 
fact that it is disturbing to see some of the proposals that are coming 
out from the majority side that are saying that we should sell 13 
national parks to pay for the natural disaster or we should look at 
wasteful spending. Of course, we have been talking about looking at 
wasteful spending for a very long time. Of course, the majority side 
has taken us into a deficit as far as the eye can see, but I think it 
is important for us to look at Americans that understand that we have 
to respond to Americans when they are in their time of need, not take 
away from.
  We need to address issues like oil companies making more money than 
they have ever made before, record profits. Meanwhile, Americans cannot 
even fill their tank. Folks in my neighborhood, where I come from, they 
are having to park their cars. The President is saying conserve; if you 
do not need gas, do not get it. I do not quite get that, but Americans 
need gas to be able to take their families to work and their children 
to school.
  There are some very interesting statements, some very interesting 
actions, here in Washington, DC. I think it is important that we not 
only point out to the Members what the American people, in this time 
that we live in now here in this country, with all eyes on this Federal 
Government, that we act responsibly.
  I think it is also important that we address the issue of protecting 
the institution. This institution, which is the U.S. Congress, wherein 
the Members of the 109th Congress, regardless of whether we are on the 
majority side or the minority side, it is our responsibility to keep 
this argument above the belt, and I am very disturbed, at a time of 
national disaster, in a time of need, that Americans need this 
Congress, that we are still moving as business as usual.
  I am talking about the partisan panel that has been passed by this 
House to look into what happened in Hurricane Katrina. I know that a 
couple of hearings have taken place, but it is very disturbing that 
Americans have to see that we are working against what they have asked 
for.
  Here in my hand I hold a CNN-USA Today poll that was taken the 16th 
through 18th. Anyone, I am pretty sure, can go on the Web site. I just 
want to make sure no one sees this as the Kendrick Meek Report or the 
Tim Ryan Report or the Ms. Wasserman Schultz Report.
  The question goes as follows: As you know, some people have called 
for an investigation into the problems the government had in responding 
to Hurricane Katrina. Who would rather see conduct this investigation, 
independent panel or Congress?
  Now, it does say problems the government had in responding to 
Hurricane Katrina. It did not say the Federal Government. It did not 
say the State government. It did not say the local government. So I 
want to put that aside because some folks are playing this game as 
though it is some conspiracy theory to go after the Federal Government 
because they did not do what they were supposed to do and the local 
government did what they did right; they had no wrong.
  Eighty-one percent, independent panel, 81 percent; 18, Congress. One 
percent was unsure. I am pretty sure if the question was put out on the 
issue of do you want a partisan panel to look at the response to the 
natural disasters, I am pretty sure they would have been a lot lower to 
Congress, and that is what is happening right now.
  I, once again, say that it is important that we have an independent 
panel. What we mean by independent panel, just like the 9/11 
Commission, that brought about the kind of accountability that we are 
having now. All has not been implemented that the 9/11 Commission 
called for, but a lot has improved as it relates to communications, the 
State, Federal and local governments, and I think it is important that 
we follow that.
  Also, I know that we are going to talk about some of the cronyisms, 
some of the corruption that is going on around, not only this body, but 
throughout the government structure, and it is important, and I think a 
lot of this has brought about a lack of oversight, even when it comes 
down for some of the candidates for some of these appointments as it 
relates to the plum list, that have been well-documented, these are not 
my words, well-documented throughout the media and

[[Page 21606]]

also as it relates to watchdog groups that are watching the Congress 
for what we do, and the President for what he does.

                              {time}  2100

  And I think we have to be responsible to the American people, 
Democrat, Republican, Independent alike. We have to make sure 
individuals that are being placed in these positions have some level of 
qualifications to be able to fill the position so that American people 
are not left vulnerable.
  And with that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to either of my 
colleagues, whichever wants to start this discussion.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to join in, and I 
thank the gentleman again for having me here. There is a lot going on 
here in Washington. And just to kind of follow up where the gentleman 
was going, we had about 70- or 80-some e-mails just last week talking 
about we want to have an independent commission and it should be 
removed from the traditional partisan bickering that goes on in this 
Chamber; there should be an independent counsel and independent 
commission that oversees what is going on with Katrina.
  We know about the appointments, and we know that we had a gentleman 
who was a lawyer for equestrian horse shows that was not qualified, and 
seven or eight of the top brass in FEMA were political appointees. We 
know all this stuff, but we need to figure out how to get to the end 
and how to respond next time. Because next time it may not be a 
hurricane. Next time it may be a biological attack. The next time it 
may be a 9/11-type of attack. And though we do not like to talk about 
these things, our constitutional obligation here is to talk about 
worst-case scenarios and prepare for them.
  If the President and this administration is not going to appoint the 
proper people, and I saw today or yesterday that Michael Brown, 
Brownie, is now being hired as a consultant for FEMA. So he is still in 
the mix.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. If the gentleman will yield for just a second on 
that point, he is not only hired as a consultant but he has been hired 
as a consultant to find out what went wrong.
  This takes me back to last week. Same thing happening in the White 
House right now. The adviser, the young lady who is the Presidential 
adviser on homeland security now, has the task as it relates to the 
White House to find out what went wrong. These are the people that are 
making the decisions. That is the reason why we need an independent 
panel.
  Last week we talked about this, and it was a little facetious to say 
it, but I said, My name is Kendrick Meek, and I am going to investigate 
myself and I will give you the findings in another 6 weeks. I said that 
to drive a point about the issue as it relates to the response to these 
natural disasters. And let us not leave Rita out, Hurricane Rita.
  The fact is that people lost their lives, and not lost their lives in 
the storm, but lost their lives in the aftermath of the storm. Their 
lives could have been saved if we had had people in place that could 
make sound decisions.
  I was reading in one of our publications here that Mr. Brown gave an 
interview to a newspaper and said, I called the White House and told 
them we have a problem and we need some help. Well, that is not good 
enough. Because the whole thing about the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency is to, what? Be ready to respond to a natural disaster. Now, 
Michael Brown, he is just Exhibit A as far as I am concerned.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield. It 
gets worse. I was watching the hearings yesterday. FEMA's 
responsibility is to coordinate the response of the Federal Government 
in a natural disaster. They literally are the point agency, and all of 
the agencies in the Federal Government are basically brought under 
their direction. So what was Mr. Brown's response to, I think it was a 
question from the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), about what he 
did to coordinate the disaster response. His answer was that he told 
the mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana that they should 
issue a mandatory evacuation, and they did not listen, according to 
him.
  That was the sum total. That is what he kept repeating. That was the 
sum total of his response to the question of how did he coordinate the 
vast resources that FEMA has at their disposal and every agency in the 
Federal Government: that he picked up the phone and called two people 
and told them to evacuate New Orleans. Well, I do not know about you, 
but if I had at my disposal the Department of Homeland Security, the 
Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the list goes on, I 
think that I could probably think of a couple more things to do besides 
make two phone calls.
  This was the biggest natural disaster in American history and his 
response was to make two phone calls. Now, that may have something to 
do with the fact that his only previous experience was running the 
Arabian Horse Association, I do not know; but I would think even with a 
clean slate, and not knowing almost anything, not being an expert in 
disaster response at all, I would think I could do a little bit more 
than make two phone calls.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. No doubt about it. This goes right to the heart of 
every single thing that has happened here in the last 5 years. This 
outfit does not know how to govern. They do not know how, period, dot, 
end of story. They just do not know how to govern. They do not know how 
to control the government. They do not know how to utilize the 
government for good purposes. They cannot do it with FEMA. They screwed 
up Medicare. The tax cuts are not working. Their tax policy, it stinks. 
Our trade policy is no good. Our international relations are atrocious. 
There are very few countries in the world that even like us any more. 
We are having hearings on global threats. Who likes us? China is going 
in and scooping up all the people we have upset over the past few 
years. What are we doing right, I ask my good friends from the 30-
something Group?
  And since we are talking about homeland security and communicating 
with people, most people at home that are watching now understand what 
has happened here today. Unfortunately, it is a very, very sad day in 
the history of this institution where someone in leadership has been 
indicted on the Republican side. And as I am going through my notes 
here, I am realizing that the leadership over there can get hold of 
Homeland Security if we have an issue in Texas, a political issue. They 
can call the FAA and have them track down some information.
  There was no hesitation in the calling and using of a Federal 
Government agency to track down Texas legislators during the whole 
redistricting deal, so we know how to get hold of them if we need the 
Federal Government for political purposes. But if we need to rescue 
people or to cut through bureaucracy during a natural disaster, all of 
a sudden we do not know what we are doing.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this, Mr. Speaker. I think it is 
important, very important, and my colleagues heard me earlier mention 
the issue about protecting the institution and making sure that we 
carry ourselves in the way we are supposed to carry ourselves, but I am 
here to say, as someone that knows that this happens when you are in 
political life, you have some people that are investigated. You have 
some people that are indicted. It happens. When it does happen, I think 
it is important for those that are accused, or it is said that this is 
what you have done and here is my evidence, then it is appropriate for 
one to say, well, I believe that I am innocent. I believe this is not 
what you think it is; and in the coming weeks, days, months, or years 
the truth will come out.
  But it is another thing entirely when it comes down to intimidation, 
and that is what I would like to address, especially of my colleagues 
on the other side of the aisle. Some of the press reports that I have 
read that came out

[[Page 21607]]

just recently have me a little disturbed. I am a little disturbed that 
people in power are coming down on a locally elected prosecutor and 
saying this is politically motivated. They are not indicted. They have 
nothing to do with the case, but they are coming down on this 
individual. I think that is wrong.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Let us be sure how this works. This is a grand 
jury. This is not a prosecutor, this is a grand jury.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. A grand jury has brought this about. But once 
again I want to state for the record that no one is saying that the 
person in question is guilty as charged. We do have courts in this 
land.
  But we do know here in this political circle that some people would 
be lined up out at the door. We have seen it before in the last 
administration, or when the House was Democratic. Members lined up out 
of the door to convict on this floor Members that have been indicted or 
investigated in the past.
  Now, I can tell you that I know on this side of the aisle we are 
better than that. Now, some of my friends on the Republican side did 
not take part in that, but I am here to tell you that there have been 
Members that have blown things out of proportion, coming onto the floor 
with paper bags on their heads, and we have heard Members saying, I am 
ashamed to be a part of this institution, because someone was accused 
of not paying a parking ticket. So there are some who have been blowing 
this thing out of proportion.
  But I can tell you what is beyond a coincidence, and that is the 
number of inquiries that are being conducted on this Congress from 
outside officials. The number of inquiries that are taking place, and I 
am talking real inquiries. I am not talking about someone paid for a 
plane ticket for someone, or someone had a steak dinner somewhere and 
somebody is upset about it, or someone did not report something small. 
We are talking about serious charges. We are talking about charges of 
speaking to Federal officials and not telling the truth. We are talking 
about questionable financial transactions. We are talking about a 
number of things. But I will tell you this, it is beyond coincidence 
that all of this is happening now.
  My point is this, my colleagues. The majority side has not carried 
out its responsibilities. On the Committee on Armed Services, we have 
had 110 complaints about contractors overcharging the government, 
people that are being paid that are not even in Iraq, troops not having 
what they need when they need it at the height of the fighting; and 
worse yet, we sit on the committee that has oversight, yet not a 
mumbling word. Not a mumbling word. Not one real ``let us pull you in 
and talk about it.''
  Look at Abu Ghraib. It almost took an act of Congress, with Members 
kicking and screaming, to even get the Secretary there to talk about 
these issues. If we conducted the proper oversight, maybe, just maybe, 
FEMA would have been in the position to respond to those individuals 
that were in harm's way. Maybe, just maybe, we would not have these 
cost overruns as relates to some of these companies like Halliburton 
and other companies that are out there that are charging our Federal 
taxpayers' dollars that are undocumented. Maybe, just maybe, officials 
in the White House that are running around without any oversight, 
without anyone saying, excuse me, can you answer this question for me; 
without anyone questioning them, things would be different.
  I will tell you this, and then I will come in for a landing because I 
know you all want to talk about this subject.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Just get around the airport.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. We have been talking about this for a very long 
time, and I hate to say it, but in this Congress everybody wants to 
saying something out in the media. No one wants to come and talk about 
the responsibilities that we have as Members of the 109th Congress. We 
have a responsibility. Guess what, this was the Congress before we got 
here, and hopefully it will be a Congress and an honorable institution 
when we leave. We are the stewards of this. We are the benefactors of 
the past blood, sweat, and tears.
  Mr. Speaker, there are veterans right now without limbs that are the 
reason we have the opportunity to come in here and breathe the very 
democracy we celebrate every day; their life, their commitment, these 
families that have lost so much in order for us to come in here. And 
for us to use our titles to chastise someone for doing what they 
believe is their job, and not just allegations against an individual 
but allegations that changed the face of this entire Congress. Members 
got unelected. If this is true, Members were unelected from this 
Congress because reapportionment took place. Members were elected and 
unelected in Texas because reapportionment took place. If that is true, 
then this is very, very serious.
  So I would warn the Members of this Congress on both sides of the 
aisle to let us make sure that we pay attention to what is going on and 
make sure we refrain from using our office and our influence, because 
intimidation is the wrong medicine for this time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I do not know where to start here, I have so 
many things swirling through my head. The both of you have been here a 
couple of terms now, but I just got here. I am a freshman. I have been 
here all of 10 months. In January, like you did, but for me it was my 
first time so it was perhaps a little bit more sacred and special, 
because you know how it is when you do it your first time, you hold up 
your hand and swear to uphold the Constitution; and when you are doing 
that, you swear to uphold the integrity of this institution.

                              {time}  2115

  We have all served in legislative bodies. The gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Ryan) served in Ohio, and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) 
and I served in the House and Senate in Florida. One of the things that 
the staff who have been around a long time, one of the things they 
impress upon new members, they stress how critical it is that we uphold 
the integrity of the institution, that the perception of the 
institution, that each of us as individuals, we impact the perception 
in America of the American people's view of the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  Now there is a pall cast over this House. There is a pall cast over 
this House because it feels like almost every month since I have been 
here, there is another Member of this body being accused of something.
  I recall 11 years ago, in fact, it was 11 years ago Monday, that the 
Republican Contract With America was issued in 1994. Part of that 
contract, from my recollection, had to do with the integrity of this 
House and how the Republican leadership talked then about how they were 
going to, and they were very sanctimonious about it, they were going to 
restore integrity to this institution and inspire confidence in the 
American people.
  My constituents have a pretty significant difference in the way they 
define integrity. My kids are watching tonight. The 6-year-olds are 
awake, and they are watching and I have to go home and explain to them 
why this man is all over the news; and, Mommy, what did he do? I have 
to have that conversation, as do parents across this country, every 
other week.
  The reason that is important is not just because we want to uphold 
the impression and integrity of this institution, let us bring it home 
here. It exemplifies why we need an independent commission. If there 
are Members' ethics called into question, how are the American people 
going to be able to expect and get an independent, objective 
investigation of what went wrong?
  The example that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) just used is a 
good one. It would be like, to use the example of Enron executives 
saying Mr. Prosecutor, you do not have to do the investigation about 
what went wrong at Enron, our CEO and our executive board will take 
care of that; or Tyco.
  Now we are doing that in this very House of Representatives, people 
who have been accused of wrongdoing, for whatever reason, not related 
to Hurricane Katrina, but we have got to make

[[Page 21608]]

sure that this institution's integrity is upheld and maintained.
  While you have people who are in the midst of their own personal 
situation, it is inappropriate, on top of the fact it was inappropriate 
to start with, to have a partisan select committee investigate the 
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, now it is underscored even more so 
because there are people's integrity called into question in this 
Chamber. We need to make sure that we can restore the American people's 
confidence in the direction that this country is going, in the job we 
are doing here, and without an independent investigation of the 
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we are not going to be able to do that.
  I am hopeful in the coming years, I will be able to talk to my kids 
and tell them this is an institution in which they should be proud that 
their mom is serving and there are people who are serving in it who 
have the highest values.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I want to try to break this down 
because we do not want to accuse anybody, and I want to make a 
different point. The indictment today that was filed against the 
majority leader, and everyone will read it in the newspaper tomorrow 
and hear it on the news, I am not explaining anything new, but the 
basic charge is in Texas there is a law that does not allow corporate 
money to get involved in political campaigns.
  The charge is that corporate money went into this leadership PAC and 
that money made its way into the State elections for senators and 
legislators within the State of Texas. The Republicans then, with that 
money, ended up winning seats and taking control, then using that power 
to then reapportion congressional districts off-cycle. We normally do 
it every 10 years. So every 10 years when you do the Census, you 
reapportion congressional districts. But they did this 3 years after 
the Census. This did it in 2000.
  This is the allegation. They took this corporate money, won the 
seats, did the redistricting again and got rid of four out of five 
Democratic Members in Congress because of the redistricting. It is 
alleged this corporate money made its way to influence elections here 
in the United States Congress and Democrats lost five seats.
  Now that if it is true is horrendous and a total breach of trust for 
the American people, if that is true. But I want to make another point. 
This highlights, whether this is true or not, this highlights the 
number one problem in the United States Congress. There is so much 
money in this institution it sickens me, and I know it sickens the 30-
Something Group, because that money influences too much of the policy 
that comes forth, and every single decision that is made in this 
Congress is about money. It is about fund-raising, it is about how we 
can squeeze somebody else for another dollar for our front-line 
candidates.
  The policy that comes through here consistently reflects how can we 
raise more money. That is the problem. I think that is the issue that 
the incidents today lead to. This institution has become more about 
money than about governing. When you have your policies set around 
money, you end up getting bad policies and you end up getting an abuse 
of power. That is exactly what happened.
  Look at the Medicare bill. At 3 in the morning, they told us it was 
$400 billion, that was a lie. It ended up being $700 billion, and the 
actuary was told not to tell Members of Congress, elected officials in 
the United States of America, that they were not allowed to know the 
true cost of the Medicare program. Give me a break. They knew there 
were Members who would not vote for a bill that cost more than $400 
billion, so they said $400 billion. Weeks later we find out it was $700 
billion. That was a lie.
  The war and all of the nonsense leading up to it was a lie. Every 
single thing. We are safer now since we elected this new President and 
we have the Republicans in control; wrong. We saw what happened with 
Katrina, another lie.
  We are good stewards of the government, less government more 
efficient; wrong. Cronyism at FEMA, eight of the top people all 
political hacks, and people died because of it.
  Our responsibility here is to oversee this kind of thing, and 
everyone keeps telling us we are safer and we saw it was not true. 
After September 11, we do not have time to be nice. We do not have time 
to sit here and accept everything at face value. This has all led to an 
abuse of power.
  Homeland Security and the FAA was used during this whole Texas 
debacle to track down Texas legislators who feared their government so 
much they flew to Oklahoma. They feared their government and they flew 
to Oklahoma. And then the war, again misinformation coming from the 
government. Again, FEMA, cronyism, abuse of power again.
  And now, which really, really frightens me, we have this President 
talking about getting rid of the Posse Comitatus law in the United 
States of America which means if you do not think using Homeland 
Security and FAA to abuse power is not enough, if you do not think 
appointing cronies at FEMA to oversee emergency management in the 
United States of America is enough of an abuse of power, now the 
President is suggesting that we get rid of Posse Comitatus, which means 
the military can take over emergency situations and have police powers 
in your communities. Now wait a minute, this has got to stop somewhere.
  This has got to stop somewhere, and it all comes back to this money 
being so ingrained into this system that it drives everything. And too 
much money, too much power, one party control here, House, Senate, 
White House, leads to an abuse of power. That is what you are seeing on 
the news tonight and that is what you will see on the news tomorrow. 
You will hear about it for the weeks and months to come because one-
party rule in the United States of America is bad for our government. 
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, listening to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Ryan), I am thinking about all of the reasons I ran for 
Congress, and I decided that public service was a career choice for me, 
and that is because I want to make the world a better place. We all do. 
Certainly the three of us do. Our colleagues do. The vast majority of 
the Members here want to do that. It leaves such a bad taste.
  What has happened over the last several months and what came down 
today with one of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, what 
came down a few weeks ago with another colleague on the other side of 
the aisle, the whole thing swirling around with Mr. Abramoff and the 
lobbyist, and we even had a gangland murder connected with that in my 
district in Hollywood, Florida, it is so pervasive, it is so 
disturbing, it gives me deep concern that people end up thinking that 
we are all just like those individuals who have strayed.
  We have got to make sure that we can restore some confidence, we can 
go back to why we all ran in the first place and move this country in 
the right direction again. You have got cronies and phonies that are 
infiltrating the government. The culture of corruption that has become 
so pervasive here, not just in this body but at the executive level as 
well, it is worst than startling.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, maybe if we were not so concerned in 
this House, the other body, the executive branch, about raising money 
and putting our political friends into certain positions all over, 
maybe this government would do a better job of actually executing its 
job. We spend so much time, not we, but the ruling party here, the 
Republican Party, spends so much time trying to raise money and squeeze 
donors and appoint their college roommate's friend to the head of FEMA. 
Maybe if we spent, if this government spent as much time and energy and 
the resources to actually govern the country, maybe we would be doing a 
lot better.
  Poverty is up. Our education levels are not where they need to be. 
There is a widening gap between the wealthiest people in the country 
and the poorest

[[Page 21609]]

people in this country. We saw a good example of that in New Orleans, 
but it is the same in every city in United States of America, 
structural poverty that is here in this country. Maybe if we were 
spending a little more time actually trying to run the country instead 
of raising money and appointing political hacks, maybe we would be a 
little better off.
  We talked about the money and how it influences everything here. Is 
it a coincidence that through all this, all this money that is involved 
in this whole system, it is a coincidence that the wealthiest people in 
this country are getting tax breaks? That is like a direct connection. 
A lot of money donated from the wealthy people in the country, and the 
wealthy people in the country get a tax break, and everyone else seems 
to suffer.
  We are not saying for one moment that we do not think that our 
government needs reform: Education, health care, it needs reform. We 
are the reform party. This group has had control of this Chamber for 
over 10 years now.

                              {time}  2130

  No reform at all. Numbers are not up where they need to be up. They 
are down where they need to be up, and they are up where they need to 
be down. It is about reform. But to see the influence of money in this 
Congress and then to see the wealthiest people who are contributing get 
the tax cuts just does not seem fair.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, I think it is 
important going back to protecting the institution, going back to 
making sure that we do what we are supposed to do as the 109th 
Congress. I cannot speak for the 110th Congress. It is up to my 
constituents if I am to make it there. But I tell my colleagues this: 
being a Member of the 109th Congress in the minority or the majority, I 
think it is important that we share with our colleagues the importance 
of their duty of making sure that they do what they are supposed to do, 
because this is not about friendships.
  We were not elected to come up here to be friends with one another. 
We were elected to come up here to represent our districts and the 
American people, to be able to make sure that democracy stands for 
another 200-plus years and beyond. That is our job. Our job is to come 
up here to protect the welfare of those individuals who cannot protect 
their own welfare, and we are here to make sure that there is a 
government in place for when they need it.
  Some people in our country do not want anything from government. But 
guess what. When they need it, it should be there for them. No one is 
trying to get into anyone's life. But I can tell the Members this right 
now: the reason why we are here on this floor and the reason why we 
come to this floor week after week is to make sure that we raise the 
issues of the American people, Democrat or Republican alike. It does 
not matter. I do not ask my constituents, when they come to my office, 
I need to know their party affiliation. I do not go and chastise in a 
general sense of the word Republicans because some Republicans that I 
know, many that I know that are supporters of mine, either it be 
politically or friendship-wise or what have you, they do not share some 
of the things that I see the majority side acting on now.
  If it was not for this side of the aisle pushing after 9/11 for an 
independent commission and if it was not for the work of those 
families, there would not have been an independent 9/11 Commission. 
There would not have been the testimony by not only White House 
officials, Pentagon officials, CIA, FBI, DEA, name it, transportation 
officials. We never would have gotten close to the bottom of what 
really happened if it was not for the push on this side.
  The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our leader right now, 
was called a tainter by the Republican side for calling for an 
independent commission. There is a lot of name calling that goes on 
here on this floor. I for one do not like to name call. I just like to 
speak of the truth, period. When I talked about the allegations today, 
if they are true, then it is a problem.
  The 9/11 Commission would not have seen the light of day if it was 
not for what we are doing right now, giving voice to those who sent us 
up here to give voice to them. After 9/11, Democrats called for a 
Department of Homeland Security. It is well documented. The majority-
side leadership said we do not need a Department of Homeland Security. 
The White House said we do not need a Department of Homeland Security. 
And now we have a Department of Homeland Security, not because they 
thought it was a great idea. It was because of the pressure that was 
brought upon by us and also by the American people.
  I think it is also important to talk about the issue of Social 
Security. The 30-something Working Group cut its teeth on the issue of 
Social Security, making sure that every American has the opportunity to 
have a guaranteed benefit. Whether it be a Democrat, Republican, young, 
old, disabled, retired, a survivor of someone that paid into Social 
Security, we fought for that. We stood here on this floor. We called 
out the leadership on the majority side. And the American people then, 
when we were making that argument, were on our side and we were on the 
side of the American people, period, dot.
  Now when it comes down to Katrina, when it came down to responding to 
Hurricane Katrina, we were brought up here in special session over a 
case in Florida. We have got to come up here, and we have got to vote 
to try to save someone's life. We can get into all of that, but that is 
the past. We came up here for that. And after Hurricane Katrina, the 
Democratic leadership called for a special session. Oh, we do not need 
to do that. The American people demanded that the Federal Government do 
more than what it is doing right now. The President said, I am calling 
Congress back to session. There was a question, did the Democrats not 
call for that? Yes, they did too, but we are all in this thing 
together.
  There should be an emergency supplemental. Oh, we do not need that, 
not now. Then that happened.
  We called for Michael Brown's resignation because it was obvious. 
Here on this floor, I remember like it was yesterday, we called for it. 
I personally said if they are in a football game and they are within 
the first quarter and they have a quarterback that is not necessarily 
going to get them to the goal line, it is time to change personnel. A 
week later the President said, Michael Brown, you are doing an 
excellent job.
  This goes into exactly what we are talking about. If it is left up to 
the majority, and I will not say us because we are here speaking now 
after 9 o'clock at night, children at home, loved ones at home, but we 
are here on this floor. Not because it is good for our health. It is 
because we care about what happens in this institution and this 
country. The bottom line is if it is left up to what the spin machine 
puts out from the majority side, we are in trouble.
  Three days later, the Director of FEMA is sent back to Washington, 
then later resigned. We brought that issue up to the American people 
that he should be removed. Now we are at the independent commission. We 
have Members making statements that it is a shame that Democrats are 
not participating in the partisan commission.
  The American people can see it. Go on CNN, USA Today Web site. This 
poll is there just as clear as my name is Kendrick Meek. As a matter of 
fact, I will give out the Web site: www.pollingreport.com disasters. We 
can get third, fourth-party validators. We called for an independent 
commission. Eighty-one percent of the American people called for an 
independent commission. I was talking with some of my Republican 
colleagues yesterday that are in leadership, and I told them they could 
save the country a lot of pain and frustration if they were just to say 
doing this in a partisan way is not the right way to do it. We should 
have an independent commission. If they are calling for it or the 
American people are calling for it, let us find a way.
  I just want to finish this actual conversation that just took place 
yesterday. If they want it, we should just do it because we have 
nothing to hide. We

[[Page 21610]]

are calling for an independent commission outside of this government 
because it does not have the ability to investigate itself. We cannot 
do it. We can just not do it because I am going to tell my colleagues 
right now, they say one thing and they do another. When I say ``they,'' 
I am talking about leadership on the Republican side.
  The President said, I am a fiscal conservative. He has not vetoed one 
spending bill since becoming President. An unprecedented highway bill 
with all kinds of pork projects in it and everything. He is not even 
saying, I am going to stand for what I told you I would do, and we are 
not going to spend. Unprecedented spending. Unprecedented deficit. I 
mean, this is like opposite day. This is like, I am a fiscal 
conservative. No, I am not. I believe in responsible spending. I really 
do not. The action does not follow the words.
  But in this case in the posture that we are in now, as Members of 
Congress, as we go to our districts, people cannot help but say, Wow, 
you are a Member of Congress? You are going to admit to that? You are 
actually going to admit that you are a Member of Congress? So you must 
not care about spending, or you must not really have control over no-
bid contracts or companies that are already under investigation by the 
very government that has called them into question.
  So what I am saying is that when we talk about credibility, when we 
talk about name-calling, remember the Democratic leader was called a 
tainter, and worse, I am pretty sure, in private. But I think it is 
important. And I call on all of my colleagues, Democrat, Republican, 
and the one Independent we have, that it is more important now than 
ever that we go see the wizard and get some courage and heart, and I 
will not even go to the third one as it relates to mine because I know 
that we know better. We need to be man-up and woman-up and leader-up 
enough to say this is not right and we have got to stop it.
  And I believe, as I close on this point, Madam Speaker, that the 
American people will smile on those that are trying to do something 
about the present situation and frown on those that just watch what is 
happening and say that it will go away. It will not go away. This is 
reality. People cannot afford to put gas in their tank; meanwhile 
companies are making record profits and no one is saying anything about 
it.
  Eight States have asked the Congress to look into this issue of 
record profits of these gas companies. Has it happened? No. Do my 
colleagues know what I hear today? There are Members here looking at an 
energy bill. We are going to help the whole gas thing, and we have to 
go into the Arctic natural reserve and look for oil. People have hidden 
agendas that they want to carry out on the pain and suffering of 
Americans. As I speak right now, 100,000-plus in the middle of a 
basketball court in a shelter without a home, which could have been 
prevented if we had been on our j-o-b and making sure that the Corps of 
Engineers had what they needed to make sure that they can build that 
levee around New Orleans, to make sure that FEMA was able to respond to 
these folks. To make sure that the Congress, as they said, or the 
majority said, does what they were going to do from the beginning of 
being fiscal conservatives.
  They have been just the opposite. The President said, I will make 
sure that we do not carry out wasteful spending. Maybe, just maybe, we 
would have no no-bid contracts going on with record profits. Maybe 
companies that are under investigation by this government and 
Departments will not continue to get billions of dollars in contracts. 
Maybe, just maybe, we would have some accountability if, only if, we 
had Members that were willing to stand up and face the music on our 
responsibilities and tell whoever is saying that we have to look the 
other way: I am sorry. We have a constitutional responsibility because 
someone woke up early Tuesday on election day to make sure I was 
elected to come here to Congress.
  So whatever repercussions that may come out of this pressure, so be 
it. That is the bottom line because I will not, as a Member of this 
Congress, look my constituents in the eye and say I was in the minority 
and it was not much that we could do because there were powerful people 
on the other side of the argument who would have done things to me and 
would have said things about me and would have looked at me funny if I 
would have said something.
  This country would not be independent if we had leaders like that. I 
would not be in Congress if we did not have leaders that were willing 
to fight to make sure that I could make it to Congress. The lights 
would not be on on this building if veterans did not lay down their 
life to make sure that we are able to salute one flag here today. That 
is how deep this argument goes.
  And for those who have a problem, a problem, with our exercising 
democracy under this flag, then they have a problem with America. That 
is the bottom line. That is what it is, period, dot.
  Madam Speaker, I am sorry, but I just had to share the fact that the 
reason why we are here is to make this country better. The reason why 
we are here and we argue the way we do night after night is to make 
sure that those who are in power, those who are committee chairmen, 
those who make the decisions on what bills come up, what bills do not 
come up, that we work on their conscience, that we remind them of their 
power and we remind the American people that if they want a change, 
then they will have their opportunity to make that change. And when 
they have that opportunity to make that change, then they need to make 
that change at the right time.
  But I will tell the Members we cannot even last that long if we 
continue to act the way we are acting here, especially on the majority 
side, like it is just another day at the office.
  People are suffering. People cannot put gas in their tanks. Folks are 
being threatened by the fact that they are going to roll back a 
prescription drug benefit that poor people have. Folks do not even know 
if their kids can get title I lunch. Meanwhile, no one speaks of 
billionaires getting tax cuts. We are going to sell national parks. 
There are questions of drilling where we have never drilled before. We 
do not even know if there is oil there; but because we are in this 
situation, we have individuals with power that want to come in and take 
advantage on the backs of suffering and death and lack of governance.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mad-
am Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mad-
am Speaker, the thought occurs to me that people might be wondering why 
this even matters. I mean, so many times I talk to people and they say 
to me it is just the way politics is. They are going to reward their 
friends. They get into power and they are going to reward their 
friends, and that is just the way politics is.
  And what I have to say to them, what we are trying to say to them, is 
that this culture of corruption is pervasive.

                              {time}  2145

  The culture of corruption is pervasive. It would disturb me deeply if 
it was just Members of Congress and we could say, there are some bad 
apples where people have gone astray and that is all it is. But it goes 
so much deeper than that with this administration, with the leadership 
on the other side.
  This is how deep it goes: We have got cronyism and corruption that 
runs all the way up the ladder. I will just outline for you what I am 
talking about. Let us look at the appointments that have been made.
  As recently has come to light, Mr. Brown was totally unqualified to 
be the director of FEMA.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. ``Brownie.''
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Brownie's previous experience was being head 
of the Arabian Horse Association. I saw him attempt to defend himself 
at the hearing the other day, and he outlined his vast array of 
experience being the assistant to a city manager, essentially a 
glorified intern. But, to me, I just feel like there needs to be a 
couple more lines on the resume when it

[[Page 21611]]

comes to the man who directs the response of the Federal Government to 
natural disasters.
  Let us take if it was just the Congress or just Michael Brown heading 
up FEMA where the cronyism stopped. Then I could say, you know, 
occasionally that is going to happen.
  But let us look at the gentleman who was appointed as the Deputy 
Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs at the Food and Drug 
Administration. The Food and Drug Administration is charged with 
assuring the safety of everything from new vaccines and dietary 
supplements to animal feed and hair dye. They are the one that approve 
medicines and say whether medication can go on the market.
  So Mr. Scott Gottlieb was named the Deputy Commissioner, and he was 
33-years-old. This is the 30-something Group, so we are not going to be 
critical of that. But this is a person who got his medical degree at 
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and his previous experience prior to 
taking this job at FDA, and they declared him a ``noted authority'' who 
had written ``more than 300 policy and medical articles,'' his 
biography neglects the fact that many of those articles that he wrote 
criticized the FDA for being too slow to approve new drugs and too 
quick to issue warning letters when it suspects one already on the 
market might be unsafe.
  I think if you asked the family members and people whose loved ones 
died from taking Vioxx and some of the other inhibitors that people 
have had horrendous reactions and even deaths from because some of 
these drugs have been raced to the market too quickly before they have 
been fully vetted by the FDA, I think they might take issue with the 
fact that the person in charge of that is slightly less than qualified.
  His previous experience before that was to be the editor of a popular 
Wall Street newsletter, the Forbes-Gottlieb Medical Technology 
Investor, in which he offered such tips as ``three biotech stocks to 
buy now.'' This is the deputy commissioner of the FDA in charge of 
medical and scientific affairs.
  If it was just the FDA, if we were going to stop there and it did not 
go further than that, I might be able to write it off. But then let us 
go travel over to another agency. We have another agency, the Office of 
Management and Budget, in which an ex-lobbyist with minimal purchasing 
experience was overseeing $300 billion in spending, until his arrest 
last week. The person who was in charge of procurement for the Office 
of Management and Budget was responsible for $300 billion in spending 
until he got arrested.
  So you can see where we go. You peel back layer after layer after 
layer. So we are not casting aspersions randomly here. We are not just 
being partisan. There is a culture of corruption that is pervasive, 
and, my god, we have an opportunity in the next 13 months to take our 
message to the American people and help tell them that we are going to 
come and restore their confidence; that we have got competence and we 
have got integrity and we know how to make sure we can expand access to 
health care.
  Our priorities are straight. We know that the Federal Government can 
do something about gas prices, and not just have the President stand 
behind a podium and say, ``You know, if you don't have to drive, please 
don't.'' That is their conservation policy.
  So before I go further than I should, I am going to turn it over to 
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. That was beautiful. You know, you play sports when 
you are a kid, and I know the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) was a 
college athlete, a college football player, a great athlete back in his 
day, a little slower afoot now than he used to be. But if you used to 
play sports as a kid and if you would not start or you did not get in 
the game right away, you would be watching everybody play and you knew 
you were better than everyone else that was playing, and you just 
thought, put me in coach.
  Well, the Democrats are saying, put me in, coach. We will do better 
than this. And quite frankly, it does not seem that hard, given 
everything that has been going on, the corruption, the cronyism.
  Democrats know how to run the government. Are we perfect? No. But we 
had a great FEMA director, we knew how to respond. We passed the first 
Family and Medical Leave Act. We know what families need and we know 
how to deliver.
  In 1993 we balanced the budget, leading to the greatest economic 
expansion in the history of the United States of America, without one 
Republican vote. Al Gore had to come to the Senate to make the tie-
breaking vote. Many people on this side of the aisle lost their seats 
because they made a tough vote that was in the best interests of the 
country, but not in the best interests of their own political careers. 
If you get a chance to read President Clinton's book, he highlights a 
couple of those people who made those tough votes.
  My point is that the Democrats know how to govern. Are we perfect? 
Absolutely not. But you do not see this nonsense going on. They had to 
spend $40 million to chase our President around for something that had 
nothing to do with the public affairs of government. Was he wrong? 
Absolutely. But we are talking about the public affairs and public 
responsibilities.
  Put us in, coach.
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Give the website.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. The website is [email protected]. If 
you think we have cronies in government, do you think there is an abuse 
of power, a waste of money, things are tilted too much, the website is 
[email protected].
  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, with that, I 
just want to thank the Democratic leader for allowing us to have this 
time. Also I want to commend you both for doing your homework. I 
believe we will be back tomorrow, the 30-something Group tomorrow 
afternoon after votes.

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