[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Issue]
[Pages 5828-6014]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
[[Page 5828]]
SENATE--Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The Senate met at 9:45 a.m. and was called to order by the Honorable
Jim DeMint, a Senator from the State of South Carolina.
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prayer
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer:
Let us pray:
O God of mercies, You preserve the seas and all that is in them. You
have promised to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on
You.
Give our Senators today the serenity that comes through trusting in
Your strength. As they do the work of freedom, may they seek Your
guidance and wisdom. Lead them with Your precepts to the decisions that
will honor Your name. Give your peace and unity to their hearts so that
harmony can be seen in their interactions. Shine Your light within them
so that they can serve humanity well.
Help us all to humble ourselves under Your mighty hand, that You may
exalt us in due time. We pray in Your sovereign Name. Amen.
____________________
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Honorable Jim DeMint led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
____________________
APPOINTMENT OF ACTING PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will please read a communication to
the Senate from the President pro tempore (Mr. Stevens).
The legislative clerk read the following letter:
U.S. Senate,
President pro tempore,
Washington, DC, April 25, 2006.
To the Senate:
Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby appoint the Honorable
Jim DeMint, a Senator from the State of South Carolina, to
perform the duties of the Chair.
Ted Stevens,
President pro tempore.
Mr. DeMINT thereupon assumed the chair as Acting President pro
tempore.
____________________
RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.
____________________
SCHEDULE
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today, we will start with a 1-hour period
of morning business, and following that we will go into executive
session to consider the nomination of Gray Miller to be a U.S. district
judge for the Southern District of Texas. We have 10 minutes allocated
for debate on that nomination, with the vote occurring after that time.
Senators can expect the first vote today at approximately 11 o'clock
this morning. We have a group of Senators going to the White House.
Therefore, we want to start that vote no later than 11 o'clock. I hope
Members will be able to keep their remarks brief so we can get to that
vote.
After the vote, we will resume consideration of the supplemental
appropriations bill. There is an opportunity for Senators to give
opening statements this morning prior to the policy lunch. The Senate
will recess for each party's policy meeting between 12:30 and 2:15.
Later this afternoon, I expect amendments to be offered to the
supplemental, and I hope we will be voting on those amendments during
today's session.
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FOCUSING ON THE CHALLENGES FACING AMERICA
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I welcome my colleagues back from the
Easter/Passover recess. It was a 2-week recess, where many had the
opportunity to spend time with our families and with our constituents
back at home. I hope everybody had a rejuvenating and productive period
of time because we have a lot to do.
We have before us a 5-week block of time, during which I intend to
keep the Senate focused on the big challenges facing America and on
delivering meaningful solutions to the problems Americans are seeing
out there every day, some of which are very apparent and some of which
are not very apparent in their everyday lives.
As we set out from the very start, the goal of this Republican-led
Senate is to make America safer, stronger, more productive, and
healthier. That applies across the board, from the war on terror
abroad--and we will have a lot of discussion on that on the
supplemental--to the family budget right here at home, and people are
feeling the pinch of gasoline prices and skyrocketing health care costs
every day.
Time is of the essence. We have serious issues to tackle in 5 short
weeks. That means working together, pulling the very best out of both
sides of the aisle, and recognizing that obstruction is not in order as
we proceed along this upward path of producing for the American people.
It is an election year. That always makes it challenging for
everything we do every step along the way. But the American people
expect us to legislate, to govern, and not to get mired down in
partisan obstruction and partisan politics. It is our obligation and
responsibility to deliver to them. We have the challenges out there. We
have to act and we need to act with solutions. That is what the
American people expect--challenge, action, solutions. That is what they
deserve.
We need to support our troops who are fighting in the field for our
freedom and safety. We need to address the skyrocketing health care
costs and make health care more affordable, more accessible to every
American, no matter where they live. We need to put judges on the bench
who interpret and not make the law. We need to keep our economy strong
and growing. We need to tackle that rising cost of gasoline. Right now
it is up, teetering at the $3 level. That is too much to be paying per
gallon.
Over the next 5 weeks, we are going to tackle each of these items. I
call upon my colleagues on both sides to work together to get this done
for the sake of our fellow citizens who have sent us here to work for
them, to represent them.
Unfortunately, before the Easter recess, obstruction from the other
side got in the way of comprehensive border security and immigration
reform. But as I have announced over the last couple of days, I intend
to bring this issue back and to continue driving forward on this
important issue to the American people. We need real border security.
That includes a fence along certain parts of the border, surveillance
along other parts of the border. But we have to get this border under
control. We took very positive steps last year in increasing the number
of border agents and the number of detention facilities, and both are
very important in this supplemental bill over the next several days. We
will once again address border security.
We also need employer enforcement in a system that addresses the fact
that we have 12 million to 20 million individuals who right now are
kept in the shadows. Building on last year's efforts, spearheaded by
the Senate, I will support an effort to put funds into the supplemental
bill to make our next downpayment on securing the border.
Hiring more Border Patrol agents and giving them the tools they need
to
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get the job done doesn't need to wait until we finish the overall
immigration bill. We can take important steps now and indeed we will.
It is part of the challenge, the action, and the solutions the American
people want; they want serious reform.
Keeping America strong also means keeping America healthy. Insurance
premiums have risen--health insurance premiums--73 percent over the
last 5 years. It hits small businesses and their employees in
particular. Of the 20 million Americans who are working and are
uninsured, don't have health insurance, 49 percent are self-employed or
work in firms with fewer than 25 employees. According to the Institutes
of Medicine, nearly 18,000 Americans die prematurely each year due to
lack of insurance. It is a fact. It has been proven again and again.
If you have health insurance--even if you do not have comprehensive
health insurance, but you have any health insurance, you do better in
terms of health outcomes. Last month, the HELP Committee reported out a
bill to allow small businesses to band together all over a community to
reach out and gain that purchasing clout which we know in the
marketplace can drive prices down. It can make those insurance policies
less expensive and thus more accessible.
The Enzi legislation, when fully phased in, would reduce employer
premiums by 12 percent and the number of uninsured workers by at least
a million. Voters are close to unanimous in their support for allowing
self-employed workers and small business employees to band together to
negotiate lower insurance costs as spelled out in that Enzi bill.
Again, challenge, action, solutions. It is time to get it done.
We have also known for some time that the medical malpractice system
is broken. It is driving up costs, driving my doctor colleagues out of
their professions, from practicing medicine and delivering care. Nearly
half of America's counties today lack an obstetrician/gynecologist, and
that is due in large part to excessive, skyrocketing medical
malpractice premiums. Three out of four neurosurgeons will no longer
operate on children. When you ask why, it is because of medical
liability. And 79 percent of doctors practice defensive medicine for
fear of getting sued. That means when somebody comes in and they have a
headache, you get a whole barrage of unnecessary tests to protect
yourself in the event there is a lawsuit. Health care costs have risen
between $70 billion and $126 billion in defensive medicine costs.
I was in Texas the other day. Texas is fascinating to me as a
physician. They recently adopted liability reform measures. The largest
malpractice insurer in the State immediately began lowering premiums,
and premiums in that State are now down by 22 percent. Indeed, there is
an influx of doctors from all over the country moving to Texas because
of this very effective, proven to be effective, malpractice reform. An
overwhelming majority of Americans support a Federal law to limit jury
awards to compensate for pain and suffering in medical malpractice
suits. Challenge, action, solutions. It is time to get this done.
Keeping America strong means keeping our economy thriving. That is
why we passed the Tax Relief Act of 2005. We know that tax cuts work.
We know they grow the economy and help create jobs. In 2001, we passed
$1.4 trillion in tax relief; 2 years later, another $350 billion. That
is $1.7 trillion that goes into the pockets of everyday, hard-working
Americans for them to save, to spend, to invest. We cut taxes on income
and marriage. We doubled the child tax credit and slashed taxes on
capital gains and dividends. Because we did, our economy has grown.
Right now, each month we are creating about 200,000 new jobs. Over
the last 32 months, we have created 5.1 million new jobs. Home
ownership is up. Minority home ownership is up at all-time highs.
Tax relief has led to 3 years of record economic growth. But we have
a lot more to do. In the next 5 weeks, I intend to bring legislation to
the floor to eliminate the death tax once and for all. The death tax is
unfair, it is inefficient, and it taxes people for dying. It is double
and triple taxation. The death tax drives hard-working people to spend
billions of dollars on complicated tax structures for the sole purpose
of avoiding death taxes on income that has already been taxed.
Because of Katrina, we could not move forward on repealing the death
tax last fall, but now is the time to bury that death tax once and for
all. Keeping America strong, protecting the democratic process means
protecting the separation of powers. We need judges who interpret the
law and who don't make law from the bench.
We have made substantial progress on judicial nominations. We put one
Chief Justice, one Associate Justice, six previously filibustered
circuit court nominees, 20 other circuit nominees, and 104 district
court nominees on the bench since 2003. But we cannot rest on that
progress.
Terry Boyle is one example of a nominee who deserves our
consideration. He was nominated for a circuit court judgeship back in
1991 and then again in 2001. He has been waiting 15 years for a fair
up-or-down vote.
Another is Brett Kavanaugh, first nominated in July 2003. He has been
waiting ever since that date. He, too, deserves a fair up-or-down vote.
We need to keep up the momentum and keep driving forward so that each
and every nominee gets a fair up-or-down vote on the floor of the
Senate.
The weather is warming up and we are approaching the summer driving
season, and American families are being squeezed tighter and tighter by
these skyrocketing gas prices. We need to help them find relief. We
know there is no single magic bullet. We know it is an issue of supply
and demand.
As a first step, Speaker Hastert and I have asked the President to
direct the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to
investigate if price gouging or speculation in the oil markets is
contributing to the current high prices.
We need to get to the bottom of it, and if we do so, we may have
legislative action required on the floor of the Senate, or we may not,
but only an investigation, only an examination by the FTC and DOJ can
give us that answer.
We need to find short-term solutions. In the long term, however, the
answer is to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. The fact that
we are 60-percent dependent today on foreign sources of oil is simply
inexcusable.
During our majority over the last 12 years, Democratic obstruction
and delay has stopped measures to enhance domestic production, and
domestic production must be a part of any long-term solution for our
energy supply.
The President laid out a number of initiatives in his State of the
Union Address, and I hope we can pursue them in committees and then
bring them to the floor quickly. Again, challenge, action, solutions.
Those are some of the things we need to be doing over the next 5
weeks. There is a lot to do in a very short period of time, but I am
convinced that with determination and focus and by leading on
principle, we can and we must govern with meaningful solutions on the
issues that matter, and they can be delivered to the American people.
We can make America stronger, we can make America safer, and we can
make it more secure. We must keep America moving forward.
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RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the
leadership time is reserved.
____________________
MORNING BUSINESS
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, there
will be a period for the transaction of morning business for up to 60
minutes, with the first half of the time under the control of the
majority leader or his designee, and the second half of the time under
the control of the Democratic leader or his designee.
The Senator from Montana.
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ENERGY
Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, this morning the leader touched on a lot of
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problems we have before us as we come back from Easter break. I know
most of us have been home and listened to the folks at home. Most of us
have probably come back with more challenges than when we left. Here
are a couple of issues.
I was glad to hear the leader bring up the situation on insurance
premiums, especially for small businesses and the self-employed.
Senator Enzi of Wyoming and I have been working on the small business
health plans for almost a year now. That is nothing new. It is not a
new idea. Ever since I joined the Small Business Committee and even
under the chairmanship of my good friend from Arkansas, Senator
Bumpers, prior to 1994, we were working on the same issue, but we were
unsuccessful then and have been unsuccessful up until now in striking a
balance. There is broad support for the approach being taken by the
chairman of the HELP Committee.
If you talk with folks engaged in small business, Montana businesses
with 10 employees or less have little or no leverage when it comes to
buying group insurance or trying to broaden their pool to keep their
insurance premiums at a minimum. I look forward to that debate when the
bill comes to the floor, and I look forward to final passage and
getting it to the President for his signature.
I took a drive across the State of Montana over Easter Recess, all by
myself. I just jumped into my pickup and took off and talked with rural
Montanans. I fight awfully hard for rural Montanans for the simple
reason that, right now, they are sort of being pushed into the
background when we start talking about what is happening in our
economy. Even though our livestock prices are decent, the grain
producers, and many other folks, still have a real problem because they
cannot get their arms around this business of containing costs, and the
cost of energy is their main issue.
Whenever gas and diesel prices go up, it goes up on the farm also,
and the cost of putting a crop in and getting it out has increased
substantially due to these high energy costs.
We are a big State. We are a mobile State. We are 147,000 square
miles. Yes, we only have 900,000 people, and some could probably make
the case it is getting a little crowded up there. We have to drive long
distances just to do business around the State, and these energy prices
are impacting all of us.
Everybody wants to stand around on the floor of the Senate pointing
fingers, when we could be looking at the real case of cumulative
effects--of what we have done in policy and what has to be done to
produce more energy for a growing society and a growing economy.
We are driven by agriculture in my State. Farmers and ranchers are
price takers; in other words, we sell wholesale, we buy retail, and we
pay the freight both ways. Any time we talk about freight, whether it
is delivering or receiving, energy is involved.
So we are caught in what some would think is a perfect storm. We
haven't hit the $3 mark for gasoline in Montana yet, as other parts of
the country have, but we are nearing it. In fact, we are so close to it
that folks are afraid of what will happen if we do hit it.
I will tell you this: We have a situation in northeast Montana and
northwest North Dakota called the Williston Basin. This area is quite a
large producer of oil and gas. When we start quoting the price of oil
on the New York Mercantile Exchange, we are not really talking about
what the cash or spot price of oil is costing today. Do you realize,
even though everybody is talking about the price of $73 a barrel, that
market price is not being paid to our oil producers today? It is a long
way from that $73. In fact, it is from $25 to $35 lower than even the
spot price. Why? We are finding more oil, we are doing a better job of
finding oil and lifting it, but the infrastructure of transportation--
in other words, getting the crude to the refineries--and the
refineries' capacity to refine it has not kept pace even with our own
production in the United States. Therein lies a problem, and it is one
we have to address.
We have not built a refinery in this country for 30 years--35 years,
I think, if you want to get very particular. The ability to expand
refining capacity in the present-day facility is becoming very
expensive and cannot be done without expanding outside the boundary.
If anybody has the idea that the refiners are making a lot of money,
look at their return on investment. It is not very big. So people point
their fingers at the refiners. Do they point their fingers at the big
oil companies? Yes, they do, and in some cases justifiably so. We can
sit here and poke holes in that argument. But our basic problem is
siting and building facilities to satisfy a growing demand.
If you want to build a new refinery, or if you want to build a new
pipeline to move the crude to the refining areas, I will tell you, you
are going to have sticker shock when you look at what it costs just in
permitting and siting for that facility. It is unbelievable. 25 percent
of the estimated construction cost of a new refinery now will be eaten
up in permits and siting, and all because of some laws and regulations
that basically do not serve this country very well.
Am I justifying the prices today? Somewhat. But I think what we are
seeing is a perfect storm of cumulative effects, of not keeping pace
with our ability to produce and lift oil from the ground.
Alternative fuels and renewable fuels are also an important part of
our energy program.
In 2002, we actually got a title into the agricultural bill that
dealt with renewables and agriculture. We knew that we were going to
have an energy bill and that title would dovetail into some of the
policies that we wanted to put forward in an energy bill. We knew that
an energy bill should come pretty quick. However, it did not come
quickly. It came some 4 years later. After dragging and stalling and
putting up all kinds of barriers, we finally got an energy bill in
2005, and we did dovetail some of the elements on renewables as it
relates to agriculture.
In 2007, we will renew the Agriculture bill. And I would not be a bit
surprised if we do not see energy even in the main title because we can
produce renewables and we can produce alternative fuels to make sure we
wean ourselves off of our dependency on foreign oil. We have to do
that. We are going to get it done even though there are people who will
obstruct and drag their feet in setting the policy.
I see my good friend from Utah is in the Chamber. Whenever you are
producing oil at post-1970 production in the State of Montana, that
means we have crude oil, like the crude oil that could go to refineries
today in his State of Utah, from pipelines that are fed out of Montana,
as well as to refineries in Montana and also in Colorado. Do you
realize a 36-inch pipeline moves something like 86 thousand barrels a
day? We can't even get on that pipeline. That pipeline is owned by
Canada, and it is full of tar sands oil moving to refineries in Utah
and Colorado. Meanwhile we are actually slowing down production at
wells since we can't get all the crude oil being produced in the
Williston Basin area today out of the area. If we do manage to get some
of the crude oil on the pipeline, it is at a discounted price of around
$25 to $30 a barrel.
What is wrong with this picture? The infrastructure isn't there to
move the oil. The refining capacity is not there to refine the oil. We
are picking and choosing who gets the oil on the pipeline and who gets
to sell their crude oil at prices that are far less than $73 a barrel.
The price that is going through the roof, that we hear so much about,
is the oil futures price, which is set by speculators and expectations.
That is not the spot price. Americans have to understand the
difference.
So we need infrastructure, but we also need this ability to produce
the alternatives and the renewables and to get those energy products on
line as well. And we can do just that if we don't have to chew up 25
percent of our construction costs just in permitting and selecting a
site in which to do the work.
I know that high costs affect people who have to drive automobiles to
get
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to work and have to go places to make this economy grow. Yes, the
President is right on. Let's take a look at the oil companies. Let's
see what is going on there. Let's get on the internal part of it and
see what the prices are all about today.
But I stand here today with the appeal that we need to look at our
food and fiber production across this country.
I will tell you something else I found out while driving around
Montana. I would drive down the highway through a little town, and if I
saw a little restaurant there, a little cafe with six or seven pickups
sitting there, I would go in and have a cup of coffee. You will get
some conversation going on in there, I guarantee you. When I hear of
farmers cutting back on the use of fertilizer by almost a third last
fall and this spring when going in with their crops, that sends a
message to the rest of the country that food and fiber production is
being negatively impacted by these energy costs. Yields go down, the
amount of grain and food products that moves to the marketplace goes
down. The producers just can't afford the fertilizer. Then they go to
pay their diesel costs for putting the crop in and taking it out, and
it makes for a very interesting discussion around the restaurant or the
cafe in the coffee clutch. Usually those fellows have all the answers,
if you will just listen. I hope most of our Members of this Senate
would do that: Just take off, sit down in a restaurant, listen to what
people are talking about, and then try to come up with some sort of
policy that would increase our ability to move and to be mobile and to
fuel an economy that supports a very mobile society.
For alternative fuels, our technology is moving right along. We have
many technologies that are going to help us in ethanol production,
especially the cellulosic technology that uses plant residues. What we
usually throw away, the waste, can now be turned into energy.
Biodiesel is viable. Genetically improved oilseeds are being produced
and can be turned into a cleaner diesel. We were in Billings yesterday
and saw an experiment of what can be done with biodiesel. We are the
Saudi Arabia of coal in Montana. There are ways to turn that into
diesel. Basically, we haven't found any alternative to diesel in moving
big loads. We have to continue our research and development and our
effort to turn what we grow every year, what is renewable every year,
into usable, practical renewables to fuel our every day lives.
So I hope that during this week policies which would increase
production, whether hydrocarbon or renewable, could move out because
there is nothing in the short term that is going to take care of it. I
tell you: we have to look at the long term of where we want to be in 20
years and ask ourselves how we get there. To formulate that policy in 1
week is asking a lot from this body or any other policymaking body.
Nonetheless, we have to take up that challenge and be aware of what is
happening on our farms and ranches across this country because the
second thing every one of us does when we get up in the morning is eat
breakfast, and we know the cost of that is going to rise if we don't
address this business called high energy prices.
There is a cumulative effect here. We could point fingers at one,
two, three, or four different contributing factors, but it is the
perfect storm of all these factors that have come together. Finally we
are being sent a message that policy has to be changed in order to
increase our ability to move Americans.
I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.
Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, today's papers are filled with stories
about energy prices and particularly gas costs and editorials demanding
that the Congress and the President do something about it. I think
perhaps the best comment that appeared was in this morning's Wall
Street Journal in a story with the headline ``Bush Aims To Rein In Gas
Costs,'' where there is a quote from Robert Ebel, who directs the
energy program at the Washington Center for Strategic and International
Studies. All of us are familiar with CSIS and the good work that it
does. I would like to quote Mr. Ebel because what he has to say is the
clear understanding of where we are. He says:
A good politician never admits he's powerless in a
situation, but I don't see anything that the Congress can
propose that will make any difference. We don't stand in
isolation from the rest of the world oil market, and there
are events going on around the world that affect the world
price of oil.
I note that he uses the term ``world''--I could count how many times,
but multiple times--and we act as if this is a domestic problem. We act
as if this is something we in Congress or the President in the White
House can wave a magic wand and do something about.
I would like to point out a few facts and perhaps bring a little
humility into this body, something that is in fairly short supply but
in great need.
As Mr. Ebel points out, the price of oil is set by a series of world
events. It is not set in the Congress. It is not set in the White
House. People look at the cost of a gallon of gasoline and say to
themselves: You know, it only costs--picking numbers out of the air but
being illustrative--$1.50 to put that gallon of gasoline in the tank at
the service station, yet the service station operator is charging me $3
to take it out; there is price gouging going on somewhere. The reality
is that the price in the tank at the service station is not figured on
the basis of what did it cost to get that gallon there; the price at
the service station is figured on the cost of what will it cost to
replace that gallon there. So the reason a gallon of gas is at $3 at
the service station is that all of the forces involved in putting that
gallon of gas in there assume that it will cost $3 to replace it;
therefore, they better charge $3 for it in the first place.
Now, they may be wrong. It may be that they can replace that gallon
of gas for $2.50, and as soon as they come to that conclusion, that
gallon of gas will come down to $2.50. It may be that the cost of
replacing that gallon of gas will be $3.50, and at that point,
everybody will lose some money along the way. But whether it is the
production of oil in the oilfield, the transportation of oil around the
world, the refinement of oil in the various refineries, the
transportation from the refinery to the service station, everyone is
making a guess as to what it will cost for the next gallon of gas along
the way, and that shows up in what appears at the service station.
So when there is trouble in Nigeria, someone says, by virtue of that
trouble in Nigeria, the next gallon of gas is going to cost more than
we think, and that is why the price goes up. If there is trouble and
difficulty in Iran, well, that is going to cause the price to go up,
and let's bet against that future. If there is trouble in Venezuela,
then that figures in. When it turns out that the trouble doesn't
materialize, the price of gasoline drops dramatically, and we have seen
that in this past history.
The primary thing that started gas prices going up was Katrina. Why?
Because Katrina wiped out a good percentage of our refinery capability.
As the Senator from Montana has pointed out, we haven't built a
refinery in this country for several decades. We need to get about it.
But that is a 5- to 10-year problem. We can't instantly create a
refinery out of nothing. As the refineries were shut down as a result
of Katrina, the price of gas spiked as people anticipated that there
would not be enough supply. As the refineries came back on line more
rapidly than anybody anticipated, the price of gasoline dropped.
Now refinery capacity is being shut down again. Why? Because we here
in this Congress mandated the replacement of MTBE with ethanol, and the
refineries have to gear up to make that shift. When they do that, they
shut down in order to retool. When they shut down, there is a lack of
gasoline, and you have prices going back up again. Once they have made
the shift over, we will find those prices will start to come down,
unless there is some other unsettling situation somewhere in the world.
The bottom line, to repeat a refrain I have stated ever since I have
been in
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the Senate, is that we cannot repeal the law of supply and demand. We
engrave Latin phrases around here--and they are wonderful--to remind us
of our history and our background, but if I could control what we carve
in marble and see every day, it would be that statement: You cannot
repeal the law of supply and demand. If we had built the facilities in
ANWR in 2001 when there were sufficient votes in the House but was
killed in the Senate, it is likely that oil would be coming on line
now, because at the time people said: Don't get excited about ANWR; it
is going to take at least 5 years. Well, 2001 was 5 years ago. If we
had done that, we would start to see that oil. Would it lower the
price? Of course it would because it would change the equation of
expectations of people who are involved in this whole situation.
One last comment. I have talked about ethanol, and I have talked
about MTBE. These are additives to lower the emissions that come out of
gasoline, and they are good things. They are, however, expensive, and
we cannot say on one hand: OK, let's get the price of gasoline as low
as possible, and by the way, while we are doing it, let's put new
burdens on the refineries that require this additive, that additive,
and the other additive, that will require the creation of what are
called boutique fuels, so that the refinery, instead of just putting
out gasoline in regular or super high test, are putting out a boutique
fuel for this part of the country and a boutique fuel for that part of
the country and a boutique fuel for the other part of the country. That
means constantly retooling, shutting down, starting up, changing, and
all of that adds to the cost.
We have added to the cost here in the Congress in the name of
environmental protection. I am not saying environmental protection is
bad, but I am saying it costs money. We should pay attention to that so
when the time comes for us to say what can we do about the high
gasoline prices, the answer is we can pay attention and be a little
more humble before the power of market forces. If we think Government
can intervene with market forces and produce long-term lower prices,
all we need to do is dredge up memory of what happened the last time we
panicked about this as a nation in the 1970s. Under the leadership of
President Carter we created a synfuels corporation, created oil company
windfall taxes, and ended up in lines on separate days. You could only
get your gas tank filled on alternative days. Ultimately, we saw all of
the effort collapse when market forces finally took hold and brought
the prices back in line.
I know it is not a message people want to hear. I, like Senator Burns
and other Senators, have been out in my constituency during the break,
and I heard people talking about: What are you going to do about gas
prices? I had two choices. I could either tell them I will come back
here and I will fight to lower the gas prices--and make them feel
good--or I could tell them the truth. I chose to tell them the truth.
This is a long-term problem, it is a serious problem, and it can only
be solved by serious policies. The most intelligent serious policy that
we can adopt is to do whatever we can to facilitate the kinds of
competition and market forces that ultimately will bring supply up and
prices down and deal with the demand side as best we can through
conservation.
It is not a quick fix. We can't pass a resolution and say, gee, look
what we did and see something happen at the pump the day after
tomorrow. It is time we recognize that fact and told our constituents
the truth.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Michigan.
____________________
FTC INVESTIGATION
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about gas prices
and the energy situation in our country. First, to agree with my
distinguished colleague from Utah, in fact there are long-term issues
we have to address. There is no question about that. Alternative fuels,
the efforts to put forward very aggressive alternatives such as
ethanol, soy-based biodiesel, and other alternatives that create real
competition, are critical, but there are short-term actions we can take
right now that will help the families who are being squeezed on all
sides by outrageous prices, along with outrageously high profits of the
oil companies.
Today our leader on the floor, our Republican leader, said there
ought to be an investigation going on, and the President said today we
ought to have an investigation going on as to possible price gouging. I
come to the floor today, as the author of the amendment that
successfully passed in the Energy bill last August, to say that we have
an investigation going on. The Federal Trade Commission was authorized
and charged with doing an investigation, which they are doing as a
criminal investigation, into possible price gouging. I was pleased to
be joined by Senator Dorgan and Senator Boxer and others in that
effort.
Since that time, because they began to move extremely slowly last
year, I was pleased to coauthor an increase of $1 million in the budget
in order to fund that investigation. We passed that last fall. There
have been bipartisan letters that have gone to the Chairman of the FTC
saying let's get going. That occurred last fall, last September. Now we
are seeing from the Federal Trade Commission that they intend to have
this report done, this investigation done by May 21.
It is about time. First I would say: Mr. President, it is your FTC.
You appoint the majority of the members on the Federal Trade
Commission. You should know that this is going on.
I encourage the President to be engaged with what his Federal Trade
Commission is doing at this very moment. Hopefully, we are going to get
the right kind of investigation with tough recommendations that will
tell it like it is. This is already occurring. Right now the
investigation, as I said, is structured as a law enforcement case. They
are working with the CFTC, with the States Attorneys General right now.
I encourage everyone interested in this issue to give their input to
the Federal Trade Commission that is already doing an investigation.
In fact, one of the things they found doing this investigation, as
they sent out 200 investigation demands which are roughly the same as
subpoenas, ExxonMobil, back in January-February, filed a petition to
quash the FTC subpoena for tax information. Fortunately, the Commission
denied the appeal and ExxonMobil had to subsequently comply. But now
they are looking at manipulation and gouging, whether or not that is
happening. They are confident, they say, that they found enough
information for a solid determination in their final report, which is
expected on May 21.
I say, first to my Republican colleagues, to the leadership, to the
President, this investigation is already going on. I am glad you now
think there ought to be an investigation. But we would appreciate it if
you would be involved in making sure what the FTC does is tough and
smart and tells it like it is in terms of what is really going on.
Gasoline is not a luxury for the families of Michigan or the families
anywhere across the country. It is a necessity. Families are caught in
a bind because, on the one hand, this is not a regulated utility like
electricity, and there is not enough competition with basically five
different companies. We all know there is not enough competition
because of the consolidations that have gone on. So what happens?
American consumers are stuck in the middle, squeezed on all sides.
Now in Michigan it costs about $42 to fill up a tank. That is $4 more
than last month; $150 more than last year. We are told by the Energy
Information Administration there is going to be an average 25-cent
increase this summer. We already know that numbers are topping $3, in
some cases around the country $4 a gallon.
What this means on average to Michigan families is about $500 more in
the cost of gas for this year--about $500. For the average family that
is a mortgage payment. That is the rent. That is a car payment. It is
paying for food. It is the difference between helping your kids buy
books when they
[[Page 5833]]
need to go to college. This is a big deal. Yet we see comments coming
from the head of ExxonMobil, Mr. Raymond, who dismissed the concerns
between Exxon's record profits and out-of-control gas prices when he
said on CNN that a single quarter or single year's profits is not all
that significant.
Mr. Raymond, it may not be significant to you. It is significant to
the people in Michigan. Five hundred dollars more is significant. It is
a big deal.
We also know that according to our businesses--for instance, General
Motors executives say that every time there is a $1 increase in the
price of a barrel of oil it adds $4 million to GM's logistical costs.
So this is an issue of jobs. Petroleum costs equate with what is
happening on jobs. So this is a big deal.
It is also a big deal for the oil companies. As we all know, we have
all been seeing the numbers, the total combined profit for the big five
oil companies last year was $111 billion. For 2005, ExxonMobil reported
the highest profits ever recorded in U.S. corporate history.
What adds insult to injury is when we look at the things like the CEO
compensation. He is being paid a total compensation package of $69.7
million. That is about $110,000 a day, by the way. Most people in
Michigan don't make $110,000 a year, and we have the head of the
largest oil company making $110,000 a day, with a $400 million
retirement package. Then we are to expect that this is just the global
marketplace happening, that there is nothing we can do? I don't accept
that.
In the short run we can do one thing and that is go back to the
drawing board on a bill that is in conference committee right now on
tax cuts. That has over $5 billion in new tax cuts, tax breaks for oil
companies, some of it based on their businesses overseas. We can say
no. This industry does not need taxpayers to subsidize $5 billion-plus,
plus another $2 billion in the Energy bill that passed last year. We
are looking at $7 billion in increased tax breaks that American
taxpayers are subsidizing while we are paying the higher prices? No.
I have introduced a bill called the Oil Company Accountability Act
that says no to more tax breaks for oil companies and puts that money
back into a $500 rebate per taxpayer in this country to pay the cost of
higher gas prices for the coming year. The average taxpayer is going to
pay $500 more. I think that is a better use of those dollars than
putting it into more tax breaks for an industry that is already the
most profitable, with the most outrageous salaries, and that continues
to price gasoline at a level that is out of control.
I am hopeful my colleagues will be offering this in various
capacities. It would be terrific to get this passed right away because
families could have their checks in the mailbox before Labor Day to
help them pay the outrageously high gas increases that we are seeing:
$500 tax rebate checks for families, no to the oil companies on more
tax breaks, and that at least gets us on the right track while other
long-term efforts needed take place.
Mr. President, I yield.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New Mexico.
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I want to take 5 minutes to talk a
little about the energy issues that are affecting us and challenging us
as a nation and the high price of gasoline more specifically. I am
persuaded that most of the increase in the price of gasoline that we
are seeing at the pump is a result of the increase in the price of oil
and that most of that increase in the price of oil is a result of
supply and demand factors. Not all of it, necessarily, but the majority
of the cause is with supply and demand.
So the question comes down to what can we be doing to come to grips
with this supply and demand situation? To the extent that there is
manipulation of the price, what can we do to deal with that?
Let me talk about the manipulation first. I strongly support putting
in place a Federal statute that prohibits price gouging. Many States
have similar statutes, and they have had some success in the
enforcement of those statutes. But we have no Federal statute to that
effect. We had a hearing. That was a joint hearing between the Energy
Committee and the Commerce Committee a couple of months ago. It was in
November, so it has been more than a couple of months ago. We had the
head of the Federal Trade Commission, Deborah Platt Majoras, there
testifying. The Federal Trade Commission is the Federal agency that
would be the natural agency to have responsibility for enforcement of a
Federal anti-price-gouging statute. She testified:
A Federal statute that makes it illegal to charge prices
that are considered to be too high as long as companies set
those prices independently would be a mistake. The omission
of a Federal price gouging law is not inadvertent. It
reflects sound policy choices.
The clear position of the Federal Trade Commission, as articulated by
the Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission of this administration,
is that they do not want a Federal anti-price-gouging statute, they do
not believe it would be good policy to have such a statute. They would
find it difficult to enforce and therefore they urge Congress not to
proceed.
I think that is a mistake. I think we should bring an anti-price-
gouging statute to the floor, and we should proceed to pass it as soon
as possible. So that is on the manipulation issue.
What about supply and demand and the effect that is having on the
price of gasoline? Clearly, the supply is not what it needs to be to
meet demand today. Trying to increase simply over the short term is
very difficult. The most likely prospect we have for increasing supply
in the next few years is legislation that I have cosponsored along with
Senator Domenici to try to open up an area in the gulf coast for
drilling. That is lease sale 181. That legislation would open up for
development an area that is estimated to contain 6 trillion cubic feet
of natural gas, an area that is estimated to contain 1 billion barrels
of oil. That would help. That is not an immediate fix, but over the
next few years that could begin to help with the supply situation.
What about demand? Frankly, that is the area where we could do the
most good. In the Energy bill we passed last year, we did some things
to try to reduce demand, to try to encourage additional efficiency, to
try to encourage additional conservation, but we did too little, in my
view.
There is more that can be done, particularly in the transportation
sector. This is legislation that I am joining with others on in a
bipartisan group to introduce this week which is called the Enhanced
Energy Efficiency Act of 2006. This legislation would try to set
targets and goals and requirements for the various Federal agencies to
adopt, policies to save oil over the next several years--and it would
put specific amounts of savings that we would work toward. They could
do that through a variety of initiatives, a variety of policy changes
and regulatory changes to encourage more fuel-efficient vehicles, to
encourage fleet conservation requirements, assistance to State programs
to retire fuel-inefficient vehicles, assistance to States to reduce
schoolbus idling.
There are a variety of provisions in this bill. These are provisions
which were included in a bill that Senators Bayh, Brownback, Coleman,
and various other Senators introduced earlier in this Congress. I think
it was S. 2025. But these are provisions that would be under the
jurisdiction of the Energy Committee. These are provisions that I
believe would begin the process of looking more seriously at ways we
can reduce demand.
We could encourage efficiency in our use of energy, and particularly
in our use of oil. These are steps that could be taken--that need to be
taken.
I think we should pass a Federal anti-price-gouging law. We could do
that quickly. We can get that to the President for his signature.
We can also pass this other legislation. We can pass the legislation
that opens lease sale 181 for development. That, again, would help
somewhat with the supply situation. Unfortunately, it is very difficult
to affect the price of gasoline through legislation in the short term.
I think we all need to acknowledge that. But I believe there are
[[Page 5834]]
steps we can take. I believe there are policies we can adopt. I hope we
can work in a bipartisan way to do that.
I hope we can come to the aid of the American consumers who are
having to pay these very high prices for gasoline at this time.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, this morning the President of the United
States held a press conference and announced the following: Prices at
the pumps reflect our addiction to oil.
So it turns out it is our fault. It turns out it is the fault of the
consumers. It is the fault of families and businesses and farmers that
the prices have gone so high. I don't think so. I think the prices at
the pump reflect the oil companies' addiction to greed.
Let me give you a case to consider. Lee Raymond, CEO of Exxon,
recently retired. Did he get a gold watch for his service to Exxon? No.
Mr. Raymond was given a severance package of $400 million. And the
prices at the pumps reflect the consumers' shortcoming?
ExxonMobil recorded the highest corporate profits in the history of
the United States of America. Money went straight from the credit cards
of American families into the board rooms of ExxonMobil. They realized
billions of dollars in profit, and they turned around and gave Mr.
Raymond, as a farewell gift for his fine tutelage over their company,
$400 million as a going-away gift. And the President says the price at
the pumps reflects the consumers' addiction to oil? What choice do
consumers have?
You go shop around in your hometown, as I did in Springfield and
Chicago. There is some variation from pump to pump, from gas station to
gas station. By and large, consumers have nowhere to turn.
What is happening is the price of gasoline is going up so fast, so
high, that it is creating a hardship--not just for farmers and
individuals but for America's economy--for the farmers I represent who
are trying to put a crop in the field, for businesses that depend on
the cost of energy as one of their input costs. That is a reality.
Let me say to the President that the prices at the pumps don't
reflect our addiction to oil; they reflect a failure in leadership by
this White House.
It hasn't even been 1 year--not 12 months--since the President
ceremoniously signed the Energy bill for America's energy policy last
August. What a great bill that has been. Since that bill was signed,
what has happened to the price of energy and heating, and energy and
gasoline? It has gone up dramatically across America. That bill was a
failure. It was a failure because this administration believes the
price at the pump is the fault of the consumers. It isn't. The
consumers have nowhere to turn. That bill that was passed was an
outrage. There were some provisions in it that I supported--expanding
the use of alcohol fuels, alternative fuels--but the bill also
contained multibillion-dollar subsidies to the oil industry at a time
when they are enjoying record-breaking profits.
We are going to take money away from taxpayers and give it to
industry? What in the world could we be thinking?
The bill also has had no meaningful conservation effort. How can we
be serious about an energy policy in America if we aren't moving toward
more fuel-efficient cars and trucks? We continue to import oil from
overseas with abandon.
Why hasn't this administration set as a goal for America what the
Democrats argued for on the floor; that is, that we would reduce our
dependence on foreign oil by more than 50 percent over the next 10
years? We can do it with the vision and leadership of a White House
that is not wedded to the oil industry but wedded, rather, to an
economy that is being at this point seriously disadvantaged by the
terrible increases in gasoline prices.
When the President wants to blame the consumer pulling up to the pump
for his addiction to oil, I have to ask the President: What have you
done? What has Congress done? What should we do?
Let me say this: Despite my serious misgivings about the energy
policy of this administration which believes the answer to our prayers
is to drill for oil in a wildlife refuge in Alaska that we have
protected for 50 years, a refuge which at best will start producing oil
in 10 years, and over its lifespan produce 6 months of energy for
America, as if this is the answer to our prayers, that is very
shortsighted. We need to come together. We need to understand that when
the Republican leaders in Congress and the President of the United
States are saying we had better call the Federal Trade Commission
because something is going wrong with gasoline stations--America,
excuse me; the Federal Trade Commission is part of this administration.
Why are they waiting until this moment in time when all the bells and
whistles and alarms are sounding to finally realize that we have to
move on price gouging and price fixing?
I think it is time to have a windfall profits tax. I introduced that
bill. When ExxonMobil can realize billions of dollars of profit at the
expense of American businesses and families, it is time for us to step
in and say that money is coming back to the Treasury and back to the
consumers. We have talked for a long time about tax cuts for average
families. How about a tax rebate from the windfall profits of these oil
companies going right back to the families who are being flailed by
these high gasoline prices. That would send a message to the oil
companies that their price gouging is not going to go without penalty.
They will pay a price for it. Those who would benefit from the windfall
profits tax are the very consumers who are paying these high energy
prices.
I think that is what we need to do. We need to understand that if we
are going to have an energy policy in America which keeps our economy
moving forward, we need to acknowledge the obvious. It is not the
consumers' fault. The consumer has nowhere to turn at this point but to
pay these high gasoline prices. It is the fault of leadership--the
leadership at the oil companies that will take every last penny out of
every working family they can at the pump, and it is the fault of an
administration which comes from the oil patch and has been afraid to
confront their old friends when it comes to these rising gasoline
prices.
It is time to start anew. It is time to start on a bipartisan basis
to understand that this isn't just a temporary inconvenience. It is
something which can seriously handicap this economy for a long time to
come.
I just returned from Illinois. I spent 2 weeks traveling all over the
State, the city of Chicago, and suburban areas. I tell you that I
expected to hear a lot about the Iraqi war, a lot about immigration,
health care, education, and I did hear about those, but the thing that
is focusing the attention of the people in Illinois is the price at the
gasoline stations.
These families understand that this is a hardship they never counted
on. It is bad enough in this country when these families struggle to
try to make a living, to put their kids through school, make that
mortgage payment, but then to have these oil companies and their
rapacious greed charging higher and higher prices for their product and
taking $400 million so Mr. Raymond can have a sweet retirement from
ExxonMobil, that is unconscionable.
It is time for the President to speak out. It is not a question of
whether our addiction to oil has caused this problem. It is not the
consumers' fault. No. It is the fault of the oil company executives and
this administration which needs to show real leadership so this economy
doesn't stall.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Oregon.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I would very much like to work on an energy
policy in a bipartisan way. I think we all understand that the only way
to get anything important done in Washington, DC, is to work in a
bipartisan way. Unfortunately, the same Bush administration that so
tragically bungled the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has now
bungled its way to $3-a-
[[Page 5835]]
gallon gasoline. And in particular, I am concerned that all of the
evidence showed that this spring we would have these problems.
The administration, for example, has given Congress a variety of
reports about how post-Katrina we would have evidence of a supply
problem. With respect to the changeover from MTBE to ethanol, all the
evidence was available many months ago. The Wall Street Journal was
warning about it--that there would be huge logistical problems for
service stations and others to make that changeover.
We know that ethanol--and the Senator from Illinois has been one of
the leaders in this effort--is going to play an important role in
America's gasoline future. Given that, this should have been an all-
hands-on-deck approach at the administration trying to watchdog the
transition from MTBE to ethanol. This is an administration with
enormous expertise in the oil area. For all practical purposes, this is
an administration that is almost marinated in oil. One official after
another has a history and a background in this sector. Yet where was
the Department of Energy? Where was the Environmental Protection
Agency? Where was the Commodity Futures Trading Commission at a key
time in our country's energy future?
With all the problems overseas--Nigeria, Venezuela, and Iraq
producing a tiny fraction of what they were able to produce before the
war--we knew that this was going to be a difficult time this spring.
I talked to a gasoline station owner last night. I pulled up and was
faced with the prospect of $3.25 a gallon. That station owner said:
Nobody gave us any information at all about how to proceed in this
significant switchover from MTBE to ethanol.
They have to clean their tanks. There are tremendous logistical
problems and a different role for transportation with respect to trucks
and rails versus pipelines. Normally, you would have taken a much
longer period of time to make this changeover. That wasn't done.
So the administration should have been there working with the service
station owners and the oil companies and a variety of parties to try to
minimize the problems when you are having this massive transition in
the energy area. So we are going to see instances where people try to
exploit the situation. I hope we can get the Federal Trade Commission
off the dime and finally go out and take the steps to protect the
public from this exploitation.
It was known a year ago that this was a time when we would have a
perfect energy storm. We knew we were going to have the equivalent of
what amounts to a level 5 hurricane in the gasoline market. Yet the
folks in the administration sat on their hands. It did not have to be
that way.
I want to work in a bipartisan way to turn this around.
Unfortunately, the same kind of bumbling and bungling approach that was
taken in responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has driven our
gasoline prices over $3 a gallon. We ought to come together. I
recommended yesterday in a lengthy speech a variety of steps we could
take in the short term--for example, helping the States to make this
transition to ethanol easier. We can do it in a bipartisan way. If it
were not for the bungling of this administration over the last year and
its failure to take the steps that could have prevented much of what we
have seen, we would not have to come to this point. That is
unfortunate. The American people have been gratuitously hammered again.
It didn't have to be.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Texas.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I have been listening to the debate in
the Senate. Senator Cornyn is going to respond in a little more detail.
Honestly, it is very important we address the energy issue in a way
that suggests what we can do. The people of America are not interested
in Democratic charges against Republicans and Republican charges
against Democrats. They want more resources so the price of gasoline at
the pump will come down.
In my hometown of Dallas, there are shortages now in addition to the
high prices. We need to do some things that diversify our resources so
we depend on our own resources for oil and natural gas. That means
drilling for oil in our country and trying to make sure we have
conservation and alternative sources of energy, which is exactly what
Congress has been trying to do. We have been held up in doing it.
I appreciate very much this opportunity. I am very pleased to work
with my colleague, Senator Cornyn.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I will use a few minutes to respond to
some of the voices that have been raised regarding the fuel prices. Of
course, this is an issue that affects everyone. It is ironic that those
who have railed the loudest against high gasoline prices are the ones
who indeed are responsible for obstructing rational energy policy in
this country that would bring down the price of gasoline itself.
For example, we all know that the global competition for oil and gas
is greater with the industrialization and growth of countries such as
China, with 1.3 billion people, with the growth and industrialization
of countries such as India. But notwithstanding the need to diversify
our energy sources to nuclear energy and use the 300 years of coal we
have in this country in a clean and environmentally sensitive way, we
have been met with nothing but obstruction when it comes to trying to
both diversify our energy sources and to undertake policies that would
literally bring down the price of gasoline at the pump.
It is no secret the single greatest factor in high gasoline prices is
high oil prices. We have simply been denied every opportunity we have
tried to undertake to expand domestic production at home by exploring
places such as the Arctic Wildlife Refuge in an environmentally
responsible way and drilling offshore in America in a way that can
preserve both the environment but also increase the supply of oil and
help bring down the price of gas.
Congress can do a lot of things, but we cannot repeal the laws of
supply and demand. Without additional supply, we know with additional
demand, prices will continue to go up. Because of obstruction and
unreasonable regulation we have not seen a new refinery built in this
country in the last 30 years.
Our time would be used more productively if our colleagues across the
aisle would work with us to diversify and expand the sources of
domestic energy so we can help bring down the price at the pump. It
would be much more constructively used if we work together rather than
attempting to score political points and to place the blame in a
political season.
I yield the floor.
____________________
CONCLUSION OF MORNING BUSINESS
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Morning business is closed.
____________________
EXECUTIVE SESSION
______
NOMINATION OF GRAY HAMPTON MILLER TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the
Senate will proceed to executive session for consideration of Calendar
No. 602, which the clerk will report.
Under the previous order, there will be 5 minutes for the Senator
from Texas.
The bill clerk read the nomination of Gray Hampton Miller, of Texas,
to be United States District Judge for the Southern District Of Texas.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Texas.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to talk about
Gray Miller. Senator Cornyn and I are dividing this time because we are
both responsible for nominating this incredible person to serve on the
Federal district bench from the southern district of Texas in his
hometown of Houston.
Senator Cornyn and I have a process. We have a committee made up of
Republicans and Democrats, geographically diverse, lawyers respected in
[[Page 5836]]
their fields, who interview all of the nominees for Federal benches.
There were quite a few nominees, probably 15 to 20, for this particular
bench. They rank them. Senator Cornyn and I then talked to the top 3 or
4 nominees. It has been a great system. We have gotten extremely
qualified judges on the district benches in Texas doing it this way.
I appreciate the input of Senator Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary
Committee, because he has been attorney general of Texas. His input is
very valuable and our system has produced a quality judge in Gray
Miller.
Gray Miller is a senior partner at Fulbright & Jaworski. Gray has
headed the firm's admiralty department, starting in 1997. In fact, he
is widely considered one of the leading maritime lawyers in the world
and was included in Euro's Money Guide to the world's leading maritime
lawyers. Included in his many professional honors are accolades as a
Texas superlawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine and recognition as one of
the best lawyers in America.
Gray Miller is one of the most honorable, hard-working Americans I
have ever known. From 1969 to 1978 Gray worked his way through
undergraduate and law school as a Houston police officer. He and his
wife raised their two children during this time. While he has obtained
exceptional skills and qualifications as a lawyer and with the
admiralty specialty, which is a big part of the practice in Houston,
his experience of serving as a Houston police officer brings a unique
perspective to the Federal bench.
He was appointed by the Governor of Texas to serve on the board of
the Texas Department of Mental Health and Retardation. He is a lifetime
member of the 100 Club of Houston, an organization that assists the
families of police officers and firefighters who are killed or injured
in the line of duty.
I am honored to recommend Gray Miller. He meets the high standards to
which we hold all judicial nominees. He has an impressive record of
service. He has great judicial temperament. He shoots straight. He has
an experience that is so diverse, from being an on-the-ground police
officer who is dealing with the criminal aspect in our society--we do
not have enough people with that background on the Federal bench--to
admiralty, which is an intellectual contract, and international law,
part of the responsibility in the southern district of Texas.
With this array of experience and the integrity he holds, we have an
outstanding nominee. I urge all of my colleagues to support the
nomination of Gray Miller.
I yield the floor.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleague, Senator Hutchison, in
commending to our colleagues this fine nominee to the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of Texas. Soon-to-be-Judge Miller will
succeed Judge Ewing Werlein, who assumed senior status early this year.
I add to all of Mr. Miller's outstanding credentials my recognition
and our appreciation for Judge Werlein's service to his Nation and the
legal profession during his time on the bench.
First, I thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Senator
Specter, as well as the ranking member, Senator Leahy, for working with
Senator Hutchinson and me to fill the important vacancy in the Houston
Division of the Southern District of Texas.
Mr. Miller has been nominated to fill the vacancy created when Judge
Ewing Werlein assumed senior status earlier this year. Judge Werlein
has served his country and the legal profession admirably, and I
commend him for his dedicated service.
The Houston division is one of the most important and diverse in the
entire Federal judiciary as it is responsible for some of the Nation's
most complex, notable commercial disputes and criminal prosecutions. It
is crucial that we fill this vacancy quickly and I thank the committee
for their vote to bring Mr. Miller's nomination to the Senate floor.
When I consider nominees for the Federal bench, there are certain
characteristics that I value. In fact, I believe that many of my
colleagues also appreciate these same characteristics. First, nominees
usually have a notable history of public service. In addition, nominees
are often well-respected by their peers and have impeccable academic
and/or professional records. Last, nominees usually have a long and
distinguished history of civil involvement. Mr. President, Gray Miller
possesses these traits.
Mr. Miller has the necessary qualifications to serve on the Federal
bench. He has been a long-time partner in the distinguished Texas law
firm of Fulbright and Jaworski. He has excelled at the practice of law
and is well respected within the legal profession for his knowledge of
admiralty and maritime law. This nominee also enjoys the support of the
American Bar Association which has certified him as well-qualified
after a thorough review of his credentials.
Furthermore, he devotes a substantial amount of his time to public
service. Most notably, he spent 9 years as a Houston police officer,
working his way through his undergraduate and law degrees. Now, as a
private practice attorney, he supports a variety of public service
initiatives, including the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and
Habitat for Humanity. He also previously has served on the board of
trustees of the Mental Health/Mental Retardation Authority of Harris
County and on the board of the Texas Department of Mental Health and
Mental Retardation. He and his wife actively support Houston schools
for students with learning disabilities and drug and alcohol problems.
His devotion to the greater Houston community is commendable.
From a congressional page in 1965 to a police officer in the 1970s to
an accomplished trial advocate, Mr. Miller understands and respects the
role of our three branches of government. He has an unfailing respect
for the judiciary and the jury system. It is with this understanding
that I believe Mr. Miller will serve his country honorably as a Federal
district court judge should--by interpreting and applying the law and
adhering to established precedent.
I am pleased that President Bush has nominated Gray Miller to serve
on the court of the Southern District of Texas. I look forward to his
service on the Federal bench in the Great State of Texas. I ask my
colleagues to support his nomination.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there a sufficient second? There
is a sufficient second.
The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the nomination
of Gray Hampton Miller, of Texas, to be United States District Judge
for the Southern District of Texas? On this question, the yeas and nays
have been ordered, and the clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk called the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. The following Senator was necessarily absent: the
Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Vitter).
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Dayton),
the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Jeffords), the Senator from Massachusetts
(Mr. Kerry), the Senator from Wisconsin (Mr. Kohl), the Senator from
Illinois (Mr. Obama), and the Senator from West Virginia (Mr.
Rockefeller) are necessarily absent.
I further announce that, if present and voting, the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) would vote ``aye.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Burr). Are there any other Senators in the
Chamber desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 93, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 93 Ex.]
YEAS--93
Akaka
Alexander
Allard
Allen
Baucus
Bayh
Bennett
Biden
Bingaman
Bond
Boxer
Brownback
Bunning
Burns
Burr
Byrd
Cantwell
Carper
Chafee
Chambliss
Clinton
Coburn
Cochran
Coleman
Collins
Conrad
Cornyn
Craig
Crapo
DeMint
DeWine
Dodd
Dole
Domenici
Dorgan
Durbin
Ensign
Enzi
Feingold
Feinstein
Frist
Graham
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
[[Page 5837]]
Harkin
Hatch
Hutchison
Inhofe
Inouye
Isakson
Johnson
Kennedy
Kyl
Landrieu
Lautenberg
Leahy
Levin
Lieberman
Lincoln
Lott
Lugar
Martinez
McCain
McConnell
Menendez
Mikulski
Murkowski
Murray
Nelson (FL)
Nelson (NE)
Pryor
Reed
Reid
Roberts
Salazar
Santorum
Sarbanes
Schumer
Sessions
Shelby
Smith
Snowe
Specter
Stabenow
Stevens
Sununu
Talent
Thomas
Thune
Voinovich
Warner
Wyden
NOT VOTING--7
Dayton
Jeffords
Kerry
Kohl
Obama
Rockefeller
Vitter
The nomination was confirmed.
____________________
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate will now return to legislative
session.
____________________
MAKING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2006
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will
resume consideration of H.R. 4939, for debate only, until 2:15 p.m.
The clerk will state the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 4939), making emergency supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006,
and for other purposes.
The Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which was reported by the
Committee on Appropriations, with an amendment.
[Omit the part shown in black brackets and insert the part shown in
italic.]
H.R. 4939
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes,
namely:
[TITLE I--GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
[CHAPTER 1
[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE
[Public Law 480 Title II Grants
[For an additional expenses for ``Public Law 480 Title II
Grants'', during the current fiscal year, not otherwise
recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including
interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development
and Assistance Act of 1954, for commodities supplied in
connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said
Act, $350,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 2
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY
[MILITARY PERSONNEL
[Military Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$6,506,223,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Personnel, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$1,061,724,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Personnel, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $834,122,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,145,363,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$166,070,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$110,412,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $10,327,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,940,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[National Guard Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $96,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[National Guard Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $1,200,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
[Operation and Maintenance, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army'', $18,380,310,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Navy
[(including transfer of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $2,793,600,000: Provided, That up to $75,020,000
shall be available for the Department of Homeland Security,
``United States Coast Guard, Operating Expenses'': Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $1,722,911,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $5,328,869,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Defense-Wide'', $3,259,929,000, of which--
[(1) not to exceed $25,000,000 may be used for the
Combatant Commander Initiative Fund, to be used in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
[(2) not to exceed $10,000,000 can be used for emergencies
and extraordinary expenses, to be expended on the approval or
authority of the Secretary of Defense, and payments may be
made on his certificate of necessity for confidential
military purposes;
[(3) not to exceed $1,200,000,000 to remain available until
expended, may be used for payments to reimburse Pakistan,
Jordan, and other key cooperating nations, for logistical,
military, and other support provided, or to be provided, to
United States military operations, notwithstanding any other
provision of law: Provided, That such payments may be made in
such amounts as the Secretary of Defense, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State, and in consultation
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, may
determine, in his discretion, based on documentation
determined by the Secretary of Defense to adequately account
for the support provided, and such determination is final and
conclusive upon the accounting officers of the United States,
and 15 days following notification to the appropriate
congressional committees: Provided further, That the
Secretary
[[Page 5838]]
of Defense shall provide quarterly reports to the
congressional defense committees on the use of funds provided
in this paragraph; and
[(4) not to exceed $44,500,000 for Cooperative Threat
Reduction:
[Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army Reserve'', $100,100,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $236,509,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps Reserve'', $55,675,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $18,563,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $178,600,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air National Guard'', $30,400,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Afghanistan Security Forces Fund
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'',
$1,851,833,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Commander, Office of Security
Cooperation--Afghanistan, or the Secretary's designee, to
provide assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, to the security forces of Afghanistan, including the
provision of equipment, supplies, services, training,
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, and
construction, and funding: Provided further, That the
authority to provide assistance under this heading is in
addition to any other authority to provide assistance to
foreign nations: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital
funds to accomplish the purposes provided herein: Provided
further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That upon a determination that all
or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That contributions of funds for the
purposes provided herein from any person, foreign government,
or international organization may be credited to this Fund,
and used for such purposes: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees
in writing upon the receipt and upon the transfer of any
contribution delineating the sources and amounts of the funds
received and the specific use of such contributions: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than
five days prior to making transfers from this appropriation
account, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall submit a report no later
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the
congressional defense committees summarizing the details of
the transfer of funds from this appropriation: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Iraq Security Forces Fund
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For the ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'', $3,007,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Defense,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose
of allowing the Commander, Multi-National Security Transition
Command--Iraq, or the Secretary's designee, to provide
assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State,
to the security forces of Iraq, including the provision of
equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and
infrastructure repair, renovation, and construction, and
funding: Provided further, That the authority to provide
assistance under this heading is in addition to any other
authority to provide assistance to foreign nations: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer such
funds to appropriations for military personnel; operation and
maintenance; Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid;
procurement; research, development, test and evaluation; and
defense working capital funds to accomplish the purposes
provided herein: Provided further, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds so
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That
contributions of funds for the purposes provided herein from
any person, foreign government, or international organization
may be credited to this Fund, and used for such purposes:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
congressional defense committees in writing upon the receipt
and upon the transfer of any contribution delineating the
sources and amounts of the funds received and the specific
use of such contributions: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than five days prior to
making transfers from this appropriation account, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
any such transfer: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
submit a report no later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter to the congressional defense committees
summarizing the details of the transfer of funds from this
appropriation: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[PROCUREMENT
[Aircraft Procurement, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Army'', $533,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Missile Procurement, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement,
Army'', $203,300,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and
Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $1,983,351,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Procurement of Ammunition, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $829,679,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Other Procurement, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$7,528,657,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Aircraft Procurement, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $293,980,000, to remain
[[Page 5839]]
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Weapons Procurement, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Weapons Procurement,
Navy'', $90,800,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $330,996,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Other Procurement, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$111,719,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine
Corps'', $3,260,582,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $663,595,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Air Force'', $29,047,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Other Procurement, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air
Force'', $1,489,192,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement, Defense-Wide
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-
Wide'', $331,353,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Army'', $424,177,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $126,845,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $305,110,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $145,921,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS
[Defense Working Capital Funds
[For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $502,700,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS
[Defense Health Program
[For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$1,153,562,000 (reduced by $20,000,000) (increased by
$20,000,000) for operation and maintenance: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', $156,800,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That these funds may be
used only for such activities related to Afghanistan and the
Central Asia area: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds only to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement;
and research, development, test and evaluation: Provided
further, That the funds transferred shall be merged with and
be available for the same purposes and for the same time
period as the appropriation to which transferred: Provided
further, That the transfer authority provided in this
paragraph is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[Office of the Inspector General
[For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $6,120,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[RELATED AGENCIES
[Intelligence Community Management Account
[For an additional amount for the ``Intelligence Community
Management Account'', $158,875,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
[(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[Sec. 1201. Upon his determination that such action is
necessary in the national interest, the Secretary of Defense
may transfer between appropriations up to $2,000,000,000 of
the funds made available to the Department of Defense in this
chapter: Provided, That the Secretary shall notify the
Congress promptly of each transfer made pursuant to this
authority: Provided further, That the transfer authority
provided in this section is in addition to any other transfer
authority available to the Department of Defense: Provided
further, That the authority in this section is subject to the
same terms and conditions as the authority provided in
section 8005 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2006, except for the fourth proviso.
[Sec. 1202. (a) Authority To Provide Support.--Of the
amount appropriated by this Act under the heading ``Drug
Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', not to
exceed $40,000,000 may be made available for support for
counter-drug activities of the Governments of Afghanistan and
Pakistan: Provided, That such support shall be in addition to
support provided for the counter-drug activities of such
Governments under any other provision of the law.
[(b) Types of Support.--(1) Except as specified in
subsections (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section, the support
that may be provided under the authority in this section
shall be limited to the types of support specified in section
1033(c)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85, as amended by Public Law
106-398 and Public Law 108-136), and conditions on the
provision of support as contained in such section 1033 shall
apply for fiscal year 2006.
[(2) The Secretary of Defense may transfer vehicles,
aircraft, and detection, interception, monitoring and testing
equipment to
[[Page 5840]]
such Governments for counter-drug activities.
[(3) For the Government of Afghanistan, the Secretary of
Defense may also provide individual and crew-served weapons,
and ammunition for counter-drug security forces.
[Sec. 1203. Notwithstanding 10 U.S.C. 2208(l), the total
amount of advance billings rendered or imposed for all
working capital funds of the Department of Defense in fiscal
year 2006 shall not exceed $1,500,000,000: Provided, That the
amounts made available pursuant to this section are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Sec. 1204. In addition to amounts authorized in section
1202(a) of Public Law 109-163, from funds made available in
this chapter to the Department of Defense, not to exceed
$423,000,000 may be used to fund the Commander's Emergency
Response Program and for a similar program to assist the
people of Afghanistan, to remain available until December 31,
2007.
[Sec. 1205. Supervision and administration costs associated
with a construction project funded with ``Afghanistan
Security Forces Fund'' or ``Iraq Security Forces Fund''
appropriations may be obligated at the time a construction
contract is awarded: Provided, That for the purpose of this
section, supervision and administration costs include all in-
house Government costs.
[Sec. 1206. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
[CHAPTER 3
[BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
[Funds Appropriated to the President
[UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
[CHILD SURVIVAL AND HEALTH PROGRAMS FUND
[For an additional amount for ``Child Survival and Health
Programs Fund'', $5,300,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
[For an additional amount for ``Development Assistance'',
$10,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[INTERNATIONAL DISASTER FAMINE ASSISTANCE
[For an additional amount for ``International Disaster and
Famine Assistance'', $136,290,000, to remain until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
[For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses of the
United States Agency for International Development'',
$61,600,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Other Bilateral Economic Assistance
[ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND
[For an additional amount for ``Economic Support Fund'',
$1,584,500,000 (reduced by $10,000,000) (increased by
$10,000,000), to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Department of State
[DEMOCRACY FUND
[For an additional amount for ``Democracy Fund'',
$10,000,000 for the advancement of democracy in Iran, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
[For an additional amount for ``International Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement'', $107,700,000 (reduced by
$26,300,000) (increased by $26,300,000), to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[MIGRATION AND REFUGEE ASSISTANCE
[For an additional amount for ``Migration and Refugee
Assistance'', $51,200,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Department of the Treasury
[INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
[For an additional amount for ``International Affairs
Technical Assistance'', $13,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[MILITARY ASSISTANCE
[Funds Appropriated to the President
[PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
[For an additional amount for ``Peacekeeping Operations'',
$123,000,000 (increased by $50,000,000), to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
[(including transfer and rescission of funds)
[Sec. 1301. Funds appropriated or made available by
transfer in this chapter may be obligated and expended
notwithstanding section 313 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law
103-236).
[Sec. 1302. Of the funds made available under the heading
``Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund'' in chapter 2 of title
II of Public Law 108-106, $185,500,000 is hereby transferred
to and merged with the appropriation for ``Economic Support
Fund'' contained in this Act: Provided, That the amount
transferred by this section is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[(rescission of funds)
[Sec. 1303. Of the funds made available for Coalition
Solidarity Initiative under the heading ``Peacekeeping
Operations'' in chapter 2 of title II of division A of Public
Law 109-13, $17,000,000 is rescinded.
[Sec. 1304. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
amounts under the heading ``Iraq Relief and Reconstruction
Fund'' in title II of Public Law 108-106 shall remain
available for one additional year from the date on which the
availability of funds would otherwise have expired, if such
funds are initially obligated before the expiration of the
period of availability provided herein: Provided, That,
notwithstanding section 2207(d) of Public Law 108-106,
requirements of section 2207 of Public Law 108-106 shall
expire on October 1, 2008.
[CHAPTER 4
[DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[United States Coast Guard
[OPERATING EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'',
$26,692,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 5
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
[MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
[Military Construction, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Army'', $287,100,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006: Provided further, That none of the
funds provided under this heading may be obligated or
expended until after that date on which the Secretary of
Defense submits an updated master plan for overseas military
infrastructure to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and Senate: Provided further, That,
subject to the preceding proviso, $60,000,000 of the funds
provided under this heading may not be obligated or expended
until after that date on which the Secretary of Defense
submits a detailed plan for Counter IED/Urban Bypass Roads,
Iraq, to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and Senate.
[Military Construction, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', $35,600,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, such funds may be obligated and
[[Page 5841]]
expended to carry out planning and design and military
construction projects not otherwise authorized by law:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006: Provided
further, That none of the funds provided under this heading
may be obligated or expended until after that date on which
the Secretary of Defense submits an updated master plan for
overseas military infrastructure to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate.
[GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER
[Sec. 1501. The matter under the heading ``Veterans Health
Administration--Medical Services'' in chapter 7 of title I of
division B of Public Law 109-148 is amended by inserting
after ``calendar year 2005'' the following: ``and for
unanticipated costs related to the Global War on Terror'':
Provided, That the provisions of this section are designated
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H.
Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 6
[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[Legal Activities
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
United States Attorneys'', $3,000,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Federal Bureau of Investigation
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$99,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That no funding provided in this Act shall be
available for obligation for a new or enhanced information
technology program unless the Deputy Attorney General and the
investment review board certify to the Committees on
Appropriations that the information technology program has
appropriate program management and contractor oversight
mechanisms in place, and that the program is compatible with
the enterprise architecture of the Department of Justice and
Federal Bureau of Investigation: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Drug Enforcement Administration
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$5,000,000 (increased by $9,200,000), to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$4,100,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND RELATED AGENCY
[DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Administration of Foreign Affairs
[DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS
[(including transfer of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular
Programs'', $1,380,500,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That of the amount made
available under this heading, $1,326,000 shall be available
for transfer to the United States Institute of Peace:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
[(including transfer of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'', $25,300,000, to remain available until September
2007, of which $24,000,000 shall be transferred to the
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction for
reconstruction oversight: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
[For an additional amount for ``Educational and Cultural
Exchange Programs'', $5,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[International Organizations
[CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING ACTIVITIES
[For an additional amount for ``Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities'', $129,800,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95
(109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for
fiscal year 2006.
[RELATED AGENCY
[Broadcasting Board of Governors
[INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING OPERATIONS
[For an additional amount for ``International Broadcasting
Operations'', $7,600,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant section 402
of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[BROADCASTING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
[For an additional amount for ``Broadcasting Capital
Improvements'', $28,500,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER
[Sec. 1601. Funds appropriated by this Act for the
Broadcasting Board of Governors and the Department of State
may be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 15 of
the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, section
313 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years
1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103-236), and section 504(a)(1) of
the National Security Act of 1947.
[CHAPTER 7
[DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
[Departmental Offices
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$1,800,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[TITLE II--FURTHER HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY
[CHAPTER 1
[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Executive Operations
[WORKING CAPITAL FUND
[For an additional amount for ``Working Capital Fund'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $25,000,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Agricultural Research Service
[Buildings AND FACILITIES
[For an additional amount for ``Agricultural Research
Service, Buildings and Facilities'' for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season, $20,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Emergency Watershed Protection Program
[For an additional amount for ``Emergency Watershed
Protection Program'' $10,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008, for the purchase of easements on
floodplain lands in disaster areas affected by Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 2
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY
[MILITARY PERSONNEL
[Military Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$2,125,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5842]]
[Military Personnel, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$22,002,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Personnel, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $3,992,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $21,610,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$4,071,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$10,200,000 for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $2,176,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Reserve Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $94,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[National Guard Personnel, Army
[For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $1,304,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[National Guard Personnel, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $1,408,000, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
[Operation and Maintenance, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $29,913,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $37,359,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $12,755,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $1,277,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard
[For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $42,307,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[PROCUREMENT
[Procurement of Ammunition, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $700,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Other Procurement, Army
[For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$9,136,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Aircraft Procurement, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $579,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $899,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for ``Shipbuilding and
Conversion, Navy'', $775,236,000 to remain available until
September 30, 2010, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, which shall be available for transfer within
this account to replace destroyed or damaged equipment;
prepare and recover naval vessels under contract; and provide
for cost adjustments for naval vessels for which funds have
been previously appropriated: Provided, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than 15 days
prior to making transfers within this appropriation, notify
the congressional defense committees in writing of the
details of any such transfer: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5843]]
[Other Procurement, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$85,040,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $13,000,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Procurement, Defense-Wide
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-
Wide'', $2,797,000 (increased by $2,000,000), to remain
available until September 30, 2008, for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $12,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $6,250,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
[For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense- Wide'', $730,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS
[Defense Working Capital Funds
[For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $1,222,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[National Defense Sealift Fund
[For an additional amount for ``National Defense Sealift
Fund'', $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[TRUST FUNDS
[General Fund Payment, Surcharge Collections, Sales of Commissary
Stores, Defense
[For an additional amount for ``General Fund Payment,
Surcharge Collections, Sales of Commissary Stores, Defense'',
$10,530,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS
[Defense Health Program
[For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$33,881,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER
[Sec. 2201. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
[CHAPTER 3
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--CIVIL
[DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
[Corps of Engineers--Civil
[CONSTRUCTION
[For additional amounts for ``Construction'' to reduce the
risk of storm damage to the greater New Orleans metropolitan
area by restoring the surrounding wetlands, $100,000,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That such sums
shall be subject to authorization: Provided further, That the
Chief of Engineers, acting through the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Civil Works, shall provide, at a minimum, a
monthly report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations detailing the allocation and obligation of
these funds, beginning not later than July 30, 2006: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMERGENCIES
[For additional amounts for ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies'', as authorized by section of the Flood Control
Act of August 18, 1941, as amended (33 U.S.C. 701n), for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$1,360,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such sums shall be subject to authorization: Provided
further, That the Chief of Engineers, acting through the
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall
provide, at a minimum, a monthly report to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations detailing the allocation
and obligation of these funds, beginning not later than July
30, 2006: Provided further, That none of the funds provided
herein shall be available until the non-federal interests
have entered into binding agreements with the Secretary of
the Army to pay 100 percent of the operation, maintenance,
repair, replacement and rehabilitation costs of the projects:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 4
[DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[Office of Inspector General
[(including transfers of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $13,500,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
these amounts shall be transferred to the Offices of
Inspector General of the Departments of Agriculture, Defense,
Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban
Development, Justice, Labor and Transportation, and the
Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services
Administration, and the Social Security Administration to
carry out necessary audits and investigations of funding and
programs undertaken by the respective agencies for response
and recovery from the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Customs and Border Protection
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES
[For an additional amount for `Salaries and Expenses' to
provide for the relocation of personnel and equipment related
to the New Orleans laboratory facility and for the repair and
replacement of critical equipment and property damaged or
caused by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005
season, $12,900,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5844]]
[CONSTRUCTION
[For an additional amount for ``Construction'' to rebuild
and repair structures damaged by Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season, $4,800,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[United States Coast Guard
[OPERATING EXPENSES
[(including transfer of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $14,300,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2007, of which up to
$267,000 may be transferred to ``Environmental Compliance and
Restoration'' to be used for environmental cleanup and
restoration of Coast Guard facilities; and of which up to
$500,000 may be transferred to ``Research, Development, Test,
and Evaluation'' to be used for salvage and repair of
research and development equipment and facilities: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, AND IMPROVEMENTS
[For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $80,755,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Federal Emergency Management Agency
[ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGIONAL OPERATIONS
[For an additional amount for ``Administrative and Regional
Operations'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $70,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[PREPAREDNESS, MITIGATION, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
[For an additional amount for ``Preparedness, Mitigation,
Response and Recovery'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $10,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DISASTER RELIEF
[For an additional amount for ``Disaster Relief'' for
necessary expenses under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.),
$9,550,000,000 (reduced by $2,000,000), to remain available
until expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DISASTER ASSISTANCE DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for ``Disaster Assistance Direct
Loan Program Account'' for the cost of direct loans as
authorized under section 417 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5184), $151,000,000, to be used to assist local governments
that were affected by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes
of the 2005 season in providing essential services, of which
$1,000,000 is for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct loan program: Provided, That such funds may be used to
subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of
direct loans not to exceed $200,000,000: Provided further,
That notwithstanding section 417(b) of such Act, the amount
of any such loan issued pursuant to this section may exceed
$5,000,000: Provided further, That notwithstanding section
417(c)(1) of such Act, such loans may not be canceled:
Provided further, That the cost of modifying such loans shall
be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a): Provided further, That of the amount
provided in this chapter under the heading Disaster Relief'',
up to $150,000,000 may be transferred to and merged with the
funds provided under this heading, to be used to subsidize
gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans
not to exceed $200,000,000: Provided further, That the
amounts provided or transferred under this heading are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
[Sec. 2401. The Federal Emergency Management Agency may
provide funds to a State or local government or, as
necessary, assume an existing agreement from such unit of
government, to pay for utility costs resulting from the
provision of temporary housing units to evacuees from
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita if the State or local government
has previously arranged to pay for such utilities on behalf
of the evacuees for the term of any leases, not to exceed 12
months, contracted by or prior to February 7, 2006,
notwithstanding section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5174): Provided, That the Federal share of the costs eligible
to be paid shall be 100 percent.
[Sec. 2402. (a) Title III of Public Law 109-90 is amended
under the heading ``National Flood Insurance Fund'' by
striking ``$30,000,000 for interest on Treasury borrowings''
and inserting ``such sums as necessary for interest on
Treasury borrowings''.
[(b) The provisions of this section are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 5
[DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[United States Fish and Wildlife Service
[CONSTRUCTION
[For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season and for
repayment of advances to other appropriation accounts from
which funds were transferred for such purposes, $132,400,000,
to remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[National Park Service
[HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
[For an additional amount for the ``Historic Preservation
Fund'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$3,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CONSTRUCTION
[For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $55,400,000,
to remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[United States Geological Survey
[SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
[For an additional amount for ``Surveys, Investigations,
and Research'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season and for repayment of advances to other
appropriation accounts from which funds were transferred for
such purposes, $10,200,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Minerals Management Service
[ROYALTY AND OFFSHORE MINERALS MANAGEMENT
[For an additional amount for ``Royalty and Offshore
Minerals Management'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season and for repayment of advances to other
appropriation accounts from which funds were transferred for
such purposes, $15,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND MANAGEMENT
[For an additional amount for ``Environmental Programs and
Management'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $6,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROGRAM
[For an additional amount for the ``Leaking Underground
Storage Tank Program'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
[[Page 5845]]
hurricanes of the 2005 season, $7,000,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Forest Service
[NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM
[For an additional amount for the ``National Forest
System'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$20,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 6
[DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
[MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
[Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Navy
and Marine Corps'', for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $28,880,000 (increased by $15,890,000), to
remain available until September 30, 2010: Provided, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, such funds may be
obligated or expended to carry out planning and design and
military construction projects not otherwise authorized by
law: Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Construction, Air Force
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$57,300,000 (increased by $40,000,000), to remain available
until September 30, 2010: Provided, That notwithstanding any
other provision of law, such funds may be obligated or
expended to carry out planning and design and military
construction projects not otherwise authorized by law:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Construction, Army National Guard
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Army
National Guard'', for necessary expenses related to
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $67,800,000, to remain available until September
30, 2010: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision
of law, such funds may be obligated or expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading in the chapter 7 of title
I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2770) shall
remain available until September 30, 2010: Provided further,
That the amounts provided under this heading are designated
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H.
Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Construction, Air National Guard
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
National Guard'', for necessary expenses related to
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $5,800,000, to remain available until September
30, 2010: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision
of law, such funds may be obligated or expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Military Construction, Navy Reserve
[(INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Navy
Reserve'', for necessary expenses related to consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$24,270,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010:
Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law,
such funds may be obligated or expended to carry out planning
and design and military construction projects not otherwise
authorized by law: Provided further, That the amount provided
under the heading ``Military Construction, Naval Reserve'' in
chapter 7 of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119
Stat. 2771) shall remain available until September 30, 2010,
except that, of such amount $49,530,000 are rescinded:
Provided further, That the amounts provided under this
heading are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
[Departmental Administration
[CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS
[(including transfer of funds)
[For an additional amount for ``Construction, Major
Projects'', for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $550,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the foregoing amount shall only be
available upon enactment, by June 30, 2006, of authority
under section 8104 of title 38, United States Code: Provided
further, That up to $275,000,000 of the amount provided under
this heading may (at any time after the enactment of this Act
and without regard to the preceding proviso) be transferred
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the ``Medical
Services'' account, to be available only for unanticipated
costs related to the Global War on Terror: Provided further,
That the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, not fewer than
15 days prior to making a transfer under the authority in the
preceding proviso, notify the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and House of Representatives in writing of the
transfer: Provided further, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[CHAPTER 7
[DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[Legal Activities
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES, GENERAL LEGAL ACTIVITIES
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
General Legal Activities'', $2,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[SALARIES AND EXPENSES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
[For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
United States Attorneys'', $5,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[PROCUREMENT, ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION
[For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Acquisition
and Construction'', for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $11,800,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[SCIENCE
[National Aeronautics and Space Administration
[EXPLORATION CAPABILITIES
[For an additional amount for ``Exploration Capabilities'',
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$30,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
[RELATED AGENCIES
[Small Business Administration
[DISASTER LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
[(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for ``Disaster Loans Program
Account'' for the cost of direct loans authorized by section
7(b) of the Small Business Act, $1,254,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That such costs,
including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as
defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974: Provided further, That, of the amount provided under
this heading, up to $190,000,000 may be transferred to and
merged with appropriations for ``Small Business
Administration, Salaries and Expenses'' for administrative
expenses to carry out the disaster loan program: Provided
further, That none of the funds provided under this heading
may be used for indirect administrative expenses: Provided
further, That, of the amount provided under this heading,
$712,000,000 is hereby transferred to ``Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Disaster Relief'' to reimburse that
account for funds transferred to this account by Public Law
109-174: Provided further, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5846]]
[CHAPTER 8
[DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Community Planning and Development
[COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND
[(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
[For an additional amount for the ``Community development
fund'', for necessary expenses related to disaster relief,
long-term recovery, and restoration of infrastructure in the
most impacted and distressed areas related to the
consequences of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005 in
States for which the President declared a major disaster
under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) in
conjunction with Hurricane Katrina, Rita, or Wilma,
$4,200,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
activities authorized under title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383):
Provided, That funds made available under this heading shall
be distributed to address the most critical recovery
requirements notwithstanding funding limitations under this
heading in title I of division B of Public Law 109-148:
Provided further, That funds provided under this heading
shall be administered through an entity or entities
designated by the Governor of each State: Provided further,
That such funds may not be used for activities reimbursable
by or for which funds are made available by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency or the Army Corps of Engineers:
Provided further, That funds allocated under this heading
shall not adversely affect the amount of any formula
assistance received by a State under this heading: Provided
further, That each State may use up to five percent of its
allocation for administrative costs: Provided further, That
not less than $1,000,000,000 from funds made available under
this heading shall be used for repair, rehabilitation, and
reconstruction (including demolition, site clearance and
remediation) of the affordable rental housing stock
(including public and other HUD-assisted housing) in the
impacted areas: Provided further, That in administering the
funds under this heading, the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development may waive, or specify alternative requirements
for, any provision of any statute or regulation that the
Secretary administers in connection with the obligation by
the Secretary or the use by the recipient of these funds or
guarantees (except for requirements related to fair housing,
nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment),
upon a request by the State that such waiver is required to
facilitate the use of such funds or guarantees, and a finding
by the Secretary that such waiver would not be inconsistent
with the overall purpose of the statute, as modified:
Provided further, That the Secretary may waive the
requirement that activities benefit persons of low and
moderate income, except that at least 50 percent of the funds
made available under this heading must benefit primarily
persons of low and moderate income unless the Secretary
otherwise makes a finding of compelling need: Provided
further, That the Secretary shall publish in the Federal
Register any waiver of any statute or regulation that the
Secretary administers pursuant to title I of the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974 no later than 5 days before
the effective date of such waiver: Provided further, That
every waiver made by the Secretary must be reconsidered
according to the three previous provisos on the two-year
anniversary of the day the Secretary published the waiver in
the Federal Register: Provided further, That prior to the
obligation of funds each State shall submit a plan to the
Secretary detailing the proposed use of all funds, including
criteria for eligibility and how the use of these funds will
address long-term recovery and restoration of infrastructure:
Provided further, That prior to the obligation of funds to
each State, the Secretary shall ensure that such plan gives
priority to infrastructure development and rehabilitation and
the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affordable
rental housing stock including public and other HUD-assisted
housing: Provided further, That each State will report
quarterly to the Committees on Appropriations on all awards
and uses of funds made available under this heading,
including specifically identifying all awards of sole-source
contracts and the rationale for making the award on a sole-
source basis: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
notify the Committees on Appropriations on any proposed
allocation of any funds and any related waivers made pursuant
to these provisions under this heading no later than 5 days
before such waiver is made: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall establish procedures to prevent recipients
from receiving any duplication of benefits and report
quarterly to the Committees on Appropriations with regard to
all steps taken to prevent fraud and abuse of funds made
available under this heading including duplication of
benefits: Provided further, That of the amounts made
available under this heading, the Secretary may transfer a
total of up to $15,000,000 to the Office of Inspector General
and ``Management and Administration, Salaries and Expenses''
for costs associated with administration and oversight:
Provided further, That none of the funds provided under this
heading may be used by a State or locality as a matching
requirement, share, or contribution for any other Federal
program: Provided further, That the amounts provided under
this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[INDEPENDENT AGENCY
[General Services Administration
[FEDERAL BUILDINGS FUND
[For an additional amount for ``Federal Buildings Fund''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$37,000,000, from the General Fund and to remain available
until expended: Provided, That notwithstanding 40 U.S.C.
3307, the Administrator of General Services is authorized to
proceed with repairs and alterations for affected buildings:
Provided further, That he amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS AND TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
[Sec. 3001. No part of any appropriation contained in this
Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current
fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
[Sec. 3002. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 102
of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat.
2748), the Secretary of Agriculture may provide financial and
technical assistance in carrying out such section in an
amount up to 100 percent Federal share, as provided in
regulations implementing the emergency watershed protection
program: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[Sec. 3003. Funds appropriated pursuant to this Act, or
made available by the transfer of funds in or pursuant to
this Act, for intelligence activities are deemed to be
specifically authorized by the Congress for purposes of
section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
414).
[(including rescission of funds)
[Sec. 3004. (a) Rescission.--Of the unobligated balances
available for ``Immigration and Customs Enforcement--
Automation Modernization'', $43,620,000 are rescinded.
[(b) Appropriation.--For an additional amount for ``United
States Secret Service--Salaries and Expenses'' for critical
investigative and protective operations, $43,620,000:
Provided, That none of the funds appropriated in this section
or under the heading United States Secret Service ``Salaries
and Expenses'' in any other Act may be used to support the
position of the Chief Financial Officer until the Committees
on Appropriations receive: (1) a comprehensive workload re-
balancing report that includes funding and position
requirements for current investigative and protective
operations; (2) a comprehensive analysis of the methodology
used to estimate current workloads and develop annual
operating budgets; and (3) a budget formulation model for
National Special Security Events: Provided further, That none
of the funds appropriated in this section may be obligated
until the Committees on Appropriations receive a revised
Program, Project and Activity schedule based on current
investigative and protective workload requirements, including
a comprehensive analysis of the methodology used to estimate
those requirements.
[Sec. 3005. (a) The matter under the heading ``Tenant-Based
Rental Assistance'' in chapter 9 of title I of division B of
Public Law 109-148 is amended--
[(1) in the first proviso, by striking ``or the Stewart B.
McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77)'' and
inserting ``the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act,
section 221(d)(3), 221(d)(5), or 236 of the National Housing
Act, or section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act
of 1965''; and
[(2) in the second proviso, by inserting ``, except that
paragraph (7)(A) of such section shall not apply'' after
``1937''.
[(b) The provisions of this section are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
[Sec. 3006. Notwithstanding 49 U.S.C. 5336, any funds
remaining available under Federal Transit Administration
grant numbers NY-03-345-00, NY-03-0325-00, NY-03-0405, NY-90-
X398-00, NY-90-X373-00, NY-90-X418-00, NY-90-X465-00 together
with an amount not to exceed $19,200,000 in urbanized area
formula funds that were allocated by the New York
Metropolitan Transportation Council to the New York City
Department of Transportation as a designated recipient under
49 U.S.C. 5307 may be made available to the New York
Metropolitan Transportation Authority for eligible capital
projects authorized under 49 U.S.C. 5307 and 5309.
[Sec. 3007. The referenced statement of the managers under
the heading ``Community Development Fund'' in title II of
division I of Public Law 108-447 is deemed to be amended--
[[Page 5847]]
[(1) with respect to item number 536, by striking ``an
economic development planning study'' and inserting ``the
Main Street Revitalization Project''; and
[(2) with respect to item number 444, by striking ``City of
St. Petersburg, Florida for facilities construction and
renovation for the Mid-Pinellas Science Center'' and
inserting ``St. Petersburg College, City of Seminole, Florida
for the development of a Science and Nature Park at St.
Petersburg College''.
[Sec. 3008. (a) The second paragraph under the heading
``Community Development Fund'' in title III of division A of
Public Law 109-115 is amended by striking ``statement of
managers accompanying this Act'' and inserting ``statement of
managers correction for H.R. 3058 relating to the Economic
Development Initiative submitted to the House of
Representatives by the Chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations of the House on November 18, 2005, and printed
in the House section of the Congressional Record on such
date''.
[(b) Section 5023 of title V of division B of Public Law
109-148 is amended by striking ``in title III of Public Law
109-115 (as in effect pursuant to H. Con. Res. 308, 109th
Congress)'' and inserting ``in title III of division A of
Public Law 109-115''.
[(c) Each amendment made by this section shall apply as if
included in the amended public law on the date of its
enactment.
[Sec. 3009. The statement of managers correction referenced
in the second paragraph under the heading ``Community
Development Fund'' in title III of division A of Public Law
109-115 is deemed to be amended--
[(1) with respect to item number 714, by striking
``construction of a senior center;'' and inserting
``renovation and buildout of a multipurpose center;'';
[(2) with respect to item number 850, by striking ``City of
Lancaster, Pennsylvania'' and inserting ``in Pennsylvania'';
and
[(3) with respect to item number 925, by striking
``Greenwood Partnership Alliance, South Carolina for the
renovation of Old Federal Courthouse;'' and inserting ``City
of Greenwood, South Carolina for the Emerald Triangle
Project;''.
[Sec. 3010. Section 9001 of the Deficit Reduction Act of
2005 is amended--
[(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``for a 1-time only
obligation and expenditure'';
[(2) in subsection (a)(2)--
[(A) by striking ``for fiscal year 2007''; and
[(B) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, to remain available until September 30,
2007''; and
[(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the
following:
[``(b) Emergency Designation.--The amount provided under
subsection (a)(2) is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year
2006.''.
[Sec. 3011. (a) None of the funds made available in this
Act or any other Act may be used to take any action under
section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C.
App. 2170) or any other provision of law to approve or
otherwise allow the acquisition of any leases, contracts,
rights, or other obligations of P&O Ports by Dubai Ports
World or any other legal entity affiliated with or controlled
by Dubai Ports World.
[(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any
prior action or decision by or on behalf of the President
under section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50
U.S.C. App. 2170), the acquisition of any leases, contracts,
rights, or other obligations of P&O Ports by Dubai Ports
World or any other legal entity affiliated with or controlled
by Dubai Ports World is hereby prohibited and shall have no
effect.
[(c) The limitation in subsection (a) and the prohibition
in subsection (b) apply with respect to the acquisition of
any leases, contracts, rights, or other obligations on or
after January 1, 2006.
[(d) In this section:
[(1) The term ``P&O Ports'' means P&O Ports, North America,
a United States subsidiary of the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company, a company that is a national of the
United Kingdom.
[(2) The term ``Dubai Ports World'' means Dubai Ports
World, a company that is partly owned and controlled by the
Government of the United Arab Emirates.
[Sec. 3012. (a) None of the funds appropriated in Public
Law 109-102 or any prior Act making appropriations for
foreign operations, export financing and related programs may
be obligated or expended for assistance to the Palestinian
Authority or a successor entity until the Secretary of State
certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that such
entity has demonstrated its commitment to the principles of
nonviolence, the recognition of Israel, and the acceptance of
previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap.
[(b) None of the funds appropriated under the heading
``Economic Support Fund'' in Public Law 109-102 or any prior
Act making appropriations for foreign operations, export
financing and related programs may be obligated or expended
for assistance to the West Bank and Gaza until the Secretary
of State reviews the current assistance program, consults
with the Committees on Appropriations, and submits a revised
plan for such assistance: Provided, That such plan shall be
submitted not later than April 30, 2006, and shall contain
specific and appropriate steps to ensure that United States
assistance is not provided to or through any individual,
private or government entity, or educational institution that
the Secretary knows or has reason to believe advocates,
plans, sponsors, engages in, or has engaged in, terrorist
activity.
[Sec. 3013. None of the funds made available by this Act
may be used to prohibit registered and legal, but displaced,
residents of the Gulf Coast region from the right to legally
vote in any officially designated election of the Gulf Coast
region.
[Sec. 3014. None of the funds made available in this Act
may be used by the Government of the United States to enter
into a basing rights agreement between the United States and
Iraq.
[This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and
Hurricane Recovery, 2006''.]
That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I
GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
CHAPTER 1
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
public law 480 title ii grants
For an additional amount for ``Public Law 480 Title II
Grants'', during the current fiscal year, not otherwise
recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including
interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development
and Assistance Act of 1954, for commodities supplied in
connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said
Act, $350,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That from this amount, to the maximum extent
possible, funding shall be used to support the previously
approved fiscal year 2006 programs under section 204(a)(2) of
the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of
1954: Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 2
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Legal Activities
SALARIES AND EXPENSES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$3,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Marshals Service
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$1,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$82,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Drug Enforcement Administration
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$4,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND RELATED AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Administration of Foreign Affairs
Diplomatic and Consular Programs
For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular
Programs'', $1,452,600,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95
[[Page 5848]]
(109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for
fiscal year 2006.
Office of Inspector General
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'', $25,300,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007, of which $24,000,000 shall be transferred to the
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction: Provided,
That the amounts provided under this heading are designated
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H.
Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on
the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs
For an additional amount for ``Educational and Cultural
Exchange Programs'', $5,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
International Organizations
Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities
For an additional amount for ``Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities'', $69,800,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
RELATED AGENCY
Broadcasting Board of Governors
International Broadcasting Operations
For an additional amount for ``International Broadcasting
Operations'' for programs and activities promoting democracy
in Iran, $30,250,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER
Authorization of Funds
Sec. 1201. Funds appropriated or made available by transfer
in this chapter may be obligated and expended notwithstanding
section 15 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956, section 10 of Public Law 91-672 (22 U.S.C. 2412),
section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50
U.S.C. 414(a)(1)) and section 313 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law
103-236).
CHAPTER 3
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY
MILITARY PERSONNEL
Military Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$6,665,284,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$1,071,474,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $860,872,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,195,713,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$150,570,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$115,712,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $13,192,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $3,440,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $121,550,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $6,200,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Operation and Maintenance, Army
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army'', $17,594,410,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $2,826,693,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $1,589,911,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $6,057,408,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Defense-Wide'', $2,879,899,000, of which--
(1) not to exceed $25,000,000 may be used for the Combatant
Commander Initiative Fund, to be used in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
(2) not to exceed $740,000,000, to remain available until
expended, may be used for payments to reimburse Pakistan,
Jordan, and other key cooperating nations, for logistical,
military, and other support provided, or to be provided, to
United States military operations, notwithstanding any other
provision of law: Provided, That such payments may be made in
such amounts as the Secretary of Defense, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State, and in consultation
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, may
determine, in his discretion, based on documentation
determined by the Secretary of Defense to adequately account
for the support provided, and such determination is final and
conclusive upon the accounting officers of the United States,
and 15 days following notification to the appropriate
congressional committees: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall provide quarterly reports to the
congressional defense committees on the use of funds provided
in this paragraph;
(3) not to exceed $36,500,000 for Cooperative Threat
Reduction; and
(4) $75,000,000 shall be transferred to the Coast Guard
``Operating Expenses'' account:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army Reserve'', $100,100,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $236,509,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps Reserve'', $87,875,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $18,563,000:
[[Page 5849]]
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $178,600,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air National Guard'', $30,400,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Afghanistan Security Forces Fund
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'',
$1,908,133,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Commander, Office of Security
Cooperation--Afghanistan, or the Secretary's designee, to
provide assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State, to the security forces of Afghanistan, including the
provision of equipment, supplies, services, training,
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, and
construction, and funding: Provided further, That the
authority to provide assistance under this section is in
addition to any other authority to provide assistance to
foreign nations: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Defense may transfer such funds to appropriations for
military personnel; operation and maintenance; Overseas
Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital
funds to accomplish the purposes provided herein: Provided
further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That upon a determination that all
or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That contributions of funds for the
purposes provided herein from any person, foreign government,
or international organization may be credited to this Fund,
and used for such purposes: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees
in writing upon the receipt and upon the transfer of any
contribution, delineating the sources and amounts of the
funds received and the specific use of such contributions:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not
fewer than five days prior to making transfers from this
appropriation account, notify the congressional defense
committees in writing of the details of any such transfer:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall submit a report no
later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to
the congressional defense committees summarizing the details
of the transfer of funds from this appropriation: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Iraq Security Forces Fund
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For the ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'', $3,703,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Defense,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose
of allowing the Commander, Multi-National Security Transition
Command--Iraq, or the Secretary's designee, to provide
assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State,
to the security forces of Iraq, including the provision of
equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and
infrastructure repair, renovation, and construction, and
funding: Provided further, That the authority to provide
assistance under this section is in addition to any other
authority to provide assistance to foreign nations: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer such
funds to appropriations for military personnel; operation and
maintenance; Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid;
procurement; research, development, test and evaluation; and
defense working capital funds to accomplish the purposes
provided herein: Provided further, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That upon a determination that all or part of the funds so
transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the
purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred
back to this appropriation: Provided further, That
contributions of funds for the purposes provided herein from
any person, foreign government, or international organization
may be credited to this Fund, and used for such purposes:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
congressional defense committees in writing upon the receipt
and upon the transfer of any contribution, delineating the
sources and amounts of the funds received and the specific
use of such contributions: Provided further, That the
Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than five days prior to
making transfers from this appropriation account, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
any such transfer: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
submit a report no later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter to the congressional defense committees
summarizing the details of the transfer of funds from this
appropriation: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Iraq Freedom Fund
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``Iraq Freedom Fund'',
$25,000,000, to remain available for transfer until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For the ``Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund'',
$1,958,089,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary
of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for
the purpose of allowing the Director of the Joint Improvised
Explosive Device Defeat Organization to investigate, develop
and provide equipment, supplies, services, training,
facilities, personnel and funds to assist U.S. forces in the
defeat of improvised explosive devices: Provided further,
That within 90 days of the enactment of this Act, a plan for
the intended management and use of the Fund is provided to
the congressional defense committees: Provided further, That
the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report not later than
30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter to the
congressional defense committees providing assessments of the
evolving threats, individual service requirements to counter
the threats, and details on the execution of this Fund:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer
funds provided herein to appropriations for military
personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; research,
development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital
funds to accomplish the purpose provided herein: Provided
further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That upon determination that all
or part of the funds so transferred from this appropriation
are not necessary for the purpose provided herein, such
amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not
fewer than 5 days prior to making transfers from this
appropriation, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
PROCUREMENT
Aircraft Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Army'', $533,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Missile Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Army'',
$203,300,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and
Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $1,592,451,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Army
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $829,679,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$6,286,145,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5850]]
Aircraft Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $412,169,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Weapons Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Weapons Procurement, Navy'',
$63,351,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $327,126,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$140,144,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine Corps'',
$2,576,467,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $679,515,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Air Force'', $29,047,000 to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air
Force'', $1,452,651,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$331,353,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Army'', $54,700,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $124,845,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $382,630,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $148,551,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS
Defense Working Capital Funds
For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $516,700,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Defense Health Program
For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$1,153,562,000 for operation and maintenance: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and
Counter-Drug Activities'', $154,596,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That these funds may be used only
for such activities related to Afghanistan and the Central
Asia area: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense
may transfer such funds only to appropriations for military
personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; and
research, development, test and evaluation: Provided further,
That the funds transferred shall be merged with and be
available for the same purposes and for the same time period
as the appropriation to which transferred: Provided further,
That the transfer authority provided in this paragraph is in
addition to any other transfer authority available to the
Department of Defense: Provided further, That upon a
determination that all or part of the funds transferred from
this appropriation are not necessary for the purposes
provided herein, such amounts may be transferred back to this
appropriation: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Office of the Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $1,815,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCY
Intelligence Community Management Account
For an additional amount for the ``Intelligence Community
Management Account'', $158,875,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
Special Transfer Authority
(Transfer of Funds)
Sec. 1301. Upon his determination that such action is
necessary in the national interest, the Secretary of Defense
may transfer between appropriations up to $2,000,000,000 of
the funds made available to the Department of Defense in this
chapter: Provided, That the Secretary shall notify the
Congress promptly of each transfer made pursuant to this
authority: Provided further, That the transfer authority
provided in this section is in addition to any other transfer
authority available to the Department of Defense: Provided
further, That the authority in this section is subject to the
same terms and conditions as the authority provided in
section 8005 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2006, except for the fourth proviso: Provided further, That
the amount made available by the transfer of funds in or
pursuant to this section is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
General Transfer Authority
(Transfer of Funds)
Sec. 1302. Section 8005 of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 2006, (Public Law 109-148; 119 Stat.
2680), is amended by striking ``$3,750,000,000'' and
inserting ``$4,350,000,000'': Provided, That the amount made
available by the transfer of funds in or pursuant to this
section is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Defense Cooperation Account
(Transfer of Funds)
Sec. 1303. During fiscal year 2006 and from funds in the
Defense Cooperation Account, the Secretary of Defense may
transfer not to exceed $5,800,000 to such appropriations or
funds of the Department of Defense as he shall determine for
use consistent with the purposes for which such funds were
contributed and accepted: Provided, That such amounts shall
be available for the
[[Page 5851]]
same time period as the appropriation to which transferred:
Provided further, That the amount made available by the
transfer of funds in or pursuant to this section is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
U.S. Contributions to NATO
Sec. 1304. Section 1005(c)(2) of the National Defense
Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163) is
amended by striking ``$289,447,000'' and inserting
``$345,547,000''.
Counter-Drug Activities
Sec. 1305. (a) Authority to Provide Support.--Of the amount
appropriated by this Act under the heading, ``Drug
Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', not to
exceed $23,100,000 may be made available for support for
counter-drug activities of the Governments of Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan: Provided, That such support shall
be in addition to support provided for the counter-drug
activities of such Governments under any other provision of
the law.
(b) Types of Support.--
(1) Except as specified in subsections (b)(2) and (b)(3) of
this section, the support that may be provided under the
authority in this section shall be limited to the types of
support specified in section 1033(c)(1) of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law
105-85, as amended by Public Law 106-398 and Public Law 108-
136), and conditions on the provision of support as contained
in section 1033 shall apply for fiscal year 2006.
(2) The Secretary of Defense may transfer vehicles,
aircraft, and detection, interception, monitoring and testing
equipment to said Governments for counter-drug activities.
(3) For the Government of Afghanistan, the Secretary of
Defense may also provide individual and crew-served weapons,
and ammunition for counter-drug security forces.
Advance Billing
Sec. 1306. Notwithstanding 10 U.S.C. 2208(l), the total
amount of advance billings rendered or imposed for all
working capital funds of the Department of Defense in fiscal
year 2006 shall not exceed $1,200,000,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Commander's Emergency Response Program
Sec. 1307. In addition to amounts authorized in section
1202(a) of Public Law 109-163, from funds made available in
this chapter to the Department of Defense, not to exceed
$423,000,000 may be used to fund the Commander's Emergency
Response Program and for a similar program to assist the
people of Afghanistan, to remain available until December 31,
2007.
Supervision and Administration Costs of Construction Projects
Sec. 1308. Supervision and administration costs associated
with a construction project funded with Afghan Security
Forces Fund or Iraq Security Forces Fund appropriations may
be obligated at the time a construction contract is awarded:
Provided, That for the purpose of this section, supervision
and administration costs include all in-house Government
costs.
Prohibition of New Start Programs
Sec. 1309. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
Retroactive Payment of Additional Death Gratuity
Sec. 1310. (a) Effective as of January 6, 2006, and as if
included in the enactment of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163),
subsection (d)(2) of section 1478 of title 10, United States
Code, as added by section 664(b) of such Act (119 Stat.
3316), is amended by striking ``May 11, 2005'' and inserting
``August 31, 2005''.
(b) Availability of Funds.--Of the amounts appropriated or
otherwise made available by this chapter for military
personnel, an aggregate of $48,750,000 shall be available for
the retroactive payment of death gratuity with respect to
members of the Armed Forces as a result of the amendment made
by subsection (a).
voting assistance
Sec. 1311. (a) Congress recognizes the importance of
ensuring that absent uniformed services voters, Department of
Defense personnel, and their dependents have the opportunity
to exercise their right to vote.
(b) IVAS Ballot Request Program.--
(1) The Interim Voting Assistance System (IVAS) Ballot
Request Program shall be continued with respect to all
Department of Defense personnel, and their families, covered
by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.).
(2) Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional
defense committees a report on the status of the program.
(c) Funding.--Of the amounts provided by this Act,
$5,820,000 shall be available for the program referred to in
subsection (b).
CHAPTER 4
BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT
United States Agency for International Development
Child Survival and Health Programs Fund
For an additional amount for ``Child Survival and Health
Programs Fund'', $10,300,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Development Assistance
For an additional amount for ``Development Assistance'',
$10,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
International Disaster and Famine Assistance
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``International Disaster and
Famine Assistance'', $136,290,000, to remain available until
expended, of which up to $80,000 may be transferred to and
merged with ``Operating Expenses of the United States Agency
for International Development'', for associated
administrative costs: Provided, That the amounts provided
under this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operating Expenses of the United States Agency for International
Development
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses of the
United States Agency for International Development'',
$141,600,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
OTHER BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE
Economic Support Fund
(Including Transfer of Funds)
For an additional amount for ``Economic Support Fund'',
$1,757,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007,
of which up to $11,000,000 may be used for the costs, as
defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, of modifying direct loans and guarantees for
Afghanistan or otherwise of reducing any amounts owed to the
United States or any agency of the United States by
Afghanistan: Provided, That such amounts for the costs of
modifying direct loans and guarantees shall not be considered
``assistance'' for the purposes of any provision of law
limiting assistance to a country: Provided further, That the
last proviso under the heading ``Economic Support Fund'' in
title II of Public Law 109-102 and comparable provisions in
prior Acts making appropriations for foreign operations,
export financing, and related programs shall no longer be
applicable to funds appropriated under such heading in this
Act or any prior Act: Provided further, That of the funds
available under this heading for assistance for Afghanistan,
$5,000,000 shall be made available for agriculture and rural
development programs in Afghanistan to be administered
through a national consortium of agriculture colleges and
land-grant universities: Provided further, That of the funds
available under this heading for assistance for Iraq, not
less than $75,000,000 shall be made available to the United
States Agency for International Development for continued
support for its Community Action Program in Iraq, of which
not less than $10,000,000 shall be transferred to and merged
with funds appropriated under the heading ``Iraq Relief and
Reconstruction Fund'' in chapter 2 of title II of Public Law
108-106 and shall be made available for the Marla Ruzicka
Iraqi War Victims Fund: Provided further, That funds made
available under the previous proviso shall be in addition to
funds appropriated by this Act that are available to the
United States Agency for International Development for Iraq:
Provided further, That funds appropriated under this heading
that are made available for police and judicial reform in
Haiti shall be subject to the regular notification procedures
of the Committees on Appropriations: Provided further, That
the amounts provided under this heading are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Democracy Fund
For an additional amount for ``Democracy Fund'',
$39,750,000, for programs and activities promoting democracy
in Iran, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That funds appropriated under this heading shall be
made available notwithstanding any other provision of law and
shall be administered by the Middle East Partnership
Initiative: Provided further, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
For an additional amount for ``International Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement'', $107,700,000, to remain
available until September
[[Page 5852]]
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Migration and Refugee Assistance
For an additional amount for ``Migration and Refugee
Assistance'', $110,200,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund
For an additional amount for ``United States Emergency
Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund'', $20,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
International Affairs Technical Assistance
For an additional amount for ``International Affairs
Technical Assistance'', $13,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
MILITARY ASSISTANCE
FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT
Peacekeeping Operations
For an additional amount for ``Peacekeeping Operations'',
$181,200,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
IRAQ RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION FUND
Sec. 1401. Chapter 2 of title II of Public Law 108-106 (117
Stat. 1225-1226), as amended by Public Law 108-309 (118 Stat.
1142-1143), is further amended under the heading ``Iraq
Relief and Reconstruction Fund'' by--
(1)(A) striking ``$5,090,000,000'' and inserting
``$5,036,000,000'' for security and law enforcement;
(B) striking ``$1,960,000,000'' and inserting
``$2,349,800,000'' for justice, public safety infrastructure,
and civil society;
(C) striking ``$4,455,000,000'' and inserting
``$4,220,000,000'' for the electric sector;
(D) striking ``$1,723,000,000'' and inserting
``$1,735,600,000'' for oil infrastructure;
(E) striking ``$2,361,000,000'' and inserting
``$2,131,100,000'' for water resources and sanitation;
(F) striking ``$500,000,000'' and inserting
``$465,500,000'' for transportation and telecommunications;
(G) striking ``$370,000,000'' and inserting
``$333,700,000'' for roads, bridges, and construction;
(H) striking ``$793,000,000'' and inserting
``$739,000,000'' for health care;
(I) striking ``$845,000,000'' and inserting
``$805,300,000'' for private sector development; and
(J) striking ``$342,000,000'' and inserting
``$410,000,000'' for education, refugees, human rights, and
governance; and
(2) inserting before the period the following: ``: Provided
further, That amounts provided under this heading shall
remain available for an additional 4 years from the date on
which the availability of such funds would otherwise have
expired, if such funds are initially obligated before the
expiration of the period of availability provided herein,
except that after such initial obligation any subsequent
obligation may be made without regard to the sectoral
limitations set forth under this heading, as amended''.
Administrative Costs
Sec. 1402. To the extent not otherwise authorized,
supervision and administrative costs of the Department of
Defense associated with a construction project funded with
the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund may be obligated at
the time a construction contract is awarded or, for pre-
existing contracts, by September 30, 2006: Provided, That for
the purposes of this section, supervision and administration
costs include all in-house Government costs.
Authorization of Funds
Sec. 1403. Funds appropriated or made available by transfer
in this chapter may be obligated and expended notwithstanding
section 15 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956, section 10 of Public Law 91-672 (22 U.S.C. 2412),
section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50
U.S.C. 414(a)(1)) and section 313 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law
103-236).
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Sec. 1404. Section 550 of Public Law 109-102 (119 Stat.
2217) is amended to read as follows:
``Prohibition on Assistance for the Palestinian Authority
``Sec. 550. Prohibition on Assistance.--None of the funds
appropriated by this Act or any prior Act making
appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and
related programs, may be obligated or expended for assistance
for the Palestinian Authority unless the Secretary of State
determines, and so reports to the Committees on
Appropriations, that the Palestinian Authority has--
``(1) publicly acknowledged Israel's right to exist as a
Jewish state;
``(2) renounced violence; and
``(3) accepted and is adhering to all previous diplomatic
Agreements and understandings with the United States
Government, the Government of Israel, and the international
community.''.
(RESCISSION)
Sec. 1405. Of the funds appropriated under the heading
``Subsidy Appropriation'' for the Export-Import Bank of the
United States that are available for tied-aid grants in title
I of Public Law 107-115 and under such heading in prior Acts
making appropriations for foreign operations, export
financing, and related programs, $13,200,000 are rescinded.
CHAPTER 5
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
United States Coast Guard
OPERATING EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'',
$26,692,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 6
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
Military Construction, Army
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Army'', $214,344,000, to remain available until September 30,
2010: Provided, That such funds may be obligated and expended
to carry out planning and design and military construction
projects not otherwise authorized by law: Provided further,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Construction, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', $28,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2010: Provided, That such funds may be obligated or expended
to carry out planning and design and military construction
projects not otherwise authorized by law: Provided further,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Construction, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Defense-Wide'', $35,200,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2010: Provided, That such funds may be
obligated or expended to carry out planning and design and
military construction projects not otherwise authorized by
law: Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 7
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Departmental Offices
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$1,800,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
TITLE II
FURTHER HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY
CHAPTER 1
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Executive Operations
Working Capital Fund
For an additional amount for ``Working Capital Fund'',
$25,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Office of the Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $445,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Agricultural Research Service
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$15,600,000, to remain available until expended, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other
[[Page 5853]]
hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
For an additional amount for ``Buildings and Facilities'',
$20,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Farm Service Agency
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$5,000,000, to remain available until expended, for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM
For an additional amount for the ``Emergency Conservation
Program'', $32,547,000, to remain available until expended,
to provide assistance under the emergency conservation
program established under title IV of the Agricultural Credit
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.), for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM
For an additional amount for ``Emergency Watershed
Protection Program'', $165,000,000, to remain available until
expended, for emergency measures in disaster areas affected
by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Secretary, acting through the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, using funds made available under this
heading may provide financial and technical assistance to
remove and dispose of debris and animal carcasses that could
adversely affect health and safety on non-Federal land in a
hurricane-affected county: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Rural Development
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$1,000,000, to remain available until expended, for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season for State Rural
Development offices located in Mississippi and Louisiana:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RURAL COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM
For an additional amount for community facilities grants
authorized under section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act, $150,000,000, to remain available
until expended, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE--COST SHARE REQUIREMENT
Sec. 2101. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in
carrying out the provisions of section 102 of chapter 1 of
title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2748-
2749), the Secretary may provide financial and technical
assistance up to 100 percent Federal share: Provided, That
the amount provided under this section is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE--VEHICLE DISPOSITION
Sec. 2102. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
may enter into agreements with organizations or State or
local units of government affected by Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, that provide for NRCS to
donate used vehicles to the organization or to the State or
local unit of government.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT--EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES
Sec. 2103. The Secretary of Agriculture may continue to use
any of the authorities provided in section 105 of chapter 1
of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat.
2749-2750), for a period not to exceed 24 additional months:
Provided, That the amount provided under this section is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
FARM SERVICE AGENCY
(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Sec. 2104. Of the funds appropriated in section 101(a) of
chapter 1 of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119
Stat. 2747), to provide assistance under the emergency
conservation program established under title IV of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.),
$38,000,000 are transferred to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration in the Department of Commerce for
activities involving oysters: Provided, That the amount
transferred under this section is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
FARM SERVICE AGENCY--EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Sec. 2105. Section 101(b) of chapter 1 of title I of
division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2747) is
amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``, Oyster,'';
(2) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``, oyster,''; and
(B) by striking ``public and private oyster reefs or'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(4) by striking paragraph (4); and
(5) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).
RURAL DEVELOPMENT--RURAL HOUSING
Sec. 2106. There is hereby appropriated, $35,408,000, to
remain available until expended, for housing needs in the
most impacted and distressed areas related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture
shall allocate funds provided under this section between the
``Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account'' and ``Rural
Housing Assistance Grants'' program: Provided further, That
the Secretary make this allocation and prioritizes the
funding of projects with such funds within a State based on
the priorities identified by the Governor of each State:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this section
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 2
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Office of the Inspector General
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $500,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Legal Activities
Salaries and Expenses, General Legal Activities
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $3,200,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Salaries and Expenses, United States Attorneys
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $6,500,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Office of Justice Programs
State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance
For an additional amount for ``State and Local Law
Enforcement Assistance'' for necessary expenses, related to
the direct or indirect consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $10,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006:
Provided further, That the Attorney General shall consult
with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the
allocation of funds prior to obligation.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Operations, Research, and Facilities
For an additional amount for ``Operations, Research, and
Facilities'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $1,135,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, pursuant to section 312(a) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,
section 308(d) of the
[[Page 5854]]
Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act, and other authorities:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006: Provided
further, That of the total amount appropriated, $100,000,000
shall be for the National Marine Fisheries Service to provide
technical assistance to States and industry for oyster bed
and shrimp ground rehabilitation, debris removal and
cleaning, and to prepare for spat fall by planting sufficient
amounts of cultch: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $20,000,000 shall be provided to utilize the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's expertise
to assist in rebuilding coastal communities, especially
focusing on fisheries infrastructure, zoning to mitigate
against future catastrophes and natural disasters, and
building standards for coastal structures: Provided further,
That of the total amount appropriated, $10,000,000 shall be
provided to coordinate and help implement planning efforts
that will lead to capacity and effort reductions in Federal
and State waters: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $15,000,000 shall be provided to develop and
implement a seafood promotion strategy for Gulf of Mexico
fisheries: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $15,000,000 shall be provided to institute job
retraining programs for displaced fisheries workers into
alternative occupations: Provided further, That of the total
amount appropriated, $200,000,000 shall be provided to
replace fishing gear damaged or lost in the hurricanes, and
deploy advanced versions of turtle exclusion devices and by-
catch reduction devices: Provided further, That of the total
amount appropriated, $50,000,000 shall be provided to develop
temporary marine services centers to cluster docking
facilities, fuel, ice and provisions, offloading, processing
and distribution and marine repair facilities for seafood
industries: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $300,000,000 shall be provided for re-
development of marinas, piers, docks, wharves and warehouses
to support commercial and recreational fishing, and
especially investments in public facilities supporting
working waterfronts: Provided further, That of the total
amount appropriated, $50,000,000 shall be provided for
planning and support for fishing-related marine industrial
parks to cluster processing and marine support businesses in
ways that increase access to key facilities and services, and
enhance intermodal transportation of fishery products:
Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated,
$90,000,000 shall be provided for replacement of private
fisheries infrastructure other than vessels: Provided
further, That of the total amount appropriated, $10,000,000
shall be provided to implement rules where appropriate, and
purchase and provide one year of associated fees to equip the
offshore shrimp and reef fish fishery with electronic vessel
monitoring systems: Provided further, That of the total
amount appropriated, $10,000,000 shall be provided to equip
federally permitted fishing vessels with electronic logbooks
to record haul-by-haul catch data: Provided further, That of
the total amount appropriated, $20,000,000 shall be provided
for one percent coverage of the shrimp and reef fish
fisheries with at-sea observer coverage to document catch,
by-catch and profitability of these fisheries, for three
years: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $50,000,000 shall be provided to develop and
fund a cooperative research program to test various gears and
to monitor the recovery of Gulf of Mexico fishery resources
and fisheries: Provided further, That of the total amount
appropriated, $100,000,000 shall be provided for direct
assistance to fishers and seafood workers to undertake
cleanup activities and begin repairing damaged facilities:
Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated,
$20,000,000 shall be provided to assist shellfishermen in New
England's coastal communities who suffered severe economic
impact from last year's toxic red tide outbreak: Provided
further, That of the total amount appropriated, $25,000,000
shall be provided to employ fishers and vessel owners in
marine debris and living marine resource assessment
activities.
Procurement, Acquisition and Construction
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Acquisition and
Construction'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $32,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
SCIENCE
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Exploration Capabilities
For an additional amount for ``Exploration Capabilities''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$35,000,000 shall be for the Stennis Space Center, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RELATED AGENCY
Small Business Administration
Disaster Loans Program Account
(Including Transfers of Funds)
For an additional amount for the ``Disaster Loans Program
Account'' for the cost of direct loans authorized by section
7(b) of the Small Business Act, $1,254,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That such costs,
including the cost of modifying such loans shall be as
defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974: Provided further, That up to $190,000,000 may be
transferred to and merged with ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
administrative expenses to carry out the disaster loan
program: Provided further, That none of the funds provided
under this heading may be used for indirect administrative
expenses: Provided further, That of the amount provided under
this heading, up to $712,000,000 may be transferred to
``Federal Emergency Management Agency, Disaster Relief'' to
reimburse in whole, or in part, that account for funds
transferred to this account by Public Law 109-174: Provided
further, That the amounts provided under this heading are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 3
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY
MILITARY PERSONNEL
Military Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$2,125,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$22,002,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $3,992,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $21,610,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$4,071,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$10,200,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $2,176,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Reserve Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $94,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Army
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $1,304,000, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Guard Personnel, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $1,408,000, for
[[Page 5855]]
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Operation and Maintenance, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $29,913,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $37,359,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $12,755,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $1,277,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $42,307,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
PROCUREMENT
Procurement of Ammunition, Army
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $700,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Army
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$9,136,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Aircraft Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $579,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps
For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine Corps'', $899,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008, for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Shipbuilding and Conversion,
Navy'', $1,025,236,000, to remain available until September
30, 2010, for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
which shall be available for transfer within this account to
replace destroyed or damaged equipment, prepare and recover
naval vessels under contract; and provide for cost
adjustments for naval vessels for which funds have been
previously appropriated: Provided, That this transfer
authority is in addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense: Provided further,
That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than 15 days
prior to making transfers within this appropriation, notify
the congressional defense committees in writing of the
details of any such transfer: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Other Procurement, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$85,040,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $13,000,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Procurement, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$2,797,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $12,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $6,250,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $730,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS
Defense Working Capital Funds
For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $1,222,000, to remain available until September 30,
2006, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Defense Sealift Fund
For an additional amount for ``National Defense Sealift
Fund'', $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
TRUST FUNDS
General Fund Payment, Surcharge Collections, Sales of Commissary
Stores, Defense
For an additional amount for ``General Fund Payment,
Surcharge Collections, Sales of Commissary Stores, Defense'',
$10,530,000, to remain
[[Page 5856]]
available until September 30, 2010, for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS
Defense Health Program
For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$33,881,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Office of the Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $326,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
Special Transfer Authority
(Transfer of Funds)
Sec. 2301. Upon his determination that such action is
necessary to ensure the appropriate allocation of funds
provided to the Department of Defense in this chapter, the
Secretary of Defense may transfer up to $75,000,000, of such
funds between such appropriations: Provided, That the
Secretary shall notify the Congress promptly of each transfer
made pursuant to this authority: Provided further, That the
transfer authority provided in this section is in addition to
any other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense: Provided further, That the amount made available by
the transfer of funds in or pursuant to this section is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
PROHIBITION OF NEW START PROGRAMS
Sec. 2302. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal year 2005 and 2006 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.
Navy Shipbuilding Cost Adjustments
Sec. 2303. (a) Amounts appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act, or by chapter 2 of title I of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act to Address
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006
(division B of Public Law 109-148; 119 Stat. 2757), under the
heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy'' may be
obligated and expended to pay the costs of any business
disruption incurred by a ship construction contractor with
respect to facilities or businesses located in the Hurricane
Katrina Disaster Area by reason of Hurricane Katrina.
(b) Amounts received by a ship construction contractor
under subsection (a) with respect to the costs of business
disruption described in that subsection may not be treated as
collateral insurance coverage or otherwise treated as
payments which would reduce amounts otherwise payable to the
contractor for such costs under any insurance or similar
payer plan.
(c) The Secretary of the Navy shall adjust any shipbuilding
contract with a ship construction contractor described in
subsection (a) in order to take into account the business
disruption incurred by the contractor as described in that
subsection.
(d)(1) In the event a shipbuilding contractor receives
payment (whether through insurance or similar payer plan) for
costs described in subsection (a) for which the contractor
has been paid amounts under that subsection, the contractor
shall reimburse the United States for amounts paid under that
subsection in the amount of the payment so received by the
contractor.
(2) Amounts received by the United States as reimbursement
under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the account from
which payment for the amounts reimbursed were made. Amounts
credited to such account shall be merged with amounts in such
account, and shall be available for the same purposes, and
subject to the same conditions and limitations, as amounts in
such account.
(e) In this section, the term ``Hurricane Katrina Disaster
Area'' has the meaning given that term in section 1400M(2) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
CHAPTER 4
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--CIVIL
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Corps of Engineers--Civil
Investigations
For an additional amount for ``Investigations'' for flood
hazard analyses and technical studies related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters,
$3,750,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That $3,750,000 of the amount shall be available only to the
extent that an official budget request for a specific dollar
amount, that includes designation of the entire amount of the
request as an emergency requirement, is transmitted by the
President to the Congress: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'' to reduce the
risk of storm damage to the greater New Orleans metropolitan
area by restoring the surrounding wetlands through measures
to begin to reverse wetland losses in areas affected by
navigation, oil and gas, and other channels and through
modification of the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion structure
or its operations, $122,850,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That these funds shall not be subject to
any non-Federal cost-sharing requirement: Provided further,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006: Provided further, That
$22,850,000 of the amount shall be available only to the
extent that an official budget request for a specific dollar
amount, that includes designation of the entire amount of the
request as an emergency requirement, is transmitted by the
President to the Congress: Provided further, That $2,000,000
of the amount provided in the previous proviso shall be
provided at full Federal expense for the Hawaii water systems
technical assistance program.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
For an additional amount for ``Operations and Maintenance''
to dredge navigation channels and repair other Corps projects
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season, $4,700,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That $4,700,000 shall be
available only to the extent an official budget request, that
includes designation of the $4,700,000 as an emergency
requirement is transmitted by the President to the Congress:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies
For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies'', as authorized by section 5 of the Flood
Control Act of August 18, 1941, as amended (33 U.S.C. 701n),
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$2,001,500,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the Secretary of the Army is directed to use the funds
appropriated herein to modify, at full Federal expense,
authorized projects in southeast Louisiana to provide
hurricane and storm damage reduction and flood damage
reduction in greater New Orleans and surrounding areas, of
which $530,000,000 shall be used to modify the 17th Street,
Orleans Avenue and London Avenue drainage canals, and install
pumps and closure structures at or near the lakefront;
$250,000,000 shall be used for storm-proofing interior pump
stations to ensure their operability during hurricanes,
storms and high water events; $170,000,000 shall be used for
armoring critical elements of the New Orleans hurricane and
storm damage reduction system; $350,000,000 shall be used to
improve protection at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal; and
$60,000,000 shall be used for incorporation of certain non-
Federal levees in Plaquemines Parish into the existing
Federal levee system: Provided further, That any project
using funds appropriated herein shall be initiated only after
non-Federal interests have entered into binding agreements
with the Secretary to pay 100 percent of the operation,
maintenance, repair, replacement and rehabilitation costs of
the project and to hold and save the United States free from
damages due to the construction or operation and maintenance
of the project, except for damages due to the fault or
negligence of the United States or its contractors: Provided
further, That $641,500,000 of the amount shall be available
only to the extent that an official budget request for a
specific dollar amount, that includes designation of the
entire amount of the request as an emergency requirement, is
transmitted by the President to the Congress: Provided
further, That the amounts provided under this heading are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 5
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Customs and Border Protection
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $12,900,000:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CONSTRUCTION
For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $4,800,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the
[[Page 5857]]
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
OPERATING EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $90,570,900,
to remain available until September 30, 2007, of which up to
$267,000 may be transferred to ``Environmental Compliance and
Restoration'' to be used for environmental cleanup and
restoration of Coast Guard facilities in the Gulf of Mexico
region; and of which up to $470,000 may be transferred to
``Research, Development, Test and Evaluation'' to be used for
salvage and repair of research and development equipment and
facilities: Provided, That the amounts provided under this
heading are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, AND IMPROVEMENTS
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $191,844,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such amounts shall be available for
major repair and reconstruction projects for facilities that
were damaged and for damage to vessels currently under
construction, for the replacement of damaged equipment, and
for the reimbursement of delay, loss of efficiency,
disruption, and related costs: Provided further, That amounts
provided are also for equitable adjustments and provisional
payments to contracts for Coast Guard vessels for which funds
have been previously appropriated: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGIONAL OPERATIONS
For an additional amount for ``Administrative and Regional
Operations'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $71,800,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
PREPAREDNESS, MITIGATION, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY
For an additional amount for ``Preparedness, Mitigation,
Response, and Recovery'' for necessary expenses related to
the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season, $10,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DISASTER RELIEF
For an additional amount for ``Disaster Relief'' for
necessary expenses under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.),
$10,600,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
For an additional amount for ``Disaster Assistance Direct
Loan Program Account'' for the cost of direct loans as
authorized under section 417 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5184), $301,000,000, to be used to assist local governments
affected by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season in providing essential services, of which
$1,000,000 is for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct loan program: Provided, That such funds may be made to
subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of
direct loans not to exceed $400,000,000: Provided further,
That notwithstanding section 417(b) of such Act, the amount
of any such loan issued pursuant to this section may exceed
$5,000,000: Provided further, That notwithstanding section
417(c)(1) of such Act, such loans may not be canceled:
Provided further, That the cost of modifying such loans shall
be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a): Provided further, That the amounts
provided under this heading are designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Sec. 2501. The Federal Emergency Management Agency may
provide funds to a State or local government or, as
necessary, assume an existing agreement from such unit of
government, to pay for utility costs resulting from the
provision of temporary housing units to evacuees from
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season if
the State or local government has previously arranged to pay
for such utilities on behalf of the evacuees for the term of
any leases, not to exceed 12 months, contracted by or prior
to February 7, 2006, notwithstanding section 408 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5174): Provided, That the Federal share of the
costs eligible to be paid shall be 100 percent.
National Flood Insurance Fund
Sec. 2502. (a) Title III of Public Law 109-90 (119 Stat.
2079) is amended under the heading ``National Flood Insurance
Fund'' by striking in the proviso ``$30,000,000'' and
inserting ``such sums as necessary, not to exceed
$1,000,000,000,''.
(b) The provisions of this section are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
housing pilot program
Sec. 2503. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider eligible under
the Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance
Program the costs sufficient for alternative housing pilot
programs in the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit for approval a
proposal and an expenditure plan for the alternative housing
pilot program to the Committees on Appropriations of the
Senate and House of Representatives within forty-five days
from the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further,
That no State shall host more than one alternative housing
pilot program.
CHAPTER 6
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $132,400,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
National Park Service
HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
For an additional amount for ``Historic Preservation Fund''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$83,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That of the funds provided under this heading, $80,000,000
shall be provided to State historical preservation officers
for grants for disaster relief in areas of Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama impacted by Hurricanes Katrina or
Rita: Provided further, That grants shall be for the
preservation, stabilization, rehabilitation, and repair of
historic houses and designated ``Main Street'' commercial
properties listed in or eligible for the National Register of
Historic Places, for planning and technical assistance:
Provided further, That grants shall only be available for
areas that the President determines to be a major disaster
under section 102(2) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) due
to Hurricanes Katrina or Rita: Provided further, That
individual grants shall not be subject to a non-Federal
matching requirement: Provided further, That no more than 5
percent of funds provided under this heading for disaster
relief grants may be used for administrative expenses:
Provided further, That of the amount provided under this
heading for disaster relief grants, $37,500,000 shall be for
the State of Louisiana, $37,500,000 shall be for the State of
Mississippi, and $5,000,000 shall be for the State of
Alabama: Provided further, That the amounts provided under
this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $55,400,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Geological Survey
Surveys, Investigations, and Research
For an additional amount for ``Surveys, Investigations, and
Research'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season
and for repayment of advances to other appropriation accounts
from which funds were transferred for such purposes,
$10,200,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Minerals Management Service
Royalty and Offshore Minerals Management
For an additional amount for ``Royalty and Offshore
Minerals Management'' for necessary
[[Page 5858]]
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season and for repayment of
advances to other appropriation accounts from which funds
were transferred for such purposes, $15,000,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Environmental Programs and Management
For an additional amount for ``Environmental Programs and
Management'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $6,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program
For an additional amount for ``Leaking Underground Storage
Tank Program'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $7,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM
For an additional amount for the ``National Forest System''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$20,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 7
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Training and Employment Services
For an additional amount for ``Training and Employment
Services'', $32,500,000, to remain available until expended,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
for construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of Job
Corps centers as authorized by the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Departmental Management
Office Of Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$2,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
For an additional amount for ``Community Health Centers'',
$6,000,000, to establish and purchase communication equipment
including satellite phones for a communications network among
departments of health, community health centers and major
medical centers in States affected by Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DISEASE CONTROL, RESEARCH, AND TRAINING
For an additional amount for ``Disease Control, Research,
and Training'', $20,000,000, to remain available until
expended, for mosquito and other pest abatement activities in
States affected by Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Office of the Secretary
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$2,669,846, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Departmental Management
Office of the Inspector General
For an additional amount for ``Office of the Inspector
General'', $1,500,000, to remain available until September
30, 2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
HURRICANE EDUCATION RECOVERY
For an additional amount under the heading ``Department of
Education'' in Public Law 109-148 for carrying out section
107 of title IV, division B of that Act, $300,000,000, for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season: Provided,
That an additional $350,000,000 shall be available to the
Department of Education, until expended, for carrying out the
purposes of section 107 of title IV, division B of Public Law
109-148, for displaced students, as defined in section
107(b)(1) of that Act, enrolled prior to October 1, 2006:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized
under section 2701 of title II of this Act, made not later
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $300,000,000.
For the cost of direct loans, including the cost of
modifying loans as defined in section 502 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $200,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Hereafter, the loan level established under this heading
shall be considered an estimate, not a limitation.
For an additional amount under part B of title VII of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 for institutions of higher
education (as defined in section 102 of that Act) that are
located in an area in which a major disaster has been
declared in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and emergency Assistance Act related
to hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in calendar year 2005,
$30,000,000 for hurricane related costs: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
RELATED AGENCIES
Corporation for National and Community Service
NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS, OPERATING EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For an additional amount for the Corporation for National
and Community Service (the ``Corporation'') for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $20,000,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2007: Provided, That the funds
made available under this heading shall be available for the
Civilian Community Corps authorized under subtitle E of title
I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (the
``Act'') (42 U.S.C. 12611 et seq.): Provided further, That
the Corporation may transfer funds from the amount provided
under the first proviso to the National Service Trust
authorized under subtitle D of title I of the Act (42 U.S.C.
12601) upon determination that such transfer is necessary to
support the activities of Civilian Community Corps
participants and after notice is transmitted to Congress:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Social Security Administration
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'', $277,000, to remain available until September 30,
2007, for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
department of education--hurricane education recovery
Sec. 2701. (a) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary of
Education shall establish an Education Relief Loan Program
that includes amounts appropriated under chapter 7 of title
II of this Act and provides from such amounts funds for long-
term, low-interest direct loans to eligible postsecondary
educational institutions for direct or indirect losses
incurred on or after August 28, 2005, resulting from the
impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and recovery
initiatives of such institutions.
[[Page 5859]]
(b) Eligibility.--In this section, the term ``eligible
postsecondary educational institution'' means--
(1) a public postsecondary educational institution that was
forced to suspend operations due to the impact of Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita and has not been able to reopen in existing
facilities or fully reopen to the levels that existed before
the impact of such hurricanes;
(2) a private, nonprofit postsecondary educational
institution that was forced to suspend operations due to the
impact of such hurricanes and has not been able to reopen in
existing facilities or fully reopen to the levels that
existed before the impact of such hurricanes; or
(3) a public or private school of medicine that was forced
to suspend operations due to the impact of such hurricanes
and has not been able to reopen in existing facilities or
fully reopen to the levels that existed before the impact of
such hurricanes.
(c) Requirements For Assistance Due to Losses.--
(1) In general.--An eligible postsecondary educational
institution that desires to receive assistance under this
section shall--
(A) submit a sworn financial statement and other
appropriate data, documentation, or other evidence requested
by the Secretary of Education that indicates that the
institution incurred losses resulting from the impact of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the monetary amount of such
losses;
(B) demonstrate that the institution attempted to minimize
the cost of any losses by pursuing collateral source
compensation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
the Small Business Administration, and insurance prior to
seeking assistance under this section; and
(C) demonstrate that the institution has not been able to
reopen in existing facilities or fully reopen to the levels
that existed before the impact of such hurricanes.
(2) No requirement that institution receive collateral
source compensation.--An eligible postsecondary educational
institution shall be eligible for a loan under this section
regardless of whether or not such institution received
collateral source compensation from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, or
insurance.
(d) Use of Assistance.--Assistance received by an eligible
postsecondary educational institution pursuant to this
section may be used for--
(1) direct and indirect construction cost and clean-up
resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita;
(2) faculty salaries and incentives for retaining faculty;
and
(3) costs of lost tuition, revenue, and enrollment.
(e) Audit.--The Secretary of Education and the Comptroller
General of the United States may audit a statement submitted
under subsection (c)(1)(A) and may request any information
that the Secretary of Education and Comptroller General
determine necessary to conduct such an audit.
(f) Reduction in Assistance.--In calculating assistance to
eligible postsecondary educational institutions under this
section, the Secretary of Education shall calculate a figure
that reduces from the monetary amount of losses incurred by
such institution, only the amount of collateral source
compensation the institution has already received from
insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the
Small Business Administration.
(g) Regulations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Education shall
establish terms for the long-term, low-interest direct loan
program and procedures for an application for assistance
under this section and minimum requirements for the program
and for receiving assistance under this section, including
the following:
(1) Forms to be used in submitting request for assistance.
(2) Procedures to assist in filing and pursing assistance.
(3) Loan repayment and interest rate procedures and
requirements, as specified by the Secretary of Education and
in accordance with the published rule of October 18, 2005 (44
C.F.R. 206.370-377), implementing the Community Disaster Loan
Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-88).
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAPITAL FINANCING PROGRAM
Sec. 2702. (a) In this section:
(1) The term ``affected institution'' means an institution
of higher education that is--
(A) a part B institution, as such term is defined in
section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1061); and
(B) located in an area affected by a Gulf hurricane
disaster.
(2) The terms ``area affected by a Gulf hurricane
disaster'' and ``Gulf hurricane disaster'' have the meanings
given such terms in section 209 of the Higher Education
Hurricane Relief Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-148, 119 Stat.
2809).
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law (unless
enacted with specific reference to this section), the
Secretary of Education is authorized to waive or modify, as
the Secretary determines is necessary, any statutory or
regulatory provision related to historically Black college
and university capital financing under part D of title III of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.), in
connection with a Gulf hurricane disaster, to ensure that--
(1) the calculation of financing need under section 343 of
such Act (20 U.S.C. 1066b) for an affected institution is
modified to reflect any changes in the financial condition of
the institution as a result of the Gulf hurricane disaster;
and
(2) an affected institution that was not receiving
assistance under such part before the Gulf hurricane disaster
is eligible to apply for capital financing to assist in
institutional recovery from the Gulf hurricane disaster.
(c)(1) Notwithstanding section 343(b)(1) or any other
provision of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1066b(b)(1), 1051 et seq.), in carrying out
section 343 of such Act, a designated bonding authority shall
withhold not more than 1 percent for the cost of issuance
from the proceeds of qualified bonds that are loaned to an
affected institution.
(2) Notwithstanding section 343(b)(3) or any other
provision of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1066b(b)(3), 1051 et seq.), the interest rate
charged for a loan issued under part D of title III of such
Act, after the date of enactment of this Act and with respect
to an affected institution, shall be a rate of 1 percent for
the period of the loan.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of title III of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.), the
requirements of section 343(b)(8) and 343(c)(2) of such Act
(20 U.S.C. 1066(b)(8)) shall not apply with respect to an
affected institution receiving a loan under part D of title
III of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1066 et seq.).
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of title III of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.), or any
regulation promulgated under such title, the Secretary of
Education shall grant a deferment, for a period of not more
than 3 years, to an affected institution who has received a
loan under part D of title III of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1066 et
seq.). During the deferment period granted under this
subsection, the affected institution shall not be required to
pay any periodic installment of principal required under the
loan agreement for such loan, and interest on such loan shall
not accrue for the period of the deferment.
(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the authority
provided under this section to enter into, or modify or waive
the terms of, a loan agreement or insurance agreement under
part D of title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1066 et seq.), or to grant a loan deferment under
subsection (d), shall terminate 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(2) Any provision of a loan agreement or insurance
agreement modified or waived by the authority under this
section shall remain so modified or waived for the duration
of the period covered by the loan agreement or insurance
agreement.
(f) The amount provided in this section is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
use of supplemental higher education act funds
Sec. 2703. Funds available to the Mississippi Institutes of
Higher Learning under the heading ``Department of Education''
in Public Law 109-148 may be used to support activities
authorized by part B of title VII of the Higher Education Act
of 1965, as determined necessary by the Mississippi
Institutes of Higher Learning: Provided, That the amount
provided under this section is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
CHAPTER 8
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
Military Construction, Navy
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Navy'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$44,770,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010:
Provided, That such funds may be obligated or expended for
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Military Construction, Air Force
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$103,500,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010:
Provided, That such funds may be obligated or expended for
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Military Construction, Army National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Army
National Guard'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $210,071,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2010: Provided, That such funds may be
obligated or expended for planning and design and military
construction projects not otherwise authorized by law:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006: Provided
further, That the
[[Page 5860]]
amount appropriated under this heading in the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act to Address Hurricanes in the
Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006 (division B,
Public Law 109-148) shall remain available until September
30, 2010.
Military Construction, Air National Guard
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
National Guard'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $5,800,000, to remain available until September
30, 2010: Provided, That such funds may be obligated or
expended for planning and design and military construction
projects not otherwise authorized by law: Provided further,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
Military Construction, Naval Reserve
(including rescission of funds)
For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Naval
Reserve'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$24,270,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010:
Provided, That such funds may be obligated or expended for
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006: Provided further, That the amount
appropriated under this heading in the Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of
Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006 (division B, Public Law
109-148) shall remain available until September 30, 2010,
except that, of such amount $49,530,000 are rescinded.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Departmental Administration
Construction, Major Projects
For an additional amount for ``Construction, Major
Projects'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$623,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That of that amount, $62,000,000 shall be for the disposal,
environmental cleanup and debris removal of the Department of
Veterans Affairs' land in Gulfport, Mississippi: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
RELATED AGENCY
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Major Construction
For an additional amount for ``Major Construction'' for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$176,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such funds may be obligated or expended for planning and
design and construction projects not otherwise authorized by
law: Provided further, That these funds shall be used for the
planning and design and construction of a new Armed Forces
Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi: Provided further,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
(WAIVER OF LIMITATION)
Sec. 2801. The limitation of Federal contribution
established under section 18236(b) of title 10 is hereby
waived for projects appropriated in this chapter.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
(INCLUDING RESCISSION AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Sec. 2802. (a) Of the amounts made available in chapter 7
of the title I of division B of Public Law 109-148,
``Department of Veterans Affairs'', ``Veterans Health
Administration'', ``Medical Services'', $198,265,000 are
hereby rescinded.
(b) For an additional amount for ``Department of Veterans
Affairs'', ``Veterans Health Administration'', ``Medical
Services'', $198,265,000, to remain available until expended,
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in calendar year 2005.
(c) The funds made available in subsection (b) may be
transferred to the ``Department of Veterans Affairs'',
``Veterans Health Administration'', ``Medical Services'',
``Medical Administration'', ``Medical Facilities'',
``Departmental Administration'', ``Construction, Minor
Projects'', and ``Information Technology Systems'' accounts
as required.
(d) Not less than 15 days prior to making any such transfer
as authorized under subsection (c), the Department shall
notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress.
(e) This section is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
department of veterans affairs
land transfer
Sec. 2803. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
within six months of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs is authorized and directed to cleanup and
transfer all land parcels of the Department's land in
Gulfport, Mississippi to the city of Gulfport, Mississippi.
department of veterans affairs
new orleans and biloxi medical facilities
Sec. 2804. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and
within the amounts appropriated for this purpose, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may obligate and expend funds
from the ``Construction, Major Projects'' appropriation to
purchase a site for and the new construction, restoration or
replacement of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Centers, New Orleans, Louisiana; and Biloxi, Mississippi.
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME
(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Sec. 2805. The following unobligated balances shall be
transferred to the Armed Forces Retirement Home ``Major
Construction'' account, to remain available until expended,
for the planning and design and construction of a new Armed
Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi from amounts
appropriated under the heading ``Armed Forces Retirement
Home'' in chapter 7 of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119
Stat. 2769), $45,000,000 provided for Armed Forces Retirement
Home-Gulfport; and unobligated balances of funds provided in
fiscal years 1998 through 2004 for construction and
renovation of the physical plants at the United States Naval
Home/Armed Forces Retirement Home-Gulfport: Provided, That
the amount provided or otherwise made available under this
section is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CHAPTER 9
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM
For an additional amount for ``Emergency relief program''
as authorized under 23 U.S.C. 125, $594,000,000, to remain
available until expended, to be made available to carry out
projects eligible for reimbursement under 23 U.S.C. 125 not
otherwise funded in other Appropriations Acts and identified
under ``Total Backlog'' in the Federal Highway Administration
table entitled ``Emergency Relief Program Fund Requests--
updated 03/28/06'' as well as projects eligible for
reimbursement resulting from 2006 flooding in the State of
Hawaii: Provided, That notwithstanding 23 U.S.C. 120(e), the
Federal share for all projects for repairs or reconstruction
of highways, roads, bridges, and trails to respond to damage
caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma shall be 100
percent: Provided further, That notwithstanding 23 U.S.C.
125(d)(1), the Secretary of Transportation may obligate more
than $100,000,000 for such projects in a State in a fiscal
year, to respond to damage caused by Hurricanes Dennis,
Katrina, Rita, or Wilma and by the 2004-2005 winter storms in
the State of California: Provided further, That any amounts
in excess of those necessary for emergency expenses relating
to the eligible projects cited in the first sentence of this
paragraph may be used for other projects authorized under 23
U.S.C. 125: Provided further, That the amounts provided under
this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Federal Transit Administration
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
For grants to State or local governmental entities directly
affected by Hurricane Katrina for expenses related to
emergency response and recovery of public transportation
equipment, facilities and services, as determined by the
Secretary of Transportation, $200,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That for recipients of
assistance under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code,
directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Secretary may
waive the Federal matching share requirements for Federal
transit assistance programs under such chapter, including the
Federal matching share requirements contained in existing
Federal assistance grant agreements: Provided further, That
the Secretary may allow such recipients to use such
assistance for operating assistance, notwithstanding the
terms and conditions contained in existing Federal assistance
grant agreements: Provided further, That the Secretary may
waive any other Federal transit assistance grant requirements
under such chapter or sections 3037 and 3038 of the Federal
Transit Act of 1998, including those requirements contained
in existing Federal assistance grant agreements to facilitate
emergency response and recovery of public transportation
equipment, facilities and services by such recipients:
Provided further, That the authority of the Secretary
hereunder shall expire two years after the date of enactment
of this section, unless determined otherwise by the Secretary
for a compelling need: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
[[Page 5861]]
Federal Railroad Administration
CAPITAL GRANTS FOR RAIL LINE RELOCATION PROJECTS
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to enable the
Secretary of Transportation to make a grant under 49 U.S.C.
20154, for the purpose of facilitating the relocation of a
rail line that was destroyed or received significant damage
as the result of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of
the 2005 season, $700,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That relocating a significant portion of
the rail traffic from a rail line destroyed or damaged to an
existing rail corridor or corridors inland, and thus less
vulnerable to damage by future hurricanes, and which permits
the abandonment and alternative use of significant portions
of the right-of-way of the rail line destroyed or damaged in
2005, shall be a permissible relocation of said rail line
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 20154: Provided further, That
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (c) of section
20154 and subsection (d) of section 20154 shall not apply in
the consideration of an application or award of a grant under
this provision: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Public and Indian Housing
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
For an additional amount for ``Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance'' for tenant-based and project-based assistance
for households within the area declared a major disaster
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, $202,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2007, of which not to exceed $5,000,000 is for
the administrative and related information technology costs
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: Provided,
That such households shall be limited to those identified
under this heading in division B, Public Law 109-148 and to
those which, prior to Hurricane Katrina or Rita, received
assistance under section 236 or under section 221(d)(3)
pursuant to section 221(d)(5) of the National Housing Act, or
section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965:
Provided further, That, except as otherwise provided, such
funds shall be subject to the terms and conditions of amounts
provided under this heading in division B, Public Law 109-
148, except that section 8(o)(7)(A) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 shall not apply to funds under such
heading and under this heading: Provided further, That no
less than $100,000,000 shall be made available as project-
based assistance used to support the reconstruction,
rebuilding and repair of assisted housing that suffered the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season, and may include new structures supported under
the low income tax credit program: Provided further, That all
previously assisted HUD project-based housing shall be
accorded a preference in the use of this project-based
assistance: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, after providing a first right of return to
all households in the St. Bernard, Orleans, Plaquemines,
Jefferson, and St. Tammany Parishes eligible for project-
based housing assistance under this heading and under this
heading in division B, Public Law 109-148, owners may then
offer remaining available dwelling units to city and parish
employees from those parishes for a period of not to exceed
12 months: Provided further, That the amounts provided under
this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Community Planning and Development
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
For an additional amount for the ``Community development
fund'', for necessary expenses related to disaster relief,
long-term recovery, and restoration of infrastructure in the
most impacted and distressed areas related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the
2005 season in States for which the President declared a
major disaster under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.) in conjunction with Hurricane Katrina and other
hurricanes of the 2005 season, $5,200,000,000, to remain
available until expended, for activities authorized under
title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974
(Public Law 93-383): Provided, That funds provided under this
heading shall be administered through an entity or entities
designated by the Governor of each State: Provided further,
That such funds may not be used for activities reimbursable
by or for which funds are made available by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business
Administration, or the Army Corps of Engineers: Provided
further, That funds allocated under this heading shall not
adversely affect the amount of any formula assistance
received by a State under this heading: Provided further,
That each State may use up to five percent of its allocation
for administrative costs: Provided further, That not less
than $1,000,000,000 from funds made available on a pro-rata
basis according to the allocation made to each State under
this heading shall be used for repair, rehabilitation, and
reconstruction (including demolition, site clearance and
remediation) of the affordable rental housing stock
(including public and other HUD-assisted housing) in the
impacted areas: Provided further, That in administering the
funds under this heading, the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development may waive, or specify alternative requirements
for, any provision of any statute or regulation that the
Secretary administers in connection with the obligation by
the Secretary or the use by the recipient of these funds or
guarantees (except for requirements related to fair housing,
nondiscrimination, labor standards, and the environment),
upon a request by the State that such waiver is required to
facilitate the use of such funds or guarantees, and a finding
by the Secretary that such waiver would not be inconsistent
with the overall purpose of the statute: Provided further,
That the Secretary may waive the requirement that activities
benefit persons of low and moderate income, except that at
least 50 percent of the funds made available under this
heading must benefit primarily persons of low and moderate
income unless the Secretary otherwise makes a finding of
compelling need: Provided further, That the Secretary shall
publish in the Federal Register any waiver of any statute or
regulation that the Secretary administers pursuant to title I
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 no later
than 5 days before the effective date of such waiver:
Provided further, That every waiver made by the Secretary
must be reconsidered according to the three previous provisos
on the two-year anniversary of the day the Secretary
published the waiver in the Federal Register: Provided
further, That prior to the obligation of funds each State
shall submit a plan to the Secretary detailing the proposed
use of all funds, including criteria for eligibility and how
the use of these funds will address long-term recovery and
restoration of infrastructure: Provided further, That prior
to the obligation of funds to each State, the Secretary shall
ensure that such plan gives priority to infrastructure
development and rehabilitation and the rehabilitation and
reconstruction of the affordable rental housing stock
including public and other HUD-assisted housing: Provided
further, That each State will report quarterly to the
Committees on Appropriations on all awards and uses of funds
made available under this heading, including specifically
identifying all awards of sole-source contracts and the
rationale for making the award on a sole-source basis:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
Committees on Appropriations on any proposed allocation of
any funds and any related waivers made pursuant to these
provisions under this heading no later than 5 days before
such waiver is made: Provided further, That the Secretary
shall establish procedures to prevent recipients from
receiving any duplication of benefits and report quarterly to
the Committees on Appropriations with regard to all steps
taken to prevent fraud and abuse of funds made available
under this heading including duplication of benefits:
Provided further, That of the amounts made available under
this heading, the Secretary shall transfer $12,000,000 to the
Office of Inspector General for costs associated with
oversight: Provided further, That none of the funds provided
under this heading may be used by a State or locality as a
matching requirement, share, or contribution for any other
Federal program: Provided further, That the amounts provided
under this heading are designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress),
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
INDEPENDENT AGENCY
General Services Administration
FEDERAL BUILDINGS FUND
For an additional amount for the ``Federal Buildings Fund''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$37,000,000, from the General Fund and to remain available
until expended: Provided, That notwithstanding 40 U.S.C.
3307, the Administrator of General Services is authorized to
proceed with repairs and alterations for affected buildings:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
TITLE III
EMERGENCY AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE
SEC. 3001. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Emergency Agricultural
Disaster Assistance Act of 2006''.
SEC. 3002. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Additional coverage.--The term ``additional coverage''
has the meaning given the term in section 502(b)(1) of the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1502(b)(1)).
(2) Disaster county.--The term ``disaster county'' means--
(A) a county included in the geographic area covered by a
natural disaster declaration; and
(B) each county contiguous to a county described in
subparagraph (A).
(3) Hurricane-affected county.--The term ``hurricane-
affected county'' means--
(A) a county included in the geographic area covered by a
natural disaster declaration related to Hurricane Katrina,
Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Wilma, or a related condition; and
(B) each county contiguous to a county described in
subparagraph (A).
[[Page 5862]]
(4) Insurable commodity.--The term ``insurable commodity''
means an agricultural commodity (excluding livestock) for
which the producers on a farm are eligible to obtain a policy
or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7
U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).
(5) Livestock.--The term ``livestock'' includes--
(A) cattle (including dairy cattle);
(B) bison;
(C) sheep;
(D) swine; and
(E) other livestock, as determined by the Secretary.
(6) Natural disaster declaration.--The term ``natural
disaster declaration'' means--
(A) a natural disaster declared by the Secretary--
(i) during calendar year 2005 under section 321(a) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1961(a)); or
(ii) during calendar year 2006 under that section, but for
which a request was pending as of the date of enactment of
this Act; or
(B) a major disaster or emergency designated by the
President--
(i) during calendar year 2005 under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.); or
(ii) during calendar year 2006 under that Act, but for
which a request was pending as of the date of enactment of
this Act.
(7) Noninsurable commodity.--The term ``noninsurable
commodity'' means a crop for which the producers on a farm
are eligible to obtain assistance under section 196 of the
Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7
U.S.C. 7333).
(8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
Subtitle A--Agricultural Production Losses
SEC. 3011. CROP DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall use such sums as are
necessary of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
make emergency financial assistance authorized under this
section available to producers on a farm that have incurred
qualifying losses described in subsection (c).
(b) Administration.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall make assistance available under this section
in the same manner as provided under section 815 of the
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law
106-387; 114 Stat. 1549A-55), including using the same loss
thresholds for quantity and economic losses as were used in
administering that section, except that the payment rate
shall be 50 percent of the established price, instead of 65
percent.
(2) Loss thresholds for quality losses.--In the case of a
payment for quality loss for a crop under subsection (c)(2),
the loss thresholds for quality loss for the crop shall be
determined under subsection (d).
(c) Qualifying Losses.--Assistance under this section shall
be made available to producers on farms, other than producers
of sugar cane and sugar beets, that incurred qualifying
quantity or quality losses for--
(1) the 2005 crop due to damaging weather or any related
condition (including losses due to crop diseases, insects,
and delayed harvest), as determined by the Secretary; and
(2) the 2006 crop due to flooding in California and Hawaii
that occurred prior to the date of enactment of this Act and
for which a petition for a disaster designation has been
filed with the Secretary not later than that date.
(d) Quality Losses.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), the amount of a
payment made to producers on a farm for a quality loss for a
crop under subsection (c)(2) shall be equal to the amount
obtained by multiplying--
(A) 65 percent of the payment quantity determined under
paragraph (2); by
(B) 50 percent of the payment rate determined under
paragraph (3).
(2) Payment quantity.--For the purpose of paragraph (1)(A),
the payment quantity for quality losses for a crop of a
commodity on a farm shall equal the lesser of--
(A) the actual production of the crop affected by a quality
loss of the commodity on the farm; or
(B) the quantity of expected production of the crop
affected by a quality loss of the commodity on the farm,
using the formula used by the Secretary to determine quantity
losses for the crop of the commodity under subsection (c)(1).
(3) Payment rate.--For the purpose of paragraph (1)(B) and
in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (6), the payment rate
for quality losses for a crop of a commodity on a farm shall
be equal to the difference between--
(A) the per unit market value that the units of the crop
affected by the quality loss would have had if the crop had
not suffered a quality loss; and
(B) the per unit market value of the units of the crop
affected by the quality loss.
(4) Eligibility.--For producers on a farm to be eligible to
obtain a payment for a quality loss for a crop under
subsection (c)(2), the amount obtained by multiplying the per
unit loss determined under paragraph (1) by the number of
units affected by the quality loss shall be at least 25
percent of the value that all affected production of the crop
would have had if the crop had not suffered a quality loss.
(5) Marketing contracts.--In the case of any production of
a commodity that is sold pursuant to 1 or more marketing
contracts (regardless of whether the contract is entered into
by the producers on the farm before or after harvest) and for
which appropriate documentation exists, the quantity
designated in the contracts shall be eligible for quality
loss assistance based on the 1 or more prices specified in
the contracts.
(6) Other production.--For any additional production of a
commodity for which a marketing contract does not exist or
for which production continues to be owned by the producer,
quality losses shall be based on the average local market
discounts for reduced quality, as determined by the
appropriate State committee of the Farm Service Agency.
(7) Quality adjustments and discounts.--The appropriate
State committee of the Farm Service Agency shall identify the
appropriate quality adjustment and discount factors to be
considered in carrying out this subsection, including--
(A) the average local discounts actually applied to a crop;
and
(B) the discount schedules applied to loans made by the
Farm Service Agency or crop insurance coverage under the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).
(8) Eligible production.--The Secretary shall carry out
this subsection in a fair and equitable manner for all
eligible production, including the production of fruits and
vegetables, other specialty crops, and field crops.
(e) Eligibility for Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
producers on a farm shall not be eligible for assistance
under this section with respect to losses to an insurable
commodity or noninsurable commodity if the producers on the
farm--
(A) in the case of an insurable commodity, did not obtain a
policy or plan of insurance for the insurable commodity under
the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) for
the crop incurring the losses;
(B) in the case of a noninsurable commodity, did not file
the required paperwork, and pay the administrative fee by the
applicable State filing deadline, for the noninsurable
commodity under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) for the
crop incurring the losses;
(C) had average adjusted gross income (as defined by
section 1001D(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C.
1308-3a(a)), of greater than $2,500,000 in 2004; or
(D) were not in compliance with highly erodible land
conservation and wetland conservation provisions.
(2) Contract waiver.--The Secretary may waive paragraph (1)
with respect to the producers on a farm if the producers
enter into a contract with the Secretary under which the
producers agree--
(A) in the case of an insurable commodity, to obtain a
policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance
Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) providing additional coverage for
the insurable commodity for each of the next 2 crops, at a
coverage level that provides--
(i) not less than 65 percent of the actual production
history for the crop produced on the farm; and
(ii) 100 percent of the expected market price or a
comparable coverage (as determined by the Federal Crop
Insurance Corporation); and
(B) in the case of a noninsurable commodity, to file the
required paperwork and pay the administrative fee by the
applicable State filing deadline, for the noninsurable
commodity for each of the next 2 crops under section 196 of
the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7
U.S.C. 7333).
(3) Effect of violation.--In the event of the violation of
a contract under paragraph (2) by a producer, the producer
shall reimburse the Secretary for the full amount of the
assistance provided to the producer under this section.
(f) Timing.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
shall make payments to producers on a farm for a crop under
this section not later than 60 days after the date the
producers on the farm submit to the Secretary a completed
application for the payments.
(2) Interest.--If the Secretary does not make payments to
the producers on a farm by the date described in paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall pay to the producers on a farm
interest on the payments at a rate equal to the current (as
of the sign-up deadline established by the Secretary) market
yield on outstanding, marketable obligations of the United
States with maturities of 30 years.
SEC. 3012. LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE.
(a) Livestock Compensation Program.--
(1) Use of commodity credit corporation funds.--Effective
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall use funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry
out the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program announced by the
Secretary on October 10, 2002 (67 Fed. Reg. 63070), to
provide compensation for livestock losses during calendar
years 2005 and 2006 for losses that occurred prior to the
date of enactment of this Act (including wildfire disaster
losses in the State of Texas and other States) due to a
disaster, as determined by the Secretary, except that the
payment rate shall be 75 percent of the payment rate
established for the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program.
(2) Eligible applicants.--In carrying out the program
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide
assistance to any applicant that--
[[Page 5863]]
(A)(i) conducts a livestock operation that is located in a
disaster county, including any applicant conducting a
livestock operation with eligible livestock (within the
meaning of the livestock assistance program under section
101(b) of division B of Public Law 108-324 (118 Stat. 1234));
or
(ii) produces an animal described in section 10806(a)(1) of
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (21 U.S.C.
321d(a)(1)); and
(B) meets all other eligibility requirements established by
the Secretary for the program.
(3) Mitigation.--In determining the eligibility for or
amount of payments for which a producer is eligible under the
livestock compensation program, the Secretary shall not
penalize a producer that takes actions (recognizing disaster
conditions) that reduce the average number of livestock the
producer owned for grazing during the production year for
which assistance is being provided.
(4) Limitation.--The Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum
extent practicable, that no producer on a farm receives
duplicative payments under this subsection and another
Federal program with respect to any loss.
(b) Livestock Indemnity Payments.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use such sums as are
necessary of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
make livestock indemnity payments to producers on farms that
have incurred livestock losses during calendar years 2005 and
2006 for losses that occurred prior to the date of enactment
of this Act (including wildfire disaster losses in the State
of Texas and other States) due to a disaster, as determined
by the Secretary, including losses due to hurricanes, floods,
anthrax, and wildfires.
(2) Payment rates.--Indemnity payments to a producer on a
farm under paragraph (1) shall be made at a rate of not less
than 30 percent of the market value of the applicable
livestock on the day before the date of death of the
livestock, as determined by the Secretary.
(c) Livestock Indemnity Program for Contract Growers.--
(1) In general.--Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary
shall use funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
establish a program to assist poultry producers in hurricane-
affected counties that suffered income losses.
(2) Terms and conditions.--The program established under
paragraph (1) shall contain similar terms and conditions as
the terms and conditions used for the livestock indemnity
program for contract growers described in subpart E of
chapter XIV of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (as in
effect on January 1, 2002).
(d) Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use $15,000,000 of
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make payments
under the Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Payment Program
under part 784 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or a
successor regulation) for each qualifying ewe lamb retained
or purchased during the period beginning on January 1, 2006,
and ending on December 31, 2006.
(2) Ineligibility for other assistance.--A producer that
receives assistance under this subsection shall not be
eligible to receive assistance under subsection (a).
(e) Limit on Amount of Assistance.--The Secretary shall
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that no producer
on a farm receives duplicative payments under this section
and any other Federal program for the same loss.
SEC. 3013. FLOODED CROP AND GRAZING LAND.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall compensate eligible
owners of flooded crop and grazing land in--
(1) the Devils Lake basin; and
(2) the McHugh, Lake Laretta, and Rose Lake closed drainage
areas of the State of North Dakota.
(b) Eligibility.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive compensation
under this section, an owner shall own land described in
subsection (a) that, during the 2 crop years preceding
receipt of compensation, was rendered incapable of use for
the production of an agricultural commodity or for grazing
purposes (in a manner consistent with the historical use of
the land) as the result of flooding, as determined by the
Secretary.
(2) Inclusions.--Land described in paragraph (1) shall
include--
(A) land that has been flooded;
(B) land that has been rendered inaccessible due to
flooding; and
(C) a reasonable buffer strip adjoining the flooded land,
as determined by the Secretary.
(3) Administration.--The Secretary may establish--
(A) reasonable minimum acreage levels for individual
parcels of land for which owners may receive compensation
under this section; and
(B) the location and area of adjoining flooded land for
which owners may receive compensation under this section.
(c) Sign-up.--The Secretary shall establish a sign-up
program for eligible owners to apply for compensation from
the Secretary under this section.
(d) Compensation Payments.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the
rate of an annual compensation payment under this section
shall be equal to 90 percent of the average annual per acre
rental payment rate (at the time of entry into the contract)
for comparable crop or grazing land that has not been flooded
and remains in production in the county where the flooded
land is located, as determined by the Secretary.
(2) Reduction.--An annual compensation payment under this
section shall be reduced by the amount of any conservation
program rental payments or Federal agricultural commodity
program payments received by the owner for the land during
any crop year for which compensation is received under this
section.
(3) Exclusion.--During any year in which an owner receives
compensation for flooded land under this section, the owner
shall not be eligible to participate in or receive benefits
for the flooded land under--
(A) the Federal crop insurance program established under
the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.);
(B) the noninsured crop assistance program established
under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333); or
(C) any Federal agricultural crop disaster assistance
program.
(e) Relationship to Agricultural Commodity Programs.--The
Secretary, by regulation, shall provide for the preservation
of cropland base, allotment history, and payment yields
applicable to land described in subsection (a) that was
rendered incapable of use for the production of an
agricultural commodity or for grazing purposes as the result
of flooding.
(f) Use of Land.--
(1) In general.--An owner that receives compensation under
this section for flooded land shall take such actions as are
necessary to not degrade any wildlife habitat on the land
that has naturally developed as a result of the flooding.
(2) Recreational activities.--To encourage owners that
receive compensation for flooded land to allow public access
to and use of the land for recreational activities, as
determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may--
(A) offer an eligible owner additional compensation; and
(B) provide compensation for additional acreage under this
section.
(g) Funding.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use $6,000,000 of
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out this
section.
(2) Pro-rated payments.--In a case in which the amount made
available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year is
insufficient to compensate all eligible owners under this
section, the Secretary shall pro-rate payments for that
fiscal year on a per acre basis.
SEC. 3014. SUGARCANE AND SUGAR BEET DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
(a) Florida.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall use
$120,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
make payments to processors in Florida that are eligible to
obtain a loan under section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) to
compensate first processors and producers for crop and other
losses in hurricane-affected counties that are related to
hurricanes, tropical storms, excessive rains, floods, and
wind in Florida during calendar year 2005, by an agreement on
the same terms and conditions, to the maximum extent
practicable, as the payments made under section 102 of the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Hurricane Disasters
Assistance Act of 2005 (Public Law 108-324; 118 Stat. 1235),
including that the 2005 base production of each harvesting
unit shall be determined using the same base year crop
production history that was used pursuant to the agreement
under that section.
(b) Louisiana.--
(1) Compensation for losses.--The Secretary shall use the
funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit
Corporation to make $120,000,000 in payments to first
processors of sugarcane that operate in a disaster county in
Louisiana, or obtain sugarcane from a disaster county in
Louisiana, and that are eligible to obtain a loan under
section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)), to compensate the
producers and first processors for crop and other losses due
to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, or related conditions.
(2) Administration.--Assistance under this subsection shall
be--
(A) shared by an affected first processor with affected
producers that provide commodities to the processor in a
manner that reflects contracts entered into between the
processor and the producers, except with respect to a portion
of the amount of total assistance described under paragraph
(1) necessary to compensate affected producers for individual
losses experienced by the producers, including losses due to
saltwater intrusion, flooding, wind damage, or increased
planting, replanting, or harvesting costs, which shall be
transferred by the first processor to the affected producers
without regard to contractual share arrangements; and
(B) made available under such terms and conditions as the
Secretary determines are necessary to carry out this
subsection.
(3) Loss determination.--In carrying out this subsection,
the Secretary shall use the same base year to determine crop
loss that was elected by a producer to determine crop loss in
carrying out the hurricane assistance program under section
207 of the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003 (Public Law
108-7; 117 Stat. 543).
(c) Funding.--The Secretary shall use $40,000,000 of funds
of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance to
sugar beet producers that suffered production losses
(including quality losses) for the 2005 crop year.
(d) Requirement.--The Secretary shall make payments under
subsection (c) in the same manner as payments were made under
section 208 of the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003
(Public Law 108-7; 117 Stat. 544), including using the same
indemnity benefits as were used in carrying out that section.
[[Page 5864]]
(e) Texas.--The Secretary shall use $400,000 of funds of
the Commodity Credit Corporation to assist sugarcane growers
in Texas by making a payment in that amount to the Rio Grande
Valley Sugar Growers, a farmer-owned cooperative sugarcane
processor in that State, for additional demurrage costs at
the Port of Baton Rouge and additional storage and
transportation costs of raw sugar resulting from hurricanes
during calendar year 2005, excessive rains, floods, wind, and
other related conditions.
(f) Hawaii.--The Secretary shall use $6,000,000 of funds of
the Commodity Credit Corporation to assist sugarcane growers
in Hawaii by making a payment in that amount to an
agricultural transportation cooperative in Hawaii, the
members of which are eligible to receive marketing assistance
loans and loan deficiency payments made available under
subtitle B of title I of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7931 et seq.).
(g) Limit on Amount of Assistance.--The Secretary shall
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that no producer
on a farm receives duplicative payments under this section
and any other Federal program for the same loss.
SEC. 3015. SPECIALTY CROPS AND NURSERY CROPS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall use funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to provide assistance to
producers of specialty crops and nursery crops in hurricane-
affected counties.
(b) Administration.--
(1) In general.--Assistance required by subsection (a)
shall be carried out by the Secretary under the same terms
and conditions as the special disaster relief programs
carried out for producers that suffered from crop damage and
tree losses, and carried out related cleanup, in certain
areas of Florida due to Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and
Jeanne during August and September 2004, as described in the
notice of program implementation relating to Florida citrus,
fruit, vegetable, and nursery crop disaster programs (69 Fed.
Reg. 63134 (October 29, 2004)).
(2) Loss of records.--Due to the complete destruction of
the business records of many producers, the Secretary shall
use the best available information in determining
eligibility, determining losses, and calculating payment
amounts under this section.
(c) Limit on Amount of Assistance.--The Secretary shall
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that no producer
on a farm receives duplicative payments under this section
and any other Federal program for the same loss.
SEC. 3016. DAIRY ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary shall use $25,000,000 of the funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to make payments to dairy
producers for dairy production losses and dairy spoilage
losses in hurricane-affected counties.
SEC. 3017. COTTONSEED.
(a) Distribution of Funds.--The Secretary shall provide
disaster assistance under subsection (c) under the same terms
and conditions as assistance provided under section 206 of
the Agricultural Assistance Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-7;
117 Stat. 543), except that assistance shall be--
(1) distributed to producers and first handlers of
cottonseed; and
(2) based on cottonseed production during the most recent
year for which a disaster payment specifically for cottonseed
was not authorized.
(b) Cottonseed Assistance.--The Secretary shall use
$15,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation
to provide assistance to producers and first-handlers of the
2005 crop of cottonseed in hurricane-affected counties.
SEC. 3018. REDUCTION IN PAYMENTS.
The amount of any payment for which a producer is eligible
under this subtitle shall be reduced by any amount received
by the producer for the same loss or any similar loss under--
(1) the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico,
and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-148; 119
Stat. 2680); or
(2) an agricultural disaster assistance provision contained
in the announcement of the Secretary on January 26, 2006.
Subtitle B--Supplemental Nutrition and Agricultural Economic Disaster
Assistance
SEC. 3021. REPLENISHMENT OF SECTION 32.
(a) Definition of Specialty Crop.--In this section:
(1) In general.--The term ``specialty crop'' means any
agricultural crop.
(2) Exception.--The term ``specialty crop'' does not
include--
(A) wheat;
(B) feed grains;
(C) oilseeds;
(D) cotton;
(E) rice; or
(F) peanuts.
(b) Base State Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use $25,500,000 of
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to make grants to
the several States, the District of Columbia, and the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to be used to support activities
that promote agriculture.
(2) Amounts.--The amount of the grants shall be--
(A) $500,000 to each of the several States; and
(B) $250,000 to each of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and
the District of Columbia.
(c) Grants for Value of Production.--The Secretary shall
use $74,500,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation
to make a grant to each of the several States in an amount
equal to the product obtained by multiplying--
(1) the share of the State of the total value of specialty
crop, livestock, and dairy production of the United States
for the 2004 crop year, as determined by the Secretary; by
(2) $74,500,000.
(d) Special Crop and Livestock Priority.--As a condition on
the receipt of a grant under this section, a State shall
agree to give priority to the support of specialty crops and
livestock in the use of the grant funds.
(e) Use of Funds.--A State may use funds from a grant
awarded under this section--
(1) to supplement State food bank programs or other
nutrition assistance programs;
(2) to promote the purchase, sale, or consumption of
agricultural products;
(3) to provide economic assistance to agricultural
producers, giving a priority to the support of specialty
crops and livestock; or
(4) for other purposes as determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3022. SUPPLEMENTAL ECONOMIC LOSS PAYMENTS.
The Secretary shall make a supplemental economic loss
payment to any producer on a farm that received a direct
payment for crop year 2005 under title I of the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.) at a
rate equal to the product obtained by multiplying--
(1) 30 percent of the direct payment rate in effect for the
program crop of the farmer;
(2) 85 percent of the program crop base of the farmer; and
(3) the program payment yield for each program crop of the
farmer.
SEC. 3023. REDUCTION IN PAYMENTS.
The amount of any payment for which a producer is eligible
under this subtitle shall be reduced by any amount received
by the producer for the same loss or any similar loss under--
(1) the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico,
and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-148; 119
Stat. 2680); or
(2) an agricultural disaster assistance provision contained
in the announcement of the Secretary on January 26, 2006.
Subtitle C--Forestry
SEC. 3031. TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Definition of Tree.--In this section, the term ``tree''
includes a tree (including a Christmas tree, ornamental tree,
nursery tree, and potted tree), bush (including a shrub), and
vine.
(b) Program.--Except as otherwise provided in this section,
the Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary of the
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide
assistance under the tree assistance program established
under sections 10201 through 10203 of the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8201 et seq.) to--
(1) producers who suffered tree losses in hurricane-
affected counties; and
(2) fruit and tree nut producers in hurricane-affected
counties for site preparation, replacement, rehabilitation,
and pruning.
(c) Costs.--Funds made available under this section shall
also be made available to cover costs associated with tree
pruning, tree rehabilitation, and other appropriate tree-
related activities as determined by the Secretary.
(d) Limit on Amount of Assistance.--The Secretary shall
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that no producer
on a farm receives duplicative payments under this section
and any other Federal program for the same loss.
Subtitle D--Conservation
SEC. 3041. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE.
(a) Authority to Clear Debris and Animal Carcasses.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary,
acting through the Natural Resources Conservation Service,
using funds made available for the emergency watershed
protection program established under section 403 of the
Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203), may provide
financial and technical assistance to remove and dispose of
debris and animal carcasses that could adversely affect
health and safety on non-Federal land in a hurricane-affected
county.
(b) Authority to Use Certain Practices.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, the Secretary, acting through the
Natural Resources Conservation Service, may use direct check-
writing practices and electronic transfers to provide
financial and technical assistance under the emergency
watershed protection program established under section 403 of
the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) in a
hurricane-affected county.
SEC. 3042. EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall use an additional $108,500,000 of funds
of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out emergency
measures identified by the Chief of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service as of the date of enactment of this Act
through the emergency watershed protection program
established under section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act
of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203).
SEC. 3043. EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall use an additional $17,000,000 of funds
of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out emergency
measures identified by the Administrator of the Farm Service
Agency as of the date of enactment of this Act through the
emergency conservation program established under title IV of
the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.).
[[Page 5865]]
Subtitle E--Farm Service Agency
SEC. 3051. FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
The Secretary shall use $23,000,000 of funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation to hire additional County Farm
Service Agency personnel--
(1) to expedite the implementation of, and delivery under,
the agricultural disaster and economic assistance programs
under this title; and
(2) as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry
out other agriculture and disaster assistance programs.
Subtitle F--Miscellaneous
SEC. 3061. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE IMMUNIZATIONS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
of Defense may provide immunizations to employees of the
Department of Agriculture involved in direct recovery work in
a hurricane-affected county.
SEC. 3062. WAIVER OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
may provide assistance in a hurricane-affected county under
the emergency conservation program established under title IV
of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201 et
seq.) without regard to subtitle C of title XII of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3821 et seq.).
SEC. 3063. FUNDING.
The Secretary shall use the funds, facilities, and
authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out
this title, to remain available until expended.
SEC. 3064. REGULATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary may promulgate such
regulations as are necessary to implement this title.
(b) Procedure.--The promulgation of the regulations and
administration of this title shall be made without regard
to--
(1) the notice and comment provisions of section 553 of
title 5, United States Code;
(2) the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of Agriculture
effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg. 13804), relating to
notices of proposed rulemaking and public participation in
rulemaking; and
(3) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly
known as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'').
(c) Congressional Review of Agency Rulemaking.--In carrying
out this section, the Secretary shall use the authority
provided under section 808 of title 5, United States Code.
Subtitle G--Emergency Designation
SEC. 3071. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.
The amounts provided under this title are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
TITLE IV
DROUGHT EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
SEC. 4001. CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
In addition to any other funds made available by this Act,
there is appropriated for ``Department of Defense-Civil,
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineer-Civil, Flood
Control and Coastal Emergencies'', as authorized by section 5
of the Act of August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), $5,000,000,
to remain available until expended, to be used by the
Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers,
for emergency drought assistance.
SEC. 4002. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.
In addition to any other funds made available by this Act,
there is appropriated for ``Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources'',
$7,500,000, to remain available until expended, for drought
emergency assistance.
SEC. 4003. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.
The amounts provided under this title are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
TITLE V
PORT SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
Salaries And Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$266,050,000, to remain available until expended.
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Operating Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses'',
$23,000,000, to remain available until expended.
OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS
State and Local Programs
For an additional amount for ``State and Local Programs'',
$227,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount shall be for
port security grants pursuant to the purposes of 46 United
States Code 70107 (a) through (h), which shall be awarded
based on risk and threat notwithstanding subsection (a), for
eligible costs as defined in subsections (b)(2)-(4).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Research, Development, Acquisition, and Operations
For an additional amount for ``Research, Development,
Acquisition, and Operations'' for the Domestic Nuclear
Detection Office, $132,000,000, to remain available until
expended for the purchase and deployment of radiation portal
monitors for United States seaports.
TITLE VI
PANDEMIC FLU
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES EMERGENCY FUND
For an additional amount for ``Public Health and Social
Services Emergency Fund'' to prepare for and respond to an
influenza pandemic, including international activities and
activities in foreign countries, preparedness planning,
enhancing the pandemic influenza regulatory science base,
accelerating pandemic influenza disease surveillance,
developing registries to monitor influenza vaccine
distribution and use, supporting pandemic influenza research,
clinical trials and clinical trials infrastructure, and the
development and purchase of vaccines, antivirals, and
necessary medical supplies, $2,300,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That $300,000,000 shall
be for upgrading State and local capacity, $50,000,000 shall
be for laboratory capacity and research at the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, and at least $200,000,000
shall be for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
to carry out global and domestic disease surveillance,
laboratory capacity and research, laboratory diagnostics,
risk communication, rapid response and quarantine: Provided
further, That products purchased with these funds may, at the
discretion of the Secretary, be deposited in the Strategic
National Stockpile: Provided further, That notwithstanding
section 496(b) of the Public Health Service Act, funds may be
used for the construction or renovation of privately owned
facilities for the production of pandemic influenza vaccines
and other biologicals, where the Secretary finds such a
contract necessary to secure sufficient supplies of such
vaccines or biologicals: Provided further, That the Secretary
may negotiate a contract with a vendor under which a State
may place an order with the vendor for antivirals; may
reimburse a State for a portion of the price paid by the
State pursuant to such an order; and may use amounts made
available herein for such reimbursement: Provided further,
That funds appropriated herein and not specifically
designated under this heading may be transferred to other
appropriation accounts of the Department of Health and Human
Services, as determined by the Secretary to be appropriate,
to be used for the purposes specified in this sentence:
Provided further, That the amounts provided under this
heading are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
TITLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
availability of funds
Sec. 7001. No part of any appropriation contained in this
Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current
fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS
STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION
Sec. 7002. Of the amount made available by the Department
of Justice Appropriations Act, 2006 under the heading
``Community Oriented Policing Services'' (Public Law 109-108,
199 Stat. 2302), for Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences
Improvement Grants under part BB of title I of the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797 et
seq.), $1,500,000 shall be available to the Attorney General,
without regard to such part BB, for the study on forensic
science described in House Report 109-272 to accompany Public
Law 109-108.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
SCIENCE, AERONAUTICS AND EXPLORATION
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION
Sec. 7003. The referenced statement of the managers in
House Report 109-272, Making Appropriations for Science, the
Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related
Agencies for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2006, and
for other purposes, under this heading is deemed to be
amended with respect to amounts made available under the
heading ``Science, Aeronautics and Exploration'' for the
Mitchell Institute by striking ``educational purposes'' and
inserting ``the science and engineering education
endowment''.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION
Sec. 7004. Section 613 of the Science, State, Justice,
Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
(Public Law 109-108; 119 Stat. 2338) is amended by striking
``Clark County Department of Aviation, Las Vegas,'' and
inserting ``University of Nevada Las Vegas,''.
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES
Sec. 7005. Funds appropriated in this Act, or made
available by the transfer of funds in or pursuant to this
Act, for intelligence activities are deemed to be
specifically authorized by the Congress for purposes of
section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
414).
Office of Economic Adjustment--Defense
Sec. 7006. Sec. 8044 of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2708)
is amended as follows: After ``Defense,'' and before
``acting'' insert, ``notwithstanding any other provision of
law,''.
Investigations, louisiana hurricane study cost sharing
Sec. 7007. The $12,000,000 provided in division B, chapter
3 of title I, Investigations, of Public Law 109-148 (119
Stat. 2761) for the Louisiana
[[Page 5866]]
hurricane protection study shall be at full Federal expense.
Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries
Sec. 7008. Chapter 3, under division B of title I of Public
Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2762) under the heading ``Flood
Control, Mississippi River and Tributaries, Arkansas,
Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and
Tennessee'' is modified by inserting the following before the
period: ``: Provided further, That the Corps is directed to
expedite and accelerate completion of any study or any
unconstructed portion of the Mississippi River and
Tributaries project for the flood and storm damage reduction
projects in the south Louisiana area'': Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet
Sec. 7009. Chapter 3, under division B of title I of Public
Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2762) under the heading ``Operations
and Maintenance'' is modified by inserting the following
before the last proviso: ``: Provided further, That
$75,000,000 of the funds provided herein shall be used for
the repair, construction or provision of measures or
structures necessary to protect, restore or increase
wetlands, to prevent saltwater intrusion or storm surge'':
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Shore Protection
Sec. 7010. Section 227 of Public Law 104-303 is modified as
follows:
(1) Section 5(a) is amended by striking ``6'', and
inserting ``7'' in lieu thereof.
(2) Section 5(e)(2) is amended by striking ``$21,000,000'',
and inserting ``$25,000,000'' in lieu thereof.
Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991
Sec. 7011. (a) Section 104(c) of the Reclamation States
Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2214(c)) is
amended by striking ``September 30, 2005'' and inserting
``September 30, 2010'' in lieu thereof.
(b) Section 301 of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought
Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2241) is amended by striking
``fiscal years 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004'' and inserting ``the period of
fiscal years 2006 through 2010'' in lieu thereof.
reprogramming of funds
Sec. 7012. None of the funds made available before, on, or
after the date of enactment of this Act in an appropriations
Act may be expended to prevent or limit any reprogramming of
funds for a project to be carried out by the Corps of
Engineers using funds appropriated in any Act making
appropriations for energy and water development, based on
whether the project was included by the President in the
budget transmitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United
States Code, or is otherwise proposed by the President or
considered part of the budget by the Office of Management and
Budget, if the project received funds in an Act making
appropriations for energy and water development or any other
appropriations Act making additional funds available for
energy and water development.
BONNEVILLE POWER AUTHORITY
Sec. 7013. None of the funds made available under this or
any other Act shall be used during fiscal year 2006 or
previous to April 1, 2007 to make, or plan or prepare to
make, any payment on bonds issued by the Administrator of the
Bonneville Power Administration (referred in this section as
the ``Administrator'') or for an appropriated Federal
Columbia River Power System investment, if the payment is
both--
(1) greater, during any fiscal year, than the payments
calculated in the rate hearing of the Administrator to be
made during that fiscal year using the repayment method used
to establish the rates of the Administrator as in effect on
February 6, 2006; and
(2) based or conditioned on the actual or expected net
secondary power sales receipts of the Administrator.
department of homeland security
(INCLUDING RESCISSION OF FUNDS)
Sec. 7014. (a) Rescission.--Of the funds available for
``Screening Coordination and Operations'', $3,960,000 are
rescinded.
(b) Supplemental Appropriations.--For an additional amount
for the ``Office of the Secretary and Executive Management'',
$3,960,000.
Department of the Interior--U.S. Geological Survey
Sec. 7015. For an additional amount for ``Department of the
Interior, United States Geological Survey, Surveys,
Investigations, and Research'', $500,000, to remain available
until expended, for assistance with assessments of critical
reservoirs and dams, including the monitoring of dam
structures: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
surface mining control and reclamation act
Sec. 7016. Section 402(b) of the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1232(b)) is amended by
striking ``June 30, 2006'' and inserting ``September 30,
2007''.
Department of Labor--office of job corps
Sec. 7017. Notwithstanding section 102 of the Departments
of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-
149), none of the funds made available under this Act or
under the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006,
shall be expended for any activity that--
(1) is related to carrying out Order 09-2006 of the
Secretary of Labor; or
(2) transfers the Office of Job Corps but does not
establish the Office of Job Corps as a single office within
the Office of the Secretary that retains all staff, functions
and authorities related to carrying out subtitle C of title I
of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2881 et
seq.).
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR--MINE SAFETY
Sec. 7018. For an additional amount for ``Department of
Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Salaries and
Expenses'', $25,600,000 for the inspection of coal mines:
Provided, That progress reports on hiring shall be submitted
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on a
quarterly basis, with the first report due June 15, 2006:
Provided further, That the amounts provided under this
heading shall remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL--mine safety
Sec. 7019. For an additional amount for ``Department of
Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Disease Control, Research and Training'', to
carry out section 501 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health
Act of 1977, $10,000,000 for research to develop mine safety
technology including grants and contracts: Provided, That
progress reports on technology development shall be submitted
to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on a
quarterly basis, with the first report due June 15, 2006:
Provided further, That the amounts provided under this
heading shall remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
railroad retirement board
Sec. 7020. Public Law 109-149 (119 Stat. 2876) under the
heading ``Railroad Retirement Board, Dual Benefits Payments
Account'' is amended by striking ``proportional to the amount
by which the product of recipients and the average benefit
received exceeds $97,000,000'' and inserting ``to the amount
by which the product of recipients and the average benefit
received exceeds the amount available for payment of vested
dual benefits'' in lieu thereof.
head start regulations effective date
Sec. 7021. Section 224 of Public Law 109-149 (119 Stat.
2862) is amended by striking ``June'' and inserting
``December'' in lieu thereof.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
AUTHORIZATION
Sec. 7022. Section 2401 of the Military Construction
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163)
is amended by striking after ``Augusta'', ``$61,466,000'' and
inserting in lieu thereof ``$340,854,000''. This project may
be incrementally funded. Funds appropriated in Public Law
109-114 for this project shall be available to fund the first
increment.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
AUTHORIZATION
Sec. 7023. Section 2401 of the Military Construction
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-163)
is amended by striking after ``Kunia'', ``$305,000,000'' and
inserting in lieu thereof ``$350,490,000''. The project may
be incrementally funded. Funds appropriated in Public Laws
108-7, 108-87, and 109-114 for this project shall be
available to fund the first increment.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
AUTHORIZATION
Sec. 7024. Section 2846 of the Military Construction
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (division B of Public
Law 107-107; 115 Stat. 1320), as amended by section 2865 of
the Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2005 (division B of Public Law 108-375; 118 Stat 2149) is
further amended by striking ``840 acres'' and inserting
``1,540 acres''.
detail authority for dot
Sec. 7025. Section 171 of Public Law 109-115 (119 Stat.
2426) is amended by inserting before the period at the end of
the following ``: Provided, That the Department's Office of
Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response may assess and
enter into reimbursable agreements with the modal
administrations for services necessary to carry out emergency
preparedness or emergency response activities, as determined
by the Secretary of Transportation: Provided further, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary is
authorized to detail modal administration employees to the
Office of Intelligence, Security, and Emergency Response
without reimbursement and for fixed periods of time, as
determined by the Secretary, only insofar as necessary to
carry out emergency preparedness or emergency response
activities: Provided further, That the Department shall
transmit to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate
and of the House of Representatives a quarterly report that
provides information describing any reimbursable agreements
or personnel details carried out in accordance with this
section''.
[[Page 5867]]
emergency highway funds
Sec. 7026. Under the heading ``Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Emergency
Relief Program'' in Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat. 2778),
strike ``$629,000,000'' and insert ``$803,000,000''.
limitation on certain transportation actions
Sec. 7027. None of the funds made available by this or any
other Act may be used to issue or implement a decision on the
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (70 Fed. Reg. 67389) that
proposes to change the Department's long-standing
interpretation of ``actual control'' of an airline for
purposes of section 40102(a)(15) of title 49, United States
Code, issue any final rule, or make any fitness determination
under section 41102 of that title that would change the
Department of Transportation's long-standing interpretation
concerning what constitutes ``actual control'' of an airline
for purposes of section 40102(a)(15) of such title, or to
submit a final rule to the Congress under chapter 8 of title
5, United States Code, that would change that interpretation.
doj and treasury funding for intelligence activities
Sec. 7028. (a) Funds appropriated for intelligence
activities, or made available by the transfer of funds, by
this Act, by Public Law 109-108 for the Department of
Justice, or by Public Law 109-115 for the Department of the
Treasury, are deemed to be specifically authorized by the
Congress for purposes of section 504 of the National Security
Act of 1947, as amended, (50 U.S.C. 414) during fiscal year
2006 until the enactment of the Intelligence Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
(b) Subsection (a) shall be effective:
(1) with respect to funds appropriated, or made available
by the transfer of funds, by this Act, upon the enactment of
this Act;
(2) with respect to funds appropriated, or made available
by the transfer of funds, by Public Law 109-108 for the
Department of Justice, as if enacted on the date of enactment
of Public Law 109-108; and
(3) with respect to funds appropriated, or made available
by the transfer of funds, by Public Law 109-115 for the
Department of the Treasury, as if enacted on the date of
enactment of Public Law 109-115.
funding for treasury travel
Sec. 7029. The first sentence under the heading
``Department of the Treasury, Departmental Offices, Salaries
and Expenses'' in title II of division A of Public Law 109-
115 (119 Stat. 2432) is amended by inserting after ``travel
expenses'' the words ``(except for travel performed by
officials in the Office of Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence and the Office of International Affairs)''.
Economic Development Initiatives Corrections
Sec. 7030. (a) The referenced statement of the managers
under the heading ``Community Development Fund'' in Public
Law 108-199 is amended with respect to item number 380 by
striking ``for construction of a new facility'' and inserting
``to upgrade an existing facility''.
(b) The referenced statement of the managers under the
heading ``Community Development Fund'' in Public Law 108-199
is amended with respect to item number 188 by striking ``for
the renovation of the historic Coca-Cola building'' and
inserting ``for the construction or development of a driver's
license facility''.
(c) The referenced statement of the managers under the
heading ``Community Development Fund'' in Public Law 109-115
is amended with respect to item number 532 by striking ``Mark
Twain Neighborhood Association'' and inserting ``Mark Twain
Community Alliance''.
gsa transfer of property
Sec. 7031. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Administrator of General Services may convey, without
consideration ownership and jurisdiction (custody,
accountability and control) to the City of Crosby, North
Dakota real property as described: Lots 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
and 14, Eastlawn Addition to Crosby, Divide County, North
Dakota.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and
Hurricane Recovery, 2006''.
Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is my pleasure and honor to describe
for the Senate the supplemental appropriations bill that has been
reported by our committee. The President has requested supplemental
appropriations for this fiscal year, which the committee has reviewed.
The House has passed a bill reporting and referring to the Senate this
bill that is described as an emergency. The funds are needed primarily
for the global war on terror, which is included in title I of the bill.
The total committee substitute would provide $106,474,107,000 in
supplemental appropriations for this fiscal year, 2006. It is above the
President's request by $14,253,522,000. It is also above the House-
passed bill, and we have broken this down and presented it to the
Senate in titles.
The first title provides money primarily for defense-related
activities, as I said, to carry out the global war on terror. It
provides funding for ongoing operations and reconstruction efforts in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
In title II, we have included funds above the President's request for
recovery from the damages caused by the hurricanes in the Gulf of
Mexico in 2005. The President requested $19.7 billion for this purpose.
The committee, in consideration of amendments offered by Senators
during the markup session, approved an additional $7.4 billion for this
purpose. So the total of title II is $27,126,662,000.
Title III reflects the provision of an amendment that was offered in
committee by Senators Dorgan of North Dakota and Burns of Montana
relating to agricultural disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers
in States that are affected either by the hurricanes of 2005 or
drought, flood, wildfires, and other natural disasters that have
occurred. That amendment provides exactly $3,944 million for emergency
agricultural disaster assistance.
Title IV reflects an amendment that was approved by the committee for
emergency drought assistance, more broadly defined, and is an amendment
offered by the Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Domenici, and agreed to by
the committee, with $12,500,000 for that purpose.
Title V is an appropriation of $648,050,000 for port security
enhancements. This was requested by--and the committee approved the
request--the distinguished Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd.
Title VI includes funds for influenza pandemic preparation and
response activities. The administration asked for this amendment. It
was included by the committee. It provides $2,300 million for that
purpose.
Title VII is the part of the bill that has general provisions and
technical provisions.
Overall, the bill can be described as having two major points of
focus. First, it provides needed funding for our military to continue
to carry out operations overseas. It also includes the commitment to
rebuild the gulf coast to permit inhabitants there to recover from the
devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
It is my opinion--and I think this reflects the action taken by our
committee--that it is critical that these funds be provided
expeditiously, and we need the cooperation and support of all Senators
to accomplish this goal. The committee recommendation has been
available to Senators for several weeks. I hope we can consider
amendments in an orderly fashion, that they can be brought up as early
as possible so they can be considered without prolonged and unnecessary
delay.
I have to say that the individual subcommittee chairmen worked hard
to identify the needs in the areas under their jurisdiction. Those who
serve as ranking minority members of the subcommittees have had
opportunities to participate. It has been a bipartisan effort made by
our committee to bring to the bill a recommended appropriation amount
that would serve our national security interests as well as our
economic interests and other problems that were caused by natural
disasters.
At the appropriate time, I will move that the committee substitute be
adopted and be treated as original text for the purpose of further
amendments. I have to say at this point that the work of this committee
reflects bipartisan cooperation and mutual respect between the Members
on both sides of the aisle. It carries out a tradition that I believe
has been one of the hallmarks of the activity of the Senate. It has
reflected credit, therefore, on the Senate.
I hope Members will understand that we are not addressing issues on
the basis of partisanship but on the basis of need to address problems
that confront our country and those which were unanticipated when the
President submitted his initial budget request for
[[Page 5868]]
this fiscal year. We have had other events that have caused us to have
to proceed to adopt emergency appropriations bills, and here again that
is something we have to deal with. We are presenting this bill as a
good-faith effort to meet the needs of the country as we see them and
as requested by the President.
I am happy to yield to my friend, the distinguished Senator from West
Virginia, Mr. Byrd, who has provided very important assistance to me
personally and, through his service in the Senate, to the work of this
committee for a long time. We appreciate his valuable assistance. All
members of the committee have worked to be sure that this is a good
bill and deserves the support of the Senate. I think it does.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia is recognized.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the truly distinguished and able
chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Mr. Cochran, for all
of his hard work on this bill. He is so diligent, so fair, so
honorable. I am proud to serve with him. Mississippi is so well
represented in the Senate by this man. As a matter of great pride, I
call him my friend, my colleague, my chairman.
The President has asked the Congress to approve over $92 billion of
emergency spending, including $72.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan and $19.8 billion for the Federal response to the terrible
hurricanes that struck the Gulf States in August and September of 2005.
When the committee opened its hearings on the supplemental on March
7, I stated my belief that it is our duty to scrutinize the President's
request not only for what is in the bill but also for what is not in
the bill. I said to the distinguished chairman and to Senator Landrieu
and others that I would help them in every way I could in responding to
the terrible storms that hit their States.
My State of West Virginia is often hit by floods and other damaging
disasters, such as the recent accidents in West Virginia's coal mines.
I am very sensitive to the ability of our Federal Government to prepare
for and respond to disasters promptly and with competence, which is
what our citizens need and what our citizens deserve. Sadly, many of
our Federal agencies are no longer up to these fundamental tasks.
Mr. President, the chairman of the committee has taken the bull by
the horns. Under his leadership, the recommendations of the committee
fill in some of the gaps in the administration's request for funds
required to respond to the hurricanes.
The committee added approximately $7.4 billion to the President's
budget request--that is not chickenfeed--$7.4 billion added to the
President's budget request for Federal programs to respond to these
disasters.
I have to also note that the chairman of the committee included at my
request--he would probably have done it, anyhow; perhaps I made it a
little easier--and the request of others an amount of $35.6 million for
improved mine safety and health programs. In the wake of 18 coal mining
deaths in the State of West Virginia this year and another 16 mining
deaths in other States this year, it is imperative that the Congress
act immediately to ensure that an adequate number of safety inspectors
will be provided for our Nation's mines and to expedite the
introduction of critical safety equipment.
It is simply, absolutely, positively inexcusable that our miners have
oxygen canisters that last only 1 hour--1 hour--when miners may be
trapped underground for several days, or that the miners may not have
emergency communications equipment. Think of that. Miners may not have
emergency communications equipment that can reach the surface in the
event of an extended rescue effort. I tell you, this is something to
talk about.
The chairman has my genuine appreciation for including these funds in
the committee-reported bill. I also thank Senator Specter, Senator
Harkin, and Senator Rockefeller for their support of the initiative.
By the way, Senator Rockefeller is recuperating from a very serious
operation. He may not get back in the harness here until June. I was
talking with him a couple of days ago. He probably won't get back until
June. John D. Rockefeller, my colleague from West Virginia.
The bill before the Senate also includes a provision to extend the
abandoned mine land authority through fiscal year 2007. The AML program
and combined benefits fund are very important programs that are needed
by retired coal miners, by their families, and by coalfields
communities throughout the country. I thank Chairman Cochran. I thank
Senator Specter and Senator Domenici for supporting this effort.
The supplemental appropriations bill includes $67.8 billion for the
Department of Defense to prosecute the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Upon passage of this legislation, the total amount appropriated for the
war in Iraq, including the cost of reconstruction, will be $320
billion. Mr. President, that is $320 for every minute since Jesus
Christ was born 2,000 years ago. That is a lot of money. Man, think of
that.
That is a staggering figure, but what is even more unbelievable is
that the monthly cost of the war in Iraq has been steadily, steadily,
steadily escalating. In May 2004, the Defense Department reported to
the Armed Services Committee that the cost of operations in Iraq was
averaging $4 billion per month. The Congressional Research Service
reported this month that during fiscal year 2005, the cost of the war
in Iraq had escalated to $5.6 billion per month. The Congressional
Research Service estimates that the cost of operations in Iraq during
the current fiscal year will grow to $6.8 billion per month.
I ask the Chair, can you comprehend how much money that is, $6.8
billion? That is $6.80 for every minute since Jesus Christ was born.
Contemplate that.
The American people ought to be asking how on Earth has the monthly
cost of the war in Iraq grown by 70 percent just in 2 years. Isn't
there any way to control the cost of the war while making sure that our
troops continue to get the support they need?
The truth is that the administration is out of control when it comes
to asking for emergency spending. According to a Congressional Budget
Office report, the White House has requested $515 billion in emergency
spending between 2001 and 2006. That is more than 3\1/2\ times the
combined total of all--all, a-l-l--all of the emergency spending bills
in the previous 10 years.
Say that again. Did you hear me? More than 3\1/2\ times the combined
total of all of the emergency spending bills in the previous 10 years.
The President refuses to include in his annual budget request a
realistic estimate of the cost of the wars. As a result, there is
virtually no debate about how our country is going to pay for these
massive bills. And what is more, these emergency spending requests mean
that Congress has only a limited opportunity to scrutinize the
administration's spending proposals. As a result, nobody--nobody--seems
to be minding the store when it comes to controlling the escalating
cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I tell you, I was in favor of fighting the war in Afghanistan, but I
was not in favor of going into Iraq. No, man. No.
The failure of the President to heed the repeated calls by the
Senate--by the Senate, that is this body--to budget for the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in more unnecessary spending that is
hidden--hidden--from public view.
For example, the President requested $8.3 billion in military
procurement to replace wornout or battle-damaged equipment, but this is
essentially forward funding of replacement equipment that should be
bought using funds in the regular appropriations bill. Since we do not
need to buy the same equipment twice, future Defense spending bills
need not appropriate procurement funds that have already been approved
in previously enacted emergency appropriations bills.
This forward funding of military procurement accounts should then
mean
[[Page 5869]]
savings in the regular Defense appropriations bill. But when will these
savings appear?
With the approval of this bill, the Department of Defense budget for
fiscal year 2006 is $534 billion, an increase of 74 percent over fiscal
year 2001. Congress has rubberstamped much of this increase without
indepth budget justification.
Until the President begins to include a real estimate of the cost of
the wars in his annual budget, American taxpayers will continue to see
billions more dollars spent without any true measure of accountability.
That is why I will again offer an amendment to the supplemental
appropriations bill that calls for the President to budget for the cost
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Senate has given its strong support to this amendment four
times--four times--and the President continues to look the other way,
continues to disregard this direction by the Senate. The Senate must
insist on a long overdue and responsible step of budgeting for the cost
of the war.
I am also very disappointed that the White House limited the
supplemental request to the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
and in response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. As the Senate
debates immigration and border security, it is rather astonishing,
wouldn't you think, that no funding was included for border security.
Nor were any funds included for port security. Dubai Ports World is now
operating terminals at six of our major ports.
The ``layered defense''--if I may put quotation marks around those
two words--the ``layered defense'' that the administration claims is
protecting our ports is, in fact, paper thin--paper thin. It is just
that thin.
Nor did the President seek any supplemental funding for preparing for
or preventing the outbreak of the avian flu or to help our farmers who
have been devastated by drought and by the hurricanes.
The Appropriations Committee, under the chairmanship of Senator
Cochran, has wisely approved funding for port security, wisely approved
funding for the avian flu, wisely approved funding for drought relief,
and I hope that border security funding will be approved this week on
the floor.
I challenge the White House--it is easy to be brave from a distance;
I am quite a ways up the avenue from the White House--I challenge the
White House--come on--I challenge the White House to get serious about
these issues. These are also emergencies. The White House should be
leading rather than opposing efforts to improve border security and
port security, and it should be preparing for the avian flu and helping
our farmers.
The administration has a huge credibility gap when it comes to
homeland security. There is a continuing drumbeat that another
terrorist attack may occur or is even likely. The President, in his
State of the Union Address, told the American people:
The enemy has not lost the desire or capability to attack
us.
That is true. One look at the budget reveals an odd complacency. The
administration's speech writers and his policy writers seem to be
living in different worlds.
In response to the administration's decision to allow Dubai Ports
World to operate terminals in six major U.S. ports, it is asserted by
the administration that it has a robust, layered security system for
our ports. And yet for the second straight year, the White House
proposes to eliminate the Port Security Grant Program. Of the $816
million the Congress has appropriated since September 11 for port
security, only $46 million was requested by the President. There is
nothing ``robust'' about that.
How serious are we about port security, when the President, the Vice
President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland
Security don't even know about the decision to sell the operation of
six U.S. ports to a State-owned foreign company?
How serious are we about port security when Customs and Border
Protection inspects only 5 percent of the 11 million containers that
come into the country each year?
How serious are we when the Coast Guard Deepwater budget for
replacing its ships, planes, and helicopters will not be completed
until 2026?
The administration has not requested one thin dime for port security
in this $92 billion supplemental.
The committee-reported bill includes my amendment to provide $648
million to fill critical gaps in our paper-thin port security program.
The bill now provides resources for more radiation portal monitors,
more container inspections, more port inspections, and would fund port
security grants at the levels anticipated in the Collins-Lieberman and
Stevens-Inouye port security authorization bills.
The American people--our people, your people--yes, our people, the
American people--expect more than just a paper-thin--you can almost see
through that--the American people expect more than just a paper-thin
security plan for our ports. The bill, as reported by the Senate
Appropriations Committee, begins--and Senator Cochran, the chairman of
that committee, can take a lot of credit--begins to address this paper-
thin port security program by including a total of $648 million to fill
critical gaps in our port security program. I thank Senators Dan
Inouye, Herb Kohl, and Tom Harkin for their support of my initiative in
committee. Whose initiative? Mine, my initiative. Dizzy Dean says it is
all right to brag if you have done it. Well, I have done it.
The White House should step to the plate and support this effort.
While the committee-reported bill has made some progress to address
the gaps in the Nation's port security defenses, it virtually ignores
border security. The Senate has recently been debating immigration and
border security legislation to authorize a whole host of items intended
to secure our borders. The legislation would authorize the hiring of
additional Border Patrol agents. It would authorize the hiring of
additional immigration enforcement agents and detention officers. It
would authorize border surveillance, technology, and unmanned aerial
vehicles, and fences.
I am very concerned--very concerned--about lax border security. In
fact, together with our colleague, Senator Larry Craig, and with the
support of my Homeland Security Subcommittee chairman, Senator Judd
Gregg, I led the effort in the Senate last year to appropriate hard
dollars to begin to put real teeth--see these teeth? These are real
teeth. They are just 88 years old. These are real teeth. Well, that is
what we did. We put real teeth in our border security agenda. We did
not merely authorize the hiring of more Border Patrol agents; we
appropriated hard dollars to hire 500 more Border Patrol agents, as
well as more immigration enforcement agents and detention officers.
Don't you feel better about that? I do. I can sleep a little better. I
will bet Senator Harkin sleeps better at night because of it. Those 500
Border Patrol agents have been hired and trained and are deployed on
our borders. They are out there defending our borders while we are
sleeping. Think about that.
As we hire more Border Patrol agents and other immigration
enforcement officials, they must have the tools they need to do their
job. We need to start paying for those tools now so that they will be
available as more and more Border Patrol and immigration enforcement
officials are hired and trained.
I will be talking again about this matter as the Senate proceeds to
consider this supplemental appropriations bill. Securing our borders
requires more than just hot air. Hot air is cheap. We must put real
dollars to work for border security.
Mr. President, I am pleased to report to the Senate that the
committee-reported bill, under the strong leadership of Chairman
Cochran--hey, you people down there in Mississippi better hold on to
this man. He does a terrific job on this committee. This bill includes
several other initiatives to deal with gaps in funding in the budget
request.
I would suggest that principal among these gaps is an amount of $2.3
billion
[[Page 5870]]
required to prepare for and to respond to a potential influenza
pandemic such as the avian flu. My mother died during the great
influenza epidemic of 1917 and 1918; the great influenza epidemic. So
there is money here to prepare for and to respond to a potential
influenza pandemic. The World Health Organization recommends that
countries stockpile enough antiviral medications to cover 25 percent of
the population or 80 million Americans.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there is a
shortfall of 30 million courses. HHS will not receive the antivirals it
has ordered until the end of this year.
We are also well short of the 20 million goal that has been set by
HHS for purchasing prepandemic vaccine. Experts have said that a
vaccine is the only effective way to stop the spread of a pandemic.
The availability of the vaccine and medicine is limited. The
availability is limited. We should not wait to place our orders. The
White House should support this effort.
The committee-reported bill also includes approximately $3.9 billion
for emergency agricultural disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers
in States affected by recent hurricanes in the gulf, drought in the
southern plains and throughout the western corn belt, and excessive
rainfall in North Dakota--North Dakota: Do you know where that is? That
is north of South Dakota. North Dakota--and the upper Midwest flood.
Nearly 80 percent of all U.S. counties were designated as primary or
contiguous disaster areas by the Secretary of Agriculture or the
President in 2005.
So, Mr. President, the chairman and I look forward to a good debate
on this supplemental appropriations bill. It is a good bill, and it is
truly responsive--truly responsive--to the needs of the American
people.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I want to express my genuine heartfelt
appreciation for the remarks of the distinguished Senator from West
Virginia about me and about the work of our committee. He has been a
very valuable tutor, friend, and companion during the work of our
Committee on Appropriations since I have been on the committee, since
January of 1981. I have learned a lot from him. I have learned to
respect him in terms of the conscientious way he goes about carrying
out his responsibilities to the people of West Virginia and also to the
people of the United States as a U.S. Senator. We can all study his
career and his dedication to public service with great profit for our
own interests. We can be guided by his example and be very proud of our
work product if we do.
Mr. President, at the appropriate time, I will ask unanimous consent
that the committee amendment be agreed to and the bill as thus amended
be considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment,
and that no points of order be waived by the request. I give the Senate
notice that I will make that unanimous consent request in due course,
and it probably will occur immediately after our break for the policy
luncheons of the respective parties of the Senate. I am happy to yield
to any other Senator who wishes to make any comments. I understand the
Senator from Minnesota would like to speak as if in morning business,
and I yield the floor.
Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in
morning business for up to 10 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(The remarks of Mr. Coleman pertaining to the submission of S. Res.
442 are located in today's Record under ``Submission of Concurrent and
Senate Resolutions.'')
Mr. COLEMAN. I yield the floor.
____________________
RECESS
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the hour of 12:30
p.m. having arrived, the Senate stands in recess until 2:15 p.m.
Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:34 p.m., recessed until 2:17 p.m. and
reassembled when called to order by the Presiding Officer (Mr.
Voinovich).
____________________
MAKING EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2006--Continued
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire is recognized.
Amendment No. 3594
Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, we are now on the supplemental
appropriations bill. One of the issues raised in the supplemental
appropriations bill, of course, is national defense. The purpose of
this bill is primarily to fund efforts to fight terrorism and
especially to make sure that our troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan have
what they need in order to effectively fight terrorism. A big part,
however, of national defense is clearly border security--being sure
that we know who comes into this country, know what their purposes are
when they come into this country, and whether they are coming into this
country for the purpose of visiting us or maybe participating in our
economy or for the purpose of doing us harm.
Unfortunately, we have for a number of years experienced borders
which are very porous. That is a function of our history--where we have
always believed in open borders, especially with our neighbors to the
north and to the south.
That has been one of our great attitudes as a nation--that we are an
inviting nation, and we have always felt strongly that we should have
reasonably open borders. But in the post-9/11 world--and especially in
light of the dramatic number of people who have been coming into our
country illegally--we can no longer tolerate that approach,
unfortunately. We need to put more aggressive effort into making sure
that we know who is coming over the borders and limiting those folks
coming over our borders to people who want to come in here legally and
who do not want to do us harm.
As a result of that, we have undertaken for the last couple of years
an aggressive effort to significantly increase the number and the
effort of our Border Patrol agencies--Customs, Border Patrol, Coast
Guard, and ICE. In fact, over the last 1\1/2\ years we have
dramatically increased funding for all of these different agencies.
This chart lists those types of increases in those prior supplementals
and in the last appropriations bill relative to border security. We
increased Border Patrol agents by 1,500. That is a lot. That is an
increase of over 10 percent in agents, an increase in detention
officers by 650 officers, investigators, and detention beds--again, by
almost 10 percent.
This is a significant ramping up of the number of, for lack of a
better word, boots on the ground on our border--especially on our
southern border. That is exactly what we needed to do. In fact, as we
move into the outyears, the administration--the President
specifically--has made a strong commitment to try to continue this
increase in our border security.
This chart reflects how many agents we intend to add every year so
that we can make sure we have the necessary personnel on the border in
order to make sure that we can limit dramatically--in fact, basically
stop--illegal immigration into this country, especially along the
southern border.
The reason we have added 1,500 agents so far--and we intend to add
another 1,500 or 2,000--and the reason we are not adding more every
year is because the infrastructure can't handle any more, to be honest
with you. We can't train more, and we actually can't find more agents.
In many instances, people who qualify--I have forgotten the numbers. I
think it is something like 30,000 or 40,000 applications that we have
to go through in order to get down to 1,500 agents.
It is actually hard to become a Border Patrol agent from a percentage
standpoint of the number of people applying for the job versus the
number of people who actually end up getting the job. It is harder to
become a Border Patrol agent than it is to get into Harvard. That is
because Border Patrol agents require special skills. They are
[[Page 5871]]
talented people. And the type of folks we want to draw into this
responsibility are people who have to have a tremendous amount of
ability and expertise, and they are very hard to find. But they are
good people, and we are adding to them dramatically.
We intend to get the Border Patrol up to 20,000 agents and an
increase of detention beds of another 10,000. We will be literally able
to control the southern border. We will no longer have this issue of
people coming cross the southern border in waves illegally. Literally,
we can stop that. We can do it, and we intend to do it. There is no
issue about this. We intend to do this. However, we have found in
ramping up the number of Border Patrol agents they have run into a
fairly significant problem.
As an aside, I note that the only reason we have been able to
increase these Border Patrol agents so dramatically is because Senator
Cochran, as chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, has allowed
the subcommittee, which I chair--the Homeland Security Subcommittee--to
get special allocations in order to fund those.
It has really been out of his courtesy, his energy, and the support
of Senator Frist in this effort that we have been successful in
basically increasing these numbers. We are on this path of basically
being able to have enough boots on the ground in the Border Patrol area
and Customs area and ICE area in order to adequately control the
border.
What we found going through this process of expanding dramatically
Border Patrol agents and Customs and ICE agents is that the
infrastructure to support these people isn't there. They are driving
old cars. For the most part they are flying helicopters which are 20
years over their useful life. Customs is actually flying airplanes that
are 20, 30, or 40 years over their useful life. In fact, just recently
the Customs agency was forced to basically ground all its Customs
planes for a brief period of time, and the P-3 fleet, which is 40 years
old, because these types of cracks developed in their wings. They
obviously couldn't fly them. So they had to repair all of them--or not
all but those that had this potential type of stress.
We have a very old fleet of aircraft. They are not able to do the
job.
Equally important, in the technology area where we really should be
more aggressive and where we really have the capability of having a
huge impact along the border through surveillance capabilities--not
necessarily require people, but it can be done by electronics such as
unmanned aerial vehicles--we only have one flying the border.
Regrettably, that one crashed today. It is ironic that we have this
amendment on the floor. The one UAV we have actually crashed. So we
don't really have unmanned aerial surveillance. This is in the Arizona
area.
We think actually we should not only have one but that we should have
a fair number of UAVs on the border. The situation with the purchase
and buildup of UAVs is that if we are to stay with the present budget
projections, we wouldn't have the full compliment that we would need
for 4 or 5 years.
The amendment I offer today is an amendment to try to address the
capital needs of border security in the Customs account, in the Coast
Guard account, in the Border Patrol account, and in the ICE account--
the capital operational needs, not the people on the ground but the
capital needs which are deemed to be in an emergency distress
situation.
Why is this justifiable on this bill? Because this bill is about
defense, especially relative to terrorism. Yet fighting the war in Iraq
is critical to this war on terrorism, and fighting the war in
Afghanistan is critical to the war on terrorism, but I think equally
important is making sure that our borders are secure.
That is as big an issue as we have today in the area of fighting the
war on terrorism. We can't be effective on that issue unless we have
the resources and the people in order to take care of securing the
border. We are moving toward getting the people, and we are bringing
them on line as fast as we can in the context of our capability to hire
new people. But what we do not have is the resources to be able to
support these folks.
This amendment will essentially accomplish that. It will add money
for airplanes, and specifically to try to address the issue of flying
all of these P-3s that are so old. The vast majority of this money will
be for aircraft--over $700 million of it. It will add money for
purchasing more UAVs so we can get these UAVs in the air sooner rather
than later.
It cost about $30 million to put one of these up, to put the
electronics behind it and the command center behind it. It will add
money for purposes of construction so that as we add these new Border
Patrol agents and these other new agents in these other departments,
they will have the physical facilities to be able to handle their day-
to-day operational needs.
It will add cars and SUVs, which are so critical, especially in some
of these harsh frontier-type environments which they face along the
border. It adds helicopters. Almost all the helicopters they are flying
today are 20 years over their useful life. We replace those.
In the area of the Coast Guard, it will put in the water the type of
boats they need in order to chase down the boats that are basically
being used for illegal transportation of people into this country. And
it will also assist the Coast Guard in advancing their aircraft
capability in that area.
All of this is critical to putting in place the infrastructure to
make sure that as we put the people on the ground, they have the assets
necessary in order to effectively control the borders.
It is an emergency. These facilities are either not there today, such
as in the case of UAVs, or they are not working well today, such as in
the case of the P-3s, or they simply have not been ungraded to the
point of being effective as we move forward with this larger basically
human commitment on the ground, such as in the case of headquarters and
facilities for these folks to work out of, helicopters to move them
around, and automobiles to move them around, or fast craft for the
Coast Guard to use to get out there and do their job.
It needs to be stressed that this amendment is completely paid for.
It is paid for within the context of the President's initial
presentation. The President sent up here initially a $92 billion
proposal for emergency spending for the purposes of fighting the war on
terror and addressing the issue of Katrina. Of that $92 billion,
approximately $69 billion was specifically for fighting the war.
We have basically reallocated within that $69 billion money to pay
for this initiative. I feel very strongly, as do the cosponsors of this
bill--and I will get to who the cosponsors are of this bill because it
is important--that this issue be addressed sooner rather than later;
that we give our Border Patrol agents the tools they need, Customs the
tools they need, the Coast Guard the tools they need, in order to
secure the border.
This will be a major step forward in making sure we accomplish this
goal. The goal is to make sure, at least on the southern border, that
we know who is coming across the border, that we can control that
border, and we do it in the near term rather than waiting for the long
term.
It is a fully paid-for amendment, keeping the proposal the President
sent up here, keeping the integrity of that proposal, relative to the
top line number which was about $92.5 billion. So this amendment is
done in that context. It does not take money from the additions that
came out of committee. I happen to believe those additions were
inappropriate. I am hopeful they will all fall by the wayside except
for the avian flu one which is a legitimate emergency, and that when
this bill is completed, either in the Senate or in the conference, it
will be back to the original number prepared by the President.
I suppose I could have gone into the additional funding and taken it
right out of that, but that would not be a legitimate approach. I am
trying to make sure this offset is legitimate to the initial number
which was $92 billion.
[[Page 5872]]
This amendment is cosponsored by myself, by the majority leader,
Senator Frist, who has been a tremendous advocate for this type of
initiative, and by the senior Senator on the Democratic side, Senator
Byrd, who also happens to be the ranking member of the Committee on
Appropriations and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Homeland
Security. I very much appreciate Senator Byrd's cosponsorship and
obviously greatly appreciate Senator Frist's cosponsorship.
Again, I stress none of this would be able to be accomplished had it
not been for the efforts which were well beyond what one might have
expected from the Senator from Mississippi who a year and a half ago--
after the administration regrettably sent up a budget which was
woefully short because they allocated incorrectly for homeland
security--he came forward and gave us an allocation which allowed us to
put in place the people on the ground, the extra 1,500 border people,
the extra beds which we are now trying to give to the backup facilities
with what I would call a capital funding initiative for emergency
capital needs of the Border Patrol. It was the Senator from
Mississippi, the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, who was
able to get us on this path to a constructive and appropriate approach
for addressing the border issue.
I believe the amendment is at the desk and I ask it be reported.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. Gregg], for himself,
Mr. Frist, and Mr. Byrd, proposes an amendment numbered 3594.
Mr. GREGG. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be
dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To provide, with an offset, emergency funding for border
security efforts)
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--BORDER SECURITY
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR BORDER SECURITY
Department of Homeland Security
office of the secretary and executive management
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Secretary
and Executive Management'' to provide funds for the Office of
Policy, $2,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount is
solely for a contract with an independent non-Federal entity
to conduct a needs assessment for comprehensive border
security: Provided further, That the entire amount is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
office of the chief information officer
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Chief
Information Officer'' to replace and upgrade law enforcement
communications, $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the entire amount is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
united states visitor and immigration status indicator technology
For an additional amount for ``United States Visitor and
Immigration Status Indicator Technology'' to accelerate
biometric database integration and conversion to 10-print
enrollment, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That none of the additional appropriations made
available under this heading may be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for the
expenditure of such funds: Provided further, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Customs and Border Protection
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$180,000,000, of which $80,000,000 is for border patrol
vehicle replacement and $100,000,000 is for sensor and
surveillance technology: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve a plan for expenditure of these funds: Provided
further, That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to replace air
assets and upgrade air operations facilities, $790,000,000,
to remain available until expended, of which $40,000,000 is
for helicopter replacement and $750,000,000 is for
recapitalization of air assets: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve an expenditure plan for the complete recapitalization
of Customs and Border Protection air assets and facilities:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$120,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That none of the additional appropriations made available
under this heading may be obligated until the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
receive and approve a plan for expenditure for these funds:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
replace vehicles, $80,000,000: Provided, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
acquisition, construction and improvements
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for acquisition, construction, renovation,
and improvement of vessels, aircraft, and equipment,
$600,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
Improvements, and Related Expenses'' for construction of the
language training facility referenced in the Master Plan and
information technology infrastructure improvements,
$18,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE
reduction in funding
Sec. __. (a) Reduction.--Except as provided in subsection
(b), the aggregate amount provided by chapter 3 of title I of
this Act and chapter 3 of title II of this Act may not exceed
$68,962,188,000.
(b) Inapplicability to Amounts for Military Construction.--
Subsection (a) does not apply to amounts provided by chapter
3 of title I of this Act and chapter 3 of title II of this
Act for military construction.
Mr. GREGG. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the Senator from Georgia has indicated he
wishes to speak on the amendment and I defer to him.
Mr. ISAKSON. I commend the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire,
the chairman of the Committee on the Budget, on the offering of this
amendment for the emergency supplemental. This is so important.
We went through 2 weeks of debate prior to the Easter recess where we
ended up doing nothing on the issue of immigration and illegal
immigration. We did nothing because there was a fear in this country
and there is a fear in this Senate that no matter what we do, if we do
not fix the borders first, secure the borders first, there is no way
whatever to have true, meaningful immigration reform legislation.
The distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Budget, in his
original budget document and now again in this amendment, is proposing
exactly what the United States of America must do; that is, appropriate
the money to fulfill the promises to secure the border so we can gain
control of our immigration system and return to
[[Page 5873]]
a system where people come to this country to work and to enjoy new
lives and prosperity legally, where our borders are secure and our
Nation is more secure.
I rise for a moment to point out that this amendment in and of itself
to this emergency supplemental is, without question, the most
significant component to the issue of illegal immigration and gaining
control of our borders. I urge all of my colleagues in this Senate,
when this amendment comes to a vote, to vote in favor of it. Only
through appropriating the money and actually spending the money to make
the investment, to improve the eyes in the skies in terms of unmanned
aerial vehicles, to improve the boots on the ground, to more Border
Patrol officers--the only way to do it is not with promises of
authorizations but with the commitment of appropriations.
I commend the Senator from New Hampshire. I thank the Chair for the
time. I urge all Senators to vote in favor of this amendment to secure
the borders of the United States of America.
I yield back the remainder of my time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
committee amendment be agreed to, that the bill as thus amended be
considered as original text for the purpose of further amendment, and
that no points of order be waived by this request.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(The committee amendment in the nature if a substitute was agreed
to.)
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I appreciate the cooperation of Senators
in laying this groundwork for the further consideration and debate of
this bill. I particularly appreciate the comments of the Senator from
New Hampshire with respect to the situation regarding funding for
border security activities, programs, and equipment necessary to help
guarantee the strict enforcement of our laws and to ensure integrity of
our borders. His suggestion in this amendment is going to result in a
major step forward in achieving our goals.
His comments about our efforts when the Department of Homeland
Security was initially established and funding for various activities
under the jurisdiction of that Department are appreciated very much,
but his leadership is demonstrating we can do a better job. He has made
another suggestion in the offering of this amendment that carries out
that past practice of identifying ways to use funds wisely, make
investments in equipment, personnel, and strategies that will lead to a
higher level of security for our country.
The offset identified in the bill for adding this money takes it away
from certain Defense appropriations activities. We have consulted with
the chairman of that subcommittee, the distinguished Senator from
Alaska, Mr. Stevens, and this offset can be accommodated, I have been
advised, and without doing detriment to any military activities funded
in this bill.
Unless there is a Senator who wishes to be heard in opposition or
requesting a vote on this amendment, I recommend this amendment be
accepted.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.
Mr. SCHUMER. I have no objections to the amendment of the Senator
from New Hampshire and would be fully supportive of it.
I will speak on another issue for about 5 minutes. I thank my
colleague from West Virginia, our great leader, for ceding the time.
From one end of New York to the other, all the talk this past week
has been on the high price of gasoline, the high price of oil, the high
price of all petroleum products. Oil prices went up to $75 a barrel.
Gasoline went up 40 cents in 1 month.
This is not only burning a hole in people's wallets and pocketbooks,
but it is also putting a real crimp in our economy. In upstate New
York, in New York City, we depend on tourism. Fewer people will drive,
fewer people will come. People are making decisions not to buy that
extra outfit of clothes for youngsters, not to take the trip to see the
grandkids because of the high price of gas and oil.
Yet, today, when the President spoke about this issue for the first
time, we did not hear what we needed to hear. The President seems to
think that gouging is a problem of the corner gas station. It is not.
It is a problem of the dwindling number of large behemoth oil
companies. We did not hear from the President the five words we need to
hear: Get tough with big oil.
That is the problem. Of course we have a supply and demand problem.
We know that. The big oil companies, faced with no competition, take
advantage of every twist and turn. Katrina occurs and the price
naturally would have gone up, but it goes up higher, stays high longer,
and spreads to more areas than need be because the oil companies are
taking advantage.
Now we have had the changeover to summer fuels. Again, that cuts down
production for a short period of time. But the big oil companies take
advantage and keep the price high for too long. Over the last 5 years,
never has production been as low as it has been today and stayed so
low.
The bottom line is simple. We let--and this happened under Republican
and Democratic Presidents--we let 20 oil companies become only 5. When
there are so few, there is no competition. And who pays the price? The
American consumer and the American economy.
The record profits are not an accident or part of free market
capitalism. When you have so few energy producers, you are going to be
taken advantage of. That is what the average citizen has found.
To ask for an FTC investigation, as the President did, about gouging,
without mentioning big oil, does not make sense because it sure as heck
is not the corner gasoline station.
The bottom line is we need to do three things: First, we most
definitely need to conserve much more than we have. The fact that
China's miles per gallon standards are higher than ours--and China is
hardly an environmental country; they are doing it for economic
purposes--should make us hang our heads in shame. We need a crash
program to find new energy sources.
I, for one, am not averse to finding more fossil fuels while we wait
for the new energy source to come online. The amount of money the
President has proposed in this budget to do that is paltry.
Finally, we should, for the first time, seriously consider breaking
up the big oil companies. As long as they have a stranglehold on us, we
are not going to solve this problem. As long as they want to have
fossil fuels be the dominant way we power ourselves and keep the prices
high as possible and work in cahoots with places such as OPEC, we are
not going to solve this problem. When there were 20 competitors, we
always faced the fact that 2 or 3 would say I am going to expand market
share by keeping the price a little lower. Not anymore. It does not
happen.
When you ask, why have things gotten so much worse with oil prices
and gasoline prices, part of it is supply and demand, but part of it is
we let the antidote to collusion and gouging--good old-fashioned
American competition--go by the wayside in the oil industry.
At some point I will be offering an amendment that we do a serious
study about whether to and how to break up big oil as was once done
about 100 years ago. I don't think there is any other solution that
makes sense.
From President Bush, we finally heard some talk. But talk is cheap.
The price of gasoline is not. We need serious action on conservation,
on new energy sources, and on dealing with big oil if we are going to
solve this problem and keep America as strong as possible.
I thank my colleague from West Virginia and yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the very able Senator.
Last month, the Senate began debate on immigration and border
security legislation, part of which would authorize a whole host of
items intended to secure our borders. The legislation
[[Page 5874]]
would authorize the hiring of additional Border Patrol agents. The
legislation would authorize the hiring of additional immigration
enforcement agents and detention officers. The legislation would
authorize border surveillance technology and unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, the immigration bill is just an authorization bill. Now, if
we are serious about border security, we must approve real dollars--
real dollars.
Together with our colleague, Senator Larry Craig, and with the
support of my Homeland Security Subcommittee chairman, Senator Judd
Gregg, I led the effort in the Senate last year to appropriate hard
dollars to begin to put real teeth into our border security agenda. We
did not merely authorize the hiring of more Border Patrol agents; we
appropriated hard cash, hard dollars to hire 500 more Border Patrol
agents as well as more immigration enforcement agents and detention
officers. The administration opposed this effort. But those 500 Border
Patrol agents have been hired. They have been trained. They are now
deployed on our borders defending our Nation and making us more secure.
As we continue to hire more Border Patrol agents and other
immigration enforcement officials, we need to give them the tools they
need to do their job. Yes. We need to start paying for those tools now
so they will be available as more and more Border Patrol agents and
immigration enforcement officials are hired and trained.
The Border Patrol needs new helicopters because the average age of
its helicopters is nearly 40 years. The average age of our Customs
primary fixed-wing aircraft is 30 years. All of our border enforcement
officials, including the newly hired officials, need more vehicles,
including all-terrain vehicles, high-endurance vehicles, and more buses
to transport and remove illegal aliens. More radios are needed and
other communications equipment, especially for those individuals
operating in remote desert areas along our border.
Customs and Border Protection has a requirement for 18 unmanned
aerial vehicles or UAVs. The immigration bill authorizes more UAVs, but
until this morning, we had only one UAV operating on our border.
At 5:49 a.m. this morning, where were you? I was asleep. I bet you
were, too. At 5:49 a.m. this morning, that one UAV crashed--get that,
now--it crashed in the Arizona desert. Clearly, one UAV system is not
adequate.
The amendment that Homeland Security Chairman Gregg is offering this
afternoon provides $1.9 billion--$1.9 billion--in real dollars for our
aging border security infrastructure. As ranking member on the Homeland
Security Subcommittee, I support that funding. It provides $120 million
for fencing and tactical border infrastructure, including an additional
$20 million for the fence being constructed in San Diego. It provides--
hear me, now--$790 million for new helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft,
UAVs, and the facilities to house and maintain them. It provides $60
million for replacement vehicles for our border and immigration
personnel. It provides over $150 million for communications equipment
and sensors and cameras and other technology along our border. That
ain't all, either. That ain't all. You better believe it. It provides
$60 million to expedite the interoperability of the FBI and Homeland
Security fingerprint databases so that we can have greater confidence
about whom we allow to enter this country.
We know that as security at our land borders is tightened, illegal
aliens, drug runners, and, yes, terrorists also--terrorists--will turn
to our waterways for entry into this country, our country.
According to Coast Guard statistics, the flow of illegal aliens
through our waterways has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and
it will continue to grow. It will continue to grow. The administration
has concluded that international migration ``will be one of the most
important factors affecting maritime security through the next 10
years'' and that ``a significant commitment of security resources'' is
necessary. Yet--could you believe it--the President did not request any
supplemental money for the Coast Guard to repair, replace, or enhance
its ships, its planes, and its helicopters.
The Coast Guard secures our waterways, but the Coast Guard is doing
it with ships and planes that, in some cases, date back to World War
II. Man, that is a long time. How about that--doing it with ships and
planes that, in some cases, date back to World War II? This has
resulted in a huge gap between operational commitments and operational
capabilities. For instance, total Coast Guard patrol boat hours were
only 75,000 in 2004, compared to 100,000 hours in 1998. Under the
administration's deepwater modernization plan, this gap will not be
closed until 2012. Now, I wonder if I will be around that long. This
gap will not be closed until 2012, at the earliest. How about that? Do
you believe it? How about that?
Current Coast Guard maritime patrol airplanes can only provide half
of the hours required to meet operational commitments. At the same
time, funding constraints require maintenance on Coast Guard ships and
planes to be deferred more and more every year. You may not be around
that long, either. No. Who knows? From fiscal years 2001 to 2005, the
Coast Guard deferred over $121 million in maintenance needed for its
surface fleet and $159 million in maintenance needed for its air
assets.
The administration has ignored this problem--ignored this problem--
for too long. Recent budget requests by this administration have
allowed this crisis to fester, and fester. The pending amendment
provides $600 million to accelerate the Coast Guard's program to
modernize its fleet of ships and planes.
This funding will provide for seven additional maritime patrol
airplanes and three new patrol boats. The funding in the amendment
would also allow the Coast Guard to retrofit and arm its helicopters,
refurbish existing medium endurance ships, accelerate the production of
new medium endurance ships, and provide the technology necessary for
commanders to speak to each other through a common operating
environment. This level of funding is consistent with the recently
filed Coast Guard authorization conference report.
The President often says that we live in a post-9/11 world. Frankly,
the Coast Guard's fleet of ships and planes is fit for the last
century. To properly secure the maritime domain, the Coast Guard needs
a fleet fit for this century--the here and now, this century.
If we are truly serious--and I hope we are--about securing our
borders and not just engaging in rhetoric and hot air, then we will put
real dollars--real dollars--where the rubber hits the road.
So, Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support the Gregg
amendment, the amendment offered by Senator Judd Gregg, of which I am a
principal cosponsor.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I know of no further Senators seeking
recognition on this amendment. I, too, support it.
I am advised that the leader wants to speak on the amendment.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I understand we are on the Gregg amendment
now, and that will proceed under some fashion or form. I wish to take a
few minutes to talk about an amendment I will offer when this amendment
is dispensed with one way or the other.
I wish to announce my intention to offer an amendment to this
supplemental bill to ensure that Federal funding appropriated for
workforce investment is used to help people in genuine need and not to
pay exorbitant salaries or bonuses to program executives.
The amendment I will be offering would address a gross abuse of
Federal funds that was exposed recently in a
[[Page 5875]]
State audit of the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium, or
CIETC. The audit showed that three executives of this program were paid
nearly $1.8 million over the past 2\1/2\ years. The chief executive
officer alone received almost $800,000 in salary and bonuses over that
period of time, which is nearly 8 times the salary paid to the Governor
of Iowa.
Obviously, these levels of compensation are exorbitant and
outrageous. What happened at CIETC is a scandalous abuse of the public
funds and of the public trust. It is also scandalous that these
inflated salaries, technically speaking, may not be illegal under
current law. The law states that executives in workforce enactment
programs will be paid a ``reasonable'' salary. Unfortunately, that is a
very elastic definition. There will always be a few bad apples, people
who will stretch that definition in ways that are clearly unethical and
wrong, even if not technically illegal.
On that score, CIETC is the only abuse that has come to light so far,
to my knowledge. It is sort of the one bad apple in a program with an
otherwise outstanding track record. Even one case of abuse is one too
many. My amendment will ensure that there is no repetition of this very
unfortunate incident.
To that end, my amendment encourages States to set maximum
compensation levels for individuals employed by programs funded under
the Workforce Investment Act, taking into account factors such as the
State's cost of living, compensation levels for comparable State or
local government employees, and the size of a State's job training
program. In cases where a State fails to set a maximum salary, my
amendment would impose a nationwide maximum equal to the Federal
executive level of salary.
After the State audit of the Central Iowa Employment and Training
Consortium was released on March 31, I urged the U.S. Department of
Labor inspector general to launch a thorough investigation, and that
investigation is now in progress. In addition, Iowa's State government
is conducting a parallel investigation. I asked both the Federal and
State investigators to report back to me with recommendations for
preventing a repeat of the abuse that has occurred at CIETC. However,
we can and should act now to fix the glaring problem here, which is the
absence of any fixed ceiling on executive compensation in Workforce
Investment Act programs.
Again, my preference, and the way the amendment is structured, would
be for each State to set their compensation level. In cases where
States fail to act, my amendment would set a maximum executive salary
level across the Nation at executive level 2, which would be $165,000 a
year maximum; that is salary and bonuses, total compensation. As I
said, that is equivalent to the Federal level 2 compensation.
Now, why did we pick that? Because that is the same maximum level
that was set a few years ago for salaries in the Head Start Program
when we uncovered a similar kind of abuse that was going on in the Head
Start Program. So that is the level there. There had been several
isolated incidents of exorbitant salaries in the Head Start Program and
they have stopped, thanks to that salary cap.
Clearly, $165,000 a year is a very substantial salary, but it might
be appropriate in certain circumstances; for example, in the case of an
executive who is administering a very large Workforce Investment Act
program, or one that is located in a high-cost city or State.
We need to establish executive compensation caps in the WIA-funded
programs. As a ranking member of the Senate subcommittee that funds job
training, I find it hard to get that funding. I fight hard because I
know that quality job training provides a ladder or ramp of opportunity
to many thousands of hard-pressed Americans, including individuals with
disabilities and people who are laid off due to plant closings.
Workforce Investment Act programs have proved themselves to be
enormously effective. They have earned broad bipartisan support.
There are four core programs under title I of the act:
No. 1, assistance to disadvantaged adults, including people with
disabilities, to assist them in entering the workforce;
No. 2, assistance to dislocated workers;
No. 3, training and placement services for job seekers; and
No. 4, assistance to low-income youths under the age of 21, including
tutoring, dropout prevention, job training, and adult mentoring.
Funding for Workforce Investment Act programs is chronically scarce
and inadequate. On the one hand, we want the discretion to pay salaries
that will attract talented administrators, and we need to keep in mind
local cost of living considerations. But it is unacceptable--it is a
betrayal of the public trust--when unethical individuals use scarce WIA
funds to pay themselves inflated and totally unjustified salaries and
bonuses. Current law creates an opening that makes this kind of abuse
possible. But by setting a nationwide compensation cap that would
include not only salaries but bonuses, we can prevent future abuse.
That is the purpose of my amendment. I think it is urgently needed. I
had a conversation a little bit ago with Senator Ensign, who has been
working on the Workforce Investment Act reauthorization bill. My staff
is working together with his at this time to make sure that what we are
trying to do corresponds. Now, you might say maybe we should wait until
WIA is reauthorized. I hope it is, but the year is clicking by and we
have a lot on our plate. It is a short work year. I am not sure if we
are going to get it done. I might add that in the Job Corps Program
there is also a compensation cap, and that is a level 1. Head Start was
level 2. So we thought for Workforce Investment Act job training
programs it ought to be probably at about level 2, maximum. Keep in
mind, States can set it lower than that. It is based upon the size of
the job and the cost of living factors and other factors. But they
cannot go over that. That is what happened in Iowa. Unethical people
were paying themselves, in one case, up to $800,000 per annum in
salaries and bonuses, which is 8 times what the Governor makes.
So I intend to offer this amendment at some point later on when the
Gregg amendment is disposed of in some fashion or another. I hope I can
have the support of my colleagues in adopting this salary cap on
Workforce Investment Act programs.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, we are on the supplemental appropriations
bill, I understand. I heard the presentations by the chairman of the
Appropriations Committee and the ranking member earlier today. I would
be remiss if I didn't first compliment both of them. This is not an
easy job. It is difficult putting together legislation such as this and
bringing it to the floor of the Senate. I compliment Senator Cochran
and Senator Byrd for their diligent work.
I know that others will speak at some length about various pieces of
this bill. I know the bill itself is controversial. I know there will
be amendments perhaps to strip provisions that are in the bill. I wish
to speak specifically about legislation that I added, along with
Senator Burns and others on the Appropriations Committee, dealing with
agricultural disasters. I wish to do that because I think there is a
feeling by some that somehow this extra money that is a part of this
legislation to try to respond to agricultural disasters or disasters
faced by family farmers is something called pork, as some would put it,
or is unnecessary, is extraneous, is unworthy. I wish to talk about
that.
[[Page 5876]]
There is not a lot of talk on the floor of the Senate about family
farming because I think, with the exception of perhaps one person here,
we are not farmers. We don't get up in the morning on the farm. We
don't milk cows in the morning. We don't check the cattle at night. We
are Senators. We work here on the floor of the Senate. We give
speeches, go to committee hearings, and travel back and forth on
weekends, but we don't run a family farm.
Family farmers in this country by their very nature are risk takers.
They don't know what is ahead. They are going to plant a seed and hope
it grows. They plant a seed in the spring, and they hope that somehow
they will harvest in the fall. They hope that after they plant that
seed, they will get enough rain but, they hope, not too much rain. They
hope they don't face a drought. If they get just enough rain, then they
get a crop. Then they hope when they get the crop that between when the
rains come and the crops are ready to harvest, they don't have bugs,
they don't have grasshoppers, they don't have disease on that crop. And
then if, by chance, they are able to harvest that grain, they truck it
to the elevator, and they are told by the elevator: This is the price.
This is what the world price is. This is what the market price is. This
is what the posted price is. If it is not what you expect, if it is
below what it cost you to produce it, that is tough luck, that is the
price.
So farmers take all those risks. Because they are substantial, we
have decided for many decades in this country to build a bridge across
those price valleys, to say to farmers: When times get tough, you are
not alone. You are living out there on the land, under the yard light
all by yourself taking those risks, and we want you to know when times
get tough, this country wants to keep farmers on the farm. That is why
we have a farm program.
The farm program used to have a disaster title. It doesn't any
longer. I wish it did. I think it should, but it doesn't. We have had
to do disaster programs now on an ad hoc basis. So we added a disaster
provision to this supplemental appropriations bill. We do that because
we have had weather-related disasters all around the country. In the
Gulf Coast we had a devastating disaster, perhaps the worst natural
disaster in the history of this country, called Hurricane Katrina. I
can't pretend to know what it did to the Gulf of Mexico, to the people
who live in the Gulf Coast region, in Louisiana and Mississippi and
elsewhere. But my heart goes out to them, and I have wanted to be a
part of everything that is done here in the Congress to extend our hand
to them to say: You are not alone. This country wants to help. This
country insists on helping in a time of need.
Family farmers in the gulf, I understand, got hit hard as well and,
in many cases, lost their entire crops, just gone. We should and we
will, and with this legislation, we did provide help to them. With this
legislation, we say: If you planted a crop or if you couldn't plant a
crop and your crop was destroyed, we are going to help you with a
disaster plan. Our point was that there are farmers in the gulf who
desperately need help, and there are farmers in other parts of the
country who need help as well.
I want to show you a couple of pictures. This is of a little town
called Souris, ND. This town called Souris, ND, as you can see, was
inundated with water in June of 2005, with torrential rains that were
just devastating, torrential rains that came to this area and several
other areas of my State. The result was over 1 million acres--over 1
million acres--couldn't even be planted. Those farmers who had those
acres, they didn't have a crop. They had a building and a family and a
yard light, but they had nothing to harvest because they couldn't get
anything planted. Another nearly 1 million acres was planted and then
washed away by these torrential rains.
Another scene in Souris, ND. I could show many pictures of exactly
the same circumstance in parts of my State that suffered devastating
flooding. These farmers need help. Other farmers in States such as
Illinois, for example, where they had the third driest year last year
since 1895, are facing a drought. They too need help.
Last December, I offered a disaster amendment to the Defense
Appropriations bill when we were in conference. The Senate conferees
accepted it, and the House conferees rejected it. That is what brought
us to this position on this emergency supplemental of offering another
disaster bill. The support in bringing that package to the floor of the
Senate by Senator Cochran, who has always been a very strong advocate
and supporter of family farming and American agriculture, and the
support by Senator Byrd and others when we offered this in the Senate
Appropriations Committee, was very heartening. It was approved
unanimously in the Appropriations Committee. So it now exists on the
floor of the Senate. It is, in many cases, the distance between being
able to continue farming and being forced off the land for a good many
families in this country.
We have a fellow in North Dakota named Rodney Nelson who writes. He
is a farmer and a rancher in Elmont, ND. He wrote a question once. He
wrote a question on a piece of paper, and then asked this. He said:
What is it worth?
He was talking about farming. He said: What is it worth? What is it
worth for a kid to know how to weld a seam? What is it worth for a kid
to know how to build a lean-to? What is it worth for a kid to know how
to drive a tractor, grease a combine? What is it worth for a kid to
know how to butcher a hog? What is it worth for a kid to know all of
these things? What is it worth for a kid to know how to teach a calf to
suck milk from a pail? What is that worth? What is it worth to have a
kid know how to plum a door? What is that worth?
We know what it was worth in the Second World War. This country sent
millions of young men, particularly off America's farms, all around the
world to fight. They could do anything. They could fix machinery, they
could overhaul an engine, they could do anything. They knew how to
weld, they knew how to build, they could do anything. There is only one
university in America where they teach that, and that is the American
family farm. It is the only place where you get that education. And the
question is, What is it worth? What is it worth to a country?
That is the question I ask when we offer legislation to say that when
family farmers get hit by torrential rains or drought, when family
farmers get hit by devastating occurrences of weather that destroy
their crops, destroy their ability to make a living, the question then
is, Will Congress want to help? Should Congress help?
The answer, in my judgment, is yes. It is important not just for
those families living out on the farm; it is important for the
character of this country.
There was a wonderful author who wrote some remarkable books about
small towns and family farms, and he talked about the seedbed of family
values in America, in American history coming from family farms. And
that seedbed of family values that comes from family farms and rolls on
to small towns and big cities and nurtures and refreshes the character
of this country is something that is very important to that which we
call America. That is why the desire that I and my colleagues,
Republicans and Democrats alike, have to offer a disaster piece on this
emergency supplemental bill is so important. This isn't about words; it
is about saying to families who were devastated by weather disasters,
who are living out on the farm, far from town, under a yard light,
struggling to try to make a living, raising a family, to say to them:
We understand what you are facing. You are not alone, and we want to
help. That is why this piece is in this legislation.
Again, I compliment the chairman and I compliment the ranking member
for their work.
Let me mention one additional piece. A number of my colleagues today
have mentioned the energy issue, particularly with respect to the price
of gas and oil and the price of fuel. There isn't anybody hurt much
more than family farmers with what is happening to the price of energy,
and the price of gas and diesel, especially. Family farmers are heavy
users of fuel. It is
[[Page 5877]]
the way they plant their crop in the spring, and it is the way they
take their crop out in the fall, with the heavy use of fuel and the
heavy use of nitrogen and fertilizer. So there is nobody that is hurt
more by what is happening with the price of gas and oil than family
farmers. It is devastating to them.
This legislation also includes a partial offset with respect to a
percent of direct payment that farmers receive as a result of what is
happening on energy prices. But with respect to that, I want to make
another point. We hear these days that what is happening with respect
to the price of gas and oil is the function of the market. There is no
market price that is a fair market price for oil. First, you have OPEC
ministers that sit around a table from OPEC countries and talk about
how much we should produce and how much we expect to get for it. That
is No. 1. That is called a cartel; that is not a free market.
Second, we have oil companies. They used to have one name, now two
names, and sometimes three names. Why? Because they all got married,
decided to merge; big, blockbuster mega mergers, bigger and stronger,
with more raw muscle in the marketplace.
Third is the futures market which is supposed to be a market that
establishes pricing strategies, but the fact is it has become an orgy
of speculation. It is an unbelievable orgy of speculation.
So you have three things: The OPEC ministers, the bigger oil
companies, bigger by merger, and then a massive amount of speculation
on the futures market. Then we are told: Here is the price of oil, it
is $73. If you don't like it, tough luck. If you don't like it, you do
not understand; it is the free market. That is total baloney. There is
no free market here. All the pain is on the side of the consumers who
pay 50 bucks or 60 bucks for a tank of gas, and it is like hooking a
hose right up to the pocketbook of the American people to suck money
right into the treasury of Exxon. That is what this is about. I am not
anti-oil. We produce oil in our State. We also are heavy users of
energy in our State. But what I am feeling strongly about is not about
profits, it is about profiteering.
When companies decide they are going to ride this price in a way that
injures the American people--and I believe what is happening today does
do injury to the American people and is unfair and is not part of the
so-called capitalistic market system--then I think Congress has a
responsibility to act.
The President said this morning the Federal Trade Commission should
do an investigation. I and a couple of my colleagues wrote a piece of
legislation last year that became law as part of the Energy bill that
requires the Federal Trade Commission to do the investigation. If the
President had called the FTC, he would have understood that they have
been doing an investigation and will report sometime toward the end of
May.
I have to confess, however, that I believe the Federal Trade
Commission has been dead largely from the neck up for some long while.
I don't expect great results at the end of May, but, nonetheless, they
are required and will be reporting the results of an investigation
sometime in mid to late May.
I believe there should be investigations. I believe the issue of
market manipulation is real. When you have market manipulation or
potential price gouging, the way the system works in this country,
there ought to be a mechanism by which you investigate it and take
action if necessary. But I believe in the meantime, when the price of
oil goes where it has gone, and where, with the historical circumstance
that in 2004, at $40 a barrel average price, the oil industry had the
highest profits in their history; and now with the price of oil at $65
and $70 and $72 a barrel, we have profits far in excess of that,
despite the fact that the oil companies haven't done anything to
generate those profits. They have just come. I believe those profits
above the $40-a-barrel pricetag is a windfall.
The oil companies say: Well, we need all those profits because we are
sinking that back into the ground to look for more energy. If they were
doing that, I wouldn't be here talking. But that is not what they are
doing. They are buying back their own stock. They are drilling for oil
on Wall Street. And, oh, by the way, there is no oil on Wall Street.
That doesn't come from me, that comes from Business Week: Drilling for
oil on Wall Street, and that is all about using the capital on Wall
Street to become bigger through mergers, buying back stock, drilling
for oil on Wall Street, or paying a retired CEO, according to press
reports, up to $400 million for a retirement package. That is not a
golden parachute, that is a platinum parachute, one that I have not
heard of before.
Does that anger the American people? It sure does, and they have a
right to be angry. Something is wrong with this system.
My colleague, Senator Dodd, and I offered an amendment last year that
would have imposed a windfall profits rebate on profits above $40 a
barrel at which price the oil companies have the largest profits in
their entire history, and then we said this: But if those profits are
used to sink back into the ground for additional exploration or to
build refineries above ground, if those profits are invested back to
expand the supply of energy which will inevitably, hopefully, reduce
the price of energy, the price of gasoline, then they will not be
subject to the windfall rebate. If the oil companies, in short, are
doing what they say they are doing, then they will not be affected. If
they are not, if they are buying back their stock and drilling for oil
on Wall Street and paying executives $400 million for a retirement
package, then they get hit with a windfall profits rebate. All of the
money will be sent back to the American consumer as a rebate. All of
it.
It is not a revenue-raising measure. It is not designed for the
purpose of raising money for the Government. It is designed for the
purpose of righting a wrong: Taking the windfall profits and sending it
back to the consumers as rebates from whence it came.
We expect to offer that again. We didn't succeed last fall. I suppose
someone could make the point that you didn't succeed because it wasn't
a very good idea. I would disagree strongly. I think it is the right
idea. My hope would be that when we offer it again on this supplemental
that we will be successful. One way or another, I think the American
people want this Congress and this President to stand for their
interests.
I know we have larger energy problems, longer term energy problems; I
understand all that. We have price-gouging legislation, and we have all
kinds of issues that we need to deal with. A good start would have been
in early 2001 with the meetings for which we still have not received
public information. Notwithstanding that, we are where we are today and
we need to find our way out of this. The point I was trying to make is
that no industry, no group of people are hurt more, in my judgment,
than family farmers. All Americans are facing pretty stiff penalties
with these prices, but family farmers are devastated by these gas and
diesel prices. For that reason, I think it is ever more important for
us to support the disaster package that has come as a part of this
emergency legislation brought to the floor of the Senate today.
Again, I will speak at another time on the floor about a couple of
other pieces of this legislation. I am enormously proud to be a part of
the Appropriations Committee. I think we have a great committee. We
work well together. It is a bipartisan committee. I think the
legislation we have brought to the floor, while not perfect, and while
we might alter it in one way or another, I don't know, but I think
given the President's request, this Senate is responding.
Let me make this final point. One of the responses with this
legislation is to replenish the accounts in the Department of Defense
with respect to what we are asking our men and women to do in the
service of our country. I think each time we have done that, the
chairman and ranking member and every member of the Appropriations
Committee has indicated that when we ask men and women to wear
America's
[[Page 5878]]
uniform and go abroad and serve in harm's way, we are going to do
everything conceivable, everything possible to fund that which is
necessary for them to do their job. That is at least a part, a
significant part, of this legislation as well.
I yield the floor.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with the concurrence and approval of my
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I ask unanimous consent to
set the pending amendment aside.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Amendment No. 3600
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk on behalf
of myself and Senator Grassley.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows.
The Senator from Iowa [Mr. Harkin], for himself and Mr.
Grassley, proposes an amendment numbered 3600.
Mr. HARKIN. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be
dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To limit the compensation of employees funded through the
Employment and Training Administration)
At the end of page 248, line 22, insert the following:
Sec. . None of the funds appropriated in Public Law 109-
149 under the heading Employment and Training Administration
shall be used to pay the compensation of an individual,
either as direct costs or any proration as an indirect cost,
at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. Where Employment
and Training Administration funds appropriated in Public Law
109-149 are used for compensation of an individual, the total
federal funding that may go to compensation of that
individual shall not exceed a rate in excess of Executive
Level II. States may establish a lower limit of total
compensation for those receiving compensation from Employment
and Training Administration funding employed in that state,
taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-
living in the state, the compensation levels for comparable
state or local government employees, and the size of the
organizations that administer federal programs involved
including Employment and Training Administration programs.
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, this is the amendment about which I spoke
a little while ago on the Senate floor regarding setting a maximum
national cap on salaries and bonuses for people employed in the
Workforce Investment Act programs across the United States. As I said
earlier, States can set lower, but this would at least set a maximum
which anyone could be paid in salaries and bonuses in any of those
programs.
I thank the chairman of the committee for being willing to let me set
aside the amendment and offer this amendment.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
Energy
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor and join my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have been here for the better
part of today, discussing the President's comments this morning about
energy legislation and about price gouging and about the Department of
Justice and Federal Trade Commission investigation of energy prices.
Many of my colleagues here in this body know how important this is,
and how important it is that we move forward. Yet I think we have
actually been investigating for months. The fact remains that we need
to do a more aggressive job in looking at the issue of price gouging.
Fifty-seven Senators here supported legislation in November of last
year, giving the tools to the FTC, the attorneys general, and to
individuals who are responsible at the Department of Justice to
investigate price gouging. It is that same legislation that I think
would help us in moving forward today, giving consumers confidence as
they head into the summer driving season that we are doing everything
in our power to get serious about a Federal price gouging ban and that
we are going to make it a Federal crime.
This legislation would create a new ban on price gouging during
national energy emergencies, giving the President authority to declare
that emergency. It would give the Federal Trade Commission and State
AGs and the Department of Justice the ability to levy civil and
criminal penalties for proven price gouging up to $3 million and 5
years in jail. And, on an ongoing basis, it would put in place a new
ban on market manipulation and giving false information to the FTC or
the Department of Justice.
If you think about it, it is similar to some of the requirements for
those involved with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the standards they are
required to meet. This bill also gives the FTC the authority to levy
fines up to $1 million for each violation of market manipulation, that
is the market manipulation and false information prohibitions in this
legislation.
Some people would say $1 million for price gouging doesn't sound like
a lot of penalties, but this is $1 million for each violation of the
market manipulation ban. If you think about it, in the context of the
market manipulation that is being discussed right now in the Enron
trials, on an ongoing basis there were probably hundreds of instances
of market manipulation related to Enron.
My colleagues and I offered this price gouging legislation on the
floor and it received 57 votes, so I think it is time the Senate comes
together on a very aggressive approach to tell consumers that we will
protect them this summer. The reason I say it is imperative we do this
now is because for the last 5 years in the West we have suffered
through the aftershocks of the western energy crisis. That is, we have
suffered the consequences in my State of the market manipulation that
Enron engaged in. And five years later, really, we have gotten very
little relief from Federal regulators on that issue.
What happens during periods of dysfunctional markets, where there is
a lack of transparency, is that many people are hurt. Businesses are
hurt, individual consumers are hurt, even school districts are hurt. We
had one school district in Washington state that basically had to pay
$2 million in additional energy costs because of Enron and manipulated
energy prices, and thereby ended up not hiring teachers or buying
books.
All this leads to a simple and inescapable conclusion. And that is,
when it comes to energy commodities that power our economy, we have to
be very aggressive at protecting consumers. We need to do everything in
our power right now at the Federal level to put us on the right course
and to fashion legislation that will help protect consumers now.
If you think about the President's request, he is saying the
Department of Justice and the FTC should investigate. We do not even
have the authorities and remedies in current law that would help in
pursuing these cases and bring these individuals or corporations to
justice if market manipulation is found. So I encourage my colleagues
to move quickly on legislation that would give the Federal government
the true tools we need to investigate market manipulation and to pursue
remedies on behalf of consumers. Let's not wait several months into the
summer season, as consumers are already being hurt at the pump, to come
to this conclusion.
Since we have already had 57 Senators, a majority of the Senate,
support this legislation, why not pass it out of the Senate and give
consumers the confidence that, as they hear the earnings reports from
oil companies in which they are making billions in profits, we are not
going to give them a pat on the back. Instead, we are going to give a
helping hand, to protect American consumers at the pump this summer, as
these prices are expected to continue to rise.
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 1735
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Commerce Committee be
discharged from further consideration of S. 1735 and that the Senate
proceed to immediate consideration of that legislation, that the
Cantwell amendment which I am sending to the desk be considered and
agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, that the
bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid
on the
[[Page 5879]]
table, without intervening action or debate.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I hope my colleagues will consider this.
This Senator will continue to be vocal on passing Federal legislation
to make price gouging a crime. I hope this is legislation that we can
take up in the next several days, or at least in the next weeks, so we
are giving consumers before the Memorial Day recess the confidence that
we have serious teeth in Federal legislation to protect them at the
pump.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, by way of explanation, the objection was
lodged because we are currently considering a supplemental
appropriations bill on the floor of the Senate to appropriate funds to
the Department of Defense, Department of State, and assist gulf states
in recovery from the devastation cautioned by Hurricanes Rita and
Katrina. The request posed by the distinguished Senator would have not
only required the Senate to turn immediately to the consideration of
the bill she is offering, but that it be considered read, the debate
concluded, no amendments be in order, and that it be passed and the
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
It is the judgment of the managers of the bill that the thing to do
now in the Senate is to complete action on this supplemental
appropriations bill. Over $100 billion is being requested, approved by
the Senate Appropriations Committee, to fund these needed activities,
many of which are designed to protect our Nation's security. So under
those circumstances I felt compelled to object.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thune). Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I will comment generally on the issue
before the Senate, the issue of supplemental emergency spending.
Obviously, these last number of years we have had some emergency
activities. Whether they be the war on terror or Katrina, they are
unusual expenditures. From time to time, everyone experiences that,
whether in your personal life or in business. After unusual
expenditures, we have to make some effort to make up for that special
spending so we can get back within our budget, we can get back to
holding down the deficit to do something about the financial situation
caused by the unusual expenditures. That is tough. Nevertheless, it
seems to me that is a principle which is very important.
I will react a little bit to what seems to be the case in the Senate.
We are talking about emergency spending. The bill we are debating today
is expected to be about emergency spending. It is important we give a
little thought to what that means and not be inclined to use this
opportunity to make expenditures that would be very hard to entitle
``emergency spending.''
By definition, emergency spending is a supplement that breaks the
caps and authorizes spending we did not account for or do not account
for in the budget. Some expenditures are hard to justify. We have the
``emergency'' regarding the war on terror; however, we have been in
this for 4 years. We have known about it for some time. It did not
happen instantly. Hurricane recovery ended almost 5 months ago. It is a
little of a stretch to say these are emergencies we did not know about.
We did know about them, and we passed our budget resolution without
including them. In that sense, there was no reason to exclude them from
the regular budget process.
I understand that--hopefully--these are temporary expenditures. I
will concede that a supplemental measure may be a more appropriate way
to add the funds to the baseline budget. That said, the bill that
resulted from emergency requests is then used to go beyond that scope,
in some instances. Instead of narrowly controlling spending, this has
become an overall opportunity for projects that have very little, if
anything, to do with hurricane recovery or the war on terror but
instead is used for a number of other items.
Mr. President, $92.4 billion in additional spending was requested. We
are now considering a bill of $106 billion. That is a substantial
increase. That is a substantial excess of what could be termed
``emergency spending.'' We ought to give it some consideration.
The original request was far from pocket change, of course. It was a
very large request in the beginning. Yet we apparently felt compelled
to add significant new spending regardless of the size of that. Almost
all spending can have an argument made for it. There is an endless
need. We have to follow a procedure that puts some limits on what we
do.
I don't think there is any Member who does not believe that spending
has gotten a bit out of control. If we look at the percentage of
spending in our budgets over the last several years, it has gone up.
There are many factors, including the consideration of the role of the
Federal Government with respect to the State government and local
government. Do we just continue to spend as if there is no end? I think
not. Certainly, when we take a look at the deficit we have created, it
has to be resolved.
As I said, I am sure everything included involves a need of some
kind. However, we have to set priorities. It seems to me we have a
responsibility to the taxpayers to try to reconcile these unusual
expenses we have had over the last several years and deal with those
expenses so we get back to where we are with the budget, get back to
where we are with a programmed movement toward reducing the deficit.
I cannot think of anything that is more important than to be fiscally
responsible for what we are doing. There is no end to requests for
spending. I understand there are needs out there. However, I have come
to the point where we have to take a look at where we are, what we are
doing, what our constraints are, what they should be, and begin to
exercise a little more constraint and responsibility. I am very
uncomfortable moving entirely over to emergency spending on these big
items and then coming up with the request for emergency spending and
adding another $15 billion, or whatever the amount is, on top of that
and putting it out there to deal with.
I hope we do have discussions on these items. Quite frankly, I hope
we can return to where we were so we can at least hold it to that
amount requested for what is called emergency spending. If needed, we
may have to offset something. I may offer an amendment that strikes
altogether the spending earmarks that exceed the President's request.
We ought to talk about that in terms not only of each individual
expenditure, which we always do, but talk about it in terms of the
policy, in terms of the overall direction we are taking and how we are
going to resolve this issue of increasing spending and deficits. It is
time to come to the hitching post and take a look at how we are going
to do that. I look forward to the debate that will take place.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, as I understand the state of play on the
floor--I have been at meetings--it is that I should withhold offering
any amendment now. But I am going to speak to an amendment I will be
offering during the debate on the emergency supplemental bill.
When we last debated budget matters here on the floor, I came to the
floor to
[[Page 5880]]
indicate I was going to attempt to repeal the $2.6 billion in tax
breaks the Energy bill afforded the oil industry. I want to give my
colleagues the context in which I raised it then, raise it now, and
will raise it again.
It is very easy, I understand--I have been here a long while--to
demagog the oil prices and oil industries and big companies, and, when
things get tough, to talk about blaming everybody's problems on profits
of companies.
Well, the President, today, spoke, as many of us have up to now, on
the need to investigate and determine whether there is any gouging
going on with energy prices today by American oil companies. But that
is not why I am here at this moment.
Senator Specter, the chairman of our Judiciary Committee, held a
hearing in the Judiciary Committee a couple weeks ago, before the
Easter recess, where he summoned, if I am not mistaken, the CEOs of the
six largest oil companies. It may have been only four oil companies and
one gas company and one energy company. But I think it was six. I will
get for the Record exactly how many. But he included the chairman of
the board of Exxon and other major oil companies. And the issue was
whether there was some form of price fixing or gouging going on.
It came my turn to question. There had been a good deal of discussion
about how much money in annual profits and quarterly profits companies
were making. At that time, it was reported that ExxonMobil reported the
highest annual profits, $36 billion, of any corporation in American
history. That was not a surprise in the sense that they have had a
great windfall with oil prices.
We were at our conference lunch today and someone said: Oil is going
to go to $4 a gallon. And Senator Boxer, sitting next to me, said: It's
already at $4 a gallon in my hometown in California.
Well, it is well over $3 a gallon in most of our constituencies, and
we are paying that money, in my view, because we lack an energy policy.
We lack an energy policy. And the one that has been written has been
written basically to benefit big oil and big gas.
Since President Bush took office, oil prices have doubled, with at
least a 100-percent increase, and high gas prices, that make us uneasy
at the pump, have been very good for major oil companies. They are more
flush than they have been anytime in history. Prices went up during
Katrina. Six months later, we learned that all three oil companies made
record profits of a total of $111 billion.
So why am I on the Senate floor about this? Everybody knows this. I
am stating the obvious. When it came my turn to question in the
Judiciary Committee, I asked the question of the chairman of the board
of Exxon--and Senator Specter had sworn all of the witnesses in, so
they were testifying under oath. And I said: May I ask you a question,
Mr. Chairman--the chairman of Exxon. Then I went down the line to the
rest.
I said: Are you aware of the incentives in the Energy bill we passed
last year--that I voted against--which provided over $2.6 billion in
incentives to oil companies in order for them to go out and find,
invest, drill, and seek new resources and increase their capability to
deliver to the market?
He said: Yes, I'm aware of that.
I said: Do you need that? In light of a $35 billion profit, is there
anything you can tell me that would justify us giving the industry,
including you, an extra $2.6 billion in incentives?
I might add, so we put this in proportion, for $1.4 billion, we could
put portals at every single major port in the world that could detect
whether a cargo container had a radioactive device and/or a
radiological device or a nuclear device in that cargo container. But it
would cost $1.4 billion. We are not doing that right now, in large part
because of cost.
So just to put this in perspective, $2.6 billion to incentivize the
oil industry now, could be used for a whole lot of other things. I am
sure other of my colleagues would suggest there are other ways to use
that money, not the least of which would be to reduce the deficit. But
there are other ways to do it. So it was not an idle question. We are
not just talking about a little bit of money.
I do not think the chairman of ExxonMobil liked my asking the
question. But he indicated that, reluctantly, when I reminded him he--
well, in fairness, I probably did not have to remind him he was under
oath--but he indicated, no, he did not think that his company or the
industry needed that incentive in light of their economic circumstance.
Then I went down the line. And I will submit for the Record the names
of each of the companies represented and the names of each of the CEOs
sitting in the witness chair. Every one of them answered the exact same
way. They all said: No, we do not need this $2.6 billion. We don't need
any incentive in order to be able to proceed to maximize productivity,
to maximize discovery, to maximize product now.
And then I went back to the chairman of Exxon--I worked my way down
again--and I said: Would you support an amendment I would offer
repealing that incentive? And even more reluctantly, he said: Yes.
I then went and asked that question to all these oil company
executives, and they all said: Yes.
So not only do they all acknowledge it is not needed, they all
indicated, from the best of my recollection--and, again, I will submit
for the Record their exact statements--I may be wrong about one or two
of them, but not on whether they needed it but whether they supported
the repeal. I think they all supported it.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that relevant testimony before
the Judiciary Committee be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Senator BIDEN. Well, I mean, that is like saying--anyway, I
do not have time because of the 5-minute rule here. Let me
ask you, do any of you need, to be able to do what you are
doing now, $2.8 billion in incentives the Federal Government
is having other taxpayers pay for?
Mr. TILLERSON. Well, Senator, we did not lobby for any----
Senator BIDEN. I did not say you did. I am just asking, do
you need it?
Mr. TILLERSON. No.
Senator BIDEN. Because you all point out we have to find
alternative energy. It seems to me we should take the $2.8
billion that you all are getting, and we should put it into
encouraging alternative energy. We should go out and do--
right? What do you think?
Mr. MULVA. Senator, most of those incentives are directed
towards energy in total, which is not necessarily the oil and
gas business.
Senator BIDEN. Oh, it is mostly you guys.
Mr. MULVA. And second, it goes to independent producers,
which are primarily the bedrock of most of our----
Senator BIDEN. But your company will not be upset if we
take those away, right?
Mr. MULVA. Correct.
Senator BIDEN. None of you will object to us taking away
those $2.8 billion of incentives as they apply to you, is
that right?
I note for the record, everyone is saying okay.
Mr. KLESSE. Senator, excuse me.
Senator BIDEN. Do it quickly, I only have 24 seconds.
Mr. KLESSE. Okay. Valero, we were interested in the
incentives to expand refining capacity. That's our business,
and we were interested in it.
Senator BIDEN. Do you still need it?
Mr. KLESSE. Do we need it?
Senator BIDEN. Do you need them to expand?
Mr. KLESSE. No.
Senator BIDEN. Good, okay, that is all I need. So they are
all for my bill. I want the record to show no one thought it
would be any problem withdrawing it for all of them. Even
though I only have 2 seconds left, I yield.
Mr. BIDEN. I have a simple proposition I am going to present to the
floor. Although on a supplemental we cannot change tax policy--we all
know the blue slip rule, and to use the jargon my friend, the chairman
of the committee, understands better than anybody here, I cannot, we
cannot, legislate tax policy on this bill that does not originate in
the House, and so on--what I do want to do is, I want to get the Senate
on record with a sense of the Senate that the Senate Finance Committee
report back within 90 days a piece of legislation repealing--
repealing--this $2.6 billion in incentives provided to the oil
companies.
[[Page 5881]]
Now, the fact is, there are going to be some on this floor--and I am
prepared to listen to the argument because when I raised this before,
some argued: Well, smaller companies, companies producing less than
500,000 barrels a year maybe need this incentive, that they may need
this incentive to maximize their capability of producing oil. I do not
think that is accurate, but I am prepared to listen to that. I am
prepared to listen to that.
But for the time being, I want to put my colleagues on notice that
the last group in the world that needs a tax break now is the oil
companies--the absolute last--not because they are bad guys, not
because of anything else. I do not even know if they asked for it.
I often say to my friends on this side of the aisle that sometimes
folks on my side make a mistake. They don't realize that rich folks are
just as patriotic as poor folks. When you are handed windfalls, even
poor folks would not turn their nose up at them. I don't know whether
the oil companies insisted on this being in the Energy bill or not, but
I know they think it is not needed. I do know they say they would
support its repeal. So if there is anything--to use the phrase of a
former head of the Intelligence Committee--that has been a slam dunk in
my 33 years as a U.S. Senator, this should be it. We can reallocate
$2.6 billion to needed, worthwhile initiatives and/or reduction of the
national debt or deficit, and we can do it with the very recipients of
that $2.6 billion saying they don't need it, they don't want it, and
they support us taking it away.
So I cannot think of anything at all that can justify us keeping in
the law a tax break for a group of folks who do not need a tax break at
all. The American people need a break from these incredibly high
prices. It seems to me that this is nonpartisan, and it is a no-
brainer.
In a speech today, the President finally stated that these companies
don't need these tax breaks. Senator Wyden has a provision currently in
conference that would accomplish some of this. Senators Feinstein and
Sununu have tried to remove some unnecessary tax breaks for these
companies as well, which are already rolling in profits. Numerous
groups have agreed, from the League of Conservation Voters, National
Environmental Trust, Public Citizens, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and
the oil companies--they all agree these incentives are not needed.
We are not talking about $100,000 or $500,000 or a half billion
dollars; we are talking about $2.6 billion. You can do an awful lot
with $2.6 billion. So I think we should take the first step in taking
control of our national energy policy and show the oil companies that
we are listening. They say they don't need it. They say they would
support it being repealed. Let's not let them down. Let's, for one
time, vote on something that everybody, including the recipients, seems
to be in agreement with--everybody from the President, to the Senator
from Delaware, to the chairman of the board of ExxonMobil, to the
National Environmental Trust.
I will withhold doing it now, but I tell the chairman that at some
point, I will be here to introduce that amendment, which will call for
the sense of the Senate that the tax committee, the Senate Finance
Committee, the committee of jurisdiction, report back to the Senate
within 90 days a repeal of these incentives.
I thank my colleague from Mississippi for listening and the Chair for
giving me the floor. Unless somebody else seeks the floor, I suggest
the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending
amendment be set aside.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is
so ordered.
Amendment No. 3598
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I have an amendment at the desk and ask
for its consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez] proposes an
amendment numbered 3598.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further
reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of
Amendments.'')
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise with a series of colleagues to
offer an amendment that provides much needed, immediate relief for
America's drivers. My amendment suspends the 18-cent Federal gas tax
for 60 days and makes up for the lost revenue by getting rid of
unnecessary tax giveaways to oil and gas companies.
In 2005, the oil and gas industry made nearly $140 billion in
profits. The five largest oil companies made over $106 billion.
ExxonMobil alone made a staggering $36 billion. Put another way,
ExxonMobil's profit alone last year is more than the Federal Government
spent on unemployment insurance, more than it spent on medical
research, and more than it spent on the Nation's highways. Their CEO
just got a $350 million retirement package. That is about $144,000 a
day for every day he worked at the company. These record profits and
gilded bonuses are occurring while the American people struggle to get
to work, to get home, to pick up their kids from school, to take them
to a soccer match, or to go to a doctor, all because of record gas
prices.
Last year, the big oil companies hiked gas prices and blamed an act
of God. But it is crystal clear that the current spike in gas prices is
at least partly due to an act of greed--greed that has been enabled and
even encouraged by the administration, greed that has been aided by an
energy bill that put the oil and gas companies first and the American
people second. The energy companies were already enjoying record
profits and massive tax breaks when the President signed an energy bill
that gave them billions more in taxpayer subsidies, plus additional
relief from having to pay royalties--in essence, the Nation's
collective patrimony for the oil and gas they produce in our oceans.
The last thing the oil companies need is more handouts. The first thing
the American people need is more help.
My amendment would give them that help by establishing a 60-day
holiday on the Federal gas tax. As we head into the summer driving
season and its traditionally higher gas prices, we should not be
burdening American consumers with additional taxes. Temporarily
suspending the gas tax will provide $100 million a day in relief to
America's drivers, America's consumers.
But we cannot starve the highway trust fund with the crucial money
needed to fix our Nation's roads. My amendment will repeal three
unnecessary tax breaks currently enjoyed by the oil and gas companies,
and it will also eliminate royalty relief and other production
incentives enacted last year as part of the Energy bill.
With the price of oil as high as it is and unlikely to drop in the
foreseeable future, companies don't need more incentive from the
Federal Government to do their job.
This amendment, of course, is only a short-term fix. We need a real
energy policy that takes real steps toward ending our dependence on
oil, not the lipservice the President has given this issue before and
gave again this morning.
I listened to what he had to say. The President talks about wanting
to end our dependence on foreign oil, but instead of starting a
Manhattan-type project to lead us to energy independence, we propose
baby steps. The President's budget for fiscal year 2007 barely brought
renewable and clean energy research funding back to 2001 levels, and it
cut energy efficiency programs by 13 percent. In all the President's
spending, there was only 23 percent of what
[[Page 5882]]
Congress requested in the Energy Policy Act for energy efficiency
programs and only 1 percent for renewable energy programs.
The President continues to have the blinders on when it comes to real
solutions for our energy problems. He said that consumers should buy
more efficient cars, and we agree. But he remains opposed to higher
fuel efficiency standards. The most recent CAFE standards will improve
light truck mileage by only 2.5 miles per gallon. That is simply not
enough. Passenger cars have the same standards they had in 1985, over
two decades ago. That is not enough.
The President also continues to expect the oil companies, out of the
goodness of their hearts, to spend substantial amounts of money on
alternative energy technologies. Some of the more forward-thinking
companies are doing that, but most are not. It is the Government's job
to invest in these technologies, and the President's budget has shown
that he is not serious about doing that.
In short, he suggests and he wants the oil companies and the American
consumer to do the things he is unwilling to do.
Last month, I joined Senator Bingaman and the Senate Democratic
leader and other Democrats in offering an amendment to fully fund
energy efficiency and renewable energy programs in the fiscal year 2007
budget. Unfortunately, it was defeated.
Democrats in both Chambers have been at the forefront of proposing
real solutions to our energy problems, and we were the first to call
for the President to investigate price gouging by oil companies, a call
he appears to finally have heeded.
This amendment is another idea that this Congress and our President
need to adopt. It is about providing immediate relief to overburdened
consumers who cannot afford for us to wait much longer. This morning,
the President finally appears to be feeling the pressure families have
been feeling at the pump for quite some time.
We heard what he had to say. The difference is that he doesn't make a
commitment. He says we should phase out all of those tax benefits we
have given the oil companies over the next decade, but he doesn't
commit it back to America's consumers. Our amendment does that in the
short term to give immediate relief to America's consumers while still
maintaining our transportation trust funds, the funds necessary to
continue to keep America moving.
That is what this amendment is all about. It is about keeping America
moving, about keeping America rolling, and about helping the families
of this country in a very significant way.
I think putting $6 billion in the hands and in the pockets of
America's consumers is ultimately giving them real relief at a critical
time. Obviously, putting that amount of money in their pockets at this
time as they try to deal with high gas prices will have a ripple effect
in the economy, as is also realized in the money that will be saved by
those who bring to market produce which ends up on our tables, and the
costs of the transportation of products to market across a wide scale
of different consumer needs are going to be affected as well.
We see consistently companies adding a fuel surcharge to the cost to
the consumer. So this will have a ripple effect in many different ways,
and it is something we have the wherewithal to do and do now and by
doing so sending at the same time, I hope, a message to the world
marketplace and certainly to OPEC that we are not hostage to them
without some options of our own.
Let's show American families that we are serious about addressing
today's exorbitant gas prices. Let us adopt this amendment to provide
real relief now. I urge my colleagues to join me and adopt this
amendment.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Alexander). The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, under rule XVI, I raise a point of order
against the amendment. It is legislation on an appropriations bill.
Mr. MENENDEZ addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The point of order is sustained, and the
amendment falls.
The Senator from New Jersey.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I tried to seek recognition to speak to
the point of order. I simply wish to say this is consistent with what
the President proposed this morning, so I believe we should have a vote
on the Senate floor. If we don't have a vote today, we are going to
continue to bring this measure before the body and will eventually get
a vote.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the
points of order which lie against this amendment, the amendment still
be in order.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from South Dakota.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, there is no bigger issue facing the economy
of the United States of America at the current time than the high cost
of energy, and it has a ripple effect throughout the entire economy. In
my State of South Dakota, we have farmers who are getting ready to go
into the fields to plant. Obviously, agriculture is a very energy-
intensive industry.
In my State of South Dakota, we rely heavily upon the travel
industry. People come to our State to see the Black Hills and Mount
Rushmore, so we are a very energy-intensive State. We have long
distances to cover. So when gas prices come up and shoot through $3 a
gallon or near that level in my State, it has a profound impact on the
economy of our State and on the pocketbooks of all South Dakotans. It
is important that this issue be addressed.
We have heard a lot of speechifying on the floor of the Senate today
and a lot of news conferences held in front of gasoline pumps across
this country, everybody attacking and pointing fingers and playing the
blame game as gas prices have steadily crept upward.
I will be the first one in this Chamber to say that if, in fact, the
oil companies have profiteered at the expense of hard-working consumers
in this country, that they should be prosecuted to the full letter of
the law. If there is manipulation, collusion, price fixing, or any
other form of anticompetitive behavior for which we have laws in this
country, then they need to be held accountable under those laws.
Furthermore, I also happen to believe that if, in fact, they benefit
from policies that are put in place, economic policies from which they
can benefit, whether that be a tax incentive in the Tax Code today,
that they have an accountability to us as Members of Congress to
explain why, for example, they can pay out $400 million to a retiring
executive or CEO.
It seems to me at least that there are some very hard questions that
need to be asked and some very serious answers that need to be given by
folks in that industry. They need to be accountable to the American
public. As I said before, I believe we need that accountability. I
believe we need to look at those policies in place today from which
those companies benefit. If, in fact, they are making such enormous
profits, then perhaps they don't need the support and the tax
incentives that are given to them by the American taxpayers, by
Congress. So I am not going to in any way defend what are the
practices, I believe, of many of the big oil companies in this country.
Having said that, though, there is also a lot of hand wringing going
on and self-righteous politicking going on right now about the high
cost of energy and attempts again to cast aspersions, cast blame, try
and blame the President, blame the Republicans, and all these efforts
that are made by people who would rather have a political issue than
they would have a solution.
I have to say it seems to me that at the heart of this very issue is
also what I would call a decade of obstructionism. We have tried for
many years--I served for three terms as a Member of the House of
Representatives--to get legislation through that
[[Page 5883]]
would allow us to lessen our dependence upon foreign sources of energy,
to add to the supplies we have in this country, to allow us to take
advantage of the rich resources we have in America. Every time we have
tried to do that since I have been here as a member of the majority
party in the House of Representatives and now in the U.S. Senate, we
have been blocked. We have been rebuffed by the folks on the other side
of the aisle. In many cases, those have been tactics employed which
haven't reflected the majority in the Senate. There have been steps
taken to create a supermajority, a filibuster threshold over which we
would have to get in order to get some of these policies put in place.
I go back to 1995 when, at that time, the Republicans had just taken
control of the Congress and they passed in the budget that year
legislation that would authorize exploration on the North Slope of
Alaska. It passed the House and Senate, went to President Clinton's
desk, and it was vetoed. We hear this still being debated in the Senate
today. We get up and talk about the importance of taking advantage of
the resources we have here in the United States of America, including
the North Slope of Alaska; we hear the Democrats on the other side get
up and say: Well, you can't do that. It could take 10 years for us to
get that production on line. Well, it is 10 years later. That was 1995.
It is now 2006, and we could have a million more barrels of oil in the
pipeline today addressing what is a very serious supply problem in this
country, had that bill been signed into law back in 1995.
We have tried repeatedly since that time, a number of times as a
Member of the House of Representatives, where we voted. We voted to
allow for that development to occur, for that exploration to occur, and
perhaps eventually production to occur, and, of course, again it was
blocked and stopped.
Most recently in December, in the Senate, before we adjourned for the
Christmas holiday, we had a vote on whether we were going to do
something to help ourselves in the area of energy independence and to
develop that rich resource we have, somewhere between 6 billion and 16
billion barrels of oil on the North Slope of Alaska, or about a million
barrels a day. We get about a million and a half barrels a day from
Saudi Arabia. Can you imagine how it would lessen the supply problem if
we were able to bring that energy on line in this country? Yet again it
was filibustered. We had 57, 58 votes in the Senate--a clear majority
for doing something about our supply problem. Yet the other side again
blocked and now wants to blame, instead of doing what we ought to have
been doing all along, and that is working in a bipartisan way to
address what is a very serious crisis in America.
I remember when I was growing up back in the 1970s, and people who
were around at that time also remember the gas lines, remember the talk
at the time about we are way too dependent upon foreign energy; we have
to do something to lessen our dependence on foreign sources of energy.
At that time, we were 50 to 55 percent dependent upon foreign sources
of energy. Here we are some 30 years later, and 60 percent of our
supply comes from outside the United States. We have had opportunities
throughout the course of the time that I have been here to do something
about that. Every time I have voted to develop, explore, and to bring
on line many of those resources which are available to us for
development, it has been blocked and stopped by those on the other side
who insist on having a political issue rather than a solution.
Just because I was interested in this debate, as a Member of the
House--and as I said, I voted on energy exploration on the North Slope
of Alaska, what we know as ANWR--I went up there last year because I
wanted to find out what the debate was all about because in trying to
understand these issues, when you come down here on the floor of the
Senate, I believe it is important that you have a full perspective and
insight into the arguments that are made by those on the other side. So
we went to some of the development sites. We went to Prudhoe Bay, we
went to the Alpine site, we went to Kabarak, and we went to the section
1002 area, which is the area which was proposed for development by an
agreement that occurred way back in 1980, I believe between Senator
Stevens and someone on the other side of the aisle at that time. We
looked at that area. We took one of those little planes, and we flew
out there and walked around in that particular area, and we looked at
the technology that is available today at some of those sites and how
they, with a very minimal footprint on the surface, are able to access
enormous amounts of energy below the surface in an environmentally
sound way. They use ice roads, and then during the summer months when
everything melts, the roads disappear; they are gone.
It is a remarkable thing for anybody who wants to see it. You walk
away from that saying: Hold on just a minute here. I don't understand
what the big issue is. We have an opportunity to do something about
what are the most pressing economic issues and one of the most pressing
national security issues facing our country, and that is energy and
energy independence, energy security, and we have this vast resource up
there and we can't get at it because it is consistently filibustered
here in the Senate even though there is majority support, 57, 58 votes
in favor of that. Yet after it passed the House and it went through the
Senate, it got to conference and it came back, and we had an
opportunity to do something that would allow us finally--finally--to
explore and hopefully bring on line that incredible resource on the
North Slope of Alaska.
For those who are concerned about the impact on the environment, you
should know that the caribou are doing fine. Caribou numbers have
actually increased, and they have dramatically over the past 30 years
in that area.
My point very simply is this: We as a nation have to do something to
help ourselves. We cannot continue to be held over a barrel by the
sheiks and the mullahs in the Middle East or by Venezuela or any of the
other countries from which we derive the majority or the vast majority
of our energy supplies in this country. America needs to be energy
independent.
I believe that consists of many things. I have been a big proponent
of renewable fuels. As a Member of the House and now as a Member of the
Senate, I was delighted that we were able last summer in the Energy
bill to include in there a renewable fuel standard for the first time.
As a matter of policy in this country, we have said we are going to
guarantee a market for renewable fuels. Frankly, why would we not, when
we have all of these things which we raise and grow, take a bushel of
corn and be able to convert it into 2\1/2\ gallons of fuel we can use
to run our economy here in this country, do that? It makes so much
sense, and it lessens our dependence upon our addiction to oil, which,
as the President said in his State of the Union Address, and I give him
great credit for that, is something we need to do, a direction in which
we need to move. Renewable energy is an important component of that. I
believe there are a number of things that we need to be doing in the
area of conservation as well, but I want to see more partnerships
between manufacturers and retailers and producers of ethanol and
biodiesel and other renewable energy so that we can begin to get away
from that enormous amount of dependence we have on oil.
Even today, we hope to produce in the very near future 7.5 billion
gallons of ethanol, which is what is called for in the renewable fuel
standard. I think we are going to have to increase that dramatically
because we are going to be there very soon. We are already at the 4.5
billion gallon level, on our way very quickly to 7.5 billion gallons,
because we have a desperate need in this country, and production is
coming on line more and more all the time. But even at that level, we
use about 140 billion gallons of gasoline a year in this country. So
ethanol represents about 3 percent of what the total demand or total
consumption in America is for energy today. So it is important in this
whole debate that we continue to develop those other sources, those
traditional energy sources until such time
[[Page 5884]]
as we can get where we begin that transition toward renewable energy.
But in the short term, we have a need. We have a need for oil
resources. As I said, in places such as Alaska, we have an opportunity
to do some things offshore in this country. We have a lot of offshore
resources and reserves that are available, not only of oil but of
natural gas, which is also a desperate situation which many people in
my part of the country, in farm country, depend upon because that is
what fertilizer is made from.
Every time we have had an opportunity to do something to address the
long-term issue of supply in this country, we have met the politics of
obstruction. I mentioned earlier going back to 1995 when Congress
passed legislation that would authorize exploration of energy in
Alaska. But if you look more recently than that, going back even to
2003--when the President took office in 2001, they created an energy
task force, they made recommendations, they came up with an energy
plan, and there was an energy bill that was debated up here on Capitol
Hill, several different permutations of that, and ultimately one
passed. In 2003, an energy bill passed. It passed the House and Senate,
and it went into conference. The conference came out with a report that
passed overwhelmingly in the House, came back to the Senate in November
of 2003, and it was filibustered.
It failed by two votes. Fifty-eight votes to shut off a filibuster
here in the Senate that would have gotten us an energy bill 2 years
sooner, gotten us down the path toward a renewable fuel standard 2
years sooner, and addressed some of those supply issues 2 years sooner.
But no, it was blocked. It was delayed, it was filibustered, and it was
killed in 2003 by that Congress.
So to have people getting up now and many of my colleagues on the
other side going out and holding news conferences and getting up on the
floor of the Senate and beating their chests and making all these self-
righteous speeches, to me it seems to be the very essence of hypocrisy,
if you look at a decade-long practice of obstructionism when it comes
to putting in place sound energy policies that would have lessened our
dependence upon foreign sources of energy and put us much closer on a
path toward energy independence.
So as we get into this, I have a piece of legislation which I have
introduced along with Senator Obama from Illinois that would provide
additional incentives for fuel retailers to begin to install pumps that
would pump E-85, to build the demand and continue to create this
market, this opportunity to work on the production side. On the retail
side, again, we need to be working with the manufacturers when it comes
to these flex fuel-type vehicles. I will continue to press forward on
renewable fuels. That legislation--it is a bipartisan bill--and I hope
it is something we can move through this Chamber, along with other
types of initiatives, including additional supply initiatives.
Frankly, there is one other issue which I should also mention
because, there again, we ran into basically party-line resistance in
the Environment and Public Works Committee. We tried to pass through
the Environment and Public Works Committee earlier this year
legislation that would expand our refinery capacity. We have not built
a refinery since 1976. We had Katrina wipe out much of our refinery
capacity in the gulf and, as a consequence, we are having a difficult
time not only with the supply, but we are also having a difficult time
with refineries. We have what, in my view, we ought to be doing, and
that is waiving a lot of these requirements on these boutique fuels
because right now, at this particular time of year, the refineries have
to go through this exercise of remixing and coming up with all of these
different types of blends. It seems to me that at a minimum, we ought
to be able to at least give them some temporary relief from that, but
we also need to be building more refineries in this country.
We voted on that in the Environment and Public Works Committee, and
it went down for all intents and purposes on a party-line vote. There
was one Republican who voted with the Democrats. The fact is, that is
true. But we had a wall of opposition from the Democrats on the
Environment and Public Works Committee to even reporting the bill to
the floor so that we could engage in a debate so that all Senators have
an opportunity to participate in that debate about whether we ought to
do something about the issue of refinery capacity in this country.
So my point again very simply is this: Since I have been here, in
three terms in the House and during my time in the Senate, I focused on
energy because it is important to my State, as I said earlier, and
because I am a big proponent of increased use of renewable fuels. But
every time we have had a chance to vote, whether it is ANWR, whether it
is offshore production, whether it is refineries, whether it is the
Energy bill in 2003, we run into the same arguments. And you will hear
the same arguments that we heard in December and that we heard back in
1995 when we debated at that time the authorization of exploration in
Alaska, and that is: It will take 10 years. Well, like I said, 10 years
ago, if President Clinton had signed that bill into law, that 10 years
would now be up. But the point is, we can't afford to wait another
decade. We can't allow another decade of obstructionism to prevent us
from doing what we ought to be doing to make America's energy future
more secure. It is important that we focus as Senators, and I hope in a
bipartisan way. But it doesn't help the issue to have all of this
partisan hand-wringing and politicking. I know it is a year divisible
by two. Whenever it is a year divisible by two, the rhetoric escalates
a lot, and when everything gets said and done, a lot more gets said
than done.
The reality is, we have an issue on which the American people want
action. They should have had action 10 years ago. They should have had
action 6 years ago. They should have had action 4 years ago. They
should have had action in November of 2003, when that particular Energy
bill was filibustered by our colleagues on the other side. But it is
never too late to do the right thing.
We have an opportunity to do the right thing for the American people.
If that consists of, as I said earlier, taking on the oil companies if
there is any evidence whatsoever that there has been collusion or price
fixing or gouging or any form of anticompetitive activity, then let's
put the screws to them. Let's prosecute them to the full letter of the
law. But let's also do something we should have done a long time ago,
and that is begin to develop the resources that we have in this country
and do something to help ourselves so 30 years from now, when my kids
are my age, they are not saying the same thing that I am saying today,
and that is that we have wasted 30 years and we are still as dependent
on foreign sources of energy.
Frankly, I don't think we can wait that long because I do believe
energy security is a matter of national security, and there is nothing
that has a more profound impact and effect on the pocketbooks of
working Americans. It is important that we do something about this. It
is time to end the obstruction. It is time to end the block-and-blame
game. It is time to get down to the business of taking care of the
needs of the American people that they expect us to address.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, for the information of Senators who may
be interested in knowing what the plan of action is for the remainder
of today, we have pending before the Senate an amendment offered by the
distinguished Senator from New Hampshire, Mr. Gregg, relating to border
security, to strengthen, tighten up the provisions of this bill with
respect to adequacy of funding to protect the security of our borders.
It is our understanding that the other side would like to have an
amendment also offered tonight, with debate on it, as much as whoever
wants to discuss it would like to engage in, and then enter into some
kind of agreement on having votes, back-to-back
[[Page 5885]]
votes or close together tomorrow, on the two amendments, the Gregg
amendment and whatever amendment is offered on the other side.
That is the situation as I understand it. I am happy to see the
distinguished Democratic leader on the floor. He may be able to add to
that or clarify the intentions with respect to another amendment
tonight.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic leader.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, the manager of the bill is absolutely right.
We have an amendment that has been laid down by the Senator from New
Hampshire. We are going to lay one down. Rather than do a second-
degree, we have talked to the floor staff, and it would be more
appropriate to have two side by side.
Subject to the approval of your leader, we would have those two votes
around noon tomorrow. We will debate. Anybody who wants to debate it
tonight can do so and then we will come in in the morning and divide up
what time is left over after morning business and have that vote. As I
indicated, I only briefly talked to the majority leader about this. We
had a meeting down at the White House, so I didn't talk to him at any
great length, but this sounds like a fair way to go forward and move
this bill along a little bit.
Mr. COCHRAN. I thank the Democratic leader.
Amendment No. 3604
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have an amendment at the desk. I call that
up.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to setting aside the
pending amendment?
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent to do so.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk
will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid] proposes an amendment
numbered 3604.
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be
dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: To provide, with an offset, emergency funding for border
security efforts)
TITLE __--BORDER SECURITY
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR BORDER SECURITY
Department of Homeland Security
office of the secretary and executive management
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Secretary
and Executive Management'' to provide funds for the Office of
Policy, $2,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount is
solely for a contract with an independent non-Federal entity
to conduct a needs assessment for comprehensive border
security: Provided further, That the entire amount is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
office of the chief information officer
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Chief
Information Officer'' to replace and upgrade law enforcement
communications, $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the entire amount is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
united states visitor and immigration status indicator technology
For an additional amount for ``United States Visitor and
Immigration Status Indicator Technology'' to accelerate
biometric database integration and conversion to 10-print
enrollment, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That none of the additional appropriations made
available under this heading may be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for the
expenditure of such funds: Provided further, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Customs and Border Protection
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$180,000,000, of which $80,000,000 is for border patrol
vehicle replacement and $100,000,000 is for sensor and
surveillance technology: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve a plan for expenditure of these funds: Provided
further, That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to replace air
assets and upgrade air operations facilities, $790,000,000,
to remain available until expended, of which $40,000,000 is
for helicopter replacement and $750,000,000 is for
recapitalization of air assets: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve an expenditure plan for the complete recapitalization
of Customs and Border Protection air assets and facilities:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$120,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That none of the additional appropriations made available
under this heading may be obligated until the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
receive and approve a plan for expenditure for these funds:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
replace vehicles, $80,000,000: Provided, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
acquisition, construction and improvements
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for acquisition, construction, renovation,
and improvement of vessels, aircraft, and equipment,
$600,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
Improvements, and Related Expenses'' for construction of the
language training facility referenced in the Master Plan and
information technology infrastructure improvements,
$18,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am going to briefly talk about this
amendment tonight and then we will have more time in the morning if
necessary.
I had the opportunity 3 weeks ago tomorrow to go to the border, the
Mexico-California border. We flew. We could see the Arizona border. I
spent the day there and certainly got an understanding of some of the
problems that these valiant Border Patrol agents face.
San Ysidro, CA, is one of the entry points. It is hard to visualize
this, but think in your mind's eye of 24 lanes of traffic coming into
America from Mexico. That is what is at San Ysidro, 24 lanes of
traffic, one way; 24 lanes of traffic, 7 days a week, year round.
While I was there, the agent showed me some of the things they had
been able to catch: a little utility truck, and hidden in it was
narcotics in a secret compartment; a car, a compact car, and they had
built a canvas drop in it under the back seat. Eight people were
stuffed into that in the compact car, underneath so you couldn't see
them, but the dogs and agents were able to pick them up.
These were only two examples. All day long this goes on. I talked to
the agents about the walls that have been put up. These people, called
coyotes--call them whatever you want--these people, who are criminals,
who take money from Mexicans to bring them into the United States, sit
up on one
[[Page 5886]]
fence, which is a metal fence. On the other side there is a chain-link
fence. If they see a Border Patrol agent, they have these powerful
slingshots that have hospitalized our agents.
The Border Patrol agents say they can handle most of the traffic of
people coming across the border. But what they need is protection
against automobiles coming across the border. That is what they need
help with. In a few places they have big metal things, about this big,
that are stacked side by side to keep automobiles from coming across
the border.
The only reason I paint this very meager picture of some of the
things I saw is, as we speak, there is an emergency on the southern
border. I am happy for the $2 billion. I am happy to put it into border
security. That is important. I have talked about comprehensive
immigration reform, and I have done it often and I always start with:
Let's protect our borders. Then we move into the guest worker program,
then we move into the path of legalization, and then we move into what
we are going to do to make sure employer sanctions are meaningful.
I am in favor of the $2 billion, but I am not in favor of the across-
the-board cut that is in the underlying Gregg amendment. That is not
right. It is not right because it is robbing Peter to pay Paul. The
amendment I have offered will secure the border in the same way as the
Gregg amendment. It is the same amount of money. The difference is, I
say, on an emergency appropriations bill, which we have before us--if
there were ever an emergency, this is it--the Gregg amendment makes no
sense. I have the greatest respect for Senator Gregg. I think he is one
of the most principled people with whom I have ever dealt. But I say
this amendment makes no sense. It robs Peter to pay Paul at the end of
the day by taking vital resources away from who? Our military. And it
fails to make us more safe. It makes us less safe.
There are lots and lots of examples of what an across-the-board cut
would do. In order to pay for border security, it cuts the military
personnel account, which includes cuts to pay and benefits for our
Active Duty, our Guard and Reserve serving now in Iraq, Afghanistan,
and elsewhere around the world. Do we want to have an across-the-board
cut there? I don't think so. I hope not.
The underlying amendment, the Gregg amendment, makes cuts to
operations and maintenance which provide for the body armor, for
example, and the other day-to-day needs of our troops fighting in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
The underlying Gregg amendment makes cuts to the Iraqi security
forces training. I had the good fortune to be invited to the White
House today, and on the big TV screen there in the White House we had
the Ambassador to Iraq from the United States and General Casey telling
us what is going on in Iraq.
One of the things General Casey and Khalilzad talked about was what
is happening with the training of Iraqi forces. We are going to cut
this money down as a result of border security? I don't think that is a
good idea.
If we are going to succeed in Iraq, and that is very questionable at
this time, but if we are going to succeed in Iraq, and I hope we do,
one of the key areas of concern is the Iraqi security forces. If we are
going to bring our troops home, we have to bring them up, and this
amendment, the Gregg amendment, cuts those moneys.
The Gregg amendment makes cuts to the Joint Improvised Explosive
Device Defeat Fund, which aids our troops in eradicating the deadly
IEDs they confront daily. The reason that is so vitally important is
when the war started, basically what the terrorists used were garage
door openers. That is what they used, a garage door opener, basically.
A vehicle comes by, they planted a bomb, they push that down, it blows
up.
We have worked on ways to change that. But the Iraqis have also
worked to stay ahead of us. That is why we still have these bombs going
off. It is because we have to continually work with money from the
Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund to have scientists and other
technicians decide how we can defeat these explosive devices. The Gregg
amendment cuts these moneys.
The Gregg amendment makes cuts to the Defense Health Program which
provides medical assistance to our troops on the battlefield. One good
thing about this war--and there are not a lot of good things about this
war--is the percentage of the soldiers who are wounded who end up dying
is very much less than in any other war because we have such great
medical attention on the battlefield and we have protective equipment
for these soldiers.
So they are not dying at the rate they did in the first Iraqi war,
certainly not in Korea, and certainly not in the Second World War and
certainly not in Vietnam. But the Gregg amendment makes cuts to this
defense health program which provides medical assistance to our troops
who are in the battlefield, not after they have come home. And really,
the senseless nature of this amendment is that it makes cuts to the
Death Gratuity Fund which assists families of fallen soldiers.
Also, I think almost every Senator has been to Walter Reed or
Bethesda. You will see parents there with their wounded sons and
daughters, husbands and wives. There is a fund that helps bring these
people here. A lot of it is done through other charitable
organizations, but we don't want to cut the Defense Health Program. And
we don't want to cut the Death Gratuity Fund.
The Gregg amendment forces us to take from our troops to fortify our
borders. That is a false choice. We do not have to choose between a
secure border and a secure military, especially at a time when we are
in a war. We can secure our borders and support our military.
As I have indicated, I am 100 percent for securing our borders. But
we can find a better way to do it than cutting necessary resources from
the men and women who keep us safe. This is an emergency appropriations
bill. If there were ever an emergency, it is our border with Mexico and
at times the northern border.
So I hope we can go forward with these resources but, as with the
other things in this bill, this is an emergency. Our amendment calls
for spending the $2 billion, but it would fall in line with the other
matters in this bill. It would be an emergency.
I hope Senators will vote for this, what we call a side-by-side that
I have offered. This is the right way to do this. I don't think anyone
should have on his or her conscience voting an across-the-board cut on
a defense bill. This is basically a defense bill, this supplemental. We
should not have this on our conscience. Border security is an emergency
without any question in my mind. I hope Senators will agree.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Chambliss). The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, this is a statement of an agreement that
has been reached between the two leaders regarding the votes on the
pending amendments.
I ask unanimous consent that at 12 o'clock on Wednesday, April 26,
the Senate proceed to a vote on the pending Gregg amendment, as
modified, to be followed immediately by a vote on amendment No. 3604 on
the subject of border security offered by Senator Reid; provided
further that no second-degree amendments be in order to the amendments
and that when the Senate resumes consideration of the bill on Wednesday
all debate time until the votes be equally divided between the two
leaders or their designees.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is
so ordered.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Democratic
leader, and I thank all Senators for their cooperation in the
consideration of this bill today.
[[Page 5887]]
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Amendment No. 3594, As Modified
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Gregg
amendment be modified with the changes at the desk.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The
amendment is so modified.
The amendment (No. 3594), as modified, is as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--BORDER SECURITY
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR BORDER SECURITY
Department of Homeland Security
office of the secretary and executive management
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Secretary
and Executive Management'' to provide funds for the Office of
Policy, $2,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount is
solely for a contract with an independent non-Federal entity
to conduct a needs assessment for comprehensive border
security: Provided further, That the entire amount is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
office of the chief information officer
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Chief
Information Officer'' to replace and upgrade law enforcement
communications, $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the entire amount is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
united states visitor and immigration status indicator technology
For an additional amount for ``United States Visitor and
Immigration Status Indicator Technology'' to accelerate
biometric database integration and conversion to 10-print
enrollment, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That none of the additional appropriations made
available under this heading may be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for the
expenditure of such funds: Provided further, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Customs and Border Protection
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$180,000,000, of which $80,000,000 is for border patrol
vehicle replacement and $100,000,000 is for sensor and
surveillance technology: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve a plan for expenditure of these funds: Provided
further, That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to replace air
assets and upgrade air operations facilities, $790,000,000,
to remain available until expended, of which $40,000,000 is
for helicopter replacement and $750,000,000 is for
recapitalization of air assets: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve an expenditure plan for the complete recapitalization
of Customs and Border Protection air assets and facilities:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$120,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That none of the additional appropriations made available
under this heading may be obligated until the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
receive and approve a plan for expenditure for these funds:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
replace vehicles, $80,000,000: Provided, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
acquisition, construction and improvements
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for acquisition, construction, renovation,
and improvement of vessels, aircraft, and equipment,
$600,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
Improvements, and Related Expenses'' for construction of the
language training facility referenced in the Master Plan and
information technology infrastructure improvements,
$18,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE
reduction in funding
Sec. __. The aggregate amount provided by chapter 3 of
title I of this Act and chapter 3 of title II of this Act may
not exceed $67,062,188,000.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
MORNING BUSINESS
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent there now be a
period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to
10 minutes each.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
ENERGY PRICES
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I would like to make a few comments on what
is on the forefront of most people's minds today, especially if they
have been in their automobiles or their trucks or driving their
tractors, and that is the rising oil prices. As the weather heats up
and families plan their summer vacations, many are getting increasingly
frustrated by the rising price of gas. Every day it seems gas prices
are ticking up, and some areas of the country gas prices have already
topped a whopping $3 per gallon. Experts tell us that these already
high prices only threaten to get worse as we head into the summer
driving months.
While we understand global supply and demand pressures around the
world, especially China and India, are the main culprits, it really
doesn't seem fair to the average American consumer that they are having
to pay so much at the pump each time they fill up their vehicle. It
simply can't go on indefinitely. We can't continue to rely on foreign
oil that comes from governments that are unstable or are directly
hostile to America's interests. Just this week, Iran's hard-line
President threatened that ``the global oil price has not reached its
real value yet.''
We need to find short- and long-term solutions to America's dangerous
dependence on these foreign sources of oil. We need to find ways to
strengthen and diversify our own domestic supply.
On Monday, Speaker Hastert and I sent the President a letter. In that
letter we urged an effort to direct the Federal Trade Commission, as
well as the Department of Justice, to examine, investigate possible
price gouging and other anticompetitive practices that may be unfairly
driving up gas prices.
[[Page 5888]]
Price gouging, price fixing, and other forms of collusion are wrong.
They are immoral. They should be prosecuted to the full extent of
Federal and State law. I am pleased that the President announced
yesterday that the investigations we asked for are underway. I also
urge consumers to report any suspicious activity directly to the
Department of Energy's Web site so that we can track down any
wrongdoers and bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, Senator Stevens and others have developed an anti-price-
gouging bill in response to my request last fall following the hearing
with the CEOs of the major oil companies. I anticipate that the Senate
will take up the Stevens proposal. In addition, the President has
wisely called for suspending additions to the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve this summer. We have enough oil in the reserve to get through
any major short-term supply disruptions. While it is not a lot, this
brief halt will leave a little more oil on the market and, as the
President said, every little bit helps.
These are important first steps in bringing relief to millions of
Americans being pummeled with high prices at the pump. But there is
much more to be done. We need to think long term and strategically on
how to move the supply and demand equation in our favor by breaking
America's addiction to oil and diversifying our energy supply. Instead
of looking for scapegoats, as the other side is doing now, we need to
look for solutions and provide long-term security for the American
people.
Last summer, after a decade of partisan obstruction, Congress passed
a comprehensive energy bill. We doubled the amount of ethanol and
biodiesel in our gasoline. By 2012, this should reduce oil consumption
by 80,000 barrels a day. We passed a hybrid car tax credit of up to
$3,400 per vehicle. There is more that we can do to encourage consumers
to purchase fuel-efficient hybrid cars, and we will pursue those
options vigorously. The Energy bill also allocated significant funding
for research and development of hydrogen fuel cells. If just 20 percent
or one out of five cars used fuel cell technology, we would cut oil
imports by 1.5 million barrels a day.
We need to build on these initiatives and encourage American
consumers, the producers, and entrepreneurs to think beyond oil. I
believe, as does the President, that America's future lies with
technology that will allow Americans to use environmentally safe and
diverse energy sources. Instead of driving into a gas station, we will
pull up to a fueling station where we might plug in or fill up with
ethanol, electricity, or hydrogen or some combination that technology
has made possible.
Political instability in Venezuela won't send our energy prices
soaring. Foreign dictators won't be able to use oil to hold the world's
policies hostage. America will be safer and more secure with American
energy coming from American sources.
The Energy bill we passed last year is a good start. We can
accomplish a whole lot more if we can get bipartisan cooperation.
Unfortunately, when it comes to energy security, bipartisanship has
been hard to come by, and that makes solving the energy problem even
more difficult.
Developing new energy sources takes time and research. For example,
had President Clinton not vetoed ANWR a decade ago, the reserve would
be producing a million barrels of oil a day right now. That is about
three-fourths of what we currently import from Saudi Arabia.
I hope to be able to work with my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to find fair and effective ways to strengthen and diversify
America's energy supply.
Challenge, action, solutions--that is what the American people sent
us here to do. By staying focused on our long- term goals, we can keep
America moving forward.
____________________
METHAMPHETAMINE
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the growing problem of meth has been
particularly personal to me. As I have traveled across my home State of
Tennessee, I have heard the heart-wrenching stories of how meth is
tearing families apart and about the unique challenges that meth abuse
presents to law enforcement and social services.
I would like to commend Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Baucus
of the Finance Committee for holding a hearing earlier today to discuss
the social and economic impact of methamphetamine on our Nation's child
welfare system.
Law enforcement ranks the number one drug problem--above cocaine,
marijuana, and heroin. I am proud that the Senate listened to law
enforcement and that we acted earlier this year by passing the Combat
Meth Act. Because of this legislation, meth users in all 50 States are
now restricted from purchasing large quantities of ingredients, like
pseudoephedrine, used to make meth. This law is a step in the right
direction. However, as we heard today in the Finance hearing, there is
much left to be done.
One particular aspect of meth abuse that was addressed in the hearing
today is the impact that this poisonous drug is having on our Nation's
children. The hazards to children living in meth homes are numerous.
First, when meth is being cooked, children are exposed to dangerous
gases and hazardous waste which spread throughout the house,
contaminating everything, including the children's clothes and toys. A
recent study shows that the amount of exposure children living in meth
lab homes have is about the same as if they were using meth directly.
Secondly, these labs often explode, resulting in serious injuries,
burns, and even death to innocent children.
Children living in homes where meth is being made are also more
likely to be severely neglected and physically, mentally, and sexually
abused by members of their own family as well as other individuals who
may be present. Meth causes users to become paranoid and irritable,
often leading to child abuse. Once the drug wears off, users tend to
sleep for long periods and sometimes days, leaving children to fend for
themselves.
One individual testifying today told the committee about a mother who
was on a meth binge and literally forgot she had a baby. Child
protective services was called when the woman did not pick up her 2-
month-old from a babysitter. Three weeks later when the mother was
located, she admitted that she had been on a meth binge.
Child welfare services throughout the Country have seen a sharp
increase in the number of children removed from meth homes in the last
several years. Two weeks ago in Knoxville, TN, a 18-month-old boy was
rescued from a meth home when law enforcement raided the house and
arrested his mother and her boyfriend for manufacturing meth. Sadly,
this is just one example of a much larger problem.
In the last 2 years, over 1,000 children have been removed from homes
in Tennessee due to meth-related investigations. And, nationwide,
thousands more children were rescued from homes where meth was being
cooked. Dr. Nancy Young testified today that in the last 5 years, over
15,000 children have been impacted by meth manufacturing nationwide.
She added that this number was very low because many incidents go
unreported.
The methamphetamine epidemic continues to place a tremendous strain
on an already overburdened child welfare system. Child protective
services and welfare officials are struggling to cope with the
staggering increase in meth-related cases and the subsequent challenges
associated with this particular addiction. Social workers in rural
areas, where meth use is particularly prevalent, are rarely trained to
deal with the unique issues related to this drug. They put themselves
into harm's way every time they go into a home to rescue a child, both
because of the toxic chemicals to which they are exposed, as well as
the combative and sometimes violent state of the addicted parents.
As was highlighted by Chairman Grassley and Senator Baucus this
morning, the current funding structure for America's child welfare
system is outdated and ill-equipped to respond to
[[Page 5889]]
the challenges of the methamphetamine epidemic. We need to look at how
we can better help States and communities respond to the spike in the
number of meth-related child welfare cases, and I am pleased that the
Finance Committee will continue to investigate the Federal role in
healing children and families who are plagued by this dangerous and
highly addictive drug.
Again, I thank Chairman Grassley and Senator Baucus for holding the
hearing today. And, I commend the individuals who shared their stories
of recovery with the committee. From their testimony, we saw first hand
that treatment can work. We heard that education about the devastating
consequences of meth use can help to prevent potential users from going
down this path of destruction. And, we learned that far too many of our
Nation's children are being put at risk in homes where meth is being
cooked.
As we continue to address the important issue of combating
methamphetamine abuse, we need to do more to protect America's
children, to educate our citizens about the dangers of drug use, and to
support effective drug abuse treatment methods.
____________________
NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' WEEK AND LAS VEGAS TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize National Crime
Victims' Week, which began April 23 and runs through April 29. This
year's theme is Victims' Rights: Strength in Unity. Victims of violent
crime may never be able to forget the trauma they have suffered, but
with unity and support, they will have a chance to heal.
That is why I would also like to acknowledge a powerful event that
will take place in my home State of Nevada on April 28--the Take Back
the Night March.
Take Back the Night started in the late 1970s as a way to recognize
and protest the concerns women had about walking outside at night due
to threats of assault, rape, and murder. Since then, the event has
spread to almost every corner of the United States and around the globe
Hundreds, if not thousands, of Take Back the Night marches and
rallies are held each year--often in late April--to coincide with
National Crime Victims' Week. We have had events in Nevada before,
especially on our university campuses, but this year is the first
community-wide march in Las Vegas.
I am pleased to see this event expanding into the entire Las Vegas
community. Take Back the Night marches are positive events that bring
together communities and empower victims of domestic violence and
sexual assault. The women and men who have survived these crimes can
see they are surrounded by strong and supportive friends, neighbors,
family members, and advocates. As organized by the Rape Crisis Center,
this Take Back the Night includes activities for children and families,
music, food, an open microphone, and a peace rally.
I have been a longtime supporter of legislation to combat violence
against women, including the landmark Violence Against Women Act, VAWA.
I voted for VAWA in 1994 and its reauthorization in 2000 and 2005. Our
society can never be strong unless all its members feel safe in their
own homes and on their own streets. We must do more to stop domestic
violence and sexual assault.
I appreciate the time and effort of every Nevadan who is taking part
in this year's Take Back the Night March. I would especially like to
thank the Rape Crisis Center and its dedicated staff for organizing
this wonderful event. I look forward to working with them in the future
to make our streets safer.
____________________
TRIP TO COLOMBIA, PERU, BRAZIL AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, during the period of April 7-16, 2006, my
colleague on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Jeff Sessions, and
I traveled to Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic for a
firsthand view on issues of immigration, drug enforcement, and trade.
On April 7, 8, and 9, we traveled to Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia.
Upon exiting the plane, we immediately met with Ambassador William
Wood, who has been U.S. Ambassador to Colombia since August 13, 2003,
and is a graduate of Bucknell University.
I was looking forward to returning to Colombia in that I had not had
an opportunity to visit there since December 1999. At the time,
President Pastrana was the President of Colombia, and I had the
opportunity to discuss with him my concerns about the forcible
eradication of the supply of narcotics and the status of peace talks
between the Colombia Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia, FARC.
Traveling to Colombia this time, I was aware that Colombia was still
facing many serious challenges. Many of these suspicions were
corroborated by Ambassador Wood. Ambassador Wood stated that the United
States sent Colombia $600 million in aid in 2005. The purpose of this
aid is to assist Colombia against various drug cartels and guerilla
groups which threaten Colombia's security. Colombia faces two leftist
and one rightwing insurgent group that wage guerilla warfare, carrying
out kidnappings, hijackings, attacks on civilians, and political
assassinations. The primary threat that Colombia faces is from FARC.
Ambassador Wood estimated that FARC is composed of 17,000 members and
operates in approximately 40 percent of Colombia.
Senator Sessions and I were also made aware of some recent changes
that have occurred to Colombia's justice system. Ambassador Wood stated
that the new Colombian Justice system has instilled in the Colombian
people a new level of confidence in the prosecution of criminals. The
new system provides for live testimony through the implementation of an
oral accusatorial system, whereas the previous system was
nonadversarial and operated almost exclusively on the basis on written
testimony. Ambassador Wood stated that the new system is now in Bogota
and three other municipal areas. Over 17,000 prosecutors and judges
have received intensive training in the new accusatory system in 2005
from various U.S. agencies. The implementation of this new justice
system demonstrates that the Colombian Government is serious about
cracking down on crime and will no longer serve as a kangaroo court for
the benefit of the cartels.
Ambassador Wood also noted several other significant areas where the
Colombian Government has improved in the area of law enforcement.
Specifically, Ambassador Wood noted that the number of annual homicides
were at their lowest number in 18 years. The number of kidnappings is
down 39 percent, and terror attacks are down 42 percent under President
Uribe's administration.
Later during the trip to Colombia, we had the opportunity to meet
President Alvaro Uribe and Colombia's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Camilo Reyes. I came away extremely impressed with President Uribe and
his agenda for Colombia. President Uribe is a true Colombian patriot
who has elected to take the battle to FARC and to try to eliminate the
cultivation of illegal narcotics in his country. Based primarily on his
success against narcotic groups, President Uribe was reelected
President of Colombia on March 12, 2006, on a platform to defeat
guerillas, eliminate paramilitary organizations, end narcotrafficking,
and enhance Colombia's domestic security.
The first issue that Senator Sessions and I broached with President
Uribe was the issue of narcotics. Approximately 90 percent of the
cocaine that enters the United States and 80 percent of the heroin east
of the Mississippi comes from Colombia. President Uribe agreed with us
that the biggest problem in the war on drugs was lowering the
consumption of drugs. President Uribe believes, as do I, that so long
as there are consumers of drugs, people will keep producing it. Despite
this concern, President Uribe was adamant that Colombia, with continued
assistance from the United States, would be able to win the war on
drugs. President
[[Page 5890]]
Uribe felt that so long as the United States supplied financial aid to
Colombia for another 5 years, they will have taken significant steps
towards eliminating cocaine production from his country.
During our meeting with President Uribe, Senator Sessions and I also
discussed the recent actions that the U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives have taken on the issue of illegal immigration to the
United States. I was very curious to hear President Uribe's opinion on
how we might deal with the issue. President Uribe stated his belief
that it was important for the United States to legislate carefully in
this area in order to maintain a positive relationship with Colombia.
President Uribe noted that the United States needed friends in South
America in order to serve as a counterweight to Venezuela and President
Chavez. The comprehensive Senate bill that originated in the Judiciary
Committee, President Uribe noted, appears preferential to the House
bill.
Senator Sessions and I also asked President Uribe about the problem
of seasonal workers that emigrate from Colombia to the United States in
order to work temporarily on farms and don't return to Colombia once
their appointed working time period has elapsed. I was interested to
hear President Uribe state that he understood the concerns that the
United States has with seasonal workers that overstay the work period
in the United States. President Uribe stated that Colombia currently
has a good working relationship with both Canada and Spain and that he
would like to implement that same system with the United States. I
asked President Uribe to explain how Colombia was able to get their
seasonal workers to return from Canada and Spain after their designated
work period had elapsed. President Uribe stated that whenever Colombia
sends seasonal workers to Canada or Spain, they keep very close track
of where the temporary worker is working and for what time period he is
permitted to stay. Seasonal workers also have learned that if they
don't return to Colombia at the conclusion of the seasonal work period,
then they will never be permitted to participate in an overseas work
program again.
Despite President Uribe's approach on this topic, I still expressed
grave concerns whether this incentive of returning to seasonal work
would be enough to have seasonal workers return from the United States
at the conclusion of their work period. President Uribe said he would
consider having Colombian workers have microchips implanted into their
bodies before they are permitted to enter the United States to work on
a seasonal basis. I doubted whether the implantation of microchips
would be effective since the immigrant worker might be able to remove
them.
I also asked President Uribe what new policies he would like to see
the United States enact. President Uribe stated that the five nations
of the Andean community, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and
Bolivia, are going through trying times. President Uribe felt that it
was important that the United States maintain a good relationship with
Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia to combat the anti-American
influence of Venezuela's President Chavez. I had the opportunity to
visit President Chavez in December of 2005 and agree that he does pose
a threat to U.S. interests in South America. I still believe, however,
that it would be prudent for the United States to deal directly with
President Chavez in order to reach an understanding on some of our
Nation's differences.
Finally, President Uribe discussed with us a recent vote that had
just taken place concerning the protection of intellectual property
rights among the Andean nations. By way of background, in 2003,
President Bush announced the intentions of the United States to begin
negotiating a free-trade agreement, FTA, with Colombia, Peru, Ecuador,
and Bolivia. Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru currently benefit
from the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act, ATPDEA. This
trade pact, which is set to expire on December 31, 2006, authorizes the
President to grant duty-free treatment to certain products, with more
than half of all U.S. imports in 2004 from the Andean countries
entering under these preferences.
In a recent vote which just took place in the Andean community, the
community voted three to two to protect intellectual property rights in
trade agreements with the United States. Colombia, along with Peru and
Ecuador, voted in favor of the protection of intellectual property
rights, whereas Venezuela and Bolivia voted against the protection of
these rights. President Uribe is concerned about whether or not Peru
will still support the protection of intellectual rights once they
elect a new President in the summer of this year.
Later in Colombia, Senator Sessions and I met Susan Reichle, Deputy
Director of the USAID mission in Bogota, and Guillermo Del Coilitto,
Jorge Droujo and Rosano de Riccardi, board members on Project Unidad
Pedagogica Productiva Agroindustrial de Turbaco. During our visit to
the project, we were told that the project was started in order to
teach 300 displaced Colombian families how to generate income and
garner employment through agricultural and agribusiness activities in
Northern Bolivar, Colombia. This and other USAID projects in Colombia
provide income and employment opportunities to rural communities which
agree to give up the growth of narcotic crops and for those that are
displaced by the country's continued conflict. These projects serve to
instill these employment skills which they can market outside of the
cultivation of narcotics. I left Project Unidad Pedagogica Productiva
Agroindustrial de Turbaco with a favorable opinion of the work that
USAID is performing in Colombia.
When we visited the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, on April 8,
2006, we reviewed the incident of February 13, 2003, when a small U.S.
plane crashed in Colombia resulting in FARC taking hostage Marc
Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, and Tom Howes, who were under contract with
the Department of Defense in the war against drug traffickers. Despite
the best efforts by President Uribe to rescue these hostages, all
efforts, as of now, have been unsuccessful. During our visit to the
Embassy we were told that, if there were sufficient Department of
Defense resources applied, the hostages could be located. As a result
of this meeting, Senator Sessions and I sent a letter to Secretary of
Defense Rumsfeld on April 10, 2006, requesting that he allocate
additional resources toward the location of these men. In discussing
this matter with the personnel at the Embassy, it was obvious that they
wanted more resources for this effort as a successful outcome would
clearly have a positive impact on morale and national credibility. One
of the men at the Embassy said he thinks about the hostages every day.
The Embassy people talk about these men as POW and MIA and there are
plaques and signs displayed throughout the Embassy.
Senator Sessions and I also met with Robert Taylor, Assistant
Regional Director in the Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA, and Admiral
Alfonzo Diaz of the Colombian Navy. Mr. Taylor and Admiral Diaz
discussed the methods by which the Colombian cartels use to smuggle
cocaine and other drugs out of the country. We were advised that the
primary way that drugs are shipped out of Colombia is via the use of
go-fast boats. Go-fast boats can carry up to 3 tons of cocaine and can
reach high rates of speed. They are frequently used to transport drugs
to Mexico, Central American and Caribbean transshipment countries,
using refueling vessels to extend their range. Despite the advent of
go-fast boats, the Colombian navy, in conjunction with U.S. agencies,
was able to intercept $25 billion in cocaine in 2005 as a result of
their own faster go-fast midnight express boats, which can reach speeds
in excess of 60 knots.
Both Admiral Diaz and Mr. Taylor stated that Colombian law
enforcement has an excellent working relationship with the United
States and all of its agencies. One of the primary examples of this is
the sharp increase in the number of extraditions of Colombians
[[Page 5891]]
to the United States. Since President Uribe took office in 2002,
Colombia had extradited 304 Colombian nationals and 11 non-nationals to
the United States. In early 2005, Colombia extradited FARC leader
Nayibe Rojas Valderama and Cali Cartel leader Miguel Rodriguez
Orejuela. The zeal with which President Uribe's administration is
waging the war on drugs left little doubt that it is in the interests
of the United States to continue to assist him.
Senator Sessions and I arrived in Peru on April 10, 2006. I have had
the opportunity to travel to Peru on four previous occasions, the last
of which was on January 4, 2002. This was an optimum time to be in
Peru, as they are in the midst of Presidential elections which had
taken place the day before our arrival. We first met with Ambassador
Curtis Struble, who was confirmed as Ambassador to Peru on December 9,
2003. He and his staff gave us a country briefing and informed us that
Peru's poverty rate is approximately 50 percent, but that Peru's
economy is starting to rebound and per capita growth rate rose in 1
year from $2,100 a year to $2,800.
Soon after our meeting with Mr. Struble, we were met by Oscar
Marutua, Peru's Foreign Minister, and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Peru's
Prime Minister. I was especially impressed with Mr. Kuczynski, who is a
graduate of Princeton University and worked in New York City for 20
years. He reminded me of our squash match 4 years earlier and commented
on my ``drop'' shots.
One of our primary concerns was the status of Peru's recent
Presidential elections. Prime Minister Kuczynski advised us that there
were a total of 23 separate candidates running for President in Peru.
Out of these 23, only 3 were viewed as serious candidates. Ollanta
Humula, a leftwing candidate who had been receiving significant
monetary support from President Chavez, was leading in the early
election return with 30 percent of the vote. The other two primary
candidates, Ms. Lourdes Flores Nano and Alan Garcia, were characterized
by Mr. Kuczynski as moderates and were in a dead heat, each capturing
about 25 percent of the votes.
Mr. Kuczynski explained that under Peru's political system, if no
candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, then a run-off vote between
the top two candidates occurs on May 7, 2006. Without question, it will
be in the interest of the United States that either Ms. Flores Nano or
Mr. Garcia prevails in Peru's election for President.
Foreign Minister Maurtua stated that there are approximately 1
million Peruvians living in the United States. Of these, he estimated
that 50 percent were residing in the United States illegally. Kuczynski
suggested breaking the issue of immigration down into two parts: what
to do with the people already in the United States and what to do with
those who would like to go there.
Senator Sessions and I also met with Susan Keogh, Director of
Narcotics Affairs in Peru. Ms. Keough discussed the current
difficulties the Peruvian Government was having in combating narcotics
and the deleterious effect that narcotic cultivation has on the
environment. Ms. Keough stated that approximately 400,000 acres are
being deforested annually for the cultivation of coca and other plants.
On average, there are approximately 40,000 to 100,000 coca plants per 2
acres, which require about 2 tons of chemicals to be used for their
production. Since coca is very vulnerable to diseases, coca growers
cover the coca with pesticides which are very deleterious to the
environment. Some portions of these chemicals almost always find their
way into rivers and streams, as coca must be cultivated close to a
water supply.
I asked what efforts the Peruvian Government is taking to combat
these problems. Ms. Keough remarked that the Peruvian Government hardly
focuses on this issue and that the growth of cocaine and the effects on
the environment was rarely mentioned during the current Presidential
campaign. We suggested to Ms. Keough that she and her colleagues, who
were concerned about protecting the environment, should write letters
to the editor of respected Peruvian newspapers expressing their concern
over the growth of cocaine in Peru and the deleterious effects that
this cultivation is having on the environment.
Senator Sessions and I arrived in Brazil on April 12, 2006.
Immediately upon our arrival, we met with acting U.S. Ambassador and
Deputy Chief of Mission to Brazil, Phillip Chicola, a Cuban-American
who came to the United States in 1961 and graduated from Florida
Atlantic University. Mr. Chicola stated that, although Brazil views the
United States as an ally, the Brazilian administration has made
building relations with neighboring countries in the southern
hemisphere its first priority. He said that Brazil is seeking to
redress U.S. influence by strengthening ties with nontraditional
trading partners such as India and China.
Senator Sessions and I also asked Mr. Chicola about narcotics
trafficking throughout South America. Mr. Chicola stated that, although
Brazil is not a significant drug-producing country, Brazil does serve
as a conduit for cocaine moving to Europe and Africa. Specifically,
both Colombian and Bolivian drug smugglers attempt to transport cocaine
over the Brazilian borders. Although Colombian drug smugglers have had
some success in bringing narcotics across the border, the Amazon rain
forest and various rivers provide natural boundaries against drug
smuggling. As a result of these natural boundaries, drug smugglers have
attempted to fly drugs out of Colombia and into Brazil. Mr. Chicola
stated that the majority of drug smugglers now ship their cocaine
through Venezuela as a result of Brazil's shootdown law, which
authorizes the Brazilian Air Force to use lethal force in the
interdiction of aircraft suspected of involvement in drug trafficking.
Later during the trip we met with Under Secretary for South American
Affairs Ministry for External Relations, Jose Eduardo Felicio. Mr.
Felicio was an articulate, impressive man, who spent several years of
his life working in New York City. One of the first questions we asked
Mr. Felicio was how the United States can limit the destabilizing
effect that President Chavez has been having on South America. Mr.
Felicio stated that the Brazilian Government views Chavez as the
legitimately elected President of Venezuela even though they do not
approve of everything he says publicly. Mr. Felicio stated that,
despite Chavez's harsh rhetoric against the United States, Brazil does
not believe there is sufficient proof that Chavez is a disrupting force
in South America.
I also asked Mr. Felicio what steps the United Nations Security
Counsel should take in regards to Iran's attempts to develop nuclear
arms in violation of the nonproliferation treaty. Mr. Felicio stated
that, while Iran should cooperate with requests made by the
International Atomic Energy Association, Brazil does not believe that
Iran is being treated fairly because there is a double standard against
Iran. While certain countries like Israel, Pakistan, and India are
permitted to develop nuclear programs in violation of the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty, Iran has been unfairly singled out.
The next portion of the CODEL took us to Manaus, where we spoke with
Mr. Francisco Ritta Bernardino, the owner of many hotels throughout the
Amazon and noted author of several books dealing with the importance of
the Amazon ecosystem. A lawyer and entrepreneur, Mr. Bernardino told us
of his meeting with Jacques Cousteau, the famous diver and undersea
explorer who documented life in the Amazon from December 1981 to
November 1982. Mr. Bernardino stated that it was during this time
period that Jacques Cousteau convinced him that the greatest threat to
mankind was not nuclear war, but the destruction of nature. Cousteau
believed that if the destruction of the Amazon was not halted, mankind
would be sacrificing the future of their children and grandchildren.
Soon after Mr. Bernardino's meeting with Mr. Cousteau, he set about
the construction of the Ariau Amazon
[[Page 5892]]
Towers. Mr. Bernardino stated that he built the hotel in the middle of
the Amazon in order to help people become acquainted with the Amazon in
a region untouched by people. The Ariau Amazon Towers are built upon
seven wooden towers interconnected by raised walkways over portions of
the Amazon River. These walkways connect the towers with various docks
and paths that lead throughout the Amazon.
During our meeting with Mr. Bernardino, we inquired about the origin
of the Amazon River flow. Mr. Bernardino explained that the Amazon
River is created at the junction of the Negro and Solimoes Rivers near
Manaus. He stated that the water of the Negro River runs approximately
3,200 kilometers, originating from the various tributaries that spill
out of the Andes Mountains of Colombia and Peru. The water of the Negro
River is completely black, colored from the collection of minerals and
organic materials that it collects from hundreds of tributaries that
empty into it from the rock beds of the Andes. Mr. Bernardino explained
that, although the Negro River is full of acid and poor in oxygen, it
fertilizes the surrounding shores with its rich minerals. In contrast
to the Negro River, Mr. Bernardino stated that the water of the
Solimoes River is colored light blue and flows from the Brazilian-
Peruvian border. The Solimoes River runs for about 1,600 kilometers,
until it meets the black Negro waters where it merges to form the
Amazon River in a floodplain about 80 kilometers wide.
The Amazon River runs 5,904 kilometers in length; its basins widening
during the rainy seasons to as much as 100 kilometers. Mr. Bernardino
explained that approximately 1,100 tributaries empty their waters into
the Amazon and that the Amazon average width ranges from 2 to 30
kilometers, until it reaches a width of 230 kilometers when it empties
into the Atlantic Ocean. The flow of the Amazon river is so forceful
that the waters of the Atlantic Ocean are pushed approximately 2 to 5
kilometers away from the shoreline of the Amazon basin by its free-
flowing fresh water.
We also met with the National Aeronautical Space Administration,
NASA, Project Liaison to Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment,
Josefine Durazo, about the effects the deforestation of the Amazon is
having on global warming. Ms. Durazo explained that the Large Scale
Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment, LBA, is an international cooperative
research program led by Brazil and dedicated to the study of
International Geosphere-Biosphere studies regarding the deforestation
of the Amazon. She further stated that she worked with the LBA-ECO,
which is a subproject operating under the LBA, funded entirely by NASA.
The LBA-ECO is dedicated to gaining an understanding of how the
ecosystem of the Amazon functions as a system and what effects the
deforestation of the Amazon are having on climate control.
Ms. Durazo explained that NASA began funding the program in 1998 by
constructing tower sites which measure carbon flux in various
geographic areas within the Amazon. These towers, in conjunction with
extensive support by Brazilian researchers, enable NASA to measure the
flux of carbon levels during forest fires and lumbering projects. As a
result of this research, NASA and LBA have discovered that current
logging efforts in the Amazon cover an area nearly equal to that of the
portions that have already been deforested. Ms. Durazo stated that by
using these techniques, NASA and the LBA will soon be able to determine
the effect that the continued logging of the Amazon will have on the
level of carbon dioxide being emitted to the atmosphere.
After our meeting with Ms. Durazo, I had my staff reach out to
Michael Keller a physical scientist working at the International
Institute of Tropical Forestry. According to Mr. Keller, carbon dioxide
is responsible for the largest portion of the manmade greenhouse
effect. Each year, there are eight gigatons, 1 billion tons, of carbon
added to the atmospheric burden of carbon dioxide. Of those 8 gigatons,
1.6 result from land use change processes, such as the clearing of
forest and savanna in the tropics. Mr. Keller estimates that .3
gigatons of the carbon emitted to the atmosphere occurs as a result of
the deforestation of the Amazon. Accordingly, Mr. Keller and other
experts believe that the deforestation of the Amazon is playing a
significant role in the manmade greenhouse effect. NASA is continuing
to study the data that they have collected in the Amazon.
Senator Sessions and I arrived in the Dominican Republic on April 15,
2006, and met for a team briefing with Peter Reilly of the DEA, Andy
Diaz of the FBI, Michael Garuckis of the State Department, Jeff
Radgowski of the Coast Guard and Timothy Tubbs of the Department of
Homeland Security regarding issues of drug trafficking and immigration.
We were told at this briefing that the Dominican Republic's long
border with Haiti, combined with its overstretched law enforcement
agencies and geographic location in the Caribbean, make the country a
prime location for drug traffickers. Although the Dominican Republic is
not a major drug-producing country, it nonetheless acts as a transit
point for cocaine and heroin bound for the United States from Colombia
and Venezuela. The main trafficking points are by sea from Colombia,
which lies just 360 nautical miles from the coast of the Dominican
Republic.
We were also informed at this briefing that there are approximately
1.6 million Dominicans residing in the United States. In 2005, U.S.
immigration authorities repatriated 4,918 Dominicans. Most of those
returned to the Dominican Republic had served 4 to 9 years in jail in
the United States.
After our country briefing, we traveled to see a training program run
by the Hotel Association with assistance from USAID and the Peace Corp
at La Romana Bayahibe Tourism Cluster, Romana Cluster. The Hotel
Association is attempting to educate and train the local populace in
order to make the Dominican Republic more attractive to tourists. The
Romana Cluster is a community of homes built by USAID for displaced
individuals on land purchased by the Hotel Association for displaced
Dominicans.
While there, we met with Lisette Gill, the executive director of the
Romana Cluster, and Rosa Garza of the Peace Corps. Ms. Gill explained
that the Romana Cluster was started in 2001 by USAID to train the local
community in marketable skills so that the area would be more
attractive to tourists. Ms. Gill stated that the Romana Cluster
receives approximately $250,000 annually from the Hotel Association.
Ms. Gill took us to a high school that was constructed by the Hotel
Association for 120 students living in the Romana Cluster. Before the
construction of this high school, we were told that Dominicans living
in the area could not attend high school, as there was no public
schooling available in the area.
Later that evening, we met with the Foreign Minister for the
Dominican Republic, Mr. Carlos Morales Troncoso. I told the Foreign
Minister that I had spoken to President Uribe about the problem of the
United States of getting guest workers to return to their native
country after they had finished working, and I was interested to hear
his thoughts on the subject. Mr. Troncoso stated that the Dominican
Republic had just begun a guest worker program with Spain. The
Dominican Republic guest worker program was a 2-year program whereby
the government would keep a log of where the worker would be working in
Spain and where they could find him. Mr. Toncoso explained that, so
long as the worker performed well and returned to the Dominican
Republic at the end of the working season, then it would be permissible
for the worker to work in Spain the following year. He stated that if
the worker does not come back, that worker would be barred from being
eligible for any future participation in a guest worker program.
Mr. Troncoso admitted that there is always the problem of some guest
workers not wanting to return to the
[[Page 5893]]
Dominican Republic, but nonetheless, the current system seems to be
working well. Mr. Troncoso stated that, in 2005, Dominican Republic
citizens working in the United States sent approximately $2.8 billion
back to their families in the Dominican Republic.
Senator Sessions and I also had the opportunity to meet with
President Leonel Fernandez Reyna. President Reyna was a very impressive
man who was born in Santo Domingo in 1953 and moved to New York City in
1956 where he attended elementary and junior high school. President
Reyna returned to the Dominican Republic in 1969 and served as
President from 1996-2000 but was not permitted to run again as a result
of term limits. In 2003, however, the Dominican Republic constitution
was changed, permitting President Reyna to become President for a
second time in 2004.
President Reyna spoke to us about the border problems that the
Dominican Republic was having with illegal Haitian immigrants entering
the Dominican Republic. President Reyna explained that, while the
Dominican Republic's unemployment rate was 17.4 percent, Haiti's was
approximately 50 percent. As a result of this, the Dominican Republic
must constantly contend with Haitian citizens coming across the border
looking for work. President Reyna stated that it was imperative for the
Dominican Republic to encourage the expansion of democratic
institutions in Haiti, in the hope that this would lead to political
stability.
We returned to Washington on April 16 to use the second week of the
recess to work on the immigration bill.
____________________
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Staff Sergeant Kevin P. Jessen
Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to SSG Kevin
P. Jessen of Paragould, AR. To those who knew him best, he was a loving
husband and proud father whose life was filled with love and laughter.
To his fellow soldiers serving on the battlefields of Iraq, he was a
hero who, in the course of saving countless American and Iraqi lives,
sacrificed his own.
His lifelong interest in military history and explosives led him to a
career as an explosive ordnance disposal technician. It came as no
surprise to friends and family that the young Arkansan, who spent
countless hours as a child playing with G.I. Joe toys and bottle
rockets, would become a soldier. He joined the ROTC while in high
school and upon graduation enlisted in the National Guard before
ultimately joining the U.S. Army.
Staff Sergeant Jessen's first of three tours in Iraq occurred shortly
after Operation Desert Storm when he helped dispose of explosives left
over from the war. In 2004, he returned through service in Operation
Iraqi Freedom, only to return for a third tour 6 months after his
second was completed. While serving in a foreign land seemingly worlds
away from home, his heart and thoughts were undoubtedly never far from
his wife Carrie and his 2-year-old son, Cameron. Between tours of duty,
this battle-hardened soldier was often found changing diapers or
handling bottle feedings in the middle of the night. It was the proud
duty of a man who loved his family so very much, and it was symbolic of
his devotion to them.
Throughout his time in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Jessen's role as an
explosives ordnance disposal technician ensured that he was often
called upon to disarm roadside bombs. Although it continually placed
him in the line of danger, he selflessly saw it as his duty to help
protect the lives of his fellow soldiers as well as the lives of Iraqi
civilians. Tragically, while serving on a postblast investigation on
March 4, 2006, he was killed by a secondary explosion in Rawah, Iraq.
At Staff Sergeant Jessen's memorial service, he was laid to rest with
full military honors. Hundreds of family, friends, and those wishing to
pay their respects joined together to remember this young Arkansan and
to honor the life he led. Along his funeral procession, members of a
grateful community endured the cold weather to honor this fallen hero,
many with hands held over the hearts and waving American flags. At the
cemetery, the American flag that had draped Staff Sergeant Jessen's
casket was folded and presented to Carrie and Cameron as a token of
remembrance of the man they loved and the sacrifice he made on behalf
of us all.
Although the 28 years that Kevin Jessen spent with us were far too
short, I am hopeful that his friends, family, and loved ones find some
solace knowing that he touched the lives so many. He set examples of
devotion to family and country that we should all follow, and he led an
honorable life of love and selflessness that will continue to serve as
an inspiration to us all.
My thoughts and prayers are with Carrie, Cameron, and all those who
knew and loved this fallen hero.
Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery
Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep
sense of gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from Warsaw,
IN. SSG Brock Beery, 30 years old, died on March 23 when his armored
vehicle struck a land mine 80 miles west of Baghdad. With his entire
life before him, Brock risked everything to fight for the values we
Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
Brock decided to pursue a career in the Army in 1994, immediately
following his graduation from Tippecanoe Valley High School. Remembered
as a good student and a good husband, Brock took great pride in his
work. He remained close to his family throughout his time in Iraq and
planned to attend his younger sister's high school graduation in June.
His father recounted to a local newspaper, ``[Brock] liked his job. He
liked challenges; he put his best foot forward every time. He gave his
best to his family, too.''
Brock was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi
Freedom. He was a member of the Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion,
123rd Armored Division, based in Bowling Green, KY. This brave young
soldier leaves behind his mother and father, Pamela and Roger Beery;
his wife and 7-year-old daughter, Sara and Elissa; his sister, Hope;
and his brothers, Joel and Tobey. He was serving his third overseas
tour of duty.
Today, I join Brock's family and friends in mourning his death. While
we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take pride
in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will
remember when they think of Brock, a memory that will burn brightly
during these continuing days of conflict and grief.
Brock was known for his dedication to his family and his love of
country. Today and always, Brock will be remembered by family members,
friends and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero and we honor the
sacrifice he made while dutifully serving his country.
As I search for words to do justice in honoring Brock's sacrifice, I
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain
that the impact of Brock's actions will live on far longer that any
record of these words.
It is my sad duty to enter the name of Brock A. Beery in the official
record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and for his
profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace. When I think
about this just cause in which we are engaged and the unfortunate pain
that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope that families like
Brock's can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said,
``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from off all faces.''
May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be
with all of you, as I know He is with Brock.
[[Page 5894]]
____________________
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2005
Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the need for
hate crimes legislation. Each Congress, Senator Kennedy and I introduce
hate crimes legislation that would add new categories to current hate
crimes law, sending a signal that violence of any kind is unacceptable
in our society. Likewise, each Congress I have come to the floor to
highlight a separate hate crime that has occurred in our country.
In March 2006, Gregory Pisarcik was sentenced to life in prison in
Santa Ana, CA for the murder of Narciso Leggs, a gay man. During the
attack, Pisarcik repeatedly hit Leggs over the head with a champagne
bottle. When police later found his body one ear had been cut off and
anti-gay slurs were written all over his body. According to sources,
police feel that sexual orientation was a motivation for the attack.
I believe that the Government's first duty is to defend its citizens,
to defend them against the harms that come out of hate. The Local Law
Enforcement Enhancement Act is a symbol that can become substance. I
believe that by passing this legislation and changing current law we
can change hearts and minds as well.
____________________
GENOCIDE IN SUDAN
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Each
year, our Nation commemorates this tragic event with a week-long period
of remembrance, and this Thursday, I will join several of my colleagues
in a ceremony honoring the victims of the Holocaust in the Capitol
Rotunda. The theme for this year's ``Days of Remembrance,'' the
``Legacies of Justice,'' honors the courage and fortitude of those who
testified during the trials of Nazi war criminals.
As many of my colleagues know, I have a personal connection to those
trials. My father, Senator Thomas Dodd, then a young lawyer, was asked
by the chief counsel for the United States at Nuremberg, U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Robert Jackson, to join his prosecutorial team. My father
served as vice-chairman of the Review Board and as executive trial
counsel, and his experiences at those trials greatly influenced his
thinking on human rights and the importance of international justice
for the rest of his life.
One of the major accomplishments of the prosecutors and witnesses at
Nuremberg was publicly exposing the scope of depravity of Nazi crimes.
My father and his colleagues went to great lengths to meticulously
record that evidence, and their efforts formed the basis of much of our
current knowledge about the Holocaust. According to the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum, for example, it was during the Nuremberg trials that
the world first heard the estimate of 6 million Jewish deaths.
I believe that my father and his colleagues placed so much emphasis
on revealing the extent of Nazi crimes in large part because they
understood that the Nuremberg proceedings had the potential to reach an
audience that far exceeded the four members and four alternate members
of the Tribunal sitting in judgment of the defendants. These trials
would reveal to the world and to future generations that such
unthinkable crimes were possible, and that the international community
must, therefore, stand up to injustice and abuse wherever they occur.
The evidence uncovered by the Tribunal was truly horrific. Indeed,
the crimes committed by the Nazis were so heinous that they required a
new lexicon to describe them. These crimes were prosecuted under the
legal terminology of ``crimes against humanity,'' but later, an
entirely new word describing them was formalized: genocide. Genocide
refers to certain actions committed with the ``intent to destroy, in
whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.''
Sadly, the crime of genocide is not unique to the Holocaust. In
Bosnia, Cambodia, and, of course, Rwanda, too many innocents died while
the world looked away. And today, in Darfur, Sudan, escalating violence
is claiming thousands of additional lives in a conflict that the
Congress unanimously declared genocide almost 2 years ago, in July
2004. Secretary of State Colin Powell made that same declaration in
September of that year.
Several weeks ago, I received a DVD about the situation in Darfur
made by a group of Danbury, CT, high school students. The DVD, entitled
``The Promise,'' is truly a wake-up call. The title, of course, refers
to the promise made by the world after the Holocaust--the promise of
``Never Again.''
Yet, as these students so vividly portray, the people of Darfur
continue to suffer while the world takes too little notice. By some
estimates, as many as 300,000 people, many of them civilians, may have
lost their lives in Darfur since the start of the conflict. The
Government of Sudan has refused to curtail, and in many instances has
actively supported, the activities of Jingaweit militias that have
attacked and targeted tribal groups of African decent.
In a particularly moving segment of their DVD, the Danbury students
display some of the artwork of children who have fled their homes in
Darfur. As the students say, so much can be learned through the eyes of
a child, and these images, produced by the children without any
prompting, are of war, fire, and death. I think of my own children and
shudder to imagine them suffering through the terror that afflicts the
children of Darfur every day. Indeed, despite all that we have learned
since Nuremberg, I am sad to say that the promise of ``Never Again''
remains a promise unfulfilled.
But while the story of Darfur is clearly one of tragedy, it is also
one of hope. Since the start of the conflict, I have been impressed by
the dedication and advocacy demonstrated by the people of Connecticut
on this issue. If we are ever to fulfill ``the promise,'' it will be
due to the extraordinary efforts of dedicated individuals such as these
Danbury High School students. I am proud that these students, just like
the brave individuals who stood up to testify at the Nuremberg
Tribunals 60 years ago to demand justice, are standing up to demand
action in Darfur today.
In their DVD, the Danbury High School students cite a famous
statement by Ghandi: ``Be the change you wish to see in the world.'' I
can think of no greater compliment to these students and the numerous
individuals in Connecticut and across this country who have advocated
for increased international action in Darfur, than to say that they
have lived up to that admonition. I ask unanimous consent that the
names of the Danbury students who made this DVD be included in the
record following my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(See exhibit 1.)
Mr. DODD. Today is a day of remembrance, but in remembering, we are
also called to action. This week, we are debating the President's
emergency supplemental request. To his credit, the President has
included in that request substantial funds to support the African Union
peacekeeping operation in Darfur and new humanitarian assistance.
Moreover, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations is
scheduled to brief the Security Council tomorrow, on potential U.N.
missions in Darfur. It is my hope that they will advocate a strong
United Nations Peacekeeping force, despite Sudanese objections. It is
also my fervent hope that we in the Senate actively support an
increased international role in Darfur. Because only with our support
can any international force hope to meet the enormous challenge of
protecting the civilian population and providing a safe environment to
supply humanitarian relief.
Finally, just as at Nuremberg the international community enforced
justice where justice had too long been blind, I call on the Bush
administration to actively support the work of the International
Criminal Court in prosecuting those individuals who have committed
crimes against the people of Darfur and against all humanity. I know
the ICC is not popular in some circles of the Bush administration, but
[[Page 5895]]
I believe it is the best tool we have to enforce the vision of
universal justice that was inspired by Nuremberg.
Following the trials of the major war criminals before the
International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, President Truman
declared: I have no hesitancy in declaring that the historic precedent
set at Nuremberg abundantly justifies the expenditure of effort,
prodigious though it was.
Individuals such as my father expected that the historic precedent
described by President Truman would long inspire nations to take action
against crimes such as those prosecuted at Nuremberg. The lesson of
Nuremberg to these individuals was indeed the promise of ``Never
Again.'' I hope that on this somber day of remembrance, we will commit
ourselves to renewing that promise.
Exhibit 1
Background--A Danbury High School Project
``The Promise'' is a Danbury High School student video
about genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. After school
for three months at the end of 2005, a group of students
worked with assistant principal Tim Salem on the project. The
result is an eight minute documentary meant to raise
awareness about the genocide and motivate action. The name
``The Promise'' is a reminder of the promise the United
Nations and the world made in 1945 to hold people accountable
for crimes against humanity. With the backdrop of the
Holocaust, narration, images and quotations, the focus is on
the plight of the children of Darfur. The world was promised
``never again''. The children and people of Darfur are
waiting.
Credits
All students are members of the class of 2006 Danbury High
School, Danbury, Connecticut.
Created by: Timothy Salem and Brian Simalchik.
With: Katherine Calle, Caitlin Eaglin, Catherine Trieu and
Lily Yeung.
Written by: Timothy Salem.
Narrated by: Emily DeMasi.
Edited by: Brian Simalchik.
Appearing: Katherine Calle, Emily DeMasi, Caitlin Eaglin,
Mathew Ficinus, Simone Hill, Nick Noone, Michael Steinmetz,
Catherine Trieu, Brian Wright.
Special thanks to: Brianna English, William Najam, Emmanuel
Omokaro, Adam Pin, Greg Scalzo, David Shih, Iwonka Stepniak,
Allison Walker.
____________________
IMMIGRATION REFORM
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise to express concern about the
consideration of comprehensive immigration reform legislation. As a
member of the Judiciary Committee, I have been involved in the
democratic process of reviewing, amending, and voting on this year's
immigration bill. I was one of six Republicans who opposed the
legislation in the committee on March 27.
When the bill was brought to the floor of the U.S. Senate, a select
group of Members forged a ``compromise'' that drastically changed title
VI of the bill that deals with the 11 million illegal aliens currently
in the United States.
The Senate had very little time to review the bill. Moreover, some
Members opposed any amendment that would change the Hagel-Martinez
compromise. I had numerous amendments that would have improved the
bill. However, the other side of the aisle refused to let our
deliberative body do its job.
As a representative of the people of Iowa, I believe amendments
should be debated. Therefore, I have asked the majority leader to make
me aware of any unanimous consent agreements that both sides aim to
enter into before unanimous consent is agreed to. I ask unanimous
consent that my letter be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
United States Senate,
Charles E. Grassley,
Washington, DC, April 25, 2005.
Hon. William Frist,
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
Dear Leader Frist: I respectfully request that I be
consulted prior to the entering into of any and all Unanimous
Consent Agreements with regard to the Senate's ongoing
consideration of any and all immigration reform or border
security related legislation. This would include, but not be
limited to, S. 2611 and S. 2612. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley,
United States Senator
____________________
91ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, this month people around the world are
joining together to remember and honor the men, women, and children who
perished in the Armenian genocide. One and a half million Armenians
were systematically massacred at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, and
over 500,000 more were forced to flee their homeland of 3,000 years. It
is important that we note this terrible tragedy.
When the Armenian genocide occurred, from 1915 to 1923, the
international community lacked a name for such atrocities. In January
1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide entered into force to affirm the international commitment to
prevent genocide and protect basic human decency. Today, we have the
words to describe this evil, and we have an obligation to prevent it.
But we must also have the will to act.
The Armenian genocide may have been the first instance of what
Winston Churchill referred to as ``the crime without a name,'' but it
was certainly not the last. During the Holocaust, and later in the
former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the world has seen the crimes of ethnic
cleansing and genocide recur again and again. Too often, the
international will to stop atrocities has been lacking, or far too late
in coming. Today, as the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, continues to
unfold, we have to muster the will and the sense of urgency required to
save innocent lives.
The international community has made the first steps, but it has a
long way to go in punishing and, particularly, preventing genocide. As
we move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia's genocide. We
cannot be misled by the rhetoric of scapegoating, denial, and
obfuscation used by murderous leaders to disguise their agenda. And we
cannot respond to evidence of methodical, brutal violence by wringing
our hands and waiting for some definitive proof that these events
qualify as genocide. Enforcing a collective, international commitment
to prevent and stop genocides from occurring is imperative. We owe the
victims of the Armenian genocide this commitment.
This is why we must remember the Armenian genocide. To forget it is
to enable more genocides and ethnic cleansing to occur. We must honor
its victims by reaffirming our resolve to not let it happen again.
____________________
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, 7 months ago, the world watched in
horror and disbelief as Hurricane Katrina tore through the gulf coast
and left massive devastation in its wake. We have seen the pictures of
toppled buildings, collapsed houses, and communities covered in an
endless blanket of debris. We have wondered--how will they ever
recover?
With the help of volunteers, slowly they are making progress.
Hundreds of selfless do-gooders have been putting on hard hats, wading
through homes knee-deep in mud, clearing debris and literally doing the
dirty work.
April is National Volunteers Month. I wish to recognize it by saying
thank you to all the volunteers and service workers everywhere. And
this year I especially want to honor those helping out with Hurricane
Katrina recovery. They are taking time out of their lives to help their
fellow Americans in their time of need--and they are doing it out of
the goodness of their hearts.
AmeriCorps is the embodiment of this spirit of volunteerism and
service to the country. Since 1989, I have been a leader in the
creation of AmeriCorps. I introduced the National and Community Service
Act to establish the Corporation for National and Community Service to
oversee and coordinate our national volunteer efforts and to create a
demonstration program that has evolved into what we know today as
AmeriCorps. As one of the founders, I have been its chief advocate in
the Senate. I fought to create AmeriCorps, I fought to strengthen
AmeriCorps, and
[[Page 5896]]
I will continue to fight to save key AmeriCorps programs.
Hundreds of members of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community
Corps, NCCC, have set up camp in the gulf region. They have provided
more than 250,000 service hours valued at $3.8 million to Hurricane
Katrina recovery projects. They are helping thousands get their homes,
their communities, and their lives back.
Their help is needed now more than ever. But President Bush's fiscal
year 2007 budget would completely eliminate the NCCC program and close
its five campuses nationwide--including one in my own home State at
Perry Point, MD. The Government let the people of the gulf coast down
when Hurricane Katrina hit, we can't let them down in her aftermath.
That is why I fought back against President Bush's budget cuts and
worked to make sure the emergency supplemental spending bill, which
will be considered on the Senate floor this week, contained $20 million
for the NCCC to support volunteer hurricane recovery activities on the
gulf coast and other affected areas.
AmeriCorps volunteers tackle the toughest problems in our
communities. Not only are NCCC teams a vital resource in hurricane
recovery on the gulf coast, they are deployed nationwide to build
homes, clear thousands of acres of forests burnt by wildfires, and
tutor children. They are unflagging, unflinching, and determined to
make a difference. And we need their help. Now is not the time to take
our volunteers for granted and turn our backs on the NCCC. It is time
to thank them not just with words but with deeds.
____________________
RETIREMENT OF JOYCE A. RECHTSCHAFFEN
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to convey my deep
gratitude and everlasting appreciation to my Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee staff director, Joyce A. Rechtschaffen,
who is leaving the Senate after 10 years of service in my personal
office and 7 on the committee to head Princeton University's
governmental affairs office here in Washington.
Benjamin Franklin once said: ``Energy and persistence conquer all
things.''
That six-word sentence sums up a career of accomplishments that could
fill volumes.
Joyce was on the front lines of many of the challenges of the century
just past and the century just begun. And through her energy and
persistence she accomplished great things for the American people.
I hired Joyce in 1989, shortly after I was sworn in as a freshman
Senator, and the two of us learned the ropes of this institution
together.
She worked for me on the Environment and Public Works Committee,
later moving to my personal office as my environmental legislative
assistant and counsel.
Joyce, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School,
developed a reputation as a tiger early on, contributing significantly
to the Clean Air amendments of 1990, working passionately to preserve
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and proposing innovative solutions
to stemming harmful greenhouse gases.
It is a reputation she not only never lived down but made a point of
earning time and time again on issue after issue.
In 1999, I became ranking member of the former Government Affairs
Committee, and I appointed Joyce as minority staff director. In 2001, I
became chairman when Democrats regained control of the Senate, and
Joyce became majority staff director through the following year.
Whether in the majority or minority, Joyce never let up. With her
brilliant mind, near photographic memory, and absolute dedication to
the job, Joyce has seen this committee through 6 years of profound
accomplishment.
She brought her knowledge of environmental issues to bear by
launching principled and studied investigations into the Bush
administration's regulatory actions and energy policies.
Joyce helped this committee run its investigation of the demise of
the Enron Corporation, establish the 9/11 Commission, and write
legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security and the
reorganization of our intelligence systems--among the most significant
reorganizations of Government in half a century.
And in her final mission for the committee and the American people,
Joyce helped shepherd our bipartisan investigation and report on the
Government's failed response to Hurricane Katrina.
Leading by example, Joyce helped assemble and retain a loyal staff
whose work ethic and dedication have been tested time and time again
with late nights on tight deadlines handling mighty challenges for the
American people. They are the envy of the Senate.
But this is all in Joyce's nature. Shaking things up was just part of
Joyce's nature. To Joyce, the status quo was often a barrier to
progress that must fall as the constant casualty of time as we advance
the cause of making our Nation safer, fairer, and more just for each
and every American.
I am sorry to lose Joyce's vast knowledge and expertise, and I will
miss her sound advice, strict attention to every aspect of an issue,
and most of all her faithful service to me through 17 years.
But Joyce, you can walk away knowing that it was a job well done.
Robert F. Kennedy said: ``Few will have the greatness to bend history
itself. But each of us can work to change a small portion of events,
and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this
generation.''
Joyce, through her energy, persistence, and selflessness, has written
herself silently into the history of the great challenges of this
generation and left a legacy of achievement that will be both the envy
and inspiration for all those who follow.
Unfortunately, our committee has not had a markup since Joyce
announced her retirement; our next one will be next week, after Joyce
has left us. But because we owe her so much, I will be asking the
committee at next week's markup to report an original resolution
thanking her. Chairman Collins has said she will join me in this
resolution, the text of which follows these remarks. But let me close
by saying thank you Joyce. I owe you more than I can say, and I wish
you all the best.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of a proposed resolution be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Thanking Joyce Rechtschaffen for Her Service to the Senate and to the
Committee on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen, an accomplished environmental
lawyer, joined the staff of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman upon
his entry into the Senate in 1989 and served as his
legislative assistant and counsel for environmental issues
for almost ten years;
Whereas during her tenure in Senator Lieberman's office,
Joyce Rechtschaffen contributed significantly to the
protection of the nation's environment, most significantly
through important contributions to the landmark 1990
amendments to the Clean Air Act, ceaseless efforts work to
protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and innovative
proposals to stem the harmful effects of greenhouse gasses;
Whereas in 1999, upon Senator Lieberman becoming the
Ranking Member on the then-named Governmental Affairs
Committee, Joyce Rechtschaffen took on the new challenge of
serving as Democratic Staff Director;
Whereas during her more than seven years in that position,
Joyce Rechtschaffen has worked tirelessly to advance the work
of the Committee and of the nation;
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen has played a leading role in
every accomplishment of the Committee since 1999, from the
2002 creation of the Homeland Security Department, to the
establishment of the 9/11 Commission that same year, to the
2004 reorganization of the Intelligence Community, to the
Committee's 2006 investigation into the governmental response
to Hurricane Katrina, among many other things;
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen has shown the same focus and
dedication to all of the work of the Committee no matter how
significant the issue at hand;
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen has been a model manager,
staffer, employee and colleague to all who have worked with
her;
[[Page 5897]]
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen has worked tirelessly and
selflessly for the Committee these past seven years, often at
great personal sacrifice:
Whereas Joyce Rechtschaffen has been a model of integrity,
intelligence, compassion and commitment to building a better
America and has shown herself to be the very best and
brightest of both civil and Congressional service; Now
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs thanks Joyce Rechtschaffen for her years
of work for and dedication to the Senate and to the Committee
and wishes her every success in her future endeavors.
____________________
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
______
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA GRIZ
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, in Montana, we have a long and
proud athletic heritage, and the University of Montana men's basketball
team has added yet another chapter to this great legacy.
The Griz finished their Cinderella season with a 24-to-7 record.
Among their many great achievements this season was beating perennial
basketball powerhouse Stanford, upsetting the top-seeded Northern
Arizona Lumberjacks to win the Big Sky tournament, and shocking the No.
5 seeded Nevada Wolfpack in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
This truly was a magical season for our Griz. By advancing to the
second round of the NCAA tournament, the Griz accomplished a feat no
Griz team had in over 30 years. Yet this season was about more than
just wins and losses, it was about a team that is a true class act--
both on and off the court.
This team's dedication to their school, their fans, their studies,
and their community is a direct reflection of the man who leads them.
Coach Larry Krystkowiak is truly the epitome of what it means to be a
Montanan. Growing up in a small town, Coach ``K'' went on to play
basketball at the University of Montana, where he still holds the
record for the most points and rebounds in a career. Once he completed
his collegiate career, he went on to a successful career in the NBA.
After his retirement from professional basketball, Coach ``K'' moved
to the other side of the bench and became an assistant coach.
Eventually he found himself back home, as coach of the Griz. As head
coach, Coach ``K'' instilled in his team that being a college athlete
is about more than just playing a sport, it is about being a role model
for a community. Nothing exemplifies this mentality more than when
Coach ``K'' himself offered to have his head shaved in order to show
support to a friend who had recently been diagnosed with cancer and to
raise money for children who were battling the disease.
I want to take this opportunity to publicly congratulate each player
on the roster, the coaching staff, Coach ``K'', and the entire
University of Montana community for their magical season.
I ask that the list of coaches and team members be printed in the
Record.
The information follows:
2005-2006 University of Montana Men's Basketball Team
Coaches: Larry Krystkowiak, Head Coach; Andy Hill; Brad
Huse; and Wayne Tinkle.
Players: Mike Chavez; Kevin Criswell; Matt Dlouhy; Bryan
Ellis; Jordan Hasquet; Matt Martin; Virgil Matthews; Stuart
Mayes; John Seyfert; Kyle Sharp; Greg Spurgetis; Andrew
Strait; Austin Swift; and Eric Van Vliet.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO VICTOR FONTANEZ
Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Mr. Victor
Fontanez of Platte City, MO. Mr. Fontanez is a World War II veteran who
served with distinction in Europe from 1942 to 1945.
Mr. Fontanez joined the Army in January of 1941, 11 months before the
attacks on Pearl Harbor. He recognized the need for soldiers to answer
the call, and swiftly volunteered for service wherever he could be
used. Joining Company B, 47th Infantry Battalion, 9th Division, Mr.
Fontanez was quickly shipped to North Africa where he participated in
the larger Battle of Tunisia against German Field Marshal Erwin
Rommel's vaunted Afrika Korps.
In April of 1943, near the town of El Guettar, his battalion was
given orders to go over the top of an important hill. As he ran down
the hill towards the enemy, a mortar shell exploded close to him,
sending shrapnel into the left side of his body. Despite profuse
bleeding, he continued on to the bottom of the hill and took cover near
a large rock. Another mortar hit the rock, sending concussions through
his body and making it difficult to breathe. After the attack, his
fellow heroes helped him back to the headquarters, where he was patched
up quickly and evacuated to an American hospital in Oran.
For the wounds he suffered that day, he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After his recovery, he was assigned to the 36th Infantry Division as
a combat engineer. He was a crucial part of the landing forces at
Salerno Bay, Italy. After securing their positions, they were given
orders to help reinforce the Anzio beachhead, and then to take
Velletri, one of the key cities that the Germans used in the defense of
Rome. After the Nazis fell, his division marched through the streets of
Rome to a hero's welcome. After the liberation of Rome, his division
was sent off on ships to another crucial mission: the invasion of
southern France.
It was during Operation Dragoon on the beaches of France that Mr.
Fontanez would earn his highest award for valor. While the troops
advanced inland from the landing area, a low-flying plane dropped a
bomb onboard one of the ships in the bay, causing explosions and major
fires.
After seeing a number of badly burned men jump from the ship with
their clothes on fire--and with total disregard for his own safety--he
entered the water and was able to swim several safely to shore.
For this selfless act of bravery, he was awarded the Soldier's Medal.
Later he rejoined his company and was able to help drive the Germans
out of Cannes and Grenoble. Moving through the cold snow, they rested
where they could. As Christmas 1944 approached, the 36th was hoping for
a lull in fighting, but German forces launched an attack to the north.
After successfully defending their positions, the 36th renewed the
offense and crossed the Rhine River into Germany in late March 1945. It
was shortly after this that Mr. Fontanez got his well-deserved rest,
and was expedited home for extended leave.
Like so many of his generation, Mr. Fontanez's success extended
beyond the battlefield. He fathered two children: a son, Victor, Jr.,
who is now a retired military officer; and a daughter, Edith, who
currently lives in Platte City and works with Support Our Troops &
Vets.
He is the proud grandfather of six grandchildren and great-
grandfather of four, and counts a military chaplain, two Army soldiers,
a Guardsman, an attorney, and a social worker in his lineage. Nearing
90 years of age, Victor Fontanez is a proud member and example of our
``greatest generation,'' and should be commended for his bravery in
helping secure the freedoms we all enjoy. On this day, I encourage my
colleagues to stand with me in praising the service of this true hero,
Victor Fontanez.
____________________
IN MEMORY OF MARCO ANTONIO FIREBAUGH
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, California has lost a fine, young
leader. Marco Antonio Firebaugh, former California Assembly majority
floor leader, representing the 50th assembly district, and chair of the
California Latino Legislative Caucus, recently passed away. I would
like to take a few moments to recognize Marco Antonio Firebaugh's many
important accomplishments and the tremendous impact he made as a leader
in California.
Born in Baja California, Mexico, Firebaugh served three terms as a
member of the California State Assembly and one term as the majority
floor leader. In 1998, he was first elected to the California State
Assembly, representing the 50th assembly district. During his tenure,
he fought for the
[[Page 5898]]
rights of all Californians, including immigrants and their children,
with passion and great success. Under his leadership, the California
State Assembly passed legislation that focused on increasing the
availability of education to all California residents.
He led the effort to appoint more qualified Latinos and Latinas to
high-level positions in State government, including the appointment of
only the second Latino to serve on the California Supreme Court, the
first Latina to serve as chancellor of a University of California
campus, and two additional Latino presidents at the California State
Universities at Fresno and Sacramento.
Firebaugh worked strenuously to protect and defend the dignity of his
constituents, regardless of their immigration status, and remained
involved in community affairs after his departure from the California
State Assembly. He served as a visiting professor and policy fellow at
the UCLA School of Medicine, Center for the Study of Latino Health and
Culture. Most recently, he decided to reenter public life, as a
candidate for the California State Senate, 30th district, and gained
the support of many local community leaders, including current 30th
district State senator Martha Escutia. His dedication to his fellow
Californians will be missed.
I invite all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring
Marco Antonio Firebaugh for his guidance and leadership in fighting to
improve the lives of all Californians. He is survived by his mother,
Carmen Ramos Garcia; his children, Ariana and Nicolas; brothers, Carlos
and Jesse; and sisters, Cecilia and Esmeralda.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO MARGARET SULLIVAN WILSON
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today I rise to honor one of
Connecticut's finest educators: Margaret Sullivan Wilson.
Peg Wilson is a lifelong resident of Norwich, CT. Throughout her
life, she has been dedicated to serving the people of her native city,
as well as improving educational opportunities for children in
Connecticut and, indeed, in America.
A 1944 graduate of Willimantic State Teachers College--now Eastern
Connecticut State University--Peg received a bachelor's degree in
education. She also attained a master's degree from the University of
Connecticut. Between 1945 and 1950, she taught at Norwich Elementary
School and was a reading supervisor in the Greenwich Public Schools.
Returning to Eastern in 1950, Peg devoted herself to improving early
childhood education.
In particular, Peg has dedicated herself to changing the way young
students are taught. She advocated providing an individual approach to
early childhood education, which was considered radical by many
educators in the early 1950s. However, over the ensuing decades this
approach has become widely accepted as the best method of preparing
young children for success in school and life.
Peg Wilson was ahead of her time in recognizing the importance of
providing children a comprehensive and demanding curriculum that
considers each child's strengths and weaknesses. Her determination to
improve early education was the driving passion of her career. As both
a teacher and administrator, Peg imparted her ``radical'' theory to
thousands of prospective teachers and parents during her nearly 40
years at Eastern. This knowledge undoubtedly improved the lives of even
more children in Connecticut and throughout the country. For that, we
should all be grateful.
During, and after her illustrious career at Eastern, Peg remained
active in her community. While working at Eastern, Peg served on the
Norwich Board of Education for 18 years. In addition, she is an
original cofounder of the Norwich Historical Society, which is
dedicated to promoting the history of that great New England town. In
addition, she remained active in local politics, even running for city
council president and State senate. Her contributions to her community
have long been acknowledged; Peg received the Norwich Citizen of the
Year Award in 1970.
Although Peg Wilson retired from Eastern in 1989 as vice president
for administration and fiscal affairs, her dedication to early
childhood development has continued undiminished. Never losing sight of
her dream of individualized, comprehensive education for young
children, Peg returned to Eastern as an assistant to the president. In
this role, she spent nearly 4 years attempting to gain support for a
facility on Eastern's campus dedicated to early childhood development.
Her hard work, alongside that of the president and senior staff of
Eastern, finally paid off. On February 28, 2006, Eastern University
dedicated the Margaret S. Wilson Child and Family Development Complex.
This new complex currently serves 14 children, ages 3 and 4, in a new
comprehensive preschool, implementing many of the ideas Margaret Wilson
has espoused for almost 60 years. As the center grows, a limited number
of infants and up to 60 toddlers will be served. In addition, the
center will eventually offer onsite services such as health, education,
and financial services to the participating families. Peg's vision of
comprehensive child development is truly being realized.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Peg's family: her late
husband, W. Robert Wilson; her daughter, Margaret-Ellen Wilson; and her
son, Dr. William Wilson, a recipient of Norwich's Native Son Award in
1999. Their love and support has been instrumental in allowing Peg to
devote her career to promoting early childhood development.
As a Senator and a father of two young daughters, I am reminded every
day of the importance of providing quality education early in a child's
life. Throughout my career, I have strived to ensure that our country
makes early childhood development a national priority. Today, I am
honored to praise the work of someone who shares that commitment with
me.
Margaret Wilson has played an integral role in improving thousands of
young students' lives and reshaping early childhood education. The
Margaret S. Wilson Child and Family Development Complex stands as a
testament to one of Connecticut's most admired and visionary educators.
This complex will help ensure that future generations of Connecticut
children are provided with a quality education early in life, which is
critical for our Nation's future. On behalf of a grateful state and
nation, I say thank you, Peg Wilson, for all that you have done and
continue to do for the children of America.
____________________
CELEBRATING THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. VINCENT HEALTH
Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today in order
to join my fellow Hoosiers in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of St.
Vincent Health. Over the span of those 125 years, St. Vincent Health
has grown into one of the largest health care systems in the State of
Indiana, with 16 facilities serving 45 counties.
April 26, 2006, marks Founder's Day, the culmination of a year-long
celebration which began on November 29, 2005, during which the 11,500
associates of St. Vincent and the communities they serve will
commemorate this important milestone. This year Founder's Day will
include the unveiling of a statue to commemorate the four Daughters of
Charity who came to Indianapolis to start what is now known as St.
Vincent Indianapolis Hospital and the 125 years of service that
resulted from their remarkable work.
Like so many of my fellow Hoosiers, I am grateful for the important
services that the associates of St. Vincent Health provide each day to
Hoosiers in their time of need.
____________________
MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT
Messages from the President of the United States were communicated to
the Senate by Ms. Evans, one of his secretaries.
[[Page 5899]]
____________________
EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED
As in executive session the Presiding Officer laid before the Senate
messages from the President of the United States submitting sundry
nominations which were referred to the appropriate committees.
(The nominations received today are printed at the end of the Senate
proceedings.)
____________________
EXECUTIVE AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS
The following communications were laid before the Senate, together
with accompanying papers, reports, and documents, and were referred as
indicated:
EC-6378. A communication from the Director, Regulations and
Disclosure Law, Customs and Border Protection, Department of
Homeland Security, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report
of a rule entitled ``Establishment of Port of Entry at New
River Valley, Virginia, and Termination of the User-fee
Status of New River Valley Airport'' (CBP Decision 06-10)
received on April 18, 2006; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6379. A communication from the Regulations Coordinator,
Center for Medicare Management, Department of Health and
Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Medicare Program: Medicare Graduate Medical
Education Application Provisions for Teaching Hospitals in
Certain Emergency Situations'' (RIN0938-AO35) received on
April 18, 2006; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6380. A communication from the Regulations Coordinator,
Office of Financial Management, Department of Health and
Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of
a rule entitled ``Medicare Program, Requirement for Providers
and Suppliers to Establish and Maintain Medicare Enrollment''
(RIN0938-AH73) received on April 24, 2006; to the Committee
on Finance.
EC-6381. A communication from the Chief, Publications and
Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department of
the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Bureau of Labor Statistics Price Indexes for
Department Stores--February 2006'' (Rev. Rul. 2006-23)
received on April 24, 2006; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6382. A communication from the Chief, Publications and
Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department of
the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``April-June 2006 Bond Factor Amounts'' (Rev.
Rul. 2006-14) received on April 24, 2006; to the Committee on
Finance.
EC-6383. A communication from the Chief, Publications and
Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department of
the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``2006 Section 29 Inflation Adjustment Factor
(for calendar year 2005)'' (Notice 2006-37) received on April
24, 2006; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6384. A communication from the Chief, Publications and
Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department of
the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Gulf Opportunity Zone Bonds, Gulf Opportunity
Zone Advance Refunding Bonds, and Gulf Tax Credit Bonds
Notice'' (Notice 2006-41) received on April 24, 2006; to the
Committee on Finance.
EC-6385. A communication from the Chief, Publications and
Regulations Branch, Internal Revenue Service, Department of
the Treasury, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a
rule entitled ``Application of Section 338 to Insurance
Companies'' (RIN1545-AY49) received on April 24, 2006; to the
Committee on Finance.
EC-6386. A communication from the Commissioner of Social
Security, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled
``Report on Acquisitions Made from Foreign Manufacturers for
Fiscal Year 2005''; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6387. A communication from the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report
entitled ``National Coverage Determinations''; to the
Committee on Finance.
EC-6388. A communication from the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report
entitled ``Vision Rehabilitation for Elderly Individuals with
Low Vision or Blindness''; to the Committee on Finance.
EC-6389. A communication from the Assistant Attorney
General, Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of
Justice, transmitting, a draft of proposed legislation
entitled ``Child Pornography and Obscenity Prevention
Amendments of 2006''; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6390. A communication from the United States District
Judge, Federal Judicial Center, transmitting, pursuant to
law, the Federal Judicial Center's Annual Report for the 2005
calendar year; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6391. A communication from the Commander, Civil Air
Patrol , United States Air Force Auxiliary, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the 2005 annual report to Congress
concerning community service; to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
EC-6392. A communication from the Chief Judge, Superior
Court of the District of Columbia, transmitting, pursuant to
law, the 2005 report on the progress of implementing the
provisions of the Family Court Act; to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
EC-6393. A communication from the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to
law, the amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate
Procedure that have been adopted by the Supreme Court of the
United States pursuant to Section 2072 of Title 28, United
States Code; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6394. A communication from the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to
law , the amendments to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy
Procedure that have been adopted by the Supreme Court of the
United States pursuant to Section 2075 of Title 28, United
States Code; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6395. A communication from the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to
law , the amendments to the Federal Rules of Evidence that
have been adopted by the Supreme Court of the United States
pursuant to Section 2072 of Title 28, United States Code; to
the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6396. A communication from the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to
law , the amendments to the Federal Rules of Criminal
Procedure that have been adopted by the Supreme Court of the
United States pursuant to Section 2072 of Title 28, United
States Code; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6397. A communication from the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States, transmitting, pursuant to
law , the amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
that have been adopted by the Supreme Court of the United
States pursuant to Section 2072 of Title 28, United States
Code; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EC-6398. A communication from the Secretary of Energy,
transmitting, a draft of proposed legislation to authorize
the Secretary of Energy to use expedited procedures to
promulgate rules establishing energy conservation standards;
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
EC-6399. A communication from the Secretary of Energy,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the Annual Report on Federal
Government Energy Management and Conservation Programs for
Fiscal Year 2004; to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources.
EC-6400. A communication from the General Counsel, Office
of Procurement and Assistance Management, Department of
Energy, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Acquisition Regulation: Make-or-Buy Plans''
(RIN1991-AB64) received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources.
EC-6401. A communication from the Acting Assistant
Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, Department of the
Interior, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer
Continental Shelf--Incident Reporting Requirements''
(RIN1010-AC57) received on April 18, 2006; to the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources.
EC-6402. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of
a proposed license for the export of defense articles or
defense services sold commercially under contract in the
amount of $100,000,000 or more to Japan; to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-6403. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of
a proposed technical assistance agreement and a manufacturing
license agreement for manufacture and export of defense
articles or defense services sold commercially under a
contract in the amount of $100,000,000 or more to Turkey; to
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
EC-6404. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of
a proposed license for the export of defense articles or
defense services sold commercially under a contract in the
amount of $50,000,000 or more to Iraq; to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-6405. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act, the certification of
a proposed multi-contract effort for manufacture and export
of defense articles or defense services sold commercially
under a contract in the amount of $100,000,000 or more to
Canada, France and the United Kingdom; to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
EC-6406. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the annual report on properties identified
for possible disposal for fiscal years 2006 through 2007; to
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
[[Page 5900]]
EC-6407. A communication from the Assistant Secretary for
Legislative Affairs, Department of State, transmitting,
pursuant to law, a report consistent with the Authorization
for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 1002
(P.L. 107-243) and the Authorization for the Use of Force
Against Iraq Resolution (P.L. 102-1) for the October 15, 2005
through December 15, 2005 reporting period; to the Committee
on Foreign Relations.
EC-6408. A communication from the Secretary for Regulation
Policy and Management, Department of Veterans Affairs,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Board of Veterans' Appeals: Rules of Practice: Public
Availability of Board Decisions'' (RIN2900-AM31) received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
EC-6409. A communication from the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, transmitting, jointly,
a report regarding the implementation of the health resources
sharing portion of the Department of Veterans Affairs and
Department of Defense Health Resources Sharing and Emergency
Operations Act for Fiscal Year 2002; to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs.
EC-6410. A communication from the Deputy Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and the Under Secretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
report on the implementation of the health resources sharing
portion of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department
of Defense Health Resources Sharing and Emergency Operations
Act for Fiscal Year 2005; to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs.
EC-6411. A communication from the Chairman, National
Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the annual report on the Arts and Artifacts
Indemnity Program for fiscal year 2005; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6412. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of
Labor, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Amendment to Prohibited Transaction Exemption
2002-51 (PTE 2002-51) to Permit Certain Transactions
Identified in the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program''
(RIN1210-ZA05) received on April 24, 2006; to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6413. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of
Labor, transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule
entitled ``Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program Under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974'' (RIN1210-
AB03) received on April 24, 2006; to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6414. A communication from the Director, Regulation
Policy and Management, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``New Animal
Drugs; Removal of Obsolete and Redundant Regulations'' (Doc.
No. 2003N-0324) received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6415. A communication from the Director, Regulation
Policy and Management, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Medical
Devices; Immunology and Microbiology Devices; Classification
of Reagents for Detection of Specified Novel Influenza A
Viruses'' (Doc. No. 2006N-0100) received on April 12, 2006;
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6416. A communication from the Director, Regulation
Policy and Management, Food and Drug Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``New Animal
Drugs; Adamantane and Neuraminidase Inhibitor Anti-influenza
Drugs; Extralabel Animal Drug Use; Order of Prohibition''
(Doc. No. 2006N-0106) received on April 12, 2006; to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
EC-6417. A communication from the Administrator, Office of
Workforce Security, Department of Labor, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Changes to
UI Performs, Change 1, Performance Criterion for the
Overpayment Detection Measure; Clarification of Appeals
Timeliness Measures; and Implementation of Tax Quality
Measure Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) received on April 12,
2006; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
EC-6418. A communication from the Administrator, Small
Business Administration, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
Administration's Fiscal Year 2005 Notification and Federal
Employee Anti-Discrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act
Annual Report; to the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship.
EC-6419. A communication from the Coordinator, Forms
Committee, Federal Election Commission, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of revisions to the instructions
for FEC Form 3X and FEC Form 9; to the Committee on Rules and
Administration.
EC-6420. A communication from the Associate Director,
Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Foreign Assets Control Regulations'' (31 CFR part 500)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs.
EC-6421. A communication from the Counsel for Legislation
and Regulations, Office of Public and Indian Housing,
Department of Housing and Urban Development, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Conversion
of Developments from Public Housing Stock; Methodology for
Comparing Costs of Public Housing and Tenant-Based
Assistance'' ((RIN2577-AC33) (FR-4718-F-02)) received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs.
EC-6422. A communication from the Assistant Secretary of
the Army (Civil Works), transmitting, a report of proposed
legislation relative to the financing of a capital
improvement project at the Washington Aqueduct drinking water
facility; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-6423. A communication from the Assistant Secretary,
Policy Management and Budget, Department of the Interior,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the Department's inventory of
commercial activities and the inventory of inherently
governmental activities; to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works.
EC-6424. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; Delegation
of Authority to Louisiana'' (FRL No. 8159-9) received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
EC-6425. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``National
Priorities List for Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites''
((RIN2050-AD75)(FRL No. 8159-5)) received on April 12, 2006;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-6426. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Site Revitalization Guidance
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Notice of
Availability'' (FRL No. 7687-9) received on April 12, 2006;
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-6427. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Approval of
the Clean Air Act, Section 112(I), Authority for Hazardous
Air Pollutants: Perchloroethylene Air Emission Standards for
Dry Cleaning Facilities: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection'' (FRL No. 8157-9)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works.
EC-6428. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Finding of
Substantial Inadequacy of Implementation Plan; Call for
Missouri State Implementation Plan Revision'' (FRL No. 8158-
7) received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works.
EC-6429. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Notice of
Availability of `Award of Grants and Cooperative Agreements
for the Special Projects and Programs Authorized by the
Agency's FY 2006 Appropriations Act''' (FRL No. 8053-8)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works.
EC-6430. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Revocation
of TSCA Section 4 Testing Requirements for Certain Chemical
Substances'' ((RIN2070-AD42)(FRL No. 7751-7)) received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works.
EC-6431. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Approval and
Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Tennessee: Revisions to
Volatile Organic Compound Definition'' (FRL No. 8157-8)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works.
EC-6432. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Washington:
Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management
Program Revisions'' (FRL No. 8158-4) received on April
[[Page 5901]]
12, 2006; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
EC-6433. A communication from the Secretary, Department of
Agriculture, transmitting, the report of draft legislation to
authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to dispose of certain
National Forest System lands and retain receipts; to the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-6434. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Cyfluthrin;
Pesticide Tolerance Technical Correction'' (FRL No. 7766-2)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-6435. A communication from the Principal Deputy
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics, and
Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Sodium
Metasilicate; Amendment to an Exemption from the Requirement
of a Tolerance'' (FRL No. 8063-5) received on April 12, 2006;
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-6436. A communication from the Congressional Review
Coordinator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Department of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
report of a rule entitled ``Importation of Small Lots of Seed
Without Phytosanitary Certificates'' ((RIN0579-AB78)(Doc. No.
02-119-2)) received on April 18, 2006; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-6437. A communication from the Chief, Regulatory Review
Group, Department of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to
law, the report of a rule entitled ``Transfer of Sugar
Program Marketing Allocations'' (RIN0560-AH37) received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry.
EC-6438. A communication from the Director, Regulatory
Review Group, Department of Agriculture, transmitting,
pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled ``Acreage
Reports and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program''
(RIN0560-AG20) received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
EC-6439. A communication from the Regulatory Contact,
Information Security Oversight Office, National Archives and
Records Administration, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
report of a rule entitled ``National Industrial Security
Program Directive No. 1'' (RIN3095-AB34) received on April
12, 2006; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
EC-6440. A communication from the District of Columbia
Auditor, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report entitled
``Letter Report: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D
Unauthorized Check Activity''; to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-6441. A communication from the Director, Tennessee
Valley Authority, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Report
under the Government in the Sunshine Act for calendar year
2005; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs.
EC-6442. A communication from the Chairman, Federal
Maritime Commission, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
Report under the Government in the Sunshine Act for calendar
year 2005; to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
EC-6443. A communication from the Director, Office of
Personnel Management, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
annual report which contains certain fiscal year 2005
statistical data relating to Federal sector equal employment
opportunity complaints; to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs.
EC-6444. A communication from the Archivist of the United
States, transmitting, pursuant to law, the Fiscal Year 2005
Report Concerning Commercial Activities Inventory and
Inherently Governmental Inventory; to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-6445. A communication from the Chairman, United States
Merit System Protection Board, transmitting, pursuant to law,
the report entitled ``Designing an Effective Pay for
Performance Compensation System"; to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
EC-6446. A communication from the Under Secretary of
Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics),
transmitting, pursuant to law, the annual Selected
Acquisition Reports (SARs) for the quarter ending December
31, 2005; to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6447. A communication from the Assistant Director,
Executive and Political Personnel, Department of Defense,
transmitting, pursuant to law, (25) reports relative to
vacancy announcements within the Department, received on
April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6448. A communication from the Acting Director, Defense
Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Department of Defense,
transmitting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule entitled
``Incentive Program for Purchase of Capital Assets
Manufactured in the United States'' (DFARS Case 2005-D003)
received on April 12, 2006; to the Committee on Armed
Services.
EC-6449. A communication from the Under Secretary of
Defense (Personnel and Readiness), transmitting the report of
(12) officers authorized to wear the insignia of the next
higher grade in accordance with title 10, United States Code,
section 777; to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6450. A communication from the Acting Principal Deputy
for Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Under Secretary of
Defense for Personnel and Readiness, transmitting, pursuant
to law, a report of the closure of the Defense commissary
store at Camp Hialeah, South Korea by July 31, 2006; to the
Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6451. A communication from the Acting Principal Deputy
for Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Under Secretary of
Defense for Personnel and Readiness, transmitting, pursuant
to law, a report of the closure of the Defense commissary
store at Bad Kissingen (Daley Village Army housing area),
Germany by July 14, 2006; to the Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6452. A communication from the Assistant Secretary of
Defense, Reserve Affairs, transmitting, pursuant to law, the
Department's STARBASE Program 2005 Annual Report; to the
Committee on Armed Services.
EC-6453. A communication from the Acting General Counsel,
Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense,
transmitting the report of proposed legislation relative to
amending Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2006; to the Committee on Armed Services.
____________________
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
The following bills and joint resolutions were introduced, read the
first and second times by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated:
By Ms. STABENOW:
S. 2636. A bill to provide an immediate Federal income tax
rebate to help taxpayers with higher fuel costs, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander):
S. 2637. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 1, 4-
Benzoquinone; to the Committee on Finance.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander):
S. 2638. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 2-
Methylhydroquinone; to the Committee on Finance.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander):
S. 2639. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on o-
Anisidine; to the Committee on Finance.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander):
S. 2640. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on Benzoic
acid 3,4,5-trihydroxy-, propyl ester; to the Committee on
Finance.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Alexander):
S. 2641. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 2,4-
Xylidine; to the Committee on Finance.
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Levin,
Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Boxer, and Mr.
Harkin):
S. 2642. A bill to amend the Commodity Exchange Act to add
a provision relating to reporting and recordkeeping for
positions involving energy commodities; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
By Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. Smith, Mr. Baucus,
Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Feingold, Mrs.
Murray, Mr. Salazar, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. Inouye):
S. 2643. A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act of 1968 to clarify that Indian tribes are
eligible to receive grants for confronting the use of
methamphetamine; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Graham, and Mr.
Frist):
S. 2644. A bill to harmonize rate setting standards for
copyright licenses under sections 112 and 114 of title 17,
United States Code, and for other purposes; to the Committee
on the Judiciary.
By Mr. ALLEN (for himself and Mr. Warner):
S. 2645. A bill to establish the Journey Through Hallowed
Ground National Heritage Area, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
By Mr. KERRY:
S. 2646. A bill to create a 3-year pilot program that makes
small, nonprofit child care businesses eligible for loans
under title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958;
to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
By Mr. THOMAS (for himself and Mr. Enzi):
S. 2647. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain
acrylic fiber tow imported in the form of 6 sub-bundles; to
the Committee on Finance.
By Mr. THOMAS (for himself and Mr. Enzi):
S. 2648. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain
acrylic fiber tow; to the Committee on Finance.
[[Page 5902]]
By Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mr. Wyden, and Mrs.
Feinstein):
S. 2649. A bill to direct the Secretary of Commerce to
provide emergency disaster assistance to mitigate the
economic losses caused by the declining Klamath River salmon
and to develop and implement a research and recovery plan for
Klamath River salmon, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
By Mr. DeMINT (for himself and Mr. Graham):
S. 2650. A bill to designate the Federal courthouse to be
constructed in Greenville, South Carolina, as the ``Carroll
A. Campbell, Jr. Federal Courthouse.''; to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works.
By Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. DeWine):
S. 2651. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to
make grants to educational organizations to carry out
educational programs about the Holocaust; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
By Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Reed):
S.J. Res. 34. A joint resolution expressing United States
policy on Iraq; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
____________________
SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND SENATE RESOLUTIONS
The following concurrent resolutions and Senate resolutions were
read, and referred (or acted upon), as indicated:
By Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Leahy):
S. Res. 441. A resolution expressing the support of the
Senate for the reconvening of the Parliament of Nepal and for
an immediate, peaceful transition to democracy; to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
By Mr. COLEMAN:
S. Res. 442. A resolution expressing the deep
disappointment of the Senate with respect to the election of
Iran to a leadership position in the United Nations
Disarmament Commission and requesting the President to
withhold funding to the United Nations unless credible
reforms are made; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
By Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Reid):
S. Res. 443. A resolution relative to the death of Francis
R. Valeo, former Secretary of the Senate; considered and
agreed to.
By Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mrs.
Dole):
S. Res. 444. A resolution commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Committee;
considered and agreed to.
By Mr. SANTORUM (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Nelson
of Florida, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Ensign,
Ms. Snowe, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Allen, Mrs. Feinstein,
Mr. DeWine, Mr. Levin, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Frist, Mr.
Lautenberg, Mr. Burns, Mr. Specter, Mr. Hagel, Mr.
Thomas, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Talent,
and Mr. Sununu):
S. Res. 445. A resolution expressing the sense of the
Senate in commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day; considered
and agreed to.
____________________
ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS
S. 351
At the request of Mr. Kennedy, the name of the Senator from South
Dakota (Mr. Johnson) was added as a cosponsor of S. 351, a bill to
amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient
protection by limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse
may be required to work in certain providers of services to which
payments are made under the Medicare Program.
S. 440
At the request of Mr. Bunning, the name of the Senator from Arkansas
(Mrs. Lincoln) was added as a cosponsor of S. 440, a bill to amend
title XIX of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as
physicians for purposes of covering physicians services under the
medicaid program.
S. 633
At the request of Mr. Johnson, the name of the Senator from Kansas
(Mr. Roberts) was added as a cosponsor of S. 633, a bill to require the
Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of veterans
who became disabled for life while serving in the Armed Forces of the
United States.
S. 713
At the request of Mr. Roberts, the name of the Senator from Delaware
(Mr. Carper) was added as a cosponsor of S. 713, a bill to amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for collegiate housing and
infrastructure grants.
S. 908
At the request of Mr. McConnell, the name of the Senator from
Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe) was added as a cosponsor of S. 908, a bill to
allow Congress, State legislatures, and regulatory agencies to
determine appropriate laws, rules, and regulations to address the
problems of weight gain, obesity, and health conditions associated with
weight gain or obesity.
S. 912
At the request of Mr. Feingold, the name of the Senator from Oregon
(Mr. Wyden) was added as a cosponsor of S. 912, a bill to amend the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the
United States over waters of the United States.
S. 914
At the request of Mr. Allard, the names of the Senator from
Washington (Mrs. Murray) and the Senator from New Jersey (Mr.
Lautenberg) were added as cosponsors of S. 914, a bill to amend the
Public Health Service Act to establish a competitive grant program to
build capacity in veterinary medical education and expand the workforce
of veterinarians engaged in public health practice and biomedical
research.
S. 1086
At the request of Mr. Hatch, the names of the Senator from Oklahoma
(Mr. Inhofe) and the Senator from Arkansas (Mrs. Lincoln) were added as
cosponsors of S. 1086, a bill to improve the national program to
register and monitor individuals who commit crimes against children or
sex offenses.
S. 1440
At the request of Mr. Crapo, the names of the Senator from Kansas
(Mr. Roberts), the Senator from New York (Mrs. Clinton) and the Senator
from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) were added as cosponsors of S. 1440, a
bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide
coverage for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation
services.
S. 1515
At the request of Mr. Inouye, the name of the Senator from South
Dakota (Mr. Johnson) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1515, a bill to
amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve access to
advanced practice nurses and physician assistants under the Medicaid
Program.
S. 1531
At the request of Mr. Enzi, the name of the Senator from Illinois
(Mr. Durbin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1531, a bill to direct the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and intensify programs
with respect to research and related activities concerning elder falls.
S. 1801
At the request of Mr. Reed, the name of the Senator from Illinois
(Mr. Durbin) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1801, a bill to amend the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize the Act, and for
other purposes.
S. 1906
At the request of Mr. DeWine, his name was added as a cosponsor of S.
1906, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude
property tax rebates and other benefits provided to volunteer
firefighters, search and rescue personnel, and emergency medical
responders from income and employment taxes and wage withholding.
S. 1998
At the request of Mr. Conrad, the name of the Senator from West
Virginia (Mr. Byrd) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1998, a bill to
amend title 18, United States Code, to enhance protections relating to
the reputation and meaning of the Medal of Honor and other military
decorations and awards, and for other purposes.
S. 2010
At the request of Mr. Hatch, the name of the Senator from Connecticut
(Mr. Lieberman) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2010, a bill to amend
the Social Security Act to enhance the Social Security of the Nation by
ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to
prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse,
neglect, and exploitation, and for other purposes.
S. 2076
At the request of Mr. Hatch, the name of the Senator from Michigan
[[Page 5903]]
(Ms. Stabenow) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2076, a bill to amend
title 5, United States Code, to provide to assistant United States
attorneys the same retirement benefits as are afforded to Federal law
enforcement officers.
S. 2140
At the request of Mr. Hatch, the name of the Senator from South
Carolina (Mr. DeMint) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2140, a bill to
enhance protection of children from sexual exploitation by
strengthening section 2257 of title 18, United States Code, requiring
producers of sexually explicit material to keep and permit inspection
of records regarding the age of performers, and for other purposes.
S. 2181
At the request of Mr. Lautenberg, the name of the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2181, a bill
to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for an offset
from the Medicaid clawback for State prescription drug expenditures for
covered part D drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
S. 2251
At the request of Mr. Wyden, the name of the Senator from Florida
(Mr. Nelson) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2251, a bill to amend the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal the ultra-deepwater and
unconventional onshore natural gas and other petroleum research and
development program.
S. 2321
At the request of Mr. Santorum, the names of the Senator from
Missouri (Mr. Bond) and the Senator from South Carolina (Mr. Graham)
were added as cosponsors of S. 2321, a bill to require the Secretary of
the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of Louis Braille.
S. 2370
At the request of Mr. McConnell, the names of the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Specter), the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Bingaman) and the Senator
from Alaska (Mr. Stevens) were added as cosponsors of S. 2370, a bill
to promote the development of democratic institutions in areas under
the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority, and for other
purposes.
S. 2399
At the request of Mr. Carper, the name of the Senator from Vermont
(Mr. Jeffords) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2399, a bill to prohibit
termination of employment of volunteers firefighters and emergency
medical personnel responding to emergencies, and for other purposes.
S. 2409
At the request of Mr. Smith, the name of the Senator from Ohio (Mr.
DeWine) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2409, a bill to amend title
XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce cost-sharing under part D of
such title for certain non-institutionalized full-benefit dual eligible
individuals.
S. 2414
At the request of Mr. Bayh, the name of the Senator from California
(Mrs. Feinstein) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2414, a bill to amend
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require broker reporting of
customer's basis in securities transactions, and for other purposes.
S. 2422
At the request of Ms. Landrieu, her name was added as a cosponsor of
S. 2422, a bill to establish a Conservation and Habitat Restoration
Fund and to require the Secretary of Commerce to provide grants to
States for coastal zone management, coastal wetlands conservation,
coastal land protection, and fisheries habitat restoration, and to
improve understanding of coastal areas, and for other purposes.
S. 2487
At the request of Mr. Craig, the name of the Senator from Oregon (Mr.
Smith) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2487, a bill to ensure an
abundant and affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables,
and other specialty crops for American consumers and international
markets by enhancing the competitiveness of United States-grown
specialty crops.
S. 2493
At the request of Mr. Lautenberg, the name of the Senator from
Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2493, a bill
to provide for disclosure of fire safety standards and measures with
respect to campus buildings, and for other purposes.
S. 2548
At the request of Mr. Stevens, the name of the Senator from Kansas
(Mr. Roberts) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2548, a bill to amend the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to
ensure that State and local emergency preparedness operational plans
address the needs of individuals with household pets and service
animals following a major disaster or emergency.
S. 2556
At the request of Mr. Bayh, the names of the Senator from Vermont
(Mr. Leahy) and the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow) were added as
cosponsors of S. 2556, a bill to amend title 11, United States Code,
with respect to reform of executive compensation in corporate
bankruptcies.
S. 2557
At the request of Mr. Specter, the name of the Senator from
Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2557, a bill
to improve competition in the oil and gas industry, to strengthen
antitrust enforcement with regard to industry mergers, and for other
purposes.
S. 2562
At the request of Mr. Craig, the names of the Senator from Idaho (Mr.
Crapo) and the Senator from Texas (Mrs. Hutchison) were added as
cosponsors of S. 2562, a bill to increase, effective as of December 1,
2006, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected
disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for
the survivors of certain disabled veterans.
S. 2563
At the request of Mr. Cochran, the names of the Senator from Hawaii
(Mr. Inouye), the Senator from North Carolina (Mrs. Dole), the Senator
from Kansas (Mr. Roberts) and the Senator from North Carolina (Mr.
Burr) were added as cosponsors of S. 2563, a bill to amend title XVIII
of the Social Security Act to require prompt payment to pharmacies
under part D, to restrict pharmacy co-branding on prescription drug
cards issued under such part, and to provide guidelines for Medication
Therapy Management Services programs offered by prescription drug plans
and MA-PD plans under such part.
S. 2593
At the request of Mrs. Boxer, the name of the Senator from Maryland
(Mr. Sarbanes) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2593, a bill to protect,
consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a
child or terminate a pregnancy, and for other purposes.
S. 2617
At the request of Mr. Lautenberg, the name of the Senator from North
Dakota (Mr. Dorgan) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2617, a bill to
amend title 10, United States Code, to limit increases in the costs to
retired members of the Armed Forces of health care services under the
TRICARE program, and for other purposes.
S. RES. 182
At the request of Mr. Bunning, his name was added as a cosponsor of
S. Res. 182, a resolution supporting efforts to increase childhood
cancer awareness, treatment, and research.
S. RES. 313
At the request of Ms. Cantwell, the names of the Senator from West
Virginia (Mr. Rockefeller) and the Senator from North Dakota (Mr.
Conrad) were added as cosponsors of S. Res. 313, a resolution
expressing the sense of the Senate that a National Methamphetamine
Prevention Week should be established to increase awareness of
methamphetamine and to educate the public on ways to help prevent the
use of that damaging narcotic.
S. RES. 409
At the request of Mr. Nelson of Florida, the names of the Senator
from Minnesota (Mr. Coleman) and the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr.
Kennedy) were added as cosponsors of S.
[[Page 5904]]
Res. 409, a resolution supporting democracy, development, and
stabilization in Haiti.
S. RES. 439
At the request of Mr. Dodd, the names of the Senator from Ohio (Mr.
DeWine) and the Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Pryor) were added as
cosponsors of S. Res. 439, a resolution designating the third week of
April 2006 as ``National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week''.
____________________
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
______
By Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. Smith, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Johnson,
Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Salazar, Ms.
Cantwell, and Mr. Inouye):
S. 2643. A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets
Act of 1968 to clarify that Indian tribes are eligible to receive
grants for confronting the use of methamphetamine; to the Committee on
the Judiciary.
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Native
American Meth Enforcement and Treatment Act of 2006.
Unfortunately, when Congress passed the Combat Methamphetamine
Epidemic Act, tribes were unintentionally left out as eligible
applicants in some of the newly-authorized grant programs. The bill I
am introducing today, along with Senators Smith, Baucus, Cantwell,
Inouye, Johnson, Feinstein, Feingold, Murray, and Salazar, would simply
ensure that tribes are able to apply for these funds and give Native
American communities the resources they need to fight scourge of
methamphetamine use.
The recently-enacted Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
authorized new funding for three grant programs. The Act authorized $99
million in new funding for the COPS Hot Spots program, which helps
local law enforcement agencies obtain the tools they need reduce the
production, distribution, and use of meth. Funding may also be used to
clean up meth labs, support health and environmental agencies, and to
purchase equipment and support systems.
The Act also authorized $20 million for a Drug-Endangered Children
grant program to provide comprehensive services to assist children who
live in a home in which meth has been used, manufactured, or sold.
Under this program, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, child
protective services, social services, and health care services, work
together to ensure that these children get the help they need.
In addition, the Combat Meth Act authorized grants to be made to
address the use of meth among pregnant and parenting women offenders.
The Pregnant and Parenting Offenders program is aimed at facilitating
collaboration between the criminal justice, child welfare, and State
substance abuse systems in order to reduce the use of drugs by pregnant
women and those with dependent children.
Although tribes are eligible applicants under the Pregnant and
Parenting Offenders program, they were not included as eligible
applicants under either the Hot Spots program or the Drug-Endangered
Children program. I see no reason why tribes should not be able to
access all of these funds.
Meth use has had a devastating impact in communities throughout the
country, and Indian Country is no exception. Last month there was an
article in the Gallup Independent newspaper about a Navajo grandmother,
her daughter, and granddaughter, who were all arrested for selling
meth. There was also a one-year-old child in the home when police
executed the arrest warrant. It is absolutely disheartening to hear
about cases such as this, with three generations of a family destroyed
by meth.
I strongly believe that we need to do everything we can to assist
communities as they struggle to deal with the consequences of meth, and
ensuring that Native American communities are able to access these
funds is an important first step. I hope my colleagues will join me in
supporting this important measure.
______
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Frist):
S. 2644. A bill to harmonize rate setting standards for copyright
licenses under sections 112 and 114 of title 17, United States Code,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the
Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights-holders in Music Act, or the
PERFORM Act, along with Senators Graham and Frist.
The need to protect creative works has been an important principle
recognized in our country since its inception.
The founding fathers accurately understood the importance of
intellectual property by including protective language in our
Constitution, and in doing so they established a principle that would
stand the test of time.
However, they could not have predicted that the path of innovation
would eventually produce the amazing new technologies that we now take
for granted.
While many of us still enjoy traditional analog radio, this, too, is
rapidly changing. We now have music radio programs provided over the
Internet, cable, and satellites. Even traditional radio is changing
with the advent of new digital radio.
With the entry into the marketplace of these new music providers
consumers are receiving the songs and artists they enjoy in new and
innovative ways.
Yet, as these new business models and technologies are developed we
must ensure that the artists and musicians who create and perform the
music continue to be fairly compensated for their works.
Unfortunately, some of the new innovations have been used to supplant
music sales and avoid fair compensation to the songwriters and
performers.
From 1999 to 2004, total music sales have declined by 30 percent.
Over the same period, CD sales declined 18 percent. The decline
continued in 2005 as total album sales fell 7.2 percent year-over-year.
Some of this decline is due to outdated business models and
competition from other entertainment products, some due to illegal
actions and piracy, and some is due to outdated music licensing laws.
I believe our laws must strike the proper balance between fostering
new business models and technology and protecting the property rights
of the artists whose music is being broadcast.
I strongly support advancements in technology and I encourage
ingenuity. The birth of the digital music place has been a boon for
businesses and consumers. It is important that these new forums succeed
and grow.
However, these new technologies and business models have become so
advanced that the clear lines between a listening service and a
reproduction and copying service has been blurred.
Historically, a radio service simply allowed music to be performed
and listened to by an audience. However, many new services using the
new digital transmissions and new technological devices have allowed
consumers to also record, manipulate, and collect individual music
play-lists off their radio-like services.
Thus, what was once a passive listening experience has turned into a
forum where consumers can record, manipulate, reprogram and save songs
to create their own personalized playlists.
As the modes of distribution change and the technologies change, so
must our laws change. The government granted a compulsory license for
radio-like services by Internet, cable, and satellite providers in
order to encourage competition and new products.
However, as new innovations alter their services from a performance
to a distribution the law must respond.
In addition, as the changing technology evolves, the distinctions
between the services become less and less, and the differences in how
they are treated under the statutory license make less sense.
Therefore I am introducing a bill that will begin to fix the
inequities
[[Page 5905]]
currently in the statute and open the door to further debate about
additional issues that need to be addressed.
The bill I am introducing today with Senators Graham and Frist would:
create rate parity--all companies covered by the government license
created in Section 114 would be required to pay a fair market value for
use of music libraries rather than having different rate standards
apply based on what medium is being used to transmit the music; and
establish content protection--all companies would be required to use
reasonably available, technologically feasible, and economically
reasonable means to prevent music theft. In addition, a company may not
provide a recording device to a customer that would allow him or her to
create their own personalized music library that can be manipulated and
maintained without paying a reproduction royalty.
This does not mean such devices cannot be made or distributed. It
simply means that the business must negotiate the payment for the music
through the market rather than under the statutory license.
The bill also contains language to make sure that consumers' current
recording habits are not inhibited. Therefore, any recording the
consumer chooses to do manually will still be allowed. In addition, if
the device allows the consumer to manipulate music by program, channel,
or time period that would still be allowable under the statutory
license.
For example, if a listener chooses to automatically record a news
station every morning at 9:00; a jazz station every afternoon at 2:00;
a blues station every Friday at 3:00; and a talk radio show every
Saturday at 4:00; that would be allowable. In addition, that listener
could then use their recording device to move these programs so that
all programs of the same genre are back to back.
What a listener cannot do is set a recording device to find all the
Frank Sinatra songs being played on the radio-service and only record
those songs. By making these distinctions this bill supports new
business models and technologies without harming the songwriters and
performers in the process.
Unfortunately, anytime legislation is introduced there is a lot of
misinformation about what it does. Often criticisms are lobbed without
reviewing the actual text of the bill. So, let me be clear about some
of the concerns I have heard.
The bill would not apply to over-the-air broadcasting. Terrestrial
radio, i.e. traditional radio distributed by the broadcasters is not
covered under this bill. This legislation only covers businesses that
are under the 114 license--Internet, cable, and satellite.
The only application to broadcasters would be if they were to act as
webcasters and simulcast their programs over the Internet, in which
case they would be treated the same as all other Internet radio
providers.
The bill would not inhibit technological advances. It would place
limits on the types of recording devices cable, Internet and satellite
providers may offer, IF they want to enjoy the benefit of a government
license.
If, however, a company wants to offer new technologies that allow for
manipulation of music so that a consumer may create their own music
libraries, similar to a downloading service, they may. There is nothing
in this bill prohibiting the use or creation of new technologies the
company would simply lose the benefit of a government license.
The bill simply states that if a company wants to change its service
from a performance to a distribution then they no longer are covered by
the government license and must go to the record companies directly to
negotiate a licensing agreement through the market.
The bill would not be discriminatory. Some argue that changing the
rates or establishing content protection is discriminatory. However,
under current law some businesses are required to pay higher licensing
rates than others even though they provide essentially the same
services.
In addition, if a new satellite company were to be formed today they
would be required to pay a higher rate than the current two companies
in the market--that is not fair. Instead this bill would establish the
same rates and protections for all companies.
The argument that this bill is discriminatory ignores the inequities
of current law as it applies to Internet, cable, old and new satellite
providers and instead focuses on the differences between these new
radio providers versus terrestrial or traditional over-the-air radio.
The argument is that there are already devices available and new
technologies that allow consumers to capture and manipulate music being
played by over-the-air broadcasters. Yet this bill does not apply to
broadcasters and instead only applies to Internet, cable and satellite.
The conclusion being that by not covering broadcasters we are giving
them a free pass and being unfair to the new businesses.
While the obvious argument is that the Judiciary Committee does not
have jurisdiction to regulate over-the-air broadcasters, I think it is
important to acknowledge that the Commerce Committee is actively
looking into this issue right now. In addition, I am aware that there
are active negotiations occurring between broadcasters and the record
labels to develop similar protections for their services.
Thus, while some may be frustrated that jurisdiction may lie in
different committees, efforts are on-going in each to address these
issues. I do not believe we, in the Judiciary Committee, should wait
and do nothing to protect artists and songwriters simply because the
Commerce Committee has not yet moved legislation to deal with the same
concern for terrestrial radio.
Having said that, let me be clear, this is the beginning of a process
to address a very specific problem. I believe that as the process
unfolds there will be additional improvements or other issues that may
need to be added.
Already, some have raised questions about language in the bill and
additional modifications to Section 114 that I believe should be looked
at more closely.
I understand there is some concern about what fair market value
means, especially under a government licensing scheme where there is
not an actual competitive market. I think it makes sense to look into
this issue and see if there is a definition that can be developed.
In doing this, I believe we should look at all the different models
that have been used. We should look at what the courts have held, what
the copyright office has used, what a real competitive market would
entail, as well as other factors that may not have been considered.
The bill as introduced does not address the other conditions applied
to Internet, cable, and satellite services in order for them to get the
benefit of the statutory license. The one that I am most concerned with
is interactivity.
I think there is real confusion about what is and what is not allowed
under the current statute. How much personalization and customization
may these new services offer?
Currently licensing rates are higher for interactive services.
However, there are clear disagreements as to what constitutes an
interactive service.
I tried to have the parties meet to negotiate a solution to this
issue so that we could include new language this in the bill.
However, after two weeks and hours and hours of negotiations the
parties were so far apart that a solution could not be reached. Despite
this, I still believe this is an important issue that must be
addressed.
Therefore, I put a placeholder in the bill that calls for the
copyright office to make recommendations to Congress, but I am hopeful
that through the process of moving this bill through the Senate we can
develop a solution sooner rather than later.
I am hopeful that the parties will again meet and try to develop a
compromise, however, if that does not occur I may try to work with my
colleagues to develop a legislative solution independently.
Finally, some have raised concerns that applying content protection
to all
[[Page 5906]]
providers is unfair. They argue that if there is no connection between
the distributor of the music and the technology provider that allows
for copying and manipulating of performances then they should not be
required to protect the music that they broadcast.
In general, I do not agree. We know that there are websites out there
now that provide so-called stream-ripping services that allow an
individual to steal music off an Internet webcast. It is not enough to
turn a blind eye to this type of piracy and do nothing simply because
there is no formal connection between the businesses.
At the same time, I am sympathetic to the concerns that if the type
of technology a company uses is inadequate or ineffective, through no
fault of their own, they can be saddled with huge mandatory penalties.
I am willing to look at this issue more closely and see if there is
some way to address this concern and find a compromise solution.
As I have said, this is the beginning of the process. I think this
legislation is a good step forward in addressing a real problem that is
occurring in the music industry.
Changes or additions may be necessary as the bill moves forward, but
I believe to wait and do nothing does a disservice to all involved.
Music is an invaluable part of all of our lives. The new technologies
and changing delivery systems provide exciting new options for all
consumers. As we continue to move forward into new frontiers we must
ensure that our laws can stand the test of time.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this
legislation.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record along with letters of support for the legislation.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
S. 2644
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Platform Equality and
Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act of 2006'' or the
``Perform Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. RATE SETTING STANDARDS.
(a) Section 112 Licenses.--Section 112(e)(4) of title 17,
United States Code, is amended in the third sentence by
striking ``fees that would have been negotiated in the
marketplace between a willing buyer and a willing seller''
and inserting ``the fair market value of the rights licensed
under this subsection''.
(b) Section 114 Licenses.--Section 114(f) of title 17,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1);
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) as
paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4), respectively; and
(3) in paragraph (1) (as redesignated under this
subsection)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking all after
``Proceedings'' and inserting ``under chapter 8 shall
determine reasonable rates and terms of royalty payments for
transmissions during 5-year periods beginning on January 1 of
the second year following the year in which the proceedings
are to be commenced, except where a different transitional
period is provided under section 6(b)(3) of the Copyright
Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004, or such other
period as the parties may agree.'';
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) in the first sentence, by striking ``affected by this
paragraph'' and inserting ``under this section'';
(ii) in the second sentence, by striking ``eligible
nonsubscription transmission''; and
(iii) in the third sentence--
(I) by striking ``eligible nonsubscription services and new
subscription''; and
(II) by striking ``rates and terms that would have been
negotiated in the marketplace between a willing buyer and a
willing seller'' and inserting ``the fair market value of the
rights licensed under this section'';
(iv) in the fourth sentence, by striking ``base its'' and
inserting ``base their'';
(v) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
(vi) in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting
``; and'';
(vii) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
``(iii) the degree to which reasonable recording affects
the potential market for sound recordings, and the additional
fees that are required to be paid by services for
compensation.''; and
(viii) in the matter following clause (ii), by striking
``described in subparagraph (A)''; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the
following:
``(C) The procedures under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall
also be initiated pursuant to a petition filed by any
copyright owners of sound recordings or any transmitting
entity indicating that a new type of service on which sound
recordings are performed is or is about to become
operational, for the purpose of determining reasonable terms
and rates of royalty payments with respect to such new type
of service for the period beginning with the inception of
such new type of service and ending on the date on which the
royalty rates and terms for preexisting subscription digital
audio transmission services, eligible nonsubscription
services, or new subscription services, as the case may be,
most recently determined under subparagraph (A) or (B) and
chapter 8 expire, or such other period as the parties may
agree.''.
(c) Content Protection.--Section 114(d)(2) of title 17,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in clause (iii), by adding ``and'' after the semicolon;
and
(C) by adding after clause (iii) the following:
``(iv) the transmitting entity takes no affirmative steps
to authorize, enable, cause or induce the making of a copy or
phonorecord by or for the transmission recipient and uses
technology that is reasonably available, technologically
feasible, and economically reasonable to prevent the making
of copies or phonorecords embodying the transmission in whole
or in part, except for reasonable recording as defined in
this subsection;'';
(2) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) by striking clause (vi); and
(B) by redesignating clauses (vii) through (ix) as clauses
(vi) through (viii), respectively; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iv), the mere offering of
a transmission and accompanying metadata does not in itself
authorize, enable, cause, or induce the making of a
phonorecord. Nothing shall preclude or prevent a performing
rights society or a mechanical rights organization, or any
entity owned in whole or in part by, or acting on behalf of,
such organizations or entities, from monitoring public
performances or other uses of copyrighted works contained in
such transmissions. Any such organization or entity shall be
granted a license on either a gratuitous basis or for a de
minimus fee to cover only the reasonable costs to the
licensor of providing the license, and on reasonable,
nondiscriminatory terms, to access and retransmit as
necessary any content contained in such transmissions
protected by content protection or similar technologies, if
such licenses are for purposes of carrying out the activities
of such organizations or entities in monitoring the public
performance or other uses of copyrighted works, and such
organizations or entities employ reasonable methods to
protect any such content accessed from further
distribution.''.
(d) Definition.--Section 114(j) of title 17, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (15) as
paragraphs (11) through (16), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
``(10)(A) A `reasonable recording' means the making of a
phonorecord embodying all or part of a performance licensed
under this section for private, noncommercial use where
technological measures used by the transmitting entity, and
which are incorporated into a recording device--
``(i) permit automated recording or playback based on
specific programs, time periods, or channels as selected by
or for the user;
``(ii) do not permit automated recording or playback based
on specific sound recordings, albums, or artists;
``(iii) do not permit the separation of component segments
of the copyrighted material contained in the transmission
program which results in the playback of a manipulated
sequence; and
``(iv) do not permit the redistribution, retransmission or
other exporting of a phonorecord embodying all or part of a
performance licensed under this section from the device by
digital outputs or removable media, unless the destination
device is part of a secure in-home network that also complies
with each of the requirements prescribed in this paragraph.
``(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a consumer
from engaging in non-automated manual recording and playback
in a manner that is not an infringement of copyright.''.
(e) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 114.--Section 114(f) of title 17, United States
Code (as amended by subsection (b) of this section), is
further amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), in the first sentence, by striking
``paragraph (3)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2)''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking ``under paragraph
(4)'' and inserting ``under paragraph (3)''.
(2) Section 804.--Section 804(b)(3)(C) of title 17, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``and 114(f)(2)(C)''; and
[[Page 5907]]
(B) in clause (iv), by striking ``or 114(f)(2)(C), as the
case may be''.
SEC. 3. REGISTER OF COPYRIGHTS MEETING AND REPORT.
(a) Meeting.--Not later than 60 days after the Copyright
Royalty Board's final determination in Docket No. 2005-1 CRB
DTRA, the Register of Copyrights shall convene a meeting
among affected parties to discuss whether to recommend
creating a new category of limited interactive services,
including an appropriate premium rate for such services,
within the statutory license contained in section 114 of
title 17, United States Code.
(b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the convening of
the meeting under subsection (a), the Register of Copyrights
shall submit a report on the discussions at that meeting to
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
____
National Music Publishers' Association Welcomes Introduction of the
Perform Act
April 25, 2006.--National Music Publishers' Association
President and CEO David Israelite today released the
following statement regarding the Platform Equality and
Remedies for Rights-holders in Music Act, or the ``PERFORM
Act,'' new legislation to protect songwriters and music
publishers while encouraging the growth of digital radio:
``The National Music Publishers' Association supports this
important legislation, which will protect music as it is
transmitted over digital radio, It is crucial that Congress
update antiquated copyright laws in these days of rapidly
emerging technologies.''
``The songs we love and their creators need to be protected
under the law. By passing the PERFORM Act, Congress will make
certain that songwriters, music publishers and other members
of the music community are compensated for their intellectual
property.''
``Platforms like High Definition and Satellite radio should
be able to thrive and expand, but not at the expense of those
who worked so hard to create the music that fans crave.
Ultimately, this bill will allow the consumer more ways than
ever to get high-quality digital music, while fostering an
environment that will lead to the creation of more music.''
``The NMPA applauds Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen.
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for their efforts on the behalf of
music Publishers, songwriters and music fans everywhere.''
____
New Bipartisan Senate Bill Levels Digital Music Playing Field, Assures
Satellite Firms Play by Same Rules as Others
Members of Music Community Hail Bill, Says Will Help Ensure That
Artists and Songwriters Fairly Paid
Washington, April 25, 2006--The Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA) today hailed the introduction
of new legislation to level the playing field for digital
radio as a major step forward in the music industry's drive
for parity among digital music services. The bill--introduced
today by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Lindsey Graham (R-
SC)--would reform the appropriate section of copyright law to
assure satellite services play by the same rules as Internet
music services--both in rate setting and content protection
standards.
``There is a critical need for the government to harmonize
the current protections and rate regimes that make for the
haphazard patchwork covering digital music services today,''
said RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol. ``This patchwork is
allowing satellite radio to morph into something altogether
different--a digital distribution service--with the creators
of music left in the lurch. This legislation seeks to right
that wrong and ensure a marketplace where fair competition
can thrive. We're extremely grateful for the leadership of
Senators Feinstein and Graham. This bill moves us far closer
to achieving the platform parity that is so key to the health
of the music industry in years to come.''
The digital music marketplace is undergoing a convergence
across all platforms--a convergence creating arbitrary
advantages for certain services over others at the expense of
creators. While offering great opportunities for the music
community, satellite broadcasters and music fans, the
convergence of radio-like services and downloading capability
requires changes in the law to protect against a satellite
company transforming its model into a download service
without the appropriate license.
The RIAA and others in the music community have made it
clear that satellite radio services should be required to
obtain a license in the marketplace to offer the capability
to cherry pick individual songs and then permanently store
them in a digital library. Legislation--such as the
Feinstein-Graham bill--is needed to ensure that satellite
services play by the same set of rules everyone else does and
not profit from becoming a download/subscription model
without acquiring the appropriate license and compensating
artists and songwriters.
Because traditional terrestrial radio is not covered by the
government license or this legislation, private market
negotiations on measures to similarly protect high-definition
(HD) radio are currently in progress. The RIAA has also
praised the introduction of legislation by Rep. Mike Ferguson
(R-NJ) that requires users of free government spectrum to
protect content delivered through HD radio receivers through
private market agreements.
______
By Mr. KERRY:
S. 2646. A bill to create a 3-year pilot program that makes small,
nonprofit child care businesses eligible for loans under title V of the
Small Business Investment Act of 1958; to the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, as Congress comes back in session for a
five-week work period, it is high time we put partisan bickering aside
and take up real issues that will improve the lives of America's hard-
working families. Today, I rise to address one such problem--the
growing shortage of quality child care for our country's future
generations. Over the past 50 years, the United States has witnessed a
43 percent increase in the number of dual- earner and single-parent
families. Furthermore, the Census Bureau estimates that more than six
million children are left home alone on a regular basis. Nationwide,
more households than ever are struggling to make ends meet, while
providing safe, nurturing environments for their children to grow up
in. For many, child care is not a choice, but a necessity in this
endeavor. That is why we owe it to our Nation's families to increase
the availability of quality child care--because strong, healthy
families build a stronger America.
As the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship, I firmly believe that we can work with the Small
Business Administration (SBA) to cultivate and expand existing child
care facilities. In light of this, I rise today to introduce the Child
Care Lending Pilot Act of 2006, which establishes a three-year pilot
program enabling small, non-profit child care businesses to be eligible
for the SBA's 504 loans.
With affordable fixed low interest rates and long terms, 504 loans
play a vital role in spurring economic development and the rebuilding
of communities. Current law permits for-profit child care small
businesses to finance building repairs and expand existing facilities
through these 504 loans. However, their non-profit counterparts are
unable to access the same financing through the SBA. Given that the
majority of child care centers in many States across the country
operate as non-profits, this system is shutting out the lion's share of
facilities from obtaining necessary funds to provide quality care for
the families they serve. The Child Care Lending Pilot Act of 2006
reverses this trend. By allowing non-profit child care businesses to
apply for 504 lending, the legislation enables these entities to put
down only 10 to 20 percent of the loan with a term of up to 20 years.
With low, predictable monthly payments, these non-profit centers can
then invest in the families they provide services to, by updating and
improving their buildings and materials without breaking the bank or
raising fees.
Since the industry is not high-earning overall, a majority of child
care centers do not have an abundance of easily accessible capital.
Proposals that call for centers to simply charge less or cut back on
employees are not the way to make child care more affordable for
families and do not serve in the children's best interests. An adequate
staff is crucial in ensuring that children receive proper supervision
and support to foster their development and learning. Furthermore, if
centers are asked to decrease operating costs in order to lower costs
absorbed by families, the safety and quality of the child care provided
would most likely be in jeopardy.
In recent years, the Children's Defense Fund estimated that in all
but one State, the average annual cost of child care in urban area
child care centers is more than the average annual cost of public
college tuition. Additionally, they projected that child care can
easily cost between $4,000 to $10,000 per
[[Page 5908]]
year in cities and States across the Nation. Clearly, these high costs
pose virtually insurmountable hurdles for low-income families in need
of quality care for their children. Although many States have
implemented grant and loan programs to help these child care small
businesses, more must be done--not only to improve the quality of care,
but also the overall supply of child care facilities for the Nation's
neediest families.
I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and allow
non-profit child care providers to access SBA 504 financing for their
facilities and the children they serve. Funded entirely through fees,
this legislation requires no appropriation. Additionally, it is
consistent with the three-year SBA reauthorization cycle. This
legislation is the product of work on this issue in both the 107th and
108th Congresses. Similar legislation was introduced in 2002, S. 2891,
however the four year provision made this program inconsistent with the
cycle of SBA reauthorization. To remedy this, I reintroduced the
measure in 2003 as S. 822, making the act a three-year pilot program
consistent with the cycle of reauthorization. This pilot program was
also part of the larger Senate Small Business reauthorization
legislation in the last Congress, S. 1375. Unfortunately, this
innovative proposal to expand child care, which had bipartisan support,
was cut out of the final authorization package when a scaled-back
version of the reauthorization legislation, without most Democratic
initiatives, was added to the FY2005 omnibus appropriations bill.
Although there is no quick-fix solution for the Nation's child care
shortage and lack of quality facilities, this bill marks an important
step in the right direction by allowing non-profit child care centers
to receive SBA loans. I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle will recognize the vital role that early education plays in the
development of fine minds and productive citizens, and realize that in
this great Nation, child care should be available to all families in
all income brackets. The Child Care Lending Pilot Act of 2006 is a
sound investment in our Nation's future--our children.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 2646
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Child Care
Lending Pilot Act of 2006''.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act--
(1) the terms ``Administration'' and ``Administrator'' mean
the Small Business Administration and the Administrator
thereof, respectively; and
(2) the term ``small business concern'' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632).
SEC. 2. CHILD CARE LENDING PILOT PROGRAM.
Section 502 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958
(15 U.S.C. 696) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``The Administration'' and inserting the
following:
``(a) Authorization.--The Administration'';
(B) by striking ``and such loans'' and inserting ``. Such
loans'';
(C) by striking ``: Provided, however, That the foregoing
powers shall be subject to the following restrictions and
limitations:'' and inserting a period; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Restrictions and Limitations.--The authority under
subsection (a) shall be subject to the following restrictions
and limitations:''; and
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by inserting after ``Use of proceeds.--'' the
following:
``(A) In general.--;'' and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Loans to small, nonprofit child care businesses.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), the
proceeds of any loan described in subsection (a) may be used
by the certified development company to assist a small,
nonprofit child care business, if--
``(I) the loan is used for a sound business purpose that
has been approved by the Administration;
``(II) each such business meets all of the same eligibility
requirements applicable to for-profit businesses under this
title, except for status as a for-profit business;
``(III) 1 or more individuals has personally guaranteed the
loan;
``(IV) each such business has clear and singular title to
the collateral for the loan; and
``(V) each such business has sufficient cash flow from its
operations to meet its obligations on the loan and its normal
and reasonable operating expenses.
``(ii) Limitation on volume.--Not more than 7 percent of
the total number of loans guaranteed in any fiscal year under
this title may be awarded under this subparagraph.
``(iii) Defined term.--For purposes of this subparagraph,
the term `small, nonprofit child care business' means an
establishment that--
``(I) is organized in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
``(II) is primarily engaged in providing child care for
infants, toddlers, pre-school, or pre-kindergarten children
(or any combination thereof), and may provide care for older
children when they are not in school, and may offer pre-
kindergarten educational programs;
``(III) including its affiliates, has tangible net worth
that does not exceed $7,000,000, and has average net income
(excluding any carryover losses) for the 2 completed fiscal
years preceding the application that does not exceed
$2,500,000; and
``(IV) is licensed as a child care provider by the State,
the insular area, or the District of Columbia in which it is
located.
``(iv) Sunset provision.--This subparagraph shall remain in
effect until September 30, 2009, and shall apply to all loans
authorized under this subparagraph that are applied for,
approved, or disbursed during the period beginning on the
date of enactment of this subparagraph and ending on
September 30, 2009.''.
SEC. 3. REPORTS.
(a) Small Business Administration.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter until
September 30, 2009, the Administrator shall submit a report
on the implementation of the program under section
502(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as
added by this Act, to--
(A) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of
the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Contents.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall
contain--
(A) the date on which the program is implemented;
(B) the date on which the rules are issued under section 4;
and
(C) the number and dollar amount of loans under the program
applied for, approved, and disbursed during the previous 6
months--
(i) with respect to nonprofit child care businesses; and
(ii) with respect to for-profit child care businesses.
(b) Government Accountability Office.--
(1) In general.--Not later than March 31, 2009, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a
report on the child care small business loans authorized by
section 502(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Investment Act of
1958, as added by this Act, to--
(A) the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of
the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Small Business of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Contents.--The report under paragraph (1) shall contain
information gathered during the first 2 years of the loan
program, including--
(A) an evaluation of the timeliness of the implementation
of the loan program;
(B) a description of the effectiveness and ease with which
certified development companies, lenders, and small business
concerns have participated in the loan program;
(C) a description and assessment of how the loan program
was marketed;
(D) by location (State, insular area, and the District of
Columbia) and in total, the number of child care small
businesses, categorized by status as a for-profit or
nonprofit business, that--
(i) applied for a loan under the program (and whether it
was a new or expanding child care provider);
(ii) were approved for a loan under the program; and
(iii) received a loan disbursement under the program (and
whether they are a new or expanding child care provider); and
(E) with respect to businesses described under subparagraph
(D)(iii)--
(i) the number of such businesses in each State, insular
area, and the District of Columbia, as of the year of
enactment of this Act;
(ii) the total amount loaned to such businesses under the
program;
(iii) the total number of loans to such businesses under
the program;
(iv) the average loan amount and term;
(v) the currency rate, delinquencies, defaults, and losses
of the loans;
(vi) the number and percent of children served who receive
subsidized assistance; and
(vii) the number and percent of children served who are low
income.
(3) Access to information.--
(A) In general.--The Administration shall collect and
maintain such information as
[[Page 5909]]
may be necessary to carry out this subsection from certified
development centers and child care providers, and such
centers and providers shall comply with a request for
information from the Administration for that purpose.
(B) Provision of information to government accountability
office.--The Administration shall provide information
collected under this paragraph to the Comptroller General of
the United States for purposes of the report required by this
subsection.
SEC. 4. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Administrator shall issue final rules to carry out
the loan program authorized by section 502(b)(1)(B) of the
Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as added by this Act.
______
By Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. DeWine):
S. 2651. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to make
grants to educational organizations to carry out educational programs
about the Holocaust; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``Simon
Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act.'' This important
legislation would provide competitive grants for educational
organizations to make Holocaust education more accessible and available
throughout this Nation.
And I would like to thank my colleague Senator DeWine for
cosponsoring this legislation and my former colleague in the House,
Congresswoman Maloney, for her leadership on this issue.
This legislation could not come at a more important and solemn day in
our lives. Today is Yom Hashoah, a day when we commemorate the
approximately six million men, women and children of Jewish faith, as
well as millions of others who were persecuted and murdered 65 years
ago in a systematic, state sponsored genocide. Today, we also honor
those who stood up against the genocide and risked their own lives to
save others.
Today we stand in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish faith, and
with all people throughout the world, in remembering these tragic
events.
And today we honor Simon Wiesenthal who dedicated his life to making
sure that those who perpetrated the horrors of the Holocaust were
brought to justice.
Sixty-five years may seem like a lifetime away, and generations may
have been raised thinking that the Holocaust, and events like it, is
from a distant past. But let me be clear--these events are not so
distant and are not in the past. In fact, they are in our present.
Just recently, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hatefully and
outrageously declared the Holocaust a ``myth'' and Israel a ``fake
regime'' which ``cannot continue to live.''
And just two months ago, an anti-Semitic gang that calls themselves
``the Barbarians'' tortured 23-year-old Ilan Halimi, a young Jewish
man, for three weeks before leaving him for dead near a train station
in Paris.
It is these events that make us aware of the destructive messages of
hate and violence that arise from Holocaust denial. It is these events
that show us the importance of Holocaust education, abroad and in our
own Nation.
For although some States now require the Holocaust to be taught in
public schools, this legislation goes further and makes grants
available to organizations that teach students, teachers, and
communities the dangers of hate and the importance of tolerance in our
society. This legislation would give educators the appropriate
resources and training to teach accurate historical information about
the Holocaust and convey the lessons that the Holocaust provides for
all people.
We must recognize that by remembering the millions who were murdered
in the Holocaust, we create a sense of responsibility to stop genocide
wherever it takes place. But we must also remember that hate crimes and
genocide could, and are still, happening today.
We are reminded, through the deplorable comments made by Iranian
President Ahmadinejad against Israel and through the murder of young
Ilan Halimi in France that anti-Semitism still exists even 65 years
after the Holocaust. The awful acts of murder and rape in Darfur are a
horrific example of genocide in the 21st century.
And those who believe that anti-Semitism is an attack that need not
be answered by those who are not Jewish do not recognize the
consequences of history. In fact, an attack against anyone simply
because of race or religion is ultimately the beginning of the
unraveling of civilization. It is in our common interest to raise our
voices against anti-Semitism and against all hatred and discrimination.
We must fight the chorus of anti-Semitism and fight the fear and the
hate. As a Nation proud of our diverse heritage, we must, each of us,
take a stand. With our words, but most importantly with our actions, we
will turn the tide against this new wave of anti-Semitism. And funding
accurate educational programs on the Holocaust is a step toward winning
this battle.
In the words of Samantha Power, a renowned expert on genocide, ``the
sharpest challenge to the world of bystanders is posed by those who
have refused to remain silent in the age of genocide.''
So today, the United States of America stands with Israel and all
followers of the Jewish faith in commemorating Yom Hashoah, and
condemning all anti-Semitism and hatred. And I am proud to join in the
stand against anti-Semitism here and around the world.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
______
By Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Reed):
S.J. Res. 34. A joint resolution expressing United States policy on
Iraq; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the joint resolution be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the joint resolution was
ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
S.J. Res. 34
Whereas there has been a strong consensus among the senior
United States military commanders that a broad-based
political settlement involving the three main Iraqi groups is
essential for defeating the insurgency;
Whereas the two parts of that political settlement are (1)
agreement on a national unity government that serves the
interests of all Iraqis, and (2) compromises to amend the
Iraq Constitution to make it an inclusive document;
Whereas such a two-part political settlement is also
essential to prevent all-out civil war and is a critical
element of our exit strategy for United States military
forces in Iraq;
Whereas the Iraqi Council of Representatives' approval on
April 22, 2006, of the Presidency Council consisting of Jalal
Talabani as President and two Vice Presidents, and the
election of a Speaker and two Deputy Speakers is a
significant step, as is the decision by the Iraqi political
leadership to select Jawad al-Maliki as the Prime Minister
designate;
Whereas the Council of Representatives still needs to
consider the nomination of Jawad al-Maliki and his still-to-
be-chosen Cabinet, including an Interior Minister and a
Defense Minister, and still needs to form a committee to
recommend changes to the Iraq Constitution;
Whereas under the Iraq Constitution, Prime Minister
designate Jawad al-Maliki has 30 days from April 22, 2006, to
choose and present a Cabinet to the Council of
Representatives for its approval;
Whereas under the Iraq Constitution, the Council of
Representatives, at the start of its functioning, is required
to appoint a committee from its members which will have four
months to present recommendations to the Council for
necessary amendments to the Iraq Constitution;
Whereas while the three main Iraqi groups have differing
views about the duration of the presence in Iraq of the
United States-led Coalition forces, none of them favor the
immediate withdrawal of United States military forces from
Iraq;
Whereas section 1227 of the National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109--163; 119 Stat.
3465; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) provides in part that ``[t]he
Administration should tell the leaders of all groups and
political parties in Iraq that they need to make the
compromises necessary to achieve the broad-based and
sustainable political settlement that is essential for
defeating the insurgency in Iraq, within the timetable they
set for themselves'';
Whereas the United States Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay
Khalilzad, has done an exceptional job in working with Iraqi
political, religious, and tribal leaders in an effort to
achieve consensus on the prompt formation of a national unity
government; and
[[Page 5910]]
Whereas the American public has become increasingly and
understandably impatient with the failure of the Iraqis to
form a national unity government: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That it is
the sense of Congress that the Iraqi political, religious,
and tribal leaders should be told by the Administration
that--
(1) the continued presence of United States military forces
in Iraq is not unconditional;
(2) whether the Iraqis avoid all-out civil war and have a
future as a nation is in their hands;
(3) the Iraqis need to seize that opportunity and only they
can be responsible for their own future; and
(4) completing the formation of a government of national
unity and subsequent agreement to modifications to the Iraq
Constitution to make it more inclusive, within the deadlines
the Iraqis have set for themselves in the Iraq Constitution,
is--
(A) essential to defeating the insurgency and avoiding all-
out civil war; and
(B) a condition of the continued presence of United States
military forces in Iraq.
____________________
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 441--EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE SENATE FOR THE
RECONVENING OF THE PARLIAMENT OF NEPAL AND FOR AN IMMEDIATE PEACEFUL
TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY
Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Leahy) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations:
S. Res. 441
Whereas, in 1990, Nepal adopted a constitution that
enshrined multi-party democracy under a constitutional
monarchy, ending 3 decades of absolute monarchical rule;
Whereas, since 1996, Maoist insurgents have waged a violent
campaign to replace the constitutional monarchy with a
communist republic, which has resulted in widespread human
rights violations by both sides and the loss of an estimated
12,000 lives;
Whereas the Maoist insurgency grew out of the
radicalization and fragmentation of left wing parties
following Nepal's transition to democracy in 1990;
Whereas, on June 1, 2001, King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya
and other members of the Royal family were murdered, leaving
the throne to the slain King's brother, the current King
Gyanendra;
Whereas, in May 2002, in the face of increasing Maoist
violence, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba dissolved the
Parliament of Nepal;
Whereas, in October 2002, King Gyanendra dismissed Prime
Minister Deuba;
Whereas, in June 2004, after the unsuccessful tenures of 2
additional palace-appointed prime ministers, King Gyanendra
reappointed Prime Minister Deuba and mandated that he hold
general elections by April 2005;
Whereas, on February 1, 2005, King Gyanendra accused Nepali
political leaders of failing to solve the Maoist problem,
seized absolute control of Nepal by dismissing and detaining
Prime Minister Deuba and declaring a state of emergency,
temporarily shut down Nepal's communications, detained
hundreds of politicians and political workers, and limited
press and other constitutional freedoms;
Whereas, in November 2005, the mainstream political parties
formed a seven-party alliance with the Maoists and agreed to
a 12 point agenda that called for a restructuring of the
government of Nepal to include an end to absolute monarchical
rule and the formation of an interim all-party government
with a view to holding elections for a constituent assembly
to rewrite the Constitution of Nepal;
Whereas, since February 2005, King Gyanendra has
promulgated dozens of ordinances without parliamentary
process that violate basic freedoms of expression and
association, including the Election Code of Conduct that
seeks to limit media freedom in covering elections and the
Code of Conduct for Social Organizations that bars staff of
nongovernmental organizations from having political
affiliations;
Whereas King Gyanendra ordered the arrest of hundreds of
political workers in January 2006 before holding municipal
elections on February 8, 2006, which the Department of State
characterized as ``a hollow attempt by the King to legitimize
his power'';
Whereas the people of Nepal have been peacefully protesting
since April 6, 2006, in an attempt to restore the democratic
political process;
Whereas on April 10, 2006, the Department of State declared
that King Gyanendra's February 2005 decision ``to impose
direct palace rule in Nepal has failed in every regard'' and
called on the King to restore democracy immediately and to
begin a dialogue with Nepal's political parties;
Whereas King Gyanendra ordered a crackdown on the protests,
which has left at least 14 Nepali citizens dead and hundreds
injured by the security forces of Nepal;
Whereas the people of Nepal are suffering hardship due to
food shortages and lack of sufficient medical care because of
the prevailing political crisis;
Whereas King Gyanendra announced on April 21, 2006, that
the executive power of Nepal shall be returned to the people
and called on the seven-party alliance to name a new prime
minister to govern the country in accordance with the 1990
Constitution of Nepal;
Whereas the seven-party alliance subsequently rejected King
Gyanendra's April 21, 2006 statement and called on him to
reinstate parliament and allow for the establishment of a
constituent assembly to draw up a new constitution;
Whereas on April 24, 2006, King Gyanendra announced that he
would reinstate the Parliament of Nepal on April 28, 2006,
and apologized for the deaths and injuries that occurred
during the recent demonstrations, but did not address the
issue of constitutional revision;
Whereas political party leaders have welcomed King
Gyanendra's April 24th announcement and stated that the first
action of the reconvened parliament will be the scheduling of
elections for a constituent assembly to redraft the
Constitution of Nepal.
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) expresses its support for the reconvening of the
Parliament of Nepal and for an immediate, peaceful transition
to democracy;
(2) commends the desire of the people of Nepal for a
democratic system of government and expresses its support for
their right to protest peacefully in pursuit of this goal;
(3) acknowledges the April 24, 2006 statement by King
Gyanendra regarding his intent to reinstate the Parliament of
Nepal;
(4) urges the Palace, the political parties, and the
Maoists to immediately support a process that returns the
country to multi-party democracy and creates the conditions
for peace and stability in Nepal;
(5) declares that the transition to democracy in Nepal must
be peaceful and that violence conducted by any party is
unacceptable and risks sending Nepal into a state of anarchy;
(6) calls on security forces of Nepal to exercise maximum
restraint and to uphold the highest standards of conduct in
their response to the protests;
(7) urges the immediate release of all political detainees
and the restoration of full civilian and political rights,
including freedom of association, expression, and assembly;
(8) urges the Maoists to lay down their arms and to pursue
their goals through participation in a peaceful political
process; and
(9) calls on the Government of the United States to work
closely with other governments, including the governments of
India, China, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, and
with the United Nations to ensure a common and coherent
international approach that helps to bring about an immediate
peaceful transition to democracy and to end the violent
insurgency in Nepal.
Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, as Members are aware, Nepal has been
gripped by demonstrations in support of democracy for the past 20 days.
At least 14 Nepali citizens have been killed in these protests and
hundreds more injured. The demonstrations follow 14 months of direct
rule by King Gyanendra and February 8, 2006, municipal elections that
the State Department characterized as a ``hollow attempt by the King to
legitimize his power.''
I am submitting today a resolution expressing the Senate's support
for the reconvening of the Nepali parliament and for an immediate,
peaceful transition to a democratic political process in the country.
This resolution urges the King, political parties, and Maoists to
support a process that returns the country to multi-party democracy and
creates the conditions for peace and stability in the country.
____________________
SENATE RESOLUTION 442--EXPRESSING THE DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SENATE
WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTION OF IRAN TO A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THE
UNITED NATIONS DISARMAMENT COMMISSION AND REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT TO
WITHHOLD FUNDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS UNLESS CREDIBLE REFORMS ARE MADE
Mr. COLEMAN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations:
[[Page 5911]]
S. Res. 442
Whereas the United Nations has continuously failed to meet
minimal reform expectations, including those outlined in the
September Summit Outcome Document;
Whereas the United Nations has allowed member states acting
in defiance of their obligations to the United Nations to
enjoy full participatory rights and leadership positions in
all bodies of the United Nations;
Whereas the mandate of the charter of the United Nations
that protects international peace and security is
significantly hindered by the placement of pariah states in
leadership positions within various commissions;
Whereas the credibility of the United Nations has been
further crippled by the fact that Iran was elected to serve
as the vice chair of the Asia regional group of the United
Nations Disarmament Commission;
Whereas Iran has committed many acts of malfeasance with
respect to its nuclear program that makes it an unacceptable
candidate for the United Nations Disarmament Commission,
including--
(1) developing a clandestine nuclear program for 18 years
prior to 2003;
(2) repeatedly deceiving the International Atomic Energy
Agency about a variety of nuclear-related activities;
(3) failing to provide inspectors from the International
Atomic Energy Agency with access to various nuclear sites;
(4) refusing to answer questions related to its nuclear
program;
(5) reneging on its commitments under the Paris Accords of
November 2004, which included the suspension of uranium
enrichment activities; and
(6) announcing its success in achieving uranium enrichment
capabilities, which represented a brazen affront to the
international community;
Whereas other actions and rhetoric by Iran have perpetuated
its record of terror and tyranny, and warranted its isolation
from the international community at the United Nations,
including--
(1) continuing its calls for the annihilation of Israel,
which is a member state of the United Nations;
(2) actively sponsoring terrorism through groups including
Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, which prompted the
Department of State to classify Iran as the ``most active
state sponsor of terrorism in 2004''; and
(3) continuing its efforts to destabilize neighboring
countries by meddling in the affairs of those countries,
including Iraq, Israel, and Lebanon; and
Whereas, while Iran continues to enjoy full participatory
rights and privileges as a member state of the United
Nations, the overall conduct of Iran is a direct threat to
world security and violates numerous fundamental principles
on which the United Nations is based: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) expresses its deep disappointment with respect to the
failure of the Asia group members of the United Nations
Disarmament Commission to stop the election of Iran as the
vice chair of that body;
(2) asserts that the United Nations Disarmament Commission
has no credibility on disarmament issues due to the
participation of Iran, particularly in light of the defiance
of Iran in disregarding resolutions passed by the
International Atomic Energy Agency and the Security Council
Presidential Statement relating to its nuclear program;
(3) calls on the United States to reject all resolutions
passed by the discredited United Nations Disarmament
Commission;
(4) condemns the continued intransigence of Iran with
respect to its--
(A) nuclear program;
(B) treatment of Israel; and
(C) sponsorship of terror;
(5) shall work to ensure that funding from the United
States is withheld from--
(A) the regular budget of the United Nations in the amount
that is directed towards the activities of the United Nations
Disarmament Commission; and
(B) any commission of the United Nations in which the worst
violators of the principles it claims to promote are included
in its membership, including the new Human Rights Council;
(6) calls on the United Nations to deny Iran from
participating in any commission of the United Nations until
it--
(A) complies with its obligations under the Non-
Proliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency
resolutions;
(B) halts--
(i) all uranium enrichment activities; and
(ii) all calls for the destruction of Israel; and
(C) withdraws support from terrorist groups; and
(7) calls on the President to--
(A) closely monitor the progress of the United Nations on
reform; and
(B) exercise the option of the President to withhold
funding unless credible reforms are made prior to discussions
on the biannual budget.
Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I rise to submit a sense-of-the Senate
resolution expressing the deepest disappointment of the Senate with
respect to the election of Iran to a leadership position on the United
Nations Disarmament Commission and request the President to withhold
funding to the United Nations unless credible reforms are made.
A couple of observations, Mr. President. In light of the Oil-For-Food
scandal, it was my great hope that we would see a movement toward
reform in the United Nations. The Secretary General had put forth some
proposed reforms. There was some discussion about whether the U.N.
Commission on Human Rights was going to be reformed. Unfortunately, the
energy was there, the hope was there, and we seemed to be moving in the
wrong direction.
On May 9, for the new Human Rights Council, elections will be held.
It appears that Cuba may be appointed to the new Human Rights Council.
The recommendations from the Secretary General for minimum reform are
now coming under attack by something called the G-77, the underlying
nations, which may dismantle those. A little tremor occurred just about
a week ago, and to some people it may be a little thing, but it is not.
It is symbolic of some of the things we face with the United Nations.
Just recently, Iran was elected to the U.N. Disarmament Commission.
Some may say that this is a very minor commission; it is an inactive
forum; it only meets 3 weeks a year, the U.N. Commission on
Disarmament. We have Iran out there thumbing its nose at the
international community hell-bent on getting a nuclear weapon. And by
the way, they said what they are going to do with it. They said they
want to destroy Israel. That is what they said they are going to do.
Hitler told us what he wanted to do and the world didn't listen. God
forbid there is an explosion of an atomic weapon in Tel Aviv or Haifa.
They have already said where it is going to come from, this is what we
are going to do.
So Iran gets elected to the U.N. Commission on Disarmament. In some
ways it doesn't make sense. In some ways it is absurd, but it does
require comment. It does require a response. It does require folks to
say: I don't care whether it meets 3 weeks a year or 1 week a year or
50 weeks a year. This is something that highlights the absurdity of
what is happening today in this international body.
It is interesting that, as expected, Iran is already making efforts
to convert the Disarmament Commission into yet another forum for
antisemitism. Last week, at a working group meeting, Iran's
representative to the Disarmament Commission stated that the suggestion
that Iran had a nuclear weapons program was Jewish propaganda
fabricated by the Jewish lobby in the United States. These brazenly
antisemitic comments were objected to by our American representative,
but other members, including the chair of the working group, remained
silent.
I am disturbed by the moral indifference that the U.N. has reached
where you have a member state seeking nuclear weapons with the
expressed intention of destroying another member state, and that member
state, Iran, is allowed to serve as the Vice Chair of the Disarmament
Commission. That is completely unacceptable, to say the least. I am
disappointed that the Asian member states did not step up to contest
the candidacy of Iran.
This is what is happening: You have regional groupings, so each
state, regional groupings, pick their members. The United States
doesn't get involved in this. It is up to the member states, the Asian
members. But somebody has to be thinking this doesn't make sense. This
is going to cast a negative pall over the international community's
reflection about what the United Nations community is all about. It is
another step back at a time when we need to be moving forward.
It is the responsibility of member states at the U.N. to step up and
prevent the system from being manipulated by pariah states such as Iran
that are looking to pursue their destructive agendas. Iran is probably
the major state sponsor of terrorism in the world today. Iran says they
want to destroy Israel. Iran supports terrorism and Iran is intent on
getting a nuclear weapon.
We do not control what other member states do, but we should make the
[[Page 5912]]
position of the United States clear. The United States should not be
funding institutions that not only undermine the very principles they
claim to promote but directly harm U.S. interests. A disarmament
commission with Iran in a leadership position should be condemned by
the United States and we should make a statement. I have been very
hesitant to talk about holding back funding, but we are going in the
wrong direction. I will be back on the floor if Cuba gets appointed,
gets elected to this new human rights council. I will be back on the
floor. At a certain point in time you have to expect something. Much is
given, much is received. We have given the U.N. a lot of money. We have
given a lot of support. There are expectations then and they are not
being met.
Lest someone has failed to be aware of Iran's deeds, let me review
some of the credentials for being excluded from the commission. Iran
has repeatedly deceived the IAEA about a variety of nuclear-related
activities, failed to provide IAEA inspectors access to various nuclear
sites, and refused to answer outstanding questions that led to its
nuclear program. It reneged on its commitments under the Paris Accord
of 2004, which included the suspension of uranium enrichment
activities.
Again, I talked about the actions and rhetoric of the Iranian regime
to perpetuate a record of terror and tyranny which also warrants
isolation from the international community at the U.N., including calls
for the annihilation of Israel, active sponsorship of terrorism through
groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, meddling in the
affairs of neighboring countries such as Iraq and Israel and Lebanon.
The overall conduct of Iran is a direct threat to world security. It
violates numerous fundamental principles on which the United Nations is
based. Yet it continues to enjoy full participatory rights and
privileges as a member state of the U.N. In fact, it gets rewarded by a
leadership position on the disarmament commission. Such a situation is
beyond comprehension.
The resolution I plan to submit does the following. It expresses deep
disappointment in the failure of the Asian group members of the
disarmament commission to stop Iran's election as the vice chair of the
body. It asserts the disarmament commission has no credibility on
disarmament issues due to Iran's participation, particularly in the
light of Iran's defiance of the IAEA resolutions and the Security
Council presidential statement regarding its nuclear program. It calls
on the U.S. to reject all resolutions passed by the discredited
disarmament commission, condemns Iran's continued intransigence with
regard to the treatment of Israel and sponsorship of terror and,
finally, works to ensure that U.S. funding is withheld from the U.N. in
the amount that is directed toward the disarmament commission's
activities from its regular budget.
We are not talking about a lot of money here. What we are talking
about is making a statement--making a statement. We call upon the
President to closely monitor U.N. progress on reform and to exercise
his option to withhold funding unless credible reforms are made prior
to the discussions of the biannual budget in June.
What do you do? In the U.S. we ask the question, What shall we do
when those who enforce the law break the law? In the international
context we are asking, What do we do when a key voice in disarmament is
given to one of the world's most willful sponsors of terrorism at a
time when they are ignoring the international community in their quest
for nuclear weapons?
The response is just to say no. Civilized nations must speak with one
voice. That statement should begin right here with the passage of my
resolution.
I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this resolution. The
error of the United Nations is serious. To be silent in the face of it
would be far worse.
____________________
SENATE RESOLUTION 443--RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF FRANCIS R. VALEO,
FORMER SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
Mr. FRIST (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 443
Whereas Francis R. (Frank) Valeo served with distinction as
chief of the Foreign Affairs Division of the Legislative
Reference Service and specialist in the Far East, before
beginning his service to the United States Senate in 1952 on
the staff of the Committee on Foreign Relations;
Whereas Frank Valeo in 1958 became foreign policy advisor
and assistant to the Majority Whip, Senator Mike Mansfield,
and then served as Majority Secretary from 1963 to 1966;
Whereas Frank Valeo served as Secretary of the Senate from
1966 to 1977;
Whereas Frank Valeo accompanied many United States Senators
on missions to all parts of the globe, assisted the Majority
Leader in regularly reporting on conditions in Southeast
Asia, and was part of the first congressional delegation to
visit the People's Republic of China in 1972;
Whereas Frank Valeo represented the United States Senate on
the Federal Election Commission from 1974 to 1977, and in
that role participated in the 1976 landmark Supreme Court
decision of Buckley v. Valeo;
Whereas Frank Valeo helped to modernize and set
professional standards for service in the diverse offices
that report to the Secretary of the Senate, and served as a
member of the Commission on the Operation of the Senate, from
1975 to 1976, where he helped craft its proposals for
structural and technological reforms in Senate operations;
Whereas Frank Valeo faithfully discharged the difficult
duties and responsibilities of a wide variety of important
and demanding positions in public life with honesty,
integrity, loyalty, and humanity; and
Whereas Frank Valeo's clear understanding and appreciation
of the challenges facing the Nation have left his mark on
those many areas of public life: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That (a) the Senate has heard with profound
sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Frank
Valeo.
(b) The Secretary of the Senate shall communicate these
resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit an
enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased.
(c) When the Senate adjourns today, it shall stand
adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Frank
Valeo.
____________________
SENATE RESOLUTION 444--COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
FOUNDING OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, and Mrs. Dole) submitted the
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 444
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, after its founding
in 1906, rapidly emerged as a pioneering human relations
agency, dedicated to combating all forms of bigotry and
championing a sense of shared civic responsibility;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through a range of
innovative projects and programs, seeks to build a more
hopeful world by expanding freedom, enhancing mutual respect,
monitoring hate groups, and providing vital information about
extremists of every type;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee has strengthened the
culture of the United States in historic ways through
programs that teach tolerance, such as America's Table,
through far-reaching dialogues with ethnic and religious
group in the country, through promoting interfaith awareness
and playing a key role in the issuance of Nostra Aetate, and
through steadfast support of vulnerable individuals
throughout history;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, the first American
Jewish organization to establish a full-time office in
Israel, has worked tirelessly to tell the extraordinary story
of Israel through a range of endeavors, including Project
Interchange, which has brought more than 3,000 American
leaders to the Jewish state for journeys of discovery and
understanding;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through its network
of offices and associations in the United States and across
the globe, works with many countries, the United Nations, and
other international bodies to promote democratic ideals and
to protect and uplift Jewish communities everywhere;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through advocacy and
education, indefatigably defends and protects the treasured
civic values of the United States, including religious
freedom, and support for public education and the family;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee sponsored research
cited in the landmark Supreme Court case banning segregation,
Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka et al., and
played a vital role in the civil rights movement, stood with
Soviet Jewry and all prisoners of conscience in the Soviet
[[Page 5913]]
Union, argued successfully for the inclusion of human rights
clauses in the United Nations Charter, and insisted upon an
acceptance of women's rights as a human rights issue; and
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, at work both on the
world stage and here at home, for a century has had a proud
and profoundly beneficial presence throughout the communities
of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the American Jewish Committee, by choosing hope,
inspires everyone in the United States as it continues its
work into its second century of service; and
(2) the Senate salutes, commends, and congratulates the
American Jewish Committee for its century of leadership.
____________________
SENATE RESOLUTION 445--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE IN
COMMEMORATING HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
Mr. SANTORUM (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr.
Voinovich, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Ensign, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Allen,
Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Levin, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Frist, Mr.
Lautenberg, Mr. Burns, Mr. Specter, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Warner,
Mrs. Dole, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Talent, and Mr. Sununu) submitted the
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
S. Res. 445
Whereas the Holocaust involved the systematic persecution
and genocide of millions of innocent Jewish men, women, and
children, along with millions of others, by the Nazis under
the leadership of Adolf Hitler;
Whereas an estimated 6,000,000 Jews and many others were
killed in the Holocaust;
Whereas millions of survivors of the Holocaust endured
enormous suffering through violence, torture, slave labor,
and involuntary medical experimentation;
Whereas in the 61 years since the end of the Holocaust,
this tragic event has helped to teach the people of the world
awareness of the danger of hatred, anti-Semitism, bigotry,
and racism, and the importance of compassion and
understanding diversity;
Whereas Holocaust Remembrance Day is held every year in
remembrance of the Holocaust and its millions of victims:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day, which falls on
April 25, 2006;
(2) remembers the 6,000,000 Jews and many others who were
killed by the Nazis, and honors the millions of survivors of
the Holocaust; and
(3) encourages all Americans to commemorate the occasion
through reflection, acts of compassion, and education about
the horrific consequences of anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism
and hatred.
____________________
AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED AND PROPOSED
SA 3591. Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Reed)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3592. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3593. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3594. Mr. GREGG (for himself, Mr. Frist, Mr. Byrd, Mr.
Domenici, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Alexander, and Mr. Sununu) proposed
an amendment to the bill H.R. 4939, supra.
SA 3595. Mr. MARTINEZ submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3596. Mr. MARTINEZ submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3597. Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Chafee,
and Mr. Allen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was ordered to lie
on the table.
SA 3598. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra.
SA 3599. Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Obama, Mr. Domenici,
Mr. Levin, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Reed, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Dodd, Mr.
Allen, Mr. Bayh, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Lautenberg, and
Mr. Durbin) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was ordered to lie on
the table.
SA 3600. Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Ensign,
and Mrs. Murray) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 4939,
supra.
SA 3601. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3602. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3603. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3604. Mr. REID proposed an amendment to the bill H.R.
4939, supra.
SA 3605. Mr. LOTT submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3606. Mr. SMITH submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3607. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3608. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3609. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3610. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
SA 3611. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, supra; which was
ordered to lie on the table.
____________________
TEXT OF AMENDMENTS
SA 3591. Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Reed) submitted
an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939,
making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
On page 126, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:
REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT AND AMENDING THE
IRAQ CONSTITUTION TO MAKE IT A UNIFYING DOCUMENT
Sec. 1406. (a) Reports Required.--In furtherance of the
findings and sense of Congress set forth in Senate Joint
Resolution 34, as introduced in the Senate on April 25, 2006,
the President shall, not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act and every 30 days thereafter until
a national unity government has been formed in Iraq and the
Iraq Constitution has been amended in a manner that makes it
a unifying document, submit to Congress a report on United
States policy and political developments in Iraq.
(b) Elements.--Each report shall include the following
information:
(1) Whether the Administration has told the Iraqi
political, religious and tribal leaders that agreement by the
Iraqis on a government of national unity, and subsequent
agreement to amendments to the Iraq Constitution to make it
more inclusive, within the 30-day and 4-month deadlines that
the Iraqis set for themselves in their Constitution, is a
condition for the continued presence of United States
military forces in Iraq.
(2) The progress that has been made in the formation of a
national unity government and the obstacles, if any, that
remain.
(3) The progress that has been made in the amendment of the
Iraq Constitution to make it more of a unifying document and
the obstacles, if any, that remain.
______
SA 3592. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 162, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:
FOX POINT HURRICANE BARRIER
For an additional amount for the Secretary of the Army,
acting through the Chief of Engineers, for use in upgrading
the electro-mechanical control system of the Fox Point
hurricane barrier in Providence, Rhode Island, $1,055,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress).
______
SA 3593. Ms. LANDRIEU submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title II, add the following:
CHAPTER 9
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Sec. 2901. (a) Grant Program Authorized.--The Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator
[[Page 5914]]
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall
award grants to public hospitals, nonprofit entities, and
medicare and medicaid enrolled suppliers and institutional
providers to reimburse such hospitals, entities, suppliers,
and providers for health care related expenses or lost
revenues directly attributable to the public health emergency
resulting from the damage and devastation caused by
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region if such
expenses or lost revenues have not otherwise been reimbursed
or are eligible for reimbursement from other sources. Grant
amounts awarded under this section shall be available until
expended.
(b) Appropriation.--There is authorized to be appropriated
and there is appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, $100,000,000 to carry out this
section.
______
SA 3594. Mr. GREGG (for himself, Mr. Frist, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Domenici,
Mr. Ensign, Mr. Alexander, and Mr. Sununu) proposed an amendment to the
bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as
follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--BORDER SECURITY
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR BORDER SECURITY
Department of Homeland Security
office of the secretary and executive management
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Secretary
and Executive Management'' to provide funds for the Office of
Policy, $2,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount is
solely for a contract with an independent non-Federal entity
to conduct a needs assessment for comprehensive border
security: Provided further, That the entire amount is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
office of the chief information officer
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Chief
Information Officer'' to replace and upgrade law enforcement
communications, $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the entire amount is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
united states visitor and immigration status indicator technology
For an additional amount for ``United States Visitor and
Immigration Status Indicator Technology'' to accelerate
biometric database integration and conversion to 10-print
enrollment, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That none of the additional appropriations made
available under this heading may be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for the
expenditure of such funds: Provided further, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
Customs and Border Protection
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$180,000,000, of which $80,000,000 is for border patrol
vehicle replacement and $100,000,000 is for sensor and
surveillance technology: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve a plan for expenditure of these funds: Provided
further, That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to replace air
assets and upgrade air operations facilities, $790,000,000,
to remain available until expended, of which $40,000,000 is
for helicopter replacement and $750,000,000 is for
recapitalization of air assets: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve an expenditure plan for the complete recapitalization
of Customs and Border Protection air assets and facilities:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$120,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That none of the additional appropriations made available
under this heading may be obligated until the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
receive and approve a plan for expenditure for these funds:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
replace vehicles, $80,000,000: Provided, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
acquisition, construction and improvements
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for acquisition, construction, renovation,
and improvement of vessels, aircraft, and equipment,
$600,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
Improvements, and Related Expenses'' for construction of the
language training facility referenced in the Master Plan and
information technology infrastructure improvements,
$18,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE
reduction in funding
Sec. __. (a) Reduction.--Except as provided in subsection
(b), the aggregate amount provided by chapter 3 of title I of
this Act and chapter 3 of title II of this Act may not exceed
$68,962,188,000.
(b) Inapplicability to Amounts for Military Construction.--
Subsection (a) does not apply to amounts provided by chapter
3 of title I of this Act and chapter 3 of title II of this
Act for military construction.
______
SA 3595. Mr. MARTINEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 117, between lines 9 and 10, insert the following:
RE-EQUIPPING OF 53RD INFANTRY BRIGADE TEAM UPON ITS RETURN FROM
DEPLOYMENT IN AFGHANISTAN
Sec. 1312. Of the amount appropriated or otherwise made
available by this chapter under the heading ``Other
Procurement, Army'', $59,300,000 shall be available for the
re-equipping of the 53rd Infantry Brigade team upon its
return from deployment in Afghanistan, of which--
(1) $15,000,000 shall be for PVS-7B night vision devices;
(2) $44,000,000 shall be for Heavy HMMWV variants and FMTV
light and medium cargo trucks; and
(3) $300,000 shall be for M-4 rifles.
______
SA 3596. Mr. MARTINEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 117, between lines 9 and 10, insert the following:
PRIORITY IN FUNDING FOR REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD
FOR STATES LIKELY TO BE EFFECTED BY 2006 HURRICANE SEASON
Sec. 1312. In allocating amounts appropriated or otherwise
made available by this chapter under the heading ``Other
Procurement, Army'' for the procurement of replacement
equipment for the National Guard, the Secretary of Defense
shall afford a priority in the allocation of such funds to
the States likely to experience a hurricane during the 2006
hurricane season.
______
SA 3597. Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Chafee, and Mr.
Allen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 90, between lines 10 and 11, insert the following:
[[Page 5915]]
SEC. 1202. DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND USAID AUTHORITIES.
(a) Waiver of Annuity Limitations on Reemployed Foreign
Service Annuitants.--Section 824(g) of the Foreign Service
Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4064(g)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(g)(1) The Secretary of State may waive the application
of subsections (a) through (d) on a case-by-case basis for an
annuitant reemployed on a temporary basis, or grant authority
to the head of an Executive agency to waive the application
of subsections (a) through (d) on a case-by-case basis for an
annuitant reemployed on a temporary basis--
``(A) if, and for so long as, such waiver is necessary due
to an emergency involving a direct threat to life or property
or other unusual circumstances; or
``(B) if the annuitant is employed in a position for which
there is exceptional difficulty in recruiting or retaining a
qualified employee.
``(2) The authority of the Secretary to waive the
application of subsections (a) through (d) for an annuitant
pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), or to grant
authority to the head of an Executive agency to waive the
application of such subsections to an annuitant under
subparagraphs (A) or (B) of such paragraph, shall terminate
on October 1, 2008. An annuitant reemployed pursuant to such
authority prior to such termination date may be employed for
a period ending not later than one year after such date.
``(3) The Secretary should prescribe procedures for the
exercise of any authority under paragraph (1), including
criteria for any exercise of authority and procedures for a
delegation of authority.''.
(b) Waiver of Annuity Limitations on Reemployed Civil
Service Annuitants.--
(1) Department of state.--Title I of the Department of
State Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 61. REEMPLOYMENT OF ANNUITANTS UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE
RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND FEDERAL EMPLOYEES'
RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
``(a) Authority.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State may waive the
application of the provisions of section 8344 or 8468 of
title 5, United States Code, on a case-by-case basis for
employment of an annuitant in a position in the Department of
State for which there is exceptional difficulty in recruiting
or retaining a qualified employee, or when a temporary
emergency hiring need exists.
``(2) Termination of authority.--The authority of the
Secretary under paragraph (1) shall terminate on October 1,
2008. An annuitant reemployed pursuant to such authority
prior to such termination date may be employed for a period
ending not later than one year after such date.
``(b) Procedures.--The Secretary should prescribe
procedures for the exercise of any authority under subsection
(a), including criteria for any exercise of authority and
procedures for a delegation of authority.
``(c) Annuitants Not Treated as Employees for Purposes of
Retirement Benefits.--An employee for whom a waiver under
this section is in effect shall not be considered an employee
for purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83, or chapter 84
of title 5, United States Code.''.
(2) United states agency for international development.--
Section 625 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2385) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(j)(1)(A) The Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development may waive the application of
the provisions of section 8344 or 8468 of title 5, United
States Code, on a case-by-case basis for employment of an
annuitant in a position in the United States Agency for
International Development for which there is exceptional
difficulty in recruiting or retaining a qualified employee,
or when a temporary emergency hiring need exists.
``(B) The authority of the Administrator under subparagraph
(A) shall terminate on October 1, 2008. An annuitant
reemployed pursuant to such authority prior to such
termination date may be employed for a period ending not
later than one year after such date.
``(2) The Administrator should prescribe procedures for the
exercise of any authority under this subsection, including
criteria for any exercise of authority and procedures for a
delegation of authority.
``(3) An employee for whom a waiver under this section is
in effect shall not be considered an employee for purposes of
subchapter III of chapter 83, or chapter 84 of title 5,
United States Code.''.
(c) Report on Use of Annuity Limitation Waiver Authority.--
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on
Foreign Relations and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Government Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
International Relations and the Committee on Government
Reform of the House of Representatives a report on the
exercise of the waiver authorities provided under section
824(g) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C.
4064(g)), as amended by subsection (a), section 61 of the
State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as added by
subsection (b)(1), and section 625(j) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as added by subsection (b)(2). The
report shall include the number and type of positions that
have been filled under such waiver authority, and the
retirement date, former job title, and new job title of each
annuitant reemployed under such authority.
(d) Home Leave Provisions.--
(1) Travel expenses for rest and recuperation travel.--
Section 901(6) of the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C. 4081(6))
is amended by striking ``unbroken by home leave'' each place
it appears.
(2) Authority to require leaves of absence.--Section 903(a)
of the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C. 4083) is amended by
striking ``18 months'' and inserting ``12 months''.
(e) Authority to Provide Accommodation and Subsistence to
Individuals Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.--The Secretary
of State may provide during any fiscal year, with or without
reimbursement, accommodation and subsistence to personnel in
Iraq and Afghanistan for whom the Chief of Mission is
responsible.
______
SA 3598. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental
appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for
other purposes; as follows:
On page 253, between lines 19 and 20, insert the following:
TITLE VIII--HIGHWAY FUEL TAX HOLIDAY
SEC. 8001. HIGHWAY FUEL TAX HOLIDAY.
(a) Temporary Elimination of Highway Fuel Taxes on
Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, and Kerosene.--
(1) In general.--Section 4081 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to imposition of tax on gasoline, diesel
fuel, and kerosene) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(f) Temporary Reduction in Taxes on Gasoline, Diesel
Fuel, and Kerosene.--
``(1) In general.--During the applicable period, each rate
of tax referred to in paragraph (2) shall be reduced to zero
cents per gallon.
``(2) Rates of tax.--The rates of tax referred to in this
paragraph are the rates of tax otherwise applicable under--
``(A) clauses (i) and (iii) of subsection (a)(2)(A)
(relating to gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene), determined
with regard to subsection (a)(2)(B) and without regard to
subsection (a)(2)(C), and
``(B) paragraph (1) of section 4041(a) (relating to diesel
fuel and kerosene) with respect to fuel sold for use or used
in a diesel-powered highway vehicle.
``(3) Applicable period.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `applicable period' means the 60-day period
beginning with the day after the date of the enactment of
this subsection.
``(4) Maintenance of trust fund deposits.--In determining
the amounts to be appropriated to the Highway Trust Fund
under section 9503 and to the Leaking Underground Storage
Tank Trust Fund under 9508, an amount equal to the reduction
in revenues to the Treasury by reason of this subsection
shall be treated as taxes received in the Treasury under this
section or section 4041.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by this subsection
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Floor Stock Refunds.--
(1) In general.--If--
(A) before the tax reduction date, tax has been imposed
under section 4081 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 on
any liquid, and
(B) on such date such liquid is held by a dealer and has
not been used and is intended for sale, there shall be
credited or refunded (without interest) to the person who
paid such tax (hereafter in this subsection referred to as
the ``taxpayer'') an amount equal to the excess of the tax
paid by the taxpayer over the amount of such tax which would
be imposed on such liquid had the taxable event occurred on
the tax reduction date.
(2) Time for filing claims.--No credit or refund shall be
allowed or made under this subsection unless--
(A) claim therefor is filed with the Secretary of the
Treasury before the date which is 6 months after the tax
reduction date, and
(B) in any case where liquid is held by a dealer (other
than the taxpayer) on the tax reduction date--
(i) the dealer submits a request for refund or credit to
the taxpayer before the date which is 3 months after the tax
reduction date, and
(ii) the taxpayer has repaid or agreed to repay the amount
so claimed to such dealer or has obtained the written consent
of such dealer to the allowance of the credit or the making
of the refund.
(3) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
(A) the terms ``dealer'' and ``held by a dealer'' have the
respective meanings given to such terms by section 6412 of
such Code; except that the term ``dealer'' includes a
producer, and
(B) the term ``tax reduction date'' means the day after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
[[Page 5916]]
(4) Certain rules to apply.--Rules similar to the rules of
subsections (b) and (c) of section 6412 of such Code shall
apply for purposes of this subsection.
(c) Floor Stocks Tax.--
(1) Imposition of tax.--In the case of any liquid on which
tax would have been imposed under section 4081 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 during the applicable period
but for the amendments made by subsection (a), and which is
held on the floor stocks tax date by any person, there is
hereby imposed a floor stocks tax in an amount equal to the
tax which would be imposed on such liquid had the taxable
event occurred on the floor stocks tax date.
(2) Liability for tax and method of payment.--
(A) Liability for tax.--A person holding a liquid on the
floor stocks tax date to which the tax imposed by paragraph
(1) applies shall be liable for such tax.
(B) Method of payment.--The tax imposed by paragraph (1)
shall be paid in such manner as the Secretary shall
prescribe.
(C) Time for payment.--The tax imposed by paragraph (1)
shall be paid on or before the date which is 6 months after
the floor stocks tax date.
(3) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection--
(A) Held by a person.--A liquid shall be considered as
``held by a person'' if title thereto has passed to such
person (whether or not delivery to the person has been made).
(B) Gasoline and diesel fuel.--The terms ``gasoline'' and
``diesel fuel'' have the respective meanings given such terms
by section 4083 of such Code.
(C) Floor stocks tax date.--The term ``floor stocks tax
date'' means the day after the date determined by the
Secretary under section 4081(f)(3) of such Code.
(D) Applicable period.--The term ``applicable period''
means the period described in section 4081(f)(3) of such
Code.
(E) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Treasury or the Secretary's delegate.
(4) Exception for exempt uses.--The tax imposed by
paragraph (1) shall not apply to gasoline, diesel fuel, or
kerosene held by any person exclusively for any use to the
extent a credit or refund of the tax imposed by section 4081
of such Code is allowable for such use.
(5) Exception for fuel held in vehicle tank.--No tax shall
be imposed by paragraph (1) on gasoline, diesel fuel, or
kerosene held in the tank of a motor vehicle.
(6) Exception for certain amounts of fuel.--
(A) In general.--No tax shall be imposed by paragraph (1)--
(i) on gasoline (other than aviation gasoline) held on the
floor stocks tax date by any person if the aggregate amount
of gasoline held by such person on such date does not exceed
4,000 gallons, and
(ii) on diesel fuel or kerosene held on such date by any
person if the aggregate amount of diesel fuel or kerosene
held by such person on such date does not exceed 2,000
gallons.
The preceding sentence shall apply only if such person
submits to the Secretary (at the time and in the manner
required by the Secretary) such information as the Secretary
shall require for purposes of this subparagraph.
(B) Exempt fuel.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), there
shall not be taken into account fuel held by any person which
is exempt from the tax imposed by paragraph (1) by reason of
paragraph (4) or (5).
(C) Controlled groups.--For purposes of this paragraph--
(i) Corporations.--
(I) In general.--All persons treated as a controlled group
shall be treated as 1 person.
(II) Controlled group.--The term ``controlled group'' has
the meaning given to such term by subsection (a) of section
1563 of such Code; except that for such purposes the phrase
``more than 50 percent'' shall be substituted for the phrase
``at least 80 percent'' each place it appears in such
subsection.
(ii) Nonincorporated persons under common control.--Under
regulations prescribed by the Secretary, principles similar
to the principles of clause (i) shall apply to a group of
persons under common control where 1 or more of such persons
is not a corporation.
(7) Other law applicable.--All provisions of law, including
penalties, applicable with respect to the taxes imposed by
section 4081 of such Code shall, insofar as applicable and
not inconsistent with the provisions of this paragraph, apply
with respect to the floor stock taxes imposed by paragraph
(1) to the same extent as if such taxes were imposed by such
section 4081.
(d) Benefits of Tax Reduction Should Be Passed on to
Consumers.--
(1) Passthrough to consumers.--
(A) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(i) consumers immediately receive the benefit of the
reduction in taxes under this section, and
(ii) transportation motor fuels producers and other dealers
take such actions as necessary to reduce transportation motor
fuels prices to reflect such reduction, including immediate
credits to customer accounts representing tax refunds allowed
as credits against excise tax deposit payments under the
floor stocks refund provisions of this section.
(B) Study.--
(i) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study of the reduction of taxes under
this section to determine whether there has been a
passthrough of such reduction.
(ii) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall report to the Committee on Finance of the Senate
and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of
Representatives the results of the study conducted under
clause (i).
SEC. 8002. ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTION INCENTIVES.
(a) In General.--Sections 342, 344, 345, 346, 353, and 383
and subtitle J of title IX of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
and section 107(k) of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production
Act of 1976 (as added by section 347 of the Energy Policy Act
of 2005) are repealed.
(b) Effective Date.--The repeals made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005.
SEC. 8003. REVALUATION OF LIFO INVENTORIES OF LARGE
INTEGRATED OIL COMPANIES.
(a) General Rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, if a taxpayer is an applicable integrated oil company
for its last taxable year ending in calendar year 2005, the
taxpayer shall--
(1) increase, effective as of the close of such taxable
year, the value of each historic LIFO layer of inventories of
crude oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product
(within the meaning of section 4611) by the layer adjustment
amount, and
(2) decrease its cost of goods sold for such taxable year
by the aggregate amount of the increases under paragraph (1).
If the aggregate amount of the increases under paragraph (1)
exceed the taxpayer's cost of goods sold for such taxable
year, the taxpayer's gross income for such taxable year shall
be increased by the amount of such excess.
(b) Layer Adjustment Amount.--For purposes of this
section--
(1) In general.--The term ``layer adjustment amount''
means, with respect to any historic LIFO layer, the product
of--
(A) $18.75, and
(B) the number of barrels of crude oil (or in the case of
natural gas or other petroleum products, the number of
barrel-of-oil equivalents) represented by the layer.
(2) Barrel-of-oil equivalent.--The term ``barrel-of-oil
equivalent'' has the meaning given such term by section
29(d)(5) (as in effect before its redesignation by the Energy
Tax Incentives Act of 2005).
(c) Application of Requirement.--
(1) No change in method of accounting.--Any adjustment
required by this section shall not be treated as a change in
method of accounting.
(2) Underpayments of estimated tax.--No addition to the tax
shall be made under section 6655 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to failure by corporation to pay estimated
tax) with respect to any underpayment of an installment
required to be paid with respect to the taxable year
described in subsection (a) to the extent such underpayment
was created or increased by this section.
(d) Applicable Integrated Oil Company.--For purposes of
this section, the term ``applicable integrated oil company''
means an integrated oil company (as defined in section
291(b)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) which has an
average daily worldwide production of crude oil of at least
500,000 barrels for the taxable year and which had gross
receipts in excess of $1,000,000,000 for its last taxable
year ending during calendar year 2005. For purposes of this
subsection all persons treated as a single employer under
subsections (a) and (b) of section 52 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 shall be treated as 1 person and, in the case of
a short taxable year, the rule under section 448(c)(3)(B)
shall apply.
SEC. 8004. ELIMINATION OF AMORTIZATION OF GEOLOGICAL AND
GEOPHYSICAL EXPENDITURES FOR MAJOR INTEGRATED
OIL COMPANIES.
(a) In General.--Section 167(h) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(5) Nonapplication to major integrated oil companies.--
This subsection shall not apply with respect to any expenses
paid or incurred for any taxable year by any integrated oil
company (as defined in section 291(b)(4)) which has an
average daily worldwide production of crude oil of at least
500,000 barrels for such taxable year.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the amendment made by
section 1329(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
SEC. 8005. MODIFICATIONS OF FOREIGN TAX CREDIT RULES
APPLICABLE TO LARGE INTEGRATED OIL COMPANIES
WHICH ARE DUAL CAPACITY TAXPAYERS.
(a) In General.--Section 901 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to credit for taxes of foreign countries
and of possessions of the United States) is amended by
redesignating subsection (m) as subsection (n)
[[Page 5917]]
and by inserting after subsection (l) the following new
subsection:
``(m) Special Rules Relating to Large Integrated Oil
Companies Which Are Dual Capacity Taxpayers.--
``(1) General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
this chapter, any amount paid or accrued by a dual capacity
taxpayer which is a large integrated oil company to a foreign
country or possession of the United States for any period
shall not be considered a tax--
``(A) if, for such period, the foreign country or
possession does not impose a generally applicable income tax,
or
``(B) to the extent such amount exceeds the amount
(determined in accordance with regulations) which--
``(i) is paid by such dual capacity taxpayer pursuant to
the generally applicable income tax imposed by the country or
possession, or
``(ii) would be paid if the generally applicable income tax
imposed by the country or possession were applicable to such
dual capacity taxpayer.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to imply the
proper treatment of any such amount not in excess of the
amount determined under subparagraph (B).
``(2) Dual capacity taxpayer.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `dual capacity taxpayer' means, with
respect to any foreign country or possession of the United
States, a person who--
``(A) is subject to a levy of such country or possession,
and
``(B) receives (or will receive) directly or indirectly a
specific economic benefit (as determined in accordance with
regulations) from such country or possession.
``(3) Generally applicable income tax.--For purposes of
this subsection--
``(A) In general.--The term `generally applicable income
tax' means an income tax (or a series of income taxes) which
is generally imposed under the laws of a foreign country or
possession on income derived from the conduct of a trade or
business within such country or possession.
``(B) Exceptions.--Such term shall not include a tax unless
it has substantial application, by its terms and in practice,
to--
``(i) persons who are not dual capacity taxpayers, and
``(ii) persons who are citizens or residents of the foreign
country or possession.
``(4) Large integrated oil company.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `large integrated oil company' means,
with respect to any taxable year, an integrated oil company
(as defined in section 291(b)(4)) which--
``(A) had gross receipts in excess of $1,000,000,000 for
such taxable year, and
``(B) has an average daily worldwide production of crude
oil of at least 500,000 barrels for such taxable year.''
(b) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to taxes paid or accrued in taxable years beginning
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Contrary treaty obligations upheld.--The amendments
made by this section shall not apply to the extent contrary
to any treaty obligation of the United States.
______
SA 3599. Mr. LUGAR (for himself, Mr. Obama, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Levin,
Mr. Hagel, Mr. Reed, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Allen, Mr. Bayh, Mrs.
Boxer, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Lautenberg, and Mr. Durbin) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 4939, making
emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
On page 117, between lines 9 and 10, insert the following:
Sec. 1312. (a) The amount appropriated by this chapter
under the heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide''
and available for Cooperative Threat Reduction is increased
by $8,000,000.
(b) Of the amount appropriated by this chapter under the
heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide'' and
available for Cooperative Threat Reduction, as increased by
subsection (a), $44,500,000 shall be deposited in the Former
Soviet Union Threat Reduction Account and shall remain
available until September 30, 2008.
(c) The amount made available under subsection (a) is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
______
SA 3600. Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Ensign, and Mrs.
Murray) proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency
supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2006, and for other purposes; as follows:
At the end of page 248, line 22, insert the following:
Sec. . None of the funds appropriated in Public Law 109-
149 under the heading Employment and Training Administration
shall be used to pay the compensation of an individual,
either as direct costs or any proration as an indirect cost,
at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. Where Employment
and Training Administration funds appropriated in Public Law
109-149 are used for compensation of an individual, the total
federal funding that may go to compensation of that
individual shall not exceed a rate in excess of Executive
Level II. States may establish a lower limit of total
compensation for those receiving compensation from Employment
and Training Administration funding employed in that state,
taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-
living in the state, the compensation levels for comparable
state or local government employees, and the size of the
organizations that administer federal programs involved
including Employment and Training Administration programs.
______
SA 3601. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 253, between lines 19 and 20, insert the following:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Sec. 7032. For an additional amount for ``Environmental
Programs and Management'', $1,000,000, to remain available
until expended, for assistance relating to assessments and
monitoring of waters in the State of Hawaii; Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
______
SA 3602. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 225, beginning on line 2 strike ``eligible to'' and
all that follows through line 5 and insert ``eligible to
obtain a loan under section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)).''.
______
SA 3603. Mr. INOUYE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 246, line 1, strike ``$500,000'' and insert
``$1,400,000''.
On page 246, line 3, insert ``in the State of Hawaii''
after ``dams''.
______
SA 3604. Mr. REID proposed an amendment to the bill H.R. 4939, making
emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; as follows:
TITLE __--BORDER SECURITY
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR BORDER SECURITY
Department of Homeland Security
office of the secretary and executive management
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Secretary
and Executive Management'' to provide funds for the Office of
Policy, $2,000,000: Provided, That the entire amount is
solely for a contract with an independent non-Federal entity
to conduct a needs assessment for comprehensive border
security: Provided further, That the entire amount is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
office of the chief information officer
For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Chief
Information Officer'' to replace and upgrade law enforcement
communications, $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the entire amount is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con.
Res. 95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the
budget for fiscal year 2006.
united states visitor and immigration status indicator technology
For an additional amount for ``United States Visitor and
Immigration Status Indicator Technology'' to accelerate
biometric database integration and conversion to 10-print
enrollment, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That none of the additional appropriations made
available under this heading may be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for the
expenditure of such funds: Provided further, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
[[Page 5918]]
Customs and Border Protection
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$180,000,000, of which $80,000,000 is for border patrol
vehicle replacement and $100,000,000 is for sensor and
surveillance technology: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve a plan for expenditure of these funds: Provided
further, That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
air and marine interdiction, operations, maintenance, and procurement
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to replace air
assets and upgrade air operations facilities, $790,000,000,
to remain available until expended, of which $40,000,000 is
for helicopter replacement and $750,000,000 is for
recapitalization of air assets: Provided, That none of the
additional appropriations made available under this heading
may be obligated until the Committees on Appropriations of
the Senate and the House of Representatives receive and
approve an expenditure plan for the complete recapitalization
of Customs and Border Protection air assets and facilities:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'',
$120,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That none of the additional appropriations made available
under this heading may be obligated until the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives
receive and approve a plan for expenditure for these funds:
Provided further, That the entire amount is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
95 (109th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget
for fiscal year 2006.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
salaries and expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
replace vehicles, $80,000,000: Provided, That the entire
amount is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress), the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006.
United States Coast Guard
acquisition, construction and improvements
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
and Improvements'' for acquisition, construction, renovation,
and improvement of vessels, aircraft, and equipment,
$600,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
For an additional amount for ``Acquisition, Construction,
Improvements, and Related Expenses'' for construction of the
language training facility referenced in the Master Plan and
information technology infrastructure improvements,
$18,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the entire amount is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95 (109th
Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2006.
______
SA 3605. Mr. LOTT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 193, line 25, insert after ``Provided,'' the
following: ``That the Navy, acting through the Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, shall be the agent for all
matters with regard to the planning, design, construction,
and contract administration related to the construction of
the new Armed Forces Retirement Home: Provided further,''.
______
SA 3606. Mr. SMITH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 172, lines 15 through 17, strike ``for necessary
expenses'' and all that follows through ``$20,000,000'' and
insert the following: ``$543,081,496, of which $523,081,496
shall be made available to make safety net payments for
fiscal year 2007 under section 101 of the Secure Rural
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Public
Law 106-393; 16 U.S.C. 500 note), to remain available until
expended, and $20,000,000 shall be made available for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season''.
______
SA 3607. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 196, strike line 18 and all that follows through
page 197, line 16.
______
SA 3608. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 157, strike line 4 and all that follows through
page 158, line 17.
______
SA 3609. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, add the following:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, none of the
funds appropriated or otherwise made available in title II,
chapter 2 of this Act, for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration under the heading ``Operations,
Research, and Facilities'' may be available for the National
Marine Fisheries Service to implement seafood promotion
strategies, and the amount made available under such heading
is reduced by $15,000,000.
______
SA 3610. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, add the following:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, none of the
funds appropriated or otherwise made available in title II,
chapter 2 of this Act, for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration under the heading ``Operations,
Research, and Facilities'' may be available for the National
Marine Fisheries Service for oyster bed and shrimp ground
rehabilition, and the amount made available under such
heading is reduced by $100,000,000.
______
SA 3611. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 4939, making emergency supplemental appropriations
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, add the following:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, Sec. 7030(a)
of this Act shall not take effect.
____________________
NOTICES OF HEARINGS/MEETINGS
committee on energy and natural resources
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the
information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been
scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The hearing will be held on Monday, May 1, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. in room
SD-366 of the Dirksen Building.
The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony regarding the
economic and environmental issues associated with coal gasification
technology and on implementation of the provisions of the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 addressing coal gasification.
Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may
testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written
testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their
testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United
States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150.
For further information, please contact John Peschke 202-224-4797 or
Shannon Ewan at 202-224-7555.
[[Page 5919]]
____________________
AUTHORITIES FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs be authorized to meet
during the session of the Senate on April 25, 2006, at 10 a.m. to
conduct a hearing on ``A Review of Current Securities Issues.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
committee on finance
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on Finance be authorized to meet during the session on
Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at 10:30 a.m., in 215 Dirksen Senate Office
Building, to hear testimony on ``The Social and Economic Effects of the
Methamphetamine Epidemic on America's Child Welfare System''.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
committee on the judiciary
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing
on ``Immigration: Economic Impacts'' on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at
9:30 a.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Panel I: Richard B. Freeman, Professor of Economics, Harvard
University, Program Director of Labor Studies, National Bureau of
Economic Research, Cambridge, MA; Dan Siciliano, Executive Director,
Program in Law, Economics and Business, Stanford Law School, Stanford,
CA; Barry R. Chiswick, Professor of Economics, University of Illinois
at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Harry J. Holzer, Professor of Public Policy,
Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
committee on the judiciary
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Committee on the Judiciary be authorized to meet to conduct a hearing
on ``Judicial Nominations'' on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at 2:15 p.m.,
in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Panel I: The Honorable Frank Lautenberg, United States Senator, D-NJ;
The Honorable Robert Menendez, United States Senator, R-NJ; The
Honorable Barbara Boxer, United States Senator, D-CA; The Honorable
Gordan Smith, United States Senator, R-OR.
Panel II: Milan D. Smith, Jr. to be United States Circuit Judge for
the Ninth Circuit.
Panel III: Renee Marie Bumb to be United States District Judge for
the District of New Jersey; Noel Lawrence Hillman to be United States
District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Peter G. Sheridan to be
United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; and Susan
Davis Wigenton to be United States District Judge for the District of
New Jersey.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
subcommittee on federal financial management, government information
and international security
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information,
and International Security be authorized to meet on Tuesday, April 25,
2006, at 2:30 p.m., for a field hearing regarding ``North Korea:
Illicit Activity Funding the Regime.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
subcommittee on science and space
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Subcommittee on Science and Space be authorized to meet on Tuesday,
April 25, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., on NASA.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent Mr. Les Spivey,
Mr. B.G. Wright, Ms. Rachel Taylor, and Ms. Mary Catherine Fitzpatrick
of the Committee on Appropriations be granted full floor access during
the consideration of H.R. 4939, the fiscal year 2006 emergency
supplemental appropriations bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that Mr.
Mike Morrissey, Mr. Kevin Templin, and Dr. Leigh Ann Ross of my
personal office staff be granted privilege of the floor during
consideration of this bill.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Michael
Pollock and Alison Garfield, detailees with the Defense Appropriations
Subcommittee, be granted the privilege of the floor during
consideration of the fiscal year 2006 supplemental and the fiscal year
2007 Defense appropriations bills; and that Rose Fabia, a detailee to
the Appropriations Committee from the Department of Veterans Affairs,
be granted the privilege of the floor for the remainder of the debate
on H.R. 4939.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Kennedy, I ask
unanimous consent that a State Department fellow in his office, Richard
Driscoll, be granted floor privileges during the consideration of the
supplemental appropriations bill, and that Navy detailee Tom Crowley
also be granted the same privilege.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Jeffords, I ask
unanimous consent that April Richards, a professional staff member of
the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, be granted floor
privileges during the consideration of H.R. 4939.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
APPOINTMENTS
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair, on behalf of the Vice President,
pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 276d-276g, as amended, appoints the following
Senators as members of the Senate Delegation to the Canada-U.S.
Interparliamentary Group during the Second Session of the 109th
Congress: the Honorable Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont and the Honorable
Daniel K. Akaka of Hawaii.
____________________
APPOINTMENT
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair, on behalf of the President pro
tempore, upon the recommendation of the Democratic Leader, pursuant to
Public Law 105-292, as amended by Public Law 106-55, and as further
amended by Public Law 107-228, appoints the following individual to the
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Preeta D.
Bansal of Nebraska, for a term of two years (May 15, 2006-May 14,
2008).
____________________
FRANCIS R. VALEO, FORMER SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 443, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 443) relative to the death of Francis R. Valeo,
former Secretary of the Senate.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider
be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 443) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 443
Whereas Francis R. (Frank) Valeo served with distinction as
chief of the Foreign Affairs Division of the Legislative
Reference
[[Page 5920]]
Service and specialist in the Far East, before beginning his
service to the United States Senate in 1952 on the staff of
the Committee on Foreign Relations;
Whereas Frank Valeo in 1958 became foreign policy advisor
and assistant to the Majority Whip, Senator Mike Mansfield,
and then served as Majority Secretary from 1963 to 1966;
Whereas Frank Valeo served as Secretary of the Senate from
1966 to 1977;
Whereas Frank Valeo accompanied many United States Senators
on missions to all parts of the globe, assisted the Majority
Leader in regularly reporting on conditions in Southeast
Asia, and was part of the first congressional delegation to
visit the People's Republic of China in 1972;
Whereas Frank Valeo represented the United States Senate on
the Federal Election Commission from 1974 to 1977, and in
that role participated in the 1976 landmark Supreme Court
decision of Buckley v. Valeo;
Whereas Frank Valeo helped to modernize and set
professional standards for service in the diverse offices
that report to the Secretary of the Senate, and served as a
member of the Commission on the Operation of the Senate, from
1975 to 1976, where he helped craft its proposals for
structural and technological reforms in Senate operations;
Whereas Frank Valeo faithfully discharged the difficult
duties and responsibilities of a wide variety of important
and demanding positions in public life with honesty,
integrity, loyalty, and humanity; and
Whereas Frank Valeo's clear understanding and appreciation
of the challenges facing the Nation have left his mark on
those many areas of public life: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That (a) the Senate has heard with profound
sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Frank
Valeo.
(b) The Secretary of the Senate shall communicate these
resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit an
enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased.
(c) When the Senate adjourns today, it shall stand
adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Frank
Valeo.
____________________
COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE AMERICAN
JEWISH COMMITTEE
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 444, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 444) commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Committee.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider
be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 444) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 444
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, after its founding
in 1906, rapidly emerged as a pioneering human relations
agency, dedicated to combating all forms of bigotry and
championing a sense of shared civic responsibility;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through a range of
innovative projects and programs, seeks to build a more
hopeful world by expanding freedom, enhancing mutual respect,
monitoring hate groups, and providing vital information about
extremists of every type;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee has strengthened the
culture of the United States in historic ways through
programs that teach tolerance, such as America's Table,
through far-reaching dialogues with ethnic and religious
group in the country, through promoting interfaith awareness
and playing a key role in the issuance of Nostra Aetate, and
through steadfast support of vulnerable individuals
throughout history;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, the first American
Jewish organization to establish a full-time office in
Israel, has worked tirelessly to tell the extraordinary story
of Israel through a range of endeavors, including Project
Interchange, which has brought more than 3,000 American
leaders to the Jewish state for journeys of discovery and
understanding;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through its network
of offices and associations in the United States and across
the globe, works with many countries, the United Nations, and
other international bodies to promote democratic ideals and
to protect and uplift Jewish communities everywhere;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, through advocacy and
education, indefatigably defends and protects the treasured
civic values of the United States, including religious
freedom, and support for public education and the family;
Whereas the American Jewish Committee sponsored research
cited in the landmark Supreme Court case banning segregation,
Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka et al., and
played a vital role in the civil rights movement, stood with
Soviet Jewry and all prisoners of conscience in the Soviet
Union, argued successfully for the inclusion of human rights
clauses in the United Nations Charter, and insisted upon an
acceptance of women's rights as a human rights issue; and
Whereas the American Jewish Committee, at work both on the
world stage and here at home, for a century has had a proud
and profoundly beneficial presence throughout the communities
of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the American Jewish Committee, by choosing hope,
inspires everyone in the United States as it continues its
work into its second century of service; and
(2) the Senate salutes, commends, and congratulates the
American Jewish Committee for its century of leadership.
____________________
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 445, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 445) expressing the sense of the
Senate in commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, earlier today, this body voiced its support
for a resolution commemorating the Holocaust--the Shoah--Nazi Germany's
systematic effort to exterminate the Jewish people.
For anybody who questions the existence of evil, the Nazi regime's
deliberate murder of 6 million Jewish men, women, and children should
settle all doubts.
Today, people all over the world will mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust
Remembrance Day. At 10 o'clock local time today in Israel, a loud siren
sounded throughout the country. Motorists pulled their cars aside and
office workers stepped away from their computers. Everyone in the
nation paused for a moment of silence in commemoration of the
Holocaust.
Beginning with the Kristallnach Pogram on November 8 and 9, 1938, the
Nazi government embarked on a systematic, deliberate campaign of cold-
blooded murder. Families were stripped of their possessions and killing
squads roamed the countryside. Millions upon millions of Jewish people
were brought to concentration camps where the Nazi regime killed most
immediately and sent some to work as slave laborers.
The Jewish people did not meekly submit to the Nazi onslaught. They
fought back: 63 years ago this month, a group of 750 lightly armed
Jewish partisans began the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Knowing that the
Nazis planned to deport and murder them, the Jewish residents remaining
in Warsaw staged occupied Europe's first ever organized urban rebellion
against Nazi tyranny. They fought heroically and delayed the
deportation for over a month.
During the Holocaust's 7 years, the Nazis did incalculable damage to
ancient Jewish communities within Europe. In many parts of central
Europe, few Jews remain today. But Hitler's evil plan failed utterly.
He did not destroy the Jewish people. Millions survived. Many came to
the United States. And many settled in what is now the prosperous,
thriving, and democratic State of Israel.
Over the past year, 5 year olds who survived the Nazi death camps
became eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Eighteen-year-old
GIs who took part in the camps' liberation will turn 80 next year.
Personal memor1es of the Holocaust are quickly disappearing.
We have an obligation to keep these memories alive even after these
people pass on.
[[Page 5921]]
Through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Tennessee's own
Holocaust Memorial in Nashville, and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust
Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority we have established places
dedicated to making sure that we remember the Holocaust.
It is the least we can do. We owe this debt of memory to ourselves,
to our children, to the Nation, and to the world.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed
to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid
upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 445) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 445
Whereas the Holocaust involved the systematic persecution
and genocide of millions of innocent Jewish men, women, and
children, along with millions of others, by the Nazis under
the leadership of Adolf Hitler;
Whereas an estimated 6,000,000 Jews and many others were
killed in the Holocaust;
Whereas millions of survivors of the Holocaust endured
enormous suffering through violence, torture, slave labor,
and involuntary medical experimentation;
Whereas in the 61 years since the end of the Holocaust,
this tragic event has helped to teach the people of the world
awareness of the danger of hatred, anti-Semitism, bigotry,
and racism, and the importance of compassion and
understanding diversity;
Whereas Holocaust Remembrance Day is held every year in
remembrance of the Holocaust and its millions of victims:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day, which falls on
April 25, 2006;
(2) remembers the 6,000,000 Jews and many others who were
killed by the Nazis, and honors the millions of survivors of
the Holocaust; and
(3) encourages all Americans to commemorate the occasion
through reflection, acts of compassion, and education about
the horrific consequences of anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism
and hatred.
____________________
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the
Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until 9:30
a.m. on Wednesday, April 26. I further ask that following the prayer
and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of
proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be
reserved, and the Senate then proceed to a period for the transaction
of morning business for up to 30 minutes, with the first 15 minutes
under control of the Democratic leader or his designee, and the final
15 minutes under the control of the majority leader or his designee;
further, following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of
H.R. 4939, the emergency supplemental appropriations bill, and that
with respect to the consent agreement regarding the rollcall votes at
noon tomorrow, there be no intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
PROGRAM
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, under an agreement reached this afternoon,
we will have two votes tomorrow at 12 noon. The votes will be on the
Gregg and Reid amendments regarding border security. These will be the
first votes of the day. Additional votes are expected tomorrow
afternoon.
____________________
ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 9:30 A.M. TOMORROW
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come
before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in
adjournment as a further mark of respect for the late Frank Valeo.
There being no objection, the Senate, at 6:53 p.m., adjourned until
Wednesday, April 26, 2006, at 9:30 a.m.
____________________
NOMINATIONS
Executive nominations received by the Senate April 25, 2006:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
SUE C. PAYTON, OF VIRGINIA, TO BE AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
THE AIR FORCE, VICE MARVIN R. SAMBUR.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
KEVIN J. MARTIN, OF NORTH CAROLINA, TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS
FROM JULY 1, 2006. (REAPPOINTMENT)
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
APRIL H. FOLEY, OF NEW YORK, TO BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE
REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY.
TRACEY ANN JACOBSON, OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CAREER
MEMBER OF THE SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE, CLASS OF COUNSELOR, TO
BE AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN.
GADDI H. VASQUEZ, OF CALIFORNIA, FOR THE RANK OF AMBASSADOR
DURING HIS TENURE OF SERVICE AS U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE
UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
LAWRENCE A. WARDER, OF TEXAS, TO BE CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, VICE JACK MARTIN, RESIGNED.
THE JUDICIARY
FRANCES MARIE TYDINGCO-GATEWOOD, OF GUAM, TO BE JUDGE FOR
THE DISTRICT COURT OF GUAM FOR THE TERM OF TEN YEARS, VICE
JOHN S. UNPINGCO, TERM EXPIRED.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
STEVEN C. PRESTON, OF ILLINOIS, TO BE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, VICE HECTOR V. BARRETO, JR.,
RESIGNED.
IN THE AIR FORCE
THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT IN THE UNITED
STATES AIR FORCE TO THE GRADE INDICATED WHILE ASSIGNED TO A
POSITION OF IMPORTANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY UNDER TITLE 10,
U.S.C., SECTION 601:
To be lieutenant general
LT. GEN. WILLIAM M. FRASER III, 0000
IN THE NAVY
THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT IN THE UNITED
STATES NAVY TO THE GRADE INDICATED UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C.,
SECTION 624:
To be rear admiral
REAR ADM. (LH) THOMAS R. CULLISON, 0000
THE FOLLOWING NAMED OFFICER FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF OF
CHAPLAINS, UNITED STATES NAVY, AND APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE
INDICATED UNDER TITLE 10, U.S.C., SECTION 5142:
To be rear admiral
REAR ADM. (LH) ROBERT F. BURT, 0000
____________________
CONFIRMATION
Executive nomination confirmed by the Senate Tuesday, April 25, 2006:
THE JUDICIARY
GRAY HAMPTON MILLER, OF TEXAS, TO BE UNITED STATES DISTRICT
JUDGE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS.
[[Page 5922]]
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The House met at 2 p.m. and was called to order by the Speaker pro
tempore (Mrs. Drake).
____________________
DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Speaker:
Washington, DC,
April 25, 2006.
I hereby appoint the Honorable Thelma D. Drake to act as
Speaker pro tempore on this day.
J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
____________________
PRAYER
The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following
prayer:
Renewed in spirit by religious observances and the fresh breath of
spring, Members of Congress return today to offer You, Lord God, praise
and thanks. Strengthened by family ties, conversations with neighbors,
and meetings with constituents back home, they are again grounded by
the human relationships that make them one with the people they
represent and whom they serve.
May the hopes, concerns, and heartfelt needs they carry back to
Federal Government find full expression in their committee work and
public policy and the just laws they formulate. In all their endeavors
may they listen, Lord, and learn from one another, and together reach a
new depth of corporate civility.
May they become aware that in serving your people, they serve You,
Lord God; for You alone are Father of all and the source of love and
justice, both now and forever. Amen.
____________________
THE JOURNAL
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has examined the Journal of the
last day's proceedings and announces to the House her approval thereof.
Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
____________________
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Wilson) come forward and lead the House in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina led the Pledge of Allegiance as follows:
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Clerk of the House of Representatives:
Office of the Clerk,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 7, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
The Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the permission granted in
Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Clerk received the following message
from the Secretary of the Senate on April 7, 2006, at 3:30
p.m.:
That the Senate passed with an amendment H.R. 3351.
That the Senate agreed to without amendment H. Con. Res.
366.
That the Senate agreed to without amendment H. Con. Res.
382.
With best wishes, I am,
Sincerely,
Karen L. Haas,
Clerk of the House.
____________________
SENIORS ARE PLEASED WITH MEDICARE PART D
(Ms. FOXX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, last week House Republicans hosted over 200
Medicare part D events across the country to educate seniors on this
new prescription drug plan and to help them enroll. I hosted two
successful Medicare part D enrollment workshops in North Carolina's
Fifth Congressional District and was pleased to help many of my
constituents sign up to get coverage and save money on their
prescriptions.
This is a program that is working for most seniors, and early
problems are quickly being corrected. Recently the Washington Post and
ABC News reported that of the 30 million-plus seniors who have already
enrolled, three-quarters said that the paperwork was easy to complete,
and nearly two-thirds say that Medicare part D saved them money.
It is important for seniors interested in this program to enroll by
May 15. Seniors do not have to be experts on Medicare to enroll. They
can simply call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit medicare.gov for information
and personalized assistance. These resources are available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. If Medicare part D can help you or your loved ones,
don't miss this opportunity.
____________________
GAS PRICES
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, nothing was more talked
about during the work recess than the outrageous gasoline prices as
they go up and up and up. None were more harmed than seniors, others on
fixed income, and, of course, America's families who are struggling. We
also in Texas had a rolling blackout.
So we must act now; not the Republican agenda, not the agenda that
does not work, but Democrats and Republicans must work together to act
and pass solutions. We must have, if you will, a conservation day, 1
day that you are on public transportation or bicycles; taxes on the
excessive CEO salaries, how much can they spend? We must have, of
course, a tax on the outrageous profits of the energy companies, but,
more importantly, that tax can be used as a rebate, a one-time $10
rebate to those families who are at a certain income; review of the
release of barrels from the petroleum reserve; Congressional hearings
on the allegation of price gouging; the FTC, the Federal Trade
Commission, must be out in the field doing a national survey on gas
prices, an assessment of the market, analyzing the exploiting of
political issues like Iraq and Iran.
The President must take leadership. Government incentives for
domestic production of ethanol and town hall meetings will be held in
my district, and also we must do exploration in the gulf. Outrageous
gas prices require us to act.
____________________
A TRIBUTE TO SPECIALIST MARK W. MELCHER
(Mr. MURPHY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. MURPHY. Madam Speaker, I rise with a somber mood to recognize a
citizen, a patriot, a soldier who gave his life for a cause he believed
in serving his country as a soldier in Iraq.
Mark Melcher lived in Pittsburgh his entire life. He grew up on the
north side watching the Steelers, Pirates and
[[Page 5923]]
Penguins play, and graduated the from North Catholic High School in
1989. Soon afterwards, he joined the Army. He served in Operation
Desert Storm in Kuwait.
Following the 1991 conflict to liberate Kuwait, Mark returned home to
begin working at the Mellon Financial Corporation. He then served in
the National Guard's lst Battalion, 103rd Armored Division located in
Friedens, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Mark departed for military training on the morning of Sunday,
February 5th. Sadly, on April 15, 2006, just a month after arriving in
theater, Mark was killed when his tank he manned came under fire
outside of Baghdad. He was 34 years old. He is survived by his parents,
Kathy and John Melcher, Sr., of Ross, Pennsylvania. I commend the
deepest sympathies of all Members of this House to the Melcher family.
Also I offer the gratitude of every American. We should never forget
his devotion of duty, his love of country. Today and every day let us
give thanks to Mark Melcher, his family, and indeed all of our
soldiers, sailors, airmen and the marines.
John Melcher, Sr., Mark's father, said of Mark, my son believed in
the cause, he loved his country, gave his life for his country. You
don't get any better than that. Yes, sir, Mr. Melcher, you do not get
any better than that.
____________________
ESCALATING GAS PRICES
(Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute.)
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, as every other
Member, I have just returned from my congressional district, which
includes a major part of the Dallas metropolitan area, and they have
some of the highest gas prices in the Nation.
Recent reports revealed that gas prices have shot up nearly 25 cents
per gallon over the past 2 weeks. In December of 2003, gas averaged
$1.50 a gallon. Now gas is reaching $3 a gallon. While I agree that
supply-and-demand forces are part of the reason behind the escalating
gas prices, I also believe that price gouging is a fundamental problem.
Congress must act and enact innovative policies such as windfall
profit tax on the gas companies and greater investments in alternative
fuels, fuel efficiency, even public transportation.
Madam Speaker, I urge the Republican leadership to stop the rhetoric
and start thinking about the real change.
____________________
SALUTING THE LEADERSHIP OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD
(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, as a 31-year veteran of
the Army National Guard and the father of three serving in the military
today, I greatly appreciate the military successes that have been
achieved under the leadership of Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Secretary Rumsfeld has worked tirelessly in the global war on
terrorism and led our troops to liberate 25 million people in
Afghanistan, defeat Saddam Hussein's enormous Army in 18 days, train
over 250,000 Iraqi security forces, capture countless terrorists, and
further the greatest spread of freedom in the history of the world.
House and Senate Democrats promised a substantive national security
policy over a month ago, but they continue to practice the strategy of
retreat and defeat, which does not protect our country.
Fortunately, Secretary Rumsfeld and the U.S. military remain
committed to fighting terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan and worldwide so
that we do not have to face them on the streets of America.
In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget
September 11.
____________________
BUSH PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAX--TWENTY DAYS LEFT UNTIL TAX TAKES PLACE
(Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, the countdown continues. If neither the
Bush administration nor this Congress act within the next 20 days,
seniors who have yet to sign up for the new prescription drug plan will
be penalized with a Bush prescription drug tax that will stay with them
for the rest of their lives.
It is bad enough that the new prescription drug plan is so confusing
and complicated that a vast majority of seniors have yet to sign up,
but now, if seniors choose a drug plan after May 15, they will be
penalized with a tax that will only make their prescription drug costs
higher.
The Bush administration refuses to extend the deadline, even though
they have heard recent reports of seniors waiting on the phone as long
as 30 minutes to get more information on these private drug plans.
If House Republicans do not join us in extending this unfair
deadline, seniors will encounter at least a 7 percent Bush prescription
drug tax that they will be forced to pay every month for the rest of
their lives.
As we check off another day on the calendar, House Republicans now
only have another 20 more days to stand up and support America's
seniors. It is time Republicans do the right thing.
____________________
GASOLINE PRICES--SOBER ACTION DEMANDED
(Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute.)
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, talk is cheap, and gas prices
aren't. With summertime right around the corner, Americans are making
plans to pack up their car and hit the road for a summer vacation.
However, this year gas prices are putting a damper on those summer
plans.
The President and most Members of Congress appreciate something the
American people know well, America has an addiction to oil. But higher
gas prices today are the product of many different factors, including
governmental regulation and heightened worldwide demand. Here at home
we are best able to adapt by using tools at our disposal.
In the weeks ahead, Congress must continue to act on behalf of the
American people by providing incentives for energy conservation and the
development of alternative energy sources. We should expand our
domestic oil production, including building new refineries and
expanding current ones. Above all, Members of Congress cannot talk
about the rise in energy prices and then say ``no'' to reforms when it
comes time to vote.
Right now, talk, not oil, is cheap. Shortsighted solutions will not
be effective. I urge my colleagues to work together on behalf of all
Americans. Our Nation certainly has the will to evolve our actions and
the capability to meet these challenges.
____________________
HONORING THE CAREER OF DAN PIERCECCHI
(Mr. McCOTTER asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. McCOTTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor
the career of a gentleman I have known for almost 20 years, Mr. Dan
Piercecchi, who will be receiving a lifetime achievement award.
Dan has dedicated his life to public service throughout Michigan,
having served on the Inkster Parks and Recreation Commission and then
being elected to the Inkster City Council. He has also served on the
Livonia Planning Commission and is currently a proponent and a champion
of municipal government throughout America.
He is also a very dedicated activist to our own Grand Old Party, and
he was one of the first people I ever met when I became involved in
politics. He has the wisdom, sagacity, and tenacity of an old bull, and
this young bull would like to thank him very much for the example he
set of what one of man of integrity can do to move mountains.
[[Page 5924]]
____________________
{time} 1415
FREE ACT
(Mr. STUPAK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, crude oil prices have exceeded previous
records set after Hurricane Katrina, reaching over $75 a barrel. This
summer, Americans are expected to pay significantly more at the pump
than last summer. In the meantime, oil companies continue to rake in
record profits.
During five town hall meetings I held in Michigan in the past 2
weeks, the price of gasoline was the most troubling for my
constituents. There are currently no Federal laws against price
gouging. The only way the Federal Trade Commission can even attempt to
prosecute unfair pricing is through antitrust and antimonopoly laws. To
date, the FTC has never brought a gas price gouging case to court.
Recently, President Bush ordered an investigation into gas prices.
However, because the Federal Government does not have a clear
definition of what price gouging is, the FTC can do little more than
study the issues. But we have had enough studies. Last September, I
introduced a bill to increase the Federal Government's ability to
prosecute price gougers. My bill, the Federal Response to Energy
Emergencies Act, FREE Act, will provide the FTC and the Department of
Justice with the authority to investigate and to prosecute those who
engage in predatory pricing, from oil companies down to distributors,
with an emphasis on those who profit most.
The FREE Act will also allow State attorneys general to investigate
unfair pricing practices. This includes the gouging of gasoline, home
heating oil, and natural gas. The Federal Government has a
responsibility to act responsibly and prevent price gouging, and I urge
a vote on my legislation.
____________________
PRESIDENT SHOULD VETO SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING BILL
(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, with a record deficit and national debt,
now is the time for Congress to practice fiscal discipline, even where
funding the war on terror is concerned.
While I have supported our troops and funding the rebuilding and
reconstruction efforts along the gulf coast, I could not bring myself
to support recent emergency funding legislation that left this House of
Representatives at some $92 billion, including many elements that the
President of the United States thought were unnecessary.
Well, if things were bad before, they just got worse. Madam Speaker,
the Senate is working on the emergency supplemental bill, and it is now
at $106.5 billion and rising, including such unrelated measures as $3
million for southern and eastern Kentucky tourism and $900,000 for
Dartmouth College, to name two.
Let us support funding the war on terror and support the families and
communities affected by the hurricanes that hit the gulf coast, but let
us do it in a fiscally responsible way. This legislation has become a
fruit basket of spending unrelated to our war efforts and Katrina; and
I say plainly, Mr. President, veto this bill.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). Members should direct remarks
to the Chair and not to the President.
____________________
REACH OUT TO MODERATE PEOPLE OF IRAN
(Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, anyone following the news knows that
tension is growing in our relations with Iran. But as we consider our
response to this situation, let us be clear about where the problem
lies.
The problem is with the radical new leadership of Iran, President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his extremist regime. It is not with the good
people of Iran, who have shown openness to freedom and moderation.
Historically, Iran has been a center of culture and civilization.
Millions of Iranians still value these things and seek a future with
greater freedom and individual liberty. We must be reaching out to
these people through diplomacy, person-to-person diplomacy and other
ways to encourage their desire for freedom.
The idea of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of a leader who
calls the Holocaust a myth and openly says Israel should be wiped off
the map is unthinkable and must be addressed. But the best way to do
that is through reaching out to the moderate people of Iran who want
better for their country than the current regime, not through military
action.
____________________
MEDICARE SUCCESS STORY
(Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share yet another success
story from a senior who is saving money with Medicare prescription drug
coverage. These stories are plentiful, and it is important we share
them with the American people so seniors will know the truth. They
could be saving thousands of dollars a year with Medicare part D.
Mrs. Cornelia Kinnebrew lives in Rome, Georgia, in my district. Like
many seniors, Ms. Kinnebrew's medication costs were astronomical. She
was paying more than $700 a month for her drugs, a huge portion of her
monthly budget.
Well, after contacting my office, Ms. Kinnebrew is signed up for a
Medicare prescription drug plan. We discovered that she qualified for
the additional help available to our low-income seniors, and I am
incredibly pleased to report that now, with Medicare part D, Cornelia
Kinnebrew pays only $37 a month for her prescription drugs. That is a
savings of nearly $700 every month.
Madam Speaker, the initial enrollment deadline for Medicare part D is
May 15. With 3 weeks left to sign up, it is extremely important we put
people over politics and help ensure all seniors have the opportunity
to enroll.
My message to seniors is this: with Medicare part D, the D stands for
delivers. The President and this Republican-led Congress have done just
that. Take advantage of it.
____________________
GAS PRICES
(Mrs. BLACKBURN asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Speaker, gas prices are the topic right now, so
let us talk about energy, because we have heard some of our liberal
colleagues take great delight in talking about the gas prices, and
probably they should. It is their policies that have led us to this
point.
The Democrat Party in this country is very tightly tied to
environmental extremist organizations; and since the 1970s, they have
been working day and night to halt domestic exploration for oil.
We cannot search for oil on the Outer Continental Shelf, meanwhile
Cuba and Venezuela are. We cannot explore for oil in ANWR because it
might hurt the caribou. We haven't built a refinery since 1976 because
environmentalists use their influence over liberal policymakers to
create a regulatory and permitting scheme that makes it virtually
impossible to get approval. That is why we have fewer refineries today.
Madam Speaker, the House passed a bill last year to make price
gouging a Federal crime and to streamline the process for building a
refinery. Not a single Democrat in this body voted for that, and now it
is languishing in the Senate.
[[Page 5925]]
It is time for action. That is the reality of the situation.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the Clerk of the House of Representatives:
Office of the Clerk,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 7, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
The Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the permission granted in
Clause 2(h) of rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Clerk received the following message
from the Secretary of the Senate on April 7, 2006, at 9:20
a.m.:
That the Senate passed without amendment H.R. 4979.
That the Senate agreed to without amendment H. Con. Res.
360.
That the Senate agreed to without amendment H. Con. Res.
371.
That the Senate agreed to S. Con. Res. 85.
With best wishes, I am,
Sincerely,
Karen L. Haas,
Clerk of the House.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 4 of rule I, Speaker pro
tempore Wolf signed the following enrolled bill on Tuesday, April 11,
2006:
H.R. 4979, to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act to clarify the preference for local firms in
the award of certain contracts for disaster relief activities.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair
will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules
on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered, or on which
the vote is objected to under clause 6 of rule XX.
Record votes on postponed questions will be taken after 6:30 p.m.
today.
____________________
HOUR OF MEETING ON THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House
adjourns on Wednesday, April 26, 2006, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. on
Thursday, April 27.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
____________________
AUTHORIZING THE SPEAKER TO DECLARE A RECESS ON THURSDAY, APRIL 27,
2006, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it may be in
order on Thursday, April 27, for the Speaker to declare a recess
subject to the call of the Chair for the purpose of receiving in this
Chamber former Members of Congress.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
____________________
TO MEMORIALIZE AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTION OF CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM H.
REHNQUIST
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 83) to memorialize and honor the
contribution of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.J. Res. 83
Whereas President Richard M. Nixon nominated William H.
Rehnquist to replace Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan
on the Supreme Court on October 21, 1971, he was confirmed by
the United States Senate on December 10, 1971, and served as
an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States from January 1972 through September 1986;
Whereas President Ronald W. Reagan nominated Associate
Justice William H. Rehnquist to replace Chief Justice Warren
E. Burger as the Sixteenth Chief Justice of the United States
on June 20, 1986, and he was confirmed by the United States
Senate on September 17, 1986;
Whereas William Rehnquist presided as Chief Justice from
September 1986 until September 2005 for a total of 19 years,
making him the fourth-longest-serving Chief Justice after
Melville W. Fuller, Roger B. Taney, and John Marshall, and
the longest-serving Chief Justice who had previously served
as an Associate Justice;
Whereas Chief Justice Rehnquist ably presided as chief
administrator of the United States courts to insure the due
administration of justice during times of rising caseloads
and fiscal constraints;
Whereas Chief Justice Rehnquist was respected for his
intellect, fairness, and humor by his fellow Justices and by
members of the other branches of government; and
Whereas despite the debilitating effects of thyroid cancer,
Chief Justice Rehnquist continued his service to the court
and the country, and administered the oath of office to
President George W. Bush at his second inauguration on
January 20, 2005: Now, therefore, it is
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
acknowledgment and honor
Section 1. The United States, acting through Congress,
authorizes and directs the Curator of the Supreme Court,
subject to the direction and approval of the Chief Justice of
the United States, to procure a marble bust, including
pedestal, of the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, and
to cause them to be placed in the Supreme Court building to
honor his memory and legacy to the Supreme Court of the
United States.
authorization of appropriations
Sec. 2. There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000 to
carry out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs.
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
House Joint Resolution 83, introduced by Congressman Richard Pombo,
chairman of the House Resources Committee, is offered to honor the
contributions of former Chief Justice William Rehnquist by authorizing
and directing the Curator of the Supreme Court to produce a marble
bust, including a pedestal, of the late Chief Justice and have it
placed in the Supreme Court Building.
Madam Speaker, Chief Justice Rehnquist served the people of this
country and the court that he loved for 33 years. He was, in fact, the
fourth longest serving Chief Justice. I believe a bust in the Supreme
Court is but a small token of our deep appreciation for his dedication
to this country and the rule of law.
Similar honors have been authorized by Congress for 13 other Chief
Justices, and I believe Chief Justice Rehnquist is equally deserving. I
encourage adoption of the bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the majority has already explained the purpose of
House Joint Resolution 83, which was introduced by Resources Committee
Chairman Richard Pombo.
All former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court are currently
memorialized with their busts placed in the Great Hall of the Supreme
Court Building. House Joint Resolution 83 will extend this honor to
former Chief Justice Rehnquist as well, and we support this
legislation.
I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page 5926]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 83.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the joint resolution was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
APPROVING LOCATION OF COMMEMORATIVE WORK IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
HONORING FORMER PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) approving the location of the
commemorative work in the District of Columbia honoring former
President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The Clerk read as follows:
S.J. Res. 28
Whereas section 8908(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code
provides that the location of a commemorative work in the
area described as Area I shall be deemed authorized only if
approved by law not later than 150 days after notification to
Congress and others that the commemorative work may be
located in Area I;
Whereas section 8162 of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note) authorizes the
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to establish a
memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to honor
Dwight D. Eisenhower; and
Whereas the Secretary of the Interior has notified Congress
of her determination that the memorial should be located in
Area I: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
location of the commemorative work to honor Dwight D.
Eisenhower, authorized by section 8162 of the Department of
Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note),
within Area I as depicted on the map referred to in section
8908(a) of title 40, United States Code, is approved.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs.
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, Senate Joint Resolution 28 approves the location of
the Dwight D. Eisenhower commemorative work in the District of
Columbia. Congressman Jerry Moran is the author of the companion bill
in the House, and he should be commended for his efforts to have this
legislation enacted in such a timely manner.
{time} 1430
Congress authorized the establishment of a Washington, D.C., memorial
to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2002. Under the
Commemorative Works Act, Congress must formally approve the placement
of memorials located in ``Area 1'' of the District of Columbia within
150 days of notification by the Secretary of the Interior. Area 1
comprises the central monument core along the National Mall.
The Secretary of the Interior notified Congress on January 31, 2006,
that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission should be granted the
authority to consider sites within Area 1 for the Eisenhower Memorial
after concluding that former President Eisenhower is of ``preeminent
historical and lasting significance to this Nation.'' Congress must
approve this recommendation by July 2, 2006, for the planning and
approval process to proceed. Senate Joint Resolution 28 does just that.
I urge adoption of the resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, President Dwight D. Eisenhower is a towering figure in
American military and political history. We are pleased that the
process for memorializing him is moving along rapidly and join our
colleagues in offering our support for this resolution.
I would also like to congratulate the gentleman from Kansas (Mr.
Moore) for his steadfast advocacy of this legislation. Mr. Moore is a
member of the Executive Committee of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Commission, and in his letter to Ranking Member Rahall noted,
``President Eisenhower deserves a memorial location that speaks to his
life and legacy.'' We are pleased to support this resolution.
Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased that today the
House is taking up S.J. Res. 28, a joint resolution approving the
location of the commemorative work in the District of Columbia honoring
former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This measure, which was approved
by the Senate earlier this month; it is identical to H.J. Res. 78,
which was introduced by Representative Jerry Moran of Kansas, with my
original cosponsorship. With House approval of this measure today, this
legislation will be sent to the President for his signature, marking an
important milestone in the construction of a national memorial to
President Eisenhower.
As a member of the Executive Committee of the Dwight D. Eisenhower
Memorial Commission, established under Public Law 106-79 and Public Law
107-117, I have been working with my Commission colleagues to fulfill
the laws' mandate that ``an appropriate permanent memorial to Dwight D.
Eisenhower should be created to perpetuate his memory and his
contributions to the United States,'' and that the ``Commission shall
consider and formulate plans for such a permanent memorial to Dwight D.
Eisenhower, including its nature, construction and location.'' I want
to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Commissioners for their
dedicated work on this project, and to take particular note of the
contributions of Commission Chairman Rocco C. Siciliano and Commission
Executive Director Brig. General Carl W. Reddel, USAF (Ret). Working in
particular with my fellow Executive Committee members Senators Ted
Stevens and Daniel Inouye, their tireless dedication to this project
has been the primary reason we have moved so far so fast with this
legislation. Their outstanding work is exemplified in the Commission's
biographical essay about Dwight D. Eisenhower, which I include below:
The National Memorialization of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower (October 14, 1890-March 28, 1969)
served as the 34th President of the United States and ranks
as one of the preeminent figures in the global history of the
twentieth century. Eisenhower was a central leader in the
victorious resolution of World War II but his lasting
significance in history lies in his deep commitment to
freedom, the Constitution and democracy, and his
contributions to defining and sustaining an international
peace for which many Americans died.
A serving officer in World War I, Eisenhower's unusual
abilities led to accelerated promotions at the outset of
World War II and his selection in December 1943 as Supreme
Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. For this
position he was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
and endorsed by General George C. Marshal1. He commanded the
largest and most complex amphibious assault in world history.
In this historic role, although he asked many Americans to
sacrifice their lives, he became one of the most popular
political figures in America and one of the most beloved
military leaders in American history.
Toward the end of World War II, Eisenhower was nominated by
President Roosevelt and approved by Congress for the rank of
five-star General. Upon retiring from military service, he
actively served as President of Columbia University from
October 1948 to January 1951. While in that position,
President Truman regularly sought his advice and counsel and
then recalled him to active duty, appointing him in December
1950 as the first commander of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization's (NATO) military forces in Europe.
As the second presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, replacing General Marshall in December 1945, he
oversaw the peacetime demobilization of American military
forces, recommended the continuation of universal military
training and strongly advocated the unification of the armed
forces.
As Eisenhower's two-term presidency began, American
democratic values and national security were threatened by
powerful adversaries. Passionately devoted to national
security through alliances with other
[[Page 5927]]
nations, President Eisenhower began his first administration
when the Cold War's global challenges had gone beyond Europe.
Convinced that a long-term strategy would be necessary to win
this war, President Eisenhower sought to contain the Soviet
Union militarily while building a prosperous economy. He
understood the political economy of warfare better than most
of his contemporaries and realized that excessive military
expenditures could undermine the nation itself. Knowing that
nuclear war was un-winnable and a threat to civilization,
President Eisenhower promoted the peaceful uses of atomic
energy, while skillfully and willingly deploying the most
advanced electronic and photographic technologies to ensure
American security. Simultaneously, he sustained strategic
nuclear deterrence. President Eisenhower inaugurated the
national security policies that guided the nation for the
next three decades, leading to the peaceful end of the Cold
War in 1989.
While undertaking strategic Cold War measures, President
Eisenhower assiduously pursued balanced budgets with
remarkable fiscal responsibility and without sacrificing
necessary public works. He introduced lasting innovations to
the institution of the presidency, creating the first White
House chief of staff, the first congressional relations
office, the first presidential assistant for national
security affairs and the first presidential science advisor.
He dramatically improved the transportation infrastructure of
the country with construction of the interstate highway
system and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The territory of the
United States was expanded with the addition of the new
states of Alaska (January 3, 1959) and Hawaii (August 21,
1959).
To address the increasing complexity of citizens' social
needs, President Eisenhower created the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare in 1953, improved Social Security by
increasing benefits and placing an additional ten million
Americans in the Social Security system, and dispensed free
polio vaccines. In 1957, he signed the first civil rights
legislation since Reconstruction.
The extraordinary accomplishments of Dwight D. Eisenhower
as president and military leader are enhanced in a series of
memorable addresses and speeches inc1uding--Guildhall Address
(London, 1945), Chance for Peace (Washington, 1953), Atoms
for Peace (United Nations, 1953), Open Skies (Geneva Summit,
1956) and the Farewell Address (1961). Similar to Washington,
Eisenhower became president and commander in chief after
leading his country and its allies to military victory in
Europe. His preeminent historical and national significance
is assured. The challenge in our national memorialization of
Dwight D. Eisenhower will be to honor all facets of his
extraordinary career of life-long public service in a
distinct, unique and enduring manner.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to
one of Kansas' most famous sons, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. His
remarkable career in public service and his legacy of protecting our
country and the American people is most deserving of a memorial here in
our Nation's Capital.
President Eisenhower spent his childhood in Abilene, Kansas, which is
located in my district. Upon graduation from Abilene High School in
1909, he enrolled at West Point. Eisenhower soon became an esteemed
figure and one of the most beloved military leaders in American
history. After leading the U.S. and its allies to victory in World War
II, he rose to the eminent rank of five-star general and went on to
become the first commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's
military forces in Europe. In 1953, Eisenhower became the 34th
President of the United States.
Initial site approval must be granted by Congress in order for
monument design plans to proceed. The Eisenhower Commission was
responsible for initially selecting the four-acre location near the
Department of Education that has now been designated for the memorial.
I was joined by the entire Kansas delegation in supporting H.J. Res.
78, the House companion bill to S.J. Res. 28. I recognize that the
designation of the memorial site is an instrumental first step in
making this tribute a reality.
Eisenhower himself once said that ``this world has always set a high
value on leadership.'' Eisenhower's valiant leadership qualities,
innumerable successes, and staunch defender of American liberties make
him worthy of a monument attributing to such. I stand here today
offering my support for this important resolution.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res. 28.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________
GLENDO UNIT OF THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN PROJECT CONTRACT EXTENSION ACT
OF 2005
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate bill (S. 592) to amend the Irrigation Project Contract Extension
Act of 1998 to extend certain contracts between the Bureau of
Reclamation and certain irrigation water contractors in the States of
Wyoming and Nebraska.
The Clerk read as follows:
S. 592
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Glendo Unit of the Missouri
River Basin Project Contract Extension Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. GLENDO UNIT OF THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN CONTRACT
EXTENSION.
Section 2 of the Irrigation Project Contract Extension Act
of 1998 (112 Stat. 2816, 117 Stat. 1854) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``December 31, 2005''
and inserting ``December 31, 2007''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``beyond December 31, 2005'' and inserting
``beyond December 31, 2007''; and
(B) by striking ``before December 31, 2005'' and inserting
``before December 31, 2007''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs.
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
S. 592, introduced by Senator Craig Thomas, extends nine water
contracts between the Secretary of the Interior and water customers
depending on the Glendo Reservoir in Wyoming until December 31, 2007.
Our distinguished House colleague from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) has led the
effort in this Chamber to bring this bill to the floor.
To meet Endangered Species Act compliance within the Platte River
basin area, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado have been negotiating with
the Federal Government on a recovery plan for four threatened and
endangered species. Although all parties are expected to finalize and
sign the recovery plan late this year, area water users need access to
Glendo Reservoir water deliveries into the spring irrigation season,
and this legislation ensures that while allowing the recovery plan
process to go forward. I urge my colleagues to support this time-
sensitive bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, we support the passage of S. 592. This bill would
allow delivery of irrigation water to continue while work is finished
on the Recovery Implementation Program for four listed species that
rely on Platte River habitat.
A carefully managed process is in place to implement the Platte River
Cooperative Agreement and to achieve species recovery. S. 592 will
allow this critical work to continue without creating hardship for
farmers who depend on irrigation water.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page 5928]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the Senate bill, S. 592.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
AMENDING THE RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDY AND
FACILITIES ACT
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2341) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the design, planning, and construction of a project to
reclaim and reuse wastewater within and outside of the service area of
the City of Austin Water and Wastewater Utility, Texas, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2341
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, WASTEWATER
RECLAMATION AND REUSE PROJECT.
(a) Authorization of Project.--The Reclamation Wastewater
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (Public Law 102-575,
title XVI; 43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``SEC. 1636. AUSTIN, TEXAS, WATER RECLAMATION AND REUSE
PROJECT.
``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with
the City of Austin Water and Wastewater Utility, Texas, is
authorized to participate in the planning (including an
appraisal and feasibility study), design, and construction
of, and land acquisition for, a project to reclaim and reuse
wastewater, including degraded groundwaters, within and
outside of the service area of the City of Austin Water and
Wastewater Utility, Texas.
``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project authorized by this section shall not exceed 25
percent of the total cost of the project.
``(c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds
for the operation and maintenance of the project authorized
by this section.
``(d) Sunset of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary
to carry out any provisions of this section shall terminate
10 years after the date of the enactment of this section.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2
of Public Law 102-575 (106 Stat. 4600) is amended by adding
at the end of the items relating to chapter XVI the
following:
``Sec. 1636. Austin, Texas, water reclamation and reuse project.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs.
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
General Leave
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 2341, introduced by Mr. Doggett, authorizes
Federal participation in a water reuse project in Austin, Texas.
Drought and increasing demands continue to stress existing water
supplies. As a result, the city of Austin is being proactive and
planning for its future water needs. This project is part of Austin's
effort to create new water supplies. I urge my colleagues to support
this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, we support the passage of H.R. 2341. Similar
legislation was introduced in the 107th Congress, and we commend Mr.
Doggett for his persistence and hard work to secure authorization for
this important project.
The city of Austin is keenly aware that additional sources of water
will be required to meet future water demands. The city has decided to
meet the expected water supply shortfall by implementing aggressive
water conservation and water recycling and reclamation programs.
The water recycling project identified in this bill will be eligible
for limited financial assistance under the Bureau of Reclamation's
title 16 water recycling program. Water recycling and desalination
projects are proven technologies that can help stretch limited water
supplies in areas such as Texas.
I want to express our full support for this legislation, and I offer
my congratulations to Mr. Doggett for his leadership.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), the sponsor of the bill.
Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the comments of both of my
colleagues on the floor and the support of both the chairmen and the
ranking members and staff of the Resources Committee and the
subcommittee.
I rise in support of this legislation that I have offered on behalf
of the City of Austin in addressing the growing water needs that we
have in Central Texas in a fiscally and environmentally responsible
way.
This particular project deals with the design, planning, and
construction of a project to use wastewater and reclaim it in our
community.
The Bureau of Reclamation was originally authorized to get involved
with such projects in 1992, and this bill adds Austin to the list of
eligible projects under what is known as Title 16. The bill will help
the City with Federal funds to supplement what Austin is already doing
locally to expand our water reclamation facilities.
Under Title 16, Federal participation is limited, and the City will
remain responsible for at least three-fourths of the cost of the
project.
Reclaimed water, or treated wastewater, is generally used when high-
quality drinkable water is not required, such as for irrigation,
industrial cooling towers, and for various manufacturing purposes.
For more than 20 years, the City of Austin has operated its own water
reclamation project for irrigation and to supply the composting
operations at the Hornsby Bend Plant on the Colorado River.
In Texas, although we have some mighty powerful rivers, we also have
a mighty thirsty State. I believe that by conserving the many resources
with which we have been blessed in Central Texas, we can ensure an
ample water supply for the indefinite future.
This reclamation initiative will reduce the demand on Austin's
existing water supply and conserve high-quality water from the Colorado
River for human consumption.
Austin's existing reclaimed water system consists of 16 miles of
pipe, 1.5 million gallons of storage in 2 tanks, 3 pump stations, and 2
pressure zones. We envision a much-expanded system under the master
plan. We will reclaim water through 123 miles of pipe, 17 million
gallons of storage, and multiple pump stations and pressure zones. For
the system to grow from its existing limited capacity to its ultimate
size will take about $200 million in additional infrastructure over the
coming years. When completed, the expanded system authorized by this
bill could eventually save as much as 9 billion gallons of water every
year.
Austin is already a national leader in planning for a sustainable
future that improves our quality of life, boosts economic development,
and protects the environment. Water conservation is a key part of that
plan and a critical issue for a growing economy in an environmentally-
minded city. Even with active water conservation programs, the maximum
daily demand for water in Austin increased by 43 percent during the
1990s. Austin recognizes that aggressive conservation efforts can meet
about half of our future shortfall, but expanding our reclamation
capabilities can get us the rest of the way there.
[[Page 5929]]
Ben Franklin once said, ``When the well is dry, we know the worth of
water.'' Well, this bill demonstrates that Austinites know the worth of
water before our source of water goes dry, and we are taking steps to
ensure water for our future.
The City and the Bureau of Reclamation have already advanced the
project by completing a favorable Appraisal Report and beginning a
Feasibility Study. The Appraisal Report concluded that the city's
projected water ``shortage can be eliminated by more aggressive water
reclamation'' and that ``there is a Federal interest in pursuing water
reclamation and reuse investigations in Austin.''
In 1907, Theodore Roosevelt said, ``The conservation of natural
resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem, it
will avail us little to solve all others.'' With your help, the capital
of the Lone Star State can make even more significant strides in
managing its water resources. I urge approval of this legislation.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of the
gentleman from Texas, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2341, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
TELEPHONE RECORDS AND PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 2006
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4709) to amend title 18, United States Code, to
strengthen protections for law enforcement officers and the public by
providing criminal penalties for the fraudulent acquisition or
unauthorized disclosure of phone records, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4709
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Telephone Records and
Privacy Protection Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) telephone records can be of great use to criminals
because the information contained in call logs may include a
wealth of personal data;
(2) call logs may reveal the names of telephone users'
doctors, public and private relationships, business
associates, and more;
(3) call logs are typically maintained for the exclusive
use of phone companies, their authorized agents, and
authorized consumers;
(4) telephone records have been obtained without the
knowledge or consent of consumers through the use of a number
of fraudulent methods and devices that include--
(A) telephone company employees selling data to
unauthorized data brokers;
(B) ``pretexting'', whereby a data broker or other person
represents that they are an authorized consumer and convinces
an agent of the telephone company to release the data; or
(C) gaining unauthorized Internet access to account data by
improperly activating a consumer's account management
features on a phone company's webpage or contracting with an
Internet-based data broker who trafficks in such records; and
(5) the unauthorized disclosure of telephone records not
only assaults individual privacy but, in some instances, may
further acts of domestic violence or stalking, compromise the
personal safety of law enforcement officers, their families,
victims of crime, witnesses, or confidential informants, and
undermine the integrity of law enforcement investigations.
SEC. 3. FRAUD AND RELATED ACTIVITY IN CONNECTION WITH
OBTAINING CONFIDENTIAL PHONE RECORDS
INFORMATION OF A COVERED ENTITY.
(a) Offense.--Chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code,
is amended by inserting after section 1038 the following:
``Sec. 1039. Fraud and related activity in connection with
obtaining confidential phone records information of a
covered entity
``(a) Criminal Violation.--Whoever, in interstate or
foreign commerce, knowingly and intentionally obtains, or
attempts to obtain, confidential phone records information of
a covered entity, by--
``(1) making false or fraudulent statements or
representations to an employee of a covered entity;
``(2) making such false or fraudulent statements or
representations to a customer of a covered entity;
``(3) providing a document to a covered entity knowing that
such document is false or fraudulent; or
``(4) accessing customer accounts of a covered entity via
the Internet, or by means of conduct that violates section
1030 of this title, without prior authorization from the
customer to whom such confidential phone records information
relates;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than
10 years, or both.
``(b) Prohibition on Sale or Transfer of Confidential Phone
Records Information.--
``(1) Except as otherwise permitted by applicable law,
whoever, in interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly and
intentionally sells or transfers, or attempts to sell or
transfer, confidential phone records information of a covered
entity, without prior authorization from the customer to whom
such confidential phone records information relates, or
knowing or having reason to know such information was
obtained fraudulently, shall be fined under this title,
imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
``(2) For purposes of this subsection, the exceptions
specified in section 222(d) of the Communications Act of 1934
shall apply for the use of confidential phone records
information by any covered entity, as defined in subsection
(h).
``(c) Prohibition on Purchase or Receipt of Confidential
Phone Records Information.--
``(1) Except as otherwise permitted by applicable law,
whoever, in interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly and
intentionally purchases or receives, or attempts to purchase
or receive, confidential phone records information of a
covered entity, without prior authorization from the customer
to whom such confidential phone records information relates,
or knowing or having reason to know such information was
obtained fraudulently, shall be fined under this title,
imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
``(2) For purposes of this subsection, the exceptions
specified in section 222(d) of the Communications Act of 1934
shall apply for the use of confidential phone records
information by any covered entity, as defined in subsection
(h).
``(d) Enhanced Penalties for Aggravated Cases.--Whoever
violates, or attempts to violate, subsection (a), (b), or (c)
while violating another law of the United States or as part
of a pattern of any illegal activity involving more than
$100,000, or more than 50 customers of a covered entity, in a
12-month period shall, in addition to the penalties provided
for in such subsection, be fined twice the amount provided in
subsection (b)(3) or (c)(3) (as the case may be) of section
3571 of this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or
both.
``(e) Enhanced Penalties for Use of Information in
Furtherance of Certain Criminal Offenses.--
``(1) Whoever, violates, or attempts to violate, subsection
(a), (b), or (c) knowing that such information may be used in
furtherance of, or with the intent to commit, an offense
described in section 2261, 2261A, 2262, or any other crime of
violence shall, in addition to the penalties provided for in
such subsection, be fined under this title and imprisoned not
more than 5 years.
``(2) Whoever, violates, or attempts to violate, subsection
(a), (b), or (c) knowing that such information may be used in
furtherance of, or with the intent to commit, an offense
under section 111, 115, 1114, 1503, 1512, 1513, or to
intimidate, threaten, harass, injure, or kill any Federal,
State, or local law enforcement officer shall, in addition to
the penalties provided for in such subsection, be fined under
this title and imprisoned not more than 5 years.
``(f) Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.--There is
extraterritorial jurisdiction over an offense under this
section.
``(g) Nonapplicability to Law Enforcement Agencies.--This
section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized
investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law
enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or
political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence
agency of the United States.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Confidential phone records information.--The term
`confidential phone records information' means information
that--
``(A) relates to the quantity, technical configuration,
type, destination, location, or amount of use of a service
offered by a covered entity, subscribed to by any customer of
that covered entity, and kept by or on behalf of that covered
entity solely by virtue of the relationship between that
covered entity and the customer;
``(B) is made available to a covered entity by a customer
solely by virtue of the relationship between that covered
entity and the customer; or
``(C) is contained in any bill, itemization, or account
statement provided to a customer by or on behalf of a covered
entity solely by
[[Page 5930]]
virtue of the relationship between that covered entity and
the customer.
``(2) Covered Entity.--The term `covered entity'--
``(A) has the same meaning given the term
`telecommunications carrier' in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153); and
``(B) includes any provider of IP-enabled voice service.
``(3) Customer.--The term `customer' means, with respect to
a covered entity, any individual, partnership, association,
joint stock company, trust, or corporation, or authorized
representative of such customer, to whom the covered entity
provides a product or service.
``(4) IP-enabled voice service.--The term `IP-enabled voice
service' means the provision of real-time voice
communications offered to the public, or such class of users
as to be effectively available to the public, transmitted
through customer premises equipment using TCP/IP protocol, or
a successor protocol, (whether part of a bundle of services
or separately) with interconnection capability such that the
service can originate traffic to, or terminate traffic from,
the public switched telephone network, or a successor
network.''.
(b) Chapter Analysis.--The table of sections for chapter 47
of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding after
the item relating to section 1038 the following:
``1039. Fraud related activity in connection with obtaining
confidential phone records information of a covered
entity.''.
SEC. 4. SENTENCING GUIDELINES.
(a) Review and Amendment.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the United States
Sentencing Commission, pursuant to its authority under
section 994 of title 28, United States Code, and in
accordance with this section, shall review and, if
appropriate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines and
policy statements applicable to persons convicted of any
offense under section 1039 of title 18, United States Code.
(b) Authorization.--The United States Sentencing Commission
may amend the Federal sentencing guidelines in accordance
with the procedures set forth in section 21(a) of the
Sentencing Act of 1987 (28 U.S.C. 994 note) as though the
authority under that section had not expired.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Conyers) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4709 currently
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4709, the Law Enforcement
and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006. This legislation will protect
the privacy of consumers' cell phone records and create new criminal
penalties for the unauthorized purchase, sale or disclosure of such
records.
Certain unscrupulous companies operating on the Internet use
deception to acquire an individual's phone records and then sell this
personal information. Typically these companies employ a tactic known
as ``pretexting'' to deceive the phone companies.
{time} 1445
By impersonating the actual cell phone account holder, these
companies are often able to obtain significant private information
about the individuals.
This practice not only presents a threat to the privacy of the
average consumer; the Judiciary Committee has also learned that
criminals have employed these services to determine the identity of
undercover law enforcement officers as well as suspected confidential
informants and witnesses. Additionally, stalkers and domestic users can
use such information to track a victim's location and associates.
Amazingly, none of this is clearly illegal under Federal law. H.R.
4709 targets pretexting and other deceptive practices not adequately
addressed by the current law and provides express protection in the
criminal code for the privacy of confidential phone records
information. These important new consumer protections cover the records
and calling logs of cellular, land line, Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol
users, and accomplish this goal on a technology neutral basis. The bill
also establishes specific criminal penalties for the fraudulent
acquisition or disclosure of such records without the consent of the
consumer.
More specifically, the bill prohibits third parties from purchasing
or receiving confidential phone records information without the prior
authorization of the consumer, or knowing or having reason to know that
the information was obtained fraudulently. It exempts use of
information by any covered entity if such use would be permissible
under existing laws governing the handling of such information by
telecommunications carriers. This exception includes any uses by
agents, contractors, or joint venture partners to receive the
confidential phone records acting on behalf of the covered entity to
perform any of the functions permitted under existing law.
The bill also provides enhanced criminal penalties for anyone who
engages in large scale operations to violate the law, or who discloses
or uses fraudulently obtained confidential phone records information in
furtherance of crimes of violence, including domestic violence and
stalking, or to kill, injure or intimidate a witness, juror,
confidential informant, or law enforcement officer.
The bill under consideration today incorporates several technical and
conforming changes to the text that was reported unanimously by the
Judiciary Committee on March 2 this year. This bipartisan legislation
is supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center For
Victims of Crime, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet
Association, and all of the major land line and mobile telephone
companies.
I commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet,
and Intellectual Property, Lamar Smith, for introducing this important
measure. I also want to thank Judiciary Committee Ranking Member
Conyers, Congressman Goodlatte, and Congressman Scott for their
contributions to this legislation.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 4709 provides consumers with important new
protections for the confidentiality of their calling records without
compromising the legitimate lawful interests of law enforcement,
emergency services and cellular telephone service providers. I urge my
colleagues to support this sensible piece of legislation and hope that
the Members of the other body will consider and pass this bill
expeditiously.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). Without objection, the 20
minutes will be controlled by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-
Lee).
There was no objection.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
I rise with great pleasure and enthusiasm as one of the supporters of
this legislation, Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006,
H.R. 4709; and I am pleased to acknowledge Mr. Lamar Smith and John
Conyers as the original sponsors of this legislation.
I thank the chairman for yielding me this time, and I add my applause
to legislation that makes several important and noteworthy changes to
current law.
First and foremost, it establishes a new criminal offense against
anyone who knowingly and intentionally obtains or attempts to obtain
the confidential phone records of a third party through any one of the
bill's several enumerated schemes or devices to defraud. Penalties for
violating this prohibition include a fine or a term of imprisonment of
not more than 20 years, or both.
Second, the bill establishes a new set of criminal penalties for
anyone who knowingly and intentionally sells or purchases the
confidential phone records of a third party without proper
authorization or knowing that such records were obtained through fraud.
Violators of either of these two provisions are subjected to a maximum
term of imprisonment of up to 5 years.
[[Page 5931]]
Finally, in an effort to offer increased protection to the likely
victims of such activities, this legislation includes a series of
enhanced criminal penalties against any individual who engages in any
one of the aforementioned crimes knowing that such information was
sought in furtherance of or with the intent to commit any one of the
bill's dozen or so enumerated offenses. Individuals specifically
protected under this provision include potential victims of domestic-
violence-related offenses, jurors, criminal witnesses, confidential
informants, and law enforcement officers.
Recent investigations undertaken by State and Federal law enforcement
officials have demonstrated the ease with which an individual can
obtain the confidential calling records of a third party. By simply
contacting one of the many on-line data brokers that currently exist,
the private records of anyone sitting in this room could be filtered
into the public domain within a matter of minutes.
And if put into the wrong hands, such information could be used to
commit countless crimes of violence, including acts of domestic
violence, retaliatory acts against law enforcement officers, or acts
aimed at undermining our current criminal justice system.
Madam Speaker, I think it is important to note that as we fight the
crime of identity theft, this new and innovative legislation puts a
dagger in some aspects of that. For example, the records of high-
ranking officials dealing with government business could be secured,
whether it is local, State or Federal, and put various actions of the
government in jeopardy.
And, yes, a law enforcement officer that may be undercover, those
records can be secured and immediately put that law enforcement officer
in great jeopardy of his or her life.
And, finally, for those of us who are parents, we understand what it
means to be able to communicate with a young person through a cell
phone. Just imagine a stalker or a child predator securing those
records of your teenage son or daughter. What a horrific thought to
think.
And so it is important that this legislation be passed for the
protection of Americans all over this country and as well for the
integrity of our technology system.
The bill before us seeks to stop these potential abuses from becoming
a reality, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this worthwhile
measure.
I am pleased to acknowledge Lamar Smith and John Conyers as the
original sponsors of this bill. This legislation makes several
important and noteworthy changes to current law.
First and foremost, it establishes a new criminal offense against
anyone who knowingly and intentionally obtains, or attempts to obtain,
the confidential phone records of a third party through any one of the
bill's several enumerated schemes or devices to defraud. Penalties for
violating this prohibition include a fine or a term of imprisonment of
not more than 20 years, or both.
Second, the bill establishes a new set of criminal penalties for
anyone who knowingly and intentionally sells or purchases the
confidential phone records of a third party, without proper
authorization or knowing that such records were obtained through fraud.
Violators of either of these two provisions are subjected to a maximum
term of imprisonment of up to 5 years.
Finally, in an effort to offer increased protection to the likely
victims of such activities, the legislation includes a series of
enhanced criminal penalties against any individual who engages in any
one of the aforementioned crimes knowing that such information was
sought in furtherance of, or with the intent to commit any one of the
bill's dozen or so enumerated offenses. Individuals specifically
protected under this provision include potential victims of domestic-
violence related offenses, jurors, criminal witnesses, confidential
informants and law enforcement officers.
Recent investigations that have been undertaken by State and Federal
law enforcement officials have demonstrated the ease with which an
individual can obtain the confidential calling records of a third
party. By simply contacting one of the many online data brokers that
currently exist, the private records of anyone sitting in this room
could be filtered into the public domain within a matter of minutes.
And, if put into the wrong hands, such information could be used to
commit countless crimes of violence, including acts of domestic
violence, retaliatory attacks against law enforcement officers, or acts
aimed at undermining our current criminal justice system.
The bill before us seeks to stop these potential abuses from becoming
a reality. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this worthwhile
measure.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the author of the bill.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, since I introduced this
legislation, I rise in strong support of the Telephone Records and
Privacy Protection Act of 2006, the TRAPP Act. And I want to thank
Chairman Sensenbrenner for his leadership and continuing support of
this bicameral and bipartisan bill.
Madam Speaker, few things are more personal and potentially more
revealing than our telephone records. Who we call can reveal much about
our business and personal lives, including intimate details about one's
medical or financial condition. Calling records can even be used to
identify a caller's location. In some cases the unauthorized release of
personal information like a phone record can lead to a tragic result.
Unfortunately, existing Federal statutes that could be used to target
data thieves are inadequate. These statutes have clearly not deterred
data burglars from treating confidential phone record information as a
commodity to be bought and sold over the Internet without the consent
of consumers, sometimes for as little as $100.
The underlying bill targets companies and individuals who traffic in
fraudulently obtained confidential phone records and provides new
protections for the privacy of calling logs themselves. It establishes
a new section, 1039, in title 18 of the United States Code, that will
provide explicit penalties for those who use fraud to obtain
confidential phone records.
Madam Speaker, the bill imposes a prison sentence of up to 10 years
and a fine of up to $500,000 on any person who, in interstate commerce,
sells, transfers, purchases or receives confidential phone records of a
telephone company without the prior consent of the consumer.
The bill includes enhanced penalties for cases where the information
is used in furtherance of crimes of domestic violence or a threat to
law enforcement officials or their families.
We need to pass this bill to demonstrate that we take seriously the
obligation to protect the confidentiality of consumer telephone records
and to make clear to data thieves that their conduct will result in a
felony conviction.
This legislation supports crime victims, prosecutors, and companies
and individuals who have been the targets of this fraud. A companion
measure is expected to be introduced soon in the Senate.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further
speakers, and I am prepared to yield back if the gentlewoman from Texas
will yield back.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I include the following
letters of support for this legislation:
Consumers Union,
Washington, DC., February 8, 2006.
Hon. Charles Schumer,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Arlen Specter,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Bill Nelson
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senators Schumer, Specter and Nelson: Consumers Union,
the publisher of Consumer Reports, supports the Consumer
Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006, S. 2178, and
applauds your leadership on this critical consumer issue.
The Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act would go far
in protecting consumers' private telephone records. Consumers
have a reasonable expectation that their calling records will
not be released to anyone other than themselves. Congress
must meet that expectation by preventing stalkers, identity
thieves, and shady data-brokers from accessing consumers'
personal
[[Page 5932]]
telephone calling records. Subjecting to criminal penalties
the selling of those records and the practice of pretexting
to obtain them will serve as a strong deterrence.
Importantly, instead of simply reaffirming Federal Trade
Commission authority to enforce penalties against unfair and
deceptive trade practices, the Consumer Telephone Records
Protection Act ensures that other federal entities are
empowered to protect consumers' calling records.
Additionally, the bill covers all wireline, wireless and VoIP
services, protecting the rights of consumers to keep their
phoning records private regardless of which platform they
use.
We look forward to working with you toward adoption of S.
2178 as well as other complementary measures required to
protect consumers phone records. These include stronger
enforcement powers and penalties for FTC and the Federal
Communications Commission; mandatory consumer notice when
calling records have been requested or provided to any party;
requirements that consumers affirmatively opt-in before any
of their records are shared, even with affiliates of the
phone company; and finally, provisions strengthening carrier
internal processes for safeguarding consumer information
under Section 222 of the 1934 Communications Act, with tough
penalties for noncompliance.
We applaud your swift action and thank you for your
leadership to protect consumers. We look forward to working
with you toward effective, enforceable consumer phone record
privacy legislation.
We look forward to working with you toward enactment of
this important legislation.
Respectfully,
Jeannine Kenney,
Senior Policy Analyst.
____
Verizon Wireless Applauds Cell Phone Privacy Bill
Bedminster, NJ.--Senators Charles Schumer of New York,
Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Bill Nelson of Florida
proposed legislation in the U.S. Senate today to make it a
crime for someone to obtain cell phone customer calling or
billing information under false pretenses or for a wireless
company employee to sell such customer information. Verizon
Wireless issued the following statement from Steve
Zipperstein, vice president of legal & external affairs, in
response to the filing:
``As the first wireless company in the U.S. to take legal
action to protect cell phone customers' private account
information from so-called online data brokers, Verizon
Wireless applauds the efforts of Senators Schumer, Specter
and Nelson to protect our customers' privacy from the crooks
and predators who we've been hauling into civil court. The
criminal penalties in this bill will provide another powerful
weapon in the legal arsenal that the private sector and the
government can use to protect consumers. We believe this
legislation will give federal prosecutors and others in law
enforcement the tools they need to crack down on this
despicable practice and help defend the privacy of U.S. cell
phone customers.''
Verizon Wireless' record of aggressively protecting
customer privacy has put the company at the forefront of the
U.S. wireless industry.
On September 15, 2005, Verizon Wireless secured a permanent
injunction against Source Resources Inc, a Tennessee-based
company, to halt its illegal practice of obtaining and
selling confidential customer telephone records. Verizon
Wireless brought the lawsuit, believed to be the first of its
kind, after one of its customers reported that his
confidential wireless phone records had been secured without
his permission by Source Resources. http://news.vzw.com/news/
2005/09/pr2005-09-15.html
On November 9, 2005, Verizon Wireless obtained an immediate
injunction against Global Information Group (GIG) of Temple
Terrace, FL after the company made ``thousands of attempts''
to gather confidential information without proper
authorization and used various fraudulent ``schemes'' to do
so, including impersonating Verizon Wireless employees and
posing as Verizon Wireless customers. The suit is pending.
http://news.vzw.com/news/2005/11/pr2005-11-09a.html
In other actions to protect customer privacy: Verizon
Wireless won permanent injunctions to stop two telemarketing
firms--Intelligent Alternatives of San Diego, CA, and Resort
Marketing Trends of Coral Springs, FL,--from making calls to
Verizon Wireless customers by using auto-dialers and recorded
messages. Federal consumer protection law prohibits use of
auto-dialers or pre-recorded messages in calls to cell
phones--http://news.vzw.com/news/2005/12/pr2005-12-09.html
Verizon Wireless filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction
against Passport Holidays of Ormond Beach, FL for violating
federal and state laws after it sent more than 98,000
unsolicited short text messages to Verizon Wireless customers
informing them they supposedly had won a cruise to the
Bahamas and asking them to call to claim their prize--http://
news.vzw.com/news/2005/11/pr2005-11-23.html
In August 2004, Verizon Wireless obtained an injunction
against Rhode Island resident Jacob Brown, a known spammer
who had been sending numerous text message solicitations to
Verizon Wireless customers--http://news.vzw.com/news/2004/08/
pr2004-08-30.html
In June 2004, Verizon Wireless broke with the wireless
industry by becoming the first to announce it would protect
customer privacy by refusing to participate in a national
wireless phone directory--http://news.vzw.com/news/2004/06/
pr2004-06-21.html
____
Sprint Nextel Sues To Shut Down Online Services That Illegally Obtain
and Sell Confidential Telephone Records
Reston, VA.--(Business Wire)--Jan. 27, 2006--Sprint Nextel
Corp. (NYSE:S) announced today that it has filed a lawsuit
against the parent company of four online data brokers that
use illegal and deceptive practices to obtain and sell
wireless customer call detail records. Sprint Nextel states
within the Complaint that 1st Source Information Specialists
Inc., parent company of www.locatecell.com,
www.celltolls.com, www.datafind.org and
www.peoplesearchamerica.com, employs fraudulent tactics, such
as posing as customers seeking information about their own
accounts, to access cell phone logs and phone numbers.
In the suit filed today in Florida, Sprint Nextel states
that the schemes conducted by these fraudulent online
services invade the privacy of Sprint Nextel's customers.
Sprint Nextel has requested both temporary and permanent
injunctions against 1st Source Information Specialists Inc.
``Protection of confidential customer information is our
number one priority and we are taking aggressive action to
ensure that any threat to privacy is eliminated
immediately,'' said Kent Nakamura, vice president for telecom
management and chief privacy officer for Sprint Nextel. ``1st
Source Information Specialists continues to display egregious
disregard for privacy, and previous industry-driven actions
do not appear to have deterred their illegal activities. We
can assure our customers that we will make every effort to
put these services out of business.''
To further demonstrate its commitment to protecting
consumer privacy, Sprint Nextel is supporting federal
legislation that seeks to increase criminal and/or civil
penalties against third party companies that fraudulently
seek to obtain, sell or distribute customer records. In
particular, Sprint Nextel hails legislation crafted by
senators Charles Schumer of New York, Arlen Specter of
Pennsylvania and Bill Nelson of Florida for its provisions
that make it illegal to obtain telephone customer records,
and that stiffen prison sentences and fines for those
companies fraudulently selling information. Sprint Nextel
looks forward to working with these senators and other
members of Congress to pass the legislation that best
protects consumers and ends this fraudulent practice.
In addition to launching a legal assault on these illegal
activities, Sprint Nextel's corporate security and customer
care teams employ safeguards to protect confidential customer
information from unauthorized access. Sprint Nextel customer
service agents have been made aware of the fraudulent tactics
used by online data brokers, and they are trained to follow
detailed authentication procedures when responding to
customer inquiries. Sprint Nextel's security practices were
validated in 2005 when the company was awarded the ``Best
Practice in Security for Governance'' by the Aberdeen Group.
Sprint Nextel strongly encourages its customers to take
precautions to protect themselves. In particular, Sprint
Nextel recommends that customers regularly change passwords
used to access account information on the Sprint.com web site
or when calling customer care, and select unique passwords to
access voicemail messages on Sprint phones. For additional
customer privacy tips, please go to www.sprint.com/privacy.
____
County of Los Angeles,
Monterey Park, CA, March 29, 2006.
Hon. Charles Schumer,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
United States Senate Bill 2178--Support Consumer Telephone Records
Protection Act of 2006 as Introduced on January 18, 2006
Dear Senator Schumer: The Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department is proud to support your United States Senate Bill
2178 (S. 2178). This Bill would prohibit the obtaining, by
fraud or other unauthorized means, of confidential phone
record information.
Recently, there has been a lot of media focus regarding the
sale of another's cell phone records over the internet. Many
companies, charging as little as $20, offer to research and
provide a month's worth of cell phone call information, no
questions asked.
With the above in mind, S. 2178 seeks to correct this
serious situation by prohibiting another from obtaining this
information under false pretense or selling such information
by any person, including an employee of the provider.
As Sheriff of Los Angeles County, I support S. 2178. Should
you need further assistance regarding this issue please do
not hesitate to
[[Page 5933]]
contact me directly at (323) 526-5000, or my Legislative
Advocate, Sergeant Wayne Bilowit, at (323) 240-5696.
Sincerely,
LeRoy D. Baca,
Sheriff
____
T-Mobile Sues Cell Record Brokers for Criminal Profiteering
Bellevue, WA., January 23, 2006--In an effort to restrain
the unlawful activities of entities that attempt to
fraudulently obtain confidential customer information, T-
Mobile USA, Inc. is bringing legal action against online data
brokers the company believes are involved in illegitimately
obtaining and selling call records. Acting under Washington
State criminal profiteering laws, T-Mobile today filed suit
in King County, Wash., Superior Court seeking an injunction
to stop Locatecell.com, as well as related companies and
individuals, from engaging in such illegal behavior. T-Mobile
also is prepared to take similar legal action against other
believed violators.
``To further safeguard the privacy of our customers, T-
Mobile is taking action to prosecute these online data
brokers to the fullest extent permitted by the law,'' said
Dave Miller, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, T-
Mobile USA. ``For the protection of all wireless customers,
their illegal actions must be stopped.''
T-Mobile also endorses the need for federal legislation
making it a crime for anyone to obtain, sell or distribute,
through fraudulent means, the private calling records of
mobile phone customers.
``T-Mobile supports adoption of federal legislation making
it clear that fraudulent activities by third parties to
obtain, sell, or distribute call records is a crime,'' said
Tom Sugrue, T-Mobile's Vice President of Government Affairs.
``Legislation should address the deplorable and deceptive
actions of these third-party brokers who illegitimately
obtain and sell call records without the knowledge or consent
of wireless customers. We applaud the FCC's recent citations
against brokers that have defied its subpoenas.''
Legislation introduced by Sens. Schumer, Specter and Nelson
and co-sponsored by Sens. Burns and Reid, takes particular
aim at these perpetrators, defined as anyone who sells or
obtains confidential customer information through deception
or unauthorized access to a telephone company's data. T-
Mobile commends this bipartisan group of Senators for
targeting privacy predators such as online brokers in an
effort to bolster protections for consumers. T-Mobile looks
forward to working with members of Congress to resolve this
important privacy concern.
As a result of data uncovered during a continuing, thorough
internal investigation, T-Mobile had issued numerous cease
and desist letters against companies that were believed to
have illegally obtained and sold phone-calling records of
some of its customers.
T-Mobile reiterates that it is important for customers to
continue to take steps to protect their accounts by utilizing
passwords. T-Mobile urges all users of mobile phone services
to take the following password protection steps:
Create separate passwords for voicemail, online access, and
for use when calling customer care about your billing
account.
Set complex passwords using both numbers and letters where
appropriate.
Avoid common passwords such as birth dates, family or pet
names and street addresses.
Change your passwords at least every 60 days.
Memorize your passwords.
Don't share passwords with anyone.
``T-Mobile takes customer privacy seriously. Customer
protection is a primary concern. We have invested millions of
dollars to help protect customer information, and we continue
to further reinforce our systems. Our customer phone records
are not for sale,'' said Sugrue. ``We encourage Congress and
the FCC to act swiftly to bring the illegal activity of
online data brokers to an end.''
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, since I introduced this
legislation, I rise in strong support of the ``Telephone Records and
Privacy Protection Act of 2006 (the TRAPP Act).''
And I want to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his leadership and
continuing support of this bicameral and bipartisan bill.
Madam Speaker, few things are more personal and potentially more
revealing than our phone records.
Who we call can reveal much about our business and personal lives,
including intimate details about one's medical or financial condition.
Calling records can even be used to identify a caller's location.
In some cases, the unauthorized release of personal information like
a phone record can lead to a tragic result.
Unfortunately, existing Federal statutes that could be used to target
data thieves are inadequate.
These statutes have clearly not deterred data burglars from treating
confidential phone records information as a commodity, to be bought and
sold on the Internet, without the consent of consumers, for about $100.
The underlying bill targets companies and individuals who traffic in
fraudulently obtained confidential phone records and provides new
protections for the privacy of calling logs.
It establishes a new section 1039 in Title 18 of the United States
Code that will provide explicit penalties for those who use fraud to
obtain confidential phone records.
The bill imposes a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up
to $500,000 on any person who in interstate commerce sells, transfers,
purchases or receives confidential phone records of a telephone company
without the prior consent of the customer.
The bill includes enhanced penalties for cases where the information
is used in furtherance of crimes of domestic violence or threat to law
enforcement officers or their families.
We need to pass this bill to demonstrate that we take seriously the
obligation to protect the confidentiality of consumer telephone records
and to make clear to data thieves that their conduct will result in a
felony conviction.
This legislation supports crime victims, prosecutors, and companies
and individuals who have been the targets of this fraud.
A companion measure is expected to be introduced soon in the Senate.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4709,
the Law Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act. I was pleased to
join with Representatives Smith, Conyers and Scott to introduce this
important legislation to protect phone records from thieves and
opportunists.
The sale of confidential phone records is a serious problem. for
approximately $100, anyone can buy an individual's private cell phone
call history. These histories catalogue every outgoing and incoming
call a customer makes or receives. This information should not be
available for unauthorized sale on the Internet.
The primary method thieves use to obtain this information is known as
``pretexting''. This involves an individual with some key information--
a cell phone number or possibly a Social Security Number--pretending to
be the subscriber to get information about an account. The Law
Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act puts a stop to this by
imposing criminal penalties for ``pretexting,'' As well as other
methods of seeking to obtain such records through the use of fraud.
Furthermore, this legislation will provide additional punishment for
those who illegally sell or obtain phone records knowing they will be
used in a criminal act. This is extremely important for the protection
of law enforcement officers and potential victims of domestic violence,
whose call histories may be particularly desireable to those who wish
to do them harm.
We all use telephones and cell phones with the assumption that
information about who we receive calls from and make calls to will not
fall into the wrong hands. I urge the members of the house to support
this legislation to ensure that phone records are protected.
Mr. CANTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Law
Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006.
As America continues to prosper, cell phones are becoming
increasingly central to our everyday lives. We use this technology to
keep in closer contact with our families, manage our livelihoods, and
stay in touch with friends. We trust that the records of private
conversations remain safe. Law enforcement must have the tools
necessary to ensure the privacy of our cell phone records and prosecute
those who invade our lives.
Today, criminals can use our cell phone records to expose a
government informant, steal our personal information, or commit other
forms of fraud.
This bill takes strong action to protect the privacy of American's
cell phone records. By providing tough new protections, we can better
ensure the privacy of confidential cell phone records. Law enforcement
and prosecutors can impose serious criminal penalties on those who
unlawfully invade and use our cell phone records.
Congress has a duty to protect all Americans and their confidential
cell phone records.
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be an
original cosponsor of this bill. I believe it provides critical privacy
protections to the more than 180 million Americans who use cell phones.
It will also protect the privacy of more than 100 million American
homes with wired telephones. And it will protect Voice over IP users,
now more than 2 million Americans and rapidly rising.
I think we've heard too many stories of how easy it is to
fraudulently obtain cell phone call records and even cell phone
locations. We've heard of how one political blog bought Wesley Clark's
cell phone records, but the fact is lots of ordinary Americans have
reason to be concerned about the privacy of their phone
[[Page 5934]]
records. Imagine what a criminal organization could do with the cell
phone call records of an undercover law enforcement agent, or what an
abuser could do with a spouse's cell phone location. No one should be
able to get another person's phone records through fraud, and this bill
makes it a crime to purchase or use phone records obtained through
fraud.
I want to thank Chairman Smith of the Intellectual Property
Subcommittee and Ranking Member Conyers of the Judiciary Committee for
their leadership in drafting this legislation, which I believe
represents a sensible, bipartisan solution to a growing problem. I urge
my colleagues to join me in voting to pass this bill.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask the support of this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4709, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS AWARENESS
MONTH
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res 357) supporting the goals and
ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 357
Whereas cystic fibrosis is one of the most common life-
threatening genetic diseases in the United States and one for
which there is no known cure;
Whereas the average life expectancy of an individual with
cystic fibrosis is 35 years, an improvement from a life
expectancy of 10 years in the 1960s, but still unacceptably
short;
Whereas approximately 30,000 people in the United States
have cystic fibrosis, more than half of them children;
Whereas one of every 3,500 babies born in the United States
is born with cystic fibrosis;
Whereas more than 10,000,000 Americans are unknowing,
symptom-free carriers of the cystic fibrosis gene;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends that all States consider newborn screening for
cystic fibrosis;
Whereas the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation urges all States to
implement newborn screening for cystic fibrosis to facilitate
early diagnosis and treatment which improves health and
longevity;
Whereas prompt, aggressive treatment of the symptoms of
cystic fibrosis can extend the lives of people who have the
disease;
Whereas recent advances in cystic fibrosis research have
produced promising leads in gene, protein, and drug therapies
beneficial to people who have the disease;
Whereas innovative research is progressing faster and is
being conducted more aggressively than ever before, due, in
part, to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's establishment of a
model clinical trials network;
Whereas although the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation continues
to fund a research pipeline for more than two dozen potential
therapies and funds a nationwide network of care centers that
extend the length and quality of life for people with cystic
fibrosis, lives continue to be lost to this disease every
day;
Whereas education of the public about cystic fibrosis,
including the symptoms of the disease, increases knowledge
and understanding of cystic fibrosis and promotes early
diagnosis; and
Whereas the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will conduct
activities to honor National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
in May, 2006: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) honors the goals and ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis
Awareness Month;
(2) promotes further public awareness and understanding of
cystic fibrosis;
(3) advocates for increased support for people who have
cystic fibrosis and their families;
(4) encourages early diagnosis and access to quality care
for people with cystic fibrosis to improve the quality of
their lives; and
(5) supports research to find a cure for cystic fibrosis by
fostering an enhanced research program through a strong
Federal commitment and expanded public-private partnerships.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Stearns) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and insert extraneous material on this resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 357, which
supports the goals and ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness
Month, beginning in May. Every year in the United States, about 1,000
children are born with cystic fibrosis, or CF, a life-shortening
genetic disease.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, those children face a
median life expectancy of 36 years, an average that, fortunately, has
continued to increase as science and research have developed better
treatment and drugs. And while a median life expectancy of 36 is
unacceptably low, that figure is cause for hope for those living with
the disease and, of course, their families. They know that in 1955, the
year parents of children suffering from this disease formed the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation, children born with CF usually did not live to
attend preschool. As the life expectancy increases, those suffering
with this disease and their families continue to work for a cure or a
life-extending treatment.
Madam Speaker, while a cure for cystic fibrosis remains illusive, the
symptoms and effects of the disease are fairly simple. CF is one of the
most common life-threatening genetic diseases in the United States.
More than 30,000 people in the United States have CF, and over half of
them are children.
In addition, over 10 million Americans are unknowing, symptom-free
carriers of the cystic fibrosis gene. Cystic fibrosis affects the lungs
and digestive system.
{time} 1500
The defective gene that causes CF triggers the production of
abnormally thick mucus in the lungs that leads to restricted breathing,
recurring lung infections, and in many cases digestive problems. The
infections deteriorate the lungs and their capacity to deliver oxygen
to the body, a condition that worsens over time and in many cases even
leads to death or the need for a lung transplant. One of the goals of
H. Con. Res. 357 is to promote the need for early diagnosis and the
importance of newborn screening so that treatment of children with CF
can begin as soon as possible to improve their health and longevity.
The five decades that have passed since the founding of the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation have brought not only hope but years to the lives
of those suffering from CF. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation continues to
be at the forefront of making more with less in the area of drug
discovery and development. The Therapeutics Development Program, TDP,
created and launched by the CF Foundation, has pioneered new ways to
conduct cutting-edge, lifesaving research in a cost-effective and
efficient manner. This program now includes 18 major research
institutions across the country in an established clinical trials
network. The TDP provides innovative companies with funding, raised
through private donations to the CF Foundation, to undertake research
and development on promising new drug candidates, and supports an
extensive pipeline of potential new
[[Page 5935]]
therapies. In fact, the CF Foundation currently has more than 30 drugs
and therapies in various stages of clinical trials, any one of which
could dramatically improve the life of someone suffering from CF. I
believe that the innovative programs like the Therapeutics Development
Program are part of the blueprint for more efficient and cost-effective
health care and should be supported. So, as you can see, Madam Speaker,
CF Foundation-sponsored research is adding precious years to the lives
of those living with the disease so that they might live long enough to
benefit once a cure is found.
Today there is more potential research on new drugs and therapies
than funds to finance that lifesaving work. This is a problem created
by a wealth of scientific riches, and one that I hope can be bridged by
more public-private partnerships which leverage our world-class biotech
and pharmaceutical companies with the capabilities of institutions like
the National Institutes of Health to ensure that the discovery phase of
identifying new drugs and compounds to treat cystic fibrosis continues.
To that end the resolution before us today advocates strong
partnerships between government resources like the NIH and nonprofits
like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a key means to improve care for
those with ``orphan'' diseases like CF.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to commend my friend and
colleague Mr. Markey from Massachusetts for his leadership and work
supporting this resolution and for our partnership cochairing a new
Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus. The Congressional Cystic Fibrosis
Caucus, like this resolution, is intended to provide Members and the
American public a better understanding of cystic fibrosis and the need
to support the incredible work that is being done by the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation as well as through public-private collaboration to
find a cure.
I would also like to thank all those Members on both sides of the
aisle who have cosponsored H. Con. Res. 357 and those who have joined
the Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus. And anyone who is watching is
welcome to call my office or Mr. Markey's office. We would like to have
your support, and we look forward to it.
So, my colleagues, please join me in honoring and supporting the
goals and ideals of National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month by simply
agreeing to H. Con. Res. 357.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). Members should direct their
comments to the Chair and not to the television audience.
Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank my friend from Florida Mr. Stearns. He and I have partnered
on the resolution and on cofounding the Congressional Cystic Fibrosis
Caucus. And I want to thank him for his commitment to CF, its cause,
and the difference that this institution can make in helping to find
the cure. It is, without question, something that we can agree upon on
a bipartisan basis.
The resolution before us today is to support the goals and the ideals
of the National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, and it is really so
that we can bring the most powerful four-letter word to this cause, and
that word is ``hope''; hope that the United States Government will
increase its funding, will help to find the cure for this dreaded
disease, that we can give hope to the families who are affected by it.
And today is a really important day on that path because for the first
time we do have a caucus, and this resolution in a lot of ways will
memorialize that and give more momentum to finding the cure.
CF is one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases in the
United States. People with CF produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus,
which makes breathing very difficult. They find, as a result, they
cough and they wheeze constantly and are at constant risk for life-
threatening lung infections.
Approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States have
cystic fibrosis, but it affects far more than those 30,000 people. It
affects all of the families and the loved ones of those people who are
struggling with this horrible disease. It affects the moms who have to
wake up at 5 a.m. so that they can pound on their child's chest before
they go to work. It affects their siblings who have to wait with their
sister while she goes to yet another doctor's appointment. And it
affects the dads who worry that their child will never grow up to have
a normal life. This resolution is about supporting these families and
providing them with the hope for a better future.
Significant improvements have been made in the treatment of cystic
fibrosis. A few decades ago many children with CF did not live past 10
years of age. Today life expectancy is 35 years of age, and much of
these achievements are due to the hard work and the dedication of the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. That is why CFF really stands for
courageous fighting families, courageous fighting friends of those
families.
Yet even with this incredible work of our courageous fighting
families, we still have a long way to go to provide the people with CF
with a normal and healthy life. It is time for Congress to become more
involved in the pursuit of a cure. We need to make a greater investment
in research and make a stronger commitment to the people with CF, their
families, and their caretakers.
This is something which in the 21st century we should leave as a
forgotten memory, but we can only do it if we provide hope now. It is
the most powerful word in the English language: Hope that we can raise
awareness of the families struggling with CF, hope that we can find
better treatments and ultimately a cure, hope that our children will
have to turn to the history books to find that there ever was such a
thing as cystic fibrosis.
I thank, again, the cochair of the caucus Mr. Stearns. This is now
going to bring a larger, more powerful spotlight on this disease. And
hopefully, working together in a bipartisan fashion, we can address
this as a human issue and not as a Democrat or Republican issue.
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 357,
offered by the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns). This
resolution would support the goals and ideals of National Cystic
Fibrosis Awareness Month.
Cystic Fibrosis is one of the most common life-threatening genetic
diseases in the United States. Approximately 30,000 people in the
United States have cystic fibrosis, and about 1,000 new cases of cystic
fibrosis are diagnosed each year. Tragically, more than half of those
with CF are children. As I stand here today, more than 10 million
Americans are unknowing, symptom-free carriers of the cystic fibrosis
gene.
Significant improvements have been made in the treatment of cystic
fibrosis. Just a few decades ago, children with CF did not live past 10
years of age. Today the life expectancy has improved, and the number of
adults with CF has steadily grown. Even so, there is no cure for this
disease, and much still must be done to provide people with CF with a
normal and healthy life expectancy.
Early diagnosis is the key, and that is why it's so important that we
work to further public awareness and understanding of cystic fibrosis.
We must increase support for those affected by this disease and ensure
that they have access to quality care, and we also must support
research to find a cure for CF.
I am proud to provide my support to this cause, and I ask my
colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 357 so that the month
of May can be dedicated to educating all Americans about cystic
fibrosis, about the courage of those who suffer from this disease, and
about the important research underway to find a cure.
Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, today, as we consider H. Con Res. 357 to
support the goals of National Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month in
May, I would like to bring attention to such efforts in my district and
in western Pennsylvania.
One such family in my district, the Nicotras, are doing just that.
``Hayden's Heroes'' was formed in 2005 by Sam and Rhea Nicotra to
support CF research. The Nicotras' grandson, Hayden Klein, was
diagnosed with CF in 2004, when he was just one week old. The Kleins
and their family faced the questions familiar to many CF patients and
their loved
[[Page 5936]]
ones about genetic factors, the difficulty in diagnosing CF and, of
course, the challenges in treating and managing the disease.
The Kleins had no history of the disease on either side of the family
and, since CF patients can look healthy, there is no way to diagnose
the disease just by looking at him or her. Clearly, cystic fibrosis is
stealthy; we have much to learn about its origins, how to treat it and,
ultimately, how to defeat it.
Fortunately, many Americans are committed to providing the resources
to wage this battle, and, with National CF Month approaching, it is
important that we recognize the many local resources to support this
important task.
The local chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is an active
participant in the national Great Strides walk to raise funds for CS
research--participants across the country have succeeded in raising
more than $150 million since 1989. The local chapter will participate
in this year's walk next month at North Park Lake in my district.
The local CF Foundation office also encourages friends and families
of CF patients to provide support for such resources and research, and
the Nicotras have been local leaders with Hayden's Heroes, which is
hosting a ``Dancing with the Pittsburgh Stars'' event to raise
awareness of the disease and support local resources, and a local
talent-training organization in my district, the In Tune Studio, is
also working on an event to support CF research.
It is through such community efforts that we will understand more
about CF and treat this disease, and I commend the dedication and
tenacity of the local chapter of the CF Foundation and, in particular,
the Nicotras and their family, for advancing this important cause.
I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to
join me in recognizing National Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month
and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It is an honor to represent the
Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute
a worthy cause like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 357.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________
AUTHORIZING USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR THE GREATER WASHINGTON SOAP BOX
DERBY
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 349) authorizing the use of the
Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 349
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF SOAP BOX DERBY RACES ON CAPITOL
GROUNDS.
The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association (in this
resolution referred to as the ``Association'') shall be
permitted to sponsor a public event, soap box derby races, on
the Capitol Grounds on June 17, 2006, or on such other date
as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may
jointly designate.
SEC. 2. CONDITIONS.
The event to be carried out under this resolution shall be
free of admission charge to the public and arranged not to
interfere with the needs of Congress, under conditions to be
prescribed by the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol
Police Board; except that the Association shall assume full
responsibility for all expenses and liabilities incident to
all activities associated with the event.
SEC. 3. STRUCTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
For the purposes of this resolution, the Association is
authorized to erect upon the Capitol Grounds, subject to the
approval of the Architect of the Capitol, such stage, sound
amplification devices, and other related structures and
equipment as may be required for the event to be carried out
under this resolution.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Police Board
are authorized to make any such additional arrangements that
may be required to carry out the event under this resolution.
SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRICTIONS.
The Capitol Police Board shall provide for enforcement of
the restrictions contained in section 5104(c) of title 40,
United States Code, concerning sales, advertisements,
displays, and solicitations on the Capitol Grounds, as well
as other restrictions applicable to the Capitol Grounds, with
respect to the event to be carried out under this resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 349.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
House Concurrent Resolution 349 authorizes the use of the Capitol
Grounds for the 65th Annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby to be
held June 17, 2006. The resolution also authorizes the Architect of the
Capitol; the U.S. Capitol Police; and the Greater Washington Soap Box
Derby Association, the sponsor of the event, to negotiate the necessary
arrangements for carrying out this traditional event in compliance with
the rules and regulations governing the use of the Capitol Grounds.
The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby is one of the largest
qualifying races in the country. This race takes place on Constitution
Avenue between Delaware Avenue and Third Street, NW. Participants are
residents of the Washington metropolitan area and range in age from 8
to 17. The winners of these races will represent the Washington
metropolitan area at the national finals, held annually in Akron, Ohio.
I support this concurrent resolution, which continues our custom of
authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for this exciting event, and
urge my colleagues to do the same.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), a
good friend of mine and the prime sponsor of House Concurrent
Resolution 349, authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the
Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.
{time} 1515
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr. Davis) for yielding me time. I want to thank my
friend from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) for his leadership on this
issue.
Madam Speaker, for the 16th straight year, I am proud to sponsor the
resolution allowing the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby Association
to hold its annual race on the grounds of the United States Capitol.
H. Con. Res. 349 authorizes the Architect of the Capitol and the
Capitol Police Board to work with the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby
Association to ensure that all the necessary arrangements are made to
conduct this race in complete compliance with the rules and regulations
governing the use of the Capitol Grounds. The 65th annual Greater
Washington Soap Box Derby will be held on Saturday, June 17.
Soap box derby racing, Madam Speaker, in our Nation's Capital has a
long and rich tradition. In 1938, Norman Rocca beat out 233 other
racers to win the inaugural Greater Washington Soap Box Derby, which
was held on New Hampshire.
[[Page 5937]]
Over the years, thousands of the region's young people have
participated in this great race, although the location has varied from
the original site on New Hampshire Avenue to Capitol Hill, with stops
on Massachusetts Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Eastern Avenue along
the way.
The essence of the race has remained the same. homemade gravity-
powered cars, the spirit of competition, and the pure joy of racing.
The Soap Box Derby consists of dozens of drivers, both boys and girls,
ranging in ages from 8 to 17. These racers are divided into three
division: stock, superstock and masters. The local winners of each
division will automatically qualify to compete with racers from around
the world in the 69th All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, on
July 22 of this year.
The festivities in Akron begin when the racers receive a police
escort into town and conclude in the winner's circle with the awarding
of scholarships and merchandise. In between, the racers and their
families participate in a whirlwind of activities that leave them with
enduring friendships and memories to last a lifetime.
The past 6 years, the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby has had one
of its participants finish in the top 10 in the All-American
competition. In fact, last year's master's division champion, Robbie
Reuss of Waldorf, finished an impressive second in Akron. Robbie's
finish surpassed Gene Bean's third in the 1941 All-American and is the
best finish for a representative of the Greater Washington Soap Box
Derby. I am very proud of Robbie, and I am hopeful that this might
finally be the year when one of our racers from the Greater Washington
area is finally crowned world champion.
Madam Speaker, this event has been called the greatest amateur racing
event in the world, and it is an excellent opportunity for the
contestants from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to
learn basic building skills while gaining a real sense of
accomplishment.
Madam Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues, as I expect them
to, to join me with the other original cosponsors of this resolution,
Representative Frank Wolf, Representative James Moran, Representative
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Representative Al Wynn, and Representative Chris
Van Hollen, in supporting this resolution and congratulating all the
participants.
Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, there are many things in America that are purely
American. It is my understanding that the Soap Box Derby races that we
have is purely an American phenomenon that started here. Other
countries may have adopted it, but it is wonderful to be a part of this
legislation that makes it possible for young men and young women to
broaden their minds and their scientific knowledge as they develop the
skills of building the eventual vehicle that they will ride, hopefully
to victory.
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to support, along with Mr. Hoyer, Mr.
Wolf, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Norton
House Concurrent Resolution 349, and acknowledge the efforts of Mr.
Hoyer, who has been such a great and consistent champion for his
constituents for this event.
House Concurrent Resolution 349 authorizes use of the Capitol Grounds
for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. On June 17, 2006 youngsters
from the greater Washington area will race down Constitution Ave. to
test the principles of aerodynamics in hand designed and constructed
soap box vehicles. All the contestants, ages 9 through 16, construct
and operate their own soap box vehicles.
Madam Speaker, the All American Soap Box Derby originated in 1933 and
quickly became a national phenomenon. There are now more than 150 races
currently taking place nationwide to determine 440 qualifiers for the
national race finals held in Akron, Ohio.
Madam Speaker, many hundreds of volunteers donate considerable time
supporting the event and providing families with a fun filled day,
which is quickly becoming a tradition in the Washington, DC area. The
event has grown in popularity and Washington is now known as one of the
outstanding race cities.
Consistent with all events using the Capitol Grounds, this event is
open to the public and free of charge. The organizers will work with
the Capitol Hill Police and the Office of the Architect.
I support House Concurrent Resolution 349 and urge passage of this
resolution.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I join Mr. Hoyer and Ms. Norton,
together with Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Wolf, and Mr.
Wynn, in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 349, to authorize use
of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. I
especially want to acknowledge the dedication of Mr. Hoyer, the
resolution's annual sponsor, who faithfully introduces this resolution
to authorize use of the Capitol Grounds for such a worthwhile event.
This annual event encourages all boys and girls, ages nine through
16, to construct and operate their own soap box vehicles. The
Washington event, which attracts a great number of spectators and
extensive media coverage, has grown in size and has become one of the
best-attended events in the country. The winner in each of three
divisions wins a trip to the national race in Akron, as well as
trophies and prizes.
The principles of aerodynamics are combined with fun and excitement
for all participants and their families in the Greater Washington area.
It is an excellent opportunity for parents to have direct involvement
in their children's activities. The derby's mission is to provide
children with an activity that promotes technical and social skills
that will serve them throughout their lives.
The derby organizers will work with the Architect of the Capitol and
the Capitol Police to ensure the appropriate rules and regulations are
in place for the event.
I support this resolution and urge my colleagues to support House
Concurrent Resolution 349.
Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Drake). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
349.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________
AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN ENTERPRISE FOR THE AMERICAS MULTILATERAL
INVESTMENT FUND
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 4916) to authorize United States participation in,
and appropriations for, the United States contribution to the first
replenishment of the resources of the Enterprise for the Americas
Multilateral Investment Fund.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4916
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FIRST REPLENISHMENT OF THE RESOURCES OF THE
ENTERPRISE FOR THE AMERICAS MULTILATERAL
INVESTMENT FUND.
The Inter-American Development Bank Act (22 U.S.C. 283 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 39. FIRST REPLENISHMENT OF THE RESOURCES OF THE
ENTERPRISE FOR THE AMERICAS MULTILATERAL
INVESTMENT FUND.
``(a) Contribution Authority.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury may
contribute on behalf of the United States $150,000,000 to the
first replenishment of the resources of the Enterprise for
the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund.
``(2) Subject to appropriations.--The authority provided by
paragraph (1) may be exercised only to the extent and in the
amounts provided for in advance in appropriations Acts.
``(b) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--For
the United States contribution authorized by subsection (a),
there are authorized to be appropriated not more than
$150,000,000, without fiscal year limitation, for payment by
the Secretary of the Treasury.''.
[[Page 5938]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Pryce) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Ohio.
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The Multilateral Investment Fund, or MIF, was created as a mechanism
to stimulate innovation and economic growth for Latin America and
Caribbean countries and is operated by the Inter-American Development
Bank, IADB, an organization that oversees many programs and loans that
benefit the economically challenged in those areas.
Projects funded through the MIF are focused on new development
approaches that work to promote inclusive economic growth. The IADB has
made the central goal of the MIF to use both grants and investments to
demonstrate new ways in developing micro- and small enterprises, to
build workers' skills, strengthen environmental management, and improve
the functions of financial markets.
This legislation fulfills the President's FY 2007 budget request for
$25 million, or a total of $150 million over 6 years, to be given in
replenishing the MIF and meet the U.S. commitment.
At the close of FY 2005, the total amount of projects approved by the
MIF exceeded $1 billion, encompassing 799 projects with an additional
$1 billion in co-financing that was put to use in meeting MIF goals.
Our authorizing this new replenishment allows for a continuation of
all the good work the IADB has been doing in the area of microfinance.
Microfinance projects are especially important to developing areas in
helping break the cycle of poverty by providing a loan to start a small
or microenterprise, a business usually defined as having less than 10
employees in an economic hardship area.
Through small business growth, areas are then able to demonstrate
that they have potential to attract wider sources of capital and enable
further expansion of services for microenterprises. Building the small
firm sector offers the greatest potential to generating job growth,
which will lead to lasting freedom from poverty.
The MIF has pioneered the creation of venture capital for small
business in Latin America and the Caribbean and continues to look for
opportunities that would improve venture capital for small businesses
by supporting reforms and regulatory and legislative frameworks, and by
helping to remove barriers to small business financing.
This legislation honors our commitment to these countries, will
attract further capital investment and help create stable, reliable
trading partners in these developing nations.
Madam Speaker, I am so pleased to have the ranking members of the
full committee and my subcommittee, Mr. Frank and Mrs. Maloney, as well
as my subcommittee vice chair, Mrs. Biggert, and Chairman Spencer
Bachus, joining me in supporting this replenishment; and I ask for my
colleagues to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong bipartisan support of H.R. 4916, a
bill that will authorize continued United States participation in and
appropriations for the U.S. contribution to the first replenishment of
the resources of the Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral
Investment Fund.
This bill was introduced with strong bipartisan support by
Representative Pryce, who chairs the subcommittee on which I serve as
the ranking member, Congressman Frank, Congresswoman Biggert and
myself, and was reported unanimously out of the committee by voice
vote.
The MIF is operated by the Inter-American Development Bank and is
governed by a donors committee composed of representatives of 37 member
countries. The United States is the MIF's largest contributor with 42
percent, and as such exercises considerable influence over its
strategic direction and the individual projects it approves.
The MIF does exactly the kinds of things that those who follow the
work of the international financial institutions on both sides of the
aisle wish these institutions would do. Its principal work is to
administer a private sector grant program to assist in developing
microenterprises which particularly help small women-owned businesses,
it builds workers' skills, it strengthens environmental management, and
it improves the efficiency of financial markets in Latin America and
the Caribbean.
Roughly 80 percent of MIF projects are undertaken in direct
partnership with private sector business associations, trade groups and
non-governmental organizations. Typically, MIF resources are matched
dollar for dollar with contributions from these groups.
MIF resources also leverage additional funds from other sources,
providing a multiplier effect for projects that have consistently been
recognized as among the most innovative and effective of multilateral
development institutions.
The total authorization for U.S. participation contained in this
legislation is $150 million over 6 years. The remaining member
countries have pledged over $350 million. The first installment of the
U.S. contribution, $25 million, was included in the President's budget
request for fiscal year 2007.
The Financial Services Committee has conducted close oversight over
MIF programs since the fund was first established in 1993. In 13 years
of operation, MIF has worked with over 400 private sector organizations
throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, approving over $1 billion
for roughly 800 different projects. The MIF is the single largest
source of technical assistance for this part of the world.
One area in which the MIF's work has attracted particular attention
in recent years involves the impact of remittances, transfer of money
by foreigners to their home countries in that region. Thanks to the
fund's efforts, the fees accompanying sending of these moneys back home
have been significantly lowered, from 15 percent to 5 percent. Thanks
to MIF technical assistance, the recipients of these funds have
channeled them into their countries' formal financial systems, helping
them to create badly needed jobs.
Madam Speaker, I would like to note that the House report that
accompanies this bill mentions that the U.S. has an overdue balance
resulting from the U.S. pledge to the original MIF agreement. While no
funds are included in this bill for that purpose, the committee urges
the administration to seek funding to pay this amount in back dues.
MIF is an example of a program that actually works. It offers proof
that multilateral institutions can provide win-win solutions. MIF shows
that U.S. taxpayers can benefit while hardworking citizens of Latin
America and the Caribbean who wish to start a business and compete in
the global economy can pull themselves out of poverty.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend
and chairman of the subcommittee, Spencer Bachus.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Pryce, and will start by
commending Chairman Pryce and Congresswoman Maloney and Congresswoman
Biggert and also Ranking Member Frank for this legislation.
A lot of citizens might be hearing this debate and they may be
thinking, what has this got to do with the United States? What do
problems in Latin America have to do with the United States? What is in
it for me, my constituents might ask me? Why would you support spending
$25 million a year on this program? What do Americans get out of this
program?
I submit to you that this program is probably one of the best uses of
our taxpayers' money for one simple reason: when I go home today,
people say to me, illegal immigration; do something about illegal
immigration.
[[Page 5939]]
{time} 1530
Well, let me say this to fellow Members: if you want to do something
about illegal immigration, this vote today, a ``yes'' vote on this
bill, will do more from a practical standpoint to stem the flow of
illegal immigration than anything else.
James Schlessinger, one of my favorite quotes is a quote of his when
he says: ``When a problem has no solution, it is not a problem. It is a
fact.''
Well, I can tell you that illegal immigration is a fact. But it is
also a problem that has solutions. And the first solution, the first
step to solving it we can take today by voting for this bill.
Now, why is that? Well, let me tell you about illegal immigration.
Let me tell you about Mexico, one of the countries that benefits from
this program. It creates small enterprises, small jobs in Mexico. In
Mexico every year, 600,000 Mexicans enter the job force; but there is
only room for 150,000 of them. So almost a half million of them cannot
even get a job at any wage.
The ones that do get a job is at one-fifth of what Americans pay,
American jobs. Guatemala, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, we are
beginning to have more and more illegal immigrants from those
countries. The reason? In the countries that I have just mentioned,
about one out of every five young men or women that enters the job
market can get a job.
So I can tell you it is a fact of life when they cannot get a job at
any salary, they are going to try to come over here. Yes, we can build
walls. Yes, we can employ more people on the border. But a cheaper,
more practical, more long-term solution is this legislation today which
will create the very jobs these countries need. And that is not the
large government enterprises. It is the private enterprise businesses.
I close by saying this: another great thing about this program is we
have partners. It is not a government program. The NGOs, the private
sector business organizations, trade groups, they are all involved in
this.
Let us vote ``yes'' on this. Let us start creating jobs in those
countries and stemming the flow of illegal immigration.
Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I agree completely with the gentleman. This not only will help the
economic development, but certainly will give immigrants a reason to
stay in their own countries and develop their own economy.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) who has done so
much work in this area.
Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms.
Pryce) for yielding me time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4916, the bill that
really authorizes the United States' contribution to the first
replenishment of the resources of the Enterprise for the Americas
Multilateral Investment Fund, which is often referred to as MIF.
I want to thank Chairman Pryce for her leadership on the
authorization bill and on all of the domestic and international
economic development initiatives that she has undertaken since becoming
chairman of the House Financial Services Domestic and International
Monetary Policy Trade and Technology Subcommittee. It is an honor to
serve as her vice-chairman.
I also thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for all the
work that she has done as the ranking member of the committee. And I
would like to thank Mr. Bachus for really being able to put this all in
context of what this really means for all of us in the United States
and why this is so important.
It is important and in the U.S.'s best interest that we support
international economic development initiatives as we fight the war on
terror. It is especially important that we fund homegrown,
microeconomic projects in developing countries.
These projects are often supported through MIF's technical and
financial supports. The Inter-American Development Bank is doing
important work to marry the public and private sectors, is working to
engage the international community and pro-democracy, pro-free trade,
and pro-free market.
Through a variety of initiatives, programs and projects, the bank is
promoting sustainable economic growth in developing countries. Just as
important as it is to the U.S., it is important to many developing
countries to promote job growth, improve education, expand health care,
enhance environmental standards, produce clean energy, develop sound
infrastructure, and increase access to financial markets and
institutions.
The MIF fund, which is operated by the International American
Development Bank, is a critical component of all of these marks of
economic stability for developing countries, particularly in Latin
America and the Caribbean, as they work towards stabilizing their
governments and towards sustainable economic growth.
H.R. 4916 authorizes the U.S. contribution of $150 million to MIF and
sends a strong message to our neighbors in the south, and to the
international community and the leaders in the Inter-American
Development Bank that we support their efforts.
Madam Speaker, I would like to commend the U.S. delegation that
participated in the 47th annual Inter-American Development Bank
meetings that were held earlier this month and for their hard work. In
particular, I would like to commend the bank's leaders and staff for
taking the helm of anti-corruption initiatives and for promoting
ethical practices within the bank.
In addition, I would like to recognize the new Inter-American
Development president, Luis Alberto Moreno, for his leadership in
promoting public-private partnerships, especially those that involve
small businesses.
I would also like to thank him for facilitating discussions about
Latin American debt relief and development at this year's annual
meeting. MIF is a proven winner in meeting important job creation and
economic goals throughout the region.
By tapping the talents, strengths, and resources of private sector
groups and organization, we can continue to help others help
themselves. This is a great program that leverages small dollars into
big results for many people throughout Latin America.
Madam Speaker, I am again pleased to lend my support to the chairman
for her legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support
this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for
time. It has been a pleasure working with the gentlewoman from New
York.
Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4916, a bill to
authorize U.S. participation in the Enterprise for the Americas
Multilateral Investment Fund (the Fund/MIF). The bill provides $150
million for the Fund. While this may appear to be a small amount
compared to some of our other commitments to multilateral institutions,
the reauthorization of the Fund represents an important step in our
continuing efforts to underwrite economic development activities
outside of our own borders.
In the broadest sense the Fund is designed to promote private sector
development in Latin America and the Caribbean. There are two
overarching themes related to the Fund. One is to reduce poverty and
promote grass roots economic growth in this part of the world. By
strengthening micro and small enterprise capacities, the Fund
stimulates improvements in the business environment and engages the
private sector in the development process. Two, by underwriting
projects that promote innovation, the Fund pilots new concepts,
determining their feasibility for the commercial market, as well as
whether they can be adapted on a larger scale.
To date, more than 75 percent of Fund project activities have been
undertaken in partnership with the private sector. More than $1 billion
has been approved for 800 projects. Through these projects MIF has
become one of the best known organizations with private
[[Page 5940]]
sector partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. As the largest
provider of technical assistance in the Region, it is no doubt why this
reauthorization has bipartisan support. Indeed, the Fund provides a
stellar example of how we can best use our resources to promote
development, while reducing poverty and raising the standard of living
of our neighbors. Madam Speaker, I urge support of the bill.
Mr. KOLBE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4916 authorizing
a replenishment of the Enterprise Fund for the Americas.
The Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) was created in 1993 as part of
the `Enterprise for the Americas' initiative to provide technical
assistance in Latin American and Caribbean countries to stimulate
innovation and economic growth. The objective of the fund is to use
grants and investments to develop micro enterprises, build worker
skills, strengthen environmental management and improve the functions
of financial markets. I'm pleased to be able to say that the
Multilateral Investment Fund has been a model of reform and
transparency for other multilateral banks of reform and transparency.
The Fund has aggressively embraced transparency in it's work. It is on
the front line of change in a development sector where indictments of
ineffectiveness are most often heard.
Experience demonstrates that private sector development agencies can
be a powerful and transformative development tool. In Poland and across
central Europe these types of funds have helped build small and medium
size businesses, created jobs, changed the economic environment and
helped establish a middle class. Given the rapidly deteriorating
political condition in Latin America, we need every arrow in our quiver
if we are to demonstrate to countries in our hemisphere the inherent
value of open market--both political and economic.
In the preceding 4 years, Congress provided almost $72 million for
the MIF. Although the U.S. has pledged $150 million over the next six
years for MIF II, meeting that commitment will depend on budget
constraints and shifting spending priorities. There are many competing
needs in the fiscal year 2007 budget and it will be no different In
following budget years. It is, however, worth noting that our pledge
has leveraged thus far an additional $352 million from 36 other
countries.
We need to be innovative in our development work if we are to
increase trade and build small and medium size businesses. The
Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund helps to
achieve these goals. I support this legislation.
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 4916.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
GENERAL LEAVE
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and to insert extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW OF HON. TRENT FRANKS, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from Julia Winding, Congressional Fellow of the Honorable
Trent Franks, Member of Congress:
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 18, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you, pursuant to rule
VIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, that I
have been served with a grand jury subpoena for testimony
issued by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
have determined that compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the precedents and privileges of the House.
Sincerely,
Julia Winding,
Congressional Fellow.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENT OF HON. LOIS CAPPS, MEMBER
OF CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from Ramesh P. Nagarajan, Legislative Correspondent of
the Honorable Lois Capps, Member of Congress:
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 18, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you, pursuant to rule
VIII of the rules of the House of Representatives, that I
have been served with a grand jury subpoena for testimony
issued by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
have determined that compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the precedents and privileges of the House.
Sincerely,
Ramesh P. Nagarajan,
Legislative Correspondent,
Congresswoman Lois Capps.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW OF HON. BARBARA LEE, MEMBER OF
CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from Michelle Christensen, Congressional Fellow of the
Honorable Barbara Lee, Member of Congress:
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 19, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you, pursuant to rule
VIII of the rules of the House of Representatives, that I
have been served with a grand jury subpoena for testimony
issued by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
have determined that compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the precedents and privileges of the House.
Sincerely,
Michelle Christensen,
Congressional Fellow.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW OF HON. DONALD M. PAYNE, MEMBER
OF CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from Deborah Greene, Congressional Fellow of the
Honorable Donald M. Payne, Member of Congress:
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 24, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: This is to notify you, pursuant to rule
VIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, that I
have been served with a grand jury subpoena for testimony
issued by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I
have determined that compliance with the subpoena is
consistent with the precedents and privileges of the House.
Sincerely,
Deborah Greene,
Congressional Fellow.
____________________
RECESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the
Chair declares the House in recess until approximately 6:30 p.m. today.
Accordingly (at 3 o'clock and 40 minutes p.m.), the House stood in
recess until approximately 6:30 p.m.
____________________
{time} 1830
AFTER RECESS
The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the
Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Price of Georgia) at 6 o'clock and 30 minutes
p.m.
____________________
RESIGNATION AS MEMBER OF COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
resignation as a member of the Committee on Standards of Official
Conduct:
[[Page 5941]]
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 25, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: I am resigning my seat on the Committee
on Standards of Official Conduct effective today.
The reasons that I am taking this action are fully set out
in my letter to Democratic Leader Pelosi of April 21, 2006,
which has been publicly released.
Most sincerely,
Alan B. Mollohan
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the resignation is
accepted.
There was no objection.
____________________
COMMUNICATION FROM CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following
communication from the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, which was read and, without objection, referred to the
Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed:
House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure,
Washington, DC, April 13, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Enclosed please find thirty-five
resolutions approved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure on April 5, 2006, in accordance with 40 U.S.C.
Sec. 3307.
Sincerely,
Don Young,
Chairman.
Enclosures.
Site acquisition and Design--U.S. Border Station, Nogales, AZ
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for site acquisition and design of a 217,924 gross
square foot facility and 400 outside parking spaces, located
in Nogales, Arizona, at a site acquisition cost of $2,450,000
and design and review cost of $7,386,000, a prospectus for
which is attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Construction--U.S. Border Station, San Luis, AZ
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for construction of a 76,794 gross square foot
facility and 80 outside parking spaces, located in San Luis,
Arizona, at a design and review cost of $3,306,000,
management and inspection cost of $3,854,000, and estimated
construction cost of $34,869,000 for an estimated total
project cost of $42,029,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Construction--U.S. Border Station Calexico, CA
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for site acquisition and design of a 233,943 gross
square foot facility and 197 new outside parking spaces,
located in Calexico, California, at a site acquisition cost
of $2,000,000 and a design and review cost of $12,350,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
Construction--U.S. Secret Service--Remote Delivery Facility II,
Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for construction of a mail processing and
screening facility of 80,000 gross square feet and 104
outside parking spaces located in Washington, DC, at a design
and review cost of $1,025,000, management and inspection cost
of $2,358,000, and estimated construction cost of $36,229,000
for a combined estimated total project cost of $39,612,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
Construction--U.S. Coast Guard Consolidation and Development of St.
Elizabeth's Campus, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for construction of a 1,338,000 gross square foot
facility and a structured parking garage containing 1,000
spaces, located in Washington, DC, at a management and
inspection cost of $31,040,000, (design and review cost of
$24,900,000 was previously authorized), and an estimated
construction cost of $352,957,000 for an estimated total
project cost of $408,897,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Design--U.S. Border Station, Columbus, NM
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, additional appropriations
are authorized for construction of a 114,202 gross square
foot facility and 33 new outside parking spaces located in
Columbus, NM, at a design and review cost of $2,629,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
Construction--U.S. Border Station, El Paso, TX
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for construction of a 190,300 gross square foot
facility including 100 new outside parking spaces, located in
El Paso, Texas, at a management and inspection cost of
$2,051,000 (design cost of $2,491,000 was previously
authorized), and estimated construction cost of $18,166,000
for an estimated total project cost of $22,708,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
Amended Prospectus--Construction--U.S. Border Station, McAllen, TX
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, additional appropriations are
authorized for construction of a 46,648 gross square foot
facility and 96 outside parking spaces located in McAllen,
Texas, at an additional design and review cost of $429,000
(design and review cost of $2,375,000 was previously
authorized), additional management and inspection cost of
$134,000 (management and inspection cost of $1,691,000 was
previously authorized), and an additional estimated
construction cost of $6,915,000 (construction cost of
$13,872,000 was previously authorized) for a combined
estimated total project cost of $25,416,000, a prospectus for
which is attached to, and included in, this resolution. This
resolution amends a Committee resolution dated July 23, 2003,
which authorized $2,375,000 for design and review, $1,691,000
for management and inspection, and $13,872,000 for
construction.
____
Alteration--Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, Chicago, IL
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Everett M. Dirksen United States
Courthouse located at 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago,
Illinois, at an estimated construction cost of $89,629,000
and management and inspection cost of $6,942,000 (design cost
of $8,152,000 was previously authorized), for a combined
estimated total project cost of $104,723,000, a prospectus
for which is attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Amended Prospectus--Alteration--Mary E. Switzer Memorial Federal
Building, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Mary E. Switzer Memorial Federal
Building located at 330 C St., SW., in Washington, DC, at an
estimated construction cost of $120,600,000, a design and
review cost of $10,256,000, and management and inspection
cost of $9,080,000, for a combined estimated total project
cost of $139,936,000 (design and review, estimated
construction and management and inspection cost totaling
$116,325,000 were previously authorized), a prospectus for
which is attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Amended Prospectus--Alteration--Main Interior Building, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Department of Interior's main
headquarters building located at 1849 C Street, NW.,
Washington, DC, at a design and review cost of $11,213,000, a
management and inspection cost of $20,900,000, and an
estimated construction cost of $211,331,000 for an estimated
total project cost of $243,444,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution. This
resolution amends a Committee resolution dated June 23, 2003,
which authorized an estimated total project cost of
$220,265,000.
____
Alteration--Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary
Medicine, Laurel, MD
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Food and Drug Administration Center for
Veterinary Medicine located on Muirkirk Road in Laurel,
Maryland at an estimated design cost of $435,000, an
estimated construction cost of $5,057,000, and management and
inspection cost of $536,000, for a combined estimated total
project cost of $6,028,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
[[Page 5942]]
____
Alteration--White Oak Building 130, Silver Spring, MD
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the White Oak Building located at 130
Dahlgren Road in Silver Spring, Maryland at an estimated
design cost of $296,000, an estimated construction cost of
$5,265,000, and management and inspection cost of $232,000,
for a combined estimated total project cost of $5,793,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
Amended Prospectus--Alteration--Richard Bolling Federal Building,
Kansas City, MO
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Richard Bolling Federal Building
located at 601 East 12th Street, in Kansas City, Missouri at
an estimated construction cost of $225,760,000, design and
review cost of $15,917,000, and management and inspection
cost of $22,233,000 for a combined estimated total project
cost of $263,910,000 (estimated total project cost of
$199,583,000 was previously authorized), a prospectus for
which is attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Alteration--Various Buildings, Albuquerque, NM
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of three federal buildings, one located at 517
Gold Avenue, Albuquerque, New Mexico; the Chavez Federal
Building and Courthouse; and the Albuquerque Courthouse, at
an estimated design cost of $543,000, an estimated
construction cost of $4,821,000, and management and
inspection cost of $419,000, for a combined estimated total
project cost of $5,783,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Alteration--Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, New York, NY
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Thurgood Marshall United States
Courthouse in New York, New York at an estimated design cost
of $16,393,000, an estimated construction cost of
$201,640,000, and management and inspection cost of
$9,849,000, for a combined estimated total project cost of
$227,882,000 (design and review costs totaling $13,500,000
were previously authorized) a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Alteration--Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Milwaukee, WI
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Federal Building and United States
Courthouse located at 517 E. Wisconsin Avenue, in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin at an estimated design cost of $458,000, an
estimated construction cost of $4,796,000, and management and
inspection cost of $345,000, for a combined estimated total
project cost of $5,599,000, a prospectus for which is
attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Alteration in Leased Space--Security West Building, Woodlawn, MD
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the alteration of the Security West Building, located at 1500
Woodlawn Drive, Woodlawn, Maryland, at a design and review
cost of $1,310,000, an estimated construction cost of
$16,382,000, and management and inspection cost of $2,123,000
for a combined estimated total project cost of $19,815,000, a
prospectus for which is attached to, and included in, this
resolution.
____
New Construction--Material Price Increases--Various Projects
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, additional appropriations are
authorized for material price increases for the construction
of projects located in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Del Rio,
Texas; and two projects in El Paso, Texas, at an estimated
additional construction cost of $19,155,000, a prospectus for
which is attached to, and included in, this resolution.
____
Design--Various Locations
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are authorized for
the design of projects scheduled for the Eisenhower Executive
Office Building (Phase III), located in Washington, DC at a
design cost of $8,447,000; the Nebraska Avenue Complex,
located in Washington, DC at a design cost of $1,200,000; the
David Dyer Federal Building and Courthouse, located in Miami,
Florida at a design cost $4,502,000; the George C. Young
Federal Building-Courthouse, located in Orlando, Florida at a
design cost of $2,563,000; the Dr. A.H. McCoy Federal
Building-Post Office, located in Jackson, Mississippi at a
design cost of $1,043,000; the U.S. Post Office and
Courthouse, located in Brooklyn, New York at a design cost of
$4,723,000; the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, located in
New Bern, North Carolina at a design cost of $1,279,000; and
the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse, located in Columbus,
Ohio at a design cost of $1,068,000 for a total design cost
of $24,825,000, for which a prospectus is attached to, and
included in, this resolution.
____
Lease--Internal Revenue Service Treasury Inspector General for Tax
Administration, Denver, CO
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 D.S.C. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to 170,704 rentable square feet of
space and 57 inside parking spaces for the Internal Revenue
Service currently located in leased space at Dominion Plaza,
600 17th Street, Denver, Colorado and government-owned space
at Building 53, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood Colorado, at
a proposed total annual cost of $5,974,640 for a lease term
of 10 years, a prospectus for which is attached to and
included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to 144,000 rentable square feet and 10
parking spaces for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, currently located in leased space at 1801 L
Street, NW, Washington, DC, at a proposed total annual cost
of $6,768,000 for a lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for
which is attached to and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Justice Judiciary Center, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 376,219 rentable
square feet of space for the Department of Justice currently
located in leased space at 555 4th Street, NW, in Washington,
DC, at a proposed total annual cost of $17,682,293 for a
lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for which is attached to
and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Agriculture Consolidation, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 330,000 rentable
square feet of space and 65 parking spaces for the Department
of Agriculture currently located in multiple leased locations
in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, at a proposed total
annual cost of $15,510,000 for a lease term of 15 years, a
prospectus for which is attached to and included in this
resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 325,000 rentable
square feet and 17 parking spaces for the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, currently located in leased space at 500 C
Street, SW, Washington, DC, at a proposed total annual cost
of $15,275,000 for a lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for
which is attached to and included in this resolution.
[[Page 5943]]
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Interior Minerals Management Service, Metairie, LA
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized for a superseding lease of up to approximately
197,084 rentable square feet and 650 parking spaces for the
Department of Interior--Minerals Management Service,
currently located at 1201 Elmwood Park, Metairie, Louisiana,
at a proposed total annual cost of $4,730,016 for a lease
term of 15 years, a prospectus for which is attached to and
included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Social Security Administration, Baltimore, MD
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 538,000 rentable
square feet and 1,076 parking spaces for the Social Security
Administration, currently located in government-owned space
at 300 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, at a proposed total
annual cost of $18,830,000 for a lease term of 20 years, a
prospectus for which is attached to and included in this
resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston, MA
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 268,452 rentable
square feet and 228 secured inside and 20 outside parking
spaces for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, currently
located in multiple leased locations in Massachusetts, at a
proposed total annual cost of $12,348,792 for a lease term of
20 years, a prospectus for which is attached to and included
in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Agriculture Winchester Center, Kansas City, MO
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 342,865 rentable
square feet and 1,628 outside parking spaces for the
Department of Agriculture, currently located in leased space
in the Winchester Center at 6501 Beacon Drive, Kansas City,
Missouri, at a proposed total annual cost of $6,727,011 for a
lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for which is attached to
and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Federal Bureau of Investigation, Portland, OR
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 134,159 rentable
square feet of space and 200 inside secured spaces for the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, currently located in
multiple leased locations in the Portland area, at a proposed
total annual cost of $4,695,565 for a lease term of 20 years,
a prospectus for which is attached to and included in this
resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Defense--Jefferson Plaza 1 and 2, Northern
Virginia
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 347,947 rentable
square feet and 2 inside parking spaces for the Department of
Defense, currently located in leased space at Jefferson Plaza
1 and 2, Arlington, Virginia, at a proposed total annual cost
of $10,438,410 for a lease term of 5 years, a prospectus for
which is attached to and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of Defense, 3100 Clarendon Blvd., Northern Virginia
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 221,084 rentable
square feet and 16 inside parking spaces for the Department
of Defense, currently located in leased space at 3100
Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA, at a proposed total
annual cost of $7,737,940 for a lease term of 10 years, a
prospectus for which is attached to and included in this
resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Department of the Interior, Arlington Square, Northern Virginia
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 143,572 rentable
square feet for the Department of the Interior--Fish and
Wildlife Service, currently located in leased space at
Arlington Square, 4401 Fairfax Avenue, Arlington, VA, at a
proposed total annual cost of $5,024,985 for a lease term of
10 years, a prospectus for which is attached to and included
in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Patent and Trademark Office, Northern Virginia
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to approximately 325,000 rentable
square feet and 2 parking spaces for the Patent and Trademark
Office in Northern Virginia, at a proposed total annual cost
of $11,375,000 for a lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for
which is attached to and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
____
Lease--Social Security Administration, Northern Virginia
Resolved by the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives, that
pursuant to title 40 U.S.C. Sec. 3307, appropriations are
authorized to lease up to 334,103 rentable square feet and 24
parking spaces for the Social Security Administration,
currently located in leased space at 5107 and 5111 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, Virginia, at a proposed total annual cost
of $11,693,605 for a lease term of 10 years, a prospectus for
which is attached to and included in this resolution.
Approval of this prospectus constitutes authority to
execute an interim lease for all tenants, if necessary, prior
to execution of the new lease.
Provided, That the General Services Administration shall
not delegate to any other agency the authority granted by
this resolution.
There was no objection.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, proceedings
will resume on motions to suspend the rules previously postponed.
Votes will be taken in the following order:
[[Page 5944]]
S.J. Resolution 28, by the yeas and nays;
H.R. 4709, by the yeas and nays.
Proceedings on H. Con. Res. 357 and H. Con. Res. 349 will resume
tomorrow.
Tonight both of these votes will be conducted as 15-minute votes.
____________________
APPROVING LOCATION OF COMMEMORATIVE WORK IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
HONORING FORMER PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The pending business is the question of
suspending the rules and passing the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res.
28.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the Senate joint resolution, S.J. Res. 28, on which the yeas and
nays are ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 411,
nays 0, not voting 21, as follows:
[Roll No. 100]
YEAS--411
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Andrews
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Feeney
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Pearce
Pelosi
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Sodrel
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Walsh
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--21
Bishop (UT)
Davis (FL)
Evans
Ford
Fossella
Green (WI)
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Jenkins
Lantos
Millender-McDonald
Moore (WI)
Oberstar
Osborne
Payne
Peterson (PA)
Platts
Ros-Lehtinen
Ryan (OH)
{time} 1857
So (two-thirds of those voting having responded in the affirmative)
the rules were suspended and the Senate joint resolution was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Price of Georgia). Members are advised
that persons may be present in the rooms adjoining the Chamber during
this next vote under the authority of House Resolution 480 (relating to
the Capitol Visitor Center film).
____________________
TELEPHONE RECORDS AND PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 2006
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The pending business is the question of
suspending the rules and passing the bill, H.R. 4709, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4709, as amended, on which the yeas and
nays are ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 409,
nays 0, not voting 23, as follows:
[Roll No. 101]
YEAS--409
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Andrews
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bass
Bean
Beauprez
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Bradley (NH)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carson
Carter
Case
Castle
Chabot
Chandler
Chocola
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
[[Page 5945]]
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Fitzpatrick (PA)
Flake
Foley
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gillmor
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutknecht
Hall
Harris
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayes
Hayworth
Hefley
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth
Higgins
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hostettler
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kline
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McMorris
McNulty
Meehan
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nunes
Nussle
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Otter
Owens
Oxley
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Paul
Pearce
Pelosi
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Poe
Pombo
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sanders
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz (PA)
Schwarz (MI)
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherman
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Sodrel
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Strickland
Stupak
Sullivan
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walden (OR)
Walsh
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
NOT VOTING--23
Bishop (UT)
Davis (FL)
Evans
Feeney
Ford
Fossella
Green (WI)
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Jenkins
Lantos
Millender-McDonald
Moore (WI)
Oberstar
Osborne
Payne
Peterson (PA)
Platts
Pryce (OH)
Ros-Lehtinen
Ryan (OH)
{time} 1914
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Price of Georgia) (during the vote).
Members are advised 2 minutes remain in this vote.
So (two-thirds of those voting having responded in the affirmative)
the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I was absent from Washington on
Tuesday, April 25, 2006. As a result, I was not recorded for rollcall
vote Nos. 100 and 101. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''
on rollcall Nos. 100 and 101.
____________________
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent from this
Chamber today. I would like the record to show that, had I been
present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall votes 100 and 101.
____________________
ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION TO OFFER MOTION TO INSTRUCT CONFEREES ON H.R.
4297, TAX RELIEF EXTENSION RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2005
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, under rule XXII, clause 7(c), I hereby
announce my intention to offer a motion to instruct on H.R. 4297, the
tax reconciliation conference report.
The form of the motion is as follows:
I move that the managers on the part of the House at the
conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the
Senate amendment to the bill H.R. 4297 be instructed--
(1) to agree to the following provisions of the Senate
amendment: section 461 (relating to revaluation of LIFO
inventories of large integrated oil companies), section 462
(relating to elimination of amortization of geological and
geophysical expenditures for major integrated oil companies),
and section 470 (relating to modifications of foreign tax
credit rules applicable to large integrated oil companies
which are dual capacity taxpayers), and
(2) to recede from the provisions of the House bill that
extend the lower tax rate on dividends and capital gains that
would otherwise terminate at the close of 2008.
____________________
ROADMAP TO BORDER SECURITY
(Mr. KELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give the Senate a roadmap to
draft a border security bill that can pass the House of
Representatives. The current Senate bill has three flaws that must be
corrected.
First, the Senate bill waters down the employer sanctions by making
then 10 times weaker than the House bill, from $5,000 fine down to
$500.
Second, the Senate bill doesn't spend a single penny for a single
border security fence in any urban area along the border.
Third, the Senate bill rewards illegal behavior with permanent
citizenship. For example, if a person illegally snuck across the
border, committed a felony by using a fake Social Security card, evaded
law enforcement for 5 years, waved a Mexican flag and demanded amnesty,
they would be rewarded with the chance for permanent citizenship.
The Senate should either fix the flaws in their bill or send over a
giant pitcher of margaritas with it, because most sober Congressmen
won't be able to vote for it.
____________________
JACKSON THEODORE POE
(Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, a new son of Texas breathed the air of our free
Nation with his birth on April 10, 2006. His birth made him an eighth-
generation Texan, and he can trace his Scot, Irish and German roots to
the proud days of the Republic of Texas.
Born in The Woodlands, Texas, at 6 pounds, 9 ounces, he bears a
middle name that has been a family name for over 100 years and dates
back to his ancestry in Germany. He is a gift from the Lord to his
parents Kurt and Susie and to his four grandparents and his great-
grandparents.
He is, by the chance of birth, an American. As a child he is the most
important and the greatest of all American natural resources. Mr.
Speaker, every time a child is born, the good Lord is making a bet on
the future of our Nation.
As his grandfather, it is my hope that Jackson Theodore Poe lives the
strong, rugged, determined life of a free man; that he will live with
the words ``liberty'' on his lips, integrity in his heart and
compassion in his soul; and that he never forgets duty, honor and
loyalty. And that's just the way it is.
____________________
SPECIAL ORDERS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2005, and under a previous order
[[Page 5946]]
of the House, the following Members will be recognized for 5 minutes
each.
____________________
NATIONAL TEACHERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize
this year's inductees into the National Teachers Hall of Fame located
in Emporia, Kansas. We have all had special teachers in our lives, and
we are indebted to them for their desire and unending efforts to see
that students achieve their fullest potential.
Now in its 15th year, the Hall of Fame continues its mission to honor
exceptional teachers and to promote excellence in its teaching
profession. Congratulations to the 2006 inductees, Peggy Carlisle,
Floyd Holt, Harlan Kredit, Pat Graff and Linda Kaye White.
At Pecan Park Elementary in Jackson, Mississippi, Peggy Carlisle has
used her talents to make science and math stimulating to her students.
A 2005 Mississippi Hall of Masters teacher, she uses her skills to help
students realize they are only limited by the size of their dreams.
According to the parent of a former student, Mrs. Carlisle makes
science interesting. Just walking into her room lets you know that this
is not a regular classroom, but a learning environment specifically
arranged to get young minds thinking. By using many hands-on
activities, she brings life to books and dusty old facts.
Floyd Holt, a physics teachers at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
in Hyde Park, New York, loves knowledge and conveys this to his
students through his dedication to teaching. Floyd strives to make
education interesting and create unique learning activities such as
Spaceship Classroom of the Future. He has won the 1994 Presidential
Award for Excellence in Science and Math in the USA and today also the
2000 USA Today Award.
According to a former student, what sets Harlan Kredit apart is that
as well as he teaches biology, he teaches life even better. At Lynden
Christian High in Lynden, Washington, Mr. Kredit believes kids need to
connect to the world outside of their school for education to be
meaningful and productive. He embodies this philosophy through his work
as a ranger naturalist at Yellowstone National Park and through
teaching environmental education to teachers at the American Wilderness
Leadership School.
He is a recipient of the 1994 Washington State Conservation Teacher
of the Year Award and the 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in
Teaching Science.
Pat Graff, a journalism, humanities and social studies teacher at La
Cueva High in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a bridge builder between
different organizations, the media and business. She has had numerous
students return to her school to give credit for her help and expertise
and putting them on their current career path. Her additional
accomplishments include being named the New Mexico English Teacher of
the Year and also winning the 2004 Governors Award for Outstanding New
Mexico Woman.
Lynn Kaye White of Haycock Elementary in Falls Church, Virginia, has
shared her love of music and education around the world. She has
traveled to Japan in 2003 with the Fulbright Memorial Fund and also to
New Zealand to participate in the 2002 Fulbright Hays Seminar. She is
able to seamlessly take the resources she has gathered from around the
world and turn them into meaningful, substantive learning opportunities
for her students.
Peggy, Floyd, Harlan, Pat and Linda exemplify what it means to be a
teacher, what it means to make a difference. I commend the National
Teachers Hall of Fame for their efforts to recognize great teachers.
These five inductees collectivity have 134 years of teaching
experience. I salute these men and women for their dedication to the
students of this country. It is my hope that they will find
satisfaction in knowing the positive difference they have made in the
lives of their students. It is my honor to recognize these teachers
here in the United States House of Representatives.
____________________
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL REPORT
Mrs. McCARTHY. Permission to speak out of turn.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from New
York is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mrs. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, last week the Centers for Disease Control
released a report on the economic burden of injuries in the United
States. The results were astonishing.
Every year injuries cost our economy $406 billion in health care,
lost wages and lost productivity. The report goes as far as to list
specifics on many different injuries; however, there is no listing on
the costs of gun violence.
The public might ask how could the CDC avoid gun violence when
listing the causes of serious injury in this country? The answer is
simple: Congress won't let them.
That is right. Congress, in 1996, following the lead of their
benefactors in the gun industry, refused to allow the CDC to report on
the economic impact of gun violence. Independent studies show the cost
to be nearly $100 million a year, but we can never be for sure because
our government is prohibited from researching this public health issue.
In fact, the report on the CDC's Web page has a section dedicated to
fireworks injuries, but no space dedicated specifically to firearms
injuries or deaths. So the CDC can release information on a cause of
injury that kills an average of four people per year, but not on the
cause of thousands that are killed by gun violence every year.
However, the CDC cannot completely avoid the topic in its report. The
report lists the top 10 causes of death among certain age groups, and,
of course, homicide is prevalent, and of homicides of Americans more
than 44 years of age, more than 10,000 were attributed to gun violence
in 2003. In 1 year there were at least 10,000 people murdered with
guns, and Congress won't allow the CDC to study how much these murders
cost our economy.
Again, this defies common sense. The CDC isn't allowed to reveal how
many Americans survive shootings, like my son did, each year, which
adds an additional billions in cost to our economy as well. Gun
violence is an epidemic in this country, and Congress is trying to stop
us from learning the true impact of this public health crisis. This is
a case of our government controlling the flow of information to protect
the special interest group. What are they afraid of?
Is the congressional leadership afraid that if people know how much
gun violence costs our economy, they would call for commonsense gun
legislation? If people knew this information, would congressional
leadership be forced to pass laws to keep military assault weapons out
of the hands of criminals and terrorists? Would they be forced to stop
passing legislation that protects the 1 percent of gun dealers who are
responsible for selling 50 percent of the guns used in crimes?
Mr. Speaker, the American people have the right to know this
information, and let the record show that the release of this
information will have no affect on the right of law-abiding citizens to
be able to own a gun. But the release of this information might help
pass commonsense legislation that will make sure criminals and
terrorists cannot legally buy guns, or allow for law enforcement
agencies to share information of ballistic evidence.
Mr. Speaker, let's give the CDC the go-ahead to study this issue. The
release of this information will make our Nation a safer, better place,
and won't place a burden on the right of law-abiding American citizens
to exercise their second amendment rights.
This past week it has been 5 years since Columbine. In the last 48
hours, we have seen many schools come under attack. They were prevented
because our police got the information. We should allow also the CDC to
be able to study why our young people are going
[[Page 5947]]
to violence to commit and murder, 14, 17, 20 of their friends in
school.
Mr. Speaker, gun violence is a health care crisis in this Nation, and
until this Congress wakes up, until this country wakes up to be able to
do something to reduce gun violence in this country, there are better
ways that we could spend the money, certainly helping Medicare,
certainly helping the poor get the health care that they need, looking
at wellness centers instead of waiting too late until people are sick.
We can do something about this, but the American people need to know
the facts and figures. It is only right that we do that.
____________________
{time} 1930
TRIBUTE TO ONE OF IOWA'S OLDEST CITIZENS
(Mr. KING of Iowa asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Iowa's
oldest citizens. At 110 years old, Letitia Lawson is the fourth-oldest
Iowan and the oldest resident of Iowa's Fifth Congressional District.
On April 10, 1896, Letitia was born on a small farm west of Milford,
Iowa, to godly parents who, she says, ``never knew anything but church
on Sunday and school on weekdays.''
Having learned the importance of education early in her life, Letitia
became a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Excelsior Township.
Though she left this post to marry, farm, and raise three children, she
never gave up her passion for teaching. Since retiring from the farm in
1970, Letitia has continued to pursue her love of teaching. As late as
last year, Letitia spoke to students of the Okoboji Elementary School
on two different occasions and offers weekly lessons to the students
who deliver meals to her in her home.
A reliable champion of family, togetherness, and love, Letitia
represents all that is good about the traditional American values that
we in Iowa hold dear. On the occasion of Letitia Lawson's 110th
birthday, I offer my congratulations and the best wishes from Congress.
____________________
AMERICA MUST RESIST TEMPTATION TO START A WAR WITH IRAN
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dent). Under a previous order of the
House, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) is recognized for
5 minutes.
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I know it is an election year, and I know
President Bush's ratings are at an all-time low, and I know gas prices
are very high and the people are restless. Nevertheless, I call upon my
colleagues and the President to resist the temptation to start yet
another war.
There is an old saying: ``Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice,
shame on me.'' Well, friends, if we fall for the case being made to go
to war against Iran, it will be ``shame on us.'' And I define bombing
from 40,000 feet as war.
Just as we did in the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq, a
country which had no connection to 9/11 and no weapons of mass
destruction, this administration intentionally confused us with regard
to Iraq. It is doing the same with Iran. The administration says they
want compliance with nuclear treaties but makes it clear that they
really will settle for nothing less than regime change.
When I said before the Iraq war that I believed the President would
be willing to mislead us into the war if he believed misleading us was
necessary to fulfill his plans, I was excoriated, but I was right. I do
not characterize the President's motives. I assume he took us into war
in Iraq because he sincerely believed it was the right thing to do. We
know now that he was wrong about that. The world is less safe. The
Iraqis are in turmoil. More Americans have died in the President's plan
in Iraq than died in New York City and at the Pentagon.
What the President did with our Iraq policy is being replicated with
our Iran policy. There was much to criticize about Saddam Hussein, and
there is much to criticize about the ayatollahs and their front men in
Iran. We have every right to demand that Iran adhere to its obligations
under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and to pursue sanctions and
other penalties. What we do not have the right to do is to make it
impossible for Iran to satisfy our demands without regime change.
When we started demanding regime change in Iraq instead of demanding
compliance with U.N. inspectors, we put ourselves on the path to war in
Iraq. We are on the same plan and the same path in Iran. We will not
talk with the Iranian government, and we will not stop talking about
overthrowing it. It is impossible for the Iranian government to satisfy
this administration and remain a government, although this
administration will immediately deny that.
Every time it appears something is going to work out with the Soviet
Union, or whatever, we pull the rug out from the negotiators. Because
we don't want negotiation. We don't want to solve the problem. We want
regime change. Somehow this administration has got it in its head that
it has the right to tell other governments to step aside for people we
like better. That is wrong.
We tried it with Mosaddegh and put in the Shah and we are back at it
again. What we should do instead is to call their bluff and let them
save face at the same time. If they say they want nuclear energy, we
should say, okay, if it is nuclear energy you want, you won't mind
having wall-to-wall U.N. inspectors watching every move you make to
keep people from getting the wrong idea.
We make sure that they can't build bombs and let them have what they
are entitled to under the NPT: civilian energy. We must quit making the
leaders more popular. And we are doing it by making them the guys who
stand up to the U.S. We must quit acting like we are going to invade
any country that has the wrong regime.
If we attack Iran, as I fear we are on a course to do, we will
unleash a hell unlike anything this region has seen. Iran is not Iraq.
It has not been under sanctions for 10 years. It has not been bombed
flat by the Gulf War. It is a strong nation with weapons. We will make
ourselves once again less safe if we attack them.
Mr. Speaker, this administration has now been told on this floor, in
public, on the record. The President will come here in about 6 or 8 or
9 months and give us a State of the Union. If he has taken us into a
war in Iran, he will deserve what happens.
This country does not need another war. We have already proven the
failure of that in Iraq; and because they won't change their mind, they
keep doing the same thing over and over again. And now there is an
election coming up. The 2006 election is coming and they want to
distract us. That is why they are leading us towards Iran.
____________________
IRAN IS A TERRORIST STATE
(Mr. BURTON Indiana asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, Iran, as my colleague leaves the
floor, is a terrorist state. They are trying to develop nuclear
weapons, and the world and the United States cannot tolerate that. We
will rue the day if we allow them to go forward with their nuclear
weapons program. We will try diplomatic means, we will try economic
sanctions, we will try anything to stop them; but we cannot allow them
to build a nuclear capability, because they are a known terrorist
state, period.
And I want to say one more thing about my colleague's comments about
weapons of mass destruction not being found in Iraq. Many people
thought that Iraq sent those weapons out of the country. Well, one of
our special ops organizations in the last two or three days found 800
canisters, 800 canisters, of chemical weapons, the type that was used
to kill the Kurds, 10,000 women and children, Kurdish children, during
[[Page 5948]]
the regime of Saddam Hussein, and also the kinds of weapons that were
used in the Iran-Iraq war.
So saying there were no weapons of mass destruction, when we have
actually found 800 canisters in just the last few days, proves that
that is not correct.
____________________
TIME FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO ASSERT CONTROL OVER THEIR POLITICAL
DESTINY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, the Iraq war is now in its 4th year, and I,
like many of my colleagues and millions of my fellow citizens, are
troubled about the direction the conflict is taking.
I have been to Iraq three times to visit our troops there, and I have
spent time with our wounded here and in Germany. They have done
everything we have asked of them, and they have done it magnificently.
While we have a moral obligation to do whatever we can to avoid having
Iraq spiral into an all-out civil war, now is the time for the Iraqis
themselves to decide if they wish to be one country. And, Mr. Speaker,
it is time for us to take steps that will ensure that 2006 is a year of
significant transition to full sovereignty for the people of Iraq.
This is a conflict that has come to grief in many ways. In the fall
of 2002, I voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq because of
the threat that Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical and
biological weapons, and because I was concerned that he had an active
nuclear weapons program. If you go back and look at the debate in the
House and Senate, this was a decision taken by the Congress to prevent
Iraq from acquiring or using or transferring nuclear weapons.
Months later, as American forces pushed across the Kuwaiti frontier
and into Iraq, we were on a hunt for weapons of mass destruction.
Delivering the Iraqi people from the brutality of Saddam Hussein was a
noble act, but the promotion of democracy in Iraq was not our primary
reason for going to war. Similarly, we knew the Shiite majority had
suffered terribly under the Ba'ath regime, and freeing them from the
oppression of the Sunni minority was an added benefit of the invasion.
But reordering the ethnic balance of political power in Iraq was not
our primary purpose for going to war.
Soon after the fall of Baghdad, it became clear that many of the pre-
war assumptions that had guided the President and his advisers were
wrong. There were no chemical or biological weapons, there was no
nuclear program, and while many Iraqis celebrated the ouster of Saddam
Hussein, they did not line the streets of Baghdad to greet our troops
with flowers. In fact, within days, there emerged the beginnings of
what would become an organized and deadly insurgency that would quickly
put an end to General Tommy Franks' plan to pare down the 140,000
troops in April 2003 to about 30,000 by September 2003.
In recent months, even as our military has become more adept at
combating the insurgency, the nature of the struggle in Iraq has
changed yet again. Long-simmering ethnic tensions, which had been
suppressed under Saddam's totalitarian regime, have threatened to tear
the country apart. While the full-scale civil war that many feared in
the wake of the bombing of the Askariya mosque in Samarra has not yet
come to pass, most observers believe the country is currently in the
grip of a low-level civil war that could erupt into a full-scale
conflict at any time.
The ongoing sectarian strife has been exacerbated by the protracted
struggle among and inside Iraq's political factions over the formation
of a permanent government. Last week's decision by the Shiite parties
that make up the largest block in parliament that was elected 4 months
ago to replace Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari with Jawad al-Maliki
paves the way for the formation of a broad-based government. The
question is now whether this hopeful development will be enough to pull
Iraq back from the precipice.
There is a broad census among experts here and abroad that Iraq's
future will be determined by politics and not by force. The formation
of a permanent Iraqi Government, one that will have the power of
legitimacy and vision to assume primary responsibility for securing and
governing the country, is a necessary precondition to ending the
insurgency, preventing a civil war, and allowing large-scale
reconstruction to begin.
Consequently, our role in Iraq must become more political and less
military. For if there is one thing that Iraqis of every ethnic,
religious, and political stripe can agree on, it is that they do not
want foreign troops in their country indefinitely.
I support a responsible redeployment of our troops during the course
of 2006 so we are not drawn into sectarian conflict and so Iraqis are
forced to take primary responsibility for securing and governing their
country. A responsible redeployment of American coalition forces will
have to be done in stages to build greater Iraqi sovereignty and
control over security, not civil war. We should also publicly declare
that the United States does not seek to maintain a permanent military
presence in Iraq, and I have cosponsored legislation to prevent the
establishment of permanent bases, which can only serve as a catalyst
for the insurgency and for foreign jihadis.
Devising and implementing a successful end-game in Iraq will be
difficult, but an open-ended commitment to remain in the country is
untenable and unwise. The American people want Iraq to succeed and for
a representative government there to survive and to lead to a better
future for the Iraqi people. But it will ultimately be the Iraqi people
who must decide whether they wish to live together in peace as one
country or continue to murder each other in large numbers. We cannot
decide that for them.
In the fight against the malicious al Qaeda in Iraq, foreign jihadis
bent on destroying a government chosen by the Iraqi people, we are in
solidarity with the Iraqi people who want a better life for their
children. But, Mr. Speaker, we will not stand as a shield between Iraqi
sects bent on killing each other. The new prime minister and leadership
have the next 30 days to form a strong unity government. We hope they
will be successful in that task, and we hope that the Iraqi leaders
understand that the patience of the American people is running out.
Mr. Speaker, the Iraq war is now in its fourth year and I, like many
of my colleagues and millions of our fellow citizens, am deeply
concerned about the direction that the conflict is taking.
I have been to Iraq three times to visit with our troops there and I
have spent time with our wounded here and in Germany. They have done
everything that we have asked of them and they have done it
magnificently.
Tragically, these American heroes are still being killed and wounded
daily. Over 2,300 troops have been killed and thousands more have been
injured. American taxpayers are paying approximately $194 million a day
for the war according to the Congressional Budget Office--that's more
than a billion dollars a week. A new CRS report puts the current costs
of continued operations in Iraq and Afghanistan at close to $10 billion
a month, with most of that money going to Iraq.
While we have a moral obligation to do whatever we can to avoid
having Iraq spiral into all-out civil war, now is time for the Iraqis
themselves to decide whether they wish to be one country. And, Mr.
Speaker, it is time for us to take steps that will ensure that 2006 is
a year of significant transition to full sovereignty for the people of
Iraq.
This is a conflict that has come to grief in so many ways. In the
fall of 2002 I voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq because
of the threat that Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical and
biological weapons and because I was convinced that he had an active
nuclear weapons program. If you go back and look at the debate in the
House and Senate, this was a decision taken by the Congress to prevent
Iraq from acquiring and using or transferring nuclear weapons.
Months later, as American forces pushed across the Kuwaiti frontier
and into Iraq, we were on a hunt for weapons of mass destruction.
Delivering the Iraqi people from the brutality of Saddam Hussein was a
noble act, but the promotion of democracy in Iraq was not our primary
reason for going to war.
[[Page 5949]]
Similarly, we knew that the Shiite majority had suffered terribly
under the Ba'ath regime and freeing them from the oppression of the
Sunni minority was an added benefit of the invasion. But reordering the
ethnic balance of political power in Iraq was not our primary purpose
for going to war.
Soon after the fall of Baghdad, it became clear that many of the
prewar assumptions that had guided the President and his advisors were
wrong. There were no chemical or biological weapons; there was no
nuclear program; and, while many Iraqis celebrated the ouster of Saddam
Hussein, they did not line the streets of Baghdad to greet our troops
with flowers. In fact, within days there emerged the beginnings of what
would become an organized, deadly insurgency that would quickly put an
end to General Tommy Franks' plan to pare down the 140,000 troops in
Iraq in April 2003 to about 30,000 by September 2003.
In recent months even as our military has become more adept at
combating the insurgency, the nature of the struggle in Iraq has
changed yet again. Long-simmering ethnic tensions, which had been
suppressed under Saddam's totalitarian regime, have threatened to tear
the country apart. While the full-scale civil war that many feared in
the wake of the bombing of the Askariya mosque in Samarra has not yet
come to pass, most observers believe that the country is currently in
the grip of a low-level civil war that could erupt into full-scale
conflict at any time. I am especially concerned by media reports that
Shiite militias have been deploying to Kirkuk, Iraq's third largest
city, in a bid to forestall any attempt by Kurds to assert control over
this major center of Iraq's oil-rich north.
The ongoing sectarian strife has been exacerbated by the protracted
struggle among and inside Iraq's political factions over the formation
of a permanent government. Last week's decision by the Shiite parties
that make up the largest bloc in the parliament that was elected four
months ago to replace Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari with Jawad al-
Maliki paves the way for the formation of a broad-based government. The
question now is whether this hopeful development will be enough to pull
Iraq back from the precipice.
There is a broad consensus among experts--here and abroad--that
Iraq's future will be determined by politics and not force. The
formation of a permanent Iraqi government--one that will have the
power, legitimacy and vision to assume primary responsibility for
securing and governing the country--is a necessary precondition to
ending the insurgency, preventing a civil war and allowing large-scale
reconstruction to begin.
Consequently, our role in Iraq must become more political and less
military; for if there is one thing that Iraqis of every ethnic,
religious and political stripe can agree on, it is that they do not
want foreign troops in their country indefinitely.
I support a responsible redeployment of our troops during the course
of 2006 so that we are not drawn into sectarian conflict and so that
Iraqis are forced to take primary responsibility for securing and
governing their country. While the process of training Iraqi security
forces has gone more slowly than many had hoped, recent reports have
indicated that we are making progress and that every week more Iraqi
units are capable of taking a greater role in combating the insurgency.
A responsible redeployment of American and coalition forces will have
to be done in stages to build greater Iraqi sovereignty and control
over security, not civil war. In the first phase of the redeployment,
our forces should be gradually withdrawn from insecure urban centers
and moved to smaller cities where reconstruction is supported by the
local population, and to remote bases where our troops will be able to
support Iraqi units if necessary. Over time, these troops will be
withdrawn from Iraq altogether and redeployed outside the country,
either in the region or back to the United States. We should publicly
declare that the United States does not seek to maintain a permanent
military presence in Iraq and I have co-sponsored legislation to
prevent the establishment of permanent bases, which can only serve as a
catalyst for the insurgency and for foreign jihadis.
Devising and implementing a successful endgame in Iraq will be
difficult, but an open-ended commitment to remain in the country is
untenable and unwise. The American people want Iraq to succeed, and for
a representative government there to survive and lead to a better
future for the Iraqi people. But it will ultimately be the Iraqi people
who must decide whether they wish to live together in peace as one
country or continue to murder each other in large numbers. We cannot
decide that for them.
In the fight against the malicious Al Qaeda in Iraq, foreign
jihadists bent on destroying a government chosen by the Iraqi people,
we are in solidarity with the Iraqi people who want a better life for
their children. But we will not stand as a shield between different
Iraqi sects bent on killing each other. The new Iraqi prime minister
and leadership have the next thirty days to form a strong unity
government. We hope that they will be successful in this task. But our
hopes in Iraq have too often led to disappointment, and the Iraqi
leaders must understand that the patience of the American people is
running out.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO AIR FORCE TECHNICAL SERGEANT WALTER MOSS, JR.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pay tribute to a native
Houstonian, Walter Moss, Jr., who voluntarily served our Nation in Iraq
and who died doing so. He was assigned to the 366th Civil Engineer
Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or the EOD, Flight as a
noncommissioned officer in charge of the EOD Resources Element,
Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
On March 29, 2006, Tech Sergeant Moss became the 200th Texas member
of the Armed Forces killed in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, Texans are only 7
percent of the United States population, but make up 10 percent of the
volunteers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further, almost 9 percent of the
military deaths in Iraq are Texans.
Additionally, Moss was the first airman from Sather Air Force Base in
Iraq to be killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was 37
years old. In his long military career, he specialized in the dangerous
job of detection and removal of explosive devices.
{time} 1945
He was killed while trying to defuse a makeshift bomb while
conducting operations near Baghdad. The terrorists in Iraq use the
improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, as a cowardly way of murdering
Iraqi women, children, civilians and Americans. The terrorist use of
IEDs is one of the most dangerous threats to our troops in uniform in
Iraq.
Technical Sergeant Moss was the first line of defense between IEDs
and his fellow military comrades. Since being deployed to Iraq in
January, Sergeant Moss had responded to more than 200 calls. Those 200
calls meant that Moss had perhaps saved the life of an American or
Iraqi civilian.
Born in Houston, Texas, Moss attended Aldine High School. He joined
the Air Force upon graduation from Aldine and soon married his high
school sweetheart Georgina.
From the beginning of his military career, Moss stood out as a
leader. His motivation earned him a coveted spot assisting the United
States Secret Service. During his 16-year military career, he guarded
the likes of former President George H. Bush and the First Lady.
While stationed in Guam, he disposed of 12,500 pounds of hazardous
World War II munitions and supported the Secret Service again in
protecting Hillary Clinton. In 1997, he and his family were stationed
at the 31st CE Squadron, Aviano Air Force Base, Italy. He was
handpicked from his unit to provide EOD support during the Middle East
peace talks where he ensured then-Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright's safety.
Moss had two children, Andrew, 13, and Veronica, 9. A military
traveling family, they had already lived with their father in Guam,
Italy and Turkey.
Technical Sergeant Moss was deployed in support of Operations
Southern Watch, Allied Force, Desert Strike, Northern Watch and Iraqi
Freedom. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force
Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force
Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.
Even though he was in the Air Force, the Navy and Marines honored him
with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and he will be
awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.
I attended Technical Sergeant Moss' funeral in Spring, Texas, and I
talked
[[Page 5950]]
to his father Walter Moss, Sr. Walter told me he was proud of his son,
proud of the life he chose, and proud of the country he served. At the
funeral there were a great number of Air Force personnel, strangers,
citizens, family, and even a motorcycle group carrying large American
flags.
I would like to extend my prayers and condolences to his father
Walter, his mother Rebecca York, his brother Brian, his relatives and
friends in Idaho and Texas, his wife Georgina, and his children Andrew
and Veronica. He died as he lived: Protecting Americans.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the brave airmen such as
Technical Sergeant Walter Moss. He sought out danger so others would
not face danger. He was a father, a husband and a brother. His
unyielding courage was an inspiration to his fellow airmen and his
family. He was an American patriot, and he was a cut above the rest of
us.
And that's just the way it is.
____________________
URGING ACTION ON THE ENERGY CRISIS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dent). Under a previous order of the
House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel) is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, everyone is talking about gas prices. This
morning President Bush presented the Nation with, he said, a ``plan to
lower gas prices.''
A little over a year ago on June 6, 2005, energy was $2.09. I use
that date because that was the date that the President of the United
States signed his energy bill that he hailed would be a great
improvement for energy and energy prices here in America. $2.09. Today
in Chicago it stands on average a little over $3 in the Chicago area.
Over a little less than a year ago when the President signed his energy
bill, the one that this Congress delivered to him, energy was $2.09 a
gallon. Today in Chicago gas is $3.32 a gallon.
In the year in which we debated the energy bill, the oil and gas
interests spent $86 million lobbying this Congress and got $14.5
billion in taxpayer subsidies. They spent $86 million lobbying the
House of the American people, and they got a $14.5 billion gift. You
cannot get that type of return on Wall Street. That was about a 10
percent return. You cannot get a return like that on any other
investment where you give $86 million to influence the people's House
and get $14.5 billion of hard-earned taxpayer money, and energy is
trading at $75 a barrel.
I understand if you want to help the oil and gas companies at $17 a
barrel, $25 a barrel to help them drill for energy. At $75 a barrel, I
would expect Exxon and Mobil and Chevron and Phillips, all who are
making not just good money, historic record prices, would actually be
able to go on their own and drill without the taxpayers having to pay
for it.
So not only are we paying a record amount of $3.50 a gallon, not only
are they making record profits, but at $75 a barrel, the taxpayers are
paying them $14.5 billion. So the American consumer pays more at the
pump, and they pay more on April 15 because of what this Congress did.
Over the last year, in less than 1 year, energy went from $2.09 to
$3.30, but that is only one example.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. EMANUEL. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that we are
drilling for oil in Texas, California, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. How did
the gentleman vote when we wanted to drill in the ANWR, which is 3.5
times the size of Texas? We could have gotten almost 2 million barrels
of oil a day, and it would have helped these prices.
Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I voted against that;
and I vote against giving them $14.5 billion because I do not believe
there is a worse example of corporate welfare, only to be followed by
the prescription drug bill and the corporate tax bill that was a $5
billion problem. You all handed out $145 billion to corporate
interests. Only in Washington do you try to resolve a $5 billion
problem that cost you $145 billion, and it still did not resolve the
original $5 billion problem.
I bring this all up for one simple point: For the last 5 years, this
is supposed to be the people's House, and when that gavel comes down,
it is supposed to open the people's House, not the auction house. And
from the prescription drug legislation to the energy legislation to the
corporate tax bill, you have sold off America's interests. Billions of
dollars have been spent lobbying the people's House, and it shows when
you go from product to product, from line to line. That is what has
happened here.
Now all of a sudden everybody is worried about how we are going to
deal with the energy problem. When you had an energy bill, you hailed
it as a great victory for the American people. Since that time energy
has gone up more than a buck a gallon at the pump.
But that is also an example of what has happened with the corporate
tax bill and the pharmaceutical bill. People have used their influence.
I do not bemoan what the energy companies have done. I do not bemoan
what the pharmaceutical companies have done. I do not bemoan what the
HMO industry has done. I do not bemoan what corporate interests have
done to influence this Congress. What I bemoan is what the Congress has
done for that money and what they have done to the American people's
interests. And what is happening here, because now this week I think it
is ironic we are all talking about energy, this Congress is going to
bring up a lobbying bill. That piece of legislation has become the
incredible shrinking legislation. It does nothing. The Washington Post
called it ``a watered down sham. Simply a joke.''
USA Today writes, ``Congress still doesn't get it. After more than a
year of negative headlines about political corruption and money-soaked
alliances with lobbyists, House leaders are weakening their already
anemic excuse for reform.''
It doesn't deal with an independent Office of Public Integrity. It
does not ban gifts from lobbyists. It does not close the revolving door
for Members who leave here. It does not deal with disclosure of
lobbyists' solicitation of campaign checks.
The lobbying legislation we are dealing with is exactly the energy
legislation we dealt with. The two are the same pieces of legislation.
Those who have given and they are giving their checks because all that
is left on K Street is checks. There are no checks and balances left in
this system.
____________________
REPORT ON RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5020,
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007
Mr. PUTNAM, from the Committee on Rules, submitted a privileged
report (Rept. No. 109-438) on the resolution (H. Res. 774) providing
for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5020) to authorize appropriations
for fiscal year 2007 for intelligence and intelligence-related
activities of the United States Government, the Community Management
Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability
System, and for other purposes, which was referred to the House
Calendar and ordered to be printed.
____________________
THE SITUATION IN IRAQ
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House
for 5 minutes and to revise and extend my remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Iowa?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, with mounting sectarian tensions and unabated
insurgent violence, I rise today to discuss the deeply troubling
situation in Iraq and its implications for the national interests of
the United States.
Sometimes it is harder to know how to end a war than to start one.
Just as
[[Page 5951]]
it is important to think through the ``why'' of committing troops to a
conflict, we must also think through the ``why'' of ending an
engagement. Timing is a key element of both considerations.
Perspective is always difficult to bring to bear on events of the
day. Developments of this week, however, could provide Washington with
a seminal opportunity to stimulate a rethinking about the philosophical
basis for a war that we initiated, with the goal of assessing how a
great power can and should disengage.
Many people have noted analogies between America's involvement in
Vietnam and the U.S. intervention in Iraq. My sense is that a number of
these analogies are quite frail. But the one I am most concerned about
relates to America's extraordinary difficulty in disengaging from
Vietnam.
A key problem for Washington in trying to wind down its commitment in
Vietnam was how to develop a mutual accommodation with the other side
that would lessen the prideful pitfalls that often occur when political
figures are forced to reassess policies. In the end it was the Paris
Peace Accord which facilitated the withdrawal of American troops.
A negotiating avenue in a third-country capital does not appear to
lend itself to a resolution of the Iraqi situation at this time.
Nonetheless, I find it remarkable that in an autobiographical tome
Henry Kissinger wrote that in December 1968, shortly after Richard
Nixon had asked him to be his National Security Council Director, he
met with the President-elect to discuss the direction of the new
administration's foreign policy. They determined together, he noted,
that their policy would be to get out of Vietnam.
After reading this passage I asked him years later at a Library of
Congress symposium why they did not just proceed to do that. Kissinger
looked at me for a moment and then uttered words I will never forget.
``Young man,'' he said, ``we meant with honor.''
I then asked him if honor required escalation. ``Absolutely,'' he
responded.
In the Iraq circumstance, the executive branch has provided three
broad rationales for American intervention. First, it hinted that there
was an Iraqi connection to the attacks on 9/11. Then it suggested that
America and the world faced an imminent threat from Iraqi weapons of
mass destruction. When these two justifications for the U.S.-led
invasion turned out to be without foundation, the administration fell
back on the goal of spreading democracy in Iraq and the broader Middle
East as the basis for ongoing U.S. engagement.
From an American perspective, the case for extending the reach of
democracy abroad always has a ring of validity, although many have
concluded that imposing democracy from the outside is not a proven or
necessarily compelling art form. Intriguingly, however, it would appear
that today in Iraq democracy building provides a credible rationale for
American disengagement even though it was a secondary and possibly
flawed basis for original intervention.
In the aftermath of elections held 3 months ago, the Iraqis have
finally formed a government which will have under its jurisdiction,
although perhaps not complete control, a newly formed Army and a
fledgling police apparatus. Based on three elements, credible national
elections, a new government and a new infrastructure of security, the
U.S. is positioned to begin and, almost as consequently, to announce a
steady process of disengagement.
In the middle of the Vietnam War, Senator Aiken proposed that we
simply declare victory and get out. This may have been good politics
then, but there is no basis for suggesting victory was at hand.
Ironically, the formation of a new government today may provide the
most promising claim of some success in Iraq. Not to take advantage of
the circumstance could be a lost opportunity. This may indeed be the
last timely movement for decisive decisionmaking.
Lyndon Johnson knew his Vietnam policy was failing, but he chose to
pass it on to a successor who proceeded to escalate an already
escalated conflict. To the degree there is relevance to Presidential
precedent, it would seem far wiser for this administration to set the
conditions and proceed with withdrawal rather than leave such a
decision to a future President.
The reason a democracy-based framework for disengagement needs to be
articulated is that it allows the United States to set forth a basis
for ending the occupation that is on our terms and on our timetable. If
we don't develop and announce a plan and a rationale for disengagement,
we could at some point find ourselves withdrawing with the other side
claiming it forced us out through destructive anarchy, i.e., insurgent
attacks and suicide bombings, or through the insistence of the elected
government in Baghdad.
Democracy implies consent of the governed and when a large percentage
of the Iraqi people want us to leave, as opinion polls indicate is the
case today, the U.S. should be hard-pressed to follow the original neo-
con strategy of establishing and maintaining a semi-permanent military
base in the country.
Here a note about the Crusades is relevant. While Americans use the
word loosely and conjure up quaint cartoon images King Arthur and his
knights, citizens of the Muslim world consider the Crusades living
history, and it is no accident that Osama bin Laden refers to us as
crusaders. For al Qaeda, the pushing out of U.S. forces would be an
extension of the Crusades, an act of multi-century consequences. That
is why it is so important to apply reason and public reasoning to the
disengagement process.
This war has precipitated a great loss of confidence in and respect
for the United States around the world. Quite possibly Iraq will be a
better country because of America's intervention. But if we hang around
too long, the Iraqi government and our government may suffer
consequences even more negative than has so far been evidenced. Indeed,
with each passing day of occupation, it appears our presence is
increasingly inspiring more instability than stability.
It is true that precipitous withdrawal might be counterproductive and
that precise timetables have disadvantages. But it is difficult for me
to believe anything other than the declaration of a credible plan and
reason for disengagement, coupled with a steady drawdown policy, is the
wisest course of action today.
In a novel development, Congress has required the establishment of an
``Iraq Study Group,'' under the aegis of the U.S. Institute for Peace,
to be chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker and former
Representative Lee Hamilton. At the risk of presumption, I would hope
the perspective outlined above will be one of the approaches it and the
Administration review. There are risks in too abrupt a departure; but a
prolonged occupation leads too easily to the kind of retributive
civilization clash that misserves America as well as peoples of the
region.
____________________
20TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, April 26, the world will
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine when it was under
Soviet control.
The explosion released into the air radiation equivalent to 90
Hiroshima-size bombs in the heavily populated areas of northern
Ukraine, southern Belarus and southwestern Russia.
{time} 2000
Millions of people throughout the world were affected by this
disaster, and millions more continue to live with its consequences on a
daily basis. Some have written about the North European countries being
affected by what has been termed ``white winds,'' the white winds that
came from Chernobyl. Radioactive contamination continues to harm the
health of men, women and children throughout our world. It is critical
that we do not allow ourselves to forget the looming consequences of
Chernobyl, which are with us still today, lest the tragedy repeat
itself. We must remind our fellow Americans and the world that those
problems continue to exist, and the countries that were affected by
Chernobyl require assistance in resolving them. In order to achieve
this goal, the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, in
[[Page 5952]]
cooperation with the Chernobyl Challenge `06 Coalition, is organizing a
series of events at the end of this month to commemorate this solemn
anniversary. I am very pleased to cooperate with our co-chairs of the
Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania,
Congressman Sander Levin of Michigan, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett of
Maryland, along with myself. Tomorrow, April 26, at 10 a.m. here in the
Rayburn House Office Building foyer will be a 1-day photo exhibit
entitled ``Chernobyl 20.'' The exhibit will include photographs by some
prominent artists illuminating the human stories behind the Chernobyl
catastrophe and highlighting the dignity and hope of its survivors. We
welcome the public to come tomorrow and view this photo exhibit in the
Rayburn House Office Building foyer. It begins at 10 a.m. and will
remain there the entire day.
On April 27, the following day, Thursday, from 2 in the afternoon
until 6, in HC-6 here in the Capitol, a congressional briefing will
feature expert testimony on Chernobyl issues including radiation and
health, agriculture and food, environment, economics and U.S.
assistance and the containment of the fourth unit reactor. The
ambassadors of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia will provide brief remarks
to inform about the current situation with respect to Chernobyl and
their countries. If citizens are interested, they can contact our
office at our Web site, [email protected] for information.
On Thursday, April 27 as well, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the evening,
in B369 Rayburn House Office Building, the Chernobyl Challenge `06
Coalition, in cooperation with our Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, will
hold a congressional reception and Members of Congress will have an
opportunity to speak. Again, if citizens are interested they can
contact our Web site at [email protected].
The Congressional Ukrainian Caucus is very grateful that for the
briefing that will be held on Thursday, from 2 to 6 in Room HC-6, the
Capitol Building, that some of the following speakers will appear, from
the Chernobyl Children's Project International and the Children of
Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund, their executive directors,
several pre-eminent scientists from major organizations, public and
private sector universities, talking about the illnesses that plague
people today as a result of this huge catastrophe. And then, finally,
those who have served as ambassadors to our country and ambassadors
from the affected nations will address what we can do in the way of
additional international response to meet today's challenges still
arising from the Chernobyl catastrophe.
I have never seen birth defects as I have witnessed among the
children affected by this continuing tragedy in Chernobyl. The thyroid
cancers, the conditions to the heart, the distortions of the human form
related to radiation resulting from Chernobyl are horrendous.
The southern part of Belarus is largely depopulated, though some
people who are refugees from Afghanistan are moving into the area,
incredibly, and eating and planting seeds in the ground and eating
contaminated food and infecting themselves even until this day. There
is so much for the American people to understand. Though it was 20
years ago, Chernobyl lives as it will for thousands of years to come.
____________________
USING HISTORY AS A GUIDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dent). Under a previous order of the
House, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that bothers me
is how some of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle come down here
and paint a picture using history as a guide that is totally
inconsistent with what I, as a Member of Congress for 24 years, have
seen and believe.
The President of the United States and the Congress's number one
responsibility is to protect this country from enemies, both domestic
and foreign. After the attack on 9/11, the President of the United
States went after the bad guys, the terrorists. And Saddam Hussein, we
were told, was building weapons of mass destruction. In the early 1980s
the Israelis attacked a nuclear production site in Iraq because he was
trying to build a nuclear weapon. In the Iran/Iraq war he used chemical
weapons to kill Iranians during that war. He killed thousands and
thousands of innocent women and children, Kurds, using chemical
weapons. And in just the last couple of days, some of our expert
military personnel in Iraq have found 800 canisters, 800 canisters of
chemical weapons, the type that were used to kill Kurds and kill people
in the Iran/Iraq war. That is a weapon of mass destruction. We just
found it. And so people that say that there are no weapons of mass
destruction, or were none, we are starting to find those. And we
believe that many of those weapons were carted out of the country
before we invaded.
And when I hear my colleagues say there was no connection between al
Qaeda and Saddam Hussein, and we had no reason to go in there, the fact
of the matter is we know that Uday, Saddam Hussein's son, had leaders
of the al Qaeda movement in Baghdad in the hospital and at other get-
togethers many, many times. There was a loose-knit association between
the Taliban, al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein and others who want to do the
Free World ill. That is a fact. And how we see people trying to distort
history to say, oh, my gosh, America's made a terrible mistake by going
into Iraq really bothers me. The President is doing his dead level best
to defeat the terrorists and protect this Nation and the world. There
have been attacks in Spain, in France, in England, the United States
and other places, in Bali, the terrorists in Egypt just recently. And
we cannot back down to the terrorists. We cannot appease them. The
President is doing the right things.
Now, regarding Iraq, we are turning the war over to the Iraqis.
Eleven million people went to the polls and voted for freedom,
democracy and a government; and that government will be formed. It is
being formed as we speak.
But we are reducing our troop forces. I understand we have gone from
161,000 just recently to a troop reduction of 30,000 down to 131,000.
So we are reducing our forces, and we are turning it over to the Iraqis
as they are able to take care of the problems themselves.
The terrorists are going to continue to try to tear up jack over
there. They are going to try to drive everybody out and destroy
democracy. But it is in our interest and the Free World's to stay the
course. And if we don't, we will rue the day that we didn't.
And I want to end up one more time by saying to my colleagues who
were talking about Iran early today, the gentleman from Washington,
Iran is a terrorist state. We cannot allow them to develop a nuclear
capability. And if we do that, we will be dead sorry we did.
____________________
IRAQ DEMOCRACY PROMOTION
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, the notion that the Iraq war is all about
building freedom and democracy across the broader Middle East has been
a staple of White House talking points for nearly as long as we have
had our troops in harm's way.
But a few weeks ago, courtesy of a front-page story in The Washington
Post, we learned something interesting about the President's actual
nuts and bolts commitment to democracy. He doesn't have one. That April
5 story by Peter Baker reveals that when it comes to promoting
democracy, the bottom line reality doesn't match all the fancy
rhetoric.
The administration, in fact, is dramatically reducing funding for
programs and organizations that do the nitty-gritty work of helping
nations train their people to build and sustain a democratic
infrastructure, political parties, unions, a free press and other
institutions.
[[Page 5953]]
The National Democratic Institute of International Affairs and the
International Republican Institute will, according to The Post, be
running out of USAID grant dollars in a matter of days. Only a special
earmark is keeping them open for business.
The U.S. Institute of Peace has seen funding for its democracy
programs in Iraq slashed by nearly two-thirds. The National Endowment
for Democracy recently received its last $3 million to spend in Iraq.
As one vice-president at the U.S. Institute of Peace pointed out to The
Post, the combined cost of all the programs dedicated to encouraging
Iraqi democracy amounts to less than what we spend on the military
occupation in Iraq in a single day.
Of course, in addition to being expensive in treasure, this military
campaign has carried a devastating human cost, namely, 2,390 American
men and women killed, all in the name of democracy that is in danger of
never taking hold. It is not surprising, I guess, that this
administration would shortchange democracy promotion. After all, these
are the folks who thought there was no hard work involved in creating a
free society. They thought all you had to do was drop a few bombs, kick
out a brutal dictator, and democracy would miraculously and
spontaneously spring from the oil wells or something. That is one of
the reasons their post-war planning was so tragically inadequate.
But this war was never really about building democracy in any real
sense. If that had been the justification presented to the American
people in 2002, this body and our colleagues on the other side of the
Capitol would never have authorized the President to use military
force.
No, it was only after the whole weapons of mass destruction thing
turned out to be a fraud that the administration started casting about
for another rationale. And they came up with this fanciful notion that
the war would give rise to democracy, not just in Iraq, but among its
neighbors and across the region.
Mr. Speaker, we can encourage democratic elements in Iraq without a
military campaign that is killing Americans, killing Iraqis, and
fomenting a civil war. It is time to bring our troops home and start
investing in true democracy building efforts.
I have offered a new approach to national security called SMART. This
stands for Sensible Multilateral American Response to Terrorism. And
its core is the notion of investing in nations' democratic potential
without resorting to military force.
There are many elements to SMART. It calls for fighting terrorism and
stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction through stronger
multilateral relationships and improved intelligence. It demands that
the United States live up to its nuclear nonproliferation commitments.
It would redirect money we are spending on obsolete Cold War weapons
toward homeland security and energy independence. But perhaps most
important of all, it is a humanitarian program designed to improve
living conditions in troubled regions of the world, to address the
oppression and the deprivation that often give rise to terrorism in the
very first place. That means supporting programs that promote
sustainable development; human rights education; peaceful conflict
resolution, educational opportunities, particularly for women and
girls; and democracy building.
It is time for the United States to actually put its money where its
mouth is on promoting democracy.
____________________
MEDICARE PART D
Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
to claim the time of the gentlewoman from Tennessee.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as we stand here on
this Chamber floor, thousands of seniors in my district and millions
across our country are suffering through piles of Medicare drug plan
offers; and in far too many cases, these seniors are faced with a
difficult dilemma. They are suffering under the weight of too much
information, with too little time in which to make a choice on what
drug plan they will use under the Medicare prescription drug program.
{time} 2015
Their decision is by no means simple. The drug plans our seniors
choose will define their health care options for years to come. If they
do not make a decision and wait until the May 15 deadline passes, they
will face penalties and higher prices for the drugs that they need.
This week the Bucks County Courier Times, a daily paper in my
district in Pennsylvania, mentioned the drug program dilemma faced by
one senior. Mary Ann Morgan was fighting through the details and
complications of the new program. She said, ``It's the same as if
you're going to buy a stock. The fine print is hard to figure out.''
Traditionally, Medicare's assurance has been that for the elderly and
persons with disabilities that they will not be alone when confronted
with the full burden of their health care costs. However, the Medicare
prescription drug benefit has changed, and if the nearly 3,000 seniors
I have met through 12 town halls can represent a sample of opinion,
many seniors do not yet understand the prescription drug program and do
not plan to sign up for coverage.
Despite the administration's long public information campaign, for
many months polls have consistently indicated only 37 percent of those
eligible for Medicare say they only partially understand the program.
Sixty-one percent state they simply do not understand the program.
Approximately one in four seniors, 24 percent, say they plan to join
the program, while 54 percent say they do not plan to join, and 22
percent have no opinion.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projected that 39.1
million Medicare beneficiaries would have creditable prescription drug
coverage for 2006. Of this total, HHS projected that 29.3 million
beneficiaries would be enrolled in part D plans, and nearly 10 million
beneficiaries would have creditable drug coverage under qualified plans
such as employer- or union-sponsored plans.
Mr. Speaker, the most recent enrollment figures released just last
month indicate that only 19.7 million beneficiaries are enrolled in a
Medicare part D prescription drug plan, a number that falls short of
the hoped for estimate of 29.3 million. This rate of enrollment cannot
be viewed as a success. Members of Congress must act to modify the
original plan.
Mr. Speaker, I contend that there is a simple solution to this
problem. Our seniors need more time, and Congress should provide it to
them. Congress changed Medicare to give our seniors more choice in what
has historically been a highly structured government program. Congress
cannot in good conscience allow thousands of seniors to suffer
penalties simply because they could not make an informed decision for
their health care coverage and do so in time.
It is for these reasons that I introduced H.R. 4399, legislation that
will extend the initial year's enrollment period an additional 6
months, until November 14, 2006. My legislation would also extend the
enrollment period for an additional 4\1/2\ months for all subsequent
years. And, finally, under my legislation penalties would be suspended
for 2 years when seniors enroll late in the program.
I call on my colleagues to join as a cosponsor of H.R. 4399 to give
Mary Ann Morgan and thousands of seniors like her more time to make the
best use of the choice that they have been given.
____________________
ROGER TOUSSAINT AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSION BENEFITS
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the Special
Order time of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown).
[[Page 5954]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, Roger Toussaint, the president of Local 100
of the Transport Workers Union, is in jail in New York City tonight.
Toussaint's crime is that he took a stand against New York Governor
Pataki's sneak attack on public employee pension benefits. When the
Governor's puppet appointees on the New York Metropolitan Transport
Authority Board had already reached agreement on all other items during
labor contract negotiations, the Governor ordered that a cut in pension
benefits be added as a new demand. Although it was a cut proposed for
the future employees, Roger Toussaint said, ``No. I will not be a party
to an agreement that sells out the unborn.''
Roger Toussaint would not allow the Governor to set a precedent for
all future State, city, county, and later on it would spill over to
Federal employees, and they would have shoved in their face at the
bargaining table this precedent of having cut public employee pension
benefits. A domino effect would roll right across the entire Nation,
and no public employee pension benefits would be safe. ``Strike'' was
the rallying cry at that moment, and that rallying cry deserves the
support of all working families across the Nation.
The private sector, the corporate butchers, have been carving up
private employee pension benefit funds for some years now. Indeed,
those of us who serve on the Education and Workforce Committee know
that there is an impending pension bankruptcy crisis which may produce
shock waves similar to the savings and loan scandal. Private pension
benefits for workers we know are endangered, but we have all assumed
repeatedly that pensions for public employees are safe, they are
secure.
Roger Toussaint's confrontation with the Metropolitan Transit
Authority dramatically exposes the fact that public employee pension
benefits are also in danger. Governors, mayors, and legislative bodies
can carve up pension benefits even faster than the private sector if
working families and their representatives do not remain vigilant and
stand up against these attempts.
Ten days in jail they have ordered for Roger Toussaint. Two and a
half million dollars they have fined the TW Local 100 organization.
Dues check-off privileges have been taken away. The Governor and his
MTA puppet board are trying to destroy the union that stood up and
exposed the plot to swindle the workers out of their pension benefits.
They want to destroy Roger Toussaint, the labor rebel. They want to
smother the union rebellion.
Roger Toussaint should not remain an unsung hero. Now is the time for
all working families to come to the aid of an heroic labor leader.
Listen to the final words of Roger Toussaint at the door of the jail:
``I stand here today because a judge has found me guilty of contempt of
court. The truth of the matter is I have nothing but contempt for a
system that gives employers free rein to abuse workers.''
Now is the time for all labor organizations across the country to
come to the aid of TW and Roger Toussaint in New York.
____________________
THE PEOPLE OF BELARUS
Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
Special Order time of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I was fortunate to be part of a foreign
observer team to observe the failed Presidential elections in Belarus
on March 19. Why was it a failure? One, because about 400 political
activists were arrested prior to the election. There was prevoting that
no one could account for and credit as being valid. I attended with a
colleague of mine from Portugal, a member of Parliament, Suarez, and at
the end of the evening after visiting 19 precincts, we were not allowed
to see the ballots, nor were we allowed to observe the counting of the
ballots. There was also no ability for the opposition candidates to
campaign and get time on the state-sponsored TV station.
Why is this important, and why do I bring this up today? Well, after
the election there was a rally in Oktyabrskaya Square, and this is a
photo from one, a protester with a banned flag. There were over 10,000
folks that rallied at this square, many of them staying in the evening
through the next day over a period of weeks until the regime finally
got fed up, which resulted in a crackdown of the protesters and
imprisonment of, and I think there were about 685 on this list, 700
political activists who were jailed for protesting a failed election
and rallying for the cause of freedom and democracy and the rule of
law. In the square slogans that stated ``Long Live Belarus'';
``Freedom''; the announcement of one of the Presidential candidate's
names, Milinkevich, those were the cries of people who want freedom,
democracy, and the rule of law.
This was the regime's response. One of those jailed who is still in
jail is opposition leader Alexander Kozulin. Kozulin was also a
Presidential candidate. He remains in jail today and imprisoned
unlawfully and will undoubtedly remain for the immediate future. On
March 30 Dr. Kozulin was formally charged with two counts of
hooliganism under part 2, article 339 of the Criminal Code. Now,
hooliganism is taking part in a democratic rally and publicly speaking
his concerns on freedom and democracy and the rule of law. Actions
which disturbed the public peace, so the regime says, and active
participation in them under article 342 is against the regime's laws.
These crimes carry a maximum sentence of 6 years. Dr. Kozulin has yet
to be assigned a trial date and will remain in prison until the regime
succumbs to international pressure and assigns him a trial date to
prove his innocence.
Tomorrow, April 26, as was stated by another of my colleagues
tonight, is the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Now, Chernobyl
is in the Ukraine, but much of the fallout area is in the country of
Belarus, and the prodemocratic organizations and movements and the
political activists will be rallying again for freedom, democracy, and
the rule of law.
The President/dictator of Belarus is an individual named Lukashenko,
and since the election is now over and many of the international media
has left the country, he may feel that it is within his power to
continue to be ruthless and destroy and suppress the freedom movement
in Belarus. My time tonight is to just talk to him, the folks in the
country of Belarus and the people who yearn for freedom and democracy
that the world will be watching the events of tomorrow's rally.
I hope that my colleagues here on the floor will stand with me in
support of freedom of Belarus during this time and will work with the
Belarusian people to bring free and fair elections to their country.
Countries that are democratic historically have peaceful relationships
with their neighbors who are also democratic. It is incumbent upon this
House that is the bastion of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law to
be of aid to those people who yearn to be free. That is what this
Special Order is about tonight.
____________________
LARRY NELSON
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
Special Order time of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a friend and a
[[Page 5955]]
fellow Georgian Larry Nelson, who, after years of hard work and
success, has been elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame this year.
Mr. Speaker, I want to call my colleagues' attention to this picture
of Larry at my left. Look at that picture-perfect swing. I can only
dream about that.
Larry Nelson, indeed, is an inspired golfer and an inspirational
athlete. Throughout his successful 36-year career, Larry has risen to
the top of his game, and he has remained there while racking up victory
after victory. In the last 32 years on the PGA and the Champions tours,
Larry has won 10 events, including 3 majors. His career is highlighted
by his PGA championships in 1981, 1987, and his 1983 win at the United
States Open. He is also a three-time member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Larry's place among golf's greatest is well deserved. During the
earlier part of his career in the 1980s, there were only three other
golfers besides Larry who managed to win three major tournaments: Jack
Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Seve Ballesteros.
{time} 2030
Larry Nelson undoubtedly belongs with these legends of golf.
We often hear of self-made men, and Larry is certainly one of them.
Mr. Speaker, as a sergeant in the United States Army during the Vietnam
conflict, golf was not even a blip on his radar screen. In fact, he
said he thought it was a game for sissies. Indeed. But upon his return
to the States from Vietnam, Larry found himself drawn to golf. One day
he noticed a golf center across the street from the Lockheed Martin
plant in my hometown where he worked. Thus, the Sam Snead Golf Center
in Marietta, Georgia, became the first training ground for his new
passion.
For Larry, golf came naturally. He broke 100 on his first round. That
is a little discouraging to me, Mr. Speaker. In this recent time in the
district, I found one day to go out on the golf course, and I don't
think I broke 150. But Larry broke 100 on that very first round, and
enjoyed it. He said this many times, he enjoyed dedicating himself to
the techniques and strategy of the game. Indeed, the qualities that it
takes for victory and success, that determination and the hard work,
that has to be put in every day. As Larry told the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution, ``I fell in love with it, and I got better every day.''
His humbleness aside, Larry was dedicated to his game, and he worked
hard to achieve those goals. He graduated from qualifying school in
1973; and by 1979, just 6 years later, he had already won his first PGA
tour victory, capturing the Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic.
Larry Nelson's career saw some amazing highlights. In 2000, he
finished number one on the tour. I repeat, Mr. Speaker, he finished
number one on the tour, and he was named the Champions Tour Player of
the Year. Larry won a total of 19 tournaments; and, listen to this, he
finished second 24 times. Just think about how difficult that is, to
finish second in a major tournament.
He was never one to brag about his accomplishments, but anyone who
looks at Larry Nelson's career knows that it has been outstanding.
Mr. Speaker, when Larry is inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
in St. Augustine this October, he will assume his place among golf's
greatest. This is the 11th year Larry has been on the Hall of Fame
ballot, and I know many golf lovers join me in saying it is about time.
I am so pleased Larry's accomplishments are receiving the distinction
that they so much deserve.
Larry Nelson's life and career serve as an inspiration to all of us
in any walk of life, an inspiration to pursue new interests and work to
achieve the highest levels of success through faith in one's God-given
talents, and Larry indeed has that gift.
When he was recently asked about how much longer he would be a
golfer, Larry replied that he will keep playing as long as he enjoys
it. Knowing Larry's love for the game, I predict we will get to see his
successes for some time to come.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and all of my colleagues join me in
congratulating Larry Nelson on his past accomplishments and his present
induction into the Golf Hall of Fame.
____________________
STATUS REPORT ON CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS ON BUDGET SPENDING AND
REVENUES FOR FY 2006 AND THE 5-YEAR PERIOD FY 2006 THROUGH FY 2010
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. NUSSLE. Mr. Speaker, I am transmitting a status report on the
current levels of on-budget spending and revenues for fiscal year 2006
and for the five-year period of fiscal years 2006 through 2010. This
report is necessary to facilitate the application of sections 302 and
311 of the Congressional Budget Act and section 401 of the conference
report on the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006
(H. Con. Res. 95). This status report is current through April 21,
2006.
The term ``current level'' refers to the amounts of spending and
revenues estimated for each fiscal year based on laws enacted or
awaiting the President's signature.
The first table in the report compares the current levels of total
budget authority, outlays, and revenues with the aggregate levels set
forth by H. Con. Res. 95. This comparison is needed to enforce section
311(a) of the Budget Act, which creates a point of order against
measures that would breach the budget resolution's aggregate levels.
The table does not show budget authority and outlays for years after
fiscal year 2006 because those years are not considered for enforcement
of spending aggregates.
The second table compares, by authorizing committee, the current
levels of budget authority and outlays for discretionary action with
the ``section 302(a)'' allocations made under H. Con. Res. 95 for
fiscal year 2006 and fiscal years 2006 through 2010. ``Discretionary
action'' refers to legislation enacted after the adoption of the budget
resolution. This comparison is needed to enforce section 302(f) of the
Budget Act, which creates a point of order against measures that would
breach the section 302(a) discretionary action allocation of new budget
authority for the committee that reported the measure. It is also
needed to implement section 311(b), which exempts committees that
comply with their allocations from the point of order under section
311(a).
The third table compares the current levels of discretionary
appropriations for fiscal year 2006 with the ``section 302(b)''
suballocations of discretionary budget authority and outlays among
Appropriations subcommittees. The comparison is also needed to enforce
section 302(f) of the Budget Act because the point of order under that
section equally applies to measures that would breach the applicable
section 302(b) suballocation as well as the 302(a) allocation.
The fourth table gives the current level for 2007 of accounts
identified for advance appropriations under section 401 of H. Con. Res.
95. This list is needed to enforce section 401 of the budget
resolution, which creates a point of order against appropriation bills
or amendments thereto that contain advance appropriations that are: (i)
not identified in the statement of managers or (ii) would cause the
aggregate amount of such appropriations to exceed the level specified
in the resolution.
REPORT TO THE SPEAKER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET--STATUS OF THE
FISCAL YEAR 2006 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ADOPTED IN H. CON. RES. 95
[Reflecting action completed as of April 21, 2006--On-budget amounts, in
millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal years 2006-
Fiscal year 2006 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriate Level:
Budget Authority........ 2,144,384 (\1\)
Outlays................. 2,161,420 (\1\)
Revenues................ 1,589,892 9,080,006
Current Level:
Budget Authority........ 2,137,666 (\1\)
Outlays................. 2,157,194 (\1\)
Revenues................ 1,607,180 9,176,059
Current Level over (+) /
under (-)
Appropriate Level:
Budget Authority........ -6,718 (\1\)
Outlays................. -4,226 (\1\)
Revenues................ 17,288 96,053
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Not applicable because annual appropriations acts for fiscal years
2007 through 2010 will not be considered until future sessions of
Congress.
BUDGET AUTHORITY
Enactment of measures providing new budget authority for FY 2006 in
excess of $6,718,000,000 (if not already included in the current level
estimate) would cause FY 2006 budget authority to exceed the
appropriate level set by H. Con. Res. 95.
OUTLAYS
Enactment of measures providing new outlays for FY 2006 in excess of
[[Page 5956]]
4,226,000,000 (if not already included in the current level estimate)
would cause FY 2006 outlays to further exceed the appropriate level set
by H. Con. Res. 95.
REVENUES
Enactment of measures that would reduce revenue for FY 2006 in excess
of $17,288,000,000 (if not already included in the current level
estimate) would cause revenues to fall below the appropriate level set
by H. Con. Res. 95.
Enactment of measures resulting in revenue reduction for the period
of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 in excess of $96,053,000,000 (if not
already included in the current level estimate) would cause revenues to
fall below the appropriate levels set by H. Con. Res. 95.
DIRECT SPENDING LEGISLATION--COMPARISON OF CURRENT LEVEL WITH AUTHORIZING COMMITTEE 302(a) ALLOCATIONS FOR
DISCRETIONARY ACTION
[Reflecting action completed as of April 21, 2006--Fiscal years, in millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 2006-2010 Total
House Committee ---------------------------------------------------
BA Outlays BA Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Armed Services:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... -23 -24 -57 -64
Difference.............................................. -23 -24 -57 -64
Education and the Workforce:
Allocation.............................................. 100 100 500 500
Current Level........................................... -12 -25 28 33
Difference.............................................. -112 -125 -472 -467
Energy and Commerce:
Allocation.............................................. 100 100 2,000 2,000
Current Level........................................... 1,141 981 2,283 2,240
Difference.............................................. 1,041 881 283 240
Financial Services:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 2,210 2,210 3,356 3,356
Difference.............................................. 2,210 2,210 3,356 3,356
Government Reform:
Allocation.............................................. 50 50 50 50
Current Level........................................... -1 -1 0 0
Difference.............................................. -51 -51 -50 -50
House Administration:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Homeland Security:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
International Relations:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... -25 -25 -27 -27
Difference.............................................. -25 -25 -27 -27
Judiciary:
Allocation.............................................. 6 6 6 6
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. -6 -6 -6 -6
Resources:
Allocation.............................................. 8 8 50 50
Current Level........................................... 0 2 1 3
Difference.............................................. -8 -6 -49 -47
Science:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Small Business:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Transportation and Infrastructure:
Allocation.............................................. 3,027 0 4,107 0
Current Level........................................... 4,445 662 37,375 1,521
Difference.............................................. 1,418 662 33,268 1,521
Veterans' Affairs:
Allocation.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Current Level........................................... 0 0 0 0
Difference.............................................. 0 0 0 0
Ways and Means:
Allocation.............................................. 350 346 1,537 1,914
Current Level........................................... 705 720 311 373
Difference.............................................. 355 374 -1,226 -1,541
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCRETIONARY APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006--COMPARISON OF CURRENT LEVEL WITH APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
302(a) ALLOCATION AND APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE 302(b) SUBALLOCATIONS
(In millions of dollars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
302(b) Suballocations Current level Current level minus
as of November 2, 2005 reflecting action suballocations
(H. Rpt. 109-264) completed as of April -----------------------
Appropriations Subcommittee ------------------------ 21, 2006
------------------------ BA OT
BA OT BA OT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA..... 17,088 18,691 17,031 18,747 -57 56
Defense................................. 403,280 372,696 393,131 406,132 -10,149 33,436
Energy & Water Development.............. 30,495 30,273 30,495 30,696 0 423
Foreign Operations...................... 20,937 25,080 20,937 25,213 0 133
Homeland Security....................... 30,846 33,233 30,846 33,184 0 -49
Interior-Environment.................... 26,159 27,500 26,159 28,760 0 1,260
Labor, HHS & Education.................. 142,514 143,802 142,514 143,848 0 46
Legislative Branch...................... 3,804 3,804 3,804 3,809 0 5
Military Quality of Life-Veterans 44,143 81,634 44,143 41,803 0 -39,831
Affairs................................
Science-State-Justice-Commerce.......... 57,854 58,856 57,854 58,537 0 -319
Transportation-Treasury-HUD-Judiciary-DC 65,900 120,837 66,518 121,433 618 596
Unassigned.............................. 0 430 0 0 0 -430
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total (Section 302(a) Allocation). 843,020 916,836 833,432 912,162 -9,588 -4,674
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 5957]]
Statement of FY2007 Advance Appropriations Under Section 401 of H. Con.
Res. 95--Reflecting Action Completed as of April 21, 2006
(In millions of dollars)
Budget Authority
Appropriate Level................................................23,158
Current Level:
Elk Hills....................................................... 0
Employment and Training Administration........................2,463
Education for the Disadvantaged...............................7,383
School Improvement............................................1,435
Children and Family Services (Head Start).....................1,389
Special Education.............................................5,424
Vocational and Adult Education..................................791
Payment to Postal Service....................................... 73
Section 8 Renewals............................................4,200
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy............................... 0
__________
Total......................................................23,158
==========
_______________________________________________________________________
Current Level over (+) / under (-) Appropriate Level................ 0
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, April 7, 2006.
Hon. Jim Nussle,
Chairman, Committee on the Budget,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The enclosed report shows the effects of
Congressional action on the fiscal year 2006 budget and is
current through April 3, 2006. This report is submitted under
section 308(b) and in aid of section 311 of the Congressional
Budget Act, as amended.
The estimates of budget authority, outlays, and revenues
are consistent with the technical and economic assumptions of
H. Con. Res. 95, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for
Fiscal Year 2006. Pursuant to section 402 of that resolution,
provisions designated as emergency requirements are exempt
from enforcement of the budget resolution. As a result, the
enclosed current level report excludes these amounts (see
footnote 2 of the report). This is my first report of the
second session of the 109th Congress.
Sincerely,
Donald B. Marron,
Acting Director.
Enclosure.
FISCAL YEAR 2006 HOUSE CURRENT LEVEL REPORT AS OF APRIL 3, 2006
(In millions of dollars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget
Authority Outlays Revenues
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enacted in previous sessions:
Revenues.................................................... n.a. n.a. 1,607,180
Permanents and other spending legislation\1\................ 1,354,569 1,313,097 n.a.
Appropriation legislation................................... 1,333,823 1,323,802 n.a.
Offsetting receipts......................................... -479,958 -479,958 n.a.
-----------------------------------------------
Total, enacted in previous sessions:.................... 2,208,434 2,156,941 1,607,180
Enacted this session:
Katrina Emergency Assistance Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-176)..... 250 250 0
An act to make available funds included in the Deficit 1,000 750 0
Reduction Act for the Low-income Energy Assistance program
for 2006 (P.L. 109-204)....................................
-----------------------------------------------
Total, enacted this session:............................ 1,250 1,000 0
Entitlements and mandatories:
Difference between enacted levels and budget resolution -72,018 -747 n.a.
estimates for appropriated entitlements and other mandatory
programs...................................................
Total Current Level\1\ \2\ \3\.......................... 2,137,666 2,157,194 1,607,180
Total Budget Resolution............................. 2,144,384 2,161,420 1,589,892
Current Level Over Budget Resolution............................ n.a. n.a. 17,288
Current Level Under Budget Resolution........................... 6,718 4,226 n.a.
Memorandum:
Revenues, 2006-2010:
House Current Level......................................... n.a. n.a. 9,176,059
House Budget Resolution..................................... n.a. n.a. 9,080,006
Current Level Over Budget Resolution........................ n.a. n.a. 96,053
Current Level Under Budget Resolution....................... n.a. n.a. n.a.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: n.a. = not applicable; P.L. = Public Law.
1. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171) was enacted early in this session of Congress, but is shown
under ``enacted in previous sessions'' as requested by the Budget Committee. Included in current level for
P.L. 109-171 are $980 million in budget authority and -$4,847 million in outlays.
2. Pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 95, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2006,
provisions designated as emergency requirements are exempt from enforcement of the budget resolution. As a
result, the current level excludes the following amounts:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget
Authority Outlays Revenues
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emergency requirements enacted in previous session.............. 74,981 112,423 -7,111
Katrina Emergency Assistance Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-176)......... -250 0 0
National Flood Insurance Enhanced Borrowing Authority Act of 2,275 2,275 0
2006 (P.L. 109-208)............................................
-----------------------------------------------
Total, enacted Emergency requirements:...................... 77,006 114,698 -7,111
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Excludes administrative expenses of the Social Security Administration, which are also off-budget, but are
appropriated annually.
Source: Congressional Budget Office.
____________________
THE OFFICIAL TRUTH SQUAD
The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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, what a pleasure it is to be back
in front of my colleagues talking about items that are of such
remarkable importance to us across our United States. We have been away
for 2 weeks now at home on a district work period, and it is my
privilege to come on back and take this leadership hour. I thank the
leadership for allowing me to spend a few moments with some of my
colleagues to talk about an issue that has really come to the fore in
the past couple of weeks. But first I want to just introduce the
Official Truth Squad once again.
The Official Truth Squad, many folks know, began with a group of
Republican freshmen Congressmen and -women who said after about 6
months here in Washington that, well, you know, there seems to be a
tone or a tenor to the debate here that is not productive, and there
seems to be a lot of personal animosity that is getting in the way of
solving the remarkable challenges that we have here in our Nation.
So we thought it was appropriate, because oftentimes when the anger
and the emotion get greatest, that is when truth flies out the window,
we thought it was appropriate to form this Official Truth Squad. What
we try to do is to come before the House of Representatives almost
every night when we are in session and to talk about particular issues
that are of importance to the American people and talk about them in a
way that hopefully is a little more positive, a little more
enthusiastic about the solutions to the challenges that we have before
us as a Nation, but grounded in truth, because if you don't talk about
truth, you can't get to the right solutions. Everybody knows that.
We have been very, very pleased with the response that we have had
really across the Nation, because one of the things we were so
disturbed by was the general level of politics, of what I call the
politics of division. The politics of division are tried and true, and
they occur when people pit one group in our society against another and
make it so that you have got to be for one and
[[Page 5958]]
against another, and you can't be for both. It just really makes it
difficult to solve problems when you have that kind of rhetoric going
on.
There was a gentleman that kind of put it all in perspective a little
over 100 years ago, the Reverend William Boetcker, who was a public
speaker and a leader of the day back at the turn of the 20th century,
the 19th to the 20th century. One of his heroes was Abraham Lincoln,
and he attempted to crystallize what he thought would be Abraham
Lincoln's philosophy on social discourse in different sectors of
society.
I find it helpful always to look back at this quote, and I will share
it with the House this evening, Mr. Speaker. This is a quote: ``You
cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift; you cannot
strengthen the weak by weakening the strong; you cannot help the wage
earner by pulling down the wage payer; you cannot encourage the
brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred; you cannot help the
poor by destroying the rich.''
Really, I think that crystallizes what ought to be the American
philosophy, because we are all in this boat together. We have all of
these challenges that we must face together, and truly there are not
necessarily Republican solutions or Democrat solutions, but there are
American solutions. But unless we work together, we really won't be
able to get to the right solutions.
As I mentioned, we have all been home for the past 2 weeks on our
district work period. I have had an opportunity to meet with so many
constituents across the Sixth District of Georgia, and I know that my
colleagues have talked with their constituents and their friends and
neighbors at home.
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you that one of the most important issues
that is now confronting us as a Nation is the issue of energy prices,
gas prices at the pump. We have seen a significant increase over the
past number of weeks and months, and I think it is important when we
talk about this issue, especially to talk about truth.
I thought I would begin just by sharing, everybody knows what the gas
price is in their community. They range from, in my hometown it was
$2.89 when I drove to the airport this morning for a gallon of
gasoline. It goes down in some areas of the Nation to $2.40, $2.50. In
some areas it is up in the high $3s.
Because we are interested in the truth here, I thought it would be
helpful to share what some of the prices are around the world in other
Western nations. What are these nations paying? This is what they were
paying 2 weeks ago, the latest numbers we have. Belgium, $6.10 for a
gallon of gas; France, $5.00 for a gallon of gas; Germany, $5.96 for a
gallon of gas; Italy, $5.91 for a gallon of gas; the Netherlands, $6.73
for a gallon of gas; and the United Kingdom, Great Britain, $6.13 for a
gallon of gas. At the same time in the United States, $2.88 on average
for a gallon of gas.
That sounds like a lot of money, and indeed it is, but when we
compare it to the rest of the world, which is the truth about this
situation, it is extremely important that we talk about these numbers
in a way that allows the American people to have as much information as
possible when it comes to the issue of gasoline prices and energy
prices. Otherwise, we are all just getting up here giving our opinion.
This brings me to the favorite quote of the Official Truth Squad, and
that comes from a former Senator from the State of New York, Daniel
Patrick Moynihan, who used to say, ``Everyone is entitled to their own
opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts.''
Mr. Speaker, that is so true about this issue and so many others,
because unless we are talking about facts, unless we are talking about
the truth, we can't get to the right solutions. So I would encourage my
colleagues across the House to remember this when we are dealing with
issues, especially as important as those that relate to energy prices
and gasoline prices.
We are going to talk tonight about how we got to where we are, where
are we, what the situation is and what kinds of things the United
States and this Congress is doing in a positive and productive way to
solve the challenges that we have in the area of energy.
I will be joined by a number of colleagues. First I am joined by a
great friend and colleague from Tennessee, the Congresswoman from
Tennessee, Mrs. Blackburn, who has been an incredible leader in our
conference about so many areas, including the economy. She participated
in small business, and just brings a wealth of experience and
information to the table. I know that she has some thoughts to share
with us tonight on the issue of energy and gas prices.
I welcome you this evening.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for
his leadership on the issue. As you were saying, we are all in this
boat together when we look at the energy issue and look at not only the
fuel for our cars, but for our homes, how we generate electricity, how
we address the energy needs of a booming economy, how we address the
energy needs of a growing population.
As you said so very well, this is not a Democrat or a Republican
issue, this is an American issue, and we need to go back and let
history be a great teacher for us on this issue. How did we get to this
point? This issue didn't just happen last week or last month or even
last year. This is something that has been growing for a period of
time. I really look at it as something that has been coming together
over the past 30 years, when we look at what has happened with this.
If we go back to the mid-70s, a good start date to take for the sake
of discussion on this issue is 1976. The reason we go back to 1976,
Carter was President then and that was the last year that we had a
refinery built in this country. That was the last year in which a new
refinery, oil or gas refinery, was built on U.S. soil.
What we saw happen was an increase in regulation from the EPA and
from OSHA and different environmental groups and different demands that
environmental groups would place on creating or developing a new
refinery or going out and exploring for oil or gas or developing new
technologies to extract oil and gas to bring forward for the refining
process.
Since 1976, we have seen layer upon layer upon layer of mandates, of
rules, of regulations, that have made it very, very difficult to bring
forward new technologies so that we can meet the energy needs of this
Nation.
{time} 2045
So that we are meeting the energy needs of this Nation. Great for
instance. When you inventory what we had on line with refineries in
1981, there were 324 oil and gas refineries in this country in 1981.
Today there are 148 refineries; 148 refineries. And, you know, the last
refinery that went up in this country was out in Yuma, Arizona. It took
5 years and 4 months to get through the permitting process to put that
refinery in place.
So we see that what we have done is to put in place a process where
we have fewer refineries that are working, and fewer refineries to
actually process the oil and gas that we need. Now at the same time our
population is growing, we have more cars on the road, and we have more
houses. Home ownership is at an all-time high.
We need to be processing 21 million barrels of oil a day. We have the
capacity to refine 17 million barrels of oil a day. So what we have is
a very tight supply line, and it is difficult for us to meet those
needs with the current infrastructure that is in existence.
What we have to do also is couple those facts of fewer refineries and
making it very difficult to do exploration and development. Now, you
know, and I will tell you, the liberals on this issue need to realize
the double-talk ought to stop. The double-talk needs to stop because
you cannot have it both ways.
You do want oil and gas, but then you do not want the prices to be
high, but you do not want to go drill in ANWR, you do not want to
inventory the Outer Continental Shelf, and you do not want to extract
any of those gas deposits that are there, and heaven knows, let us not
go drill in the West.
[[Page 5959]]
And that is what we have the tendency to hear.
But at the same time, they are saying gas is too high, we need to
immediately move to alternative fuels. But then they say, you are not
doing enough for alternative fuels, but the gas prices are too high.
And, you know, I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is that kind of double-
talk that makes it very difficult to sit down and work out a solution
to this that is going to help us with this issue.
And I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, I look at this with the fewer
refineries, with the lack of exploration and development, Hurricanes
Rita and Katrina taking fully 25 percent of our refineries off line,
and what you have is the perfect storm of an energy crisis. And at the
same time that is happening, we are switching from the MTBE to ethanol.
There are some supply line problems with the distributors there. And,
yes, this has been a very difficult week. And I am like most persons. I
go to fill up my car, and I just, you know, gasp at the price. And I
think, my goodness, this is not what we are used to. This is not what
we have planned for. This is not what we have budgeted for. It is so
expensive.
And I held town hall meetings, as you were saying, as the gentlemen
from Georgia was saying, visiting with my constituents. And you talk to
those who are on the school boards who are saying, you know, it is
costing more to run buses, and you talk to those who are running their
county governments. They are saying, our supply costs and our fuel
costs are going up.
And it says, yes, indeed we need to do something. And I think it is
very important that we realize that there are some things we can do in
the short term. There are some things that we will do that will affect
the midrange, and then we need to be very conscious as we look at a
long-range plan, and as we look at working toward an energy
independence day.
And, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the gentleman from
Georgia in returning another night to talk a bit more about energy
independence day and how we would get there and what that would look
like.
And I think that as we look at this issue, we know legislatively
there are some things that we can do and have done. We have passed the
Energy Policy Act from the committee where I hold a seat, Energy and
Commerce. And we first passed that piece of legislation in 2001, and it
languished across the dome with our friends in the Senate. And finally
this past June we were able to get that signed into law and passed to
put $8 billion on to alternative fuels development, to simplify some
the permitting process so that it is easier for those refineries to
stand up and begin processing the fuels that we need.
You know, there is another piece of legislation, the Gas Act, that we
passed after Katrina took place, and that is the piece of legislation
we passed in this body on a 212-210 vote. It would federalize and put
in place Federal penalties for price gouging. Unfortunately we did not
have any help from our friends across the aisle on that. And we felt it
was important to put in place, to federalize price gouging. Now, that
piece of legislation that we passed is sitting in the Senate. The
liberals are holding it up. It is time for us to pass this.
I yield to the gentlemen from Georgia.
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding.
I have got a number of posters about what, in essence, is the double-
talk that you raise. Our good friends on the other side of the aisle,
the liberals on the other side of the aisle, tend to talk one way, and
then they vote another.
I just wanted to highlight the one you just mentioned, because this
Gas Act is so remarkably important for energy independence for our
Nation. It was roll call vote 519. This is what the Truth Squad is all
about, bringing you information, facts that you might not be able to
have otherwise. Roll call vote 519 in 2005, the Gas Act. Every single
Democrat voted no. Every single one voted no, which just crystallizes
that double-talk that you highlighted so very, very well.
I yield back.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. If the gentleman will yield. Yes, this is one of the
things, and let us continue to look at this poster. You know, do we
care more about caribou in ANWR, or do we want to come into an area
that is an enormously large area and go into an area land-mass-wise
that is about the size of the State of South Carolina, and go into an
area that is about the size of the Atlanta airport and drill, and go in
on ice roads during the winter and drill?
You know, I mentioned that we need 21 million barrels of oil a day,
and that we have the capacity for 17 million. In that field in the
North Atlantic Wildlife Refuge, that field would yield as much as 1
million barrels a day. So I think that this is the time when we have to
say, where are our priorities? And how are we going to use the fossil
fuels that we have while we try to wean ourselves from foreign oil, and
while we develop alternative sources, and as we look at this electric
power generation?
I was in another State in a coastal area with one of our colleagues,
and we were going across a bridge. I had been speaking in one area, and
we were going to the other for a speech. And there were two power
plants on either side of this bridge out in this bay. And as I looked
out there, I said, oh, are these on hydroelectric power? What are we
using? What is the source here? Is it wind? Is it water?
One was burning coal; the other was burning oil and gas. You know,
you have to say, if they are both using fossil fuels, why are we doing
that and not being good stewards of our fossil fuels and using all of
those other natural resources that we have?
So this is a time for us to say, let us be very thoughtful, let us
learn some lessons from what has happened over the past 30 years. Let
us look at what happens when you give environmental groups the say over
how you are going to develop your energy policy. When you say we are
going to work day in and day out, and we are going to keep you from
drilling, let us look at the lessons that we have learned and what ends
up happening in the long run.
And as we look at conservation and preserving efforts, which will
help us with the short-term fix, when we look at the legislative
efforts that will help us in the midterm and the long term, let us be
very, very mindful that every piece of legislation that we pass is
going to have some consequences whether intended or unintended, and we
need to be very mindful of that.
With that I yield back to the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
perspective and a cogent laying out of exactly what this situation is
that we have right now, how we have gotten into this situation, and
what sort of alternatives that we have.
And your statement about things beginning 30 years ago is so
appropriate, because this did not happen overnight. We find ourselves
in this situation now because of the policies of past Congresses,
policies of past administrations, and the action of so many folks that
brought us to this point right now.
And it is not going to be fixed overnight, but we are well on our
way. We want to assure the American people that we are well on our way
to making it so that we are energy independent. I appreciate your
presentation so much.
I do want to highlight a couple of our items that were discussed as
we move forward with the Official Truth Squad and talk about energy
policy and gas prices. So much of the discussion that you have heard by
some of our friends on the other side are talking about, in fact it has
been this evening in the well and earlier today in the well, and they
talk immediately about their solution, which is always to either put a
cap on something or to tax something. And you have got to listen
carefully, because sometimes the language is couched. But price
controls or a windfall profit tax we have heard bandied about, increase
the taxes. But the truth is that that action would be extremely
detrimental. And I say that with all sincerity, pointing to the
Official Truth Squad poster.
[[Page 5960]]
And folks will say, well, how do you know that? Well, we know that
because of history. And history has a tendency to repeat itself unless
you learn from it. And there is great history that we have, and it is
not that long ago. There is a wonderful policy primer that was put out
by the Cato Institute in Washington. It has got great information about
what they call the case against oil price controls and windfall profit
taxes, and they do so in a very academic and appropriate way by citing
the information that we have available to us just a generation ago. And
I want to read some of the information that was presented in this. And
I will quote from it a number of different times.
One of the broad conclusions that they make is that, quote, free
markets are more efficient than controlled markets. And goods and
services are more available and less expensive in free markets as
opposed to controlled markets.
So restricting product prices for profit opportunities invariably
reduces investment in conservation and new supply. Now, that may seem
counterintuitive, but if you restrict the opportunity for our system to
work, our market system to work, our free market system to work, if you
restrict that in certain ways, then what happens is that people say,
well, I will not invest in new forms of energy. I will not invest in
the new opportunity to find more oil. I will not invest in things that
will declare our dependence on foreign oil. I will go invest in
something elsewhere if the government is not involved. And it actually
decreases supply. And we had a very clear example of that in the 1970s
and the 1980s when price controls were enacted by this Government, and
when the windfall profit tax was in place between 1980 and 1988.
There was an economist, Joseph Kalt, who, in 1981, a Harvard
economist, I do not often quote a Harvard economist, Mr. Speaker, but I
will tell you that he has some sage advice for us. And Kalt studied the
price controls that were enacted in the 1970s, and he drew these
conclusions.
He stated that price controls and the incentive to import created by
the entitlement program reduced the incentive to bring new domestic oil
to market. These are the things being considered on the other side of
the aisle right now, and being touted as the be-all and end-all.
Kalt calculated as a result, domestic production was .3 to 1.4
million barrels per day lower, lower than it would have been otherwise.
Clear example that price controls do not work.
In spite of that fact, clearly a demonstration, truthful
demonstration, of what happens when you restrict that market.
Another quote, a few observations about the price control experience
of the 1970s jumped out at the analysts. First, price controls are
simply ideas in theory, but they are extremely complicated exercises in
practice.
{time} 2100
Second, a tremendous amount of political pressure inevitably arises
under price control regimes to provide regulatory benefits to favorite
producers at the expense of less-favored producers, thus distorting
markets even further.
Third, price controls have unintended consequences and often
exacerbate the problems they ostensibly are designed to address.
Again, if you want to tell what the future is going to be, and you
want to enact policies that have been tried in the past, then it is a
pretty good bet that if you look at the consequences of the policies
that were tried in the past, that you can tell what the future is going
to be. Hopefully we want to look in a sober way at the policies that
were enacted in the past so that we can determine whether or not we
want, in fact, to go down that same path.
I would suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, that going down that same path
for price controls and windfall profit tax, which sound wonderful, I
mean they really do. I mean, you say we ought not to be having to pay
that much at the gas pump. If we are paying that much, then somebody
else is just making too much money.
The problem is, Mr. Speaker, that the policies of price controls and
windfall profit tax don't have their intended effect. They don't result
in a decrease in price significantly, and they significantly decrease
the amount of availability, which then indeed drives up prices even
more.
The conclusion of this treatise on price controls and windfall profit
tax is very telling and, I think, very instructive. It goes as follows.
The observation that price controls induce scarcity and impose net
losses on the economy is as uncontroversial among economists as are
observations about gravity among physicists. Let me read that again.
Sometimes you can get lost in really the magnitude of a statement like
that, but I think it is important, and it is very instructive for us as
a Congress, for us as a Nation. The observation that price controls
induce scarcity and impose net losses on the economy is as
uncontroversial among economists as are observations about gravity
among physicists.
He goes on to say the experience of the 1970s further suggests that
price controls may not even achieve their stated goal of reducing
consumer prices. Intervention in oil markets historically has improved
the welfare of politically popular market actors, primarily small
independent oil producers and small refinery owners rather than the
welfare of consumers.
Whether politicians intended that to be the case is unclear.
Regardless, if wealth distribution is the rationale for price controls
and windfall profit taxes, general individual and corporate income
taxes are certainly less costly and more equitable than sector-specific
market intervention.
Now, people often support price controls and windfall profit taxes
because they don't believe that oil producers have a moral right to
higher-than-normal earnings. Mr. Speaker, how often have we heard that
the last 2 weeks, that these profits are immoral? I heard it, certainly
heard it. I heard it from the other side of the aisle.
He goes on there somehow there is a widespread sentiment that it is
somehow wrong for owners to profit when exogenous events greatly
inflate the value of commodities that they own. Yet those who hold that
opinion don't oppose windfall capital gains for homeowners. In fact the
public tends to cheer rising home prices and reacts to falling home
prices as a problem to be solved.
Now, why is it morally wrong for some parties but not others to
periodically earn windfall profits is a mystery that we cannot solve.
That is the writers of this paper.
Regardless of the moral issues involved, Federal efforts to take
excess profits from oil companies whether via price controls or excise
taxes are bad public policies. They fail to achieve their proximate
aim, which is to reduce prices paid by retail consumers, but do manage
to reduce supply, increase imports and impose steep costs on the
economy.
Mr. Speaker, I tell you, those comments, that statement, that
conclusion of history, which is truth based upon what happened, is
extremely telling. They fail to achieve their proximate aim, which is
to reduce prices paid by retail consumers, so they don't decrease the
prices. They don't decrease the prices.
If you put price controls on, and you put in place what is
euphemistically called a windfall profit tax, it doesn't decrease the
price. What it does do is it manages to reduce supply, increase imports
and impose steep costs on the economy.
I don't know that there is a more clear evidence that moving in the
direction of price controls or windfall profit taxes would just be the
wrong thing to do, wrong for the economy, wrong for consumers, wrong
for my constituents, wrong for the American people. I am hopeful that
my colleagues will be mindful of the information that we have available
to us about past actions.
I also want to just point out that when you hear people talk about
how it is, quote, immoral, unquote, for somebody to earn that kind of
profit, please harken back, harken back to the politics of division
that I mentioned before, that the philosophy that was felt
[[Page 5961]]
to be that of Abraham Lincoln and those who had a sensibility about how
we as a society ought to move forward, and remember what he said. You
cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. That is oh so true, Mr.
Speaker.
I do also want to cite one other portion of this treatise. You have
heard a lot of people talk about price fixing or collusion between oil
companies for the cost of gasoline at the pump. This is a citation in
this paper, but it is very telling because it is a nonpolitical arm of
the government talking, and it is independent individuals who drew
these conclusions.
The conclusion that they drew is significant. We are unaware of any
governmental investigation since the formation of the OPEC cartel that
has found evidence of price fixing or collusion in U.S. gasoline
markets. The Federal Trade Commission concludes that, quote, the vast
majority of the FTC's investigations have revealed market factors to be
the primary drivers of both price increases and price spikes. Those
investigations, it should be noted, were undertaken by both Republican
and Democratic administrations.
Mr. Speaker, I am so disturbed when I go home and I hear people at
home talk about the inability of Congress to get together and solve
problems. What I say to them is that the level of demagogy on the part
of many here is very disturbing, and it does a disservice to us all.
Again, these aren't Republican problems, they aren't Democrat
problems, they are American problems, they are American challenges. We
solve them best if we solve them together. I urge my colleagues to work
together to not throw around the kind of language that we have already
heard again today by others, because it is destructive, doesn't help.
What is the problem? Now, my good friend from Tennessee alluded to
much of the problem, and I want to refer to a number of things that she
said. I want to remind folks, though, about The Official Truth Squad
favorite quote, and that is, again, because we are going to talk about
facts now, that is from Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who said,
everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but you are not entitled to
your own facts. Let's talk about some facts. Let's talk about why gas
prices are high now.
You will hear a lot of folks conjecture and throw around things that
they say are the reason that gas prices are so high. But I think there
are, there are five or six general areas that can be distilled as to
addressing why gasoline prices now are at the level that they are.
Remembering though, Mr. Speaker, that gas prices in other nations,
other Western nations, are significantly greater. Remember the U.K.,
$6.13 for a gallon of gasoline; Germany, $5.96 for a gallon of
gasoline; Belgium, $6.10 for a gallon of gasoline. But why are gas
prices at an average of $2.88 in the United States?
There are a number of reasons. First reason that can be clearly
pointed out is that we are in that time of year where we are changing
gasoline blends, and this change disrupts the supply chain. What
happens is that between winter and summer, the seasonal blends
traditionally cause spikes at this time of year in gas prices. We are
fond of saying at home, we have been for the past number of years, you
hear people say, well, it is time for summer vacation, so they will
crank up the prices again. But what is happening is there is a
different formula of gasoline, the season blend of gasoline that is
used in the summer, as opposed to the winter. That cost, just that
shift to that different blend, causes some increase in price.
Also, the Energy Policy Act that we passed in 2005 ends the federally
mandated oxygenate requirement for some gasoline blends beginning on
May 5. Fearing an exposure to MTBE lawsuits, Mr. Speaker, fearing an
exposure to MTBE lawsuits, refiners are, instead, turning to ethanol,
and that is causing a significant increase in the cost of gasoline.
I will say to my friends on both sides of the aisle that there are
three things that consistently drive up the cost of doing any business
and providing increased cost to the bottom line for a service or a
product. You know what these are well, Mr. Speaker. They are taxation,
they are litigation, and they are regulation.
My good friend from Tennessee earlier talked about a lot of the
regulatory challenges that we have in the area of energy policy that
make it so that the cost of gasoline is higher than it ought to be. But
what you just heard is that there are oil companies that because of the
true threat of litigation have changed their formulation to include
ethanol instead of MTBE. That cause, that threat of litigation, has
caused a significant increase in the cost of gasoline, the addition of
ethanol that they are using in place of the MTBE. Information agency
estimates that the switch from MTBE to ethanol is responsible for an
additional 5 cents a gallon in cost. Remember, that is a switch that
much of which is brought about because of the risk of litigation.
Now, there are also tariffs on ethanol imports. So more intervention
has resulted in tariffs on ethanol imports, which companies say they
are relying on in greater quantities, and that those tariffs add 54
cents a gallon to a gallon of ethanol. Reports forecast that we might
need an additional $2 billion of ethanol this year alone.
Mr. Speaker, 2 billion gallons of ethanol, 54 cents a gallon, an
extra $0.05 a gallon for the switch. Mr. Speaker, that looks to me like
something over $1 billion. That has got to be made up. So that is
driving the cost.
Now, that is truth. Changing the gasoline blends, the addition of
ethanol, those are two specific areas that have resulted in a marked
increase in the price of gasoline at the pump.
Now, we can talk all we want about price controls and windfall profit
taxes and the like, but they will not affect either of those costs at
all. Not at all. In fact, they will decrease the supply if we adopt any
of those, quote, solutions.
What is another reason that the price of gas is up right now? Gulf
coast disruption. Tight supplies mean even one unscheduled refinery
shutdown with can drive up gasoline prices; 22.3 percent of gulf coast
oil production is still shut down from the hurricanes of last fall,
22.3 percent of gulf coast oil production is still shut down. That
results in about over 300,000 fewer barrels of domestic oil available
to Americans on any given day. So we have got some factual reasons why
the price of gasoline at the pump is significantly increased.
What else? World supply and demand. Supply and demand. Our need for
oil has grown, but we face new competition from other markets,
particularly India and China, significantly increased economies. Their
increase in economic viability is positive for the world, results in
increased opportunities for all in the world, but they have a
significant increase in demand for oil.
Our domestic production and our refining capacity haven't kept up.
The gentlewoman from Tennessee earlier talked about the lack of any new
refinery in our Nation coming on line in the last 30 years. It is
phenomenal, Mr. Speaker, it is phenomenal.
{time} 2115
It is not right. And that has been a result of significant policies
that have increased regulation, have increased the threat of
litigation, and taxes have been so significant so that they haven't
brought new refineries on line. Those kinds of things do not happen
overnight. They do not happen overnight. And these problems haven't
happened overnight.
We are not functioning in a vacuum either. It is not like you can
order crude oil from one place in the world and expect it to always be
there. Threats of supply reduction from Nigeria, Iran, and Venezuela
have also caused crude oil prices to rise. So there is some real
certain truthful reasons why the price of gas is what it is right now,
not some conjecture. You don't have to make anything up. There is real
evidence as to why the price of gas is what it is.
Fifth. Lack of domestic oil production. Here is one that really irks
many folks in my district. They say, we've
[[Page 5962]]
got gasoline available, we've got oil available right under our own
Nation and within our own properties and off our own shores that can be
obtained with great respect for the environment, that can be obtained
safely, so why on Earth doesn't Congress enact the opportunity to be
able to get that oil?
We are going to need much more oil before we ever kick our dependence
on it, without a doubt. But, unfortunately, current law leaves nearly
100 billion barrels of oil out of reach to Americans. Out of reach to
Americans. It is American oil. It is an American resource. And until
that changes, American families will continue to pay more than they
should for gasoline.
At a time when we import most of our crude oil and, increasingly,
gasoline, these restrictions also undermine the Nation's security and
prop up authoritarian regimes around the world. I will tell you, my
folks at home are fed up. They say, look, we've got to, as a
government, make certain that we can utilize the resources that we
have.
And, finally, Washington inaction. Now that is something that
probably is as true for this as it is for many, many other areas; but
these problems, as I mentioned, took decades to develop and to come
about. Most folks don't remember that 10 years ago this Congress passed
the opportunity to utilize some of those resources that I mentioned and
that President Clinton vetoed, vetoed the opportunity to, in an
environmentally safe way, take care or utilize the resources that we
have available to us in Alaska.
That is a fact. That is the truth. That is the truth. And that is
what we are here tonight to talk about, is the truth behind why gas
prices are where they are and what the solution is. So by way of
summary, the gas prices are significant and high, higher today than
they have been in the past for a variety of reasons. Changing gasoline
blends, the addition of ethanol, disruption down on the gulf coast,
world supply and demand, lack of our own domestic oil production, and
then Washington inaction. Bureaucratic Washington inaction.
So, Mr. Speaker, I hope that has been helpful to my colleagues
listening and those folks listening around the Nation as we talk about
the extreme importance of addressing an issue that during our 2 weeks
home I heard an awful lot about.
I am pleased to be joined by a number of colleagues, and now I would
like to introduce a good friend and colleague, a member of the freshman
class, a member of the Official Truth Squad, Congresswoman Virginia
Foxx from North Carolina. She has a great background of study, and I
have always been impressed with her ability to crystallize an issue and
to do the due diligence on how we got to a situation, how we arrived at
a problem and what the solution is.
I look forward to her comments this evening on the issue of energy
and gasoline prices, and I yield to Congresswoman Virginia Foxx.
Ms. FOXX. Thank you, Congressman Price. I appreciate very much again
your leadership in bringing the information from the Truth Squad here
to the floor of the House and am pleased to join you and Congresswoman
Blackburn tonight to talk about energy prices.
You know, Mr. Speaker, the Democrats sure do like to have their cake
and eat it too. Over and over again they complain about something and
then turn right around and oppose any commonsense solutions offered by
Republicans. I think you have done a good job of talking about some of
the issues related to the high price of gasoline. None of us likes to
pay a high price for gasoline, and those of us who are Members of
Congress who have large districts probably are affected by it as much
as a lot of the average Americans are because of our ability to get out
in the districts and travel and visit with our constituents.
But Democrats have a way of talking about things and doing something
differently. They are giving us a hard time now about the high price of
gasoline. They talk about the deficit, they whine about the deficit,
but they vote against slowing the growth of spending. They complain
about the President's plan in Iraq, but they offer no alternatives.
They say we need to increase border security, but they vote against the
bills that would do just that. The list goes on and on.
The Democrats' latest case of hypocrisy is that they hold a press
conference to complain about our rising energy prices, even though
their actions have contributed directly to the problem. For a party
that claims it is looking out for the best interests of the American
people, it has a funny way of showing it.
For decades the Democrats have fought to stop production of all forms
of energy. They voted against increasing domestic energy supplies,
which would not only lower prices but create more jobs here at home.
They have opposed Republican efforts to lessen the tax burden at the
pump. They have opposed nuclear energy and renewable fuels. They have
opposed cracking down on price gouging.
Republicans have been working hard, Mr. Speaker, to address rising
energy prices, but all the Democrats do is vote ``no,'' and we don't
think that ``no'' is an energy policy. Democrats have traditionally,
again, and consistently opposed all GOP efforts to increase domestic
energy production. For nearly three decades environmental extremists
and their liberal allies in Congress have fought to halt production of
all forms of energy. In fact, Democrat obstructionists have repeatedly
voted against Republican efforts to increase domestic supply, encourage
innovation and technology advancement, and lower the tax burden
Americans pay at the pump.
Let me talk a little bit about the specifics on that. Five times
Democrats have had a chance to vote for comprehensive energy reform for
programs to expand the use of nuclear energy and renewable fuels, and
five times they said no. And this is just in recent years.
July 25, 2005, H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, on agreeing to
the conference report. It passed the House by a recorded vote of 275-
256, but 124 Democrats voted ``no.''
June 15, 2004, H.R. 4503, Energy Policy Act of 2004, on passage, 152
Democrats voted ``no.'' It passed by 244-178.
November 18, 2003, H.R. 6, Energy Conservation Research and
Development, on agreeing to the conference report, 154 Democrats voted
``no.''
So they have consistently voted ``no'' on issues that would help us
increase the energy supply.
We think that folks need to ask the minority leader some questions
about rising gas prices and her record on that, and the Democrats'
record on it. They have fashioned an abysmal record on energy issues
that are important to the American public, yet now they have the
temerity to complain about the strain of rising gas prices.
Here are some questions that need to be asked. In the face of rising
gas prices for working families, why have you and your Capitol Hill
Democrats consistently opposed measures designed to increase the supply
of American energy?
With world energy prices rising because of increased demand, why did
124 of your House Democrats vote against the energy bill in 2005 to
encourage the expansion of clean nuclear energy supplies?
Question number three that could be asked: In the face of rising gas
prices for Americans, why did 196 of your House Democrats vote against
the 2005 energy bill that would have streamlined the process of
refinery expansion and construction that is so critical to the future
of America's energy infrastructure?
Question number four: With gas prices for working Americans on the
rise, why do you oppose major labor organizations, such as the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who actively petitioned the
Congress to increase domestic energy supplies to create jobs for their
workers?
And last but not least, the fifth question: In the face of rising gas
prices for working families, why do you and the Democrats continue to
vote ``no'' on every responsible proposal that would put Americans to
work producing more of our own American energy to lower prices?
[[Page 5963]]
Again, the Democrats want to have it both ways. They want to talk
about the problem and put it off on us, but they want to avoid coming
up with a way to solve the problem. We need to ask these questions of
the Democrats and put them on the spot about why gas prices are so
high.
They are responsible for it, because they have refused to allow us to
come up with ways to provide alternative energy. I hope Americans will
write their Members of Congress, particularly the Democrats, and say to
them: Why are you doing this? Why do you want gas prices to be so high
and hurt working Americans?
Congressman Price, I think I am going to let you tidy up this
session, since you have done such a great job of it, and thank you for
letting me be a part of it.
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Thank you, Congresswoman Foxx, so very much for
your wonderful observations and really astute observations about many
of the challenges that we have and bringing some truth to this issue of
gasoline prices and why we are in the situation that we are in right
now.
As we have talked about, this isn't a Republican problem or a
Democrat problem; it is an American problem. And so we work best when
we work together to solve these problems. So I encourage friends and
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make certain that as we move
forward with this situation that we work together. Political
demagoguery and casting aspersions on either side is just not helpful
to the solution.
Now, we have reviewed the clamor that we have heard out there
currently for price controls and windfall profit taxes and those kinds
of things that we have demonstrated clearly don't work. Remember, the
truth is that they do not work and we know that because of the history.
We have also talked about what has resulted in the situation that we
are in, why our gas prices are high. We have reviewed the items that
have brought about the situation that we currently find ourselves in.
I thought it would be helpful to at this point very briefly talk
about what has been done, because a lot has been done. Again, these
problems that we have and the challenges that we have are a product of
decades of activity that have put us in this situation, so these aren't
going to be solved overnight. And anybody that says that they have the
solution to bringing down gas prices right now is just not being
truthful with the American people. And I think it is important to say
that, because the truth is that the solution to this will happen over
time, and it will happen by a number of things: increased production,
conservation, alternative fuels, and all sorts of things.
I want to just share with you, Mr. Speaker, some of the things that
have already been enacted. The Gasoline For America's Security Act of
2005 was passed, as was the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Energy
Policy Act of 2005 had some very specific items in it. It strengthens
current supply. Strengthens current supply. It allows for new domestic
oil and gas exploration and development. It requires the Department of
the Interior to inventory oil and gas resources on the Outer
Continental Shelf to enable the Federal Government to better assess the
extent of these resources.
Again, when I go home, I hear people say, why don't you get to work
and utilize the resources that we have? The technology is there to be
able to do it in a very environmentally friendly way. It is a tough
question to answer.
{time} 2130
We are moving forward on that, and we need the help of our colleagues
on both sides of the aisle.
The Energy Policy Act also encourages building of new refineries and
expanding existing refineries. We need to streamline those regulations
and decrease the amount of litigation exposure that those refineries
have. Remember, we have not brought a new refinery on line in this
Nation in 30 years, and we wonder why we are in the situation we are
in.
The bill includes $2.9 billion for fossil energy research to ensure
more efficient exploration and development of oil, gas and coal, while
decreasing the environmental impact of fossil energy production and its
use.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 also increases conservation. That is
extremely important. Conservation is so important to this solution, and
anything we can do as a Nation and as a people to conserve fuel goes
right to the bottom line. It improves things immediately.
The bill increases funding to $17.5 million over 5 years to the
Department of Transportation to continue its work on improving the CAFE
standards which set fuel emission standards for cars and light trucks
sold in the United States.
It increases funding to the Department of Energy's Clean Cities
Program, provides tax credits for the purchase of hybrid fuel cell
advanced clean-burn diesel and other alternative-power vehicles. That
is important.
When I talk to groups, I always try to ask how many folks own a
hybrid vehicle. At this point only none or one or two folks raise their
hand. I am hopeful in a year we will see tens of hundreds of people in
my district, or thousands or more across the Nation. The tax credit is
up to $3,200 per individual depending on the vehicle. That ought to be
a great incentive, and it begins to make hybrid vehicles become
competitive with other vehicles that are sold.
The bill also provides a 30 percent credit, up to $30,000, for an
investment in alternative fuel refueling stations. A lot of the problem
is we do not have many of those stations right now, and it is important
to bring those on line.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 also embraces new fuel choices,
authorizes $3.7 billion for a hydrogen fuel cell program, and requires
7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be included in all gasoline
sold in the United States by 2015.
Many of us are working to try to make certain that we bring that kind
of will and enthusiasm to bringing about energy independence for our
Nation within the next 10 years.
It includes $3 billion dedicated to developing affordable, efficient,
renewable energy technologies and promoting their widespread use.
It promotes clean and renewable fuels by providing incentives for
clean coal technology and renewable energy such as biomass, wind, solar
and hydroelectricity. It extends the renewable electricity production
credit through December 31, 2007, and authorizes the issuance of $800
million of tax credit bonds before December 31, 2007, to support
renewable investment in municipal power authorities, rural
cooperatives, and others.
I think it is important to talk about those things that we already
have done because I would venture to say, Mr. Speaker, when you go home
and when you talk to your constituents, I know when I go home and I say
we have done these things, they say, ``I have never heard about it.''
You are right, people do not hear about these things because they are
not mentioned on the nightly news. This Congress does not get any
credit for the positive work it is doing on the nightly news. You do
not read about it in your newspapers, and you have a portion of
individuals in this Chamber who want to down-talk and demagogue every
single issue.
Mr. Speaker, it is just not productive. It is not positive. It does a
disservice to every individual across this Nation, so I encourage my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get together and work to make
certain that we can continue to solve the energy challenges that we
have as a Nation.
We are blessed to live in a wonderful and a glorious Nation. We are
the hope of the world and continue to be a vessel of opportunity for so
many people around the world. We do ourselves best when we work
together and talk positively about the challenges that we have and
positively about the solutions and make it so we can solve those
challenges together as opposed to the kinds of difficult conversations
that some folks tend to degrade into so quickly.
I urge my colleagues to work together as we move forward on the
challenges as they relate to gas prices and energy policy.
[[Page 5964]]
I look forward to coming back and joining my colleagues once again
for the Official Truth Squad, putting a little truth and positive
perspective in front of the United States House of Representatives and
the American people.
____________________
DEBT AND THE DEFICIT
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania). Under the
Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Ross) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the
minority leader.
Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening as whip of the 37-member
strong fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. I rise this
evening on behalf of the Blue Dogs, who are very concerned about this,
our Nation's debt, which is $8,353,429,193,726 and some change. That
means for every man, woman and child alive in America at this moment,
it means their share of the national debt is $28,000. Many of America's
priorities will continue to go unmet until we get our Nation's fiscal
house in order.
I plan to spend a good part of this hour discussing the debt and the
deficit, but I just heard some things from a group that calls
themselves the Official Truth Squad. They had the nerve to come to the
floor of the United States House of Representatives and say it is the
Democrats that are responsible for $3-a-gallon gasoline at the gas
pump. But the best one of all was when they blamed it on former
President Clinton. Mr. Speaker, give me a break.
The American people know for the last 5 years and for the first time
in 50 years, the Republicans control the White House, the House and the
Senate. It is they who have failed to give us an energy policy that
will allow us to become less dependent on foreign oil. They know that
Democrats like myself have tried time and time again to reduce our
dependence on foreign oil.
We have a bill in committee, in the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
of which I am a member. We have a bill in the committee that mandates
10 percent ethanol in all gasoline and 5 percent biodiesel in all
diesel fuel, and yet the Republican leadership refuses to give us a
hearing let alone a vote on this bill that will reduce our dependence
on foreign oil. It will create new markets for America's farm families.
It will mean that we pay 60 to 70 cents less per gallon at the pump;
and yes, it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
When we talk about alternative and renewable fuels, don't let anyone
tell you that is too futuristic. I am here to tell you if we can strap
a four-wheeler on a rocket and shoot it to Mars and control it from
NASA's headquarters in Houston, it is American people that did that,
and in America we have people with the know-how to create alternative
and renewable fuels; not only ethanol and biodiesel, but many other
forms that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
It was last August, 8 months ago, last August that I went to all 29
counties in my congressional district and called on the President to
suspend deliveries to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and I did this
because I know it is a short-term solution, and it works. President
Bush's daddy did it in 1991, and the price of a barrel of oil dropped
$11 overnight. President Clinton did it in 2000, and the price of a
barrel of oil dropped $6. My question is why did it take this President
8 months to decide to announce today something I called for him to do
last August, and that is to suspend deliveries to the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve?
It is 8 months too late, and that means we have lost a number of farm
families that will not be back in the business of providing America
with a safe and reliable source for food and fiber. If we are not
careful, we are going to become just as dependent on foreign countries
for our food and fiber as we have for our energy supplies.
So I am very concerned that tonight all we heard from the Republican
side of the aisle and this so-called Truth Squad is that it is the
Democrats and President Clinton that are responsible for the high
prices of gasoline.
Let me say that the American people are sick and tired of the
partisan bickering going on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, it should not matter if it is a Democrat or Republican
idea; it should only matter if it is a commonsense idea, and does it
make sense for the people that send us here to be their voice.
I am going to continue to push for ethanol and biodiesel and other
renewable and alternative fuels that will reduce our dependence on
foreign oil and bring down the price we pay at the pump because, Mr.
Speaker, I represent a very large and rural district where it is not
uncommon to travel 50 and 100 miles each way each day to a job. Our
working farm families can no longer afford the prices we are seeing at
the gas pump.
Mr. Speaker, I am also proud that the President finally today
suggested something that I put into a bill last September that the
Republican leadership refused to give me a hearing or a vote on, and
that is calling on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the big
oil companies to determine if what we have been seeing is in any way
related to price gouging. I can tell you if it is, the big oil
companies responsible for that, they should not be put in the jail,
they ought to be put under the jail. Why did it take this President 8
months to heed my call for a Federal Trade Commission investigation and
to heed my call to suspend deliveries to the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve? I am sure it has something to do with his approval rating now
reaching an all-time low of 32 percent.
Now, I wasn't here this evening to discuss energy, but I got a little
fired up when the other side of the aisle decided they were going to
say it was the Democrats and President Clinton who are responsible for
$3-a-gallon gasoline at the pump.
I am joined this evening by a good friend and colleague within the
Blue Dog Coalition to talk about the debt and the deficit. He is a real
active member of the Blue Dog Coalition, the group of 37 fiscally
conservative Democrats, Mr. David Scott of Georgia.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be on the
floor to set the record straight. I, too, heard what the Republicans
were just saying. The American people are a lot of things, but they are
not fools. They know that the President is a Republican. They know that
the Senate is in the hands of the Republicans. They know that this
House of Representatives is in the hands of the Republicans. The
Republicans are leading the country.
When Democrats were leading this country, at least one of our
Presidents, President Truman, said, the buck stops here. Not these.
They say the buck stops with the Democrats when we are the minority
party. There is not a bill we can get passed here because we are the
minority party. It is wrong as wrong can be for the Republicans to
point fingers and try to blame the Democrats for this huge increase in
prices. This belongs where it ought to be: On the failed policies of
the President.
Now, I like the President. I find the President to be a very fine
person, and I hold him in great personal esteem, but I totally disagree
with his policies. And the people of this country disagree with his
policies.
Now let us talk about the truth. We have had the Truth Squad just
speak, and I am sort of reminded of this story of a good friend of
mine. Her name was Isabella. One day in New York City Isabella had a
vision, and so she changed her name to Sojourner Truth. She went all
over this country speaking, and everywhere she went, people would ask
her about her funny name.
She would say, Let me tell you about my funny name. The Lord gave me
``Sojourner'' so I could travel the world showing the people and
speaking to them. But I told the Lord I needed another name, and he
gave me ``Truth'' so I could tell the truth to people.
Mr. Ross, that is what the American people are expecting us to do
tonight, to be sojourners of truth and to tell the truth. There is no
more burning issue. Yes, we must talk about the deficit,
[[Page 5965]]
but we have to talk about this gas price. We have to talk about the
raising of it because it is what is on the hearts and minds and souls
of the American people. They are fed up to here with these huge,
gigantic gas spikes and gas prices.
{time} 2145
Many people can't even make it. I was just out in my district in
Douglas County down on Dorsett Shoals Road this past Sunday. And one of
my constituents, a little lady, came out and said, Congressman, please
do something about these gas prices. Where is our country headed? Where
are we going? Please do something about securing our borders. Where is
our country going? I am here to tell you, Mr. Ross, the American people
are very, very concerned about the lack of direction and going in the
wrong direction that this country is headed in. Nowhere is it more
startling than in these gas prices.
Now, let me bring this to your attention, Mr. Ross, because this
really gets to me. And I want to talk about this for a moment. In this
article, I think it was from one of the media, the New York Times or
Washington Post. I don't have it correct. But they began to talk about
something that brings home the point.
Now, let me preface this by saying, I am a capitalist. I was trained
at the best school of business in the world, the citadel of capitalism,
the Wharton School of Finance where I got my MBA. Served on the board
of directors there for 6 years. So I am a capitalist. I believe in the
profit motive. I understand all of that.
But listen to this that we hear about the CEO at Exxon-Mobil. For his
efforts, Mr. Lee Raymond, who retired in December, was compensated more
than $686 million from 1993 to 2005, according to an analysis done for
the New York Times by Brian Foley, an independent compensation
consultant. That amounts to $144,573, every day.
Now, I am for profit. But there is a difference between profit and
greed, and that is what is upsetting the American people. At a time
when we have diminishing oil resources, at a time that the fuel prices
are skyrocketing, these oil companies are making huge profits.
Now, all I say is this: Don't we owe it to the American people to ask
these executives from these oil companies to come before Congress and
explain this to us?
The American people are asking questions. I know your constituents
are asking questions: How can it be? And not only that, if we move over
to Chairman Ray Irani of Occidental Petroleum, He received $63 million
in total compensation just last year. And over the past 3 years, Irani
has reaped more than $135 million.
I am not kicking anybody for making money. This is a free enterprise
system. It is a capitalistic system. But we are not dealing with
peanuts. We are not dealing with renewable stuff. We are dealing with a
life and death, very valuable diminishing resource called oil that we
are dependent on, not just for us to make our economy go. It also is
the juice that enables us to fight our wars, protect this country.
There is a lot at stake with this.
Meanwhile, we want the truth. Here are the facts: the price of gas,
while all of these profits are going on, the price of gas has doubled.
Profits for big oil and gas companies have quadrupled at the time that
gas prices have zoomed up, while American families' incomes have been
stagnated.
Many small independent gas stations are reporting that they are being
gouged by big oil companies. Now, if they are saying that, shouldn't we
investigate? Shouldn't we take a look? That is all that I am saying. I
am saying we need to bring the oil industry individuals in and get them
under oath to provide us with some answers.
No, this is not a Democrat or Republican situation. It is all of our
situation. But I tell you, when they are in charge, it is wrong to
blame us.
Mr. ROSS. I appreciate the gentleman from Georgia and his thoughts on
this energy crisis. And he is right, these oil company executives, I
would invite them to come to my district and look into the eyes of farm
families that are no longer in business, working families who are
having to make difficult decisions about how to spend their money
because of the high price of gasoline just to get to and from work.
And yet this administration, this Republican-led Congress continue to
tell us that life is getting better. It is getting better for whom?
Gasoline prices are up 80 percent. Health care costs are up 50 percent.
College costs are up 40 percent, and incomes are down in this country.
That concerns me. And as one of the 37 members of the fiscally
conservative Blue Dog Coalition, we understand that all of this is
directly related to this, the national debt, which is now
$8,053,429,193,726 and some change, which equates to every man, woman
and child in America, including the children being born today, their
share is $28,000. We call that the debt tax, D-E-B-T. And that is one
tax that cannot go away until our Nation gets its fiscal house in
order. A lot of people think the deficit doesn't matter, that the debt
doesn't matter, that we can simply print more money. That doesn't
happen. It doesn't work that way.
Unfortunately, here's how it works. We are borrowing money from the
Social Security trust fund, which I am adamantly against. Now, I
understand, the first bill I filed as a Member of Congress was a bill
to tell the politicians in Washington to keep their hands off the
Social Security trust fund. Now, I understand why the Republican
leadership refused to give me a hearing or a vote on that bill, because
the projected deficit for fiscal year 2007 is $348 billion. That is the
number you will hear a lot. But the reality is that it is $548 billion.
The difference is they are taking the money from the Social Security
trust fund with absolutely no provision on how or when that money is
going to be paid back.
Now, when I go to the bank to get a loan, my banker asks me how I am
going to pay it back, where's the money going to come from to pay it
back, and when am I going to pay it back. Our government should be no
different. The politicians in Washington should keep their hands off
the Social Security trust fund. But, instead, this is what we get.
Forty-five percent of the debt is being borrowed from foreign central
banks and foreign investors. Forty-five percent of the deficit is
coming from foreigners. In fact, this administration, in the last 6
years, has borrowed more money from foreign central banks and foreign
investors in places like China and Japan and South Korea than the
previous 42 Presidents combined. And if we are not careful, if we are
not careful, those foreigners are going to influence and have an impact
and have control of our Nation's monetary policy. And we already see
what is happening with interest rates.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ROSS. I will yield, yes, ma'am.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me just congratulate the Blue Dog
Coalition. I have listened to this very articulate explanation, if you
will, of the national debt; and I want to congratulate the gentleman
from Georgia and the gentleman from Arkansas and the distinguished
gentleman from Tennessee.
I just want to thank you for acknowledging or at least bringing to
the attention of the American people the impact of the deficit. Just a
reminder that when the Clinton administration left office there was a
surplus. And so this issue of the national debt and deficit is crucial.
And I would just simply leave with this thought: I also heard you
talk about the gasoline prices and, obviously, there is an enormous
range of issues that we need to discuss with that, the ethanol issue
and, of course, the strategic petroleum reserve.
But let us remember that the people who are most harmed by where we
are today, the deficit and gasoline prices, are hardworking, struggling
American families. These are people who get up every day, turn the
lights on early and get in their cars to make ends meet. And, frankly,
even though the President has offered some suggestions today as it
relates to gasoline pricing, I don't think this House should rest a
moment until we address this question.
[[Page 5966]]
Many people will say, I represent the energy company so I am not here
to suggest that there is a single answer. But I think the energy
company should come to the table, I think the President needs to have
the bully pulpit, if you will, and some relief needs to go directly to
mom and pop senior citizen at the gas pump. And I hope, as you continue
your discussion this evening, that Americans will understand that
Democrats are prepared to fix this horrible debt to protect the Social
Security trust fund which is a very important issue, but also respond
to the struggling Americans or the needs of fixed-income persons when
it comes to this crisis in gasoline pricing. It is not tomorrow, next
week; it is now. This Congress needs to stand up and address this
question, and they need to do it now. And I thank the gentleman for
yielding. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. The gentlewoman from Texas brings up a very
interesting point in terms of our energy crisis and how it dovetails
with our debt, one of the important points we have got to look at so we
can see the dangerous track we are on. Mr. Ross, you just went through
one of the most disturbing facts of our debt and that is the
indebtedness that we are in to our foreign investors, borrowing more
money from them than all the 42 Presidents combined. But let us look at
who they are. Let us look at who they are who are controlling our
financial security. They are the very same nations that are controlling
our energy security. China and India, on the one hand, Japan, the OPEC
countries, the countries in the Middle East, on the other hand. Each of
these areas are controlling our debt, and they are controlling our oil.
The United States of America consumes 25 percent of the world's
energy. But we produce or have access to just the refining and
production capacity of just 5 percent. Put that together with the fact
that one thing nobody mentions, not the President, not anybody, but it
needs to be mentioned, and that is that why should we be taking this
time to plan the future of this great country on a diminishing
resource?
Every point, and I bring this to you again, this is a quote from a
president, former president of Exxon-Mobil. I talked about the other's
salary a minute ago to show the discrepancy. Here's what, 3 years ago,
John Thompson, president of Exxon-Mobil said. He said, we estimate that
the world's oil production from existing oil fields is declining at an
average rate of 6 percent a year. To meet projected demand in 2015, the
industry will have to add about 100 million barrels a day in new
production. That is equal to 80 percent more than we are producing
today, and oil is not a replenishing asset.
That brings me to the issue of where we really need to be planning
for the future of this country is not on a diminishing resource of oil
that is not going to be there in the future. We have got to look
elsewhere. And I tell you this, Mr. Ross: if Brazil can take sugar cane
and solve their energy crisis and turn it into fuel for their
automobiles with ethanol, why in the world can't we do that in America
with our corn or with our other biofuel capacities, with our research?
We have got the American can-do spirit. The problem is we need to
unleash it, and we have got to do it, not depending upon oil that is a
diminishing resource, but have the vision, have the courage to look to
the future.
And I tell you, surely, if Brazil can solve their problem with using
one of their natural replenishable resources of sugar cane to provide
their major source of fuel, surely we can do as well as that. And we
must do that.
Mr. ROSS. The gentleman is absolutely correct, and the fact that our
Nation is $8.3 trillion in debt has a direct impact on all of America's
priorities, many of which are going unmet today because of this
enormous debt. I mean, it is $8.2 trillion, but it is growing by nearly
$1 billion a day. We are sending $279 million a day to Iraq, $57
million a day to Afghanistan. This President, in this year's budget,
proposes cuts to things like education and student loans to the tune of
$2 billion. And yet the same budget, the same budget includes over $200
billion in new tax cuts for those that are primarily earning over
$400,000 a year. It is about priorities, and priorities should begin
with bringing down the high price of gasoline and diesel fuel; and
priorities should begin with reducing our dependence not only on
foreign oil but on foreign central banks and foreign investors to fund
our government.
{time} 2200
The U.S. is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign lenders.
Foreign lenders currently hold a total of about $2.174 trillion of our
public debt. Compare this to only $23 billion in foreign holdings in
1993.
The top 10 current lenders, countries that this President and this
Republican Congress continue to pass tax cuts with money that they are
borrowing from these countries: Japan, $668.3 billion. China, you can
see here in 2000, and these are based on numbers from the United States
Treasury and the United States Census Bureau, the public debt held by
China quadruples under President Bush by billions of dollars. In 2000,
when the President took office, our government had borrowed $62 billion
from China, and in less than 6 years this chart shows that we have now
borrowed $257 billion from China. This was printed on February 23,
2006. We cannot get them printed and updated quickly enough because the
new number is $262.6 billion. United Kingdom, $244.8 billion. Our
Nation has borrowed $97.9 billion from the Caribbean Banking Center. I
had never heard of such. Taiwan, $71.6 billion. OPEC nations, $77.6
billion that we have borrowed from them. With the excessive price we
pay at the pump, they are getting the profits. They are getting so much
in profits on our backs that they are then turning around and lending
our Nation money so that these Republicans in Congress can keep
borrowing money from OPEC to give their rich buddies a tax cut.
And I would submit to you if you earn over $400,000 a year, you ought
to be for this. If you earn less than $400,000 a year, this is not a
good deal for you, and it is certainly not fair to your children, who
have got to pay this back someday.
Korea, $68.3 billion. Germany, $65.2 billion. Canada, $54.9 billion.
And to round out the top 10 list of countries that our Nation has
borrowed money from to fund tax cuts, Hong Kong, $48.3 billion.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. The American people are fed up with this, I
assure you.
Mr. ROSS. The gentleman is so right. The gentleman is so correct on
that.
In a moment we are going to be hearing from the cochair for policy
for the 37-member-strong fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, and
it is interesting what the gentleman from Tennessee is about to present
to us. This is a little known report.
And before we get into this, let me just let you know, Mr. Speaker,
that every Tuesday night, as members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group
of 37 fiscally conservative Democrats, we come to the floor of the
United States House of Representatives to talk about the budget, the
debt, the deficit, and how this directly impacts America's priorities.
And, Mr. Speaker, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns of
us, I would encourage you to e-mail us at BlueD[email protected].
Again, Mr. Speaker, I would encourage you to e-mail us your thoughts,
concerns, or questions to BlueD[email protected].
Very few people in our Nation, in fact, very few people in this
Congress, know about this little known report. It is called the
Financial Report of the United States Government, and this is the 2005
edition. Very few copies of this report are printed. Very few copies
are circulated.
Contrast that, Mr. Speaker, to this: This is the budget of the United
States Government. It is delivered with a lot of fanfare to every
Member of Congress's office. You always read about it and see it in the
newspaper, radio, and television. You hear about it and see it, and
this is the budget for fiscal year 2007. The budget of the United
States Government, you get an
[[Page 5967]]
idea of how thick it is. It is a big document, and it is delivered each
year to all 435 Members with a lot of fanfare.
This document, however, is delivered only to a handful of people, and
it is only delivered to them because the law requires it, but it is a
financial report of the United States Government. And here is what is
interesting about this report: When we tell you that the deficit for
2005 was $319 billion, that is based on cash-basis accounting. Now, the
Financial Report of America, and I believe it was Senator John Glenn
that introduced the legislation, Congress requires the Secretary of the
Treasury to issue this Financial Report of America using accrual-based
accounting. It is this Congress through various laws that require every
business in America with revenues over $5 million to use accrual-based
accounting. They get in a lot of trouble with the IRS if they do not,
and yet our government does not use the accrual accounting method, and
our government certainly is bigger than $5 million in revenue every
year. Our government uses cash-based accounting. And based on cash-
based accounting, the deficit for 2005 was $319 billion.
Maybe the reason this is not widely distributed and not very well
known is because when the Financial Report of America issued by
President Bush's Secretary of the Treasury, as required by law, uses an
accrual-based accounting method, this little document reveals that the
true deficit for 2005 was not $319 billion. It was $760 billion. Lord
knows we are not trying to make it sound any worse than it already is
because at $319 billion it is one of the largest deficits ever in our
Nation's history. It is hard now to believe that we had a balanced
budget in this country from 1998 to 2000, but we did. And yet under
this administration and this Republican-led Congress, we have got the
largest budget deficit ever in our Nation's history for 6 years in a
row, and that is based on the cash-based accounting method. And when
you look at the accrual accounting method, it is much worse.
Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee,
the cochair for policy for the 37-member-strong, fiscally conservative
Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, Mr. Jim Cooper, who discovered this
document. And I yield to him to better explain it to all of us.
Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Arkansas for
yielding and my friend from Georgia for his remarks.
If the gentleman from Arkansas would not mind, I might take that
podium because of the easel next to it, because I brought a chart with
me tonight.
Mr. ROSS. Please do.
Mr. COOPER. I appreciated the gentleman's remarks because he was
exactly on track. There are two basic methods of accounting. One is
simple, it is based on the cash basis. That means when you pay for
something, you have to acknowledge it on the books.
We all know that we live in a credit card economy, and it is easy to
buy things with plastic, and you know that when you sign that little
piece of paper after you put down your credit card, you have
effectively bought it even though you have not paid the bill yet. You
might not pay the bill until the end of the month or the end of the
year, but it is important to acknowledge the fact that you have bought
it when you put down the plastic.
That is essentially what the accounting method that my colleague from
Arkansas was describing does. It is called accrual accounting, A-C-C-R-
U-A-L. Now, it has nothing to do with the word ``cruel.'' It is not a
mean form of accounting. In fact, it is probably the kindest form of
accounting because it remembers our elderly, it remembers our sick, and
our disabled not just when their bills are due, but when their needs
arise. And that is when we should pay attention to our seniors, our
sick, and our disabled.
I brought with me a chart tonight that asks a very simple question.
Here we are in the Congress of the United States. This is the greatest
country in the history of the world. You would think that in a recent
year we would be able to tell you, Mr. Speaker, and tell the American
taxpayer how big our deficit was. Well, there are different ways of
measuring it, and let me list the ways for you tonight.
One is the way that my colleague mentioned, the U.S. budget that the
President talks about so much. I am going to have breakfast at the
White House in the morning with the new OMB Director, Rob Portman, a
former colleague of ours, and I am going to be discussing this with him
in the morning. It will be interesting to see what his reaction is.
Under the OMB approach of cash accounting, the deficit last year was
$319 billion. That was the third highest figure in U.S. history. It is
about 2.6 percent of GDP. So it is huge and worrisome. They claim it is
shrinking, but let me show you these other deficit measures again for
the same year, 2005. If you do not allow us to borrow money from Social
Security, the gross borrowing for the U.S. that year was $494 billion.
So in a sense our true deficit in 2005 was not $319 billion. It was
$494 billion, because I do not know anybody back home who supports our
borrowing from Social Security in order to reduce the appearance of the
size of the deficit.
But here is the number that my colleague from Arkansas mentioned as
well: This is using real accounting, accrual accounting, like all
businesses of any size in America have to use by law. If you apply that
to the U.S. Government, you get a shocking result. The budget deficit
jumps $441 billion to $760 billion using modern accounting. And guess
what. This deficit is not shrinking, as OMB claims. This one seems to
be growing rapidly. And that number equals almost all domestic
discretionary spending in America, defense and nondefense. That is a
huge number. That is a deficit as large as basically all the money that
Congress has any say over during the year because the rest of it is in
entitlement programs and the interest on the national debt.
As bad as that is, look at these other numbers. These are truly scary
numbers because if you believe, as I do, that Social Security is the
most solemn obligation in the United States, you cannot ignore Social
Security. And as good as this document is using modern accounting, it
basically ignores Social Security because it has got a little paragraph
in here on page 12 that says in the section ``Other Responsibilities,''
oh, by the way, the Social Security unfunded liability situation is
trillions of dollars. Well, that needs to be accounted for in the
annual budget deficit, and if you account for it in the annual budget
deficit, it means that the budget deficit in the year 2005 was
basically $1.7 trillion, many times larger than the figure the
administration releases.
But guess what. Not only is Social Security a sacred obligation of
our Nation, so are other programs like Medicare. Medicare takes care of
our elderly and our disabled, and it, too, is a solemn obligation of
our Nation. But it, too, is ignored in this document, ignored in the
annual deficit figure. If you factor that in, the true deficit for the
year 2005 was not $319 billion, was not $494 billion, was not $760
billion, was not $1.7 trillion. It was $2.747 trillion, or $2,747
billion. That is a number so large, it is almost impossible to imagine.
It is literally as large as the entire Federal budget itself.
So if you want to measure the budget deficit accurately, I think you
have to acknowledge there is not just one measure. There is the old-
fashioned cash measure, which can be used, but is unrepresentative of
our true obligations under credit card accounting and under the needs
that we have with Social Security and Medicare. If you used a more
modern accounting, suddenly the deficit looks a lot larger. In fact, if
you include Social Security and Medicare, the deficit is, in fact,
larger than most citizens can imagine.
Very few people know this. It will be interesting tomorrow morning at
breakfast to see whether the new Director of OMB knows this because
these numbers are so large, they literally represent a crisis for our
Nation.
[[Page 5968]]
It is a crisis not only for this generation, but for future
generations, because what a deficit means is it is borrowing money,
oftentimes, as my colleague from Arkansas said, from foreign nations,
and these folks expect to be repaid with interest. And that puts a
terrific debt burden, D-E-B-T, on the backs of our kids and grandkids
as they struggle to pay the interest costs. Pretty soon interest alone
will take up almost $400 billion or $500 billion a year of American
productive capacity. That is a shame because that money could be
invested in roads and schools and future productive opportunities for
our young people. Instead it will be paid in interest to foreign
central bankers. It is the only tax that can never be repealed.
{time} 2215
It is a tax that will not go away until we once again return to the
days of budget surpluses, when we can pay down that debt. But we are a
long way from home right now, because the Nation is on the wrong track.
We are headed in the wrong direction, and we need to acknowledge these
truthful deficit measures so we can better understand our current
plight.
It is important that the American people be informed of all the
facts, not only the President's budget, but also the financial report
of the United States Government which was issued by his own Department
of Treasury, but which they printed so few copies of that they
literally don't want you to see it.
So I would like to yield back my time to my colleagues from Georgia
and from Arkansas. I appreciate your holding these issues up for the
American people so the entire Nation can be involved in the debate. It
is very important, Mr. Speaker, that all the American people see what
is really going on in our great country, because our responsibility in
this generation is to keep our country great.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, one of the points, just to add to
what you are saying to show the real gravity of this situation, is
this: Just the interest, just the interest alone that we are paying
back on this, is the fastest growing part of our budget. Just the
interest. Combined, that interest amounts to more than all of what we
are spending for veterans, for education and for our own homeland
security. The interest just is overwhelming.
Now, I want to make a point, because you brought it home, and as you
were explaining that, the gentleman from Tennessee, I was reminded of a
little history lesson here. If you would look back through history at
all of the great civilizations, great nations, from the Roman Empire to
the British Empire to the Ottoman Empire, they all collapsed from three
important things: Global overreach, diminishing resources at home and
an overwhelming, irresponsible debt in the hands of foreigners.
We are on the verge of handing our country over to foreigners, in our
fiscal area, in our petroleum area and because of a lack of security on
our borders.
I tell you, Mr. Ross, the American people are dialed in on this. They
are concerned about this and they want some leadership. They want
vision. They want our borders secure. They want America to be America.
Why can't we be independent in our resources, if we can make fuel to
run our automobiles from corn? We know we can. Do you know why? Because
the very first automobile manufactured by Henry Ford, the Model T, you
know what it was fueled by? Ethanol made from corn. What more evidence
do we need?
Mr. ROSS. I would say to the gentleman from Georgia, I could not
agree with you more. The point we are making I believe this evening, I
hope this evening, is as long as we have got this massive debt, which
is costing us half a billion dollars a day in interest payments alone,
as long as we continue to borrow $1 billion a day, increasing the $8.3
trillion debt by $1 billion a day, then America's priorities will
continue to go unmet.
We talk about investing in alternative and renewable fuels. The
Potlatch Corporation with their plant in Cypress Bend, Arkansas, in my
congressional district, has been recognized for their efforts in
publications including the Wall Street Journal, I believe.
They have a plan. They have the ability to take the wood, if you
will, the timber, if you will, that is left in the woods that is not
used in a manufacturing process, combine that with what is left on the
sawmill floor, and they can power at least five towns the size of my
hometown of Preston, Arkansas. To invest in that kind of equipment and
technology and to make the thing economically feasible, it is going to
have to be mass produced on a large scale, so they are in search of
money to go forward.
In the energy bill there is money to invest in these types of
alternative and renewable fuels, but because of the massive debt there
is only $150 million. Don't get me wrong, $150 million is a lot of
money to a country boy from Prescott, Arkansas. But my point is this:
To be able to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to make our
Nation more energy self-sufficient, to get this project off the ground
to where it can be mass produced, they need $100 million. There is $150
million for similar type projects for all of America. They need $100
million of it.
My point is we are not investing nearly enough in alternative and
renewable fuels. $150 million is a lot of money, but our Nation is
spending three times that, $500 million every day simply paying
interest on the national debt, when we could be investing in
alternative and renewable fuels to bring down the high energy bills
that are having a negative effect, a horrible impact on America's
working families, America's seniors and America's farm families.
Just look at what interest payments on the debt are doing. The red on
this chart is the net interest that is being paid in billions of
dollars. The blue is how much we spend on education. Yes, we will spend
more money paying interest on the national debt in about 100 days than
we will spend on education in 365. Homeland security is the green bar.
Veterans. I might remind you, we have got a whole new generation of
veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, including my brother-
in-law, who is in the United States Air Force, and my first cousin, who
is in the United States Army.
So look where our priorities lay in this country. Until we can get
our Nation's fiscal house in order, this Republican Congress is going
to continue to spend half a billion dollars a day paying interest on
the national debt, while education and homeland security, keeping
America safe and our veterans, will continue to get the short end of
the stick.
I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is a double-ended stick too,
because we must understand what this means in terms of the President
will say, well, we are borrowing this money, we are making these budget
cuts for tax cuts, so we can give tax cuts to the top 10 percent of
this country, when they are not tax cuts. America needs to understand,
they are not tax cuts. They are deferred tax increases, deferred tax
increases, because somebody has got to pay for that.
It is not fair. I have got two lovely little grandchildren. I love
them to death. I have got two children. That debt is going to be on
them. That is not fair. It is not fair to do that.
Now I need to talk about one other thing so that we will know
clearly, as you spoke on renewable energy programs and as we talk about
this budget, the budget that again we will hopefully not have the votes
for again. But let's talk about it, because you have got to look at the
President's actions and the Republican administration's actions.
Like I said earlier when we first started out, you can't blame the
Democrats. We are not in charge. I hope that the American people will
give us that opportunity this November to be in charge. Then we will be
responsible.
But I guarantee you one thing; we won't point the finger at the
Republicans. We will say, as Harry Truman said, ``The buck stops
here.'' We will
[[Page 5969]]
say, as John Fitzgerald Kennedy said, ``Ask not what your country can
do for you; ask what you can do for your country.'' We will do what
Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, ``The only thing we have to fear is
fear itself.''
That is what the American people are waiting for. They are waiting to
be challenged. They are waiting to be inspired. We don't need our
country run by the Middle East, by Iran, Iraq or Saudi Arabia. We don't
need it run by China or India. That is not what made America great.
America became great because of our own inventiveness. We can become
energy independent. All we have to do is unleash the mighty, free
enterprise spirit within America.
If we know that oil is a diminishing resource, it is foolish for us
to plan the future of this great Nation on a ready supply of oil, when
we know it is running out. We have proven that. We have got to be bold.
We must have vision. We must understand, and we must not be like those
other previous civilizations on whose bleached bones are written those
pathetic words, ``too late.'' Rome moved too late, the Ottoman Empire
moved too late, the Dutch Netherlands moved too late and even Great
Britain moved too late.
Will we move too late, Mr. Ross? I don't think so, because there is
too much can-do spirit in this country. That is what made America what
it is, and that is what is going to take us forward. We have the
leadership, we have the will, we have the vision, and we can be what
the American people want us to be.
Mr. ROSS. The gentleman from Georgia is correct in talking about not
only do we understand what the problem is, record debt, record
deficits, but we also have a solution to the problem.
As members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog
Coalition, all 37 of us, we have a 12-point plan for meaningful budget
reform. These are not rocket science ideas; they are common sense
ideas.
One of them is promoting accountability within our government. I have
talked about this before, and I am going to continue to talk about it,
because I continue to have these manufactured homes located in my
congressional district.
FEMA has this so-called FEMA staging area at the Hope Airport in
Hope, Arkansas, and the idea was that manufactured homes, 14 and 16
foot wide, 60 foot long, and they are fully furnished, they would come
and go. Hope is 450 miles from the eye of Hurricane Katrina.
Well, they all came, and none of them ever went. As a result, at one
time we had 10,477 brand new, fully-furnished manufactured homes
sitting at the airport in Hope, Arkansas. They were going to use these
old World War II era runways, taxiways and tarmacs, and you can see
that is what they did with some of them. Then they started to have to
use pasture land.
Here is a better shot. When I say pasture land or hay meadow, you get
the idea what I am talking about. Here are these mobile homes sitting
there on the grass.
So when I started getting on them and raising this issue back in
December, I thought FEMA would get these homes to the people who lost
their home and everything they owned in places like Mississippi and
Louisiana. But instead, FEMA's response to this is they are now
spending $4.3 million laying gravel on this pasture to keep the
manufactured homes from sinking, instead of getting the homes to the
people that need them.
They claim they won't locate them in Louisiana and Mississippi in
flood plains. Why didn't FEMA think about that before they went out and
spent nearly $1 billion on these mobile homes? FEMA says it is okay to
put tents in flood plains, it is okay to put almost 80 million camper
trailers in flood plains, but, no, not mobile homes, not even
temporarily for 18 months. So people continue to live in hotel rooms,
they continue to live in tents, they continue to live in campers across
Louisiana and Mississippi.
You would have thought that FEMA would have figured this thing out
since last August when Hurricane Katrina hit. Unfortunately, we had a
horrible tornado come through Arkansas and Tennessee, numerous
tornadoes, I might add, which literally destroyed the community of
Marmaduke, Arkansas. It took a number of Congressmen, a number of
Senators, a Governor and I don't know who all else two weeks to get
FEMA to move 25 of these 10,477 mobile homes from Hope, Arkansas, to
Marmaduke, Arkansas.
We come to find out they have simply moved them to a so-called FEMA
staging area at Marmaduke, and are telling those homeless it might take
30 days to process their paperwork to see if they can get one of these
homes.
This is a symbol of what is wrong with this administration, this
Republican Congress and their Federal Emergency Management Agency. I
will continue to raise this issue and continue to give you an update,
Mr. Speaker, as long as we have got a single home sitting at the
airport at Hope, Arkansas, while people remain homeless from these
horrible natural disasters.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, the current update as I understand it is we now
as of tonight have 10,112 manufactured homes sitting there at the
airport in Hope, Arkansas. This is an example of the lack of
accountability within our government, the kind of accountability that
we need if we are going to get our Nation's fiscal house in order.
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Ross, you cannot help but feel compassion
for the American people. They deserve much better than this, with
Katrina, the natural disasters that are happening and the lack of
response of FEMA. You talk about FEMA. I had a similar problem in my
own district, where we had literally thousands of trailers sitting
right there on the campus of Ft. Gillem.
{time} 2230
Weeks, weeks, weeks went by, not going down into the Louisiana area.
Lack of coordination, lack of proper direction.
The American people deserve much better than this, and we are going
to give them much better. We have got to change the direction of this
country. It is implicit in the debt that we are having. It is implicit
in the response and the concerns with the rising gas prices. It is
implicit in what is happening with the depletion of our military and
our armed services, in the service of Iraq and Afghanistan. It is
implicit in the situation with the Dubai Ports deal, even to think that
they would turn over the security of this country to a company owned by
a country who was only one of three countries to recognize the Taliban
as the authority, ruler, in Afghanistan, while we have got our young
men and women dying and fighting the Taliban. A tremendous disconnect.
And it is obvious it is there. As I said at the outset, we are here
to be sojourners of truth. And we are sojourners of truth here tonight.
Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Georgia, the gentleman from
Tennessee for joining me this evening as we discuss this huge issue,
this debt, and deficit facing our country, as we do every Tuesday
night.
We began the hour with a debt, $8,353,429,193,726 and some change.
Just in the last hour since we have been discussing the debt and the
deficit and what it means to America and how America's priorities are
not getting funded because of it, how our veterans are not being taken
care of, our school children are not being taken care of, our Nation is
not nearly as safe as it should be because of America's priorities
cannot be met as long as we do not have our fiscal house in order.
But during this hour that we have stood here talking about this, this
administration, this Republican Congress has increased the national
debt to the tune of about $41 million. In fact, this is no longer the
national debt. The debt now is $8,353,470,859,833. Just in the hour we
have been here, our national debt increased by more than $41 million.
It now stands at $8,353,470,859,833 and some change. It is time for
this Nation to get its fiscal house in order. Forty-nine States are
required to have a balanced budget. As members of the fiscally
conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, we believe our Nation
[[Page 5970]]
should have a balanced budget. Small businesses are required to have a
balanced budget. And America's working families and seniors and farm
families are required to have a balanced budget.
It is time for America to have a balanced budget. Madam Speaker, as
members of the 37 Member strong, fiscally conservative Democratic Blue
Dog Coalition, we will continue this dialogue and this debate on the
House floor every Tuesday night until we have an administration and a
Congress that will get our Nation's fiscal house in order.
With that, Madam Speaker, if you have any questions for us, in the
time remaining, I would encourage you, Madam Speaker, if you have
questions or comments or concerns, I would encourage you, Madam
Speaker, to e-mail us at [email protected]. That is
[email protected].
____________________
GOLD AND THE U.S. DOLLAR
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul) is
recognized for half the remaining time until midnight.
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, the financial press and even the network
news shows have begun reporting the price of gold regularly.
For 20 years, between 1980 and 2000, the price of gold was rarely
mentioned. There was little interest, and the price was either falling
or remaining steady. Since 2001, however, interest in gold has soared
along with its price.
With the price now over $600 an ounce, a lot more people are becoming
interested in gold as an investment and an economic indicator. Much can
be learned by understanding what the rising dollar price of gold means.
The rise in gold prices, from $250 per ounce in 2001 to over $600
today has drawn investors and speculators into precious metals markets.
Though many already have made handsome profits, buying gold, per se,
should not be touted as a good investment. After all, gold earns no
interest, and its quality never changes. It is static and does not grow
as sound investments should.
It is more accurate to say that one might invest in a gold or silver
mining company, where management, labor costs, and the nature of new
discoveries all play a vital role in determining the quality of the
investment and the profits made.
Buying gold and holding it is somewhat analogous to converting one's
saving into $100 bills and hiding them under the mattress, yet not
exactly the same. Both gold and dollars are considered money, and
holding money does not qualify as an investment. There is a big
difference between the two, however, since by holding paper money, one
loses purchasing power. The purchasing power of commodity money, that
is gold, however, goes up if the government devalues the circulating
paper currency.
Holding gold is protection or insurance against government's
proclivity to debase the currency. The purchasing power of gold goes up
not because it is a so-called good investment. It goes up in value only
because the paper currency goes down in value. In our current
situation, that means the dollar.
One of the characteristics of commodity money, one that originated
naturally in the marketplace, is that it must serve as a store of
value. Gold and silver meet the test; paper does not. Because of this
profound difference, the incentive and wisdom of holding emergency
funds in the form of gold becomes attractive when the official currency
is being devalued. It is more attractive than trying to save wealth in
the form of a fiat currency, even when earning some nominal interest.
The lack of earned interest on gold is not a problem once people
realize the purchasing power of their currency is declining faster than
the interest rates they might earn. The purchasing power of gold can
rise even faster than increases in the cost of living.
The point is that most who buy gold do so to protect against the
depreciating currency, rather than as an investment in the classical
sense. Americans understand this less than citizens of other countries.
Some nations have suffered from severe monetary inflation that
literally led to the destruction of their national currency.
Though our inflation, that is the depreciation of the U.S. dollar,
has been insidious, average Americans are unaware of how this occurs.
For instance, few Americans know nor seem concerned that the 1913 pre-
Federal Reserve dollar is now worth only 4 cents. Officially, our
central bankers and our politicians express no fear that the course on
which we are set is fraught with great danger to our economy and to our
political system.
The belief that money created out of thin air can work economic
miracles if only properly managed is pervasive in the District of
Columbia. In many ways, we should not be surprised about this trust in
such an unsound system. For at least four generations our government-
run universities have systematically preached a monetary doctrine
justifying the so-called wisdom of paper money over the foolishness of
sound money.
Not only that, paper money has worked surprisingly well in the past
35 years, the years the world has accepted pure paper money as
currency. Alan Greenspan bragged that central bankers in these decades
have gained the knowledge necessary to make paper money respond as if
it were gold.
This, they argue, removes the problem of obtaining gold to back the
currency and hence frees the politician from the rigid discipline a
gold standard imposes. Many central bankers in the last 15 years became
so confident they had achieved this milestone that they sold off large
hordes of their gold reserves. At other times they tried to prove that
paper works better than gold by artificially propping up the dollar by
suppressing the market price of gold.
This recent deception failed just as it did in the 1960s when our
government tried to hold gold artificially low at $35 an ounce. But
since they could not truly repeal the economic laws regarding money,
just as many central bankers sold, others bought. It is fascinating
that the European central banks sold gold while the Asian central banks
bought it over the last several years.
Since gold has proven to be the real money of the ages, we see once
again a shift in wealth from the West to the East, just as we saw a
loss of our industrial base in the same direction.
Though Treasury officials deny any U.S. sales or loans of our
official gold holdings, no audits are permitted, so no one can be
certain. The special nature of the dollar as the reserve currency of
the world has allowed this gain to last longer than it would have
otherwise.
But the fact that gold has gone from $250 an ounce to over $600 an
ounce means there is concern about the future of the dollar. The higher
the price of gold the greater the concern for the dollar. But instead
of dwelling on the dollar price of gold, we should be talking about the
depreciation of the dollar.
In 1934, a dollar was worth one-twentieth of an ounce of gold. $20 to
buy one ounce. Today a dollar is worth one-six-hundredth of an ounce,
meaning it takes $600 to buy one once of gold.
The number of dollars created by the Federal Reserve and through the
fractional reserve banking system is crucial in determining how the
market assesses the relationship of the dollar and gold.
Though there is a strong correlation, it is not instantaneous or
perfectly predictable. There are many variables to consider. But in the
long term, the dollar price of gold represents past inflation of the
money supply. Equally important, it represents the anticipation of how
much new money will be created in the future.
This introduces the factor of trust and confidence in our monetary
authorities and our politicians, and these days the American people are
casting a vote of no confidence in this regard and for good reasons.
The incentive for central bankers to create new money out of thin air
is two-fold. One is to practice central planning through the
manipulation of
[[Page 5971]]
interest rates. The second is to monetize the escalated Federal debt
politicians create and thrive on.
Today, no one in Washington believes for a minute that runaway
deficits are going to be curtailed. In March alone, the Federal
Government created a historic $85 billion deficit. The current
supplemental bill going through Congress has grown from $92 billion to
over $106 billion, and everyone knows it will not draw President Bush's
first veto.
Most knowledgeable people therefore assume that inflation of the
money supply is not only going to continue, but accelerate. This
anticipation, plus the fact that many new dollars have been created
over the past 15 years that have not yet been fully discounted,
guarantees the future depreciation of the dollar in terms of gold.
{time} 2245
There is no single measurement that reveals what the Fed has done in
the recent past or tells us exactly what it is about to do in the
future. Forget about the lip service given to transparency by the new
Fed Chairman Bernanke. Not only is this administration one of the most
secretive across the board in our history, the current Fed firmly
supports denying the most important measurement of current monetary
policy to Congress, the financial community and the American public.
Because of a lack of interest and poor understanding of monetary
policy, Congress has expressed essentially no concern about the
significant change in reporting statistics on the money supply.
Beginning in March, though planned before Bernanke arrived at the Fed,
the central bank discontinued compiling and reporting monetary
aggregates known as M3. M3 is the best description of how quickly the
Fed is creating new money and credit. Common sense tells us that a
government central bank creating new money out of thin air depreciates
the value of each dollar in circulation. Yet this report is no longer
available to us, and Congress makes no demands to receive it.
Though M3 is the most helpful statistic to track Fed activity, it by
no means tells us everything we need to know about trends in monetary
policy. Total bank credit, still available to us, gives us indirect
information reflecting the Fed's inflationary policies. But ultimately
the markets will figure out exactly what the Fed is up to, and then
individuals, financial institutions, governments and other central
bankers will act accordingly.
The fact that our money supply is rising significantly cannot be
hidden from the markets. The response in time will drive the dollar
down while driving interest rates and commodity prices up.
Already we see this trend developing, which surely will accelerate in
the not-too-distant future. Part of this reaction will be from those
who seek a haven to protect their wealth, not invest, by treating gold
and silver as universal and historic money. This means holding fewer
dollars that are decreasing in value while holding gold as it increases
in value.
A soaring gold price is a vote of no confidence in the central bank
and the dollar. This certainly was the case in 1979 and 1980. Today
gold prices reflect a growing restlessness with the increasing money
supply, our budgetary and trade deficits, our unfunded liabilities, and
the inability of this Congress and the administration to rein in
runaway spending.
Denying us statistical information, manipulating interest rates, and
artificially trying to keep gold prices in check won't help in the long
run. If the markets are fooled only on the short term, it only means
the adjustments will be much more dramatic later on, and in the
meantime other market imbalances develop.
The Fed tries to keep the consumer spending spree going, not through
hard work and savings, but by creating artificial wealth in stock
market bubbles and housing bubbles. When these distortions run these
courses and are discovered, the corrections will be quite painful as
was witnessed with the collapse of the NASDAQ bubble. Likewise a fiat
monetary system encourages speculation and unsound borrowing.
As problems develop, scapegoats are sought and frequently found in
foreign nations. This prompts many to demand altering exchange rates
and protectionist measures. The sentiment for this type of solution is
growing each day. Though everyone decries inflation, trade imbalances,
economic downturns and Federal deficits, few attempt a closer study of
our monetary system and how these events are interconnected.
Even if it were recognized that a gold standard without monetary
inflation would be advantageous, few in Washington would accept the
political disadvantages of living with the discipline of gold since it
serves as a check on government size and power. This is a sad
commentary on the politics of today.
The best analogy to our affinity for government spending, borrowing
and inflating is that of a drug addict who knows if he doesn't quit, he
will die, yet he can't quit because of the heavy price required to
overcome the dependency.
The right choice is very difficult, but remaining addicted to drugs
guarantees the death of the patient, while our addiction to deficit
spending, debt and inflation guarantees the collapse of our economy.
Special interest groups, who vigorously compete for Federal dollars,
want to perpetuate the system rather than admit to a dangerous
addiction. Those who champion welfare for the poor, entitlements for
the middle class or war contracts for the military industrial complex
all agree on the so-called benefits bestowed by the Fed's power to
counterfeit fiat money.
Bankers who benefit from our fractional reserve system likewise never
criticize the Fed, especially since it is the lender of last resort
that bails out financial institutions when crises arise. It is true,
special interest and bankers do benefit from the Fed and may well get
bailed out, just as we saw with the long-term capital management fund
crisis a few years ago.
In the past, companies like Lockheed and Chrysler benefited as well.
But what the Fed cannot do is guarantee the market will maintain trust
in the worthiness of the dollar. Current policy guarantees that the
integrity of the dollar will be undermined. Exactly when this will
occur, and the extent of the resulting damage to the financial system,
cannot be known for sure, but it is coming. There are plenty of
indications already on the horizon.
Foreign policy plays a significant role in the economy and the value
of the dollar. A foreign policy of militarism and empire building
cannot be supported through direct taxation. The American people would
never tolerate the taxes required to pay immediately for overseas wars
under the discipline of a gold standard. Borrowing and creating new
money is much more politically palatable. It hides and delays the real
costs of the war. The people are lulled into complacency, especially
since the wars we fight are couched in terms of patriotism, spreading
the ideas of freedom and stamping out terrorism. Unnecessary wars and
fiat currencies go hand in hand, while a gold standard encourages a
sensible foreign policy.
The cost of war is enormously detrimental. It significantly
contributes to the economic instability of the Nation by boosting
spending, deficits and inflation. Funds used for war are funds that
could have remained in the productive economy to raise the standard of
living of Americans now unemployed, underemployed or barely living on
the margin.
Yet even these costs may be preferable to paying for war with huge
tax increases. This is because although fiat dollars are theoretically
worthless, value is imbued by the trust placed in them by the world's
financial community. Subjective trust in a currency can override
objective knowledge about government policies, but only for a limited
time.
Economic strength and military power contributes to the trust in a
currency. In today's world trust in the U.S. dollar is not earned, and,
therefore, fragile. The history of the dollar, being as good as gold up
until 1971, is
[[Page 5972]]
helpful in maintaining an artificially higher value for the dollar than
deserved.
Foreign policy contributes to the crisis when the spending to
maintain our worldwide military commitments become prohibitive, and
inflationary pressures accelerate. But the real crisis hits when the
world realizes the king has no clothes in that the dollar has no
backing, and we face a military setback even greater than we already
are experiencing in Iraq. Our token friends may quickly transform into
vocal enemies once the attack on the dollar begins.
False trust placed in the dollar once was helpful to us, but panic
and rejection of the dollar will develop into a real financial crisis.
Then we will have no other option but to tighten our belts, go back to
work, stop borrowing, start saving, and rebuild our industrial base
while adjusting to a lower standard of living for most Americans.
Counterfeiting the Nation's money is a serious offense.
The Founders were especially adamant about avoiding the chaos,
inflation and destruction associated with the continental dollar. That
is why the Constitution is clear that only gold and silver should be
legal tender in the United States. In 1792, the Coinage Act also
authorized the death penalty for any private citizen who counterfeited
the currency. Too bad they weren't explicit that counterfeiting by
government officials is just as detrimental to the economy and the
value of the dollar.
In wartime many nations actually operated counterfeiting programs to
undermine the dollar, but never to a disastrous level. The enemy knew
how harmful excessive creation of new money could be to the dollar and
our economy. But it seems we never learned the dangers of creating new
money out of thin air. We don't need an Arab nation or the Chinese to
undermine our system with a counterfeiting operation. We do it to
ourselves with the all the disadvantages that would occur if others did
it to us.
Today we hear threats from some Arab, Muslim and some Far Eastern
countries about undermining the dollar system not by dishonest
counterfeiting, but by initiating an alternative monetary system based
on gold. Wouldn't that be ironic? Such an event theoretically could do
great harm to us. This day may well come not so much as a direct
political attack on the dollar system, but out of necessity to restore
confidence in money once again.
Historically paper money never has lasted for long periods of time,
while gold has survived thousands of years of attacks by political
interests and big government. In time the world once again will restore
trust in the monetary system by making some currency as good as gold.
Gold or any acceptable market commodity money is required to preserve
liberty. Monopoly control by government of a system that creates fiat
money out of thin air guarantees the loss of liberty. No matter how
well intended our militarism is portrayed or how happily the promises
of wonderful programs for the poor are promoted, inflating the money
supply to pay these bills makes government bigger.
Empires always fail, and expenses always exceed projections. Harmful
unintended consequences are the rule, not the exception. Welfare for
the poor is inefficient and wasteful. The beneficiaries are rarely the
poor themselves, but, instead, the politicians, the bureaucrats or the
wealthy. The same is true of all foreign aid. It is nothing more than a
program that steals from the poor in a rich country and gives to the
rich leaders of a poorer country.
Whether it is war or welfare payments, it always means higher taxes,
inflation and debt. Whether it is the extraction of wealth from the
productive economy, the distortion of the market by interest rate
manipulation or spending for war and welfare, it can't happen without
infringing upon personal liberty.
At home the war on poverty, terrorism, drugs or foreign rulers
provide an opportunity for authoritarians to rise to power, individuals
who think nothing of violating the people's rights to privacy and
freedom of speech. They believe their role is to protect the secrecy of
government rather than protect the privacy of citizens.
Unfortunately, that is the atmosphere under which we live today with
essentially no respect for the Bill of Rights. Though great economic
harm comes from a government monopoly, fiat monetary system, the loss
of liberty associated with it is equally troubling.
Just as empires are self-limiting in terms of money and manpower, so,
too, is a monetary system based on illusion and fraud.
When the end comes, we will be given an opportunity to choose once
again between honest money and liberty on one hand, chaos, poverty and
authoritarianism on the other. The economic harm done by a fiat
monetary system is pervasive, dangerous and unfair.
Though runaway inflation is injurious to almost everyone, it is more
insidious for certain groups. Once inflation is recognized as a tax, it
becomes clear that tax is regressive in nature, penalizing the poor and
the middle class more than the rich and the politically privileged.
Price inflation, a consequence of inflating the money supply by the
central bank, hits poor and marginal workers first and foremost. It
especially penalizes savers, retirees, those on fixed incomes, and
anyone who trusts government promises.
{time} 2300
Small businesses and individual enterprises suffer more than the
financial elite, who borrow large sums before the money loses value.
Those who are on the receiving end of government contracts, especially
in the military industrial complex during wartime, receive undeserved
benefits.
It is a mistake to blame high gasoline and oil prices on price
gouging. If we impose new taxes or fix prices while ignoring monetary
inflation, corporate subsidies and excessive regulations, shortages
will result. The market is the only way to determine the best price for
any commodity. The law of supply and demand cannot be repealed. The
real problems arise when government planners give subsidies to energy
companies and favor one form of energy over another.
Energy prices are rising for many reasons: inflation, increased
demand from China and India, decreased supply resulting from our
invasion into Iraq, anticipated disruption of supplies as we push
regime change in Iran, regulatory restrictions on gasoline production,
government interference in the free market development of alternative
fuels, and subsidies to Big Oil, such as free leases and grants for
research and development.
Interestingly, the cost of oil and gas is actually much higher than
we pay at the retail level. Much of the DOD budget is spent protecting
``our'' oil supplies; and if such spending is factored in, gasoline
probably costs us more than $5 a gallon. The sad irony is that the
military efforts to secure cheap oil supplies inevitably backfire and
actually curtail supplies and boost prices at the pump. The waste and
fraud in issuing contracts to large corporations for work in Iraq only
adds to price increases.
When problems arise under conditions that exist today, it is a
serious error to blame the little bit of the free market that still
functions. Last summer, the market worked efficiently after Katrina.
Gasoline hit $3 a gallon, but soon supplies increased, usage went down,
and the price returned to $2. In the 1980s, market forces took oil from
$40 a barrel down to $10 a barrel, and no one cried for the oil
companies that went bankrupt. Today's increases are for the reasons
mentioned above. It is natural for labor to seek its highest wage and
businesses to strive for the greatest profits. That is the way the
market works. When the free market is allowed to work, it is the
consumer who ultimately determines price and quality, with labor and
businesses accommodating consumer choices. Once this process is
distorted by government, prices rise excessively, labor costs and
profits are negatively affected, and problems emerge.
Instead of fixing the problem, politicians and demagogues respond by
demanding windfall profits taxes and
[[Page 5973]]
price controls, while never questioning how previous government
interference caused the whole mess in the first place. Never let it be
said that high oil prices and profits cause inflation. Inflation of the
money supply causes higher prices.
Since keeping interest rates below market levels is synonymous with
new money creation by the Fed, the resulting business cycle, higher
cost of living and job losses all can be laid at the doorstep of the
Fed. This burden hits the poor the most, making Fed taxation by
inflation the worst of all regressive taxes. Statistics about revenues
generated by the income tax are grossly misleading. In reality, much
harm is done by our welfare-warfare system supposedly designed to help
the poor and tax the rich. Only sound money can rectify the blatant
injustice of this destructive system.
The Founders understood this great danger and voted overwhelmingly to
reject ``emitting bills of credit,'' the term they used for paper money
or fiat currency. It is too bad the knowledge and advice of our
Founders and their mandate in the Constitution are ignored, and it is
ignored at great peril. The current surge in gold prices, which
reflects our dollar's devaluation, is warning us to pay closer
attention to our fiscal, monetary, entitlement, and foreign policy.
A recent headline in the financial press announced that gold prices
surged over concern that confrontation with Iran will further push oil
prices higher. This may well reflect the current situation, but higher
gold prices mainly reflect monetary expansion by the Federal Reserve.
Dwelling on current events and their effect on gold prices reflects
concern for symptoms rather than an understanding of the actual cause
of these price increases. Without an enormous increase in the money
supply over the past 35 years and a worldwide paper monetary system,
this increase in the price of gold would not have occurred.
Certainly geopolitical events in the Middle East under a gold
standard would not alter its price, though they could affect the supply
of oil and cause oil prices to rise. Only under conditions created by
excessive paper money would one expect all or most prices to rise. This
is a mere reflection of the devaluation of the dollar.
Here are a few particular things that we should remember: if one
endorses small government and maximum liberty, one must support
commodity money.
One of the strongest restraints against unnecessary war is a gold
standard.
Deficit financing by government is severely restricted by sound
money.
The harmful effects of the business cycle are virtually eliminated
with an honest gold standard.
Saving and thrift are encouraged by gold standard and discouraged by
paper money.
Price inflation, with generally rising price levels, is
characteristic of paper money. Reports that the Consumer Price Index
and the Producer Price Index are rising are distractions. The real
cause of inflation is the Fed's creation of new money.
Interest rate manipulation by central banks helps the rich, the
banks, the government, and the politicians.
Paper money permits the regressive inflation tax to be passed off on
the poor and the middle class.
Speculative financial bubbles are characteristic of paper money, not
gold.
Paper money encourages economic and political chaos, which
subsequently causes a search for scapegoats rather than blaming the
central bank.
Dangerous protectionist measures frequently are implemented to
compensate for the dislocations caused by paper money.
Paper money, inflation, and the conditions they create contribute to
the problems of illegal immigration.
The value of gold is remarkably stable.
The dollar price of gold reflects dollar depreciation.
Holding gold helps preserve and store wealth; but technically, gold
is not a true investment.
Since 2001, the dollar has been devalued by over 60 percent. In 1934,
FDR devalued the dollar by 41 percent. In 1971, Nixon devalued the
dollar by 7.9 percent. In 1973, Nixon devalued the dollar by 10
percent.
These were momentous monetary events, and every knowledgeable person
worldwide paid close attention. Major changes were endured in 1979 and
1980 to save the dollar from disintegration. This involved a severe
recession, interest rates over 21 percent, and general price inflation
of 15 percent.
Today, we face a 60 percent devaluation and counting, yet no one
seems to care. It is of greater significance than the three events
mentioned above, and yet the one measurement that best reflects the
degree of inflation, the Fed and our government denies us. Since March,
M3 reporting has been discontinued. For starters, I would like to see
Congress demand that this report be resumed. I fully believe the
American people and Congress are entitled to this information.
Will we one day complain about false intelligence, as we have with
the Iraq war? Will we complain about not having enough information to
address monetary policy after it is too late?
If ever there was a time to get a handle on what sound money is and
what it means, that time is today. Inflation, as exposed by high gold
prices, transfers wealth from the middle class to the rich, as real
wages decline while the salaries of CEOs, movie stars, and athletes
skyrocket, along with the profits of the military industrial complex,
the oil industry, and other special interests.
A sharply rising gold price is a vote of no confidence in the
Congress' ability to control the budget, the Fed's ability to control
the money supply, and the administration's ability to bring stability
to the Middle East.
Ultimately, the gold price is a measurement of trust in the currency
and the politicians who run the country. It has been that way for a
long time, and it is not about to change.
If we care about the financial system, the tax system, and the
monumental debt we are accumulating, we must start talking about the
benefits and discipline that come only with a commodity standard of
money: money the government and central banks absolutely cannot create
out of thin air.
Economic law dictates reform at some point, but should we wait until
the dollar is \1/1000\ of an ounce of gold or \1/2000\ of an ounce of
gold? The longer we wait, the more people will suffer and the more
difficult reforms become. Runaway inflation inevitably leads to
political chaos, something numerous countries have suffered throughout
the 20th century. The worst example, of course, was the German
inflation of the 1920s that led to the rise of Hitler.
{time} 2310
Even the Communist takeover of China was associated with runaway
inflation brought on by the Chinese nationalists.
The time for action is now, and it is up to the American people and
the U.S. Congress to demand it.
____________________
30-SOMETHING WORKING GROUP
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Under the Speaker's announced
policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) is
recognized for the remaining time until midnight.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, it is an honor to address the
House once again. The 30-something Working Group, we come to the floor
to share with the American people some of the issues that are going on
here in the Capitol dome, and hopefully bring about solutions that they
can all feel good about, and hopefully we can work in a bipartisan way.
We want to thank the Democratic leadership for allowing us to have
this hour on the floor: The Democratic Leader, Ms. Nancy Pelosi; and
Mr. Hoyer, our Democratic whip; and also our Democratic caucus chair
Mr. Clyburn; and also the vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus Mr.
Larson.
We have been on break for about 2 weeks. It seems like the American
people have taken a deep breath to really
[[Page 5974]]
take a step back and look at the way this government is being operated.
It is almost self-explanatory.
I am so glad Ms. Wasserman Schultz from the State of Florida is here.
We served together as public policymakers for more than a decade, and I
think it is important that we look at this time in the history of our
country, at how our government is functioning at this particular time,
and we point out how it can be different. I think it is important that
we continue to hammer on that.
With that, I would like to welcome my good friend here tonight as we
are going to hold down this 30-something special hour. We know that Mr.
Ryan is not going to be with us tonight, and I do not believe Mr.
Delahunt is going to be with us tonight.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, I, too, want to express my
thanks to the Democratic leader and the Democratic whip.
Wow, the 2 weeks we had at home, I am sure that you experienced just
like I did, I went home and heard an earful from folks in my district
who just really are at the end of their rope. They are fed up. They are
sick and tired of being sick and tired. I think one woman said it best.
She has just reached the end of her last nerve, whether it is the
culture of corruption and the daily revelation that comes out of this
capital with either an indictment or an accusation or an ethical cloud
or an example of cronyism, or just one more example of the incompetence
that has really permeated government as led by the Republican
leadership.
People are sick of it. They really are. They are sick of the gas
prices. They are sick of the issues coming up again repeatedly and not
being dealt with and not being addressed and their concerns not being
addressed until it becomes such an immense political issue that the
Republican leadership realizes it is unavoidable. They are over it, and
I can understand why they are over it.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I just want to share with the
gentlewoman that it is sad because we have had an opportunity to come
to this floor and talk about the issues that are facing this country
and that will face this country based on the legislation that the
Republican majority has pushed through that the Bush White House
wanted, that the majority in the Senate wanted that happened to be
Republican. We talked about these things. We stood out as Democrats on
the floor to try to come up with alternative fuels. We tried to get
questions answered as it relates to the war in Iraq.
Now we have eight, nine, and if we continue to count, it will be in
double digits, not just individuals within the military, but we are
talking about generals, flag officers saying on behalf of their country
we have to make a change.
Tonight, Madam Speaker, just like when we last year and the year
before that talked about the K Street Project, which was a project, and
I am so glad we are joined by Mr. Delahunt. I take back my words. I did
not think you were going to be with us tonight. As usual, you came
through.
Mr. DELAHUNT. This was a test.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. We talked about the K Street Project and special
influence here in this House of Representatives. We talked about how
certain lobbyists could not go into certain offices of Members of the
majority. This came out of the mouths of Members if they were not a
part of this activity. And then later after a lobbyist admitted, and,
hey, you do not even have to call a jury, we do not have to call a
trial. He admits, I admit I am wrong, I was a part of this operation
here in Washington, DC. It was encouraged by Members of Congress. Then
all of a sudden the majority comes out and says, we denounce this. It
is wrong. It will no longer be tolerated on Capitol Hill.
It sounds like what we are hearing now. We are hearing the President
respond to, Mr. President, can you talk about the oil prices?
The President says, America is addicted to oil.
We have to chuckle about it because it is so in the face of the
American people.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. It is insulting. In January, the three of us,
along with our colleagues, sat in this Chamber and listened to the
President deliver the State of the Union and the line he had in the
State of the Union about America's addiction to oil and that we needed
to end it. You know, it is insulting. It is insulting on so many
levels.
Number one, it is insulting that just last year, and I have made this
reference before. I have only been here 14 months now, and in the last
14 months just while I was here, we have voted on two different energy
bills that gave away the store to the energy companies, to the oil
companies.
So it was just so obnoxious when in the President's State of the
Union he is talking about us, the United States, needing to end,
Americans needing to end our addiction to oil. Where have his proposals
been? Where has his agenda been? Suddenly today or yesterday he comes
up with his five points that we need to move on to address the energy
crisis that we are in? I mean, give me a break.
The American people understand when their leaders are genuine and
when they are scrambling because politically they know there is no
other choice.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I was listening to the President today,
and I thought it was interesting that for the first time that I can
remember, this President indicated that maybe it was time to take away
those tax breaks for big oil. I mean, that is just a desperate response
to falling polling numbers, because those tax breaks and subsidies for
big oil, Madam Speaker, were the product of his energy policy combined
with the rubber-stamp Republican Congress that has run this country for
the last 6 years.
{time} 2320
Whose policy is it, Madam Speaker? It is not a Democratic policy that
is responsible for a gallon of gas going from $1.45 on January 20,
2001, to $2.91 today.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. This is something that I think the Members who
are hearing us should really be able to see while we are talking about
it. And following, I mean, the comparison on the heels of what we have
just been talking about with two pieces of Republican-led energy
legislation giving away the store last year to the oil companies,
forgiving taxes, allowing for drilling rights tax free, with taxes
being forgiven. In the time that President Bush has been in office,
when he took office January 20 of 2001, gas prices, Americans paid
$1.45 a gallon. Now, fast forward to today, and we now pay an average
price of $2.91 a gallon. Now, in 5 years, a little more than 5 years.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. I know, Mr. Delahunt and Ms. Wasserman Schultz,
that the American people see this and say wait a minute, they must have
a typo on this. It is like $3.06 last I saw. But this is on average. I
just want to make sure because, Madam Speaker, I think it is important.
I am glad you are spelling this out, and I am glad you have this chart
because we want to make sure the Republican majority knows exactly what
their policies have brought on the American people, Democrat and
Republican. I'm sorry, Ms. Wasserman Schultz.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. That is okay. So people understand what we are
talking about, those two bills last year cost taxpayers more than $12
billion, with a B, billion dollars in giveaways to big oil companies.
That was in the legislation where essentially taxes they were required
to pay they did not have to pay because those pieces of legislation
forgave those taxes
Mr. DELAHUNT. If the gentlewoman would just yield for a minute.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I would be glad to yield.
Mr. DELAHUNT. I think it is important to review that for every year
that this House of Representatives has been controlled by the
Republican majority, during the summer months, from April 1 to
September 30, the price of gasoline has dramatically escalated.
Mr. Meek, in 2002, if you went to your local gas station, you paid
$1.39. The majority, in 2002, in this House of Representatives, Madam
Speaker, was Republican.
[[Page 5975]]
In 2003, Madam Speaker, the majority in this House was Republican.
And if you examine that chart, there was about another 20 cent plus-up
for a gallon of gas.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Delahunt, can I ask you a question?
Mr. DELAHUNT. Of course.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. In the evolution of gas prices that you have
on that chart, 2002, $1.39; 2003, $1.57; and $1.90 in 2004; $2.37 in
2005; and now an average of $2.91 in 2006, in between that time,
because I have not been in Congress all those years, and you have, have
the Republicans who have controlled Congress all of this time, and
President Bush who has been President all of this time, have they put
forward any proposals to fund, significantly fund, alternative energy
sources? Has there been anything that has been initiated by the
Republican leadership here, by this White House maybe that I didn't see
since I was still in the State legislature to fend this off, to make it
less likely that the situation we are in now we wouldn't find ourselves
in? Because the President did say in his remarks and commentary in the
last several days about what control he did or didn't have over gas
prices, that he really wasn't able to control market forces. I mean, I
heard him say that.
Well, no, he probably can't control market forces, but there are
certainly things that they could have put forward. But I haven't seen
it. Did they?
Mr. DELAHUNT. Well, they did, but it didn't help. What they did is
they put forth a welfare program for Big Oil. I mean, that is truly
what they did.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. What do you mean by a welfare program for Big
Oil?
Mr. DELAHUNT. Well, how about $16 billion worth of subsidies for Big
Oil? And this, of course, this is not for poor folk, because the big
oil companies, Madam Speaker, they are doing remarkably well in this
country. They are showing profits that only can be described as
embarrassing in a free enterprise system.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Should we illuminate that a little bit?
Mr. DELAHUNT. I yield to my friend.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Some people might be concerned about our
commentary here and you referring to profits as being obscene, because,
obviously, in a capitalistic society we understand and think profit is
a good thing. So I think it is important that people understand what we
mean. While giving away the store, while giving away $12 billion in tax
breaks.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Sixteen billion all together.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Sixteen billion all together. Forgive me.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Subsidies and tax breaks. Let's just call it welfare
for Big Oil.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Right, the oil welfare that we have given
away.
Mr. DELAHUNT. That is the oil welfare program.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. My experience with tax breaks as a State
legislator and now a Member of Congress is that you generally give
those kinds of breaks to help a business get back on its feet, thrive,
to maybe bridge them through a difficult time. In 2002, the oil
companies made a combined profit of $34 billion. In 2003 it was $59
billion.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Could I interrupt for a minute?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Yes.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Could I ask my friend from Florida just to repeat that.
$34 billion, and that was all of the major oil companies?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Yes.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Would you, for the sake of our conversation here, would
you identify them, if you can read them from the chart?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Sure. As you can see, BP, Chevron, Shell,
Conoco, and Exxon-Mobil.
Mr. DELAHUNT. So the five of them, Madam Speaker, in the year 2002?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Yes, 2002.
Mr. DELAHUNT. In the year 2002 had a combined profit of $34 billion.
And then, of course, that was just the beginning.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. That was only the tip of the iceberg, because
if you continue down the road, and remember, I just got here, and so we
will get to 2005 in a minute. But it was 2005 that the $16 billion was
granted that we have been talking about. But you go to 2003: $59
billion in profits. Also the same oil companies.
Mr. DELAHUNT. So, in one year, you are telling me that it almost
doubled, or did it?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Not quite, not quite doubled. No. About a
third more in profits.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Okay.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Then you go to 2004, and we are at $84 billion
in profits.
Mr. DELAHUNT. $84 billion.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. $84 billion.
Mr. DELAHUNT. In 2 years. I guess that is productivity.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Not bad if you can do it. And then you go to
2005. In a year where we passed two major energy bills that gave away
$16 billion in tax breaks and subsidies to the oil companies, they
made, last year, $113 billion; and one of those companies made more
money in one quarter than any company in U.S. history.
Mr. DELAHUNT. And that company is?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. That was Exxon-Mobil.
Mr. DELAHUNT. And my memory is that Exxon-Mobil, for the year, had a
profit of $39 billion, that one company.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. More than all of the companies combined
profited in 2002.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Three years ago. Now, that is why I use the word
``obscene,'' because something is wrong with our free market system.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. And we don't begrudge profit.
Mr. DELAHUNT. I encourage profit. Clearly profit is important. And it
is what made this country unique in terms of our ability to have a high
standard of living. But this is not free market. This is not free
market. This is something different. This is either price gouging or
some sort of market.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. This is doing what the Republican leadership
is allowing them to do.
{time} 2330
Mr. DELAHUNT. This is oligopoly or a tendency towards monopoly, and
this House has done nothing, Madam Speaker. There has not been any
antitrust hearing as far as the oil companies are concerned, Madam
Speaker. We have not had any hearings at all in the committee of
jurisdiction, which is the Judiciary Committee, that would shed some
light on why in 3 years they went from $34 billion to $113 billion. And
we wonder why, Madam Speaker, we wonder why the American people are
losing confidence in the House of Representatives, the people's House.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Can I ask you a question, Mr. Delahunt, again
because you have more direct experience with this than I do? My
understanding is that the oil companies, they do not own the areas of
the gulf and the other places that they drill for oil. The Federal
Government sells them essentially, through payment of taxes, the rights
to drill; that these are essentially public lands, whether they are in
the Gulf of Mexico or wherever they are drilling, I mean whether it is
Texas or any portion. I do not believe any of the area is private land,
any of the significant area. So when we forgive the oil companies
taxes, we are basically giving away the ownership rights to a private
company that the government owns and just saying, here, take our oil
stores for free. Is that right?
Mr. DELAHUNT. Well, there is such a thing as royalty payments, but in
this administration there is a rule that has created a situation where
even though the dollar value, as we can see from these various charts,
has exploded in terms of revenue to the oil companies, the royalty
payments that they make, Madam Speaker, have declined by $7 billion.
And this is the energy policy of the Bush administration and the Bush
Republican Congress. And yet we hear on this floor complaints about the
Democratic proposals.
[[Page 5976]]
You cannot run against Washington, Madam Speaker, when you are
Washington. You just cannot do it. You cannot argue with yourself. This
is your mess. This energy policy, you own it, Madam Speaker. The
leadership in this House, the leadership in this Republican Senate, and
the leadership of the Bush administration own this reality today, which
is over the past 3 years big oil profits have more than tripled. And we
here in this Congress, in collusion with that White House, have
provided welfare to Big Oil on top of that.
That is truly, Mr. Meek, obscene.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Well, Mr. Delahunt and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, I
just have been quiet for about maybe 8 or 10 minutes, which is not
common when we are having this kind of discussion.
Madam Speaker, like I said before we went on break, it is not even
fair. I mean, you would think that someone would wake up 1 day,
especially the minority party would wake up, and say, wow, if we had a
tool box that dealt with a war that is not being managed appropriately;
an energy crisis within the country; containers as it relates to coming
into this country going unchecked; families that are not able to
provide health care, and neither are small businesses able to provide
health care; States that are suing the Federal Government, Leave No
Child Behind legislation, Democratic and Republican Governors are suing
the Federal Government because of a lack of funding to the Federal
Government's own initiative; that environmentally we have a number of
issues going on on top of a natural disaster where the response and
recovery were not managed well; CIA leaks at the White House; Members
of this body in question of ethical violations and a culture of
corruption and cronyism under the Capitol Dome. And better yet, Madam
Speaker, the reason why we do not have a Democratic Member serving as
Speaker or serving as the majority leader is the fact that we are in
the minority. But the only good thing about that whole thing that I
pointed out, because as an American it turns my stomach that that is
even the environment in the United States of America as we speak,
partisanship has nothing to do with my being an American and my
responsibility as a Member of Congress.
So, Mr. Delahunt and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, maybe for the next 4
minutes let us just talk about if Democrats were in control of this
House and hopefully in control of the Senate to be able to say no to
the administration when they want to put the country in this posture.
Democrats, Independents, Republicans, what have you are all concerned
about what is going on. The polling has indicated that.
Now, I just want to take out this document that we have held up
several times, our innovation agenda. Wow, here is a plan. The
Democrats' energy plan. Here is a plan. I want to say this to my
Republican colleagues because they have the audacity to come down to
the floor saying, They do not have any solutions; so how can they
criticize our inability to carry out the energy policy?
Well, here is the solution right here. It has been on our Web site,
and I encourage everyone to go to www.housedemocrats.gov and pull up
the innovation agenda. We did not just put it on there before we came
to the floor. It has been there for months. Months. They are talking
about it. We want to do it.
Energy independence in 10 years. Energy independence in 10 years, to
change the investment from counting on the Middle East and counting on
the Midwest. Ethanol, making sure that we promote petroleum-based ideas
of rapidly expanding the production of synthetic bio-based fuels. It is
right there. It is just an investment.
But what is stopping the Republican majority from taking our plan, as
I am going to point out here as we talk about price gouging, and
running with it? Well, Ms. Wasserman Schultz just had the chart up with
all the oil companies. It has to be the relationship with the oil
companies. The American people, Republicans, Democrats, Independents,
are paying through the nose as we speak. Some folks are putting a
quarter of gas in their tank because they cannot afford it. These are
the constituents, unfortunately, of individuals of power and influence
in Washington, D.C. I did not get a vote from any of these companies.
Maybe the folks that work for the companies say maybe I want to vote on
behalf of education and good representation in Washington, but they did
not say, hey, you know, these are my constituents, and I am going to
stand in the way and make sure that they have what they need.
Let me just talk fact, not fiction here, because I think it is
important. Oil companies, record profits. Record profits. Folks want to
talk about Wal-Mart? Goodness gracious, these oil companies make Wal-
Mart look like a five and dime store.
Mr. DELAHUNT. In my day that was called penny candy.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this, Mr. Delahunt. Folks want
to go knocking companies and start talking about who is making what,
and folks are upset about it. And there are some folks out there. But
the bottom line is, like you said, ``profits'' is not a bad word, and
we believe in profits. It is the American way, and capitalism rules.
And I am the first one in line when it comes down to that, and I am not
faulting those oil companies. I am not mad at Exxon Mobil or any of
those oil companies that are out there. I am upset with the Members
that are allowing them to get away with literally a crime of ripping
dollars out of everyday working Americans' pockets and then the
majority leadership in both Chambers having the audacity to send a
letter over to the White House, saying, ``We would like for you to
investigate this issue of price gouging,'' when they set the playing
field for it to happen.
{time} 2340
They set the playing field for it to happen.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. If the gentleman would yield for 15 seconds.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. You can have 20, if you want it.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Thank you for your generosity. What we are
saying, I want to underscore what we are saying when we say we are not
opposed to profit, because that profit we had up there a minute ago, if
it happened and the oil companies were being asked to pay their fair
share, if they were paying the royalties and the taxes that they are
supposed to be under the law to the Federal Government for the rights
to drill, you know what? You can't begrudge them the profits, because
that is the free market system.
But they are not. They are being given these oil rights for free, for
no remuneration or very little remuneration whatsoever. And they don't
need it. They are not struggling. Far from it. The people who are
struggling now are Americans who need to go to work, who need to get
their kids to school.
Mr. DELAHUNT. But stop for a minute and just see what the values are.
We hear a lot about values. Here we are providing a wealthy program for
big oil, and at the same time we are not adequately funding the so-
called LIHEAP program, which provides assistance to low-income
families, working families, so that they can get through the winter, so
that they are not forced to make a decision between having food on the
table and staying warm.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Delahunt, given that I am from Florida and
have a particular sensitivity to not using much heat, can you explain
what the LIHEAP program is?
Mr. DELAHUNT. The LIHEAP program has been around for some time now,
and it has been a program that was introduced in a Democratic Congress,
supported by Democratic presidents and adequately funded. Today, only
20 percent of those who are eligible based on income, who would qualify
if the funding were available, only 20 percent of those receive that
assistance.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. What does LIHEAP do for folks?
Mr. DELAHUNT. It gives them basically a discount on the purchase of
their energy for heating their homes.
[[Page 5977]]
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. It gives them a break on their bill.
Mr. DELAHUNT. You said it better than I did. It gives them a break on
their bill, and it is administered through community action programs.
And, we don't fund it adequately. I think that the total is a little
over $2 billion annually. Now, stop and think: $2 billion for hundreds
of thousands, millions, actually, of families that would qualify in
this country for some help to stay warm so they didn't have to make
that choice between eating or freezing. Yet, we are giving $16 billion
in subsidies to major oil.
This is Alice in Wonderland, Madam Speaker. Up is down and down is
up. How does the majority justify this? How do you justify that in
moral terms, Madam Speaker?
This is more than just public policy. I would suggest to you that
doing that amounts to a violation of our moral code and moral
responsibility as leaders in this country. That is what it is.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Delahunt, can I just describe the
difference between the Alice in Wonderland-like policy that is made
here, where down is up and down is up, and reality? At the end of Alice
in Wonderland, Alice woke up and it was a dream and she could go back
to what reality really was for her.
Mr. DELAHUNT. But this is a nightmare.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. That is right, that the Republican leadership
won't let Americans wake up from.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Can I reclaim my time from the 20 seconds?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. That was a long 20 seconds.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. But that was good information. Talking about the
program a little further, we have a Stupak bill, which is a Democratic
bill here in this House, that is going to give relief to consumers,
small businesses and farmers and provide relief from skyrocketing
heating home costs that they are taking on right now. It is the Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and basically it comes from the
fines which I am going to go into now, Mr. Delahunt, of what the
Republican majority blocked, Madam Speaker. And guess what? That is not
what Kendrick Meek is saying, that is not what Bill Delahunt was saying
or Debbie Wasserman Schultz has said in the past or even Mr. Ryan in
his absence has said in the past. This is the Congressional Record.
Republicans voted against imposing tough criminal penalties on price
gouging companies and also tough civil fines up to $3 million in price
gouging as it relates to protecting consumers. This is CQ vote number
500, H.R. 3402, taken September 28, 2005. The motion was rejected on a
195 to 226 vote. Republicans voted against this overwhelmingly,
Democrats voted for it. 194 Democrats voted for it and I believe 226
Republicans voted against it.
Another vote, CQ vote, this is all stuff Members can look up, vote
number 517, H.R. 3893, taken October 7, 2005. Again, Republicans voted
overwhelmingly against this measure from being placed into legislation
on price gouging, 199 to 222. The majority prevailed again.
I think it is important for us to understand, Madam Speaker, that
time after time again, and I know we have another example, Republicans
killed the amendment. Which one did I not share? Those are the two that
were there. But they are continuing to kill these amendments.
So, Madam Speaker, it is kind of mind-boggling when we look up, open
the local hometown paper, whatever it may be, it could be the one in
Florida where I represent or it can be right here in the Beltway, to
read that Republican leaders are thinking about going after folks as it
relates to price gouging.
Now, I am just going to give the Republican majority a little. They
will say okay, that is not true. We did do something.
What they did was nothing. I am not a black man with a conspiracy
theory, but I am here to tell you that I am concerned, especially when
I see headlines, the Washington Post, November 16, 2005, that says
``Document says oil chief met with the Vice President of the United
States on his task force.'' So how in the world can folks sit down with
the very people that are making record profits? This was put in motion
long ago, and now folks are acting like they don't know what is going
on.
You know why they are acting like they don't know what is going on?
Because the American people are pulling their car and saying you know
something, Mr. Congressman, madam Congresswoman, you said you were
there to protect me. You are not doing a good job, because I can't even
put gas in my tank to take my children to school, I can't even make it
to work. We are trying to car pool. Even that is becoming a little
difficult. And you have folks, they don't have enough money. Some of
these pumps in some communities won't even allow them to pump all of
the gas they need to pump to fill their tank.
Hello? We have also gas stations here in Washington, D.C. that are
out of gas, and South Florida. Maybe those small businesses,
independent businesses within these oil companies, can't even afford
the gas.
And we are going to find out. You know what is going to happen again?
We are going to find in this time, and let me just say, Johnny Carson
used to have the envelope he would put to his head.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Carnack the Magnificent.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. He would say something like ``high prices,
backroom deals.'' He would open the envelope and later we would see oh,
wow, and they made record profits while this was going on.
{time} 2350
I am going to go ahead and crystal-ball this thing, because that is
what is going to happen, and folks are going to say, well, we really
need to do something about it.
If I was in the Republican majority right now, that is very
hypothetical, I must add, I would be concerned. If I am home in the bed
right now, Madam Speaker, and I was a Member of the majority, I would
sit up in my bed and say, you know, maybe, just maybe, we need to go
see the wizard, get some courage, get some leadership, and say, you
know something, enough is enough, because I am going to be in the
minority, not because of the fact that folks did such a great job as it
relates to raising money, because you know we cannot raise more money
than the other side, not the fact that, you know, our ties are better
or our dresses, you know, the dresses that the female Members on this
side wear are better.
But I think it is important, Madam Speaker, that we look at the
facts. It is not fair. It is not fair to the American people, and it is
not even fair if I was on the Republican majority side, we tell the
Republican majority, come out and defend the selling of America. All of
these countries here are owning a part of America. I do not care if you
are a diehard Republican, and that you are the chair of the local
Republican committee, you have to have a problem with this.
You tell your Members, explain this to me. Why are we selling America
away? Why are we giving tax breaks we cannot afford? We are we allowing
the oil companies to do this? Why? Why? Why? Do not tell me to vote
Republican because we are Republicans and that we always did it, and
that my mama did it, and that my grandmother did it, and that my great-
great-grandmother did it. We cannot do it because of that. We have to
do it because we salute one flag. People have died for us to have this
opportunity.
I am so happy that we come to this floor, Madam Speaker, every day,
because history will reflect that there were Members in this body in
the minority fighting with what they had, with a nub, fighting night
after night, day after day, filing amendments, failing on this floor,
arm-twisting happening on the other side, and we prevailed because I am
going to tell you, the American people are sick and tired of it, and
change is going to happen, and it is going to happen for the better.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I just want to ask you another question. As
[[Page 5978]]
we went through last year and we debated those energy bills, and I
remember when they went through the committees and then actually came,
at least one of them did not even go to committee, it just came to the
floor. And it came out on this Chamber. One of those bills was yet
another example of the red lights changing to green lights, and the
board being held open. I think the energy bill that I am referring to,
I know the board was held open for at least 40 minutes, until the
Republican leadership got the vote that they wanted.
Now, we have asked repeatedly, where is the outrage? Where was the
outrage then when Republicans, rank-and-file Republicans, who not only
needed some courage, but could have gotten some advice from the
Scarecrow and the Tin Man then, too, for some heart and some brains,
but where was the outrage? And what did that mean?
Essentially what did it mean when they had the opportunity, when they
put their no vote up on the board, yet the leadership came to them on
the floor, wrenched their arm behind their back, and what did they do?
They were rubber-stamp Republicans yet again. Rubber-stamp Republicans.
And I just, time after time I have noticed that that is really the
best way to describe the vast majority of Members of the Republican
Caucus, because they have the opportunity to have some courage, they do
not have any. What do they have? They have the ability to just say, uh-
huh, sure, I will do it exactly the way you want it, Mr. Republican
Leader.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. The real issue here is the fact that, Madam
Speaker, I am done with trying to beg the majority to lead. I am just
done. I mean, there is nothing more that we can say. They have had
their opportunity. They have their opportunity now. They are still not
moving as a majority. We have said what we would do as Democrats.
The bottom line is Ms. Wasserman Schultz talked about the rubber
stamp. It is now so big, Mr. President, whatever we can do, whatever
you need us to do, we are with you. Just, that is it. Done. What else
do you want us to do? And that is just where it is. And we are going to
make this as obvious as possible.
Mr. DELAHUNT. I think it is really interesting to note for the
record, Madam Speaker, that the relationship between this rubber-stamp
Congress and this White House is so close that in the 6 years of this
Presidency, he has never had to veto a single piece of legislation that
came from the United States Congress. Not once, Madam Speaker, not
once.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Say it is not so, Mr. Delahunt.
Mr. DELAHUNT. It is so. Tragically it is so.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. He has never been forced to veto any
legislation or sent anything that they were afraid he would not like.
And I want to know, where are our colleagues on the other side of the
aisle, where is their line? Where is the line that we know we all have,
that says, you know, this far and no farther? I just cannot do it. They
do not have that line.
Mr. DELAHUNT. Well, I tell you what is happening. Because we are
talking about oil, and we are talking about home heating oil, and we
are talking about staying warm. We are talking about heat. And the heat
is coming, because, you know, we are going to hear a lot of hot air,
but the American people are putting the feet to fire of those who have
not supported a public policy regarding energy that makes sense for all
Americans, not just Exxon Mobil that last year made $32 billion, and,
by the way, whose CEO who is now retired, is earning a pension, Madam
Speaker, of $150,000.
I hope you heard that, Madam Speaker, $150,000. Now, you might say
that is not much money. Well, it is a lot of money when you get
$150,0000 every single day of the year. It is a pension that is
evaluated.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Wait. Wait. Did I hear you? Did I hear you
correctly? Did you say a hundred and what a day?
Mr. DELAHUNT. One hundred fifty thousand dollars. Not every 10 years.
Not every 5 years. Not every year. Not every month. But every single
day as long as he lives, $150,000. The pension package, according to
newspaper reports, Madam Speaker, was $600 million. That is for one
person. For one person.
This is a moral issue. This is a moral issue. There are people that
are having difficulty, they are working hard, but they are having
difficulty making it, and yet there is a CEO who runs a corporation
that earns $39 billion in a single year. And he has a pension of $600
million that provides him with $150,000 a day. Is that right, or is
that wrong?
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. In our final minute or so, I can tell you that
what I learned from my constituents when I went back home is that they
know that together America can do better. It does not have to be this
way. We do not have to keep going. And through our efforts and the
efforts of our other Democratic colleagues, our 30-something Working
Group will continue to take the floor each night.
I yield to my colleague from Florida to close us out. We do have a
Website.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Well, thank you. With Mr. Ryan's absence here
tonight, I keep saying that because I want him to read the
Congressional Record and let him know that I did note that he was not
here.
Housedemocrats.gov/30something. Members can go on there.
With that, Madam Speaker, we would like to thank the Democratic
leadership for allowing us to have this hour.
____________________
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
By unanimous consent, leave of absence was granted to:
Ms. Moore of Wisconsin (at the request of Ms. Pelosi) for today on
account of personal business.
Ms. Millender-McDonald (at the request of Ms. Pelosi) for today on
account of personal matters.
Mr. Osborne (at the request of Mr. Boehner) for today and until 3:30
p.m. on April 26 on account of official business.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (at the request of Mr. Boehner) for today on account
of a family emergency.
____________________
SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED
By unanimous consent, permission to address the House, following the
legislative program and any special orders heretofore entered, was
granted to:
(The following Members (at the request of Ms. Woolsey) to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material:)
Mr. Pallone, for 5 minutes, today.
Mrs. McCarthy, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. McDermott, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Schiff, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Emanuel, for 5 minutes, today.
Ms. Kaptur, for 5 minutes, today.
Ms. Woolsey, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Brown of Ohio, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Stupak, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Blumenauer, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. George Miller of California, for 5 minutes, today.
Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Owens, for 5 minutes, today.
(The following Members (at the request of Mr. Poe) to revise and
extend their remarks and include extraneous material:)
Mr. Moran of Kansas, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Poe, for 5 minutes, today and April 26 and 27.
Mr. English of Pennsylvania, for 5 minutes, April 27.
Mr. Dreier, for 5 minutes, today and April 26 and 27.
Mrs. Blackburn, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. McHenry, for 5 minutes, today and April 26 and 27.
Mr. Burton of Indiana, for 5 minutes, today and April 26 and 27.
Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Shimkus, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Leach, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Gingrey, for 5 minutes, today.
Mr. Nussle, for 5 minutes, today.
____________________
ENROLLED BILL SIGNED
Mrs. Haas, Clerk of the House, reported and found truly enrolled a
bill
[[Page 5979]]
of the House of the following title, which was thereupon signed by the
Speaker pro tempore, Mr. Wolf of Virginia, on April 11, 2006.
H.R. 4979. An act to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to clarify the preference
for local firms in the award of certain contracts for
disaster relief activities.
____________________
BILLS PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT
Karen L. Haas, Clerk of the House, reports that on April 7, 2006, she
presented to the President of the United States, for his approval, the
following bills.
H.J. Res. 81. Providing for the appointment of Phillip
Frost as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution.
H.J. Res. 82. Providing for the reappointment of Alan G.
Spoon as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution.
Karen L. Haas, Clerk of the House, reports that on April 18, 2006,
she presented to the President of the United States, for his approval,
the following bill.
H.R. 4979. To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act to clarify the preference for
local firms in the award of certain contracts for disaster
relief activities.
____________________
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now
adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly at (midnight), the House
adjourned until today, Wednesday April 26, 2006, at 10:00 a.m.
____________________
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, ETC.
Under clause 8 of rule XII, executive communications were taken from
the Speaker's table and referred as follows:
6925. A communication from the President of the United
States, transmitting a request for FY 2007 budget amendments
for the Departments of Agriculture, and State and Other
International Programs; the Federal Communications
Commission; and the Smithsonian Institution; (H. Doc. No.
109-97); to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be
printed.
6926. A letter from the Deputy Director, Defense Security
Cooperation Agency, transmitting reports in accordance with
Section 36(a) of the Arms Export Control Act, pursuant to 22
U.S.C. 2776(a); to the Committee on International Relations.
6927. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting a report on the
status of consular training with respect to travel or
identity documents, pursuant to Section 7201(d) of the
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; to
the Committee on International Relations.
6928. A letter from the Under Secretary for Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics, Department of Defense, transmitting
the Selected Acquisition Reports (SARs) for the quarter
ending December 31, 2005, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2432; to the
Committee on International Relations.
6929. A letter from the Deputy Director, Defense Security
Cooperation Agency, transmitting pursuant to the reporting
requirements of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control
Act, as amended, Transmittal No. 06-18, concerning the
Department of the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to Korea for defense articles and services; to the
Committee on International Relations.
6930. A letter from the Deputy Director, Defense Security
Cooperation Agency, transmitting pursuant to the reporting
requirements of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control
Act, as amended, Transmittal No. 06-22, concerning the
Department of the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to Australia for defense articles and services; to
the Committee on International Relations.
6931. A letter from the Under Secretary for Industry and
Security, Department of Commerce, transmitting the annual
report for FY 2005 of the Department's Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS); to the Committee on International Relations.
6932. A letter from the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator,
Department of State, transmitting a report on the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: Education, as requested in
House Report 109-152, accompanying H.R. 3057; to the
Committee on International Relations.
6933. A letter from the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator,
Department of State, transmitting a report on the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: Refugees and Internally
Displaced Persons, as requested in House Report 109-152,
accompanying H.R. 3057; to the Committee on International
Relations.
6934. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting a copy of the
intention to obligate Fiscal Year 2006 Economic Support Funds
(ESF) on behalf of the Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs; to the Committee on
International Relations.
6935. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting a report on
``Overseas Surplus Property,'' pursuant to Public Law 105-
277, section 2215; to the Committee on International
Relations.
6936. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting consistent with
the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq
Resolution of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-243), the Authorization for
the Use of Force Against Iraq Resolution (Pub. L. 102-1), and
in order to keep the Congress fully informed, a report
prepared by the Department of State for the October 15, 2005
-- December 15, 2005 reporting period including matters
relating to post-liberation Iraq under Section 7 of the Iraq
Liberation Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-338); to the Committee on
International Relations.
6937. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting a report for 2003
on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Activities
in countries described in Section 307(a) of the Foreign
Assistance Act, pursuant to Public Law 105-277, section
2809(c)(2); to the Committee on International Relations.
6938. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting pursuant to
section 36(c) of the Arms Export Control Act, certification
regarding the proposed license for the export of defense
articles and services to the Government of Iraq (Transmittal
No. DDTC 072-05); to the Committee on International
Relations.
6939. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting pursuant to
section 36(c) and (d) of the Arms Export Control Act,
certification of a proposed manufacturing license agreement
for the export of defense articles and services to the
Governments of Canada, France and the United Kingdom
(Transmittal No. DDTC 002-06); to the Committee on
International Relations.
6940. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting pursuant to
section 3(d) of the Arms Export Control Act, certification
regarding the proposed transfer of major defense equipment
from the Government of the Egypt (Transmittal No. DDTC-58-
05); to the Committee on International Relations.
6941. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting pursuant to
section 36(c) and (d) of the Arms Export Control Act,
certification of a proposed manufacturing license agreement
for the export of defense articles and services to the
Government of Russia (Transmittal No. DDTC 057-05); to the
Committee on International Relations.
6942. A letter from the Assistant Secretary for Legislative
Affairs, Department of State, transmitting a report entitled
``Supporting Democracy and Human Rights: The U.S. Record
2005-2006,'' pursuant to Public Law 107-228, section 665; to
the Committee on International Relations.
6943. A letter from the Secretary, Department of the
Treasury, transmitting as required by section 401(c) of the
National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), and section
204(c) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50
U.S.C. 1703(c), and pursuant to Executive Order 13313 of July
31, 2003, a six-month periodic report on the national
emergency with respect to persons who commit, threaten to
commit, or support terrorism that was declared in Executive
Order 13224 of September 23, 2001; to the Committee on
International Relations.
6944. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6945. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6946. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6947. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6948. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6949. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
[[Page 5980]]
6950. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6951. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6952. A letter from the White House Liaison, Department of
Justice, transmitting a report pursuant to the Federal
Vacancies Reform Act of 1998; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
6953. A letter from the Chief Administrative Officer,
transmitting the quarterly report of receipts and
expenditures of appropriations and other funds for the period
January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2006 as compiled by the
Chief Administrative Officer, pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 104a
Public Law 88-454; (H. Doc. No. 109-98); to the Committee on
House Administration and ordered to be printed.
6954. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Search and Rescue Demonstration, Boston Harbor -- Boston,
Massachusetts [CGD01-05-093] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April
12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure.
6955. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach, VA [CGD05-05-121] (RIN: 1625-
AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6956. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Norfolk Harbor Entrance Reach Channel, Norfolk, VA [CGD05-05-
132] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6957. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Security Zone;
Severn River and College Creek, Annapolis, Maryland [CGD05-
05-133] (RIN: 1625-AA87) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6958. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Kingsland Reach, James River, VA [CGD05-05-134] (RIN: 1625-
AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6959. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Kingsland Reach, James River, VA [CGD05-05-135] (RIN: 1625-
AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6960. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Kingsland Reach, James River, VA [CGD05-05-136] (RIN: 1625-
AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6961. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Snow's Cut Channel from Cape Fear River to Intracoastal
Waterway, NC [CGD05-05-500] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April
12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure.
6962. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Chicago River, North Branch, Chicago, Illinois [CGD09-05-132]
(RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6963. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone; BID
21 Fireworks display, Milwaukee River, Milwaukee, WI [CGD09-
05-133] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6964. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Magnificant Mile Festival of Lights, Chicago, IL [CGD09-05-
134] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6965. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Containment Concrete Blasting, Lake Michigan, Charlevoix, MI
[CGD09-05-136] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
6966. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, Ohio. West Third Street Bridge
Trainsit [CGD09-05-138] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12,
2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
6967. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Special Local
Regulations for Marine Event; Rio Vista Bass Derby Fireworks
Display, San Francisco Bay and Rio Vista, CA [CGD 11-05-029]
(RIN: 1625-AA08) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6968. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Atlantic Ocean, Jacksonville Beach, FL [COTP Jacksonville 05-
121] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6969. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone:
Ponce De Leon Inlet and Port Canaveral, FL [COTP Jacksonville
05-144] (RIN: 1625-AA97) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6970. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone; West
Lake Tohopekaliga, Kissimmee, FL [COTP Jacksonville 05-160]
(RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6971. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone: St.
Johns River, Jacksonville, FL [COTP Jacksonville 05-161]
(RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6972. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Atlantic Ocean, Vilano Beach, FL [COTP Jacksonville 05-169]
(RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6973. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Florida Bay, Money Key Channel, Monroe County, FL [COTP Key
West 05-136] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
6974. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone; San
Francisco Bay, California [COTP San Francisco Bay 05-010]
(RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6975. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Guayanilla Bay, Guayanilla, PR [COTP San Juan 05-157] (RIN:
1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6976. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone for
Albert Whitted Air Show, Tampa Bay, FL [COTP St. Petersburg
05-119] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
6977. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Clearwater, FL [COTP St. Petersburg 05-134] (RIN: 1625-AA00)
received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A);
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
6978. A letter from the Chief, Regulations and
Administrative Law, USCG, Department of Homeland Security,
transmitting the Department's final rule -- Safety Zone;
Caloosahatchee River, Cape Coral, FL [COTP St. Petersburg 05-
152] (RIN: 1625-AA00) received April 12, 2006, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A); to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
[[Page 5981]]
[Omitted from the Record of April 6, 2006]
6979. A letter from the Administrator, FAA, Department of
Transportation, transmitting a copy of the ``Federal Aviation
Administration and National Air Traffic Controllers
Association Collective Bargaining Proposal Submission to
Congress,'' received April 6, 2006, pursuant to 49 U.S.C.
106(l) and 40122(a); jointly to the Committees on
Transportation and Infrastructure and Government Reform.
____________________
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to
the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as
follows:
[Filed on April 7, 2006]
Mr. OXLEY: Committee on Financial Services. House
Resolution 718. Resolution requesting the President and
directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide to
the House of Representatives certain documents in their
possession relating to the Dubai Ports World acquisition of 6
United States commercial ports leases; with amendments (Rept.
109-414). Referred to the House Calendar.
[Filed on April 7, 2006]
Mr. BOEHLERT: Committee on Science. House Resolution 717.
Resolution directing the Secretary of Commerce to transmit to
the House of Representatives a copy of a workforce
globalization final draft report produced by the Technology
Administration (Rept. 109-415). Referred to the House
Calendar.
[Submitted April 25, 2006]
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska: Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. House Concurrent Resolution 349. Resolution
authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater
Washington Soap Box Derby (Rept. 109-416). Referred to the
House Calendar.
Mr. HYDE: Committee on International Relations. H.R. 282. A
bill to hold the current regime in Iran accountable for its
threatening behavior and to support a transition to democracy
in Iran; with an amendment (Rept. 109-417). Referred to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 3462. A bill to
provide for the conveyance of the Bureau of Land Management
parcels known as the White Acre and Gambel Oak properties and
related real property to Park City, Utah, and for other
purpose; with an amendment (Rept. 109-418). Referred to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 2978. A bill to
allow the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck
Indian Reservation to enter into a lease or other temporary
conveyance of water rights recognized under the Fort Peck-
Montana Compact for the purpose of meeting the water needs of
the Dry Prairie Rural Water Association, Incorporated, and
for other purposes (Rept. 109-419). Referred to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 2563. A bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct
feasibility studies to address certain water shortages within
the Snake, Boise, and Payette River systems in Idaho, and for
other purposes; with an amendment (Rept. 109-420). Referred
to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the
Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 518. A bill to
require the Secretary of the Interior to refine the
Department of the Interior program for providing assistance
for the conservation of neotropical migratory birds, with an
amendment (Rept. 109-421). Referred to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 374. A bill to
direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain
tribally-owned reservation land into trust for the Puyallup
Tribe; with an amendment (Rept. 109-422). Referred to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 122. A bill to
amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and
Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in the Eastern Municipal Water district Recycled
Water System Pressurization and Expansion Project; with an
amendment (Rept. 109-423). Referred to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. OXLEY: Committee on Financial Services. H.R. 4912. A
bill to amend section 242 of the National Housing Act to
extend the exemption for critical access hospitals under the
FHA program for mortgage insurance for hospitals (Rept. 109-
424). Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. House Joint Resolution
78. Resolution approving the location of the commemorative
work in the District of Columbia honoring former President
Dwight D. Eisenhower (Rept. 109-425). Referred to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 1307. A bill to
amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate portions of
the Musconetcong River in the State of New Jersey as a
component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and
for other purposes (Rept. 109-427). Referred to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. S. 1869. A Act to
reauthorize the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, and for other
purposes (Rept. 109-428). Referred to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. S. 1165. An Act to
provide for the expansion of the James Campbell National
Wildlife Refuge, Honolulu County, Hawaii (Rept. 109-429).
Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of
the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 4204. A bill to
direct the Secretary of the Interior to transfer ownership of
the American River Pump Station Project, and for other
purposes (Rept. 109-430). Referred to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 3967. A bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to reallocate costs
of the Pactola Dam and Reservoir, South Dakota, to reflect
increased demands for municipal, industrial, and fish and
wildlife purposes (Rept. 109-431). Referred to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 4080. A bill to
extend the contract for the Glendo Unit of the Missouri River
Basin Project in the State of Wyoming (Rept. 109-432).
Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of
the Union.
Mr. POMBO: Committee on Resources. H.R. 3682. A bill to
redesignate the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge in
Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National
Wildlife Refuge (Rept. 109-433). Referred to the House
Calendar.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia: Committee on Government Reform.
2006 Congressional Drug Control Budget and Policy Assessment:
A Review of the 2007 National Drug Control Budget and 2006
National Drug Control Strategy (Rept. 109-434). Referred to
the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia: Committee on Government Reform.
Updating Nuclear Security Standards: How Long Can the
Department of Energy Afford to Wait? (Rept. 109-435).
Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of
the Union.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia: Committee on Government Reform.
Strengthening Disease Surveillance (Rept. 109-436). Referred
to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the
Union.
Mr. PUTNAM: Committee on Rules. House Resolution 774.
Resolution providing for consideration of the bill (H.R.
5020) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for
intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the
United States Government, the Community Management Account,
and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability
System, and for other purposes (Rept. 109-438). Referred to
the House Calendar.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Committee on the Judiciary. H.R. 4975. A
bill to provide greater transparency with respect to lobbying
activities, and for other purposes; with an amendment (Rept.
109-439, Pt. 1). Ordered to be printed.
Mr. EHLERS. Committee on House Administration. H.R. 4975. A
bill to provide greater transparency with respect to lobbying
activities, and for other purposes; (Rept. 109-439, Pt. 2).
Ordered to be printed.
Mr. DREIER. Committee on Rules. H.R. 4975. A bill to
provide greater transparency with respect to lobbying
activities, and for other purposes; with amendments (Rept.
109-439, Pt. 3). Ordered to be printed.
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Committee on Government Reform.
H.R. 4975. A bill to provide greater transparency with
respect to lobbying activities, and for other purposes; with
amendments (Rept. 109-439, Pt. 4). Ordered to be printed.
DISCHARGE OF COMMITTEE
Pursuant to clause 2 of rule XII the Committee on Standards of
Official Conduct discharged from further consideration. H.R. 4975
referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed.
____________________
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PRIVATE BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of committees were delivered to
the Clerk for printing and reference to the proper calendar, as
follows:
Mr. POMBO. Committee on Resources. S. 584. A bill to act
require the Secretary of the Interior to allow the continued
occupancy and use of certain land and improvements within
Rocky Mountain National Park (Rept. 109-426). Referred to the
Private Calendar.
[[Page 5982]]
____________________
REPORTED BILL SEQUENTIALLY REFERRED
Under clause 2 of rule XII, bills and reports were delivered to the
Clerk for printing, and bills referred as follows:
Mr. POMBO. Committee on Resources. H.R. 1595. A bill to
implement the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review
Commission, with an amendment; referred to the Committee on
Judiciary for a period ending not later than June 9, 2006,
for consideration of such provisions of the bill and
amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee
pursuant to clause 1(l), rule X (Rept. 109-437, Pt. 1).
Ordered to be printed.
____________________
PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
Under clause 2 of rule XII, public bills and resolutions were
introduced and severally referred, as follows:
By Mr. SODREL (for himself, Ms. Carson, Mr. Visclosky,
Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Pence, Mr.
Chocola, Mr. Hostettler, and Mr. Souder):
H.R. 5169. A bill to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 1310 Highway 64 NW. in
Ramsey, Indiana, as the ``Wilfred Edward `Cousin Willie'
Sieg, Sr. Post Office''; to the Committee on Government
Reform.
By Mr. SHADEGG (for himself, Mr. Simmons, and Mr.
Hoekstra):
H.R. 5170. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on
ethanol; to the Committee on Ways and Means.
By Mr. HOEKSTRA (for himself, Mr. Gillmor, Mr.
McCotter, Mr. Rogers of Michigan, Mr. Ehlers, Mr.
Boozman, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Camp of Michigan, and Mr.
LaTourette):
H.R. 5171. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to
provide for community projects that will reduce the number of
individuals who are uninsured with respect to health care,
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce.
By Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. Farr, Mr. Pallone,
Mr. McDermott, and Mr. Case):
H.R. 5172. A bill to improve the effectiveness of
Department of Defense programs for the remediation of
unexploded ordnance on former defense sites, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
By Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire (for himself and Mr.
Gerlach):
H.R. 5173. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social
Security Act to suspend the Medicare prescription drug late
enrollment penalty during 2006; to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and
Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mrs. DAVIS of California (for herself and Mr.
Evans):
H.R. 5174. A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965
to prevent veterans' contributions to education benefits from
reducing Federal student financial assistance; to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce.
By Mr. DOGGETT (for himself and Mr. Sherman):
H.R. 5175. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to allow the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose
taxpayer identity information through mass communications to
notify persons entitled to tax refunds; to the Committee on
Ways and Means.
By Mr. EMANUEL:
H.R. 5176. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to make the Federal income tax system simpler, fairer,
and more fiscally responsible, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Ways and Means.
By Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. Levin,
Mr. Baker, and Mr. Kanjorski):
H.R. 5177. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to allow bonds guaranteed by the Federal home loan banks
to be treated as tax exempt bonds; to the Committee on Ways
and Means.
By Mr. FOSSELLA (for himself and Mr. Hoekstra):
H.R. 5178. A bill to direct the Secretary of Homeland
Security to conduct a study to identify best practices for
the communication of information concerning a terrorist
threat, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Homeland
Security, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence
(Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
By Mr. HALL:
H.R. 5179. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social
Security Act to ensure adequate payment amounts for drugs and
biologicals under part B of the Medicare Program; to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
By Mr. HAYWORTH (for himself, Mr. Renzi, Mr. Gibbons,
Mr. Calvert, Mr. Kolbe, and Mr. Porter):
H.R. 5180. A bill to authorize appropriations for the
Bureau of Reclamation to carry out the Lower Colorado River
Multi-Species Conservation Program in the States of Arizona,
California, and Nevada, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Resources.
By Mr. JINDAL:
H.R. 5181. A bill to amend the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949 to limit the number of,
and require reporting relating to, all subcontracts under
contracts with the Federal Government; to the Committee on
Government Reform.
By Mr. JONES of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Berry,
Mr. Rangel, Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mr. Weiner, Mr.
Marshall, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Mr. Jefferson,
Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Ross, Mr. Wexler, Mr.
Holden, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Brown of
Ohio, Mr. Abercrombie, and Mr. Allen):
H.R. 5182. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social
Security Act to require the sponsor of a prescription drug
plan or an organization offering an MA-PD plan to promptly
pay claims submitted under part D, and for other purposes; to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
By Mr. KUHL of New York:
H.R. 5183. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security
Act to exclude benefits of adopted disabled adult children
from determinations of the family maximum; to the Committee
on Ways and Means.
By Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California:
H.R. 5184. A bill to require businesses to permit customers
to cancel certain subscription services in the same manner
and by the same means as is provided by such person to
individuals to subscribe to such service; to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce.
By Mrs. MALONEY:
H.R. 5185. A bill to promote the empowerment of women in
Afghanistan; to the Committee on International Relations.
By Ms. NORTON:
H.R. 5186. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to replace the expired tax benefits for the DC Zone, and
for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means, and
in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and
Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned.
By Mr. OBERSTAR (for himself and Mr. Young of Alaska):
H.R. 5187. A bill to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act
to authorize additional appropriations for the John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for fiscal year 2007;
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
By Mr. SWEENEY:
H.R. 5188. A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to
strengthen enforcement of spousal court-ordered property
distributions, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
the Judiciary.
By Mr. SWEENEY:
H.R. 5189. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security
Act to provide that an individual's entitlement to any
benefit thereunder shall continue through the month of his or
her death (without affecting any other person's entitlement
to benefits for that month) and that such individual's
benefit shall be payable for such month only to the extent
proportionate to the number of days in such month preceding
the date of such individual's death; to the Committee on Ways
and Means.
By Mr. TOWNS:
H.R. 5190. A bill to establish the Comprehensive
Immigration Reform Commission; to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
By Mr. WEINER:
H.R. 5191. A bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of
2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to require,
as a condition of receiving a homeland security grant, that a
grant recipient submit reports on each expenditure made using
grant funds; to the Committee on Homeland Security.
By Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico:
H.R. 5192. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to make available cost-shared grants and enter into
cooperative agreements to further the goals of the Water 2025
Program by improving water conservation, efficiency, and
management in the Reclamation States, and for other purposes;
to the Committee on Resources.
By Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico:
H.R. 5193. A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the
Social Security Act to provide for continuity of Medicare
prescription drug coverage for full-benefit dual eligible
individuals, for Medicare prescription drug coverage of
benzodiazepines and off-label uses of certain prescription
drugs and biological products, for optional Medicaid coverage
of Medicare prescription drug cost-sharing for full-benefit
dual eligible individuals, for authorization to the Secretary
of Health and
[[Page 5983]]
Human Services to waive certain determinations denying
Medicare prescription drug coverage, and for holding
pharmacies harmless for certain costs incurred during
implementation of Medicare part D; to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and
Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as
fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
By Mr. WOLF (for himself, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mrs.
Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Mr. Forbes, Mrs. Drake, Mr.
Scott of Virginia, Mr. Goode, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr.
Cantor, Mr. Boucher, and Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia):
H.R. 5194. A bill to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 8801 Sudley Road in
Manassas, Virginia, as the ``Harry J. Parrish Post Office
Building''; to the Committee on Government Reform.
By Mr. WOLF (for himself, Mr. Goode, Mrs. Capito, Mr.
Platts, Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis
of Virginia, Mr. Scott of Virginia, and Mr. Boucher):
H.R. 5195. A bill to establish the Journey Through Hallowed
Ground National Heritage Area, and for other purposes; to the
Committee on Resources.
By Mr. CASTLE:
H. Con. Res. 389. Concurrent resolution amending the Rules
of the House of Representatives and the Standing Rules of the
Senate to require the full payment and disclosure of charter
flights provided to Members of Congress; to the Committee on
Rules.
By Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky (for himself and Mr. Sodrel):
H. Res. 772. A resolution amending the Rules of the House
of Representatives to require the Committee on Standards of
Official Conduct to provide regular ethics training for
Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner; to the
Committee on Rules.
By Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, and
Mr. Dreier):
H. Res. 773. A resolution commending the American Jewish
Committee for its century of leadership, and for other
purposes; to the Committee on Government Reform.
By Mr. BURTON of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Bartlett of
Maryland, Mr. Meeks of New York, and Mr. Lantos):
H. Res. 775. A resolution commending the Community of
Sant'Egidio for their extensive charity and generosity on
behalf of the poor throughout the world; to the Committee on
International Relations.
By Mr. HEFLEY:
H. Res. 776. A resolution supporting the observance of a
``National Day of the American Cowboy''; to the Committee on
Government Reform.
By Mr. MEEK of Florida:
H. Res. 777. A resolution expressing the sense of the House
of Representatives, in recognition of the contributions of
the Haitian people to the history and culture of the United
States, by establishing ``Haitian-American Heritage Month'';
to the Committee on Government Reform.
____________________
ADDITIONAL SPONSORS
Under clause 7 of rule XII, sponsors were added to public bills and
resolutions as follows:
H.R. 23: Mr. Gallegly and Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 97: Mr. Pomeroy and Mr. Miller of Florida.
H.R. 147: Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota and Mr. Cole of
Oklahoma.
H.R. 198: Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Cooper, Mr.
Emanuel, and Mr. Simmons.
H.R. 282: Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Gary G. Miller of California,
Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, Mr. Young of Alaska and Ms.
Watson.
H.R. 303: Mr. Ortiz.
H.R. 333: Mr. Filner.
H.R. 354: Mr. Lewis of Georgia and Mr. Wamp.
H.R. 356: Mr. McKeon.
H.R. 363: Mr. Hinchey.
H.R. 378: Mr. Serrano, Mr. Rangel, and Ms. Lee.
H.R. 521: Mr. Davis of Kentucky.
H.R. 533: Ms. Pelosi.
H.R. 550: Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Leach, Ms.
Matsui, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Holden, Mr.
Gerlach, and Mr. Al Green of Texas.
H.R. 552: Mr. Boustany and Mrs. Cubin.
H.R. 558: Mr. Filner.
H.R. 559: Ms. Solis, Mr. Hinchey, and Mr. Honda.
H.R. 583: Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Dent, Mr. Davis of
Tennessee, and Mr. Green of Wisconsin.
H.R. 602: Mr. Levin and Mr. Markey.
H.R. 662: Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas and Mr. Kucinich.
H.R. 663: Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Waters, Mrs.
Christensen, and Ms. Moore of Wisconsin.
H.R. 697: Mr. Payne.
H.R. 808: Mrs. Wilson of New Mexico.
H.R. 874: Mr. Simpson, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. Cole
of Oklahoma, and Mr. Miller of Florida.
H.R. 917: Mr. Boswell.
H.R. 926: Mr. Gene Green of Texas.
H.R. 939: Mr. Lantos and Ms. Pelosi.
H.R. 964: Ms. McCollum of Minnesota.
H.R. 987: Mrs. Capito and Mr. Moore of Kansas.
H.R. 994: Mr. Osborne, Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. Salazar, Ms.
Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Istook, Mr. LaTourette, and Mr.
Wicker.
H.R. 998: Mr. Istook, Mr. Chandler, and Mr. Wamp.
H.R. 1002: Mr. Lewis of Kentucky and Mrs. Drake.
H.R. 1059: Mrs. Davis of California.
H.R. 1079: Mr. Culberson and Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 1105: Mr. Ford.
H.R. 1131: Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, Mr.
Oberstar, and Mr. Frank of Massachusetts.
H.R. 1172: Mr. Smith of Washington and Mr. Capuano.
H.R. 1175: Mrs. Capito, Ms. Baldwin, and Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 1188: Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Baca, and Ms. Carson.
H.R. 1227: Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mr. Pastor, Mr.
Gerlach, Ms. Bean, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Obey, and Mr. Castle.
H.R. 1245: Mr. Sabo, Mr. Young of Florida, Mr. Pastor, Mr.
Davis of Tennessee, and Mr. Gerlach.
H.R. 1352: Mr. Towns.
H.R. 1356: Mr. Rush, Mr. Scott of Virginia, and Mr. Kirk.
H.R. 1364: Mr. Conyers.
H.R. 1415: Ms. DeGette and Mr. Kucinich.
H.R. 1426: Mr. Miller of North Carolina.
H.R. 1431: Mr. Evans and Mr. Abercrombie.
H.R. 1432: Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas and Mr. Moore of
Kansas.
H.R. 1433: Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas and Mr. Moore of
Kansas.
H.R. 1462: Mr. Filner.
H.R. 1498: Mr. Melancon and Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 1514: Mr. Reichert.
H.R. 1548: Mr. Boehlert, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mrs.
Musgrave, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Fortuno, Mrs. Davis of
California, Mr. Bonner, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Shaw,
Mr. Chandler, Mr. Conyers, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Calvert, Mr.
Wolf, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. Smith of New Jersey.
H.R. 1554: Mr. McGovern and Mr. Neal of Massachusetts.
H.R. 1578: Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Bishop
of Georgia, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr.
Bishop of Utah.
H.R. 1582: Ms. DeGette and Mr. Jindal.
H.R. 1591: Mr. Strickland.
H.R. 1595: Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Bartlett of
Maryland, Mr. Akin, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. Hefley, Ms. Pelosi, and
Mr. Inslee.
H.R. 1633: Mr. Simmons.
H.R. 1671: Mr. Gingrey.
H.R. 1687: Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Millender-
McDonald, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Norton, Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson of Texas, and Ms. Eshoo.
H.R. 1696: Mr. Smith of New Jersey and Mr. Gerlach.
H.R. 1707: Mr. Sanders and Mr. Rangel.
H.R. 1708: Mr. Paul, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Engel, and Mrs.
Napolitano.
H.R. 1951: Ms. Schwartz of Pennsylvania, Ms. Bordallo, Mr.
Chandler, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, and Mr. Fossella.
H.R. 2043: Mr. Boucher.
H.R. 2076: Mr. Ross.
H.R. 2088: Mr. Barrow.
H.R. 2177: Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia and Mr. Udall of
Colorado.
H.R. 2230: Mr. Moore of Kansas and Mr. Filner.
H.R. 2231: Ms. DeGette, Mrs. Bono, Mr. Dent, Mr. Smith of
New Jersey, and Mr. Dingell.
H.R. 2238: Mr. Cole of Oklahoma.
H.R. 2328: Mr. Filner, Mr. LaHood, Ms. Baldwin, Mr.
McCotter, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Sweeney, and Mr. King of New York.
H.R. 2350: Mrs. Emerson.
H.R. 2353: Mr. Aderholt.
H.R. 2357: Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 2369: Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Herger, Ms. Waters, and Mr.
Campbell of California.
H.R. 2390: Mr. Fossella.
H.R. 2421: Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Markey, Mr. Meek
of Florida, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Olver, Mr. Brown of Ohio, and Mr.
Gerlach.
H.R. 2429: Mr. Oberstar.
H.R. 2456: Ms. Moore of Wisconsin.
H.R. 2561: Miss McMorris and Ms. Her-
seth.
H.R. 2567: Mrs. Northup and Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 2568: Mr. Goode.
H.R. 2662: Ms. Matsui.
H.R. 2669: Mr. Davis of Kentucky.
H.R. 2684: Mr. Doyle.
H.R. 2716: Mr. Gerlach and Mr. Allen.
H.R. 2736: Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 2793: Mr. Costello and Mr. English of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 2813: Mr. Weiner.
H.R. 2842: Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire.
H.R. 2861: Mr. Spratt.
H.R. 2928: Mr. Fattah and Mr. Scott of Georgia.
H.R. 2943: Mr. Gerlach and Mr. Grijalva.
H.R. 2960: Mr. Meehan.
H.R. 3151: Mr. Langevin.
H.R. 3155: Ms. Norton, Mr. Wexler, and Ms. Millender-
McDonald.
[[Page 5984]]
H.R. 3164: Mr. Manzullo.
H.R. 3312: Ms. Schwartz of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 3352: Mr. Wamp.
H.R. 3380: Mr. Sanders.
H.R. 3436: Mr. Barrow.
H.R. 3442: Mr. Baird.
H.R. 3476: Mr. Strickland, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. Norton, Ms.
Kaptur, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Clay, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Towns,
Mr. Burgess, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Farr, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Green of
Wisconsin, and Mr. Wexler.
H.R. 3568: Ms. Bordallo.
H.R. 3576: Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Fattah, and Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 3612: Mr. Terry.
H.R. 3614: Ms. Harris and Mr. Cuellar.
H.R. 3623: Mr. Chabot.
H.R. 3628: Mr. Case, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr.
Emanuel, and Mr. Cummings.
H.R. 3656: Mr. Larson of Connecticut.
H.R. 3689: Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Towns, Mr. Filner, Mr.
Conyers, and Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California.
H.R. 3701: Ms. McKinney and Mr. Serrano.
H.R. 3712: Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Conyers.
H.R. 3715: Mr. Barrow.
H.R. 3753: Mr. Jindal.
H.R. 3762: Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Moran of
Virginia, and Mr. Abercrombie.
H.R. 3778: Mr. Payne and Mrs. Tauscher.
H.R. 3780: Mr. Pallone.
H.R. 3854: Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut.
H.R. 3858: Mr. Schiff, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida,
Mr. Rothman, Mr. Dicks, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. Platts, Mr.
Ferguson, and Mrs. Kelly.
H.R. 3859: Mrs. Kelly.
H.R. 3861: Mr. Engel.
H.R. 3883: Mr. Shuster.
H.R. 3933: Mr. Reichert.
H.R. 3936: Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Larson of
Connecticut, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Davis of Alabama, Mr. Reyes,
Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Payne,
Mr. Gordon, Ms. Watson, Ms. Hooley, Mr. George Miller of
California, and Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan.
H.R. 3949: Mr. Bonner, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Mr.
McGovern, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Strickland,
Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, Mr. Frank of
Massachusetts, and Mr. Price of North Carolina.
H.R. 3957: Mr. Chabot.
H.R. 4025: Mr. LaHood, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Millender-McDonald,
Ms. Bordallo, and Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 4042: Mr. Otter.
H.R. 4049: Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Conyers, Mr. English of
Pennsylvania, and Mr. McKeon.
H.R. 4062: Mr. Langevin.
H.R. 4063: Mr. Larsen of Washington and Ms. McCollum of
Minnesota.
H.R. 4098: Mr. Moran of Kansas, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Sullivan,
Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, and Mr. Smith of Washington.
H.R. 4126: Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia.
H.R. 4188: Ms. Carson, Mr. Berman, Mr. McDermott, Mr.
Delahunt, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Stark,
Mr. Wexler, Mr. McGovern, and Mr. Brown of Ohio.
H.R. 4217: Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Green of Wisconsin, Mrs.
Drake, Mr. LaTourette, and Mr. Carter.
H.R. 4222: Ms. Lee and Ms. Baldwin.
H.R. 4229: Mr. Miller of North Carolina.
H.R. 4236: Mr. Moore of Kansas and Mr. Boswell.
H.R. 4259: Mr. Schwarz of Michigan, and Ms. Bordallo.
H.R. 4341: Mr. Chocola, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mr. Buyer.
H.R. 4361: Mr. Cummings.
H.R. 4371: Mr. Cuellar and Ms. McKinney.
H.R. 4384: Mrs. Maloney.
H.R. 4398: Mr. Moore of Kansas.
H.R. 4399: Mr. Porter and Mr. Sweeney.
H.R. 4409: Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Moran of Virginia,
Mrs. Bono, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, and Mr. Bonner.
H.R. 4424: Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Scott of Georgia.
H.R. 4463: Mr. Kucinich.
H.R. 4474: Mr. Cardin.
H.R. 4479: Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Weiner,
Mr. Wexler, Mr. Levin, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Gutierrez, Mrs.
McCarthy, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Solis, Mr. Olver; Mr. George Miller
of California, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. Scott of Virginia.
H.R. 4493: Mr. Reyes.
H.R. 4511: Ms. Hart.
H.R. 4542: Mr. Schwarz of Michigan, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Kuhl
of New York, Mr. Farr, Mr. Price of North Carolina, and Mr.
Reyes.
H.R. 4547: Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Barrow, and Mr. Davis of
Tennessee.
H.R. 4550: Mr. Fortuno, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Sherwood, Ms.
Velazquez, Mr. Rahall, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Grijalva,
and Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California.
H.R. 4574: Mr. Miller of Florida and Ms. Linda T. Sanchez
of California.
H.R. 4582: Mr. DeFazio.
H.R. 4597: Mr. Moore of Kansas.
H.R. 4600: Mr. Serrano, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Rush, Mr. Owens,
Mr. Conyers, Mr. Grijal-
va, and Mr. Fattah.
H.R. 4606: Mr. McDermott.
H.R. 4619: Mr. Crowley.
H.R. 4621: Mr. Porter.
H.R. 4624: Mr. Meeks of New York.
H.R. 4629: Mr. Kucinich.
H.R. 4650: Mr. Jindal, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Ford.
H.R. 4651: Ms. Lee, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Holt, and Ms.
Schakowsky.
H.R. 4662: Mr. Kennedy of Minnesota.
H.R. 4665: Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 4666: Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut.
H.R. 4668: Mr. Goodlatte.
H.R. 4672: Mr. Lewis of Kentucky.
H.R. 4677: Mr. Aderholt.
H.R. 4695: Mr. Chandler, Mr. Holt, and Ms. Woolsey.
H.R. 4696: Mr. Aderholt.
H.R. 4704: Mrs. Jones of Ohio and Mr. Baca.
H.R. 4705: Mr. Owens, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr.
Jefferson, and Mrs. Kelly.
H.R. 4710: Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Abercrombie, and Mr. Jefferson.
H.R. 4727: Mr. Strickland, Mr. Delahunt, and Mr. Ross.
H.R. 4730: Mr. Carter, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, Mr. Rogers of
Kentucky, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr.
Whitfield, Mr. Gibbons, and Mr. Miller of Florida.
H.R. 4739: Mr. Moran of Virginia and Mr. Jefferson.
H.R. 4740: Mr. Platts.
H.R. 4747: Mr. Terry, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Brown of
Ohio, Ms. Eshoo, and Mr. Price of North Carolina.
H.R. 4749: Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Stupak, and Mr.
Conyers.
H.R. 4753: Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Brown of South Carolina,
and Mr. Jefferson.
H.R. 4755: Mr. Dingell, Mr. Berman, Mr. McIntyre, Mr.
Hinchey, Mr. Schwarz of Michigan, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts,
Mr. Barrow, Mr. Case, Mr. Snyder, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Miller of
North Carolina, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Rehberg, Mr.
Becerra, Ms. Waters, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Clyburn, Mr.
Thompson of California, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr.
Murphy, Mr. Boren, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Solis, Mr.
Sherman, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Platts, Mr.
Meehan, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Shays, and Mr.
Cole of Oklahoma.
H.R. 4761: Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi,
Mr. Buyer, Mrs. Capito, and Mr. Barrett of South Carolina.
H.R. 4769: Mr. Fattah, Mr. Case, Mrs. Bono, and Mr. Rogers
of Michigan.
H.R. 4772: Mr. Brown of South Carolina.
H.R. 4774: Ms. Bean.
H.R. 4794: Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr.
Fattah, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Filner, Mr. Kucinich, and
Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California.
H.R. 4806: Mr. McCotter.
H.R. 4808: Mr. Hayes, Mr. Butterfield, and Mr. Marshall.
H.R. 4809: Mr. Tiberi.
H.R. 4824: Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Pomeroy, and Mr.
Engel.
H.R. 4838: Mr. Feeney.
H.R. 4843: Mr. Campbell of California.
H.R. 4854: Mr. Bishop of Georgia and Mr. English of
Pennsylvania.
H.R. 4860: Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania and Mr. Carnahan.
H.R. 4861: Mr. Terry.
H.R. 4873: Mr. Ford.
H.R. 4894: Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. McKeon, Mr.
Shays, Mr. Reichert, Mrs. Miller of Michigan, and Mr.
Campbell of California.
H.R. 4897: Mr. McHugh and Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 4902: Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Dingell, Mr.
Reichert, Mr. Melancon, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Boren, Mr. Everett,
Mr. Clyburn, and Mr. Gallegly.
H.R. 4903: Mr. Brown of Ohio.
H.R. 4922: Mr. Carter and Mr. English of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 4937: Mr. Reichert and Mr. Cuellar.
H.R. 4948: Mr. Baird.
H.R. 4949: Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Sherman,
Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Burgess, Mr.
Lantos, Mr. Boustany, Mr. Meehan, and Mr. Paul.
H.R. 4956: Mr. English of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 4959: Mrs. Capito.
H.R. 4960: Mr. Sessions.
H.R. 4962: Mr. Nadler and Mr. Engel.
H.R. 4963: Mr. Conyers, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. Ramstad, Mr.
Owens, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Fattah, Mr.
DeFazio, Mr. Towns, Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Porter, and Mr. Clay.
H.R. 4974: Mr. Crowley, Mr. Knollenberg, Ms. Granger, Mr.
Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Engel, Mr. Westmoreland, and
Mr. Ackerman.
H.R. 4992: Mr. Filner and Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 4993: Ms. Lee, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Gene Green of Texas,
and Ms. Schwartz of Pennsylvania.
H.R. 5005: Mr. McCotter, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr.
King of Iowa, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire, Mr.
Souder, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, and Mr.
Gordon.
H.R. 5010: Mrs. Cubin.
H.R. 5013: Mr. Schwarz of Michigan, Mr. Hayes, Mr.
Aderholt, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr.
Sodrel, and Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 5033: Mr. Van Hollen, Mrs. McCarthy, Ms. Wasserman
Schultz, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Wexler.
H.R. 5036: Mr. Flake.
[[Page 5985]]
H.R. 5037: Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mrs. Lowey, Mr.
Reynolds, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire,
Mr. Hastert, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Wamp, Mr.
Langevin, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Ms. Pryce of
Ohio, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Miss McMorris,
Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mr. Carter, Mr. Stearns, Mr.
Smith of Washington, Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr.
Udall of Colorado, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Case, Mr.
Boren, Mr. Marchant, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Mario
Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Boustany, Mr.
Gordon, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Dingell, Mr. Blunt, Mr.
Doolittle, Mr. Bonner, and Mr. Rahall.
H.R. 5039: Mr. Cuellar.
H.R. 5050: Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Blunt, and Mr. Rogers of
Alabama.
H.R. 5051: Mr. Boehlert, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr.
Moran of Virginia, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Schiff, and Mr.
Cummings.
H.R. 5055: Mrs. Bono.
H.R. 5056: Mr. Kirk.
H.R. 5063: Ms. DeLauro, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Pastor, Mr.
Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Lipinski, and Mr. Van Hollen.
H.R. 5065: Mrs. Lowey.
H.R. 5069: Mr. Cardin.
H.R. 5075: Mr. Abercrombie.
H.R. 5081: Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Boozman, Ms.
Bordallo, and Mr. Gallegly.
H.R. 5099: Mr. Filner, Mr. Davis of Alabama, Ms. McCollum
of Minnesota, Mr. Leach, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. DeLauro, and Mr.
Rehberg.
H.R. 5113: Mr. Kildee, Ms. Carson, Mr. Visclosky, Ms.
Kaptur, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Kucinich, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Payne, Mr. Farr, Mr. Delahunt, Mr.
Strickland, Ms. Lee, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, and Mr. Thompson
of Mississippi.
H.R. 5118: Mr. Norwood, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Pickering, and Mr.
McNulty.
H.R. 5119: Mr. McIntyre.
H.R. 5129: Mr. McCotter, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Istook, and
Mr. Conaway.
H.R. 5134: Mr. Tanner, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Reyes, Mr.
Hinchey, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Gerlach, and Mr. Shuster.
H.R. 5136: Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Boren, Mr.
Conaway, and Mr. Hinojosa.
H.R. 5137: Mr. Payne and Mr. Grijalva.
H.R. 5150: Mr. Scott of Virginia and Mr. Ryan of Ohio.
H.R. 5159: Mr. Holt, Mrs. Musgrave, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Ford,
Mr. Honda, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Ms. Foxx,
Mr. Carter, Mr. Miller of Florida, and Mr. Peterson of
Minnesota.
H.R. 5160: Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. McNulty, and Mr.
Sweeney.
H.R. 5166: Mr. Wexler, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Cuellar, Mr.
Hayes, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Alexander, Mr.
Miller of Florida, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Rahall, Mr.
Coble, Mr. Renzi, Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Porter, Mr. Dent, Mr.
Pitts, Mr. Baird, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Jackson of
Illinois, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Mr. Ross, Mr. Farr, Mr.
Davis of Tennessee, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Rush, Ms.
Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. Woolsey, Mrs. Tauscher, and Mrs.
McCarthy.
H. Con. Res. 10: Mr. Berry.
H. Con. Res. 42: Mr. Berry and Mr. Carter.
H. Con. Res. 85: Mr. Shays.
H. Con. Res. 106: Mr. Strickland.
H. Con. Res. 137: Mr. Rothman.
H. Con. Res. 219: Mr. Frank of Massachusetts.
H. Con. Res. 231: Mr. Emanuel, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of
California, Mr. Shays, and Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California.
H. Con. Res. 234: Mr. Evans, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts,
Mr. Nadler, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Woolsey.
H. Con. Res. 235: Ms. Kaptur.
H. Con. Res. 282: Mr. Cummings.
H. Con. Res. 306: Ms. Schakowsky.
H. Con. Res. 340: Mr. Capuano, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr.
Waxman, Mr. Larsen of Washington, and Mr. Bishop of Georgia.
H. Con. Res. 346: Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Hensarling, Mr. Tom
Davis of Virginia, Mr. Andrews, and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen.
H. Con. Res. 348: Ms. Schakowsky.
H. Con. Res. 357: Mr. McDermott.
H. Con. Res. 363: Mr. Doggett, Mr. Holt, and Mr. Terry.
H. Con. Res. 368: Mr. Costa, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Bass, Mr.
Holden, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kanjorski, Mr.
Sherwood, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Pickering, Ms. Hart, Mr. Jefferson,
Mr. Pallone, Ms. Harris, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr.
Conaway.
H. Con. Res. 378: Mr. McHugh, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite of
Florida, Mr. Holt, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr.
Faleomavaega, Mr. Payne, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Hinojosa,
Mr. Holden, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Tauscher, and Mr.
Smith of New Jersey.
H. Con. Res. 380: Mr. Van Hollen and Mr. Manzullo.
H. Con. Res. 388: Mr. Crowley and Mr. Wolf.
H. Res. 67: Mr. Moore of Kansas.
H. Res. 222: Mr. Grijalva and Mr. English of Pennsylvania.
H. Res. 299: Mr. Ross.
H. Res. 305: Mr. Snyder.
H. Res. 316: Mr. Cleaver.
H. Res. 335: Mr. Larson of Connecticut.
H. Res. 498: Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mrs. Maloney, Mr.
Gordon, and Mrs. Jones of Ohio.
H. Res. 521: Mr. Taylor of North Carolina, Mr. Duncan, Mr.
Rangel, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mr. Capuano, and Mr.
Rahall.
H. Res. 526: Mr. Langevin and Mr. Bishop of Georgia.
H. Res. 600: Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr.
Meeks of New York, and Mr. Wexler.
H. Res. 636: Mr. Filner.
H. Res. 637: Mr. Filner.
H. Res. 638: Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr.
Cummings, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Conyers, and Ms. Norton.
H. Res. 699: Mrs. McCarthy.
H. Res. 701: Mr. Terry, Mr. Feeney, and Mr. Green of
Wisconsin.
H. Res. 722: Mr. Murtha.
H. Res. 723: Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Fattah, Mr.
Ford, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. Bishop of Georgia,
Ms. Kilpatrick of Michigan, and Mr. Oberstar.
H. Res. 727: Mr. McNulty, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Eddie Bernice
Johnson of Texas, Ms. Norton, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Conyers, Mr.
McDermott, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Hastings of Florida,
Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Berman, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr.
Meehan, and Ms. DeLauro.
H. Res. 729: Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Ms. Lee, and
Mr. Davis of Illinois.
H. Res. 739: Mr. Oxley.
H. Res. 740: Mr. Ackerman.
H. Res. 745: Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Payne, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr.
McCotter, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr.
Smith of Washington, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Berman,
Mr. Rangel, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Bishop of Georgia,
Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania.
H. Res. 771: Mr. English of Pennsylvania.
[[Page 5986]]
EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS
____________________
IN HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF OHIO COMMODORES
______
HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate the
Association of Ohio Commodores. Celebrating their 40th anniversary this
year, the association has traveled the globe as Ohio's preeminent
ambassadors to international commerce.
Founded in 1966 by Governor James A. Rhodes in honor of Commodore
Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie, the Ohio
Commodores have served various missions around the world as official
representatives of the State. From the Japanese Ambassador and the
Governor of Ohio's sister province in Korea, to the Consul Generals of
Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, they have acted as the official
hosts to foreign dignitaries visiting Ohio.
Since its inception, the association has invited over 300 men and
women to join the ranks of Commodores. Considered Ohio's ``most
distinguished honor,'' government officials, lawmakers, leaders in
higher education, and business leaders have all been recognized for
their contributions to the economic strength of the State.
Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and
congratulation of the Association of Ohio Commodores, which has
dedicated the past four decades to honor the finest Ohioans and ensure
a bright future for the Buckeye State.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO DANIEL SKINKIS
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel Skinkis for
more than two decades of volunteer work in Southern Nevada.
Daniel Skinkis has founded several outreach programs over the past 22
years and speaks publicly each week at homeless shelters to help
addicted and disenfranchised members of society turn their lives
around. From 1988 to 1993, Mr. Skinkis ran a private fellowship in
Henderson, NV, for young people with addictions, called Witness
Outreach. In addition, Mr. Skinkis started Desert Homeless Outreach
over 20 years ago as a place where homeless people talk about issues
they face and work toward resolving them. Most recently, these efforts
to assist the homeless community have earned Mr. Skinkis the
prestigious Jefferson Award bestowed by the American Institute for
Public Service.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Daniel Skinkis for his admirable
work with the community in an effort to enrich the lives of
disenfranchised and impoverished people. I wish him the best in his
future efforts.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM MOCK
______
HON. BILL SHUSTER
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor William Mock, who has
been named Historian of the Year by the Bedford County Historical
Society. Bill, a Vietnam veteran and retired biology teacher from
Bedford County, will be honored with this distinguished award at the
Bedford County Historical Society's annual banquet in April.
Bedford County is an area rich with historical value and meaning,
dating back to the revolutionary era. Bill has worked to promote it by
proposing the establishment of a Bedford County historical center to
exhibit historical records and artifacts from the area. As he often
says of himself, Bill lives in the past. His love of history has
propelled him to take on many meaningful, honorable activities to
commemorate our Nation's heroes and ensure they are never forgotten.
A member of the Bedford County Historical Society, the Gettysburg
Blues and the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War Gettysburg
Camp No. 112, Bill takes immense pride in working with these
organizations to preserve our Nation's history. He planned and executed
the rededication of the Pennsylvania Monument in Andersonville National
Cemetery for its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Bill spent
months researching and fundraising to reproduce the 138th Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry Regimental flag, which he carried in the March of
Honor to the monument.
William Mock's dedication to the preservation of our local and
national history is admirable, and we can hope that others will follow
in his footsteps and view our history with the same pride and honor as
those that came before us.
____________________
SWEARING-IN ``DAISY'' WITH THE LEWISVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
______
HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daisy, the most
recent member of the Lewisville Fire Department in North Texas. Daisy
is a 1\1/2\ year old yellow lab that was previously under the training
of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. She has achieved a
reputation within the community as a very capable instrument in the
detection of explosives.
Daisy and Division Chief Terry McGrath trained together for ten
straight weeks in Virginia. This training consisted of various
conditioning and learning skills that trained both Daisy and her
handler. The two were educated in the many different scenarios that
could very well be encountered in the line of duty. Daisy is trained to
recognize 18,000 different scents that may be linked to explosive
devices.
The Lewisville Fire Department was contacted by an ATF agent in the
Dallas Regional Office to see if they would participate in the program
and would welcome Daisy as a valuable member of the force. Needless to
say, they were more than thrilled with the opportunity to be able to
provide a highly trained dog like Daisy for the safety of the entire
North Texas region.
I am pleased to join in with the rest of the Lewisville Fire
Department in welcoming Daisy as their latest member. Her devotion to
her handler, the department and the safety of the public makes her an
invaluable asset to the community.
____________________
HONORING THE OAKTON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
______
HON. TOM DAVIS
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor
the Oakton High School Cougars football team, who won the 2005 Virginia
High School League Group AAA, Division 6 State Championship.
On Saturday, December 10, 2005 at Darling Stadium in Hampton, the
Cougars all but shut down the Landstown Eagle's infamous passing game,
accumulating 401 total rushing yards against the Eagles' defense.
Led by head coach, Joe Thompson, and his assistant coaching staff,
David Foley, John Glufling, Tom Goggin, Bryan Gordon, J.J. Hetman,
Brent Newell, Kolapo Olarinde, Pat Purcell, Jason Rowley, Donny Samson,
Rick Wells, Joe Drewer and Packy Purcell, the Cougars trained
intensively throughout a dramatic and triumphant season. The Cougars
dedication and teamwork culminated in their 28-7 state title victory,
the first in Oakton High School's history.
I congratulate all the talented members of the Virginia High School
League Group AAA, Division 6 State Champion Cougars: Keith
[[Page 5987]]
Payne, Thomas Rupp, Michael Lee, Handel Stephen-Dowd, Ervin Gamer,
Adrien Laffitte-Smith, Donald Murphy, Brian Sweeny, Aaron Dishner,
Stephen Poumaras, Mark Davis, Curtis Eward, Bradley Rhodes, Kumail
Baig, Kevin Houghton, Derek Zimmerman, Tyler Morris, Ilyas Karimov,
Sean Purcell, Erich Kottke, Alex Wargo, Connor Madden, David Kidwell,
Trey Watts, Peyton Mahaffey, David Shumway, Dylan Grimm, Justin White,
John Henry, Chris Rainwater, Ryan Harris, Mike Bautista, Chris Coyer,
Jack Tyler, Jackson Kibler, Kevin Swanson, Taylor Naleppa, Jonathan
Kedrock, Justin Otley, Josh Nelson, Mark Bleiweis, David Crain, Jim
Roberts, Zachary Capozzoli, Patrick Tyler, Jeremy Rudolph, Carl
Myrville, Bo Farrar, Flory Niyonkuru, Alex Hanson, Joshua Lewin, Kevin
Miller, Jared Ruppert, Evan Fiore, Tim Seeger, Asif Kazmi, Gavin Wait,
Jared Green, Rob Koster, Mark Larsen, Clark Scheible, Marques Wilson,
Kevin Schweiker, Ryan Keely, Mike Shvenderman, Joe Sullivan, Drew
Whalen, Joey McCallum, Thomas Vitale, Kevin Culkin, James Wheatley,
Chad Faulkner, Michael Pournaras, Wade Reynolds, Kenny Hanson, and
Morad Motamedi (Manager)
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor their championship, and to
wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
____________________
H.R. 609 FAILS AMERICA'S STUDENTS
______
HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in opposition to H.R. 609,
the so-called ``College Access and Opportunity Act,'' because it
creates greater problems in providing financial assistance for college
students, and will lead to graduates inheriting greater debt. The
Republicans have chosen to neglect young Americans who need assistance
with the costs of higher education. A number of academic organizations
oppose this legislation including The National Education Association,
the United States Student Association, and The American Federation of
Teachers. The Democratic alternative to this bill helps those students
and their families who cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of college
tuition in America today.
This legislation is problematic because it produces a number of
obstacles which could interfere with students' ability to pursue higher
education. It fails to make college more affordable for Americans
falling in the low- and middle-income brackets by prohibiting them from
consolidating their loans while in school or during the six month grace
period directly following graduation. The ``College Access and
Opportunity Act'' also revokes a student's ability to secure a low
fixed-interest rate. In addition, it bars married couples from
consolidating their student loans with their spouses.
The Republicans claim they are for strengthening Pell grants when the
truth is that over the last four years, their legislation has done the
exact opposite. In 2000, the maximum Pell grant covered about 41% of
tuition expenses. Now, in 2006, the maximum Pell grant barely covers a
third of tuition expenses. Students are unable to cover this gap. This
bill creates problems in the long run which will prevent millions of
students from attending college simply because they cannot afford it
and because the Republicans in Congress have refused to make higher
education a priority.
Students and their families deserve more than what this resolution
offers. That is why I will be supporting the more comprehensive
approach found in the Democratic alternative, the Miller-Kildee-Scott-
Davis-Grijalva amendment.
The Democratic alternative offers many benefits to college students
and their families. It cuts the college loan fixed interest rate in
half from 6.8% to 3.4%. This will provide protection to students who
use loans to finance their education. The Democratic alternative also
provides funding for programs that support low-income black and
Hispanic students.
Today nearly two-thirds of all American college students graduate
with debt--up from one-third in 1993--and a typical student borrower
graduates from college with $17,500 in debt. The Republicans in
Congress have taken $12.5 billion dollars out of student aid accounts
to pay for their tax cuts and now, with this bill, students will suffer
the burden of higher interest rates, new fees, and more debt while in
school and after graduation. Congress should create more opportunity
for America's student, not less. H.R. 609 hurts students and their
families who cannot afford the cost of higher education.
____________________
TRIBUTE FOR JOSE ``LEFTY'' MARTINEZ
______
HON. HENRY CUELLAR
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jose ``Lefty''
Martinez, a lifelong resident of Laredo, for his bravery and service to
the nation during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Jose Martinez
passed away recently on March 23rd, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas.
There were many that lost their lives during World War II, however,
Lefty Martinez's valiant return reminded us of the sacrifices made in
defending our freedom and liberty. It was the call to service that drew
Lefty at the age of seventeen. It was March 1946, when Lefty had
enlisted in the Marine Corps, which took him to the Barbers Point Naval
Air Station in Hawaii, working on C-46 and C-54 aircraft transports.
When his two-year tour was cut to fifteen months, however, he
remained with aviation for years after he left the Marine Corps as a
civilian contractor. Veterans' training benefits gave him the
opportunity to receive federal licensing as an aircraft mechanic,
enabling him to serve all over the United States and in places such as
the Philippines, Thailand, France, and Vietnam. In Vietnam, he lost
half of his civilian contract crew during the 1968 Tet Offensive, and
shortly afterwards, he returned back to Laredo, Texas.
In Laredo, Lefty joined veteran organizations and was the commander
of the Catholic War Veterans Post 1908. He also was a former member of
the American Legion, VFW, Marine Corps League and Vietnam Veterans of
America. He was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, Fourth
Degree Assembly No. 2565, and a former member of the Laredo Evening
Lions Club and the Webb County Heritage Foundation.
What I remember about Lefty was his dedication to his country. In the
spare time he had, he always stopped by the middle and high schools to
talk about his war experiences, and he showed the importance in serving
one's country with honor and dignity. It is a great loss to this
country to have lost such a great veteran, and I hope we will continue
to treat our veterans today with the respect they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to recognize the
bravery and dedication of Jose ``Lefty'' Martinez.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO KATHY L. BATTERMAN
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kathy L. Batterman who
became one of the first crew members for ``Flight for Life'' and was
the first certified flight nurse in the United States. Mrs. Batterman's
life was tragically cut short in the line of duty when, on April 4,
1999, the ``Flight for Life'' helicopter crashed in Indian Springs
Nevada during a bizarre snowstorm after transporting a patient to a Las
Vegas hospital.
During her career Kathy flew over 3,000 rescue flights and is
credited with saving thousands of lives. Kathy epitomized excellence in
all aspects of nursing. Not only was she one of America's premiere
flight nurses, she was a certified flight registered nurse, an advanced
trauma specialist, and Nevada's first pre-hospital nurse practitioner.
Kathy was a respected educator and a pioneer of EMS education in
Nevada. Her contagious energetic spirit, encouraging smile, and
enthusiasm inspired many others to do their best. Kathy was also
instrumental in placing a second ``Flight for Life'' base in Pahrump,
Nevada recognizing how crucial the response time is for those needing
emergency care in the outlying rural communities around Las Vegas. Not
only was she a magnificent flight nurse, she was also a caring and
devoted wife and mother.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Kathy L. Batterman for her
dedication to providing emergency medical service to the Las Vegas and
outlying community. Her death is a profound loss to the community and
the medical profession.
[[Page 5988]]
____________________
IN HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF JAMES ANTHONY ZACK, A CHAMPION OF LABOR
______
HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the life of
James Anthony Zack, who was truly a champion for the rights of working
people in northeast Ohio and a proud and dedicated Teamster.
Jim served for 18 years as a Union Trustee, Vice President, and in
June of 1997, was elected President of Teamsters Local #1164. He was
constantly working to further his knowledge of the issues and areas of
concern to Ohio's working families. In 2002, he received a certificate
in labor relations from Cleveland State University.
A 1958 graduate of Elyria High School, Jim had over 25 years in sales
at Pepsi Cola of Elyria, close to 23 of which were as a driver
salesman. Additionally, Jim owned and operated his own businesses as a
distributor for 7-Up and Pepsi.
Well liked by those who knew him, Jim truly brightened and enriched
the lives of all those around him. His devotion to the Teamsters and
the members he worked so hard to represent was matched only by his love
and devotion to his family and faith. My thoughts and prayers are with
his wife, Barb, children, Jim Jr. and Debbie, and five grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition
of the life of James Anthony Zack. His dedication on behalf of working
people has served to uplift our entire community.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF BASIC HIGH SCHOOL'S MARINE CORPS JROTC PROGRAM AND
PARTICIPANTS
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of a
special group of high school students in Henderson, NV, the members of
Basic High School's Marine Corps JROTC
Basic's JROTC unit was activated in 1977 and is one of over 200 plus
units sponsored by the United States Marine Corps. Basic's MCJROTC has
been designated as a ``Naval Honor School'' 14 times and has received
State and national recognition and honors. The senior marine instructor
and marine instructors are retired marines with over 80 years of
combined military service and 30 years at Basic High School.
The mission of the MCJROTC is to develop young leaders and
responsible citizens with respect for constituted authority, to help
individuals strengthen character and form habits of self-discipline,
and to learn the importance of national security in a democratic
society. Students that participate in the MCJROTC program at Basic
learn self-discipline, self-confidence, personal responsibility and
build their character.
Basic's MCJROTC students participated in the Western United States
National Drill Meet on April 1, 2006 and were deemed the overall winner
for the West Coast. Other awards earned included: first place in Armed
Inspection, second place in Unarmed Inspection, first place in 4 Person
Unarmed, fifth place for 4 Person Unarmed, third place in Unarmed
Inspection, second place for Color Guard Regulation, first place for 4
Person Armed, first place in Unarmed Exhibition, second place in Color
Guard Regulation, fourth place for 4 Person Armed, second place for
Armed Inspection, third place for Unarmed Exhibition, fourth place for
Color Guard Inspection, Outstanding Unarmed Commander Cadet.
Basic's MCJROTC students have won this prestigious championship twice
in the last 4 years. Their commitment to this important program and
devotion to excellence has helped them achieve these high honors, and I
am proud to recognize them today for their accomplishments.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I salute the MCJROTC
students at Basic High School.
____________________
GENERAL AVIATION SECURITY
______
HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, the American people should be outraged to
learn that all it takes to get on an on-demand charter flight at a
general aviation airport is a credit card. You don't have to go through
an x ray machine. No one is going to look into your carry-on bags. You
and your friends can literally bring anything you want to on one of
these flights and no one is going to stop you. According to the charter
aviation industry this is actually a good thing and it represents
advancement in security from the days where cash could get you a seat
on one of these planes. And Mr. Speaker, I'm not talking here about
small prop planes used by recreational pilots. Jets in the charter
industry are larger, faster, and heavier than they used to be,
therefore making them more like their commercial counterparts than ever
before.
One of the ten busiest general aviation airports in the country is in
my district. Teterboro Airport is only 12 miles from New York City and
handles a volume of over 200,000 flights every year, nearly equal to
the number of flights at JFK International Airport. So far this year
there have been three incidents at the airport, including one where a
car crashed through the airport's chain link fence on January 12th. An
18-year-old driver lost control of her Jeep and ran through the cyclone
fence that separates a major roadway from parked planes. After going
through the fence, the car actually crashed into a fully fueled plane
parked on the tarmac causing damage to both the car and the plane. For
those who have never driven by Teterboro, I'm sure it seems outrageous
that a car could crash through the airport's fence and hit a plane. But
it's true. This incident raises a question that all of us should be
asking ourselves: If an 18-year-old can accidentally breach the
security fence and drive straight onto the tarmac, into a fully fueled
aircraft, at one of the busiest general aviation airports in the
country, what could a motivated psychopath or terrorist do? Mr.
Speaker, this incident speaks to the need for much greater security at
general aviation airports.
We know that our Nation remains an inviting target for terrorists and
we would be foolish not to assume they are looking for vulnerabilities.
If a terrorist had a chemical or biological weapon and needed an
airborne delivery mechanism, it would be shamefully easy to commander
an aircraft at an airport like Teterboro, fly that plane over New York
City, less than 5 minutes flight time away, and deploy that weapon.
The threat posed by lax security at general aviation airports does
not begin and end with a car crashing through a fence. There are other
very worrisome concerns, starting with the security and screening
procedures for passengers boarding air taxi flights. Security
procedures are actually nonexistent. Let me repeat, there are no
security requirements for these passengers. That's right; no Federal
agency requires any screening. In fact, passengers are not even
required to show a license or have their baggage checked. All you need
to do to hop on board an air taxi service flight is a credit card to
buy your ticket. There's absolutely nothing else you need to do.
So you might be wondering, if the Federal Aviation Administration and
the Transportation Security Administration are not regulating security
at general aviation airports, then who is? The industry is of course.
To help them out, TSA worked with the charter industry to publish
``Security Guidelines for General Aviation Airports'' in May of 2004.
But none of these guidelines are mandatory. They offer suggestions and
guidance, but the TSA does not require any local airport operators,
owners, or users to put the guidelines to use. If we're not mandating
security procedures, then what's the point of even having guidelines?
Since there are no mandatory requirements, the threat to our Nation's
security remains.
The excuse for the inadequate security has been that it is impossible
to provide a one-size-fits-all security plan for the Nation's 19,000
general aviation airports. If that's true, then why isn't the TSA
looking at airports in high risk locations? That seems like a
reasonable place to start, but the TSA has not even done that.
However, there has been one notable exception where the TSA stepped
in and mandated tighter security for general aviation aircraft. Just a
few miles away from the Capitol at Ronald Reagan National Airport, the
TSA requires all general aviation flights leaving and coming into
Reagan National to undergo special security procedures and all
passengers must be screened by TSA. Now, I understand the threats that
exist for flights around our Nation's Capitol. However, the same risks
exist for my constituents in Northern New Jersey and for the people of
Manhattan and New York who are at the same risk from flights taking off
and landing at Teterboro Airport. Yet,
[[Page 5989]]
the only thing the TSA has done to improve security at Teterboro is to
require that flights to Reagan National follow the required safety
precautions. This is just not enough.
There clearly is nothing preventing a terrorist from taking out a
credit card, buying a ticket on an air charter flight, showing up for
the flight with a gun, a bomb, or even a weapon of mass destruction and
stepping onto a jet. With no air marshal on board and a full tank of
fuel, any general aviation jet could become the next weapon of mass
destruction. If the TSA wanted to do something about this threat they
would, but they haven't. They are putting all their efforts into
preventing the kind of attacks we saw on 9-11 and putting their trust
in the charter industry to protect our Nation from a new style of air-
based attack. In fact, the charter industry, which has seen dramatic
growth since 9-11, markets itself based on its lax security procedures.
They spend millions of dollars in advertising to the rich and powerful
that the way to avoid the security hassles and inconvenience of
commercial airports is to book a seat on a charter flight. They
actually promote their own lack of security.
Protecting our homeland is the responsibility of government. It's
time for this Congress and the administration to open their eyes and
address this urgent homeland security concern. This industry is
expected to grow by as much as 25 percent in the next few years. We
must do something now. I urge the Homeland Security and Transportation
and Infrastructure Committees to address this issue and enact
legislation that will keep America safe from the threat posed by the
lack of security at general aviation airports.
____________________
HONORING THE SELECTION OF CASEY'S PLACE AS THE NATIONAL HOUSING
ENDOWMENT'S CHOICE AS ``PROJECT OF THE YEAR''
______
HON. JAMES T. WALSH
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor The
Home Builders Association of Central New York on having their project,
Casey's Place, chosen as ``Project of the Year'' by the National
Housing Endowment. The Home Builders Association of Central New York is
the first association in the Northeast to receive this prestigious
award.
Casey's Place, a pediatric respite house for children with
disabilities, is truly a remarkable project. It is the only facility of
its kind in the U.S. that offers the needed services for the medically
fragile and the developmentally challenged and their families, all free
of charge.
Casey's Place came about through the hard work and dedication of the
350 member Home Builders Association of Central New York. Members
donated materials, labor, and made financial contributions in order to
create this dream home where families can escape the hardships of
dealing with these types of tough medical conditions. The 10,000 square
foot space is equipped with a media room, recreation room, accessible
kitchen, themed restrooms, fully accessible shower and bathing
facilities with reclining air jet tubs and state-of-the-art overhead
lifting systems.
To date, Casey's Place has provided overnight, school break and
summer day programs to over 150 children and their families from
Central New York. Casey's Place lets these kids experience many of the
activities we all take for granted. Without the altruistic spirit of
the Home Builders Association of Central New York, none of this would
be possible. They deserve special recognition. I wish them the best of
luck with the Casey's Place and hope they are able to touch many more
families across the region.
____________________
RECOGNIZING THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF SENATOR LOURDES LEON GUERRERO
______
HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO
of guam
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the
contributions of a dedicated public servant and a true daughter of
Guam, Senator Lou Leon Guerrero. The daughter of the late Jesus Sablan
and Eugenia Aflague Leon Guerrero, Lou was born and raised on Guam
along with her brothers Jesse and Tony Leon Guerrero. She graduated
from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam High School and earned her
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from the California State University at
Los Angeles in 1973. Lou began her career as a healthcare professional,
working as a staff nurse at the Santa Monica Hospital. She was also
attending graduate courses at UCLA, at this time. She earned her Master
of Arts degree in Public Health in 1979.
Lou returned home to work at the Guam Memorial Hospital in 1980. She
quickly rose through the ranks of Guam Memorial Hospital, serving as
the hospital's Assistant Director of Nursing 1982 to 1983. Lou then
worked for next 10 years at the Family Health Plan (FHP), a private
health clinic on Guam. Lou became the FHP's Director of Operations in
1990. She served in that capacity until she entered politics in 1994.
Lou is a four-term senator in the Guam Legislature. She has served in
a number of leadership roles during her 8 years in the Legislature. Lou
became the Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Health in 2003. She
was also a candidate for Lieutenant Governor during the 1998 election
cycle.
Lou's career as a nurse laid the foundation for her commitment to
serving Guam and the public. Lou's caring nature, her humanity, and her
commitment to improving not only the quality of the healthcare
available on this island, but the island as a whole was clear to see to
those who worked closely with her over the years. It is my hope that
her legacy of professionalism, service to the island, and community
leadership will serve as a lasting inspiration for her family, friends,
and associates as she leaves the Legislature for a new chapter in her
professional life.
Lou forges an exciting a new path for herself and her family as she
transitions to the position of President, Chief Executive Officer, and
Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Guam. Her brother
Tony also served in this capacity. Her father Jesus founded the bank.
Her service at the Bank of Guam is continuing the family tradition.
I have had the honor and privilege to work very closely with Lou over
the years. She is both a colleague and a friend. I admire her tenacity,
her love for the island of Guam and its people, and her commitment to
do what she believes is best for them. Her determination to improve the
lives of residents of Guam, her commitment to forming good public
policy, and her persistence in seeing the needed carried out is
commendable. Her presence in the Legislature will be greatly missed.
On behalf of a grateful island, I join her husband, Attorney Jeff
Cook, her children Joaquin and Mariana, and all the people of Guam, in
extending Senator Lou Leon Guerrero my most heartfelt appreciation for
all the good work she has done for Guam. Additionally, I wish her
success and prosperity in her new leadership roles at the Bank of Guam.
____________________
MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER REMEMBERED
______
HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr Speaker, I rise today to remember a great
American warrior and patriot. Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel
was a veteran of three wars, a Medal of Honor recipient, and a major
figure in Army aviation history. He passed away on April 2 at Walter
Reed Army Medical Center after a long battle with cancer. CWO Novosel
spent his last days as he spent most days at Walter Reed, talking with
soldiers that were recovering from injuries sustained in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Novosel received the Medal of Honor for his ``gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty.'' His citation reads:
He unhesitatingly maneuvered his helicopter into a heavily
fortified and defended enemy training area where a group of
wounded [South] Vietnamese soldiers were pinned down by a
large enemy force. Flying without gunship or other cover and
exposed to intense machine gun fire, CWO Novosel was able to
locate and rescue a wounded soldier. Since all communications
with the beleaguered troops had been lost, he repeatedly
circled the battle area, flying at low level under continuous
heavy fire, to attract the attention of the scattered
friendly troops. This display of courage visibly raised their
morale, as they recognized this as a signal to assemble for
evacuation.
On 6 occasions he and his crew were forced out of the
battle area by the intense enemy fire, only to circle and
return from another direction to land and extract additional
troops. Near the end of the mission, a wounded soldier was
spotted close to an enemy bunker. Fully realizing that he
would attract a hail of enemy fire, CWO Novosel nevertheless
attempted the extraction by hovering the helicopter backward.
As the man
[[Page 5990]]
was pulled on aboard, enemy automatic weapons opened fire at
close range, damaged the aircraft and wounded CWO Novosel. He
momentarily lost control of the aircraft, but quickly
recovered and departed under the withering enemy fire.
In all, 15 extremely hazardous extractions were performed
in order to remove wounded personnel. As a direct result of
his selfless conduct, the lives of 29 soldiers were saved.
The extraordinary heroism displayed by CWO Novosel was an
inspiration to his comrades in arms and reflect great credit
on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
As a dustoff pilot, CWO Novosel flew 2,543 missions and rescued 5,589
wounded or stranded soldiers, according to Army records. He was an
excellent soldier and an extraordinary American. May God bless him and
his family.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO DR. CAROL C. HARTER
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Carol C. Harter,
who is retiring after serving as the president University of Nevada,
Las Vegas for the past 11 years.
Dr. Harter has dedicated herself to enriching the academic experience
of the students at UNLV and expanding programs and enrollment at the
university. Since Dr. Harter's appointment in 1995, UNLV has created
more than 100 new degree programs. During her tenure at UNLV, more than
17 new buildings have been added, including the Lied Library. In
addition, under her leadership, UNLV created the William S. Boyd School
of Law, the School of Architecture, and the School of Dental Medicine--
the first professional schools in Nevada in these areas as well as
professional programs in Physical Therapy and Public Health.
As president of UNLV, Dr. Harter has received numerous national
awards including the Presidential Leadership Award by the National
Collegiate Honors Council, the President's Award by the National
Association of Student Affairs Professionals, and the College
President's Award by the All American Football Foundation.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Dr. Carol C. Harter and her
distinguished career in service to higher education. I wish her the
best in her retirement.
____________________
IN HONOR OF CLEVELAND READS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR JOHN ``JACK'' DOXSEY
______
HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of
Mr. John ``Jack'' Doxsey and every volunteer who participated this past
year in Cleveland Reads, bringing hope and possibility through the gift
of literacy to countless children and adults--thereby changing their
lives forever. I also rise in recognition of Cleveland Reads Volunteer
of the Year Nominees: Jessica Anthony, Andy Evridge, Dorothy Fike,
Anita Morgan and Stephen Novak.
Established in 1987, Cleveland Reads, a non-profit organization, has
consistently worked to draw individuals, businesses and agencies into
their volunteer literacy projects and campaign. Mr. Doxsey, 84 years
young, consistently reflects a caring and positive demeanor that gently
inspires his students, raising their confidence with every turn of the
page.
Twice weekly for the past 6 years, Mr. Doxsey, a tutor with ABLE in
Cleveland Heights, volunteers his mornings as a tutor, instructing
teachers and college students in English as a Second Language class.
Mr. Doxsey has worked with students who hail from countries around the
world, spanning five continents. Following the profound loss of his
beloved wife, Mr. Doxsey had several options, including moving closer
to his adult children, who live outside Ohio. Instead, he chose to move
closer to Case Western University, where he has given the gift of
language to numerous students struggling to assimilate to their new
experience in America.
Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring every
Volunteer of the Year nominee, and especially Mr. John ``Jack'' Doxsey,
upon being named Cleveland Reads Volunteer of the Year. Mr. Doxsey's
patience, kindness and concern for the young people of the world who
journey to Cleveland seeking education, serves to build foundation of
understanding that transcends language, borders and culture, connecting
us all with the gifts of giving, empowering, and humanity.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO PATTY MURPHY
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Patty Murphy, a
volunteer from southern Nevada, who because of her time and efforts
helping others, has earned the distinguished President's Volunteer
Service Award.
Patty is a volunteer nurse with the Medical Reserve Corps of Clark
County. In September 2005 after the destructive forces of Hurricane
Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, she was deployed to Mobile,
Alabama. There she worked on the M.S. Holiday, a cruise ship that
temporarily housed evacuees following the Katrina aftermath. For 2
weeks Patty worked with a team of heath care professionals to provide
medical care for the evacuees.
The Medical Reserve Corps of Clark County is a committed and
available reserve of practicing and retired health care professionals
that can be rapidly mobilized to strengthen medical response
capabilities during large-scale local emergencies. Although this
organization was created by the local community for the local
community, the leadership and experience provided by this group has
proved to be a viable asset for a disaster on the opposite side of the
country.
In 2002, President George W. Bush called on all Americans to make a
difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created
USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and
expand volunteer service. The President's Volunteer Service Award is
presented to outstanding individuals who have displayed an outstanding
example of service and who have accumulated over 100 hours of service.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Patty Murphy on the floor of
the House today. Her example of service testifies to all of us that we
can all do a little more to help our neighbor. I applaud her for her
efforts.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF TEXAS WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY'S GYMNASTICS TEAM
______
HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the teamwork and
spirit of the Texas Women's University's gymnastics program. These
individuals have established themselves as true champions emphasized no
less by their devotion and passion to the sport. Texas Women's
University seized the opportunity to claim the 2006 USA Gymnastics
Collegiate National Championship. This victory marks the Pioneers'
eighth national title and the first since 2003.
The Texas Women's gymnasts have exhibited their commitment to each
other and their common goals this past year by diligently competing and
overcoming any adversity in their way. Throughout the season these
outstanding individuals have shown the success that comes from working
as a team to achieve a great goal.
Under the leadership of head coach Frank Kudlac, assistant coaches
Jackie Fain and Tim Rivera, graduate assistant Lisa Klein, and manager
Catherine Schnoes, the team has continued its championship status.
TWU's gymnasts Courtney Arno, Amie Boles, Brenda Campbell, Brisa
Fuentes, Amy Hulbert, Jennifer Kingsbury, Amber McMeans, Brista
Michael, Kelsey Nixon, Brittany Parker, Tonya Pipkorn, Nicole Poling,
Bethany Rehm, Emily Seidelman, and Nakia Westbrook have made their
university community shine as well as themselves.
It is with great honor that I stand here today to recognize this
group of individuals who have made their community so proud. The
gymnastic program of Texas Women's University has demonstrated the
essence of the American spirit of sportsmanship.
[[Page 5991]]
____________________
RECOGNIZING THE MASON DISTRICT LITTLE LEAGUE UPON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY
______
HON. TOM DAVIS
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this
opportunity to pay tribute to the Mason District Little League as it
celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In 1956, the Bailey's Crossroads community saw a growing demand for
baseball, which at the time was the only organized sport available for
young children. This spurred organization of the Bailey's Crossroads
Little League. The league was organized and maintained by volunteers,
mainly fathers of the players, as it still is today.
The league built their first fields in the Skyline area. After 12
years in the Skyline area, the league moved to JEB Stuart Park, and in
1978 the league underwent its largest reorganization when it joined
with the Annandale American Little League, and was finally renamed to
what it is today, Mason District Little League.
For 50 years, the Mason District Little League has been a strong part
of the community, teaching kids the game of baseball. Hopefully in 50
more years the league will still be carrying on its great tradition of
instilling in its players the values of sportsmanship, fair play,
physical fitness, teamwork and an appreciation for the American
pastime.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the thousands of
parents, grandparents, children, and volunteers who have participated
in and contributed to the success of the Mason District Little League.
By teaching their community's children the game of baseball, the many
Mason District Little League volunteers have contributed to the
development of honest, productive, and decent citizens. I congratulate
the League on its successes over the last 50 years and I wish it more
successful years in the future. I ask that my colleagues join me in
applauding this outstanding institution.
____________________
REGARDING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOE LOUIS' PASSING
______
HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 25th
anniversary of the great Joe Louis' passing; which will be commemorated
on April 12th of this year in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington
National Cemetery.
Even though I was very young, I will never forget sitting with my
father listening to the radio broadcast of Louis' 1938 fight in which
he knocked out Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling in the first round. His
victory was important to me for many reasons, but the fact that Louis
was from Detroit made his victory extra special.
The following is a copy of the press release issued by Arlington
National Cemetery of the event.
What: Joe Louis Wreath-Laying Ceremony
When: Wednesday, April 12, 2006, 10:30 a.m.
Where: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, Section
7A, (Below the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier).
Joe Louis, former heavyweight champion of the world, will
be remembered by his son, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., along with
several dignitaries and family members, during a wreath-
laying ceremony on the 25th anniversary of his passing. The
ceremony will be held at Arlington National Cemetery where
Louis is buried just below the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Louis, considered by many as the greatest boxer of all
times, died on April 12, 1981 in Las Vegas, NV. Born in
Chambers County, Alabama, Louis grew up in Detroit, Michigan.
He became the World Heavyweight Championship in 1937 and held
the title until 1949, a record 11 years 8 months. Louis
defended his title a record 25 times and defeated his
opponents 5 times in first round knockouts, also a record.
His most memorable bouts were with German Max Schmeling.
Louis took a devastating defeat early in his career, losing
to Schmeling in a 12th round knockout in their first
encounter in 1936. After winning the title by defeating James
J. Braddock on June 22, 1937, Louis and Schmeling met again
on June 22, 1938 before 78,000 fans in New York Yankee
Stadium. Louis, wanting to erase the cloud on his
championship from his earlier defeat, delivered a stunning
knockout of Schmeling in two minutes and four seconds of the
first round. With that victory, Louis transcended from
Heavyweight Champion to American Hero. In 1981 President
Ronald Reagan granted the request to have Louis buried in
Arlington National Cemetery. Louis served in the U.S. Army
during World War II and achieved the rank of staff sergeant.
April 12, 2006 will be a day when America and the world
will pause to acknowledge the impact of an African American
born to sharecroppers in Alabama, growing up in the inner
city of Detroit who rose to the pinnacle of his career. In
doing so Louis provided hope to an entire generation of Black
Americans and simultaneously challenged a segregated United
States to question limiting the rights of its citizens based
on the color of their skin.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO THE MARION STATE BANK
______
HON. HENRY CUELLAR
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary
of Marion State Bank in Marion, TX.
The Marion State Bank was granted a State charter on October 26,
1906, 30 years after the establishment of Marion as a town. The Marion
State Bank has operated for almost a century without changing ownership
and has not merged with any other banking institutions, ranking it
seventh in the State of Texas in terms of longevity, and one of the
original 130 chartered banks in the State of Texas.
In addition, the Marion State Bank will celebrate its 100th
anniversary with total assets of close to $43 million. It has served as
a major partner in the economic growth of the greater Marion community
for a century which includes the communities of New Berlin, Marion,
Zuehl, and Santa Clara. The bank has assisted farmers and ranchers to
produce crops, buy cattle and land as the major economy of the 80-
square-mile area that they have served for the past century.
The Marion State Bank stands as an exemplary banking institution that
has provided the community with stability and commitment to the future
of the citizens of the greater Marion community. The bank has weathered
many outside influences and economic changes, but it stands today as a
symbol of a home-owned bank that brings a sense of community in an
ever-changing and fast-paced world.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have had this time to honor the 100th
anniversary of Marion State Bank in the State of Texas.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO FRANK SCOTT
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Frank
Scott, whose story of personal and professional success should serve as
an inspiration for us all.
Mr. Scott built his business empire after returning to Las Vegas from
World War II where he had served as a second lieutenant in the Army in
Japan. In the 1950s and 60s, Scott opened a wholesale building material
company, operated a fixed base aircraft operation and founded Stocks
Ready-Mix Concrete. In the 1970s, as chairman of the First Western
Savings Association, Scott was credited with saving the bank from near
financial ruin. And in 1983 Mr. Scott was named co-Convention Man of
the Year by the Hotel Sales Management Association's Las Vegas Chapter.
Scott was also the founder of the Plaza Hotel and Casino.
Frank Scott was a bank chairman, director of Nevada Power and
president of the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Nevada
Resort Association. Additionally, Scott was a board member of the local
Boy Scouts chapter, a UNLV trustee, a captain of the Sheriffs Mounted
Police and a board member of the Nevada Museum of Fine Arts.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to honor Frank Scott and his extraordinary
career and I appreciate his efforts on behalf of the community. His
death is a profound loss for the community and he will be greatly
missed.
____________________
IN HONOR OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. ANDREW CATHOLIC CHURCH
______
HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of
the parish community of St. Andrew Catholic Church, as members
[[Page 5992]]
and leaders celebrate 100 years of faith and hope throughout
Cleveland's southwest side.
Throughout the past century, St. Andrew parish has served as a
spiritual refuge, opening its doors to individuals and families in
search of guidance, spirituality and peace.
The ministry of St. Andrew began in 1906, serving immigrant families
who settled in Cleveland. Since that time, a number of pastors and
parishioners have served as critical guides in the journey of the
faithful at St. Andrew Church. Over the years, the parish community has
evolved and grown, and has also survived numerous struggles and
hardships.
Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition
of every past and current member and spiritual leader of St. Andrew
Catholic Church. Despite hardship and adversity, St. Andrew Catholic
Church continues to provide a haven of faith, guidance, renewal and
support for hundreds of families and individuals, in the heart
Cleveland and far beyond.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LAS VEGAS WINGS CHAPTER OF THE DISTINGUISHED
FLYING CROSS SOCIETY
______
HON. JON. C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of a
special group of American heroes, those that have received the
Distinguished Flying Cross. I honor them today for their service and
dedication to our great Nation.
The Distinguished Flying Cross was authorized by an act of Congress
on July 2, 1926 and is awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the
Armed Forces who has distinguished themselves during combat in support
of operations by ``heroism or extraordinary achievement while
participating in an aerial flight.''
Since its creation the Distinguished Flying Cross has been awarded to
some of America's greatest aviators and serves as a reminder of their
heroic actions. This prestigious medal was first awarded to Charles A.
Lindbergh, of the U.S. Army Corps Reserve, for his solo flight of 3,600
miles across the Atlantic in 1927. The first Distinguished Flying Cross
to be awarded to a naval aviator was awarded to Richard E. Byrd, of the
U.S. Navy Air Corps, for his flight to the North Pole. The
contributions of these great aviators and those that followed are
honored by this prestigious award.
In 1994 the Distinguished Flying Cross Society was formed as a
nonprofit organization whose members have been awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross. The society has established scholarships
and benefits for organizations and individuals throughout the Nation
that are seeking to make advances in aviation.
In February of this year the Distinguished Flying Cross Society
officially recognized a new chapter, the Las Vegas Wings Chapter in
Southern Nevada. The great State of Nevada is home to more than 260,000
veterans many of which have been awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross. As a Member of Congress and a Nevadan, I would like to extend a
heartfelt welcome, to the Las Vegas Wings Chapter, of the Distinguished
Flying Cross Society.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and heartfelt gratitude that I
salute these great American heroes and the Las Vegas Wings Chapter of
the Distinguished Flying Cross Society.
____________________
HONORING MR. BILL BUEVENS
______
HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Bill Buevens
for his commitment to safety as an air traffic controller at the
Dallas/Fort Worth Terminal Radar Approach Control.
On a warm, cloudy night with poor visibility, Mr. Buevens noticed
American Airlines Flight 599 approaching the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport
lined up incorrectly on the runway by fault of the instrument landing
systems.
After noticing that a problem might potentially arise, Buevens
remained on constant watch of Flight 599 which seemed weary on his
instinct. Drawing on his 18 years of experience and hunch, Buevens'
fear proved true when the plane lined up to the wrong runway where
another flight was taxiing for take off.
Buevens immediately alerted the tower controller who then contacted
the pilot and realigned the flight to the correct runway. This save is
credited as remarkable because of the radar display.
Mr. Buevens was honored with the NATCA's Archies League Medal of
Safety, which is named for the first U.S. air traffic controller. He is
one of 11 controllers honored this year for saves.
I am honored to today to recognize the exceptional service of Mr.
Bill Buevens. His knowledge and dedication to safety saved not only the
air line from a great travesty, but also kept the estimated 300
passengers out of harm's way.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO THE BERGEN RECORD
______
HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations
to all those at the Bergen Record newspaper who worked on the excellent
award-winning `Toxic Legacy' series of articles, which documented Ford
Motor Company's dumping of toxic waste in northern Bergen and Passaic
Counties in New Jersey.
The latest award from the Society of Professional Journalists is a
testament to the dedicated reporting of Jan Barry, Barbara Williams,
Tom Troncone, Mary Jo Layton, Alex Nussbaum and Lindy Washburn,
photographer Thomas E. Franklin, Editor Debra Lynn Vial, and project
leader Tim Nostrand.
Investigative journalism of the caliber shown in this series is
critical to an informed electorate and democracy. I am proud that so
many prestigious journalism awards have gone to a daily newspaper
written, printed, and distributed in my own District. Residents of
Bergen and Passaic Counties are privileged to have access to a vibrant
and competitive free press in New Jersey.
____________________
HONORING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ONONDAGA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
______
HON. JAMES T. WALSH
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 200th
Anniversary of The Onondaga County Medical Society. The Onondaga County
Medical Society was first founded back on July 1, 1806. Back then, 11
physicians met on top of Onondaga Hill at the first Onondaga County
Courthouse to establish this great society.
Since its founding, the society has helped Central New York deal with
some of the more menacing health threats of the time. In the 1830s,
physician members of the society dealt with Asiatic cholera. In the
1900s, the society addressed the local impact of the worldwide flu;
which resulted in over 750 deaths within the Syracuse area. During the
1950s the society assisted the local community in dealing with the
polio epidemic. Currently, the society and its more than 1,260 members
are working with the New York State Department of Health in preparation
for the possibility of a bird flu outbreak.
The Onondaga County Medical Society also played a leading role in the
establishment of the College of Medicine at Syracuse in 1872. In 1950,
this college went on to become the Upstate Medical University, which
has become a tremendous resource and aide for the entire Central New
York region.
Throughout its history, The Onondaga County Medical Society has
played an important role in the healthcare of the people of Central New
York. Members have done their best to live up to the Society's motto,
``to promote and preserve quality health care by working for patients,
physicians and the community.''
On behalf of the people of Central New York, I applaud the 200 years
of hard work members of The Onondaga County Medical Society have
provided. I wish the Society the best of luck and expect nothing but
the best service in the many years to come.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER AWARD PRESENTED TO BLACK CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION
______
HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO
of guam
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Black
Construction Corporation
[[Page 5993]]
of Guam on the occasion of it being awarded the Dwight D. Eisenhower
Award for Excellence in the construction category by the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA). Named for the president under whom the
SBA was founded, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence honors
large federal contractors nationwide with the most outstanding small
business subcontracting programs.
Each year, the SBA awards those businesses and federal agencies that
have excelled in various aspects of federal procurement. To be eligible
for consideration for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence a
company must first be the recipient of the SBA Award of Distinction.
The SBA has twice honored Black Construction Corporation for its record
of support for small business on Guam and throughout Micronesia,
following a nationwide review of construction companies that are
awarded federal contracts. It is my hope that companies that are prime
contractors for federal construction projects heed the example set by
Black Construction Corporation and will continue to subcontract with
local small businesses.
The vast majority of American companies are small businesses. They
are the largest creator of private sector jobs. American small
businesses have also established a strong record of innovation and are
routinely implementing cutting edge technologies. Furthermore, the
success of local economies is dependant upon the strength of small
businesses. As local small businesses grow stronger, so do the
communities in which they serve. Black Construction Corporation
fulfills an essential role in that process on Guam and throughout
Micronesia by utilizing small businesses to complete federal
construction projects.
____________________
HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF MR. DAVID FOY FOR THE PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED STATES
______
HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a constituent, a
public servant, an American patriot who laid down his life in support
of the ideals of our great nation.
On March 2, 2006, David Foy, a Department of State Facilities Manager
for our Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan was killed, along with three
other individuals, by a suicide bomber. We will never forget David's
service, nor its premature end.
David Foy served his country by dedicating 23 years of his life to
the United States Navy retiring as a Senior Chief. But David wanted to
keep serving his country. After several years as a civilian employee at
Fort Bragg, he moved over to the Department of State's Bureau of
Overseas Buildings Operations where he became a Facilities Manager. For
the last three years he has served in areas at the heart of our War on
Terror, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.
David's eulogy says everything you need to know about him as a man
and him as a servant. He is a hero and a warrior. He was a devoted
family man who deeply loved and adored his wife and their four
daughters.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on May 5th will honor this loyal
patriot by presenting to his wife, Donna, and his daughters the
Department of State's Thomas Jefferson Star Award for sacrifice in the
performance of his duties.
Mr. Speaker, David Foy is a hero both to his country and to his
wonderful family. We salute his dedication to this country that he
served so long and so well. David and other civil servants like him are
the reason why we rise every morning in the warmth of a blanket of
freedom. May he not be forgotten and may his mission continue in the
work of this body and the hearts of all Americans.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO LOU EMMERT
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lou Emmert for her
professional success and outstanding contributions to the community.
Lou Emmert is the vice president and general manager for Sprint of
Nevada, the primary local telephone provider for Clark County. In this
role, she directs the efforts of local and state governmental
relations, regulatory relations, public relations and community
involvement activities, and is the main point of contact for key
business leaders.
Lou is also involved in many community organizations, including the
Girl Scouts of Frontier Council, the Las Vegas Chamber Board of
Trustees, the YMCA Board, the Nevada Development Authority Board, the
Las Vegas Philharmonic Board of Directors, the Nevada International
Women's Forum, the Clark County Public Education Foundation, the Clark
County Department of Social Service Citizens Advisory Committee, the
Henderson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Desert Research
Institute Foundation Board.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to honor Lou Emmert for her extraordinary
record of professional and community service. I wish her the best in
her future endeavors.
____________________
IN HONOR OF THE CLEVELAND FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
______
HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of
the Cleveland Federal Executive Board, for their individual and
collective dedication as public servants, all focused on the public
good.
The community of federal employees in Cleveland, Ohio, is comprised
of nearly 20,000 individuals who contribute their talent, trade and
expertise daily within an array of roles, including park rangers,
administrators, accountants, clerical employees, attorneys, engineers,
military members, mail carriers, scientists, nurses and physicians.
The professional contribution extended daily by federal employees
serves as a foundation of support, safety and security throughout our
community. Every day, the mail is delivered; veterans receive medical
care; the environment is monitored; our national park is preserved;
immigrants are guided to citizenship; job services are provided; and
astronomers study the mysteries of the universe.
Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and gratitude of
the members of the Cleveland Federal Executive Board and the thousands
of federal employers who live and work within our Cleveland community.
Their individual and collective commitment to their work continues to
preserve, protect and strengthen our entire community.
____________________
BOOKSELLER OF THE YEAR--HONORING A VERMONT INSTITUTION
______
HON. BERNARD SANDERS
of vermont
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Northshire Books, honored
as this year's Bookseller of The Year. The selection and award was made
by Publisher's Weekly.
Northshire Books is located in the small town of Manchester, Vermont.
Owned by Ed and Barbara Morrow, it is a wonderful example of a locally-
owned bookstore. It boasts a handsome environment for browsing books
and a huge selection of titles. The selection it carries is not chosen
by corporate giants seeking maximum sales, or by a central office
following national trends. Quite the contrary, Northshire's wonderful
inventory of books is the result of the informed knowledge of its
staff: people who read and value books.
Northshire Books regularly presents readings by authors, allowing it
to serve as a rich cultural resource for all of southwestern Vermont.
It introduces young people to reading, through its fine children's
section, and ``Story times'' for young readers.
Vermont authors value this wonderful store. ``Northshire is
everything one could want in a bookstore,'' said Vermont novelist Chris
Bohjalian. ``It's a huge gift to the state.'' And best-selling novelist
John Irving agreed: ``What's remarkable about the quality and range of
the Northshire Bookstore is that Manchester isn't a college town, or
even a very big town, yet the store is both broad and deep--it is
literary, friendly to children, and welcoming to tourists. I love the
place.'' Novelist Howard Frank Mosher said, ``Every time I walk through
there, the first thing I see is a dozen or so of my favorite
contemporary novels and non-fiction books. He continued, ``Then, the
booksellers that the Morrows have hired over the years are, I think,
the most knowledgeable booksellers I've ever met. They've actually read
the books they sell and know an enormous amount about them.''
Northshire has not been purely commercial. In 2003 its owners
sponsored ``Cry Out: Poets Protest the War,'' a collection of the anti-
war
[[Page 5994]]
poems were read by eleven renowned poets, including Galway Kinnell,
Grace Paley and Jamaica Kincaid, to an overflow crowd of 500 in
Manchester's First Congregational Church. That event was announced
after the White House canceled a poetry reading out of a fear that
poems critical of the war in Iraq might be read. The poems read were
subsequently published by Braziller. And when the Patriot Act
eliminated reader privacy--making it easy for investigators to check
bookstore purchases without judicial oversight--Northshire actively
opposed the law with American Booksellers Foundation for Free
Expression. As a result, a petition with 185,000 signatures was sent to
Congress, asking that it restore protections for reader privacy which
were eliminated by Section 215 of the act.
Small, local business is the heart of the American economy. Local
bookstores are, and have been ever since the times of Benjamin Franklin
(a bookshop owner), a center of American learning. Congratulations to
Northshire bookstore, to owners Ed and Barbara Morrow, to its manager
Chris Morrow, to its staff, and to its dedicated and supportive
patrons.
____________________
IN HONOR OF PACE UNIVERSITY'S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
______
HON. JERROLD NADLER
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most
respected private institutions of higher learning in my district, Pace
University, as it celebrates a major milestone, the 100th anniversary
of its founding in 1906. This great school has grown from humble
beginnings as a School of Accountancy to become a vibrant and dynamic
Liberal Arts University offering more than 100 majors.
Over the last century, the school has lived up to its motto,
Opportunitas, by offering its students the opportunity to discover and
fulfill their potential, and affording its distinguished faculty and
outstanding staff the opportunity to achieve excellence. As part of its
15-month centennial celebration, Pace University will be hosting
lectures, symposia, service activities, and other special events that
reflect on its long history of opportunity and innovation.
With its six schools and colleges and two main campuses, Pace is
consistently ranked among the top quarter of 4-year colleges and
universities in the country. Pace's School of Law is nationally
recognized for the excellence of its Environmental Law Program and its
Lienhard School of Nursing has been an acknowledged leader in nursing
education, research, and practice for more than 35 years.
Ultimately, Pace University's greatest strength has been its people--
its faculty, staff, students, and alumni--and its most profound
achievement can be seen in the countless lives that have been
transformed by the Pace experience. I offer my sincere congratulations
to all those that have helped the school prosper and grow over the past
100 years.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE ARMENIAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY OF LAS VEGAS
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Armenian-American
Cultural Society of Las Vegas on this, the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. This organization was established in 1978, and since
that time has grown in size and influence. They are now the largest
non-political, non-denominational organization in Nevada. They have
worked tirelessly to educate the general public about the atrocious
acts committed against their people and also to help preserve the
Armenian culture here in Las Vegas and America.
I am proud to represent a large and vibrant Armenian community in the
Third Congressional District of Nevada and I consider it an honor to
have been invited to participate in the ceremonies commemorating the
91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. These ceremonies offer
participants an opportunity to honor the survivors and their
descendants, and to remind the world of the tragedy that befell
Armenians of the Ottoman Empire.
It is estimated that one and a half million Armenians perished
between 1915 and 1923 in a genocide planned and executed by the Turkish
government against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The
great bulk of the Armenian population was removed from Armenia and
Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was sent into the desert to
die of thirst and hunger. Large numbers of Armenians were methodically
massacred throughout the Ottoman Empire. The entire wealth of the
Armenian people was expropriated. After only a little more than a year
of calm at the end of WWI, the atrocities were renewed between 1920 and
1923, and the remaining Armenians were subjected to further massacres
and expulsions.
While there are still many who deny that the Armenian Genocide ever
took place, I am pleased to see more and more countries and states and
even the media are now in the process of recognizing the genocide. It
is critical that we reflect on this human tragedy and on the lessons of
history and work to avoid the horrors faced by the Armenian people in
1915.
____________________
H.R. 3380--THE GUARDIANSHIP ASSISTANCE PROMOTION AND KINSHIP SUPPORT
ACT
______
HON. ZOE LOFGREN
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this
opportunity to acknowledge and honor the 294,969 California
grandparents as well as 2.4 million grandparents around the Nation who
act as primary guardians to grandchildren that are unable to live with
their parents. As a result of the service and efforts of these
individuals, many children around California and the country are able
to live with relatives and stay out of the foster care system.
According to the Census of 2000, 6.8 percent of California's children
are living in grandparent-headed households as well as an additional
3.5 percent living in households headed by other non-parent relatives.
I commend the efforts these relatives take in providing a safe and
familiar living environment for these children.
However, now more than ever, I also recognize the financial hardships
and personal sacrifices faced by these guardians. As a cosponsor of
H.R. 3380, The Guardianship Assistance Promotion and Kinship Support
Act, I am committed to working toward a solution that will help to
alleviate these financial burdens placed on guardians and give them
access to Federal funds that they deserve.
Today, on behalf of the constituents of the 16th District of
California, I extend my deepest appreciation to these exceptional
guardians. It is an honor to have many of these individuals in my own
district whose care and commitment to vulnerable children help to build
a better future for them.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF COUNTY CONNECTION'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
______
HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleague, Representative
George Miller, to pay tribute to County Connection, the public bus
system provider that serves more than a dozen communities and
unincorporated areas of central Contra Costa County in our two
Congressional Districts.
County Connection was founded on March 27, 1980 under a Joint
Exercise of Powers Agreement. After several years of careful planning,
locally elected officials in Central Contra Costa recognized the need
for a truly coordinated and integrated regional transit system.
County Connection began providing service with 12 buses, carrying
1,950,000 passengers, traveling 1,423,357 miles. In just its first ten
years, the agency multiplied its fleet of buses ten fold. Today, the
transportation agency maintains a current fleet of 131 buses and 56
LINK vans, makes nearly 5,000,000 fixed-route and paratransit trips
throughout central Contra Costa and provides 4.5 million rides
annually.
The system is now overseen by an 11-member Board of Directors, one
representative from each jurisdiction and one representative for the
unincorporated areas of Central County.
Since its establishment, County Connection has received numerous
prestigious awards including; the American Public Transit Association
(APTA) Minority & Women Advancement Award for its meritorious
accomplishments in the employment, promotion and training of minorities
and women in management positions, and this year, the California Water
Environment Association recognized the agency with
[[Page 5995]]
its ``Facility of the Year'' award in recognition for going above and
beyond normal efforts to protect susceptible plant and wildlife that
survive in local streams.
For 25 years, County Connection has provided vital transportation
services to residents throughout Central Contra Costa. As the
population of this County grows, the services provided by County
Connection have never been needed more. Each day agency buses help
people get to their work, return home, and in general provide a service
that no other program in the community can. Today, we are proud to
commend County Connection for the agency's service to the community and
its lasting commitment to the people of Contra Costa County.
____________________
MGIB LEGISLATION
______
HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an
inequity facing America's men and women in uniform who seek an
education in return for their military service.
For years, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) has allowed thousands of men
and women in uniform attend college or to receive vocational training
to prepare for a new career after the military.
It is an excellent program and one we must preserve.
However, Mr. Speaker, I would like to remedy an inequity that exists
in this program with legislation I am introducing today.
To receive the benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill, our service
members must pay $1,200 to $1,800 into the program at the beginning of
their military service.
A $100 is deducted each month from their military pay for the first
12 months, for example.
With the legislation I offer today, our service members would still
make the initial contribution. However, this contribution would no
longer count against them later on when they apply for federal student
aid.
In many cases, Mr. Speaker, the Montgomery GI Bill alone does not
cover the cost for college or job training. Our service members must
also apply for federal student aid to cover tuition and other expenses.
The Department of Education considers their benefits from the
Montgomery GI Bill as ``income''--thereby reducing the amount they are
eligible to receive from federal student aid programs.
This legislation goes back to the $1,200 out-of-pocket contribution
that a service member made to become eligible for the Montgomery GI
Bill.
It is not fair to ask our service members to pay the original amount
out of their own pocket and then penalize them for it later on.
This bill would simply exempt the original contribution that came
from their own pocket from the Department of Education's income
consideration.
This legislation does not present significant cost to the federal
government but would go a long way to help America's individual service
members afford college.
I offered the provisions contained in this legislation as part of the
College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609) when it was on the House
floor.
Unfortunately, the amendment was not accepted, but I plan to pursue
the issue until we correct this inequity.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take just a moment to thank those
who have worked on this issue and who have pushed for the exemption in
the past.
I am proud to offer this legislation along with Ranking Member Lane
Evans of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mr. Evans and his staff have been seeking a remedy for this inequity
for several years.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to offer legislation
benefiting America's military service members and helping them to
attend college or receive job training.
____________________
TRIBUTE ON THE RETIREMENT OF ED PEREZ
______
HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I wish to honor the 30 years of
service that Ed Perez, Esq. has given to the City of Los Angeles.
Although his retirement from the City Attorney's Office on February
17th marks the end of his City employment, it does not end a notable
career in the practice of law. Indeed, his contributions to the City's
telecommunications policies have been so great that several members of
the City Council hope he will return as an advisor.
As the City continues to negotiate franchise agreements and shape
important telecommunication policies that impact the everyday lives of
all Angelinos, we understand the value and depth of expertise that a
faithful employee brings to the table at this critical time.
Mr. Perez began his initial employment with the Office of the City
Attorney in the Criminal Division and switched to the Civil Division 3
years later. In that position he provided legal advice regarding public
utilities such as telecommunications and energy, and transactional
matters for the City's Information Technology Agency.
Mr. Perez was the City's legal advisor for cable television
franchising and regulation from 1981-2003, beginning with the initial
wiring of the city in 1981 and culminating in the citywide franchising
agreements in 1987. During this period, Mr. Perez had the distinguished
honor of presenting an oral argument before the United States Supreme
Court in 1986, in the Preferred Communications v. City of Los Angeles,
476 U.S. 488. For this, we offer our sincere appreciation to Ed Perez
for both his commitment to and invaluable understanding of these issues
on behalf of the citizens of Los Angeles.
When Mr. Perez transferred to the Department of Water and Power in
June 2003, he continued to be one of the principal attorneys monitoring
complex utility regulations for the City.
He looks forward to more time with his wife Patricia, and their
children, Christine and David, upon his retirement. I wish him all the
best as he plans for an active retirement and sincerely thank him for
his noteworthy accomplishments on behalf of the citizens of Los
Angeles.
____________________
RECOGNIZING THE LAUNCH OF U.S.-KOREA FTA NEGOTIATIONS
______
HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, in a ceremony held February 2,
2006, in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol and attended by many
Members of Congress, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and South
Korean Minister of Trade Hyun-Chong Kim announced the commencement of
negotiations toward a U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and signaled
their commitment to conclude the talks by March 2007. The U.S. and
Korea plan to implement the agreement by September 2007. In light of
the fact that the FTA negotiations will officially begin next week, I
rise to recognize the significance of this undertaking.
Launching the United States-South Korea FTA talks is a critical step
in the relationship with an important U.S. strategic ally and economic
partner. I strongly believe that as we pursue market access for U.S.
exporters, it is to our advantage to strengthen already constructive
relationships with our allies. South Korea is our seventh largest
trading partner and a friend in a challenging region of the world.
Advancing the economic relationship makes sense and will be an
important benefit to two great nations.
Close engagement between the U.S. and South Korea has paved the way
for FTA negotiations. Even before the official announcement, the South
Korean Government demonstrated how important it considers improved
trade relations with the United States. South Korea took the concrete
step of reducing the long-standing quotas that limited the screening of
films by the American entertainment industry. I am encouraged by the
progress that has been made so far on addressing several trade
concerns. I am confident that South Korea will continue to work closely
with the USTR Rob Portman toward making this endeavor a success.
The FTA negotiations will officially begin on May 3, following the
expiration of the statutory 90-day consultative period. In the interim,
our two governments have agreed to hold preliminary discussions.
According to reports, once the FTA takes full effect, over 90 percent
of traded goods between the U.S. and Korea will be phased out over 10
years.
Mr. Speaker, in the interest of underscoring the importance of these
talks, permit me to list a few salient facts about the U.S.-Korean
economic relationship.
South Korea is a stable, democratic country with a free-enterprise
economy and a gross domestic product of $726.5 billion in 2005, making
it the world's 11th largest economy.
The per capita income of South Koreans in 2004 is an impressive
$14,162.
[[Page 5996]]
As noted by the Los Angeles Times, South Korea is now the seventh
largest trading partner of the United States, with over $72 billion in
trade volume each year. Moreover, South Korea is the fifth largest
market for U.S. agricultural products.
U.S. exports into South Korea totaled $25.1 billion through November
of 2005, up 4.6 percent from the same period in 2004, with the biggest
U.S. sales coming in computer chips, $4.2 billion; industrial
machinery, $1.4 billion, organic chemicals, $1.3 billion, and civilian
aircraft at $953 million.
At the same time, South Korean exports to the United States totaled
$40.1 billion through November 2005, down 5.4 percent from the same
period in 2004, with the biggest South Korean sales coming in passenger
cars, $7.2 billion; household goods, including cell phones, at $5.7
billion; computer chips, $2.8 billion; and computer accessories,
televisions, and VCRs at $3.9 billion.
According to a study done in 2001 by the U.S. International Trade
Commission, a U.S.-Korea free-trade agreement could increase U.S.
exports to South Korea by $19 billion and U.S. imports from South Korea
by $10 billion.
Finally, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, during the
2004 calendar year, 627,000 South Koreans visited the United States for
tourism and business travel, representing the fifth largest foreign
market of tourists, excluding Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I wish to recognize the launch of the
U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement negotiations and I encourage my
colleagues to offer their own expressions of support. South Korea is a
longstanding and trustworthy ally of the United States and a mutual FTA
would only further solidify and reinforce our alliance partnership.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO 2005 NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS
______
HON. RUSH D. HOLT
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate and honor Drs. Roy J.
Glauber, John L. Hall, and Theodor Hansch for being awarded the Nobel
Prize in Physics for 2005, and Drs. Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, and
Richard R. Schrock for being awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
2005.
The 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics encompasses the field of optics and
its applications. The three gentlemen celebrated today are laser
pioneers. Lasers have numerous practical applications, including in
products such as CD players and grocery store scanners, for computer
manufacturing, and in surgery.
Roy Glauber gave a detailed, quantum mechanical description of the
interaction of light and matter, thus creating the foundation for the
field of quantum optics. Glauber's work also created the groundwork on
the quantum theory of lasers.
In addition, John Hall and Theodor Hansch received the prize for
their contributions to the development of laser-based precision
spectroscopy. This technique allows scientists to probe the atom with
ever-increasing accuracy, explore the subtle intricacies of gravity,
and lead to a better understanding of the pressing question of
imbalance between the amounts of matter and antimatter in the universe.
The work of the three in concert will lead, for instance, to the next
generation satellite navigation systems, improving on GPS, which is
widely used in both military and civilian transportation systems.
Another major potential application of this research, quantum
cryptography, which could impenetrably secure data transmission, is of
interest to financial institutions and governments as the emerging
knowledge economy requires the protection of information and ideas.
I would also like to recognize Dr. Yves Chauvin, Professor Robert H.
Grubbs, and Professor Richard R. Schrock who were awarded the 2005
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for development of the metathesis method in
organic synthesis. From the Greek words meaning to change position,
metathesis methodology, and its variety of enabling catalysts, have
become invaluable in the development and industrial scale production of
polymers, fuel additives, biologically active compounds, and drugs.
The formation and reorganization of carbon-carbon bonds is the heart
of synthetic organic chemistry. Developing new techniques and methods
for controlling carbon connectivity is critical to advancing an
enormous range of scientific advancement and technological development.
Methods like metathesis represent the very tools used by chemists
around the world to build better drugs, better fuels, and better
materials in ways that are cheaper, faster, and cleaner. Chemists
around the world have incorporated metathesis reactions into production
schemes for novel medicines and even materials used in bullet-proof
vests; and the increased efficiency realized by metathesis reactions
leads to less waste generated in the process.
The work of these Noble laureates reverberates through technological
developments and innovative engineering, resulting in the strengthening
of our economy. The basic research which brought about the Nobel Prizes
in 2005 was funded by agencies like the National Institutes of Health,
the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, which are funded by the Federal Government.
While much of the fundamental research performed or funded through
these agencies may not immediately appear to have practical
applications, we must recognize that today's chemical oddity or strange
physical principle could be tomorrow's Nobel Prize. Yet, the total
Federal research and development portfolio is taking a cut for the
first time since 1996 in the President's fiscal year 2007 budget
request.
Mr. Speaker, the world is in transition right now. We, and the other
industrialized nations of the world, are accelerating into a knowledge-
based global economy. We can make no assumptions that the United States
will remain the dominant factor in this economy. Complacency will be
our downfall.
As we celebrate Nobel Prize winners and honor their work, we are
slipping behind in the scramble for the top of the globalization
mountain. Other nations are acting as we sit thinking of actions to
take. The cultural shift required for our Nation to move forward and
maintain a competitive edge over other nations begins with how the
Federal Government spends its money. We must increase the funding for
research and development to maintain our competitiveness.
We must come together as one Congress, united across party lines,
choosing to act for our future.
____________________
RECOGNIZING BILL SERGEANT
______
HON. WILLIAM L. JENKINS
of tennessee
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. JENKINS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the outstanding
humanitarian service and contribution made by Rotarian William T.
(``Bill'') Sergeant on the occasion of his retirement from his position
as Chairman of the International PolioPlus Committee of The Rotary
Foundation of Rotary International--a committee that develops Rotary's
policies and strategies to achieve polio eradication. Since the
inception of Rotary's International PolioPlus Committee in 1994, Bill
Sergeant, a retired Colonel, has served tirelessly as the General
leading the efforts of Rotary's army of 1.2 million volunteers in the
war against polio.
A member of the Rotary club of Oak Ridge, Tennessee for more than 50
years, Bill Sergeant held many leadership positions in Rotary,
including Rotary International Vice-president, Director, and Foundation
Trustee, before assuming leadership of PolioPlus, Rotary's flagship
program. Bill Sergeant has traveled to countries on 6 continents to
participate in polio eradication activities, represented Rotary
International at strategic meetings, and promoted the cause of global
polio eradication and ensured its prominence among the Rotary world as
Rotary's highest priority.
Through his integrity, acumen and keen observation, Bill Sergeant
quickly earned the respect of peers in the other three spearheading
organizations: the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; thereby strengthening the
efficacy of this unique public/private collaborative effort for the
ultimate benefit of the children of the world. Under Bill Sergeant's
leadership, Rotary established criteria for the strategic use of
PolioPlus grant funds, launched the PolioPlus Partners program to
provide supplemental support for critical polio eradication activities,
and established international advocacy to ensure sufficient political
and financial public sector support for global polio eradication
efforts.
During his tenure as Chairman of Rotary's International PolioPlus
Committee, three regions of the world have been certified polio-free
and only four countries remain with endemic transmission of polio. Bill
Sergeant has demonstrated, through his exemplary, single-minded
dedication to the goal of a polio-free world, that one man can make the
world a better place through commitment, determination, and a great
deal of heart.
[[Page 5997]]
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our fellow representatives to join me in
recognizing Bill Sergeant for his outstanding leadership and service in
support of the goal of a polio-free world--a goal which the United
States Government shares.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO MR. MAI TRAN AND MR. BRUCE HOTTMAN
______
HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE
of colorado
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and
congratulate Mr. Mai Tran and Mr. Bruce Hottman of Information
Technology Experts in Fort Collins, Colorado on being named Small
Business Persons of the Year by the Small Business Administration.
Over the course of its 10-year history, ITX has consistently been
recognized as one of Colorado's foremost small businesses. As a leading
provider of full-service Information Technology support in Northern
Colorado, ITX has earned the confidence of numerous corporate, non-
profit, and governmental organizations. The leadership and expertise
demonstrated by Mr. Tran and Mr. Hottman have resulted in the
tremendous expansion and growth of ITX. In only 6 years, ITX has more
than tripled the size of its workforce to 95 individuals.
Mr. Speaker, the remarkable economic success realized by ITX pales in
comparison to the extraordinary generosity and commitment to the
community embodied by members of the ITX family. Following the 2004
Asian tsunami disaster, ITX generously contributed funds to aid Chennai
victims and was subsequently honored by the City of Fort Collins with a
key to the city. Additionally, ITX has been lauded for providing much-
needed computer equipment to the Asian Chamber of Commerce and
discounted IT services to over a dozen Northern Colorado non-profit
organizations.
As a member of the Governor's Minority Business Advisory Council, Mai
Tran is a recognized leader in the small business community and is
active in addressing issues that affect minority businesses across the
State. He personifies his own belief that through skill, hard work, and
determination, minority businesses strengthen Colorado's economy.
At the age of 16, Mr. Tran fled to the United States after South
Vietnam fell to communism. Through a great deal of determination and
hard work, Mr. Tran overcame his lack of English skills and went on to
earn a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Colorado State
University. Today, as President and CEO of ITX, Mr. Tran's dedication
and commitment to others serves as an inspiration to his employees and
his community.
As co-founder and Executive Vice President of ITX, Mr. Hottman's
wealth of experience and expertise in the field of information
technology have ensured the success of ITX and its continued
contributions to the community. After graduating from Colorado State
University with a degree in computer information systems, Mr. Hottman
worked at United Banks and the United States Department of Agriculture
before joining the Western Area Power Administration as Project Leader.
While at WAPA, Mr. Hottman and Mr. Tran worked together as a high
performing team of lT professionals, and in 1996 they decided to form
their own IT services provider. Like Mr. Tran, Mr. Hottman's
involvement in the Fort Collins Foothills Rotary Club and other
community organizations has inspired and encouraged the employees of
ITX to become active members of their community.
I am proud to represent individuals with such a remarkable
entrepreneurial and compassionate spirit. Mr. Speaker, I urge my
colleagues to join me in recognizing the many accomplishments and
selfless dedication of Mr. Mai Tran and Mr. Bruce Hottman.
____________________
IN RECOGNITION OF TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY'S TABLE TENNIS TEAM
______
HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the teamwork and
spirit of the Texas Wesleyan University's Table Tennis program. These
individuals have established themselves as true champions, emphasized
no less by their devotion and passion to the sport. Texas Wesleyan is
home to the National Championship Team for Collegiate Table Tennis, a
title they have held since 2002. Texas Wesleyan University has won 16
out of 25 possible collegiate titles in 4 years.
The Texas Wesleyan table tennis players have exhibited their
commitment to each other and their common goals this past season by
diligently competing and overcoming any adversity in their way.
Throughout the season these outstanding individuals have shown the
success that comes from working as a team to achieve a great goal.
Under the leadership of former coaches and players such as Christian
Lillieroos, the team has continued its championship status. It is with
great honor that I stand here today to recognize this group of
individuals who have made their community so proud: Interim Coach Keith
Evans; Interim Assistant Coach Jasna Reed; Program Assistant Michael
Meier; Volunteer Assistant Coach James Rautis; and Women's Junior
Varsity team members Johnese Evans and Kareema Styles; Women's Varsity
team members Jasna Reed and Sabrina Worrell; Men's Junior Varsity team
members Andre Scott, Aldis Presley, Michael Meier, David Livings, Peter
Lindsay-van der Puije, Sadiq Khan and Tim Aikey; and Men's Varsity team
members Eric Owens, Courtney Roberts, Dinko Kranjac, Abdul Rahman Khan,
Ludovic Gombos and Carlos Chiu.
The table tennis program of Texas Wesleyan University has
demonstrated the essence of the American spirit of sportsmanship.
____________________
ACADEMIC ALL-STAR TEAM
______
HON. ED WHITFIELD
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize nominees for
the Regional Academic All-Star Team from the Pennyroyal region in
western Kentucky.
The regional academic All-Star program's purpose is to recognize top
academic scholars and performers. Students from Caldwell, Christian,
Trigg and Todd Counties of Kentucky were nominated based upon their
academic performance in seven disciplines: English, foreign language,
journalism, mathematics, science, social studies and the creative and
performing arts. The students are judged on their core academic score,
the curriculum of the student, their grade point average, academic
honors earned, unique accomplishments and achievements, extracurricular
activities, both school related and outside school activities,
employment history, and an autobiographical essay.
Mr. Speaker, education is the foundation upon which we reach our
human potential. Students in my district are developing their talents,
furthering their education and pursuing their aspirations in life
through programs like the Academic All-Star program. Encouragement and
recognition develop confidence and achievement among young Americans--
the future leaders of our country.
The following students have been nominated for their academic
excellence:
David Keith Greene III, David Aaron Griffith, Brian Matthew
Harrell, Kenton Mark Henderson, Matthew Thomas Hightower,
Nicole Liane Paul, Michael Wayne Rowe, Lindsey Michelle
Storm, Allison Rae Hudson, Steven Kurtis McGhee, Samantha
Jean Moore, Daniel Stephen Richard, Elizabeth Alice Riley,
Dustin Alan Shaw, Sarah Nicole Becker, Amanda Josephine
Collett, Jessica Elizabeth Joy Gapp, Samantha Rene McIntyre,
Cody James Noffsinger, Hilary Dawn Pate, Mary Rachel Ray,
Paul Allen Reed, Thomas Andrew Burkhead, Amanda Leigh Hall,
and Lindsey Nicole Hancock.
Eric Anthony Money, Kelsey Paige Pendleton, John Luke
Schirtzinger, Sarah Ann Stokes, Christie Marie White, Bethany
Ann Cooper, Caitlyn Taylor Hughes, Kari Jaclyn Keech, Patrick
Ross Metcalfe, Denver Andrew Sizemore, Caitlyn White, Betsy
Camille Austin, Barrett Ray Boyd, Garrett James Ebel, Hunter
Wood Hayes, John David Heisterberg, Garrett Richard Sharp,
Stacey Brooke Sholar, James Gregory Williams II, Justin Keith
Cavanaugh, Courtney Lynn Greenfield, Joshua Dwayne Jenkins,
Aleia Lynne Judd, and Palak Manoj Majmudar.
Brittney Michele Metts, Forrest Samuel Pittman, Amanda Jane
Sweet, Brittney Michelle Addison, Alana Freeman Baker, Kyle
Mark Dettro, Leonard Gordon, Jr., Jennifer Lee Robinson,
Derrick Shane Strong, Jillian Katherine Terhune, Kelsi Micole
Austin, Amanda Baker, Hadley Burns, Shantinna Marie Hartrum,
Mackenzie Isenberg, Emily K. Kelley, Lyndsey McClain, Cody
Warren Nance, Stephanie M. Radford, Brandon Thomas Stanley,
Hannah Elizabeth Stokes, Kanisha Paige Frye, Keishla A.
Garcia, and Tanner James.
Justin Jatczak, Jordan Lee Johnson, Aaron Michael Laurent,
Leslie Denise Peck,
[[Page 5998]]
Brittany Sweet, Kevin Tyler Wiseman, Preston Workman, John
Wright, Marty Stuart Asbridge, Taylor Davis, Lyndsey McClain,
Anna Miller, Kendra Angela Montejos, Carly Jo P'Pool,
Michelle Schulz, Thomas Shaheen, Chelsea Smith, Sarah Tucker,
Josh Villafranca, Matthew P. Clark, Will Farmer, Thomas James
Gilkey, Casey Haley, Austin Porter Hart, Jessica Nichole
Jobe, Emily Anne Koehler, Tierra L. McShan, James Lile
Rummage, Ashton Spangler, and Kelsey Elizabeth Thomason.
Mr. Speaker, these students embody the spirit, commitment and
sacrifice that we all should strive for in our daily lives. I am proud
to represent them in my District. I extend my thanks to these students
for their efforts, and I am proud to bring their accomplishments to the
attention of this House.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO MR. EDDIE WALTER JACKSON, JR.
______
HON. CHET EDWARDS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a great individual and
community leader, Mr. Eddie Walter Jackson, Jr., and to thank him for
his contributions to the greater Waco community and this great Nation.
Mr. Jackson is one of three children born to the late Ed W. Jackson,
Sr., and the late Lula Mae Bowman Parker.
Mr. Jackson graduated from Corsicana Public Schools and later Paul
Quinn College where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in
mathematics and business. He served this Nation honorably as a member
of the U.S. Navy, World War II veteran.
Following his service in the military, Mr. Jackson's exemplary work
history includes working as a teacher and coach at the Anderson High
School in Mart, TX; 34 years of outstanding service at the Veterans
Administration Medical Center in Waco, TX, and Nick's Restaurant for
over 30 years.
Mr. Jackson has a deep love for his family. He shared wonderful years
of marriage to the late Lonnie B. Taylor Jackson. They had one son,
Ronald Wayne Jackson, Sr., and three daughters, Sara L. Pimpton, Doris
Laverne Jackson, and Portia Elaine Jackson. He is a proud and devoted
grandfather of nine, great-grandfather of eight, and great-great-
grandfather of two.
For over half a century today, Mr. Jackson has been a devoted member
of the Pleasant Olive Missionary Baptist Church. He is a life member of
the American Legion, a member of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, the
American Federation of Government Employees, AFGE, Local 1822 for over
40 years, a dedicated member of the Central Texas Labor Council for 50
years and the Masonic Family-Mason.
Within the community, Mr. Jackson has shown a deep commitment by
serving as a deputized voter registrar, poll watcher for elections,
precinct 2, volunteer for the Democratic Party, and a candidate for the
Silver Haired Legislature.
Mr. Jackson is a man of energy and action. He is the past president
of the North Junior School PTA, past vice-president of AFGE Local 1822
and the immediate past president of the Central Texas Labor Council. He
has dedicated his life to working to make Waco a better community.
Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Mr. Eddie Walter Jackson,
Jr., and offer my heartfelt appreciation for a life dedicated to
service to the Central Texas Labor Council, his community and the
people of Central Texas.
____________________
TRIBUTE ON THE RETIREMENT OF AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
RICHARD J. DAVIDSON
______
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Dick Davidson,
President of the American Hospital Association, who has announced that
he will retire on January 1, 2007.
I have been privileged to know Dick Davidson for decades, since he
headed the Maryland Hospital Association and I was a member of the
Maryland House of Delegates. During his 22 years as the first president
of MHA, Dick believed strongly in the shared obligation between state
government and hospitals to ensure that communities' health needs are
met, and he put that belief into practice. MHA was a proactive partner
with the Maryland state government in creating innovative approaches to
issues of health care costs and quality, most notably the Health
Services Cost Review Commission, and the MHA Quality Indicator (QI)
Project, the largest national and international effort to measure and
compare indicators of hospital performance. More than 1,900 health care
organizations in the United States and abroad now participate in the QI
Project. I am pleased to note that the tradition of collaboration
established by Davidson continues at MHA today.
In 1991, Dick Davidson was named President of the American Hospital
Association, which represents 4,800 hospitals and health systems
throughout the nation. At AHA, he continued to foster the tenet that
hospitals and the federal government could together create ways to
better serve the health needs of their communities. He assembled what
is often considered the finest team of policy professionals and
advocates in Washington. Davidson's tenure will also be remembered for
promoting diversity in health care leadership. In 1994, AHA founded the
Institute for Diversity in Health Management to expand leadership
opportunities for ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse
individuals, and increase the number of these individuals entering and
advancing in the field. Over the past decade, the Institute has awarded
more than $110,000 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate
students, and placed candidates in residencies and fellowships at
health care organizations across the country.
Among health care providers, payers, analysts, and policymakers,
there is strong consensus that Dick Davidson's leadership has
contributed to the improvement of the quality of health care across
America. For that, the health care community and, indeed, our nation
are grateful.
I also want to congratulate Dick's wife Janet, who will undoubtedly
be able to spend much more time with him beginning in 2007. Janet was
herself a fixture in the Maryland state house for many years, having
worked for current Senate President Mike Miller and former Senate
President Steny Hoyer, among other distinguished elected officials. I
would ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in
wishing the entire Davidson family--including their three sons--Mike,
Andy, and Rick--all the best as the Davidson era at the American
Hospital Association draws to a close.
____________________
RECOGNIZING MR. LONNIE EUGENE ROARK
______
HON. HILDA L. SOLIS
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of my uncle,
Lonnie Eugene Roark, who passed away on April 15, 2006 at the age of
84.
Mr. Roark was born on February 11, 1922 in Missouri and grew up in
Oklahoma during the Great Depression. He later moved to California and
spent most of his life in the community of La Puente.
Mr. Roark was a proud veteran of our armed forces. He was stationed
in Brazil during World War II while serving in the U.S. Army and went
on to serve in the Philippines and Hawai'i with the U.S. Air Force. Mr.
Roark's service is commemorated in the book, Fighting Men of Oklahoma.
Mr. Roark was like a brother to my father, Raul Solis, and was my
sister, Anna Solis', godfather. His acts of kindness and dedication
have inspired me and many who know him. It is a true blessing to have
been raised with a role model like Mr. Roark; it is not every day that
we encounter a person filled with such generosity and love.
Mr. Roark was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-
grandfather, and friend. He is survived by his wife, 3 children, 4
grand children and 3 great-grand children. He will be truly missed.
____________________
HONORING THE LATE CHARLES WILLIAM ROGER
______
HON. CHARLES W. BOUSTANY, JR.
of louisiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a man
who will long be remembered for his devotion to his family, church,
community and nation. Charlie Roger of New Iberia, LA, died last month
following heart complications he experienced during surgery.
A native of Lafayette and a resident of New Iberia for 15 years,
Charlie was a veteran of
[[Page 5999]]
the U.S. Marine Corps. Following his military service, Charlie
continued to exemplify the Marine code of ``Semper Fidelis'' by serving
as an officer with the Lafayette Police Department, ultimately retiring
as a Captain. I came to know Charlie through his most recent service as
a Court Security Officer at the Federal Court House in Lafayette, where
my office is located. I will always remember his smiling face as he
walked the halls of the courthouse, keeping the building safe for my
staff and the many other employees who worked there everyday.
Outside of his public service, Charlie also worked as a limousine
driver for Mary Ellen's Bridal Shop on weekends. He was also an
exceptionally talented musician, and was well known for playing the
drums in his own band, ``Charlie Roger and the Lafayette Playboys,'' or
playing the scrub board with ``Kenny and the Heart Breakers.'' Most
recently, Charlie was awarded the Cajun French Music Association
``First New CD of the Year 2006 Award.''
In his off time, Charlie enjoyed working out and weight lifting at
Red Lerille's Health Club. He was a member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Catholic Community in Broussard, and also remained a member of the
Marine Corps League and Fraternal Order of Police Officers.
I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me
in paying tribute to the memory of this outstanding public servant and
in offering our deepest condolences to his wife, Debbie Picard Roger;
his son Charles ``C.J.'' Jude Roger; his sister Nelda Powell; and his
brother Joseph Roger.
____________________
IN HONOR OF THE VOLUNTEERS OF SOUTHWEST HOUSING AND THE VILLAS OF
REMOND COMMUNITY IN DALLAS, TEXAS
______
HON. PETE SESSIONS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the generous
volunteers of Southwest Housing and the Villas of Remond community in
Dallas, Texas. While many volunteers in the DFW Metroplex are worthy of
recognition during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, the Southwest
Housing and the Villas of Remond Community have performed inspiring and
commendable work through their many acts of volunteerism.
During the past year, these volunteers have served on hospitality,
spiritual wellness and entertainment committees that make important
decisions for their community. They have led Bible studies, exercise
classes, hosted book clubs, and planned celebrations. Additionally,
volunteers and residents not only shared the food and clothes with the
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita evacuees, but also encouraged friends,
fellow churchgoers and family members to do the same. Through their
generous work they have experienced first-hand the ancient truth to
give is better than to receive.
The Villas of Remond is a senior community for ages 60 and ``better''
that encourages its residents to live life to the fullest and share
their love, laughter and wisdom with anyone in need. It is indeed an
honor and privilege to have these exceptional volunteers supporting the
Dallas community. I salute their leadership and look forward to hearing
of their continued volunteer success stories that are so critical to
the local community.
____________________
INITIATIVES UNDERTAKEN BY THE CUBAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO AID THE
CHILDREN OF UKRAINE ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL TRAGEDY
______
HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, last December I had
the honor to lead a Congressional delegation to Ukraine. The focus of
the visit was to identify humanitarian initiatives that the Cuban-
American community, that I am honored to represent, could undertake to
help the ``Orange Revolution'' as it moved forward to address the most
pressing needs of the Ukrainian people.
In the fall of 2005, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobbriansky was
kind enough to arrange a meeting with the First Lady of Ukraine,
Katerina Yushchenko. During that meeting the First Lady made clear that
one of President Viktor Yushchenko's priorities is to improve the
healthcare system in Ukraine, and that she had established a
foundation, known as Ukraine 3000, for the purpose of aiding hospitals
in Ukraine by securing much needed medical equipment and medicines.
The delegation I led to Kiev in early December included Dr. Stephen
Lipshultz, professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at
the University of Miami School of Medicine, Dianne M. Kube, Chief
Administrative Officer of the Community Oncology Alliance, Sylvia
Iriondo, a respected Cuban-American leader and President of Mothers and
Women Against Repression, and Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky, President and
Chairman of the Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund and
Nadia Matkiwsky, a member of the Board of Directors. These two
Ukrainian-Americans have spent the last 13 years tirelessly dedicated
to helping the people of Ukraine.
As a result of our visits to various pediatric hospitals in Kiev and
meetings with Ukrainian government officials, including President
Viktor Yushchenko, and also Mrs. Yushchenko, we identified three
initiatives that would be the focus of our work during the course of
2006, the 20th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Tragedy. First,
establishing a physician exchange program with the University of
Miami's School of Medicine so that physicians in Ukraine could come to
the United States to meet with their counterparts and establish links
of communication on the latest medical techniques, procedures and
medicines. This past January the first step was taken toward creating
this exchange program; six of Ukraine's leading pediatric physicians
attend a national pediatric conference in Miami hosted by the
University of Miami's School of Medicine. Second, helping the Children
of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund, a highly respected
humanitarian organization led by Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky and Nadia
Matkiwsky, to secure medical equipment and medicines for the 20th
Anniversary Airlift that the U.S. State Department is coordinating.
Children of Chernobyl have an impressive reputation in working to
obtain medical equipment and medicines for the neediest hospitals in
Ukraine. And another initiative identified by the group, is to bring
children from Ukraine who are ill to vacation at Walt Disney World in
Orlando, Florida. The first Ukrainian child, thanks to the generosity
of Mrs. Sylvia Iriondo, already spent five days visiting the ``Magic
Kingdom''.
I commend the Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund for
their dedication over the years on behalf of the people of Ukraine,
especially Dr. and Mrs. Matkiwsky who are the heart and soul of the
organization. I am also truly optimistic regarding the relationship
that has been forged between physicians at the University of Miami's
School of Medicine and physicians from Ukraine, and I commend Dr.
Stephen Lipshultz for spearheading this worthy endeavor. I also thank
Dianne Kube for her sound guidance and the countless hours she has
dedicated to work on these initiatives, and Sylvia Iriondo for her
generosity and constant leadership.
Mr. Speaker, as we pass this resolution commemorating the 20th
Anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy, I am honored to say that the
community I represent is committed to doing all it can to help the
noble people of Ukraine as they move forward on their new democratic
course.
____________________
TO NAME THE MANASSAS POST OFFICE IN HONOR OF THE LATE HONORABLE HARRY
J. PARRISH
______
HON. FRANK R. WOLF
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor the legacy of the
Honorable Harry J. Parrish by introducing legislation which would name
the Manassas Post Office at 8801 Sudley Road, Manassas, VA 20110 the
``Harry J. Parrish Post Office Building.'' Mr. Parrish was a member of
the Virginia General Assembly and decorated WorId War II pilot from
Manassas, Virginia, who passed away on March 28 at the age of 84.
Harry Parrish served over 50 years in elected office, including 13
terms in the Virginia House of Delegates and chairman of the Finance
Committee since 2000, Manassas council member and mayor. At the time of
his passing, he was the oldest serving member of the House of
Delegates. During his 12 years as town councilman and 18 years as
mayor, Harry helped guide the transformation of Manassas from a small
Virginia town to a thriving, lively suburb. As a member of the House of
Delegates, he was known for conducting himself in a bipartisan manner,
putting Virginia first. I was proud to call Harry my friend. He was a
true Virginia gentleman.
As a decorated World War II pilot, Harry was part of the British
Royal Air Force. He
[[Page 6000]]
flew C-47s over the Himalayas delivering supplies, weapons and other
cargo, from India to China. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross
and the Air Medal for his valiant efforts. He served as a reservist in
the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring as a colonel.
Naming the post office on Sudley Road in Manassas in his honor is an
appropriate reminder to the people of Manassas of Harry's dedication to
public service.
____________________
COMMEMORATING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF MR. AND MRS. CARL W. RAFOTH
______
HON. CHARLIE NORWOOD
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Rafoth of Augusta, GA on the occasion of their 70th wedding
anniversary, which they celebrated on April 21, 2006. Carl and Hylda
Rafoth were married on April 21, 1936, in Youngstown, OH. Carl
supported his family of four children by working at the Islay Dairy
Company in Youngstown. Since then, their family has grown significantly
in size, as they now have 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Their family resides throughout the country in Georgia, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania, where their children, grandchildren, and great-
grandchildren hold fast to the work ethic and patriotism instilled in
them by these two fine Americans.
Carl's and Hylda's many decades together exemplify our American
values concerning the institution of marriage. They are committed
citizens, and even in their golden years, they have never waned in
actively serving their family, their country and their community in
Augusta. Their service and dedication are a model for all Americans,
and I come before the House with the hopes that they had a most
memorable 70th anniversary.
____________________
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
______
HON. ERIC CANTOR
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Yom Hashoa,
Holocaust Memorial Day.
Yom Hashoa is a day set aside on the Jewish calendar to recall with
great reverence and respect the lives of the millions of victims of the
Holocaust.
More than 60 years ago, a maniacal dictator rose to power in Europe,
and darkness fell upon the earth. Through a doctrine of hatred and
destruction, he slew blameless, pure and innocent, men, women and
children. The Nazis were intent on performing a systematic annihilation
of the Jewish people. Their brutal endeavor to commit genocide was no
more evident than in their zeal for murdering children.
It is a heinous crime to destroy a people's past and to annihilate
their future. One can only imagine the contributions to the world lost
by this act of genocide, not only for our generation but for the future
generations that will now never exist.
For the survivors, the Holocaust did not end with liberation. Like
the marks on their arms, their lives were forever marked by this
atrocity. Those who survived faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding
their lives. Many succeeded, others did not, but all would remember the
horror of the crimes that were perpetrated against them. Survivors who
suffered this hell are a living testament to the depths of evil to
which man can fall. We must never again allow such a monstrous crime by
man to be committed again.
We read in Sefer Yeshayahu, the book of Isaiah:
In my house and within my walls, I shall give them a Yad
Vashem--a monument and a name better than sons and daughters;
an eternal, imperishable name will I give them.
On Thursday, in the United States Capitol Rotunda, we will observe
Yom Hashoa. Through our observance, we create a human monument assuring
that these innocent victims will not be forgotten. We here in the
United States, the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther
King, are privileged to enjoy the greatest freedom known to man. We
must never allow ourselves to take these freedoms for granted. We must
never forget the genocide and human rights abuses that have occurred
and, sadly, continue to occur around the world. We must not remain
silent. We must dedicate ourselves to continuing to educate people
around the globe about the horrors of the Holocaust. We must be
eternally vigilant that such intolerance never happens again.
God full of mercy who dwells on high
Grant perfect rest on the wings of Your Divine Presence
In the lofty heights of the holy and pure who shine as the
brightness of the heavens to the souls of the men,
women and children who were slaughtered, burned and
murdered during the Holocaust for the sanctification of
your name,
who have gone to their eternal rest
let us pray for the elevation of their souls.
May their resting place be in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for them under the
protection of His wings for all time
And bind their souls in the bond of everlasting life.
God is their inheritance and may they rest in peace and let
us say Amen.
____________________
HONORING ROBERT SILLEN FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK IN HEALTHCARE FOR SANTA
CLARA COUNTY
______
HON. ZOE LOFGREN
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise along with my
Santa Clara County colleagues Representatives Mike Honda and Anna Eshoo
to acknowledge and honor Robert Sillen who is retiring after a
noteworthy and successful career in public health serving the residents
of Santa Clara County.
In June, 1993, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, on which
Congress Members Lofgren and Honda served, created a full-service,
integrated County health care system consisting of the Santa Clara
Valley Medical Center, Department of Public Health, Department of
Mental Health, Department of Custody Health Services and the Department
of Alcohol & Drug Services. The Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital
System is responsible for a full continuum of preventive intervention
and treatment services throughout the County, both directly under
County auspices and through contracts with the private sector. The
system is comprised of over 6,200 employees and has an annual operating
budget of nearly $1.4 billion.
Until very recently, Robert Sillen served as Executive Director and
was responsible for all aspects of the system's operations, long range
planning, private and public partnerships, community relations, and
capital development and information systems. Mr. Sillen was fully
accountable for the development of a cost effective, fully integrated
system that is essential for the successful conversion to a full-
service managed care delivery system in a highly competitive
environment. In addition, he was responsible for designing and
implementing a County-wide Medi-Cal Managed Care program in June 1996
as well as the Children's Health Initiative and Healthy Kids program in
January, 2000.
Prior to his position with the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital
System, Mr. Sillen was Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley
Medical Center, a 500-bed regional medical center with an operating
budget of over $800 million and 4,500 full-time equivalent employees.
Services range from community based primary care satellite clinics to
regional services for treatment of bums, spinal cord injuries, head
trauma, neonatal intensive care, poison control and trauma, the life
flight helicopter and health services for those in jail custody.
Prior to his executive director positions with the Santa Clara Valley
Health & Hospital System and the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Mr.
Sillen worked at the University Hospital at the UC Medical Center in
San Diego, the City Hospital Center at Elmhurst, New York and the U.S.
Public Health Service in New York, New York. He earned his Bachelor's
degree from the University of Denver, Colorado and his Master's degree
in Public Health from Yale University.
Robert Sillen has acted as a guardian of the virtues and spirit
behind the creation of the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System.
The initial challenges faced in establishing a foundation for a strong
network of health providers with private, local, regional and national
departments were dizzying, but achievable with Mr. Sillen at the helm.
We sincerely thank him on behalf of the thousands of residents who have
benefited from this system and wish him the very best upon his
retirement.
[[Page 6001]]
____________________
EQUAL PAY DAY STATEMENT
______
HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the persistent gender
pay gap. More than four decades ago, President Kennedy attempted to
address pay disparities between men and women. The Equal Pay Act of
1963 made it unlawful for employers to pay women lower wages than men
for equivalent jobs. Unfortunately, this law has not eradicated pay
inequality. On average, women still earn about 77 cents for every
dollar earned by men. Though women earn about 18 cents more compared to
men than they did in 1963, they still face significant and intolerable
wage discrimination.
Women of color face even greater discrimination on the payroll. In
2004, African American women earned 67 cents for each dollar earned by
white men, and Hispanic women earned a little over half of what white
men earned. These pay differences persist even in equivalent positions
for employees with the same levels of education and expertise.
Worse yet, pay equality for some positions has actually lost ground
in the past few years. Female managers earned less than their male
counterparts in 2000 than they did in 1995. Studies have shown that
even when women's career choices match those of men and they work the
same number of hours in equivalent positions, they earn less than men.
Wage inequality is a major indicator of gender discrimination in our
country. As an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R.
1687, I feel that it is the duty of Congress to address this
unacceptable gender disparity. The Paycheck Fairness Act would
strengthen provisions of the original Equal Pay Act and would make
filing for class action status less onerous.
It is well past the time when women should be receiving fair wages
for the work that they do. While the overall wage disparity between men
and women has decreased since the 1960s, progress has been
frustratingly slow. I believe that with appropriate congressional
action we can finally reach wage equality for all Americans.
____________________
PAYING TRIBUTE TO FORMER CONGRESSMAN DAN SCHAEFER
______
HON. JON C. PORTER
of nevada
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of former
Congressman Dan Schaefer, who succumbed to cancer on Tuesday, April 18,
2006.
Former Republican Representative Dan Schaefer served as the
Congressman from the 6th District of Colorado for 14 years until he
retired in 1998. Congressman Schaefer served on the House Commerce
Committee, while he was Chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee,
and was the senior member of the Colorado congressional delegation when
he retired. His long and distinguished political career began when he
was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1977, then the
state Senate in 1979 before running for Congress in 1983.
Among the many causes he championed were mass-transit projects and
the southwest light-rail line, and while in the Colorado State
Legislature Schaefer sponsored several child protection laws. In
Congress, he also helped found the House Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Caucus and for his efforts the main building at the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, was named in his honor. Schaefer
was a major proponent of plans to deregulate the electric power,
industry and to open it to competition. He fought for the cleanup of
the decommissioned nuclear weapons plant at Rocky Flats, pushed for
spending cuts, and worked on telecommunications issues.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the life and legacy of former
Congressman Dan Schaefer who served in the House of Representatives
with honor and integrity. His death is a profound loss to the community
and to the causes he most admirably championed.
____________________
HONORING ELIZABETH QUINTERO
______
TOM LANTOS
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable young
woman and one of my constituents, Elizabeth Quintero of Redwood City.
Elizabeth was recently selected as the California's Boys and Girls
Club Youth of the Year. She was chosen from among three-dozen
competitors for the title because of her intelligence, positive
attitude and perseverance. Elizabeth is even more extraordinary because
of the battles she has won in her personal life.
Mr. Speaker, in the last five years Elizabeth has experienced more
tragedy and stress than most seventeen year olds. Her father has had to
endure a tragic and debilitating health diagnosis, her home was robbed
and then completely destroyed by an unfortunate fire. In addition to
these challenges, Elizabeth also struggled with a strong case of social
anxiety that prevented her from participating in school and in her
community.
Mr. Speaker, we honor Elizabeth today for the courage and optimism
she showed in the face of adversity. After accompanying a friend to the
local Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula she began to fight her
social anxiety. This once shy girl became an active member of the
Keystone Club where she attended workshops on leadership skills and
public speaking. She volunteered for Community Service and Academic
Programs, while excelling at school and emerging as a leader among her
friends and classmates.
Elizabeth received the Youth of the Year award honoring her
outstanding contributions to the community but also overcoming personal
obstacles.
Elizabeth continues to challenge herself and her friends and
neighbors. On the day she was named Youth of the Year she also learned
she had been accepted for admission to the University of San Francisco.
This summer she will advance to the Regional Youth of the Year
competition, and then to Washington, D.C. to compete for the title of
National Youth of the Year, an honor that includes a $15,000 college
scholarship presented by President George W. Bush.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in congratulating
Elizabeth on this distinguished award and her promising future.
____________________
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF REV. WILLIAM SLOANE COFFIN, JR.
______
HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of the life of an
American patriot, the Reverend William Sloane Coffin, Jr. As a
prophetic mouthpiece for God, Reverend Coffin spoke truth to power. He
trumpeted the call to America to live up to its moral ideals by
remembering the plight of the poor and oppressed at home and abroad.
Reverend Coffin was a peace maker around the world, encouraging America
and nations alike to pursue peace over war; ``Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.''
Reverend Coffin fought for civil rights and was a staunch opponent of
the Vietnam war in the 1960's. In Montgomery he was arrested in protest
of segregation in the South; he was a disciple and advocate of civil
disobedience. He believed civil disobedience could bring social and
political change in the world pervaded with inequality and injustice.
As an ordained Presbyterian minister he adhered to a strong sense of
call to social activism. He was in the early 60s the senior minister at
the historic Riverside Church in my congressional district.
His ministry focused on a variety of social and moral issues facing
humanity. He drew attention to the plight of the poor, political and
military power, nuclear disarmament and interfaith understanding.
Reverend Coffin exemplified tremendous courage in standing up for what
he believed was just and fair. He would often say that ``courage is the
first virtue, because ``it makes all other virtues possible.'' Reverend
Coffin was indeed courageous in his fight against genocide in certain
parts of the world, particularly in Bosnia.
``Every minister is given two roles, the priestly and the
prophetic.'' He would often remind his interviewers of this theological
claim to help America and the world understand why a minister was
concerned with social-political affairs. In the tumultuous years of the
Vietnam war he was outspoken in opposition to the war along side
another prominent minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He led major
demonstrations in protest concerning the grave injustice and moral
wrongness of the Vietnam war which garnered him international
recognition. His prophetic role mandated Reverend Coffin to challenge
the status quo on an international level.
[[Page 6002]]
In addition to serving as a senior minister, Reverend Coffin also
assumed the chaplaincy post at Yale University. At Yale, during the
Vietnam war, he counseled and encouraged students to protest the draft
by returning their draft cards to the Justice Department. He infuriated
the Johnson administration but he stood courageous and firm. Students
at Yale respected him for his genuine and sincere approach to ministry
and were urged to become sensitive to social struggle around the world
by championing the cause of justice and peace. He remained at Yale
until 1976, when he began to work on world hunger programs.
Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the life of Rev. William Sloane Coffin,
his life reminds America that the voice of dissent is patriotism at its
best. When he engaged in debate about American social policies and
practices he would often characterize them as a partner engaged in a
lovers' quarrel.
____________________
COMMEMORATING EARTH DAY 2006
______
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Earth Day 2006,
which was celebrated last Saturday, April 22.
Earth Day was established in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson of
Wisconsin, who firmly believed that education was the key to changing
public attitudes about the environment. Since then, Earth Day
celebrations have spread throughout America and to the rest of the
world, with more and more people getting involved in efforts to clean
and nurture the environment.
Despite Earth Day's popularity and the many programs that were
created to improve the planet's health, our world is still wrought with
environmental problems. We still face many pressing issues, such as
protecting coastal waters from offshore drilling, preserving the
Alaskan Tongass Rainforest, the Redrock lands in Utah, and resources in
the Rockies.
Closer to home, we must continue to focus our efforts on restoring
the Chesapeake Bay. The Bush Administration's budget proposes drastic
cuts to vital initiatives, including the Chesapeake Bay Targeted
Watershed Grants Program, the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program Office, and
several Farm Bill Conservation programs that help farmers reduce
nutrient runoff entering the Bay. Last year, I was pleased to
participate in the Living Shoreline Grants program, which involved
growing seagrasses in my office that I later planted in Annapolis' Back
Creek. I am also pleased to be an original cosponsor of the Chesapeake
Bay Restoration Enhancement Act, which will reauthorize the Chesapeake
Bay Program and implement new water quality standards for the Bay's
tributaries.
I have long supported a comprehensive, long-term, more environment-
friendly energy policy that places emphasis on increasing the
availability and use of renewable energy, as well as promoting greater
energy efficiency that new technologies can provide. The United States
needs to utilize new technologies that focus on renewable energy
sources to reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil and high
gasoline prices.
Earth Day celebrations serve as important reminders that we cannot
take America's natural resources for granted. I urge my colleagues to
join with me in doing our part to preserve, protect, and restore our
planet's natural treasures.
____________________
HONORING WILLA LIVINGSTON CARSON
______
HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy
of a true community leader, Willa Carson, who passed away on April 14,
2006, at age 80.
Willa was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and moved to New York City
after marrying Ernest Carson. While in New York, Willa earned her
practical nursing license and worked for years in the health care
industry. In 1972, Willa returned to Florida, retiring in Clearwater
with her husband. However, Willa always needed to help others and was
unfulfilled with retirement, so she undertook a second career teaching
her passion for nursing to others.
Willa is best known for founding the Greenwood Community Health
Resources Center, which she established in 1995. In the beginning,
Greenwood operated out of two apartments. Today, this tremendous
facility provides free treatment for nearly 600 individuals monthly who
have no insurance and little money to afford health care costs. This is
especially impressive because the Center only is open three days a week
and all the doctors and nurses volunteer their time and expertise.
While I am very familiar with the generosity of our nation's health
care professionals, I know that this Center would not have been so
successful without Willa's tireless efforts to help the poorest in our
society.
Last month, the Greenwood Community Health Resources Center was
appropriately renamed after Willa Carson. However, this was a tribute
Willa did not want or welcome. Humbly, she wanted the Center to be
about helping others, not personal glorification.
Willa does not need the Health Resources Center to be renamed after
her for her impact on this community to be realized. Her generosity
will be reflected on the faces of the countless people that she has
helped. I hope her family will take solace in knowing that, in heaven,
Willa's loving arms will be able to reach much further than Clearwater,
Florida.
Mr. Speaker, our community truly is better off because of Mrs.
Carson's contributions. Her leadership, life and legacy are truly an
inspiration to everyone. I'm honored to have known her and to have
called her a friend. May her memory be eternal!
____________________
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN BUSINESS MEDIA
______
HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge American
Business Media, ABM, located in my congressional district, as it
celebrates 100 years of service to business media and the American
economy. ABM is the not-for-profit, global association for business
information providers, including producers of magazines, Web sites and
digital content, trade shows, newsletters, rich data, custom
publishers, as well as conventions, conferences, seminars, trade shows.
ABM's 300 member companies represent about $20 billion in annual
revenues and include such respected brands as Dow Jones, Forbes.com,
The Economist, Farm Journal, Google, PC World, plus about 5,000
additional print and electronic titles, and 1,000 trade shows. Its
mission is to help business information providers excel at their tasks
and provide the best intelligence available to their readers--the
captains of industry.
Established in 1906, ABM has a staff of specialists in governmental
affairs, marketing, communications, promotion, education and finance.
More than 20 active ABM member committees regularly assess developments
in the industry and formulate the Association's positions on key
issues. ABM hosts prestigious editorial and creative excellence awards
programs, and initiates events that are focused on enhancing the
knowledge of and providing services to members and the industry. ABM
offers a first-rate opportunity for networking and creative peer
interchange at these meetings, and brings together thousands of the
best minds in business information each year.
I congratulate American Business Media on this momentous occasion and
wish it continued success.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM MacLAUGHLIN
______
HON. BRIAN HIGGINS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor William MacLaughlin
of Jamestown, NY, for his many years of dedicated public service to the
City of Jamestown.
William MacLaughlin is a graduate of Empire State College with a
Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and a graduate of St. Bonaventure
University where he received his Masters in Education; he was hired in
1972 as a Jamestown Police Officer.
During his time as a police officer, he served on the SWAT team,
eventually becoming commander of the SWAT team in 1985. He has also
served as a member of the bomb squad and a member of the color guard.
Officer MacLaughlin rose through the ranks and was appointed Chief of
Police for the City of
[[Page 6003]]
Jamestown in 1995 by Mayor Richard Kimball, Jr., and was later
appointed as the Director of Public Safety by Mayor Sam Teresi in 2000.
Officer MacLaughlin has received several departmental and community
awards including the American Legion, Department of New York, Police
Officer of the Year Award, Sons of the American Revolution, Medal for
Heroism as well as the Medal of Valor. He is involved in several
professional organizations as well as being very active in his
community.
Officer MacLaughlin retired as Chief of Police on January 7, 2006.
His dedication and excellence in public service to the Jamestown
community will be missed. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor him
today.
____________________
RECOGNIZING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HARLEM CONGREGATIONS FOR
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT, INC.--FAITH AT WORK
______
HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on the eve of the twentieth
anniversary of the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement
(HCCI) to enter into the Congressional Record a perspective that
recognizes the many achievements and accomplishments attributed to the
HCCI.
Since 1986, the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI)
has been devoted to bringing about positive change to the Harlem
community as its coalition of churches remain vigilant in their efforts
to revitalize the spirit of Harlem by continuing to work to improve
conditions in the community.
The HCCI initiative started with a consortium of 16 ministers and has
grown to a membership of nearly 100 churches. Their organization has
constructed over 2,000 units of affordable housing, provided job
development and training and established support groups to reinforce
and assist with services to the community.
I have lived in Harlem my entire life and can attest to the success
of the many initiatives undertaken by the HCCI. I have witnessed the
collective conception of ideas that grew into plans that resulted in
major improvements to the lives of the people of Harlem.
Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud of the achievements of the HCCI and
I respectfully enter into the Congressional Record this perspective
which serves to recognize the HCCl's noteworthy accomplishments as we
approach the organizations' twentieth anniversary.
The Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc.: Faith at Work
For the past two decades, the Harlem Congregations for
Community Improvement (HCCI) has quietly, yet methodically,
changed the physical landscape and the spiritual soul of the
people of the Harlem community. HCCI was founded in 1986 as a
consortium of 16 Harlem churches, whose pastors and
congregants had long endured the surrounding urban decay.
HCCI's first President was the late Bishop Preston R.
Washington, Sr. The organization grew to an organization of
more than 90 churches, mosques and a synagogue.
The organization began with a grassroots planning and
organizing initiative. Harlem area churches raised $100,000
which was matched by the Trinity Episcopal Church on Wall
Street. A plan for the Bradhurst community was developed by
working with the Harlem Urban Development Corporation,
Columbia University's Urban Technical Assistance Project and
the City College Architecture Center. That plan was
eventually adopted by the City of New York as the Bradhurst
Urban Renewal Area Plan. The Bradhurst area had such a high
level of deterioration that the blight seemed almost
incurable, with rampant crime, drug addiction, abnormally
short life expectancy, high infant mortality rates,
population exodus, HIV/AIDS, an unemployment rate that
outstripped the national average, poor schools with alarming
dropout rates, and no decent or affordable housing. The first
grants to address the Bradhurst area were received from Local
Initiative Support Corporation and leveraged donations raised
through special church collections. The organization used the
Industrial Areas Foundation method of developing an
organization. Since then, HCCI's community service has been
reversing these conditions concurrently, block by block.
From welfare-to-work training and placement, to adult basic
education and GED prep (in collaboration with Literacy
Partners), HCCI has helped hundreds of Harlem residents
prepare for the workforce through its Office of Human Capital
Development and trains still others to become licensed family
childcare providers. Other job readiness services include
computer training at HCCI's Career and Technology Center, and
collaborations with Literacy Partners. The Intel Computer
Clubhouse trained neighborhood kids in web design so well
that they won a grant to create a Web site on the negative
effects of tobacco. The city's building trade industry has
welcomed graduates of the Construction Trades Academy where
students learn valuable skills in construction work,
including handling hazardous materials such as asbestos
abatement and lead paint control.
HCCI's customer service training program proved valuable
for residents who were hired at the new Pathmark Supermarket
at 145th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Part of a
$42 million real estate initiative, HCCI's Office of Real
Estate Development broke ground on the market and a 126-unit
co-operative apartment complex in the heart of the Bradhurst
neighborhood. Indeed, quality affordable housing has been the
centerpiece of HCCI's services to the community from the very
beginning. To date, approximately 2,000 units of affordable
housing have been built through innovative cross sector
collaborations with city and State elected officials, the NYC
Housing Development Corporation, the Department of Housing
Preservation and Development, a host of banking institutions
that include JPMorganChase, Citicorp, Roslyn Savings, the
Bank of New York, Bank of America, Wachovia and Washington
Mutual. Embarking on the Equitable Development initiative, JP
Morgan Chase's Community Development competition awarded the
$25,000 top prize to three New School University graduate
students to create an architectural design that would
transform the Erbograph Building on l46th Street into a new
community facility space for some of HCCI's offices and
housing for the elderly.
One of the more damaging health care crises of the
twentieth century has been the AIDS epidemic. Communities of
color have been the hardest hit. African-American men and
women are nine times more likely to die from the disease than
white AIDS patients. In 2004, Central Harlem recorded 218
newly diagnosed cases of HIV/AIDS. HCCI began to educate
Harlem residents about HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and more
recently created a pilot program called the Community
Organizations and Congregations for Health institute (COACH),
offering technical assistance to five faith-based
institutions to help them start nonprofits to sustain their
HIV prevention services. For the past seven years, HCCI has
hosted the Balm in Gilead/Annual Black Church Week of Prayer
for the Healing of AIDS. HCCI increases awareness through
street education and outreach, presentations and workshops,
and their growing Health Resource Library. HCCI's scattersite
housing initiative has proved effective in housing HIV/AIDS
patients, many of whom were homeless. Food stamp access
programs and other services funded by the city's Human
Resources Administration have helped restore them to more
productive lives.
The question is always asked whether the church can be an
agent for change if it is facing all of the previously
mentioned challenges. It is an uphill battle to be sure. But
HCCI's 100-church membership has proven that with God's help
it can be done.
____________________
THE APPOINTMENT OF EVE J. HIGGINBOTHAM, M.D. AS DEAN OF THE MOREHOUSE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
______
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Eve J.
Higginbotham on her appointment as the new Dean and Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr.
Higginbotham has long been a valued member of my Health Advisory
Committee, where she has demonstrated remarkable leadership abilities.
Dr. Higginbotham received her S.B. and S.M. degrees from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her M.D. from the Harvard
Medical School. In 1994, Dr. Higginbotham was appointed as Chair of the
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, becoming the first woman in the United
States to head a university-based ophthalmology department. Previously,
she served on the University of Illinois faculty as Chief of the
Glaucoma Clinic and an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for
Faculty Affairs at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Higginbotham has also served on numerous boards, including those
of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Helen Keller
Foundation. Her strong commitment to improving health care is evident
from her work with the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus
Foundation, where as Director of Outreach Services she established a
program through which medical students screen patients in their
communities for glaucoma. The program, Student Sight Savers, has been a
great success and is currently in
[[Page 6004]]
operation at more than thirty medical schools nationwide.
Throughout her career, Dr. Higginbotham has received numerous awards
and honors, including the AAMC Humanism in Medicine Award in 2004. She
has received the Suzanne Veroneaux-Troutman Award and the Roman Barnes
Achievement Award. She has consistently been listed among the Best
Doctors in Baltimore and America for over a decade.
The Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is an historically black
institution established to recruit and train physicians, scientists,
and public health professionals committed to primary health care.
Founded in 1975, the Morehouse School of Medicine admitted its first
class in 1978, became an independent, four-year medical school in 1981,
and was fully accredited in 1985. Since its founding, it has graduated
602 physicians, 68 percent of whom are primary care practitioners and
84 percent of whom practice in economically depressed areas. I am
confident that Dr. Higginbotham will help continue and further shape
the legacy of the Morehouse School of Medicine as it works to fulfill
the needs of America's under served communities.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Higginbotham is both a renowned expert in her field
and an outstanding public servant. I urge my colleagues in the U.S.
House of Representatives to congratulate Dr. Eve J. Higginbotham on her
new role as Dean and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. This
week, Maryland's loss is Atlanta's gain, and I wish to stand with the
many Marylanders who are grateful to Dr. Higginbotham for her
tremendous service to our community.
____________________
HONORING PVT. JODY MISSILDINE
______
HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy
of a true American hero, Pvt. Jody Missildine. Tragically, on April 8,
2006, Jody was killed while serving in Tal Afar, Iraq. He was 19 years
old.
Jody's dream was to see the world and one day go to college. However,
he selflessly did not want to burden his grandparents, Shirley and
Melvin, with the financial responsibility that comes with world travel
and a four-year degree. He saw the Armed Forces as the best way to
achieve his goals, and most importantly, on his own terms. So while
still attending high school, Jody signed up for the Army and
immediately following his graduation, he left his home in Plant City,
Florida, to begin his service to our nation.
Soon Jody's division was deployed to Iraq and despite being several
thousand miles away from each other, Jody did his best to stay close to
the family he loved so dearly, calling home nearly every week. Always
concerned for the well-being of others, Jody rarely spoke about the
daily events in Iraq, but rather, he focused his attention on the
safety of his family. On Friday, April 7, Jody expressed concerns about
Iraq to his grandmother, or Nanna as he called her, during their
telephone conversation. Sadly, the next day while on patrol in the
northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, an explosive device detonated near his
convoy and killed Jody.
Jody embodied everything that this great country stands for:
integrity, hard work, determination, and compassion. He always put
others ahead of himself and I am honored to know that this fine young
man helped ensure America's continuing independence and security.
Mr. Speaker, as we have seen throughout the history of this nation,
freedom is not free; it comes with a heavy price. The sacrifices of
brave men and women like Jody have guaranteed this country's continuing
liberty. And just as Jody did all he could to protect his family while
he was alive, I know he is watching over them from heaven.
I know words can not help fill the emptiness that the Missildine
family feels from the loss of Jody. However, I hope they take solace in
knowing that our nation is truly stronger and greater for having a man
of Jody's character serve it.
May God bless the Missildine family and may He continue to watch over
the United States of America.
____________________
INTRODUCTION OF THE ``AFGHAN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 2006''
______
HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the ``Afghan Women
Empowerment Act of 2006'' which would authorize $45 million each year
from FY2007 through FY2009 for programs in Afghanistan that benefit
``women and girls as well as the Afghan Independent Human Rights
Commission and the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs. The funding
would be directed toward important needs including medical care,
education, vocational training, protection from violence, legal
assistance, and civil participation. This legislation was introduced
earlier this year in the Senate by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA).
Women's rights in Afghanistan have fluctuated greatly over the years.
Women have bravely fought the forces of extremism at various points in
the country's turbulent history. At one time, women were scientists and
university professors. They led corporations and nonprofit
organizations in local communities.
While the Afghan constitution guarantees equality for Afghan women,
throughout Afghanistan, women continue to face intimidation,
discrimination, and violence. The United States has an obligation to
ensure that women and girls have the opportunities that they were
denied under the Taliban and that the gains that have been made are not
lost in the coming months and years. It is imperative that we provide
the support needed to ensure that the rights of women are protected in
the new Afghanistan.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO NANCY GADEN
______
HON. BRIAN HIGGINS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nancy Gaden, a
resident of Chautauqua County and the City of Jamestown for the honor
of the Team Spirit Award.
Ms. Gaden is a very active member of the Chautauqua County Retired
and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). She was selected for this award
because of her outstanding volunteer work and amazing spirit.
Nancy is best known for her musical abilities. She can always be
found brightening the lives of people by way of her innovative approach
to music. Wherever Nancy goes to perform she brings rhythmic
instruments and passes them out to everyone in the crowd. Regardless of
a person's mental or physical state they receive an instrument and can
always find a way to express themselves through it. Ms. Gaden is always
an upbeat, motivated and cheerful person. She is an inspiration to
everyone she meets. The outlet that she provides by way of music is so
important because it allows everyone to participate and be part of the
entertainment. She touches people's lives wherever she goes and her
presence and music brighten everyone's day.
For all of her volunteer work and her willingness to touch the lives
of others I commend her, and that is why Mr. Speaker I rise to honor
her today.
____________________
CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE FAR FROM OVER: NAACP REMAINS IN FOREFRONT, ALMOST
A CENTURY AFTER ITS CREATION
______
HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record an
editorial from the April 11, 2006 New York CaribNews entitled ``Civil
Rights Struggle Far From Over: NAACP Remains In Forefront, Almost A
Century After Its Creation''; that praises the longevity and extreme
effectiveness of the most influential civil rights organization in the
United States known as the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People or the NAACP.
Since its inception the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) was poised for a long, tumultuous and rewarding
history. Although it may be possible to chronicle the challenging and
harrowing legacy of the NAACP, the real story of the Nation's most
significant civil rights organization lies in the hearts and minds of
the people who would not stand still while the rights of America's
people of color were denied.
The history of the NAACP is one of blood, sweat and tears. From bold
investigations of mob brutality, protests of mass murders, segregation
and discrimination, to testimony before congressional committees on the
vicious
[[Page 6005]]
tactics used to bar African Americans from the ballot box, it was the
talent and tenacity of the NAACP members that saved lives and changed
many negative aspects of American society. While much of its history is
chronicled in books, articles, pamphlets and magazines, the true
movement lies in the faces--black, white, yellow, red, and brown--
united to awaken the conscientiousness of a people, and a nation. This
is the legacy of the NAACP.
Mr. Speaker, This article that I enter today reiterates the facts
that the civil rights struggle is far from over as it proudly details
from history a few of the organization's past successes. I am confident
that such leaders as Bruce Gordon, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the NAACP and Karen Boykin-Towns, President of the Brooklyn
Chapter of the NAACP will continue to keep the legacy alive and also
keep the NAACP in the forefront, as progress and accomplishments
continue, for years to come.
[From the New York CaribNews Editorial, April 11, 2006]
Civil Rights Struggle Far From Over: NAACP Remains In Forefront, Almost
A Century After Its Creation
It was a succinct and forceful reminder. And it came from a
person who knows the issues and from an organization that has
led the fight for respect for Black people's civil rights and
political liberties. ``There is still a lot of civil rights
work to be done,'' was the way Bruce Gordon, President and
Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, put it in an interview
with this newspaper. ``Many people believe the passing of
Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott-King and other icons of the
movement signals that the task is over,'' he added. ``Nothing
could be further from the truth.'' Well said!
Anyone looking at the state of Black America, the lack of
jobs in Black communities, limited access to adequate health
care, a dire shortage of affordable housing, the intolerance
of tens of millions of whites, the virulent strains of
racism, the glaring attempts to cast young Black men as
villains, the policy of cutting off much needed federal,
state and local government assistance to families that need
it the most and the poor schools that saturate our
communities would readily endorse Gordon's marching orders,
if you will.
The NAACP is in an excellent position to assess the needs
and to address them. And they have earned our support.
Founded on February 12, 1909 by a multi-racial group of
activists, who answered the ``Call'' to action, the NAACP has
been at the helm of the long struggle from that historic
occasion. We expect it to continue its important work for at
least another century.
Turn back some of the pages of history and the record of
America's largest and oldest civil rights organization would
become clear. A handful of examples, in:
1913 when President Woodrow Wilson officially sanctioned
segregation in the federal government, a horrified NAACP
launched a nationwide protest.
1915 the NAACP took to the streets and the barricades to
condemn D.W. Griffith, the movie producer, for his
``inflammatory and bigoted silent film, ``Birth of a
Nation,'' which today draws rave reviews from white critics
for what they call his ``creativity'' while ignoring the
bigoted nature of the film's content.
1922 In an unprecedented step, the NAACP placed large
advertisements in many of the nation's major newspapers to
focus national attention on the despicable and inhuman
practice of lynching.
1935, NAACP lawyers Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall
battled successfully in the courts to have Black students
admitted to the University of Maryland.
1939 When the Daughters of the American Revolution
prevented world famous soprano, Marian Anderson, from
performing at their Constitution Hall, the NAACP sprung into
action. It moved the concert to the Lincoln Memorial and
75,000 persons attended.
1948, the organization led the fight that forced President
Harry Truman to ban racial discrimination by the federal
government, especially in the military.
1954, the NAACP won the landmark case before the Supreme
Court that forced an end to segregation in public schools.
Brown vs. Board of Education stands today as a battering ram
against official segregation.
1965, Congress passed and President Lyndon Johnson signed
into law the Voting Rights Act, which gave Blacks the
unfettered right to participate in the electoral process as
voters and candidates. The NAACP was a driving force behind
its enactment.
1985, it led a massive anti-apartheid rally in New York
that dramatized the plight of millions of Blacks in South
Africa.
1997, the organization launched its ``Economic Reciprocity
Program to fight against conservative efforts in Congress and
the courts to end affirmative action.
2000, at the helm of a march by 50,000 persons to protest
the flying of the confederate flag over state buildings. It
was the largest civil rights demonstration ever held in the
South. On and on we can cite chapter and verse about the
successes and indeed the relevance of this noble institution
whose effectiveness was demonstrated in almost every section
of the country and in many nations in different parts of the
world.
As the NAACP itself has pointed out, ``from the ballot box
to the classroom the dedicated workers, organizers, and
leaders who forged this great organization and maintain its
status as a champion of social justice, fought long and hard
to ensure that the voices of African-Americans would be
heard.'' We couldn't have said it any better.
If the Association's history was built on the blood, sweat
and tears of its members and supporters who believe in its
vision then it has earned its place in our minds and hearts.
Gordon is coming to New York to hail the resuscitation of
the Brooklyn Branch, a development which comes a few years
before the centennial anniversary of the NAACP itself and
which sends a strong and positive signal to people around the
country that the organization is vigorous and its future is
secure.
We extend our congratulations to Gordon and to the officers
and members of the Brooklyn branch that's led by Karen
Boykin-Towns.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S WORKING MEN AND WOMEN
______
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to
America's working men and women. These are the mineworkers,
firefighters, nurses, janitors, postal employees, and hundreds of other
workers who often are exposed to serious injury or even death while on
the job. Friday, April 28, is Workers Memorial Day, a time when we
remember the thousands of Americans who have been killed or injured
while doing their jobs.
I also want my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to
join me today in taking a moment to remember Jeffrey Wroten, a Maryland
Division of Correction's officer who was killed in January while
guarding a hospitalized patient.
This also has been a deadly year for coal miners. In January, 12
miners died during the Sago Mine tragedy, and, Nation Wide, 24 coal
miners have lost their lives this year. For the first time since 1994,
there has been an increase in workplace fatalities. In 2005, more than
5,700 workers were killed on the job and more than 50,000 Americans
died from occupational diseases.
We pledge to them that we will rededicate our efforts to fight for
safe working conditions; we pledge to them that we will fight for
decent wages; and we pledge to them that we will make sure they have
good pensions and health care benefits.
I also want to commend the many unions throughout the Nation that
work everyday to protect American workers. The best way to help ensure
worker safety is to make sure workers have the freedom to join unions
so they can fight for their rights.
I urge my colleagues in the House to join me in honoring America's
working men and women by ensuring they have the rights and protections
they need to stay safe on the job.
____________________
RECOGNIZING MS. KELLY SMITH AS MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATOR AWARD RECIPIENT
______
HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise
today to recognize the outstanding achievements of an educator in
Baltimore County. Ms. Kelly Smith, chair of the English Department at
Dulaney High School in Timonium, MD, is the recipient of the
prestigious 2005-06 Milken Educator Award.
The Milken National Educator Award was established by Lowell and
Michael Milken. They created the award to celebrate and reward people
in the education system showing exemplary work.
This award, acknowledged in Teacher Magazine as the ``Oscars of
Teaching'' was designed to recognize people in the education system who
have exceptional talent. Recipients play an instrumental role in
developing new and inventive programs of study. These educators help to
develop not just the curriculum, but also the students' confidence and
self worth.
Dulaney's Kelly Smith has made great strides in the school's English
Department. Her tremendous contributions have aided in
[[Page 6006]]
the school's academic success. She developed ``One Book, One Dulaney,''
a book club, in which students, teachers and parents participate.
Throughout the year the club chooses a book to read and later discusses
it, opening the lines of communication on all levels.
Ms. Smith also developed and co-chaired Students Organized for
Academic Success. SOAR gives assistance to challenged students showing
potential for scholastic achievement. She holds study sessions on
Saturdays to prepare aspiring college students for the college entrance
exam, the SATs.
Under Ms. Smith's leadership, test scores have greatly increased. She
implements critical reading, thinking and vocabulary in her classroom.
She also incorporates a ``Readers' Theatre Project'' giving students an
opportunity to learn about literature through performance, writing and
acting. This creates a new dimension of learning for students. They
become a part of the process, which is both fun and educational.
I believe education is the key to success. Today's youth are the
future of this country. People like Ms. Smith are shaping the leaders
of tomorrow. I applaud all of those who devote their lives to the
betterment of the education system.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to commend Ms. Kelly
Smith for winning the 2005-06 Milken Educator Award. She is truly an
inspiration.
____________________
EIGHTY YEARS OF RAZZLE-DAZZLE
______
HON. MICHAEL G. OXLEY
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, a son of Massachusetts celebrated his 80th
birthday in March. Bob Crane, who won 11 statewide elections and held
elective office for 34 years, is being feted by friends and family for
a lifetime of public service and his unbeatable joy of life and
politics.
Bob began his service to his country over 60 years ago when he
enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 18 during World War II. Bob is a
decorated war hero and fought in the bloodiest battle of World War II
in Okinawa. This son of Irish immigrants returned after the war to
Boston where he attended Boston College, married his lovely Mary, had
five great children and began a memorable career in politics.
First elected to the state legislature, Bob served an unprecedented
26 years as State Treasurer. Bob left office in 1991 but, as is often
the case with extraordinary people, the best was yet to come. Bob
entered the business world to become the CEO of the Nation's largest
food brokerage firm, but continued his lifelong habit of being a
volunteer entertainer at homes for the elderly, children and the needy
in the Boston area with his wonderful group, the Treasury Notes. Some
of his most ardent admirers are people who no longer see the caring
hand of friendship and support in their lives.
Bob Crane has been called an equal opportunity schmoozer and is known
as a bipartisan charmer. He answers his critics with a warm grin and a
confidence that any negatives directed at him will bounce off like
water on the back of the ducks in the Boston Common. He has won the
admiration of both Republicans and Democrats at the State and national
levels and his fans include this Ohioan who has joined him in singing
the Findlay Ohio classic, ``Down by the Old Mill Stream'' to the
delight of various political crowds.
A Boston Globe columnist once wrote,
Crane is a full-plumage specimen of an endangered species:
the warm-blooded, pre-Watergate politician who attends wakes,
sings with a robust Irish tenor at weddings and nursing
homes, and charms even his enemies with generosity and a
smile as big as the Ritz.
Although Bob Crane is a Democrat and I am a Republican, and he loves
the Red Sox while I am a Tiger fan, we share a mutual pleasure in golf;
I agree with Mike Barnicle, the well-known columnist who wrote that Bob
is one politician ``who can still smile, who still thinks that politics
means people, and one who takes his business but not himself that
seriously.''
Bob has been called the ``Johnny Carson of Massachusetts politics,''
and having seen how he wins over even his toughest critics, I have to
agree. Happy Birthday, Bob. Here's to 80 more years of razzle-dazzle.
____________________
FREEDOM FOR OSCAR MARIO GONZALEZ
______
HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
remind my colleagues about Oscar Mario Gonzalez, a political prisoner
in totalitarian Cuba.
Mr. Gonzalez is an independent journalist and pro-democracy activist
in totalitarian Cuba. His peaceful, pro-democracy activities and
truthful articles have helped the world to learn the facts about the
nightmare that is the Castro regime. Unfortunately, the dictatorship
forcefully represses those who bravely support freedom and rise in
resistance to the despotic regime.
According to Reporters Without Borders, on March 24, 2005, Mr.
Gonzalez was summoned and questioned by regime agents, who threatened
that he would not be able to see his family again if he continued
practicing as an independent journalist. Despite these gangster tactics
and heinous threats, Mr. Gonzalez continued to demand basic human
rights for the people of Cuba.
As part of the tyrant's heinous July 2005 crackdown on peaceful pro-
democracy opponents, on July 22, Mr. Gonzalez was arrested as he tried
to participate in a peaceful demonstration outside the French Embassy
in Havana, demanding the release of political prisoners in Cuba. As
part of this vicious crackdown, over 30 brave opponents were arrested
at home, on their way to the demonstration or on the sidelines of the
gathering.
According to CubaNet, Mr. Gonzalez has been charged with violating
Law 88. This is the same brutal, sham law that the tyrannical regime
used to wrongly convict many of the pro-democracy activists arrested in
March 2003. According to Reporters Without Borders, Mr. Gonzalez is
still awaiting trial for supposed ``crimes.''
On April 26, 2006, The Miami Herald published the following moving
letter from Mr. Gonzalez to his daughter:
In all the years that I have been by your side, you have
never known me to pose a threat to anyone or anything, yet
today I am writing to you from prison.
Neither one of us, in writing to each other for so many
years, ever imagined we be doing it from a prison cell.
Such is life around these parts! Anything and everything
can happen in this green island that so few really know
about, weaving instead fantasies fed by the Cuban
government's propaganda.
The reasons for my imprisonment would be incomprehensible
to anyone living in the society you live in, but they are
totally understandable to a Cuban.
I had the temerity to criticize and question the government
of my country and to denounce its totalitarian character
before the world. I did it in the only way I know,
peacefully, with words.
For that, the Cuban government classifies us as criminals
and calls us mercenaries and agents of U.S. imperialism. I
swear to you that I have never had so much as a private
conversation with any official of the United States or of any
other country, for that matter.
Also, the only monies I have been paid from the only press
agency for which I have ever worked, Cubanet, scarcely cover
my few material needs.
The real reason for my confinement is to have denounced my
country's government to a Cuban press agency in Miami, since
the news media inside Cuba are closed to those, who like
myself, exhibit independent criteria. Cuban media are only
open to sycophants and apologists for the regime.
My conscience impels me to expose the abuses to which
Cubans have been subject for more than 47 years now.
I never thought my modest contribution to the future of
Cuba would go very far.
I'm a simple citizen who tried to make public the brutal
nature of the Cuban government, thinking that would be my
small contribution to the future of Cuba.
How was I to know my humble purpose would land me in prison
at age 62 and in poor health?
My love for my country, for liberty and democracy, are the
real causes for my imprisonment.
If some day you hear me say something that contradicts what
I have said so far here, know that it is not your father
speaking. It would be another man, reduced, drugged or in the
throes of fear, and obligated to say whatever they wanted him
to say under pressure of threats and blackmail.
I hope some day we can see each other again in our country,
with liberty to walk down the street holding hands and
looking to the future, without fear or hate.
Teach my grandson, next to the love of God and neighbor,
the devotion to human rights and liberty so that he will
never put up with injustice and abuses.
May God bless you, and may He allow me to kiss you soon.
Mr. Gonzalez is a brilliant example of the heroism of the Cuban
people. His letter exemplifies the Cuban desire to live in liberty,
free
[[Page 6007]]
of the tyrannical repression imposed on them by the murderous despot.
Read the strength of this letter, Mr. Gonzalez knows the violence,
abuse, and repression that will be used to try to break him. Yet he
stands strong in the strength of his conviction: ``My conscience impels
me to expose the abuses to which Cubans have been subject for more than
47 years now.'' Mr. Gonzalez is an apostle of freedom for Cuba.
Despite incessant repression, harassment, incarceration and abuse, he
remains committed to the conviction that freedom of the press and
individual liberty are the inalienable right of the Cuban people. It is
a crime against humanity that Castro's totalitarian gulags are full of
men and women, like Mr. Gonzalez, who represent the best of the Cuban
nation.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, Mr. Gonzalez is languishing in the
grotesque squalor of the gulag because he desires freedom for all
Cubans. My Colleagues, read his letter often. We must demand the
immediate and unconditional release of Oscar Mario Gonzalez and every
political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.
____________________
INTRODUCTION OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH HOLLOWED GROUND NATIONAL HERITAGE
AREA ACT
______
HON. FRANK R. WOLF
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to create
the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area. Senator
Allen is introducing companion legislation in the Senate.
We remember the words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address:
We cannot dedicate--we cannot consecrate--we cannot hallow
this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled
here, have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or
detract.
The Journey Through Hallowed Ground winds its way along U.S. Route 15
from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to Jefferson's home of Monticello, in
Charlottesville, Virginia. Starting as a trail used by the
Susquehannock and Iroquois, America's early history can literally be
traced along this corridor. Jefferson's Monticello, Madison's
Montpellier, Monroe's Oak Hill and Ashlawn Highland, Zachary Taylor's
homes, Eisenhower's Cottage, Teddy Roosevelt's Cabin, John Marshall's
home, General George Marshall's home, and Camp David are situated along
this route also dotted with numerous Civil War battlefields and sites
from the underground railroad.
Designation of this historic route as a National Heritage Area will
create a partnership between the Federal, State, and local governments
as well as local civic organizations to commemorate, conserve and
promote the history and resources along the Route 15 corridor between
Gettysburg and Monticello. It will help link national parks to
historical sites, package tourism opportunities, and provide financial
and technical support for sites in the corridor.
This historic corridor includes a significant part of the 10th
District of Virginia, which I am proud to represent. I echo the
sentiments of author and historian David McCullough when he said that
``[t]his is the ground of our Founding Fathers. These are the
landscapes that speak volumes--small towns, churches, fields,
mountains, creeks and rivers with names such as Bull Run and
Rappahannock. They are the real thing, and what shame we will bring
upon ourselves if we destroy them.''
This bill is modeled after the legislation Senator Warner and I
introduced which created the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National
Historic District in the Shenandoah Valley in 1996, Through that
legislation, the Civil War battlefield sites in the Valley are being
preserved, As with that bill, local, State and Federal officials,
working along with landowners and business leaders will be able to
better promote the history of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground
attracting tourism and an appreciation for the unique history of this
area.
I would like to thank the Journey Through Hollowed Ground Partnership
which has been working to forge partnerships that span the four States
that fall within the proposed boundaries of the heritage area. This
group has laid the groundwork in identifying the significant historical
properties within such a concentrated area along U.S. Route 15. Dozens
of towns and counties along the corridor have offered letters of
support as have local civic groups. The Virginia General Assembly also
has approved a resolution of support.
Thomas Jefferson in his Notes of the State of Virginia said:
You stand on a very high point of land. On your right comes
up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the
mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left
approaches the Potomac, in quest of a passage also. In the
moment of their junction, they rush together against the
mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea. The first
glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion that
this earth has been created in time, that the mountains were
formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that
in this place, particularly, they have been dammed up by the
Blue Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filed
the whole valley; that continuing to rise they have at length
broken over this spot, and have torn the mountains down from
its summit to its base. The piles of rocks on each hand, but
particularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of their
disrupture and avulsion from their beds by the most powerful
agents of nature, corroborate the impression. But the distant
finishing, which nature has given to the picture, is of a
very different character. It is a true contrast to the
foreground. It is as placid and delightful as that is wild
and tremendous. For the mountain being cloven asunder, she
presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of
smooth, blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain
country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult
roaring around, to pass through the breach and participate in
the calm below.
The landscape Jefferson depicts has been inspirational to American
leaders for hundreds of years. From Susquehannock Indian trading routes
and to Revolutionary War battles; from the homes of the founding
fathers to the first brave pioneers to make a home beyond the Blue
Ridge Mountains; from the Civil War battles which threatened to divide
the union to the underground railroad, our Nation was forged along this
route. From Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and the fertile Piedmont
to the east of the corridor the route in many ways exhibits the birth
and development of our Nation's economy, social movements and political
landscape. Perhaps even more significant than the battlefields that
cluster along the route are the documents penned in the homes along the
corridor. The Declaration of Independence, the Monroe Doctrine and the
Marshall plan have influenced not only this Nation, but the entire
world.
Every American citizen should take a trip along this route so that
they know not only from where our Nation has come, but also to where we
are going.
As we come upon the 400th anniversary of America's birthplace at
Jamestown, I urge my colleagues to join with me in supporting this
legislation.
____________________
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TAX INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT
ACT OF 2006
______
HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON
of the district of columbia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the District
of Columbia Tax Incentives Improvement Act of 2006. The legislation
builds on and adds to federal tax incentives I first got through
Congress in 1997 in order to help produce residential and business
stability and growth. These tax credits have surpassed the city's
highest hopes with a renewed and replenished residential and business
tax base to show for it. However, this bill is necessary if this growth
is to continue to make up for the fact that the District is not a
state.
Studies and investigation by experts widely agree that the D.C.
credits have been very successful and have been the single most
important factor both in stemming residential flight and in stimulating
commercial development in the applicable neighborhoods. However the
changes are appropriate to: reduce but target the credits to poor
neighborhoods not yet reached; increase the efficiency of the
incentives; achieve increased leverage from city and other federal
resources; and provide more incentive to purchase homes given the large
increase in housing prices in the District.
The legislation would extend the life of the D.C. Enterprise Zone
(EZ) Benefits to 2009 to put the District on par with the other cities
that have empowerment zones and will allow the city to fully realize
and assess the effectiveness of the incentives and eliminate the
continuing uncertainty that has plagued the program. There was a
disruption of economic activity and planning by the business sector
when Congress did not immediately renew those provisions that expired
at the end of 2003. The District is experiencing this setback again as
H.R. 4297, the Tax Reconciliation Act of 2005, has not yet been passed
and the District tax provisions are extended in that bill.
[[Page 6008]]
The improved EZ incentives will target the areas of greatest need;
align the Zone boundaries with areas designated for concentrated
investment by the Mayor's Great Streets Initiative; and more
effectively connect the unemployed with job opportunities by limiting
the Employment Credit to those businesses that employ persons residing
in those census tracts that have unemployment rates twice that of the
national average.
The legislation also asks for a triple tax exemption for District
bonds which would allow the District to issue bonds at lower interest
rates and put D.C. on par with other ``stateless'' jurisdictions,
including Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, with no loss of
revenue to the federal treasury. Currently, bonds issued by the
District are exempt from federal and District taxes, but subject to
taxation by state and local governments for bondholders located outside
the District.
With the first-time homebuyer tax credit, this bill raises the $5,000
credit for a first-time homebuyer in the District to $10,000 to help
meet sharply increased home prices that are driving many lower middle
and middle income taxpayers from the city. Senator Trent Lott raised
the amount in the Senate bill several years ago, but that bill did not
pass the House. The homebuyer credit and the economic development
occurring in the District have been almost entirely responsible for
significantly stemming taxpayer, residential and business flight,
bringing both in significant numbers to the District. However, the
improvements in my bill are essential if the District is to achieve the
100,000 new residents necessary to sustain its stability that the
former D.C. control board said was necessary.
The federal tax incentives provided under the Enterprise Zone and
homebuyer credit programs will be critical to the continuation of the
District's essential fiscal partnership with the federal government,
which seeks to diversify the D.C. economy, reverse the continuing rise
in the unemployment rate in significant portions of the city,
strengthen and diversify the District's narrow tax base, and address
its structural fiscal imbalance.
The D.C. Enterprise Zone tax incentives and the homebuyer credit
alone cannot solve these problems. But by extending and improving these
measures, Congress can continue to make a low-cost, efficient and
effective contribution to the District's economic well being.
____________________
COMMEMORATING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVILIAN DEATHS AT QANA,
LEBANON
______
HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, the violent death of innocent civilians not
involved in military hostilities is an appalling human tragedy. For
decades, the violence in the Middle East has claimed a multitude of
innocent civilian victims: Men, women and children, Arab and Israeli.
It is with great sorrow that we remember one such incident that
occurred just over ten years ago in Qana, Lebanon. A number of my
constituents lost precious relatives on that day, April 18, 1996.
Aboudi and Hati Bitar of Dearborn, Michigan, ages 7 and 9, were
visiting their grandmother at Qana when they were killed. On the
occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Qana incident, we solemnly
remember and mourn the loss of these innocent children and the hundreds
of others who were killed or wounded on that tragic day. On behalf of
Michigan's 14th Congressional District, my family and I offer our
support and prayers to the Bitar family and to the many others who lost
loved ones at Qana.
When it comes to civilian deaths, violent hostilities play no
favorites. I call on my colleagues to pause to remember the civilian
victims that the violence in the Middle East has claimed on all sides.
Let us remind ourselves that this carnage among the innocent will
continue until America makes a stronger effort to help resolve the
issues that have bred the violence there.
____________________
HONORING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLISH AMERICAN WAR VETERANS
______
HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join
me in recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Polish American War
Veterans located in Caseyville, Illinois.
The year 1946 saw our Nation's veterans return home from serving
their country during World War II. During that year, a group of Polish
American veterans in East St. Louis, Illinois gathered to form an
organization that would recognize the contributions of Polish Americans
during the war, celebrate their Polish heritage and assist veterans,
their families and other organizations within their community.
The first discussions took place at Steve Mizulski's S.M. Tavern and
the first organizational meeting was held at the Polish Hall in East
St. Louis. Soon after this meeting, the Polish American War Veterans
organization was chartered by the State of Illinois.
With the formation of the PAWV a slate of officers was installed.
Stanley Gula was the first Commander and other officers were: Stanley
Boryczko, Vice Commander, Joseph Skowron, Adjutant, Michael Bartosz,
Quartermaster and Adam Wondolowski, Sergeant-At-Arms. Initial charter
members were: Walter Kloczak, Les Kloczak, Louis Skosky, Tony
Wondolowski, Ted Skrabacz, John Babinski, Aloysius Szablowski, Edward
Cich and Ed Wondolowski.
The Polish Hall was the home for the PAWV from its founding, into the
1960s. The American Legion Hall in Fairmont City, Illinois served as
the PAWV home until 1979, when the permanent home was built in
Caseyville, Illinois.
During their years of service, the organization has held a number of
events to raise funds, celebrate their Polish heritage and to provide
family and recreational opportunities in their community. These have
included organizing teams for bowling and baseball leagues, holding
dances and golf tournaments and participating in many parades. They
continue to offer ``care packages'' to veterans who are hospitalized or
in nursing homes.
In 1999, the PAWV formed an Honor Guard that performs at area events
and provides full military honors for veterans' funerals. This unit has
received many honors and commendations from area civic and veterans
groups.
The Polish American War Veterans have been an active and involved
part of our community for 60 years. The service they gave to their
country did not stop when they retired from active military duty. They
continue to live by the motto, ``Still Serving and Proud to be
Polish.''
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 60th
Anniversary of the Polish American War Veterans and to wish the best to
them for continued service in the future.
____________________
HONORING UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM
______
HON. TAMMY BALDWIN
of wisconsin
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker I rise today to recognize the University of
Wisconsin men's hockey team, NCAA champions for the sixth time in the
program's history. This is the first national championship for the
Badgers since 1990, and also the first under head coach Mike Eaves.
Coach Eaves previously won a national title as a player when he was the
Badgers' team captain in 1977, and also coached the United States teams
to their first gold medals at the 2002 World Under-18 Championship and
the 2004 World Junior Championship. Coach Eaves' latest honor is being
named the head coach of the United States Men's National Team.
This championship caps off a remarkable season for the Badgers.
Senior assistant captain defenseman Tom Gilbert tied for the national
lead in goals by a defenseman, and scored the most points by a UW
defenseman in almost ten years. Gilbert was named to the All-American
second team, and was joined there by sophomore center Joe Pavelski.
Pavelski led the team in scoring during the season, and also became
just the ninth player in Badgers history to score 100 points in his
first two years.
Junior goalie Brian Elliott was named a first-team All-American.
Elliot led the nation in every significant category of goaltending
statistic, including goals-against-average, save percentage, and
winning percentage, en route to being named a finalist for the Hobey
Baker Player of the Year award. He also recorded eight shutouts,
including two in the NCAA Tournament's regional rounds, helping Elliot
earn Most Outstanding Player honors for the Midwest Regional.
During the Frozen Four Championship in Milwaukee, it was Badgers'
junior forward Robbie Earl who proved the Most Outstanding Player. Earl
scored three goals combined in the semi-finals and finals, including
the game-winning goal in the semi-final game and a tying goal in the
final game.
[[Page 6009]]
After the Badger women's hockey team won their national championship
two weeks before the men, several players joked that they had stolen
for Wisconsin the title of the ``State of Hockey'' from Minnesota.
After the men's team completed the NCAA hockey sweep for UW, Athletic
Director Barry Alvarez put it more simply: ``We own college hockey.''
____________________
TO COMMEMORATE AND HONOR THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST
______
HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the memory of
those murdered during the Holocaust.
During that dark period, the nations of the world stood still as
millions were massacred. Every year we come together and speak of how
we shall ``Never Forget.'' We talk of how we may honor their memory by
never allowing such unspeakable crimes of genocide to be committed once
again.
I fear we may not be doing their memory justice. Even as the United
States has officially declared that genocide is occurring in Sudan, we
stand concerned, but need to do much more to stop the bloodshed. Have
we not learned from the horrors committed by Nazi Germany? How can we
observe the rampant campaign of rape and genocide in Darfur without
acting?
My heart and prayers go out to those who survived the Holocaust as
well as those who were coldly murdered. We must honor them not just
with words, but also by our actions. Over the next few days, hundreds
of thousands of Americans will converge on Washington to demand that
the US act to stop the genocide in Darfur. Let us honor the memory of
those who were murdered during the Holocaust by doing everything we can
to protect the people of Darfur.
____________________
RECOGNITION OF AFRICA MALARIA DAY
______
HON. DONALD M. PAYNE
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize Africa Malaria
Day, declared on April 25, 2000 by 43 African heads of state. That
declaration marked the end of a 3-day summit called to renew and re-
invigorate Africa's commitment to defeating malaria, a disease that
takes a terrible toll on the African continent. It renewed a commitment
to exploit all means possible to finally tame the disease that kills
more African children than any other single disease. It recognized the
massive impact of malaria and the potential for reducing that impact.
It affirmed African leaders' intent to remove roadblocks to malaria
control and called for more active participation by the international
community.
UNICEF and the World Health Organization estimate that malaria kills
from 1 million to 2 million people every year, most of them young
children and pregnant women in Africa. Along with HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis, malaria remains one of the three biggest infectious
disease killers in the world today.
Effective weapons in this fight include prompt access to effective
treatment, increased use of locally appropriate means of mosquito
control such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying,
early detection of and response to epidemics, and improved prevention
and treatment of malaria in pregnant women. To make a sustained impact
against malaria we need a vaccine.
There has never been a licensed malaria vaccine, but great progress
toward that end is now being made, as evidenced by last year's results
of a malaria vaccine clinical trial in Mozambique. However, people who
need the vaccine the most are infants and children in developing
countries. This means that market forces by themselves cannot drive
malaria vaccine development. Ensuring the successful development of a
vaccine for a disease that primarily affects the poorest people in the
world requires public funding for research and development as well as
funding for vaccine purchase once malaria vaccines are licensed. As a
nation, we must take the challenge offered by African heads of state in
2000 and Bill Gates last fall to greatly increase funding for the
development of new tools to defeat malaria, including a vaccine.
Global and national efforts to control malaria are making a
difference. Lives are being saved and the movement to finally control
malaria in Africa is picking up momentum. Evidence of this includes the
increasing level of support for malaria control by the Global Fund for
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, by USAID and the President's Malaria
Initiative. But more and broader support is needed to achieve the goal
of ending deaths from malaria in the shortest time possible. For each
year we delay, another one to two million lives are lost.
Today, Africa Malaria Day, the equivalent of seven large planeloads
of children died from malaria. Most of these children were under the
age of 5. This is a tragedy of immense proportions. While it is deeply
saddening, we cannot let its sheer magnitude paralyze us into
complacency. Knowing about these deaths impassions me to do everything
I can. We must ensure adequate support for existing and new malaria
control tools to prevent more deaths, today, tomorrow, and into the
future.
____________________
HONORING THE MEMORY OF MR. BOB SCHULTZ
______
HON. JO BONNER
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, Mobile and indeed the entire State of
Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and
pay tribute to his memory.
Bob Schultz, otherwise known as ``Mr. Mardi Gras,'' was a musical
legend in Mobile. Arriving in Mobile in 1960, Bob quickly distinguished
himself as the sound of carnival playing swing era music on both the
clarinet and saxophone. In 1976, he organized the Bob Schultz Big Band.
He and his band have played at countless mystic society balls,
weddings, and other events over the last three decades. They were also
a staple at the Riverview Plaza Sunday brunch.
One wedding, in particular, stands out in my memory. Bob and his band
played ``Stars Fell on Alabama'' for my new bride and me to lead the
dance. To say Bob Schultz will be missed is a considerable
understatement.
Bob Schultz and his band members also found time to perform for many
charities including: the Child Advocacy Center, United Way, the Taste
of Mobile, the Alabama Desert Storm Heroes Welcome Home Committee, and
the Cathedral Towers.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a fixture
of Mobile Mardi Gras. Bob will be deeply missed by his family--his two
brothers, William Schultz and Irving Schiff; and his sister, Irene
Karasevich--as well as the countless friends and associates he leaves
behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult
time.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CONTAINER RESEARCH
CORPORATION ON THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY
______
HON. CURT WELDON
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me
to rise to honor the founders and employees of the Container Research
Corporation on the celebration of their 50th anniversary on this
Saturday, April 29, 2006. The Container Research Corporation is located
in the small town of Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, in the 7th
Congressional District that I represent.
The Container Research Corporation, CRC, was founded in 1956. At its
helm were the young, innovative minds of Stan Rines, Sr. and Bill Swan,
Sr., talented businessmen and engineers. Mr. Rines and Mr. Swan
designed and patented modern high tech metal containers that replaced
existing commercial and military wooden crates. I am pleased to report
that Mr. Rines and Mr. Swan, now in their eighties, still own and
manage the growing company, with 140 employees at three facilities.
The Container Research Corporation was an early pioneer of military
packaging for large aircraft parts. Over their 50 years of service they
have excelled in the research, design and manufacturing of aerospace
maintenance platforms, storage and shipping containers to worldwide
aerospace customers. CRC has produced containers for the Pershing
Missiles, the Pickatinny Arsenal artillery shells, nuclear fuel rods,
all styles of helicopter blades, jet engines and most recently the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter Jet. They have partnered with such companies as
Westinghouse, Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky and the U.S. military.
As the Vice-Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and the
Homeland Security Committee, I have seen first-hand the
[[Page 6010]]
positive effects of the Container Research Corporation's incredible
work ethic and upstanding patriotism. They have been a strong and
consistent partner in strengthening not only our national economy, but
our national defense and security as well.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have within my district one of the
founding companies for modern aerospace storage and shipping
containers. Our Nation owes Mr. Rines, Mr. Swan and all of the
dedicated employees at the Container Research Corporation a huge debt
of gratitude. We are certainly a safer country because of their
efforts. I am proud to represent these fine men and women and honor
them on their 50th Anniversary on the House Floor today.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICAN HERO--MICHAEL J. NOVOSEL
______
HON. TERRY EVERETT
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of
America's greatest military heroes, Michael J. ``Mike'' Novosel, who
passed away on April 2 at the age of 83 at Walter Reed Army Hospital in
Washington, DC.
Mike Novosel was a remarkable man who ranked among the best who ever
donned a military uniform. I'm proud to point out that he spent much of
his life in southeast Alabama where he had a monumental impact on the
mission of the U.S. Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker.
Born in Pennsylvania in 1922, Novosel joined the U.S. Army Air Force
when he was 19. His training eventually took him to Maxwell Air Force
Base where he qualified to fly the B-29 Superfortress. In 1945, he flew
four Pacific combat missions with the 58th Bombardment Wing during the
final days of World War II. But he did not stop there. Novosel
commanded a B-29 as part of a fly-over during the Japanese surrender
ceremony. His military career then led him to command the 99th
Bombardment Squadron in the Pacific where he served until 1947 when he
returned to the United States as a B-29 test pilot and then joined the
Air Force Reserve. Soon after, he was called back to active duty at the
Air Command and Staff School during the Korean War. But this was all
just the beginning for Novosel.
During the Vietnam War, then Lt. Col. Novosel volunteered for duty in
the Air Force Reserve. However, he was turned down because of his age.
So, he traded his blue suit for the uniform of a U.S. Army warrant
officer, and instead of piloting B-29's, took the stick of a Bell UH-l
Huey. As a ``dust-off'' helicopter pilot, Novosel served two tours in
Vietnam, totaling 2,543 missions airlifting 5,600 medical evacuees.
Amazingly, one of the men he rescued was his own son, who, ironically,
later rescued him. In one rescue mission, Novosel braved tremendous
enemy fire to rescue no less than 29 men.
His bravery resulted in his receiving the Congressional Medal of
Honor. He returned stateside to instruct the Army's Golden Knights
parachute team at Fort Bragg and later he taught the Warrant Officer
Career College at Fort Rucker. In 1985, Novosel was the last World War
II pilot still flying. Fort Rucker named its main street ``Novosel
Avenue'' for him, and after retirement Novosel remained in Enterprise,
Alabama where he was an active member of the community until his death.
Mr. Speaker, Chief Warrant Officer Four Mike Novosel will rightfully
be buried in Arlington National Cemetery alongside America's other
great heroes. We can all be proud of his exemplary record, and I extend
my condolences to his family.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO RICHARD L. KOHNSTAMM
______
HON. DARLENE HOOLEY
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the passing of a
great Oregonian innovator, businessman, and friend. Richard L.
Kohnstamm passed away last Friday, just days after his 80th birthday.
Like many Oregonians, Dick arrived in Oregon as a young man eager to
forge his own future, and build his own adventure. What Dick couldn't
possibly have known then, was that his future would become a true
Oregon Legacy.
In 1955, Dick took over the management of Oregon's Historic
Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. With his imagination, vision, and
dedication, Dick transformed the lodge from a neglected public works
building to an Oregon landmark.
He started the nation's first summer skiing, started a racing school,
brought in Olympic Medalists as instructors, and completely revamped
the lodge, making it a destination for Oregonians and visitors. With
Dick's leadership, Timberline Lodge was the first ski area in the
nation to receive the National Historic Landmark designation.
Dick met his wife Molly, and raised their four sons on the Mountain.
He was a father figure to hundreds of young employees away from home.
He was a leader. He was a visionary. He was a pioneer in the best
Oregon tradition. He was an Oregon Icon.
I consider myself lucky to have known Dick, and I want to honor him
for his extraordinary life and his many contributions to Mt. Hood and
the State of Oregon.
____________________
LETTER TO THE EDITOR AS OFFERED BY WILLIAM T. WALKER, THEODORE, ALABAMA
______
HON. JO BONNER
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, recently one of my constituents, William T.
Walker, submitted a letter to the Mobile Register providing an
interesting perspective on the recent peace march that started in
Mobile, Alabama, and traveled throughout the Gulf Coast.
Many people across the Gulf Coast are still working hard to rebuild
their homes, businesses and lives following last year's hurricanes.
While the freedom to protest is one of the foundations of American
democracy, it is important to see the effect that it can have. Today, I
rise to ask that this letter be entered into the Congressional Record
in its entirety:
Marchers Hurt Spirit, Good Will
``It does not take a majority to prevail . . . but rather
an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of
freedom in the minds of men.''--Samuel Adams
I like to think of myself as part of that minority to whom
Adams was referring. I know that some grow tired of my
constant rant about freedom, about supporting this country
and our leaders. Yet, I continue. Why?
Things like the peace march that left Mobile recently is
one reason. When I heard about that march, I was in Gulfport,
Miss., helping a man put his ceiling back in his house after
it was hit by a pine tree during Hurricane Katrina.
A 60-foot pine tree will break any roof on the Gulf Coast.
Sixty misguided, self-serving marchers were trying to break
the good will and spirit of a people who have been through
tragedy.
As I held the piece of drywall up for my friend to nail in,
he asked me this: ``I wonder what those marchers have done to
help people rebuild here on the Gulf Coast.'' That struck me.
What have they done?
As they marched along the road, being photographed and
reveling in their notoriety, thousands of people were out
there, rebuilding the Gulf Coast. And those soft-headed
fabricators of veracity marched on.
As those people marched along the road, having their
pictures taken by news photographers, all us old dumb guys
were in the background. Black and white, Democrat and
Republican, religious and not, we were repairing things,
cleaning up, and making this a better place to live.
And those foot soldiers of fabrication marched on, planting
their perfidious propaganda with each step. I pray that their
crop will fail.--William T. Walker, Theodore, Alabama
____________________
HONORING MATT VALENTI NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPION
______
HON. CURT WELDON
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a special honor to
recognize Matt Valenti, a student athlete from the University of
Pennsylvania, who recently won the NCAA wrestling championship. Penn's
sports history records need updating now to include Matt as one of only
three wrestlers to have achieved this distinction as national champion.
All three wrestlers are bound together by their high level of
motivation and their devotion to the time-honored virtues of hard work
and sacrifice.
We are all aware of the competitive nature and demanding rigors of
this sport. Matt's achievements have set a new benchmark for
[[Page 6011]]
excellence in this sport. The following statistics speak for themselves
and place Matt in an elite category:
He won five consecutive matches against the nation's best
wrestlers in the 2006 NCAA Championships to win the national
title at 133 lbs.
He showed courage and determination in reversing and riding
Chris Fleeger of Purdue University to win the national final
3-2.
He accomplished his title by beating the tournament's
second and third-seeded wrestlers and a former national
runner-up.
He had two pins in five matches at the NCAA Championships.
He showed excellence and outstanding skill by being taken
down only once and reversed once in his five matches.
He became only the third national champion in the 102-year
history of Penn wrestling.
He led his team to score the most points in an NCAA
Championship in team history.
He is a two-time All-American, in 2004 and 2006.
On the day Matt won the NCAA Championship, the pressure on him was
immense. The way he wrestled his way to the championship is a testament
to his grace under pressure, his good sportsmanship, and most
importantly, his example as a role model for youth that make him
special to not only to wrestling fans in Pennsylvania, but to everyone
who pursues the American dream.
Finally, I would be remiss, if I did not recognize the extraordinary
effort and commitment of Head Coach Zeke Jones who inspires and
motivates the true grit and discipline so necessary on the mats. His
personal commitment to excellence has served the University of
Pennsylvania well. We share his pride in Matt Valenti's tremendous
success as NCAA Champion and look to Matt to take us to the 2008
Olympics.
____________________
CONSUMER CANCELLATION FAIRNESS ACT
______
HON. ZOE LOFGREN
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, consumers are currently
exposed to difficult cancellation policies for service subscriptions
that are more costly and burdensome than continuing the service and
paying the annual or monthly fee.
When consumers sign up for a service, they are often told that
renewal occurs through automatic charges to their credit cards. When
consumers decide to cancel, they run into difficulties, such as long
distance phone calls with long hold times, all at the expense of the
consumer.
To combat such abusive business practices, I have introduced the
Consumer Cancellation Fairness Act.
My bill would require businesses to permit their customers to cancel
subscription services in the same manner and by the same means they use
to subscribe to such services.
If one click on a Web site or a toll-free call is all it takes to
sign up for a service, then one click or a toll-free call should be
enough to cancel.
I strongly urge this House to swiftly consider and pass the Consumer
Cancellation Fairness Act to protect consumers from further abuse.
____________________
CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. AND MRS. WILLIE THOMAS POUNCY ON THE OCCASION OF
THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
______
HON. JO BONNER
of alabama
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Willie
Thomas Pouncy and Mrs. Lucile Pouncy on the occasion of their 50th
Wedding Anniversary, which began on April 21, 1956, at Rock Elvy
Baptist Church in Shady Grove, Alabama.
Mr. Pouncy is a respected member of his church and community. He has
served faithfully as a deacon at Rock Elvy Baptist Church since 1954.
In 1952, Mr. Pouncy was drafted in the U.S. Army, where he served
during the Korean War. Upon completion of his tour of duty, he went on
to own and run a small farm in Goshen, Alabama, and work on the
railroad in Waycross, Georgia. He also worked for Brotherhood of
Maintenance of Way Employees for 19 years. Mr. Pouncy worked diligently
to set an example to his seven sons as to what a husband and father
should be, and he taught his seven daughters what traits are important
in a husband. All the while, Mr. Pouncy had several admirers but none
as important as his 14 children and his wife, Lucile.
Mrs. Pouncy was born Lucile Tucker in Shady Grove, Alabama. She is
the embodiment of a God-fearing woman. She has always emphasized the
importance of God, family, and education. Mrs. Pouncy served Rock Elvy
Baptist Church as a secretary and is an usher, board member and
deaconess. She managed a household of 14 children while her husband was
away with work. She always made sure the homework was completed, chores
finished, and Sunday school lessons comprehended. Mrs. Pouncy mastered
the art of rearing with a stern will but a compassionate heart. She was
not only a mother to her own children, but she served as a second
mother to many of the children in the community.
I know Alabama and even our nation have benefited from the union of
Mr. and Mrs. Pouncy. Among their 14 children, 32 grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren, there are two sons and two grandsons that have
served in the recent war on terror. Additionally, they have raised: a
social worker, several engineers, a bank president, a counselor, a
minister, numerous business professionals, and most important to me . .
. my director of constituent services.
Their 14 children: Willie Dean, Willie Thomas, Jr., Claudie Frank,
Sharon (deceased), Linda, Michael, Lisha, Winfred, James, Kathy,
Salena, Tyrone, Errical and Eric would like me to pass on their word of
appreciation to their parents for the example they set, encouragement
given, and yes, even for the discipline administered.
Mr. Speaker, in these times it is refreshing to know a family that is
committed to the values and outstanding morals that Mr. and Mrs. Willie
Thomas Pouncy have encouraged in their marriage and family. I have no
doubt that this marriage symbolizes the strength of character and love
of God that every American should emulate. Congratulations to Mr. and
Mrs. Pouncy on their 50th Wedding Anniversary--the world is a better
place because of their contributions.
____________________
FAILURE OF ``PLAN COLOMBIA''
______
HON. RON PAUL
of texas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the following article
detailing the complete failure of ``Plan Colombia'' into the
Congressional Record. As the article points out, despite more than 4
billion dollars being sent to Colombia to fight the ``war on drugs,''
the coca crop grew by 21 percent last year. After six years of massive
wealth transfers from U.S. taxpayers to the Colombian government, not
only has no progress been made, but in fact things are getting worse.
Unfortunately, with the way things are done in Washington, this failure
of ``Plan Colombia'' will likely result in calls for even more money to
be tossed in the black hole of the drug war. It would be far better to
learn from our mistakes and abandon the failed ``Plan Colombia.''
[From the Houston Chronicle, April 16, 2006]
Coca Crop Jumps Despite U.S. Aid
(By John Otis)
Bogota, Colombia.--In a blow to the United States' anti-
drug campaign here, which cost more than $4 billion, new
White House estimates indicate that Colombia's coca crop
expanded by nearly 21 percent last year.
Figures released late Friday by the Office of National Drug
Control Policy indicate Colombian farmers last year grew
355,680 acres of coca, the raw material for cocaine. That
represents a jump of nearly 74,000 acres from 2004 even
though U.S. funded cropdusters destroyed record amounts of
coca plants in 2005.
Washington has provided the Bogota government with more
than $4 billion, mostly in anti-drug aid since 2000 for a
program known as Plan Colombia--which was supposed to cut
coca cultivation by half within six years.
Yet according to the new figures, more coca is now being
grown here than when Plan Colombia started. ``This is going
to turn heads'' on Capitol Hill, said Adam Isacson, a
Colombia expert at the Center for International Policy in
Washington and a longtime critic of U.S. counterdrug
strategies in Latin America.
``You're talking about $4.7 billion spent on Plan Colombia,
and this is all we have to show for it?''
The Bush administration downplayed the significance of the
coca crop survey, an annual study of parts of Colombia
carried out by the CIA using satellite imagery and on-the-
ground inspections.
Rather than an increase in the crop's size, the higher
numbers may reflect a more thorough job of surveying the
Colombian countryside, the White House said in a news
release.
The statement said the area of Colombia sampled for the
2005 coca estimate was 81 percent larger than in 2004.
[[Page 6012]]
``Because of this uncertainty and the significantly
expanded survey area, a direct year-to-year comparison (of
the size of the coca crop) is not possible,'' said the
statement.
However, when year-to-year drug crop comparisons have
reflected positive trends, U.S. officials have loudly touted
the numbers as clear proof of success.
In 2002, for example, the CIA survey showed a drop in coca
production and White House drug czar John Walters declared:
``These figures capture the dramatic improvement. . . . Our
anti-drug efforts in Colombia are now paying off.''
But some U.S. officials and drug policy analysts claim that
Colombia has likely been producing far more coca over the
past five years than the CIA surveys have indicated.
``The cultivation numbers, wherever they seem to be headed,
need to be taken with a grain of salt,'' said Joy Olson,
director of the Washington Office on Latin America, a think
tank. ``In reality, coca cultivation and cocaine production
exceed the official estimates, perhaps by wide margins.''
What's more, she said, cheap, potent cocaine remains
readily available on U.S. streets, indicating that the drug
war in Colombia is having little real impact.
Some U.S. officials have forecast a gradual reduction in
assistance for Colombia, starting in 2008. This year,
Washington will send about $750 million in aid to Colombia,
the source of 90 percent of the cocaine sold on U.S. streets.
The centerpiece of the U.S. anti-drug strategy here is a
controversial aerial-eradication program in which crop-
dusters, escorted by helicopter gunships, bombard coca plants
with chemical defoliants. But the program costs about $200
million annually and many critics say the money would be
better spent elsewhere. The idea of eradication is to
persuade peasant farmers to give up growing coca and to plant
legal crops. But funding by the U.S. and Colombian
governments for crop-substitution programs pale in comparison
to the eradication budget and most efforts to develop
alternatives have failed.
Part of the problem is that coca is often grown in remote
jungles and mountains that are controlled by Marxist
guerrillas, contain few roads or markets, and have almost no
government presence. Thus, even as crop-dusters have killed
off record amounts of coca, farmers stay a step ahead of the
spray planes by pushing deeper into the wilderness to grow
more.
In 2000, Colombian farmers attempted to grow about 450,000
acres of coca, about one-third of which was wiped out by the
spray planes, according to U.S. government figures. Last
year, by contrast, they tried to grow a whopping 780,000
acres. ``People with no economic alternatives have not been
deterred by fumigation,'' said Isacson of the Center for
International Policy. ``Fumigating an area is no substitute
for governing it.''
Despite the rise in coca cultivation, Anne Patterson, a
former U.S. ambassador to Colombia who heads the State
Department bureau that runs the eradication program, told a
congressional hearing in Washington last month that the Bush
administration was considering ``stepping up'' the crop-
dusting campaign.
Beyond the drug war, Patterson said, the overall U.S. aid
program ``has benefited Colombia in ways we had not
anticipated.''
She cited better security conditions in the cities and the
countryside, where the number of kidnappings and murders has
dropped, as well as recent blows to the nation's narcotics
traffickers and guerrilla groups.
____________________
RAMSEY, INDIANA WILFRED EDWARD ``COUSIN WILLIE'' SIEG, SR. POST OFFICE
______
HON. MICHAEL E. SODREL
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. SODREL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor I introduce this bill
to recognize the accomplishments of one man by naming the Ramsey, IN
postal facility after a beloved member of our community, ``Cousin
Willie''. The privilege to introduce this bill with the support of the
entire Indiana Delegation makes it all that more special.
If you asked someone in Ramsey who Wilfred Edward Sieg, Sr. was or
what he was about, some may not be able to tell you. But if you asked
them about ``Cousin Willie'', that's a different story. ``Cousin
Willie'' and Wilfred Edward Sieg, Sr. are one in the same.
Wilfred Edward ``Cousin Willie'' Sieg, Sr., son of the late Edward
and Agnes Gettelfinger Sieg, was born March 16, 1931 in his life-long
home of Ramsey, IN. After finishing High School at Corydon High,
``Cousin Willie'' went on to graduate from Indiana University in 1953
with a degree in marketing. Upon graduation, Cousin Willie served our
country as First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He
continued to serve his country through 1968 as a member of both the Air
Force and the Air Force Reserves.
After his active-duty service, Cousin Willie returned home to help
run the family business, Ramsey Popcorn Company, alongside his parents
and brothers. ``Cousin Willie's'' parents started Ramsey Popcorn in
1944 going door to door selling raw popcorn kernels out of the back of
their truck. The business soon grew and in the early 1960's, ``Cousin
Willie'', along with his three brothers, took over day-to-day
operations of the business from his parents and eventually served as
President of Ramsey Popcorn Co., Inc. Under his guidance, Ramsey
Popcorn Co. grew to become one of the top four producers of popcorn in
the world. The company sells roughly 50 million pounds of popcorn a
year and exports to over 20 countries throughout the world. Ramsey also
sells to house-hold name snack food manufacturers and supermarkets
including Kraft, Frito Lay, Campbell's, The Kroger Co. and Target as
just a sample.
Before graduating from IU, ``Cousin Willie'' married his High School
sweetheart, Doris Marie Byrum. ``Cousin Willie'' and Doris were the
proud parents of 13 children. Cousin Willie was a firm believer in hard
work and was known to put his kids to work on the family farm doing
tough and unwanted jobs. ``That way, by the time they get to working at
the popcorn plant, they like it just fine.''
Mr. Sieg was truly proud of his small community and felt compelled to
become involved in any way he could. In addition to employing many
members of his community, he was also a member of the Ramsey Lion's
Club, the Ramsey-Spencer Grange and local Farm Bureau. He was a
Rotarian and actively involved in local and state politics as well as
the area schools' athletic programs. He also served as a Member of two
Boards; the Ramsey Water Company and the North Harrison Community
School Board.
Mr. Sieg passed away on February 2, 2006 at the age of 74 after
losing a battle with lung cancer. The town of Ramsey, Harrison County,
and the state of Indiana lost a proud and prominent member of their
community. I am privileged to have had such an outstanding Hoosier as a
constituent and I cannot see any greater honor for a father, husband,
community leader, employer, veteran and friend known for his dedication
to family, faith, business and community, Wilfred Edward Sieg, Sr.,
Cousin Willie than by bestowing this honor upon him.
____________________
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
______
HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN
of rhode island
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on the evening of April 6, 2006, I was
unable to vote due to an important prescheduled speaking engagement,
for which I was granted a leave of absence. I would like the Record to
reflect that, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll
Call vote numbers 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 and 99.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO REVEREND JEROME A. GREENE
______
HON. JOSE E. SERRANO
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rev. Jerome A.
Greene, a dear friend, who used his life to uplift and empower others.
Although Reverend Greene passed away on August 23, 2004, his lifetime
of service lives on in the hearts and minds of the residents of the
Bronx. On Wednesday, April 19, 2006, his city and his home borough will
show its gratitude to this remarkable man by renaming Teller Avenue
between E. 168th and E. 169th ``Reverend Jerome A. Greene Place''.
Reverend Greene was born March 12, 1941 in Welch, West Virginia to
Emmanuel Greene and Savannah Elsie Anderson. As a young man he led the
fight for the integration of his high school in West Virginia and
became the first black male to graduate with honors. Upon graduating
from high school, he moved to Queens, NY and enrolled in City College.
Graduating with a degree in education, Greene began his teaching career
in Harlem in 1963.
In 1967, Reverend Greene left the public school system to serve as
Director of Programming, Evaluation, Education and Training at the
Morrisania Community Progress Center. Although he was no longer with
the public school system, Reverend Greene remained
[[Page 6013]]
committed to improving the educational experience of New York students.
Realizing the importance of putting more teachers in the classroom, he
helped to secure millions of dollars to create more than 600
paraprofessional jobs in various school districts. His efforts not only
earned him the nickname ``Father of Paraprofessionals'' but the respect
and admiration of the young men and women he helped to employ, myself
included. My experiences as a paraprofessional in the late 1960's
provided me with a unique understanding of the public school system and
helped to shape my career as a public servant. I will always be
grateful to Reverend Greene for helping to open the door that enabled
me to serve my community.
In 1975, Reverend Greene married his beloved Aurelia and for 29 years
they worked side by side in an effort to improve the lives of the
residents of the Bronx. It was not long after his marriage that he
began teaching prayer ministry in his home, which ultimately became the
Bronx Christian Charismatic Prayer Fellowship, Inc. In 1991, the church
moved to its current location on Third Avenue in the Bronx, providing
the good Reverend with more space to teach the benefits of living a
virtuous life.
Reverend Greene also served as Treasurer and Chairperson of Bronx
Community Board #4 and was elected Male District leader of the 77th
Assembly District, where he served until his passing in 2004.
The recipient of many civic and professional awards, Reverend Greene
was well loved and well respected. His works will continue to impact
the lives of New Yorkers for generations to come. Surely, that is the
mark of a great life.
May ``Reverend Jerome A. Greene Place'' forever stand as a reminder
of his selfless efforts to improve the lives of his fellow man and may
it compel us all to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, for his indomitable spirit that continues to inspire
even though he has passed on, I ask that my colleagues join me in
honoring Rev. Jerome A. Greene.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO GRAND RABBI OF SATMOR, RABBI MOSES TEITELBAUM
______
HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker. I rise to join the Satmar and Jewish
communities across the world in mourning the passing of the Grand Rabbi
of Satmar, Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum. Thousands amassed in Brooklyn and
Monroe, New York on short notice to show their respect and admiration.
It is indeed a tribute to Rabbi Teitelbaum's leadership that the Satmar
community now numbering over 120,000, experienced remarkable growth
during his tenure.
Rabbi Teitelbaum's life was one of perseverance, dedication and
commitment to the Satmar and Jewish communities. A survivor of
Auschwitz and the Holocaust, Rabbi Teitelbaum began a new life in the
United States after he lost his immediate family to the Nazi genocide.
As perhaps a tribute to his life, his first great, great granddaughter
was born on the day the Rebbe passed away.
I was blessed with the opportunity to meet with the Grand Rabbi on
numerous occasions in his home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A simple and
humble man, his poignant advice and encouragement were sought by many
and the depth of his wisdom will sorely be missed.
Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues will join me in marking the
passing of this great leader. We can all be comforted with the enormous
legacy that survives Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum's remarkable life.
____________________
INTRODUCTION OF THE ``MILITARY RANGE LEGACY ACT OF 2006''
______
HON. EARL BLUMENAUER
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Military
Range Legacy Act of 2006.'' This bill strengthens military base clean-
up programs through the use and development of new technologies, better
programmatic organization, and a greater attention to the needs of the
communities impacted by base closures.
I am proud that the United States has the best trained military in
the world. Yet, as a result of this training, over 3,000 sites on
former military ranges are contaminated with unexploded ordnance, UXO
discarded military munitions, and munitions constituents. These sites,
littered with still-dangerous explosives and harmful contaminants, pose
health and safety risks to our communities while preventing the
redevelopment of closed bases and limiting opportunities for job
creation and economic growth. By passing the Military Range Legacy Act
or including provisions of it in the 2007 National Defense
Authorization Act and providing the necessary funding, we can achieve
real progress towards making our former defense communities safer,
healthier, and more economically secure.
____________________
TRIBUTE TO KIMBERLY OLIVER, NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
______
HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate my constituent
Kimberly Oliver for being named the 2006 National Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Oliver, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in
Silver Spring, Maryland, exemplifies the best of the teaching
profession--an innovative instructor who inspires her students to reach
their full potential. Today, Ms. Oliver makes history as the first
Montgomery County Public School or Maryland teacher to win this
prestigious honor.
Ms. Oliver has worked tirelessly, not only as a teacher but also as a
leader outside of the classroom. Just a few short years ago, Broad
Acres was on the brink of a takeover by the Maryland State Department
of Education due to low performance by its students. Thanks to the hard
work and dedication of Ms. Oliver and other faculty members, staff, and
students, Broad Acres is now a model of school reform.
Oliver was named Montgomery County Teacher of the Year in April 2005
and was selected Maryland Teacher of the Year last October. She was
named one of four finalists for the national honor in January. As the
56th National Teacher of the Year, she will spend the next year
representing our Nation's teachers at events around the country.
The National Teacher of the Year Program is one of the oldest and
most prestigious national honors programs that recognizes excellence in
teaching. I am proud that one of Montgomery County's many outstanding
teachers was awarded this honor.
Education is the foundation of opportunity and America's children
need teachers like Ms. Oliver to help provide them with the knowledge
and training they need to become the leaders of tomorrow. I applaud
Kimberly Oliver's achievement and wish her success in her future
endeavors.
____________________
COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______
HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims
of the Armenian Genocide.
Each year on April 24th, the Armenian community and others throughout
the world remember and solemnly commemorate the 300 Armenian religious,
political, and intellectual leaders that were arrested in
Constantinople, taken to Turkey and murdered. Today marks the 91st
anniversary of the deliberate campaign of genocide perpetrated by the
Ottoman Empire in 1915. From 1915-1923, 1.5 million Armenians were
murdered and more than 500,000 were forced from their homeland into
exile.
Despite the effort of some to minimize the scope and deny its
occurrence, the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. In the years
since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity
and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. In my
district, there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and
their families that showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With
faith and courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great
suffering and proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion
by sharing their story of the genocide. It is through their
unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their history and
strong heritage.
Mr. Speaker, it is impossible to imagine an evil more powerful than
the massacre and willful destruction of a people. By commemorating the
Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to prevent future
atrocities, and therefore we ensure the lessons of the Armenian
Genocide are properly understood and acknowledged. As U.S. efforts to
aid victims of
[[Page 6014]]
genocide continue, it is imperative that we pay tribute to the memory
of others who have suffered and to never forget the past.
____________________
RECOGNIZING THE 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______
HON. HILDA L. SOLIS
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 91st
anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
From 1915 to 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians suffered mass
killings and more than half a million others were forced from their
homeland into exile by the Ottoman Empire. Yet, from the ashes of
destruction, the survivors rebuilt their lives. In the years since,
descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity and
have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. Communities
in California and across the United States are fortunate to be home to
an organized and active Armenian community, whose members contribute
and participate in every aspect of civic life.
Despite the many thriving communities, the scars of genocide remain
deeply embedded in history and in our conscience. Today we mourn the
victims, pay tribute to the survivors, stand together with all who are
committed to promoting awareness about the atrocities of genocide, and
renew our commitment to prevent future atrocities. Today we remember to
never forget.
____________________