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FROM CBS NEWS AND MORE
DISCUSSION FROM CONGRESSIONAL
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
TO LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
THE CHAIR WILL ALTERNATE
RECOGNITION BETWEEN THE PARTIES
WITH EACH PARTY LIMITED TO ONE
THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY
LEADERS AND THE MINORITY WHIP
LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES EACH,
BUT IN NO EVENT SHALL DEBATE
CONTINUE BEYOND 11:20 A.M.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
MR. JONES, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M BACK ON THE FLOOR AGAIN
TODAY TO TALK ABOUT BRINGING
OUR TROOPS HOME FROM
AFGHANISTAN.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, THE HONOR
TO BE AT WALTER REED ON TUESDAY
AT BETHESDA AND TALKED TO SO
MANY OF OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
WHO LOST LEGS AND OTHER PARTS
OF THEIR BODY AND JUST CONTINUE
TO WONDER WHY IN THE WORLD THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE DOES
NOT JOIN TOGETHER IN CALL ON
MR. OBAMA TO BRING OUR TROOPS
HOME BEFORE 2014/2015.
MR. SPEAKER, I'M HOLDING UP
RIGHT NOW FROM "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL" AN ARTICLE.
IT'S RATHER LENGTHY THAT SAYS
AFGHAN *** OUTPUT SURGES.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, REAL
ENCOURAGING.
OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WALKING
THE ROADS OF AFGHANISTAN
GETTING THEIR LEGS BLOWN OFF
AND YET THE DRUGS IN
AFGHANISTAN ARE SURGING.
THAT'S GREAT NEWS FOR THE -- I
GUESS -- THE DEALERS.
MR. SPEAKER, IN ADDITION TO
THAT, ON OCTOBER 5 IN A POLL IT
SAYS ONE IN THREE VETS SEE
IRAQ-AFGHANISTAN WARS AS A
WASTE.
AND I READ, A NEW OPINION
SURVEY SAYS ONE IN THREE U.S.
VETERANS OF THE POST-9/11
MILITARY BELIEVES THE WARS IN
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ARE NOT
WORTH FIGHTING.
MOST OF THE VETS POLLED BY THE
PEW RESEARCH SEARCH CENTER ALSO
THINK THAT AFTER 10 YEARS OF
COMBAT AMERICA SHOULD BE
FOCUSING LESS ON FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND MORE ON ITS OWN
PROBLEMS.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SEE MS.
WOOLSEY HERE ON THE FLOOR FROM
CALIFORNIA BECAUSE SHE'S JOINED
MANY OF US IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND HER DEMOCRATIC PARTY
AND CONTINUING TO GROW THE
OPPOSITION TO STAND IN
AFGHANISTAN UNTIL 2014-2015.
WELL, YOU MIGHT SAY, YOU KEEP
SAYING 2014-2015.
SO I WANT TO MAKE REFERENCE TO
SECRETARY GATES.
THIS WAS IN FEBRUARY 16 OF THIS
YEAR, 2011, AND I WANT TO READ.
BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR
YEAR WE EXPECT LESS THAN
100,000 TROOPS TO BE DEPLOYED
IN BOAST OF THE MAJOR POST-9/11
COMBAT THEATERS.
VIRTUALLY ALL OF THESE FORCES
WILL BE IN AFGHANISTAN.
THAT IS WHY WE BELIEVE THAT
BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2015
-- MR. SPEAKER, I WANT TO READ
THAT ONE MORE TIME.
THAT IS WHY WE BELIEVE THAT
BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2015
THE UNITED STATES CAN WITH
MINIMAL RISK BEGIN REDUCING
ARMY ACTIVE DUTY INSTRENGTH BY
THE MARINE CORPS
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15,000 AND
THESE PROJECTIONS ASSUME THAT
THESE NUMBERS WOULD BE
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY THE
END OF 2014 IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE PRESENT STRATEGY.
IF OUR ASSUMPTIONS PROVE
INCORRECT, THERE'S PLENTY OF
TIME TO REDO THE SIZE.
THE END OF 2014 BECOMES 2015.
2015 BECOMES 2016.
MR. SPEAKER, I HAVE A POSTER
HERE THAT RAN IN THE GREENSBORO
PAPER ON THE SUNDAY EDITION AND
THEY HAD PUT IN THEIR PAPER THE
LETTER FROM JIM MCGOVERN AND
MYSELF CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT
TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME BEFORE
2014 AND THE TITLE SAYS, MR.
SPEAKER, "GET OUT," AND THE
SOLDIERS ARE BRINGING A
FLAG-DRAPED COFFIN OFF A PLANE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE
HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SPEND $10
BILLION A MONTH TO PROP UP A
CROOK NAMED CAR SUPPLY.
MADE REFERENCE TO A "WALL
SURGES.
THEY ARE JUST CONTINUALLY --
IT'S A CORRUPT COUNTRY.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO CHANGE, AND
WE MIGHT AS WELL FACE THE FACT
THAT WE WON.
BIN LADEN IS DEAD.
AL QAEDA HAS BEEN DISPERSED ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
IT'S TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.
MR. SPEAKER, WITH THAT I'M
GOING TO BE HANDING OUT --
ANYONE THAT COMES TO MY OFFICE,
IT'S A PICTURE OF MARINES
CARRYING A FLAG-DRAPED COFFIN.
BRING TO THE HOUSE, THE WHITE
HOUSE, THE SENATE AND ASK TO
BRING OUR PEOPLE HOME.
I WILL ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
GOD, PLEASE BLESS THE FAMILIES
OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM.
I WILL CLOSE BY ASKING GOD TO
PLEASE BLESS THE HOUSE AND
SENATE.
I WILL ASK GOD TO GIVE WISDOM,
STRENGTH AND COLONEL TO THE
PRESIDENT.
AND THREE TIMES I WILL ASK,
GOD, PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE, GOD,
PLEASE BLESS AMERICA.
I YIELD BACK.
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
MS. WOOLSEY, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
ONE INTERROGATOR
THE WALL.
AFTER TWO DAYS HE TIED MY HANDS
BEHIND MY BACK AND STARTED
BEATING ME WITH AN ELECTRIC
WIRE.
THE INTERROGATION AND BEATING
LASTED FOR THREE TO FOUR HOURS
INTO THE NIGHT.
FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS I WAS
TIED UP FROM BOTH WRISTS TO THE
BARS OF AN IRON DOOR.
FROM MORNING UNTIL LUNCHTIME
THEY PUT A HOOD ON MY HEAD AND
HUNG ME BY MY WRISTS.
MR. SPEAKER, THESE ARE THE
DIRECT QUOTES FROM DETAINEES
APPREHENDED IN AFGHANISTAN AND
SUBJECTED TO TORTURE AT THE
HANDS OF AFGHAN INTELLIGENCE
OFFICIALS AND POLICE FORCES.
IT'S ALL DOCUMENTED IN A REPORT
ISSUED BY THE UNITED NATIONS
THIS WEEK.
WHAT THEY FOUND WAS SYSTEMATIC
ABUSE THAT FOLLOWED A PATTERN,
NOT RANDOM OR ISOLATED
INCIDENTS, A PATTERN AT SEVERAL
DIFFERENT FACILITIES INVOLVING
AT LEAST 300 PRISONERS.
THERE'S MORE.
KICKS TO THE HEAD, BEATINGS
WITH ELECTRIC CABLES, RUBBER
HOESES AND WOODEN STICKS,
ELECTRIC SHOCKS TO THE THUMBS,
THREATS OF *** ABUSE.
SOME OF THEM AGAINST CHILDREN.
AND THERE ARE SOME EVEN MORE
GRAPHIC, GRUESOME DETAILS THAT
I KNOW WE'VE READ ABOUT THAT
I'LL SPARE MY COLLEAGUES FOR
NOW.
NO AMERICANS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY
IMPLICATED IN THIS, BUT AS LONG
AS WE'RE CONTINUING A MILITARY
OCCUPATION IN AFGHANISTAN AND
AS LONG AS WE'VE TAKEN ONLY THE
TASK OF TRAINING AFGHAN
SECURITY FORCES, I DON'T SEE
HOW WE AVOID THE RESPONSIBILITY
ACTS OF
ABUSE AND RITUAL HUMILIATION.
AT THE VERY, VERY LEAST, MR.
SPEAKER, WE'RE GUILTY OF SHODDY
OVERSIGHT AND FAILURE TO
INSTRUCT AFGHAN OFFICIALS
INHUMANE INTERROGATION
TECHNIQUES.
OF COURSE, THIS KIND OF
BRUTALITY IS A GROSS VIOLATION
OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
STANDS BUT IT'S ALSO WELL
DOCUMENTED THAT TORTURE DOESN'T
WORK, THAT TORTURE AT THE VERY
MOST FOR A NORMAL HUMAN BEING
WILL FORCE THAT HUMAN BEING TO
DUERESS.
THAT IT'S A COMPLETE FAILURE AS
AN INTELLIGENCE GATHERING
STRATEGY.
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN
GOING ON FOR 10 YEARS NOW.
IT'S COSTING AMERICAN TAXPAYERS
$10 BILLION A MONTH.
HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY SPENDING ALL
THIS MONEY, MONEY THAT WE NEED
RIGHT
HERE AT HOME ON A POLICY AND A
MISSION THAT IS LEADING TO SUCH
BARBARIC ACTS?
HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO
SACRIFICE BLOOD AND TREASURE ON
THIS WAR, A WAR THAT IS BEING
WAGED IN SUCH GROSS VIOLATION
OF OUR VERY AMERICAN VALUES?
I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE CONVINCED.
IT'S TIME TO BRING OUR TROOPS
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLELADY YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HER TIME.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS, MR. POE,
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
IN THE LAST TWO DAYS WE HAVE
BEEN LEARNING SOME DISTURBING
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATION OF
IRAN AND ITS DICTATOR,
AHMADINEJAD.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT WITH
THE CONSULTING OF THE UNITED --
WITH IRAN AND THE DRUG CARTELS
IN MEXICO, IT WAS THE IDEA THAT
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT, THROUGH
ONE OF ITS OPERATIVES, COULD
COMMIT A CRIME AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES.
WE'RE LEARNING MORE AND MORE
ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S IN MY
OPINION THAT THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THIS ATTEMPTED ASSAULT ON
AMERICAN SOIL.
THE IDEA THAT THE EMBASSY DOWN
THE STREET THAT BELONGS TO THE
SAUDI ARABIANS WOULD BE
ATTACKED, THAT THE SAUDI
MURDERED SOMEWHERE IN A
RESTAURANT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WITH A POSSIBLE ATTACK ON THE
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR, WITH THE
POSSIBLE ATTACK ON THE ISRAELI
AMBASSADOR AND THE SAUDI
ARABIAN AMBASSADOR IN ARGENTINA
WAS BEING PLOTTED BY THE
ARABIAN GOVERNMENT AGAINST US
IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE AWARE
OF AND CONSCIOUS OF AND BE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT.
THANKS TO GOOD LAW ENFORCEMENT,
THIS TERROR PLOT WAS THWARTED,
BUT WHAT IF IT HAD OCCURRED?
WHAT IF THE WILL OF THIS
TERRORIST WOULD BE TO GO TO
WHAT HE
THOUGHT WAS A ZETA CARTEL
MEMBER TO SMUGGLE EXPLOSIVES
INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM
MEXICO THAT WOULD BE USED IN AN
ATTACK IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WHAT IF THAT HAD ACTUALLY
OCCURRED?
CERTAINLY IF THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT WAS INVOLVED IN IT
WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT AN ACT
OF AGGRESSION AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES.
AND IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WAS SO
BOLD THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY
COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS
AND GET AWAY WITH IT, THAT THEY
BELIEVED THAT THE UNITED STATES
WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT,
DID THEY PERCEIVE US TO BE SO
WEAK THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE
SHOWN THEM CONSEQUENCES FOR
THEIR ACTION AGAINST THIS
NATION?
WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE TRUTH IS WE SHOULD SHOW
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THAT
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR AN
ATTEMPTED ATTACK SUCH AS THIS
BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT
I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO
REALIZE.
ONE, WE SHOULD HOLD THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS
ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON AMERICAN
SOIL.
TO SHOW THEM THAT YOU MUST
LEAVE US ALONE NO MATTER WHAT
YOUR POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IS.
BUT JUST AS EQUALLY DISTURBING
IS THE FACT THAT THIS OPERATIVE
THAT I BELIEVE WAS DISPATCHED
BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT HAD
THE WHEREWITHAL TO GO TO
MEXICO, OUR NEIGHBORS, AND TRY
TO WORK WITH THE DRUG CARTELS
DOWN THERE AND WORKING IN
UNISON TO COME INTO THE UNITED
STATES AND COMMIT A CRIME.
NOW, GRANTED, THE PERSON HE WAS
WORKING WITH WAS NOT A ZETA
CARTEL MEMBER, IT WAS ONE OF
OUR OWN LAW ENFORCEMENT
BUT THE PERSON THOUGHT HE WAS
WORKING WITH THE DRUG CARTELS
AND THE REASON HE WAS WORKING
WITH THE DRUG CARTEL IS BECAUSE
THEY, TOO, ARE AT WAR WITH THE
UNITED STATES, AND THEY HAVE
EASY ACCESS INTO THE UNITED
STATES.
BASIS THE ZETA DRUG
CARTEL, WHICH I THINK IS THE
WORST OF THE WORST IN MEXICO,
COMES INTO THE UNITED STATES
AND BRINGS DRUGS AND PEOPLE,
TRAFFICS HUMANS, ANYTHING FOR
MONEY.
AND ON A DAILY BASIS THEY GO
BACK TO MEXICO AND THEY TAKE
THAT MONEY AND THEY TAKE
WEAPONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE
ACCESS TO OUR POROUS BORDERS.
IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE
UNITED STATES, HOOK UP WITH ONE
OF THE DRUG CARTELS AND THEY'LL
GET YOU INTO THE U.S. AND
THAT'S WHAT THIS IRANIAN
OPERATIVE WAS TRYING TO DO,
HOOK UP WITH THEM.
THE DRUG CARTELS FOR LITTLE
MONEY WILL DO ANYTHING,
INCLUDING COMMIT *** IN THE
UNITED STATES.
SO AS YOU TELL US THAT THE
BORDER IS STILL POROUS, MR.
SPEAKER, WE HEAR THAT IT'S NOT,
IT'S SAFE.
THERE ARE PORTIONS THAT ARE
SAFE BUT THE PORTIONS THAT ARE
NOT SAFE IS WHERE THE DRUG
CARTELS GO BACK AND FORTH.
SO TOO LESSONS WE SHOULD BE
LEARNING IS THAT THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS IT IN FOR THE
UNITED STATES.
GOVERNMENT.
TWO, THE BORDER IS POROUS AND
WE NEED TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL
SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES'
SOUTHERN BORDER.
WE HEARD WE WILL IMPOSE SOME
MORE SANCTIONS, TRY TO ISOLATE
IRAN.
HISTORICALLY SANCTIONS HAVE
NEVER WORKED ANYTIME COUNTRIES
TRY TO USE THEM.
IT'S TRUE WE COULD HAVE SOME
SANCTIONS THAT WOULD DO SOME
GOOD, SUCH AS KEEPING IRAN FROM
HAVING REFINED GASOLINE GOING
BACK INTO THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE
KEEPING CRUDE OIL FROM GOING
OUT OF IRAN.
BUT THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE
PROBLEM LONG TERM.
THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION IN IRAN
IS A REGIME CHANGE, AND LET ME
MAKE IT CLEAR, THAT REGIME
CHANGE SHOULD BE BY THE PEOPLE
OF IRAN, WHO LIVE IN IRAN AND
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE FREEDOM
FIGHTERS IN IRAN.
IT'S TIME THAT THE REGIME OF
IRAN BE REMOVED BY THE GOOD
FOLKS WHO LIVE IN IRAN AND THE
UNITED STATES PUBLICLY SHOULD
BE, WE SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE TO
GET RID OF THE ROGUE REGIME OF
AHMADINEJAD.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
I YIELD BACK.
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM WISCONSIN, MS.
MOORE, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO STATE MY
STRIDENT OPPOSITION TO H.R. 358
PROPOSED BY MY COLLEAGUE,
REPRESENTATIVE PITTS, WHICH
WE'LL BE CONSIDERING LATER ON
H.R. 358 INCLUDES SEVERAL TRULY
UNPRECEDENTED RESTRICTIONS ON
ABORTION COVERAGES, COVERAGES
WHICH BY THE WAY OUR SUPREME
COURT HAS DETERMINED THAT OUR --
ARE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND IT WOULD
LIMIT ACCESS TO ABORTION
SERVICES FOR ALL WOMEN,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR HEALTH
STATUS, ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE
AND AGE, OR ANY OTHER
CONSIDERATION.
THIS BILL WOULD ALSO IMPOSE
REFUSAL PROVISIONS THAT
NOT ONLY UNDERMINE WOMEN'S
HEALTH CARE AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS,
BUT ACTUALLY ENDANGER WOMEN'S
LIVES.
IT'S NOT HYPERBOLE TO SAY THE
PROVISIONS OF THE PITTS BILL
REPRESENTS AN EXTREME AND
CALLOUS ATTACK ON WOMEN'S
HEALTH.
FIRST, H.R. 358 WOULD
EFFECTIVELY END ABORTION
COVERAGE FOR WOMEN IN STATE
INSURANCE EXCHANGES.
BOTH FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVE
SUBSIDIES TO BUY COVERAGE OR FOR
THOSE WHO USE THEIR OWN PRIVATE
MONEY TO BUY COVERAGE.
THIS WOULD MEAN THAT MILLIONS OF
WOMEN CONTRARY TO WHAT WE HAVE
PROMISED THEM THROUGH THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT THAT THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP COVERAGE
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE WOULD
ACTUALLY LOOSE THE COVERAGE THAT
THEY CURRENTLY -- LOSE THE
COVERAGE THAT THEY CURRENTLYLY.
THIS PITTS BILL REPRESENTS AN
UNPARALLELED RESTRICTION ON THE
USE OF PRIVATE FUNDS AND AN
INSURMOUNTABLE IMPEDIMENT FOR
WOMEN WHO SIMPLY WANT TO BE ABLE
TO CHOOSE A HEALTH PLAN THAT
WILL COVER ALL OF THEIR
POTENTIAL HEALTH NEEDS.
SECOND, H.R. 358 WOULD CODIFY
AND EXPAND THE VAST REFUSAL
CLAUSE CURRENTLY IN LAW.
THE WELDEN AMENDMENT, GRANTING
PEOPLE WITH ONLY A TRANSAGAINST
CONNECTION TO ABORTION SERVICES
SUCH AS THOSE FOLKS'
RECEPTIONIST WHO MAKE
APPOINTMENTS OR CLAIMS ADJUSTERS
AT INSURANCE COMPANIES, GRANTING
THESE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE
SERVICES TO WOMEN WHO SEEK
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE PITTS
BILL WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR
STATES TO PASS A WHOLE NEW SLATE
OF REFUSAL LAWS THAT COULD ALLOW
INSURERS TO OPT OUT OF COVERING
NOT JUST ABORTION CARE BUT BIRTH
COUNSELING FOR SEXUALLY
DISEASES.
MAMMOGRAMS, AND MUCH MORE.
BUT THE MOST SHOCKING EXPANSION
OF OUR REFUSAL LAWS IS THE
PROVISION IN H.R. 358 THAT WOULD
EXEMPT HOSPITALS FROM TREATING
OR REFERRING WOMEN IN CASE OF
EMERGENCY ABORTION CARE, EVEN IF
WOMEN WILL DIE WITHOUT IT.
HOSPITALS WOULD NO LONGER BE
FORBIDDEN FOR ABANDONING
PATIENTS ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE
EMERGENCY ROOMS AND PROVIDING
TREATMENT TO AT LEAST STABILIZE
THE MEDICAL CONDITION OF SUCH
PATIENTS.
THIS PROVISION HEARTLESSLY PUTS
THE PREFERENCES OF HOSPITALS
ABOVE THE LIVES OF WOMEN.
AND FINALLY, MR. SPEAKER, H.R.
358 EVEN ESTABLISHES
RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE'S ABILITY
TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR
COVERAGE OPTIONS.
THE PITTS BILL WOULD PREVENT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE, OR
ANY OTHER ENTITY IMPLEMENTING
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT FROM
REQUIRING ACCESS TO ABORTION
SERVICES.
THIS MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
PEOPLE MAY NOT GET IMPARTIAL OR
EVEN ACCURATE INFORMATION FROM
THE PATIENT NAVIGATORS WHO ARE
DESIGNATED TO HELP THEM CHOOSE
COVERAGE.
THE ADVOCATES OF PLANNED
PARENTHOOD IN WISCONSIN SENT ME
A STORY THAT TRULY ENCAP SUE
LATE THE EMOTION, THE REAL LIFE
CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THIS IS JUDY'S STORY, NOT A
WOMAN WHO WANTED AN ABORTION SO
THAT HER BIKINI LINE WOULD NOT
BE RUINED, BUT A WOMAN WHO --
WHOSE MOTHER HAD DIED WHEN SHE
WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
AND HER HUSBAND, SHE AND HER
HUSBAND AGONIZED ABOUT THEIR
BUT HER HEALTH WAS IN JEOPARDY
AND THEY KNEW THAT PRESERVING
HER HEALTH AND HER LIFE WAS THE
BEST CHOICE FOR HER FAMILY.
AND SHE PAINFULLY, PAINFULLY,
AGONIZINGLY DECIDED TO TERMINATE
PREGNANCY TO SAVE HER LIFE
AND TO PRESERVE THE ONE CHILD
THAT SHE HAD QUALITY OF LIFE SO
SHE COULD REAR HIM.
TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO A SAFE,
LEGAL ABORTION CARE TAKES A
SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO
WISCONSIN'S HEALTH AND IT TAKES
COURAGE, MR. SPEAKER,
POLITICIANS WHO WANT TO END
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE
COVERAGE OF ABORTION HAVE
NEITHER OF THESE QUALITIES.
WITH THAT, MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD
BACK.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM NEVADA, MS.
BERKLEY, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY ON BEHALF OF
NEVADA'S UNEMPLOYED WORKERS WHO
GOT A GLIMPSE THIS WEEK OF
EXACTLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH
WASHINGTON.
TOO MANY POLITICIANS IN
WASHINGTON HAVE THEIR PRIORITIES
MY STATE IS STRUGGLING WITH
RECORD UNEMPLOYMENT RATES.
WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED EVERY DAY
HERE IN WASHINGTON LIKE A LASER
ON JOB CREATION.
AND YET THIS WEEK WASHINGTON
VOTED REPEATEDLY TO SEND MORE
JOBS OVERSEAS.
JUST YESTERDAY THE HOUSE VOTED
TO KILL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
HAVE STOPPED CHINA FROM CHEATING
NEVADA WORKERS OUT OF THOUSANDS
OF JOBS.
THESE UNFAIR CURRENCY
MANIPULATION TACTICS BY CHINA
HAVE ALREADY COST THE SILVER
STATE NEARLY 15,000 JOBS, AND
IRONICALLY AT THE SAME TIME THAT
WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS REJECTED
EFFORTS TO STAND UP TO CHINA,
THREE JOB KILLING TRADE
AGREEMENTS SAILED THROUGH THE
HOUSE AND SENATE.
THESE TRADE AGREEMENTS COULD
COST OUR NATION ANOTHER 200,000
JOBS.
MR. SPEAKER, WE NEED JOBS HERE
IN AMERICA NOT IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES.
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS IN NEVADA AND
ACROSS OUR NATION ARE COUNTING
ON US TO GET OUR PRIORITIES
STRAIGHT.
NEVADA MUST STOP PROTECTING
CHINA AND START FIGHTING TO
AMERICAN WORKERS
RIGHT HERE ON AMERICAN SOIL.
I THANK YOU.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TENNESSEE, MR.
DUNN BEGAN, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I REQUEST PERMISSION
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE
REVISE AND EXTEND.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
MR. SPEAKER, IN THE
CURRENT ISSUE OF THE AMERICAN
SPECTATOR MAGAZINE, ROBERT
MERRY, THE FORMER C.E.O. OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY, HAS A
GREAT ARTICLE I WISH EVERYONE
WOULD READ.
IT IS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE
PRESIDENCY OF ANDREW JACKSON BUT
IT APPLIES LESSONS OF HISTORY TO
MODERN DAY ISSUES AND PROBLEMS
HAVE READ.
MR. MERRY SAID THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY SHOULD NOT FOLLOW THE BIG
GOVERNMENT CONSERVATISM OF DAVID
BROOKS, WILLIAM CRYSTAL, OR
PRESIDENTS LIKE THEE DOOR
ROOSEVELT OR GEORGE W. BUSH WHO
HE SAYS, QUOTE, EXPANDED THE
SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND PURSUED THE
GLOBAL GOAL OF REMAKING OTHER
CULTURES IN FAR-FLUNG REGIONS.
HE ASKS WHO AMONG PAST
REPUBLICANS SHOULD REPUBLICANS
TURN TO FOR LESSONS AND
GUIDANCE?
THE ANSWER HE SAYS IS ANDREW
JACKSON WHO WOULD HAVE SLAPPED
DOWN THE NOTION OF AMERICAN
GREATNESS CONSERVATISM, I.E. BIG
GOVERNMENT CONSERVATISM, WITH
UTTER CONTEMPT BECAUSE HE
BELIEVED, THAT IS JACKSON
BELIEVED, THE COUNTRY'S
GREATNESS EMANATED FROM ITS
PEOPLE NOT FROM ITS GOVERNMENT.
JACKSON WAS THE GREAT
CONSERVATIVE POPULIST OF
AMERICAN HISTORY AND HIS STORY
BEARS STUDY AT A TIME WHEN THE
COUNTRY SEEMS RECEPTIVE TO A
WELL CRAFTED BRAND OF
CONSERVATIVE POPULISM.
INDEED, MR. MERRY CONTINUES,
CONSERVATIVE POP PEW LIVE IS THE
ESSENCE OF THE TEA -- POPULISM
MOVEMENT.
SUSPICIOUS OF GOVERNMENTAL FASTE
I EVER, WEARY OF EXCESSIVE
GLOBAL AMBITION, AND OTHERS,
THESE CONCERNS AND FEARS WERE
JACKSON'S CONCERNS AND FEARS 18
YEARS AGO WHEN HE BECAME
PRESIDENT AND HIS GREATEST
LEGACY IS HIS CONSTANT WARNING
THAT GOVERNMENTAL ENCROACHMENTS
WOULD LEAD TO PRECISELY THE
KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT ARE TODAY
BESIEGING THE COUNTRY.
THAT LEGACY DESERVES ATTENTION.
MR. MERRY ALSO ADMIRES THOMAS
JEFFERSON.
HE WROTE, JACKSON WAS OF COURSE
A DEMOCRAT BUT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY OF THATTER-EA WAS ALMOST
THE POLAR OPPOSITE OF TODAY'S
VERSION.
THE 19TH CENTURY PARTY EMERGED
FROM THE POLITICS OF THOMAS
JEFFERSON WHO DESPISED THE
GOVERNMENT FEDERALIST OF THE
EARLY REPUBLIC FOR THEIR ELITIST
TENDENCIES AND PUSHED FOR
CONCENTRATED FEDERAL POWER.
JEFFERSON BROUGHT FORTH NEW
POLITICAL CATCH PHRASES, SMALL
GOVERNMENT, STRICT CONSTRUCTION
OF THE CONSTITUTION, STATES'
RIGHTS, REDUCED TAXES, LESS
INTRUSION INTO THE LIVES OF
CITIZENS.
HIS ADMINISTRATION, HISTORIAN
JOYCE APPLETON WROTE, WOULD
SPEAK FOR THE RATIONAL
SELF-IMPROVING INDEPENDENT MAN
WHO COULD BE COUNTED ON TO TAKE
CARE OF HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY
ONLY INTRUSIVE INSTITUTIONS
WERE REMOVED.
THEN MR. MERRY GOES ON AND SAYS
ABOUT JACKSON.
JACKSON NEW BIG GOVERNMENT COULD
ALWAYS BE MANIPULATED TO BENEFIT
THE FEW AT THE TOP, ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO WORKED OR FORMERLY
WORKED FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND
BIG GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS.
HE WROTE, JACKSON'S MOST
PENETRATING POLITICAL INSIGHT
WAS THE CONCENTRATED
GOVERNMENTAL POWER ALWAYS LEADS
TO CORRUPTION ABUSE.
THE WAY TO PREVENT THIS, HE
BELIEVED, WAS TO MAINTAIN A
DIFFUSION OF POWER AND KEEP IT
AS CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE AS
POSSIBLE.
IT WASN'T ORDINARY FOLKS WERE
LESS LIKELY TO ABUSE POWER, BUT
IF POWER WERE SPREAD OUT THROUGH
THE POLITY, IT COULDN'T BE
DIRECTED TOWARD SPECIAL FAVORS
AND PRIVILEGES FOR THOSE WHO
ALWAYS MANAGE TO GET THEIR HANDS
ON POWER WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE
IN SUFFICIENT INCREMENTS.
THE PLAYING FIELD WOULD BE
OF COURSE THE THING JACKSON IS
MOST REMEMBERED FOR AS PRESIDENT
IS HIS VETO OF A FEDERALLY RUN
NATIONAL BANK.
THE PRESIDENT WASTED NO TIME IN
VETOING LEGISLATION DARING HIS
POLITICAL OPPONENTS TO MAKE THE
MOST OF IT.
FEW DOCUMENTS IN THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL LITERATURE CAPTURE
CONSERVATIVE POPULISM WITH THE
POWER OF JACKSON'S VETO MESSAGE.
AN ENTITY FOR TRADE THE BANK AS
A GOVERNMENT SPONSOR MONOPOLY
THAT EMPLOYED THE MONEY OF
TAXPAYERS TO ENHANCE THE POWER,
PRIVILEGES, AND WEALTH OF VERY
FEW AMERICANS AND FOREIGNERS,
CHIEFLY THE RICHEST CLASS WHO
OWN STOCK IN THE BANK AND WORK
FOR IT.
IF GOVERNMENT IS TO GRANT SUCH
GRATUITIES, HE SAID, LET THEM
NOT BE BESTOWED ON THE SUBJECTS
OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT NOR A
FAVORED CLASS OF MEN IN OUR OWN
COUNTRY.
RATHER, HE ADDED, SUCH FAVOR
SHOULD BE GRANTED IN SUCH WAY TO
LET EACH AMERICAN IN TURN
ENEMPLOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROFIT BY OUR COUNTY.
FINALLY, HE REPLIES TO THE --
APPLIES THE JACKSON POLICY TO
THE DODD-FRANK BILL AND SIMILAR
LEGISLATION, WHICH HE SAYS
JACKSON WOULD HAVE OPPOSED AND
EXPELLED WALL STREET HENCHMEN
FROM THE GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY
IF THEY CAME FROM GOLDMAN SACHS.
HE ALSO WROTE, JACKSON WOULD BE
AGHAST THAT FANNIE MAE AND
FREDDIE MAC STILL EXISTS.
KILL THEM HE WOULD DEMAND.
THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES THAT
AMOUNT TO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES
THEN USED TO LOBBY THE
GOVERNMENT FOR EVER MORE
ECONOMIC LEVERAGE.
HE HAS VERY ACCURATELY DESCRIBED
THE BIG GOVERNMENT, BIG
GOVERNMENT, BIG BUSINESS DUE OP
POE WILL I THAT RUNS THIS
COUNTRY TODAY.
I URGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND
OTHERS TO READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT
ANDREW JACKSON IN THE OCTOBER
ISSUE OF "THE AMERICAN
SPECTATOR" MAGAZINE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEWOMAN
FROM CALIFORNIA, MS. LEE, FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE AS THE FOUNDER AND
CO-CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL
OUT-OF-POVERTY CAUCUS TO
CONTINUE TO SOUND THE ALARM
EVERY WEEK THAT THERE ARE
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS IN NEED
ALL ACROSS AMERICA.
THEY NEED OUR HELP AND THEY NEED
OUR SUPPORT.
IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT IF THE
ENTIRE POPULATION OF 24 STATES
POVERTY.
HOW WOULD OUR NATION RESPOND?
WE WOULD RESPOND AS WE DO IN ANY
EMERGENCY, MOBILIZE TO PROVIDE
THESE PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WITH
SHELTER.
WE WOULD COME TOGETHER AS A
NATION AND WORK TO SOLVE THE
CRISIS OF POVERTY.
WE KNOW THAT NEARLY 47 MILLION
PEOPLE LIVED IN POVERTY IN
TODAY.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE ENTIRE
POPULATION OF 24 STATES OF THIS
THE EMERGENCY IS REAL AND THE
CRISIS IS HAPPENING EACH AND
EVERY DAY AND EVERY CITY AND
EVERY TOWN ACROSS AMERICA.
BUT WE ARE NOT MOBILIZING TO
SOLVE THIS CRISIS OF POVERTY.
WE ARE NOT DIRECTING FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL RESOURCES TO
HELP THESE MEN, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN.
MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE REALLY
FAILING THOSE LIVING AND FACING
POVERTY.
IF YOU ARE FACING OR LIVING IN
POVERTY, SOMETHING AS BASIC AS
IS NOT A GUARANTEE AND
MILLIONS GO TO BED HUNGRY EVERY
NIGHT.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 16, IS RECOGNIZED AS
WORLD FOOD DAY.
ON SUNDAY, OF COURSE WE ALL
SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT AND BE
GRATEFUL THAT MANY ARE FOOD
SECURE, BUT WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT THE NEARLY 15% OF
HOUSEHOLDS AND OVER 16 MILLION
CHILDREN IN AMERICA WHO ARE FOOD
INSECURE.
IN FACT, BEYOND SUNDAY I HOPE
THAT EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS
JOINS ME AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE CONGRESSIONAL OUT-OF-POVERTY
CAUCUS LATER THIS MONTH IN THE
2011 FOOD STAMP CHALLENGE.
ONCE AGAIN AS SEVERAL OF US DID
A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I CHALLENGE
MY COLLEAGUES TO LIVE FOR A WEEK
ON WHAT A PERSON ON FOOD STAMPS
LIVES ON.
THAT IS IS $4.50 A DAY, AND
THAT'S $1.50 A MEAL.
SO I HOPE YOU JOIN US IN THAT
EFFORT, MY COLLEAGUES.
EXPERIENCE IS OFTEN THE BEST
TEACHER.
AND I BET THAT EVEN A FEW DAYS
ON LIVING ON WHAT A PERSON ON
FOOD STAMPS SURVIVES ON DAY IN
AND DAY OUT MIGHT JUST BRING US
TOGETHER TO WORK TO ADDRESS THE
CRISIS OF POVERTY.
WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO,
REALLY, THE PATHWAY TO
ADDRESSING THE CRISIS OF POVERTY
TO BOOSTING OUR STAGNATING
ECONOMY AND REDUCING LONG-TERM
DEFICITS IS THE SAME ONE, CREATE
STABLE, LIVING-WAGE JOBS.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE ANTI-POVERTY
PROGRAM IS AN EFFECTIVE JOBS
PROGRAM.
WHEN THEY CAN GET GOOD
BENEFITS, THE FAMILY STOPS
RELYING ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES
AND THAT FAMILY BEGINS TO PAY
INTO THE TAX BASE INSTEAD OF
WHEN JOBS ARE CREATED IT BOOSTS
DEMAND WHICH HELPS TO CREATE
EVEN MORE JOBS WHICH IS WHAT
THE WEALTHY QUITE
FRANKLY HAVE ALWAYS FAILED TO
SO WE MUST COME TOGETHER AND
PASS THE PRESIDENT'S AMERICAN
JOBS ACT AND SUPPORT THOSE
INITIATIVES THAT CREATE STABLE,
LIVING-WAGE JOBS.
BUT WHILE WE WORK TO CREATE NEW
JOBS, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
WHO ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
THERE ARE MILLIONS WHO FACE
HUNGER, MILLIONS WHO HAVE BEEN
LOOKING FOR A JOB FOR MORE THAN
99 WEEKS, AND MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS WHO ARE LOSING THEIR
HOMES AND STRUGGLING TO KEEP
THEIR VISION OF THE AMERICAN
DREAM ALIVE.
WE MUST PROTECT THE VITAL
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS THAT
SUPPORT THESE PEOPLE IN THESE
VERY HARD TIMES FROM THE
DRACONIAN AND SHORTSIGHTED
SUPERCOMMITTEE.
WE CANNOT BALANCE THE BUDGET ON
THE BACKS OF OUR MOST
VULNERABLE.
POVERTY IS REAL.
IT'S RURAL, IT'S URBAN, PEOPLE
ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL ETHNIC
BACKGROUNDS ARE POOR IN OUR
COUNTRY.
AND SO I HOPE WE CAN FINALLY,
AT LEAST ON THIS ISSUE, END THE
EXTREME PARTISANSHIP AND STAND
UNITED IN A BIPARTISAN WAY AND
AS A NATION TO CREATE JOBS AND
TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS OF
POVERTY RAVAGING OUR NATION.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA, MR.
MCCLINTOCK, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, 40
YEARS FROM NOW A BELOVED HIGH
SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER AT TAHOE
HIGH SCHOOL NAMED GARRETT FANT
SHOULD BE CELEBRATING HIS
RETIREMENT CELEBRATED BY
GENERATIONS OF HIS STUDENTS AND
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
THEY WOULD HAVE ALL TOLD
AFFECTIONATE STORY OF HOW MR.
FANT INSPIRED HIM AND WISHED
HIM A HAPPY AND WELL-DESERVED
RETIREMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY HISTORY HAS
WILLED A DIFFERENT STORY.
ARMY SPECIALIST GARRETT FANT
INSTEAD RETURNED TO SOUTH LAKE
TAHOE LAST WEEK AS A FALLEN
HERO AT THE AGE OF 21.
THIS YOUNG MAN SACRIFICED ALL
THOSE YEARS, ALL THOSE
MEMORIES, ALL THOSE PLEASURES,
ALL THAT LIFE IN THE SERVICE OF
HIS COUNTRY.
HE LOVED THE ARMY AND HE HAD A
PLAN FOR HIS LIFE.
HE'D SERVE HIS COUNTRY AS A
SOLDIER FOR 20 YEARS AND THEN
HE'D COME HOME AND SERVE HIS
COMMUNITY AS A HIGH SCHOOL
HISTORY TEACHER.
FROM EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT
GARRETT FANT HE WOULD HAVE MADE
A GREAT HISTORY TEACHER.
HIS MORE TOLD A REPORTER THAT
HIS THOUGHT WAS THAT HIGH
SCHOOL WAS THE LAST STOP FOR
KIDS AND HE WANTED TO INFLUENCE
PEOPLE.
HE'D MADE A GREAT FAMILY MAN.
HIS OLDER BROTHER REMEMBERS
LOOKING UP TO GARRETT AS IF
GARRETT WERE THE OLDER BROTHER.
KNOWING FULL WELL THE DANGERS
THAT SURROUNDED HIM IN
AFGHANISTAN, HIS FOREMOST
ATTENTION WENT TO REASSURING
SECURE.
HIS MOTHER SAID, HE ALWAYS
TRIED TO PROTECT ME FROM THE
HE WAS JUST SOMEONE IF YOU WERE
HIS FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR
COUNTRY HE GAVE YOU HIS ALL AND
LOVED YOU WITH EVERYTHING.
ABOVE ALL, GARRETT FANT WANTED
TO BE A SOLDIER.
HIS BROTHER TRIED TO GET HIM TO
ENLIST WITH HIM IN THE NAVY BUT
THAT.
HE WAS ALL-ARMY AND HAD KNOWN
FROM THE TIME HE WAS A LITTLE
BOY THAT WAS THE MOST HE WANTED
TO DO.
ON FACEBOOK HE LISTED HIS
OCCUPATION AS GRUNT AND TELLING
HIS FRIENDS, YOU CAN'T SPELL
INFANTRY WITHOUT FANT.
HE WAS A TOP MARKSMAN IN HIS
CLASS OF 1,000.
I WISH I HAD KNOWN HIM.
I WISH MY GRANDCHILDREN MIGHT
ONE DAY HAD BEEN HIS HIGH
SCHOOL HISTORY STUDENTS.
GARRETT
FANT HIS HIS PLACE IN HISTORY,
AMONG THE GENERATIONS OF HEROES
WHO SACRIFICED ALL THOSE
PRECIOUS YEARS TO PROTECT THOSE
WHO COULDN'T PROTECT
THEMSELVES, TO STAND UP TO THE
BULLIES OF THE WORLD, TO
PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE
LAND AND THROUGH THE
INHABITANTS.
ONE WITH SEARING INSIGHT
OBSERVED, THEIR STORY IS KNOWN
TO ALL OF YOU.
IT IS THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN
MAN AT ARMS.
MY ESTIMATE OF HIM WAS FORMED
YEARS.
I REGARDED HIM THAW AND I
REGARD HIM NOW AS ONE OF THE
WORLD'S NOBLIST FIGURES.
NOT ONLY ONE OF THE FINEST
MILITARY CHARACTERS BUT ALSO
WAS ONE OF THE MOST STAINLESS.
HIS NAME AND FAME ARE THE
BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN
CITIZEN AND HIS YOUTH AND
STRENGTH, HIS LOVE AND LOYALTY
HE GAVE ALL THAT MORTALITY CAN
HE NEEDS NO EULOGY FROM ME OR
FROM ANY OTHER MAN.
AND MCARTHUR GOES ON TO SAY,
BUT WHEN I THINK OF HIS
PATIENCE UNDER ADVERSITY, OF
HIS COURAGE UNDER FIRE AND OF
HIS MODESTY IN VICTORY, I'M
FILLED WITH AN EMOTION OF
ADMIRATION I CANNOT PUT INTO
WORDS.
HE BELONGED TO HISTORY AS
FURNISHING ONE OF THE GREATEST
EXAMPLES OF EXCEPTIONAL
PATRIOTISM.
HE BELONGS TO PROSPERITY AS THE
INSTRUCTOR OF FUTURE
GENERATIONS AND THE PRINCIPLES
OF LIBERTY AND FREEDOM.
AND SO GARRETT FANT BECAME A
TEACHER AFTER ALL.
AS SHAKESPEARE SAID, HIS STORY
SHALL THE GOOD MAN TEACH HIS
SON.
SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS OF
STUDENTS AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
HIGH SCHOOL AND ALSO VALLEY
OAKS HIGH SCHOOL WILL KNOW HIS
STORY.
EVERY MEMORIAL DAY IN HIS
HOMETOWN HIS NAME WILL BE READ
WITH A SPECIAL PRIDE THAT HIS
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WILL
SHARE.
STRANGERS WILL PASS BY HIS
HONORED GRAVE ADORNED WITH
FLAGS AND FLOWERS AND THEY'LL
NOTE THE FEW YEARS HE HAD AND
THE SACRIFICE HE MADE AND BE
HUMBLED BY IT AND PERHAPS
INSPIRED BY IT TO BECOME BETTER
CITIZENS.
NO HISTORY TEACHER CAN DO MORE
THAN THAT.
TO HIS GRIEVING FAMILY ON
BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION, I
CAN ONLY SAY THAT YOU DO NOT
MOURN ALONE.
YOUR PRIDE IN GARRETT IS SHARED
BY YOUR COMMUNITY, BY YOUR
COUNTRY AND BY MANY, MANY
HISTORY TEACHERS WHO WILL TELL
HIS STORY TO THE LATEST
AMERICAN GENERATION.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
MR. BUTTERFIELD, FOR FIVE
MINUTES.
BUTTERFIELD: LET ME THANK
THE SPEAKER FOR YIELDING TIME
TO ME THIS MORNING.
AS I BEGIN MY REMARKS, MR.
SPEAKER, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A
BRIEF REMARK ABOUT ONE OF THE
PRECEDING SPEAKERS, CONGRESSMAN
BARBARA LEE, FROM OAKLAND,
CALIFORNIA, WHO HAS BEEN AN
ADVOCATE FOR POVERTY AND FOOD
INSECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND
ALL OF THE GLOBAL ISSUES THAT
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE
YEARS AND I WANT TO THANK HER
FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
CONGRESSWOMAN LEE IS THE
FOUNDER OF THE OUT-OF-POVERTY
CAUCUS HERE IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND I'M HONORED
TO SERVE AS ONE OF HER
CO-CHAIRS.
BUT THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
ON THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, WE
WILL CELEBRATE WORLD FOOD DAY,
A DAY TO INCREASE AWARENESS,
UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMATION
YEAR-ROUND ACTION TO
ALLEVIATE HUNGER ACROSS THE
GLOBE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE STATISTICAL EVIDENCE OF
PERVASIVE AND PERSISTENT HUNGER
IS ABSOLUTELY STAGGERING.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE HUMAN
STORIES OF WORKING FAMILIES AND
IN MY COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN
NORTH CAROLINA OR FAMILIES IN
EASTERN AFRICA WHO CANNOT GET
ENOUGH FOOD TO EAT ON A DAILY
BASIS.
AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND ALL THE
MEMBERS OF THIS BODY THAT
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE SUFFER FROM HUNGER
AND UNLESS WE COMMIT TO
ELIMINATING THIS, THESE HUMAN
BEINGS WILL SUFFER PERSISTENT
POVERTY, REDUCE RIGHTS AND EVEN
WE MUST COME TOGETHER.
WE MUST COME TOGETHER, MR.
SPEAKER, TO MAKE HUNGER AND
NUTRITION ISSUES -- THESE
ISSUES A PRIORITY.
A PRIORITY IN MY HOMETOWN
OF WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE A FOOD BANK IN MY
COMMUNITY THAT'S ADMINISTERED
BY THE WILSON OPPORTUNITIES
INDUSTRIALIZATION CENTER AND ON
AT LEAST FOUR OCCASIONS EACH
YEAR THIS CENTER IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR PASSING OUT FOOD TO THOSE
SUFFERING FROM FOOD INSECURITY.
AND I HAVE HERE TO MY RIGHT
SIMPLY A PICTURE OF THE LAST
FOOD PROGRAM IN WHICH CITIZENS
OF OUR COMMUNITY LINED UP ALL
NIGHT LONG TO RECEIVE FOOD IN
THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU WILL SEE THIS BUILDING.
IT IS A FORMER SCHOOL.
ACTUALLY, I WENT TO ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL MANY YEARS AGO.
THIS WAS MY FIRST GRADE
CLASSROOM, CONGRESSWOMAN LEE.
SCHOOL.
IT'S NOW THE WILSON O.I.C. AND
CITIZENS LINED UP ALL NIGHT
LONG IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FOOD
FROM THIS PROGRAM.
WHAT A SHAME, BUT THANK YOU,
O.I.C., FOR YOUR EFFORT.
925 MILLION PEOPLE SUFFER FROM
CHRONIC HUNGER WORLDWIDE.
ONE IN SEVEN PEOPLE, THAT IS AN
ATROCIOUS STATISTIC.
SHOCKINGLY IN 2011 THERE IS
STILL SEVERE STARVATION.
THE WORST DROUGHT IN 60 YEARS
CAUSED WIDESPREAD HUNGER AND
STARVATION ACROSS THE HORN OF
AFRICA, AND WE NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THE HORN OF
AFRICA.
GLOBALLY 12 MILLION PEOPLE ARE
IN DANGER OF STARVING TO DEATH
VULNERABLE.
IN THE UNITED STATES, THE
RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD,
THE RICHEST COUNTRY THAT WE
HAVE EVER KNOWN, IN OUR BELOVED
COUNTRY 48 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE
IN FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS,
AND THESE ARE YET EXAMPLES OF
THAT.
THAT'S ONE IN SIX PEOPLE IN OUR
FROM FOOD
INSECURITY.
THE RECESSION THAT WE TALK
ABOUT ON THIS FLOOR EVERY DAY
HAS EXACERBATED THE PLIGHT OF
MANY, BUT PROBLEMS WITH FOOD
SECURITY BEGAN WELL BEFORE
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CLASSIFIED
BY USDA OF HAVING LOW FOOD
SECURITY HAS DOUBLED.
MY DISTRICT HAS BEEN RECENTLY
CLASSIFIED AS THE SECOND MOST
INSECURE DISTRICT IN THE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
CERTAINLY NEEDS TO FIND WAYS TO
CUT COSTS AND REDUCE SPENDING,
BUT THAT BURDEN SHOULD NOT FALL
HEAVYIEST ON THE PEOPLE WITH
THE GREATEST NEEDS.
-- HEAVIEST ON THE PEOPLE WITH
THE GREATEST NEEDS.
WE NEED TO EMPOWER SCIENTIFICS
TO DEVELOP MORE EFFICIENT AND
SUSTAINABLE METHODS OF
WE SHOULD MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE
OUR COMMITMENTS TO FOREIGN AID
PROGRAMS THROUGH USAID AND
IMPROVING THEM TO PROVIDE
GREATER ACCESS TO NEEDED
RESOURCES.
FINALLY, MR. SPEAKER, MY
PREDECESSOR IN THIS OFFICE,
FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN EVA
CLAYTON, WAS A STRONG, CLEAR
VOICE ON BEHALF OF THE HUNGRY
OF THE COUNTRY AND THOSE
ABROAD.
DURING HER 10 YEARS IN CONGRESS
SHE WAS STAUNCHLY COMMITTED TO
IMPROVING ACCESS AND QUALITY OF
PROGRAMS.
FOLLOWING HER RETIREMENT, SHE
WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR OF THE U.N. FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION.
WE WILL BE INTRODUCING
LEGISLATION PROBABLY TOMORROW
TO HONOR THE WORK OF EVA
CLAYTON, THE EVA CLAYTON
FELLOWS PROGRAM ACT OF 2011.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THE INTRODUCTION
OF THIS BILL.
IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT.
THANK YOU.
I'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM ILLINOIS, MR. SHILLING,
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
REMARKS.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
IN SUPPORT OF
AMERICAN WORKERS AND AS AN
ADVOCATE FOR THOSE TO PROVIDE
ECONOMIC CERTAINTY FOR THE
THIS COUNTRY.
LAST NIGHT, MR. SPEAKER, THE
HOUSE VOTED ON BIPARTISAN TRADE
AGREEMENTS WITH COLOMBIA,
PANAMA AND SOUTH KOREA.
THESE AGREEMENTS REPRESENT AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE, GROW
JOBS AND PROMOTE AMERICAN
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW, MR.
SPEAKER.
95% OF THE WORLD'S CUSTOMERS
LIVE OUTSIDE THIS GREAT
COUNTRY.
SPEAKER.
IF AMERICA GIVES ITSELF THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE WITH
OTHER COUNTRIES, LIKE THESE
THREE AGREEMENTS WILL, AMERICAN
MANUFACTURING AND FARMERS WILL
DELIVER AND WE WILL ALL WIN.
JOB CREATION IS RED, WHITE AND
BLUE.
IT'S DEFINITELY A RED, WHITE
AND BLUE ISSUE, AND THAT IS WHY
YOU SAW BOTH DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS COMING TOGETHER
YESTERDAY TO PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICAN
EXPORTS TO COMPETE.
IN THE 17TH DISTRICT OF
ILLINOIS IN WHICH I REPRESENT I
RECENTLY VISITED A COMPANY THAT
MAKES THE BIG MINING TRUCKS.
08% OF THOSE TRUCKS SHIP OUTSIDE
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THIS COMPANY EMPLOYS 3,000
WORKERS WHICH IS EQUAL TO
SUPPLYING JOBS TO 2,400 OF
THOSE.
THESE JOBS ARE DEPENDENT UPON
EXPORTS, THE SAME COMPANY ALSO
MANUFACTURES BULLDOZERS, EIGHT
OUT OF 10 OF THOSE ARE SOLD TO
BUYERS FROM OVERSEAS.
YET AGAIN THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF
JOBS BEING CREATED BECAUSE OF
THE DEMAND FOR AMERICAN PRODUCTS
BY CUSTOMERS IN A GLOBAL
ECONOMY.
THESE TRADE AGREEMENTS WILL
REDUCE TARIFFS ON GOODS AND
REMOVE BARRIERS CURRENTLY IN
PLACE.
BY LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
FOR OUR MANUFACTURERS AND
FARMERS, WE CAN FURTHER PROMOTE
THESE CORNER STONES OF THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY.
WE NEED ENACT THESE POLICIES
THAT STRENGTHEN OUR
MANUFACTURING BASE WHICH IS WHY
I AM CO-SPONSORING LEGISLATION
OFFERED BY MY COLLEAGUE AND
FRIEND, DAN LIPINSKI, WHICH WILL
PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR NATIONAL
MANUFACTURING STRATEGY.
THREE MILLION MANUFACTURING JOBS
AND ALMOST FOUR MILLION AG JOBS
ARE DEPENDENT UPON U.S. EXPORTS.
THE INDEPENDENT U.S.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
ESTIMATES THAT THESE AGREEMENTS
WILL INCREASE AMERICAN MADE
EXPORTS BY $13 BILLION AND
INJECT $10 BILLION TO OUR G.D.P.
PRESIDENT OBAMA ESTIMATES THAT
THESE JOBS COULD CREATE A
QUARTER OF A MILLION JOBS.
ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL
RESEARCH SERVICE, THE LAST TIME
THE UNITED STATES SIGNED A TRADE
AGREEMENT WAS BACK IN 2006 WITH
PERU.
THESE THREE TRADE AGREEMENTS THE
HOUSE PASSED LAST NIGHT COULD
HAVE BEEN SENT TO CONGRESS BACK
2009.
EVERY DAY WE DELAY IS A DAY WE
DENY AMERICAN WORKERS JOB
OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE.
THESE TRADE AGREEMENTS AREN'T
ABOUT RHETORIC, THEY ARE ABOUT
RESULTS.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SIT ON THE
SIDELINES ANYMORE WHILE OTHER
COUNTRIES ENTER INTO TRADE
AGREEMENTS WITH COLOMBIA,
PANAMA, AND SOUTH KOREA CAUSING
US TO LOSE MORE OF THE MARKET
SHARE.
AGAIN I SUPPORT THESE FREE TRADE
AGREEMENTS IF AS A COUNTRY WE
ARE ALLOWED TO COMPETE, I KNOW
WE WILL DELIVER.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM FLORIDA, MS.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, FOR FIVE
MINUTES.
THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO HONOR THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF MARCIA JO,
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND
CHIEF CURATOR OF THE JEWISH
MUSEUM OF FLORIDA.
MARCIA HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THE
ORGANIZED FLORIDA JEWISH
YEARS.
ORIGINALLY FROM WEST VIRGINIA
SHE'S BEEN A LEADER IN JEWISH
ORGANIZATIONS SINCE HER WORK
DURING COLLEGE YEARS.
SINCE THE 1970'S, SHE HAS HELD
VARIOUS LEADERSHIP ROLES WITH AN
ORGANIZATION SUCH AS ISRAEL
BONDS, APACK, AND HADASSAH.
THROUGHOUT HER LIFETIME, MARCIA
HAS BROKEN THE CLASS CEILING AS
THE FIRST WOMAN IN MANY
POSITIONS, INCLUDING AS
PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER ORLANDO
ORGANIZATION, SHE WAS ALSO THE
FIRST WOMAN TO CHAIR THE FLORIDA
ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH
FEDERATIONS CONVERSATION IN
IN 1993 MARCIA GUIDED THE
RESTORATION OF AN ABANDONED 1936
ART DECO BUILDING ON MIAMI BEACH
THAT SERVED AS AN ORTHODOX
SYNAGOGUE FOR 50 YEARS AND
OPENED THE JEWISH MUSEUM OF
FLORIDA IN 1995.
SHE LED THE EFFORT TO GED THE
MUSEUM ACCREDITED.
THE MUSEUM WAS AMONG THE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC
PLACES, COLLECTS, PRESERVES, AND
INTERPRETS THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE
IN FLORIDA SINCE AT LEAST 1763
WHEN JEWS WERE FIRST ALLOWED TO
LIVE IN THE STATE.
IN 2003, SHE INITIATED STATE
LEGISLATION FOR A FLORIDA JEWISH
HISTORY MONTH WHICH IS NOW
RECOGNIZED EACH JANUARY.
AND IN 2005, MARCIA AND MEMBERS
OF MIAMI'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
APPROACHED ME WITH THE IDEA TO
DESIGNATE A MONTH TO HONOR THE
MADE TO OUR NATION.
AS A RESULT, I WAS THE PROUD
SPONSOR OF THE JEWISH AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH RESOLUTION WHICH
THE HOUSE AND SENATE UNANIMOUSLY
PASSED IN 2006 AND HAVE BEEN
PROCLAIMED BY PRESIDENT BUSH AND
PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNUALLY SINCE
THEN.
MARCIA SHOULD TAKE GREAT PRIDE
IN KNOWING JEWISH AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH, NOW CELEBRATED
ACROSS OUR NATION EACH MAY,
BEGAN WITH HER WORK AT THE
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA.
I AM HONORED TO RECOGNIZE MARCIA
FOR THE POSITIVE IMPACT HE SHOO
HAS MADE NOT JUST ON FLORIDA'S
JEWISH COMMUNITY BUT ON
COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR NATION.
I WISH HER WELL ON HER
RETIREMENT AND THANK HER FOR
ENRICHING THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS
OTHERS IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THANK YOU.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEWOMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM ILLINOIS, MR.
SHIMKUS, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
I ASK UNANIMOUS
REMARKS.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I COME TO THE FLOOR A SECOND
TIME AS I PROMISED A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO TO TALK ABOUT HIGH
LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE AND THE
YUCCA MOUNTAIN REPOSITORY.
TWO WEEKS AGO I HIGHLIGHTED HAN
FORD, WASHINGTON, A D.O.E. SITE
THAT HAS 53 MILLION GALLONS OF
NUCLEAR WASTE.
53 MILLION GALLONS OF NUCLEAR
WASTE STORED 10 FEET UNDER
GROUND IN HANKS THAT ARE LEAKING
THE WASTE OF 250 FEET ABOVE THE
WATER TABLE.
AND THE WASTE IS ONE MILE FROM
THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
VERSUS FEDERAL LAW WHICH SAID IN
1982 THAT YUCCA MOUNTAIN SHOULD
OUR NATIONAL REPOSITORY.
LET'S LOOK AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO NUCLEAR
WASTE ON SITE.
THE WASTE WOULD BE STORED 1,000
FEET UNDERGROUND.
THE WASTE IS 1,000 FEET ABOVE
THE WATER TABLE.
AND THE WASTE WOULD BE 100 MILES
FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.
8 -- 100 MILES VERSUS ONE MILE.
HIGH LEVEL HUKE MARCH WASTE,
ESPECIALLY WITH HANFORD WHERE
YOU HAVE NUCLEAR WASTE LEAKING
OUTSIDE THE TANKS.
SO THEN MY RESPONSE WAS WHERE
ARE THE SENATORS IN THESE TWO
STATES DOING AND WHAT'S THEIR
POSITION?
BECAUSE THE REASON WHY WE ARE
NOT MOVING TO YUCCA MOUNTAIN IS
BECAUSE BECAUSE OF ONE U.S.
SENATOR, THE MAJORITY LEADER OF
THE SENATE, HARRY REID, WHO HAS
BLOCKED THE MOVEMENT OF YUCCA
MOUNTAIN.
OBVIOUSLY THESE SENATORS HAVE AN
INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE COLUMBIA
RIVER, AND I WAS TRYING TO
ENCOURAGE THEM THROUGH THE USE
OF THE BULLY PULPIT THAT THIS
WAS A TIME TO MOVE TO GET THIS
RESOLUTION RESOLVED, ESPECIALLY
AFTER FUKEA SHAYS-MEEHANA --
FUBEY SHAYS-MEEHANA --
FUCHISHIMA AND OTHERS.
SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
GET A FEW QUOTES FROM THE
SENATORS OR RESEARCH THEM,
SENATOR CANTWELL SAID, THE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES HAS
CONCLUDED THE BEST APPROACH IS
TO BURY NUCLEAR WASTE DEEP UNDER
GROUND SINCE THAT CONCLUSION
YUCCA MOUNTAIN IN NEVADA HAS
BEEN CHOSEN AS A -- THE NATIONAL
REPOSITORY.
SENATOR MURRAY SAID THIS, I
BELIEVE THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO
DISCONTINUE THE YUCCA PROGRAM
ALTOGETHER.
ITS FUNDING, LICENSING, AND
DESIGN.
SENATOR WYDEN HAS SAID, I DON'T
SEE THAT YUCCA MOUNTAIN WILL
REOPEN.
I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE AN
EFFORT TO LOOK AT NEW TECHNOLOGY
ON SITE STORAGE AND A OF
APPROACHES BUT I DON'T THINK
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO SENATOR WYDEN IS ACCEPTING
THIS.
IN HANFORD, A MILE FROM THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.
SENATOR MERKLEY HAS BEEN QUIET
AS FAR AS WE COULD FIND FROM THE
GOOGLE SEARCH PAIRING HIS NAME
AND ANY YUCCA MOUNTAIN COMMENTS.
LEST PEOPLE THINK I'M PICKING ON
THE NORTHWEST, LET ME GO TO MY
HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS.
SO, ONE FACILITY, ZION NUCLEAR
POWER PLANT, DEMISSIONED
PLANCHT, -- PLANT, BUT THERE'S
STILL 65 CASKS CONTAINING 1,135
METRIC TONS OF NUCLEAR WASTE.
THE WASTE AT SCION IS STORED
ABOVE THE GROUND.
THE WASTE AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN
WOULD BE 1,000 FEET BELOW THE
SURFACE.
THE WASTE AT ZION IS FIVE FEET
ABOVE THE WATER TABLE.
THE WASTE AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN
FEET.
THE WASTE AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN IS
RIVER.
THE WASTE FROM ZION IS 1,300
FEET FROM LAKE MICHIGAN.
I MEAN IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET
SCIENTIST TO UNDERSTAND THAT
YUCCA MOUNTAIN IS SAFER THAN
STORING HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE
NEXT TO LAKE MICHIGAN.
SO WHAT IS -- WHAT DO OUR
SENATORS SAY?
WELL, SENATOR -- LET'S START
WITH SENATOR DURBIN.
HE'S QUOTED AS SAYING, THERE ARE
A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE, BUT
I HAVE SUPPORTED YUCCA IN THE
PAST AND I'M NOT TALKING AWAY
FROM THAT.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER
OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL.
I WANT HIM TO OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE
TO CONSIDER YUCCA MOUNTAIN.
SENATOR KIRK AS SAID, I THINK IN
THE END CONGRESS NEEDS TO FIGHT
AND WIN THE BATTLE TO BUILD THE
YUCCA MOUNTAIN FACILITY SO THAT
WE CAN STORE NUCLEAR WASTE 1,000
FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.
I AGREE.
SENATOR KOHL IS QUOTED AS
SAYING, THIS SITE ON THE NEVADA
NUCLEAR TEST SITE, THAT'S WHAT
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, IS THAT YUCCA
MOUNTAIN IS ALSO THE NUCLEAR --
THE NEVADA NUCLEAR TESTIFY SITE.
THAT'S WHERE WE TESTED THE
NUCLEAR BOMBS DURING THE NUCLEAR
ARMS RACE AND THE NUCLEAR AGE.
SO SENATOR KOHL IS CORRECT IN
SAYING THIS SITE ON THE NEVADA
NUCLEAR TEST SITE IS CERTAINLY
SAFER THAN LEAVING THE WASTE AT
132 SITES NATIONWIDE.
SITES SCATTERED AROUND THE
COUNTRY THAT WERE NEVER DESIGNED
TO BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
SENATOR JOHNSON IS SILENT.
I YIELD BACK MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA, MR.
DONNELLY, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY TO APPLAUD THE
BIPARTISAN MAJORITY IN THE
SENATE FOR PASSING LEGISLATION
TO TAKE ON CURRENCY MANIPULATORS
AND TO URGE OUR HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND OUR HOUSE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO DO THE
SAME.
TO ALLOW A STAND UP, UP OR DOWN
VOTE, ON CURRENCY MANIPULATION
LEGISLATION HERE IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
IN A PERIOD OF CONGRESSIONAL
GRIDLOCK, WE MUST SEIZE EVERY
BIPARTISAN OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE
TO US NOT ONLY TO CREATE JOBS
BUT ALSO TO PROTECT THE
GOOD-PAYING JOBS WE ALREADY
HAVE.
AS THE SENATE DEMONSTRATED THIS
WEEK BY PASSING THE CURRENCY
EXCHANGE RATE OVERSIGHT REFORM
ACT, THE TIME IS NOW TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF BIPARTISAN
COOPERATION.
16 REPUBLICAN SENATORS JOINED 47
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS IN VOTING
FOR THIS LEGISLATION TO COUNTER
AN UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICE THAT IS
HAMPERING OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
IN FEBRUARY, CONGRESSMAN SANDER
LEVIN, TIM RYAN, AND TIM MURPHY
INTRODUCED THE CURRENCY REFORM
TRADE ACT.
H.R. 639 HAS GARNERED 225
BIPARTISAN CO-SPONSORS, MORE
THAN ENOUGHLE TO SECURE HOUSE
PASSAGE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE TO COUNTER IMPORTS
MADE CHEAPER BY CURRENCY
MANIPULATION WITH A
CORRESPONDING TARIFF.
A NEARLY IDENTICAL BILL PASSED
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
LAST YEAR BY A STRONG,
OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN VOTE OF
348-79.
BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
WHEN COUNTRIES ARE ALLOWED TO
KEEP THE VALUE OF THEIR
CURRENCIES ARTIFICIALLY LOW, AND
IN TURN THE PRICES OF THEIR
EXPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES,
AMERICAN COMPANIES AND AMERICAN
WORKERS FACE AN UNFAIR
DISADVANTAGE.
FORCED TO COMPETE ON AN UNLEVEL
PLAYING FIELD WHERE COMPETITORS
ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A PERMANENT
30% TO 40% OFF SALE ON THEIR
PRODUCTS.
AMERICAN JOBS ARE LOST AND OUR
TRADE DEFICIT GROWS WITH
COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA.
THE ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE
RECENTLY RELEASED A STUDY AND IT
SHOWED THAT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS
THE U.S. LOST 2.8 MILLION JOBS,
INCLUDING NEARLY 62,000 JOBS IN
MY HOME STATE OF INDIANA.
AS A RESULT DIRECTLY OF THE
EXPANDING TRADE DEFICIT WITH
CHINA.
MANY EXPERTS AGREE COUNTRIES
LIKE CHINA THAT MANIPULATE THEIR
CURRENCIES ARE DAMAGING THE U.S.
ECONOMY.
FED CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE
RECENTLY EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
THE CHINESE CURRENCY POLICY IS
BLOCKING WHAT MIGHT BE A MORE
NORMAL RECOVERY PROCESS IN THE
GLOBAL ECONOMY.
AND HE STATED, IT IS TO SOME
EXTENT HURTING THE UNITED STATES
RECOVERY.
CHAIRMAN BERNANKE IS TASKED
DIRECTLY WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF SERVING AND PROTECTING
AMERICA'S ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
HE RECOGNIZES THE IMPACT THAT
CHINESE CURRENCY MANIPULATION IS
HAVING ON OUR ECONOMY.
IT IS LONG PAST TIME FOR THIS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO DO
THE SAME.
AFTER THE SENATE EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN CONSIDERING S. 1619,
CHINA IMMEDIATELY WENT ON THE
OFFENSIVE ISSUING THREATS AND
SAYING SUCH LEGISLATION COULD
SPARK A TRADE WAR.
THOUGH CHINA'S COMMENTS ARE
UNEXPECTED.
AND CONGRESS SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY
FROM DOING WHAT IS IN AMERICA'S
BEST INTEREST.
THAT IS OUR JOB.
CHINA'S UNFAIR CURRENCY POLICIES
THEIR JOBS.
AND I BELIEVE INACTION ON THIS
ISSUE IS DANGEROUS TO OUR
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND CONTINUES
TO PUT AT RISK HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL AMERICAN
JOBS.
WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND MY
DISTRICT, I HEAR FROM SMALL
AND MANUFACTURERS ON
THIS ISSUE.
AND THEY NEVER ASK FOR CONGRESS
TO GUARANTEE THEIR SUCCESS.
ALL THEY WANT IS A FAIR FIGHT
FOR THE RULES TO BE THE SAME,
AND I BELIEVE GIVEN A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD, AMERICAN
TIME.
ONCE AGAIN, TO OUR HOUSE
LEADERSHIP, PLEASE ALLOW
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION
ADDRESSING CURRENCY
MANIPULATION TO COME BEFORE THE
FULL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FOR A STAND-ALONE UP OR DOWN
VOTE.
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO STAND
WITH, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OR
AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND
AMERICAN WORKERS?
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT A VOTE
NOW AND DESERVE A VOTE NOW.
THANK YOU AND I YIELD BACK THE
BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, MR.
MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, WE ARE NOW MORE
THAN 275 DAYS INTO THIS IS 12
-- INTO THIS 112TH CONGRESS AND
THE G.O.P. LEADERSHIP HAS PUT
FORWARD ZERO, ZERO AMERICAN
JOBS BILL, AN OUTRIGHT REJECTED
CONSIDERATION OF PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S JOB PROPOSAL.
SO IF JOBS AREN'T AT THE HEART
OF THE AMERICAN TEA PARTY'S
AGENDA, WHAT IS?
PASSAGE OF ANTI-LABOR
LEGISLATION, TO WEAKEN THE
RIGHTS OF MIDDLE-CLASS WORKERS
AND ENCOURAGE THE SHIPPING OF
JOBS OVERSEAS, CHECK.
PASSAGE OF ANTI-LABOR
LEGISLATION, TO RAISE TAXES ON
HARDWORKING FAMILIES, CHECK.
PASSAGE OF ANTI-ENVIRONMENT
LEGISLATION TO ROLL BACK CLEAN
CHECK.
PASSAGE OF ANTI-EDUCATION
LEGISLATION TO SLASH PELL
GRANTS FOR MIDDLE-INCOME
STUDENTS TO AFFORD COLLEGE,
CHECK.
AND LATER TODAY, PASSAGE OF ITS
SEVENTH, SEVENTH ANTI-WOMAN'S
HEALTH MEASURES.
TODAY'S BILL WILL PUT THE
GOVERNMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF
AMERICANS' HEALTH CHOICES AND
ALLOW HOSPITAL TO REFUSE
LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT TO WOMEN.
MR. SPEAKER, EVERY DAY IT FEELS
MORE AND MORE LIKE THE MOVIE
"GROUNDHOG DAY" IN HERE.
I WAKE UP HOPING THERE WILL BE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT IT'S
THE SAME SCENE PLAYED OVER AND
OVER AND OVER.
THE REPUBLICAN TEA PARTY AGENDA
STUCK ON REPEAT MIGHT SATISFY
THE EXTREME RIGHT WING, BUT IT
NEITHER SATISFIES NOR HELPS
HARDWORKING AMERICANS.
IT IS TIME FOR THE G.O.P.
LEADERSHIP TO LEARN A LESSON
FROM "GROUNDHOG DAY," THE ONLY
WAY OUT OF IT IS TO DO BETTER.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT
TOKEN LEGISLATION, EXTREME
PARTISANSHIP OR SIDE SHOW
POLITICS.
THEY WANT REAL SOLUTIONS, REAL
JOBS AND A REAL VISION.
THEY WANT A VISION FOR AMERICA.
A VISION FOR AMERICA.
AND LIKE THE MOVIE, THEY ARE
DESPERATE FOR A NEW DAY.
WITH THAT I YIELD BACK THE
THE
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, MR.