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HAVE A GREAT DAY.
THE
HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE CHAIR LAYS BEFORE THE HOUSE
A COMMUNICATION FROM THE
SPEAKER.
THE SPEAKER'S ROOM,
WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 13,
2011.
I HEREBY APPOINT THE HONORABLE
JOHN J. DUNCAN JR. TO ACT AS
SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE ON THIS
DAY.
SIGNED, JOHN A. BOEHNER,
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
PURSUANT TO THE ORDER OF THE
HOUSE OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
CHAIR WILL NOW RECOGNIZE
MEMBERS FROM LISTS SUBMITTED BY
THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY
LEADERS FOR MORNING HOUR
DEBATE.
THE CHAIR WILL ALTERNATE
RECOGNITION BETWEEN THE PARTIES
WITH EACH PARTY LIMITED TO ONE
HOUR AND EACH MEMBER OTHER THAN
THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY
LEADERS AND THE MINORITY WHIP
LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES EACH,
BUT IN NO EVENT SHALL DEBATE
CONTINUE BEYOND 11:50 A.M.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS, MR. POE,
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS
WEEKEND WE HONORED THOSE KILLED
BY AN ATTACK ON AMERICA ON
9/11, 10 YEARS AGO.
MANY OF THOSE THAT WERE KILLED
AND GAVE THEIR LIVES WERE FIRST
RESPONDERS, AND AFTER THE SMOKE
CLEARED THAT DAY FROM GROUND
ZERO, FROM THE PENTAGON DOWN
THE STREET AND THAT SPECIAL
FIELD IN PENNSYLVANIA, AMERICA
WENT AFTER ISLAMIC TERRORISTS
WHO WOULD *** IN THE NAME OF
RELIGION.
THE WARS AGAINST OUR ENEMIES
HAVE TAKEN US TO THE DESERT OF
THE GUN AND THE VALLEY OF THE
SUN IN AFGHANISTAN AND THEN OFF
TO IRAQ.
I'VE BEEN TO AFGHANISTAN AND
IRAQ AS MANY MEMBERS HAVE AND I
CAN TELL YOU, MR. SPEAKER, OUR
MILITARY THAT IS THERE
REPRESENTING US IS THE FINEST
MILITARY THAT HAS EVER EXISTED
IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
AFGHANISTAN IS THE LAND THAT
SEEMS TO BE CURSED BY GOD.
IT IS A HARD LAND, AND IN
AFGHANISTAN ON AUGUST 6, 2011,
SPECIALLY TRAINED UNITED STATES
MILITARY WERE HEAD OUT TO ROOT
OUT THE TALIBAN AND HELP OUR
ARMY RANGERS WHO NEEDED THEIR
SUPPORT.
THE CHINOOK HELICOPTER THEY
WERE IN WAS SHOT DOWN IN A
PROVINCE IN AFGHANISTAN.
30 AMERICANS GAVE THEIR LIVES
THAT DAY AS WELL AS EIGHT LOYAL
AFGHANS.
THEY WERE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
ABROAD WHO GO WHERE THE TIMID
ARE NOT FOUND AND THE WEAK OF
SOUL ARE NEVER SEEN.
HERE ARE THEIR NAMES, MR.
SPEAKER, AND THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS.
THE FIRST ONE HERE, DAVID
CARTER, CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY,
NATIONAL GUARD, FROM COLORADO.
NEXT IS HEATH ROBINSON, CHIEF
PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL FROM MICHIGAN.
NEXT TO HIM, MR. SPEAKER, IS
ALEXANDER BENNETT, SERGEANT,
UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE FROM
WASHINGTON.
NEXT TO HIM IS CRAIG VICKERS,
SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER,
UNITED STATES NAVY SEAL FROM
NUMBER FIVE ON THIS ON THIS TOP
LINE HERE IS JARED DAY, PETTY
OFFICER FIRST CLASS, UNITED
STATES NAVY SEAL FROM UTAH.
AND THE LAST ONE ON THE FIRST
ROW IS JONAS KELSAW, LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER, UNITED STATES NAVY
SEAL, FROM LOUISIANA.
I CONTINUE WITH THE SECOND ROW.
JON TOMILSON, PETTY OFFICER
FIRST CLASS, UNITED STATES NAVY
SEAL FROM IOWA.
NEXT TO HIM IS MICHAEL STRANGE,
PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS,
UNITED STATES NAVY SEAL FROM
PENNSYLVANIA.
AARON VAUGHN, PETTY OFFICER
FIRST CLASS, UNITED STATES NAVY
SEAL FROM FLORIDA.
PATRICK HAMBURGER, STAFF
SERGEANT, UNITED STATES ARMY
NATIONAL GUARD FROM NEBRASKA.
NEXT TO HIM IS JOHN FOSS, CHIEF
PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL, MINNESOTA.
AND THE LAST ONE ON THE SECOND
ROW IS MATTHEW MASON, CHIEF
PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL FROM MISSOURI.
I CONTINUE WITH THE THIRD ROW
OF OUR WARRIORS.
ROBERT REEFS, PERSON KNOWN BY
MEMBERS OF MY -- REEVES, PERSON
KNOWN BY MEMBERS OF MY STAFF.
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED
STATES NAVY SEAL, LOUISIANA.
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED
STATES NAVY SEAL FROM THE GREAT
STATE OF TEXAS.
NEXT TO HIM IS LEWIS LANGLESS,
MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER,
UNITED STATES NAVY SEAL FROM
CALIFORNIA.
NEXT, CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL,
PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS,
UNITED STATES NAVY SEAL FROM
NORTH CAROLINA.
THE NEXT WARRIOR IS DERRICK
BENSON, PETTY OFFICER FIRST
CLASS, UNITED STATES NAVY SEAL,
CALIFORNIA.
AND THE LAST ONE ON THIS ROW IS
JASON WORKMAN, PETTY OFFICER
FIRST CLASS, UNITED STATES NAVY
SEAL FROM UTAH.
I CONTINUE, MR. SPEAKER, AND I
HOPE YOU CAN SEE THESE
PHOTOGRAPHS.
JESSE PITTMAN, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL FROM CALIFORNIA.
NEXT IS NICHOLAS SPEER, PETTY
OFFICER SECOND CLASS, UNITED
STATES NAVY SEAL, MINNESOTA.
ANDREW HARVILL, UNITED STATES
AIR FORCE FROM CALIFORNIA.
DAVID ZIRBI, FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
JOHN BROWN FROM FLORIDA.
KEVIN HOUSTON, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
AND THE LAST ROW, MERE, BYRON
NICHOLS, CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER,
UNITED STATES NAVY GUARD FROM
KANSAS.
NICK CLASS KNOWL, UNITED STATES
NAVY SEAL FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
THOMAS RATLIFF, CHIEF PETTY
OFFICER FROM ARKANSAS.
BYRON BILL, UNITED STATES NAVY
SEAL FROM CONNECTICUT.
AND JOHN NUGARA, FIRST PETTY
OFFICER FROM NEBRASKA.
MR. SPEAKER, THESE ARE THE MEN
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES SO THAT
OTHERS COULD LIVE.
AND WHILE WE MOURN THE LIVES
THEY GAVE FOR THE REST OF US,
WE SHOULD THANK THE GOOD LORD
THAT SUCH MEN AS THESE LIVED.
THE AMERICANS, THE AMERICAN
BREED, THE RARE BREED, THE
FINEST WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
I YIELD BACK.
THE
TIME OF THE GENTLEMAN HAS
EXPIRED.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON, MR.
BLUMENAUER, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER,
THERE'S BEEN MUCH TALK ABOUT
JOBS AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
SADLY MORE TALK THAN ACTION.
TODAY'S CONSIDERATION OF
EXTENDING THE SURFACE
TRANSPORTATION ACT AND THE
F.A.A. AUTHORIZATION, BOTH OF
WHICH HAVE EXPIRED, IS A
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.
IT PUTS A LITTLE MORE CERTAINTY
FOR OUR PARTNERS IN THE STATE
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IT AVOIDS DISASTROUS REVENUE
LOSSES.
IT'S A POSITIVE SIGNAL OF
COOPERATION WITH CHAIRS MICA
AND BOXER WORKING WITH MAJORITY
LEADER REID AND SPEAKER
BOEHNER.
AND IT LEAVES IMPORTANT
POLICIES INTACT.
THE 1991 ICETEA FRAMEWORK
PROVIDES ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
NOW, LET'S CONCENTRATE WHAT WE
DO NEED.
WE NEED MORE MONEY, NOT LESS.
CERTAINLY WE MUST REJECT THE
30% TRANSPORTATION CUT THAT IS
CALLED FOR IN THE REPUBLICAN
BUDGET OR A 34% REDUCTION
THAT'S CALLED FOR IN THE
TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
BILL THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED.
WE NEED LONGER TERM
LEGISLATION, NOT SHORTER.
THREE MONTHS FOR AVIATION, SIX
MONTHS FOR TRANSPORTATION IS
BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN
PUTTING UP WITH BUT CERTAINLY
NOT WHAT OUR PARTNERS DESERVE.
FINALLY, WE NEED MORE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR REGIONALS
ENGINES OF GROWTH AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL, NOT A PULLBACK BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE NEED A FULL
RE-AUTHORIZATION, ONE THAT IS
RIGHT SIZED FOR AMERICA'S
NEEDS.
WE NEED TO BE MORE AMBITIOUS IN
TERMS OF WHAT WE SPEND.
REMEMBER ALL THE EXPERT
BIPARTISAN COMMISSIONS THAT
CALLED FOR MUCH GREATER LEVELS
OF INVESTMENT FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE NEED HAS NOT DECLINED AT
ALL.
WE CAN AND WE SHOULD COMBINE
THESE EFFORTS WITH DEFICIT
REDUCTION AND ECONOMIC
RECOVERY.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH
RONALD REAGAN IN 1982, WITH
BILL CLINTON IN 1993, WHAT WAS
CALLED FOR BY SIMPSON AND
BOWLES, THE CHAIRS OF PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S COMMISSION.
MAKE NO MISTAKES.
UNMET INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
THREATENS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND OUR GLOBAL
COMPETITIVENESS.
CONGRESS WILL FIND A TREMENDOUS
COALITION SUPPORTING BOLD
ACTION FROM THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY, ORGANIZED LABOR,
CONTRACTORS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS,
ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, THE LIST IS
EXTENSIVE, BROAD.
MANY HAVE STEPPED UP ON THEIR
OWN.
GOVERNMENT TO BE A BETTER
PARTNER, RECLAIMING THE LEGACY
OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, TEDDY
ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT
AND EISENHOWER.
BACK WHEN INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT WAS NOT PARTISAN OR
PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL BUT
A NATIONAL VISION THAT BROUGHT
US TOGETHER.
WE CAN BEGIN BY PASSING THIS
LEGISLATION LATER THIS
AFTERNOON.
WE NEED TO MOVE TO LARGER AND A
LONGER TERM AGENDA AS WE
REBUILD AND RENEW AMERICA,
JUMP-START THE ECONOMY AND MAKE
OUR FAMILIES SAFER, HEALTHIER
AND MORE ECONOMICALLY SECURE.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
MR. JONES, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
LIKE ALL MY COLLEAGUES, I WAS
HOME DURING THE AUGUST BREAK,
ACCEPTING OPPORTUNITIES TO
SPEAK AT CIVIC CLUBS, AT TOWN
FORUMS AND I DID SPEAK TO A
COUPLE OF MILITARY RETIREE
GROUPS.
EVERY TIME THAT I WOULD MAKE A
STATEMENT THAT IT IS TIME TO
BRING OUR TROOPS HOME FROM
AFGHANISTAN, MR. SPEAKER, I'M
NOT AN EXCELLENT SPEAKER.
I'M NOT EVEN A GOOD SPEAKER,
BUT I GOT APPLAUSE, STRONG
APPLAUSE FROM EVERY ONE OF
THOSE GROUPS THAT I JUST NAMED.
THEY AGREE WITH ME AND MANY OF
MY COLLEAGUES THAT IS ON THE
FLOOR, INCLUDING MY COLLEAGUE,
JIM MCGOVERN, THAT IT'S TIME TO
BRING AN END TO OUR TIME IN
AFGHANISTAN.
THE LOSS OF LIVES IS
AND I HAVE BESIDE ME A POSTER
THAT DEPICTS OF PAIN OF WAR.
THIS LADY AND HER LITTLE GIRL
ARE ACCEPTING A FLAG, FOLDED
FLAG OFF THE COFFIN OF HER
IS LOOKING UP LIKE, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE WIFE IS CRYING.
HOW MANY MORE FAMILIES HAVE TO
CRY.
HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN HAVE TO
SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW MY DADDY
BECAUSE I WAS SO YOUNG WHEN HE
DIED?
MR. SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT IS
ASKING FOR A JOBS PROGRAM.
I THINK HE'S DOING THE RIGHT
THING, AND YET WE'RE SPENDING
$10 BILLION A MONTH IN
AFGHANISTAN TO PROP UP A
CORRUPT LEADER.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND IT
MAKES NO SENSE TO MANY OF US IN
THE HOUSE, BOTH REPUBLICAN AND
DEMOCRAT.
I UNDERSTAND FROM THE
NEWSPAPERS THAT THERE'S A
CONVERSATION NOW GOING ON
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
AFGHANISTAN WHICH PROVIDES
SO-CALLED STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO,
THIS MEANS WE WOULD KEEP
APPROXIMATELY 35,000 TO 40,000
TROOPS PAST 2014, 2015.
THIS IS NOT -- DOES NOT MAKE
ANY SENSE.
I HOPE THIS IS NOT TRUE, BUT
I'M AFRAID THAT IT IS TRUE.
AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT BOTHERS
ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION IS
THAT IT WILL NOT BE CALLED A
TREATY.
BECAUSE IF IT'S CALLED A TREATY
HAD HAS TO COME TO CONGRESS AND
BE APPROVED BY CONGRESS.
THIS, AGAIN, TAKES AWAY THE
VOICE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY ON THIS ISSUE OF
AFGHANISTAN WHEN THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IN LARGE NUMBERS IN ALL
THE LATEST POLLS ARE SAYING,
HISTORY HAS PROVEN THAT
AFGHANISTAN WILL NEVER BE
ANYTHING MORE THAN WHAT IT IS
TODAY.
GREAT NATIONS HAVE TRIED IN THE
PAST TO TRY TO CREATE A
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN
AFGHANISTAN AND IT NEVER
HAPPENED.
HERE WE ARE GOING TO SPEND $10
BILLION A MONTH, $120 BILLION A
YEAR TO REBUILD AFGHANISTAN AND
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE MONEY TO
REBUILD AMERICA.
I HOPE THAT THE CONGRESS WOULD
JOIN THOSE OF US, AGAIN, MR.
MCGOVERN AND MYSELF AND MANY
OTHERS I COULD NAME IN THE
HOUSE THAT WANT TO BRING OUR
TROOPS HOME.
WRITTEN BY ANDREW BASOVICH.
HE WAS A VIETNAM VETERAN
HIMSELF.
HIS SON WAS KILLED IN IRAQ, AND
HE WROTE AN ARTICLE IN "THE
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE" ABOUT
TWO YEARS AGO CALLED "TO DIE
FOR A MYSTIQUE," "TO DIE FOR A
MYSTIQUE," TALKING ABOUT
AFGHANISTAN.
I HOPE WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
FORWARD ON THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE THE ISSUE OF AFGHANISTAN.
IT'S NOT RIGHT TO THOSE
IT'S NOT RIGHT TO OUR MILITARY.
MANY HAVE BEEN THERE FIVE, SIX,
SEVEN GLOIMENTS.
THEY ARE TIRED, WORN OUT, THEY
HAVE DONE THEIR JOB.
BIN LADEN IS DEAD.
AL QAEDA HAS BEEN MOVED OUT OF
AFGHANISTAN.
IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.
AND REBUILD AMERICA.
AND HELP OUR VETERANS FIND JOBS.
I WANT TO THANK THE PRESIDENT
FOR MENTIONING THAT YESTERDAY.
WE'VE GOT TO HELP OUR VETERANS
FIND JOBS.
MR. SPEAKER, I'M GOING TO CLOSE
NOW AS I ALWAYS DO BECAUSE IT
COMES FROM MY HEART.
I HAVE SIGNED OVER 10,374
LETTERS SINCE WE WENT INTO IRAQ.
THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON MY PART TO
GIVE PRESIDENT BUSH THE
AUTHORITY TO GO TO WAR THAT
NEVER HAD TO BE FOUGHT.
I ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS OUR
MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
I ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS OUR
FAMILIES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM.
I ASK GOD IN HIS LOVING ARMS WHO
HAVE GIVEN A CHILD DYING FOR
FREEDOM A IRAQ.
I ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS THE
HOUSE AND SENATE THAT WE WILL DO
WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF GOD
FOR GOD'S PEOPLE.
AND TO PRESIDENT OBAMA THAT HE
WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR GOD'S
I WILL SAY THREE TIMES, GOD
PLEASE, GOD PLEASE, GOD PLEASE
CONTINUE TO BLESS AMERICA.
I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS,
MR. MCGOVERN, FOR FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SPEAKER, AT
THE END OF AUGUST I WAS PART OF
A WEEK-LONG FACT-FINDING
DELEGATION TO COLOMBIA
COORDINATED BY THE WASHINGTON
OFFICE ON LATIN AMERICA.
OUR FIRST STOP WAS HAILED DURING
2005 AND 2008 AS THE SO-CALLED
MIRACLE, WE NOW KNOW IT WAS MORE
ILLUSION THAN REALITY.
CREATED BY THE IRON FIST OF THE
PARAMILITARY.
HE CONTROLLED ALL CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY IN THE FOREST DISTRICTS
THAT SURROUND CENTRAL MEDIENE.
SINCE HIS 2008 EXPEDITION TO THE
UNITED STATES, HELL HAS RETURNED
TO THE COMMUNITY HAS
NEOPARAMILITARY DRUG LORDS FIGHT
FOR CONTROL OF DRUG TRAFFICKING,
EXTORTION, AND OTHER CRIMINAL
BUT THE MIRACLE WASN'T A TOTAL
ILLUSION.
DURING THOSE YEARS OF RELATIVE
CALM, THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
UNDER THE MAYOR AND HIS
SUCCESSOR, THE CURRENT MAYOR,
MADE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN
YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATION,
AND BASIC HUMAN SERVICES IN THE
POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS.
IN GREATER MEDIINE, INVESTMENTS
RESULTED IN GREATER PARKS,
SPACES, CULTURE, AND A NEW
PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THESE CHANGES LARGE AND SMALL
HAVE HELPED CIVIL SOCIETY TO
BETTER WEATHER AND CONFRONT THE
CURRENT EXPLOSION OF VIOLENCE
THAT KEEPS THEM IN THE RANKS OF
LATIN AMERICA'S MOST VIOLENT
CITIES.
THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 3,800 OR
MORE GANG MEMBERS THERE.
AND ABOUT 70% OF THEIR RANKS ARE
MADE UP OF YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN
THE AGES OF 11 AND 17.
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, NEARLY
2,000 YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE
AGES OF 11 AND 25 HAVE BEEN
KILLED.
WE SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY MEETING
WITH PEOPLE AND YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS IN THREE OF THE
CITY'S MOST VIOLENT DISTRICTS,
13, 8 AND 5.
OUR GUIDE WASED DEBT KATED
STAFF.
THEY INTRODUCED US TO JOHN
SANCHEZ, THE DIRECTOR OF AN
BATAH, AN ACROW COLOMBIA GROUP
THAT HAS ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL
FAME BY USING COMMUSIC TO HELP
THE YOUNG PEOPLE FIND
ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE.
WE VISITED LOCAL YMCA WITH THE
THE YMCA HAS LONG SERVED AS AN
ANCHOR AND NEUTRAL SPACE IN
COMMUNEA 13.
THERE WE MET WITH LEADERS FROM
AND THE SCHOOL, A MUSIC TRAINING
SCHOOL NAMED IN MEMORY OF A
YOUNG BOY KILLED IN COMMUNEA 13.
THE GROUPS REACH YOUNG PEOPLE
THROUGH THE USE OF MUSIC AND
DANCE, HELPING THEM BECOME
LEADERS.
THESE YOUTH THEN USE THEIR ART
TO REACH OTHERS IN THEIR SCHOOLS
AND ON THE STREETS WITH THE
MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE.
WE WENT ACROSS-TOWN TO CASA
DELLA COTOURA, ONE OF THE FEW
NEUTRAL SPACES.
WE MET STUDENTS IN YOUTH GROUPS,
AK-47, NEW DANCE, AND OTHERS.
THEIR DETERMINATION AND
ENTHUSIASM TO CREATE A BETTER
FUTURE WERE UNDENIABLE.
RAP GROUP AK-47 JOINED WITH
STUDENTS PLAYING CLASSICAL
MUSIC.
THEY PUT ON A STUNNING RAP
PROGRAM AGAINST GANG VIOLENCE.
I COULD HAVE LISTENED TO THEIR
WORDS OF POWERFUL MUSIC ALL DAY.
WE ENDED THE DAY SITTING ON THE
GROUND ABOVE A SMALL PARK IN
COMMUNEA FIVE TALKING WITH MORE
THAN 20 YOUTH LEADERS ABOUT
THEIR DAILY LIVES AND HOW THEY
TRY TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AND
CREATE A BETTER COMMUNITY.
I TOLD THEM THEY SHOULD RUN FOR
OFFICE BECAUSE THE FUTURE
DEPENDED ON THEIR LEADERSHIP.
THE NEXT DAY OUR DELL CASE
RETURNED TO COMMUNEA 5 THIS TIME
WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
WE MET FORMER AND CURRENT GANG
MEMBERS.
WE HEARD IMPASSIONED STORIES
ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO LEAVE THE
GANGS AND THE ENDLESS VIOLENCE.
IT'S NOT AN EASY CHOICE.
THEY FEAR RETALIATION AND NOT
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILIES.
MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE HELPING
THEM LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, BUT
THEIR FUTURES ARE DANGEROUS AND
LIMITED.
THEY ALSO LACK CONFIDENCE IN
THEIR -- POLICE, SOME OF WHOM
ARE ALLIED WITH ONE FACTION OR
ANOTHER IN THE GANG WARS.
THESE YOUTH PUT THEMSELVES AT
RISK FOR ADVOCATING ALTERNATIVES
TO VIOLENCE AND ENVISIONING A
FUTURE FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE
REALITY THAT SURROUNDS THEM.
THEY DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND
SUPPORT, NOT JUST WITH FUNDING,
BUT BY INCREASING THEIR
VISIBILITY AND ILLEGITIMATECY.
RARELY ON MY TRIPS TO COLOMBIA
HAVE I LEFT THE PLACE WITH SUCH
STRONG AND POSITIVE FEELINGS.
AFTER SPENDING TIME IN THE MOST
DANGEROUS AREAS OF THE CITY, I
CAME AWAY WITH A SENSE OF HOPE.
I OFTEN SPEAK OF WHAT'S GOING
WRONG IN COLOMBIA AND THE MANY
PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED.
THERE I FOUND MANY EXAMPLES OF
WHAT IS GOING RIGHT.
I YIELD BACK MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 12-A OF RULE
1, THE CHAIR DECLARES THE HOUSE