Rob Andrews

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Jenny Silver for her efforts to brighten the holidays of those children in New Orleans who have been affected by the recent devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Ms. Silver's actions have served not only as a means of bringing holiday cheer to the children of the Crescent City, but also as an impetus for those of us not directly affected by Katrina to keep its victims in our thoughts. Ms. Silver recently organized a community bowling event in my district, held on December 18, 2005. The event itself was free, provided that each participant raised at least $8 in donations. One hundred percent of the proceeds from that event were used to buy teddy bears, which have since been sent to Children's Hospital in New Orleans. There, the hospital, in conjunction with a local nonprofit organization, distributed the bears as holiday gifts to disadvantaged children both at the hospital and elsewhere in the city. Ms. Silver's generosity in devoting her time and energy to this cause exemplifies the selflessness and civic-mindedness that makes our country great. I commend Jenny Silver, and all those who took part in this event, for their embodiment of what it means to be good neighbors and good Americans.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Florence Gertrude Baker of Collingswood, New Jersey. A dedicated kindergarten teacher for 46 years, Ms. Baker has served my community well throughout her lifetime. During World War II, Ms. Baker organized and served as Co-Chair of the Collingswood Veterans' Service Council. As Chair, she organized military wives in Collingswood and helped to provide them with many beneficial programs. During that time, she began a lifelong commitment to service through the Red Cross. Ms. Baker served as a Red Cross Gray Lady and spent numerous hours at Fort Dix and Walson Army Hospital. Additionally, she was a Red Cross Canteen worker and over the years has chaired many successful Red Cross Blood Drives. These are just a few of the many charitable works to which she has devoted her time and energy. I stand here today to commend Ms. Baker, as so many other groups have before. She has educated our children, cared for our wounded, and been a shining example of civic responsibility and dedication. Happy Birthday, Ms. Baker, and thank you for your decades of generosity and service.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time. I rise in support of the conference report, and I express my appreciation that this report affirms the principle that a great power should not need to resort to inhuman tactics to pursue its objectives. The anti-torture language that is in this conference report is entirely appropriate. I also appreciate the fact that it strikes the proper balance between an affirmation of our principles and an understanding that our intelligence agents must act with discretion and flexibility when dealing with the very difficult job that we have given them. This is an important affirmation that strengthens our country, that improves our intelligence, and makes us safer. I commend the chairman, the ranking member for making sure the provision is in here. I would urge a ``yes'' vote on the conference report.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time. This country is blessed with a powerful and brave military. We have incredible natural resources and the strongest economy in the world. But the greatest strength of this country is our reputation for the adherence to human dignity as a core value of our country. The issue in this motion to instruct is whether we are strong enough and confident enough in that value that we are not afraid to make sure that it is true. We have heard some comments from the other side about accusations being made or not being made about what is happening. There are no accusations here. There is a desire to understand what the facts are. A country that is strong enough to be self-critical is truly strong, an administration that is strong enough to be evaluated is truly strong, and a Congress that is strong enough to do its job of oversight is truly strong enough to carry out its constitutional responsibilities. This country is able to rally people around the world to our cause because people around the world believe that we hold human dignity as a core value. It is my belief that there is probably no record of torture anywhere that can be found. And that is precisely the point we want the rest of the world to know, so that those who defame us are not telling the truth about us. But if we are confident in that core belief and we are confident in our behavior, then we will be confident enough within reason of national security to let this Congress know, to let the country know, and let the world know that we practice what we preach. We should vote ``yes'' for this amendment because we are strong, because what we say are our core values are in fact our core values in practice. Vote for Mr. Skeleton's amendment because its reflects those core values.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I am going to vote to send this bill along to the conference and vote ``yes'' for two reasons: first, I think the bill very wisely includes relief for multi-employer plans, an issue that many of us have worked on for a very long period of time. These are plans run by small businesses who find large contributions to be very stifling to their ability to compete. I think this relief is long overdue, and it is the principle reason that I will vote to send the bill along to conference. The second reason is I think conference will finally be the forum where some very serious flaws in the bill can be addressed and renegotiated. Mr. Miller's substitute, which unfortunately was not made in order under this rule, addresses those flaws. First of all, the law makes it far too easy for failed pension plans to be dumped into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. Mr. Miller and Mr. Rangel had ideas that would preclude that dumping from happening. They ought to be adopted. Second, I think the law ought to make it clear that there cannot be bias or favoritism in favor of highly compensated people at the expense of the rank and file. Mr. Rangel and Mr. Miller's substitute accomplishes that. The underlying bill does not. These and some other issues, I believe, need to be worked out in the conference. I think, unfortunately, they should have been worked out on this House floor with a proper rule, but with those reservations I will vote to send the bill along to conference.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed seven votes on December 7, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on S. 467 (Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005); ``yes'' on H.R. 4096 (Stealth Tax Relief Act of 2005); ``yes'' on H. Con. Res. 196 (Honoring the pilots of United States commercial air carriers who volunteer to participate in the Federal flight deck officer program); ``no'' on the Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair regarding H.R. 3010; ``no'' on H.R. 4340 (United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act); ``yes'' on H.R. 4388 (Tax Revision Act of 2005); and ``yes'' on H.R. 4440 (Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed three votes on November 15th, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 1564 (Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District Conveyance Act); ``yes'' on H.R 323 (to redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the ``Bob Hope Memorial Library''); and ``yes'' on H.R. 856 (Federal Youth Coordination Act).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed four votes on November 8th, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on tabling the Obey motion to instruct the conferees of H.R. 3010; ``yea'' on H. Res. 38 (Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development); ``yea'' on H. Res. 302 (Recognizing and commending the continuing dedication and commitment of employers of the members of the National Guard and the other reserve components who have been mobilized during the Global War on Terrorism and in defense of the United States); and ``yea'' on H.R. 3770 (Grant W. Green Post Office Building Designation Act).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed three votes on November 7th, 2005. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H. Con. Res. 260 (Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non- Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate, and the continuing need for mutual inter-religious respect and dialogue); ``yea'' on H.R. 1973 (Water for the Poor Act of 2005); and ``yea'' on H. Res. 444 (Gynecological Resolution for Advancement of Ovarian Cancer Education).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed two votes on November 1st, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on both H.R. 3548 (the Heinz Ahlmeyer Jr. Post Office Building Designation Act) and H.R. 3989 (the Albert Harold Quie Post Office Designation Act).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend and honor this year's winners of The Rutgers University President's Recognition Program. The Excellence in Service Awards acknowledge the exceptional individual contributions of university staff employees. It recognizes employees who provide superior sustained service, exceptional creativity and resourcefulness, and continually contribute to a positive work environment. The winners of this award are Erica Anderson, Camille S. Andrews, Jeanette Danner, David Maiullo, Joan McCracken, and Christinia Strasburger. The school and I are both extremely proud of your accomplishment. The second award, the Bridge Award, is given to small teams. These teams are nominated for an extraordinary accomplishment demonstrated by the completion of a special project or activity during the last year, while giving a superior, sustained effort. The winning teams of this award are: Blackboard System Implementation and Course Development Support Team, Team members: Ksenia Adamovitch, Jennifer S. Scalf, Monique R. Bonilla, Alan R. Shareshian, Marie J. Botticelli, Palma C. Sisco, Miguel Angel Estremera, Judy Soncrant, Alex V. Flinsch, Karen Yvette Swift, Norma Grace, Daniel R. Villanueva, Martin F. O'Reilly, William J. Yodlowsky, Elizabeth C. Rowe, and Mingkun S. Zhou. GLBA Compliance--Risk Assessment, Office of Financial Services-- Camden, Team members: Christopher V. Caracino, Domenick C. Nasuti, Marlene L. Druding, Stevenson Pierrejacques, Elizabeth A. Gorman, Joyce A. Sepanic, Maria V. Grace, Pamela Yvette Wells. LSDA Project Team, Team members: Barbara Bastek, Jean McDonald-Rash, Cory J. Bastek, Digna M. Solis, Jo-Ann Craig, Erin A. Sullivan, and Rene E. Graham. GLBA Compliance Team, Team members: Melvin L. Brown, Beckman Rich, Jo-Ann Craig, Bruce T. Rights, Nicholas DiGiovanni, Sanjana Rimal, Donald J. Gordon, Rosa M. Rivera, Keith B. Grant, Brian T. Rose, Ellen Harris-Small, Diane D. Spalluto, Lance D. Jordan, Timothy L. Stein, Nathan Kaplan, Theresa G. Wooding, Stanley A. Kolasa, Richard L. Woodland, and Stevenson Pierrejacques RU Info Project Team, Team members: Elizabeth M. Brennan, John A. Kanopka, Eve C. Burris, Debra L. Norman, Elizabeth A. DeMauro, Cynthia B. Paul, Joanne M. Dus-Zastrow, James R. Stapleton, Jennifer L. Hollis, Sherrie Ann Tromp, Eric G. Jacobson, Matthew J. Weismantel, Mary Gail Bellas, and Kevin M. Zygler ``RU Safe?'' Planning Committee, Team members: Rashel L. Carnefix, Laura Luciano, James R. Doyle, Francesca M. Maresca, Amy Ellen Hackett, Anthony Mireles, Rhonda L. Harris, Daniel R. Pascale, John A. Kanopka, Brenton F. Smith, Steven S. Keleman, and Christine E. Sohn. Rutgers Cook College & NJAES (New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station) Resource Center, Team members: Richard Buckley, Gary Huntzinger, Lori A. Gillar, Holly S. Kennington, Michael J. Green, Stephanie L. Murphy, Stephen Griglak, Sabrina Tirpak, Michele Hujber, Bonnie G. Wasielewski, Tina M. Hunter, and Philip Wisneski Web Transcript Project Team, Team members: Patricia Brophy, Lidia A. Levkovitch, Paula M. Couto, Cruz F. Lopez, Miguel Angel Estremera, Thomas McKeon, and Norma Grace, Eugene R. Pizzaia, George R. Hryvniak, and Terry L. Richartz. TOPOFF Planning Committee, Team members: Richard R. Dinan, Mark D. McLane, Steven S. Keleman, Joanne O'Brien, Douglas S. Kokoskie, Alejandro Ruiz, Dorothy Kozlowski, Michael D. Smith, Rosemarie H. Kulp, Gregory J. Trevor, Edward Lifshitz, and James John Zawistowski. Rutgers Learning Centers New Programs Team, Team members: Mary Ann Cancio, Shawn Taylor, Maryann Puccio, Matthew Winkler, Christine E. Sohn, and Calvin Yu. All of the winners have truly earned these awards. I commend them for their hard work and dedication. Along with their fellow nominees, they are vital to making Rutgers a great University, and I hope they continue their excellent work.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed three votes on October 25, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 3675 (the American Spirit Fraud Prevention Act), H. Con. Res. 269 (Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the White House Fellows Program) and H.R. 3256 (the Congressman James Grove Fulton Memorial Post Office Designation Act).

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed five votes on October 18th, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 525, 526, 527 and 528. I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 524.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend and honor Norm Sooy, this year's recipient of the Excellence in Customer Service Award given by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. This award is given to providers of great customer service for veterans. Moreover, it identifies individuals who go above and beyond the scope of their normal duties. For sixteen years, Norm has managed a tremendous caseload as Director of the Camden County Department of Veterans Affairs, and repeatedly volunteers his own time on nights and weekends in order to better serve Camden County veterans. Norm Sooy is a pillar in my community, an esteemed colleague, and above all a close friend. New Jersey is blessed to have such a selfless and hard working champion for veterans. I offer my sincere gratitude to him for his dedication, as I am sure veterans across Camden County do as well.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Stephen F. Kendall. Mr. Kendall was a leading businessman in the great state of New Jersey, and his legacy of integrity and hard work will certainly be remembered. Stephen Kendall built Arch America L.L.C, the major fabricator of metal products and served as its CEO for twenty-seven years. Born in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia, Mr. Kendall graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy and attended Villanova University. In 1959 Mr. Kendall began to work at a tiny aluminum plant. By 1970 he had taken over the firm and proceeded to build the business into Arch America L.L.C. Arch America currently has 1,400 employees. Among its many achievements, Arch America provided scaffolding for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument. In 1997 Mr. Kendall stepped down from his position as CEO and became Chairman of the Board of Arch America. He passed away on October 6, 2005. Stephen Kendall will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife, two sons, one daughter, a brother, and eight grandchildren. His dedication to his family and his business will be remembered for generations to come.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed rollcall vote No. 502 today. If I had been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend and honor the United States Junior Girls' Soccer Team, winners of the Gold Medal at the World Maccabi Games held in Israel this summer. The World Maccabi games are an Olympic-style competition that is among the top sporting events in the world. Participants in the games are Jewish athletes from countries all over the world. The National team was chosen from a group of 65 girls nationwide who were selected to try out last December. The ladies created a bond of true camaraderie and won several intense games. They out hustled, outmaneuvered and outplayed their toughest competition. The only thing that outshined their play was their sportsmanship and respect for the game. They are a true inspiration to soccer players nationwide. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend Jason Neidell, Wendi Whitman, and Mara Schanfield for their work in coaching the team to the Gold Medal. They provided leadership and guidance and an invaluable service to these ladies and the youth soccer movement. I would also like to honor Jamie Hacker, Allyson Gordon, and Genna Brand, who were selected as Captains of the team. May all of the ladies success in this program help them fully realize their potential for productive, successful lives, and I wish these girls all the best in their future endeavors. The following are the members of the United States Junior Girls' Gold Medal winners at the 2005 Maccabi World Games: Sarah Berger, Genna Brand, Allyson Gordon, Amanda Gurin, Jamie Hacker, Lizzie Haldane, Kasey Hirsty, Kayli Hirsty, Lindsay Jaffe, Carly Knue, Allison Kurtz, Samantha Kurtz, Rebecca Rostowsky, Zoe Sarnak, Alexandra Schwach, Dena Shleifer, Morani Stelmach, Rachael Sushner, Julie Kaufman, Sofia Vallone. Head Coach--Jason Neidell, Assistant Coaches--Wendi Whitman and Mara Schanfield.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed two votes on September 20, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 476 and 477.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about our responsibility to destroy our Nation's stockpile of deadly chemical weapons by April 2007, while also being forthright about the costs and time required to comply with this obligation. This is a commitment that we made to both the American people and the world when the Senate ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1997. As outlined by statute, Congress retains a continuing oversight role in the CWC's implementation. So far, we've destroyed 37 percent of our total stockpile of chemical weapons. Without a doubt, the destruction of these chemical weapons is a complicated and costly process. No one is under the illusion that we will meet the 2007 deadline for complete destruction. Unfortunately, civilian officials in the Department of Defense have managed, and continue to manage, much of this program in a way that has guaranteed that we will not meet our treaty obligations by the deadline. In fact, we will be hard pressed to meet the five-year extension that we will be forced to apply for in April of 2006. More importantly, the Department of Defense continues to mislead Congress and the public about the true financial cost of, and time requirements for, complete destruction of the remaining two-thirds of our chemical weapons. I have become intimately involved with this issue because the Army has proposed to send four million gallons of VX hydrolysate from Newport, Indiana to a DuPont facility in New Jersey where it would be treated and then dumped into the Delaware River. I've joined with many of my colleagues from New Jersey and Delaware to shine a brighter light on this illogical proposal. I believe that our involvement has provided people who live near the Delaware River and people in Newport with much more information about this proposal than they would have received otherwise. But we have a long way to go. At our urging, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are taking a much closer look at this proposal. In April of this year they issued a report that could not recommend proceeding with the treatment and disposal at the DuPont facility until EPA's noted deficiencies are addressed. EPA's ecologic analysis indicated that there are too many unknowns to determine whether the ecologic risk from the discharge of treated VX hydrolysate to the Delaware River is acceptable. As decisions are being made about how to deal with hydrolysate at other chemical weapon sites, specifically the Blue Grass Depot in Kentucky and the Pueblo Depot in Colorado, I find it insightful to juxtapose findings by the Department of Defense related to those sites with proposals made regarding the hydrolysate at Newport. The Department of Defense agency responsible for destroying the weapons at Blue Grass has determined that shipping hydrolysate off-site isn't worth the trouble. While under perfect conditions, off-site treatment could potentially offer cost and time savings, the conditions involved with the destruction of chemical weapons are far from perfect. With respect to Newport, the battle over off-site disposal has added at least three years and an indeterminable amount of taxpayer money to the final completion and cost of destruction of the 1,200 tons of VX stored there. I have repeatedly called for the release of a detailed cost-benefit analysis of various destruction options for the VX hydrolysate at Newport, but the Department of Defense refuses to provide this information. Recently the Department of Defense stated that one option for treating the VX hydrolysate, supercritical water oxidation, would add $300 million and an additional two years. But they provide absolutely no supporting evidence of this claim. In fact, some say that this method would cost $30 to $35 million and could be up and running in a year. Another key fact going unmentioned is that VX would continue to be neutralized while an on-site hydrolysate treatment facility is built. After all isn't neutralization of the VX the most important thing we want to accomplish? I call on the Department of Defense to provide a detailed justification of this $300 million dollar claim in addition to why they think it would add two years to final destruction. For too long the decision making process for the destruction of our chemical weapons has been a closed process that hasn't adequately considered the opinions of affected communities. I call on Congress to tighten its oversight of this program and demand a detailed justification of all possible ways to destroy chemical weapon hydrolysate at Newport, Blue Grass and Pueblo. Those communities have suffered long enough with the presence of these deadly weapons. We must demand a much better justification of why we should expose new communities to this risk. As seen by the frustrating and problematic path that the Department of Defense has followed in Newport since September 11, 2001, the stubborn pursuit of off-site disposal of hydrolysate has resulted in longer exposure to the threat of chemical weapons in our country while preventing us from meeting our treaty obligations. It is past due for Congress to take a much more active role in exercising its Constitutional responsibility of oversight of this effort.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the manager's amendment to the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2005. The amendment includes some very important provision that were previously passed by this chamber in a bill called the Delaware River Protection Act. The Delaware River Protection Act was primarily authored and introduced earlier in the year by my esteemed colleague, Congressman Frank LoBiondo. I was pleased to be a cosponsor of that legislation and I am greatly pleased that the language is included in the manager's amendment. The language is part of a bipartisan effort to protect the ecologically and economically significant Delaware River waterway. In November 2004, the hull of the oil tanker, Athos, was torn open by a submerged object and spilled an estimated 265,000 gallons of oil into our river. The cleanup efforts have cost at least $167 million thus far and the impact to the wetlands will be felt for years to come. We must prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future, as it is an economic as well as an environmental imperative; the Delaware River must remain open to commercial traffic. The language in the Delaware River Protection Act, which will now be part of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act, is a strong step to secure this precious resource. This language increases the liability limits on single-hull tankers under the Oil Pollution Act, thereby encouraging the adoption of more robust double-hull tankers. In addition, it requires mandatory reporting of objects that are lost overboard to the Coast Guard. There are also provisions to prepare for the contingency of another spill by updating the current response plan, establishing a committee to report to Congress on ways to improve oil spill response and prevention, and establishing a pilot project on the Delaware to test techniques to recover submerged oil. I commend Congressman LoBiondo for his diligent work on this important effort. I also thank my colleagues, Representatives Allyson Schwartz, Jim Saxton, and Mike Castle for their input and support.

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my esteemed colleague, Congressman Markey. His amendment seeks to protect the citizens of our cities and towns from the potential threat posed by liquefied natural gas, LNG, tankers traversing our waterways. I fully grasp the need to import additional quantities of fuel, particularly natural gas. Our energy supplies are dwindling and have been further hampered by the recent events in the Gulf. However, I must question the haste of our efforts to import LNG without the proper planning to ensure the public's safety. As it stands now, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, has the preeminent authority in siting these LNG facilities. The recently passed Energy Bill even included a provision that usurped State's rights in the siting process. The problem here is that FERC is an agency concerned with energy policy, yet they have limited expertise in security and public safety. In the past, we could rely on individual States to make security decisions, but now that authority is in jeopardy. The most prudent action we can take at this time to ensure the safety and security of our citizens is to bolster the power of the Coast Guard. While the Coast Guard is already involved in siting LNG facilities, this amendment offered by Congressman Markey would give the Coast Guard the specific direction they need to properly and thoroughly examine risks posed to the public. There is no doubt that LNG will become an increasing part of our Nation's energy supply. Moreover, there will be some prospective sites that are suitable for LNG facilities and others that are not. I am not here to make a judgment on any specific sites. Rather, I want the professionals in the Coast Guard to do the security analysis. Our energy needs cannot take precedent over the safety of our citizens. Once again, I support Mr. Markey's amendment and I urge my colleagues to include it in the final bill.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, today I stand in full support of H.R. 3645 to provide financial relief to the millions of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. My prayers go out to the victims and their families. Despite a massive search and rescue effort to locate victims of Hurricane Katrina, many still remain in harm's way while scores of others attempt to piece together what is left of their lives. As such, we are faced with the difficult task of providing the attention and resources in order to rescue those still in danger; providing comfort to those without food, clean water, or shelter; and preventing further devastation from disease. This funding will provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency with just enough money to get started on immediate disaster assistance. However, this is just the beginning of our financial commitment to the people of these ravaged areas. The $10 billion will give our emergency responders the means to save and help rebuild lives in the short-term, but the long-term funding situation is uncertain and daunting. It is too early to estimate the final cost of rescue operations or the huge task of caring for the victims of this enormous tragedy. It is my understanding that total costs could exceed $100 billion. I will continue to support whatever funding is needed for as long as it takes to rescue all in danger and to help our fellow Americans rebuild their lives. As is always the case with a disaster of this magnitude, we must closely examine what could have been done differently and try to make right what once was wrong. In this instance, many factors combined to cause such widespread destruction and loss of life. The key questions are: what could have been done to properly plan for such a disaster and what should have been done to respond more quickly once the destination of Katrina was confirmed. Proper planning on the part of the local and State governments was severely lacking. The decision to evacuate New Orleans without making provisions to transport people too poor to own or too sick to operate a vehicle was a moral abomination. We basically left people to see if they would die and many of them did. Every evacuation response plan in the Nation should, by federal law, be required to include transportation plans for such people. The excuse that this catastrophe was unpredictable is nonsense--scientists and engineers have been saying for years that a hurricane with Katrina's force could break the levees and flood the city of New Orleans. Despite these specific warnings, the local and State governments were woefully underprepared to deal with the magnitude of this disaster. The slow response of the Federal government is equally abysmal and even more troubling. The Administration showed its indifference to the people in the Gulf by waiting until Saturday, September 3rd to deploy 7,200 active-duty ground troops. However as soon as the storm passed, it was clear that the local and State governments were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the disaster. President Bush should have deployed these troops to the region as soon as the levee broke on Tuesday, if not sooner. All of the available resources of the federal government should have been mobilized immediately to evacuate people and organize food, shelter, and medical operations. In the days after Katrina's winds and rain subsided, it is indisputable that the Federal government failed the people of the Gulf Region. Rather than acknowledge these shortcomings, the administration has brazenly lauded the Federal response. President Bush and others glossed over the fact that many people died as a result of the government's incompetence and indifference. The inadequate response to this disaster demonstrated to me that we have learned little from the lessons of September 11, 2001, and we are ill-prepared to deal with a major national disaster whether it be a natural or man-made. I am determined to play whatever role I can in changing our Federal response system so that this type of gross negligence does not happen again. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate my support for H.R. 3645 and I pledge my continued support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 90th birthday of one of New Jersey's finest citizens, John Kerfoot, and to honor all that he has done for his fellow Americans. John is a model citizen who devoted his life to serving his country and community. He fought bravely in the European Theater in World War Two, and was rightly honored with a Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star for his service. Upon his return, John Kerfoot committed himself to helping the great state of New Jersey. He has devoted time and energy to the Camden County Democratic Committee, the Office of the Aging, and the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority. He has served as a Sergeant at Arms for the New Jersey State Senate, a Camden County Freeholder, and a Labor Compliance Inspector for the Camden County Community Development Program. Over the past fifty years, John has helped his hometown of Audubon by serving honorably with the Audubon Park Fire Company, the Audubon Board of Education, and the Audubon Park Borough Council. Although John is an extremely busy man, he still finds time to bowl with his wife Anne. His skills are certainly not limited to bowling, however. He successfully boxed in the Golden Gloves Tournament in the early 1930's, and even won the boxing championship at Fort Dix in 1932 at the age of seventeen. Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor John Kerfoot today. He has certainly accomplished much in the past 90 years, and his exemplary life of service is one to be admired. Moreover, it is a pleasure to call John a friend, and I wish him a very happy birthday, with the hope of many more to come.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I missed five votes on July 28, 2005. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 448, 450 and 452. I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall Nos. 449 and 451.

Mr. ANDREWS

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt), a Member who does not want to see a 23-percent increase in premiums for his constituents. (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)