Dan Burton

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 398.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 398, a resolution which condemns Iran's continued violations of its obligations and commitments regarding its nuclear program; expresses Congress' grave concern over Iran's efforts to develop the means to produce nuclear weapons, which threaten not only that region, but possibly the world; and calls for a series of steps to be undertaken by various parties to address this threat. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this measure, and I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), on this bipartisan effort and for their leadership. Mr. Speaker, after getting caught with its hand in the cookie jar, the Iranian regime was forced to admit in the fall of 2002 that it had nuclear facilities that it had failed to declare to the International Atomic Energy Agency. From that time onward, Iran has engaged in a systematic campaign of deception and manipulation to hide its true intentions and to keep its large-scale nuclear efforts a secret. For at least 18 years, the Iranian regime has been pursuing a covert nuclear program. It has undertaken a number of efforts for the manufacture and testing of centrifuge components, most of which, according to recent IAEA reporting, are owned by military industrial organizations. It has an enrichment facility designed for the simultaneous operation of large numbers of centrifuges, and a large, partially-underground facility at Natanz, intended to house up to 50,000 centrifuges. Concurrently, Iran is pursuing another approach to uranium enrichment which uses lasers, a complex technology rarely used by even the most advanced countries because it is not cost efficient. Iran has expressed interest in the purchase of up to six additional nuclear power plants and is pursuing a heavy water research reactor at Arak, a type of reactor that would be well-suited for plutonium production. This represents yet another path to nuclear weapons, which endangers not only the region, but the world. According to the IAEA report of November of last year, the Iranian regime admitted that it had failed to report a large number of activities involving nuclear material, including the separation of a small amount of plutonium. This same report noted that Iran's deceptions have dealt with the most sensitive aspects of the nuclear cycle. Further, the IAEA could not disprove that Iran's nuclear program was not for weapons development and could not conclude that it was solely for ``peaceful purposes.'' Iran's most recent breaches of its obligations include failing to disclose work on advanced P-2 centrifuges for uranium enrichment and work on Polonium 210, an element which could be used in nuclear explosions. As a result, Iran has forfeited its right to develop a nuclear fuel cycle and should immediately and unconditionally cease all nuclear enrichment activities. H. Con. Res. 398 enumerates a series of steps that should be undertaken to, number one, hold the Iranian regime accountable for its nuclear program; and, two, establish a clear precedent that such proliferation efforts, efforts which clearly threaten international peace and security, will not be tolerated. Those who pursue them will have to suffer the consequences. The Iranian Government needs to think very, very strongly about that. Among the demands it places on the International Atomic Energy Agency, it urges the IAEA Board of Governors to quickly report the Iranian case to the U.N. Security Council for further action, which should include steps to prevent Iran from engaging in further clandestine nuclear activities. It also urges the U.N. Security Council to declare that non-nuclear weapons states under the NPT who violate their commitments forfeit their rights under this treaty. As President Bush said on February 11 of this year, ``Proliferators must not be allowed to cynically manipulate the NPT to acquire the material and infrastructure necessary for manufacturing illegal weapons.'' Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 398 calls upon the international community, through different venues, to use all appropriate means to deter and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, including ending all nuclear cooperation with Iran until certain conditions are met. Given the ongoing developments in the political and economic relationship of the European Union countries and Iran, the resolution calls upon the EU countries to suspend bilateral trade agreements with this pariah state until Iran has verifiably and permanently ceased all nuclear weapons development efforts. Also, given the severity of Iran's proliferation activities and heeding the lessons from Libya, H. Con. Res. 398 asks the European Union to go a step further and consider sanctions as a means of compelling Iran to comply with these international obligations and expressed commitments. It calls on governments whose nationals, businesses, and other entities are implicated in assisting Iranian nuclear activities to, one, fully investigate such a relationship; two, grant full access to the IAEA to conduct its own parallel investigations; and, three, immediately review and rectify export control regulations and practices to prevent further assistance to countries seeking a nuclear weapons capacity. These are not just in keeping with President Bush's counterproliferation initiatives as outlined in February of this year, but also affirm the tenets of the U.S.-led resolution adopted by the U.N. Security Council just last Wednesday. Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 398 reinforces longstanding congressional efforts to deny terrorists and their state sponsors the funds to pursue and expand their threatening activities, in particular, their proliferation activities. It calls on all countries to take steps to end investment-related efforts that in some way support Iran's energy sector. This is particularly relevant given plans announced by Iran on Sunday aiming for a six-fold increase in its petrochemical revenues to $20 billion a year by the year 2015. It is further relevant given, for example, the April 25 announcement that French oil giant Total was awarded a $1.2 billion contract to develop phase 11 of the massive South Pars gas field in Iran. H. Con. Res. 398, therefore, also calls for immediate enforcement of the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act with respect to Iran. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would simply like to refer to a recent statement made by Iran's so-called moderate leader, Mohammad Khatami, while Iran was blocking access to IAEA inspectors. He said Iran ``has no obligation toward anybody other than what our interests require.'' Placing this in further context, I draw my colleagues' attention to Iran's display last fall of its newly deployed advanced medium-range ballistic missiles which military analysts say could reach Israel or U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf. Television photographs of the display showed one of the missile carriers with a sign that read, ``We will stomp on America,'' and that says it all, as far as I am concerned. We must stop their nuclear proliferation program. A terrorist state like Iran must not, cannot, be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapons capability, and we need to do whatever is necessary to stop them. Let us send a clear message to Iran, and to all other potential proliferators, that we will not tolerate this behavior, we will not sit idly by as Iran threatens our Nation, our interests, and global security. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to render their strong support to this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time as well.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this concurrent resolution sponsored by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) expressing the indignation of the Congress over the continued arbitrary detention of Dr. Wang Bingzhang by the Government of the People's Republic of China. In recent years, we have all noted Beijing's pattern of using trumped-up charges to arrest and detain Chinese academics and democracy proponents who live outside China during their visits back to their ancestral homeland. In Dr. Wang's case, however, Beijing has gone one step further in its attempt to muzzle the overseas Chinese community through tactics of fear and intimidation. Dr. Wang was not detained within the borders of China itself. He was instead kidnapped, abducted during a visit to Vietnam, bound and blindfolded, and forcibly transported across the border between Vietnam and China in a clear violation of international law. This case serves to demonstrate that despite historic differences, the communist regimes in Hanoi and Beijing are willing to make common cause when it comes to suppressing the voices of the advocates of democratic reform. This is common among communist brotherhood. The People's Republic of China's legal transgressions and abuses in this case are so egregious that the United Nations, despite its sensitivity to Beijing's status as a permanent member of the Security Council, declared that the detention of Dr. Wang is a contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Beijing has further attempted to manipulate heightened post-September 11 international concerns over terrorism by charging Dr. Wang with ``the conduct of terrorist activities'' due to his advocacy of labor rights in China. The Working Group of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, however, has rendered a finding that the Chinese government has offered ``no evidence of any specific occasion on which Dr. Wang made the alleged calls to violence,'' further noting that Dr. Wang himself was a victim of kidnapping by the very Chinese authorities who have accused him. Such false labeling of a victim of abduction as a terrorist is a cynical maneuver which demeans the memory of the victims of genuine terrorist attacks throughout the world. This is a perfect example of some of the things that the Chinese communists do that is just unthinkable, and the world should condemn them for that. Beijing's border controls not only include cases of bringing people forcibly back into China, as with the case of Dr. Wang and the group of Tibetan refugees who were forcibly repatriated by the Chinese communists in Nepal last year. Beijing also seeks to forcibly keep people from leaving. We have heard that before. Remember the Berlin Wall? The People's Republic of China crossed a new line of inhumanity on the borders last month when, according to a reliable NGO report, Chinese border guards shot in the back and killed a North Korean refugee as he was attempting to cross into Mongolia, where he would have received safe haven and have been free. It reminds us of the Berlin Wall and the German border guards shooting to kill refugees when all they wanted was freedom. I say here today: Beijing, tear down the walls of oppression, of arbitrary abduction of democracy advocates, and of victimization of refugees on the run who cannot defend themselves. First, let Dr. Wang go. He is suffering in prison from serious medical conditions. He never had any intention of entering China's territory, and he needs to return to his waiting family, who misses him dearly here in the United States. And second, lift the bamboo curtain of intimidation directed at both its own citizens inside China and the overseas Chinese community which is calling for political as well as economic reform in their homeland. China has undergone profound change in the last 2 decades. Beijing has increasingly sought, through such actions as participation in international peacekeeping and through hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, to take its place among the advanced countries of the world. But China cannot truly be a great nation until Beijing ends its systematic suppression of individual human rights such as clearly demonstrated in the case of Dr. Wang Bingzhang. Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe that a country that is economically as strong as China is would stoop to shooting a person in the back who wants to gain freedom just to stop them from getting out of their country, and it boggles my mind that China would actually go into Vietnam, kidnap somebody, blindfold them, and take them forcibly back to China when all they wanted was to see freedom and labor rights in China, and keeping this gentleman from his family, I think, is just unthinkable. So if anybody in the Chinese embassy is paying attention, this is something they should address very quickly and get this man back home to his family. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, as today is primary election day in Indiana, I was delayed in my return to Washington, DC, and therefore unable to be on the House floor for rollcall votes 139, 140, and 141. Had I been here I would have voted ``yea'' for rollcall vote 139, ``yea'' for rollcall vote 140, and ``yea'' for rollcall vote 141.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Lisa Herman Ellison for being nominated as one of only five national finalists in the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) and NASDAQ National Teaching Awards. Lisa was selected from among applicants around the United States for her originality, creativity, and effectiveness in the teaching of economics. One of the greatest educational challenges we face today is ensuring that students enter the world financially literate. A sound grounding in economics is necessary for individuals to participate in an increasingly complex global economy. The need for innovative and effective methods for teaching about the global economy has never been greater, and Lisa effectively prepares Kokomo High School students for that environment. Lisa teaches senior-level Advanced Placement Macro- and Microeconomics, Economics, U.S. Government and Advanced Placement Government and Politics at Kokomo High School in my district. Lisa's creative approach to the topic of economics tasks her students with running a mock corporation. The students develop written and graphic analyses of the effects of international political events, trade policies, and finance issues on their simulated corporations. The students then complete a mock stock market analysis based on their corporation's involvement in international trade and the effects of government policies. Finally, students participate in ``International Day,'' which involves researching and preparing papers and presentations on a country and how government policies, cultural influences, and geography affect that Nation's economy. Mr. Speaker and my esteemed colleagues, please join me in honoring and recognizing the service and commitment that Ms. Lisa Herman Ellison gives to her students on a daily basis. She is a fine example of the best the teaching profession has to offer.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, just 200 miles off the coast of Florida lies the island of Hispaniola, an island that contains two politically diverse countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. While Haiti is slowly emerging from civil unrest and developing democratic institutions, their Dominican neighbors will once again exercise their right to elect their nation's next President on May 16th. Since 1966, a little less than 4 decades, the Dominican Republic has elected its President in free and fair elections, and 2004 will likely be no different. Particularly in light of recent events in neighboring Haiti, it is important for us to recognize this notable moment of democracy in the Dominican Republic. I believe it is essential that we applaud these worthy developments in the Dominican Republic as a noble example for other Caribbean and Latin American nations of the power and strength of democracy. Relations between Washington and Santo Domingo are strong, and the Dominican Republic is an important ally in the global war on terror. Indeed, they have been a partner in the war against Saddam Hussein's despotic and terrorist regime and the Dominican Republic has also been a committed ally in the war against illegal drugs. Dominican officials have provided invaluable assistance to our immigration officials and have worked closely with our law enforcement agents to cut off the flow of illegal narcotics to our shores. The Dominican Republic's democratic elections will impact the future of the island of Hispaniola, the greater Caribbean, Americans of Dominican descent, and the foreign policy of the United States. I sincerely hope that the Dominican Republic, its current government and the respective presidential candidates will continue to demonstrate their commitment to democratic stability, and the transparency of the electoral process. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I salute the Dominican people for their willingness and passion to support and promote a free and fair democratic process in their country, and for sharing our common ideals of liberty and the rule of law.

Mr. BURTON

Mr. BURTON. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 135 on adoption of a motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 1904, the Wilkie D. Ferguson United States Courthouse Designation Act, I am not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues on Indonesia's recent strides towards democratization. Indonesia should be hailed as the poster child for emerging democracies throughout the world. A major secular state with a Muslim majority, Indonesia is the world's third largest democracy and is gaining International recognition for its strides towards complete democratization. Indonesia's democratization matters precisely because the country is making progressive political and constitutional reforms while also demonstrating that Islam and democracy are not mutually exclusive and can successfully work in tandem for one nation. When so many positive stories in the Muslim world are obscured by violent uprisings in areas of historic conflict, it is high time to take notice of the truly impressive strides Indonesia is making. On Monday, April 5th, nearly 148 million voters in Indonesia took to the polls in a critical test for their young democracy. Indonesians selected national, provincial, and regional Parliamentary Representatives. Unlike other international elections, campaigning there has not been marred by violence--and by most media reports--the balloting was conducted in an efficient, clean, transparent, and purely democratic manner. And on July 5th, in one of the largest electoral undertakings in the world and for the first time in Indonesia's history, the President and Vice President will be directly elected. Indonesia's economy was battered in the financial crisis of 1997, and governing this sprawling archipelago has not been easy in the wake of the economic meltdown and dramatic political change that we have witnessed in the seven short years of post-Soeharto Reformasi. In fact, much remains to be done there, particularly in the critical areas of judicial reform, corruption, human rights, and social welfare. With close to half of the world's shipping fleet passing through Indonesian waters, the geopolitical importance of the country cannot be overstated. In addition, the threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia is real and Indonesia has been the unfortunate victim of several major attacks in recent years. In order to quell terrorist threats, Indonesia's government is discovering new ways of working with regional law enforcement and intelligence communities in hopes of rooting out homegrown radicalism. But Indonesia should not fight this battle alone: solid U.S. support is needed in the struggle to keep Indonesia safe against the devastation and destruction of terrorism. With more than 300 major American firms doing business in Indonesia-- and as massive decentralization takes place--near term U.S. investment in the country will exceed $25 Billion. As a result, the United States should continue providing support to help Indonesia stabilize and consolidate these economic, political, and social gains. By combining strategic development initiatives and more effective public diplomacy, we can successfully engage Indonesia in this election year and beyond. As a new generation of democratic participation arises out of Indonesia's turbulent past, the United States and Indonesia's neighbors can only benefit as Indonesia embraces the model of a modern democratic state. With Indonesia's current level of economic and social development, the International Community now has the unique opportunity to assist with the country's continual progress towards complete democratization. We should do all we can to help Indonesia become a positive Muslim and democratic influence in that vital region of the world community.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. I am proud that Taiwan and the United States have enjoyed such a strong and durable relationship over the last quarter century in part due to our shared democratic values. The Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in maintaining peace, security and stability in the Taiwan Straits and the Western Pacific since its enactment in 1979. Today Taiwan is truly an economic success story and I am confident that the Bush Administration and our allies in the region will remain committed to playing an appropriate supporting role in reducing tensions across the straits. I am also hopeful that expanded confidence-building exchanges between Beijing and Taipei will lessen the likelihood of any potential conflict in the region. Under the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act, the Republic of China has become a shining example of economic prosperity. Taiwan has become the eighth largest U.S. trading partner with total Taiwanese exports of US$ 32.2 Billion and imports of US$ 18.4 Billion. Taiwan is currently the world's twentieth largest economy with a GDP of US$ 219 Billion. I believe the United States should continue to expand trade opportunities with Taiwan like the recently signed letters of intent for Taiwan to increase purchases of Indiana's agricultural products. I stand today in strong support of Taiwan's membership in international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Taiwan is deserving because of its commitment to our shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, peace and prosperity. Once again, Mr. Speaker, on the historically significant occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, I rise to pay tribute to America's relationship with Taiwan, and I call upon this body to recommit ourselves to the prospect of peace, freedom and democracy in Taiwan for the next twenty-five years and beyond.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to stand before you today to recognize the achievements of a fine Westfield High School student, Carol Rupprecht, of Carmel, Indiana. Ms. Rupprecht-- sponsored by VFW Post 10207 in Westfield, IN--has been named a winner in the 2004 National Voice of Democracy Program and recipient of the Department of Connecticut and Auxiliary Scholarship. Each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies Auxiliary conduct a Voice of Democracy audio and essay competition designed to give high school students the opportunity to voice their opinion on their responsibility to our country. This year, more than 80,000 secondary school students participated in this contest competing for 59 national scholarships. The contest theme for this year was ``My Commitment to America's Future.'' I am respectfully requesting that Ms. Rupprecht's winning essay, entitled ``My Commitment to America's Future,'' be submitted to the Congressional Record for my colleagues' review. We're always talking about the future. Our guidance counselors try to prepare us for it; stockbrokers try to predict it; scientists discuss their hopes and ideas for it. But it inevitably ends up that we cannot know and pencil in every detail of what will happen in days to come. But we can influence the future through what we do in the present and what we commit to do in the future. A commitment is not just a promise in a valiant speech or a fleeting charitable intention. A commitment is a set of actions that follow up on one's intentions. When September 11th recharged our devotion to America, we began to exhibit this renewed commitment by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance more frequently at school. We have recited it from memory since we were in elementary school, but this renewal of tradition got me thinking. What exactly am I promising? Am I only pledging to be loyal to this country, or does it entail more than that? To me, it does. In order to outline all that my pledge of allegiance involves, I have created the acronym PLEDGE: Protect, Lead, Education, Dedicate, Give, and Elect. This will ensure that I never forget what I owe America. The first letter of PLEDGE is ``P.'' I will protect the ideals of America--the values that make our country stand out from the rest. The determination to protect these ideals was epitomized in the hearts of the veterans such as those who will forever be remembered at the Korean Memorial in Washington D.C. As I passed the silent statues of these men forever frozen in their quest for freedom, I knew that they had made the ultimate commitment to the preservation of America and its values. They were assigned a duty and didn't back down. The valor and selflessness that these soldiers demonstrated are qualities I should strive to imitate. The second letter of PLEDGE is ``L.'' I will lead my fellow Americans, especially the youth of America, and I will encourage them to follow the examples of our forefathers, our war veterans, and of past and present patriots. I, too, will endeavor to set an example worth following. The next letter in PLEDGE is ``E.'' I will educate myself on our nation's history and the sacrifices of veterans who enabled us to have a history. I will then be able to share what I learn with others. The fourth letter, ``D,'' stands for ``dedicate.'' I will dedicate my time, energy, and talents to making the most of the opportunities America has given to me. I will study hard; I will work hard. I won't let my dreams become wilted flowers that could have thrived. Instead, I'll sow discipline, determination, and faith and cultivate my field of dreams. The letter ``G'' in PLEDGE stands for ``give.'' I will give my services to the community and my prayers for the people of America, especially its leaders. As author Carolyn Simpson said in her book The Value of Patriotism, ``Patriotism boils down essentially to one thing: giving something back to your community.'' I, too, believe that one of the best ways to show a love for one's country is to show love for its people. The final letter in PLEDGE, ``E,'' stands for ``elect.'' When I reach the voting age, I will ensure that my voice is heard by electing government officials. My vote will have an effect on America's future, in the same way that my actions today will affect America's future. We, the youth of America, are its future. The veterans who went before us fought and sacrificed to secure our freedom, and we are now reaping the benefits of what they sowed. Let's do the same not only for our own generation but also for those that follow. Let's make a PLEDGE to Protect, Lead, Educate, Dedicate, Give, and Elect. God has richly blessed America, and America has given much to each of us. So what will I give back? What is my commitment to America's future? I will wake up each morning with a renewed determination to serve my God and my country. I will appreciate those who were and are committed to America, and I will endeavor to be counted among them.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. And the gentleman has been to Iraq, and so have I.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Yes.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Yes. Let us back them up in New York or someplace else.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, they saw what happened in Somalia when Black Hawk Down happened, and the previous administration did exactly what they wanted them to do, and that was to pull out. Now, that was an encouragement, I believe, to the terrorists around the world at that point. Now we are in a world war against them. The President has made a commitment to free the world from terrorism and to protect the American citizens against another attack like 9/11. If we want to encourage the terrorists, and I say this to my colleagues and to the news media and everybody else, if we want to encourage the terrorists, what we need to do is pull out and give them the green light to continue to use this kind of terrorist tactic to dissuade the free world from fighting against this terrorist activity and we are going to let them have the run of the field. That is something that we cannot do, we must not do. This is a war that the free world and the United States cannot lose. Toward that end, regarding Fallujah and what happened in the last couple of days and the terrorist attacks in Iraq, what we need to do, and I would say this if the President were here tonight, what we need to do is let our troops go in there and go house to house and take those weapons away to pacify that area. And anyone who has a gun, arrest them. And anyone who uses weapons in the commission of a terrorist attack or a crime, arrest them, get them out of there, and let the people know over there that we are going to do what is necessary to free them from the terrorist influence. And if we do not do that, then we are going to continue to encourage them. So I would say to the President if he were listening tonight, and he may very well be or his advisors, let us let our troops go in there and pacify that area. Let us send a very strong signal to the terrorists and their affiliates over there that we are not going to stand still and let American citizens be killed or let American military personnel be killed. It is extremely important that this signal be sent and sent now, because if we start listening to the liberals and the media who say, pull in our horns, let us start regressing and getting out of there, then what is going to happen is there is going to be a green light to the terrorists and we are going to have a hell of a problem.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, first of all, I was watching the gentleman on television and I agreed with so much of what he said, in fact, everything that the gentleman said. But one of the things that concerns me is, while I was watching the gentleman on television, I was also watching CNN and Fox and watching the news reports on what happened in Fallujah in Iraq today. And some of the people who have been commenting on what happened have said, we really out to reevaluate, we ought to pull our troops out, and they are talking in a way that will give aid and comfort to the enemies of the free world, not just the United States, but the free world, and that concerns me a great deal. President Bush is doing the right thing, as the gentleman has stated, in fighting this war against terror and terrorism and terrorists. This is a world war. And the American people and my colleagues and the media need to realize, this is a world war not unlike what we faced in World War I, World War II and so forth. The difference is it is a guerilla- type war being fought by fanatics who use people as bombs, who blow up innocent civilians and kill people, and they are not going to go away.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. One of the things that was reported on briefly but should have been reported on in more detail was after 9/11 and the World Trade Center was taken down by the planes, and the Pentagon was attacked, and they were going to attack the Capitol had it not been for those heroic people in Pennsylvania that died, but the fact of the matter is planes coming from Paris, France, and from Europe were stopped from coming over here because they found out through intelligence gathering that they had potential terrorists on those planes that were going to make them into bombs to blow up more buildings in the United States. So our intelligence-gathering capability has increased dramatically since President Bush took office and since Tom Ridge took over homeland security. Things are getting better, and we are stopping terrorist attacks, but those are the things that ought to be reported upon, the things that we have stopped from happening in the United States to protect the American people, instead of dwelling just on negatives. If we just do that, I would be much, much happier. I just want to say to my colleague, because I am going to leave the stage back to him, I want to thank you very, very much for taking this time. We ought to have a whole host of our colleagues down here talking about this tonight, but you are the guy that did it, and I want to thank you for carrying the mantle of leadership tonight. You are to be congratulated.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. The gentleman makes a very good point. That is the kind of thing that the media should focus on. Here is a terrorist state, a known terrorist state that has said, okay, we are going to reject terrorism. And the reason was because they saw what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. We sent a very strong signal. We have had 500 troops die there in Iraq. I do not want one of those troops to have died in vain. They sent a very strong signal around the world. If the media continues on the path, and I am not talking about all the media now, but if the more liberal media continues on the path that it is on saying why should we not bring our troops home, why are we letting these sorts of things happen, they send a signal, as my colleague said before, to the terrorists that this sort of thing is working. That should not be the signal we send. It was not the signal we sent in World War I or World War II. We should not send it now. Because this is a world war that the United States and the free world cannot afford to lose. And we cannot afford to send signals that encourage the terrorist network.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman would yield. When I was over there, I am sure my colleague found the same thing, they had found 400,000 people in unmarked graves. They estimated between 1 and 1.3 million people that are unaccounted for. They were putting people in wood chippers, they were raping women. It was horrible what was going on, the torture and everything.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Let me just say that back in the mid-90s we knew from intelligence reports that there were terrorist training camps in and around Khartoum in the Sudan. We knew that. We knew Usama bin Laden was in Khartoum, and we knew of the terrorist attacks like the ones that my colleague cited a few minutes ago; and we really did not go after him, although we should have at that time. Now, I am not saying there is not enough blame to go around. Any time you get into a military conflict, especially one this extensive, there are going to be mistakes made. But the one mistake that has not been made is by our President. He has done the right thing in taking the mantle of leadership and moving forward. He is going after the terrorists wherever they hide in Afghanistan, in Iraq, wherever they are. And I commend him for that. And this country, and the media in particular, if they are paying any attention tonight, the media in particular ought to think about the ramifications of trying to get us to pull in our horns when we are fighting a war against terrorism. They should be supporting the effort to rid the world of terrorists and the terrorist network instead of pointing out all the deficiencies. We are in a war against terrorism, one we cannot afford to lose. We have a man at the helm right now who is doing the right things. And, by golly, he ought to be supported not just by my colleague and me, but by the entire country and, in particular, those in the media because they have such a tremendous influence on public policy.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, yes, I was there about 3 weeks ago.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I would like to say something about what my colleague said a moment ago. He was talking about, in essence, we cannot look back and talk about the shortcomings. We have to look forward and say what are we doing now to deal with the problem; what are we going to do with it in the future. Bobby Jones, one of the greatest golfers of all time, I will use this as an analogy, he said, You play the ball where it lies. When he was hurt, when he was dying and was physically impaired, people said, do you not feel bad about that? He said, That is life. You play the ball where it lies. What we have to do now is realize where we are in this world and what it is all about. And there is a war against the terrorists that is in progress, and it is a war we cannot lose. So we have to start here and go forward. And the President has already started that ball moving in the right direction by taking on the terrorists, taking on Saddam Hussein, trying to make sure there are no weapons of mass destruction that are going to be used against the Middle East or the United States or the rest of the world. I think we are on the right track. The thing we have to do now is make sure we keep the American people with us in this war against terrorism, and that is why the media is so important. They can play a very valuable role in making sure that the facts are out there, not opinion; but the facts are out there on what we have accomplished and where we are going. As my colleague said, it does not have to be pro-Bush or against Bush, it just has to be fair reporting. If they report the progress that is being made and how the war is progressing and what we are winning instead of just the negatives, I am sure that everything will come out all right.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, if we did not do anything but free that country, that would be a great thing. But what we have done is we have sent a very strong signal to the terrorist network al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Baath Party in Iraq, and the terrorists around the world; and what bothers me now is because the media is focusing only on the negatives and not the positives, not on what we have accomplished but what we have not yet accomplished and, I believe, maybe inadvertently, they are giving aid and comfort to the enemy, the terrorist network, and that is something they should not do. They may not agree with everything President Bush has done, but they have to admit that we have gotten rid of Saddam Hussein. We are on the heels of Usama bin Laden. We have knocked out an awful lot of the terrorist network, and there have been no more attacks on the United States of America. That does not mean we will not have them. But there have been no more attacks. That is because of President Bush, homeland security, and Tom Ridge, and because they are doing the right things. I just wish the media would focus on them. I normally do not come down here and vent my spleen like this. I try to be a little bit more moderate, if one wants to say that; but right now I am very, very angry because all we are seeing on the screen right now is should we be there, should we not be pulling out, should we be pulling in our horns. The one thing we must not do, and I am speaking to the media in particular right now, is we must not send the message that we are going to withdraw or cave in this war against terrorism. It is essential that we are victorious. No matter how long it takes, we have to be victorious. Just like in World War I and in World War II, we have to win this war, otherwise we are going to suffer terrorist threats and terrorist attacks for many, many, many years to come.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, when I watched the media a while ago, they showed the people demonstrating in Fallujah and the cars burning and the people waving the victory sign and everything. I was there. The gentleman was there. That is the minority of the people. And the media continues to focus on that, instead of the things that are being accomplished; and that really, really bothers me. The other thing is, we have lost about 500 troops over there, and that is terrible. We do not want to see one young American maimed or die. But what happened in World War II is that 50 million people were killed worldwide because we let a war get out of hand. We have an opportunity right now to win this war on terrorism and to stop the terrorists and to send a very, very strong signal to them. It is a war that is going to go on for a long time. But if we do not send the right signals to them right now, they will be encouraged, in my opinion, and we will see more death take place that would not be necessary if we did the right things now.