Jeb Bradley

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I certainly want to start by commending the chairman for his work on this bill, and I rise today to support the Sabo amendment. Because the debate moved along so quickly, I wasn't able to enter my statement into the Record, but this vital amendment would increase funding for our Nation's firefighters by over $111 million dollars above the base bill. It is a very important amendment. Every day in New Hampshire professional firefighters are responding to emergencies and saving lives. Two weeks ago, over 12 inches of rain in my State fell in between 36 and 48 hours, flooding much of New Hampshire. It was professional firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and other first responders that were on the front lines saving lives in New Hampshire, making sure that people were safe and were able to return to their homes. That is why this amendment is so important to the firefighters in my State, and I thank the chairman for allowing me to strike the last word and entering this supporting statement in the Record. I rise today in support of the Sabo amendment, which I am a cosponsor of. This vital amendment would increase funding for our Nation's firefighters by $111 million over the base bill, and in particular add $70 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act. Every day in New Hampshire, professional firefighters are responding to emergencies and saving lives, but they are doing so while understaffed. National standards call for 4 to 5 firefighters to respond to emergencies on a fire engine or ladder truck, yet in my district many times as few as 2 respond on a piece of fire apparatus. This amendment will help give departments the resources to hire additional firefighters through a grant program. This will help firefighters across our Nation better protect residents. Two weekends ago over 12 inches of rain fell in 36 to 48 hours flooding much of New Hampshire. During this disaster, the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, the volunteer firefighters, police and National Guard troops responded immediately, effectively and courageously. In Londonderry, the firefighters rescued a young boy from the surging flood waters, saving his life, while risking their own. In Milton, Rochester, and Somersworth fire chiefs responsible for managing dams on the Salmon Falls River did so in such a way so that several thousand residents were able to safely evacuate without any loss of life. In Dover, the work of the fire department saved a bridge and retaining walls in the center of the city, that had they failed, could have severely damaged a converted mill building in which 5,000 people work. These are just several examples of the heroism that all of New Hampshire's professional firefighters and other first responders displayed during a very trying time for my state. I applaud their heroism. In every state firefighters protect us every day. It is our responsibility to increase funding for the SAFER ACT by $70 million to better provide the resources firefighters need to continue to do their jobs safely and effectively. I urge the adoption of this amendment, and praise Mr. Sabo and Mr. Weldon for bringing this to the floor for a vote. Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Brown of Ohio

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Pam Kocher of New Hampshire, the recipient of the 2006 Congressman John Joseph Moakley Award for Exemplary Public Service, which is given each year by the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board and the Moakley Family. Initiated in 2002, the Moakley Award is given to a staff member of the New England Congressional Delegation who demonstrates strong innovative methods of thinking and effectively works on behalf of their constituents. Anyone who knows Pam knows she is a perfect choice for this honor. Pam's public service extends over three decades and includes serving in elected office at the local level and working for Former Senator Warren Rudman, Former Congressman Bill Zeliff, and currently as State Director for Senator John Sununu. She has worked on a number of projects important to our State for each of her bosses, including the redevelopment of the Pease Air Force Base and acting as an intermediary for small businesses during the bank failure of the early nineties. Her many years of service on the Federal level, coupled with her strong working relationships, came in very handy last summer when the Maine and New Hampshire Congressional Delegations were faced with the daunting task of convincing the BRAC Commission to keep the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard open. Pam's leadership in bringing together a broad community-based coalition was one of the driving factors in our success. Pam credits her driving force as wanting to make government work for people. She stands for hard work, is a problem solver, and knows how to bring people together to work toward a common goal. Pam exemplifies what good citizenship and leadership is all about. Her efforts to make New Hampshire a better place have made a lasting impact on the people that know her and know of her. I congratulate and thank Pam on her years of hard work and dedication to New Hampshire; New England, and our great Nation.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Pam Kocher of New Hampshire, the recipient of the 2006 Congressman Joseph Moakley Award for Exemplary Public Service. Pam Kocher's service extends over three decades and includes serving in elected office at the local level and working for elected officials at the Federal level. Pam's many years of service, coupled with her strong working relationships, came in very handy last summer when the Maine and New Hampshire congressional delegations were faced with the daunting task of convincing the BRAC Commission to keep the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard open. Pam's leadership in bringing together a community-based coalition was one of the driving factors in our success. Pam credits her driving force as wanting to make government work for people. She stands for hard work, is a problem solver and knows how to bring people together to work towards a common goal. I congratulate and thank Pam on her years of hard work and dedication to New Hampshire, New England and our great Nation.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to take this opportunity to praise Chairman Hobson and the ranking member, Mr. Visclosky, for putting together this well-balanced bill. I applaud the chairman for his efforts in bringing this measure to the floor. I rise, though, to ask a question of you, Mr. Chairman, because I am concerned with the provision added to the bill during the committee markup. The bill as currently written provides $10 million for the Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program. This program is devoted to the advancement and usage of alternative fuels. In my home State of New Hampshire, the Granite State Clean Cities Coalition has done wonderful things, including the construction of a biodiesel filling station for off-road vehicles, support for the development of 10 public on-road biodiesel fueling stations, and the creation of natural gas refueling stations for the University of New Hampshire's bus fleet. At a time when gasoline is well above $3 a gallon, I believe now more than ever we need to support programs that promote the use of alternative fuels and vehicles. However, during the committee markup, a provision was added that would set aside $8 million of the Clean Cities $10 million for E-85 ethanol infrastructure. While I fully support the development of new E-85 stations, however, the Clean Cities Program has always been fuel neutral, awarding funds through a competitive process based on the merit of each project. I fear that allocating 80 percent of the program's funds for only one type of alternative fuel alters the competitive intent of that program. Mr. Chairman, I would respectfully ask to be able to work with you during the committee of conference to try and rectify this issue. I thank you for yielding.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to senior centers across New Hampshire during National Senior Center Week, which is May 15th through May 19th. This year's theme is ``Senior Centers--Our Community Investment.'' And an investment it is--senior centers provide a focal point for older Americans to access services, meet new People, and find ways to serve their communities. These centers offer invaluable services including employment assistance, health and wellness programs, transportation services, networking opportunities, and meal and nutrition programs, among others. They also introduce seniors to new technology through computer classes and Internet training. In New Hampshire, there are approximately 45 senior centers across the State, including some in rural areas. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit several of them, as well as a number of senior housing complexes and nursing homes. The seniors who visit these centers have a lifetime of experiences to share with others, and I enjoy hearing their stories. Many have answered the call to service: they serve as Foster Grandparents in schools, mentoring at-risk youth; others deliver meals to home-bound senior citizens; and many others serve their local communities by holding public office. Each year in May, during Older Americans Month, we honor senior citizens for their contributions to our communities, which make them better places to live, work and raise a family. By continuing to provide programs that assist and educate older Americans, we can help them live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. I thank all of the volunteers and staff members at the senior centers around New Hampshire for their dedication to our Nation's older Americans.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me these 2 minutes. And I would like to respond to the gentleman from Texas who talked about veterans health care. Let me just run through some of the numbers, because actually we are significantly increasing veterans health care spending in this budget. The 2006 appropriated number was $33.6 billion for veterans health care. In this budget under the chairman's mark, it was $36.1 billion. Under an amendment that was supported on a bipartisan basis and supported by the chairman, we increase that by nearly $800 million this year and for the next 4 years, bringing the total veterans health care number to $36.9 billion, which is a 9.8 percent increase. We all know this is a 1-year budget. We have to continue to support our Nation's veterans, and we will do so. This year's budget allocates 10 percent of the health care dollars for mental health. We know how important that is with veterans returning from Iraq. Over the last several years we have doubled the health care numbers of veterans who are receiving top quality veterans health care from $2.5 million to $5 million. Over that 5-year period of time, the veterans health care dollars in the budget have gone from $21 billion to $33.6 billion last year, and under this budget, again, as I said before, $36.9 billion. We have done other things, too, for veterans over the last 5 years, which have been very significant. We have more than doubled the GI education benefit. We have increased the death benefit for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to $100,000. We have increased the VA home loan guarantee by 67 percent. We have expanded national cemeteries. Under the defense bills for the last couple of years, we have increased survivor benefits phased in over the next several years to the 55 percent promised level. And we have finally helped resolve the concurrent receipts disability payments for our Nation's veterans. We have made significant progress for our Nation's veterans. This budget continues that.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, let me start out by thanking the chairman for the leadership he has exhibited for so long on this budget, and certainly wish you well in your future endeavors. I would like to return the discussion to the veterans discretionary portion of the budget and thank both Mr. Nussle and Mr. Spratt for their bipartisan support of my amendment which increased the overall budget authority by $800 million in this year's budget so that we could make sure to send an extremely strong message that as a committee, on a bipartisan basis, we do not support the proposed drug copayment fee increase or the proposed enrollment fees. To go back to some of the numbers over the years, because they are very illustrative of the significant increases that veterans health care has experienced over the years, last year's appropriated dollar level was $33.6 billion. This year, under the budget authority that Chairman Nussle established with my amendment, we move that up to $36.9 billion, which, by my calculation, is a 9.8 percent increase in 1 year's spending alone. This is a significant increase. Well, beyond just the veterans health care portion of the budget, let us talk about some of the other things that have happened over the last several years. In the veterans health care portion of the budget, this year we recognized that our troops are coming home from Iraq, many of whom have post-traumatic stress disorders, and so 10 percent of the budget authority and the spending that the VA does on health care is related to this very significant issue that is affecting so many of our Nation's veterans. The health care facilities, which we have all visited as Members of Congress, are among the best in our country, and that is because over the last several years we have almost doubled the amount of discretionary money that is going into the veterans health care system. Not only have we nearly doubled the amount of money, but we have doubled the number of veterans that are being treated by the VA center from roughly 2.5 million a decade ago to 5 million today. That is increased by 1 million veterans in the last 4 years alone. And this year, as I noted, we are moving from $33.6 billion to $36.9 billion, an increase of almost 10 percent and we do so without increasing the drug copayment fee or the enrollment fee. But beyond just the discretionary portion of the Veterans Administration budget, we have done an awful lot of other things over the last several years that are indeed noteworthy. We have more than doubled the GI education benefit that veterans are entitled to since 1995. We recently increased the death benefit to $100,000 and increased the SGLI benefit to $400,000. Since 2001, the VA Home Loan Guarantee Program has increased by 67 percent. We have dramatically expanded the number of national cemeteries and their capacity. We have increased back to the appropriate level of 55 percent benefits for surviving spouses. It had been 35 percent, and over the next 5 years and actually phased in by April 2008 it will go back to the promised level of 55 percent. Lastly, the whole issue of concurrent receipts, that being when a military officer, somebody who has served our country for 20 years, has a disability as a result of their military service, they were the only Federal employees unable to collect both their disability which they received as a result of that military service and their retirement pay which they have earned. We have over the next 10 years, will phase in that benefit for those who have a disability of 55 percent or greater. This is indeed an extraordinary record.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first start out by congratulating my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), as well as the bipartisan support from Mr. Lantos on this effort, and certainly their leadership in trying to resolve this issue. While it only affects a couple of hundred American families right now, for those families that it does affect, it is a profound issue in their lives. As I think Mr. Lantos has very eloquently summarized, as has Mr. Smith, the large implications of the cases, I would like to bring it down to what it means to an individual family, that family in New Hampshire being Allison and Mike Schaaf of Stratham. They have adopted a Romanian child. They have provided that child with a loving home, a home that would not have been possible for that young man, Hunter, to have been able to have had in Romania, where there were some 100,000 orphans living in orphanages, and the Schaafs and a number of other people in my district have done that. As a result of the success that they had and the ability to be able to bring this child to the United States and provide him a loving home, they wanted to have a second Romanian baby that they adopted, and in the course of going through the paperwork and getting the final approval, all of which were in place, the Romanian government changed their laws, which is understandable given the fact that they wanted to become a member of the European Union. What we are advocating and what this resolution would help us do is, once again, remind the Romanian government that for those cases that were previously approved and for everything, except actually releasing the orphans to their American parents when this law changed, that in fact the Romanian government should follow through on that commitment for those 200 or so American families that have gotten all of their paperwork approved and the cases all but resolved except for this law. It is my hope that the European Union and the leaders of the European Union are going to recognize the legitimacy of the claims of the 200 or so American families and perhaps as many as 2,000 other European families and resolve these cases that have been previously approved for the benefit of families in this country, like Allison and Mike Schaaf, who provided such loving, kind and warm homes. I once again thank the bipartisan sponsors, Mr. Lantos and Mr. Smith, for their continued advocacy on this and look forward to continuing to work with you to try to resolve this situation, and I thank you again.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman yielding me time. If the Snowe language in the bill, the other suspension bill passes this afternoon, then by all means strike this in a committee of conference. But pending that, those of us from cold-weather States and warm-weather States need this fuel assistance. I salute Mr. Obey for working to make sure it is included, at least to the extent that it is. In the conference report, if the Snowe language passes today, then the amendment that is proposed could be stripped out in conference, and certainly I would support that. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And I would like to thank you for your leadership in bringing this bill from Senator Snowe to the floor. I thank Mr. Green for his bipartisan support, and I thank the leadership of the House for allowing this vote. I am from New Hampshire, one of the cold weather States, and even though the weather has been somewhat warmer than might be expected in most winters, we have seen at times a spike in the price of home heating oil by nearly 65 percent in some instances. It has abated somewhat, but nevertheless prices of home heating oil this winter are significantly higher. We all know how successful the LIHEAP, the Low Income Heating Assistance Program, has been. It is effectively monitored by State and local interests, but it is funded at the Federal level. My State has seen about a 12 percent increase in applications this winter because of that spike in prices. My State has allocated all of the dollars it has received so far to trying to process the applications that it has and it is committed; and without this funding, the State of New Hampshire and other cold weather States are going to have to dip into their own State funds to help fund a Federal program in 2006. My State, before the emergency funding was released by the President, was nearly $3 million short, that is about 15 percent under last year and at a time when there is record demand and record high prices. That is why this bill is so important, Madam Speaker, why we need to bring it up, have this vote tonight, get it to the President's desk. This bill is balanced well because the interests of warm weather States and cold weather States because of the 50-50 split and because of the emergency funding and the formula funding. So I am hopeful that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will see fit to move forward with this. This bill is fully offset by the Budget Deficit Reconciliation Act, which is important for our Nation's budget deficit, obviously, but it is also important for States, both in the southern part of the country and the northern part of the country, to pass this bill tonight and to make sure it gets to the President's desk as soon as possible so States like mine can get more money into the pipeline while it is still important.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would like to begin by thanking both chairmen, Chairman Sensenbrenner and Chairman King, for working with me, as well as the Rules Committee on this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I am offering what I expect is a very simple amendment that will require reporting to Congress at the 1-year mark and at the 2-year mark of the Employment Eligibility Verification System that is going to be implemented as a result of this legislation. This is important to have this report so that we as policymakers in Congress have the information as to how the verification system is working. Is it working as intended? Is it user-friendly? What type of response are businesses, both small and large, having with this system? Is it used primarily online by telephone? How many businesses utilize it? How are the penalties being implemented? All of these kinds of questions we need to have data on with this reporting that I am proposing in this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I hope that my colleagues will support this amendment; and, once again, I thank the chairmen. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner). (Mr. SENSENBRENNER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner).

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Once again, the intention of this amendment is to make sure that we as Members of Congress, the policymakers that are going to implement this verification system, have the most accurate information with which to react and possibly make mid-course corrections should they be warranted at the 1-year mark and at the 2-year mark. While it does not fix the process, it certainly is designed to give us all the information that we need to make sure that it works in the most user-friendly, cost-effective, efficient way for businesses in our country, and I urge my colleagues to support this. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ralph H. Baer of Manchester, New Hampshire who has recently been named the recipient of the National Medal of Technology. Mr. Baer has achieved great success, and his home State is extremely proud of him. Mr. Baer left Nazi Germany with his family at the age of 14, and moved to Manchester in 1955 to work as a chief engineer with Transitron, Incorporated. He later joined Sanders Associates as a staff engineer to manage the equipment design division. Since 1975, he has successfully owned and operated R.H. Baer Consultants. The National Medal of Technology has been bestowed by the President since 1985 as the Nation's highest award for innovation. The award was mandated by Congress in 1980 to recognize the significant contributions that America's leading innovators have made to the Nation's economic strength and standard of living. The National Medal of Technology laureates are also recognized for innovation that has revolutionized communication, education, entertainment, medicine, and transportation. I applaud Mr. Baer for his creativity and the risks he took in his career. Technological innovations like those developed by Mr. Baer have allowed the United States to continue to break down the barriers to scientific advancement. I am honored to recognize his contributions to science and our Nation.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding. I would like to thank you for your leadership and your willingness to talk about what is a very important issue for the future of our country and for the future of the Middle East. Like you, I have traveled to Iraq on two occasions, and I have seen both the problems that our troops are confronting there, but I have also seen the progress. I think it is important when we talk about Iraq that we have a balanced perspective and we look at both those problems and the progress. There is no question that today was a very difficult day for the Iraqi security forces, as the suicide bomber killed over 40 police recruits, and the U.S. Marines that were killed on Friday by an improvised explosive device. We see those problems every night on our TV, but what we do not see is the progress that is being made. There was a show on one of the major cable networks on Saturday night, and I would urge anybody that wants to see a very balanced picture of what is going on in Iraq and much of the progress being made to try to watch that show. It spoke of the sacrifice that our troops are making and their commitment of courage, of valor, of sacrifice, of willingness to defend the values of our country, the democratic values and the ability for myself and my colleague tonight to be able to debate this issue, to be able to debate it with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. And we should have a debate in this country about the policy of it. But what is also important to remember is that we must support our troops and to support their mission that is so critically important. Much of the debate we have had in this country, Mr. Speaker, revolves around the strategy of how we bring our troops home and bringing our troops home to a job well done. There are two critically important elements I want to talk about tonight, because that strategy is in place, and if it is going to work, we need to follow through on it. Number one is the continued movement toward democracy in Iraq. On December 15, there will be the third major election. We saw the election in January, where nearly 8 million Iraqis went and defied the terrorist threat of reprisals and killings and murder to vote, to elect an interim parliament. And then more recently, we saw, again, millions of Iraqis go to the polls and ratify a constitution. There was a good political debate in both of these instances, but the constitution was ratified and an interim parliament was chosen. Hopefully, on December 15, a permanent parliament is going to be chosen. When that happens, that move to democracy, the Iraqi people, much as we have for over 200 years been able to make these kinds of decisions, they will have given birth to an Iraqi democracy. Yes, it will be different from ours in many fundamental ways, but it will be a government that they have created and it will be a government that will lead them through the religious, the tribal, and the ethnic differences that are so much a part of their culture that need to be resolved and have to be resolved through a democratic process. Now, our troops, those men and women who we see every day on TV and we hear about from e-mails at home, from letters coming back, they are doing a fantastic job of moving the country toward that democracy. As I said, there are problems, there is no question about that, but there is major progress going on. Hopefully, on December 15, we will see another watershed that will lead to the political solutions that will enable the Iraqi people to finally put behind them the murderous legacy of Saddam Hussein, the violence, the many human rights abuses, the barbaric nature of his regime. Hopefully, this move to democracy will enable that to happen. Equally important, and a very necessary part of the strategy for being able to bring our men and women home is the continued growth of the Iraqi security forces. The first time I was in Iraq was November of 2003 and we went to Baghdad and we went to Tikrit, and to Kirkuk. Kirkuk is what I want to talk about for a moment, because it is an ethically mixed city in the northern part of the Sunni triangle, and certainly an area where there have been some problems over the years. In November of 2003, we met one of the first groups of Iraqi-trained police officers that were actually in the very beginning stages of starting to provide the security so necessary for their country, and they were one of the first batch of recruits that had gone through the training process and were in uniform, and were going to confront the threats of terrorism in their country. They indicated to us in the clearest possible language that they knew that they would be the subject of attacks. And as they said to us, they were willing to shed their blood, as they have done so many times, to help rebuild their country. That was November 2003. In April of this year, April of 2005, I had the opportunity to go back to Iraq a second time. At that point in time, there were 150,000 Iraqi security forces, army, border guard, police, and a work in progress, obviously. We had the opportunity to meet with several Iraqi women leaders who told us of the improving characteristics of the Iraqi security forces in April. There have been many news reports about the difficulty of training the Iraqi security forces, but to hear it from actual Iraqi women leaders, a couple members of parliament, an ambassador, ministers in the interim government that the Iraqi people were beginning to trust and work with the Iraqi security forces, was very compelling to us. We also heard the same information from General Patreas, who was responsible for the training, the arming and equipping of the Iraqi security forces. What he told us is that they were starting to be able to develop a command and control structure. They were beginning to be able to operate independently without being embedded with American forces, having American forces as backup, and that process was continuing. It is clearly a work in progress. Today, there are over 210,000 Iraqi security forces, and the process is not done. The point I am making is that starting in November of 2003, when I first was there, to April of 2005, and then today, those Iraqi security forces are making tremendous progress. Yes, it is not perfect. There are continuing issues that have to be dealt with, but the progress is measurable and quantifiable and is receiving the trust and the support of the Iraqi people, real people that we talked to, people who had had their lives threatened, who had had their lives disordered by the regime of Saddam Hussein. As you know, there are 18 different provinces in Iraq. Fourteen of them in the north and in the south, primarily, are largely stable. Yes, continuing with some problems, but generally stable. The problem areas are that Sunni triangle around Baghdad to Tikrit, Fallujah, and Kirkuk, and those are the problem areas that both the emergence of the Iraqi security forces as well as the move toward democracy, as that grows in Iraq and thrives and the Iraqi people are buying in to the changes, the positive changes, it will enable them to put behind them the legacy of Saddam Hussein as well as some of these tribal ethnic and religious problems. This is the critical element that Americans need to know is in place and is making progress; that the Iraqi people and our forces are making that progress every day. Is it dangerous? Is it difficult? Absolutely. And our troops there at great sacrifice. Over 2,000 of them have indeed paid the ultimate sacrifice to make this happen, but they continue to be extremely dedicated to their mission. I had the opportunity to address a group of marine reservists who were being activated on Saturday before they ship off to training and then to Iraq, and their commitment to making this happen was certainly very present for all of us that were there, their family members and their leaders. And I salute this Bravo Company from my home State of New Hampshire and the men and women from our country who have given so much to provide not only for our security, but to improve the situation in Iraq. We have further to go, there is no question about that, but every day I believe we are continuing to make progress. It is difficult progress, there is no question about that, but December 15 will be a watershed. The Iraqi people and the Iraqi security forces will continue to improve. Those two elements are what will allow our men and women to come home having achieved success in Iraq, with a job well done, as we will all say to them as Americans supporting their mission. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for offering me the opportunity to speak here tonight.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking minority member for their hard work to a make this bill a reality. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Veterans Housing Improvement Act, H.R. 3665. All of us, as Members of Congress, have had the opportunity to meet our brave soldiers who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting in the war on terror. One of the components of the war on terror is that many of them are coming home with disabling injuries. This bill in a very significant way will help families to be able to allow the reintegration of these disabled heroes back into not only working life, but at-home life. The $10,000 grant will help home owners to be able to renovate their houses to make them suitable for disabled veterans, and that is why it is so important that we authorize and fund this pilot program to do what needs to be done to help these heroes integrate back into life. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their hard work and urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to be here this evening. When our troops go into battle, they are blessed to have a chairman who will fight for their body armor, who will fight for the resources they need to prevail in every fight in this war on terrorism, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) has done that, bar none. You have made it your mission. You have sons that are serving in Iraq. Thank you for the service that you give.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Madam Speaker, I think that is what is so important tonight, that all of us here, and I think most of us that are here to speak tonight, have been to Iraq. I have been twice, and I am struck, as I am sure you are struck, by the dedication of our soldiers. Let us face it, it is a difficult mission. The sacrifice that is involved, a number of Americans have lost their lives or have come home injured. There is a sacrifice for their families. There is no question about that. But when I have gone there, the dedication, the sense of purpose and progress that our troops are making is noteworthy. It is something that I wish most Americans could see, because when we look at the television and see it on the nightly news, you do not get the full balance of the picture of the progress that is being made. Yes, as I said before, it is a very difficult situation. There is a significant sacrifice that has to be made, but there is progress being made. The progress is our exit strategy. When our troops have successfully completed the mission, all of us, on a bipartisan basis, will be able to welcome them home to their loved ones and say job well done. Let us look at that progress. I had the opportunity to go in November 2003 and in April 2005, and the difference was night and day. In 2003 there was hardly any Iraqi security forces. The Iraqi security forces now total about 200,000 and are growing every day. Their training is improving. Their ability to operate independent of our forces is growing. Yes, we have to continue to improve upon the command and control structure and to make sure that they have all of the training and armament that they need, but we are making tremendous progress; and we are seeing it in the field as they are able to operate on their own and take the battle to the terrorists who are killing innocent women and children and Iraqi civilians indiscriminately. And the Iraqi security forces, a year from now or perhaps in that time frame, they will be fully trained, armed and equipped; and that is certainly significant, significant progress. When I was in Iraq in April, we had an opportunity to meet with a number of Iraqi women leaders, and they told me, and these are Iraqi people, they told me they are doing a much better job protecting their country and their citizens. Yes, there is still work that needs to be done, but hearing that from Iraqi people was very noteworthy. The other thing that is so important and we saw an example once again of progress is the steady march in Iraq toward democracy. The Constitution has now been ratified. It was a very democratic debate. The Sunnis in particular, many of them were opposed to it; but they went to the ballot box; and for the vast majority, it was a peaceful day. People voted. The majority of the Iraqi people, I believe it was nearly 80 percent, voted for the Constitution. What that means now, in December, there will be another round of voting for a permanent parliament that will have to go about the business of continuing the reconstruction. But as democracy takes hold, more than anything else that, in combination with the Iraqi security forces, will be what enables our troops to be able to know that they have done a good job, they will be more ancillary. They will first be able to withdraw to certain secure bases and then be able to come home with a job well done. That is the strategy that is in place. It is working. The number of Iraqi security forces is increasing every day. Their performance is improving, and democracy is gaining traction every day. With those two forces continuing, our troops will be able to come home. We will welcome them home to a job well done. Once again, it is an honor and pleasure to be here and to work with the gentleman on this important mission.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to a problem that many Americans are facing as we approach winter: the cost of heating their homes. The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently projected that the cost of heating a home this winter, regardless of the type of fuel, will increase dramatically from last year. In order to counteract this dramatic spike in energy costs, we need to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. It is a tremendously successful program that enables States to provide low-income families with energy assistance. In my State of New Hampshire, LIHEAP funding helps people afford to heat their homes and not have to make the difficult choices of paying their rent, of buying food and medications, or keeping their homes warm. In order to simply meet last year's purchasing power, we must increase LIHEAP funding by $1.276 billion. This is an issue that crosses State and party lines and one that needs to be addressed immediately. Mr. Speaker, let us act today to increase this funding before Hurricane Katrina claims more victims this winter.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. It is critical that the House once again pass this legislation in order to reduce the burden of unsubstantiated lawsuits and the infringement on our Second Amendment rights. When crimes are committed by a person using a firearm, I support tough sentencing guidelines as well as full and vigorous enforcement of all applicable laws. We must focus on the perpetrators of the crime, rather than frivolous lawsuits directed at gun manufacturers which will only restrict the rights of lawabiding citizens. The State of New Hampshire has a long history of protecting individual rights and liberties. For millions of Americans, and the many citizens of New Hampshire, firearms provide protection for individuals and their families. I stand in support of this legislation and I will work to see that the Second Amendment right of our citizens to protect themselves will not be infringed upon.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, this morning I rise to recognize National Fire Prevention Week, which is October 9 through October 15. Fire Prevention Week is an opportunity for Americans of all ages to learn more about how to avoid fires and fire injuries and how to respond to them as well. This year's theme, ``Use Candles With Care,'' reflects how proper use of candles can go a long way in protecting one's home and family from the devastating effects of fires. Candle fires in 2002 alone resulted in an estimated 130 deaths. Fire Prevention Week also serves as the time to honor our brave firefighters for risking their lives every day to protect us. They work tirelessly to educate their fellow citizens about fire safety and the importance of being prepared for emergencies. I especially would like to recognize the brave and fine firefighters in my home State of New Hampshire for their efforts to make the granite State's community safer. We owe all firefighters a debt of gratitude for their courage and dedication to keeping us out of harm's way. I encourage all my colleagues to take a moment to thank their local first responders for their hard work and to heed the important lessons they impress upon us.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns).