Bruce Braley

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. It is a big neighborhood, and Iowa is a large State geographically but small in many ways, and that's why it's so nice when these things come around full circle. And I know that his family will miss him. I know they were very, very proud of his many accomplishments, and I just want them to know that my thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. And we certainly are proud to be here tonight to honor this great Iowan.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 428, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I have to say I'm really the rookie of this group because all of my colleagues who are still here tonight had the great privilege of serving in their State legislatures. They've had to struggle with these issues, especially these important issues on ethics. One of the things that I talk to people a lot about coming from Iowa is how it just amazes me how other people really struggle with the sense of open and fair government because the State that I come from has probably the most fair reapportionment system of any State that I know of. In fact, there's been national news articles written about it.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. If the gentleman will yield for a question, the argument we hear over and over in this body is just let the market play out. Let it take its course. What is wrong with that argument?

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Here is a three syllable world I will throw out right now: Paradox. Right now it is planting season in Iowa, and farmers are going out and growing renewable energy, so that we can become energy independent, we can reduce our dependence on Mideast oil, we can promote national security, we can promote economic security, we can provide jobs, good paying jobs, to the people of this country. Yet, at the same time, while those Iowa farmers are out there driving around in their pickup trucks, getting deliveries from their co-ops for their crop inputs, the cost of producing renewable fuels is directly impacted by what you see on that chart. Whether it is gasoline in the pickup truck, whether it is diesel fuel that is affected by periodic price influxes, one thing we know is that the cost of getting energy independence goes up. And is it any wonder when we look at who we are shifting our dependence from, people who create energy from fossil fuels, and look at who is going to benefit from these record oil company profits, that many of us campaigned on and made the case to the American people, give us a chance to have an impact. That is why I was very proud to be a cosponsor of Representative Stupak's bill. This whole Congress has been about increased accountability, increased oversight, because that is what the American people demanded when they sent us to Congress. Yet every day in these oversight hearings we are talking about important problems that the people demand solutions to. We take important votes on progressive bills that are going to change the direction of this country. And every day we get the same message from the White House: If you pass this bill that is good for the American people, I won't sign it. A good example of that. The first bill I had to be voted on on the floor of the House of Representatives, the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act. It sounds pretty good. It sounds consistent with the President's statement on the importance of creating fair contracting opportunities for small businesses in 2002. Overwhelming bipartisan support in committee. Everybody voted for it. Overwhelming bipartisan support here on the floor. 409 people voted for it. Yet the President said it was a bad bill. That is a symptom of the greater problem we are talking about. It is an interrelated problem, whether you are talking about energy, whether you are talking about ethics. That is why we are here tonight, to start shedding some light on the important point of where the buck stops on the problems we are talking about. I yield back on that to my distinguished friend from the great State of Florida, which, unfortunately, entered the Union right before the State of Iowa, Mr. Kline.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Connecticut. I am just a simple country lawyer from Iowa, which is the center of the renewable fuels explosion. I don't think I have ever used a six syllable word, so I feel a little inadequate.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I would just like to encourage all of my colleagues to watch a very special edition of ``60 Minutes'' this week. It's going to be focusing on the Ironman Battalion, the 133rd, based out of my hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. It is the whole 60 Minutes program. They are currently stationed in Iraq. A member of the Iowa Legislature, Representative Ray Zirkelbach, has been serving and has missed two sessions of the Iowa Legislature because of the extension of their deployment. I am very, very proud of the Ironman Battalion. I am in frequent contact with their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ben Correll, who is also from my district, Strawberry Point. I think it's significant that as we head into this Memorial Day weekend, people like me, my father served in the Marine Corps on Iwo Jima, that affected his entire life, my brother works at a VA hospital in Knoxville, Iowa; it's important that we pause and reflect on these sacrifices that we talk about every day in this Chamber, but also that we honor the brave men and women serving this country. I think this program is going to do an excellent job of exposing everyday, middle-class Americans who picked up out of their very busy lives to serve this country in its time of need, and I think it will be a very informative and rewarding experience for everyone.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I think one of the things that the American public doesn't really fully appreciate is how difficult it is to operate under pay-as-you-go budget rules, where you have to find someplace to cut in order to introduce a new program. Everybody has needs, everybody has wants, everybody comes here with their wish list. But the harsh reality is we have to make difficult decisions every day about how we are going to allocate resources. That's one of the things that makes this job so important and so difficult.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. My math is not good, but that sounded like about 30 years of a Colorado State budget to me.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I want to just follow up on your comment that I think is very prudent that we hear about that people don't talk about a lot, and that is the disappearing American middle class. And I'm here surrounded by distinguished colleagues, and I'm going to make you the economic physicians and make a diagnosis. If you look at the symptoms of what we talked about, all of us, out on the campaign trail leading up to last November's election, you look at the fact that you've got 47 million Americans without health insurance, 37 million Americans living below the poverty line. That sets a floor of where your middle class starts, and when those numbers keep growing, we know, at least I think we should know, that we've got a problem, that we need to do more to drive those numbers into what we've traditionally associated with the middle class, which says that if you work hard, you play by the rules, and you get minimum opportunities to assist you to get up a rung on the economic ladder, you're going to do better, your family's going to do better, your children are going to do better and you're going to create a stable environment that contributes not just to this society but to the way that we think of ourselves as Americans.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Because there's a bipartisan commission every 10 years that is balanced by geography and that's required to come up with a plan that is fair and equitable, and the State legislature can only vote the plan up or down on the first two tries, and not until the third try can they tinker with the boundaries. And in all the years that plan has been in place, not once has the legislature ever gotten to the point of redrawing districts, and people accept it because it's done in a way that creates a sense of fairness, a sense of openness and a sense of accountability. And I think that really gets to the heart of what we're trying to talk about in the need to make sure that people have confidence that this body that we are proud and privileged to serve in is that same type of open, honest and accountable place to do business. So I'm very, very excited to be with my freshmen colleagues talking about why we ran on a platform of restoring ethics and accountability in Congress, and I'm very pleased that we are bringing together collective experiences from all over the country, the experience that you bring from your backgrounds of working in your own State legislatures, and knowing that people have a right to expect this type of accountability when they walk into the voting booth and put your name on their ballot.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. All of us have our own natural disasters we deal with on an annual basis. This point was driven home with me in February when a huge ice storm hit my State. We had 350,000 people without power. The 133rd of the Iowa National Guard has been stationed in Iraq for over a year and had their deployment extended by another 120 days. They were struggling with people available to respond to this very significant demand for assistance. So that is when you understand in a very real way how foreign policy affects domestic policy in your district. But as my friend from Vermont knows, when he was talking about the need to preserve the heritage of agriculture in this country and its importance to our economy, my great-great-grandfather, George Washington Braley, walked from Vermont in Mr. Welch's district to Iowa in 1855 looking for better farmland, Mr. Perlmutter, better rain. My parents both grew up on farms in Iowa during the Depression, and the whole sense of stewardship and preserving the land for the next generation is something that is almost a spiritual quality about farming. I know there are very many people looking for ways to diversify their agricultural economy. Mr. Klein, you raised a very good point about the multiplier effect of renewable energy. Right now Iowa ranks third in the production of wind power, which surprises people. They go to Palm Springs and see those huge wind farms, and they know there is also a lot generated in Texas, but Iowa ranks third. Part of the reason for that is windmills have been a way of life in my State for over 150 years. But there is a very acute shortage of wind turbines in this country. People who want to convert to wind energy and want to have the ability to produce electricity from wind are facing significant shortages of turbines, specifically those manufactured in the United States. A lot of people, municipalities that are looking to convert to wind have to go to the European market because they are on long waiting lists from U.S. wind turbine manufacturers. Recently there has been an incentive to factories that are creating new wind turbines. There is a new factory in Iowa that opened up recently. So when we are talking about how this has a ripple effect throughout our economy, it creates jobs and incentive for people to try new and innovative energy technologies, and we all benefit from that. That needs to be part of the overall discussion we are having about how we create incentives to move people to clean energy sources.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Jewish American Heritage Month to honor the life and memory of Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn, who was the first Jewish chaplain ever appointed by the Marine Corps. Most Americans don't recognize the name of Rabbi Gittelsohn, but they should. Rabbi Gittelsohn delivered a stirring eulogy to the war dead on Iwo Jima that is second only to the Gettysburg Address of President Lincoln as a stirring ode to the principles of democracy that are the bedrock of this country and the young men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. During World War II, Rabbi Gittelsohn was assigned as a Jewish divisional chaplain of the 5th Marine Division. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Rabbi Gittelsohn was right in the heart in the action, ministering to the needs of Marines of all faith, with the knowledge that his life was in grave danger. After the fighting was over, Rabbi Gittelsohn was asked to give a sermon at an ecumenical memorial service dedicating the 5th Marine Division cemetery on Iwo Jima, but due to prejudice he only gave remarks at a small Jewish service. Here are his words. ``Here before us lie the bodies of comrades and friends, men who until yesterday or last week laughed with us, joked with us, trained with us, men who fought with us and feared with us. Somewhere in this plot of ground there may lie the man who could have discovered the cure for cancer. Under one of these Christian crosses or beneath a Jewish Star of David, there may now rest a man who was destined to be a great prophet, to find the way perhaps for all to live in plenty, with poverty and hardship for none. Now they lie here silently in this sacred soil, and we gather to consecrate the earth in their memory. ``It is not easy to do so. Some of us have buried our closest friends here. To speak in memory of such men as these is not easy. No, our poor power of speech can add nothing to what these men have already done. All that we can even hope to do is to follow their example, to show the same selfless courage in peace that they did in war; to swear that by the grace of God and the stubborn strength and power of the human will, their sons and ours will never suffer these pains again. These men have done their job well. They have paid the ghastly price of freedom. ``We dedicate ourselves, first, to live together in peace the way they fought and are buried in this war. Here lie officers and men, Negroes and whites, rich men and poor, together. Here, no man prefers another because of his faith or despises him because of his color. Here, there are no quotas of how many from each group are admitted or allowed. Among these men there is no discrimination, no prejudices, no hatred. Theirs is the highest and purest democracy. ``Any man among the living who fails to understand that will thereby betray those who lie here dead. Whoever of us lifts up his hand in hate against a brother or thinks himself superior to those who happen to be in the minority makes of this ceremony and the bloody sacrifice it commemorates an empty, hollow mockery. To this, then, as our solemn, sacred duty, do we the living now dedicate ourselves to the rights of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, of white men and Negroes alike, to enjoy the democracy for which all of them have paid the price. ``When the last shot has been fired, there will be those whose eyes are turned backward, not forward, who will be satisfied with wide extremes of poverty and wealth in which the seeds of another war can breed. We promise you, our departed comrades, this too we will not permit. This war has been fought by the common man. Its fruits of peace must be enjoyed by the common man. We promise, by all that is sacred and holy, that your sons, the sons of miners and millers, the sons of farmers and workers, the right to a living that is decent and secure. ``When the final cross has been placed in the last cemetery, once again there will be those to whom profit will be more important than peace. To those who sleep here silent, we give our promise: We will not listen. We will not forget that some of you paid the ultimate price for men who profit at your expense. We will remember you as you looked when we placed you reverently, lovingly, in the ground. Thus do we memorialize those who, having ceased living with us, now live within us again. Thus do we consecrate ourselves to the living to carry on the struggle they began. Too much blood has gone into this soil for us to let it lie barren. Too much pain and heartache have fertilized the earth on which we stand. We here solemnly swear, this shall not be in vain. Out of this, and from the suffering and sorrow of those who mourn this, will come, we promise, the birth of a new freedom for the sons of men everywhere.'' My father served in the 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima, and it is to his memory and the memory of Rabbi Gittelsohn that I offer these poignant words.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 1585, the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. My amendment represents a crucial first step in enhancing and expanding critical family support and mental health services for our National Guard and Reserve troops and their families. I commend Chairman Skelton and the Armed Services Committee for their work on this bill. I'm glad the committee has recognized the great contributions of our National Guard and Reserve soldiers, and has recognized that readjusting to civilian life can be especially challenging for members of the reserve component. I believe that the establishment of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program in the bill is a good first step in enhancing family support services for these soldiers, but I believe that more needs to be done for the families of National Guard and Reserve troops, who have too often and for too long been forgotten and left behind. Members of the National Guard and Reserve are serving our country more than ever in the world's most dangerous places, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and many of them are facing multiple and extended deployments, causing considerable hardships for them and for their families. To cite just one example, in January 2007, members of the Iowa National Guard's 1-133rd Infantry Battalion learned that their tour of duty in Iraq would be extended from April of this year until August. My amendment, which requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study into establishing a pilot program for family-to-family support for members of the National Guard and Reserve, and conduct a study on improving support services for the children of members of the National Guard and Reserve who are undergoing deployment, will help ensure that our reserve component troops and their families receive all of the family support and mental health services they need as they continue to serve our country. My amendment is consistent with the goals of the Armed Services Committee to enhance support services for our National Guard and Reserve troops and their families, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, last Thursday, the leadership of the House announced a new trade policy for America. And as this body considers future trade agreements, it would be well to look at the House Ways and Means Committee Web site where a one-page policy on a new trade policy for America is stated. That policy states that our new trade policy will ensure trade agreements raise the standard of living, including requiring companies to adopt, maintain and enforce international labor standards and their domestic laws and practices, thus promoting basic worker rights and acceptable working conditions. We need to make sure that the maintenance and enforcement of those international labor standards are part of any trade agreement on the domestic side of those trade countries that we are negotiating with. The Constitution of the Soviet Union had great statements about protecting the rights of workers and protecting the rights of individuals, and on paper that's what they said, but in reality they meant little. These trade agreements need to have enforcement on the other side to be effective.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, and thanks to Congressman Loebsack for introducing this bill and working hard to designate the James A. Leach Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa. I would also like to thank Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica for reporting this bill out of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Congressman Leach is a good man who served his constituents with distinction and grace, and it is fitting that we honor him with a hometown reminder of his commitment and service to Iowa. While his career in Congress was distinguished and honorable, I want to touch on another passion of his--wrestling. Jim Leach began wrestling in his birthplace of Davenport as a seventh-grader. As a student at Davenport High School, he won the 1960 state wrestling championship at the 138-pound weight class. Competing for Princeton University, he lost just one dual meet match. Later, as a research student at the London School of Economics, he went on to compete in freestyle matches. In 1995, he was awarded the Outstanding American Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. His wrestler's spirit was evident in his public service, as he took a disciplined and hard working approach to his duties. For thirty years, Congressman Leach served his constituents, and he never lost touch of his Davenport roots. As an original cosponsor of HR 1505, I am proud to support the James A. Leach Courthouse.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and the memory of PFC Katie Soenksen, who graduated from Davenport North High School in 2005 and died in an explosion on May 2 in West Baghdad, Iraq, while conducting a security mission in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Katie was a 19-year-old woman from Davenport, Iowa, who was a member of the 410th Military Police Company from Fort Hood, Texas. She left behind a loving family, including her parents, Ron and Mary Ann Soenksen, a brother, Matthew, from Davenport, and a sister, Sarah, from Blue Springs, Missouri. Katie's friends and family remember her as a fun-loving, energetic young woman who loved bowling, playing softball and spending time with her friends. Mr. Speaker, as we come to the floor every day and decide important public policy issues that affect the lives of people like Katie Soenksen, I hope we all remember that this is something we are all in together, and the lives of future generations of Americans are affected by the policies that we set on this floor.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Last month, I introduced H.R. 1873, the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act. Today, I rise as a voice for small business owners everywhere who want a fighting chance to compete for Federal contracts. I would like to take a moment to thank Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez and Ranking Member Steve Chabot. I am pleased H.R. 1873 has such strong bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by nearly the entire Small Business Committee. Additionally, I would like to thank Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking Member Tom Davis for their prompt consideration of this bill. Finally, I would like to thank Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter and Ranking Member David Dreier for acting on this bill. It is clear to me that members of all these committees understand the important role small businesses play in our communities. Over the past 5 years, government agencies have greatly increased the practice known as contract bundling, oftentimes combining work that small businesses could perform into giant packages that exceed small firms' ability to compete for this work. During this same time, total government contracting has increased by 60 percent, while the number of small business contracts has decreased by 55 percent. This is unacceptable; and that is why it is so important that today we are considering the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act, sending a message to small businesses that this Congress is serious about leveling the playing field for them by improving their opportunities to compete for Federal contracts. H.R. 1873 also increases competition in the contracting process, which can lead to lower prices for the government. As we know, small businesses are the number one job creators in this country, and we must ensure that this engine remains not only healthy but also has the support it needs to grow. It is essential to remove the barriers blocking small businesses from entering the nearly $400 billion per year Federal marketplace. Public support for this bill is broad and bipartisan. The Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act was co-sponsored by 29 Representatives, 17 Democrats and 12 Republicans. H.R. 1873 has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business, the Associated General Contractors, the National Small Business Association, Women in Public Policy, the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. My State of Iowa ranks near the bottom in terms of government contracting dollars awarded to small businesses. Even though 477 small businesses in my district are registered with the Small Business Administration, the dollar value of contracts awarded to those businesses is a tiny fraction of the Federal contract pie. Everyone in this House understands the important role that small businesses play in each of our districts. Allowing them a fair opportunity to bid on Federal contracts will bring economic vitality to our towns and cities. I thank all of my colleagues who join me today in standing up for the interests of small businesses in this country.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, even after losing 3,200 American lives and spending billions of taxpayer dollars since declaring ``Mission Accomplished'' 4 years ago, the Bush administration continues to demand an open-ended commitment of American troops in Iraq. Yesterday President Bush refused to change the course when he vetoed a bill that was supported by Congress, retired military generals and the American people. This Democratic Congress put forth a plan for a responsible end to the war consistent with our national security needs. Even Secretary of Defense Gates himself reiterated last month that congressional debate was helpful. He delivered the message to the Iraqi Government that the clock is ticking on U.S. operations there. President Bush's veto yesterday lets the Iraqi Government off the hook and shows the President plans to keep our troops there indefinitely. Mr. Speaker, the days of rubber-stamping the President's war proposals are long over. The President is going to have to learn to work with the Democratic leadership on this Congress so that we can find a way out of Iraq soon, and so we can provide our troops with the resources they need.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and for her extraordinary leadership on this important measure. Mr. Chairman, I rise today as the voice for 350,000 Iowans who lost power during an ice storm in February, to express my strong support for H.R. 1361, the RECOVER Act. This bill will develop a disaster plan so that the Small Business Administration can adequately assist small businesses in emergencies. Just this February, Iowa was hit with a massive ice storm, one of the worst in its history, which caused millions of dollars worth of damage throughout the State and left hundreds of thousands of people without power. Weather in Iowa, like in many parts of the country, can be unpredictable and dangerous, and this was no exception. I was personally affected by this ice storm when a 40-foot ice-coated branch struck my home in Waterloo. With the help of my neighbors and our chain saws, I was able to cope with some minor property damage and personal inconvenience; but my situation paled in comparison to the constituents I met while visiting emergency storm shelters in Iowa's First Congressional District. These Iowans were there seeking refuge after they had been displaced from their homes and businesses as a result of the ice storm. On March 15, the Small Business Committee held a markup of the RECOVER Act. I introduced an amendment that day to expand the scope of Federal disaster assistance available to small businesses. Currently, the SBA has to wait for the President to make a formal disaster declaration before giving disaster loans to small businesses. There are exceptions, however. These include severe situations such as ``floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, explosions, volcanoes, windstorms, landslides or mudslides, tidal waves'' and other civil disorders. The amendment I proposed adds ``ice storms and blizzards'' to this list of exceptions. The language will benefit small business owners who are trying to get back on their feet following severe winter weather. I was pleased that the amendment received overwhelming bipartisan support and was passed by the committee unanimously. I urge my colleagues to recognize the importance of assisting small businesses in reopening following a disaster and ask them to support the RECOVER Act.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 202, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, when hundreds of billions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer money is being spent on a war overseas, it is important there be benchmarks and consequences if they are not met. Last week the House approved an emergency war supplemental that will finally hold the Iraqi Government accountable by measuring its performance on standards that President Bush himself outlined earlier this year. Under the plan passed here last week, the President must report to Congress this summer on the progress the Iraqi Government has made on these key benchmarks. If the Iraqi Government lives up to its promises, our troops will remain there until next year. If, however, they do not meet the President's own benchmarks by this summer, we will begin to redeploy our troops out of Iraq immediately. This accountability is particularly critical after the release of a Defense Department report showing that the Iraqi Government is not close to meeting any of these benchmarks. Mr. Speaker, it is time that the Iraqi Government realizes that the American troops are not going to be in Iraq indefinitely, and that they have to begin seriously taking responsibility for their own nation.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. I thought it was important to come today and put a human face on the tragic story of Joshua Omvig. This handsome young man you see in this photograph is Joshua Omvig, and standing next to his headstone are his parents, Randy and Ellen. It was Christmas in 2005 when I opened up the Waterloo Courier, my hometown newspaper, and saw the name Omvig, which jumped out at me right away because I have known Randy and Ellen for a long time. Even though Grundy Center is just south of my district, I immediately was drawn to this tragic story. Joshua Omvig is not going to be reflected in any of the casualty totals from Iraq, but he and the other tragic stories you have heard today deserve to be included no less in the toll that has been taken on the lives of young men and women of this country. We owe them more. That is why I was so proud that my colleague from Iowa took the initiative to push this measure onto the House floor into committee so that it can finally receive the proper attention it deserved. I came here with some prepared remarks, but I chose instead to speak from the heart today. Because when I was out at Walter Reed for the oversight hearings on the problems and the backlog of disability claims and the Surgeon General of the Army, Lieutenant General Kiley, tried to justify that backlog by saying that the science of post-traumatic stress disorder was still evolving in 2003 and that was preventing them from processing these claims, I had enough. Because I knew what people like Randy and Ellen Omvig have been going through, and I knew that this ability to prevent these tragedies from happening has been around for many years. And so I told General Kiley, with all due respect, that's hogwash. It is important for this body to stand up and say that post-traumatic stress disorder is real, which is exactly what General Schoomaker said that day. That is why I urge you all to support this important bill and honor the memory of Joshua Omvig. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. This bill is named in honor of 22- year-old Joshua Omvig, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves 3398th MP Co. from Grundy Center, IA, who tragically took his own life in December of 2005 after serving an 11-month tour of duty in Iraq. This legislation is an important step in ensuring adequate mental health care for our troops who return home from serving in combat zones and who, like Joshua, may be suffering from combat-related anxiety, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This bill is a necessary and overdue step in reaching out to veterans of all ages, and their families, in order to prevent the tragic deaths of heroes like Joshua Omvig. Nearly 1,000 veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, commit suicide each year, a number which is startling and unacceptable. Army studies show that around 25 percent of the soldiers who have served in Iraq display symptoms of serious mental health problems, including depression, substance abuse, and PTSD. These figures are expected to rise, as PTSD an other mental health problems often do not surface for months after soldiers have returned home. These mental health problems put our service personnel at higher risk for suicide. When Joshua returned home from Iraq with PTSD, his family knew that he was suffering, but they didn't realize how completely his illness would devastate him. They didn't realize he had PTSD, or that he was at risk for suicide. And they did not know how to help him, because they did not have the appropriate resources available to them. The Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act will help prevent suicides like Joshua's by requiring the VA to develop and implement a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. This program includes educating VA staff about how to identify risk factors for suicide, and training staffers in the appropriate ways to respond to crisis situations and prevent suicide among veterans. The bill also requires the VA to provide mental health care to veterans 24 hours per day, and requires that a suicide prevention counselor be available at every VA facility. These counselors will provide direct assistance to veterans, and will also work with local emergency rooms, police departments, mental health organizations, and veterans' service organizations to provide outreach to veterans who may be at risk for suicide. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to provide outreach and education for veterans and their families to give them the necessary skills to cope with mental illness, to reduce the stigma associated with seeking treatment for mental illness, and to know when and how to seek suicide prevention assistance. It is my fervent hope that the passage of this bill in the House of Representatives today means that the tragic death of young Joshua Omvig will not be in vain. I would like to commend Joshua's parents for their advocacy on the behalf of their son and all veterans, and thank Congressman Leonard Boswell for his leadership on this issue. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, and I look forward to the passage of this critical legislation today.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am proud to be here today to bring to the floor of the House of Representatives, H.R. 985, the Whistleblower Enhancement Protection Act of 2007. A month ago today this important bill passed the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform unanimously by a vote of 28-0. I strongly support the bill, and I hope it will receive a similar level of bipartisan support on the floor of the House of Representatives today. We need to send a strong message that protecting the rights of whistleblowers is not a Democratic issue, it is not a Republican issue, it is an issue that impacts the lives and the safety of every American citizen. Whistleblowers have long been instrumental in alerting the public and the Congress to wrongdoing in Federal agencies. In many cases, the brave actions of whistleblowers have led to positive changes that have resulted in more responsible, safe and ethical practices. In some instances, the actions of whistleblowers have even saved lives. Unfortunately, despite the importance of whistleblowers in ensuring government accountability and integrity, court decisions by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit have undermined whistleblower protections and have unreasonably limited the scope of disclosures protected under current law. The hearings that Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis have been holding in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the 110th Congress have highlighted the need for expanded protections for workers who shed light on wrongdoing by government agencies and departments. Several hearings held by the committee have helped uncover waste and fraud in government contracting, both here in the United States, and in Iraq, waste and fraud which has led to the loss of billions of taxpayer dollars and has jeopardized the safety of Americans here at home and those serving abroad. At another hearing, we learned that some officials in the Bush administration have sought to manipulate Federal climate science, compromising the health and safety of American families and the future of the planet solely for political gain. Perhaps the starkest reminder of the need to protect those who remain silent in the face of government wrongdoing came at last week's hearing at Walter Reed, at which we learned about the terrible living conditions and bureaucratic hurdles that soldiers have endured there. At the hearing, it became clear that nobody dared to complain about the squalid living conditions and inadequate care at what is supposed to be the best military facility in the world because of fear of retribution. Because of this fear, it took an expose by a newspaper in order for action to be taken on these severe and systemic problems, and many of our Nation's heroes had to suffer there for far too long. The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007 makes important changes to existing law that will strengthen protections for government workers who speak out against illegal, wasteful and dangerous practices. The bill protects all Federal whistleblowers by clarifying that any disclosure pertaining to waste, fraud or abuse, ``without restriction as to time, place, form, motive, context or prior disclosure,'' and including both formal and informal communications, is protected. The bill also gives whistleblowers access to timely action on their claims, allowing them access to Federal district courts if the Merit Systems Protection Board does not take action on their claims within 180 days. In addition, the bill clarifies that national security workers, employees of government contractors, and those who blow the whistle on actions that compromise the integrity of Federal science are all entitled to whistleblower protection. As we continue to fight terrorism and other national security threats, this landmark legislation will give whistleblower protections to national security whistleblowers for the first time. It may be hard to believe, but currently employees at key government agencies in charge of protecting the United States, including the FBI, the CIA, and the Transportation Security Administration, are excluded from whistleblower protections. These are the employees who work every day to keep our country safe and secure. These workers deserve to have the same protection as other Federal employees, and the American public deserves to know that workers who come forward with information that is essential to national security will not be punished for helping to keep us safe. A good example is former FBI agent Coleen Rowley, Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2002. Special Agent Rowley graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, which is located in my district. Like me, she received her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. She is married and has four children. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Special Agent Rowley wrote a paper for the Director of the FBI, which laid out in detail how personnel at FBI headquarters failed to take action on concerns raised by the Minneapolis field office concerning its investigation of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui. These failures, identified by Special Agent Rowley, could have left the United States vulnerable to September 11 attacks in 2001. Special Agent Rowley later testified before the Senate and the 9/11 Commission about these very same concerns. Following those hearings, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican who has been a proponent of whistleblower protection, pushed for a major reorganization at the FBI, resulting in the creation of the Office of Intelligence, which significantly expanded FBI personnel with counterterrorism and foreign language skills. Senator Grassley commended the actions of Rowley, saying on the floor of the Senate last June, ``in typical FBI fashion, the missteps from 9/ 11 would have been swept under the rug if it weren't for whistleblowers like Coleen Rowley . . . it looks to me like she's the only one who did anything to make sure the FBI was held responsible for its lack of responsiveness.'' The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act also ensures that employees who work for companies that have government contracts are protected when they report waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. This provision is especially important, considering the use of private contractors by the United States Government has reached an all-time high, and that spending on Federal contracts has almost doubled since 2000, reaching $400 billion in 2006. Private companies with government contracts are now performing some of the most important work of the government, including protecting civilian workers in Iraq and ensuring the safety of American citizens in the United States. This bill will help ensure that employees of government contractors, who report on the abuse of taxpayer dollars or other wrongdoing, do not have to fear the loss of their jobs or other retribution. Finally, Mr. Chairman, this bill clarifies that employees who blow the whistle on political interference in Federal scientific research and reports are also entitled to whistleblower protections. It is essential that we have the best and most accurate scientific research and information that is possible. Americans trust that their tax money is funding thorough and adequate scientific studies that are free from political interference or manipulation. As lawmakers, we also depend on accurate and unbiased scientific information to make policy decisions that will impact the lives and futures of American families. Protecting government researchers who report actions or policies that compromise the accuracy and integrity of Federal science is critical to ensuring the public and the lawmakers are able to make wise and informed decisions that affect our lives now and will have repercussions far into the future. I would like to thank Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis for their work on this bill in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Again, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the passage of the Whistleblower Enhancement Protection Act today. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa

Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 985, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007.