Benjamin Cardin

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me once again thank my friends for bringing this legislation forward. I want to acknowledge again Mr. Lantos and his strong work on behalf of human rights and fighting anti-Semitism, and Mr. Levin who authored a bill on our side for PNTR for Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from the Anti- Defamation League acknowledging the changes that have been made by the leadership of the Ukraine, dated January 25, 2006. The Anti-Defamation League is the premier organization fighting anti-Semitism globally. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Anti-Defamation League ADL Welcomes Ukraine's Strong Condemnation of University Fomenting Anti-Semitism New York, NY, January 25, 2006 . . . The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed the statements and actions of the Ukrainian government to condemn anti-Semitism, and specifically one of the country's leading institutions of higher education, which ADL has called a hotbed for anti- Semitic incitement. Ukraine's Foreign Minister and the Ministry of Education and Science publicly condemned MAUP University's anti-Semitic activities and called for ``anti- incitement laws to be effectively enforced.'' In a letter to Borys Tarasyuk, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Barbara B. Balser, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director welcomed his ``strong statement condemning the anti-Semitic actions of MAUP University as unlawful and wrongful and proclaiming that `there is no place for any form of anti- Semitism and xenophobia in the Ukraine.''' The League leaders also welcomed the statement of the Ministry of Education and Science accusing MAUP of breaking Ukrainian law by persistent incompliance with requirements of state licensing rules for universities and failure to abide with legally binding procedures of the State Accreditation Commission. ``We hope the Ukrainian government will continue to condemn such anti-Semitic activities and ensure anti-incitement laws will be effectively enforced,'' Ms. Balser and Mr. Foxman said. A university with 50,000 students, MAUP has made statements supporting the President of Iran's denial of the Holocaust and appeal for Israel's destruction and is a bastion of anti- Jewish propaganda and incitement in the Ukraine. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin). (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that each side be given an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1777, the Katrina Emergency Assistance Act. This bill would extend jobless unemployment benefits for 165,000 survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for 13 weeks. In August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina laid waste to our Gulf Coast region, including the City of New Orleans, and devastated other villages and towns in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The extent of the devastation was unprecedented in our Nation's history. I have repeatedly expressed my outrage at the failure of our Federal Government to adequately respond to this disaster. Without this legislation, victims of the Hurricane Katrina disaster will lose their unemployment assistance this Saturday. Under current law, Federal emergency unemployment assistance expires 26 weeks after the emergency occurs. Congress must act now to ensure that these victims continue to receive our support as they attempt to rebuild their lives and their communities. While I support the legislation before us, this is only a first step for Congress. Many of the Katrina survivors have also lost their homes and belongings. They are continuing to look for employment in the region. Congress needs to take a bold step and enact a comprehensive approach to help the people and the region recover from this natural disaster. I have co-sponsored H.R. 4197, the Hurricane Katrina Recovery, Reclamation, Restoration, Reconstruction and Reunion Act of 2005, introduced by the Congressional Black Caucus. I urge the House leadership to bring up this legislation immediately. This legislation would take important steps toward fully restoring the Gulf Coast and reuniting evacuees with their families. The bill addresses the needs of evacuees in the areas of health, education, housing, community rebuilding, voting rights, business, and financial services. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and again urge the House leadership to immediately allow the House to vote on H.R. 4197, the comprehensive Hurricane Katrina recovery legislation.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335 and to thank my colleague, Mr. Green, for introducing this resolution. It is important for all of us to honor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 97th anniversary for the many achievements that highlight their long and distinguished history. As a native of Baltimore and a lifetime member of the NAACP, this resolution holds special importance for me. The NAACP has been headquartered in Baltimore since 1986, continuing a long tradition of civil rights prominence for the city. Thurgood Marshall, also a son of Baltimore, was one of the NAACP's premier advocates and later our nation's first African American Justice. Founded in February 1909 by members of the Niagara Movement, the NAACP has been a catalyst for America's evolution. Its founding members included Ida Wells-Barnett, Henry Moscowitz, and William Edward Burghardt DuBois. Their heroic efforts formed the foundation that helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. They and future generations confronted daily the evils of Jim Crow, and challenged more subtle but equally pernicious forms of racial discrimination. The NAACP has led efforts to construct a society based on equality, respect, and understanding between all citizens. Its legislative accomplishments are legendary--the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the 1968 Fair Housing Rights Act among them. Over the years, the list of NAACP pioneers has included Walter White, Charles Hamilton Houston, Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Elaine Jones, and many thousands of other brave freedom fighters. The NAACP challenged school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education, and residential segregation in Buchanan v. Warley. It fought segregation in government institutions, resulting in its eventual repeal. It defeated Supreme Court nominations of those who would deny equal rights. It mobilized voters in the South at a time when the very lives of their volunteers were threatened. And it continues to shine a beacon of light for equal justice. But the NAACP represents so much more than these landmark laws and court decisions; it represents a voice for change, a clarion call to end the vicious and destructive stereotypes that too often still divide rather than unite our country; and a vehicle for raising of the collective consciousness of America. Current President and CEO Bruce Gordon leads a strong and vibrant association of more than half a million members, with seven regional offices and hundreds of local branches, united in purpose. For nearly a century, the NAACP has set the standard for effecting meaningful social change. I am proud to congratulate the NAACP on this 97th anniversary, I look forward to its centennial, and I urge my colleagues to unanimously support this resolution.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2872, and I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, for his leadership on this bill. It has been a pleasure to work with him in advancing this important legislation. I also want to extend my appreciation to Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank, of the Financial Services Committee, for their support. This bipartisan bill celebrates the achievements of Louis Braille, who created a system of reading and writing for the blind that has gained widespread acceptance since his death more than one hundred fifty years ago. To mark the 200th anniversary of his birth in 1809, this bill authorizes the minting of $1 coins bearing the image of Braille himself and emphasizing Braille literacy. I want to particularly express my deep appreciation to the National Federation of the Blind for their vital advocacy for more than 1.3 million blind persons in the United States. Since its inception in 1940, the National Federation for the Blind has worked tirelessly to battle discrimination, increase public awareness, and develop and support technological advances. The NFP also distributes The Braille Monitor, a monthly news publication, as well as online resources and a quarterly publication for the parents of blind children. With more than 50,000 members and affiliates in every state across America, NFB has led the way in demonstrating its ability to serve the interests of the blind population. This bill holds special significance for me, as the National Federation of the Blind is headquartered in my Congressional district, in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Marc Maurer, who has served as President of the National Federation of the Blind for 20 years, has shown exemplary leadership of this organization, as has the NFB's First Vice President, Joyce Scanlan, an active member since 1970. Sharon Maneki, President of the Maryland Chapter, has been instrumental in advancing the cause of blind persons throughout our state. I would also like to thank Jesse Hartle of the NFB for his hard work on behalf of the organization. I am pleased to note that H.R. 2872 is cosponsored by the entire Maryland delegation, as well as by more than 300 members of the House. The NFB's mission statement declares that ``the real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight but the misunderstanding and lack of information which exist.'' As part of this mission, the NFB has been campaigning to increase awareness of the Braille system of communication. The Braille code became dominant in the United States during the 20th century, and it served as a gateway to education for the blind. In recent years the Braille code has been in declining use among the blind population. It is currently taught to only about ten percent of blind students and is usually not taught at all to the elderly. The NFB holds as one of its major goals the reintroduction of Braille into education for the blind. Braille readers can read up to 400 words per minute, comparable to the speed of print readers. Braille is also essential for note-taking, mathematics and the study of foreign languages. Moreover, the computerization of Braille allows users to write much more rapidly than in the past. Commemorating the contributions of Louis Braille is a worthy goal. Increasing awareness of Braille and broadening opportunities for use as an educational tool are two other pivotal goals that this legislation will help achieve. I want to thank my colleagues for their resounding support of H.R. 2872 and urge the House to help further the legacy of Louis Braille by voting for this bill.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 341, which condemns the Government of Iran for violating its international nuclear nonproliferation obligations, and expressing support for efforts to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council. Iran is actively seeking weapons of mass destruction, which poses a threat to the national security of the United States and to the world. Iran has repeatedly violated its obligations to the international community, specifically the 1973 Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA. In 2002 the world learned that Iran was illegally continuing to develop a secret nuclear program, which has led to years of negotiations with the international community. Last August, however, the Iranian government resumed its conversion of uranium. Earlier this month the IAEA voted 27 to 3 to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council for further action. I urge the Security Council to use all the tools at its disposal to pressure Iran to meet its commitments to the IAEA. The House should additionally take up and pass legislation to strengthen the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, ILSA. The House should pass H.R. 282, the Iran Freedom Support Act, which I have co-sponsored. The bill would strengthen ILSA, provide assistance to pro-democracy groups in Iran, and require that ILSA remain in effect until the President certifies to Congress that Iran has permanently and verifiably dismantled its weapons on mass destruction programs and has committed to combating their proliferation. I am pleased that the United States has continued to work closely with the international community--including the European Union, Russia, and China--on this urgent matter. I urge the President to keep Congress fully and current informed on this matter, as called for in this resolution. I urge the international community to impose economic sanctions designed to deny Iran the ability to develop nuclear weapons. We cannot allow a rogue nation such as Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran has actively supported terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Iran has funded suicide bombers in Israel and militant organizations elsewhere. Many of these terrorist groups are seeking weapons of mass destruction, WMD, so that they can kill or injure thousands or even millions of people. The Iranian President has publicly expressed his hope for ``a world without America,'' his desire to ``wipe Israel off the map,'' and has denied the existence of the Holocaust. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Madam Speaker, I want to join the United States House of Representatives today in welcoming Colonel Kenneth J. Leinwand, the installation chaplain for Ft. Meade. Colonel Leinwand is the highest- ranking active duty Jewish chaplain in the United States military. The Colonel has been an active duty Army chaplain since 1977. He has served in Iraq, Desert Storm, Bosnia and Kosovo. From 2002 to 2004 he also served as the command chaplain for all U.S. Army ground forces in Europe. Colonel Leinwand has a deep respect and understanding of the religious plurality that exists in today's military. Throughout his almost 30-year military career, he has provided spiritual comfort and solace to soldiers of all faiths. Colonel Leinwand has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. As installation chaplain for Ft. Meade, Colonel Leinwand has direct authority over four other chaplains and is responsible for all religious programs. Madam Speaker, Colonel Leinwand has accomplished many firsts in the military as a rabbi and as a chaplain, and it is a great honor to have him with us today. I join the House of Representatives in welcoming him.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. Con. Res. 79, which expresses the sense of Congress that no U.S. assistance should be provided directly to the Palestinian Authority if any representative political party holding a majority of parliamentary seats within the Palestinian Authority maintains a position calling for the destruction of Israel. On January 25, Hamas won a majority of the seats in the Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections. Their charter calls for the ``obliteration'' of Israel and states that they can achieve their objectives only through violence. They have rejected the ``two-state'' solution and Road Map peace process. They continue to call for a Palestinian State which includes and ultimately subsumes the sovereign territory of Israel. Mr. Speaker, this House has already gone on record on the issue of assistance to the Palestinian Government should Hamas become part of the government. On December 14, 2005, the House passed H. Res. 575, which I cosponsored, which in part calls upon the United States to reassess its financial assistance to, and its diplomatic relations with, the Palestinians should Hamas join the government. I am pleased that the Quartet issued a statement on January 30, 2006, which ``concluded that it was inevitable that future assistance to any new government would be reviewed by donors against that government's commitment to the principles of nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap.'' I also agree with the Quartet that the Palestinian Authority must move quickly to ensure law and order, prevent terrorist attacks, and dismantle the infrastructure of terror. Finally, the new government must also take concrete steps to establish the rule of law, tolerance, reform and sound fiscal management in the Palestinian territories. The foundation of the Road Map peace process hinges on Palestinian recognition of the right of Israel to exist and a pledge by the Palestinians to end violence and terrorism. Just as the United States will not negotiate with terrorists, neither will Israel. We cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to fall into the hands of terrorists who have no intention of renouncing violence. I therefore urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, let me urge my colleagues to support this motion and point out that this motion makes it clear that if we work together, Democrats and Republicans, that we can get through a reconciliation bill that deals with expiring tax provisions that need to be dealt with, including the R&D tax credit and other provisions, but we need to do this in a financially responsible way. You cannot extend all of these tax provisions and fix the alternative minimum tax and not worry about the impact it is going to have on the Federal deficit. And I think that is a point Mr. Neal and others on this side of the aisle have been making. We are talking about trying to reduce the Federal deficit. The first thing you do is stop getting greater and deeper in debt. So last week we cut programs for our students. We cut programs in health care. We cut programs for those who are the most vulnerable, and we said we were doing it to help reduce the deficit. But, no, we are using every dollar of those dollars for tax cuts. That is not what we should be doing. We have lots of unmet needs, including rebuilding from Katrina and dealing with the financing of No Child Left Behind. So we have unmet needs. You cannot have these large tax cuts and try to deal with the unmet needs without further increasing the Federal deficit, and that is what this motion is about. This motion is about, yes, there are areas we need to move forward in the Tax Code, and, yes, there are additional investments that need to be made; but if we do it in a reasonable manner, we can reduce the Federal deficit. Without us paying attention to what is in this motion, we are going to be digging a deeper hole and making it more difficult for us to get out. So I just urge my colleagues to support this motion, but more importantly, support action in this body that will bring us together and not have extensions of tax cuts that are going to make it more difficult for us to balance the budget. Support the motion.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to congratulate Howard Friedman on becoming the new President of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC. Howard Friedman is one of the most dedicated and talented individuals I know, and AIPAC will be in good hands under his leadership. Howard is a resident of Baltimore. He also is the Managing Partner of Lanx Capital, a hedge fund advisory firm, and is the co-founder and Vice Chairman of Circa Group, an investment group. In addition to his success in the business world, Howard has a longstanding commitment to Jewish communal affairs. He has served as the Campaign Chairman of the Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and as President of the Baltimore Jewish Council. He also serves on numerous boards, including 1st Mariner Bank, AIPAC and Sinai Hospital. In assuming the helm of AIPAC, Howard knows these are difficult times for Israel and the peace process. But he also knows that Israel is an island of democracy and freedom in a sea of totalitarian, repressive regimes. As the President of AIPAC, Howard will work to continue to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. Israel is the only Western democracy in the Middle East and it's vital that our bond remains unshakable. The enemies of Israel are strong, and AIPAC is an important ally in combating those who seek the destruction of Israel. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to congratulate Howard Friedman on his new role as President of AIPAC, and affirm our support for the State of Israel.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, ``Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won--you earn it and win it in every generation.''--Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King not only spoke those words, she lived them. Today, America mourns her passing at age 78, and we celebrate her remarkable life. So many images of Mrs. King's life are etched on the American canvas, and we recall them on this day. Her exuberance as she marched alongside Dr. King, John Lewis, Ralph Abernathy, and Andrew Young through the 1950's and 1960's South, blazing new paths of hope for the disenfranchised. Her joy as she called upon her New England Conservatory of Music training to organize Freedom Concerts across the country raising money for the movement. Her grace in the depths of sorrow as she comforted her four young children at Dr. King's funeral in 1968. Her steadfast commitment to justice as she opened the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta in 1969 and continued to speak out against injustice everywhere. And her beaming smile as she watched President Reagan sign into law the 1983 bill establishing the third Monday in January as a Federal holiday honoring her husband. What would have shattered many others instead became a source of strength for Mrs. King. Throughout the nearly 4 decades that followed Dr. King's assassination, this daughter of the segregated South continued to carry the mantle of nonviolent social change, addressing students and activists, writing books, and inspiring new generations to continue the struggle. America is a better place because of Coretta Scott King's life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marty, Dexter, Yolanda, and Bernice, who following in the steps of their legendary parents, have dedicated their lives to achieving equality through peace.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the so-called Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Let's be clear about this: the majority is moving this bill to make way for tax cuts in the order of $106 billion over five years. To make room for those tax cuts, we have to cut programs that help middle-income and low-income Americans. That's correct: this morning, we are cutting nearly $40 billion over five years from important domestic initiatives. The net result will be a double-whammy on most Americans: an increased deficit that will fall on the shoulders of every man, woman and child and painful cuts to our neediest citizens. Let's take a closer look at who is targeted by this misguided legislation. First, college students. The conference report cuts $12.7 billion to student loan programs. Students will have to pay higher fees for their loans, parents will have to pay higher interest rates. The barriers to higher education just got higher. Next, America's farmers. This bill cuts important farm conservation programs by $934 million. It cuts the Conservation Security Program by $649 million, it zeroes out the Watershed Rehabilitation Program; and it cuts the Environmental Quality Incentives Programs by $75 million. Next are America's uninsured families. Even though the number of uninsured Americans at an all-time high of 45 million, this Congress has decided to decimate their safety net, the Medicaid program. The conference report increases Medicaid cost sharing and will make it far more difficult for families to get the care they need. The Senate-passed bill had not included any provisions cutting health care benefits or increasing families costs to see their doctor. In addition, under this bill, States may provide any child, without regard to income, with a lesser benefits package than they have today. States may supplement this reduced level of coverage with additional benefits if they choose, but the requirement for a basic level of care is eliminated by this bill. As a result, low income children are no longer guaranteed vision screenings, therapy services, medical equipment, or other key benefits. From now on, States may offer a choice of coverage to beneficiaries between a ``benchmark'' package or a so-called Health Opportunity Account, eliminating any requirement that individuals are covered for needed benefits. This bill sharply increases cost sharing for prescription drugs and would allow States to charge up to 20 percent of the cost of each medication. Medicaid beneficiaries who take many drugs will have to forgo some needed medicines. It also lifts limits on emergency room copayments for all but the poorest beneficiaries. Last but not least are our seniors and persons with disabilities who rely on Medicare. It has been 8 years since the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, a bill that Republicans said would ``slow the rate of Medicare growth'' by $130 billion, but in truth slashed more than $260 billion hurting nursing homes, home health agencies, hospitals, doctors, and most importantly, beneficiaries. Two years after BBA's enactment, Congress began passing a series of ``fix'' bills to repair the unanticipated damage from several provisions; to this day, some of the more egregious mistakes, such as outpatient therapy caps and the flawed ``sustainable growth rate'' formula for the physician fee schedule have still not been fixed. That is why it is so disappointing as we review this bill to see that Congress has not learned its lesson. Today, with the needs of children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities even greater than in 1997, the 109th Congress is back with a bill that ignores the urgent needs of those who care for Medicare beneficiaries and fails to address serious problems with a Medicare drug plan that has befuddled and frustrated millions of seniors and their loved ones. I am deeply disappointed that the House did not even try to address needed reforms in Medicare. Now we are looking at $8 billion in Medicare cuts that were not considered in the Ways and Means or the Energy and Commerce Committees. We now have a band-aid physician payment fix; unjustifiable arbitrary caps on rehabilitation therapy services, no improvement in payments for lifesaving cancer screenings, higher Medicare Part B premiums for many seniors, no reduction in the unnecessary ``stabilization fund'' for Medicare HMOs. This was a flawed process and it led to an even more deeply flawed bill. I urge my colleagues to reject this conference report and return in the new year to consider real improvements to these vital programs.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, since President Bush took office in 2001 I have voted to support every annual defense authorization and appropriations bill that has come before this House. Congress has an obligation to act responsibly in providing necessary resources to the troops to carry out the missions authorized by their government. Our troops are under a tremendous strain in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the global war on terrorism. They have performed admirably, made enormous sacrifices on behalf of their country, and have served longer deployments than expected. Congress also should act responsibly to provide adequate housing and benefits to military families, and to ensure that our veterans returning home to the United States receive the best medical care available. I am therefore outraged, Mr. Speaker, that the House leadership has played politics with this bill in a time of war--a bill that is more than two months overdue--and has added extraneous provisions to this bill that have nothing to do with military spending, the war on terrorism, or the ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House leadership is shamefully using this military spending bill as a shield for offensive provisions that could never pass in the light of day, such as drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and more than $8 billion in across-the-board spending cuts, including a $4 billion cut in defense spending, along with cuts in homeland security, education and health care. In this breakdown of the democratic process, after midnight we were given a few hours to review a 465-page bill. Members cannot possibly have a clear picture of what they are voting on in these circumstances, and we must read about what is really in this bill in the newspapers later this week. One extraneous provision that was slipped into this military spending bill is a provision authorizing oil and gas drilling in Alaska. I have consistently voted against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We must establish a comprehensive energy policy that will not only help consumers in the short term, but also strengthen our nation's long term energy supply while simultaneously protecting our environment. The stated rationale for drilling in ANWR is achieving the admirable goal of American energy independence, but the oil reserves that may lie beneath ANWR would last a relatively short time based on current levels of energy consumption. There are also far more effective ways to achieve energy independence, through conservation and use of alternative energy sources. In the long run, gaining the oil that may lie below ANWR simply does not warrant the permanent environmental destruction and pollution that drilling would bring to this area. This legislation also contains an unacceptable one percent across- the-board cut for most non-defense discretionary spending. Because of the billions of dollars in tax cuts contained in earlier budget reconciliation legislation, these budget cuts will not even pay down the deficit or cover the costs of rebuilding in the aftermath of Katrina. Instead, this bill will make unconscionable cuts in critical domestic services, in a bill that is supposed to provide funding for our military in a time of war. These one percent cuts will have real impact: for example, with an additional one percent across-the-board cut, No Child Left Behind funding will be cut by $1 billion this year. This bill cuts funding for the FBI by $57 million, at a time when we need to make additional investments in homeland security. Homeland security programs face a $300 million cut from this bill. In a winter when home heating costs are projected to soar by 44 percent for natural gas and 24 percent for home heating oil, this bill will cut vital LIHEAP funding by $21 million. The House also rejected an effort to add $2 billion in additional funds for LIHEAP. While 7.6 million Americans are out of work, this bill will bring the total cuts to adult and youth job training and help for dislocated workers to $529 million, affecting 2 million Americans who would lose critical adult and youth job training, as well as assistance for dislocated workers. This legislation also omits critical funds needed to meet America's commitment to protect human rights. I am disappointed that this legislation does not contain, as I have requested to the President in a letter last week, $50 million for the African Union (AU) peacekeepers that are trying to stop the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of the Sudan. The United States has committed to provide these funds but has yet to provide them. I therefore cannot support this legislation. By way of contrast, Mr. Speaker, I will support H.R. 1815, the Defense Authorization bill for FY '06. I commend Armed Services Committee Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton for working on a bipartisan basis to produce this' legislation. This legislation provides an average 3.1 percent pay increase for military personnel, and funds certain special pay and bonuses for reserve personnel. This bill also reduces the pay gap between the military and private sector, increases payments to survivors of deceased military personnel to $100,000 from $12,000, and further increases military health care (TRICARE) coverage for reservists and their families.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the fiscal year 2006 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Conference Report. I was dismayed to hear my friend, the Chairman of the Subcommittee, state that this bill ``more than any other, illustrates the compassion of the American people.'' But the American people did not produce this bill, and, judging from the hundreds of calls and letters to my office, they do not support its provisions. Across the board, in nearly every area of importance to American families, our citizens are shortchanged by this bill. The Labor-HHS- Education bill is often the most contentious appropriations measure to move through Congress. This is because the programs it funds affect the health, the quality of life, indeed the future of every American. This year, the original version of the conference report was deemed so harmful that it was rejected once already on November 17. Today, the authors of this bill have returned it to the floor with a few cosmetic changes designed only to secure enough votes to squeak the bill through. But this so-called ``new and improved version'' will be no less objectionable to the sensibilities of the American people and certainly no less harmful to American families. This legislation sends a clear message to the American people: for educational opportunity, for food assistance to elderly Americans, for help with heating bills next winter, for access to quality health care, for advances in medical research: do not look to this Congress for help. The majority says it cares about families, about better education, about improved health care, about a productive workforce, about economic opportunity. But it has produced a bill that cuts the bootstraps of middle class families trying to stay afloat and aspiring families who are reaching for the American dream. Overall, this bill cuts $1.5 billion from last year's funding levels. Let us examine what effect these cuts will have on our Nation. A strong and productive workforce is key to our Nation's future. According to the Department of Labor, nearly 8 million Americans and 120,000 Marylanders are unemployed. But this Congress is poised to slash more than $400 million from job training and employment services funding. It will also cut State unemployment insurance and employment service offices by $245 million, and assistance for approximately 1.9 million people will be jeopardized. This bill also cuts by $250 million the Community College Initiative, which is President Bush's initiative to help community colleges train prospective workers for high-skill jobs. The conference report cuts funding for that effort by $125 million and rescinds $125 million from fiscal year 2005 funds. A healthy America is key to our Nation's future. We have more than 45 million Americans without health insurance. Many of them rely on networks of community health centers to receive much needed care. I was encouraged by the President's initiative to increase the number of community health centers around the country, but the conference report provides $238 million less than the President's request. The Republican leadership supports this conference report, despite the fact that this House passed in July a resolution stating that community health centers are ``vital to the nation's communities.'' Surely, the dedicated workers at our health centers will find the words of that resolution hollow if this conference report is passed. This conference report cuts health care access for underserved areas of the country. It eliminates the community access program, which provides lifesaving and life- enhancing health care to many regions that lack a sufficient number of health care facilities. This bill cuts title VII health professions programs by 69 percent and it eradicates several programs entirely. This is particularly outrageous coming from a Congress that claims to want to end health disparities. Johns Hopkins Institutions in my home town of Baltimore receive more than $2.5 million in funding for title VII grants. These programs serve different spheres of the health care system, from the Schools of Nursing, Public Health and Medicine. All of this funding is jeopardized by the bill before us today. The National Institutes of Health is headquartered in my home State of Maryland. Over the past year, I have met with dozens of representatives from patient groups. They are aware that the President's budget for fiscal year 2006 proposed the smallest increase for NIH in 36 years. The paltry increase in this bill does not even keep pace with inflation. What does it mean in real terms? Not only will we not be able to increase our efforts to fight diabetes, HIV/ AIDS, cancer, brain injury, Alzheimer's and other pernicious diseases, we will actually see a reduction in the number of grants and the number of research projects funded by NIH. Improvements in education are key to our Nation's future. This Congress speaks often about the need to hold our schools accountable, yet this conference takes away the funding our school districts need to improve students' achievement levels. Title I funding for low-income children are given a 0.8 percent increase--the smallest increase in 8 years, and only a fraction of the increase requested by the President. Special education grants receive a 0.9 percent increase--the smallest increase in 10 years. We talk a lot about the need to increase education technology, yet this conference report cuts that funding by nearly half. We speak of the need to protect our children from violence and illegal drugs, but this bill cuts Safe and Drug-Free Schools by one-fifth, and provides no increase for after-school programs for the fourth consecutive year. Everyone in this House can agree that the cost of higher education is soaring, but this conference report fails to provide any increase whatsoever for Pell grants, without which so many college students could not continue their education. President Bush proposed a $100 increase, the House passed a $50 increase, but the conferees did not even provide that. Instead, they froze the maximum Pell grant amount at $4,050 for the fourth consecutive year. Finally, our goodness as a nation is measured by how we treat the most vulnerable Americans. If we are to truly be a great nation, we must care for those who are less able to care for themselves. It is disappointing that this conference report slashes funding for the Social Security Administration, which is entrusted with processing disability claims for millions of Americans. In my district, the Third Congressional District of Maryland, I represent many employees of the Social Security Administration. They are hardworking, dedicated staffers, but they can only do so much without adequate funding for personnel and technological support. In the Ways and Means Committee, we have had several hearings about the backlogs of cases at SSA, and Commissioner Barnhart has sought congressional assistance in bringing her processing systems up to date. Unfortunately, this bill will not make SSA employees' jobs any easier nor will it help reduce the backlog of pending cases. In fact, the backlogs will get worse. The House failed to provide the President's request, it provides even less than the House- or Senate-passed bills. Some of my colleagues have defended these cuts as necessary to restore fiscal discipline to our budget. When combined with a planned 1 percent across-the-board cut, this bill will save approximately $3 billion over last year's spending, and $15 billion over the next 5 years. But at the same time, the congressional leadership is advancing an agenda of tax cuts that exceed $70 billion. They are asking us to believe that it is necessary to eliminate programs and inflict pain on American families, but they are doing this not to balance the budget, but to make room for tax cuts. Mr. Speaker, when this House defeated the Labor-HHS bill prior to the Thanksgiving recess, it was because a majority of this House believed that it would jeopardize vital services for millions of Americans. The revisions in today's conference report are minimal and keep us on the same track toward wiping out key safety net programs. Therefore, I rise again in opposition to this conference report and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Lantos for yielding me this time to express what I think just about every speaker has said; that part of this resolution I support, and every Member of this body supports congratulating the Iraqis on the election. It was a critical step in developing democratic institutions in that government in its capacity to deal with its own problems. And we certainly all express our appreciation to our soldiers and their families for the sacrifices that they have made. However, this resolution endorses the policy of this administration which got us into the war in Iraq and has prolonged our presence because of its current policy and unwillingness to change policy, and that I cannot support. So what should we be doing? I think Mr. Lantos is 100 percent right. We should be having an open debate on this issue. Our soldiers deserve that. The American people deserve that. We should be expressing that our objective in Iraq is to make sure that the Iraqis are capable of defending themselves. In order to accomplish that, we should be engaging international organizations that are better suited than we in helping to develop democratic institutions in Iraq and in training Iraqi soldiers and security forces so that 2006 can be a year for a substantial number of our troops coming home. It is our responsibility to ask our President to submit such a plan to Congress and to the American people so that we can accomplish these objectives. Unfortunately, this resolution does not do that, and I regret another missed opportunity.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, we can all agree with the parts of this resolution that congratulate the Iraqis for holding a democratic election and commend the sacrifices made by our United States Armed Forces and their families. Unfortunately, this resolution also endorses a failed policy that got us into this war, and has prolonged our presence in Iraq. Therefore, I cannot support H. Res. 612. It is our responsibility to speak out individually and collectively. I will continue to communicate with the President and urge him to change course in Iraq. In order to achieve the goal of the Iraqis taking charge of their own security needs without the presence of U.S. troops, we must engage international organizations to assume primary responsibility for building democratic institutions including the training of Iraqi security forces. We need a strategy that will permit a substantial number of our troops to return home in 2006. The President should submit a plan to Congress and the American people that carries out these objectives. As we pass yet another resolution that expresses support for our troops and our desire to achieve ``victory'' in Iraq, I must remind my colleagues that our soldiers have paid the heaviest price in Iraq. Thousands are dead, and tens of thousands are wounded. The American taxpayer has already invested hundreds of billions of dollars. Mr. Speaker, our soldiers deserve better than the resolution we are considering today with 1 hour of debate. The American people deserve serious consideration of how we can safely bring our soldiers home.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely critical that Congress pass meaningful and effective border security and immigration reform. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress has taken significant steps to secure our border and prevent another terrorist attack on our soil. Congress created the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, and a strong Director of National Intelligence, which constituted the largest reorganization of our law enforcement and intelligence services since WorId War II. I supported the bipartisan version of the homeland security and immigration reform bill that passed the House Homeland Security Committee last month. As a former member of the committee, I agree that the United States must: move rapidly to establish operation control of all borders and ports; end our ``catch and release'' practice of aliens apprehended crossing the border illegally; effectively organize the border security agencies within the Department of Homeland Security; and promote international policies to deter illegal immigration. I also agree with the former 9/11 Commissioners, who recently issued a report which concluded that Congress and the administration have much more work to do to make America safer, and gave our Government fair to poor grades for our current level of border security. I agree that Congress and the administration should take immediate action to: produce a terrorist travel strategy to intercept and disrupt their operations; create a comprehensive screening system for travelers; create a biometric entry-exit screening system for all land borders; improve international collaboration on borders and document security; and standardize secure identifications. I am disappointed, therefore, that the leadership of the House of Representatives has failed to allow the House to take up a comprehensive homeland security and immigration reform bill that addresses the pressing vulnerabilities in our border security. The bill before the House, passed on a party-line vote in the Judiciary Committee, is not a balanced, thoughtful approach to the issue. This bill is a punitive bill which is neither enforceable nor workable. This bill has little chance of enactment. Border security is too important and should be included in legislation that can be quickly enacted. This legislation is opposed by a vast number of groups from across the political spectrum, including businesses, labor unions, faith-based organizations, civil rights organizations, human rights organizations, and immigrant advocacy organizations. I therefore ask my colleagues to reject this legislation.

Mr. CARDIN

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), a distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that people who are watching this debate are somewhat confused about some of the technical provisions that we have talked about on the funding of a guaranteed fund. But let me try to simplify it. The bottom line is that the total changes that are being suggested make it more rigid and less predictable for those companies that have traditional pension plans as to how much money they have to put into the guaranteed fund. Understand that the guaranteed fund is funded by the companies making contributions to the guaranteed fund. It is not funded by the government. So if you have a plan that is well-funded and you are now being told it is going to cost you more to stay in that plan, there is an incentive for you to freeze your plan or to leave. That is what is going to happen, and that is why we are very concerned about many people losing their traditional pension plans as a result of this legislation. The second point, let me point out, is that many Members have been talking about the airline industry and to try to help the airline industry. I pointed out that I think we should do that. We should do that because, A, it will allow the guaranteed fund to concentrate on other plans, and companies will not arbitrarily cancel their plans because they are afraid they are going to be stuck with the costs of bailing out the airline industry. That makes sense. But we are told: We are going to do that in conference, trust us. We are the legislative body. We should do it. How do we know what is going to come out of conference? It is our responsibility to make sure it is done. We made some changes for the auto industry. Why have we not brought in those provisions? It is our responsibility to do it. And I haven't heard anyone talk about how we are going to correct the problem of an industry going into bankruptcy in order to save their costs. Is there any hope that that will come out of conference? I doubt it. We can do better. I urge my colleagues to reject this bill.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel), whose provisions are in this bill concerning split refunds and automatic enrollment and other issues that he has brought to the table.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones), distinguished member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy), one of the leaders in the Ways and Means Committee on pension issues, the former insurance commissioner from North Dakota.

Mr. CARDIN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the objective of this legislation should be to encourage the retention and expansion of traditional defined benefit plans. Traditional defined benefit plans generally offer a guaranteed benefit to the worker and, they are generally well managed and diversified. The passage of this bill, in my view, will set up a conference report that will come back to us that will accelerate the termination of well-funded and managed traditional defined benefit plans. And I say that for three reasons. Three parts of this legislation will adversely affect well-funded and managed plans. First, the funding roles are more costly and more restrictive. That in and of itself will act as a disincentive for continuation of these plans. Second, there is a failure to include relief for the airline industry, clearly putting pressure on well-funded and managed plans to pick up the costs for other industries, questioning whether they should stay and provide these plans. Third, we continue to allow companies to go into bankruptcy in order to dump their costs onto the PBGC, once again affecting those well- funded plans that are going to be asked to pick up the tab. For all these reasons this legislation is likely to accelerate the termination of plans that we would want to see continued. The termination of these plans will just adversely affect the funding of the PBGC, the guaranteed fund, complicating the situation and making it worse. Madam Speaker, I want to point out that there are provisions in this legislation that are very good. The provisions dealing with the defined contribution provisions are needed and, as it was pointed out in the Ways and Means Committee, contain many of the provisions that were worked on through the Portman-Cardin process as well as legislation presented by Mr. Emanuel and Mr. Pomeroy. It includes automatic enrollment, the split refunds where tax refunds can go partially into retirement savings, the extension of the savers credit, the ability for individuals to roll over funds and keep them in retirement funds longer. All of those are positive aspects. However, when you look at this bill in balance, we do need to pass legislation; but on balance this legislation will cause more harm than good, and I urge my colleagues to reject the bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.