Duke Cunningham

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter). (Mr. OTTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence). (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, maybe some of us that have seen our friends killed in action do have a different view. I have personally witnessed the actions of other countries that caused the loss of many of my friends. Perhaps someone that is responsible for killing my friends, American soldiers, I just do not feel that they should be rewarded. I do not think anyone disputes on this floor that Turkey's action damaged our ability to project force into Iraq, specifically from the north. Turkey's action contributed to the loss of American lives when our paratroopers had to parachute into northern Iraq lightly armed, instead of with a major force.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding naval officer, Commander Carol Hottenrott, who served with distinction and dedication during the past year for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, FM&C, as a Navy Appropriations Liaison Officer in the Appropriations Matters Office. It is a privilege for me to recognize her many outstanding achievements and commend her for the superb service she has provided to the Department of the Navy, the Congress, and our great Nation as a whole. During her tenure in the Appropriations Matters Office, which began in March of 2002, Commander Hottenrott has provided members of the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense as well as our professional and associate staffs with timely and accurate support regarding the Department of the Navy's Operations and Maintenance, Personnel and medical programs budget accounts. Her valuable contributions have enabled the Defense Subcommittee and the Department of the Navy to strengthen its close working relationship and to ensure the most modern, well-trained and well-equipped Naval Forces attainable for the defense of our great Nation. Commander Carol Hottenrott has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the Navy and on Capitol Hill. She continues to be recognized as a truly unique naval officer and is one of a very select group of female naval officers to command a ship. She distinguished herself as a Commanding Officer of a Mine hunting ship and has been selected for command of another combat vessel. Exemplifying the best this country has to offer, she has made many personal sacrifices in the interest of the Navy and our Nation. Having worked with her on the highly complex operations and maintenance issues impacting the port of San Diego, I know she is a wonderful person and officer, and a bright and talented individual. Although she departs today to return to sea on the staff of the new Pacific Expeditionary Strike Group, I expect that she will continue rising through the Navy leadership ranks and that we will have many opportunities to work together again in the future. I wish her every success in her new job, and call upon my colleagues to join me in wishing her ``fair winds and following seas.''

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Chairman, I did not know if I was going to vote for this budget, but after the partisan rancor that I just heard on this floor, I am going to vote for it. It is despicable. Talk about hurting veterans, talk about cutting Social Security. In 1993 when they had the White House, the House, and the Senate, what did they do? They spoke and talked about tax breaks for the middle class, tax breaks for the middle class. What did they do? They had the highest tax in the history of this Nation. They cut the COLAs of veterans. They cut the COLAs of our active duty military. Where you said you were going to decrease the tax for the middle class, you increased the tax for the middle class. You took and utilized every dime out of the Social Security Trust Fund, and you had the gall, you have the gall to stand up here and accuse us of only for the rich. Not a single Clinton budget after you controlled the White House, the House and the Senate ever passed this body or the other body. We brought up those budgets so that the Democrats would have to vote on them. They were so bad, and you know how many Democrats voted for it? Three. That is a fact because I will tell the gentleman, I thought we were going to have a debate, not a finger-pointing thing here tonight, and I had not planned even on speaking until I heard the speakers speak before me, and I had questions about our budget, but not after the rancor that I have heard on this floor. You did in 1993 raise taxes. You did cut veterans' COLAs. You cut military COLAs. You raised the tax on the middle class, and now you stand here and say, oh, we want to balance a budget, and that we are responsible for the surplus, but not a single one of your policies ever passed when you had the leadership. It is sickening to listen to this debate. The gentleman that is speaking here, normally I would and I would say even tonight his language has been honorary, and the different budgets that he has presented has been honorary, and I appreciate that, but for those that will sit up here and point fingers and say how mean the Republicans are because they want to cut veterans' COLAs or they want to hurt things is absolutely ridiculous.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have thought a lot about this resolution. I do not think any of us can speak adequately on our feelings to our men and women that serve us today. They are today not only in Iraq, but in Afghanistan and all over this world, and they go a long way to protect our families and our country. Over 40 nations have joined the leadership of the United States, and they also send their sons and their daughters and their family members so that terrorism will stay there instead of here. My friends, like the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Johnson), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), they know the fears of Private Ryan and We Were Soldiers and Glory, and I guarantee my colleagues the families do, too. My mom cried when I was shot down. An officer told her that I had been shot down, and she passed out, and they took her to the hospital before she even knew that I was okay. In my district and in my colleagues' districts, I bet them, there are children right now weeping for their parents. This is an important resolution. I hate to see the partisanship, that things come up. I know different people believe certain ways, but let us not do it here. This is so important. I know when we were overseas, many of us, it was important. I did not care if it was President Johnson, I did not care if it was President Clinton, all I wanted to know was that the Congress was behind us, that they would support us and that the Congress would support our leaders because they had to make the decisions that kept us alive or not.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize one of the outstanding businesses in my district, Cabrillo Power, LLC of Carlsbad, CA, for recently earning the Walter Jones/NOAA Excellence award for Excellence in Business Leadership. The Walter Jones/NOAA Excellence in Business Leadership Award recognizes a business organization that has made significant contributions, ``above and beyond the call of duty,'' to improve or protect the coastal or ocean environment and that demonstrate the ability to balance business interests with environmental needs. Cabrillo Power owns and operates the Encina Generating Station located along the coast in Carlsbad, California. The Encina Generating Station has been in operation since 1952 and produces nearly 25 percent of San Diego County's electricity supply. Cabrillo Power is also an active partner in the development of a sea water desalination facility which, when built, will be the largest sea water desalination facility in the Western Hemisphere. Cabrillo Power has helped federal, state and local resource managers develop a successful and effective approach to eradicating the highly invasive marine algae from Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Cabrillo Power has a clear impact on the lives of many Californians and seeks to conduct business in a responsible manner. It serves as a steller model for advancing the goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act. As a resident of one of San Diego County's coastal communities, I understand the importance of preserving our coastal resources and promoting energy efficiency. Cabrillo Power's proven creative ability to harness technology in their business practices that tempers business and environmental interests led to their selection for this prestigious honor. I applaud Cabrillo Power for its dedication to improving and serving San Diego's coastal community.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Efficient Energy Through Certified Technologies, EFFECT, Act of 2003. I am joined in this effort by a substantial and diverse coalition of my colleagues including Mr. Markey of Massachusetts, Mr. Crane of Illinois, Mr. Matsui of California, as well as Senator Snowe of Maine and Senator Feinstein of California. This bill is supported by a strong coalition of industries and organizations. In the 1990s, San Diego alone experienced a 10.2 percent increase in population. This number is expected to rise even further in the next ten years. With such a significant rise in population, comes the need for additional housing. Congressman Markey and I have created legislation that would give builders and consumers a reason to construct housing and purchase equipment that not only saves the consumer money in the long run, but also helps save energy. This legislation offers tax incentives to encourage the production and sale of technologically advanced, energy-efficient buildings and equipment. My constituents in San Diego suffered through the Energy Crisis during the summer of 2001. The aftershocks of the rolling blackouts and outrageously high energy prices are still being felt. While my colleagues from San Diego and I are still seeking ways to prevent this terrible crisis from happening again, I am introducing this bill in an effort to formulate a long-term energy plan. Buildings account for over $250 billion of energy use annually, more than half of peak electric demand, and 35 percent of air pollution emissions. Tax incentives for buildings and their major equipment can reduce energy use anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent, and help to improve air quality. The incentives will reduce peak power demand, which can diffuse the risk of blackouts and high electricity prices. Peak power shortages cost California $15 billion in 2000 alone. This legislation is performance based, not cost based. One dollar of federal tax incentives for energy efficiency offered today will not be paid until January-April 2004, but manufacturers will respond to the incentives by investing in production facilities for more efficient products immediately. The legislation is structured to promote the creation of competitive markets for new technologies and designs that are not widely available today, but have the possibility of being cost effective to the consumer in the future. Please join me in supporting the EFFECT Act which will provide for a cleaner environment and help reduce energy needs, thus postponing the need for building new power plants as well as helping to save our environment.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that there are two issues that weaken the Democrats' chance in the White House. One is victory in Iraq. The second is the economy. You will see them stand up here and demagog all day long. I would ask my colleagues on the other side, where were they during Haiti, a hell hole today? Where were they in Somalia and where they denied armor and they depicted Black Hawk Down? Where were they in Iraq four times when President Clinton went in there, or the Sudan, Bosnia, Kosovo and 147 other deployments?

Mr. CUNNINGHAM

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I have got better things to do than stay up at night and watch C- SPAN. But I was captivated. I watched the gentleman from the other body debate this issue. The other body Democrats stood up and said, well, he never answered the questions. The gentleman from Ohio who was not even at the meeting, he was there for a few minutes and left, did submit questions at the end, said he never answered the questions. The Chairman of the Judiciary in the other body stood up and read every single one of the questions that the Democrats asked for. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. I did not think I did. Anyway, someone over there asked for every question. And every response that Mr. Estrada gave was presented. They were A-plus answers. And now my colleagues on the other side, I just asked the gentleman, I said, did you invite any outside people within this caucus to listen to Mr. Estrada? Of course not. The answer is no. The memo to the other body was written before the caucus meeting ever took place. We are watching the same thing as we did in the Clinton, what is the word I am looking for?

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Investigation. We are watching them gang up. They are being good little soldiers, supporters, the other body. Every paper, The San Diego Union, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post, The Washington Times editorializes against their position. They have drawn a line in the sand against someone that may be a little more conservative than they are.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. It is very sad. Watching C-SPAN, I watch the other side in the other body point by point come out and accuse Republicans. And every single point was countered by the chairman. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. I think it is very telling that most of the other Hispanic associations are endorsing this individual, but our House caucus is opposing it. Why? The gentleman over there a minute ago mentioned that memoranda was not available. Well, again, the other body presented all of the facts that none of the confidential memoranda, not once in the history of confidential memoranda had ever been released. Well, the Democrats in the other body came forward and said, well, here is a case in this and here is a case where it was released in these individuals. Again, in the other body's side they pointed out that none of this memoranda was confidential. And so for my Democratic colleagues over here in their partisan bid to support the other body, it is just wrong when the rest of the world is saying you are wrong. At least let them vote. And something else that the other body pointed out was that they opposed at different times Hispanic candidates. That is fair. But at least let it come to a vote. The two that they opposed are now sitting on the Ninth Circuit Court in California because they allowed a vote. What my colleagues are doing by filibustering is preventing totally a vote on this issue which has never been done in the history of Congress.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Are these Army guys? I am a Navy guy.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, first of all, it is important when a person is gone, either men or women, from their families, knowing that their families are taken care of is very, very important; knowing that the financial burdens are taken care of; that their children are able to go to school and get a good education or, in the case something I oppose what the President is doing is reducing impact aid, which I think is wrong, and we are going to rectify that in this body. But they want to know that everything is okay back home. I cannot tell my colleague how stressful it is for a sailor on an aircraft carrier to learn that his wife has gone into indebtedness or has problems with the children; and he cannot be there to take care of them, and tax relief for families, especially in the military that are forced to uproot every 2 years, that cannot make an investment, that have to take their children out of schools and put them into a new school or the spouse cannot get a job because an employer will not hire her if she is only there for a short time. This kind of tax relief helps put money in their pockets to resolve some of these issues.

Mr. CUNNINGHAM. And a heartfelt side.