Russ Carnahan

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Lions Club of Webster Groves, Missouri, in this, the year of its 80th anniversary. Since its establishment on March 12, 1925, the Lions Club has demonstrated a deep concern and commitment to the well-being of the community. For the past 29 years, the Lions Club has held a summertime ``Carnival & Barbecue.'' Since 1960, it has been an integral part of the July 4th celebration in Webster Groves known as ``Community Days.'' The Webster Lions provide amusement rides, midway booths, and delicious barbecued food over 4 days of family fun and wholesome festivities. In recent years, the Lions Club has expanded its community involvement by donating their time and resources to support events such as ``Make a Difference Day,'' the Fire Department's ``Open House,'' the Police Department's ``Public Safety Day,'' the ``Opening Day'' of the Youth Baseball and Softball Season, and an annual ``Diabetes Screening & Information Day. `` The generosity of the Lions Club can be seen throughout the community with the construction of new tennis courts, wading pools, scoreboards, and bathrooms in parks. Some of these items, including the 1939 Flagpole in Ruhe Park, have been symbols of the fine community of Webster Groves for generations. Furthermore, the Lions Club motto of ``we serve'' has reached beyond the tangible. More than 50 organizations and programs, including the Webster-Rock Hill Ministries, Webster Groves Historical Society, various college scholarships, and Meals on Wheels, all receive annual financial contributions, the sum of which has exceeded $2 million. Today, the Lions Club of Webster Groves remain an integral part of the community. Whether fostering civic improvement or donating time, money and effort, they are to be commended. I am honored to stand here today in recognition of the past 80 years of servIce.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, it is great to be with the gentleman from Ohio on behalf of the great people of the State of Missouri that I am fortunate to represent. I want to rise tonight to add my voice in opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement. I have several concerns with the agreement in its current form, not the least of which are the effects it will have on American workers and the middle class. Trade agreements like CAFTA enable American companies employing American workers to send multiple aspects of their business overseas. This in turn allows these companies to exploit cheap labor in developing countries and import their products back into the United States. The resulting problem is really twofold. First, there are no real protections for the workers in the Central American countries, and second, it is yet another means to put American workers out of work. CAFTA's answer to protecting low-wage workers in Central America is a self-enforcement provision. This really is translated into a nonenforcement provision because it will not help these workers in any way. The countries involved in this agreement do not have the necessary legal framework in place to protect the basic and fundamental rights of working people. If we are going to enter into trade agreements with other countries, it is our responsibility to ensure we protect the basic rights of working people in those countries and here at home. Mr. Speaker, the other glaring deficiency with CAFTA is it will essentially fire American workers. Approving this agreement will be a guarantee that more jobs will leave our country at the expense of our U.S. workforce. Because there are no labor protections in place in the Central American countries to ensure adequate wages, domestic companies can simply outsource their work to these countries at a low rate and leave our workers out. I will not support any agreement that displaces American workers and does not support basic human rights. I want to urge my colleagues to oppose CAFTA in its current form. I want to also mention the differences between these two markets, the U.S. market and the Central American market. The U.S. economy had a $10.5 trillion GDP in 2002. It is about 170 times the size of the economies in the Central American nations. It does not take a trade expert to see the economic mismatch between the U.S. and CAFTA nations. The viability of Central American nations as trading partners is an important part of the administration's CAFTA sales pitch. That is why U.S. trade representatives said Central America offers ``expanded markets for American producers and new opportunities for U.S. workers and manufacturers.'' But take a look at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Metro Economies report released in 2003. It confirms the administration's CAFTA numbers do not add up. The combined economic output of CAFTA signatories, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala is about equal to that of Orlando, Florida, as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) mentioned earlier. This falls far short of what the projections are by the Bush administration. These raw numbers are bad enough. Consider the fact that a typical Central American consumer earns only a small fraction of a typical American worker's wage, about $191 a month. It is clear that CAFTA's true objective is not to increase U.S. exports. Central American consumers cannot afford to buy American-made goods today. And CAFTA's inadequate labor provisions ensure they will be unable to afford American-made goods tomorrow. This agreement offers little or no economic opportunity for American workers and producers. The CAFTA model is really a recipe for disaster. Congress must devise a trade agreement to promote business development and jobs in the U.S. CAFTA should help Central American workers earn enough to buy American-made products. It is time to rethink U.S. trade policy, to do what is right, not just for the big corporations, but what is right for workers, small business, communities, and the environment. The President is on the wrong track. Congress must demand a smarter trade deal than the current CAFTA negotiation. I thank the gentleman for leading this tonight, and it is good to be here with you and the other Members to speak out on this.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. I thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this week is Cover the Uninsured Week in our country. I rise tonight to voice my concern for the 45 million Americans, including 8 million children and over 600,000 citizens in my home State of Missouri who are currently living without health insurance. I want to encourage all Americans to get involved in this week-long observance in their communities or on the Web at www.covertheuninsuredweek.org and to dedicate ourselves to getting America covered. This is a broad and diverse coalition of individuals and organizations throughout our country, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO, Health Care Leadership Council, AARP and many other organizations in our country that have the common goal of getting America insured. Uninsured Americans come from many age groups and backgrounds. In fact, eight out of 10 people who do not have insurance live in families with at least one person working full-time. Yet either their employer does not provide health insurance or they cannot afford the premiums that continue to escalate out of control. These Americans live day to day, dreading the slightest cold, praying for their children, that they stay healthy. This can no longer continue in our country. I understand these concerns all too well. When my wife and I owned our small business many years ago, we did not have insurance for the birth of our youngest son. We were fortunate that there were no serious complications and that we were able to obtain insurance eventually. But many American people are not so fortunate. This is a grave and serious problem that affects all Americans, not just those without insurance. Even those who currently have health insurance are impacted by this. When people do not have the protection of quality health insurance coverage, they often put off seeing a doctor until their condition worsens to the point that they must go to the emergency room. If they cannot pay for the large hospital bill, the costs are passed on to other patients who are insured through higher premiums and oftentimes overcrowded emergency rooms. There is a better way. I am proud to stand here with the gentlewoman from Wisconsin and many other Members of this Congress to recognize Cover the Uninsured Week and to advocate for real solutions to this nationwide crisis. The problem of the uninsured is not something that we can put off solving anymore. I urge Congress to act and improve the lives of millions of hardworking and uninsured Americans by ensuring accessible and affordable health care.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, the ethics process in this House is broken. I believe the first duty of all House Members is to set and follow the highest ethical standards, not just toe the party line for either party. The complete breakdown of the long-established bipartisan ethics process is a direct result of steps taken by this current majority. This includes actions taken by House Republicans to cripple the ethics enforcement process and to even purge fellow Republicans from the committee and staff for merely following what used to be fair and time- honored rules in this last Congress. Madam Speaker, there is an ethics crisis in the House that will only get worse unless immediate action is taken. It is time for Republicans and Democrats to move quickly to fix the untenable and unprecedented situation that now exists. As a first step, this House must take up H.R. 131, a measure that will repeal the misguided House rules adopted at the beginning of this Congress that have led to a complete shutdown of the bipartisan ethics process in the House. This House of the American people demands nothing less than strong bipartisan ethics rules.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the life of a valued public servant and mentor, the Honorable Joseph P. Roddy of St. Louis, Missouri. Joe Roddy was associated with Presidents, Congressmen, governors and mayors for decades. He lived his life committed to his faith, his family, his Democratic Party and his beloved constituents. He never lost sight of his belief that elected officials were to serve, and the public was to be served. Mr. Roddy led his life by example and was a mentor and help to many. Whether it was advising a young candidate for office or helping a neighborhood family in need, no job was too big or too small for Joe Roddy. Mr. Roddy was active in the Democratic Party for 60 years, particularly in the 17th ward where he was born. He founded the 17th ward FDR Club in 1954. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by family, friends and the community make it evident to all what an extraordinary person and public servant Mr. Roddy was. He was married to his wife, Lue Roddy, for 50 years. They have four children, Mary, Joe, Daniel and Mark, and have seven grandchildren. My prayers are with his family, friends and community today as we honor his remarkable life. Joe Roddy was associated with many Presidents, Congressmen, Governors and Mayors for decades. He lived his life committed to his faith, his family, his Democratic party and his beloved constituents. He never lost sight of his belief that elected officials were to serve, and the public was to be served. Mr. Roddy led his life by example and was a mentor and help to many. Whether it was advising a young candidate for office or helping a neighborhood family in need, no job was too big or too small for Joe Roddy. Mr. Roddy was active in the Democratic Party for over 60 years, particularly in the 17th ward where he was born. He founded the 17th Ward F.D.R. Club in 1954, where he was a block secretary, treasurer, alderman, committeeman, and campaign coordinator of the ward organization. In addition to these activities in the 17th ward, he was campaign treasurer for the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee for 14 years, chairman of the 3rd Congressional district for six years, and chairman of the St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee for two years. He was a delegate to four Democratic national conventions and five Missouri Democratic state conventions. In 1994, he received the Harry S. Truman Award from the St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee, the highest award given to a St. Louis City Democrat. Because of his work for the Democratic Party, he was often referred to as ``Mr. Democrat.'' Mr. Roddy also served as Circuit Clerk of the City of St. Louis and was Administrator-Clerk of the City of St. Louis Courts, where he retired in May 1993 after 40 years as a St. Louis City office holder. As alderman of the 17th ward, Mr. Roddy sponsored and guided to passage one of the first municipal laws in the United States that treated alcoholism as a sickness instead of a crime. He championed the rights of the poor and led a drive that brought surplus food from the U.S. government to 64,000 impoverished people in the city of St. Louis. Mr. Roddy was instrumental in passing civil rights ordinances in the 1950s such as the Public Accommodation Law, Open Housing Law, and the Fair Employment Act. Mr. Roddy was a main figure in a Federal court case that resulted in the Missouri legislative districts being redrawn to conform to the one man-one vote United States Supreme Court decision that demanded equal representation for legislative districts. As circuit clerk, Mr. Roddy was the first to invest the funds of the court for interest, which contributed to the general fund of the city of St. Louis. Mr. Roddy was also active in many civic, business, and church groups in addition to his political associations including the Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation Advisory Committee, the Adult Rehabilitation Center of the Salvation Army Advisory Committee, and the Knights of Columbus. He was a strong supporter of organized labor. In his early days of employment, he was a member of the Hotel Workers Union, Post Office Clerk Union-Local 8, and Teamsters Local 688. He was the only citywide office holder ever to have by consent agreement employed union members in his office. He attended kindergarten at Adams School, went from first grade to eighth grade at St. Cronan's School, and won a four-year scholastic scholarship to St. Louis University High School where he graduated with first honors. He also attended Saint Louis University. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph J. Roddy and Ann Flood Roddy, his brother Paul, and his four sisters Mildred Kutrip, Anita Kenkel, Sister Ann Julia Roddy, CSF and Bride Neiman. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by friends, family, and the community make it evident to all what an extraordinary person and public servant Mr. Roddy was. He was married to his wife, Lucille ``Lue'' Baumann Bey Roddy for 50 years. They have four children--Mary, married to Michael Sawyer; Joseph D., married to Lisa Roddy; Daniel, married to Patrica Roddy; and Mark Roddy. Joe and Lue have seven grandchildren: Steven, William and Kathleen Sawyer; Christina and Nicholas Roddy; and Joseph Patrick and Brendan Stuart Roddy. My prayers are with his family, friends, and community today, as we honor his remarkable life.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the bipartisan amendment offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach). I support this amendment because it will address an issue that is of paramount importance to the people in my district and I think across the country, supporting our troops while being fiscally responsible. I recently returned from Iraq and a bipartisan delegation led by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole). My visit convinced me that the reestablishment of the Truman committee is the right thing for our troops, for the taxpayers and for our country. The original Truman committee was a special committee formed on March 1, 1941 to investigate the national defense program. It was chaired by Missouri's U.S. Senator at that time, Harry Truman. Its specific directive was to investigate the terms of defense- related contracts, the methods of awarding them, the effect on labor and the geographic distribution of contracts and facilities. During World War II, the committee's principal concern was to monitor and improve production programs and contract procedures. Its work resulted in the discovery and exposure of waste and mismanagement in the wartime production program. By convening public hearings at that time and receiving testimony and studying this issue, the Truman commission is estimated to have saved American taxpayers $15 billion. Similarly today, we owe it to our troops to carefully watch how we are funding the Iraq initiative. It is our responsibility to ensure that every man and woman in uniform has the necessary equipment to do the job with the best possible support. We have an obligation to every troop that no appropriated money is misspent or wasted. While the morale of our troops is high and their optimism apparent after the recent elections in Iraq, it is imperative that we do everything in our power to ensure that they are brought home as quickly as possible. Ensuring that there is no waste or mismanagement in any of our funding, I have no doubt that a modern day Truman committee will help bring our troops home quickly, safely and in a fiscally responsible way. I believe we can support our troops, give them what they need, and help them return home soon. I strongly support this amendment for the funding of the Truman committee.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Issa amendment. Quite simply, the increased use of fuel efficient vehicles is a boon to our country. Hybrid vehicles benefit our environment. Our cities and towns are being choked by smog. The increased use of hybrid vehicles would reduce this problem. Hybrid vehicles also benefit our economy. The Ford Escape Hybrid is assembled in my home State of Missouri. Sales for the Escape hybrid have been so strong that this plant cannot keep up with demand. This plant provides thousands of good paying jobs here in the United States. I assure you that is you ask the workers in that plant if they support increased incentives for the purchase of hybrid vehicles, their answer would be a resounding ``yes.'' Finally, vehicles that reduce our use of gasoline mean greater energy security for our country, and less U.S. dollars going to countries with hostile regimes. The increased use of hybrid vehicles is truly a win-win-win situation and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3, a bill to reauthorize our Nation's highway programs. H.R. 3 is a significant piece of legislation for our Nation. Transportation needs have an impact on every aspect of our well-being. Inadequate roadway conditions cause crashes, cause congestion, drain money from the economy, and decrease the quality of life for people across the country. Investing in transportation creates jobs, increases business productivity, makes the roads safer for our families, and keeps this country moving. We are now into our second year without reauthorization of the Nation's transportation programs. In my own State of Missouri, there is an average of over 1000 traffic fatalities each year. The delay in passing a bill to reauthorize our highway programs has meant missed opportunities to reduce these tragedies. Passage of H.R. 3 will allow Missouri and other states to move forward with projects to create better, safer transportation systems. I would like to thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Oberstar for their leadership on this issue and for their efforts to pass a bill quickly. Their hard work will truly make a difference for transportation programs across the country.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join in tonight and share some of my experiences over the last few weeks. Like many of our fellow Members here in the Congress, my office has been flooded with letters about Social Security and what it has meant to people across this country by many people in my district in the St. Louis area of Missouri. I have received in my office alone over 1,000 letters from people concerned about these privatization schemes that have been talked about in Washington. I scheduled, based on those meetings, two town hall meetings. Each one had over 200 people that attended. It was not just seniors. We had people there that were baby-boomers and my generation. We had young people there. We had people that were not just retirees, but people who had been survivors and people who had disabilities. They all had been beneficiaries in some way from this vital American program. We talked about what it has meant to our country, to their families. We also talked about the success of the program, how it has been studied and mentioned as one of the most efficient programs in our government's history, only having 1.5 percent overhead. So it is a great model to look at in terms of efficiency and delivering vital services to our country. People are very concerned about their Social Security, the real bedrock foundation of their retirement security being subjected to benefit cuts, being subjected to broker fees, being subjected to the risk of the stock market. One of my constituents in particular stood up and shared her own personal story. She knew too well the potential risk of depending on the stock market for a guaranteed source of income. She was a 70-year- old grandmother from Arnold, Missouri, and she shared her story in front of about 200 people. In 1999, a stockbroker had encouraged her to transfer $155,000 from a mature CD and invest it with the broker's local firm. The broker put her money into an aggressive investment account that, at her age, would not have been highly advised. Her investments now were worth only $85,000. She says that if it were not for her monthly Social Security checks she and her husband would be under great financial strain. For people like her, privatization would be a disaster. Social Security beneficiaries, including survivors, children and those who are disabled, stand to lose the most under President Bush's plan. His proposed changes will not help preserve benefits for those who depend on them the most. Let us strengthen Social Security, the very foundation of retirement security in this country, and if we are going to have discussions about private accounts, let us talk about those in addition to and on top of this solid foundation of Social Security.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the life of a valued public servant, Mr. Thomas Zipf, of St. Louis, MO. Mr. Zipf was a valued employee of the City of St. Louis Police Department where he served over 30 years and rose to the rank of Captain. Mr. Zipf was known throughout the force as being dedicated to his job and being driven by his desire to help and protect others. His love of life and passion for his community live on through his wife, Mary Ann Zipf, and his two children, Kate, and Tom, Jr. His dedication to his job continues with his son, who is also an officer with the City of St. Louis Police Department. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by family, friends, and the community made it evident to all what an extraordinary person and public servant Mr. Zipf was. His wife and two children are a great testament to his life and vision. My prayers are with his family, friends, and community today, as we honor his life.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the life of Mr. Norman B. Champ, Jr., of St. Louis, MO, husband of Judith Smith Champ. Mr. Champ's remarkable life took him through ventures in politics, business, farming, and the arts. He spent twenty years as the democratic committeeman for Clayton Township and was a member of the St. Louis County Board of Jail Visitors. His business acumen led him through careers in dairy farming and a trucking equipment company. He had an undeniable impact on the arts community. He was on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, was a member of the Missouri Arts Council, and was one of the longest serving members of the National Council of the Arts. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by family, friends, and the community made it evident to all what an extraordinary person Mr. Champ was. His wife, children, and grandchildren are a great testament to who he was as a person. My prayers are with his family, friends, and community today, as we honor his life.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the life of the Reverend Mr. Charlie Dooley, of St. Louis, MO, husband of Lonnie Merl Dooley. Rev. Dooley's life was defined by dedication to his work, his church, and his family. Rev. Dooley worked for McDonnell Douglas Co. for thirty years without missing a single day of work. His devotion to his job was matched by his devotion to his church. He served as pastor of the Revelation Missionary Baptist Church from 1966 until his retirement in 2004. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by family, friends, and the community made it evident to all what an extraordinary person Rev. Dooley was. His wife, children, fourteen grandchildren, and four great- grandchildren are a great testament to who he was as a person. My prayers are with his family, friends, and community today, as we honor his life.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to recognize James Daily Wahl, recipient of the Ancient Order of Hiberbernians' Irishman of the Year Award. Mr. Wahl, the son of Margaret Dailey Wahl and John Wahl, is a life- long resident of St. Louis, who has always been active in his church and community. He graduated from St. Louis University and St. Louis University Law School, and currently practices law, serves as a municipal judge in the City of St. Louis. Mr. Wahl's dedication and loyalty to his family and friends is evident in his 23-year marriage to his wife, Kathy Adelmann, and in his support of his four children: Kelly, Kerry, and the twins, Kristin and Tom. Mr. Speaker, the nearly 250 people in attendance for the presentation of his award made it evident to all that his devotion to his Irish heritage is ever present. This was best exemplified by his steadfast support of the McBride Principles Bill, which barred the State of Missouri from investing in and contracting with businesses that practice discrimination against Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland. My congratulations are with Mr. Wahl and his family.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the life of a valued public servant, Ms. Dorothy ``Dotty'' Delassus, of Webster Groves, MO. Ms. Delassus has long been active in public service to her community. Since 1996, she has served as a Webster Groves City Councilwoman where she represented the citizens of Webster to several Commissions, including the Green Space Advisory and Parks and Recreation Commissions. In addition to her service on the City Council, Ms. Delassus was involved in many civic organizations. She co-chaired Make-A-Difference Day and was a member of the National League of Cities, Missouri Municipal League, the Webster University Collaborative, Unite 2000 Advisory Council, and the St. Louis County Municipal League. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by friends, family, and the community made it evident to all what an extraordinary person and public servant Ms. Delassus was. Her husband and two children are a great testament to her life, and her vision and love of people will live on through them. My prayers are with her family, friends, and community today, as we honor her life.

Mr. CARNAHAN

Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to discuss an issue that is of paramount importance to the people of the Third District of Missouri and across this country, Social Security. For over 60 years, Social Security has provided a dependable and predictable income for retired or disabled workers, their dependents and their survivors. In my St. Louis area district alone, there are over 100,000 Social Security beneficiaries, many who have contacted me. For those people, this debate is vital. Changes made to Social Security will affect not only their lives but also their families, neighbors and communities. We must take every necessary precaution to protect this vital program and prevent it from being undermined by risky privatization schemes that would weaken the very foundation of Social Security. As we all know, the President has proposed a system of private accounts. He claims that these private accounts will solve the so- called Social Security crisis. The Social Security system is not in crisis. While the program faces many challenges, it will be financially viable for at least the next half a century. According to our own Congressional Budget Office, this is a manufactured crisis created to help sell a privatization plan. The President's plan will not help preserve the benefits for those people who depend on them the most. The practical effect of the President's plan is that guaranteed benefits will be cut in half over the life of a retiree. That is not acceptable. A system subject to private fees, investment risk, and massive increases to our national debt is not acceptable. Social Security supports and protects families across this Nation. It is a family insurance program, not an investment scheme. It has reduced poverty in America and given a guaranteed source of income to those who need it most. Let us keep the solid foundation of Social Security and look to encourage supplemental savings plans to further strengthen the retirement security of Americans. Privatization is a gamble Americans cannot afford to take. Let us keep Social Security safe and oppose misguided privatization plans.