Emanuel Cleaver

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, in 1974, I was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church after having completed 3 years of seminary, 4 years of undergraduate work. I have been pastoring for 32 years. As of today, I have never, ever been asked to perform a wedding between same- sex partners. I do not even know of a minister who has ever been made that request. And so I am not sure how significant this is, except for the fact that I am not here to defend anything except the church. We have people sitting in the gallery and people looking at this broadcast all across America. And the chances are really high that almost 100 percent of them have marriage licenses signed by a member of the clergy, and not a Member of Congress. Marriage was ordained by God, and in all of the weddings the words are read, ``Marriage is an institution by God signifying the uniting of this man and this woman in holy matrimony''. And then we go on to say that, in my tradition, ``Christ adorned and beautified marriage when he performed his first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. Marriage is sacred. It is holy. It is an institution created by the church. Now, the United States Congress is going to trespass on the property of the church? I am concerned that we have gone too far. Every judicatory or denomination in the world is debating this issue, and it should remain in that domain, not on the floor of Congress. I don't want Congress to approve or disapprove how we perform marriages in my church. I sat on the front row in December, and I thought about Exodus: For 6 days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a sabbath of rest for the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. As I thought about that, we were sitting here on a Sunday morning debating the defense bill.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I probably perform more marriages than all of the other Members in this body, collected. When I perform a wedding in Los Angeles in August, it will push me over the 400 mark for my career as an ordained United Methodist pastor. I am baffled over what is taking place on this floor. When Rome ruled the world, every now and then Roman soldiers had to go back to Rome and pledge loyalty to the Emperor. It was called sacramentum. In my tradition, the Christian tradition, we took that word to use as our word sacrament, our pledge of loyalty to God. The generic marriage ceremony, which almost every denomination uses, begins by saying, marriage is an honorable estate instituted by God and signifies to all the uniting of this man and this woman in His church. The point, Mr. Speaker, is that the domain of the church is the place where definitions should be made with regard to marriage. Every denomination has struggled or is struggling with this issue. The United Methodist Church voted last year not to allow same-sex marriages. The Episcopalian Church voted to do the same. I resent a body of legislators telling me, a member of a denomination, that they will decide who can and who cannot get married. It is the responsibility of the church not the Government. If the Government is going to become involved in this sacrament, then why not communion? Why does the Congress not then begin to deal with how many times a month a church should do communion? Friends, this is the saddest day for me since I have been here, because I can see clearly that this body is willing to trespass on the domain of God. Marriage is a holy institution. It was created by God. And we say in my tradition that Jesus ordained and beautified marriage when he performed his first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, not on the floor of Congress. The church controls this issue. If this body would like to move to have the civil marriages restricted, that is fine. People who want to go to the courthouse, or want to get married on a ship, that is fine. But in terms of the church, keep your hands out of the church. The church is a sacred institution. I did not come to this floor to make enemies but to make a point. And my point is this. This is off base. This is wrong. I wish we had time to debate the theology of this issue, because I would do it with anybody in this place.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and pay tribute to Mr. Dick Champion, director of the Independence, MO, Water Pollution Control Department. True to his name, Mr. Champion is exactly that--a ``champion'' for clean water. He is an exceptional leader and public steward dedicated to the improvement of Missouri's and the Nation's environment and public health. It is my pleasure to congratulate Mr. Champion on becoming the new president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, NACWA, formerly the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies, AMSA. Mr. Champion is ideally suited for this national leadership position. Mr. Champion began his career in water pollution control in 1969. He has been with the city of Independence, MO, Water Pollution Control Department for the past 27 years and has been director of the department since 1983. The Department is responsible for the Sanitary Sewer Utility, the Storm Water Management Program, the Household Hazardous Waste Management Program, and related environmental compliance. In 2001, he was appointed by the Jackson County executive and legislature to the newly created Jackson County Stormwater Commission, to coordinate regional stormwater policy and planning. Mr. Champion has been serving as vice-chair of the commission throughout his tenure. Dick has been an active member of NACWA since 1992, was elected to the Board of Directors in 1999, and now serves as NACWA's vice president and chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Mr. Champion will become NACWA's president later this month--an impressive accomplishment and one that will no doubt help further NACWA's role as the leading advocate for sound water quality policies. Mr. Champion earned a bachelor of science degree in political science with an emphasis in local government and public administration from Central Missouri State University in 1973. As a student and throughout his career Mr. Champion has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service and the improvement of water quality in Missouri. The fish and fishermen of Missouri owe a great deal to his tireless work to guarantee clean water. With Mr. Champion as President, NACWA will no doubt build on its reputation as the leading advocate for responsible national policies that advance clean water and a healthy environment. Simply stated, when I hear the term ``environmentalist'', I think of public servants like Dick Champion. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to please join me today in congratulating Mr. Dick Champion on becoming president of NACWA and for his tireless commitment to Independence, the Fifth District, and our country. I am certain the association will continue to flourish under his able leadership.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I am a Democrat, and I am glad about it. The reason for this joy is over the fact that the party to which I belong is pushing back against this Republican-led Congress and their out-of-control spending. Let us take a look at the facts. President Bush and congressional Republicans have turned a $5.6 trillion surplus into a $4 trillion deficit, a change of $9 trillion. This is the most fiscally irresponsible American administration. We owe China almost $150 billion. My hope is that we never have to go to war with them because I don't believe they are going to finance it. Secondly, it is absolutely unacceptable that the United States is borrowing almost all the money they are using to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and pay tribute to my dear friend Hila ``Dutch'' Bucher Newman for being recognized and honored by the City of Kansas City, Missouri in naming a segment of Westport Road, the Honorary ``Dutch'' Newman Drive. A special on-site event will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, so that family and friends can participate in the official christening of ``Dutch Newman Drive,'' a fitting tribute to a lovely lady that has contributed so much to our community. Dutch and her family have woven the fabric of the history of Westport, Missouri, now a vibrant neighborhood incorporated into the City of Kansas City, Missouri. Their family's connection to Westport dates back to the 1800's family patriarch, Sam Bucher, who helped settle the small frontier town. Her great-grandfather, Robert Bucher, served the city as Marshall. It could be said that Dutch learned a tradition of service most directly from her father, Harry Bucher, who protected the city as Chief of the Vice Squad for the Kansas City Police Department. He also helped stimulate the Westport economy by opening three businesses in the area, including ``The Wrestlers Inn'' which was located in the oldest building in Westport. Dutch continued the family legacy of making Westport home while immersing her energies into enhancing her beloved community by providing direction through her leadership skills. Dutch was born in Westport, educated in Westport, married in Westport, owned a business in Westport, and continues to live in Westport. During World War II she served on the Civil Defense Program, planning the Blackout Tests. She holds memberships in the Daughters of Westport, The Westport Historical Society, and the Westport Neighborhood Crime Watch. As U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth District, I am keenly aware and appreciative of Dutch's political contributions, knowledge, and experiences. As any elected official in our region can attest, if you need sound advice, political or otherwise, you count on Dutch. I proudly selected Dutch to represent the State of Missouri as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 2005. She is a strong advocate for promoting dignity, health, independence and economic security for current and future generations of seniors. Dutch has a gift for examining you with her intense blue eyes and then providing you with the straight scoop. Currently, Dutch serves on the Missouri Democratic Party's State Executive Board; is a Missouri State Committee Member; Chairperson of the 10th Senatorial District Committee; and has been the 5th Ward Democratic Committeewoman for over 30 years. Dutch is the Founder and President of the Westport Landing Democratic Club, former founder and Past President of the 5th District Women's Democratic Club, former Vice Chair of the Fifth Congressional District Committee, former Vice Chair of the Jackson County Democratic Committee, Past President of the State of Missouri Women's Federation Democratic Club, and was the first woman appointed by the Governor of Missouri to serve on Senatorial Redistricting Committee. Dutch has represented the State of Missouri as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention eight times. She has received many honors, including the Harry S Truman Award, Women's Fifth District ``Woman of the Year Award'', the Rodger A. Gooden Award for her strong commitment to social justice and inclusiveness, and the Combat Community Mother's Award. As an institution in the local Democratic Party, Dutch has stood prominently beside U.S. Presidents and other officials during their visits to Kansas City. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in recognizing the matriarch of Westport, Hila ``Dutch'' Bucher Newman, for her unyielding commitment to the Westport area and the Fifth District. With this honorary naming of Westport Road, we pay tribute to a lifetime of work and dedication to the betterment of her community. I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to join me in congratulating Dutch on her well-deserved honor.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express gratitude for the passage of H.R. 5574, the Children's Hospitals GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2006. This bill will extend funding through fiscal year 2011 for children's hospitals that provide approved graduate medical residency programs. Hippocrates once said, ``Healing is a matter of time, but is sometimes a matter of opportunity.'' Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics continue to provide numerous opportunities for the children of Missouri and Kansas to receive the best pediatric healthcare available. The services Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) provides are invaluable. The $7 million received by Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area trains 125 interns and residents from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Medical School each year. The CHGME program ensures that children will continue to receive excellent healthcare and our Nation's pediatric health workforce will remain strong and competitive for years to come. Since Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City is the only children's hospital between St. Louis, Missouri and Denver, Colorado, I know it is essential to continue to provide this vital funding. These valuable funds will keep the hospitals running efficiently while training our future pediatric care providers. I will support the restoration of CHGME's full funding for $300 million when the House considers the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2007. Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics provide services spanning from Wichita, Kansas to Springfield, Missouri, and the passage of H.R. 5574 will ensure on-going financial support for over 60 children's hospitals, including Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City where the program started. From heart surgery to brain tumors to burn treatment, patients at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics know they are receiving the best medical care possible and parents will never forget the ``angels'' who saved their children's lives. I am proud to support a program that has improved the lives of countless children nationwide, especially in my district, Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, while also expressing gratitude to the Missouri and Kansas delegation for their unending support. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our pleasure at the passage of this bill, and also to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for providing such a valuable service to so many families. The residents of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District take comfort in knowing the medical experts up at Children's Mercy Hospital are constantly on call ensure our children's well being. The health and safety of our children should remain a national priority, and today, I am proud to be a Member of Congress as we pass H.R. 5574.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, today, June 19, 2006, I was unavoidably detained in my district by flight delays caused by inclement weather. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for rollcall vote 289 on H.R. 5540, the Sgt. Jacob Dan Dones Post Office Designation, I would have voted ``yea''; had I been present for rollcall vote 290 on H.R. 5504, the Larry Winn, Jr. Post Office Designation, I would have voted ``yea''; and had I been present for H. Res. 826, Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives that a National Youth Sports Week be Established, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the comments of the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services, Mr. Ike Skelton. Had I not been called away to perform a funeral, I, like him, would have voted against this resolution, or, may have even walked out to protest this mockery in the People's House.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for rollcall vote 288, for H. Res. 861, I would have voted ``nay'' on this non-binding and toothless sham of a resolution, that was not a meaningful legislative document.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I want to address two issues in H.R. 5576, the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Judiciary and District of Columbia Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (TTHUD) that are of great interest to the Fifth District of Missouri: first, the need to redesignate funds in the SAFETEA-LU program to address critical traffic problems along a stretch of highway known as ``Death Valley,'' and second, the woefully inadequate resources for housing and community development. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Joe Knollenberg and Ranking Member John Olver both of the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Chairman Don Young and Ranking Member Jim Oberstar both of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for all of their hard work on this measure. I know it is through their efforts that we have this bill and I will have the opportunity to help my district fix an alarming problem. I prepared a very simple amendment to make a technical correction to redesignate funds, and alleviate traffic at one of the most dangerous intersections in Missouri's 5th Congressional District: the intersection of M-291 Highway and Courtney Road in Sugar Creek, Missouri. Originally, this SAFETEA-LU allocation would have designated $1.6 million for one highway project in my district, and the amendment would have fully transferred the designation to the City of Sugar Creek, so that they could have alleviated the traffic problems along a different stretch of high-traffic highway known as ``Death Valley.'' Within a 22 month span, there were 31 traffic accidents. In 1997, there were 87 accidents and 2 fatalities. In the summer 1998, five people died within two days in traffic accidents.This stretch has truly earned its nickname, and the area has only grown busier. Overall, there is a large number of truck and car traffic crossing from the outer roadways of M-291 at an uncontrolled intersection North of Kentucky Road and South of Courtney Road. This redesignation would facilitate construction to finish the East and West outer-roadways to Courtney Road to allow for traffic to move safely through controlled intersections. Until now, the City has only been able to do minimally protective measures, such as reducing the speed limit and adding a red light violator camera system. This redesignation would improve public safety by finishing the extension of the East and West outer roadways and adding desperately needed traffic outlets. Mr. Chairman, I withdrew my amendment after conversations and assurances with the good Chairmen and Ranking Members, that a more appropriate vehicle for this technical correction and redesignation would be coming up for consideration shortly. I look forward to working with the Chairmen and Ranking Members so that we can put an end to ``Death Valley.'' Today, I reluctantly cast my vote in favor of H.R. 5576. While this legislation allows current 2006-level funding for vital programs affecting the citizens of the 5th Congressional District such as Section 202 housing for the elderly and Section 811 housing for the disabled and slightly increases Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and Home Funds for programs that directly affect low to moderate income families in our neighborhoods, it also zero's out several programs that have had and would continue to have a significant impact on the revitalization and continued growth of the cities and neighborhoods of the 5th District. The programs targeted to receive no funds include the CDBG Section 8 program, Brownfield program, and Youthbuild program. In Kansas City, Missouri alone the Section 108 and Brownfield programs have been successfully used to fund job producing economic development like the Vista Hotel, the first Section 108 HUD loan in the nation, Quality Hill neighborhood, 18th and Vine, the Westside Industrial Park (DST plant), H & R Block National Equipment Repair Facility on Brush Creek, Swope Park Health Facility and a number of commercial developments, to name a few. Neighborhoods such as Brooklyn Heights (the old Municipal Stadium site), Little Sisters of the Poor Housing Redevelopment, and subdivisions such as Citidal Gardens and Renaissance Place and elderly developments such as the Residences at West Paseo (the old Robinson Hospital) utilized these programs. None of these developments would be here today without Section 108 and Brownfield funds. Youthbuild programs have provided vocational training and job opportunities for numerous young people in our district to learn building trades. By combining classroom and practical experience, Youthbuild has enabled participants to get decent jobs that pay a livable wage. In Kansas City, Swope Community Builders in KC received a $700K Youthbuild grant this year (2006) to train 60 youth ages 16 to 24 in homebuilding trades and build two affordable houses for sale. Participants can also get a GED if they didn't graduate from high school. Funding for this program was eliminated in the bill. Because the House majority leadership has chosen to ignore the successes of these programs and turn a blind eye to the needs of cities that require these ``community building tools'' for future revitalization, I am calling on the Senate, including Missouri's Senators Bond and Talent, to restore these beneficial programs in the Senate appropriations bill.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, having come to Congress in this 109th, I am come to the conclusion that it is not good for any party to have complete power here in Washington. It creates a hubris that then, I think, does immense damage to the Nation. Over the last 6 years, we have seen the control of Congress and the White House by Republicans; and for whatever reason, it appears that the economic direction that we have taken in the country is in favor of the upper class, and the benefits are supposed to trickle down. Mr. Speaker, there is a tsunami of frustration rolling across America. People are hurt. The average family is now paying $1,200 more a year for health insurance. College tuition has jumped 40 percent and gas prices have doubled. Housing is the least affordable in the last 14 years. A tsunami of frustration is rolling across America. Mr. Speaker, I believe we can do better.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Beverly Garrett, a remarkable and compassionate woman whose life has touched so many Kansas Citizens. Mrs. Garrett passed away on June 1, 2006. Her passing is a deep loss felt by her family, her community, and all who have been touched by her tireless dedication and service to helping others. Beverly was employed by the federal government in the Social Security Administration for more than thirty years. Motivated by her dedication to her work environment and fellow employees, she became active in the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1336, in the 1980s. Her leadership, character, and determination grew with each year, eventually garnering the position of president. In addition Beverly was a member of the local AFL-CIO's Labor Council, where she proved to be a mentor and trusted friend. Beverly's commitment went beyond the work place as she found great satisfaction serving on the board of the Heart of America United Way Campaign. For two years she provided leadership and direction as Co-chair and most recently as Board Secretary. Though she achieved positions of great trust and honor, she maintained an admirable and inspiring humility. With a touch of kindness and a touch of toughness she always found a way to create a positive impact. Beverly's trademark was her optimistic, jovial spirit that uplifted everyone she met. Her sense of humor and quiet grace brought people together even when they were in conflict. Beverly's attitude toward life was inspiring. Always smiling, she never hesitated to go out of her way to help someone in need. Because she was devoutly religious, she always found meaning and an opportunity to learn through each experience. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt sympathy to her sons, James and Jason, and her daughter, Kim; and all of her other relatives, loved ones, and friends. I urge my colleagues to please join me in conveying our gratitude to her family for sharing this great woman with us, and to accept our condolences for their tremendous loss. She was an inspiration to so many, and she will be missed.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Michael Charles on his 50th Music Anniversary. Born in 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri, his musical road began with singing locally in the Novice Choir at Mariah Walker A.M.E. in 1956. He is known as a ``Son of Psalms'' and as an individual whose name has become synonymous with excellence in sacred music in many religious circles. Dr. Charles has sung individually and with various gospel and church groups, locally and across this country. He is fortunate to have performed at the Apollo Theater in New York City, and in many notable venues across our Nation. At one of his unforgettable engagements, Dr. Charles was able to meet and receive advice from the late, great, Mahalia Jackson, the First Lady of Gospel music. Through his association with various gospel groups, churches, and church related associations, in 1992 the ultimate recognition, an Honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music, was bestowed upon him by the Maryland School of Theology and Theism of Baltimore, Maryland. On a more personal level, I have been honored to have Dr. Charles' expertise as the Minister of Music for Saint James United Methodist Church, of which I am the Senior Pastor. He has shown enormous energy while facilitating our music ministry which consists of eight singing units, two liturgical dance groups, and a seventeen member music staff. This has lead to the recording of two compact discs, ``I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto the Hills,'' and ``A Celebration of Praise.'' Dr. Charles composed a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the day after he was assassinated, called ``Freedom After While.'' This composition is sung as the finale each year at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Martin Luther King Celebration in Kansas City, Missouri. It is sung with such feeling and emotion that there is hardly a dry eye in the crowd. I may be biased in my praise of him because he is one of my parishioners, but I am privileged to hear Dr. Charles' music and deeply appreciate the time and care he takes with our congregation. May God continue to bless him and give him inspiration. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Michael Charles for his fifty years of utilizing music as a means to bring people and God together, not only within the boundaries of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District which I represent, but within the United States and the entire global community. He represents the best in all of us. I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to please join me in congratulating Dr. Michael Charles on celebrating his 50th Musical Anniversary.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, how high do gas prices have to go before this administration is willing to break its ties with the oil and gas company CEOs? For 5 years now, the major oil companies have been bringing in record profits, while the pain at the pump has grown worse for average Americans. Today, consumers are paying $3 a gallon. If you are making minimum wage, that means your first hour at work is used to buy 1\1/2\ gallons of gasoline for your car. Major oil companies just reported $16 billion in profits for the first quarter alone, and the national response has been moral outrage. Yet last year they pushed through an energy bill that gave oil and gas companies an additional $20 billion in tax breaks and subsidies. The problem is, those in charge here are not willing to have the courage to stand up and make things right.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, the CLEAR Act will position the U.S. House of Representatives as a body of serious advocates for a national consciousness of energy efficiency. As the House entertains a plethora of energy-related bills, the U.S. public will surely come to recognize the need to move toward purchasing automobiles that use renewable fuels and alternative sources of energy such as hydrogen and electricity. This legislation would prohibit the use of funds from Members' Representational Allowances to provide for any vehicle which does not use alternative fuels. With the price of a gallon of gasoline skyrocketing past 3 dollars, the need to end America's dependency on foreign oil is essential to homeland security and a stable energy supply. New technologies using alternative resources like ethanol, hydrogen and electricity give us the opportunity to reach energy independence. The CLEAR Act will show Americans that their elected officials in Congress are serious about the use of alternate sources of energy and compatible vehicles. The public would much rather see a sermon than hear one. Surely Congress cannot sell the American public on the need to abandon its gas guzzlers when they observe Members of Congress proudly driving them. Congress has far more power and persuasion with the public than polls suggest. By approving a bill that essentially says, ``Look at us and do likewise,'' the public will certainly take notice and follow our example.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Lea Ann Pitcher as being named one of the most `Outstanding Mathematics Teachers in the United States' by The Presidential Award for Excellence. This award was established in 1983 by an Act of Congress and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. Offered every other year to high school teachers, only two teachers per state are bestowed this great honor. Recognizing only the most exceptional teachers from across the United States, this awards' program is designed to honor teachers for their ingenious contributions to the classroom and to their profession. Mrs. Pitcher personifies excellence both in the classroom and as a professional. ``Awardees serve as an example for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the quality of mathematics and science.'' As a high school math teacher, Mr. Pitcher does just that. Mrs. Pitcher's work at Lee's Summit Senior High School is exemplary. She educates our children in one of the areas we need strengthening the most--mathematics. After a decade as a pharmacist, she left to pursue teaching. Her students respect and rely on her knowledge; her peers emulate her dedication and teaching practices of using debate and discussion in math; and I know that Principal Faulkenberry considers her to be one of the school's greatest assets. She has truly touched our community and changed the lives of students in Lee's Summit throughout her 11 years as an educator. As a longtime resident, she has shown her dedication to our community, her students, and education throughout her long career as a teacher in the Greater Kansas City Area, having worked at both Hickman Mills High School and Lee's Summit High School. Mr. Speaker, please join me today, May 9, 2006, on National Teacher Day, in thanking Mrs. Lea Ann Pitcher for her unyielding commitment to education, but more importantly, thank her for her significant contributions to the students of Lee's Summit Senior High School in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. This year's theme of National Teacher Day is ``Great Teachers Make Great Public Schools'' and is a fitting description of Mrs. Pitcher's contribution to our society. Rarely do people touch the lives of students and communities in a way that will follow them forever. I want to thank her again for her outstanding work and her extraordinary commitment to the Lee's Summit students. As one former recipient of the Presidential Award exclaimed, ``I think of this as the Nobel Prize of my profession.'' Mrs. Pitcher has truly attained the highest honor in her field. This accolade is something to celebrate because it recognizes someone to emulate. I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to please join me in congratulating Mrs. Lea Ann Pitcher on her well-deserved recognition.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Lester (Les) Williams for his recognition as ``Labor's Representative of the Year for 2006'' by Labor's Educational and Political Club Independent (LEPCI). He is President, Business Manager, and Member of the Executive Board of Construction and General Laborers' Local Union Number 264. As the eighth recipient of this prestigious award, Les joins an elite list of other dedicated and deserving individuals. His unwavering resolve to the betterment of the Kansas City community and its workers is the reason for this recognition and celebration. Les is a political activist and humanitarian whose legacy continues to enrich the lives of all Kansas Citians. His dedication and commitment to the Labor Movement has spanned 38 years. In July 1985, Les was elected Vice President, Executive Board Member, and Field Representative of Construction & General Laborers Local Union No. 264. In May 1988, he was elected to his current positions of President, Executive Board Member, and Field Representative of Construction & General Laborers Local Union No. 264. Les's reputation as a leader extends beyond the borders of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. He serves as President of Western Missouri & Kansas Laborers' District Council, Vice President of the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, Chairman of the Greater Kansas City Laborers' Pension Fund, Secretary of the Greater Kansas City Laborers' Health & Welfare Fund, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Greater Kansas City Laborers' Training Fund, and as Secretary of the MO-KAN CISAP Fund. Mr. Williams is a member of the Executive Committee Board of the African American Caucus for the Midwest Region of the Laborers' International Union of America and also serves on the Executive Committee of the United Way and is Vice Chairman of Working Families Friend. He is also very active in Democratic politics, serving on the Executive Committee Board for the Missouri Democratic Party. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1948, Les completed his elementary and secondary education in the Kansas City, Missouri, school district, a graduate of Manual High & Technical Vocational High School. Les is a proud father and husband, having been married to his wife, Judy, for 39 years. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Les Williams for his relentless efforts in protecting and assisting the rights of others, while extending the labor movement, not only within the boundaries of the Fifth Congressional District, but within the United States and the entire global community. He represents the best in all of us. I urge my colleagues of the 109th Congress to please join me in congratulating Les on being honored as ``Labor's Representative of the Year for 2006.''

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. If the gentlewoman would yield, I found some money and I want to announce it right now to the world. If we rescind the tax cuts for individuals with an adjusted gross income in excess of $200,000, the revenue effect of that would be $24.5 billion in fiscal year 2007 and over 5 years it would be $137 billion. The tax cuts that this Congress gave in 2001 and 2003 disproportionately benefited the wealthiest people of the Nation. At the same time we have been unable to increase the minimum wage from $5.15. And we are giving tax cuts to the wealthiest people in the country. The tax cuts that were given would allow the wealthiest Americans with 46.8 percent of the tax benefits proposed in the President's fiscal 2007 budget and extended from 2001 and 2003, it would benefit 4.1 percent of the taxpayers of this country. People who are going to get up early in the morning to drive to their job and most of the money they earn that day is to buy gasoline are not going to be thinking kindly of what is happening to them. There is a tsunami of frustration rolling across America. People are frustrated with what they see going on here. It is revealed in the polling data that is coming in from every polling source. It is bipartisan. Newspapers, whether they are the conservative Washington Post or the progressive New York Times are coming up with the same numbers, and that is the people of this country are frustrated. Incivility continues. We don't attack issues. We attack people. We don't try to come together and sit down and try to figure out ways in which we can help this country. We lock the doors. We lock people out of meetings. We won't allow a discussion or a debate on issues that are critically important to this Nation.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I think that the whole energy issue is quite convoluted because we are never able to address the issues that we want the American public to benefit from because there are always little tricks. For example, LIHEAP was placed in the energy bill last year, which is money for low-income individuals to get assistance in their heating costs, and so that is placed in there. So that, if you vote against it, it means that you are against poor people, and of course I voted against it because at some point I came to the conclusion that I had to be faithful to who I am. I am not voting for any of those things anymore, where they do what we call the ``got you'' legislation, and I am not voting for that anymore because the American public ends up suffering every time we do that. But the question that I think is going to be raised here is will Congress make the decision to allow legislation to surface that would require that they give up gas guzzlers when they use government money to do the lease. Now, this is not private vehicles, but what the public may not know is many Members of Congress legitimately will lease automobiles. They can only lease them for 2 years because we are only here for 2 years, and then we must go up for reelection. So we are saying that when the lease expires, if you really believe in energy efficiency, then let us make sure that the public can see us as ones who are embracing what we are preaching. It is a horrible, horrible thing to advocate in a commercial that people should drink Coca-Cola and then people visit your home and you have Pepsi. So I think one of the things Congress must do, it is a moral thing I believe to stand up and say we are going to drive energy efficient cars. It gives us the right then to begin to talk to the public about some legitimate sacrifices that all of us are going to have to make.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, the Ford plant in Kansas City is now in mass production of a hybrid, which they are placing on the market because there is hopefully going to be a great demand, and we think that in the middle of the country it makes perfect sense for us to manufacture hybrids because, after all, we produce the agricultural products that were mentioned earlier that can be used for E-85. We probably are in a situation now where we need to look at the situation with oil as a security issue. It is an issue that digs deeply into the pocketbooks of most Americans, but in addition, it is a security issue, and it is a security issue because the people of the United States, I am sure, do not want to owe this kind of money to China or OPEC or any of the other countries, for that matter, and so we need to think about this issue. Gasoline is an international commodity, and I think with the increased use of gasoline by China and India it is going to drive the demand up, and so the price of gasoline, in all probability, is going to rise. However, the Congress of the United States ought to get serious about trying to address this problem in the long run. I introduced a bill today that would require all Members of Congress when their lease expires on an MRA, the Members Representation Account, the money we get to run our offices, that when the lease expires on their automobiles, that they would have to lease or could lease only automobiles that are energy efficient as defined by the GSA. Now, the reason I have done this is because people are poking fun at Congress. The numbers in terms of our approval rating is always down, and one of the reasons is they think we are hypocrites. I mean, we talk about energy on the floor. We talk about it when we go home with press conferences, but then they look at us and see us driving big SUVs and it does not click. It is the thing that troubles us.

Mr. CLEAVER. That is absolutely correct. The reason that I used ``we'' and it is a dangerous use of the word ``we,'' is that what many people see coming out of this body, they attribute to all of us when the truth of the matter is we don't have, we, those of us on this side, don't have the capacity because we are the minority, to effect the kinds of changes that I think we need to effect. And so the tsunami of frustration continues to roll across America. Something needs to be done. If not, I think that we are headed dangerously toward a number of crises, some of which this Nation has never ever experienced before.

Mr. CLEAVER. As I raised the question earlier, my concern was and I knew we would eventually get to this point, was that the money that we do not budget we borrow. And most Americans are outraged over the U.S. debt which is rising even as we speak here tonight. When we borrow the money for the rehabilitation of the gulf coast and the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq, we are borrowing those dollars. And right now we owe Japan $683 billion. And then next to them we owe China $249 billion. We even owe OPEC $67 billion. And at a time when we are talking about reducing our dependence on foreign oil, it does not make sense to me, I am from the middle of the country so there are some things maybe I do not understand. It does not make sense to me that we are talking about reducing our dependence on foreign oil while at the same time borrowing more money from OPEC. There is a scripture, Proverbs 22:7 which says that the borrower is always at the whim of the lender. And when we are talking about owing OPEC $67 billion, I am not sure that we are in any kind of position to be influential with folks to whom we owe billions of dollars. And the debt continues to rise with even our neighbor to the north, Canada. And most Americans cannot understand that debt because we have to pay our bills each month. And with the gasoline prices reaching $3 a gallon it means that someone who is earning minimum wage, $5.15, works the first hour of their week to buy 1\7/10\ gallons of gasoline. That is obscene. And so it means that the first day they work, the first day they work of a 5-day work week, 7 hours of that, of that first day goes to fill up that tank of gas at the minimum wage of $5.15, which means that wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. And so it continues to roll on when you look at the average price per gallon today which is just under $3; and of course in many cities on the East Coast it has already reached $3 a gallon, and people are hemorrhaging with this kind of gasoline cost. I think it is absolutely obscene that the gasoline cost is rising at this level while, as my colleague, Congressman Carnahan mentioned earlier, the oil barons are reaping the largest profits in history. He said of the world; I think it is of the galaxy. No corporate institution has ever earned that kind of profit. That becomes even more obscene when you add to that the fact that the CEO of one of the major companies has a retirement package that almost equals $400 million.

Mr. CLEAVER. Maybe as a member of the Budget Committee you can help me understand why the money for the gulf coast reconstruction and the money for Iraq was not budgeted. I mean, we do not have two of the most costly items in the U.S. budget factored in, and as a new Member that troubles me. It would trouble the American public if they knew. You mean you do not put in the cost of the war in Iraq? You mean you do not add in the budget the rebuilding of the most devastated region in the history of the United States? Well, how are we going to do it? So maybe you could address that.

Mr. CLEAVER. It is good to be here. We were sworn in together to this Congress, and I have often been asked, what has surprised you the most? In fact, today, a group of students from the Bloch School of Business at the University of Missouri in Kansas City was here, the Bloch School named after Henry Bloch, the founder H&R Block, who is a Kansas Citian; and the question they asked was, what has surprised you the most? Having served as mayor of Kansas City for two terms, I have seen a lot in the political environment. So they were obviously wanting me to describe what I saw here as opposed to and what was different from what I saw as mayor. The number one issue I always report is the incivility. I don't think any of us who were sworn into the 109th Congress expected the incivility to be at the level that we have witnessed. I have gone to some of the long-time Members of Congress from the Democrat side and asked, for example, when we were in the majority, did we do mean-spirited things? Did we leave the vote open for 3 hours? Did we lock the door to keep people out from the other side? And they said, we did shamefully some things. We never left the vote open for 3 hours. We never locked out people from a markup. And I cannot tell you how upset I became to find out last year, that just before Christmas, many of us sat here all night for a vote on the defense bill, and the American public probably does not know that there is not a single human being on planet Earth who read the bill, because the bill actually was a compilation from a number of committees. And so while there may have been one group familiar with one part of the budget, there was nobody, no group familiar with the entire budget. And I sat on the front row, and I actually fell asleep about 6 a.m. and I got up and I said, I am not going to vote for this. And then a number of my colleagues came over and said, yeah, this is wrong, they should not have done it. But you have to vote for it because if you do not vote for it, they will send e-mails throughout your district saying that you were opposed to the troops, you were against supporting the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. And I said, will they do things like that? And so I wondered if they were overstating it. I voted for it like most Members of Congress. And then 1 week later, e-mails were sent all over the State of Missouri, in fact I received a phone call from a constituent in Congressman Carnahan's district because I voted against a bill to protect the symbols of Christmas. I could not believe that the Congress of the United States, the 109th Congress, with $4 billion being spent every month in Iraq, with No Child Left Behind not receiving full funding within my State, and in Congressman Carnahan's State there have been 97,000 people kicked off Medicaid. When you consider the fact that we do not have an energy policy in this country, at least not one that makes sense, I could not understand why the Congress of the United States needed to protect Christmas. As if, you know Christmas was in danger, and if we did not vote, if the people in here did not vote, Christmas was not going to occur. And so I voted against it, because I thought it was ridiculous then, I think it is ridiculous now. I have a master's degree in theology and never read anything which would suggest that God needed the help of the 109th Congress. But it gives you an idea about the civility or lack thereof. And so it causes me a great deal of pain to see many of the things that are occurring. I do not want to suggest that we do not have some people on our side who may also from time to time contribute to the vitriol that I see. The difference, of course, is our vitriol means very little because we do not have the power and the ability to bring legislation up. And so when I go home and tell people, they say, well, why do you not introduce a bill to do such and such? And I said, you do not understand. I can introduce 1,000 bills. If I introduced a bill that would cure cancer, it would never get a hearing. And it is always a surprise for the public to hear that because they do not understand that you cannot introduce legislation no matter how great the merit, if you are not with the majority party.

Mr. CLEAVER. May I inquire of the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, Congressman Carnahan and I are from Missouri. We are in the middle of the country and we are not prone to extremes, so we believe you are supposed to balance the budget. Congressman Carnahan's father was the Governor twice in the State of Missouri; he balanced the budget. I had to do the same as Mayor of Kansas City. In fact, there is a State law in Missouri that you must balance your budgets. There is no such thing as you did not do it this year. You must balance the budget.