Kathy Castor

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Peterson amendment and in defense of Florida's economy and natural environment. New, off- shore oil and gas drilling so close to the beautiful Florida coastline and all of our Nation's waters must be voted down today, as it threatens our economy, our natural environment, and our strategy for a new energy policy. Our economy, in Florida, and many of you know, Mr. Chairman, because so many take the time out of their vacation plans to come down to the State of Florida, enjoy their time away on our beautiful beaches. Our tourism economy in Florida is a multibillion dollar industry. It goes hand in hand with our multibillion dollar fishing industry. And it is absolutely worth protecting here today. Our beaches, our coastal environment, our marine resources, in addition to our fragile ecosystems, all of this will be put at risk by these amendments here today if they are successful. I am fortunate in my district to have a wonderful Department of Oceanography located at the University of South Florida. Here is what those researchers have warned: It would only take 24 hours after a petroleum spill in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for oil to ``sully Florida's Panhandle beaches if the spill was swept up by the gulf's powerful Loop Current. This spill could travel around the Florida Keys and contaminate estuaries and beaches from the Everglades to Cape Canaveral.'' That is from the University of South Florida Department of Oceanography. In addition to that, one only has to look back a couple of years to know that it is completely unwise to put these types of facilities in hurricane alley. The gulf coast and the east coast, these are the two most coveted offshore areas by the oil and gas industry. That is where the threat of hurricanes is the greatest. It could wreak havoc on what they're trying to do there. In 2005, in that hurricane season, that was the first year in reported history that we had three category five storms: Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. In 2005 Hurricanes Rita and Katrina caused massive spills of oil and other pollutants that seriously affected production, refinery capacity, and the price of oil in the United States. The storms caused 124 oil spills into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. During Hurricane Katrina alone, 233,000 gallons of oil were spilled. There were 508,000 gallons of oil spilled during Hurricane Rita. And the U.S. Minerals Management Service reports that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed 115 petroleum production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The storms also damaged 457 pipelines, connecting production facilities in the gulf, and bringing oil and natural gas to shore. A full year after Katrina, BP admitted that a damaged oil well valve in the Gulf of Mexico was still leaking oil. The knee-jerk reaction to throw up more rigs offshore, especially in hurricane-prone waters like Florida's gulf coast and the eastern seaboard is precarious at best and not smart energy policy. As much as the oil and gas lobby would like us to believe that drilling near our beaches would be a panacea, the experts say that only a couple of weeks of oil and gas are available. Mr. Chairman, we can be smarter. We can be more strategic. Where is the commitment to conservation in this country? Just a minute ago, the Senate sent over its new energy bill. Well, it is time for this House to get to work on new alternative energies and not continue to fuel our addiction to oil and gas. Let's oppose these amendments.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida (Mr. Hastings), who has been an outspoken advocate for environmental justice for this great country and a strong supporter of Everglades restoration. So I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, our natural environment and clean neighborhoods are vital to the health of the folks that we represent back home. This bill, and the rule, contains much to recommend it to the American people. But I rise in support today because my community, the Tampa Bay area, will benefit greatly due to the new investments being made under the leadership of this new Democratic Congress. See, our communities have suffered over past years while environmental agencies were infiltrated by industry lobbyists. That was a strategy of this White House, unfortunately. And some in past Congresses whittled away at environmental protections. Well, we're going to begin to turn that around today and repair America's natural environment and the public health so we can breathe easier. First, we will make new investments in clean air and clean and safe drinking water. We know that the rate of asthma in children is rising in America, and this bill will help our communities get back on track with enforcement of the Clean Air Act. On clean water, the residents of the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg have benefited greatly over the years due to the Clean Water Act and the State Water Revolving Loan Program because my communities have been able to repair sewers, and in my hometown, clean up Tampa Bay and make it safer for swimming, boating, and fishing. But we have more work to do. The National Estuary Program portion of this bill will help, as the bill provides greater assistance to local communities to improve water quality in our national estuaries like Tampa Bay. I also hope the committee will look favorably upon an amendment relating to the red tide that is affecting the physical environment of our coastal communities and causing respiratory ailments at a time when folks are trying to enjoy their vacation at the beach. Urban communities like mine also need assistance in cleaning up toxic waste sites and Superfund sites. As a former county commissioner back home, I understand the value of cleaning up old brownfield sites so they do not remain as blights on the community. Oftentimes these polluted industrial sites are located in communities of modest means. So I salute the committee and Chairman Dicks for his commitment to environmental justice to ensure that environmental decisions do not adversely affect minority populations. This bill also charts a new direction on global warming as well by increasing climate change scientific research, including attention to coastal communities to help us determine how we can best adapt to a warming planet. This act and rule also provides long overdue funding for our national parks, including the beautiful Florida Everglades. Thanks to Chairman Dicks and the committee for stepping up our efforts to ensure that these valuable environmental resources are protected. One final issue: this bill maintains the long-standing moratoria on oil and gas drilling off our beautiful gulf coast beaches. Now, I expect that the oil and gas lobby will take a run at this protection today, and I urge my colleagues to hold firm. In Florida and in other coastal States, drilling threatens our environment, it threatens our health, and it threatens our economic livelihood. Instead of risking our critical coastline for short-term gain, the new Democratic majority is pursuing a long-term energy strategy by investing in energy conservation and alternative fuels. Granting oil and gas leases and access to our coastline is not the solution to our energy crisis. The current leases that oil and gas companies exploit far off the coastline exist with the help of taxpayers. Allowing drilling closer to our coastline is simply a way for oil and gas companies to maximize their profits. Such actions will have no effect on either the cost of gas or on the future of our energy needs. I urge my colleagues to beat back this scheme of the oil and gas lobby today, their attempt to kill a ban on coastal drilling that was enacted in response to a 1969 oil and gas bill that blackened 35 miles of California's coast. Instead of drilling for limited resources, the country needs an accelerated program for alternative fuels, and Congress needs to investigate the oil companies' unseemly profits. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and the rule. I salute the leadership of Chairman Dicks, and I thank Ranking Member Tiahrt. This legislation will protect our environment and our public health and focus on renewable energy solutions that are vital to the State of Florida and the future of our great Nation.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to herald the life and philanthropic contributions of James ``Jim'' H. Shimberg, and to acknowledge our pride in the communities he founded in the Tampa Bay area. A native of Syracuse, New York, Jim Shimberg served as a First Lieutenant in World War II. After he received his degree from the University of Chicago Law School, he practiced law in New York for nearly 10 years. Jim then relocated to the Tampa, Florida area in 1958 to launch a community business. By 1983, his development of over 6,000 homes, several recreation centers, schools, and shopping centers in northwest Hillsborough County laid the foundation of the Town 'N Country community. Jim's success in community development led him to become President of the Tampa Home Builders Association and the Florida Home Builders Association, as well as Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders. He was co-founder of the National Housing Endowment and was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1985. After developing the Town 'N Country community, Jim served as chairman for the Hillsborough County Charter Review Board and was largely responsible for the expansion and development of eastern Hillsborough County. The philanthropic contributions of Jim Shimberg have unquestionably improved the lives of thousands of Floridians. His dedication to the well-being of Floridians led him to found the University Community Hospital in 1968. He served as the first Chairman of the Board for 9 years, and as chair of the investment committee for the duration of his life. His commitment to providing quality health care services led him to serve as Vice-President of the Judeo Christian Health Clinic for 25 years. In addition, Jim endowed the Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing at the University of Florida in 1991, and funded the philanthropic National Endowment in Washington, DC. As a result of his immense lifetime philanthropic contributions, Jim Shimberg was honored as Tampa's Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 2007. He and his wife, Amy Shimberg, were also honored as the 2003 Philanthropists of the Year by the Tampa Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The Tampa community honors the life of Jim Shimberg, his wife Amy, daughters Janet and Nancy, sons Jim, Richard, and Robert, and the entire Shimberg family for their outstanding contributions to the Florida community. Jim Shimberg's life serves as an inspiration to all who knew him, and will continue to benevolently impact the lives of Floridians in the future.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, last week, the new Congress adopted the most significant expansion of veterans health care in the history of the VA. The real-life story of Lt. Sylvia Blackwood highlights why this is so important. Lt. Blackwood began suffering from PTSD after serving two tours of duty in Iraq. She found the strength to check herself into the VA Medical Center here in Washington. She was suicidal, but instead of receiving immediate treatment, she was directed to a waiting room. When she was finally admitted, she did not receive therapy or relief. According to an in-depth series published by The Washington Post this week, unfortunately, Lt. Blackwood's story is not uncommon. An estimated one-third of all veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from mental health challenges. America's servicemen and -women deserve the best care possible when they return from war, both for their physical and mental health. That is why this new Congress last week passed the most significant expansion and improvement in veterans health care in the VA's 77-year history. It's important for all Americans to take pride in that action.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Chairman, the Energy and Water Appropriations bill charts an important new direction for improved public health and a cleaner environment throughout America. The bill also makes important new investments in renewable energy as we must reduce our dependence on foreign oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions. We must rapidly expand the production of clean, alternative fuels and increase energy efficiency. Our country has lost momentum due to the Bush-Cheney White House's inaction on global warming and energy independence. The new Congress will change course today. A healthy and clean environment and renewable energy solutions are vital to the State of Florida and the Tampa Bay area. In my Tampa Bay area district, we are working to increase energy efficiency through organizations like the Clean Energy Research Center at the University of South Florida. My recent Tampa energy forum ``Turning Green for the Red, White and Blue'' drew great community interest. Our neighbors now are focusing on commonsense conservation initiatives. Nevertheless, leadership at the Federal level is vital. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill invests $3 billion in global climate change science and in renewable energy technologies that both reduce greenhouse gases and help our Nation meet its energy needs. Additionally, this bill will provide a 50 percent increase into research on energy efficiency and renewable energy, including solar, biofuels, hydropower, and geothermal, as well as new vehicle technology and energy efficient buildings and homes. Solar energy holds great promise for Floridians and I strongly support the new investment of $200 million for research, development and demonstration projects to make solar energy more affordable. On the first day of the new Congress, the House passed legislation to repeal $14 billion in taxpayer subsidies given to Big Oil companies that are earning record profits while we pay record profits at the pump. Those monies now will be channeled into clean alternative energy technologies and energy efficiency. Doing so enhances our national security as our country will lessen its foreign entanglements with questionable, petrocentric nations. Climate change is potentially the greatest threat to our national security and prosperity. Energy independence is vital to our future. I urge the Congress to act swiftly for the sake of my community and all Americans.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I am pleased today to introduce a resolution honoring the esteemed former President, CEO, and Chairman of NASCAR, William ``Bill'' Clifton France, Jr. Sadly, Bill France passed away June 4 after an extended illness. Bill was well known in Florida, leading NASCAR for 31 years before retiring in 2003. He was, like his father, ``Big Bill,'' a giant in the racing world. He was also a super citizen whose interests and influence went well beyond the racing world. Bill lived life to the fullest and will be remembered with both admiration and fondness. Today, the Daytona International Speedway is a landmark in the international motorsports community. However, when the France family settled in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1934, the track was nothing but packed sand. Bill's father, William H.G. France, was known for his innovative perspectives and entrepreneurial skills in building the legacy that is the Daytona International Speedway. Bill Jr. took the same business savvy his father exhibited, and made NASCAR the legend it is today. As President, CEO, and Chairman of NASCAR, Bill France transformed the International Speedway Corporation (ISC) into the third ranked professional sports entity on television. His leadership led the ISC to promote more than 100 annual racing events, own and/or operate thirteen of the Nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, and own and operate MRN Radio, the Nation's largest independent sports radio network. In addition to his business achievements, the philanthropic initiative of Bill France and the France family founded the NASCAR Foundation Family of Charities, a group of more than 30 organizations that supports children's programs, animal welfare and conservation. I know his wife, Betty Jane, and his children Brian and Lesa and their children, will miss him terribly. I know, also, that they are proud of the contributions Bill made to make motorsports not only a successful venture in Florida, but around the world. I am proud to pay tribute to Bill France, his numerous accomplishments, and his dedication to the Florida community and the motorsports industry.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Chairman, I am proud today to stand with this Congress as it affirms its commitment to the brave men and women who are part of our active and retired military services. Their collective sacrifice and service has been phenomenal, and we must do all we can to ensure that they receive the medical care that they have earned as a result of the sacrifices they have made in service to America. The bill before us provides an historic, substantial boost to the Veterans' Administration, allocating $43.2 billion--$3.8 billion more than the President's request and $6.7 more than the FY 07 allocation--to properly fulfill America's obligation to our servicemen and women and their families. As a representative of the State with the second highest population of military retirees and veterans--nearly 2 million people--I know many Florida families stand to benefit greatly. The extra funding for the VA to double its benefits personnel in order to reduce the backlog of more than 400,000 benefit claims will do much to improve health care and efficiency for benefits that are due to many Florida families. The top two busiest VA Health Care centers, Bay Pines in St. Petersburg and Haley VA in Tampa, serve residents in my district. I have walked the halls of both facilities, and encountered active and retired military personnel looking for the best care possible for them and their families. This bill provides resources adequate to the enormously important task of supporting our veterans and their families as they transition back into civilian life. It also expands access to vital services in the areas of greatest concern for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan: traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment for burns, and amputation. Haley VA has the distinction of being one of a handful of poly-trauma centers, with special designation to handle traumatic brain injuries, and with its partner, the University Of South Florida College Of Public Health, has been on the forefront of discovering the best roads to effective treatment for those suffering with TBI. Also, this bill represents the recognition that we must confront, not shy away from, the serious issues in veterans care brought to light by the Walter Reed scandal. $4.1 billion dollars, $508 million above and beyond the President's request, is set aside for the ongoing maintenance and renovation of existing facilities to make certain they remain capable of delivering our veterans the treatment they deserve and need. It also heavily invests in information technology to better track health records, so that no American is allowed to fall through the cracks. I urge this Congress to back up the talk about supporting our troops with concrete actions. We have an unwavering obligation as a country to do right by our servicemen and women, whether it be in the solemn purpose with which we must always send them off to war, or in providing the necessary care for them and their families upon their return. Their sacrifice must be respected not just with our words, but with our actions.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the ethics reformer of Ohio and my colleague on the Rules Committee, Ms. Sutton.

Ms. CASTOR. I object.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act and the Lobbying Transparency Act and this rule. Citizens deserve open and honest leadership. We must stay on track with lobbying reform. And after the scandals in past years, we will continue the fight for reform and change so that the American people trust that Members of Congress are making decisions that benefit our communities and our country, and not some powerful special interest with undue influence. Unfortunately, there has been a price to pay for the culture of corruption. You can see it when you gas up at the pump. Big Oil has gotten millions and billions in tax breaks, while people that we represent pay higher gas prices. And in Florida, the big oil companies have been granted a right to drill off our beautiful coastline. You can see it when our seniors are pushed into privatized Medicare. The HMOs get a slush fund, and seniors pay more for health care. You can see it when students and their families pay more for student loans because of sweetheart deals. The special interests get tax breaks, and our kids pay off higher debt. Mr. Speaker, today we will keep our promise to the American people to fight for change and reform. When our neighbors and the folks back home send us to Washington, they rightly expect their representatives to act in the public interest and not in the interest of well-paid lobbyists with undue influence. I urge my colleagues to build on the strongest ethics reform ever adopted in the Congress, what we started on day one in this new Congress. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Ms. CASTOR. Well, my interest, Mr. Speaker, is keeping this legislation on track. The American people spoke loud and clear in November. They called on us to fight for reform and change.

Ms. CASTOR. That is correct, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I will reserve the balance of my time until the gentleman has closed for his side.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my colleague from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 2317, the Lobbying Transparency Act of 2007, and H.R. 2316, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. The resolution provides that H.R. 2317 is to be considered under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule waives all points of order against the bill and its consideration, except for those arising under clauses 9 and 10 of rule XXI. The resolution also provides for consideration of H.R. 2316, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, under a structured rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The rule waives all points of order against the bill and its consideration, except those arising under clauses 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule makes in order and provides the appropriate waivers for five amendments, three by Democratic Members and two by Republican Members. Mr. Speaker, I urge strong support for the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 and the Lobbying Transparency Act as well and this rule. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act continues the new direction charted by this new Congress and builds upon the strongest ethics reforms ever adopted in the United States Congress. Last November, the Congress was reinvigorated by the election of a large number of new Members, who were sent here by the American people to fight for reform and change and to sweep aside a previous Congress that was defined by scandal and corruption. On the first day of this new Congress, the new reform-minded Members, under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter, ushered in the broadest ethics and lobbying revisions since the Watergate era. The ethics watchdog group Public Citizen called the new ethics rules sweeping in scope and a signal that the Democratic majority in the House appears committed to serious lobbying and ethics reform. Those new rules include a ban on gifts from lobbyists and organizations that employ lobbyists, a ban on trips that are privately funded by lobbyists and organizations that employ lobbyists, prohibition on Members and staff flying on private corporate jets, an end to the K Street Project, and a new requirement that all earmarks with congressional sponsors be disclosed to the public. Then 3 weeks after the adoption of that very broad and aggressive ethics reform rules package, the House acted again on ethics reform and stripped the congressional pensions of Members of Congress who commit any of a number of crimes during their tenure, including bribery, conspiracy and perjury. This new Congress took that direct action to change the culture of Congress at a time when Members of the previous Congress were pleading guilty to living off gifts they had received from lobbyists in exchange for votes and earmarks. Through our bold and expanding ethics package, this new Congress is tackling the cozy relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers. Next, Mr. Speaker, these bills that we will consider today, the one for open government and honest leadership and transparency in lobbying, and this rule, provide rigorous new requirements for lobbyist disclosure and enforcement of lobbying laws and regulations. Mr. Speaker, we don't adopt reforms for reform's sake alone. We adopt these reforms and we fight for change because it matters to our constituents and our neighbors back home. For over a year I have been sitting down with seniors trying to work through the disaster of Medicare part D that was crafted in the last Congress. Fortunately, this bill adds a House rule prohibiting Members and senior staff from negotiating future employment or salaries and requires public recusal of Members on any matters where there may be a conflict of interest. You see, Mr. Speaker, that Medicare part D that is so costly and confusing to our seniors and puts all the benefit on the side of HMOs and Big Pharma, and puts all of the burden on our seniors, was crafted by a Member of Congress who, shortly thereafter, after he helped write the Medicare drug bill, went on to become the head lobbyist for PhRMA in what I think was a crass violation of the public trust. Fortunately, this bill will tackle that problem. This bill also makes it a Federal crime for Members and senior staff to influence employment decisions or practices of private entities for partisan political gain. Some people have called this the K Street Project. The K Street Project was an initiative by the Republican Party to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials. The bill also requires quarterly instead of semiannual disclosure of lobbying reports. It requires in the age of the Internet for lobbying reports to be filed electronically and be made available in a free, searchable, downloadable database within 48 hours of being filed. It also requires the Clerk of the House to post travel disclosures on the Internet. This follows the scandals of Jack Abramoff. We must allow greater transparency into the trips and financial holdings of Members of Congress. Former Members of Congress took lavish trips to Scotland with a lobbyist that had minimal disclosure, and these new provisions will bring more such light to congressional disclosure forms. Through this legislation we will also increase civil and criminal penalties for failure to comply with lobbying disclosure requirements. And it does much, much more. Mr. Speaker, we must continue to fight for high ethical standards in government to end the culture of corruption in Washington so that our neighbors and folks we represent know they can count on us to stand up for them against powerful special interests and trust that congressional Members work in the public interest. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials into the Record.

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier). All time yielded during consideration of this rule is for debate only. General Leave

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 437 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Ms. CASTOR

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, when it comes to the Rules Committee, I think the record should reflect the true reality. On this Defense bill, over 130 amendments were filed and reviewed in committee, and a record-breaking number of 50 amendments have been allowed on this bill today.

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 403 provides for consideration of H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 under a structured rule. The rule provides 90 minutes of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services. The rule waives all points of order against the bill's consideration, except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule makes in order and provides appropriate waivers for 50 amendments. The rule also permits the Chair of the Committee on Armed Services or his designee to offer amendments not earlier disposed of en bloc and debated for 20 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the Chair and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. The Chair of the Armed Services Committee also may request that amendments printed and ordered in the Rules Committee report be offered out of that order with appropriate notice on the floor. Madam Speaker, today the new Congress, under Democratic leadership, will chart a new direction for a stronger and safer America through the adoption of the Defense authorization bill, H.R. 1585, and this rule. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am pleased to report that our committee, under the leadership of Chairman Ike Skelton, passed the bill out of committee unanimously in a bipartisan way, 58-0. The Defense bill provides $648.6 billion to support our brave American men and women in uniform, but it does much more. The provisions in the bill would repair the damage done to America's national security by this White House by improving the readiness of our Armed Forces, requiring accountability from the White House in its Iraq policy and making more strategic investments for the protection of the American people and our interests across the globe. On readiness, we are going to take care of our troops and their families. We are going to fully fund the needs of our armed services. We are going to strengthen the National Guard and Reserves. Here are a few details. We have authorized $1.2 billion for body armor; $2.5 billion for up-armored Humvees; $1.2 billion for vehicle add-on armor; and $509 million for the armored security vehicles. We are going to increase the end-strength of our armed services with 36,000 new soldiers in the Army, 9,000 new troops in the Marine Corps and 1,300 troops in the Army National Guard. This bill authorizes $4.5 billion to fund the anti-IED, improvised explosive device, efforts of the Joint Improved Explosive Device Defeat Organization. In addition, Madam Speaker, although the President called for only a 3 percent pay raise for our brave men and women in uniform, we have gone far beyond that because we recognize the sacrifice that they are providing for the benefit of the American people, and we have provided a pay raise in this bill for our troops of 3.5 percent. Inexplicably, in this time of conflict and war the Bush administration also proposed increases in health insurance premiums for our military retirees and troops under TRICARE and proposed cuts to active military medical services. We have blocked that measure. It is the wrong time for the White House to propose health insurance premium increases, when we are asking so much of our brave American men and women in uniform. Madam Speaker, in this bill we have also included provisions that we passed last month, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, because we remain committed to seeing that our wounded servicemembers receive the best health care possible. Indeed, Madam Speaker, under that Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, we are answering the call of the American people. This new Congress is demanding, through this rule and through this legislation, that the executive branch move beyond the rhetoric of ``support our troops'' to concrete actions that sustain our brave men and women in uniform and their families by providing the quality health care they deserve when they return from the battlefield. Supporting our troops does not mean that you simply salute and send them off to war, ask them to serve and sacrifice for our great country. But it also means that they are supported when they return home, their families are respected and our wounded warriors receive superior health care for their physical injuries and mental health care. We are going to improve the health care-mental health care for our wounded warriors in this bill. We are going to tackle the bureaucracy that has blocked their access to health care. We are going to require expedited action, provide medical advocates, improve support services for families and really tackle the traumatic brain injuries and aid the polytrauma centers and VA hospitals across this country that are serving the most crucially wounded. Madam Speaker, this bill also calls for greater accountability from the White House. In this bill, we are requiring more in-depth reports on operations in Iraq. We want to know what is truly happening on the ground with the Iraqi security forces. There has been so much waste and fraud in contracting in Iraq and under this White House that we are not going to put up with it any longer. The Department of Defense, the Department of State, USAID, must have additional oversight of the multibillion dollar contracts that have been approved during this war in Iraq. We require reports on the proficiencies of the Iraqi Army, the police, and all security forces there. To the credit of this Armed Services Committee, we have not forgotten about Afghanistan. In fact, in this bill, as an additional accountability measure, we have established an Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, as we cannot sanction the waste and fraud that has accompanied the administration's Iraq reconstruction. Madam Speaker, we are also going to be more strategic in the defense of our national security. Like I said, Afghanistan cannot be the forgotten war. In fact, in this bill we direct more attention to operations there, in addition to the Inspector General that will oversee the reconstruction efforts. This bill contains a detailed plan to achieve long-term stability in what has been an unstable country in Afghanistan for many years. Madam Speaker, we will hear debate today about missile defense. Now, this bill provides great investment in the protection and missile defense of this country. It also reinvigorates the nonproliferation and threat reduction initiatives that have suffered under the Bush administration. We are going to refocus our efforts strategically on terrorism and the true threats to our national security. I am very proud to say that the headquarters of Special Operations Command is located in my district in Tampa, Florida, at the McDill Air Force Base. This Defense bill, under Democratic leadership, not only fully funds our Special Operations Forces, but it went beyond the Bush administration's budget request, and we have funded their five unfunded needs under the Bush proposal. We have also authorized a 25 percent increase in Special Forces by the year 2013, because we recognize that we cannot rely solely any longer on the conventional threats to our country. We have got to be smarter, we have to be more strategic, and the Democratic Defense bill authorizes the increase in Special Forces and also a new emphasis on indirect action. Oftentimes, to win the hearts and minds, you don't go in with guns blazing. In fact, you institute a smarter policy where you work with folks on the ground to prevent any terrorist initiative from ever developing. And this bill does that. We have reinvested additional resources to improve education and analytical intelligence surveillance. We harness the science and technology innovation in this country by investing in information technology and other technologies to make sure that our troops on the ground have the best technology available across the globe. Yes, Madam Speaker, this Defense bill charts a new direction for true readiness, accountability and more strategic investments to protect our national security. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record.