Thelma Drake

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we remembered the tragic events that unfolded 5 years ago on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. We remembered a day replete with loss, but also replete with heroism. As we reflect on those who died that fateful day--as we mourn those family members and friends whose lives were taken by a group of radical extremists, I would like to pay tribute to the 343 firefighters who were lost in the wreckage of the WorId Trade Center. I am often amazed when I reflect back on the acts of those firefighters. For most, the human instinct is to turn and run away from imminent danger. Yet, they were prepared to sacrifice their own lives in order to save the lives of those they had never met. This courage was born from a commitment to service that is shared with thousands more across the Nation. They are our first responders, and every time America is threatened, whether by an act of God or an act of man, they are the first to arrive, providing certainty out of an uncertain situation. Many Americans, in New York City and around our country, owe their lives to first responders. We owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude, not only for what they have done, but for what they are prepared to do. We must never forget the tragedy of September 11th, and we should never forget the triumphs of September 11th. America is a better place because of the strength, the courage and the determination of our first responders.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 12 of rule XXII, I move that meetings of the conference between the House and Senate on H.R. 5122 may be closed to the public at such times as classified national security information may be broached, provided that any sitting Member of Congress shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the conference.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to come to the floor today to voice my support for H.R. 5013, the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we heard reports regarding the seizure of firearms from law-abiding citizens by representatives of the federal government. I was disheartened by these reports. As we know, the Second Amendment to the Constitution firmly establishes our right to keep and bear arms. This fundamental right is all the more necessary in the aftermath of a major disaster when government is unable to provide reliable protection from crime. The denial of this right by federal officials in the aftermath of Katrina was deplorable. The Second Congressional District of Virginia, which I represent, encompasses the entire Atlantic coastline of the Commonwealth. While we have not experienced a natural disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina, the Second District is itself very susceptible to the threat of Hurricanes and other natural disasters. With enactment of this legislation, we will codify the right of law- abiding citizens in areas affected by disasters to be able to protect themselves, their families, and their property. I am a cosponsor of the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act because I believe this Congress should be committed to protecting our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. I am proud to support this legislation and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for handling this hour this evening and for inviting me to participate. I found what you just went over with your numbers very interesting, because in coming here tonight to talk about the economy and the very good news of what America is facing with the growth in our economy because of the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, I wanted to share with you that there was an excellent article in The Wall Street Journal today, and it went right along the same path of what you just said. That article started out by saying that John F. Kennedy believed that an economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough revenue to balance our budget, just as it will never produce enough jobs or enough profits. In those days, when the Kennedy tax cuts were passed, 80 percent of Democratic Senators and Representatives voted for those Kennedy tax cuts. But the article goes on to point out that in 2003, when these most recent tax cuts were passed, only 7 of 205 Democrat Representatives voted for those tax cuts. And, more than that, the editorials across the Nation went on to call the tax cuts economically unsound and claimed they would increase the deficits by hundreds of billions of dollars and said they were unlikely to stimulate the wallowing economy. What we have seen is absolutely the opposite of that. We have also heard just recently that House minority leader Nancy Pelosi has promised that if there is an election of a Democratic House in November, that would result in the rollback of tax cuts. It makes you wonder why, the article goes on to point out, when tax rates go down, that economic activity goes up. I would like to share with my friend, and I know he will talk about it as well tonight, some of the facts of what has happened with those tax cuts, particularly since 2003. In the past 33 months, the size of America's entire economy has increased by 20 percent. Incredible. Twenty percent. That is in the words of Larry Kudlow. In less than 3 years, the U.S. economic pie has expanded by $2.2 trillion, an output add-on that is roughly the same size as the total Chinese economy. Incredible numbers. In the 25 years before the 2003 tax cuts, economic growth averaged 1.1 percent annually. In the past 3 years, it has averaged 4 percent per year, and the first quarter of this year, we are on track for 5.6 percent for this year. Incredible numbers. In those 36 months since the tax cuts became law, 5.3 million new jobs have been created. When we talk about Federal tax receipts, they are up 15 percent or $274 billion last year, and when the capital gains tax was reduced from 20 to 15 percent, capital gains tax receipts grew 79 percent from 2000 to 2004. Before I came to Congress I was a realtor, and I understood the capital gains tax on real estate. I can tell you there were many people I worked with, including myself as well, that would not have sold a piece of property at a 25 percent capital gains tax rate. We just would not do it. There is such a thing as taxpayer behavior and there is a breaking point. What has happened with these tax cuts and the reduction to 15 percent is people are making different choices. They are now saying I can sell that rental property and I can go on and I can invest in something else. Americans are doing that. They are creating new jobs, they are creating new opportunities, and our economy has grown incredibly. Cutting the dividend tax rate from 39.6 percent to 15 percent has increased those revenues by 35 percent from 2002 to 2004 and tax receipts have tripled since 2003, reaching $250 billion for the last 9 months. I think that it is important to talk about that tax cuts truly do work. We have often heard it said that if you allow people to keep more of their own money, they will create jobs, they will create investments, they will spend the money. They will use it in our economy, all for the benefit of our Nation. But what we have today is 3 years of solid record to show that that model works. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to be here to talk to you. I appreciate the article this morning in The Wall Street Journal. I would encourage everyone to go back and read it and to really see what has happened in our economy, because often when we hear the rhetoric that we hear over and over and over again, we don't realize the positive impact of these tax cuts. You and I both understand that if these tax cuts are rolled back, that is a tax increase on the American people, and you and I disagree with the other side that says, well, revenues are good, let's just raise the rates and they will be that much better, because that fails to calculate what happens with taxpayer behavior and the negative impact on our economy Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here.

Mrs. DRAKE. I just want to thank the gentleman from Georgia again. I think that is an important point about taxpayer behavior. I think it is important that we allow Americans to keep as much money in their pocket to spend the way they see fit, and we now can show you that is the best model for increasing revenues for our government. I think it is also important to talk about when those tax cuts went into effect, that they weren't anticipated, and it was $2.2 trillion over the last decade that we had not anticipated because no one thought the tax cuts were going to do what the tax cuts actually did. So, that, in itself, those $2.2 trillion we had not calculated, is actually as if the residents of Florida didn't pay their income tax for 10 years. That is that amount of money. It is a huge amount of money. I believe, and I know you do too, that our tax policy has got to support our economy, grow our revenues, and what you are seeing in the tax cuts, particularly from 2003, are doing exactly that. Thank you for telling America.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call your attention to the following article written by my constituent, Rabbi Israel Zoberman. Rabbi Zoberman is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, VA. A son of Polish Holocaust survivors, he grew up in Haifa, Israel. He is past President of the Hampton Roads Board of Rabbis and Cantors. The article reads as follows: Once more I felt in the pit of my stomach that gnawing sense of emptiness born of disbelief and grave concern, which after all is a defense mechanism, experienced during past wars and crises. My phone calls to my family in Haifa, Israel have increased from Fridays to wish them a ``Shabbat Shalom'' to daily contacts of empathy and support. My beautiful coastal Haifa, Israel's third largest city, has become a deliberate target with rockets landing on Mt. Carmel, not far from my sisters' homes and my parents' residence where I was raised. My very pregnant niece was emotionally affected and temporarily left to Tel Aviv for psychological stability. Speaking to my mom, who along with father are Polish Holocaust survivors, conveyed her definite heightened anxiety as she faced one more challenge after already much trauma, including Israel's previous wars and ongoing tensions since arriving there in 1949. I've also been in touch with Lebanese friends in Virginia Beach. They too are affected by the disconcerting events. The eruption of hostilities this time followed attacks and kidnappings by Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north, instigated by the true powers to be in Iran and Syria, and lengthy rockets' firing at Israeli towns within range from Gaza. It thus forced Israel's government to send a loud message to those who are obstacles to the future of peace, a pre-condition to Israel's very viability and survival in a restive region of critical strategic importance. No state would allow disruption to its citizens' lives on a scale tolerated so long by Israel. Particularly for a small country albeit with a capable military, such unacceptable scenario becomes debilitating. The threat from radical Islam seeking to create a Middle East a la its rejectionist ideology, sans Israel and Western influence, also aims at destabilizing moderate Arab states such as Egypt and Jordan which signed peace treaties with Israel. Without a countervailing strong Iraq, Iran is now positioned for hegemony to restore its historic preeminence and emerge a global Muslim leader. It attempts to acquire nuclear power as a step in this envisioned goal while led by an irresponsible president who openly denies the Holocaust and calls for Israel's elimination. The Palestinian Authority as well as Lebanon stand to benefit from Israel's actions for their own future is held hostage by their extremists. Israel's response is supportive of America's heroic efforts to confront terrorism world-wide, painfully introducing democracy to a liberated Iraq, even though democracy's Arab enemies subvert fledging democracies from within. Fighting terrorists is hampered by their planting themselves among civilians to take advantage of democratic nations' reluctance to retaliate at random. But terrorists underestimate the will of free nations to ultimately fight back in spite of limitations with inevitable and regrettable losses of life and property. Tragic indeed has been Lebanon's lot and inability to control Palestinian and Lebanese militants who have begrudged her Western culture and delicate ethnic and religious balance. How frustrating that despite Israel's sacrificial Gaza disengagement a year ago as well as the departure from southern Lebanon in 2000, with plans for the further withdrawal from the West Bank to create a Palestinian state, its adversaries refuse to respond in kind. Reestablishing a deteriorated deterrence posture is a must for Israel's security. Recently elected Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert is undergoing his first major test by fire, literally, filling in the big shoes of his incapacitated predecessor Ariel Sharon. Sharon, the daring leader in war and peace, would approve Olmert's conduct that is supported by a united political front, so otherwise rare, testimony to Israel's resolve to again prevail. A determined Jewish state has no plans to leave its bad neighborhood, and it may yet help transforming it with its essential American partner. May children on both sides of Israel's borders soon be able to freely play and sleep at peace. Rabbi Israel Zoberman, spiritual leader of Congregation of Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach, grew up in Haifa, Israel.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I am proud to come to the floor today to voice my support for this resolution. Since the year 2000, Israel has demonstrated a willingness to act unilaterally in the name of peace; only to have their enemies respond with more acts of violence. In 2000, Israel withdrew their forces from southern Lebanon, only to be followed by Hezbollah and their missiles. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, only to be replaced by the militant wing of the Hamas party. As a sovereign and independent nation, Israel has every right to defend itself from these constant attacks led by groups with the expressed purpose of destroying Israel. There is agreement in this House and in the world community that there be peace in the Middle East, so that all families, whether they be Israeli, Palestinian, or Lebanese, can live without fear. But there will be no peace so long as these terrorist organizations insist on the destruction of Israel. There will be no peace, until Hamas agrees to curtail acts of violence and aggression and show that they are willing to work towards a two-state solution. Our own soldiers are currently engaged against an enemy that has no respect for human life and a complete disdain for democracy. In this Global War on Terror, we have no greater ally than the nation of Israel, whose citizens are all too familiar with terrorists and their tactics. I am proud to support this resolution because I believe it is important that we let the Israeli people know that we stand behind their right to defend their homeland and their citizens. I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution, so that we may speak with one voice so that there may be peace for all people in the Middle East.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, allow me to begin by thanking key individuals whose efforts brought this legislation to the floor today. First, let me thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his diligence in moving this bill through the Committee on the Judiciary. I would also like to thank Ed Boyer of Angel Flight America located in Virginia Beach for raising this important issue and whose vision will help hundreds of private citizens respond in time of crisis. I would also like to thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Bobby Scott, for working with me to bring the best possible bill to the floor today. Finally, allow me to thank Sarah Hamlett, who put in countless hours to make this bill a reality. Today, we have an opportunity to take important action that will encourage the natural altruism and patriotism that Americans have repeatedly demonstrated in times of crisis. In the past 5 years, our Nation has seen two great disasters, one at the hands of terrorists and one at the hands of Mother Nature. In both cases, Americans responded with a tremendous outpouring of compassion, lending their time, skills and dollars to a range of charitable organizations. In response to both 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the thousands of civil aviators who make up Angel Flight America, stood ready to serve and, indeed, played a major role in the disaster response. Flying over 150 missions following 9/11 and more than 2,200 missions in response to Katrina, these pilots led an aviation disaster response second only to that of the U.S. military. But providing a coordinated aviation response during national emergencies is only a part of the underlying mission for most nonprofit volunteer organizations. Their most common mission is to provide emergency medical transportation services for needy families. Each year, volunteer pilots transport hundreds of people with life- threatening illnesses thousands of miles in order to receive specialized medical attention, as well as transporting patients in remote locations who would otherwise be unable to receive care. Yet, despite the importance of their mission, these organizations have been left out of the Volunteer Protection Act in its current form. This legislation addresses this mission by amending the Volunteer Protection Act to include organizations such as Angel Flight so they may continue to fulfill their mission and provide a critical service for needy families, seeking specialized medical attention. It is important to note that I have worked closely with Congressman Scott to ensure that this legislation does not shield pilots from liability in instances of criminal misconduct or gross negligence. Instead, this legislation provides nonprofit volunteer pilot organizations the security they need to grow and expand their mission to more parts of our country and provide a well-coordinated response in times of national emergencies. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, last night, we watched as Israel launched a targeted operation on the Gaza Strip to recover Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, who had been kidnapped during an attack by members of Hamas' military wing. As an independent sovereign nation, Israel has every right to respond to acts of aggression against its homeland and the soldiers who defend it. In the name of peace, the Palestinian Authority must meet the calls from Israel and nations such as France and Egypt to produce the abducted soldier. Our Nation must stand behind our allies in the global war on terror, support their right to protect their citizens, and call for Hamas to abandon aggression and violence and work for a peaceful solution recognizing Israel as part of a two-nation plan.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 731) commending the Patriot Guard Riders for shielding mourning military families from protesters and preserving the memory of fallen servicemembers at funerals, as amended.

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 731 offered by my friend and colleague from Kansas, Representative Jerry Moran. Just last month, this Congress responded magnificently to the deplorable acts of a few who celebrate the deaths of our fallen soldiers when it passed the Respect For America's Fallen Heroes Act. In doing so, we sent a strong message to those who would hide behind the first amendment while using hate speech to dishonor the memories of those who have honorably served their country in the Armed Forces simply because they disagree with policy. However, this resolution tells the other side of the story, the positive side. In response to these so-called protesters, an all- volunteer group known as the Patriot Guard Riders was formed to shield those who mourn the death of their loved ones from those who celebrate it; and since last year, these patriots have seen their membership rise to the tens of thousands. Now the threat of protest at a military funeral is met with the roar of hundreds of motorcycles bearing American flags thundering down the street providing both a visible and audible barrier between the families that are trying to honor their loved ones and those trying to disrespect them. Mr. Speaker, the families of our fallen heroes should be allowed to bury their loved ones with the respect and dignity they deserve, not with the ridicule and disrespect that seem to dominate today's political and cultural landscape. For defending that right, the Patriot Guard Riders are true patriots, and I believe it is both fitting and proper that we honor their service here today. Yet the mission of the Patriot Guard Riders can best be summed up in their own words. In answer to the question, Why do we ride? They respond: Never again will they return home in shame. Never again will wearing their uniform cause them pain. Never again will we forget why they serve. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Kansas for introducing this resolution and urge all my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the sponsor of the resolution.

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer).

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Ryun).

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, we can't talk about the global war on terror without talking about the 922,000 heroes who have voluntarily served our Nation, going to a land that most have never been to, to liberate a people most have never met. Before 9/11, I worried if America needed our young people, would they go. And we all know they did. I believe history will remember their courage and name them. But until it does, I call them Freedom Believers. On my first trip to Iraq, I met a young man on the crew of our C-130. He told me he had a small daughter, yet defending freedom was so important that when he finished his enlistment, he would join his Reserve unit. He said there were so many from that unit who volunteered to go to Iraq; he knew he would not be back soon. Another soldier said to me: Let me make this simple. In a football game, you want to play at home. But this is not football. This is not a game. This is war. And war must always be played away. We played at home on September 11, and we lost. My proudest moments in Iraq have been the ones spent seeing their smiles when I told them about the support that they have here at home. Many that I met were on their second and third tours. Their feelings are summed up in a recent letter to the editor, a returning soldier said: ``If the choices are pull out or I go back, I'm going back.'' On the way home from Iraq in Shannon, Ireland, as a Marine unit walked through that terminal, everyone stood and clapped for them. On both of my trips to Iraq, I was asked repeatedly by our troops: When are we going to tell America what they are doing in Iraq, explain the threat to America and the world, and share the successes that they have achieved? The saddest moments were when they quietly asked me: What are Americans thinking and saying? These are people who show no fear on the battlefield, but it was like they were afraid to ask that question and hear my reply. They are probably referring to stories such as the one from the New York Times, October 26, 2005. They quoted Corporal Jeffrey Starr, who lost his life defending freedom. Here is their quote: ``I kind of predicted this. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my luck.'' And here's the real quote: ``Obviously if you are reading this, then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that's why I am writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going. Everybody dies, but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are here in Iraq. It's not to me. I'm here helping these people so they can live the way we live, not to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators, to do what they want to do with their lives. To me, that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark.'' Our military is the most lethal fighting force in the world, not solely because of their training, not solely because of their technology, but because they engage the enemy, our enemy, with the most unequivocal support of the American people. That is the most effective tool in their arsenal and one they cannot afford to lose. Mr. Speaker, they watch our news. They watch C-SPAN. They are watching us right now. This is your time. What do you want to say to them? Do you want to tell them, you're doing a terrible thing, but we support you? Well, I want to say: you're doing an honorable and noble thing. We support you and we love you. There is only one option for Iraq, that's victory. Thank you to our brave American heroes. Thank you to their families. God bless America, and God bless the men and women who keep us free.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, this morning we woke up to the news that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the vicious terrorist who has beheaded innocent civilians and murdered women and children in furtherance of his perverted view of peaceful religion, was killed by a U.S. precision guided air-strike. I would like to take this moment to thank the men and women of our Armed Forces and the intelligence community for their tireless efforts in striking the sword of justice deep into the heart of the terrorist threat. I want them to know that their work has saved the lives of Americans and Iraqis. While there is the possibility that someone will attempt to rise and take Zarqawi's place, I am hopeful that confusion and fear will now reign supreme amongst the terrorists and that Iraq's newly formed government can use this to their advantage and continue moving Iraq forward. There is still work to do, and we must remain vigilant. The global war on terror is not about an individual, but about combating a perverted ideology that hates freedom, democracy, justice and equal rights for all. Again, I congratulate our military and the Iraqi people for this success and hope that Zarqawi's death will lead to peace and stability in Iraq.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Chairman, I am an ardent supporter of safe deep sea drilling for natural gas. However, the current language does not contain necessary safeguards to protect our Nation and our coastal States. Revenue sharing must be included. And we must address the needs of our military. The coast of Virginia is a valuable training area. We must not impact that training capability. We currently are in discussions with the Navy as to whether we can develop a way to coexist with industry and create a win/win situation, realizing that the needs of the Navy are the top priority. We must also address the issue of the boundaries drawn by Minerals Management Service and correct the existing map. It is for these reasons that I support the Putnam amendment and look forward to a complete and detailed discussion of this issue. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to share my concerns regarding the Peterson language included in H.R. 5386 which would lift the Congressional moratorium on natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). While I am an ardent supporter of safe, deep-sea drilling for natural gas, I do not support the Peterson language. I do support the Putnam amendment, which strikes the Peterson language. Our Nation is in an energy crisis. Consumers are paying more to heat their homes and to buy American-made products and crops. Because natural gas is a domestic product, its price is determined by domestic supply and demand. Companies and jobs are moving to other countries where the price of doing business is cheaper because of lower costs in natural gas. The moratorium on offshore drilling places our nation at an extreme disadvantage. However, I can only support a plan for deep sea drilling that contains the safeguards that I feel will best suit the needs of our nation and the citizens of coastal states. First, the plan must allow the states the option to opt-out of the moratorium on offshore drilling. Coastal states know what is in their best interest. As such, they should be able to determine what terms should be allowed for drilling off of their shore. The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Hampton Roads area in particular are very proud of the military presence in our region. Norfolk, Virginia is home to the largest Navy base in the world and much of their training occurs off the coast of Virginia. I am committed to ensuring that the Navy will continue to use these areas offshore for training and recognize that offshore drilling can only occur off the coast of Virginia if the military training areas are preserved. I have shared with the Navy that it is my desire to work with the military to come up with the best plan for the coexistence of energy production and military presence. I look forward to continuing our conversations so that offshore drilling is compatible with our military's mission. In addition, a suitable plan must include a revenue-sharing component with the states. This money can be used for important projects such as transportation, education, sand replenishment, and Chesapeake Bay restoration. I also believe that the plan that will come out of Congress must fix the Minerals Management Services' (MMS) federal OCS offshore administrative boundaries which determine OCS state adjacent administrative zones. These boundaries, as they are currently drawn, do not accurately reflect the relative boundaries of States and furthermore penalize States, such as Virginia, with concave coastlines and result in grossly unfair zoning. This inequity affects all of the Commonwealth's activities in the ocean including sand and gravel dredging, mariculture, and offshore renewable energy projects involving wind, waves and currents. I have expressed my concerns regarding these administrative boundaries to the Department of the Interior and it is my desire that these boundaries be revised as part of Congressional legislation. The House Committee on Resources, of which I am a member, is the authorizing committee with jurisdiction over OCS. While I applaud Representative Peterson for bringing this critical issue to the forefront, I believe it is the responsibility of the Resources Committee to approve legislation that contains the principles I have outlined. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues towards passage of a bill that encompasses all of these principles. At this time, I do not believe including the Peterson language in the Interior Appropriations bill allows for the debate that is necessary for such an important issue. For these reasons, I support the Putnam amendment and will continue to discuss this important national security issue with my colleagues in Congress and the important stakeholders on the coast of Virginia.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I had a unique opportunity to address on Holocaust Memorial Day (April 25) about 200 clergy and lay leaders representing 64 churches of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia at their quarterly meeting at the historic Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church in downtown Newport News. The gathering on that particular day of members of the Presbyterian Church, USA, was coincidental though my invitation to join them was not. It was a very thoughtful and touching gesture by a minister friend of mine, the Rev. Dick Keever of Bayside Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach who served as the meeting's moderator. It speaks volumes of the inspiring inter-faith climate of mutual cooperation and respect in greater Hampton Roads which I've come to appreciate during my 21 years of living in this community and serving it as a rabbi. From 1985 to 1995 my congregation of Beth Chaverim was the only one in the world to meet in a Catholic facility, the most gracious Church Of The Ascension in Virginia Beach. I was most gratified and a bit concerned to be welcomed by Presbyterian colleagues and friends given the recent tensions born of the controversial resolution to consider divestment from companies doing business in Israel which impacts upon the Palestinians. I felt that resolution was far too one-sided and discriminatory failing to invest toward a better future for all. I also happen to be the first rabbi to have earned a doctoral degree from the Presbyterian affiliated McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, adding an intriguing dimension to my special encounter on a day reminding me more than any other of being a son of Polish Holocaust survivors. I spent my early childhood in a Displaced Persons Camp in Frankfurt, Germany, and then grew up in Haifa, Israel, prior to coming to Chicago in 1966 to join my Holocaust survivor grandmother who lost her own parents, five siblings and countless others. I was moved to share with my distinguished Presbyterian audience that the poison unleashed from the destruction of European Jewry had allowed for other genocides to occur, from the killing fields of Cambodia to Bosnia, Rwanda, Saddam Hussein's mass graves, suicide bombers wreaking havoc in New York and Israel, and Sudan's Darfur region where those with lighter skin color begrudge the presence and very lives of those with darker skin. The Holocaust, the defining event of the previous century, may yet prove to be the beginning of the end of civilized human life. After all, it took place in Christian Europe at the hands of the German nation deemed to be a leader in many fields, yet so quickly succumbing to the worst of human impulses. Though it was nourished by centuries of church led demonizing and dehumanizing, persecutions and expulsions of a vulnerable minority that in spite of its abuse as a scapegoat refused to abandon its distinct heritage. Among the Holocaust's victims were members of my father's family, direct descendents of Spanish Jews expelled in 1492 and ultimately invited to build the town of Zamosc in eastern Poland in 1588, till Hitler sealed their destiny in 1939 without the option even of conversion. The State of Israel, home to the largest number of Holocaust survivors who are now quickly diminishing with age, is the only nation- state on earth threatened openly with annihilation by the President of another state, Iran, while he denies that the Nazi Holocaust ever took place and thus proposing one as he is bent on acquiring a nuclear capability. I pleaded with the Presbyterians, having the misguided divestment plan in mind, not to endanger in any way the Holocaust's survivors who did not seek revenge at the war's end but rather to rebuild their lives in an ancient homeland where the dream of universal peace was first conceived. Survivors, like my parents, living in an Israel which ironically has not known shalom's blessings since its 1948 inception and on May 3rd will celebrate the 58th anniversary of the Jewish state. I vividly recall attending with my father Israeli military Independence Day parades early on, and his enthusiastic acclaim to the sight of a ``Jewish tank'' and a ``Jewish plane,'' a response to our dire helplessness in the past and the sacred act of defending one's people and honor. However, to presently despair in light of mighty challenges, would only betray the survivors noble and life-oriented spirit as well as the words of Anne Frank, one of a million and a half Jewish children including cousins of my own, ``in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart, I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death.'' Indeed Jews, Christians, Muslims and all who share our anguished planet-earth ought to be reassured by Anne's loving message and make her vision a reality for all children including Israeli and Palestinian, American and Chinese, now and forever. Rabbi Israel Zoberman is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Chaverim in Virginia Beach.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Today, the Fraternal Order of Police will honor two of Norfolk's own as part of their annual ceremony honoring the Nation's ``top cops.'' Investigators Judy Hash and Earl Killmon will be recognized for their contributions in disrupting a violent drug ring and bringing a suspected cop killer to justice. What began as an investigation into the murder of a North Carolina police chief during a routine traffic stop quickly began to provide leads to individuals distributing cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy and committing acts of violence stretching over State lines. After a 2-year investigation and thousands of man-hours on the part of Investigators Hash and Killmon, 14 drug- and violence-related arrests have been made and a cop killer now sits behind bars. It is a privilege for me to honor the accomplishments of these outstanding members of my hometown police force on the House floor today. Because of their dedicated service of these two top cops and thousands of police officers throughout our Nation, our streets are safer for our families. For that we are all eternally grateful.

Mrs. DRAKE

Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank our local partners in helping spread the word about the new prescription drug benefit. Southeastern Virginia Senior Services and Eastern Shore Senior Services have worked very diligently to sign people up and to spread information. Many of our local pharmacists, I would like to thank them as well, have allowed people to drop off their information and return for a list of the plans that cover their drugs. Remember, Medicare part D is a voluntary program. It is a private sector insurance plan with a reduced premium. Many seniors do not need to sign up at all because their coverage is as good or better than Medicare. That would include our Federal retirees, State retirees, military, and many private sector retirees. For more information call 1-800-MEDICARE, or go online to www.medicare.gov or call senior services. Sign up now and begin coverage in June. Otherwise you will have to wait until January to begin this new benefit. Join our over 30 million seniors and begin saving now.