Bob Etheridge

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate John Webb Hart and Virginia Sparrow Hart on the birth of their first child, Caroline Sparrow Hart. Caroline was born on Friday, June 9, 2006 and weighed 7 pounds and 5 ounces. Faye joins me in wishing John and Virginia Sparrow Hart great happiness during this very special time in their lives. As a father and grandfather, I know the joy, pride, and excitement that parents experience upon the entrance of their child into the world. Representing hope, goodness, and innocence, a newborn allows those around her to see the world through her eyes . . . as a new, fresh place with unending possibilities for the future. Through a child, one is able to recognize and appreciate the full potential of the human race. I know the Harts look forward to the changes and challenges, that their new daughter will bring to their lives while taking pleasure in the many rewards they are sure to receive as they watch her grow. I welcome young Caroline into the world and wish John and Virginia all the best as they raise her.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5576, the Transportation-Treasury-Housing and Urban Development-Judiciary-DC Appropriations Act of 2007. This bill will provide over $139 billion in budgetary resources, including direct appropriations and funds from the transportation trust fund. Our highways and infrastructure system built this Nation, and we need to maintain them. This legislation brings the funding level to the amount required in the recently passed transportation bill, provides over $1 billion for Amtrak and other rail service, as well as the funds needed to maintain our Community Development Block Grant and elderly housing programs. But I believe that this could have been a better bill. The proposed cuts to the HUD programs such as Hope VI and Section 8 housing for the elderly should have been rejected. I support H.R. 5576 as amended, and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5252, the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, & Enhancement (COPE) Act of 2006. The technology in wireless and traditional wire-line capabilities has far outpaced our current telecommunications laws, and the COPE Act serves to update these regulations. This bill provides for the streamlining of video franchising at the federal level, to speed up the process of granting new franchises into these markets, providing badly needed competition in the marketplace, and lowering prices for telecommunications in America. This legislation updates the rules ensuring that satellite providers are treated equally to local cable franchises; and addresses new technologies that did not exist when the last telecommunications laws were written, such as ensuring that voice-over internet providers provide 911 emergency services to their customers. The COPE Act also contains build-out requirements for these new franchises, as well as protecting our rural infrastructure by ensuring that these providers contribute fairly to the Universal Service Fund. In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission released four network neutrality principles: (1) consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice; (2) consumers are entitled to run applications and services of their choice; (3) consumers are entitled to connect their choices of safe legal devices; and (4) consumers are entitled to competition among networks, applications, services, and content providers. H.R. 5252 enacts these neutrality principles into law, sending a strong non-discrimination message to Internet providers. North Carolina's economy has prospered from open Internet access, and H.R. 5252 ensures that we continue to enjoy that opportunity. Mr. Chairman, no legislation is perfect. I would like to have seen stronger language regarding build-out requirements than was included in the bill, and I supported amendments that gave local authorities even greater oversight than the original language provided. However, this legislation represents a significant step forward in the information age. I urge support of H.R. 5252.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, as the Memorial Day Weekend approaches, with the unofficial kickoff of the summer driving season, I rise this evening to say a few words about the energy crisis in this country. Specifically, I urge this Congress to take immediate action to crack down on price gouging of gasoline and develop alternative fuels to free Americans from the grip of foreign oil. Over the past several weeks and months, gas prices have skyrocketed across the country. Middle class families who were already feeling economic pressure of the rising cost of health care and college expenses are getting squeezed tighter still due to the higher price of gasoline. According to the AAA fuel gauge report, my North Carolina neighbors are paying nearly $3 a gallon for gas. I know I paid that much when I stopped and got gas on Monday and filled my car up. Now, as a former full-time small businessman for almost 20 years, I take no back seat to anyone in support of free enterprise market capitalism. But the gasoline price gouging of American citizens must stop. Unfortunately, the administration has chosen to turn a blind eye to this urgent problem. Just yesterday, the head of the Federal Trade Commission argued against a new Federal law against price gouging by the oil companies and suggested that they be allowed to continue to reap the profits of American consumer's pain at the pump. I am proud that my colleagues and I have introduced the Federal Response to Energy Emergency or FREE Act. I am pleased this House has passed this important legislation. I hope the administration will end its opposition and the Senate will put this into law shortly. Over the long term, Mr. Speaker, Congress must exercise visionary leadership to pass policies that are innovative to secure America's energy independence. Last month I hosted a summit on biofuels in my Congressional district to explore policy options to grow our way out of this energy dependence we have. This event featured local, State and national experts on energy, biofuel producers and State government officials. We examined the current state of the biofuel development and explored how North Carolina as the third largest agricultural producing state can become a leader in biofuel production. What we found is that we have the technology to make our own fuel from the products we grow in our fields today. For example, soybeans are the largest crop in my State of North Carolina, making up about 25 percent of the total acreage in our State. We have the answers to our fuel crisis growing in our fields across America. In addition to the biofuels summit, I recently discussed this topic with the Second District Youth Advisory Committee, a group of young people. And let me tell you that these young people get it. They inherently understand that the U.S. reliance on imported fossil fuels is unsustainable and leaves us vulnerable to developments far from our borders and not under our control. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the House Agricultural Committee and co- chair of the House Democratic Rural Working Group, I know firsthand that rural Americans feel this pain when they go to the pumps. But rural America will benefit from legislation my colleagues and I have introduced to encourage biofuel production and the usage of it in the United States. Specifically this legislation will, one, increase production of American-made biofuels. Double the percentage of renewable fuels sold in America in 6 years, make sure that biodiesel and cellulosic sources are the key parts of that increase, and extends tax credits for ethanol and biodiesel through 2015, and increases tax benefits to small ethanol producers. Mr. Speaker, in addition, the bill will expand the market for and the distribution of biofuels, invest in research and development to improve the use of renewable energy. And, finally, the bill will encourage local domestic ownership through Federal incentives to small ethanol and biofuel plants so that independent locally-owned facilities that produce biofuels can grow and thrive, improving our rural communities and creating jobs. Mr. Speaker, I hope when Congress returns from the Memorial Day district work period that this House will pass this legislation to invest in America's energy independence. I hope the administration will put the power of the Federal Government to work for the American people suffering at the gas pump, rather than the big oil CEOs enjoying record profits at their expense.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take the time of the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from California.

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, this evening I rise on the floor to speak for a few minutes in support of H.R. 5351, the National Emergency Management Reform and Enhancement Act, and to address the need for reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This legislation represents a significant victory for democratic principles of effective Federal action for the American people. Hurricane season starts in a little over a week, and just yesterday scientists at NOAA told us to expect another several months of dangerous storms. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita on our fellow citizens on the gulf coast serves as a wake-up call that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was badly broken. Unfortunately, the inept response of many FEMA officials and the administration to this national disaster illustrated the degradation of an agency that once was a showplace of government responsiveness, efficiency, and professionalism. My State of North Carolina has been no stranger to hurricanes and natural disasters over the years, and FEMA personnel performed admirably as our State struggled to recover from Hurricane Fran in 1996 and Hurricane Floyd in 1999, as well as other floods, tornadoes, and ice storms. Fran featured devastating winds and Floyd produced a 500-year flood in northeastern North Carolina. Fortunately, then-FEMA director James Lee Witt was a professional with marching orders from the White House to do whatever was needed to save life and property. FEMA in the 1990s delivered vital services the American people have a right to expect. Unfortunately, that model of success was replaced by the current administration with the failed approach of cronyism and incompetence. Congress must now step in and provide leadership to fix a broken system. However, unlike some of my colleagues in this body, my solution to fixing FEMA is not to strip it out of the Department of Homeland Security. This action will not only result in an ill-conceived division of duties, resources and responsibilities, but also increase bureaucracy, interagency turf wars and red tape. I don't need to tell you, but the American people will not stand for more red tape and bureaucracy. The last thing they want to see after a disaster are Federal government officials trading business cards instead of assisting the victims of the storm. My Democratic colleagues and I have worked for months on the Homeland Security Committee to reform FEMA and to restore its standing as a quality government organization. I am pleased that our Republican colleagues have joined together and the Homeland Security Committee passed a bill on a unanimous bipartisan vote. H.R. 5351 addresses many of the problems and deficiencies that prevented FEMA from providing efficient and effective support of State and local officials after a disaster, whether they be natural or man- made. This legislation creates a stronger autonomous mission-oriented FEMA within the framework of the Department of Homeland Security. It restores control of the accepted emergency management cycle of preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation to the agency. It requires that the director of FEMA be a recognized emergency management professional who would serve as the day-to-day principal adviser to the President of the United States for emergency management matters. The legislation would elevate the director to the President's cabinet during times of crisis so no one could obstruct the speedy delivery of relief, personnel and resources to devastated areas in this country and around the world. H.R. 5351 reinvigorates FEMA's regional offices and staffs them with emergency management professionals with both experience and a familiarity with the people, geography, and threats to our States and municipalities. Importantly, this bill gives FEMA budgetary independence and prevents the Secretary of Homeland Security from siphoning money away from disaster and terrorism prevention and preparedness for other agency initiatives. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me as a cosponsor of this bipartisan, commonsense legislation; and I urge the leadership to schedule for a vote this legislation as soon as possible. Our Nation and its people will not stand for another botched response from this Federal Government, nor should they. This administration should be held accountable for its many mistakes, and this bill would allow FEMA to fulfill its mission as a primary Federal responder and support agency in times of disaster.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5386. Rural America is hurting economically. Our families are faced with the highest fuel prices in history. And this bill cuts $142 million from last year's funding level for essential services like environmental protection. These cuts come from state grants that help fund rural water, sewer, and infrastructure projects. They come from state wildlife preservations grants and wetland preservation funds. This bill even cuts funding to EPA programs like the clean air diesel program; all while rolling back the mandatory pollution control standards for power plants for the first time ever. This bill would also allow drilling off of our pristine coastlines, and it would provide for the exploration and development of drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), an area that is currently off limits for drilling, at a cost of $113 million. The priorities of this Congress are wrong for the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this misguided budget resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against it. The Federal budget is much more than just a government document; it is a statement of our Nation's priorities and values. I am tremendously proud that in my first term as the Second District of North Carolina's Representative in the U.S. House, Congress and the President balanced the budget for the first time in a generation. Until just a few years ago, the budget remained balanced and the surpluses we produced were being used to pay down the national debt and strengthen the solvency of Social Security. But this Administration and the Republican Congressional Leadership have squandered the budget surpluses on wasteful tax policies and are running record budget deficits as far as the eye can see. This budget offers more of the same failed policies and it flunks the test of moral leadership by increasing the burdens on the poor, the middle class, families struggling to get into the middle class and future generations. This budget contains devastating cuts to essential services for our families and will leave the statutory debt at a record level of $11.3 trillion. The American people deserve better. As the only former State schools chief serving in Congress, public education is my priority. Education holds the key to the American Dream for middle class families, and the Federal Government has a solemn obligation to help all of our people make the most of their God-given abilities. This budget eliminates 42 Federal education initiatives, cuts funding for education, social services and training by $4.6 billion below the amount needed to maintain purchasing power at the current level and will cut this funding more deeply each subsequent year. Specifically, this budget completely dismantles: vocational education ($1.3 billion); Perkins Loans ($730 million); Safe and Drug-Free Schools state grants ($347 million); GEAR-UP college readiness for low- income students ($303 million); education technology ($287 million); and Even Start family literacy services ($99 million). The budget cuts $15 billion from the amount authorized for the No Child Left Behind education reform effort and cuts the Federal contribution for special education from the current 17.7 percent to only 17.0 percent for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) despite years of rhetoric from the Republicans claiming to support IDEA. And while the costs of college continue to rise, this budget contains none of the funds needed to raise Pell Grants beyond the 2003 funding level. In addition, this Republican budget resolution cuts funding for homeland security, including port security by $6.1 billion over 5 years, cuts essential services for working families by $9.4 billion, cuts veterans' health care by $6.0 billion, slashes funding for health by $18.1 billion below current services and fails to protect the environment by imposing a cut of $25 billion over the next 5 years. In contrast, the Spratt Substitute will balance the budget by 2012. It includes tough Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) budget enforcement rules that require the cost of any new mandatory spending or revenue legislation to be fully offset. Vice President Cheney has claimed ``deficits don't matter,'' but the American people know better. The Spratt budget provides $4.6 billion more for education in 2007 than the Republican budget and adds $45.3 billion over 5 years that our States and communities desperately need for quality schools. The Spratt Substitute keeps our commitment to veterans by including $8.6 billion more than the Republican budget for veterans' health care. It provides $6.5 billion more over 5 years for homeland security, including port security and rejects the Republican cut to Army National Guard troop strength and the cut to Cooperative Threat Reduction that protects America from weapons of mass destruction. The Spratt alternative budget provides $18 billion more over 5 years to fund health priorities cut by the Republican budget, including medical research at NIH and CDC, rural health activities, and graduate medical education for children's hospitals. Finally, the Spratt Substitute rejects the Republican budget cuts for environmental protection and requires an honest, separate vote on any proposal to raise the limit on the national debt. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I believe the Federal budget is the public expression of our Nation's priorities and values. I urge Congress to reject the Republican budget that is wrong for America and support the Spratt Substitute that restores funding for essential services for a stronger country and a brighter tomorrow for our families.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, this evening I come to the floor to remind my colleagues, just today we passed a tax bill that cuts taxes. In the next several weeks we will be back on this floor talking about the money for education. Unfortunately, we will be reducing our investment in education. Tonight, though, I want to share with you a statement relating to our teachers. I was a great privilege on Saturday evening to speak to our State PTA in North Carolina; and they shared this story, and I want to share it with my colleagues because I think it ought to remind all of us what is important about the job we do, what is important here in America. Because too many times we get caught up in what people make and how much money they get, and today this Congress did just that. And let me share it with you. Some dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a wealthy CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, What is a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher? He reminded the other dinner guests that it is true what they say about teachers. Those who can, do; those who cannot, teach. To corroborate what he said, he turned to another guest. You are a teacher, Susan. Be honest. What do you make? Susan, who had a reputation of being honest and frank, replied, You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C-plus feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. And I can make an A-minus feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her best. I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home. You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write and I make them read, read, read. I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful over and over and over again until they will never misspell either of those words again. I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart. And if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention. You want to know what I make? I make a difference. Mr. Speaker, God bless all those who go into the classroom every day and make a difference, not because they are paid, but because they care about the future of this great country.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my opposition to H.R. 4297. I have long supported responsible tax reform, but this bill is the opposite of responsible policy. The Republicans in Congress have once again failed to provide the American people with a fair, common- sense tax reform bill. Instead, they are trying to promote a bill that hides its deficiencies behind gimmicks and trickery. But the American people will not be duped. North Carolina taxpayers struggle to provide for their families, educate their children, and still save enough for retirement, without having the extra burden of high taxes, an intrusive IRS, or a complicated tax code. The median household income of the people in North Carolina's Second Congressional District is about $36,000. If this bill passes, their savings would be a whole $16--less than half a tank of gas in the family minivan. Under this Republican Congress, the national debt per person is currently $28,000. And this bill would give my constituents $16. Instead of adopting a bill that would increase the burden on our children and grandchildren, we need a common-sense solution that would return fairness to our tax system. Under Republican rule in Washington, we have witnessed the most dramatic fiscal reversal in our nation's history. Our budget surpluses have been wasted, and our nation suffers under ever-growing budget deficits and increasing federal debt. This debt crisis is the direct result of the irresponsible tax schemes the Republican Congress have enacted. The people of North Carolina's Second District elected me to help chart a common-sense, prudent course for the country. I pledged to represent my constituents by paying down the national debt; saving Social Security and Medicare funds for older Americans, and investing our country's resources into education, health care and other initiatives that enable people to improve their lives. H.R. 4297 is inconsistent with these goals; therefore, I oppose the bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on Congress to address our Nation's health care crisis without further delay. Nearly 46 million Americans live without health insurance every day. In my State, more than 1.4 million people, that is one in five North Carolinians under the age of 65, do not have health insurance. This is not just a policy debate; it is a challenge to our Nation. If we cannot develop a means to deliver affordable health care to everyone, we are failing in providing the most basic of protection to our citizens. I think the key to a strong community is to have healthy individuals and families. We need everyone, labor, business, health care professionals, seniors and others, working together to develop solutions to make it work. This Congress must pass legislation that provides adequate reimbursement rates for medical providers, that helps small businesses and the self-employed to have affordable health care insurance, and that provides our community health centers with the funding that they need. We must defeat proposed budget cuts in Medicare and Medicaid that will hurt American families. We must all keep fighting until affordable quality health care is no longer a privilege for some but the right of all.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chairman, I thank my friend for yielding. I rise in support of H.R. 4954, the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act. Let me commend the sponsors for their hard work: Representative Harman; Representative Daniel E. Lungren of California; Representative Loretta Sanchez, ranking member; and the chairman for their foresight in the drafting of this piece of bipartisan port security legislation. Although it is a good start, this bill does not go nearly far enough to protect our ports. I am very disappointed that the leadership has denied the American people the opportunity to debate and vote on an amendment that requires the scanning of 100 percent of the containers entering this country. This outrageous high-handedness by the Republican leadership endangers Americans by continuing the wink-and- nod approach of container inspection. I will vote for H.R. 4954 because it makes modest progress toward safer ports in America. Every farmer, every business person, and every consumer in America relies on the products that come through our Nation's ports. And it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure that our country's maritime commerce is cost-effective; efficient; and above all, safe. I hope, as this legislative process moves forward, Congress can take a more meaningful action to strengthen our port security.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I am going to vote for H.R. 5253 because I think it is a good bill and a timely bill. What took so long? Last September, Representative Bart Stupak, Representative Stephanie Herseth, and I drafted H.R. 3936, the Free Act, which would impose severe penalties on oil companies, gas stations, and anyone who would collude to raise the price of gas. But for eight months the Republican leadership of this House has sat on this legislation and not allowed it to move forward. Only now, after gas prices have risen to new heights, do the Republicans bring up this bill and call it their own. I urge support on H.R. 5253, but the American people deserve better leadership in this body.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4975, the so-called Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. With the massive corruption investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the bribery conviction of Rep. Randy ``Duke'' Cunningham and the additional inquiries into the actions of even more members of Congress, it had been my hope that the Speaker and Republican leaders of the House would act to erase the dishonor that has befallen this institution. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead the House Republican Leadership has brought before us a bill that insults the intelligence of the American people. This bill fails to slow the revolving door between congressional service and lobbying; it fails to require disclosure of Members' contacts with lobbyist, lobbyists' fundraisers and other events that honor Members of Congress. It delays real action on privately funded travel and gifts until after the November elections. It fails to crack down on pay-to-play schemes, and includes loophole-laden earmark provisions that would not have exposed the infamous ``Bridge to Nowhere'' and does nothing to prohibit dead- of-night special interest provisions. I have always believed that public office is a public trust. I work every day to live up to the trust the people of North Carolina's Second Congressional District have placed in me. The recent Republican corruption scandals anger me because they threaten the bonds between the American people and their elected leaders. The Speaker and Republican Leadership earlier this year promised real reform, but this is not it. I support the real lobbying reform in H.R. 4682, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006. Our bill will require lobbying disclosure, including lobbyists' fundraisers and other events that honor Members and more. It will double the period in which former Members are prohibited from lobbying their former colleagues, from one year to two years; it will permanently ban travel, gifts and meals from registered lobbyists to Members of Congress, and prohibit Members from using corporate jets for officially connected travel and shut down the K Street project. In addition, the Democratic lobbying and ethics reform proposal will change the way Congress does business; allowing Members enough time to review bills, requiring earmark reform and mandating open conference committee meetings. These reforms and others would give the public full faith and confidence that Members of the U.S. House are operating honestly. I will vote against H.R. 4975, a fig leaf of reform, and support meaningful lobbying reform by voting to recommit this bill to Committee and replace it with H.R. 4682, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2006, our stronger Democratic bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in reluctant opposition to H.R. 609, the Republican higher education bill. I am reluctant to oppose H.R. 609 because it contains my amendment to add Fayetteville State University, in my congressional district, to the list of eligible schools under title III B for Historically Black Graduate Institutions. Fayetteville State University holds the distinction of being one the Nation's most racially diverse educational institutions. Receiving funding under title III would enable the university both to enhance its existing graduate programs and to develop additional graduate programs in disciplines in which African- Americans are underrepresented in the Nation. I am grateful to the committee chairman for adding the Etheridge amendment to H.R. 609 to include this outstanding institution of higher learning among its expanded lists of participants in title III B to enhance its historic mission of expanding opportunity in America. Unfortunately, the underlying bill is fundamentally flawed. H.R. 609 represents a major missed opportunity to make college more affordable and accessible, to boost America's economic competitiveness, and to invest in America's continued prosperity. Just 2 months after Republicans in Congress voted to raid $12 billion from Federal student aid, this bill does very little to help American students and families to pay for college. H.R. 609 fails to reverse the Republican raid on student aid. H.R. 609 fails to make college loans more affordable. H.R. 609 freezes the authorized level of the maximum Pell grant scholarship through 2013 and it does not contain any mandatory increase in Pell. I support the Miller substitute to H.R. 609 that would cut interest rates for borrowers in most need and lower the cost of college by $2.4 billion for students and their families. In addition to making college more affordable, the Miller substitute would boost college participation for minority students by establishing a predominantly black institution program and establishing a graduate Hispanic serving institution program. I hope as this legislation moves forward, the shortcomings can be corrected, and I can support the conference report on this important bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 4167, the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, and a cosponsor of this legislation, I support H.R. 4167, to establish a uniform system of food safety and labeling requirements. This legislation is both timely and necessary for security and consistency in a global food economy. Currently, the United States operates under a labeling standard that continues to vary from state to state, with each state being able to create and enforce their own labeling requirements. This creates uncertainty, confusion, and possible danger to the health and well-being of the consumer; with one state requiring a certain warning label on a product, and another setting a completely different standard. H.R. 4167 will create a single standard for food nutrition and warning labeling based on the high safety standards that are set by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This will be a national standard that will be applicable to all states. This legislation will continue to allow the FDA to work with states collaboratively in establishing food safety policies and standards. I understand the concerns some have raised about H.R. 4167, and I voted for several amendments to make clear that I support reliable standards for food safety and public health. Specifically, the Cardoza amendment requires FDA to expedite state petitions involving a food notification requirement for health effects dealing with cancer, reproductive issues, birth defects, or information to parents or guardians concerning children's risk to a certain food. In addition, the Rogers Amendment prohibits H.R. 4167 from taking affect until after the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, certifies that it will pose no additional risk to the public health or safety from terrorist attacks to the food supply. Finally, I support the Wasserman Schultz amendment to prohibit federal law from affecting any state law, regulation, prohibition, or other action that establishes a notification requirement regarding the presence or potential effects of mercury in fish and shellfish. H.R. 4167 is common sense legislation that was designed to create uniformity and consistency in labeling to help and protect the American consumer. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Chief Earl Fowler of Raleigh, North Carolina. Chief Fowler recently retired, ending 54 years of service to the Raleigh Fire Department by the Fowler family. B.T. Fowler, the chief's father, joined the Raleigh fire department in 1956 and served with distinction until 1986, when he retired as a fire inspector and became the department's historian. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Earl Fowler followed his father's footsteps and joined the Raleigh department in 1971, where he rose through the ranks as a firefighter, district chief, fire marshal and assistant chief. He became chief in 1999. I have had the pleasure to work with Chief Fowler over the years, and he has served with humility, honor and professionalism. His fellow chiefs have recognized him as ``a leader and a visionary,'' as well as ``a creative thinker and motivator.'' Today, I am honored to recognize Chief Fowler and to thank him for his many years of dedication and service to the people of Raleigh and of the Second Congressional District.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, once again, I rise in opposition to this misguided budget cut bill. Let me state clearly that I strongly support tough budget discipline to reverse the policies of the past five years, to rein in the annual deficits, balance the budget again and pay off the national debt. I am tremendously proud that in my first term in the U.S. House, Congress worked together with the White House in a bipartisan manner to balance the budget for the first time in a generation. That cooperative action produced broad-based economic growth and record budget surpluses. Unfortunately, the current White House and Congressional Republican Leadership have squandered those surpluses and passed reckless budget legislation that has replaced those surpluses with chronic deficits and record national debt. This bill offers more of the same. This conference report contains harmful cuts to essential services and does nothing to reduce the budget deficits or offset the costs of recovery from Hurricane Katrina or the ongoing war in Iraq. At a time when American families are getting squeezed, the budget reconciliation package cuts funding for priorities including Medicare and Medicaid, student loans, child support and food stamps that assist the. working poor and the middle class. Specifically, this legislation will cut Medicaid by nearly $7 billion, cut Medicare by $6.4 billion, cut student loans by more than $12 billion, and cut child support by $8.4 billion. The bill also breaks the promise of the Farm Bill by cutting $2.7 billion from commodity, conservation and rural development funds. Although I am pleased this version of the bill abandons earlier attempts to open the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and coastal areas like the Outer Banks to oil and gas drilling and a few other modest improvements, these changes in no way compensate for the bill's fundamental flaws. Congress should reject this legislation and go back to the drawing board to produce a responsible federal budget for the American people. I support pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget rules to enact budget discipline and restore fairness and equity to the budget process. I want Congress and the President to work together across the partisan divide to balance the budget once again, pay down the national debt and invest in our people and our country's economic competitiveness in the 21st century global marketplace. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against these senseless budget cuts.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. Today we mourn the loss Mrs. Coretta Scott King. We honor her personal strength, her determination as a civil rights leader and her vision of a nation where freedom is denied to no man and to no woman. Together Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked to create an America where all people are equal. Together they marched through the streets for civil rights, and together they spoke before church, civic, college, fraternal and peace groups to encourage peace. After her husband's tragic assassination in 1968, Mrs. King devoted her energy to carrying on Dr. King's legacy of nonviolence and civil rights. She built the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change as an enduring memorial to her husband's dream of full civil rights for all Americans. Throughout her life, Mrs. King worked to advance the cause of justice and human rights throughout the world and spoke out on behalf of many important issues, including racial and economic justice, women's and children's rights, and religious freedom. For her continued service to our country Mrs. King received over 60 honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities and inspired Congress to create a Federal holiday on her husband's birthday. Mrs. King was truly an American hero. Today our thoughts and prayers are with the four King children: Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine, all of her family and friends, and with all of those who continue to feel the wrath of social and economic injustice. Just as Coretta Scott King honored the memory of her husband through her work, let us honor her by continuing to fight for peace, justice and equality for all Americans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of my dear friend, George Worthington ``Jo Jo'' Williams of Dunn, NC, who died December 8, 2005. In his passing, North Carolinians and veterans everywhere have lost a tireless voice and an outstanding civic leader. Jo Jo Williams led a rich and full life, highlighted by his boundless energy and patriotism. Mr. Williams was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific theater of operations. Following the war, Jo Jo's dedication to those who serve our country led him to become a passionate advocate for America's veterans. As a U.S. Army veteran myself, I truly appreciate his life- long work on behalf of veterans. He maintained membership in numerous organizations including the American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, AM Vets, the World War II Commission, and 20th Air Force Association. Jo Jo was also a life board member of Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Children and was chosen by the American Legion of North Carolina to attend the dedication of the World War II Memorial here in Washington, DC. However, Mr. Williams's service and contributions were not limited to the arena of veterans. Jo Jo also found time to be active in countless other community endeavors. He served as a chairman and member of the Harnett County Nursing Home Commission, as a member and former chair of the State Employees Credit Union, and as a trustee for the Harnett County Library Commission. Following his retirement from the N.C. State Surplus Division in Raleigh, he served as Harnett County magistrate. He also served on the Dunn Planning Board and as a member of the Harnett County Jury Commission. Additionally, Mr. Williams was an active member of First Baptist Church where he acted as clerk for 25 years and a popular Sunday school teacher and church deacon. Though the death of a friend brings great sadness, it is a privilege for me to take a moment to honor a man who spent so much of his life honoring others. Let Jo Jo Williams's life serve as a testament to caring, sacrifice and service.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant support for the conference report on the Fiscal Year 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. As a veteran of the U.S. Army and as the Representative for Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base and numerous Guard and Reserve units, I strongly support our men and women in uniform and their families. This bill contains needed funding for such necessary items as the military pay raise, body armor for our troops in Iraq and vehicle armor for the vehicles that carry them. The base bill is important legislation, and I strongly support it. However, I deeply regret that the Republican Congressional Leaders have inserted into this bill the extraneous provision to permit oil and natural gas exploration in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). I oppose the exploitation ANWR through drilling for oil, and I have repeatedly voted against that provision when it has been considered in this House. Unfortunately, the Republican Leaders have decided on a cynical strategy to sneak ANWR into the defense bill. This underhanded maneuver represents the arrogant abuse of power that all too often characterizes the operating style of the current Majority. I support the defense appropriations conference report, but I encourage my colleagues to defeat the rule so we can take the ANWR provisions out and pass a clean defense bill.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my views on H.R. 4437 and this important issue. As a member of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, I have worked actively with both Republicans and Democrats to strengthen our Nation's laws to protect the American people. Many of the provisions of this bill are under the jurisdiction of the Homeland Security committee, although this version differs substantially from the Committee's product. The debate on immigration reform is an important matter for this country. Last year, I voted to pass the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Implementation Act, which authorized an additional 10,000 Border Patrol agents and 4,000 additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Unfortunately, the Bush administration's budget funds only 210 additional border agents and 80 ICE officers in fiscal year 2006. I support several amendments to this bill because they take concrete steps to correct real problems with the immigration status quo. For example, I support the Myrick amendment that provides for the removal of an illegal alien who is convicted of driving drunk. I also support the Shadegg amendment to increase penalties for document fraud and crimes of violence and drug trafficking offenses committed by illegal aliens. In addition, I support the Velazquez amendment to reduce the immigration application processing backlog that has choked the system to a virtual standstill. Unfortunately, these reasonable steps cannot overcome the fundamental flaws of H.R. 4437, which takes an unrealistic approach that will exacerbate the problems of the current system by driving the undocumented further underground, deeper into the black market and further estranged from the laws of our country. We need to reform the broken immigration system in America, but this bill is harsh, punitive and anti-family and does not fix the many problems with the current system. Rather than pass new laws that make innocent children Federal criminals, we should vigorously enforce the laws against illegal immigration that are already on the books, hire the thousands of additional security personnel that have already been authorized to guard our borders and work for a fair, balanced immigration plan that encourages lawfulness, rewards hard work and safeguards families. I hope my colleagues will join me in rejection of this legislation, so Congress and the President can start over on a more productive approach to fix the broken immigration system. Vote against H.R. 4437.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3010, the Fiscal Year 2006 Appropriations Act for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. H.R. 3010 severely cuts education, health care, and human services that are crucial to North Carolina and to the country. This conference report is only marginally better than one that failed last month. As the only former state schools chief serving in Congress, I know firsthand the devastating effects that these education cuts will have. At a time when we are asking our schools to do more than ever, H.R. 3010 cuts No Child Left Behind Funding by $779 million below last year's level and makes it impossible for our schools to meet high standards of accountability. These cuts will destroy the morale of our teachers, parents and students. America's working families are struggling to pay record costs for college tuition and expenses. Last November, President Bush made a campaign promise to increase funding for Pell Grants and invest in higher education. Even though the cost of a four year college education has increased thirty-four percent since 2001, the maximum Pell Grant is frozen at $4,050 for the fourth straight year in a row. America needs a highly trained and educated workforce to compete in the global marketplace of the 21st Century, but H.R. 3010 slashes funding for education at all levels and strains school budgets. The failure of H.R. 3010 to represent the values of the American people extends beyond the walls of the classroom. H.R. 3010 slashes funding for community health centers that assist the almost 46 million uninsured Americans, and under funds the Centers for Disease Control as we face the possibility of a flu pandemic. And as winter officially begins next week with expected record prices to heat their homes, H.R. 3010 fails to increase funding for LIHEAP home heating assistance, which helps keep the heat on for low-income seniors and children. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3010 fails to represent the priorities of the American people. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bad bill and restore funding for essential services for our families.

Mr. ETHERIDGE

Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. This has been a long day coming, but today, this body will vote, and I trust pass, H.R. 4473, a bill that will reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. I want to applaud the chairman for his hard work, our ranking member of the full committee, as well as my colleague Mr. Moran for his hard work, who is chairman of the subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the CFTC for their hard work in making this possible. I would be remiss if I did not thank the members of our staff who worked hard to help get all the details done. I also want to add my appreciation to Mr. Barrow, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Graves for their efforts to bring attention to rising natural gas prices. The provisions in this bill will go a long way to bringing greater transparency to this important market as a result of their actions. Some people believe that H.R. 4473 does too much. They would have preferred a simple two-line bill that reauthorized the CFTC for 5 years and nothing more. However, it is important that we use the CFTC reauthorization to review the Commodity Exchange Act and the reform enacted in 2000 through the Commodity Futures Modernization Act. That is because the futures industry impacts our lives every single day. Derivatives trading provides customers with forums for price discovery and price hedging for a wide variety of commodities and financial instruments. We are talking about a trillion-dollar-plus industry that impacts the price of corn, wheat and soybeans that goes into our food products, the price of meat at the grocery store, the price of gas at the pump, the price of energy to heat our homes, the interest rates we pay on our credit cards, the interest we pay on our mortgages, the price of metals that make up the products that we buy, and many other things that we use every single day. The issues affecting futures trading are often complex and esoteric. However, it is important that we work through these tough issues if we want to maintain a healthy and vibrant derivatives industry. I am one of those who believes we should have done more with this bill. I am concerned what we left undone today could come back to haunt us tomorrow, and you have heard talk of the Zelener decision, so I will not go into that. I hope years from now we are not hearing stories of fraud being perpetuated upon the American people through contracts for oil, natural gas, gold, or platinum that act like futures, but remain outside the CFTC's jurisdiction, because we chose to limit this bill's reach to foreign exchange products as recommended by the working group. I hope we are not seeing an industry still waiting for risk-based margining on security futures or a broad-based security index definition that allows them to compete with foreign exchanges offering similar products. However, we should not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. This bill remains a good piece of legislation. I intend to support this plan because I believe it is time to move forward. We do not need this legislation unresolved any longer. It is time to pass it and send it to the Senate. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4473.