Rahm Emanuel

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, due to a previously scheduled commitment, I missed rollcall votes 620 through 623 on Monday, November 17. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on each measure.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and pay tribute to America's heroic veterans. I am proud to represent over 34,000 veterans who live in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois. As we observe Veterans Day this year, perhaps there is no greater time in American history to reflect on what it means to be a veteran. Our country's sense of security is being defended by the soldiers fighting the global war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through the example of the brave men and women in uniform who fought during World War Il, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or the Gulf War, today's troops know they can and will persevere even as they face extended tours of duty and grueling and frightening conditions on a daily basis. There is no better way to honor those who sacrificed their lives for our country than by ensuring that today's veterans are treated with dignity and respect. We must do that with more than words and symbolic gestures of patriotism. We must honor the soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen of wars past and present by ensuring that the covenant they entered when they donned the uniform and served our country is maintained. Regardless of the economic climate, this nation must keep its promises to veterans to provide the health care, education, and financial benefits our veterans have earned. Mr. Speaker, next week when I join veterans in the 5th District at the Franklin Park U.S. Military Armed Forces Veterans Memorial, the Northcenter Flag-Raising Ceremony, and the Mayfair Community Veterans Memorial, I will thank our veterans for their service, sacrifice and commitment to duty to protect the freedom that we enjoy. I will also thank the families of those brave men and women in uniform who will become our nation's newest veterans upon their return. We will always remember their valor and service to America. I thank our veterans one and all for their service, sacrifice, and commitment to duty, which has been to stand vigilant and strong while protecting the freedom that we enjoy. I also thank the families of those brave men and women in uniform who will become our Nation's most recent veterans upon their return. We will always remember the valor and service to America.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate my generous and loving mother, Marsha Emanuel, back home in Wilmette, Illinois on her 70th birthday. For the last 40 years, my mother has dedicated her life to her profession, her husband, her children, and her community. The former Marsha Smulevitz began her career as a nurse in Chicago where she met my father, Benjamin, during his medical residency. They soon thereafter wed and settled in Chicago's North Andersonville neighborhood where they went on to have four children: me, my brothers Ezekiel and Ariel, and my sister, Shoshana. As if raising four children was not challenging enough, my mother continued to dedicate herself to public service and the civil rights struggle of that time, working to build a just society for all Americans. In the early 1960's, my mother served four years on the Congress of Racial Equality, founded by students at the University of Chicago, through which she participated in the Freedom March in the South. Following her activism in the civil rights movement, my mother traveled an entrepreneurial path. She went on to own the Daisy Patch Night Club on Chicago's north side where many local bands came to play their first performances. As her children entered their teens, my mother returned to school. Never having graduated from high school, she earned her GED. She continued her academic pursuits by studying social work at Roosevelt University and earning an advanced degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University. For over twenty years, my mother has maintained her commitment to public service by working as a social worker and counselor to local children and adults. Mr. Speaker, on this, her 70th birthday, I am so very proud of and sincerely thank my mother, Marsha Emanuel, for always being a guiding light to her husband, her four children, and her eleven grandchildren. Happy Birthday, Mom.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of H.R. 1829. Last weekend, my good friend and distinguished colleague from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) wrote a piece which appeared in the Chicago Tribune. In the article, he argued that the supporters of this bill would have criminals just break rocks rather than have a real job through Federal Prison Industries. I support this bill, not because I want criminals to break rocks, but because it is our job to ensure that hardworking, law-abiding citizens do have jobs. I understand that prisoners need something to do. Idle hands will lead to trouble. The recidivism rate in this country is out of control, and the best way to attack the recidivism rate is in this legislation dealing with education and vocational training. I support educational opportunities for prisoners. If we look at the history and we look at the record, it is the lack of education, whether it is high school or college or junior college education, that is one of the things that is most dominant and common throughout the prison population. This is what we need to prepare prisoners, not have them compete against law-abiding citizens who do work. In fact, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), my friend and colleague, said we would outlaw this act in China. We do not support what goes on in China, that is, prison population slave wages labor. Now, this product may be the best option, but we do not know because there is no real competition. Our job is to ensure that the taxpayers' money is being spent wisely. I support H.R. 1829 because it will ensure that the Federal Government purchases the best product at the best price and that law- abiding citizens have the opportunity to compete for manufacturing jobs.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to complement the President for traveling to southern California to comfort the families and the communities of the San Diego area. While Americans in southern California suffer great losses and begin the struggle to rebuild, it is essential that our President which he did demonstrate the commitment of his administration and the entire Nation to helping them legal. An article in the Chicago Tribune discusses today, families across the country are working to rebuild their lives after burying a son or daughter who died in combat. The President rightly goes to California to comfort a family that has lost a home. Why is he not coming to Illinois to comfort a family who has lost a son? The President in San Diego lifted the spirits of an entire community as they reassembled their lives. That same compassion needs to be shared with the parents who are burying their children. They deserve to know that the growing criticism of the situation in Iraq will not keep the President from acknowledging their individual losses. This is all the more important on today when the President signs the $87 billion to help Iraq rebuild their nation. We cannot pass by the families who have lost and have personal pain. They are all part of America's family.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise as a strong supporter and cosponsor of H.R. 3214 the ``Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2003.'' This bill would provide prosecutors with solid DNA evidence, and a stronger defense for the accused. Ultimately, it will strengthen and renew faith in our judicial system. Allow me to offer just one example of why this bill is so important. In 1999, Shawn Armbrust, Tom McCann and other students at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University discovered that Illinois death row inmate Anthony Porter had been falsely convicted. Also through the hard work of other Medill students, the ``Ford City Four'' were also found to be wrongfully accused. The public exposure of the discoveries led to a review of all death row cases in Illinois and ultimately 156 inmates were given a blanket commutation. These remarkable events focused the global spotlight on Illinois and caused many to question the basic tenets of the judicial system. Disturbingly, Illinois, and indeed many other States, may have wrongfully executed innocent people. The Medill students combined their investigative reporting skills with new technology to free those wrongly accused. Similarly, this bill will go a long way towards ensuring that those wrongly accused. Similarly, this bill will go a long way towards ensuring that those accused of crimes have a better defense. It will also help prosecutors ensure that justice is served. Mr. Speaker, the students at Medill opened the door by highlighting the flaws in Illinois' system. Now it is our job to guarantee a fair and impartial judicial system. H.R. 3214, the ``Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2003'' takes us one step closer to righting the system.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, people from around the world come to America for their medical care. Yet Americans are forced to go and travel around the world to get their medications. Right now the Medicare conferees are trying to devise a drug benefit for seniors and for Medicare. Just yesterday, the Newark Star-Ledger reported a $400 billion benefit would barely make a dent in the $2 trillion that seniors are expected to pay for prescription drugs over the next decade. Last week, Boston University came out with a study showing that, as constructed, the pharmaceutical companies would make $139 billion in additional profit under this prescription drug bill. I know some very smart people wonder why the public gets cynical. Why would you be cynical about the fact that you would barely get a dent in the drug benefit for senior citizens, yet the pharmaceutical companies would walk out with $140 billion more money? I do not think the public is cynical at all. I think they are quite sophisticated. They do not think we are doing our work around here, and they have a good reason to think we are not doing our work around here. They are suffering under staggering increases in drug costs that are going up for seniors on average about 30 to 40 percent a year for the most important drugs that they need for their blood pressure, their heart, rheumatism, arthritis; yet we have a benefit that would accrue a greater benefit to the pharmaceutical companies than to the seniors. Some are now talking about capping, cutting the cost of Medicare growth, but refuse to take on the subject of making medications more affordable. Anybody who has been around there knows that the number one issue affecting our seniors is the affordability of prescription drugs. We are talking about cutting Medicare, we are talking about increasing the profits of pharmaceutical companies, we are talking about barely making a dent in the cost to seniors; yet we will not address the issue on the table that seniors are asking us to address, which is the issue of affordability where they one month to the next month see their drug prices go up 18, $19 for the same medication, and nothing different has happened. Pharmaceutical companies do a good thing. They come up with lifesaving drugs. I took some of those medications when I was in the hospital for 8 weeks. They do good work. They get rewarded handsomely. They get a tax credit on the front end for research and development. They have control over the patent laws affecting the pharmaceutical products. They have the taxpayers' funding, the National Institutes of Health, $10 billion a year on drugs and medications. I think the taxpayers have been unbelievably generous to a good industry, and I want them to develop new medications; but I want it at competitive prices. If we are about to expand Medicare to the tune of $400 billion, we owe the taxpayers the decency and the common courtesy to get them the best prices we can. Not the most expensive prices, the best prices. We have a proposal, 88 Republicans, 153 Democrats joined in a bipartisan fashion. Governors of both parties, mayors of both parties are looking at it, which is to open up the market, bring competition to the pricing of medications and bring that choice and availability to consumers. People today, 2 million Americans are going over the border, grandparents and grandfathers, to get the medications they need that are lifesaving medications. The system we have here where Americans now subsidize all the research and development of these lifesaving medications, we have the distinct honor to do what? To pay the most expensive prices in the world. As my great aunt used to say, Such a deal. We ask our elderly to pay premium prices when the poor starving French and Germans and Italians and Canadians and Dutch and British are paying 30 to 40 to 50 percent cheaper for cancer drugs, blood thinning drugs, heart drugs, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetic drugs. We funded the research to give them these lifesaving medications, and their government stood up for them and got them decent prices. What are we asking for? We are asking that our American consumers get the same competitive prices so you do not see the disparity when it comes to a pharmaceutical product for blood pressure. Americans are paying 50 percent more than the people in France or in Germany. And it is based on the free market. I have never seen so many protectionists on the Republican side in my life who refuse to accept the notion of the free market and the principle of the free market. In Illinois, my Governor did a study showing that of the $340 million we spend in the State of Illinois for pharmaceutical products for employees and retirees, the State of Illinois could save the consumers and the taxpayers $91 million. The New York Times noted of the study, not only could you save $91 million, they noted that the Canadian system is far safer than the system we have here to guarantee the safety of the products sold. The issue is safety. When somebody tells you that it is about safety, it is not about money, folks, when they tell you it ain't about money, it is usually about money. That is the case. That is what we are dealing with. We are dealing with a product about money. The other day Eli Lilly, now that we have demystified the notion about safety, Eli Lilly's CEO said that the whole issue related to here is about having the research and development dollars. The taxpayers have been funding the research and development for the last 20 years. They have been quite generous. I would ask my colleagues and those who are meeting now in the conference to give the taxpayers and our grandparents a break, give them the medications they can afford rather than going into hock to try to do it and become drug runners and coyotes going over the border to get the medications they need to save their lives.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 291, expressing gratitude to the members of the United States Armed Forces who demonstrated valor and dedication to the cause of freedom and humanitarian relief during Operation Restore Hope. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the battle of Mogadishu, and I am very pleased to join with my colleagues in recognizing the courageous actions of the Army's Special Forces, the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division, and members of the Armed Forces who were deployed to capture the terrorist warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. Today we remember and honor the sixteen special operations personnel assigned to Task Force Ranger who were killed, and the sacrifices of another eighty-three troops who were wounded during one of the most intense firefighters in modern history. We cannot forget the sacrifices of these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. Their service should be recognized as a significant contribution to the war against terrorism and oppression. This resolution is important not only because it commemorates their enduring contributions on behalf of the people of Somalia, but also because of its symbolism that continues today in the fight against oppression and terror on the streets of Baghdad, Kabul and other hostile areas where we try to make people's lives better. Madam Speaker, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those who lost a loved one or were wounded in the battle of Mogadishu. I urge my colleagues to join me in expressing our appreciation to all those who volunteer to defend our Nation's freedom and to remember the sacrifices of all those who served.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce with Congressman Christopher Shays and 27 cosponsors the Juvenile Violent Gun Crime Reporting Act. This bipartisan bill would close a loophole in current law and help keep guns out of the hands of individuals with a history of violent crime. Every year more than 10,000 people are murdered with guns in the United States. In 2001, guns were involved in one third of all violent crimes. Firearms have a particularly damaging effect on America's youth. Of the 1,400 juveniles murdered in 2001, 44 percent were killed with a firearm. During the 1999-2000 school years, 2,837 students were caught bringing a gun to school. In my home state of Illinois, 164 students were expelled for bringing a gun to school between 1999 and 2001. A regrettable but plain fact is that minors are not only the victims of gun crime but the perpetrators as well. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 93,000 gun crimes or 9 percent of the total gun crimes were committed by individuals under the age of 18 between 2000 and 2002. In an effort to combat America's high rate of gun violence, Congress enacted the Brady Bill in 1994. I was proud to work on passing this landmark bill when I served in the White House. A portion of the Brady law requires any individual wishing to purchase a firearm to undergo a background search. This system, known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), prohibits any individual with a violent criminal history from purchasing a weapon. Through 2001, 38 million background checks were conducted and 840,000 purchases were denied. However, a loophole in the Brady Bill allows violent juvenile criminals to purchase firearms. The Juvenile Violent Gun Crime Reporting Act (JVGCRA) would close this loophole once and for all. Under current law, nearly all juvenile records are expunged once an individual reaches the age of 18. Because the expunged records are not included in the NICS background check, someone who committed a violent crime before the age of 18 can legally purchase a weapon on his or her 18th birthday. In response to this glaring loophole, my legislation amends federal law and requires states to report violent juvenile crime so that it may be utilized by NICS. Further, the bill makes it illegal for anyone to transfer a weapon to someone who has a history of violent juvenile crime. Mr. Speaker, the Juvenile Violent Gun Crime Reporting Act is a simple and straightforward bill and could go a long way toward making our streets, schools, and cities much safer for our children and our families. It is a good bill and we hope that my colleagues will join us.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor and in strong support of H. Res. 409, a resolution to repudiate the Malaysian Prime Minister for racist comments harmful not only to the global Jewish community but to the advancement of peace in the Middle East and global tolerance of racial and ethnic diversity. The speech by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to a gathering of Muslim leaders earlier this month has been described by other world leaders of democratic and free nations--including President Bush during his recent trip to Asia--as offensive and anti-Semitic. Rhetoric of this nature, which embodies age-old stereotypes, can be neither excused nor rationalized. It only serves to incite further sectarian violence and should be condemned universally. Even more disturbing is that none of 57 national representatives attending the Organization of the Islamic Conference, including some U.S. allies, have raised their voices in protest. In fact, many demonstrated complicity in spreading this message of hate and incitement against Jews by applauding the Prime Minister's remarks. The standing ovation he received and the subsequent defense of his remarks by almost all the participants at this meeting of Muslim leaders reminds us that anti-Semitic beliefs remain prevalent throughout the world, even in moderate states like Malaysia. I was proud to be one of 80 Members of the House who signed a letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia condemning his remarks and calling upon him to clarify or retract his statements. I also commend the Senate for passing a resolution condemning the statement and requesting that President Bush condemn the remarks during his meeting with the Malaysian Prime Minister in Bangkok during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Mr. Speaker, we must always take a stand against hatred and bigotry by world leaders whose rhetoric threatens to make peace in the Middle East and around the world more elusive. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this important resolution and urge my colleagues to support it today.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, in the last 3 years, 3 million Americans have lost their jobs; 42 million Americans are without health insurance of which 22 million Americans work full time; a trillion dollars worth of corporate assets have been foreclosed on; and 3 million more Americans have walked out of the middle class to poverty. In that same period of time, we have added $3 trillion to the Nation's debt. Mr. Speaker, $3 trillion added to the Nation's debt; 3 million Americans have lost their jobs. As my great aunt would say, ``Such a deal.'' We need to do better for the American people. Just last week we passed an economic program for Iraq's future. I voted for it. It included investments in jobs, health care, education, housing, and infrastructure. The promise we make to Iraq and the values we hold for Iraq must be the promise we hold for the American people. We must now invest in our economic growth so we can stimulate our job market with the same kind of attitude and investment that we have had in the stock market. We have a health care crisis and a job crisis in this country. We must invest in America's economic future with the same commitment we have done for Iraq.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the members of the other Chamber for introducing bipartisan legislation to shut down abusive accounting tax shelters costing U.S. taxpayers over $18 billion every year and leaving middle-class Americans to pick up the tab. Fairness and economic growth should be synonymous with the tax code. That is why I will introduce companion legislation to eliminate the way firms market tax shelters to their audit clients. This bill will eliminate tax shelters created by the accounting firms selling ``tax advice'' directly to publicly-traded companies whose books they regularly audit. As today's hearing on tax shelters in the other body will show, this process makes a mockery of auditor independence and creates irreconcilable conflicts of interest for auditors. Mr. Speaker, the economic principle of transparency and the American value of accountability are essential to economic growth. These abusive accounting schemes do neither, burdening the middle class and slowing down our economic recovery. I am proud to support this real reform to get real results.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 356, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that millions of Ukrainians, who were deliberately and systematically starved in the early 1930's, should be remembered and honored today. To properly commemorate Ukrainians who starved at the hand of Joseph Stalin, we must first acknowledge that this genocide was not only ignored but was also concealed and perpetuated under Stalin's regime. In its darkest hour, Ukraine was viewed by Stalin as a source of dissent against the Soviet Union. Its rich tradition of open political discourse and cultural splendor were threats to his tyrannical and oppressive regime. To preempt Ukrainian opposition, Stalin wielded a heavy hand in enforcing an ironclad policy of collectivization, in which peasant farmers were forced to turn over the grain they produced. Any man, woman or child caught with even a handful of grain from a collectivized farm would be swiftly executed or deported. Stalin's policy resulted in the one of the worst episodes of genocide in the history of the world as an estimated 7 to 10 millions Ukrainians perished in the course of just a single year. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of 4,300 constituents of Ukrainian descent, I offer my solemn remembrance to the victims and people of Ukraine. In tribute to the millions who witnessed their family members perish before succumbing to their own starvation, we must always remember and honor the victims of genocide so that mankind never again turns an unseeing eye or an unfeeling heart. I join my colleagues in Congress in remembering this tragic chapter of human history.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 400 to honor the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II. Karol Jozef Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, is one of the most famous and beloved people on Earth. Inspiring hundreds of millions of people including those beyond the Catholic faith to strive for world peace and prosperity, John Paul II has counseled religious and world leaders during 38 official visits and 700 audiences held with Heads of State. The hallmark of John Paul II's leadership has been his message of hope, reconciliation and redemption. His indelible mark on the world is an unshakable faith in human goodness and benevolence, and the advancement of peace, forgiveness and human rights for people of all faiths. In his book ``Crossing the Threshold of Hope,'' John Paul II wrote that ``Man affirms himself most completely by giving of himself. This is the fulfillment of the commandment of love.'' His constant and selfless commitment to peace and dedication to all mankind during his extraordinary 25 year papacy is why we should honor him as a living example of ``the commandment of love.'' Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, including 112,000 Polish Americans and 131,000 Catholics in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois, I join my colleagues in paying tribute to Pope John Paul II.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, people from around the world come to America for their medical care. Yet Americans are forced to travel around the world for their prescription drugs and medications. Today, in the Washington Post, there was a poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News showing more than two-thirds of Americans think it should be legal to purchase medications from Canada and Europe and other industrialized nations. I think this is significant given on the eve that the conference on prescription drugs is meeting to know where the American people are on the major issue of allowing them to purchase medications from either Europe or Canada, allowing competition to pervade in the prescription drug area, allowing choice to consumers. Two-thirds of the Americans think it is the right thing to do. In the meantime, millions of Americans are forced to either cut their medications in half, skip a month, forgo their prescription drugs entirely, or cut their pills, as I said, in half. Yet of those who choose not to do that, many are forced to go to Canada to buy their medications. And what do our drug companies provide these seniors who are in dire need of life saving medications? Today, Eli Lilly announced joining other major companies like Glaxo, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer, they are going to begin to limit their sales to Canada, cut off their supplies to Canada. Rather than allowing competition and choice to exist in the system, these prescription drug companies are going to deny access to the Canadians where Americans get competitive prices. You take the cancer drug Tamoxifen, $360 in the United States; Canada, $33. Life-saving medication for women with breast cancer. You go down the list, line by line. Last week, USA Today ran an article going line by line over major medications, and they were all somewhere between 40 to 50 percent cheaper in Canada than they are in the United States. And the irony of all of that is many of those medications were developed with U.S. taxpayer dollars. So what have we provided? Not only do we fund the research and development of these new life-saving medications, we are provided the unique opportunity of paying the most expensive prices in the world for medications that were originally developed with U.S. tax dollars. Many in the industry not only now are limiting sales, they argue about the safety of these medications purchased from Canada. Yet today, we import $15 billion worth of medications from around the world. Nobody argues about their safety. And the most telling example about the issue of Canada is that in October 2000 when the United States Government needed a vaccine for anthrax, where did they turn because there was a shortage here in the United States? They turned to Canada. If it was so unsafe for our consumers to go to Canada to buy medications, where did the United States Government go in dire need? They went to Canada because the system in Canada is comparable to our system. A recent Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive poll shows 77 percent of Americans believe it is unreasonable for pharmaceutical companies to take actions like Eli Lilly did today. The facts are that the claims made by the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies about the dangers of these drugs simply do not hold. They did not hold when the United States Government needed them, and they do not hold today when our seniors and others are forced to go to Canada to get life-saving medications. This system is not some great beyond that we do not know. Today in Europe the system of parallel trading exists, free trade where people in Germany or France or England or Ireland buy medications wherever they need them in Europe. That system exists, and it is the most competitive market in the pharmaceutical industry. What I am suggesting, what others in bipartisan fashion have passed in July, the legislation known as market access, are suggesting is allow the United States to participate in that market access. Allow the barriers to come down, allow the market to organize and properly manage itself and prices in the United States would come down, rather than allowing a 40 to 50 percent disparity between the prices in Canada and Europe between the United States. That is what would happen if we passed this legislation today. For too long, if we take a look at it, in Families USA, the 50 most commonly used drugs by our seniors have risen 3\1/2\ times the rate of inflation. Between 2000 and 2003, seniors' expenditures on prescription drugs increased by 44 percent. The costs of medications are too expensive. Eli Lilly and the other pharmaceuticals are limiting the sales to Canada in an attempt to cut off the seniors. And what does the United States Congress do and what does the United States Senate do? When they passed a prescription drug, when it came to the issue of price and affordability, the Congress did nothing. And so people are forced to take action in their own hands and go to Canada. We should not turn our grandmothers and our grandfathers into drug runners, filling up prescription bags for people that live in the housing centers with them. We can deal with the issue of cost. Allow the free market system to work and allow choice to exist and prices would come down here in the United States. For too long the American people have been forced to subsidize the starving French and Germans. We should give them competitive prices, give them choice, allow the free market to work; and we will finally get the prescription drugs people need and deserve.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize the Reverend John P. Minogue, a great American and dedicated leader in the Catholic and higher education communities of Chicago. Last week, Father Minogue announced his plans to retire after a decade as the tenth president of DePaul University, located in my district on the North side of Chicago. Under Father Minogue's leadership, DePaul has reached major goals projected under the university's strategic plan, ``Vision 2006.'' DePaul's students, faculty, staff and trustees, as well as the City of Chicago itself, have benefited tremendously from Father Minogue's leadership and vision. During Father Minogue's tenure, DePaul University has become the largest Catholic university and the eighth- largest private university in the United States. This fall's record enrollment of nearly 24,000 students represents the tenth consecutive year that DePaul has posted historic enrollment gains. Expanding access to learning has been the hallmark of Father Minogue's presidency. The university supports 130 academic programs and a faculty and staff totaling over 4,200 people. He led efforts to provide increased access to high-quality education for a diverse student population. He also championed global education by establishing a variety of international sites and programs. Suburban campuses grew from two to five, and the university welcomed Barat College into the DePaul family as its ninth college in 2001. During Father Minogue's tenure, DePaul celebrated its centennial and transformed its city campuses with additional facilities that offer students every state-of-the-art service. Those facilities include the renovation of DePaul Center; construction of the McGowan Biological and Environmental Sciences Center and Centennial Hall; the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center and a car parking facility on Clifton Avenue; the new student center; and the University Center of Chicago joint residence hall in the Loop to be completed in 2004. Father Minogue also revolutionized student access to and implementation of technology at DePaul. He worked tirelessly to redesign university business processes to offer students real-time services on the Web, ultimately enabling them to conduct many transactions at any hour of the day from any computer station. It was under his leadership that the School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems was created and became one of the largest computer science schools in the nation. A man on the cutting edge of the digital age, Father Minogue conceived DePaul's Digital Media Center and has helped to develop an innovative program that will enable students to be in the forefront of a new form of global communication. Both academics and student satisfaction have flourished under Father Minogue's guidance. In 1998, DePaul was named one of seven finalists for College of the Year in ``The Best College for You,'' by Time magazine and the Princeton Review. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report has ranked DePaul's part-time MBA in the nation's top ten for eight consecutive years. Father Minogue can be especially proud that DePaul's students were named happiest in the nation twice by the Princeton Review. He devoted a considerable amount of personal time and energy to building relationships with students and often could be found joining them in community service and leadership opportunities. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a deeply grateful community and with enormous appreciation for a decade of dedicated service to students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends, I thank Father Minogue for his extraordinary leadership and selfless commitment to learning and to the City of Chicago. Father Minogue left a mark on the institution that will not be forgotten, and we will always remember his countless contributions and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. I thank my colleague from Wisconsin for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of our troops in Iraq. Thousands of young men and women, my neighbors and yours, remain in harm's way. They are suffering casualties daily and fatalities every week. We must do all we can to provide for their protection. We are indebted to our troops for their service and sacrifice. The men and women of the Armed Forces make all Americans proud. My vote for this bill is for one reason only, to give our troops the resources they need to carry out their mission. But my vote should not be interpreted as supporting this administration's postwar policy in Iraq or the lack of one. As I cast a ``yes'' vote, I will supply the troops with the resources they need. My hope is that the President and the administration will finally supply a policy the Nation deserves. Because the absence of a policy has never measured up to the valor and patriotism of our troops. As we will do our part in Congress, now it is long overdue for the administration to do theirs, enunciating a policy. Our troops will get the Humvees and the Kevlar vests they need, but the policy is as important for their protection as the equipment. Just over 2 years have passed since the September 11 attacks when the world reached out and expressed sympathy and solidarity with America and Americans. Because of our arrogance, we have turned the world's sympathy into antipathy. This administration lacks a policy that is coherent, that spells out a clear vision for Iraq's mission, invites support from our allies and provides an exit strategy that will bring our troops home and reunite American families. I supported the war. I still believe getting rid of Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do. But the administration has made a legitimate war illegitimate through its actions. While it sold the war on a set of claims that were never true, the administration never leveled with the American people. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in strong support of our troops in Iraq. Thousands of young men and women, my neighbors and yours, remain in harm's way. They are suffering casualties daily and fatalities every week. We must do all we can to provide for their protection and safe return. We are indebted to our troops for their service and sacrifice. The men and women of our Armed Forces make all Americans proud. My vote for this bill is for one reason only: to give our troops the resources they need to carry out their mission. But my vote should not be interpreted as supporting this Administration's post-war policy in Iraq or the lack of one. The only way my vote should be interpreted is of one opposing this administration's post-war policy in Iraq or the lack of one. As I cast my ``yes'' vote, I will supply the troops with the resources they need. My hope is that the President will finally supply a policy the Nation deserves. Because the absence of a policy has never measured up to the valor and patriotism of our troops. As we will do our part in Congress, now it is long overdue for the administration to do theirs--enunciating a policy. Our troops will get the Humvees and the Kevlar vests they need. But the policy is as important for their protection as this equipment, and this administration has failed in that endeavor. Just over 2 years have passed since the September 11 attacks when the world reached out and expressed sympathy and solidarity to America and all Americans. Because of our arrogance we have turned the world's sympathy into antipathy. This administration lacks a coherent policy that spells out a clear vision for the Iraq mission, invites the support of our allies, and provides an exist strategy that will bring our troops home. I supported the war, and I still believe that getting rid of Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do. But the administration has made a legitimate war illegitimate through its actions. While it sold the war on a set of claims that were not true, the administration never leveled with the American people. As we fought the war nearly alone, so we are left to go it alone in the reconstruction. The irony is that this administration is committing American families to pay for investments in Iraq that it is unwilling to provide for here at home. We are paying for basic health care for half of Iraq's population, but will not provide coverage for any of the almost 44 million uninsured Americans. We are footing the bill for world-class police and security forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but American communities are imperiled by deep funding cuts to their police and firefighters. With taxpayers spending nearly $6 billion to completely overhaul Iraq's electricity system, not one single dollar is provided in the Energy bill for overhauling our own electrical grid. Because the administration's reconstruction budget for Iraq is so flawed and filled with cronyism, it has insisted on attaching it to the military budget--in effect, holding our own troops hostage. I will not cast a vote that might endanger our troops in any way. But I will not continue to support indefinitely a failing and flailing policy in Iraq, and neither should the American people. When this administration comes back to Congress again for more funding, as it surely will, it must accompany that request with a real plan, which to date it has not--or it must bring our troops home.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in honor of the Illinois Nobel Laureates. Illinois has always been well represented in this competition of the world's best and brightest, but this year three individuals from Illinois have won the Nobel Prize: Paul Lauterbur, a researcher at the University of Illinois, won for his research leading to the development of MRI technology; Alexei Abrikosov of Argonne National Laboratory; and Anthony Leggett, another researcher at the University of Illinois won for physics. Each of these individuals works at a public institution dedicated to the exploration and expansion of human knowledge, and each of these institutions relies on public support to do the public good. These individuals and their work represent the future of our country; and if we are to maintain our status as a world leader, we must continue to support their works. Mr. Speaker, although their work is diverse, their ability to pursue their intellectual endeavors is singular. So those who run down our public institutions, I hope they take note of these individuals' accomplishments. Mr. Speaker, these Nobel Prize winners are from Illinois, we are proud of them, but they are national treasures.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, just yesterday in USA Today they ran a story, ``Once Just a Trickle, Canada's Rx drugs pouring into the United States'' and predicting that it is now coming close to $1 billion worth of business where people are buying their medications, name brand drugs, from Canada. And why? Because the same drugs that we have developed here, the name brand drugs, are in Canada for 40 to 50 percent cheaper than they are at our local pharmacy and drugstore. We cannot afford the drugs we need, and we are not doing enough here in Washington to help make that medication accessible. We passed a piece of legislation back in July with 88 Republican votes and 153 Democratic votes that brought competition and choice to the pricing of pharmaceutical medications. Today if one went to Europe and Canada for the same medications dealing with blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, those medications are 40 or 50 percent cheaper than they are in the United States. Why? Because in those countries they have competition, and it makes the prices go down. If we brought competition and choice to the market, we could actually have the type of prices that are being afforded right now in both Canada and in Europe. A couple statistics that are so important that people should know, a recent Families USA study found that prices of the 50 drugs most commonly used by seniors increased by three and a half times the rate of inflation. Between 2000 and 2003, seniors' expenditures on prescription drugs increased by 44 percent. Seventy-one percent of Americans think it should be legal to purchase their medications in Canada, in Europe, France, England, and Germany where prices, again, are cheaper than they are here at home. We are asking our folks here in this country to pay a premium price, the most expensive price in the world, not the best price; and we have an obligation to help them get the best price, not the most expensive price. My governor from Illinois and governors in Minnesota and in Iowa have decided to study what the savings would be to their taxpayers and their consumers if they were to buy medications competitively. Those studies in short order will be out, and I think the Members will see that tremendous savings could be accomplished for the taxpayers in those States. That is relevant to what we do here on the prescription drug bill. If we are about to spend $400 billion of the taxpayers' money on the largest expansion in over 40 years on Medicare, we owe an obligation not only to the seniors who will get it but to the taxpayers who will pay it to get them the best price, not the most expensive price; and we want to use the free market principle of competition to bring prices down and to give consumers the choice that they need. What I find interesting is that we have a $1 billion business today going on. The FDA does not think there is anything wrong with it but all of a sudden has been lately lip-syncing the pharmaceutical industry's line by saying that there is an issue of safety. Yet they will not in any way try to deal with clamping down or stopping folks from buying those medications because they do not really believe there is a safety issue. The fact is on March 27, 2003, when the FDA testified in front of a congressional committee, when asked if has anybody has ever been sick, if anybody ever been found to be sick, not one person has ever gotten sick by purchasing medications, name brand medications, from Canada. The second argument that the industry puts out is somehow it will affect the research and development for new medications. The fact is the taxpayers, through the National Institutes of Health, have funded research into pharmaceutical drugs for $27 billion a year. Second, they write off all their R&D investment and the taxpayers cover for them. In my view, the taxpayers have been tremendously generous to the industry and to the development of new drugs and that all the new drugs, if we take a look at cancer, AIDS drugs, other types of medications, they have all been funded by taxpayer-paid research. So first the strawman made the argument about safety. In fact, the legislation we passed here in the House improved the safety by dealing with counterfeit. Another issue is that somehow it impacts the development of new medication, life-saving medications. The fact is it does not touch it. I think we will maintain the tax credit for research and development, and we will continue to fund the National Institutes of Health to the tune of $27 billion, and the taxpayers have been quite generous. In fact, what they are owed is a return on their investment. So what I believe, and would hope that others have seen this article and know what they are having in their own district and as the conference meets here on the prescription drug bill, is that any piece of legislation that does not deal with price does not deal with the primary issue affecting the senior community and that we have an obligation to get them the best price and get the taxpayers the best price we can get them through a prescription drug bill that allows the free market to work. Because for too long we have had a closed market here. We need to open up the market and allow the principle of competition to work. Second, and I think in addition to that, is that we talk about expanding Medicare. We need to ensure that for that $400 billion we get the most for our money. Everybody today knows if they go to any senior center and talk to folks they will tell them, because there is somebody from their senior home who has gone over the border, gone into Canada and bought prescriptions filled out for everybody in the unit or everybody at the housing project, they have bought medications. We have turned our grandparents into drug runners, and that should not be illegal because what they are trying to do is meet the obligations they have for their own health. For too long we have all heard stories of people who have cut medications in half, skipped a month so their spouse can get the medications they need. That is a health and safety risk. This legislation that was passed out of this Congress with bipartisan majority would address that health and safety risk. It would address the need of our taxpayers who are more than willing to help get a prescription drug bill but not do it when we are paying inflated prices, sometimes as high as 60 percent, to the pharmaceutical industry. If someone takes one medication like Tamoxifen, which costs $360 here in the United States, it fights what? Breast cancer. In Canada, it costs $33.62. That is the difference, and it means life or death for a lot of the people here in this country. I call on the conference to quickly pass a prescription drug bill that has this reimportation provision and ask that my colleagues look at the article the other day in USA Today.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today as an original cosponsor of this resolution expressing the House's condolences to the family of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, to her many friends, and to the people of a country left a sadder place for her absence. While her brutal murder shook the foundation of that proud and peaceful nation, it is her life--not her death--that is her legacy. In only 46 years of life, Anna Lindh rapidly ascended the European political community to become one of its most capable, competent, and respected members. She was a singularly instrumental figure during the Swedish presidency of the European Union in 2001. From joining the Swedish Social Democratic League at age 12, Ms. Lindh was destined for a career in public service. She was elected to the Swedish parliament the year she graduated from law school. She later became the Deputy Mayor of Stockholm, Minister of the Environment, and eventually, Foreign Minister. The impact of her political skill and achievements touched people worldwide, most notably in the Balkans, where her remarkable talents helped prevent war in Macedonia. Building coalitions was her calling, and her success in this critically important area earned the respect of leaders from around the globe. When asked once what he appreciated most about Sweden, our own Secretary Colin Powell once replied ``Abba, Volvo, and Anna.'' Anna Lindh truly epitomized a new generation of internationally- minded politicians. Her murder was a tragedy that cannot be forgotten, but it will not overshadow her achievements and her lasting contributions to the international community. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important resolution. On behalf of more than 12,000 of my constituents of Swedish descent, I offer my sincere condolences.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 355 to celebrate a century of strong diplomatic relations with Bulgaria. Bulgaria has more than 1,300 years of history, culture and tradition in Western Civilization. Its ancient forefathers were the Thracians, whom Herodotus described as the second largest tribe in the Ancient world. And its unique ethnic identity, religion, and culture remain vibrant, even after five centuries under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and another two centuries under Byzantine rule. In modern times as in ancient ones, Bulgaria has been torn by conflict. The nation gained full independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, and its people suffered through the first and second Balkan Wars in the early part of the 20th century. Even as the nation fell behind the Iron Curtain after World War II and gained a reputation as the Soviet Union's staunchest ally in the Warsaw Pact, our two nations still maintained diplomatic ties throughout the most difficult periods of the Cold War. Mr. Speaker, today U.S. relations with Bulgaria have never been stronger. Since 1989, Bulgaria has transformed into a vibrant democracy and market economy. Our two nations have become steadfast partners in business and industry. Our strong ties to Bulgarian culture and education are invaluable and have proven mutually beneficial to both countries. On behalf of my constituents in Northwest Chicago, including more than 1,500 of Bulgarian descent, I applaud this centennial of diplomatic relations and look forward to continuing strengthened partnerships.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, in 2 days the House Committee on Appropriations will take up the $87 billion that the administration has requested for Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the second down payment on top of the first $75 billion that has been requested. Secretary Powell and others in the administration recently said this is a down payment, and that they will be back in 6 months from now with an additional request on top of the $160-some-odd billion we spent on these two operations, for more money for reconstruction of both Afghanistan and Iraq. This funding contains a $20 billion request, taxpayer financed, for the reconstruction of Iraq. Back in April I introduced a bill called the American Parity Act, which required that for every dollar we invest in Iraq's health care, education, and transportation and infrastructure we also invest here at home. Today we have 102 cosponsors. Now, I think everybody that has signed on to this agrees that the same values that we hold for Iraq, we must pledge for all Americans. The same goals we envision for Iraq's future, we must envision for America's future. Unfortunately, to date, we have had two priorities, two sets of values, two sets of books, one for Iraq and one for America. I did a T-shirt the other day which I brought down to the floor showing all of the investments we had planned for Iraq and all the cuts here at home we had planned in the corresponding areas. Now, two colleagues before me who are part of my freshman class from the other party talked about waste, fraud, and abuse. I would like to bring to their attention, and I have the same sense that if we were able to cut some of the waste, fraud, and abuse, we could fund other initiatives dealing with the uninsured in this country. But to point to some waste, fraud, and abuse: in the President's request for Iraq, there is $3.6 million for 600 radios and telephones at $6,000 each. I highly recommend that maybe we should hear the word Radio Shack. If you cannot get a telephone for less than $6,000, you may want to consider Radio Shack. We have also in the request $2.5 million for pickup trucks at $33,000 apiece. Has anybody ever heard of zero percent financing by GM, Ford, or Chrysler? You can get a pickup truck for less than $33,000. Mr. Speaker, $100 million to hire 500 people at $200,000 a person to investigate crimes. Mr. Speaker, $20 million to finance 200 election experts, election experts for 6 months at $100,000 per expert. Now, I come from Chicago. I think I can get a ward committeeman to do it just slightly cheaper than that. So if we are interested in waste, fraud, and abuse, I recommend maybe we take a look at what we are recommending as a first down payment of what will be a total bill to the American taxpayers for $60 billion in the area of waste, fraud, and abuse. If I may take some more time, they did not want to mention the $5.6 billion for the new electric grid in Iraq. Yet here in America, what did we get for that? The blackout. And how much is invested in America's electric future, in our energy future, in a massive investment here? Zero. We could create 100,000 jobs. We do not mention that when it comes to waste, fraud, and abuse. In the area of health care, we are talking about $150 million more for a new children's hospital in Basra. Yet, in that same week, we had a report that there are 10 million uninsured Americans. And what is the initiative? We cut the funding for the children's health insurance program. We have 44 million uninsured Americans, and not a single bill on the floor to insure the uninsured Americans. In the area of police, there is $4 billion planned for the Iraqi police, and yet what do we do? We cut the 100,000 police program here in the United States practicing community policing at $1 billion. Mr. Speaker, $5 billion for water, drinkable water in Iraq and wetlands restoration and irrigation; yet we have frozen the funds for the Corps of Engineers, and we do not fund any cleanup and improvement in the Great Lakes of America where 40 million Americans get their daily drinking water. I am interested in the area of waste, fraud, and abuse; and I would like to talk about it. In the area of veterans, we have a $6 billion cut here at home for our veterans for their health care and other benefits, and yet what do we plan? To rebuild Iraq's national army. So when it comes to waste, fraud, and abuse, I would hope my colleagues would join me on the floor and talk about some of the waste, the fraud, and the abuse that will go on in the $60 billion reconstruction project the American taxpayers are being asked to pay and foot the bill for, while 3.1 million Americans have lost their jobs, 5 more million Americans have lost their health insurance, $1 trillion worth of corporate assets are foreclosed on, and 5 million Americans have walked out of middle class into poverty; and that has been the net result over the last 3 years in economic stewardship.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great pride following last night's National League Central Division champion Chicago Cubs' first playoff victory on the road since 1945. I am proud to represent tens of thousands of loyal and patient Cubs fans who have so patiently waited for this opportunity to compete for its first National League Pennant in almost 60 years and its first World Series title since 1908. 1 join the City of Chicago in cheering for the Cubs to overcome history by this year's nearly 90 wins and first place in the Central division. I think most long-time Cubs fans would agree that there could not have been a more exciting route to the playoffs than the 2003 season. All season long, Chicago traded first place back and forth with the Houston Astros in the major league's most competitive division. After this weekend's victory against Pittsburgh, jubilant fans remained celebrating in the stands an hour after the game as Cubs players jogged around the perimeter of the field to salute their fans and soak up the delirious atmosphere at Wrigley Field. Those of us on Chicago's north side are especially grateful for the arrival of first-year manager Dusty Baker, his winning attitude and proven leadership on the field and in our community. Dusty and his outstanding coaching staff made believers out of the players and Cubs fans. He held our team together during some of the season's most difficult times. We must attribute much of this year's success to Dusty's clever off season personnel moves and Sammy Sosa's great batting, including his towering 40th home run this past weekend that made him the first player in National League history to hit 40 home runs in six consecutive seasons. This historic feat was achieved on top of slamming his 500th home run earlier this season. Sammy has become as much a part of Chicago as the stuffed pizza and Navy Pier. His pride in his native Dominican Republic is but one example of the cultural diversity that makes Chicago the great city it is today, and how baseball has been woven into the fabric of our Nation's history. When I attended one of the Cub's home victories earlier this year, I was joined by the Chaplain of the House of Representatives, The Rev. Daniel P. Coughlin, before the game to honor his 89-year-old mother, Louise Coughlin, as the Cub's Usher of the Year. Moments like these and the team's winning ways are what made 2003 such a special season and why I will always be proud to represent the Cubs in Congress. Mr. Speaker, I salute the Cubs for their first-place finish, and I join with the entire City of Chicago and Cubs fans everywhere in wishing them continued success in the playoffs. I join Cubs fans in cheering that one of baseball's most storied franchises ends a nearly century long championship drought. Win or lose, Chicagoans will be always be proud of their Cubs.

Mr. EMANUEL

Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation to the members of the Transportation Appropriations Committee for their leadership in support of the rehabilitation and expansion of Chicago's Ravenswood Elevated Line. Built more than a century ago, the Ravenswood Line, known by Chicagoans as the ``Brown Line,'' is one of the City's fabled elevated trains and serves as a vital link between the area that I'm proud to represent--the northwest side--and downtown. Along the way, it winds through some of Chicago's historic neighborhoods: Ravenswood, North Center, Wrigleyville, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and of course, the Loop. With more than 60,000 commuters each day, ridership has increased approximately 73 percent since 1979. In the past year alone, the number of riders has increased by 10 percent, the highest rate of growth anywhere in the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) rail transportation system. Because of the Brown Line's age, it can only accommodate six-car trains, and not the eight-car trains used elsewhere on the CTA system. Thus, the Ravenswood Line is not able to handle the growing demand. In fact, it is not unusual for commuters to wait several full trains before being able to board a train in the morning rush hour. Clearly, the Brown Line renovation is necessary to keep pace with the rapidly growing demand for mass transit services in Chicago. For these reasons, since arriving in Congress I have worked closely with the City of Chicago, CTA, and U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure that the Brown Line revitalization received the support it needed to continue. I was also pleased to appear before the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss why expanding the line is so important to ensure the safety of Chicago commuters and to improve its efficiency. I am pleased that both Committees agree that the Brown Line rehabilitation is a critically necessary and worthwhile project. It was included in the original Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), and I am hopeful that it will be included in the upcoming bill to reauthorize TEA-21. On behalf of Chicago's riders, I am deeply grateful that the members of the Appropriations Committee included this project in the Fiscal Year 2004 Transportation-Treasury Bill passed two weeks ago by this body. Because of this support, the Ravenswood Line rehabilitation project will be able to stay on schedule, benefiting my district, and indeed the entire City of Chicago. Mr. Speaker, I would like to personally thank all the members who supported this project crucial to Illinois' Fifth Congressional District, particularly Speaker Hastert and Congressman Lipinski for their assistance, hard work and unyielding commitment to the project. Further, I look forward to working with them in support of this project as the bill moves into conference and onto the President's desk for signature.