Mark Foley

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time, and of course I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis). Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Bucs and all who live in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and all the environs. As a fan of the Dolphins, and coming from southeast Florida, many of us obviously wished the Dolphins great success, the last team in Florida to win a Super Bowl until this outstanding victory of our west coast compatriots. Governor Gray Davis will have to pay up the debt to our own Governor, Jeb Bush, so we are excited that we had two victories over this past weekend. But the thrill of competition and the teamwork that took place was evidenced in that outstanding, incredible, incredible victory. I want to commend both gentlemen that serve us in Congress representing the west coast of Florida for their leadership on this resolution and for their taking time to honor the skills of the athlete. I think the gentleman from Tampa, Florida (Mr. Davis), spoke eloquently about the members of the team who give back to their community outside of their professional sports endeavors; that actually mentor the kids; that work in the educational environment; help in inner-city schools, and do things that display the kind of character we hope all professional athletes will emulate. Oftentimes role models for young kids who are struggling to find a role model to look up to are those that make a lot of money and drive fancy cars. Many on the team take time out of their own lives and professional endeavors to help those children. So this is not only a victory for a team on the field, it is a victory for the kids off the field. So as Tampa Bay will continue to celebrate this outstanding achievement of a phenomenal team, we in southeast Florida are all proud Tampa Bay Buccaneers, too. Mr. Glazer is a resident of Palm Beach, so we kind of share the opportunity to have the owner of the team in our county, but we also have a chance now as all Floridians to articulate the kind of excitement we felt that night when the time ran out on the clock and we, in fact, had another Super Bowl championship to put in the case of history.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Tuesday, January 28, 2003, it adjourn to meet at noon on Wednesday, January 29, 2003.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Speaker, I was not always sure I would be here congratulating a Florida football team for taking the Super Bowl, but it is hands-down the best feeling in the world, and I know Tampa Bay's Congressman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis), who is here on the floor, will also be taking the floor to commend his hometown team, as well as Florida's Super Bowl champions. As anyone who has every had a passing interest in the sport knows, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl yesterday against the Oakland Raiders. And I am only sorry that I will not be in Tampa when the celebration begins tomorrow, because if there is any town that deserves those celebrations, it is Tampa, Florida. You see, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the NFL in 1976 and began their history losing their first 26 games in a row. For that great feat they earned the nickname the Tampa Bay Yucs. What they achieved last night more than made up for that slow, humble start. The Bucs trounced the Oakland Raiders to win the Super Bowl 48- 21. Let me repeat that, 48-21. It was a wipe out. I do not even think there is any question we need a recount on that one. Tampa's 39-year-old coach, John Gruden, has now become the youngest head coach in history to win a Super Bowl. I want to congratulate the Tampa Bay players and their coaches on their victory. Congratulations also to the dedicated fans in the Tampa Bay area, who now have the bragging rights that no one will dispute. From the outset last night, the omens were good for Tampa. Don Shula flipped the coin, and the Bucs won the toss. For those who play tennis, Shula was the coach of the last team from Florida to win the Super Bowl, the Miami Dolphins, and members of the undefeated Dolphins were recognized at the ceremony last night. Maybe it is just coincidence, but the Tampa Bay area is home to one of our Nation's top defenses, the U.S. Special Operations Command, and ``defense'' was the word that took Tampa to the top last night. The Tampa Bay Bucs entered the Super Bowl with the number-one-ranked defense in the league, and it was this defense that clinched the game. Football is a team sport, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers demonstrated that beyond doubt, not just during the Super Bowl win, but throughout the whole season, where they went 12 and 4. While I want to congratulate the entire organization for the fantastic job each and every one of them did to win the Super Bowl, I would also like to mention a few players for their contribution off the field that speaks volumes for the caliber of everyone on the team. When Derrick Brooks is not playing linebacker and winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award, he is involved in the Boys & Girls Club throughout his area with the Brooks' Bunch program. The Brooks' Bunch is a group of Boys & Girls Club members whom Brooks began working with after signing with Tampa Bay in 1995. Drawing from some of Tampa's most underprivileged neighborhoods, these kids have become a fixture in Brooks' life. Aside from 24 tickets he purchases for every Bucs home game, Brooks also mentors and tutors his Bunch, taking them on educational trips to places like Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, the American West and even South Africa. Brooks constantly stresses the importance of education, and the kids have responded to his message. Last spring, they successfully nominated Brooks for the Educational Visionary award from the Hillsborough Education Foundation in recognition of his work with the Brooks' Bunch, a nice edition to his 2000 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Then there is John Lynch, Tampa Bay's safety and its 2002 nominee for the NFL Man of the Year. A five-time Pro-Bowler, Lynch established the John Lynch Foundation in 2000 to provide encouragement and positive alternatives for young people. The foundation believes that good, solid values can be learned through education, sports and community involvement. Through his foundation, Lynch provides financial assistance for high school students to attend the college of their choice. Finally, there is Tampa wide receiver Kennan McCardell, alias Santa Claus. This past Christmas Eve, McCardell took 10 children from the Hillsborough Department of Child Services foster care program for an early morning shopping spree at a local toy store. McCardell told the kids they each had $500 to spend. McCardell's generosity rubbed off on the children, who spent some of their allowances on their family and friends. Again, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their championship; and thank you Derrick, John, and Kennan and members of the Tampa Bay organization for all your contributions to the Tampa Bay community. You have always been champions off the field, and now you have taken over the championship on the field too. Be proud, because we are certainly proud of you, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues in recognizing the contributions that three of our Florida colleagues--Carrie Meek and Karen Thurman and Dan Miller--have made. Each brought invaluable gifts to this institution, and each are leaving with a legacy that any one of us would be proud to have. I have known Karen Thurman since we both were elected state officials in the Florida Legislature. And both then and since, she worked hard and long for constituents in need. She has been a particularly strong champion of veterans' and senior citizen causes and of Florida's agricultural community. Both of us have served on the Agriculture Committee here and since then on the Ways and Means Committee. And while Karen and I have found ourselves divided many times by partisan political issues, I have never known her once not to fight for what she believes deeply in. She's a fighter and a wonderful person, and while politics ultimately determines our fate here, there is no question Karen will continue a strong role in making both Florida and this nation better. The same can be said of Carrie Meek. Carrie has dedicated her professional and personal life to the people of Florida, as a public servant, college administrator and educator. Carrie has been a true champion to her constituents. She has been a person that would reach out to the neediest and be their strongest advocate. I will always admire her commitment and loyalty to her convictions. Surely, Carrie's contributions to the lives of all Floridians will continue to pay dividends for generations to come. With the retirement of Dan Miller, I am not only losing a colleague but a longtime good neighbor of mine in Washington. Dan's dedication to public service and his commitment to the idea of less government, of conservative government, has been unwavering and will be greatly missed. Even my own sigh of relief at losing a staunch opponent of the sugar program--a program vitally needed by many of my constituents--is a testament to Dan's doggedness when he is pursuing what he deeply believes is the right course. The years of service by all three of these Florida members--Karen Thurman, Carrie Meek and Dan Miller--are years of contributions. And I want to join all my colleagues in thanking them for that.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. Americans are a peace-loving people. While we desire a diplomatic resolution to the Iraqi crisis, we must be prepared to support the President if military force becomes necessary. Saddam Hussein is a dangerous and unpredictable despot who has committed genocide, including the use of chemical weapons to slaughter his own people. It is estimated that Saddam has butchered over 200,000 of his own citizens in the past decade. He led his country into an 8- year war with Iran, a disastrous conflict with the U.S.-led coalition in 1991, and is open about his financial and technical support for Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Saddam has always overestimated his military capabilities and underestimated the resolve of the civilized world. He surrounds himself with ``yes men'' who reinforce his ego and ambition and fail to warn him of the consequences of his actions. This makes Saddam an immediate threat to America who can neither be trusted nor dealt with rationally, in spite of the testimonials provided by two Members of Congress who recently visited Iraq. We cannot wait for Saddam to develop a nuclear device and the missiles to threaten our troops, allies, and our own territory. We cannot ask what will happen if we act, but, rather, what will happen if we do not. We must not only remove Saddam's weapons of mass destruction, but Saddam himself. We cannot wait for Saddam to arm terrorist groups with weapons of mass destruction, nor can we allow him to use these weapons to blackmail his neighbors. He has proven himself to be a menace to the stability of the entire Gulf region. In Afghanistan, U.S. forces worked with the anti-Taliban opposition to free the country. We also reversed an impending famine in that country. The U.S. is working with the new Afghan government to build the foundation for a civilized society that respects human rights and international law. No less should be expected for the people of Iraq. Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow the world to be tormented by terrorists or tyrants. The problem is the regime. The problem is Saddam. We know who the enemy is, we know what he does, and we know what we must now do.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank, first of all, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), who is known as Mr. Health in the Florida delegation for his timely passage of H.R. 3450, and urge adoption. Coming from Florida, many people think of us as a very large urban regional center. They think of Palm Beach, they think of Tampa, they think of St. Petersburg, Jacksonville. They do not recognize the small agrarian rural counties that are contained in 67 counties in the great State of Florida. I happen to represent communities that go from the east coast to the west coast, and they include such impoverished communities as Glades and Henry, where average, hard-working families have absolutely no access to quality health care. Fortunately, due to the work of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the Committee on Energy and Commerce, we have seen an outpouring and a growth, if you will, of community health centers throughout these areas. Five years ago most of these families would have had to travel to Lee County to gain any type of health care at all. Oftentimes doctors were not even available in the communities. You could not attract or recruit them. This bill goes a long way to ensuring not only do we have a quality work force of doctors, but trained professionals to assist. The gentleman from Illinois just mentioned another important provision in this bill, which is dental health. Dental health is part of the physical being. If we do not adequately care for the dentures, the teeth, the jaws and gums of the individuals we serve, they will have a decline, if you will, of quality of life. The mental health coverage provided in this bill is expanded, and it brings about new innovations. We mentioned again about providing help to migratory and seasonal agricultural workers. Oftentimes if we can catch their illnesses early, we can actually save society a great deal of money. The sicker a person becomes, whether it is pneumonia or some other disease, the more expensive it is and typically will be treated in an emergency room where the cost is that much greater for Medicaid and some of the other delivery services. Some of the hospitals in my district are going uncompensated for the care of some of these individuals. This is the underpinnings of this very well-crafted legislation, that it reaches out and not only provides a safety net for our communities, but actually strengthens the communities through a delivery system of quality health care. Every citizen in this country is entitled to quality health care regardless of their ability to pay and regardless of their ability to speak English, because oftentimes they are the hardest working among us. Again, I commend and salute the chairman, the ranking member, and the gentleman from Texas for his hard work on this issue. I urge all colleagues to strongly support H.R. 3450.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for his leadership on these very important pieces of legislation today, as well as the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) for his many, many years of outstanding service on the Subcommittee on Health. Mr. Speaker, many people are unfamiliar with some of the diseases that were mentioned earlier. Today in Palm Beach County, there are a lot of diseases that have tremendous charity organizations helping to support them, to raise money. In fact, there is a ball a day that is pretty much dedicated to raising resources and to not only find research dollars, but hopefully find cures for diseases that ravage mankind, but most all of them are popular and well known. They may be AIDS, Alzheimer's, things that people are well familiar with. Regrettably, the rare diseases do not have the same fan club. They do not have the same outreach, and they certainly do not have the same support network as some of the bigger charities are fortunate to have in my district and throughout the country. That is why it is critically important to pass both of these pieces of legislation today, because they create the framework to bring about an educational process, to create the framework to channel resources into the National Institutes of Health and other entities in order to find the potential cures, as well as the subsequent bill we will talk about that helps to provide, if you will, the kind of dollars necessary for pharmaceutical companies and others to be able to pursue what is not a profitable research path, but is a research path, nonetheless, that yields great results to the person suffering. So again, I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus), and I am certain the citizens of Illinois appreciate the fact that he is on this very important subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce dealing with the health care of many millions of Americans who are silent on the floor today, but are watching with great anticipation as we hopefully unlock the key to one of the many doors that block some of the research available. Hopefully with these bills we will see an outpouring of support not only into research endeavors, but also into long-term sustainability of the lives of these very important Americans we are speaking about today.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentleman on his management of this important piece of legislation. If I were Speaker of the House, I would probably declare that the only business on the House floor would be health care legislation because the bipartisanship displayed in this very important legislation is really indicative of the heart and soul of this Chamber. Many people see us in vigorous debate over issues and why they cannot get along. Yet today you see the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and myself all really focused on people who have been heard by us but have not been heard by society in general. Today I rise in strong support of our mutually agreed-upon bill, H.R. 4014, the Rare Disease Orphan Product Development Act of 2002. This important piece of bipartisan legislation will encourage better treatment, diagnostic procedures, and cures for large numbers of rare diseases and disorders. The gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) mentioned the statistics, 25 million people suffering from more than 6,000 rare diseases. A rare disease, to underscore, is one that affects the population under 200,000 people, or about one in 11 Americans. Mr. Speaker, I would like to mention just one of those Americans, a little girl fighting for her life. Her name is Madison, but her parents call her Maddy. She is a 5-year-old constituent of mine who contracted MPS 1, Hurler Syndrome, one year after she was born. This horrible disease causes shortness of stature, mental retardation, speech and hearing impairments, heart disease, and worst of all a shortened life span. As with most persons suffering from rare diseases, her situation is made worse because there may be only one or two doctors in the world working on a cure for her disease. Our bill would double the amount currently authorized for the Orphan Product Development Grant Program from $12 million to $25 million per year. This grant program is considered one of the most successful programs at the Food and Drug Administration. To date, 23 drugs and four medical devices have been developed as a direct result of this medical program, 23 drugs and four medical devices. This is an extraordinary achievement, given these products are generally not financially profitable for the companies that make them. Let me stop there and go just a bit off text because during the political season it is very, very easy to beat up the pharmaceutical industry. It seems to be a target on both sides of the aisle. And yet today we are talking about companies that truly do God's work here on Earth. They are working hard to develop the kind of resources and procedures, medications and things necessary to save lives. So while we can have our quarrel and disagreement with the industry over certain items, I do think it appropriate that on occasion we speak up for their great research. We are the envy of the world in development of products, pharmaceutical aids, and other things in this country. We are the envy of the world, and we should not lose sight that scientists are working collaboratively with some of these well-known brand-name manufacturers who are in fact shining some light and hopefully some hope for the people suffering. Mr. Speaker, this medical minority cannot be ignored any longer. We cannot afford to keep paying 50 cents on the dollar when these patients are feeling 100 percent of the pain. It is time to raise the level of awareness of these diseases once and for all. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for introducing H.R. 4013, the Rare Disease Act of 2002, which would permanently establish the Office of Rare Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. His bill will allow for continued research and information-sharing among those scientists and doctors who are in the front lines of finding cures with these horrible diseases. I would like to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member, for their extraordinary efforts for bringing this issue to the national spotlight and for bringing these bills to the floor. I also want to commend my staff legislative counsel, Bradley Shieber, who is here on the floor with me today who brought these bills to my attention months ago. It is actually the fastest piece of legislation in my 7\1/2\-plus years in Congress that has come from a drafting, to a conclusion, to an introduction on the House floor, to hopefully a successful passage today. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah for their leadership on our companion measures that reside in the other Chamber. Again, I would thank everyone for participating in the debate. I urge my colleagues' strong approval of both bills before us, H.R. 4013 and H.R. 4014, as we proceed on these important measures today.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Speaker, I woke up this morning to a lot of noise on my TV set as two prominent Senators were berating the President of the United States, so I tuned in to listen and find out what all the fuss was about. It turned out there was a concern echoed by the President that there is a national homeland security bill that left this Chamber in July. In July. We had promised the American public action on this critical legislation before the anniversary of the terror attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on September 11. So I thought to myself, why would our President, our Commander-in- Chief, be outraged? Why would he be concerned, and why would we hear such volume from the Senate? Well, he is concerned about the life of every American living here in the United States who wants a safe homeland. We passed our bill. I cannot urge action on the other body, it is prohibited by the rules of the House. But I would at least hope that the American people would speak out loud and clear about the need for a homeland security bill, about the need to protect our national security.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to follow on the comments made by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and urge Congress to continue its work in dealing with Iraq, and I specifically thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) for his very proactive role in this debate. This is a bipartisan effort to rid the war of terrorism. This is one party versus the other; this is good versus evil. President Bush has made that clear. Our allies in the U.N. have heard the message, and I urge us all to focus on this very serious problem we face in this Nation. When people see the scourge of Iraq and the problems they pose to the free world, I think they, too, will join in a common voice and a common purpose of defeating terrorism and evil. Again I commend the minority leader, and for all those in Congress who are prepared to weigh in on this very critical issue of national security; and I certainly applaud the President, who has been steadfast since September 11 in leading this Nation not only to fight the war here at home but abroad.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to take a moment to thank the American Cancer Society and all of the various people who have come from around the 50 States, and right outside this Capitol building are providing a loud chorus of voices, working to fight cancer, whether it be breast cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, colon cancer, any of the number of maladies that strike mankind. It is terrific to see people, particularly those from the 16th Congressional District of Florida, participate in this very important day of public awareness, both for prevention of cancer and to, hopefully, find a cure for cancer. Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a moment to express my personal outrage at the comments recently provided by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's justice minister, Herta Daeubler-Gmelin, who said, ``Bush wants to divert attention from his domestic problems. It's a classic tactic. It's one that Hitler used.'' To compare our President in any way in a reference to the satanical Adolf Hitler to me not only demeans the friendship of Germany to the United States, but also indicates to me that politics in its raw form has found its way insidiously into the debate in the reelection of Mr. Schroeder as the Chancellor of Germany. I was in Europe just the other day and happened to catch a few of his impassioned speeches where he was using the United States and our fight against terrorism as a means in which to exploit his election chances. A few weeks ago he was behind in the polls and he decided a good game was to play ``them versus us,'' as if the United States and Germany were at war, as if the United States and Germany were not bound together by economic and other issues of importance to both our peoples. It seemed to me that there is a lot of thanks that should be given from Germany for the Marshall Plan. After the problems Europe faced in World War I and II, it was the United States economically that came together to aid that community and help dramatically restore economic opportunity to millions of Germans. It was Ronald Reagan in fact that spoke and urged Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down this wall. We helped, if you will, along with others in the U.N. and the United Nations communities to work on ending the separation of East and West Germany. That to me is a human outreach of kindness from one people to another. If you look at the number of Mercedes-Benzes and Volkswagens and BMWs and German products that are purchased and consumed by the United States, I can say definitely we have been on the side of economic prosperity for millions of Germans. But to have the Chancellor and have one of his top ministers comparing anyone in the United States to Hitler, particularly pointing that reference to the President, is honestly unspeakable. It is demeaning, it is derogatory, it is plain sick. When Mr. Schroeder or his opponent wins the election, I am certain the dialogue will shift to, You know, it's just politics. Just kidding. We really do oppose terrorism. We weren't necessarily saying we sided with Iraq and Saddam Hussein. We merely were using you at an opportune time for our political expedience. Mr. Schroeder, if the election or reelection of your government is that important that you can side with Iraq and Saddam Hussein, you do so at your own peril. This Nation has been a long and steadfast friend of Germany and its people. We have worked together on so many issues, too many to mention. But to sit here at an eleventh hour opportunity to regain power for the sake of power and demean our President and our commitment to working together for the international safety of every person on this globe is reprehensible. I hope he will refute and rebut the words of his justice minister. I hope he will at least find them to be offensive. I hope they will work on strengthening their determination to continue our united efforts against terrorism, that they will in fact join with France and Britain and others who have long recognized the threat terrorism poses to a free people. The President's passionate deliverance of the speech to the United Nations woke up a lot of people to the real threat that is facing all people, not just the United States. This is not for self- protection. This is for global peace. The President embarked on a very, very difficult campaign and he did so alone, with few supporters and few allies. After his speech, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of what I considered important support for going into weapons inspections and reopening U.N. peacekeepers and weapons inspectors into Iraq. That was a breakthrough and one I hope is taken seriously.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, Saddam Hussein has said he will let weapons inspectors into Iraq and the United Nations; and the world community says, all right. He is agreeing and he is cooperating. Well, we have been down that road before. Saddam Hussein years ago promised unfettered inspections. However, when the inspectors got there, they were told, not now, not at night, not in the palaces, not in certain locations, not where we do not want you to go. President Bush laid out a compelling argument to the United Nations on the need for forcible inspections; and if that does not change the attitude of Saddam Hussein, then that regime must go. They are in violation of the United Nations Council. They have violated numerous articles, and they need to be brought to bear the responsibility that the United Nations has in this effort. Now, if we are going to continue to pay dues to this organization, we better expect and demand, as the President suggested, that they play a vital role and a meaningful role in world affairs. If they are going to just sit there and gather in New York for cocktails and coffee, then what is the point of spending millions and billions of dollars to keep the organization alive? Saddam Hussein is a menace. He has proven it so. Let us fight with the President.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I join together on the floor today with my colleague from Florida (Mr. Hastings) because I too have spoken at each of our occasions here on the floor, with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and others in urging passage of this important legislation. What happened in Florida's primary election this year is an example of exactly why we need to complete this conference as soon as possible. The Florida legislature passed legislation that outlawed punch cards, included new technology, called for improved election management practices and policies and introduced a statewide computerized registration system. The State was not afraid to spend money to support this effort. They set aside $32 million to improve the way elections were run. The counties responded with approximately an additional $50 million of local money designed to complement this statewide initiative. It is very difficult for anyone to argue that Florida was not committed to changing the way elections were run in their State. In fact, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and his staff spent the last 2 years studying elections across the country, talking to election officials, voters, disability advocacy groups, election machine vendors and other experts in the field. Based on what they learned, Florida spent more money on new voting equipment than any other State in the country during the last 2 years. They also made significant improvements in election management policy, including the introduction of provisional voting, second-chance voting, definitions of what constitutes a vote, and other improvements. So what happened in Florida? Sixty-seven counties in Florida comprise our State. We heard about major problems in two counties, Dade and Broward. For those who tried to lay the blame at Governor Bush's feet, it is worth noting that the officials actually responsible for running those elections in these two counties are Democrats. The good news is that the overwhelming majority of Florida counties got it right. In addition to implementing new legislative districts, they changed the way they keep track of voter registration records, introduced new voting technology, they trained poll workers and educated voters on how this technology works. Let me remind Members of my home county, Palm Beach County, where our supervisor of elections, Teresa LePore, who was much criticized during the 2000 election because of the butterfly ballot decided to take the new voting technology to virtually every group that would have her. She went to Kiwanis, she went to Rotary, she went to synagogues, she went to mosques, she went to shopping centers and displayed the new touch screen voting technology. She trained her workers. She educated her workers and her poll workers and her deputies. She actually had mock elections outside of public supermarkets in order for the community to be more comfortable with the voting machine. Thankfully, because of that effort and that time she took, we had very little problem in Palm Beach County. In fact, we had a 98.5 percent success in Florida. We are suffering the aftermath of two counties. I regret that there were not a lot more people exercised about what happened in Dade and Broward. I was exercised that not every vote counted in the 2000 election, and I am convinced that some people should have been more vocal and vociferous because of what happened in Dade and Broward. The gentleman from Ohio's staff of the Committee on House Administration observed primaries in Lee County, Florida. Lee County used the same new touch screen voting technology as 11 other counties in Florida did, including Broward; but they did things a little differently. They spent extra time recruiting and training poll workers. I want to underscore that. Extra time recruiting and training poll workers. Educating their voters, buying extra voting machines so voters could practice at the precinct. They even went to the trouble of making a video on how to use the new technology and had it play in each precinct in the county during election day. Lee County, Florida, home of our own Porter Goss. In addition, they installed modems in all the precincts so that the election results could be electronically transmitted to the central office as soon as the polls closed. The local media and voters declared the election in that county a success. This is how election reform should work. Proven in several counties. A few problems in two counties. So let us not minimize the importance of the legislation before us. My contention from the beginning has been if we are going to implement meaningful reform, we cannot do it in a partisan manner. Managing good, solid elections that count every vote cast is not about what party you belong to. It is about sound public policy. Election officials need time to implement the meaningful changes that election reform will bring. It is imperative that we move this bill out of conference as soon as possible so that they are not rushed into making bad decisions, sending ill-trained poll workers to the polls, introducing new technology without educating voters, or repeating any of the other mistakes we saw in those two counties in Florida. I commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), as I do others in our delegation, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) and others who have also been vociferous in wanting to improve the election system not only in our home State but in every State of the Union. This is critical, it is timely, it is urgent; and I urge the conference to report out the bill.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would ask the gentleman to please repeat the number of people that failed to show up at the Broward County polls that were workers that were allegedly hired by the Broward County Supervisor of Elections. Was it 150?

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, this is something I wanted to elaborate on. I think the gentleman has done a great job on it. The county elects their own supervisor who is charged and mandated with the task of carrying out the elections.

Mr. FOLEY. If the gentleman will yield further, one other thing I would like to elaborate on, is the Secretary of State, Jim Smith, who has recently been appointed, warned the Democratic Party officials about problems in Broward County, brought it to their attention. The State offered resources, the State tried to help, and the Broward County elected supervisor rejected all efforts to assist in the election. This is different. Things were done, attempts were made to try to help during this critical and important election following 2000. All offers were rebuffed. I think that official bears sole, complete responsibility for the election outcome in Broward County, and Dade County has the same problem to address.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an issue that is of prime importance, I hope, to many American families and their children; and it is as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children that I rise today, because I have introduced legislation that deals with a growing concern of child modeling on the Internet. What occurs is that young girls, 10, 12, 13 years old, are encouraged by their parents and aided and abetted by individuals to display themselves on the Internet for viewership, if you will, people who pay a fee, a monthly fee in order to view the site. I am not going to mention the names of the sites, because I do not want to encourage anybody to go, but to understand the gravity of the situation we are facing. The girls initially pose in not very suggestive ways. They may be appearing next to a horse; they may be outside in their bathing suit; they may be holding a tennis racket. As time goes on, they are encouraged to pose more provocatively for their viewers. They are asked to expose themselves, they are asked to wear things like belly dancing outfits, they are asked to emulate an activity that is highly inappropriate for somebody their age. Many of these parents are deceived into thinking that the person witnessing their child on the Internet is another young person, a young girl or boy who is taking part in this little modeling expedition and encouraging their children or their friend to continue their activities as a child model. What we found out through investigation at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is that often, the people that are paying $19 a month to view these sites are pedophiles. They are often people who are depraved and who are looking at 11- and 12-year-old girls, and they are e-mailing each other back and forth saying, why do you not do this or pose like this. It is such a serious problem that I have designed legislation that I hope will answer some of the concerns. Today on John Walsh's show we talked for an hour about this very topic, and Mr. Walsh had on two mothers, two daughters, and two of the promoters of these Web sites in order for us all to hear from them why they thought this was an appropriate and legitimate act for their child to pursue. Oftentimes they said it was to raise money for the child's college, even though one of the girls on the show quit school and was now being home schooled because she said she had asthma and could not conduct the hard work of school because of her condition. Nonetheless, she would find time in her day to be a child model. What we heard was startling, that they would allow their child to come into contact of people of such ill repute. Now, again, I urge people to listen to what I am saying. I am not suggesting that young girls cannot be models, and I am not suggesting that there is not an appropriate place in commerce for young people to display their talents; but what we are finding on these particular Web sites, and it was first brought to my attention by a local NBC affiliate in Florida, in Miami, WTBJ, they had done an investigation on somebody who actually happened to live in my district and they went on to find these cases where the girl was posing. All I want to suggest to people is first, to my colleagues, look at the legislation. There has been much written about this legislation in the mainstream media. There has been much discussed, in fact, on national radio shows about this very topical issue and the legislation I have sponsored. We hope we can generate the debate in order to have parents hear our voices on what I hope is a clarion call for them to be very, very careful of what they subject their young children to. If we look at almost every case of abduction, every case of rape, every instance where a child has gone missing, typically, when they find the suspected person who has committed a crime, when the agents, the police officers raid the house, they often find reams of pornography, reams of material that uses young children in a provocative, nasty, and disturbing way. So there is a cause and effect between the harm caused to these children and their activities or the utilization of this type of material. Now, not every girl is going to be molested or harmed, and I understand that. But what they have to be aware of is that too much is occurring on the Internet today that should cause parents considerable concern. First and foremost, I urge every parent to make certain that the computer they use is in the family room where they can observe their young children using the computer. The person that may be chatting with their child may not be the person who purports to be on the other end. They may say they are a fellow student from school. It may turn out to be the neighbor next door who has ill intent on their child. We should warn our children not to be engaged in conversations with adults on the Internet, and certainly warn them never to meet a parent or adult out in a public setting after a chat on the Internet. I hope my colleagues will look at this legislation very carefully and consider cosponsoring it, because I do think there is an appropriate time now to address some of the growing concerns on this issue. I urge my colleagues to do so.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as we continue our reflection on September 11, I wanted to take a moment to enter into the Record a piece written by the Speaker Pro-tempore of the Florida House of Representatives, Sandra Murman from Tampa, Florida, and it goes like this: ``When I hear the date September 11, images immediately flood my mind. I see the plane hit the second tower. I see the Pentagon on fire and I can hear the sickening crunch as the towers fall while throngs of people run to escape the thick gray cloud. I also remember the utter horror I felt when I realized this was not simply one plane off course but rather a planned attack. This was our generation's Pearl Harbor. But unlike Pearl Harbor, terrorists hijacked planes full of innocent civilians and crashed those planes into buildings filled with more innocent civilians. On that day we saw the face and felt the hand of evil, but we also saw extraordinary goodness through the lives of heroic Americans in Washington, New York, and a Pennsylvania field. ``As we gather here to mark the one-year anniversary of the attack, I would like to share my thoughts on what I have learned since last September,'' she writes. ``Lesson one: I have been reminded that life is short and precious. That argument with a spouse, the concern over which car to purchase on September 10, suddenly seemed so petty after the attacks. As I evaluated my own life, I realized what mattered most was my relationship with God, my family, loved ones and community. Everything I do now needs to have meaning, purpose, and positively impact those around me. ``Lesson two: Before September 11 we knew we had enemies and lived in a dangerous world, but September 11 we discovered that organized groups of terrorists had both the desire and the ability to create devastation within our country. We can no longer take this security for granted. There is our new reality. ``Lesson three: On September 11 America showed that we are still a nation of heroes. Incredible courage was shown by the New York City firefighters who slapped on their gear and charged into the burning buildings to help victims escape. New York lost 343 of its finest that day. Hundreds of workers in the World Trade Center helped one another escape. I remembered hearing the story of one man who, instead of escaping Tower Two, chose to remain behind with a disabled colleague who could not make it down the stairs. They both perished that day. And, of course, we all heard the story of Flight 93, those extraordinary men and women who said their good-byes to their loved ones, prayed the Lord's Prayer, and with the words of 'Let's roll,' charged the cockpit to save countless lives in Washington, D.C. ``In an instant these ordinary Americans became legends. All the sacrifices on September 11 have left us speechless with gratitude. ``Lesson four: We have the responsibility to ensure that the lives lost on September 11 were not in vain. We were attacked because of who we are. The principles on which our country was founded, freedom, equality and the dignity of the individual, are a threat to Islamic extremists. They view open, democratic societies as the enemy and want to create a society where there is no religious freedom and no civil liberty. As defenders of liberty we stand in their way. ``At this very moment our servicemen and women are defending the cause of freedom throughout the world. Here on the home front we, too, have a responsibility. Our defense involves upholding the values of America. We have a civic duty to participate in our democratic institutions. We have a responsibility to instill in our children a love of liberty, a love of country, the difference between right and wrong and the willingness to make sacrifices in this ongoing struggle between freedom and tyranny. ``Let me close by reading President Bush's September 20th speech to the Nation: `` `Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time, now depends on us. Our Nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire. We will not falter. We will not fail. `` `Thank you. May God bless you all.' '' Sandra Murman, majority leader of the Florida House of Representatives.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, today is a very, very important day in America's history. It is the 1-year anniversary of the attack on America. I was handed something by one of my young staffers who has joined my office. He was formerly a page or intern in our office, and he has come back to work full-time, Parker Altman from Belle Glade, Florida, a community in my district. When he handed me this, I felt compelled to bring it to the floor to read it in its entirety because it sums up, I think, a courageous view point of a young person; and it speaks to what is in the hearts and minds of many young people who work in the Capitol, who are young, energetic, intelligent people who have come from around the country to be part of this great government. It begins, ``I woke up this morning just like any other day. Got ready for work and headed out. I had to leave a little early to beat the expected traffic around the Pentagon which is a transfer point on my daily commute. Regardless of my early departure, my wife insisted on getting up as well to make my lunch as she normally does. I told her not to worry about it, that I would get lunch at work, but she shook off her tiredness and strode into the kitchen. After putting my lunch in my briefcase, we hugged our usual good-bye, something was different. The hug turned into an embrace and I began to feel her shaking in my arms. `Be careful,' she whispered, as her eyes welled up with tears. ``I arrived at the office about an hour early. I quickly settled into my morning routine of sorting the mail and answering letters. Absentmindedly I printed, folded, and stuffed. The rest of the staff began to trickle in and the office took on its typical tone. Televisions were turned on and a more subdued demeanor settled over us. ``I had assured Carrie when I left home this morning that I would be fine and would keep in contact with her throughout the day. I took on a brave face to settle her nerves, or so I thought. I realize now while I sit here in our Nation's Capitol that the impression of my courage that I summoned at home was not only to calm Carrie, but to quiet my own apprehensions. I sit here in my office at the footsteps of the Capitol building, the intended target of last year's Flight 93, with numerous memorials and services going on throughout the city. I sit here at my desk, wavering from the painful emotions dating back to this very morning 1 year ago to the pride and the response and resolve that united our Nation and back again, yet all masked by an outer appearance of courageous numbness. Pausing a bit to find these words, I realized that I sit here scared. ``This is not a bad thing. In my young opinion, I think fear can be a positive force if understood properly and not allowed to overcome all other emotions. I am scared. Scared but not crippled by the fear. I try not to dwell on the what-ifs, not to think about how I would handle a devastating situation like last year. I try, but the thoughts invariably sneak in. I like to think that fear has not defeated me. Today, like yesterday, I commuted into work, passing through the very site that was struck last year. Today, like yesterday, I sit at my desk in my office at the footsteps of the Capitol building, the very symbol of democracy that our enemies hate. Today, like yesterday, I remember the images flashing across the screen, and I feel a twisting in my gut from the raw emotions of these events. Today, like yesterday, I am scared. Scared but not crippled because I know that regardless of what happens today or tomorrow or the days beyond, my family and friends know that I love them. I know that despite the evils in the world that work to frighten us, there is a God that overpowers all. I know that because of this divine good, I should no longer be afraid of the evil. Senate Chaplain Lloyd John Ogilvie said it best in New York City last autumn. When faced with our inevitable fears, Dr. Ogilvie reminded us that because of His presence we should, `take courage, it's yours, you know.' ``This is my prayer for you as this day progresses and as we face the uncertainties of tomorrow. It is, `Take courage, it's yours, you know.' That was by Parker Altman, my staff member. I mentioned he is from Belle Glade. It sums up the thoughts and emotions of many of the fine young people here today. They did come to work, despite the fears and alerts, Democrats, Republicans and Independents from around this great country of ours, these fascinating and fulfilling young people who choose to labor in these buildings and the Capitol, much like the Clerk's Office, the police officers, the rank and file. All of us came here today to prove a point to terrorists that we will not succumb to fear. When we have a 21-year-old coming up to us, realizing that probably their own parents suggested they should stay home, call in sick, these kids chose no, and to face the burden of the day and face the challenges; and, yes, face the fear, knowing that this city could be a target at any time. But democracy, for it to flourish, fear must be subdued, and we must fight with our energy and vigor to make America the land of the free and the home of the brave. Mr. Speaker, I salute Parker Altman today. I am thankful that he took time to put his words to paper. I am thrilled that I am able to read it on this floor and state a memorial for the Record. I urge all Americans today as we bow our heads in prayer to thank God for the divine inspiration and the great opportunity we had today to celebrate another day of American heritage; sad as it was, powerful that we were able to overcome our fears and focus on the work of the people.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, the ``Orange Register'' in California every week recognizes a writer who eloquently expresses a viewpoint or engenders a debate on a topic of public interest. It is known as the Golden Pen Award. The title of this letter to the editor of the ``Orange Register,'' written by Ann Baker, a real estate agent of Huntington Beach, California, is ``A Young Marine Restores My Faith.'' ``It was our normal Thursday morning business meeting at our real estate office. No big deal. Before the meeting, we hung around the bagel table, as usual, with our coffee. He stood aside, looking a little shy and awkward and very young, a new face in the room full of extroverted salespeople. An average looking guy, maybe 5 foot 8 inches. A clean-cut, sweet-faced kid. I went over to chat with him. Maybe he was a new salesman? ``He said he was just back from Kabul, Afghanistan. A Marine. Our office (and a local school) had been supportive by sending letters to him and other troops, which he had posted at the American Embassy door in Kabul. He stood guard there for 4 months and was shot at daily. ``He had come to our office to thank us for the support, for all the letters during those scary times. I couldn't believe my ears,'' she said. ``He wanted to thank us? We should be thanking him. But how? How can I ever show him my appreciation? ``At the end of the sales meeting he stepped quietly forward, no incredible hulk. As a matter of fact, he looked all the world 15 years old to me. ``This young Marine, this clean-faced boy, had no qualms stepping up to the plate and dodging bullets so that I may enjoy the freedom to live my peaceful life in the land of the free. No matter the risk. Suddenly the most stressful concerns of my life seemed as nothing. My complacency flew right out the window with his every word. Somewhere, somehow, he had taken the words honor, courage and commitment into his very soul and laid his life on the line daily for me and us. A man of principle. He wants to do it. Relishes it. And he came to thank us? For a few letters. I fought back the tears as he spoke so briefly and softly. ``He walked forward to our manager and placed a properly folded American flag in his hands. It had flown over the Embassy in Kabul. He said thanks again. You could hear a pin drop. As I looked around, I saw red faces everywhere fighting back the tears. ``In a heartbeat, my disillusionment with young people today quickly vanished. In ordinary homes, in ordinary towns, kids like him are growing up proud to be an American and willing to die for it. Wow. We will frame the flag and put it in the lobby. He only came to my office once, for just a few minutes, but I realize I rubbed shoulders with greatness in the flesh and in the twinkling of an eye my life is forever changed. His name is Michael Mendez, a corporal in the United States Marine Corps. We are a great Nation. We know because the makings of it walked into my office that day.'' That is by Ann Baker of Huntington, California. I think that properly summarizes our Nation's respect for the men and women in uniform. We take for granted the sacrifices they and their families make to serve this country. We assume freedom comes without price at times; and September 11, which we rapidly approach, taught us a lesson, that America's freedom depends on the strong and vigilant men and women who fight our battles for our freedoms and fight for the integrity of this Nation. Parents who allow their children to enter harm's way for the flag that flies behind me do so knowing for the freedom of a Nation men and women must offer themselves in sacrifice. Ann Baker's letter touched me as well because it signified from an average citizen that she recognized that day that that young man, Michael, who came to her office, changed her life; but it was also shaping the lives of future American leaders. We pray for the safety of our troops here and abroad; but we also thank those special individuals who have character, who stand up for the flag and the Nation and fight the good fight for all Americans.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as we head to the final stretch of the 107th Congress, much remains to be done. The presidential want-to-bes spend a lot of time on the Sunday talk shows in hair and makeup articulating what their vision is for homeland security. Well, there happens to be a bill authored by our President, passed by this House, that languishes over on the other side of this building. I urge my colleagues and I urge all of those paying attention, as we come upon the September 11 anniversary where 3,000-plus lives were lost in our country, that we focus our energies and our resolve on protecting our homeland. The President has a prescription to make America safe, and I urge the other Chamber to act upon that vision. We cannot do this alone. The House has tried. Fifty-five-plus bills remain stalled over on the desk of the majority leader of the United States Senate, and I ask and I implore someone who is listening to my voice to urge action, to urge debate, to urge passage of this vital legislation to protect this country and give the President the tools and the powers he needs.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, last week I asked this body to consider immediately the Sarbanes bill. Thank God we had a conference committee, because our bill is actually now stronger than the Senate product, including more jail time, including forfeiture of ill-gotten gains. Now, on the other side of the aisle, they have been asking for hearings; they have been talking about the Vice President and the President. Let me suggest to them if they want to have good hearings, let us call Senator Corzine who headed Goldman Sachs, and let us call Secretary Robert Rubin, the Clinton Secretary of the Treasury, who headed CitiGroup. When we talk about Enron, we ought to talk about all of the players. There seems to be some real mischief. In fact, Goldman Sachs, Mr. Corzine used $60 million to run for the Senate. Goldman Sachs was hyping Enron stock past $90. They encouraged people to buy it. So if we are going to have hearings, Mr. Speaker, let us have Goldman Sachs, let us have CitiGroup.