Mark Foley

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would tell us about his vested interest in this program. How many grandchildren and children does the gentleman have?

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me compliment the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security again, and let me also emphasize that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) took his plan, the plan that I have cosponsored, down to the editorial boards of our newspapers in Florida, and let me mention one in particular, the Palm Beach Post, that is known for a rather liberal look, for the agenda of America; and they looked at the gentleman from Florida's (Mr. Shaw) plan very thoroughly, in fact, complimented the gentleman on the authorship of the plan and willing to take the debate forward to the American public on the importance of saving this valuable program. Sun Sentinel, as well part of a large chain of newspapers throughout the country, also opined that they felt it was not only a very good plan but an excellent starting point to begin the bipartisan debate on this valuable program. This is not just two Members of Congress talking to ourselves, wanting to hear our own voices. We have actually taken these ideas, as the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) is going to share with us soon his, he has been working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), a noted Democrat, who has been very engaged in this constructive, bipartisan debate; but this is not just our voices in an echo chamber. People have actually reviewed the fine points of this document and suggested it was a great opportunity to not only enhance Social Security for today's recipients but for generations to come. I want to thank the gentleman for spending time. Now it is indeed my pleasure and privilege to introduce the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), another State that shares a large population of seniors, but also who has a tremendous amount of young, innovative working families trying to earn a living and go to college and working to make a better economy for the great State of Arizona; and the gentleman has been long endeavoring on Social Security, not just timely this week or this month, but my colleague has been working on it for a significant length of time, another true patriot in the effort to preserve and protect Social Security. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), and of course the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) who spoke earlier, on what is a vital, important and outstanding program for seniors. The gentleman has worked a long time on this proposal. I personally commend the gentleman. We do not call the plans between Members competing, we call them complementary for a reason. We are looking for solutions to real problems, and I salute the gentleman for taking time for this discussion today. Mr. Speaker, we have been joined by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) who has worked tirelessly on pension accounts, which are of interest to all Americans who have actually had a chance to build up their own portfolios through IRAs and 401(k)s. The gentleman has been an important architect in not only emboldening those plans to give more financial security, but actually doing something even more meaningful for some of the younger generations who may not have been able to afford to contribute the $2,000 per year to their IRA by giving a catch-up provision that kicks in in later years so they are able to actually add to their Social Security account through their IRA plan so their retirement plan is more insured and more secure. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman).

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, it is the security of seniors we are here protecting. We are here protecting that valuable program. We are not changing their benefits; is that correct?

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as we conclude today, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey) for providing this time so Members can discuss at great length this important, valuable and vital program for American seniors. I talked about my grandmother when I opened, and I would like to talk about my parents, Ed and Fran Foley of Lake Worth, Florida. My father is 81, and I will just leave it at the fact that my mother is younger than my dad, and I will not mention her age. I want to go home and eat over the weekend, and if I mention her age on the House floor, she may be a bit upset. I suggest that they are both recipients of Social Security. We want to underscore to every senior like my parents, and much like my grandparent, we are not changing the benefits of Social Security recipients. We are not reducing them. We are not replacing them. We are not privatizing them. We are ensuring them. We are ensuring that seniors across America can count on that check, whether it is direct- deposited or comes to a mailbox near their home. We are ensuring that every senior who has worked hard building this economy, the greatest generation that served us in World War II, are given the confidence by this Republican leadership that we stand behind the pledge and promise that Social Security would be there in their golden years. That is a gold-plated guarantee by this body. We are not investing their funds in the stock market. To the contrary, we are ensuring their success and survival. I reject the claims of the minority and suggest we are working productively to ensure the continuation of this valuable program. For those who are disabled or survivors, children of people who have passed, who count on Social Security, our commitment is stronger than ever, and it is a bond we make with those who are frail in our community that need Social Security. So if you are disabled or a survivor, you can count on the continuation of this valuable program. We are also telling current workers that we are not going to tax them further in order to ensure a political success formula for us. We are going to make certain it works without burdening hard-working young men and women who are earning their way and supporting their families. Today has been about speaking about a greater point of view of protecting a generation who served us in a phenomenal way, many who led us out of the Depression and through World War II, through Korea, some through Desert Storm, who because of disability are now on Social Security. This is a generation that has brought this Nation to the greatest place and the greatest time on Earth. This is a generation that we should celebrate and support and applaud. Let us not demean the debate with the silly rhetoric of scare tactics. Again, I mentioned I come from Florida, and each political season I get ready for the attacks that run against myself or Mr. Shaw suggesting somehow we are going to take away this valuable program. Fortunately, the voters are smart enough to reject those election lies. They are election lies. I do not like to use the word ``lie'' on the floor, but I cannot characterize it any other way because there is no factual basis to them. They try to scare seniors. The last candidate for President tried to scare seniors in my State of Florida, tried to win the election by scaring vulnerable seniors. To have a conversation about Social Security should not be about fright or frightening people. It should be about uplifting them in this great hall of debate. I choose the high road in this debate as does the majority leader and the Speaker and the majority whip and every member of our conference. We have heard from several today who enunciated our plans for continuing and securing America's future. Over the next several weeks we will continue to engage in debate and respond to the charges by the other side of the aisle. We are not going to sit back and take it anymore. I made that comment last week and I make it again. Bring your charges to this floor and we are ready. We will answer your rhetoric with fact; and we will provide the information so that seniors, as they sit in their living rooms, know the truth. The truth is Social Security is a vitally important program, and we are here prepared to do our duties to ensure the continuation of this great program. I want to thank you, Mr. Speaker, today for indulging and for all those who participated and again my thanks to the majority leader, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), who recognizes, as he concludes his career in the Congress as we adjourn this session, the value of this program, the value of seniors, and our commitment to continue on leading this Nation in a financially prudent and positive manner.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. I warn all of you not to cry in front of me, please, so I can get through this very important day with you without shedding tears as well. First, I want all of you to salute two people that I know at times were tough on you. They are taskmasters, they are disciplinarians; but they love you in an incredibly personal way. I would like all of the pages to clap for Ms. Sampson and Ms. Ivester, your supervisors. Ms. Sampson is on the back rail. She does not like to come too close here because she may cry, too; and she does not want any of the kids before you depart on Saturday to see her being a vulnerable person. It is true. I hear so much laughter here and I am glad that there is laughter, because this is a wonderful time of your life. Every time we celebrate the departure of a page class, we remember your first day here and, of course, we are here at your last. You came in very shy and meek and very polite and for the most part you have remained polite, but no longer shy and meek. You have taken on your respective roles as junior Members of Congress and oftentimes I get a kick when I walk by the back row, Mr. Foley, please mention the pages so our parents will hear us on C-SPAN. The nice thing about today is you are on C-SPAN. And this is recorded. And you will get to see this replayed. And you will get to see your faces now assembling as if you were Members of Congress. Some probably cannot wait to leave and get back and see your best friends and loved ones and some are anguishing about your departure. Mary Kate Leonard was on the back row crying. I asked why. She said, ``I'm losing my best friend, Rachel.'' I said, ``Really? Where's Rachel?" ``Oh, Rachel is a Republican page.'' I said, ``Oh, you are all bipartisan, too, huh?'' Because Mary Kate is a Democrat, which shows how friendships can cross an aisle and cross ideological divide. So I asked Rachel to come from the cloakroom, and she thought I was kidding, to join her friend who was crying and I said, ``I can't let her cry alone. You have to be out here to be part of this.'' Now I have got you both crying and I am starting to well up. I have got a lot of other stories. Of course, Christopher made sure I came out of the cloakroom to see that his mother and family were sitting up in the gallery this morning as I quietly mentioned to him, ``Remember, we're not allowed to gesture to the gallery.'' He said, ``Oh, just wave to her, so she knows I'm important.'' He is important and she is above us now. Of course we have got several Jasons, a few Laurens. Adam, thank you for the graduation announcement. I sent you a handwritten note, and I was actually going to put some money in it as a graduation present. Then I realized he would tell all of you, and then I would get hundreds of graduation announcements. So I chose not to. I hope the handwritten note will suffice for your scrapbook. Patty Mack, of course, also known as Patrick McDonald, when he said, ``Mr. Foley, who made you say that?'' I said, ``I made it up myself. I'm Irish. I get it.'' Fabulous young man. This is not made to make fun of him or anyone else. The tag team of Dominic and Hilary. Who will forget their exuberance coming in the room? Bubbly, excited, cheerful. Of course Jordan and Eddie. Eddie's mother I met today. They are from Florida. He is a constituent and hopefully a future voter of mine if I choose to run statewide, so Eddie will be my next best friend. And, of course, Melanie, and finally John Eunice. John was the highest bidder on lunch with Mark Foley. Maybe you all do not know this story, but John had paid considerable sums to dine with me. I had offered to take the winning bidder to lunch in the Members' dining room. Then I heard how much John Eunice paid. And I said, ``John, there is no way in the world after you committed so much money to have lunch with me that I would dare take you downstairs to eat in the Members' dining room.'' I said, ``Where do you want to go?'' He says, without reservation, ``Morton's.'' I said, ``Morton's? Like in Morton's Steakhouse?'' He said, ``Oh, would that be too much?'' I said, ``Oh, no, we'll go.'' I said, ``Call your mother, get permission, make sure she notifies the Clerk and we will go to Morton's.'' And so we proceeded to cruise down in my BMW to Morton's. And all of this story is meant to make you all feel jealous that you were not the high bidders. So we went to Morton's, and I do not know where you all went. I have a lot of other names here, but I do not want to go through the litany of lists, Nickie and Tim sitting in front and others. This has been an incredible year. This has been a year you will remember for the rest of your lives. When I was in fourth grade, President John Kennedy was assassinated. I remember kneeling in prayer for our Nation and for our President. I was so scared, because I had never witnessed something so traumatic. And on the 11th, and I think the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) said this best, we were all scared as Members of Congress. We were frightened for our Nation. And what tenacity you showed and what leadership you proved by staying here in this Capitol. I am afraid if I was your age I may have run home. That speaks volumes about the people you are. That speaks volumes of your parents and your grandparents. It speaks of the kind of love they have given you, the kind of time they spent with you to make you the incredible human beings you are. God has blessed this Nation more than I can tell you and given us the chance to succeed beyond our wildest dreams. I barely graduated from high school, and I did not go to college. I am a proud Member of this great institution because I kept trying. I never gave up and never gave in to the instincts to be lazy or run for cover. You all have proven without a doubt that you are not only courageous Americans but wonderful young people. Cherish your youth, cherish this experience, but above all cherish your families. Let them know how much you appreciate them giving you this chance. And let them know how much you appreciate their love to make you the people you are. I was not going to do this because I am on C-SPAN now. To the Page Board, as well, and to all the people that make up this fine institution, from the police officer you see in the morning and you see at night as you are entering your dorm, to the people that help keep the buildings clean and operating, the elevator operators, the people that serve you in the cafeteria, the people that stand behind us and work countless hours listening to us babble, the people that have made up the core of this program, I salute you and I thank you and I hope you will join me too in saluting everyone in the page program that has made this year a resounding, phenomenal learning experience and success for you. God bless you all.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I feel somewhat compelled to at least respond to the last charges that Republicans do not care about Social Security. We do indeed care about Social Security. We have parents. We have grandparents. We care desperately. When the record is explored for people to review, I hope they will know that nine out of 11 times that Social Security was violated, where they actually invaded the trust funds, occurred during Democratic Presidencies and Democratically controlled Congresses. We will show the record. We will show in detail where moneys were taken from the Social Security Trust Fund and used to offset other budget issues. Let me also remind the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) they never talk about the spending bills that they have encouraged on this floor. Repeatedly, time and time again, we hear motions to rise, motions to adjourn, some 9, 10, 15 a day, because they are unhappy with the spending levels in the bills. They insist more money be added to each and every appropriation bill, and it happens time and time again. During the Presidency of Mr. Clinton, constantly bills were vetoed because they did not have enough spending money. They try to put it all on the backs of those who choose to put the money back in the pockets of the American taxpayer. I am one of those that is proud to give money back into the families' pockets in America, those who best spend the money on their families, on their children, on their futures. But to sit here and blame Republicans and insist or insinuate we do not care about Social Security is absolutely false, absolutely false. We are not privatizing Social Security. We are strengthening it. And if the Democrats would participate in cutting spending on some wasteful programs, we may actually make some progress. We are committed to the war on terrorism. We are committed to supporting our President in fighting this war on terrorism. And I am committed to spending the money to eradicate al Qaeda, and I am prepared to spend the money to support our men and women in uniform fighting for us here and abroad. I am prepared as a Member of this body to do what it takes to ensure the survival of this country and its citizens; and I am also committed to fighting for Social Security, as is every Republican. My colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), chairs the committee and he cares about Social Security. All of us face constituents that are in their senior years. My parents may be watching, who are drawing Social Security. I care about them deeply. So if we are going to have a record on Social Security spending, bring it on. If we are going to talk about deficits, bring it on, 40 years of deficits. Bring that debate to this floor, and I will match them word for word, dollar for dollar. I will show the Members where it has been spent for 40 years. We balanced the budget in 5 years. We brought tax relief to American families. We strengthened education. We are improving Medicare. We are solidifying Social Security. The temerity of the other party to sit here and scare seniors is appalling. It is appalling to scare seniors, who should be enjoying their retirement. Instead, they rattle out these charts and threaten financial collapse, and suggest and use names of people who have disrupted their own companies. Go ahead and mention Enron; go ahead and mention those crooks. They are crooks; they stole from their companies and their shareholders. That is not our fault. They were cheats and we should punish them. I will join in a chorus of outrage against those corporate mischievous people. But I will not stand by and listen to this demagoguery that we have plundered Social Security, because the record will in fact reflect, as I stated at the beginning, nine of the 11 times Social Security was violated were by Democratic administrations, Democratic Congresses. Bring it on, I am ready, because I love this country. I love our seniors. I come from a senior district, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that not only do they receive their checks, but we will balance the initiatives for all Americans, young and old, rich and poor. No class warfare; quit pointing fingers. Let us do the heavy lifting. If we want to cut spending, we can save Social Security and the budget. If they want to keep spending like drunken sailors, then they will have the kind of deficits they have had for 40 years when they ran the place.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Speaker, in the last several days, there has been a lot of finger pointing and accusations about our agencies, the FBI and CIA. There is no question, we will do a thorough and complete review of what was known and what could have been done to thwart the terrorists on September 11. But the kind of cynical sniping at these fine agencies has to stop. Our collective resolve against terrorism must remain united. We must stand beside our President and our leaders in order to extradite and remove these terrorists from our soil. I strongly support major restructuring of the INS. We have passed a bill in this Chamber and sent it to the other end of the hall. That bill languishes on the Senate desk, and I urge the majority leader to start proceedings to hold a hearing or at least have a vote on that bill. This past week in New York City, four Syrians arrested who had deportation orders against them, were released because they were not available to process them on Memorial Day. What a tragedy, that these criminals were in our country and were not sent back to their own native country. They had the orders. They should have been deported. I urge the Senate to adopt the INS reform bill and do so urgently.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a special organization that helps disabled and other disadvantaged members of our community. In 1902, a Methodist minister from Boston, Reverend Edgar J. Helms, started a movement to help people with disabilities and other barriers to employment become working members of our community. Throughout 2002, Goodwill Industries is celebrating its 100th anniversary making amazing progress by helping those in need. As a former board member and President of the Gulfstream Goodwill, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, I was able to witness first hand the great work Goodwill does for our community. Like the national organization, Gulfstream Goodwill Industries serves disabled members of our community by helping them become intricate and productive working members. Gulfstream's mission--to empower people through work--ensures those in need are offered working opportunities and the possibility of self-sufficiency and independence. Mr. Speaker, I wish Goodwill and Gulfstream Goodwill the happiest of anniversaries. May its success continue and strive for perfection like it has over the past century.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his hard work on this bill. I strongly oppose the substitute and strongly support the base bill. Are we giving up freedoms and liberties in this bill? Absolutely not. But when we have looked at what has happened in this country since September 11, I think it is incumbent upon us to strengthen the laws of this country and strengthen the rights of our agents to inspect packages that come. We lost a constituent in Palm Beach County through anthrax. We have lost a lot of relatives and family in the World Trade Center, and in the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. Every time we start looking at tightening our borders and strengthening our integrity and our system, we hear these charges of civil rights abuse and civil rights violations. What about 2,800-and- some Americans who died in New York? What about their civil rights? We have to protect our borders. This bill does that. I do not mean to be outraged, but I am at times, because I cannot understand, when we are protecting our own borders, when people are coming into this country as our guests, that we do not have the right to search them thoroughly, whether they are U.S. citizens or guests from other nations. In order to protect domestic tranquility, we must work to focus our efforts to make certain that we do not hamstring our Customs agents, our mail inspectors, from being able to thoroughly search that evidence which may make its way into the country. Ships that come into the ports should be thoroughly screened. We do this in this bill. We provide the mechanism and means, since we are asking for manifests before the flights and cargo arrive, so we can thoroughly screen it. We are giving $24 million for Florida and other Gulf Coast seaports. Florida has already been a leader in the Nation on this issue. This bill will provide technology to continue this work. We also authorize a very important $10 million for child cybersmuggling, which gives the money towards the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for its operation at the child pornography tip line. We strengthen our borders in Mexico and we strengthen our borders in the north, in Canada. We are not targeting any group. We are not racially profiling. We are providing security and protection for the United States citizens of this country. I suspect there will be acrimony on this debate. This is the first time since 1992 we have reauthorized the U.S. Customs Service, the oldest law enforcement agency in our country. I am certain there are a lot of people having vigorous debates on civil liberties and civil rights. I do not disagree that we have to be careful not to tread on the basic premises of our Constitution. But we are at war. We have people who have threatened the integrity of this country. We have people who have destroyed the fabric of our communities through fear, intimidation, and through reckless disregard for human life. We have packages that could come in this country that could destroy our ports. So I think we have to be more proactive. I think we have to give them the tools. I think we have to provide for them some legal protection so they can make the appropriate search. If we are to wait for a court to rule on every package that comes in this country through the U.S. mail service, or by virtue of a person carrying it across our borders, we will forever jeopardizes the safety and integrity of this country. The courts do not move that fast, they do not operate that quickly. What we are trying to do is provide a level of protection for our citizens. I think it is high time we do. I salute the committee for its hard work on this bill, and the chairman, and I salute the many Members that I believe will vote for this, because it provides, finally, the tools I think we need to not only protect our borders, but to protect our people.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, last week, a number of Members came on the floor during 1-minute speeches, based on a report that was in on CBS News reporting that there was some speculation, if you will, that President Bush actually knew the events of September 11 would happen and that he did nothing to prevent them. To say I was outraged would minimize my feelings on this issue. I wanted to address this Chamber late Thursday because, as I heard these speakers one by one mount the podium to challenge the Commander in Chief of this country, I was not only shocked but chagrined that, in the middle of a fight against terrorism, while our men and women are in Afghanistan and our soldiers are standing vigil around the world, that Members would actually speculate not only openly but antagonistically impugn the President's reputation. I heard this weeks ago, when a Member of this body speculated that not only did he know but he kept the information quiet so people could profit from their knowledge; that investors and people who bought defense stock and others, and this Member actually singled out a few and suggested they were in fact in on the game. Now, clearly, I thought that was so far out in left field that I would not even give it credence. But then respected Members of this body got up and continued the assault this week, including a gentleman from New York, who even speculated that the President, if he knew, was personally responsible for the deaths in New York. Now, talk about shock, talk about outrage, talk about reckless commentary. We all want to know what happened September 11, and we all want to talk about the failures potentially of intelligence, and we all want to look at the system and try to perfect it so it does not happen again. The warnings in the last 24 hours are shocking and are of great concern to every American and should be to every Member of this body. But for a Member to sit here and randomly speculate that he or she believes that this President, or any President, would know of this information and sit on it, is just sheer lunacy, and it is regrettable. I think those that made those comments should seek to have them taken down, because I think they are not only reprehensible but they diminish our united efforts on terrorism. There is one thing certain in America, as we all think about the tragedy that began in New York and spread to Washington and to the fields of Pennsylvania, that many lives were lost due to people who did not respect our country. They do not respect what we stand for. They do not respect democracy. But to have our own Members of this Congress speculate alongside them and question the dedication of a President? I remember when there was an invasion of Bosnia, and there was speculation because of a scandal enveloping the President that he may have proceeded to bomb Bosnia because he was trying to deflect the attention from the scandal in Washington. I myself, as a Republican, took umbrage to that. I was outraged by that comment as well, because I felt to speculate that a good, kind man, like President Clinton or President Bush, would knowingly risk innocent lives, one to deflect criticism from themselves and one because they were not paying attention to the job, is just the height of irresponsibility. We have a lot to do in this body, and we have a lot of questions to ask. Seems like those questions are fired fast and furious at the other end of this hall by those who want to interview Governor Ridge; they want answers to all these questions; they want to see the detailed briefings; they want to lay out all of this for the world to see. And the ones I am concerned about seeing this the most are the terrorists that may still be residing in this country. So rather than be divisive, let us pull ourselves together. There will be plenty of time to lead inquiry; but we are actively engaged right now in the pursuit of freedom, we are actively engaged in protecting our citizens from terrorism, we are actively engaged in trying to get all agencies of the Federal Government to cooperate, the FBI, the CIA, Border Patrol, and Immigration. So I think our collective efforts, rather than to see who can point fingers and accuse the Commander in Chief and the President of this great country, we should be focusing our efforts to strengthen our common resolve against our enemy. Our enemy is not at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Our enemy should not be the Republican or Democratic Party, or who controls this Chamber. This fight is not over who runs this place. It is a fight for democracy, and it is a fight for freedom. And I hope my colleagues will be cautious when they seek to accuse this fine President of shirking his responsibility and his duty. I am proud of him. I think he has done a masterful job. And I continue to give him 100 percent of my support.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me underscore the comments of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings); I agree. I think we need to find out what the agencies knew at the time and why they were not, if you will, cross-pollinating that information, because that is one of the problems we have to review. What I take umbrage with is I think there was a certain amount of glee in some of the voices here in this Capitol because they had sensed that finally, they thought they found a weakness in the President to exploit for political purposes. That is what troubled me. I sense that we do have a lot of work to do, and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) is on the Select Committee on Intelligence; and he probably is privy to a lot more than I. We do have to find out the failures of the FBI, the CIA, Border Patrol, Immigration and Naturalization, student visas. I mean, we have a tremendous amount of activity that we have to undertake collectively as Democrats and Republicans. But I just in my heart of hearts was so startled when we left here last Thursday. I know politics, believe me. Both sides play it; our side played it in the prior administration, and I am sure that when one is the target of it, one becomes somewhat anxiety-ridden, as I was, over the weekend. I cannot tell my colleagues how much more distressed I became as the days went on when I felt in my heart that individual Members had actually not just speculated, but impugned the President, suggesting that he not only knew, he almost knew the date, time and sequence of events. That is what I found startling. I thought that was launched strictly to weaken him up and to potentially create the political atmosphere that we currently find ourselves in.

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, today we embark on a vigorous debate relative to welfare reform in America. In 1996 in this Chamber, Congress actively debated how to bring financial independence to millions of Americans. Three times it was vetoed by the President of the United States, finally signed into law. Two years later, President Clinton was bragging about being the author of the welfare reform bill that is now the law of the land. Millions of Americans are now financially independent, working to bring pride and respect to their families, and today we continue that debate to bring more independence to more Americans. I am proud of that work, and I am proud that this bill contains additional money for child care, job training, and preparing our citizens for the future of this country and its economy. I will welcome the debate vigorously on this floor today because I believe we are on the right path. My grandmother came from Poland, she was a maid at the Travel Lodge Motel, she worked hard all her life. All she wanted to be is a good citizen and an honest, God-fearing person of this country. I salute people like her, and I know we can do better with the bill on the floor today.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me give strong commendation to the chairman and the ranking member, but particularly to Chairman Ney, who came to Congress with me in 1994. I am proud of his leadership of this committee and particularly of this bill. As a Floridian and a Palm Beach County resident, we were embarrassed during the election. We were embarrassed because people felt that their ballots did not count. Whatever side of the coin a person was on, whether an Al Gore supporter or a George Bush supporter, no one's vote should have been called into question. No one should ever feel that their vote has been manipulated or denied. This bill brings us light- years forward in hoping to never revisit that time and that place again. We are very proud that one of our own Floridians, a member of the delegation, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis), was a proud working member and a participant in this product. Florida is thankful for his leadership. We are also particularly delighted that the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), provided the $450 million provided under the supplemental bill.

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentleman's underscoring that, because as all of us know, it is easy to come up with an idea, but it is tough to come up with the money. And the gentleman just mentioned who was able to deliver for us: The appropriations process. This is an important bill. It is a milestone effort in trying to create the inequities that were caused in the election. Florida felt put upon, but we were not the only State. There were many other jurisdictions that had similar voting irregularities. But because of the closeness in our State, all eyes and all attention were upon us. This bill has the support of a wide bipartisan array of Members; 362 to 63 this bill passed in December. That is phenomenal in this process. National Association of Secretaries of States, Conference of State Legislators, National Association of Counties, I do not think there is a group that is involved with the recordation of votes that did not weigh in affirmatively on this unique product. We also want to stress that it improves the integrity of the election process. It ensures voter lists are kept accurate and up to date. It ensures voters can correct errors in privacy. It ensures voters are not pressured by election officials. It requires every State to improve its election procedures by providing provisional voting, fully accessible voting machines for the disabled, and this was a very important point to reconcile. That was a great effort on behalf of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney). I want to salute them for recognizing that different people have different needs when it comes to the ballot box. The legislation also safeguards and protects the voting rights of military voters and overseas citizens. This was another point of contention. We all, Democrats and Republicans, respect and revere those serving in our military and we equally share in wanting to see that every one of their votes counts. No party has a greater fundamental responsibility to ensure that, both parties do, and we have accepted that responsibility together. We also have uniform standards for what constitutes a vote. That is a tremendous step forward. No longer will we assume a dimple, a hanging chad, a three-hanger, a two-hanger. There will be a standard so no one can question the validity of the outcome. So again my high praise to both gentlemen, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney), to all the members of the committee, particularly the Members of Congress who allowed us to pursue this dream of making voting rights and voting responsibility synonymous. This bill, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, will ensure integrity, responsibility and the utmost accuracy in the process.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, the welfare reform bill we passed in 1996 has been a rousing success. Republicans should be proud that we helped welfare recipients achieve independence through work. We should be proud that we have protected children, strengthened families, and helped millions achieve success. If Members do not believe me, let me define success in the terms of the Republican-led welfare reform legislation. Mr. Speaker, nearly 3 million children have been lifted from poverty. Work among mothers most likely to go on welfare has risen by 40 percent. Nine million people left welfare, a 60 percent drop. That, Mr. Speaker, is the definition of success. Welfare reform is working, but in order to get more people from welfare to work, we must continue to improve the system. In the past 6 years, we have seen welfare cases fall by 14 million to just 5 million people. By reaching out to Americans in need, we have changed our society for the better, and have changed the lives of millions of Americans forever. We are making progress. Let us not rest on our laurels. Let us strengthen the path towards independence by empowering people to support themselves. Vote yes on H.R. 4700.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Thank you very much, Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chairman, Members of Congress, my colleagues, former Members, guests, ladies and gentlemen. I am very honored by this award. When Ronald Reagan was President, he received many awards. One time he received an award and he said, ``I don't deserve this, but I also have arthritis and I don't deserve that either.'' We all in our lives are honored by many things. We are honored by the support and affection and loyalty of our families, our spouses, our friends, and we are honored by those with whom we have had the opportunity to work, particularly those who work in public service. I think the greatest honor of my life was the willingness of my wife Heather to allow me to join her life. She had to leave, but she was here earlier. Second to that, probably the honor that was bestowed on me, as it was on all of you, by hundreds of thousands of constituents, who were willing to trust your judgment and your responsibility in representing them in the House of Representatives. That is truly a great honor because, as it was said 200 years ago from the gallery, ``Here, sir, the people govern.'' When I was a young Member of Congress, John McCormick said one time when he was Speaker to us that if the day came when you were not thrilled, deeply honored and deeply moved as you came to the Capitol, whether it was a stormy or sunny day and any season of the year, and you did not have that great sense of responsibility and honor to be allowed to serve so many of your fellow constituents, he said if that day comes, quit. Quit. You have stayed too long. When I was a very young Member of Congress, brand new, not yet sworn in, we, as were Republican Members, were given briefings by our seniors and betters. John McCormick was Speaker when I was a newly-elected Member, and he addressed the Members of the 89th Congress by saying that some of us might have been elected seriously, others by accident, and he would only know and the leadership would only know after 2 years time if we were reelected. In the meantime, he wished us well. We were then addressed by a very powerful member of the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Irwin, who said that he wanted to warn us against the single greatest danger that could occur to a new Member of Congress beginning his or her service. We leaned forward to hear what that was, some ethical trap or other we thought perhaps. He said, ``That great danger, above all others, is thinking for yourselves.'' He said, ``Don't do that.'' He said, ``For heavens sake, don't do that.'' He said, ``Trust the subcommittee chairmen, trust the committee chairmen, trust the chairman of the Democratic Caucus, trust and support the Whip, the Majority Leader,'' and he said, ``Above all else, above all else, trust, support and follow the Speaker.'' I remember being outraged, deeply offended that a senior member of my party should suggest that I subcontract my judgment to the leadership when I had been elected, I thought, as one of a number of young new members, Lloyd Meeds and I, from the State of Washington to come and do my part to see if we could help our constituents, our State and our Nation. He went on to say, Mr. Irwin, that more people had gotten into trouble in this body by thinking for themselves than by stealing money. That outrageous statement was absolutely beyond sufferance. Later on, however, it was my honor to be a subcommittee chairman and later, with Kika de la Garza, our committee chairman and the Democratic Whip and the Majority Leader and, finally, in June of 1989, the Speaker of the House. As I took the oath as Speaker, the wise words of Mr. Irwin came across a generation of time, and I thought how right he was, how right he was, Members should support, follow and accept in all ways the leadership of the Speaker. But, of course, that does not happen. Then and now, people of all parties, of all regions, of all circumstances that serve here follow their own best judgment as to how they can best serve their citizen constituents. I think that it is an enduring honor to have served in this body, and for, I think, the thousands who have served here it is certainly one of the most significant things that happens in their lives. After I left here I had an additional honor of being asked by President Clinton to serve as Ambassador to Japan, and I remember very distinctly the moment when I presented my credentials to the Emperor and was proud to say I have been selected, Your Majesty, as the Ambassador of the United States of America to Japan. I herewith present my credentials of office and my predecessor's letter of withdrawal. That was a fascinating opportunity for me, again a great honor, to represent our country to America's strongest ally in the Pacific, and to follow, again, a very distinguished group of Ambassadors who have served there before, including the late Mike Mansfield. As I returned from Japan after being asked to stay for a short term during President Bush's administration because of the tragic sinking of the Ehime Maru by a U.S. submarine, I left on the very day that was mentioned by our President, and on April 1, when the Chief of Station told me, as I was getting in the car to go to the airport, that we have an aircraft down from Kadena in Hainan Island, China. But those events and the tension that followed have passed and the United States has resumed a constructive relationship in China. And I want to say a word of praise for this organization and its constant work to use the opportunity of former parliamentarians here to meet with parliamentarians in other countries and in other regions. The study group for Germany and Japan and the one soon to be established for China, the parliamentary exchanges with Mexico and with Canada, with Eastern Europe and elsewhere have allowed the United States Congress and the United States former Members to share their experiences with parliamentarians, distinguished parliamentarians in other parts of the world, and I think together we advance the cause of democracy by that effort. I do not think there is any higher calling that a former Member of Congress can aspire to than to use whatever experience he or she has in the service of our constituents and in parliamentary democracy to advance it throughout the world. Again, with great thanks to all of you for the honor you have given me today. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks and I leave the floor. But before I do, let me say one final thing of appreciation to one other Member here today, Bob Michel, with whom I had the great honor of serving all the time I was here and especially when I was Speaker during the time when he was the distinguished Republican leader of the House. If circumstances had been a little different and the electoral cycle a little different, Bob Michel would have been one of the great Speakers of this House, and I am proud to know him. Thank you very much.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to young Americans who have penned essays describing the ideals and characteristics that they believe make this country great. These essays, entitled ``What America Means to Me,'' are particularly impressive because they were written by elementary students at The Joseph Littles--Nguzo Saba Charter School in West Palm Beach, Florida. The following 4th and 5th graders are to be commended for their inspirational works: Alia Bougouneau, Diandra Buchanan, Simon Calixte, Diriki Geuka and Stewart Scott. These students have indeed impressed their fellow students, teachers and the surrounding community. The dreams expressed by these students are dreams common to every American but I find it remarkable that these students have, at such a young age, already grasped the essential strands that weave our country together with great strength. Our country is one that has always thrived on the support of its citizens and, now more than ever, this support is integral to our nation's might. I am most pleased to honor these young Americans for their show of support to the country they love. Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect Congress' appreciation for their efforts.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my support for the National Fibromylagia Association and to recognize May 12, 2002 as Fibromylagia Awareness Day. This year alone, over 10 million Americans will be diagnosed with Fibromylagia, a disease of which there is no known cure. Fibromylagia is a chronic illness which causes fatigue and debilitating pain in women, men and children of all ages and races. Patients with this illness often have to learn to live with widespread pain throughout their bodies; extreme fatigue; sleep disorders; stiffness and weakness; migraine headaches; numbness and tingling; impairment of memory and concentration. As with many diseases of this type, medical professionals frequently are inadequately educated on Fibromylagia diagnosis and treatment. What is worse, children and young adults with the disease not only suffer from the illness, but also from the lack of understanding and social acceptance. Others with the disease may be discriminated against at work, by friends or family. Developing a greater understanding of this disease will help guarantee hope for a better future for people with Fibromylagia. I am proud to recognize the needs of the National Fibromylagia Association and to acknowledge May 12, 2002 as Fibromylagia Awareness Day in Palm Beach Gardens. I urge all of our citizens to support the search for a cure and help those individuals and families who deal with this devastating disease on a daily basis.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to introduce and welcome Senior Pastor Tom Mullins to the United States House of Representatives this morning. Senior Pastor Mullins is the founder of Christ Fellowship, an evangelical 14,000-member church in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. This nondenominational evangelical Christian church has grown from about 140 people to 14,000 people under Pastor Mullins' guidance. Pastor Mullins left a successful career as a football coach and athletic director to start the church. He was a well-respected coach at Palm Beach Gardens High School in the 1970s and at Georgetown College in Kentucky before becoming athletic director at Palm Beach Community College in Lake Worth. He started the church in 1984 while still working at the college, and has been there ever since. In addition, Pastor Mullins and his wife, Donna, who joins us today in the gallery with their daughter, Noelle, are the founders of the Place of Hope International, which sends food and clothing around the world, from Peru to India. They work locally in our County of Palm Beach distributing food baskets to the poor and sending thousands of gifts during the holiday season to people in need. A well-respected member of our community, Pastor Mullins is an advocate for citizen involvement in the political process, for being good stewards of our Nation's heritage, and a strong supporter of President Bush's faith-based initiative. Again, it is my great honor to welcome Pastor Mullins.

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Florida. (Mr. SHAW asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FOLEY. Again, Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor that Pastor Mullins agreed to come to Washington and deliver the morning prayer.