Mark Foley

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, we are here on December 13 in our Nation's Capitol awaiting some progress from the other Chamber. The economy is in trouble. Joblessness is increasing. Unemployment and layoffs are occurring around our Nation. It seems like on the other end of this hallway they are tone deaf to the problems facing average Americans. The House passed an economic stimulus bill, the President has a blueprint for an economic stimulus bill, and somewhere over on the other side of this wonderful, majestic building are people that do not get it. They do not understand the pain and anguish of Americans who are suffering. They do not recognize as we head into the holidays that people need some hope in the economy and the stock market needs a little boost.N O T I C E Effective January 1, 2002, the subscription price of the Congressional Record will be $422 per year or $211 for six months. Individual issues may be purchased for $5.00 per copy. The cost for the microfiche edition will remain $141 per year with single copies remaining $1.50 per issue. This price increase is necessary based upon the cost of printing and distribution. Michael F. DiMario, Public Printer Now, I pray over the next couple of days that they find their direction and find their way to assist average Americans in making a more secure future for themselves and their families. They can leave this Capitol without doing anything, and they will be the do-nothing other body. I am trying to avoid using the term, because I do not want to be admonished by the Chair. But I think most Americans are disgusted by their lack of performance, and it will be reflected.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, how low will the Democratic Party go? I read in USA Today that the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the chairman of the DCCC, was planning on running ads blaming President Bush for the recession, calling it his recession. Well, for those Americans who are out of work and unemployed, it is a personal recession; and I take great umbrage at the gentlewoman for running ads at a time when we are in a national crisis fighting an evil enemy in Afghanistan and would make this a political opportunity to attack our Commander in Chief. It is regrettable, it is shameful, and it is out of bounds. Mr. Speaker, Members should cease these kind of play games and start working. On the other side of this building, the Senate dawdles, fails to address a stimulus bill because the majority leader wants to run for President of the United States. If he was President now, we would have real problems because he cannot make a basic decision. I urge my colleagues to insist that the Senate pass a stimulus bill so we can repair the economy and move forward, and say to the Democrats and the DCCC, take your ads and shove them.N O T I C E Effective January 1, 2002, the subscription price of the Congressional Record will be $422 per year or $211 for six months. Individual issues may be purchased for $5.00 per copy. The cost for the microfiche edition will remain $141 per year with single copies remaining $1.50 per issue. This price increase is necessary based upon the cost of printing and distribution. Michael F. DiMario, Public Printer

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation to the chairman for his recommendation of funding for bioluminescence measurement and signature detection in the Navy RDT&E account in this bill. This is an evolving area of knowledge which has very important military applications. Many of my colleagues know that plankton in the world's oceans give off light flashes when stimulated by movement in the water by objects such as ships, submarines and swimmers. This ever-present phenomenon represents a powerful detection tool for anti-submarine and mine warfare. We can utilize this phenomenon for detection of opposing forces--but we must also be aware of it to protect our own operations. For example--it is my understanding that--a Navy SEAL team in Operation Desert Storm was forced to alter its landing site because of concern that bioluminescence in the intended landing area would reveal the team's presence. At present--bioluminescence is detected and measured by a device developed at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in my district. Because of the cost and size of this first-generation measuring equipment--only three have been produced. The funding I have requested and the Committee has approved would fund a program involving Harbor Branch scientists which would develop measuring equipment small enough to be launched from a rubber raft and inexpensive enough to be utilized in large numbers. Only such an expendable version offers the hope of accurately measuring bioluminescence in all the militarily-important regions of the world. This is an important initiative which will take advantage of the expertise at Harbor Branch for the benefit of our military. I again thank the chairman for recommending this funding and express my hope that this item will be preserved in conference.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, another Friday has passed, another week is finished in Congress, and we still have no economic stimulus package. We need to urge the other Chamber to work with us to try and get something that will stimulate this economy. Unemployment numbers are rising. GDP numbers released this morning were weak. We continue to see problems in the economy. Shopping and holiday shopping has dropped dramatically. Tourism in Florida is off 16 percent. How much more information do you need in the other Chamber? I urge all parties, Democrats, Republicans and independents, on both sides of this Capitol to work together over this weekend and have an economic stimulus bill that will actually cause the economy to move forward. We hope on our side that at least includes tax relief for hardworking families so they will have more money in their pockets to spend in their community. But there is no excuse for failing to act. I urge this body to move the legislation to the President's desk so we can get the next quarter of the economy moving in a positive direction.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, since 1988 December 1 has been known as World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day emerged from the call by the World Summit of the Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS prevention in January of 1988 to open channels of communication, strengthen the exchange of information and experience, and forge a spirit of social tolerance. Since then World AIDS Day has received the support of the World Health Assembly, the United Nations system and governments, communities and individuals around the world. Each year, it is the only international day of coordinated action against AIDS. Today in the Washington Post I have read Kofi Annan, who is the Secretary General of the United Nations, entered this editorial comment: ``Every day more than 8,000 people die of AIDS. Every hour almost 600 people become infected. Every minute a child dies of the virus. Just as life and death goes on after September 11, so must we continue our fight against the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Before the terrorist attack two months ago, tremendous momentum had been achieved in that fight. To lose it now would be to compound one tragedy with another. ``New figures released in advance of World AIDS Day, December 1, show that more than 40 million people are now living with the virus. The vast majority of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, where the devastation is so acute that it has become one of the major obstacles to development. But parts of the Caribbean and Asia are not far behind and the pandemic is spreading at an alarming rate in Eastern Europe. For too long global progress and facing up to AIDS was painfully slow, and nowhere near commensurate with the challenge. But in the past year for much of the international community, the magnitude of this crisis has finally begun to sink in. Never in the 2 long decades that the world has faced this growing catastrophe have there been such a sense of common resolve and collective possibility. ``Public opinion has been mobilized by the media and nongovernmental organizations and activists, by doctors and economists and by people living with the disease. Pharmaceutical companies have made their AIDS drugs more affordable in poor countries, and a growing number of corporations have created programs to provide both prevention and treatment for employees in the wider community. Foundations are making increasingly imaginative and generous contributions, both financial and intellectual in prevention, in reducing mother-to-child transmission and the search for the vaccine. ``In a growing number of countries, an effective prevention campaign has been launched. There has been an increased recognition about donors in the most affected countries of the link between prevention and treatment.'' This is General Kofi Annan's statement today in the Washington Post. Let me underscore how tragic it is: 7,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa die each day. Seven thousand people, almost double those killed in the World Trade Center. Seven thousand a day in sub-Saharan Africa. It is an international issue that we must grapple with. I am proud to say President Bush has committed $200 million to the global fund to fight HIV and AIDS. The global fund has right now pledges totalling $1.5 billion and I am proud to see our President, George Bush, committed to this goal and providing financial response and support. I am asking Congress for an additional $1 billion for the fund, and I hope we are able to do that. Today we should reflect on those lost and use their memories to fuel our efforts to eradicate this pandemic. This is one of the most serious health challenges we have faced and will face in my lifetime. I pledge as a Member of this body to continue to work with our leaders, the Speaker of the House and others, in order to effectuate a solid policy that helps care for those suffering from this dreaded disease. We can find a way to not only, we pray, create a vaccine, but eradicate this scourge among mankind. But we must particularly set our sights on sub- Saharan Africa and other places because of the poverty and because of the lack of knowledge and because a lack of medical care and treatment is ravaging and destroying the humanity that lives there. I pledge my support and I know Congress joins us today as we salute World AIDS Day tomorrow morning in our global fight against this disease.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, since AIDS was first recognized 20 years ago, 58 million people have been affected; and at the current rate of spread, the total will exceed 100 million by 2001. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are currently over 900,000 people infected and living with HIV and AIDS in the United States. There are approximately 40,000 Americans infected each year. Worldwide this year there were 5 million new cases, and of that, 800,000 were under the age of 15. Worldwide there are over 40 million people currently living with HIV and AIDS; 18 million are women and 3 million are children. AIDS kills more than 7,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa each day. President Bush this year has committed over $200 million to a global fund to fight HIV and AIDS. I have requested additional money along with other Members of Congress to pursue this very worthy goal. Today we should reflect on those lost and use their memories to fuel our efforts to eradicate this pandemic.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today concerning the Save-A-Friend national hotline program. The need for a national school violence hotline to help prevent tragedies in our nation's schools is extremely pressing. These senseless acts of violence against children must be stopped. While hotlines at the state and local level are useful, a national hotline must be implemented in order to better combat the problem of school violence. I am pleased that the concept of Save-A-Friend has been supported by so many and I plan on making a request to the United States Department of Justice recommending a total of $500,000 in grant funding for the study and preliminary design of a Save-A-Friend National Hotline Program. This hotline should be staffed by trained professionals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and ensure timely interaction between schools, local police organizations, the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies. My request will ask the Department of Justice to report back its plan and budget to implement such a program on a national basis next year. This report will be submitted before the Fiscal Year 2003 budget process.

Mr. FOLEY

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

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me associate myself with the comments from the gentleman of Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) urging the Senate to bring about an economic stimulus package. We passed over 6 weeks ago a very important bill that would bring real tax relief to American families. Now, maybe the other Chamber's idea of a stimulus is Metamucil, but we need more than a dose of fiber to get this economy moving. I urge them based on the numbers we saw yesterday, rising unemployment, lower consumer confidence, today's Wall Street opening again declining, based on the fact that there is little confidence in this economy, we could make a dramatic step forward by bringing the House and Senate together and conferencing this very important economic stimulus bill, send it to the President for signature, and get the economy moving for the holiday season.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me share in the congratulations to the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and, of course, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) for his leadership on this issue. Let us make sure we do not do what we did with the 1990 bill, simply pass it. We need to enforce it. We need to make sure we carry out the mandates of this bill. There is a provision to secure the cockpits, $500 million. Let us make sure we secure the cockpits. If the airlines had their way, they would put a paper clip in the lock and say it is secure. We must make certain that not only the aircraft but all perimeters are secure. This bill was worth the couple weeks we waited. A lot of politics was made out of it. In fact, disparaging remarks were made about our side of the aisle not caring about safety. We care deeply about airline safety, passenger safety. And due to the leadership of both sides of the aisle, I can say to the American public today, as cochairman of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, we are well on our way to safer skies, a better traveling modality, and certainly a better economy for all Americans. I congratulate the House.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, if you read Roll Call today, you will realize that the majority leader of the other Chamber decided at a very important engagement with President Putin to make a joke about his height. A few months ago, he seemed to make the same reference to our own President when he questioned his international stature. The gentleman must obviously have a height fettish. Rather than focusing on things we can do for our country, he is making fun of the gentleman's stature. Our President has led us successfully in Afghanistan. The words from the field include: ``The Taliban's on the run''; ``we're focusing in on bin Laden''; and ``we're going to achieve our goal because the United States and its allies remain committed to the end of terrorism.'' I salute our President. I urge the majority leader of the other body to quickly take up the airline security bill which the House passed which includes options for localities to hire the kind of screeners they need to protect the traveling public. I also urge him to take up the economic stimulus bill that is ready at his desk and ready for the American economy.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) for their leadership on this issue. In this bill there are adequate disclosure requirements. This is a good bill. I have heard some interesting debate today about whether the person should have an investment in the firm or not; should they be strictly giving advice. There are two schools of thought to that. I particularly like somebody whose money is riding along with mine investing in the market. If they are willing to put in their equity, I am a little comforted by the fact that maybe they are interested in the risk/reward. I remember in Palm Beach County, we had a bank that sold a preferred note and on the front of the note, it was an 11 percent coupon. But huge disclosure: ``This is a risky investment. This is not FDIC insured.'' What happened was the consumer, the constituent, decided because of greed that they were willing to gamble on that. Of course when the bank went bankrupt and they lost their money, they started blaming the advisor, the person who sold them the bill. But on every document it was very emphatic, that this was risk based, highly speculative, no guarantees; and everybody then looks to the little print and says, Oh, boy, I didn't really read that. Well, you could not miss it. This legislation updates important remedies for those who invest. I have a 401(k) here in Congress and they send me advice and they tell me that over the last several years government funds have done such, 401(k) or equities has done such. It is my decision to make whether I invest in equity bonds or other fixed incomes. I can choose the more speculative route of equities. They make it clear that that is risk based. That advice is mine for the taking. If I do not want to use it and want to test the fates and roll it all in my equity portfolio, I have the right to do that. In this bill, every American has that right. This bill, or the base text prior to this bill, has not been updated since 1974. That is like asking people in this Chamber to drive a 1974 automobile. This provides a great balance between the ability of those savers, those consumers, to increase their retirement funds through prudent investment. It is specific. The solutions, the benefits and the problems listed in the Retirement Security Advice Act should allay any fears. Let me underscore. Today, 42 million workers invest more than $2 trillion of assets in a 401(k). This legislation would update these rules to reflect this new pension environment. In addition, the bill would encourage employers to offer investment advisory services by clarifying liability rules that currently discourage employees from hiring employee investment advisors. It is a balanced, fair, fundamentally sound way for consumers to ready their portfolios for retirement. I encourage the House adoption of this important measure and thank the respective chairmen for their leadership on the issue.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the majority leader for his comments and for his bringing us together to discuss this important bill on the floor. I asked the gentleman's staff whether I would get 3 credit hours for the wind-up there, because I think it is important. I want to let everyone know I did not graduate from college. I started a little family business when I was 20 years old. I was in my second year of community college. I started a small restaurant and then pursued my entrepreneurial dreams of having my own business. It is interesting when this bill is being described, and obviously, some on the other side of the aisle, some in the other Chamber, zero in on one or two issues and they try and create this impression that the bill that is passed by the House Committee on Ways and Means and then adopted by the floor is exclusively about one simple provision. If we can obfuscate the truth and create dust or clutter or create an element of doubt in the mind of the taxpayer or the person reading the newspaper, then maybe we have been successful in distorting the fine product that is before us today. I do not think one needs a degree from college to understand what it is like in the real world earning money, for providing for family, paying bills on time, and it certainly does not take an economic genius to realize people are hurting now and the economy is suffering. It was suffering before September 11, it became more dramatic after September 11. I do not understand about the other side of the aisle's argument, and I think it largely was the reason that a certain gentleman from Tennessee failed to make it to the White House, is that they actually punish people under their approach for success. Now, follow me, if you will. The other side of the aisle spends a lot of time on education. We need good education. We need to give more money for education. And then when you are educated and successful, they then turn the argument around and say, but excuse me, we are going to raise your taxes. We are going to take more money from you. We are going to crimp your lifestyle by taking money out of your wallet and transferring it to some program that we deem important, we, the potentate, the Federal Government, telling you how to use your money, you all do not get a say in it. We just take it from you and deploy it. Now, when they are criticizing the bill, I do not hear them speaking of important issues that were important to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) like the work opportunity tax credit, the welfare to work tax credit. Hardly sounds like tax cuts for the rich. We work on domestic energy sources, including wind production, biomass, things that will stimulate and remove our dependency on foreign oil. They do not talk about that. They do not talk about qualified zone academy bonds. They did not talk about a number of the things that are in this bill that provide real stimulus. We talk about capital gains. Yes, capital gains to some sound like a buzzword for rich people. Forty-eight percent of the American public is now investing in equities. Maybe something as simple as buying your first share of stock or maybe adding to your portfolio to secure a more meaningful retirement. But by allowing you under your bill to keep more of your money and manage your resources more wisely, we create the economic stimulus for the economy to weather this rather difficult period. Now, we can bay at the moon and we can single out corporations; in fact, let me raise this other point that I think is important, because there was some conversation about tax benefits to corporations, and I think the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey) raised the point very brilliantly. But where are the people from Detroit, the Members of Congress? Because the people that are apparently benefiting under this bill, those corporations that employ a large number of workers in America, Ford and GM and some of the names they mentioned in hysteria, they were here defending them in other debates on energy consumption, on SUV vehicles; they were saying, if we did this provision we would hurt Detroit. They are not here on the aisle or talking or conversing with us or trying to pass this bill that may help the workers at Ford, not the corporate chieftains at Ford but the workers. So I commend this bill and I thank the majority leader for giving us the chance to verbalize and to suggest to the other side, rather than focusing your ill intentions on one specific provision of the bill, read the bill. Read the benefits. Look at the constituents who will benefit. I draw that one more suggestion, that if you look at work opportunity tax credits, welfare to work tax credits, these do not seem like unusual proposals. These seem like hard-hitting proposals that help average Americans who are struggling today. This bill accomplishes it. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman for bringing us together, and I look forward to other debates from Members of Congress.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, there have been some troubling comments made by our colleagues relative to the Republican position on airline security. There have been many comments made that we somehow do not treat this urgent matter with the due diligence that it deserves; and I want to underscore, as chairman of the Travel and Tourism Caucus, the co- chairman along with the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), that we take this very seriously; and I want to also underscore as a Floridian, tourism is our number one enterprise in our State. It seems like we are all bickering over a potential whether we should hire 28,000-some workers and whether those workers be part of the Federal system. Let me suggest to my colleagues that under the Republican version of the bill that is languishing in the other body for failure to compromise on some other positions, we suggest that we could do a blending at the discretion of the President and the Transportation Secretary, former Democratic Chairman Norman Mineta, that we look to see what is most appropriate for securing the terminals at our airports throughout our Nation. Let me ask anybody who has owned a business or hired people before how long it takes to do background and training to get a workforce ready. Multiply that by 28,000 individuals, and my colleagues will see the complexity of the problem. It may not be a big problem for LaGuardia or JFK or Washington Reagan National or John Wayne and some of the larger airports in our country; but think of some of the smaller regional and rural airports where we must man that same security checkpoint. Every Republican supports strict Federal rules and regulations. Every Republican is not satisfied with the status quo. Those that have accused us of somehow trying to be supportive of the current contract holders of this service are absolutely unequivocably wrong. In my case in Palm Beach County, I would love for the President of the United States and Mr. Mineta to contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department professional law enforcement officers, members of the Police Benevolent Association Union or Fraternal Order of Police Union, allow them to be contracted with to be on-site security screeners for our airports. We can do that in a matter of 72 hours, deploying those people to that important checkpoint. That is what the flexibility provides the President the right to do; but under their version, it cannot be done that way. We may hire 28,000 people ultimately, who knows. We will continue to negotiate and try and prevail in the opinion which we believe is the correct one, that we have a blending of responsibilities; but if we do not secure the entirety of the airport system, including those who work at the ramps, those who load the luggage, those who bring in the food carts, or those who clean the planes, we will have left a gaping hole in the security of our airplanes and our airports. I applaud everyone in this Chamber who has worked hard on trying to get an aviation safety bill passed. I regret some are using false rhetoric in describing our leadership and others as not caring about public safety. I take umbrage and challenge those types of statements because they are absolutely, factually incorrect. We want safety. We want security. We prioritized these issues. We will not back away from these issues; but when my colleagues use one little political call that by hiring these 28,000 we have ensured some degree of safety, we are misleading people because it will take far too long, potentially 3 to 5 years, to even get this workforce up and running, and that in fact does not bring security to date. Our bill does. I urge the other body to act. I urge them to compromise. I look forward to a bill for the President to sign and returning safety to our skies.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many of my colleagues caught the USA Today when it talked about the Clinton administration's war on terrorism and how it failed, and how after repeated bombings, whether it be the embassies, the USS Cole, Khobar Towers, on each and every incident, then President Clinton suggested, ``I'm going to get these terrorists, we're going to find them, and we're going to bring them to justice.'' It never happened. Currently we are seeing success in Afghanistan. We are seeing a Commander in Chief pursue terrorism, to pull it out by the root, to remove this insidious and destructive force from America and from the world. I applaud our President at a time when Americans are rallying behind our flag and asking God for his blessings. We are going to get bin Laden, we are going to get those terrorists who are still here in America, and we will not stop this time. Our President will not yield, and he will not end the campaign against those terrorists until we have successfully concluded the mission.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I come to the well of the House to congratulate the many people whose hard work and sacrifice resulted in a series of successful concerts to benefit the heroes and victims of the September 11th tragedies. Last month, the music and entertainment worlds joined forces to raise funds to help those affected by the September 11th tragic events. On October 20th, Madison Square Garden hosted ``The Concert for New York City.'' On October 21st, a second all-star benefit concert, ``United We Stand,'' was held here in our nation's capital while a third concert, ``The Country Freedom Concert'' was hosted in Nashville. These three concerts raised well over $20 million in ticket sales, viewer pledges, and other donations. Proceeds from these shows will benefit the American Red Cross, the Pentagon Relief Fund, the Salvation Army and the Robin Hood Relief Fund. This weekend of concerts joined many of the world's greatest performers with Clear Channel Entertainment to raise money in support of the recovery efforts from the September 11 attacks. These concerts in New York, Washington and Nashville featured appearances by Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Bono, Elton John, the Backstreet Boys, James Taylor, Michael Jackson, NSYNC, Eric Clapton, James Brown, Ricky Martin, John Mellencamp, Marc Anthony, Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, George Strait and countless others. These concerts offered America another chance to help in our recovery efforts and national healing. I am proud to join these individuals in standing up for America. I urge my colleagues and all Americans to watch the rebroadcast of the ``United We Stand'' concert tonight on ABC at 8 pm EST. Finally, I support this effort and commend the efforts of those in the music and entertainment community for their efforts.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, let me quote Ronald Reagan: ``Too often character assassination has replaced debate in principle here in Washington. Destroy someone's reputation, and you do not have to talk about what he or she stands for.'' I have not heard one Republican on my side of the aisle talk about keeping the status quo. Each and every one of us has family that fly on airplanes, and we are concerned about their safety. But if one listens to the other side of the aisle, we are not interested in employing top- notch people. Indeed, we are. Mr. Chairman, in Palm Beach County, I would like to be able, with the President's direction, to hire the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department, uniformed law enforcement agents, FOP and PBA members. I like the union, and I like supporting unionized police and firefighters. They could be on the job in a matter of weeks. They could be given the authority to do that. We are not suggesting to keep these little groups of people who are now working the airports. That is inadequate. That is unacceptable. The Young-Mica bill does not allow for that. Let us not cloud the debate about one side not being concerned about passenger safety and the other side ramping up. I have heard Members praise the Border Patrol, and they are doing an outstanding job; but somehow there are 7 million illegals in this country that got through our borders. The terrorist who struck the World Trade Center was here on an over- stayed visa, the job of INS. They did not find him and remove him. I have a pestilence in Florida, citrus canker, that is supposed to be stopped by the USDA inspection teams at our ports; but I have millions of dollars of damage of our crops because we did not stop it, all by Federal employees. I think we can do better. Do not say it is a panacea for safety.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, today we are dealing with airport security, an issue vitally important to the travel and tourism industry and to every American. I want to take a moment to reflect on this chart of the House aviation security plan, backed by the Secretary of Transportation, the former chairman of the Committee on Transportation for the Democratic Party, on this floor, a plan that he supports, President Bush supports, and I think every traveler will find comfort in. My colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), in a moment will talk a little bit about another bill that exists on the other side of the aisle, or the other Chamber, but let me show you exactly what is involved in our plan. It covers everything in airport security, from drop-off to transportation to terminal security to tarmac security, and it does so to ensure the American public that they are safe when they board aircraft. There is going to be a fight and debate today about who should they be, Federal employees or law enforcement employees. My view is this: let us make it safe. In Palm Beach County, the sheriff department's deputized law enforcement officers are well-equipped to, in fact, be the persons to intervene in the baggage screening area. I would welcome that. I would be delighted to have that. I wish their side would recognize that local flexibility is vitally important in securing our air space. Support President Bush today in his call for aviation security. Support the Young-Mica bill. You will be pleased with the results of passage of that legislation.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States has asked us to pass an airline security measure tomorrow on this House floor. What our Commander in Chief and President has asked for is flexibility to hire people at airports to ensure the security of the traveling public. Plain and simple: President Bush is not going to risk the lives of Americans by buying on the cheap, so let us not get tied up in how or where they are employed or if they are called Federal employees. That seems to be the call from the other side of the aisle, that unless they are given a Federal ID Card, they will not adequately protect the traveling public. I suggest that we follow the guidelines laid out by President Bush. I must say, he has done a phenomenal job with our Nation in Afghanistan. He went to the Yankees game last night and stood on the mound and pitched the ball, showing he is not frightened to show up in a major stadium, and now he is asking for a tool to protect the American public as they travel. I urge this body not to get tied up in partisan politics of who hires and where they are hired and what union they belong to, but instead ensure that when you get on an aircraft you have been properly and thoroughly searched, that you are safely going to arrive at your destination. Support the President on this issue. It is important for travel and tourism in this country.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, as cochairman of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, I urge this House to immediately pursue the airline security measures that we see before us. We can do a lot of promotion. We can spend a lot of money. We can urge people to travel. But if we do not make our airlines safe, they will not fly. I just left a meeting with the theme team, with Secretary Norman Mineta, former chairman of the Democratic Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, he was then in the minority, who seems to share the same goals that I have, that we have security at the airports, not necessarily labeling them as Federal employees. In Palm Beach County, our airport, currently we could use the sheriff's department. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department could be hired with Federal resources in order to secure those going on planes. The other side of the aisle seems to insist that if they are not Federal, Civil Service employees, then we will not proceed with this bill. I think it is more important to have security in the cabin of the airplane and making certain it is accomplished with Federal guidelines than simply calling them Federal employees. We have to do this and we must do it now in order to encourage our citizens to travel safely once again in the skies.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I am searching on the Democrat side of the aisle for some Members from Michigan. I hope they are going to come to the aid of Ford Motor Company and General Motors. When we had the discussion on CAFE standards, I know they were most vociferous in protecting Detroit. Today, while this attack is being leveled at Ford and GM, nary a word comes from Michigan. I await their arrival to hopefully shed some light for Members on this floor regarding the horrific layoffs that are occurring in the companies that they mention. I love Members using big names and big corporate people as ways to have an argument here on the floor on tax policy. Mr. Speaker, I remember a gentleman from Tennessee that ran for office, the highest office in the land, and the reason he lost, class warfare, pitting one against the other. Picking winners and losers, deciding who is entitled. I love that about this party. I love the Democrats because they get up here on the floor and try to obfuscate the facts that are in this very good bill by the Committee on Ways and Means. They do not talk about welfare-to-work tax credit extension. They do not talk about qualified zone academy boards, which was pushed by the ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means. They do not talk about work opportunity tax credit. They do not talk about $11 billion in interest-free financing for school construction. They do not talk about these things because these affect average Americans. These help our communities and neighborhoods. These help the most unfortunate who are losing their jobs. No, let us roll out the charts. Let us pick on big corporate America because that way Members can rally the forces of those in their communities who side with labor and other interest groups in this Capitol. Mr. Speaker, I do not want to start that class war rhetoric. The gentleman from Tennessee I mentioned has a nice time walking around the country, not as President but as a former candidate, because he decided rather than unite he would divide. He would determine who is lucky and who is not. As a Republican, I am proud of the bill we are offering. It covers all Americans, and it will help lift the economy.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, last week the Speaker of the House decided, based on credible information and a significant threat, to shut down some of our office buildings. We thought we had coordinated with the other body. Lo and behold, all of a sudden headlines say wimp. The Speaker acted appropriately, concerned for the people who work here, and I would much prefer a headline saying ``wimp'' than ``morons.'' Somehow, somewhere the majority leader decided last week to be tough and be brave and stand up here and say we will not go home, we will work. I thank the Speaker and I thank our leadership for doing what was appropriate to protect the lives of hundreds of employees who work in this building each and every day. Mr. Speaker, we will not succumb to the threat of anthrax. It struck my district. It struck our capital, but we will not relent. Mr. bin Laden and other associates of your terror reign, your days are numbered. Your days are about over. We will not succumb to the fear because America remains united against the threat of terrorism, and we are united as people of this country.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, let me associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Missouri and also to salute all of the people that work in this fine building. We have been under a unique amount of pressure in recent days, but I have to salute the entirety of this Capitol, the police, the rank and file workers, the members who work for the Clerk's office, the pages, everyone else who has participated in keeping an orderly transition for our government. Mr. bin Laden, your 15 minutes of fame are about over. The United States is united together in an attempt to rid the world of people like you who have threatened civilization, harmed our citizens, and now are infecting our territories with a bacteria. You will not win. You will not win this battle, because the United States stands for freedom, and that freedom shall prevail. We thank you all, our citizens, who have rallied behind the flag and our President, we thank you for entrusting us, not only with your votes, but your opportunity to lead this country. And as Members of Congress, we remain united behind our President to rid the world of terror, to rid the world of hatred, and to make certain that your days are numbered.

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.