Jeff Flake

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this substitute in the form of an amendment. As we grew up in school, we were told that the difference between us and other nations is that we would allow our citizens to travel anywhere they want to. We could travel the world, see other cultures, visit other countries, without fear that we would find something better. Here, we are being told that that is not right. I as a government official can travel to Cuba, but if someone in my family or some of my friends at home or others want to travel to Cuba, they have to seek a license. Now, that is wrong. This amendment simply states that we ought to allow everybody the same privilege that we have as government officials. They ought to be able to travel to Cuba. We allow individuals to travel to North Korea. There are terrible human rights abuses going on there. We allow individuals to go to Sudan. There is human slavery going on in Sudan, probably discovered by people going there on visits. We allow people to go to Iran. Iran considers us the ``Great Satan'' and has been implicated in State-sponsored terrorism. But somehow, we still do not allow our citizens to go to Cuba. That is simply wrong. Now, Fidel Castro, let us stipulate from the very beginning, is a tyrant, and we ought to stipulate that from the beginning and decide how best can we bring change to that island. The best way, I believe, is through engagement, not isolation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). (Mr. BERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer).

Mr. FLAKE. No, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, this has been a great debate. I said at the beginning that we ought to stipulate that Fidel Castro is a tyrant, that he is a liar, but I am surprised that those who agree with me on that are so eager to accept the notion that he wants tourism, that he wants more trade. I would submit that he does not. When I was a child and my room was messy, the last thing I wanted was for my mother to come in. You do not want people to come in. So why should we take Fidel Castro's word for it? We ought to send our people there. Let me just close by saying, it has been said that people can have differing opinions on this subject. They certainly can. Those who believe in isolation have had the last 40 years. It is time for those who feel differently to enact a new policy and move forward. If freedom is what we want for the Cuban people, let us exercise a little more of it ourselves.

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 50. Free trade is not just sound economic policy. It is great foreign policy as well. Free trade shares far more than just goods and services. It shares sound ideas and institutional norms across boundaries. Countries that are open to trade and capital flows are far more often than not also open to such ideas as political freedom. We have heard today that China has a poor human rights record. That is not true. China has an atrocious human rights record. The question is, how do we best affect that for the better? Do we do it through trade? Do we do it through isolationism? Are we better to engage China or to isolate them? We have heard today that we cannot have free markets without free people. I submit we can rarely have a truly free people without free markets. We have got to engage. We have got to get China to accept institutional norms. The best way to do that is through engagement. The relevant question is, how do we change China for the better? I believe it is done through engagement, and I would urge defeat of the resolution.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the events currently underway in the country of Albania. You may recall that ten years ago this Eastern European nation cast off the heavy burden of communism. Since its first elections in 1991, Albanian elections have been marked with partisan manipulation, which has resulted in the disillusionment of the Albanian people. The upcoming June 24th national elections are a significant opportunity for Albania to move towards establishing a transparent democratic government. While there is reason the be hopeful that these elections will be better than previous Albanian elections, there also remains cause for continued concern that they will fall short of the free and fair standard that not only we but the Albanian people themselves would want to see. It is my hope the upcoming elections will mean another step forward and not a step backwards in Albania's quest to establish a strong democracy in this troubled region. I call upon all my colleagues to join me in carefully watching the unfolding events in Albania.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, the supplemental appropriation bill before us has its genesis in the need to address budget shortfalls for our Nation's defense. Mr. Chairman, the Constitution is clear that national defense is the first priority of the Federal government. When we as a Congress think about spending taxpayer money, our modus operandi needs to be, defense first. Mr. Chairman, this has not been the case in recent years. Just 10 years ago, defense made up more than 60 percent of our discretionary spending. Now it is less than 50 percent of discretionary spending. Defense has clearly been a lagging priority, and the readiness and capabilities of our Nation's Armed Forces have suffered as a result. That is why this supplemental is needed. So when we talk about offsets, it is perfectly appropriate to look at defense through a different lens than we view the rest of spending. That said, there is nearly $1 billion of spending in this bill that had nothing to do with defense, and frankly, it should not be termed an emergency. When we look at that money, we have to ask ourselves if the pattern that we are setting is appropriate if we are to maintain fiscal discipline as a Congress. Mr. Chairman, not long ago we passed an important piece of legislation to provide tax relief. This was the right thing to do. Americans have had too much of their money taken, and when this happens, it happens because the Federal government is simply spending too much. This bureaucratic monster is out of control, and Congress has simply kept feeding it, feeding it, and feeding it. There is no program singled out in this amendment. Any program that is deemed vital by the agency directors and department secretaries can be exempted, as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Toomey) has indicated. We just call for a simple .33 reduction in spending to make up for the increases deemed necessary by the Committee on Appropriations. Voting for this amendment is a vote for fiscal discipline. It will help set the pattern for the rest of the year. It will help prove to the American people that we can control Federal spending as we look forward to providing more tax relief in the future. Please support the Toomey-Flake-Tancredo amendment.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 73.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, the Flake-Gilman-Cantor-Wexler amendment is a bipartisan straightforward resolution condemning the remarks of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. On March 27 at the first regular Arab summit gathering in more than 10 years, President Assad used his speech to lash out against Israel. In electing Mr. Sharon to be their leader, President Assad said Israelis ``had chosen a man who hated anything to do with Arabs and had dedicated his career to killing them.'' President Assad continued by saying, ``We say that the head of the government is a racist, it's a racist government, a racist army and security force.'' ``It is a racist society and it is even more racist than the Nazis.'' Mr. Chairman, as if President Assad's remarks back in March were not enough, he reiterated his anti-Semitic remarks 11 days ago in his welcoming speech to Pope John Paul, II, in Damascus. In both cases, the administration has been swift to condemn Assad's remarks. The time has now come for Members of the House to go on record condemning these inflammatory remarks and express its support for people of Israel. Finally, President Assad's remarks illustrate a counterproductive pattern beginning there. These types of actions will only have a negative impact on the region in this time of crisis. This amendment sends a message that the United States opposes this type of speech by world leaders. For this reason, I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc amendment.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the tax limitation amendment. I come from the great State of Arizona where we have had similar legislation as the law for the past 10 years. What we did not do that we should have is cut off the initiative route as we did, because when we want to raise taxes in Arizona, instead of going to the legislature, now it is done by initiative, that not withstanding this year, for the first year, because there is a lack of revenue. Finally, this is holding government spending in check. You see the trepidation on the part of the legislature to actually spend too much, because they would be forced to come back and raise taxes and realize they cannot do it because now it would require a two-thirds majority. It is great legislation. Mr. Speaker, I am amused continually when we talk about how easy it is to cut taxes and how difficult it is to raise taxes, when history suggests otherwise. Over the past couple of decades, we have had numerous tax increases and just a couple of significant incidences of tax relief. Whenever we can do anything to actually put a lid on taxes, to actually cut taxes and make it more difficult to raise taxes, then we ought to do it. For the record, it was mentioned that if we are doing this, then we also ought to put a limitation on spending by making it more difficult to spend. I am in favor of that. I would love to offer an amendment to the amendment which would actually require a two-thirds majority to increase spending, but this, as it stands, is a good piece of legislation, and I support it.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a good friend, Mike Mariner, who passed away last week, and whose funeral service is being held today in Snowflake, Arizona. Each of us will face challenges in life, but few of us will be called to face for a moment what Mike endured for most of a lifetime. Those who grew up with Mike will remember his good humor, his playful spirit, and fortunately for those of us who often displayed the insensitivity of youth, his boundless ability to forgive and forget. Those who have kept in touch with Mike over the past several years have been softened, touched, and are inspired by his tireless effort to keep his frail body in step with his keen mind. The world is a better place because Mike lived in it, and we are a better people for having known him. Mike is now home, and because of the difficult road he has traveled, we can find special meaning in the poet's phrase ``He has slipped the surly bonds of Earth and touched the face of God.'' God bless you, Mike.

Mr. FLAKE

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler). (Mr. HOSTETTLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would remind the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) that our tax cut is not $1.6 trillion. It is $2.2 trillion, if that makes him feel any better. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle). (Mr. DOOLITTLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out that the Republican Study Committee budget actually prioritizes IDEA funding. I thank the gentleman for the opening here. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from the State of Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the balance of my time.