Trent Franks

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions).

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, the $75 million increase to the Aegis BMD that the Democrats have spoken of here does not even fund the necessary upgrades to the Aegis weapons systems BMD signal processing capability necessary to keep pace with the evolving short-range and medium-range ballistic missile threat. So we are definitely not doing enough there. This $75 million increase to the Aegis ballistic missile defense budget that they speak of does not even cover the expenses incurred by the Missile Defense Agency to conduct a shootdown of the U.S. 193 satellite. This cost the agency approximately $100 million. My Democrat friends have often stated that far-term systems are much less important than near-term systems. So I believe it is reasonable to assume that the RTD&E accounts are the appropriate offset for such an amendment. The bottom line is this: A $9.3 billion request budget from the President has been decreased by $719 million. And in an age of missiles, as the ranking member mentioned, this is not a time to cut our missile defense capability. Missile defense is not only the last line of defense against an incoming missile, perhaps with a nuclear warhead representing the most dangerous weapon in the history of humanity, it is the first line of defense against proliferation. And, Mr. Chairman, proliferation I believe, given the examples that Mr. Lamborn mentioned of Iran and others, represents the greatest threat to human peace in the world today. Missile defense is an opportunity for us to devalue those programs in the hands of such enemies, and perhaps help this generation and others to walk a little bit longer in the sunlight of freedom. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to urge support for my amendment to restore funding to the Missile Defense Agency to fund against short and medium-range ballistics missiles. My amendment restores $719 million in funding to the Missile Defense Agency, to return the President's budget request to $9.3 billion. My amendment directs that this $719 million be specifically targeted toward the Theater High Altitude Area Defense System and the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Systems and the test and targets necessary to test those systems. I agree with the Democrats, Madam Chairman, which is pretty unusual. I agree with the Democrats that we need to be concerned about the threat of short and medium-range ballistic missiles to our forward- deployed troops on the Korean peninsula, North Japan, and throughout southwest Asia. Today, these forces are at risk of attack by thousands of lethal ballistic missiles that may carry conventional, chemical, or, in some cases, nuclear warheads. Our close allies, South Korea, Japan, Israel, and Turkey are held at risk by these missiles as well. Deployed Patriot batteries provide some limited point defense to shield some, but not all, of our key command and control centers. We can improve upon this very limited defense and offer a larger umbrella of protection against ballistic missiles to our forces with area defense. Both the land-based Theater High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, as well as the sea-based AEGIS Ballistic Missile system, offer significant area missile defense capabilities to our theater commanders. I want to applaud the entire House Armed Services Committee for increasing funding for both of these programs. Unfortunately, I fear these increases do not do enough for our theater commanders, who cannot get these systems deployed fast enough because they simply are not yet available to apportion. The House Armed Services Committee has received testimony from Admiral Keating, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, and General Bell, Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, to this effect. The administration should accelerate production of THAAD fire units and interceptors, as well as the AEGIS 3 standard missile 3 interceptors to adequately source the combatant commands with area defense against short and medium-range or theater class ballistic missiles. The committee has authorized $75 million above the President's budget for each of these programs, but I am concerned that this increase will not deliver capability to the warfighter soon enough in the most expeditious manner. The short and medium-range ballistic missile threat exists today, and we can procure more interceptors to defend our troops in harm's way. Mr. Chairman, very simply, probably one of our best hedges against proliferation of nuclear arms today in the world is missile defense, and it is very important that we do everything we can to be prepared for any eventuality. So I offer this amendment and urge the support of my colleagues. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, this bill emphasizes the need to counter short- and medium-ranged missiles in five different places. The committee report highlights that the warfighters themselves have suggested and asked for increased inventory, and we shouldn't be second-guessing them in a time such as we live.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, this bill being labeled the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act, named after the distinguished ranking member of our committee, who has been the former chairman for a long period of time, he has been here for 26 years, he should have been chairman for that time, I now yield to the gentleman from California, it is my honor, perhaps for the last time, to yield to him for 1 minute.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I request the time remaining.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I thank the gentleman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, as we have told ourselves time and time again, the first purpose of this body is to help this government defend its citizens against external national security threats. I believe that the most dangerous threat to peace on the planet today is the danger of Iran gaining nuclear capabilities. Yet the majority of this Congress has prevented us from even voting on a military contingency plan to prevent Iran from gaining this deadly capability. Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Iran is moving inexorably toward the capability to have nuclear weapons. If they gain those weapons, we will see proliferation across the world, and I am convinced that terrorists will gain this deadly technology. If one such weapon is detonated in the United States of America, it will change our concept of freedom forever. Mr. Speaker, there should be an opportunity for this body to vote to make it clear that if Iran continues to pursue that, that the military option is on the table. There are only two reasons, in my judgment, ultimately that Iran will not pursue this capability: that is a military intervention, or the conviction on the part of Iranian leaders that that will indeed take place if they do not desist from this effort to gain nuclear capability. Mr. Speaker, the highway of history is littered with the consequences of strategic ambiguity. And this is a danger here today. We tell Iran that it is our policy that they will not gain nuclear capability, and yet we do nothing to make it clear to them that the military option is on the table if they proceed. The best chance for us to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear capability and at once to prevent war with Iran is to make sure that they know that we will not avoid the military option if it becomes necessary. It is the best hope of doing both of those things, Mr. Speaker. We must proceed to do everything in every way, diplomatically and otherwise, to prevent this, but we must not take the military option off the table.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, in accordance with House Republican Conference standards, and clause 9 of rule XXI, I submit the following statement for the Record. The first purpose of the Federal Government is to provide for the common defense. In accordance with this responsibility, which I swore to do when I signed my oath of office, I offered several amendments in the House Armed Services Committee to H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009. One of the amendments I offered passed and I understand that Mr. Skelton, Chairman of the Committee, is now considering it an ``earmark'', which I believe is an inappropriate application of the definition and one which could subject all budget designations in the entire budget which differ from the President's submitted budget in any way to be considered ``earmarks.'' House rule XXI defines an earmark as something that is included `primarily at the request of a Member,' and since the entire Committee considered and voted on my amendment, it was agreed to by the Committee, and not simply by one Member who by submitting an amendment, is merely offering it as a suggestion for the Committee's consideration. As such, the purpose of this statement is to describe what my amendment is and what it is not. The American people are right when they say Congress has a serious problem abusing the legislative process to fund pet and pork projects with American taxpayers' dollars. As such, I opted to suspend my requests to authorization and appropriations Committees until the system is cleared up enough to restore confidence both to the taxpayer and to me. Until this year, I did submit requests to the authorization and appropriations Committees in order to receive funding for programs and projects that are worthy of Federal dollars. I have always supported transparency and have never shied away from detailing which requests I asked for and which requests were ultimately included in the bills. Federal dollars should not be used simply to take from all taxpayers to pour into another person's coffers. In other words, Peter in New Mexico should not be robbed to pay Paul in Arizona, even if Paul lives in Congressional District Two, which I represent. Federal taxpayer dollars should be wisely used to ensure our entire Nation is served well. It was this principle that inspired me to offer three amendments in the Armed Services Committee. One amendment, which passed in an en bloc amendment, restores $6 million to the Joint Tactical Ground System Pre-Planned Product Improvement effort. I included an offset for the money as well. The offset is the Army's High-Capacity Communications Capability radio, which has approximately $45 million more than the program can execute at this point in its acquisition life-cycle. This offset will not have a negative impact on the HC3 program. For nearly fifteen years, the Army's Joint Tactical Ground System, or ``J-TAGS,'' (Program Element: 0208053A) has stood watch over our forward-deployed forces by providing rapid warning of ballistic missile launches. JTAGS relies upon a direct downlink from Defense Support Program (or DSP) missile warning satellites. The Army intends to modernize JTAGS to process SBIRS data, but is under-funded to accomplish this upgrade for each of the JTAGS suites on a co-current timeline with satellite and sensor deployment. JTAGS is developed by multiple companies including Northrop Grumman in Azusa, California, Northrop Grumman in Boulder, Colorado, and Lockheed Martin in Sunnydale, California. The contract for the primary hardware is won competitively. The program offices are in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Huntsville, Alabama. I have a letter from LTG Kevin Campbell, Commanding General of U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command that calls attention to the risks we assume by under-funding this important upgrade, which is also included with this statement. This amendment is not parochial, wasteful, or frivolous. It is an example of the fruits of good government oversight and of prudent caretaking of the American taxpayer's hard earned money. This amendment is being conflated with Members' requests to fund pet projects to benefit private entities that have been squeezed into the bill without offsets, transparency, and frankly without regard to the true purpose of government. I believe the Chairman's definition of an earmark is at best inadvertently overbroad, and at worse it is deceiving to the American taxpayer, who will be closely watching the authorization process to ensure their money is not being abused. The annual defense policy bill has the potential to authorize around $515.4 billion of the American taxpayers' money to be spent to protect the Nation and U.S. interests worldwide. We must demonstrate to the American people that we are worthy of such responsibility. Since the Speaker pledged that this will be, ``the most honest, ethical, and open Congress in history,'' I think the Armed Services Committee ought to provide the tables of the House Report to each HASC Member's office at least 2 days in advance to the Full Committee markup so that we and our staff can carefully consider the contents. The Committee has traditionally provided directive report language 2 days in advance to each HASC Member's office because such report language has the effect of law. The accompanying report tables however, which are often secret until after the markup is complete also have the effect of law. Oftentimes the tables of the House Report are altered in en bloc amendments during the Committee markup, rather than the actual text of the bill. These changes are made to language we have not seen and can add or take away funding for various projects, essentially circumventing the open and public means of amending the text of the bill. I would submit that if this Democratic controlled Congress is interested in truly reforming the earmark process, and since it is claiming to do so by calling my amendment an earmark, we should reassess what the problem actually is. The problem is wasteful spending in a secret, dishonest way without oversight. Truly restoring confidence in the taxpayers begins by shedding light on the report tables. This would be a step in the right direction. Department of the Army, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, Huntsville, AL, May 5, 2008. Hon. Trent Franks, House of Representatives, Longworth Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Franks: I would like to thank you and the members of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces for inquiring on the needs of our Nation's requirements for assured theater ballistic missile warning. I also view early theater missile warning as a critical need for our forward deployed forces. As you state in your 1 May 2008 letter, the capabilities provided by the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) are essential to meet the Warfighters needs. It is important that we ensure unhindered execution of the JTAGS block upgrades and modernization, so that we can take advantage of the new Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS). The Department's Fiscal Year 2009 JTAGS funding reduction of $6 million has resulted in an increase of technical and schedule risk and caused the reprioritization of program scope. Specifically, this reduction will cause an approximately nine month delay of essential block upgrades impacting JTAGS integration into the SBIRS architecture. Assured missile warning for our deployed forces remains an essential warfighting requirement. We appreciate your support in ensuring our men and women are provided every advantage for their protection. Sincerely, Kevin T. Campbell, Lieutenant General, USA, Commanding.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 22, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Mr. Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,904 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Mr. Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Mr. Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Mr. Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Mr. Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Mr. Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,904 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Mr. Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 22, 2008, 12,904 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, some of the most dangerous and lethal weapons our soldiers are facing in Iraq right now are there because Iran gave it to them. Osama bin Laden said: It is our religious duty to gain nuclear weapons. If Iran is allowed to proliferate nuclear weapons into the hands of terrorists, any sense or concept of peace that we have experienced in this country so far could be gone in a blinding flash in the center of one of our major cities, maybe even in Washington, DC. And yet this majority has prevented us from voting on a military contingency plan to prevent Iran from gaining this deadly capability. Mr. Chairman, very simply, the highway of history is littered with the dangers of strategic ambiguity, and I believe our best hope of preventing a nuclear Iran is to help them understand that we are prepared to do whatever is necessary, including a military contingency, if they continue to pursue their nuclear capability. I hope that our children are not faced with the consequences of that strategic ambiguity. We need to be very, very clear. We need to vote on the amendment to improve this bill tomorrow.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Hunter. You know, Mr. Chairman, there has been a lot said tonight about Duncan Hunter. I guess the only thing I can add is simply to repeat that this man served his country in Vietnam as an Army Ranger. He served 26 years in this House, part of the time in the majority, served as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and has now served a total of 28 years in this Congress. His entire life has been about service to this country and the cause of human freedom, and I truly believe that future generations will have a greater hope to live in freedom because this man lived, and I salute him with all of my heart. Mr. Chairman, I also support this bill. I only rise to associate some of my feelings with those expressed by Terry Everett, the ranking member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, when he was concerned that the amendments that he offered to raise and restore some of the missile defense cuts in the mark had not taken place. He was especially concerned about the European site, the money that was cut there, that it sends a message to Poland and other places like that that are already in a very, very dangerous position politically and in such a delicate situation that they may in fact lose the project because of the message that we send to them. I believe it is very important that we realize that the missile defense site in Poland is not just about missile defense, it is about devaluing an entire nuclear missile program in the hands of an Iranian nation. Mr. Chairman, the very first purpose of this government is to defend its citizens in peace, and I believe one of the greatest threats to human peace in the world is a nuclear Iran. In spite of what we have heard in the media, Iran continues to enrich uranium which could give them an atomic bomb in less than 3 years. The IAEA has reported that in the 9-month period between February and November of 2007, the number of centrifuges enriching uranium operating at its Natanz enrichment facility tripled from 1,000 to now approximately 3,000 centrifuges. The Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, earlier this year said to the Senate Intelligence Committee that he concurred with the Israeli intelligence report stating that this many centrifuges operating continuously would produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon in less than 2 years. We now know that Iran is increasing its number of operational centrifuges from 3,000 to 9,000. Moreover, Mr. Chairman, Iran is now beginning to manufacture its own centrifuge, the IR2, which improves on the advanced P2 centrifuge that was used in Pakistan to build its existing nuclear arsenal. It is capable of producing enriched uranium two to three times faster than the older models.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 21, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,903 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,903 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 21, 2008, 12,903 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 20, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Mr. Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,902 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them Mr. Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Mr. Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Mr. Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Mr. Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. And it seems too sad to me, Mr. Speaker, that this Sunset Memorial may be the only acknowledgement or remembrance these children who died today will ever have in this, chamber. So as a small gesture, I would ask those in the Chamber who are inclined to join me for a moment of silent memorial to these lost little Americans. Mr. Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,902 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Mr. Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 20, 2008--12,902 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 13, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,895 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th Amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,895 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 13, 2008, 12,895 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 8, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,890 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,890 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 8, 2008, 12,890 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 7, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,889 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th Amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,889 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 7, 2008, 12,889 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 6, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,888 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,888 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 6, 2008, 12,888 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Madam Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 5, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Madam Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,887 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Madam Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Madam Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th Amendment encapsules our entire Constitution; it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Madam Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Madam Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Madam Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,887 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Madam Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 5, 2008, 12,887 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I stand once again before this House with yet another Sunset Memorial. It is May 1, 2008, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and before the sun set today in America, almost 4,000 more defenseless unborn children were killed by abortion on demand. That's just today, Mr. Speaker. That's more than the number of innocent lives lost on September 11 in this country, only it happens every day. It has now been exactly 12,883 days since the tragedy called Roe v. Wade was first handed down. Since then, the very foundation of this Nation has been stained by the blood of almost 50 million of its own children. Some of them, Mr. Speaker, died and screamed as they did so, but because it was amniotic fluid passing over the vocal cords instead of air, no one could hear them. And all of them had at least four things in common. First, they were each just little babies who had done nothing wrong to anyone, and each one of them died a nameless and lonely death. And each one of their mothers, whether she realizes it or not, will never be quite the same. And all the gifts that these children might have brought to humanity are now lost forever. Yet even in the glare of such tragedy, this generation still clings to a blind, invincible ignorance while history repeats itself and our own silent genocide mercilessly annihilates the most helpless of all victims, those yet unborn. Mr. Speaker, perhaps it's time for those of us in this Chamber to remind ourselves of why we are really all here. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The care of human life and its happiness and not its destruction is the chief and only object of good government.'' The phrase in the 14th amendment capsulizes our entire Constitution, it says, ``No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.'' Mr. Speaker, protecting the lives of our innocent citizens and their constitutional rights is why we are all here. The bedrock foundation of this Republic is the clarion declaration of the self-evident truth that all human beings are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every conflict and battle our Nation has ever faced can be traced to our commitment to this core, self-evident truth. It has made us the beacon of hope for the entire world. Mr. Speaker, it is who we are. And yet today another day has passed, and we in this body have failed again to honor that foundational commitment. We have failed our sworn oath and our God-given responsibility as we broke faith with nearly 4,000 more innocent American babies who died today without the protection we should have given them. Mr. Speaker, let me conclude in the hope that perhaps someone new who heard this Sunset Memorial tonight will finally embrace the truth that abortion really does kill little babies; that it hurts mothers in ways that we can never express; and that 12,883 days spent killing nearly 50 million unborn children in America is enough; and that the America that rejected human slavery and marched into Europe to arrest the Nazi Holocaust is still courageous and compassionate enough to find a better way for mothers and their unborn babies than abortion on demand. So tonight, Mr. Speaker, may we each remind ourselves that our own days in this sunshine of life are also numbered and that all too soon each one of us will walk from these Chambers for the very last time. And if it should be that this Congress is allowed to convene on yet another day to come, may that be the day when we finally hear the cries of innocent unborn children. May that be the day when we find the humanity, the courage, and the will to embrace together our human and our constitutional duty to protect these, the least of our tiny, little American brothers and sisters from this murderous scourge upon our Nation called abortion on demand. It is May 1, 2008, 12,883 days since Roe versus Wade first stained the foundation of this Nation with the blood of its own children, this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.