Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, America cannot be a secure Nation without first having secure borders. Inadequate border security not only opens up America to the abuses of illegal immigration, it also leaves our Nation vulnerable to criminal and even terrorist activity. House Republicans have taken a strong stance on this issue. Democrats, on the other hand, support the Reid-Kennedy bill, a soft piece of legislation that would do little to discourage the lawlessness that we have encroaching into our Nation. It would require illegal immigrants to pay taxes for only 3 of the 5 years they have been in our country, and would guarantee Social Security benefits to illegals for the time they have been in the country unlawfully. The Reid-Kennedy bill is just as unjust as it is dangerous. If a current American citizen tried to pay taxes 3 out of every 5 years, he would be put in jail. Why do we extend this privilege to people who aren't even citizens? It is simply ludicrous. During August, Republicans will hold 21 hearings across the country on immigration. We hope these hearings will help us get a strong border security bill on the President's desk.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans are working hard to produce a strong security bill to send to President Bush's desk, while Democrats continue their tired strategy of voting against border security legislation, while failing to offer a plan of their own. Republicans passed the REAL ID Act which made it more difficult for potential terrorists to obtain driver's licenses, and helped deport criminals for terrorism related offenses. 152 House Democrats voted against it. The Republicans passed the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act which increased border security by authorizing 1,000 new border inspectors and ended the ``catch and release'' of illegal aliens. 164 House Democrats voted against that. Finally, 187 Democrats voted against an amendment which would have added teeth to a Federal law that requires governments at all levels to comply with Federal immigration laws. Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to the other side of the aisle complain about the ``do-nothing Congress.'' It is actually a case of the ``do-nothing'' Democrats. Republicans have a strong record of accomplishment on border security. Too bad the Democrats can't say the same thing.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, just a few minutes ago, we welcomed His Excellency Nouri Al-Maliki to address the U.S. Congress. We commend him for his sacrifices and efforts to bring peace and democracy to Iraq. Once sentenced to death and thus forced into exile by Saddam Hussein's government, Al-Maliki has devoted his life to ending the tyranny that dominated his country for so long. I commend His Excellency for his commitment to rebuilding his nation on the principles of freedom, democracy and the rule of law; and we look forward to collaborating with him in this regard. I applaud the Prime Minister for condemning the countless terrorist acts in Iraq; and I encourage him to condemn all acts of terror in the Middle East, including the most recent ones we have seen begun by Hezbollah. As the Prime Minister articulated, we must continue to fight for ``liberty over oppression'' and ``democracy over terrorism'' wherever it may occur in the world.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, those who equate Israel's recent actions with the same barbarism as those of Hezbollah are sorely misinformed. Hezbollah is a self-proclaimed terrorist organization whose motives are to destroy the very principles of freedom and democracy that Israel, not to mention the United States, promotes in the Middle East. Israel is the only democracy in the region, and the survival of Israel needs to be guaranteed. It is regrettable that the fighting has escalated to the level it has, but Israel has the right to defend itself. Israel has been bombarded continuously by hundreds of katyusha rockets on a daily basis for too long. There is going to have to be European and international involvement and support to ensure that Hezbollah cannot reentrench itself in southern Lebanon next to the border of Israel, and it is time for Syria and Iran to act as responsible states and not as perpetrators and subsidizers of terrorism. Of course, we all want peace in the Middle East, but let us not forget who started this and their motives. I wish Secretary Rice the best in helping to bring a lasting peace to a highly intractable situation.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a problem that faces all Americans: skyrocketing gas prices. The cost for an average American to fill up his or her car has been rising steadily over the past 3 months, and the price of a barrel of oil hit a record high 2 weeks ago. It is absolutely crucial that we build up our own domestic supply of oil in order to decrease our dependence on foreign-born fossil fuels. Drilling off the Outer Continental Shelf and opening the ANWR to oil exploration are two Republican initiatives for strengthening our domestic supply. In addition, Republicans have supported tax credits for the production and use of ethanol and biodiesel. We have also offered incentives for increased refinery capacity and have created stiffer penalties for price gouging at the pump. Mr. Speaker, I remain absolutely committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to alleviate the problems of high gas prices and our utter dependence on foreign oil.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, constituents throughout my district have been contacting my office in opposition to using embryonic stem cells for research purposes. They join me today in applauding the President's veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. As stewards of hardworking Americans' tax dollars, we cannot ask our constituents to fund the killing of human embryos. It is imperative that we do all we can to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, the unborn. Embyronic stem cells have been available for research for nearly 5 years, and during that time research on those stem cells has produced nothing and cured no one. In the meantime, ethical biomedical treatment not derived from embryos, like that at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in my district, has helped cure over 70 diseases. In this time of incredible medical advances, unethical research is unnecessary and desecrates the sanctity of human life.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. I am ready.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Wamp. I appreciate that very much. I would go even farther than you have gone in terms of talking about the amount of money that we have put into the United Nations. I think that we should lower completely, to a very low amount, what we give to the United Nations. And if we cannot get other nations to increase the amount of money that they give, then I think that we should seriously think about withdrawing from the United Nations altogether. It is such a corrupt organization. It does so little for what it should be doing, that I think that it is something that we definitely should give some thought to. I want to go back. You mentioned the Malloch Brown speech. I really want to talk just a little bit about that, because I think that Malloch Brown's speech and the comments that he made are an indication of the fact that the members of the United Nations, people at the United Nations, are totally out of touch with the world. You described the little spot of ground that the United Nations sits on. I have been there too, went there last year for the second time in my life. I went there as a young person to visit the United Nations, you know, thinking again idealistically about what the United Nations did. I went there and took my grandchildren to show them the United Nations and get them to get a little bit of sense of what it is. But those people who come here from other countries I think really, really are out of touch. I want to make a couple more comments about what Malloch Brown said. I find it so ironic that he would come in and criticize the American people. We are the only superpower in world. We are undoubtedly the most successful country in the world. And yet we are criticized by the Malloch Browns of the world, by almost everybody in the United Nations, for what we do. I find it so ironic that we provide so much of the money for the United Nations. When you look around, you see that we are the most successful country in the world, and how these people can come in and criticize us for what we do. I want to say, our Ambassador Bolton said, it was a criticism of the American people. I think that that is absolutely true. He criticized our people. I think that that is such an affront to us, and I think the American people understood that as an affront. And he chastised the Bush administration because we had not constructively engaged the American people in what good things the United Nations was doing. He is telling us we are too inadequate to explain that. Well, the American people are very smart people. We are the smartest people in the world too, I think. They understand, rightfully, if the United Nations was doing what it was supposed to be doing, its work would stand for itself. That is the kind of thing that we Americans understand. I think that it is, aside from the fact that he was injecting himself into the political life of this country which he has absolutely no business doing, he really insulted the American people. And he insulted us. I want to say that my recommendation would be on the United Nations, they are going to come to us and say they need a lot of money to renovate that old building up there. My recommendation is that they take the United Nations to the Sudan. They build a building in the Sudan, and they move the entire United Nations to Africa. Then I would like to see how many of those people who are currently serving in the United Nations would like to move there and use their expertise to help Africa get out of the poverty that it suffers. I do not think you are going to see many of those people want to go there. They come here and they like to live the life that they live in the United States, but they do not want to respect what we do in the United States and how we have gotten to where we have gotten. I want to thank Congressman Wamp for bringing this Special Order here tonight. I think you are right. We need to talk about this. What is going on in the Middle East right now is because of the failure of the United Nations, not the failure of the United States, not the failure of the Bush administration, not the failure of President Bush. It is the failure of the United Nations to keep peace in this world. Mr. Speaker, I think we need to keep the pressure on them to reform the way they do things, and if they do not, I think we need to get out.

Ms. FOXX. Thank you, Mr. Wamp. I appreciate your inviting me to be with you all today. It is a real treat to listen to you and Congressman McCotter. The things you have said I agree with wholeheartedly. I am not nearly as eloquent as the two of you. I am a much more plain-spoken person, I think, a product of having grown up in the mountains of North Carolina, and I think that in many ways you are being very kind about the United Nations. I agree with you that the United Nations was born in a spirit of optimism and that people had hoped very much that the United Nations could provide peace and stability in the world. And we all want that. We all want that to happen. But I will tell you, as I talk to my constituents and as they talk to me about the United Nations, even the average American, you don't have to serve in Congress, the average American knows that the United Nations has failed miserably in its role as a peacekeeper in this world. All we have to do is look at what is happening right now in Lebanon, what is happening in Israel, to know that it has failed miserably. We would not be having the problems that we are having in the Middle East if the United Nations were doing its job. I think that it is high time for the Congress and the administration to demand a great deal more from the United Nations. I think that our Secretary of State is doing a fabulous job in her job, and I think that it was a sad day when we could not get Ambassador Bolton confirmed by the Senate to his job, and I think that the President was right to appoint him on an interim appointment and that he is speaking for the majority of the American people and saying the kinds of things that need to be said. I want to quote Henry Hyde. Again, there are very few people in this House who are as eloquent as Chairman Hyde, and I think that it is entirely appropriate that the bill that he introduced, the United Nations Reform Act, was named for him. I want to just quote one quote from him relating to that bill and relating to the United Nations: ``No observer, be they passionate supporter or dismissive critic, can pretend that the current structure and operations of the U.N. represent an acceptable standard. Republican and Democrat administrations alike have long called for a more focused and accountable United Nations. Members on both sides of the aisle agree that the time has come for far-reaching reforms.'' I think that the comments, again, that have been made here by my esteemed colleagues have set the stage for some of the things that we ought to be talking about. The United Nations charter has laudable goals, but, as I said, I am a much more plain-spoken person than some others. But when the rubber meets the road, the U.N. has failed miserably to put these ideals into practice, especially in recent years. And we have a duty here in the Congress and as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, the United States, we have a duty to insist on a higher standard. We have a duty to ensure accountability of each and every American taxpayer dollar that goes to the United Nations. I know my colleague is going to point out some of the problems with the U.N. ``supervised'' Oil-for-Food Program. But I want to say that from that program, to the lack of action with respect to genocide in Darfur, Sudan, to the tremendous human rights abuses by the U.N. peacekeeping staff during their mission to Congo, the U.N. is absolutely rife with fraud and abuse and needs reform. We could list these things, and there is a long list, and I am going to talk a little bit about the history of scandals in the United Nations: the Oil-for-Food Program, we will talk a little bit more about; the peacekeeping operations; the Center for Human Settlement or Habitat; Settlement Rehabilitation Program in Northern Iraq; UNICEF, the U.N. Children's Fund; the Conference on Trade and Development; the Development Program; the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Program; we all know UNESCO; the Electoral Assistance Division, meaning electing people, not electricity; High Commission for Refugees; the Office of Drugs and Crime; the Claims Commission; the Population Fund; and the Environmental Fund. Every one of these programs has had a scandal attached to it. The American people are much more familiar with the U.N. Oil-for-Food dollars because, fortunately, the popular press and the popular media picked up a little bit on that program and have talked about it. But all of these programs have had scandals associated with them, and I think that just by highlighting this one program, we can give an example of what some of the others are. I would like to come back in a few minutes and talk about some other issues that have been touched upon by Congressman Wamp, but I am going to turn it back over to him so that he can explain in some detail some of what went wrong with the Oil-for-Food dollars.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, there have been many reminders across the world recently of why we and the global community must maintain our commitment to fighting terror. From the 1-year anniversary of the horrific bombings in London to the upcoming 5-year anniversary of September 11, we are constantly reminded of why our resolve and perseverance are crucial. America has shown the world that a strong, vibrant Nation faced with adversity can come together, unlike any nation on Earth. America has distinguished itself as the shining beacon of democracy throughout the world. When attacked, and freedom is in danger, we have proven that freedom will prevail. Madam Speaker, I want to commend our troops for their sacrifice, their dedication and their bravery. They are freeing people from oppression so they may enjoy the same freedoms that Americans cherish. They are fighting a global war on terror, and they are winning

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to say amen to everything my colleagues who have just spoken before me, Mr. Forbes and Mr. Beauprez, said. They made very eloquent arguments. Mr. Speaker, if Members of the House vote as their States have voted on this amendment, the amendment will pass. Forty-five States have defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman. As a sociologist, I taught, and I believe, that marriage is the foundational institution of every culture. It is under attack by the courts. It needs to be defended in this way by defining it as the union of a man and a woman. If it is going to be defined otherwise, it must be done by the legislatures and not by the courts. Today we are going to vote on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. This is about who is going to determine the definition, whether it is the courts or the legislative bodies. The amendment is about how we are going to raise the next generation. How are they going to be raised? It is a fundamental issue for our families and for our future. It is an issue for the people. It is not an issue that the courts should resolve. Those of us who support this amendment are doing so in an effort to let the people decide. We are making progress in America on defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman and will not stop until it is defined and protected as that union. Marriage is about our future. I continue to be struck by the opponents of this amendment, who say it is an effort to promote discrimination. The amendment is about promoting our future, our families, about how we raise the next generation and about allowing a definition of marriage that is as old as the creation of human beings. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the Marriage Protection Amendment.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding me time. I also want to thank my colleagues for seeing the great need for this debate, a need which is no longer on the horizon but has reached the forefront as it has begun to affect American families. It is the right time to discuss a marriage protection amendment. As Members of this Congress, we have a responsibility to look at this critical situation for marriage and the real possibility that the courts are going to redefine marriage. This constitutional amendment would concretely define marriage as we always have: as the union between one man and one woman. The disintegration of the family is the force behind so many of our most serious social problems. We cannot turn a blind eye to the social trends that are doing the most damage to America's children. The health of American families is built upon marriage, and it affects us all. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and other local courts have ruled in favor of same-sex marriages. These unsound decisions set a dangerous precedent, and that is why a constitutional amendment is necessary. If enacted, it will effectively ban these illegitimate marriages nationwide. This definition of marriage is not intended to be discriminatory but rather to uphold the sanctity of marriage as an institution. The Marriage Protection Amendment removes the definition of marriage from the hands of the courts and returns this decision to the American people, where it belongs. The Massachusetts decision represents the beginning of what could be a dangerous erosion of this sacred tradition that we must protect. Will we put our faith in a few unelected activist judges seated on a bench to define marriage, or will we use the most democratic process we have to affirmatively define marriage as it is intended? We must protect the sanctity of marriage now. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule and support the Marriage Protection Amendment.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share good news with the American people. Republicans' pro-growth economic agenda, combined with spending restraint, is driving the deficit down while pushing revenues up. In fact, if we can continue along this path of fiscal restraint, we will cut the deficit in half by the year 2008. In addition to decreasing the deficit, the economy has created 2 million new jobs in the past year. In fact, over the past 3 years America has created more new jobs than Japan and all 25 members of the European Union combined. Mr. Speaker, tax cuts are working. Our economy is strong and the deficit is down. Republicans have been working tirelessly and successfully to push our economy in the right direction. Democrats, on the other hand, continue to push their tax and spend policies, a plan which is neither good for the family checkbook nor the American economy.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Republican efforts aimed at curbing our Nation's immigration problem. House Republicans are determined to send a bill to the President that will secure our borders, punish employers who knowingly use illegal labor, make English our official language, and remove incentives for immigrants to enter our country illegally. However, some Democrats seem determined to undermine our Nation's immigration laws. They support the Reid-Kennedy bill, which will allow 60 million new immigrants to enter our country over the next 20 years and will guarantee Social Security benefits to immigrants for the time they were in America illegally. Mr. Speaker, rewarding those who break our laws is not the way to deal with America's immigration problem. This is an issue we cannot afford to compromise on, and I encourage my colleagues to support strict immigration reform in the interest of national security.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this country has a long history of accepting immigrants from all over the world and offering them the potential to pursue a better life. America offers the rights, liberties, and dignity not seen anywhere else in the world. Now the need for immigration reform has come to the forefront of our country and it is time to remove a carrot that dangles in front of the faces of illegal immigrants. As long as there is the promise of easy illegal employment, immigrants will continue to disregard our laws and penetrate our borders. We must enforce strict laws on employers who use illegal labor in order to discourage illegals coming to America looking for a free ride. Mr. Speaker, we must do all that is possible to stop illegal immigration, and I remain committed to enacting measures that will effectively solve this problem.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week shortly after the July 4 fireworks dwindled from the sky, the North Korean Government put the entire world on the edge of its seat when it hosted a much scarier fireworks show of its own. I rise today in strong opposition to the test firing of missiles by the North Korean Government. This test firing amounts to little more than an attempted show of force by the North Koreans, and it must not be tolerated. I support President Bush's proposal for multilateral discussions aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the region and urge the international community to stand alongside America in denouncing this threatening act. These tests represent a grave threat to the entire global community, and North Korea must act responsibly and adhere to a moratorium on missile testing if peace is to be maintained. I trust that diplomatic discussions coupled with the international outrage following the missile tests will be enough to convince the North Korean Government to abandon its dangerous path.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. William Henry ``Doc'' Long, a decorated World War II veteran and a successful businessman. He has dedicated his life to serving his country, his community and his family, and that is why I honor him today. Long before Doc owned many successful family businesses in North Carolina, he served in the highly decorated 79th Infantry Division in the U.S. Army. Every living American directly benefits from the actions of the men of the 79th, and the many military units of the World War II era. While in France, Doc was wounded when he was hit in the left side of his chest. As he lay in the cold night for 18 hours, he was wounded again. When he was found the next morning and taken to the aid station, his clothes and shoes had been cut off. But his personal belongings, just a wallet and a small pocket New Testament with his name inscribed on the front, were saved. After a few days, Doc noticed that his Bible, which was given to him by his aunt, had been hit by a piece of shrapnel which went through the entire Bible but caught the outer binding. Doc stated that the Bible, which he kept close to his heart, was a gift of life because it prevented the shrapnel from piercing his heart. After he was wounded Doc was awarded the Purple Heart with the Oak Leaf Cluster, in addition to numerous other medals, including the Bronze Star, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. After the war, Doc started his first trucking and construction business, Long Brothers of Summerfield, with his brother James. In 1952 the brothers started Long's Asphalt Paving of Greensboro. Later Doc and his brother split the companies. Since then, Doc's children have joined their father in his business and, with Doc's help, have owned or started their own businesses. Doc and his late wife, Doris Westmoreland Long, were married for 44 years. Doris died in 1990, at the age of 66. Together the Longs have three children, Gurney Long, Patty Long-Hill and Charles, who passed away unexpectedly last year. They also have a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Today, at 82, Doc still loves to participate in the business decisions and operations of his founding companies. In 2003, Doc helped two of his grandchildren start a business, and they proudly adopted his original company name, Long Brothers. This company is now located in Winston-Salem, where they successfully operate 20 trucks and employ 23 full-time employees. These endeavors are commendable because only 3 percent of family-owned businesses ever make it to the third generation. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Doc for his devotion to his family, his perseverance in all his business ventures and his honest and faithful service to his country during World War II. His story should be an inspiration for us all.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, House Democrats have been talking a lot about their agenda lately, but each and every time they fail to mention border security or immigration reform, and I suppose for good reason. With their lackluster record on immigration reform, I can understand why they hesitate to bring up the issue. After all, Republicans voted to pass a border security bill in December, but Democrats, led by their minority leader, opposed the bill. Republicans voted to pass the REAL ID Act to make sure people who receive driver's licenses are here legally, but Democrats, led by their minority leader, opposed the bill. Republicans wanted to allow members of our Armed Forces to help perform certain border security protection functions, but Democrats, led by their minority leader, opposed the amendment. With a record like this, it is no wonder that the Democrats never mention border security as a part of their agenda.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, House Republicans have put together a set of five principles on border security and immigration reform that we want to see included in any legislation that is sent to the President. These principles include making border security a top priority, providing our Border Patrol with the resources they need to do their jobs effectively, strengthening immigration law enforcement, punishing employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, and opposing any efforts to reward those who break our laws. Madam Speaker, House Republicans passed a great bill last December that incorporated all of these principles. Unfortunately, Democrats and some of our colleagues in the Senate are pushing for alternative legislation that would make our borders even more vulnerable, their Reid-Kennedy bill that would actually weaken our law enforcement and make our country far less secure. Madam Speaker, the Reid-Kennedy bill would reward those who break our laws. This bill is not the answer to our immigration problems, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to oppose it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week House, Republicans unveiled the American Values Agenda to defend the commonsense principles upon which our country was founded. Unfortunately, it seems that activist judges have made it their mission to ban freedoms of religious expression, to deny the basic right to life, to strip law-abiding citizens of their second amendment rights, and to denounce the sanctity of marriage. My Republican colleagues and I are committed to restoring these values and others by passing a positive legislative agenda which would protect the pledge from being ruled unconstitutional by activist judges, protect the right to display the American flag on residential property, protect the right of communities to make public references to God and faith, protect traditional marriage as a union between one man and one woman, require those that perform late-term abortions to inform the mother that her unborn child will feel pain, prohibit human cloning, apply gambling laws to the Internet, and make tax relief permanent for American families. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support these very important initiatives.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week, House Republicans outlined five principles that we want included in any immigration reform legislation before it is sent to the President. They are: Republicans want to put a premium on border security and provide the resources necessary to strengthen our Border Patrol. Republicans want to strengthen the enforcement of immigration laws and stiffen the penalties for those who break those laws. Republicans want to hold employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens accountable and strengthen the penalties on them. Republicans oppose any and all efforts to reward those who break our immigration laws. And last, Republicans believe that immigrants must come here legally, obey our laws, and assimilate into American society by learning English. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans passed a bill last December that incorporated these principles. Unfortunately, some of our colleagues in the Senate are pushing for legislation that would actually weaken our borders. Mr. Speaker, this is neither what the American people need nor want.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, House Republicans are committed to passing strong immigration reform legislation. Last December, we passed a bill that would, among other things, strengthen border security, crack down on those who knowingly hire illegal workers, empower local law enforcement to enforce our immigration laws, and allow for the swift deportation of illegal aliens. This is something that has to be done for our national security, and we cannot compromise on this. I cannot for the life of me understand why Democrats are pushing to pass the Reid-Kennedy bill, which is a huge pat on the back for those who are breaking our laws. This bill would reward bad behavior by guaranteeing Social Security benefits for illegal aliens and enabling them to collect welfare benefits paid for by American tax-paying citizens. In addition, the Reid-Kennedy bill would permit illegal aliens to pay in-State tuition at public universities, also funded by American taxpayers, and would require our country to consult with Mexico before constructing a wall to protect our own country. Madam Speaker, the Reid-Kennedy bill is not the answer to our immigration problems, and I encourage my colleagues to oppose it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week we debated the very important issue of how we are going to confront the global war on terror: Are we going to confront this challenge, or are we going to retreat and defeat? Republicans are dedicated to confronting this challenge and will continue to offer the American strong national security policies that will protect this Nation against another attack on their own soil. We will continue to trumpet successes such as the elimination of al Zarqawi and the Iraqi Government naming new interior defense and security ministers. Democrats, though, are too eager to grasp upon the challenges we face as their rationale to defeat. Even the death of the terrorist al Zarqawi only brought cries of retreat and claims that it was only ``a stunt.'' And just last week, 149 Democrats voted against a resolution declaring that the United States will prevail in the war on terror. Mr. Speaker, President Kennedy once said, ``The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it, and one path we shall never choose and that is the path of surrender or submission.'' When it comes to the global war on terror, we must never choose the path of surrender.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, last week the House voted to pass a resolution declaring that the United States will prevail in the global war on terror. The House spent 10 hours debating the measure, which came on the heels of two victories, the formation of the Iraqi Government and the death of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. House Republicans made clear that we are determined to prevail in protecting our freedoms from the terrorists, but House Democrats couldn't even develop a unified message to let the American people know where they stand on the global war on terror. While House Republicans stood firmly in support behind our troops, House Democrats were all over the place. The San Diego Union Tribune reported on this confusion by saying, ``Some Democrats stand with the White House, some change their views day to day, some incredibly don't believe Iraq has much to do with the war on terrorism. They seem to want Iraq to collapse in civil war rather than have any sort of resolution that can be seen as vindication of U.S. foreign policy.'' Mr. Speaker, the American people have a clear choice: House Republicans are committed to winning this global war on terror, while House Democrats seem to want to give up and concede defeat.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, life is a precious gift from God. It is something that should be honored, cherished and never taken for granted. The unborn are the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society, and their right to life must be protected. Mr. Speaker, I was delighted when this Congress passed legislation in 2003 to prohibit partial birth abortions. This barbaric act entails partially removing a fetus in the third trimester from its mother's womb and then brutally killing it by puncturing or crushing its skull. The day that President Bush signed the bill banning this heinous act was a great one for our Nation. Unfortunately, some activist judges in the Eighth U.S. Circuit and Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have taken it upon themselves to strike down this law, and countless lives are lost as a result. That is why I am pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court said yesterday it will consider a second appeal to reinstate the Federal ban on partial birth abortions. It is my hope the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the right to life and reinstate a ban on this terrible act.