Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, recognizing increased dialogue between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriots, and Turkey's support for a peaceful resolution on Cyprus, it is encouraging to see positive steps being taken to reunify the island. A recent Washington Times editorial outlines the importance of building on progress being made and explains how the U.S. can contribute to this process. Needing an Excuse for Success [From the Washington Times, July 22, 2008] The divided island of Cyprus confirms the axiom that political leaders occasionally need excuses for success. The United States should give newly elected Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias an excuse to negotiate the reunification of the island with Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat by breaking the international embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) through direct transportation, trade, telecommunications and sporting links. Cyprus fractured between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot de facto sovereignties in 1963 following the demise of the 1960 constitution. Since then, Greek Cypriot leaders have lacked any political incentive to compromise from a position of domination because the Greek Cypriot south has enjoyed exclusive international recognition while Turkish Cypriots have suffered from political isolation and economic strangulation. The Greek Cypriot south is represented at the United Nations. It enjoys diplomatic relations with every nation but the Republic of Turkey. It represents the entire island at international sporting or cultural events. Greek Cypriot intransigence has carried no penalty. Indeed, stubbornness has been rewarded by the international community through the continuing global embargo of the Turkish Cypriots but for Turkey. Turkish Cypriot youth, straining in a economy under perpetual duress, have had to flee the island in search of opportunity. Time has allowed the embargo to weaken Turkish Cypriot resistance to the Greek Cypriot ambition to reduce them to vassalage. In this favorable international context for the Greek Cypriot south, any Greek Cypriot leader who would have yielded anything to Turkish Cypriots would have been committing political suicide. At its birth from British colonial rule in 1960, Cyprus sported a single sovereignty with single citizenship under a finely balanced constitution. To opine on responsibility for the destruction of the constitutional order in 1963 and the necessity for Turkish troops to rescue Turkish Cypriots from violence in 1974 would imperil ongoing reunification talks. It is sufficient to note that through Greek and Greek Cypriot lobbying and a western prejudice favoring Christians over Muslims, the international community has severed virtually all government and private connections to Turkish Cypriots for nearly 45 years. That isolation was not required by national or international laws. It was the result of cynical political or economic calculations of governments and private enterprise. Intermittent negotiations over reunification with separate constituent states predictably stagnated for three decades. Greek Cypriots generally demanded supremacy, while Turkish Cypriots generally demanded equality. Then came the 2004 ``Annan Plan.'' United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan fashioned a Nobel Prize-like breakthrough to reunify Cyprus through a bold scheme of federalism that accommodated both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot aspirations while reciprocally quelling their fears. Dual referendums on the ``Annan Plan'' were held in April that year. Turkish Cypriots voted overwhelmingly in favor. The United States and the European Union had lured them into affirmative votes by promising to end the strict embargo on the TRNC if the unexpected happened and Greek Cypriots balked. They did, but the embargo has remained. Neither the United States nor the EU has honored their respective promises to open direct links to the TRNC. Their international credibility has plunged and diminished their ability to facilitate reconciliation elsewhere through a combination of promised carrots and sticks. To add insult to injury to the Turkish Cypriots, who had voted in favor of peace and unity, the European Union proceeded to admit solely the Greek Cypriot south as a new member, theoretically representing all of Cyprus on the heels of its shipwreck of reunification. The issue remained dormant for four years until the 2008 election of Greek Cypriot President Christofias on a platform that included a renewal of negotiations with President Talat. Face-to-face talks began early in the year. After a meeting on May 23, the two leaders committed themselves to achieving ``a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant [United Nations] Security Council resolutions.'' The envisioned partnership dispensation would comprise a federal government with a single international personality along with a Turkish Cypriot constituent state and a Greek Cypriot constituent state bearing equal status. President Christofias and President Talat met again on July 1, when they agreed in principle on a single sovereignty and single citizenship. A scheduled meeting on July 25 is expected to conclude with an agreement to begin discussions in September on a comprehensive final settlement. Working groups and technical committees have already been addressing core political questions and day-to-day issues such as education, road safety, health and the environment. Despite contrary expectations from world leaders, Greek Cypriots nixed the ``Annan Plan'' because they perceived that the international embargo of the TRNC put time on their side. The United States can reverse that perception by immediately initiating transportation, telecommunications, trade and sporting ties with the TRNC conditioned on a certification by the secretary of state that Turkish Cypriots are negotiating in good faith for reunification on just and equitable terms. That opening is exactly what President Christofias needs to sell an equal partnership single Cypriot state to his compatriots.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I've listened to these Democrats talk. It's their typical response: more government funding and creating dependency on the Federal Government. In 2006, Democrats promised relief from high priced gas prices. Since they gained control of Congress, gas prices have more than doubled. We continue to wait for the Democrats to unveil an energy plan that will actually lower prices for Americans at the pump. So far, all we hear is drilling takes too long. That's the kind of shortsighted thinking that got us into this reliance on foreign oil in the first place. They don't want to hear about long-term solutions. So I have good news for you. Even the announcement of drilling will immediately affect the market price of oil. President Bush announced the lifting of an executive moratorium, and the next day, oil dropped $8 a barrel. The market responds to information, and it will respond even to the announcement. A second good piece of news for those who don't want to begin a long- term solution is there is already a pipeline in Alaska. It doesn't hold anywhere near its full capacity. Let's fill it with oil from ANWR. We'll see a price change soon. What the American people deserve is action. The message to the Democrat majority is do it here, do it now, do it for America.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 1286, recognizing and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival. The National Black Arts Festival was founded in 1987 after the Fulton County Arts Council commissioned a study to explore the feasibility of creating a festival dedicated to celebrating and advancing the work of artists of African descent. The study provided compelling reasons why the Atlanta community was the right place for such a festival, and with Fulton County government as the major sponsor, joined by additional corporate and foundation sponsors, the Festival's first biannual summer festival was held in 1988. The 10-day event served as the country's first-ever summer festival featuring hundreds of artists of African descent. Half a million attendees took part in a triumphant celebration of African art, music and culture. Over the last 20 years, artist and attendees alike have come to expect emerging and renowned artists to grace the stages and exhibit spaces of the city; collectors look eagerly to the artists' market for the next opportunity to buy from some of the best artists in the country; film fans flock to the screenings of known and unknown work; and concert halls are filled with the voices and instruments of those who are considered to be the best in jazz, gospel, R&B and everything in between. As the festival established itself as one of the most important festivals in the world presenting the art and culture of the African diaspora, it seized the opportunity to expand the year-round educational and humanities programming in addition to hosting the festival every year. The NBAF connects with people of all ages and races and celebrates diversity, while striking a common chord that resonates with all Americans like no other festival or arts organization. The festival is a cultural institution dedicated to serving artists, audiences, teachers and students by providing opportunities for artistic and creative expression and sponsoring educational and humanities programs to deepen historical and cultural understanding of African and African American culture. To date, the NBAF has touched over 5 million people and is one of the premier festivals in the world. Today we honor it for its 20 years of dedicated service to the arts and education in the greater Atlantic area as well as to the country. I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today there are approximately 51 million Americans living with one or more disabilities. This means approximately 18 percent of Americans report having one or more disabilities, which may include physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive or intellectual impairment, mental disorder or various types of chronic disease. Without the contributions of Americans with disabilities we would be without some of our best athletes, artists, and most brilliant minds. Jim Abbott, the only person in Major League Baseball to be born with one hand, has thrown a no-hitter and has won Olympic gold. Patty Duke, who was diagnosed with manic-depressive disorder, won three Emmy Awards for made-for-television movies and is a nationally recognized actress. Stephen Hawking, who was diagnosed with ALS, is one of the premier physicists in the world. One-legged downhill skiers have been clocked during sporting events going more than 70 miles an hour. Authors without limbs have written best-selling novels. Blind violinists have played in Carnegie Hall. And the list goes on and on. Americans with disabilities have contributed to America's culture and society in ways many of us with lesser challenges could not dream of. House Resolution 1355 recognizes the designation of Disability Pride Day, and urges everyone to honor Americans with disabilities. I'm happy to join my colleague, Representative Danny Davis of Illinois, in support of this resolution and ask my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 655, honoring the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham. Katherine Mary Dunham was an American dancer, choreographer, songwriter, author, educator and activist who was trained as an anthropologist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers in American and European theater of the 20th century. She formed a ballet group called Ballet Negres, the first black ballet company in the United States. Upon receipt of her degree in anthropology in 1936, she was awarded a fellowship and left for the West Indies to do field research in anthropology and dance. From this initial field work, Dunham generated her master's thesis for her degree from Northwestern University in 1947. She lectured widely and published numerous books. During this time, Dunham also began her investigations into an expression of movement that would form the core of the Katherine Dunham technique. What Dunham gave modern dance was a combination of African and Caribbean styles of movement which she integrated with techniques of ballet and modern dance. In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Dunham was renowned throughout Europe and Latin America. For more than 30 years, she maintained the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the only permanent, self-subsidized American black dance troupe at that time, and over her long career she choreographed more than 90 individual dances. Dunham's works have been performed on Broadway and on film, and have left an indelible mark on modern dance. Today, we honor the life of Katherine Dunham and her contribution to the arts and to the world. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of this resolution, the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1296, supporting the designation of September as National Child Awareness Month. The National Child Awareness Month will recognize that a long-term commitment to children and youth is in the public interest. This designation will also encourage widespread support for the charities and organizations that seek to provide a better future for the children and youth of the United States. With that, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) for introducing this bill. I ask for my colleagues' support in designating September as National Child Awareness Month.

Ms. FOXX. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Thank you, Congressman Westmoreland, it's a treat to be here with these Georgians tonight, I guess we will call it southern night. We certainly do understand each other when we are speaking. I was pleased to hear Congressman Gingrey saying, quoting his constituents, saying, why won't you all do something about this? Well, I hear that kind of question all the time too. It takes a real practiced tongue to say it the right way too. But I think it's important, as you are pointing out, that we distinguish who is in charge here. We see a lot of polls being done, and we know that many Americans don't realize that the Democrats are completely in charge of the Congress. Now they want to put the blame for this problem on the President and Vice President, but we know the President and Vice President can't pass laws. It's only the Congress that can do this, and the Democrats are in charge of the Congress. I was over here several nights last week making that point. I think it is very, very much up to us to point out to the American people that it's the Democrats who are in charge. They are the ones who can help solve this situation, but they seem totally out of touch. They don't understand, I think, what is going on at the polls. When you have people in Congress who have been in Congress for over 50 years, and some of their chairmen have been here over 50 years, many of them have been here 40 years, many of them 30 years, I think they are totally out of touch with the American people. They are not used to buying their own gas, they don't go home on weekends, they don't hear from their constituents in the same way that we do. We know that they are the ones in charge, and they can do something about this. They, again, want to deflect the problem, but we have the statistics on our side, and I think we have to keep reminding the people about that. When people ask me why, why won't the Congress do something, you know, I don't really have a good answer for them. I am wondering if it's because they are so out of touch, and they don't know how the American people are suffering as a result of the high gas prices. I am not usually a person who thinks in nefarious ways, but I wonder if sometimes they don't want the people to be as miserable as possible, because they think they can blame the President, and they can blame the vice president for what's happening. That's the only answer I can come up with. I can't really understand why the Democrats, who claim to represent average people, want the average people to suffer the way that they do. I didn't get a chance to hear all of the comments that my colleague from California, Mr. McCarthy said, when he was on the floor earlier, but I do want to put in a plug for our drilling in Alaska, for our drilling wherever we need to. The Democrats keep saying we can't drill our way out of this. We can't drill our way out of this. But I do believe, like my Republican colleagues, that it's important that we take advantage of the great gifts that the good Lord has given us in this country to use on our behalf. We have the mechanisms to be energy independent with American-made energy. I want to point out, again, that even the newspapers are calling on the Congress, but not all of them are pointing out that it's the Democrats, some do. The Las Vegas Review Journal says, ``The ball is with Congress, will Democrats continue to block the development of energy resources?'' That is such an important question to ask, and it's important again that every newspaper in this country point out that it is the Democrats that are blocking the development of resources. The Lafayette Daily Advertiser in Louisiana, ``Congress should back drilling.'' Now, the Republicans do back drilling. The Democrats do not. The Daily Inter Lake in Montana. ``Drilling, will Congress ever act?'' We need to point out again that they should be saying, Will the democratically-controlled Congress ever act? Newspaper after newspaper is coming out and saying that we, Congress, need to act on this. It is not the Republicans who are in charge. The President and the Vice President can't do anything about this. As my colleague from Georgia said earlier, drilling and creating our own energy will create millions of jobs in this country. Again, the Democrats claim to be the party that wants to create jobs, that wants to help average Americans, but they are standing in the way of doing all of that. You know, I have jokingly said here that they think they are so powerful that they can repeal the law of supply and demand. Now, that's what they think. They think that just through conservation efforts and just by talking, you know, it's sort of like the Wizard of Oz. There is nothing really behind that screen. They promised us a commonsense plan to bring down the price of gasoline. The chart that my colleague showed a little while ago, the price of gasoline has almost doubled since the Democrats were in office. I don't know what the American people would have gotten had they made some other kinds of promises, but promising to bring down the price and then doubling the price--you know, I go back to the quote that was used by Mr. Kanjorski: ``We sort of stretched the truth and people ate it up.'' Well, that is what they are doing now, too, about the leases. They are saying, oh, we don't need to drill. The oil companies have all these leases that they are not using. But I think it is important that we debunk that. We had the Truth Squad last year. We have got to bring the Truth Squad out again. The oil companies do have some land that has been leased, but the oil companies report to their shareholders they are not going to waste good money drilling where there is no oil or no potential for getting oil. Even the Democrats voted against this ridiculous ``Use It Or Lose It'' bill that they brought up for the second time last week. Again, I think we have to remind the American people, we could produce enough energy in this country to become totally energy independent. We need to start now, but we need to remind them, the Democrats are in charge. Call your Democratic Member of Congress if you are represented by a Democrat, and tell them, you want them to drill now. You want them to do all the alternatives. We Republicans support conservation. We support all of the above. But we can do it. We have always done it. And I now yield back my time to my colleague from Georgia.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today is a special day in the history of North Carolina, this Congress, and especially in the life of public service led by Congressman Howard Coble from North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District. Today, Congressman Coble becomes the longest-serving Republican from North Carolina in the history of the House of Representatives. His nearly 24 years of congressional service eclipses the record of service previously held by Jim Broyhill, who served from 1963 to 1986. Howard has a sterling reputation as a man of integrity and principle, a representative who stands for what is right and who fights on behalf of what makes America a great Nation. He is a truly independent voice for North Carolina and Washington. I consider it a profound honor to call Howard a dear friend, and I always look forward to working with him in Congress on behalf of the people of North Carolina. In addition to his unimpeachable character, Howard Coble is a champion for his constituents, whether he is working in Washington or back in North Carolina. He is passionate about constituent service, and he never backs down from a challenge to do what makes sense for those he represents in North Carolina's Sixth District. His North Carolina values of hard work, common sense and sacrifice, on behalf of those he serves, have made Howard not just the longest- serving Republican from North Carolina but also a tremendously effective legislator. The dean of the North Carolina delegation is also in possession of one of the sharpest wits in Congress. He is renowned for his deadpan humor and loves a good joke, even if it's at his own expense. As I am sure his constituents are aware, Howard is always ready with a cheerful greeting and a welcoming smile for whoever crosses his path. In fact, many of those who meet Howard for the first time will quickly realize his affection for his constituents in his district. He can hardly meet a constituent without inquiring about their high school alma mater and then rattling off their high school's mascot. It's not just that Howard knows the high school mascot of every high school in his district, it's that he cares about the little details that mean so much to average North Carolinians. Perhaps the most fitting summary of Howard's personality is that he is the essence of what it means to be a southern gentleman, someone who simply exudes kindness, charm and compassion. Of course, Howard's sharp wit can be a two-edged sword. Last month his sense of humor almost killed someone. At the North Carolina GOP convention, he cracked a joke to Senator Robert Pittenger, who is campaigning to become North Carolina's lieutenant governor. Pittenger nearly expired after choking on his meal in mid-chuckle. Reliable sources have hinted that the joke might have been a variation of Howard's feisty mountain woman one-liner that he routinely uses to describe me. Fortunately, former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was there to rescue Pittenger from Howard's humor with a well-placed Heimlich maneuver. All kidding aside, one thing I admire most about Congressman Coble is the fact he has served so long and so admirably while still retaining the North Carolina values that helped bring him to Congress 24 years ago. He has no doubt seen much during his tenure from the last days of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the heady days of the implementation of the GOP's Contract with America in 1995, and then the dark days after September 11. Throughout it all, Congressman Coble has been a consistent, caring legislator who represents the very best of our great State of North Carolina. Today, I salute Howard Coble, my friend, for his many years of service. On this historic day, I wish him many more years of faithfully serving his constituents and his country. Howard is truly one of a kind.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Delaware for yielding me some time. I want also to congratulate the Arizona State University softball team for its championship. And I think a lot about what is happening to American families this year, this summer, as they want to go out and watch their children play softball, watch their children play baseball, get involved in other sports, and realize how the price of gasoline is impacting that opportunity, those opportunities that they would like to have. They want to be able to do all those things they have been doing for years. We live in the greatest and freest country in the world, but we are in danger right now because we are not energy independent. We are very dependent on importing oil and gas. But the American people understand we don't have to do that; that we can be energy independent. And what they want us to do is what the Republicans have said we should do, which is develop an all-of-the-above strategy. There is poll after poll after poll to show that the American people want access to more American-made energy which will help alleviate the pain at the pump. What is stopping us from doing that? One group of people, Washington Democrats, the leadership of this House of Representatives and the Senate. They alone stand in the way of exploration for new domestic resources that will immediately bring down the price of gasoline and allow these families to pursue their summer pursuits. I want to quote from some polls that have recently been done, again, which back up what House Republicans want to do, all of the above. We want conservation, we want increased use of alternative and renewable energy, and we want environmentally sound production of American resources. Fox News Poll: 76 percent of Americans ``support immediately increasing oil drilling in the United States. More than seven in 10 Democrats hold this view.'' CNN/Opinion Research Poll: ``73 percent of the more than 1,000 Americans surveyed from June 26 to June 29 said they favored offshore drilling for oil and natural gas in U.S. waters.'' The Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll: ``When all registered voters were asked whether they support increased exploration for oil and natural gas, 68 percent responded in the affirmative.'' Rasmussen Reports: ``According to Rasmussen, 67 percent of Americans support oil drilling off the Nation's coast, 64 percent think it will lower gas prices.'' We all know the minute we announce we are going to drill, we are going to see lower gas prices. The IBD/TIPP Poll: ``Support for offshore drilling and oil shale development is also broad-based, with the former favored by 64 percent of respondents and the latter by 65 percent.'' Reuters/Zogby Poll: ``Most Americans support more U.S. oil drilling. 59.6 percent of Americans surveyed in that poll released June 18 said they favor government efforts to boost domestic drilling and refinery construction to cool record prices.'' Again, I want to congratulate the Arizona State University softball team on their national championship. And I want to say to the Democrats, give us more American-made resources and let Americans pursue going to baseball games, going to softball games, and taking their families to all their summer entertainment this summer. Let's lower the price of gasoline and make it possible. Stop standing in the way.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, more than 2 years ago, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi promised the American people that Democrats had a ``commonsense plan to lower gas prices.'' Well, we're now over $4 a gallon, up more than 76 percent since Democrats took Congress. It's clear that plan never materialized. American families, truck drivers, and small business owners deserve action from Washington, not more broken Democrat promises. They deserve real solutions, and that's exactly what we Republicans have to offer, initiatives that will make us less dependent on foreign Nations for energy, will create jobs here at home, and will grow the American economy. In order to put us on a path to energy independence, we must increase the production of our vast amount of resources in an environmentally sound manner, while encouraging conservation. We must continue to invest in renewable energy resources. We must also increase our nuclear capacity, too. It's time for real solutions, Mr. Speaker, not more broken promises from the Democrats.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from the State of Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Congressman Kenneth J. Gray, formerly an esteemed Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been a life long son of Illinois. Born in West Frankfort on November 14, 1924, Congressman Gray was a graduate of West Frankfort Community High School and owner of Gray Motors in West Frankfort. He served in the Second World War for two years until discharged in 1945 as a first sergeant and three bronze star recipient for his service. After returning from the war, Congressman Gray became active in his community and was one of the founders of the Walking Dog Foundation for the Blind and an active leader in the American Legion. In the same district where Mr. Gray served as the Commander of the American Legion, he was encouraged to run against the incumbent Congressman as many thought that the issues affecting the veterans of southern Illinois were being overlooked. While running for Congress for the first time in 1954, his campaign slogan was ``a fighting man for a fighting job,'' which he lived up to during the 11 Congressional terms he served the citizens of the 25th District of Illinois. He ran on the platform of change for the people in his District. Southern Illinois was suffering a period of high unemployment at the time Mr. Gray was running for Congress. After his election, he set about meeting the challenges of getting the 30,000 unemployed people back to work. He was placed on the Public Works Committee at the beginning of his first term, where he was able to shed light on the plight of his constituents and worked to get projects directed to his District. Congressman Gray became known throughout his career as a man who, in his words, wouldn't roll down his sleeves until the job was done. To this day, he has not rolled down his sleeves and continues to get things done. You can see his footprints on such things as hospitals, schools, and federal buildings. Because of Congressman Gray's many accomplishments on behalf of the citizens of Southern Illinois as well as the entire country, it is very fitting that we would designate the naming of the West Frankfort Post Office after Congressman Gray. We wish Congressman Gray well during his illness and thank him for his life-long service to the United States. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Last week, when I was home in North Carolina, I enjoyed celebrating our American freedom and independence in several parades and celebrations. One of the highlights of the many celebrations was the town of Troutman, North Carolina's Fourth Annual Independence Day Parade. Thanks to the leadership of Parade Committee Chairman Dennis Cleary and members of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1091, as well as Troutman Mayor Elbert Richardson and many local citizens, this celebration was a tremendous display of American patriotism. More than 200 Vietnam veterans served as grand marshals for this year's parade, as they led attendees through the streets of Troutman to the loud applause and cheers of their fellow citizens who welcomed them home with yellow ribbons tied along the parade route. Many local organizations participated in this one-of-a-kind parade, led by many members of North Carolina's Rolling Thunder chapters, such as Ross Moore; North Carolina Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 from Statesville led by Chapter President George ``Mike'' Keller, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran; North Carolina Rolling Thunder Chapter 6 from Winston-Salem led by Chapter President Bob Penn, a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam veteran; as well as many veterans from the local American Legion, the local Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the local Disabled American Veterans. It was an honor to join one of America's true heroes in the parade, Medal of Honor recipient Rodolfo P. Hernandez. Parading through Troutman with heroes like Mr. Hernandez is a poignant reminder of why it has been such a pleasure to participate in the celebration for the past 4 years. After all, this is a celebration of what makes America great: Our love for liberty and willingness to make great personal sacrifice for the cause of liberty.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, these fires are extremely dangerous, and our heart goes out to all those people in California who are suffering from these fires and all over the country. In my area, we rely on volunteer firefighters who are dedicated and whose service I cherish. However, we're putting these dedicated servants who are volunteers all over this country at a terrible disadvantage with gas costs at $4.11 a gallon; 75 percent higher since the Democrats took control of Congress. Now, let me say that again. Many Americans do not realize that the Democrats are in control of Congress. We are not being allowed to vote on increasing the supply of gasoline by the Democrats. Now, what is the Democratic strategy for increasing supply of gasoline, which is what we have to do to bring down the price? Let me quote from an article in yesterday's Hill newspaper an aide to Speaker Pelosi. ``Right now our strategy on gas prices is `Drive small cars and wait for the wind.' '' Now, that reminds me of the episode which many people will remember from their history books, when the people of France were starving, people went to the Queen and said that the people need bread, they're begging for bread. She said, ``Let them eat cake.'' Again, the strategy of the Democrats is ``Right now our strategy on gas prices is `Drive small cars and wait for the wind.' '' Folks, that's not what we want in terms of leadership. We need leadership on this issue. We need action to bring down the price of gasoline. And what will bring down the price of gasoline is American- made energy. We are not being allowed to produce American-made energy that we can produce to bring down the price of gasoline. On the last bill, the Democrats talked about the fact that our unemployment rate is up. We had 54 straight months of job growth in this country until January of this year when gas prices really started to go up. The price of gas is affecting everything in this country. Again, it's Democratic leadership that has put us in this position, not Republican leadership. I met today with people from the Turkey Federation. They're concerned about the price of feed. It's driving up the cost of food. Why? Because we're giving such great subsidies to ethanol; so corn is being used to produce ethanol, not going into feed for our animals. We know that's happening all over the place. Why is it that Congress has a 9 percent approval rating right now? It's because, as the Wall Street Journal said, this is the most do- nothing Congress in 20 years. We have to respond to the American people. The American people have to know that the Democrats are in charge and they are not responding. We can bring down the price of oil, we can help volunteer firefighters, we can bring down the cost of food by providing American-made energy, and it's time that we started doing that. Democrats think you can defy the law of supply and demand. We cannot do that. If we increase supply, we will be able to bring down the price of gasoline, and that's what we have to do.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Senator Jesse Helms. Senator Helms, who passed away this past 4th of July at the age of 86, was renowned for his considerable personal warmth and his commitment to the good of his constituents. So it is no surprise that in the days after his passing, tales from his constituents across the State of North Carolina paid tribute to his decades-long track record of thoughtful constituent service. But Senator Helms was so much more than a good public servant. He was a man of integrity, and over the course of his 30 years of service in the United States Senate, you could always count on one thing: You knew where Jesse Helms stood on the issue. An outspoken conservative who was never bashful about defending the conservative principles of small government and individual freedom, he was a man who refused to compromise on his principles. Senator Helms knew a conservative when he saw one. This is why he helped propel Ronald Reagan to the national stage by orchestrating Reagan's North Carolina primary victory in 1976. In so doing, he helped prepare the groundwork for the eventual Reagan Revolution of the 1980s. As we remember the life of Senator Helms, we know we have lost one of the finest conservative statesmen of a generation. Senator Helms believed that America was the greatest nation in the world, and that belief informed his principles and the policies that he ultimately pursued. For instance, he knew that a strong America would be a signpost of hope for millions during the uncertain times of global communist influence in the seventies and eighties. As a strident anti- communist, he fought to ensure America would be a bulwark against the forces of oppression and tyranny in the communist corners of the globe. Senator Helms was also an indomitable champion of life. He believed in the dignity of the lives of the unborn and fought with heroic energy to see to it that they might receive the protection they deserve. His pro-life legacy is still with us today. In fact, Senator Helms successfully amended legislation 35 years ago to include what is today known as the ``Helms amendment.'' This amendment, which is still in effect, mandates that no U.S. foreign aid money may be used to pay for or promote abortions. Yes, Senator Helms fought for the innocent unborn, he condemned widespread corruption in the United Nations before it was popular to do so, and he staked out clear conservative positions without having to consult a pollster. He was a one-of-a-kind leader who passed on conservative principles to many, including me. But his crusades were never just about him. Rather, he fought for his country and the ideas that he knew made America great. He said it best in his farewell address to the Senate: ``Being remembered isn't important. What is important is standing up for what you believe to be right, hoping that you have done everything you can to preserve the moral and spiritual principles that made America great in the first place.'' Senator Helms' death last Friday was a profound loss for America and for the State of North Carolina. He served his country well, dispatching his duty to stand up for what is right with unrivaled moral clarity. He will be missed, and today my thoughts and my prayers are with his family and loved ones as they grieve this loss and remember a life well-lived.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, while the Democrat Congress sits on its hands, House Republicans are answering the challenge of $4 gas, taking our meaningful solutions to produce American-made energy, lower gas prices and promote energy independence directly to the American people. When the French people were starving, the Queen said, ``Let them eat cake.'' Speaker Pelosi's office says, ``Right now our strategy on gas prices is drive small cars and wait for the wind.'' The American people can't wait for the Democrats to decide what to do. They want answers now, and Republicans stand ready with solutions. The Republican plan will increase production of American-made energy in an environmentally safe way. It will promote new, clean, and reliable sources of energy while cutting red tape and increasing the supply of American-made fuel and energy. The House Republican plan also encourages greater energy efficiency by offering conservative tax credits to Americans who make their home, car and business more energy efficient. So while Democrats continue to sit on the sidelines, House Republicans will continue to fight for meaningful solutions to lower gas prices and promote energy independence.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Thank you so much, Mr. Westmoreland. Thank you for leading this Special Order tonight and for the work that you have been doing for the last several weeks on this issue. I think it's important that we say over and over and over again that the Republicans do have a plan to lower gas prices. We are doing everything that we can to create new sources of American-made oil because we are in touch with the American people. We go home every weekend. Most of us worked for a living before we came here; so we know what it's like to meet a payroll. We haven't been in government all our lives. We haven't served in the Congress for 53, 54 years. We are out there every weekend talking to the folks that we represent, and we know how the high prices of gasoline are hurting them. I think the Democrats are in strong denial. They think, again, that they can continue to bash the oil companies and hide their heads in the sand about what is going on. I want to thank you and our colleague from Indiana and our other colleagues that are going to be speaking tonight who are exposing the Democrats for who they are and what they are. Again, as I said earlier, it's important that we let the American people know it's the Democrats who are in control. The President cannot create new gas sources or new oil sources. Only the Congress has the power to do what needs to be done. So we need to set the record straight. It seems like the Democrats want to do everything possible to avoid creating new oil and bringing down the price of gasoline. They purport to represent the little person, the common person, the average person in this country, but it's obvious that that's not who they care about. They care about the radical environmentalists and toeing their line. Now I consider myself an environmentalist. My husband and I are in the nursery and landscaping business. I cherish the earth. I am a big recycler. I am very careful about how I spend things. When you grow up poor, you learn to be careful with money. But we know that our Speaker is the wealthiest person in Congress. Many of the Democrats are among the wealthiest people in the Congress. This really isn't hurting them at all. Again, I think it's very important that we debunk what they are trying to say to the American people about why their ``use it or lose it'' is what needs to be done. Again, they are good at blaming everybody else in the world for the problems that they create or that they can't solve. I want to talk a little bit about their comment that all we have to do is get the oil companies to use the leases that are available to them and put out some facts. We had the Truth Squad. The Truth Squad hasn't been active lately, but we need to bring it back. As our colleague says, You're entitled to your own opinion, but you're not entitled to create facts. So let me say something about why we need to do something more than simply pass legislation that has already been passed. During President Reagan's administration, 160 million acres of onshore land was leased for exploration. Today, only 50 million acres are leased. Only 6 percent of Federal onshore land is available for leasing. ANWR contains 10.4 billion barrels of oil, but is 100 percent closed. I want to say something about ANWR, and I want to say something--I saw these pictures on TV again tonight. When ANWR is portrayed, it is usually portrayed as this meadow with daisies growing in it, animals grazing. That isn't what ANWR is. ANWR is a frozen desert. The temperature gets to 60 degrees below zero there sometimes. Practically nothing grows there. I was all over Alaska in 2005. I saw the oil fields. And, you know what? The oil fields don't look like the oil fields they show you on TV either. We have got to get those guys to get up-to-date pictures. You don't have these big cranes going up and down and back and forth like this. The oil wells don't even look like oil wells. They are little boxes with some gauges on them. If somebody didn't tell you that they were drilling oil there, you couldn't possibly know it. So we are not going to be spoiling our scenery, and we are certainly not going to hurt ANWR. The OCS contains 86 billion barrels of oil, the Outer Continental Shelf, but 97 percent of it is closed. Onshore Federal land contains 31 billion barrels of oil, but only 6 percent of it is open to exploration. Oil shale on Federal land contains 2 trillion barrels of oil, but is 100 percent closed. The Democrats' claims are wrong. They claim that there are 4.8 million barrels and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day that may be extrapolated from unused Federal leased lands. Stephen Allred, Assistant Secretary of the Land and Minerals Management, wrote that anyone who makes these claims has a ``misunderstanding of the very lengthy regulatory process. Lessees must comply with permit upon permit, often 27 total permits, without any drilling, and a lease does not equal oil. A lease is not a permission to drill, a lease is a permission to explore.'' The Democrats assume that every acre of leased land can produce the exact same amount of oil and gas as the very best producing acres. This argument is not based on science, fact, or even common sense. A lease doesn't guarantee the discovery of oil and gas. A lessee may never actually find oil or gas. Between 2002 and 2007, 52 percent of all exploration wells were dry. We have got to set the record straight. We can't let the Democrats get by with talking about things that aren't true and trying to fool the American people. I see my colleague from Georgia has some wonderful maps here. Let me defer to you to talk about ANWR a little bit.

Ms. FOXX. If I might, before Mr. Conaway speaks, I want to make one more comment. I have been getting a lot of letters in the last couple of weeks from boy scouts who are talking about their concerns with what is going on. I got one this week that was really heart-rending. He said, If the price of gas keeps going up, we are not going to be able to go on vacation, we are not going to be able to go to the grocery store. We are not even going to be able to go to church anymore. I think it's a real shame that we have people out there who are being denied the opportunity even to go to church because they cannot afford the price of gasoline. That is a sad state that we have come to in this country, and it's a sad commentary on the Democrats when they want to allow that to continue, when they have the power to do something about it. I yield back.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that the Democrats' use-it-or- lose-it bill did not pass this House this afternoon. We have been saying for weeks that this is a sham. Use-it-or-lose-it is already the law of the land. Thankfully, enough people here, including 19 Democrats, voted with almost all the Republicans to turn back this sham against the people of the country. What we need to be doing is we need to be producing more oil and gas for the American people, bringing down the price of gas. The Democrats are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the American people, and, thankfully, they are not going to be able to do that since this bill did not pass. They wouldn't put it in committee to let it be debated. They put it on the suspension calendar, and it failed. The American people during this 4th of July work period need to tell their Members, we want you to fulfill the promises you made 2 years ago. Bring down the price of gas.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. ``Speaker Nancy Pelosi hoped to send House Democrats home for the Fourth of July recess with a series of votes that would show they're serious about easing the pain at the pump.'' That obviously is not going to be done. We are passing bills here today that deserve the ``Emperor's New Clothes Award.'' Somebody has to stand up and say the emperor has no new clothes, because the bills that we are being asked to vote on are shams. We are not doing anything to help average, hardworking Americans who are paying over $4 a gallon for gasoline as a result of the Democrats' control in the last 18 months of this Congress. This is a sham. This is for show. They are going to go home and say they did something, but they did nothing to help the average working American, and it is time that people said so. We don't need to be allowing this sham to continue without being able to talk about it. It says here ``nothing has gone according to plan. The price-gouging bill failed to garner the two-thirds support necessary to pass.'' Even Democrats are speaking against the bill. They are talking about how it is going to hurt gas-producing States and the gas-producing people are opposed to it, the Democrats are. So nothing that is going on here is really going to help those of you who are paying over $4 a gallon for gasoline in this country. All we are doing is letting the Democrats put on a show that says that they are reducing the price of gasoline, when they are not. Pelosi's Pump Pain--Aggressive pre-recess plan goes by wayside (By Patrick O'Connor) Speaker Nancy Pelosi hoped to send House Democrats home for the Fourth of July recess with a series of votes that would show they're serious about easing the pain at the pump. Their wish list included legislation giving the federal government more authority to crack down on price-gouging by oil companies and smaller vendors, a bill requiring energy producers to relinquish any land not currently being tapped for oil or gas production, and a measure creating new restrictions for commodity traders whose speculation has driven up the price of oil. But nothing has gone according to plan. The price-gouging bill failed to garner the two-thirds support necessary to pass. An accounting issue forced leaders to put off for a day the so-called ``use it or lose it'' measure. And the legislation to curb speculation is now caught up in a member fight over the proper path forward--a fight that exposes the misgivings some Democrats have about this activist agenda. So instead of a barrage of legislation aimed at knocking back the Republicans' gas price assault, Democrats will settle for a measure giving local transit agencies $850 million in each of the next two years to reduce prices and add routes, as well as a symbolic vote calling on President Bush to crack down on ``excessive'' commodity speculation. The Democrats' stumbles come as congressional Republicans continue to push aggressively for more domestic oil and gas production on the Outer Continental Shelf and in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as for an ambitious plan to turn coal shale beneath the High Plains into natural gas. Republicans claim an amendment--offered by Pennsylvania Rep. John E. Peterson--to open offshore drilling sites 50 miles off the coast has enough support to survive a committee vote on the Appropriations panel. The committee postponed consideration of the measure on which Peterson planned to offer his amendment, but Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) told members Tuesday he plans to bring it up when lawmakers return from the weeklong Fourth of July recess. As the Democrats struggle to hold together support for the existing offshore drilling ban, they find themselves coming apart on another energy issue: what to do about oil speculators. Some Democrats, such as Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Rep. Bob Etheridge of North Carolina, would like party leaders to advance a modest measure that gives federal regulators more resources to crack down on ``excessive'' speculation in the United States and abroad. ``I'm not, at this point, sold that speculation is the reason these prices are going up,'' Peterson said. Others, such as Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the Democratic Party's campaign chief, have urged the speaker to go further by making substantive changes to the current laws, members and aides said. Add to that a jurisdictional squabble between Peterson's Agriculture Committee and members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee--including Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak--who have been working on this issue for years, and Pelosi faces a major internal challenge in bringing this legislation to the floor. The speaker met with these and other members for more than an hour Wednesday morning. They were joined by Michae1 Greenberger, a law school professor at the University of Maryland and a former director of trading and markets at the Commodity futures Trading Commission, who has testified before Congress that speculators are driving up the price of oil. But the participants who emerged from that meeting suggested the various committees of jurisdiction will begin looking at this legislation before leaders craft a compromise. ``I think the consensus is that this needs to be done very carefully,'' said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D- Md.). ``We're going to focus on the actual legislation and try to come to a consensus,'' Peterson said. Pelosi told reporters Wednesday that she expects legislation on the floor sometime next month, before lawmakers leave for the summer and for their respective nominating conventions. Some Democrats wanted to vote on a modest bill this week to give themselves cover before the recess, aides said. A number of conservative Blue Dog Democrats were also grumbling that party leaders were planning to put them in a bad spot politically with these aggressive oversight measures, aides said. Pelosi met with a number of these members Wednesday, but the speculation issue was only one of the topics discussed. In the meantime, both parties continued their finger- pointing over the gas prices and the policies that might have an effect on them. On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior questioned Democratic claims that energy producers could pump oil or gas on 68 million acres of land that has already been leased. This talking point became a common refrain last week; Democrats argued that the lease-holding oil companies could produce 4.8 million barrels of oil and more than 44 million barrels of natural gas each day under the current contracts. ``The views contained in the report [issued by Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee] are based on a misunderstanding of the very lengthy regulatory process,'' wrote C. Stephen Allred, the assistant secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management, who favors increased oil and gas exploration. ``The existence of a lease does not guarantee the discovery of, or any particular quantity of, oil and gas.'' In his letter--which can1e at the request of Republican Rep. Don Young of Alaska--Allred further argued that a lengthy permitting process creates a lag for energy producers to extract fossil fuels from this land. In a statement issued in response to the letter, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) called it ``a diversion from the simple fact that there are 68 million acres of leased land not producing any oil and gas.'' Rahall said that the administration's argument about the slow permitting process undercuts its arguments for lifting the offshore drilling ban; a long permitting process, he said, would slow any benefit to be gained from offshore drilling, too. ``Roughly 80 percent of the oil and gas under federal waters are in areas already open for leasing. They should focus on that before trying to grab any more of our public lands,'' Rahall said. The fight over gas prices also has a personal component. Pelosi has staked her speakership, in part, on aggressive environmentalism to limit human contributions to global warming. This puts her at odds with those in her caucus who are more sympathetic to the oil and gas industry. That dynamic forces her to tread lightly inside the party, but it does not prevent her from issuing lofty challenges in the name of the environment. ``We are in the battle of this generation,'' Pelosi told reporters Wednesday. ``We're ready to make the fight. We are united behind it.''

Ms. FOXX. I want to thank my colleague from Florida for giving me a moment to speak on this bill. We have had examples here all day today of the fact we are not going to be able to pass any meaningful energy legislation in this week before we go home for the 4th of July holiday. It is not just Republicans who are saying this. I want to point out the fact that in today's Politico, the story is headlined: ``Pelosi's Pump Pain. Aggressive Pre-Recess Plan Goes By the Wayside.'' I would like to introduce this, without objection, into the Record.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, you know, Americans are beginning to pressure the Democrats to face up to the basic law of economics: supply and demand. They understand that, despite all the rhetoric on the part of the Democrats, what we need is more supply to meet the demand for petroleum products. The Democrats refuse to respond in the appropriate manner. What they continue to do is bring up sham bills, avoid the issue, and try to take away people's attention from the real issue. So what they did today was bring up a bill under suspension of the rules, H.R. 6251, which they called use-it-or-lose-it. This has been their mantra for the past few days, trying to say again that the oil companies--and they love to beat up on the oil companies--have all the means at their disposal to meet the supply needs in this country. However, the American people understand that's not true. Even 19 Democrats understood that that's not true, and thankfully, the bill did not pass because it required a two-thirds majority vote, and it didn't get that. What H.R. 6251 would have done was threaten increased American energy production. It would do nothing to lower the price at the pump, and it would breach existing oil and gas contracts. But of course, what we've seen from this Democratically controlled Congress, they don't care much about the law. They don't care much about contracts, the basic part of our law in this country. I want to share with you some editorials that have been written about this harebrain scheme on the part of the Democrats, but it's not just the Republicans who feel this way, and as I've said, 19 Democrats voted against the bill today. I'm very proud of them for standing up to their despotic leadership and voting ``no'' on this bill. But here's some of the editorials that have come out about this legislation. The Charleston, West Virginia, Daily Mail, the hometown paper of Congressman Nick Rahall, one of the main sponsors of the bill: ``Now comes a new wrinkle, another attempt to dodge sensible policy-- this one from West Virginia's Representative Nick Rahall. He proposes to give big oil companies an ultimatum: Unless they drill on the 68 million acres of inactive land they now lease from the Federal Government--or give up those leases--they would be barred from getting new leases. ``Oh, for pity's sake. It may not be possible to produce from some reserves at the current price. Huffing and puffing around that American companies shouldn't have access to any new reserves until they have made full use of the reserves they have would unnecessarily delay the identification of new domestic sources, and production from those sources. ``Rahall's bill is yet another pitiful attempt to avoid doing what clearly needs to be done--make more U.S. reserves available to U.S. companies.'' That's in the Charleston Daily Mail editorial, 6/18/08. The New Hampshire Union Leader: ``Of all the dumb ideas to come out of Washington in recent memory, last week Representative Carol Shea- Porter embraced what might be the dumbest of them all. Shea-Porter has cosponsored legislation to force oil companies that hold leases on Federal land to commence developing that land or lose the lease. Simply put, Shea-Porter hasn't the slightest idea what she's talking about.'' Another one. ``Furthermore, AAPG's Nation says, current leases already require oil companies to take certain steps to use the land. The premise behind the bill Representative Carol Shea-Porter is cosponsoring--that oil companies have huge reserves of untapped oil wells sitting beneath already leased Federal land, which they can tap right away if only Congress orders it--is unsupported by the facts. Nation called it `laughable.' '' It is a great day when the American people can prevail, when they will convince the Democratic leadership--and it's important that we say over and over and over and over again that it's the Democrats who are in charge of the Congress. They are the ones in charge of bringing bills to a vote. Republicans have common sense answers to this. We will increase American-produced energy sources, and it's time to bring those bills for a vote.