Virginia Foxx

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen.)

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support S. 904. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young lady from my district who is inspiring her peers to live a healthy lifestyle. Eleven-year-old Madison Newberry of Lewisville, North Carolina was just like any other kid at Lewisville Elementary School, except that she was never able to fit into a pair of jeans. Madison is one of approximately 15 percent of American children who are overweight. Yet Madison grew tired of wearing stretch pants. And when her doctor told her she had high cholesterol, she knew it was time to make a lifestyle change. Madison lost 15 pounds by switching to a healthy diet and exercising. In April of 2004, Subway chose Madison to appear in two nationally televised commercials as part of its childhood obesity prevention campaign. Then in July, 2004, she marched in Washington with Subway spokesperson Jared Fogle to help kick off the restaurant's national childhood obesity program. Obesity among young Americans is a serious problem that can have serious ramifications in the long run. The number of kids affected by obesity has tripled since 1980, and this can be traced in large part to lack of exercise and a healthy diet. I am proud of Madison Newberry for serving as a positive role model to other kids and look forward to seeing more of her peers follow in her footsteps.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the impact of the President's ambitious agenda and our work in the House is ensuring that America's economy remains the strongest in the world. In fact, recent economic data shows the economy is providing the momentum necessary to drive steady jobs growth, despite Members of the minority party's attempts to distort our economic agenda. In the month of June, our robust economy created more than 144,000 jobs. The recent rise in our economy's production reflects the largest surge in utility output in 16 years, and the outlook for our country's growth is sitting well with consumers. The latest Consumer Sentiment Index rose in July as Americans become more and more upbeat about the economy. Tax cuts proposed by President Bush have helped the economy grow at an annualized pace of more than 3 percent for the last 2 years. The last time the economy performed this well was more than 2 decades ago. In order to maintain a robust economy, we must work with the President to pass legislation that promotes economic growth, including making his tax cuts permanent, restraining government spending, reducing unnecessary regulation, strengthening retirement security and expanding trade. There is more work to be done, and we must no longer allow some Democrats to stand in the way of job creation.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, though the two parties may disagree on aspects of the war in Iraq, I believe that terrorism is not a partisan issue. Yet minority party Members choose to align themselves solely with political rhetoric and hollow accusations. Instead of joining efforts to enhance America's security, Democrats continue to bring sensationalistic banter to this floor. Republicans are pushing legislation forward that will improve the effectiveness of and bring more accountability to U.S. foreign assistance around the world and bring democracy even further into the light. It is no secret that terrorist groups continue to recruit and train at a rapid pace. This legislation assists in cutting off the outlets and supplies of terrorist organizations and helps sever their operational channels. We are vigorously closing their doors. The foreign relations authorization addresses the pressing issues of our day such as U.N. reform, human rights and nuclear proliferation. This legislation authorizes assistance to America's allies and contains measures that continues breaking down elements of repressive foreign governments. As terrorists seek to debase the vision of peace and tear down hope, America will steadfastly provide a beacon of promise and allegiance.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a young man who bravely risked his own life to save the life of another. Mr. Speaker, 15-year-old Tyler Macemore of Yadkinville, North Carolina, rescued an anonymous 10-year-old boy caught in a rip tide at Atlanta Beach, North Carolina last year. One might wonder what motivated Tyler to selflessly enter the ocean that day. But it is clear that his choice was in some way guided by the lessons and experiences he has learned as a member of Boy Scout Troop 65 in Yadkinville. Using only a boogie board, Tyler paddled out to the distressed young boy. With reassuring words and a confident, yet calm, demeanor, he placed the boy on the board and paddled against the dangerous surf back to safety. That day, Tyler Macemore became a true hero. By exhibiting a high level of maturity and bravery, he prevented a tragedy. Since the rescue, Tyler has furthered his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America. He is now a Life Scout and working on his Eagle Scout. Ironically, Tyler will be certified in lifesaving at camp this summer, where he will also be awarded the coveted Honor Medal for his courageous act by the Boy Scouts of America. I am proud and honored to recognize this outstanding young citizen.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the reality of the American economy in light of what all of the doom and gloomers have been saying. The facts are plain and simple: Our Nation is producing more, and our government is spending less. The recent report from the Office of Management and Budget forecasts a decline in the Federal budget deficit. All along, House Republicans have had faith in the American people's ability to grow our economy and are looking to the future with confidence. It is our job in Congress to continue to hold the line on spending to ensure the continued health of our economy. The unemployment rate has fallen and is the lowest it has been since September 2001. Nearly 4 million new jobs were created in the last 2 years alone. With sustained job growth, falling deficits, low interest rates and a booming housing market, America's economy is robust and getting even stronger. Equally important are the numbers which show U.S. manufacturing continuing to expand. Durable goods orders are also on the rise. Consumer confidence is up with such spending accounting for nearly two- thirds of the economy. The fact that I can stand here today and tout the success of America's economy can be attributed to the pro-growth agenda of the President and this Republican Congress.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. That is right. So the proposal you have made I think is again a step in the right direction. Down the road we may find that we have to do other things, but the most important thing is to get people to get control of their retirement. As I said, I think that this issue has brought up the point that they cannot just depend on the Federal Government to look after them. I think we have performed a cruel hoax actually on the people of this country by letting them think that their Social Security was going to take care of them in the manner to which they have become accustomed. It is only one part of it, but it should be a secure part of their retirement. As the gentleman from Texas has said, the security part has gone away.

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and all those who have developed the legislation to save Social Security which we call GROW. I am going to repeat some of the things that both Members have said because I think it is important to repeat them. There are many times when we have to say the same things over and over in order to get the message across. We have heard a lot about Social Security reform. I just came here this year. This is my first term. I was told it was going to be an exciting term, and a lot of things would be done, and I cannot think about something more exciting than save Social Security. There are a lot of strong opinions about doing this, but we get some of our best ideas not from Washington but from places like the Fifth District of North Carolina that I represent. That is why I commute to Washington to vote but return home every chance I get. Recently, as I often do, I stopped by a restaurant in my district to have breakfast. While I was there, I engaged the people there in a discussion about Social Security reform. I shared with them some of the same things you have been talking about, and many people do not understand the fundamental facts about Social Security. We have got to make sure that our current retirees and those near retirement have the peace of mind of knowing they are going to get their full Social Security benefits for their entire retirement. The government has promised them that, and that is an obligation we have. But we also have to make sure that the benefits are there for our children and grandchildren. The folks in Bojangles that I talked with understand this and certainly agree with us, but we know right now that Social Security is financially broken. I think that the President has done a good job of explaining that to the people, but again over and over we have to say it. As the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling) said, back in 1950, we had 16 workers working for every person drawing from Social Security, for every beneficiary. Today there are just over 3 workers paying for each person receiving benefits. Within two decades only 2 people will be supporting each retiree. I love his phrase about the law of demographics. He is absolutely right. We can repeal a lot of laws here and pass a lot of laws, but we simply cannot repeal the law of demographics, and we are facing that in this country. We have to deal with it. We have to understand that is a reality that has to be dealt with. The life expectancy is much longer today than it was when Social Security was created. As he said back in 1929, people were only expected to live 57 years. In 1937 when Social Security was adopted, people were expected to live to only 60. Well, Social Security was set up to be drawn out at age 65. The people who set up Social Security never expected many people to draw from Social Security. But today, most people live to be 80, and it is not too much in the distant future that most of us are going to be living to 100. The fact of the matter is that Social Security will begin running out of money in just 13 years and be completely broke in a matter of decades. For the millions of Americans who depend on Social Security, it is simply unacceptable. If we do not reform Social Security, taxes will have to be doubled or tripled in order for the system to keep its promises to future retirees. In less than 40 years if we do not make changes, the government will have to take at least 30 to 40 percent of every worker's wages to pay for Social Security benefits. Compare that to 1940 when workers paid only 1 percent of their salary into the system, and that was basically the promise that was made when Social Security was adopted. President Bush has called on Congress to help fix the Social Security system, and I agree with him that we have to take action. I think that the GROW accounts are a great step in the right direction. We have to protect Social Security benefits for our current retirees and near retirees while giving younger workers more ownership and control over their Social Security taxes. I like the idea of giving workers control and putting their money into their personal accounts. This gives them control over their money and the government less opportunity to misuse it. I am confident that once people focus on the facts and study this issue, they will realize that Social Security reform is essential. Many people have been misled about the need for reform. However, once they have the facts, and I am convinced of this, they agree that something has to be done to protect the retirements of our future generations. We have a responsibility to save Social Security so our children and grandchildren can receive the benefits that we have enjoyed. Several different programs have been recommended to deal with the Social Security problem, but I am convinced that the plan that has come together to be called the GROW accounts is the best plan that we have right now to move us in the right direction. As other people have said, we have an obligation not only to the people who are currently drawing Social Security but those who are coming after us to make sure that their money is where they can draw it out and look to their retirement. One of the things I ask people about all the time, too, is can anybody live on the average benefit that Social Security gives them. It is my understanding it is $921. That is the average benefit. So far in all the town hall meetings that I have had and all the discussions I have had, nobody that I know of says they can live off $921 a month. I think that this discussion we have had on Social Security is performing a couple of good services for us. One, it is focusing on the problems with Social Security; but it is also raising the awareness of the American public that you cannot just depend on Social Security for your retirement. You have got to be looking to other ways to have the kinds of funds that you need to live comfortably in your retirement, and I think that that is the other benefit that this discussion on Social Security has brought about. I again want to commend the gentleman and his colleagues for what they have done in bringing to us the GROW accounts, and I want to tell you that you have my support on this. This may not be where we end up on salvaging Social Security, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. As they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. We are taking the first steps. I want to thank you for doing that and pledge my support to you in educating the American public about this and hope that even more good ideas will come as a result of the discussions.

Ms. FOXX. I have. I agree with them. And when my constituents say that to me, again through this education process, they have learned the problems that have been created by Social Security and, again, they have understood these laws of demographics that we have explained. They want us to stop this. It is a pretty simple thing. Most of the people in my district are just down-to-earth folks with a lot of common sense. There is some sort of rule, what is that law, when you are in a hole, the first law is to stop digging. They just say to me, just quit doing it.

Ms. FOXX. They are very upset by that. And the question is, why have you been spending the money? I am in the fortunate position, I have not been in Congress before, so I can say, I did not do that, although the gentleman from Texas is absolutely correct, it has been done by both Democrats and Republicans, so we have to fix this situation.

Ms. FOXX. That is right. But they do know, as you have pointed out before, that they and others have paid money into the government and they were expecting to get that money back with some reasonable rate of return, some interest paid back on it. That is the deal we made with them.

Ms. FOXX. We did.

Ms. FOXX. We have.

Ms. FOXX. I think that is a very, very fair question. I think you are absolutely right. The challenge is to get a majority of the Members of Congress, in the House and the Senate, to commit to doing this. It is the only fair thing to do. Again, it is such a commonsense issue. The people of this country understand that is their money, they have worked hard for it, they and their employer are putting that money aside and they expect to be able to get that money back, again with some reasonable amount of interest when it comes time for them to retire. People can find more information on the Internet these days than I ever even wanted to know, but they can get in touch with their Member of Congress, they can find out where he or she stands on the GROW accounts and where he or she stands on the issue of saving Social Security. I would encourage them to do so.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the pledge made by Prime Minister Tony Blair. He said that we must ``defeat terror and emerge from this horror with our values, our way of life, our tolerance and respect for others undiminished.'' I support that pledge. The attacks on London show that the war on terror is not over, nor is it confined to a specific geographical domain. Securing our homeland is only one facet of the war. Spreading democracy in the savage lands where terrorism is allowed to propagate is another. In the face of terrorism, a united front is one of the strongest weapons. A terrorist network that believes a nation so tested will fold under pressure of a few horrific acts may capture its attention, but will not achieve its submission. The terrorists who attacked Great Britain have underestimated the resolve of an alliance that shares the ideals of freedom and democracy. Those of us who thought the threat of terrorism receded with time now look no further than the horror visited on our closest allies. Complacency only allows the waves of terror crashing over the Western World to cause erosion. None of us in either country should be content to live under this constant threat. We must instead insure ourselves against such terror by allowing democracy to spread and flourish.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support and cosponsor all four of these important pieces of legislation on OSHA reform. Each is an integral step to come to the aid of our small businesses. Not only are our small businesses increasingly faced with greater competition from the bigger competitors in the U.S. but also are they faced with greater competition from across the globe. The last thing they need are unnecessary and burdensome regulations from their own government. According to a study discussed in the Office of Management and Budget's ``Draft Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations for 2005,'' it is estimated that the, quote, total cost of Federal regulation, environmental, workplace, economic and tax compliance regulation, was 60 percent greater per employee for firms with under 20 employees compared to firms with over 500 employees. In another recent study, these costs translate to approximately $7,000 in regulatory costs per employee per year. We need to aid our small businesses in being more competitive, not help force them out of business. Certainly the goals of the Occupational Safety and Health Agency to ensure workplace safety and health are laudable and protecting our workers is and must remain paramount. But oftentimes good intentions do not result in the best practices. Our small businesses and our workers deserve better. H.R. 739, the first of four bills that we are considering today, promotes fairness for small businesses while improving competition and worker safety. It allows the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission more flexibility to make exceptions to the 15-day deadline when employers must file appeals to OSHA citations. Many of our small businesses unintentionally and innocently miss this arbitrary deadline and can be denied their day in court as a result. While many of our small businesses are struggling to provide their employees with the safest work environments and access to the best health care and other benefits, they must comply with inflexible regulations such as these. Many small businesses that have unintentionally missed this deadline are simply not able to navigate the complex regulations in order to appeal the OSHA citation. In January of this year, even the Department of Labor agreed that this deadline is too burdensome and decided it would allow the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to have discretion over the 15-day deadline for filing appeals. This was welcome news for small businesses. Now, all we need to do is codify this provision. We are certainly not advocating that every small business be given a pass on this deadline to respond to a citation, but let us be reasonable here and give them the benefit of the doubt by instilling just a little bit more flexibility into these regulations. Let me also mention these three other bills, H.R. 740, H.R. 741 and H.R. 742, that we are debating this afternoon. Expanding the review board for appeals cases to OSHA from three to five commissioners would speed up the appeals process so small businesses will have their cases reviewed in a timely manner. H.R. 741 will restore the original practice and congressional intent to ensure that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, or the court, will be the party to interpret OSHA regulations, not OSHA itself. And finally, H.R. 742 will allow small businesses to recover the costly attorney fees incurred if they successfully challenge an OSHA citation. Each of these will help alleviate overbearing regulations that thwart the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses. In past years, each of these four bills has passed the House by good margins. Let us send these provisions once again to the other side of the Capitol and encourage them to act this year to help our small businesses. Jobs are at stake and a vital economy lies in the balance. We must keep our small businesses vital, healthy, and competitive.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, it was my great pleasure to attend services earlier this month at Arlington First Baptist Church in Jonesville, North Carolina, at the invitation of Pastor Jerry Fugate and my dear friends Ray and Betty Shore. Area elected officials were invited to worship that day and to celebrate our country's independence. On the front of the bulletin was Romans 13:4: ``For government is God's servant for good.'' On the back of the bulletin was this message: ``The first part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, `Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.' Yet today we see a constant barrage of individuals and organizations who prattle on and on about the separation of church and State, a concept nowhere to be found in the Constitution or its amendments.'' I thank Pastor Fugate for the focus on the first amendment of the Constitution. I urge other churches to do all they can to help our citizens know what our Constitution says so they can be protected by it and help preserve it.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 364, I voted and left the Chamber. However, my vote did not register, and I was not aware of that until the vote was over. Had my vote been recorded, it would have been ``yea.''

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the progress being made at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and to pay my respects to a prominent artist who resided in my district. For over 6 years, a small group of art and history lovers have been working diligently to plan for a new museum in Blowing Rock. The idea for the museum was inspired by a generous gift of outstanding original oils, pastels, water colors and line drawings created by one of North Carolina's most famous artists, Elliott Daingerfield. Daingerfield moved from North Carolina to New York City following the Civil War. However, western North Carolina remained a special place to him. He continually spent his summers painting and teaching art classes in Blowing Rock. Daingerfield went on to become a highly successful artist. His work is displayed in museums in New York, Washington, St. Louis, Augusta, Raleigh, Savannah and Charleston. I am pleased that his work will soon be on display in the Fifth District once the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum opens in a few years.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 339) congratulating the San Antonio Spurs for winning the 2005 National Basketball Association Championship, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, this resolution congratulates the San Antonio Spurs--and especially, 3-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Tim Duncan, the pride of Wake Forest University, which is located in my district--for winning the 2005 NBA championship.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Social Security is an issue that needs our attention now. We are dedicated to a solution. We are dedicated to securing the funds we have promised to today's seniors and securing funds for future generations. Allowing workers to place part of their Social Security money in a personal account with their name on it ensures that Congress will have to find the money elsewhere. It is time to stop the raid on Social Security. We are reaching out across the aisle in an attempt to address this issue in a bipartisan manner, Mr. Speaker. However, members of the minority have chosen to mislead and obstruct, rather than work together to help the American people. Congress has been spending Social Security money on programs other than Social Security. A philosopher once said, ``The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children.'' How can we call ourselves moral and effective legislators if we simply deny the problem and leave the mess for future generations to clean up? But how can we do this if Congress keeps raiding the Social Security cookie jar. On March 6, the minority leader stated on Fox News Sunday, ``We must stop raiding the Social Security trust fund of its money to pay for other things.'' The minority leader has since changed her tune. This week she stated that ``there is nothing wrong with Social Security lending money with the prospect of returning it.'' The minority should join the effort to strengthen Social Security, and help secure the retirement security of future generations.

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight comments published in Tuesday's edition of The Hill from Members of Congress who recently visited the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. One Democratic Senator described the tour as ``an eye-opening experience.'' ``We found a well-run and well-organized camp,'' he added. ``Everything we heard previously was negative, but what we saw was much different from what we had heard and read about. While there may have been some inappropriate interrogation efforts in the past, they are not ongoing, and closing the prison is not one of the things we should pursue.'' A Democratic Representative agreed, saying that ``the Guantanamo we saw today is not the Guantanamo we heard about a few years ago.'' Another Democratic Senator noted the care taken to respect the prisoners' religious beliefs, ``they are given Muslim prayer rugs and Korans. There are arrows everywhere pointing them to Mecca. We even witnessed a prayer call announcing to the terrorists that it was time for them to turn to Mecca and pray.'' Mr. Speaker, these praises for the Guantanamo Bay facility do not come from its supporters. They all come from Democrats. It is unacceptable for anyone who has not visited this facility to condemn it and attempt to defame the military personnel who serve there. Comparing the staff with murderers and criminals is worse than hyperbole--it is uninformed, hurtful nonsense! As one Democratic Senator who visited the camp asked, ``Did the Nazis respect the Jewish faith? Did Stalin and Pol Pot practice religious tolerance?'' The answer: Absolutely not!

Ms. FOXX

Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 1-year anniversary of Iraqi sovereignty, I would like to take the time to express my gratitude and appreciation for the men and women of the United States military who are fighting for freedom in Iraq and around the world, both those still fighting and those who have fallen. These soldiers of liberty are following the tradition of what Franklin Delano Roosevelt described as ``the greatest arsenal of democracy.'' From Bunker Hill to Gettysburg, and from the beaches of Normandy to the rice paddies of Vietnam, no nation has lost so many in the name of liberty. Indeed, never before in the history of mankind has one people acted to free so many of the world's oppressed, both within and beyond its borders. America does not fight for land, glory or riches. No, Mr. Speaker, we fight to free those who live on the land, to spread the bounties of freedom, and to bring the riches of liberty to those who cannot do the job alone. So it has been, and so it is in Iraq. Our brave soldiers and support personnel are engaged in a battle as important as any the United States has ever before waged, for the success of democracy in Iraq is a crucial test of the ideals this Nation was founded upon. Our founding texts all proclaim freedom's universalism. Liberty is not the unique right of Americans or even Westerners, but is mankind's right. Indeed, it is a right that according to our Declaration of Independence is unalienable. We went to Iraq because Saddam Hussein's dictatorship was a threat to his neighbors, the Middle East, the United States and his own people. We remain in Iraq because we know that sometimes liberty needs some nursing before it can grow on its own. We have not abandoned other people of the world after their liberation, and we will not abandon Iraq. We will continue fighting for freedom's survival. And while we know that the men and women who are lost to freedom's cause will never be forgotten, that knowledge can never fully heal the pain of their families. The hole left in their lives by their lost loved-one can never be fully filled. Still, from their sacrifice, much solace can be taken. In times of war, it is often best to look to our history to see how past generations of Americans dealt with the loss of their countrymen in just causes. During the civil war, the most trying time in this Nation's history, hundreds of thousands of families lost their sons as they tried to save the union. At the height of the casualties, President Lincoln sought to reassure a wounded nation. The Gettysburg address was a clarion call to those who heard his immortal words. In memory of the soldiers lost at the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln delivered the greatest 2 minutes in American oratorical history. The speech's poignancy may never again be matched, as in just over 20 words Lincoln honored the dead for their service, ensured that their sacrifice would not be in vain, and captured the essence of the American experiment. But I am afraid that too often Lincoln's words are forgotten, so I would like to read them aloud now so that all Members might hear them and take them to heart when considering our current conflict. For Lincoln's words are as true for our lost men and women in Iraq as they were for the fallen at Gettysburg: ``Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new Nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. ``Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who died here that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. ``The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have hallowed it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This is the most appropriate part: ``It is rather for us the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth.'' Mr. Speaker, I am humbled by Lincoln's words. And while I cannot match their eloquence, I can heed their meaning. From the commitment of the fallen in Iraq, I will take increased devotion to the cause of liberty, the cause for which they fought, and I hope so too will all Members of this body. President Lincoln used the Gettysburg address to honor the dead not by shirking from conflict, but rather by issuing a clarion call to continue fighting in their stead. As we approach the Fourth of July, it is fitting that we celebrate Iraq's fledgling democracy, and remember those who fought for freedom's dawn there, and in other parts of the world. Mr. Speaker, I thank the men and women of our Armed Forces, and hope they will return home soon with the knowledge that they have served in the tradition of America's Great Emancipator, and brought freedom to those who would otherwise never have known its glories.