Phil Gingrey

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett), for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1588, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill as well. I represent Columbus, Georgia, and Fort Benning, the home of the infantry as well as NAS Atlanta and Dobbins Air Reserve Base in my home, Marietta, Georgia, of Cobb County. Mr. Chairman, as a first-term member of the House Committee on Armed Services, I am extremely proud of this legislation for many reasons; and I sincerely thank the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), and all the subcommittee chairmen, especially my subcommittee chairmen, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh), the ranking members, the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) for the manner in which they have led our committee and for producing a bill that accomplishes so many important goals. As all Americans have seen over recent months, the American military today faces many different challenges, from urban warfare to more traditional air and ground combat to special operations missions and battles with irregular forces. Our brave men and women in uniform have met all kind of threats. They are committed to protecting our American homeland and to fostering democracy and liberty around the world. Today, Congress matches this commitment with the passage of H.R. 1588. Mr. Chairman, this bill increases the combat capabilities of our Armed Forces with appropriate levels of spending for readiness, procurement and research and development. It funds programs such as the M-1 Abrams tank and the Bradley fighting vehicles that are used in current conflicts and transforms our military to meet the threats of tomorrow with futuristic systems like the Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor. The bill provides funding to make our homeland safe as well by combatting terrorism at home and abroad and continuing to develop the ballistic missile defense system. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I support H.R. 1588 because it contains a number of benefits for our extremely valuable and often overlooked service members. This bill provides a 4.1 percent pay raise across the services and funds important military family housing priorities. It also improves the TRICARE system, the survivor benefit program, and has several provisions to improve the quality of life for members of National Guard and Reserves. Mr. Chairman, we must remember that we owe all of our freedoms and safety to our brave men and women in uniform; and I am proud that many of them are with us today in the gallery. I am glad that Congress can help them in a small way with the passage of this bill. Mr. Chairman, I urge all of them to support this very important legislation. announcement by the chairman

Mr. GINGREY. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise today in strong opposition to the Sanchez amendment. Current law prevents military facilities located overseas from performing abortions. This amendment would reverse this ban and allow facilities tasked with saving and preserving the lives of our military personnel to literally becoming abortion clinics. Madam Chairman, I am sure that most of my colleagues are aware that the House has rejected this exact same amendment during committee and floor consideration of the defense authorization bill in each of the last 7 years. This body has acted wisely on this misguided amendment and for good reason. I oppose this amendment not only as a member of the House Committee on Armed Services that is strongly committed to our national defense, but also as an OB-GYN physician of almost 30 years. In my career practicing medicine, I have delivered over 5,000 babies, and I remain steadfastly committed to pro-life principles. Again, the primary mission of the military treatment center is to heal and protect human life, but this amendment seeks to overturn this mission and convert these facilities into providers of abortion instead. Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues to protect the sanctity of human life and oppose this Sanchez amendment.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my colleagues on the Committee on Education and the Workforce for their diligence in getting us to the floor today. Specifically, I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner), the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), as well as the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa). Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1925, the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act, which provides for the reauthorization of both the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This legislation strengthens and funds the programs and services authorized under these acts in order to address the needs of these children who need our help and protection. The purpose of both acts remains relatively unchanged. However, we do aim to strengthen these programs that serve these at-risk children and youth. H.R. 1925 continues to fund the Basic Center Program, the Transitional Living Program, and the Street Outreach Program to meet the needs of runaway, homeless and street youth. Grants are awarded to local public and private organizations to establish and operate these community-based shelters that are not part of the law enforcement, juvenile justice, child welfare, or mental health systems. This legislation also seeks to improve Federal coordination to ensure a collaboration between the United States Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Justice in providing programs and services targeting runaway and homeless youth. H.R. 1925 increases Federal support for these at-risk youth by authorizing the Runaway and Homeless Youth programs at $105 million for fiscal year 2004 and at ``such sums'' for fiscal years 2005 through 2008. Additionally, H.R. 1925 continues to provide Federal support for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to enhance efforts to locate and recover missing children and help prevent abductions and sexual exploitation. This bill increases the authorization level of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from $10 million to $20 million for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008, mirroring the PROTECT Act, and extends the authorization of the remaining activities under the act as ``such sums'' for fiscal years 2004 through 2008. As the Nation's resource center and clearinghouse for information on missing and exploited children, the Center provides assistance to families and law enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing and exploited children, both nationally and internationally. The Center acts to coordinate public and private programs that locate, recover, or unite missing children with their families; and it nationally disseminates information relating to innovative and model programs, services, and legislation that benefit missing and exploited children. Mr. Speaker, it is important that we continue to support the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; and I am pleased that H.R. 1925 accomplishes that goal. H.R. 1925 does make several modifications to current law to streamline and strengthen the Federal support for the programs and activities that serve this very vulnerable segment of our country's youth population. The improvements made in this legislation will result in better services for at-risk youth. In fact, these improvements will benefit the Advocates for Bartow's Children, a basic center that is located in the Eleventh Congressional District of Georgia in Bartow County, my district. Additionally, the work of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will continue to be supported, as they have played a role in many of the 1,074 cases of recovering of missing children in my home State of Georgia. The Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act makes small changes to these programs for at-risk youth. I would like to say that, although we are making some changes, these programs are already working well and efficiently. These are valuable programs that make a big difference in the lives of the children, youth, and families that rely on them. This bill enjoys support from both sides of the aisle, and the effort to pass this legislation has been truly bipartisan. Mr. Speaker, this is much-needed legislation; and I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1925. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1925, as amended.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the honorable chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Education.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1925) to reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, the capture of Chief Warrant Officer Ron Young, Jr. by Iraqi forces terrified not only his family back in Lithia Springs, Ga., but also all the Americans watching the news clips of the POWs. When our Nation goes to war, our soldiers answer the call to sacrifice with honor. In the War on Iraq, they proved once more that they're the greatest fighting force the world has ever known. Yet, even with the best trained soldiers, even with the best equipment, real dangers confront our fighting men and women. Such was the case on March 24, when the helicopter of Chief Warrant Officer Young and Chief Warrant Officer David Williams went down and they were captured by Iraqis. For several days, the families of the captives and the American public watched the excruciating television footage of our brave soldiers being interviewed by their captors. We could tell by the looks on their faces that they were unsure of their fates. In fact, as Ron Young recently said, death seemed to be an inevitability. But their families held out hope. Without new information, hope was all they had. Weeks passed with no news and hope turned to despair. And on Palm Sunday, our despair turned to jubilation, as advancing U.S. forces liberated the POWs. Many of us woke up that day to see the Young family celebrating Ron's freedom. The Young family talked of their lasting faith, of their hope. They talked of their love for Ron and their excitement over his imminent return. Mrs. Young, a day from her birthday, had her wish come true: She would, indeed, be reunited with her son. Their joy was our joy. When American soldiers face danger in the name of freedom, their compatriots rally behind them. We mourn their setbacks; we hail their victories. We celebrate the safe return of Ron Young Jr., an American patriot and hero, to his family in Georgia. On May 9, the people of Douglas County, Ga., will gather by the thousands to welcome home Chief Warrant Officer Young. And we also want to say thank you to Ron Young and the thousands of other soldiers who put their lives on the line to defend their country and its people. May God bless this country and its military.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker Today I introduce the Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act. This legislation contains the reauthorization of both the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This bill strengthens the programs and services authorized under these acts in order to better address the needs of the at-risk youth served. The changes that were made to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act will allow for a larger percentage of the allocation to go toward Transitional Living Programs. This will help to meet the need that exists for these programs so older runaway and homeless youth can develop the skills and resources to promote their independence and prevent future dependency on social services. Additionally, youth who are participating in the Transitional Living Program who come to the end of their 18 month stay before they reach the age of 18 will now be able to receive an exception to stay in the Transitional Living Program until they are 18 years old. The bill clarifies that term ``group homes'' in the Transitional Living Program includes ``maternity group homes.'' These group homes operate currently and have been successful at providing child development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote the parent's long-term economic independence in order to ensure the well-being of the child. The Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act authorizes parts A (Basic Centers Program), B (Transitional Living Program), C (National Communications System), and D (Coordination, Training, Research, and Other Activities) at $105 million for fiscal year 2004 and at such sums for fiscal years 2005 through 2008 and authorizes part E (Street Outreach Program) at such sums for fiscal years 2004 through 2008. Additionally, the bill addresses the needs of missing, abducted, and sexually exploited children by reauthorizing the Missing Children's Assistance Act. This legislation increases the authorization level of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from $10,000,000 to $20,000,000 for fiscal years 2004 through 2008 to mirror the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Child Today Act of 2003 (PROTECT Act), and extends the authorization of the remaining activities under the Act through 2008. The Runaway, Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act also allows the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to coordinate the operation of a cyber tipline to provide online users an effective means of reporting Internet-related child sexual exploitation in the areas of distribution of child pornography, online enticement of children for sexual acts, and child prostitution. This piece of legislation has been worked out in a very bipartisan fashion and I am happy that we were able to come together to help address the needs of runaway, homeless, missing and exploited youth. These at-risk youth receive much needed services through these Acts and I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I have come before the American people today to express my deep concern over the situation affecting our domestic airlines. Today we will be voting to appropriate a supplemental budget. Within this budget there will be much needed, in fact, critical funding for our troops who are currently engaged in combat with Iraq. This funding bill will also include payments to our domestic airliners to help fund security measures in response to the September 11 attacks. Mr. Speaker, I support both components of this supplemental spending bill. However, Mr. Speaker, it has become hard to understand that in these times of economic hardship why airline industry executives would take millions of dollars in bonuses while each of the companies is laying off large portions of its workforce while mired in billions of dollars of red ink. The airline industry must exercise fiscal restraint. I would hope that all of these companies would tighten their belts especially if we are going to ask the taxpayers of this country to help carry the burden of their business.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Hoekstra amendment. This Supplemental Appropriations Act is for one main purpose, and that is, to support the troops in this ongoing war and also in support of homeland security. This shortfall in AmeriCorps funding, which has occurred over a number of years, $64 million, this is something that should be taken care of in the appropriate manner, within the authorizing committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce. There are some serious questions about the management of the AmeriCorps trust fund, and this clearly needs to be looked at carefully in the regular administrative process, through the Committee on Education and the Workforce; and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in support of the Hoekstra amendment.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) for yielding me time. When we have legislation in this body, often times we come up with an acronym. In this particular bill, the HEROES Act, Higher Education Relief Opportunity Act for Students, what a great acronym for H.R. 1412, because truly we are talking about doing something for our young men and women who are indeed our heroes. We emphasize so much to young people that there is nothing more valuable to them in life than an education; and we want them, indeed, all of us, to be lifelong learners, and there is no more noble calling, of course, then service to one's country and putting one's life, indeed, in harm's way for this country as these students are now doing. So I commend the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline), my colleague on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), my colleague also on this committee. In listening to his testimony, it is obvious where his heart is in regards to wanting to actually extend relief even more than this bill will do in regard to mitigating the accrual of interest during the time that these young men and women are serving our country. And as the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), indicated, when we can figure out an opportunity to offset some of the costs of that, certainly we want to work very closely with the gentleman from Ohio. But it is indeed a wonderful bill and it is saying to these students, you can go right back to school as soon as your duty to this country is over with. The families will not be put upon during that interim for payment of interest; and I am a very proud, proud supporter of H.R. 1412, the HEROES Act.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), who is a cosponsor of this very important piece of legislation.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Education.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, as the Nation's resource center for child protection, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children spends 94 percent of its revenue directly on programs and services. Due to their commitment to spend their resources on helping children, the center received an A+ rating in the Winter 2003 American Institute of Philanthropy Charity Rating Guide. This rating is used to recommend charities based on percentage of money spent on charitable purposes versus administrative expenses. There were an estimated total of 58,200 children abducted by nonfamily members in 1999. Mr. Chairman, that is 160 abductions a day. To reduce this number, we must pass H.R. 1104. I would again urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1104, the Child Abduction Prevention Act, which provides for the national coordination of the AMBER Alert communications network and strengthens criminal penalties for kidnappers, child molesters, and the sexual exploitation of children. This legislation also provides double, double the current authorization funding for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which serves as the Nation's resource center to aid in finding and rescuing missing and exploited children and helping their families in their time of need. In section 305 of H.R. 1104, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, of which I am a member, authorizes $20 million for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for fiscal years 2004 and 2005. Again, this is double the current level of funding. As the Nation's resource center for missing and exploited children, the center carries out many important responsibilities that provide assistance to families and law enforcement agencies in locating and recovering missing and exploited children. The center is active both nationally and internationally. Mr. Chairman, it is important to note the center does not investigate abducted, runaway or cases involving sexually exploited youth, but receives leads and relays them to various investigative law enforcement units. In an effort to assist law enforcement, the center offers both technical assistance, information dissemination, and advice. It also offers a free consulting service to agencies by expert retired law enforcement officers who are skilled in investigating cases involving sexual abuse of children and child abduction. Mr. Chairman, I could continue on about the need for the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, but in the interest of progressing this debate, I would like to urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. (Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Burns) a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the resolution offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston). It is incumbent on the Congress to send a warning to Saddam Hussein and his regime of their obligation to treat prisoners of war humanely and abide by the rules of the Geneva Convention. Mr. Speaker, the State of Georgia received sad news yesterday that one of our brave sons, Army Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young, Jr., of Lithia Springs was captured and taken prisoner by enemy forces in Iraq. His capture and detainment by Iraqi forces troubles me greatly, and I know the entire House joins me in sending my strongest prayers and thoughts to his parents, Kaye and Ronald, Sr., as well as his wife, Stephanie, and their infant son. We pray for his safety and his quick return home. Mr. Speaker, our goal is the swift and safe repatriation of all prisoners of war at the earliest possible moment, but I want the warning to Saddam Hussein and his regime to be clear: Any individual who mistreats a prisoner of war in violation of the Geneva Convention will be considered a war criminal and prosecuted to the full extent of United States and international law. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this resolution today and to remember the young family in your hearts and prayers.

Mr. GINGREY

Mr. GINGREY. If the gentleman will allow me to respond?

Mr. GINGREY. The answer is no, it takes away no one's economic rights. What in H.R. 5 is the gentleman pointing out to me or suggesting that takes away a person's right to economic recovery?

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as we know, this bill, of course, is applicable to those States that have not addressed this issue. Certainly the State of West Virginia and others who have finally tackled this issue, as they did in California in 1978, I believe, they can set their own caps. This law, H.R. 5, will be applicable to those States who, for one reason or another, have not.

Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman of Committee on the Judiciary for granting me time to speak on H.R. 5, the Medical Justice Act, HEALTH ACT of 2003. As an OB/GYN Member of the body, I think I have a unique perspective on this issue, not only as a physician who has delivered more than 5,000 babies and seen many of my colleagues giving up their practice because of fear of runaway lawsuits, but also as a grandparent. Let me explain that to you, because this issue is all about access to care for our patients, the citizens this country. My identical twin granddaughters were born 5 years ago at 26 weeks. They each weighed 1 pound 12 ounces. Thank God we were in a community where we had access to care. There was an OB/GYN physician willing to take care of my daughter in that high risk situation. There was a skilled neonatologist. We did have a hospital that still had an intensive care nursery. Had we not been in that situation, had we been in a more rural part of my State or in some of the other States that are in a crisis mode, like the testimony that we heard from the mother yesterday from the State of Mississippi, my daughters would not have received that care, and instead of being healthy, vibrant 5-year-olds today, I am sure that both of them would have cerebral palsy, our family would be devastated and society would probably bear the brunt of the cost of their care for the rest of their lives. So this bill is all about access to care. It is not taking away a person's right to a redress of grievances in a situation where they have been injured by a practice below the standard of care. It is not taking away from a trial attorney that works in the area of personal injury their right to do business, and most do in a very equitable manner and with integrity. No, it is not about that at all. It is about access to care. I am proud to stand here today and enthusiastically support H.R. 5, and I hope the rest of my colleagues in this Chamber will do the same.