Jane Harman

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), another member of our committee and I will also thank him for his leadership, and, at the same time, thank my colleague from Florida for his kind comments.

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), who is a member of our subcommittee and one of our hardest-working partners on issues like these. (Mr. ROEMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) with whom I have had a long and productive partnership on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. I would also like to thank the chairman of the full committee for the comments he just made. He is graceful, he is competent, he is bipartisan, and I think much of the progress we have been able to make on this problem and many others has to do with the kind of leadership he exhibits as the chairman of the full committee, and I really want to say to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) that I am one of his biggest admirers. For those wondering, Mr. Chairman, what Congress' response to the intractable problem of information sharing is, the answer starts with this vote. I am pleased to speak on behalf of H.R. 4598, the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act of 2002. I introduced this legislation with the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss), the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, some months ago. This bill, like our subcommittee, is a bipartisan effort, and I appreciate his cooperation and real leadership. Our subcommittee held a hearing last October in New York City to learn the first lessons of the September 11 tragedies. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani testified that our critical priority should be to get information on terrorist activities to mayors and local responders. In addition, the National League of Cities, several first responder associations and my governor, Gray Davis of California, agree and support this effort to get information into the hands of those who need it; and not only to get the information there but, hopefully, to give them information on what to do in the event of a terrorist threat or terrorist attack. That is what our bill does. It directs the President to create new procedures to share information on terrorist threats across the Federal government and down to the local government and first responders. After these provisions are put in place, police, fire, public health, EMTs and other first responders will know when the FBI or the CIA has critical information on a threat to their communities. Governor Tom Ridge, in talking about the new Department of Homeland Security, says all the time that homeland security begins with hometown security, and that is what we are talking about. This information will empower the local communities to protect themselves. The information will supplement the administration's homeland security advisory system by giving responders actionable information. If, for example, the CIA uncovers a threat to California's suspension bridges, that threat information will be relayed to the governor, to mayors, to police, to Coast Guard and transportation officials in California. Local teams can then react in a systematic, intelligent way to prevent the threat and notify the public appropriately. The Homeland Security Information Sharing Act recognizes two realities, that sharing of information is more effective when unclassified and that we do not need to reinvent the wheel. Intelligence on terrorist threats collected by our intelligence community will be classified. The first responders, the feet on the ground, do not need to know how it was collected. They need to know what to do with it. That is why the bill relies on stripping the sensitive sources and methods and transmitting the information through unclassified means. Not only does this get critical information out to our States and cities, it protects the dedicated workers of our intelligence community. It prevents leaks of classified information, and it saves every police and fire department across the country from having to invest in security clearance investigations and special facilities for handling secret information. In addition, Mr. Chairman, the United States already shares intelligence with our allies. The legislation directs use of existing technology used in sharing information with NATO allies and Interpol. These techniques will be borrowed and used after this legislation becomes law. The information can then be shared through existing information sharing networks, such as NLEST, the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System or the Regional Information Sharing Systems. These systems already reach 18,000 law enforcement offices across the country. Mr. Chairman, I urge our colleagues to support H.R. 4598. It is the right bill at the right time. We take the step towards solving the problems we faced on 9-11 today. It starts with this bill. It starts now. I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) for authoring the bill with me. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Baldacci).

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the achievements of my friend and constituent Geoff Maleman, of Westchester, California. As the President of the Westchester/LAX/Marina del Rey Chamber of Commerce, Geoff is a tireless leader in the business and greater community. Following the tragic events of September 11th, Geoff spearheaded an effort with other local Chambers of Commerce to develop a task force to address challenges facing the business community. The travel industry surrounding Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is beginning to recover, in no small part, due to Geoff's leadership. Geoff is a great communicator. We have co-hosted numerous forums together in my Congressional District. Last October, Geoff and I spoke to hundreds of residents and business owners about security at Los Angeles International Airport, an issue of great concern to the neighboring communities. Geoff was both informative and reassuring in addressing the challenging and frightening issue. Most importantly, Geoff and his wife Nicole are proud new parents of a beautiful baby girl, Kaitlyn Michelle Maleman--born during his term as President, on December 6, 2001. Mr. Speaker, as Geoff's tenure as President of the Westchester/LAX/ Marina del Rey Chamber of Commerce comes to an end, I appreciate this opportunity to share how proud and fortunate I am to have Geoff Maleman in my Congressional District.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, as the representative of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest container port with more than 5.183 million container shipments last year, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3983, the Maritime Transportation Antiterrorism Act. The attacks of September 11 underscored the vulnerability of our ports to potential acts of terrorism. The sheer volume of goods shipped in containers, their unsecure ports of origin, the volatility of many of the goods stored at ports, and the wide expanses which comprise our posts present terrorists with targets and conduits for terror and local officials and law enforcement with formidable challenges. Given this threat, I first want to say how impressed I was at the speed with which the maritime agencies of our federal, state and local governments responded following September 11. The women and men of the Coast Guard, Customs, INS, LA and San Pedro Police, the LA County Sheriff, Port Police, National Guard, reservists and auxiliary personnel, and other emergency responders demonstrated their coolness and professionalism in securing the Port of Los Angeles. They showed unprecedented coordination and courage and, on behalf of the community, I want to extend a ``thank you for a job well done''. I would also like to give a very special acknowledgement to the leadership of Coast Guard Captain John Holmes, captain of the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach. The bill before us provides much-needed resources to the work of these first responders. In addition to requiring new vulnerability assessments at our ports, the bill also requires the imposition of new transportation security cards for workers with access to secure areas at ports. I compliment the chairman and ranking member for working with maritime labor to ensure that background checks used in issuing the security cards target true risks and I echo the view that any information collected on workers be used solely for security purposes. The bill also includes several provisions designed to reduce the ability of terrorist to use cargo containers to smuggle terrorists or weapons into the US. In particular, the bill requires security assessments at foreign ports. But I want also to highlight container security and the need for effective supply chain security measures. Though not addressed in this bill, it is increasingly evident that supply chain security is critical to ensuring that the contents of container cargo are not tampered with during shipment. Shipment, of course, does not begin with the placing for a container aboard a vessel but, rather with it being loaded--something that often occurs in another country far from the port of embarkation to the United States. The bill requires the Transportation Department to develop performance standards for improving the physical security of containers, which should go well beyond seals and locks and include supply chain security. Some innovative tracking and detection technologies are under development and incorporating them in containers will further secure both cargo and our ports. Madam Speaker, I strongly support this bill. It takes important steps in helping us secure our ports in the fight against terrorism. The key factor to improved security is the dedication and hard work of thousands of workers employed in and around our ports. From the federal agencies involved to state and local law enforcement, port officials, vessel operators and crew, shippers, dock workers and truckers--security begins with their continued vigilance and I commend them for a job well done and am proud to help provide them with more tools to continue the job.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. (Ms. HARMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, the support of our women and men in uniform is indeed a serious matter. I take a back seat to no one in my support of a strong defense and intelligence budget for fighting and winning the wars of the 21st century. Throughout my tenure in Congress I have voted to ensure that the women and men defending our Nation have the tools and resources necessary to fight and win the next war, not the last one. During that same time, I have also voted for the tough choices that led to a balanced budget, beginning with the 1993 budget, then Penny- Kasich, and continuing through the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. I voted to put us on a path that led to the first balanced budget in a generation, and I voted with huge bipartisan majorities of this body to create a lockbox and protect the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. That is why it is so disappointing that we are considering a supplemental appropriations bill that only continues multibillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. Those deficits break our repeated promises to protect Social Security and Medicare and they hurt our fragile economy. Mr. Chairman, we can do better. Sitting down together to hammer out a plan that returns us to a budget surplus is far better than increasing our debt limit by $750 billion. I am profoundly disappointed that this body is unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to balance the budget and protect the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. Instead, we are choosing imbalance. What we need, Mr. Chairman, is a wartime budget that fully funds all that is necessary to win the war on terrorism and puts all other spending and tax issues back on the table to be reprioritized in a balanced budget framework. I support tax cuts that we can afford. Fiscal responsibility is as much a part of our homeland defense as spending on the war on terrorism. Without economic security, we will never truly have national security. The pending bill fails to reflect this reality. Sadly, it only ensures that future generations will be forced to pick up the pieces left by our unwillingness to make tough but balanced budget decisions. We should do better.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time; and I hope that he will add my staffer, Carolyn Cobberly, to the list of brilliant staffers who have added to this legislation. Mr. Speaker, serving on the Committee on Energy and Commerce is a high honor. The chance to work on impressive bipartisan legislation like this is why I came to Congress. The possibility of another bioterrorist attack is real and our Nation must be prepared to respond. Our top priority must be to develop a national strategy to identify the most likely threats and prioritize our response. We already know that al Qaeda and rogue states like Iraq have attempted to acquire biological agents, and we have yet to discover and prosecute the individual or group responsible for the anthrax attacks that killed five people in October and November. Our government's response to the bioterrorist attacks of October and November was deeply flawed. We have talented people, but we have been lacking the resources and coordination to make our response effective. We must act now to improve our terrorism response before another tragedy occurs. This legislation moves us in the right direction. It creates lines of communication and organizations to coordinate the roles that our public health agencies, military, and FBI will play in bioterrorism response. It also directs substantial investments to the State and local governments that need it most. All terrorism is local, and our response must be local. This bill provides resources where they are needed most. I am particularly glad that this bill includes funds to speed up the renovation of CDC's buildings and facilities. I have visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and seen talented people working there in the shabbiest conditions. This legislation authorizes $300 million in each of the next 2 years to improve the security of CDC facilities and construct much-needed research facilities. I am also glad this bill will increase our investment in improving the IT capabilities of public health agencies across the Nation. One- third of public health agencies are not connected to the Internet. If we are to communicate effectively, we need to develop comprehensive, syndromic surveillance systems to detect the outbreak of diseases, and we need to have all public health agencies on line. This bill is excellent legislation, and I urge its passage.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, preventing teen pregnancy is a key part of moving people from welfare to work and reducing poverty. Over half of all mothers on welfare had their first child as a teenager, and two- thirds of the families begun by teen mothers are poor. For all these reasons, preventing teen pregnancy is an issue we all should be able to agree on in Congress. It should not be a Republican issue, not a Democratic issue. But the critical need to reduce the number of teen pregnancies too often gets lost in an ideological debate over abortion, creating federal policies that don't fit the reality of teen pregnancy prevention across the country. Three weeks ago, the House Commerce Committee engaged in a disappointing debate over the abstinence-only education. The Committee rejected on ideological lines proposals to provide states flexibility in the way they use welfare funds for teen pregnancy, require abstinence-only programs to give out medically accurate information, and require that funds go to programs that have proven effective. The amendment I offered in Committee would have modified existing law so that states have the option of funding programs according to the existing federal definition of abstinence-only, or another approach to abstinence education that they deem appropriate. This amendment was not an anti-abstinence amendment--it specifically stated that programs should promote abstinence. But it would have allowed states the option to choose the type of abstinence education they believe will help students, and most importantly, reduce the incidence of teen pregnancy. Between 1992 and 1994, under a Republican governor, California instituted an abstinence-only education program across the entire state--only to discover through evaluations that this program was not effective. As a result, California turns down the welfare money for abstinence-only education--a loss of approximately $30 million from 1998-2002. The purpose and spirit of the 1996 welfare reform law I voted for allowed states to craft work promotion and poverty reduction programs that worked best for them. This has worked remarkably well--states should have some flexibility on teen pregnancy prevention programs. President Bush, in his FY 2003 Budget, argues for the elimination of federal programs that he says have not undergone rigorous evaluation. But this focus proven programs is missing from the Republican approach to welfare reform. Abstinence is an extremely important message to send students, particularly younger teens. But current research shows that there are no ``magic bullets'' for preventing teen pregnancy--not sex education alone, not abstinence alone. Indeed, the programs with the strongest evidence for success may work better for some populations and communities than others. Rather than having ideology drive our teen pregnancy policy, we should focus on local solutions and solid research. This will allow us to make progress on a goal we all agree on--preventing unwanted pregnancy and abortion.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like the record to show that on the immediate past vote, rollcall 166, I voted; but somehow my vote was not recorded. Had I been recorded, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment which I have co-authored with the gentlewoman from California for years. Since 1995, we have tried each year to change the policy that I think truly does harm to women serving in our military overseas. Mr. Chairman, as we deploy women all over the world in the war on terrorism, it is urgent that they know they have our full support, our prayers and the same rights as every other American woman under our Constitution. I listened to the last speaker, my good friend the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Ryun), and it is not the case that military women have the same rights to pay for abortion services overseas as military women who serve at home. There are limited rights to abortion services overseas, but they are not the same rights that military women in America have. It is this difference that we seek to eliminate with this amendment. Mr. Chairman, over 100,000 women, active service members, spouses and dependents of military personnel live on military bases overseas and rely on military hospitals for their medical care. It is not fair for them to have to violate their personal privacy to reveal that they are pregnant in order to get permission to fly home to have a safe abortion in an American hospital. We are not asking the Federal government to pay for abortions overseas. We are not asking military doctors who have moral, religious or ethical objections to perform abortions overseas. All we are asking is that servicewomen stationed abroad have the same constitutional rights as servicewomen living here. Mr. Chairman, they have earned those rights. They are putting their lives on the line to preserve our freedom. We should not ask them potentially to sacrifice their lives to secure an abortion.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me and I rise in support of this bill. Mr. Chairman, I believe I was the first Member of Congress in January 2001 to see the Arrow system deployed at Palmachim Air Force Base in Israel. It was very exciting to see the radar, the launchers, and also to see some members of the United States Navy working on the interoperable aspects of the system. An important thing for this House to understand is that this system is interoperable. The cost-sharing between our country and Israel has produced a system that will protect Israel against current and future missile attacks, and these are real threats, but also will protect U.S. troops deployed in the field. The work we have done on this system and the costs we have shared with our democratic ally, Israel, will help us as we develop our own more advanced theater missile defense and national missile defense systems. This amendment transfers money in this defense authorization bill to support more advanced deployment of a system Israel needs now, and to support the continued development of missile defense systems for the United States. It is a win-win; a win for our ally, Israel; a win for our troops and our homeland. At a time when our homeland is under serious threat, an issue I devote a lot of my time to, this amendment will assure that we are more capable against a missile threat. Mr. Chairman, I urge our colleagues to support the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I support this bill, which provides for a strong defense for our nation. This chamber and this Committee, of which I am a former member, have a long record of providing our armed forces with the capabilities needed to win wars overseas. The overwhelming success of the ongoing operations in Afghanistan demonstrates these capabilities, and attests to the skill and dedication of our armed forces. We now face a new challenge. While our military forces will be called to win wars overseas, the nation must also wage a war at home. This is not a war we can win with artillery or uniformed troops. It is a war of intelligence, of technology, and of wills. Similarly, the war against terrorism in Afghanistan was not won with the force structure and equipment of the Cold War. We relied on long- range platforms, on stealth, and on precision-guided munitions. Technology is replacing the need to put our uniformed personnel in harm's way and providing situational awareness to commanders thousands of miles away. While we will maintain the ability to go it alone, the ability to lead a coalition will frequently replace the need to shoulder the burden exclusively. The bill before us today is a step in the right direction in transforming the military to a truly modern fighting force. The authorization of programs to protect the homeland shows an understanding of the threats we now face. The authorization of uninhabited vehicles, of stealthy aircraft, and improved communications and sensors embraces new technologies. This bill moves down the path of defense reform. To be sure, there still is more to go. I urge my friends on the committee to continue the fight against legacy systems and programs, to replace them with agile and smart systems, and to improve the poor tooth to tail ratio through better business practices in the defense establishment. Finally, I am proud to represent the aerospace capital of the universe. The companies in my district forge the reconnaissance and communications satellites, UAVs, and other cutting edge technologies that will drive the new defense. I support these programs, and I support this bill.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time and commend on a bipartisan basis the efforts of those on the floor right now to help battered women. The Violence Against Women Act was a promise by Congress to make America and the home a safer place for women. This act promised to finally treat domestic violence like the crime that it is, to improve law enforcement, to make streets safer for women, and to vigorously prosecute perpetrators. It promised more counseling and more shelters to provide a safe haven for abused women. But, Mr. Speaker, underfunding and neglect have made this promise half-filled at best. The Violence Against Women Office cannot lead our Nation's efforts to serve victims of domestic violence if it is merely a check-writing organization. It needs strong statutory authority and adequate staff to do its job. The Violence Against Women Office is essential to the Government's role in preventing violence, but private industry must also play a vital role. Mr. Speaker, let me give you one example. One year ago, Harman International lost a 26-year employee who was brutally attacked and killed by her estranged husband. In response, Harman International worked with the Family Violence Prevention Fund to develop a comprehensive domestic violence prevention policy and to educate its employees about domestic violence. Harman International's policy states that domestic violence is not tolerated, and provides employees flexibility to take time off to handle the legal and mental consequences of domestic violence. The program protects those employees and helps the company by recognizing that the work of a victim of domestic violence suffers as she suffers. But as Harman International was developing this policy, it discovered that few other companies have similar policies and programs. Mr. Speaker, we need to work across the board to prevent domestic violence in both public and private sectors. I commend successful efforts to date, like those of Rainbow Services, Ltd., a haven for battered women in San Pedro, California, and I commend companies like Harman International. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this important motion.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, on roll call vote 114 last Thursday, April 24, I am not listed as having voted, although I am quite certain I placed my voting card into the voting machine. Let the record show I intended to vote no on roll call vote 114, the Issa amendment to the Immigration Reform and Accountability Act.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and tell him how much we all will miss him when he leaves the House in the near future. Mr. Speaker, the votes before us are a test of whether this Congress will force future generations to shoulder trillions of dollars of new debt incurred by current policy choices. It is a test of whether our grandchildren will have to respond to problems and issues this Congress and administration would rather postpone than try to solve. Amongst them, the solvency of Social Security. There are, of course, alternatives. One is requiring this Congress and the President to fashion a wartime budget, a wartime budget based on a thorough assessment of our Nation's vulnerabilities and the strategy for addressing them; a wartime budget that ensures that our Armed Forces have all the resources needed to fight the long war against terrorism; a wartime budget that prioritizes every other government program, every other decision about spending and taxing. Rather than legislate by ideology, we need a wartime budget that ensures our economy remains strong after we win the war against terrorism. Rather than incur trillions of dollars of new debt, we need a wartime budget that sets out the tough, but right, choices. Rather than use the Social Security surplus to fund our current government spending, we need a wartime budget that guarantees the promises we have made to Social Security recipients. Fiscal responsibility is as critical to homeland defense as are the tools we provide to first responders. A wartime budget can achieve fiscal responsibility. Defeat the rule. Enact a fiscally responsible wartime budget.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) for yielding the time to me, and I want to commend her on her extraordinary testimony. I think no one could have addressed more carefully and better the issues underlying this bill than she did. I do not want to repeat what she said. I just strongly endorse it and hope that our colleagues are listening and will oppose this bill. I want to speak personally for just about a minute, Mr. Speaker. I am the mother of a 26-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old daughter. I am also the mother of a 28-year-old son and a 19-year-old son. I work very hard to earn their trust, and I try very hard to provide for them a moral framework in which they will make wise choices for their lives. When I first learned about this issue some years back, my immediate instinct was to oppose the notion that parents could not or should not be consulted when a daughter makes a decision about an abortion, not just across State lines but in a State. I then consulted my own daughters and they said, Mom, we would talk to you, but think about all the kids who cannot talk to their parents. Our colleague from New York has spelled out those circumstances. They are dreadful and shameful, and my view after consulting my own children is that for the children of others, we must stop this vicious legislation. For children of others, to make sure that in safety they can seek out their constitutional right to an abortion in an emergency, for the children of others who will seek adult consultation but possibly not from dysfunctional or evil parents. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the position of the gentlewoman from New York. I urge us to think about the children of others. I urge a no vote on this legislation.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, today, Secretary of State Powell leaves the Middle East having failed to secure a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians, or make substantial progress toward peace. It was perhaps too much to hope for a dramatic breakthrough, but the status quo remains unacceptable. As we celebrate and commemorate Israeli Independence Day, it is more important than ever to remember why the United States has such a strong relationship with Israel. Fifty-four years ago, the creation of the state of Israel gave hope to Jews everywhere that safety, freedom, and justice could be found at last--in the ancient cradle of the Jewish faith and civilization. A half-century of friendship and cooperation between Israel and the United States began with President Truman's courageous recognition of Israel shortly after its establishment. Throughout many battles, our relationship has remained strong, and it continues today, with our common search for security and peace in the Middle East. Israel is now engaged in one of its most challenging wars ever, the war against terrorism. Since the latest Palestinian intifada began, more than 400 Israeli civilians have been killed by suicide bombers-- over 125 since March. Hundreds more have been injured in these attacks--attacks that are designed to strike at the heart of Israel itself. The Palestinians have also suffered hundreds of casualties, and innocent civilians, including children, are being used as human shields by terrorists hiding in refugee camps. Peace is the only way to move forward, a peace that contemplates two states coexisting side-by-side. But Israel can only achieve peace from a position of strength. I have long been an advocate for a strong US- Israel security relationship. Now is not the time to back away from our security relationship or to give any credence to the misguided efforts of the European Union to impose economic sanctions against Israel. A critical contribution towards resolution of the current crisis must be taken by moderate Arab regimes--our allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia--to pressure the Palestinians to genuinely renounce terrorism. Chairman Arafat's recent statement deploring terrorist attacks-- delivered in English to an American--served no more purpose than to bring Secretary Powell to Ramallah. Far more revealing was a recent statement from Mr. Arafat's wife--in Arabic to the Arabic press--saying that she would be proud to have a future son become a suicide bomber. It has unfortunately been shown time and time again that the parties in the region will be unable to achieve peace on their own. All past breakthroughs for peace have been the result of US and international leadership and every future breakthrough will require the same. I commend the Administration for resuming a leadership role in the Mideast, and I urge it to remain engaged with the parties and moderate Arab states in the region. Last week, in a ceremony commemorating Yom ha-Shoah, National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice made the connection between our remembrance of the Holocaust and our continued fight against evil in the war on terrorism. I would ask that her remarks be entered into the Record. May our memories of the horror of the Holocaust fuel our hunger for a permanent peace. Remarks by Condoleezza Rice, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, at the 2002 National Commemoration of the Days of Remembrance--U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C. As Prepared Survivors, liberators, Members of Congress, Members of the Cabinet, Ambassador Ivry, other members of the diplomatic corps, Benjamin Meed, Fred Zeidman, Elie Wiesel, Ruth Mandel, other honored guests, ladies and gentlemen: Thank you for inviting me to join you for Yom ha-Shoah. We gather today to remember that evil is real and present in our world. We gather to remember that hatred and bigotry are always and everywhere wrong. We gather to remember that the commission of monstrous sin requires not our consent, but only our indifference, our neutrality, or our silence. We gather to light six candles, so that we may never forget six million acts of murder. With each passing year, the number of living Holocaust survivors and liberators grows smaller. When all the eyewitnesses are gone, the Holocaust's history will be taught not from the searing pain of memory but from the pressing call of conscience. Last year, when the President spoke here, the Holocaust seemed somewhat removed from our era--part of a bloody century now behind us. Sadly, this year we need no prompting to appreciate the Holocaust's importance and its relevance. Fanatical, unreasoning hatred has intruded upon our lives in ways that no one could have imagined months ago. From the Holy Land, we see daily images of carnage, and from Europe, come images of synagogues and Torah scrolls burned. Our own land has seen the mass destruction of innocents, guilty of nothing more than going to work in a country called America on a beautiful, but terrible autumn morning. And the world was sent obscene videotapes where evil leaders celebrate the slaughter, and yet another tape where a man is killed after being made to say the words, ``I am a Jew.'' This year, evil has spoken to all of us, and on this day we need no reminder to answer back, but firmly: ``never again.'' As our world prevails through these difficult days, and as we pray for peace for all the children of Abraham, it is important to recall not just the Holocaust's horrors, but also its heroes: bearers of witness like Jan Karski; rescuers like Wallenberg and Schindler; writers like Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel; and resistors like the Danes and the righteous of many nations who hid and saved many thousands of their Jewish neighbors. And, of course, we recall those who fought from inside the Warsaw Ghetto in April 1943, and who, as Elie Wiesel wrote, lit a flame that ``continues to burn in our memory'' even through the distance of six decades, We draw strength from these names--all familiar to our lips--and we gain inspiration from their stories. Less often, we think of the other heroes, the countless ordinary Jews, Roma, Jehovah's Witnesses, gay people, and disabled men and women who defied the machinery of murder with quiet acts of courage and piety. Their names are mostly unknown to all but Him, yet their lives too instruct. I remember visiting Yad Vashem and seeing a photograph of a handsomely dressed Jewish couple in the Warsaw Ghetto. The guide at the museum said that people often express consternation at the photograph, wondering how odd it was that against the ghetto's backdrop of danger and desperation this couple had obviously gone to great lengths to ensure that their clothing and grooming were impeccable. I had a different reaction. I said immediately, ``I understand that photograph. These people are saying, `I'm still in control, I still have my dignity.' They are saying, `You can take everything from us, including life itself. But you cannot take away our pride.'' I've often wondered what became of that couple. I imagine that long after they were no longer able to control their appearance they still found subtle ways to say, ``You cannot control me, you cannot take away my pride and dignity.'' I've wondered whether they were part of the uprising; whether they perished in a camp; whether they were among the few who survived; whether they may even have had children like Marek Edelman or Bronislaw Geremek who survived and went on to become members of Solidarity and leaders in a free and democratic Poland. And I have thought about that couple from the ghetto even more in the days since September 11. Because right now, all of us are enduring a time of testing, loss, and fear; a time when our vulnerability to evil and the certainty of our mortality are all too clear; a time when once again our intellect is insufficient to answer the question, ``Why?'' And at these times more than ever, we are reminded that it is a privilege to struggle for good against evil. We do not choose our circumstances or trials, but we do choose how we respond to them. Too often when all is well, we slip into the false joy and satisfaction of the material and a complacent pride and faith in ourselves. Yet it is through struggle that we find redemption and self-knowledge. This is what the slaves of Exodus learned. And it is what slaves in America meant when they sang: ``Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, Glory Hallelujah!'' None of our current travails approach those of the Holocaust. The evil of the Holocaust is singular. Yet its lessons are universal. So today, we remember that ignorance and cruelty are never far away, and that their atrocities demand action and justice. We remember that every life has value and all lives are ennobled by opposing hate and bigotry. We remember that not even mankind's worst depravities can be allowed to dissuade us from our search for worldly and spiritual peace. In this nation of immigrants, surrounded here by the symbols and totems of tolerance and freedom, we remember our very great responsibility to protect freedom and to welcome all of God's creatures into its loving embrace. And we remember the words of the Kaddish, ``Oseh shalom beem'roh'mahv, hoo ya'aseh shalom, aleynu v'al kohl yisrae'el v'eemru: Amein.''

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, the collapse of Enron and its impact on employees' retirement plans underscores the need to enact additional federal protections. The bill before us is a step in that direction. It is far from perfect--but perfection is not an option. Forward progress is. Similarly, the substitute amendment offered by my colleagues, George Miller and Charles Rangel, is not perfect either. While making some improvements over the committee bill, it too has some features that may have the effect of discouraging employers from providing retirement benefits to employees. Striking the right balance is often a difficult task. But it is especially difficult in an area like defined contribution pension plans where a poor investment or management decision may cause untold financial hardship on individuals in or near their retirement years. We clearly need to move the process of reform forward--hopefully combining the best features of both the bill and substitute and more thoroughly vetting the more problematic features of each. Mr. Speaker, we don't have the luxury of doing nothing. We have long recognized the outdated nature of many of our pension laws. Enron's collapse has provided the impetus for action. Protecting workers' retirement benefits and encouraging the expansion of pension plans to more companies and workers are positive goals in the abstract. But writing the rules is always more difficult. We should proceed carefully.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the distinguished career of a spectacular individual--the Honorable Dee Hardison, who steps down today as mayor of the City of Torrance. Mayor Hardison, whom I fondly and proudly call my ``sister,'' and I have worked together closely over the last decade to serve the citizens of Torrance and the greater South Bay community of Los Angeles County. Whether it was fighting to keep the Los Angeles Air Force base right where it is, to prevent a geographic split in the 310 telephone area code, or to support the Torrance public school system, I have always treasured Dee's advice, passion, dedication and, most importantly, her hands-on approach. And speaking of dedication, Mr. Speaker, how many mayors do you know who would continue a 40-mile bike ride after tumbling off her bike during the first leg? Well, that is exactly what Mayor Hardison did one year during my biannual campaign bike ride! But besides biking, being a good friend, and reaching the ``gold standard'' of wife, mother and grandmother, Mayor Hardison has devoted so much of her energy to her community. For nearly three decades, Dee shepherded thousands of young people through the Torrance Unified School District, including many years as a special education teacher. While a teacher, she was appointed to the City of Torrance's Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission. In 1986, she successfully ran for a seat on the City Council and served there for eight years. Having reached the limits on terms of service, she then successfully ran for Mayor, a post she has held with distinction and grace. While holding all these ``day jobs,'' Dee still found time to devote to many important community organizations, including--but certainly not limited to--the Torrance Cultural Arts Center Foundation, the Torrance Education Foundation, the Torrance Sister City Association, the Rose Float Association, and the Torrance League of Women Voters. Finally, Dee distinguished herself as a regional leader, recently completing a tour as Chair of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, which has been instrumental in developing regional solutions to the area's transportation challenges. Mr. Speaker, I will miss having Dee as the Mayor of the largest independent city in my district. But I know she will continue to be an active leader in the community be a ready source of advice and counsel. With more spare time, I hope she is improving her biking skills and will join me again this fall on the bike trail.

Mr. HARMAN

Mr. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Ron Cawdrey, a close friend and driving force in the City of Redondo Beach, California, who died last month. In addition to being a two-term councilman, Ron served his community in so many other ways, including on the North Redondo Beach Business Association, the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and the local Little League. He also was vice president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 9400, representing 10,000 members in California, and was actively involved in local Democratic politics. But listing Ron's affiliations does not come near to describing the contributions he made to our community and the impact he had on the individuals he touched. A quick glance at the tributes his friends and colleagues have written reveals a man who was inspirational, loving, nonconfrontational and deeply devoted to his family. People just liked being around him. In short, Mr. Speaker, Ron was well deserving of his 1992 Redondo Beach Man of the Year award, and his recent Redondo Beach Mayor's Lifetime Community Service Award. I am uncertain when I first met Ron, but believe it was at a meeting of local labor leaders. Ron ``adopted'' me, and became a tireless worker on my behalf. He was always there for me, and for so many others. The last time I saw Ron was at a regional Chamber of Commerce breakfast, hosted by the Redondo Beach Chamber. I hadn't seen him in some time, but he bounded up to me with his magnetic smile, gave me a big hug, and asked how I was doing. Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to Ron's wife Punky, his four children and four grandchildren, for I know the next few weeks and months will be difficult. But as they grieve, I hope they find comfort in knowing what a wonderful contribution Ron made to the world around him.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I take a back seat to no one in support of a strong budget and increased intelligence spending, but these priorities can and should be met in the context of a balanced budget with balanced priorities. I voted for such a budget over a decade, and each time that budget has been supported by the Blue Dogs, of which I am a Member. One does not have to be from the South, unless we count southern California, or a male, to be a Blue Dog, and I proudly am one and proudly support a fiscally responsible budget. This time, for the first time, the Blue Dog proposal has not been made in order, and so we do not have on the table and we will not be able to vote for a balanced budget proposal with balanced priorities. I strongly oppose this rule. I strongly oppose the notion that many of us on a bipartisan basis are not in favor of balanced budgets. I think as we talk about homeland security, we can only achieve that in a context of economic security which we risk destroying by this vote today. Vote ``no'' on this rule.

Ms. HARMAN

Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, today, as Greece celebrates its 181st anniversary of its struggle for independence, I join my colleagues in congratulating the people of Greece and Greek-Americans, many of whom I am proud to call constituents. When we celebrate Greek Independence Day, we celebrate the fight for freedom. Ancient Greece was the world's first democracy. With modern Greece, it stands as an example to people around the world of overcoming tyranny. Since its war of independence, Greece has been a strong ally to the United States. In turn, the U.S. has opened its heart to multitudes of Greek immigrants. The contributions of the Greek community in the United States are immeasurable. The strong relationship between Greece and the United States is steeped in culture, history, and philosophy and remains of critical importance. Since September 11, Greece shared in our loss--21 of its citizens died at the World Trade Center--and has stepped up its efforts to combat terrorism at home and abroad. Equally important is Greece's membership in NATO, and its role in ensuring the security of Europe's southern flank. I remain committed to strengthening U.S.-Greek ties, and to working on issues of interest to the Greek American community, including a permanent solution in Cyprus. I thank my colleagues, Mr. Bilirakis, for organizing this special order to highlight the important contributions of Greece to our country.