Denny Hastert

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to announce that John Jacob Rhodes, former Republican Leader of the House of Representatives, is one of the first recipients of the Congressional Distinguished Service Medal. Together with Leader Gephardt, I established this award to recognize former Members of the House who served the American people with extraordinary distinction and selfless dedication. Leader Gephardt chose to honor Louis Stokes as his first award recipient, and I can think of no better person than John Rhodes to share this first tribute. John Rhodes was born in Council Grove, Kansas, attending public schools and eventually Kansas State University. After moving east and graduating from Harvard Law School in 1941, he practiced law in Mesa, Arizona. He started his service to our Nation early as a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps and a staff judge advocate of the Arizona National Guard. These experiences served him well during his thirty year career in the United States Congress. First elected as a Republican to the 83rd Congress, John Rhodes went on to serve in fourteen succeeding Congresses. After twenty years in Congress, he had earned the respect of his peers and was elected Minority Leader of the House for the 93rd through 96st Congresses. These years saw John Rhodes lead his party from the dark days of Watergate to the resurgent presidency of Ronald Reagan. And through it all, John Rhodes was considered a man of exemplary values, a true leader, a great listener, and steadfast peacemaker. Those who know him best would say he has a quiet dignity, an implicit trustworthiness, and a tireless devotion to the people of America. Pulitzer prize-winning columnist George Will said it best: One glance tells you. God had a Congressman in mind when he made John Rhodes. And he is just what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they designed the House of Representatives, the body intended to be the closest to the common man. I can think of few equals to John Rhodes whose life and legislative careers merit the Congressional Distinguished Service Medal. We cannot thank him enough for his service to this Chamber and to our great country. I am truly honored to be able to present him with this award.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, it has been an incredible debate. I sat and listened to the debate on both of the rules and then on the substance here, the substance of this budget debate tonight. I guess maybe the same IMF to whom we provide the funds that they can go and provide capital throughout the world may be critical of us, I do not know. And possibly, the gloom and doom that we heard here tonight, if we set that as our philosophy and what this Congress can achieve and what this country would achieve, we probably would not be able to achieve very much. But I taught economics for a number of years, 16 years; and we taught about projections and how the economists put formulas together and how you can look out into the future. But not many of those projections can really look out into the future. I would say if you try to say what is going to happen in this country 10 years from now with the economy, it probably would go up and down and right to left three or four times before we ever get to that future. What is important is now. And I have heard a lot of rhetoric tonight. But I know what this budget does. It lays down the blueprint for the future of this country this year. This Congress, who is charged with doing the things that our people, the people who elect us, our constituents want us to do, they want us to stimulate this economy. They want us to see this economy getting going again. We lost $250 billion in revenue last year, just in losses in capital gains. Now, we want to say the markets are not important, but the markets are important. We need to have stimulus. We need to have it going. But I will tell my colleagues, in my district, we do not have a lot of markets, we have a lot of small business people. They provide 80 percent of the jobs in my district. That is fairly representative. Unless you are in the cities, that is fairly representative of around this country. Small business people say that they want to make an investment. They want to have some expensing. They want to have a job creation package that gets something done. And we can only do that, and we will have that debate on how that is put together, but we can only do that if we pass a budget to get the key in the door and open it up so that this Congress can do something. I have great respect for the gentleman from Minnesota. He talked about a road program. But I say to my colleagues, we can only get a highway bill and work on an infrastructure if we pass this budget. Tonight we debated an energy policy. This country needs an energy policy and how it gets put together, we will have that debate on it. But we will not have an energy policy unless we pass this budget. There are 13 appropriations bills. We passed a budget last year. Our friends in the Senate did not pass it, and we were talking about oranges and apples and we could not get the appropriation process done until February. We need to pass a budget; the Senate needs to pass a budget; we need to get the appropriation process done. We need to talk about education. We need to talk about health care. We cannot do it unless we pass this budget. So I say to my colleagues, it is late. We have had a lot of debate. It is time to get to work. I will make a prediction. We will have a lot of people vote against it, and we will have a few more vote for it. Let us get to it.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this War Time Supplemental, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it. The Congress has certain responsibilities in a time of war. We have the responsibility to authorize the use of force. We did this in the last Congress. And we have the responsibility to pay for the war. This supplemental is our contribution to the war effort. Any one who has any doubts about the justice of our cause should read the story of Jessica Lynch, and how a bunch of Saddam's henchmen mistreated her. They should read the story of how the citizens of Najaf have welcomed our troops as liberators from the Hussein regime. Our troops need our help. They need our support. They need the bullets, the MRE's, the cruise missiles, the jet fuel, which we provide in this supplemental. There are a lot of arm-chair quarterbacks out there, people who think they know better how to conduct this war. In my view, our President and his team have been doing a very good job. We are exceeding any realistic expectations. And we can be proud of our soldiers, sailors, and Marines. They are performing as well as any group of warriors has ever performed. Mr. Chairman, our cause is just. Saddam Hussein is a brutal dictator who has based his regime on torture and terror. He has supported terrorists and he has tried to produce weapons of mass destruction. His days are numbered, and for that, the world should be grateful. This supplemental also contains important resources to secure the Homeland. Our cities and states need help in this battle against terrorists. We want to make certain that what happened on September 11, 2001 never happens again. We want to prevent terrorists before they strike. And we want to be prepared if they do succeed in launching an attack. We don't know where they will target. This is a big country, and the possible targets are as vast as the deranged imagination of an Al Qaeda terrorist. This bill achieves a critical balance. We don't want to federalize every police and civil service function. But we do want to help these localities prepare. And that is what this bill does. Finally, let me say a word about the airline provisions of this bill. Some say we have done too much for the airlines industry. Some say we have done way too little. I think we have the right balance to help airlines deal with the increased security costs brought on by war and terrorism. This is a simple proposal. It will help the airlines immediately, it will help them fairly, and it will help them effectively. Let me conclude by saying that I urge my colleagues to support this important war supplemental. The American people want us to support our troops and defend the Homeland in this time of war.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to read into the Record a letter that I received today. ``Dear Mr. Speaker: I have been called to active duty in the United States Army. Pending further orders, I request immediate indefinite leave of the United States House of Representatives to accommodate my military duties. ``Respectfully, Steve Buyer, Member of Congress'' Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, the resolution we are considering affects one of our own today and may affect others in the near future. Our hopes and prayers are with Steve and his family as he prepares to depart for Iraq.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, we will be considering a very important resolution before us this evening. I rise in strong support of that resolution, and I expect that all of my colleagues would vote for it. Our men and women in uniform are now engaged in an important conflict in the country of Iraq. We are engaged with 30-some other nations, and it involves certainly a tyrant who has defined himself over the last 20 years. Like my colleagues, I remember the day of September 11, 2001. I remember standing in the front of my office waiting to get a call from the Vice President and looking and watching an unfamiliar phenomenon, a roll of black smoke going across the mall that I can look down from my window and see. And I asked one of my staff, I said, find out; that black smoke is not supposed to be there. A minute and a half later they came in and said, well, the third plane had gone into the Pentagon. Little beknownst to me and the rest of us at that time, there was a fourth plane involved, and 9 or 10 or 11 brave young men and women brought that plane down into an empty field in southern Pennsylvania. We know now that if it had not been for the actions of those people, that plane would have been in the west front of the Capitol. That being said, many of us visited right after the World Trade Center. We had walked the halls of the Pentagon and visited those folks who helped pull their comrades out, some to safety, some beyond help. We talked to the families who lost their folks in the Pentagon, the World Trade Towers; we passed some extraordinary legislation. But this country suffered a huge loss that day. I think I speak for all of us when I say that that is something that we do not want to see visited upon this Nation again. We know that in Iraq Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. We know that he has a nexus to al Qaeda, and we know that that training has been going on over an extended period of time. I believe that it is our duty, this Nation's duty, to protect our Nation and to make sure that that is not visited upon this Nation ever again. The men and women whom we are about to salute and wish well tonight and send our best thoughts and prayers to are doing a job that nobody wants to do. Nobody wishes this to have to happen. But in the tradition of this Nation, in the tradition of keeping this country free, and in the tradition of trying to stabilize the Middle East, we are doing this job. We are doing it with 30 other nations who have decided this is the right thing to do. Mr. Speaker, as we go through this very sober debate tonight, I would ask for your positive consideration and positive vote.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 1 minute.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Chairman, for the information of all Members, I want to report that there will be two classified Members-only briefings regarding Iraq tonight and tomorrow. First, tonight, at 7:40 p.m., Secretary Rumsfeld will brief all Members in the Armed Services Committee hearing room located in 2118 of the Rayburn Office Building. In addition, tomorrow, Friday, at 10:45 a.m., officials from the Department of Defense, the Department of State and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will provide this briefing also. This briefing will take place at the 2118 Rayburn location as well. I encourage all Members to attend both these important briefings, tonight and tomorrow, so that they have the latest information prior to returning to their districts. Members will be alerted to any further details via the e-mail whip notice system.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, and for the information of all Members, I am in receipt of a report from the President pursuant to the Use of Force Resolution approved by the Congress last year. This report summarizes diplomatic and other peaceful means pursued by the United States, cooperating with foreign countries and international organizations to obtain Iraqi compliance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. Pursuant to House Rule XII, I will refer this report to the Committee on International Relations. In addition, for the information of the Members, I will submit the document in its entirety for printing into the Congressional Record. Let me remind Members that this document is pursuant to legislation and the statute that we passed last year. This is not a declaration that we are in any specific type of activity at this time. It only is the pursuit of the statute that was passed last year. Any further announcement will be shared with the Congress. The White House, Washington, March 18, 2003. Hon. J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Speaker: Consistent with section 3(b) of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), and based on information available to me, including that in the enclosed document, I determine that: (1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither (A) adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor (B) likely lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and (2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107- 243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. Sincerely, George W. Bush.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a very close friend of mine who is one of the unsung heroes of America. Tom Jarman is a teacher, a coach, a man of great wisdom, a noted author, and the kind of friend you would want if you ever got in a jam. He was recently inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Coaches Hall of Fame, but that is just one of 6 Hall of Fames that he has been inducted into. He is also a member of the Taylor University Hall of Fame, Wheaton College Hall of Fame, the Oswego High School Hall of Fame, the Indiana Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Illinois Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Tom was the co-author of Beginning Wrestling, one of the all-time best selling books for young wrestlers in history. Apart from teaching young kids how to wrestle, he has also coached successfully at Manchester College, Northwestern University, and Taylor University. He has coached nineteen All-Americans, along with nineteen Academic All- Americans. He has an outstanding overall record of 394-126. Throughout his career, Tom has emphasized to his wrestlers the importance of character, the value of hard work, the best virtues of competition, and the glory of fair play. He has done so with dogged determination and with the humility and humor of a first-class teacher. I don't know what all of Tom's former students are doing now, but I guarantee you that they are better citizens because of the time they spent with him. I first met Tom Jarman when I was in junior high, and I wrestled with him at that level, in high school and at Wheaton College. Even back then, I knew that he had the makings of a great coach and teacher. In fact, at Wheaton College, Tom was the 1963 NCAA Collegiate Division National Champion at 158 pounds, and he was twice named an NCAA All- American. While 158 pounds is a long time ago, I still remember vividly Tom's will to succeed. All to often, in this day and age, many universities are dropping their wrestling programs for legal or financial reasons. I think that is a big mistake, because when I look at the career of someone like Tom Jarman, who has been in the trenches for so many years, molding the characters of so many young men, teaching them to succeed at wrestling and succeed at life--I think how much better off this country is because of his efforts. So, to my good friend, Tom Jarman, I salute you on your latest honor, and I salute you for being one of America's unsung heroes. Thank you for your great contributions to American society.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important contributions of Donated Dental Services to the dental health of elderly, disabled and medically compromised individuals across the nation. The freedom and individual rights at the core of our society come from a shared responsibility for the health and well-being of our communities and for each other. Many members of the dental profession embrace this responsibility by offering their professional services to vulnerable individuals. Since 1986, some 10,000 volunteer dentists across 32 states have provided an estimated $50 million in comprehensive dental care to 44,000 needy individuals. The large volume of participation in Donated Dental Services clearly signifies a socially responsible and commendable commitment to expanding access to dental services for the underserved. Through a coordinated effort, Donated Dental Services will soon endeavor to double its humanitarian service potential by adding 10,000 more volunteer dentists from across the country. This effort holds the promise of ensuring thousands more underserved Americans will receive access to dental care, thereby improving their quality of life and general well-being. I commend the thousands of dentists who volunteer their time with Donated Dental Services, and I congratulate the program for their commitment to increase charitable care for our nation's underserved.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a distinguished constituent; a person who was one of the most active, hard-working and dedicated educators in the State of Illinois--Mr. Daryl Thompson. Sadly, Mr. Thompson passed away on January 14, 2003. Mr. Thompson began a 37-year career at Oswego High School in 1961. In his early years at Oswego High School, Mr. Thompson taught bookkeeping, business law, general business and typing, in addition to serving as the freshman basketball coach, faculty advisor to the school newspaper, and sponsor of the National Honor Society. And, after earning his certificate in education administration, Mr. Thompson was hired as Oswego High School's Vice Principal, and in 1974 was appointed Principal. Throughout his years as an educator and administrator in Oswego, Mr. Thompson was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. To name a few, Mr. Thompson was awarded the Illinois State Board of Education's ``Educator for Excellence in Education,'' Coca- Cola's Educator of the Month, and was selected by the Oswego Ledger-Sentinel as one of the top 50 people of the 20th Century to make a positive impact on Oswegoland. Furthermore, in 1997, a portion of Illinois Route 71, which passes by Oswego High School property, was named the honorary ``Daryl Thompson Highway.'' Moreover, Mr. Thompson served as a member of the Illinois High School Association's Legislative Commission for 12 years, served as Director of the Illinois Principals Association and was involved with the Oswego Foundation for Excellence in Education. Nonetheless, we should also remember Mr. Thompson as a dedicated friend and mentor. He will be remembered for his keen sense of humor, thoughtful guidance and his genuine interest in the well-being of the entire community. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Daryl Thompson for his contributions to the Oswego school system and the many students, parents, teachers and fellow administrators whom he touched. His accomplishments deserve our praise and appreciation.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following into the Congressional Record: The Executive Committee of Correspondents conveys its gratitude on behalf of the more than 250 publications and 1,800 reporters who benefited from your 28 years as director of the House Periodical Press Gallery. Over the decades, you have helped the gallery grow and expand, ranging from the number of reporters served to the amount of information available. You have kept the gallery and its staff up to date with the latest technology and pushed for even greater technological advances. Reporters have always found you a valuable resource. Your vast knowledge of Congressional rules and procedures will be sorely missed, as will your keen political insights and ability to steer reporters in the right direction. You have always looked out for the best interests of reporters and fought for increased access to lawmakers and events. You deserve our thanks and gratitude for getting to know the right people throughout the years so that we could do our jobs with minimum of interference. We also acknowledge your role in defending our interests in court when the need arose and for always being fair and impartial when it came to credentialing new organizations for admittance into the gallery. For all these and so many more reasons, the Executive Committee thanks you for your many years of service and wishes you and Shauna a happy, long and well-deserved retirement. Sincerely, Cheryl Bolen Heidi Glenn Richard Cohen Tim Curran Douglas Waller Terence Samuel Lorraine Woellert

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, there just aren't enough words to describe a man who has led such an adventurous, challenging, and courageous life as Sam Johnson. He is a decorated war hero, a distinguished public servant, and a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. There have been many great public servants who have passed through these great Halls of Congress, and Sam is certainly one of them. These are men and women who have worked tirelessly for their constituents, who have faced difficult challenges, and who rarely, if ever succumbed to the challenges that have come before them, even when it seemed impossible. Sam Johnson has brought honor, dignity and respect to this great institution. During his 29 years as a U.S. Air Force pilot, Sam flew combat missions in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and was a prisoner of war in Hanoi for almost seven years. His service in the military earned him many medals that serve as reminders to us all of his courage and personal sacrifice for our country. In total, he was bestowed with fifteen medals and awards, all of which were given to him for the heroism he displayed during both wars. In fact, today is the 30-year anniversary of his arrival back to America after his long torturous imprisonment in Vietnam. It was this day thirty years ago that Sam left that distant land and returned home to his loved ones. I will always remember Sam to be a man of great accomplishments, a gentleman that I have had the honor to serve with for over ten years. He will be remembered not only for his public service to those in Texas, but also for his selfless sacrifice for all Americans. Thank you Sam.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the March of Dimes on the launch of a national campaign to address the rising rate of premature births. Today in America, more than 1,300 babies will be born too soon. Premature birthrates have risen to the highest level ever reported in the United States. In fact, a staggering one in eight babies are born preterm. And in my home State of Illinois, some 20,000 babies were born premature last year alone. On January 30th, the March of Dimes will launch a 5-year, national research, education and awareness campaign that seeks to prevent premature birth. This campaign holds the promise of considerably reducing the rate of prematurity throughout our nation. And the reasons for doing so are clear--babies born prematurely bear an elevated risk of serious long-term health problems. Moreover, premature birth represents the leading cause of infant death in the first month of life. I commend the March of Dimes for their efforts on behalf of the health and wellbeing of our nation's unborn children and their families. I am hopeful that this campaign will successfully and dramatically reduce the rate of preterm births in America.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I, along with the co-chairmen of the Speaker's Task Force for a Drug Free America, want to recognize Jorge Quiroga Ramirez, former President of the Republic of Bolivia, for his years of steadfast support, commitment and leadership in the fight against illegal drugs. Most of us first met Jorge Quiroga in the early days of the Administration of former President Hugo Banzer, when he served as Vice President of Bolivia. He came to Washington early on in his tenure to seek U.S. support and backing for Bolivia's ``Dignity Plan''--a five year strategy to remove Bolivia from the international narcotics circuit. At the time he assumed office in August of 1997, Bolivia was the world's second largest producer of cocaine with nearly 113,000 acres of coca under cultivation. The Dignity Plan that was presented to the U.S. Administration and the Congress was the product of a well-conceived political strategy designed to build domestic consensus within Bolivia against the drug trade. Late in 1997, civic, religious, labor, indigenous, private sector and political leaders met together under the leadership of then- Vice President Quiroga, in what was called the National Dialogue, a series of discussions and consensus-building meetings around four pillars: Opportunity (economic issues), Equity (social development), Integrity (institutional strengthening) and Dignity (fight against drugs). This last pillar, focused on how to move Bolivia out of the international drug trade circuit by 2002. As a result, the Dignity Plan began its implementation by the end of 1997, with ambitious goals centered on four areas: Interdiction, Eradication, Alternative Development and Prevention. We in Congress have occasionally heard foreign leaders make eloquent statements about their plans to reduce drug cultivation and work with the U.S. to end this scourge--plans that ultimately were not successful. Bolivia proved how such a program can be truly successful. There were two things about the Dignity Plan that we found appealing. First, it was the product of an extensive discussion within Bolivian civil society, seeking to eliminate the drug trafficking stereotype for which this Andean country was known. Second, we found in Vice President Quiroga an honest and sincere individual whose commitment to Bolivia's future as a drug free country mirrored our own commitments here at home. Vice President Quiroga was precisely the kind of straight- talking, action-oriented leader that we believed was required to take real and meaningful action. A great many of us signed on to the Dignity Plan and did our best to provide political and financial support. Over the past five years, as Vice President of Bolivia and later as President, Jorge Quiroga implemented the Dignity Plan with stunning success. This past August, President Quiroga turned over the Office to his democratically elected successor, the Honorable Bonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. It is with great satisfaction we now take a look back at former President Quiroga's efforts and see how successful the Dignity Plan has been and what our investment in his vision earned. Since the outset of the Dignity Plan in late 1997, the government of Bolivia has eradicated more than 130,000 acres of illegal coca. The annual cocaine production in Bolivia has fallen by 70 percent. In the past five years, nearly $3.0 billion in Bolivian cocaine was taken off the international market. Alternative development programs in the Chapare, Bolivia's primary coca growing region, have taken hold and are providing stable and meaningful income to former coca growers. Today there are more than 290,000 acres of legal agricultural crops under cultivation in the Chapare. In these areas, family incomes are rising, proving that the transition to legal agricultural activity can be successful. In the law enforcement area, nearly 5,000 coca base labs were seized and destroyed and over 58 metric tons of drugs, including cocaine base, cocaine and others, were seized. I am pleased to report these results to Congress to show that with the proper combination of leadership and political will, the battle against illegal drugs can be won. I am hopeful and optimistic that the Honorable Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, the new President of Bolivia, will pick up and continue where former President Quiroga left off, ensuring Bolivia remains a shining example of success in the Western Hemisphere. Lastly, I wish to say thank you to President Quiroga, with whom many of us have worked so closely during the past five years. We have no doubt that his leadership, vision and commitment to Bolivia were essential to the remarkable success of the Dignity Plan program. He should take great pride in his extraordinary record of success in the drug war and know that he has many good friends in the U.S. Congress who are grateful.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, on September 11 those who hate freedom tried to silence the voices of the American people as represented by this body. But free men cannot be silenced; and so once again today, as we have almost every day since September 11, we gather in this Chamber to do the people's business. There is no more grave responsibility that we undertake as Members of this House than the protection of our Nation and the lives of our men and women who serve that Nation in our armed services. So today and tomorrow and on Thursday, we will as free men should, passionately, but peacefully, debate what is best for America and for our freedom-loving allies around the world. We will do in this place what the ``Butcher of Baghdad'' and the remnants of the al Qaeda hiding in bombed-out caves in far-flung places around the world hate the most, we will exercise democracy; and we will show the world how free men and women behave. I rise in support of this resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it. This resolution authorizes the President to use necessary and appropriate military force against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq to defend the national security interests of the United States and to enforce the United Nations Security Council resolutions that Saddam Hussein has routinely ignored over the last decade. We take this step knowing that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the American people, to Iraq's neighbors, and to the civilized world at large. On September 11, 2001, this Nation changed utterly. On that fateful morning, Americans woke up with the usual expectations: go to work, provide for the family, feed the children, live the American dream. Firemen, stockbrokers, custodians, police officers, office workers, all started their day, perhaps with a cup of coffee, perhaps hurrying to get to work on time. But those plans were shattered when planes hit the World Trade Towers, the Pentagon, and while attempting to strike this very building and silence the voices of democracy in this very Chamber were thwarted by brave passengers over the skies of Pennsylvania. All of us lost our innocence that day. Before September 11, we all believed that the troubles that infected the rest of the world could not impact us. We lived in a splendid isolation, protected by two vast oceans. Before that fateful day, war and disorder were distant rumblings from a far-off land. But on September 11, that distant rumbling hit New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We have a sacred duty to do all that we can to ensure that what happened on September 11 never happens in America again. Some may question the connection between Iraq and those terrorists who hijacked those planes. There is no doubt that Iraq supports and harbors those terrorists who wish harm to the United States. Is there a direct connection between Iraq and al Qaeda? The President thinks so; and based upon what I have seen, I think so also. Should we wait until we are attacked again before finding out for sure; or should we do all that we can to disarm Saddam Hussein's regime before they provide al Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction? Just a year ago, this Capitol building was attacked when someone mailed anthrax-laden letters to Members of Congress. We have never found the perpetrator. Was that a terrorist attack? Undoubtedly. Was it connected to al Qaeda or Saddam Hussein? We do not know. But it serves as a wake-up call to all Americans. Why do we not take the biological and chemical weapons away from this regime before we find out for sure? For those Members who are worried about the doctrine of preemption, let me say this is not a new conflict with Iraq. Our planes which have been patrolling the no-fly zone since the end of the Persian Gulf War pursuant to U.N. resolutions have been fired upon by the Iraqi military hundreds of times. This conflict is ongoing, but now it has become critical that we take the next step. We know Saddam Hussein is a bad actor. We know what he did to the people of Kuwait when he invaded there. We know what he did to his neighbors in Iran when he used chemical weapons in the Iran-Iraq war. We know that he gassed his own people, including women and children, to put down a rebellion. For those who argue that we must build a consensus with the United Nations, let me say that we are taking an effective action here in this Chamber to perhaps help the U.N. do what is right in their own chamber. Earlier this century, fascist regimes in Italy and Germany routinely ignored the dictates of the League of Nations. Both Mussolini and Hitler built up their armies, invaded their neighbors and oppressed their citizens, all in the face of an ineffective League of Nations. If the United Nations is to have relevance in the 21st Century, we must not let it go the way of the League of Nations. We must give the United Nations the backbone it needs to enforce its own resolutions. But if the U.N. refuses to save itself, and more importantly the security of its member states and the cause of peace in this world, we must take all appropriate action to protect ourselves. Edmund Burke once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. We must not let evil triumph. We must do something. We must pass this resolution, support the President of the United States as he works to disarm Saddam Hussein, and win the war against terrorism.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of former Congressman Roman Pucinski who nobly served and represented the people of Illinois for 14 years in this body. Roman Pucinski began a life of service by enlisting as a private in the One Hundred and Sixth Cavalry during World War II. A member of the Army Air Forces in the Pacific, he flew 49 missions over Japan and lead his bomber group on the first B–29 “Superfortress” bombing raid over Tokyo in 1944. And his dedication and bravery won him the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Clusters. In 1958, the people of Northwest Chicago elected Roman Pucinski to represent them in the 86th Congress of the United States. Over the course of his tenure in the House, Congressman Pucinski became a champion of airline safety. As a newly elected member in 1959, Congressman Pucinski strongly urged the government to require cockpit voice recorders in all airplanes that carry at least six passengers. In 1964, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ultimately adopted Congressman Pucinski's proposal, phasing in the requirement for cockpit voice recorders over the following 3 years. Many years later, his persistence and dedication to airline safety won Congressman Pucinski the FAA's Silver Medal of Distinguished Service. Yet, we should also remember Congressman Pucinski for his invaluable contributions to education. As a sponsor of legislation to strengthen public education, he secured funding over several years to improve educational opportunities for the young people of Illinois. In 1972, Congressman Pucinski left the House of Representatives to pursue a seat in the U.S. Senate. Although he was not elected to the Senate, he continued his life of public service as a Chicago alderman from 1973 until 1991. Congressman Pucinski will forever be remembered in the halls of the House for his many years of service and dedication to the people of Illinois. And the people he so dutifully represented will forever feel the impact of his immeasurable contributions to their communities.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable accomplishments of Cael Sanderson, who this year became the first in his sport to finish undefeated over the course of four seasons and only the second NCAA Division I wrestler in history to win four NCAA Championships. Growing up in Utah, Cael Sanderson was one of four wrestling brothers, who over the years combined for 11 Utah prep crowns. During this prep years, Cael was coached by his father at Wasatch High, where he was a four-time State Champ. After high school, Cael decided to follow in his older brothers' footsteps by attending Iowa State University where he would leave his mark on the sport of wrestling, which I believe is safe to say will never be forgotten. After 4 years at Iowa State University, Cael broke virtually every record and received every award he could garner. As I previously mentioned, Cael is a four-time national wrestling champion and finished his career with an overall record of 159-0. Moreover, he is also a four-time national Collegiate Athletic Championship Outstanding Wrestler, a three-time recipient of the Dan Hodge Trophy, given to the sport's most outstanding collegiate wrestler and was recently named the 2001-2002 Big 12 Conference Male Athlete of the Year. In addition to taking care of business on the mat, Cael Sanderson also excelled in the classroom as he has twice been named an Academic All-American. Graduating in December 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in art and design, Cael showed patience, hardwork and dedication as he was able to balance the popularity that comes with being a collegiate star, as well as the long hours needed to accommodate a full academic schedule. Finally, Cael Sanderson has been a model member of the community and has had a positive impact on all those around him. Besides offering his time to a number of community services, Cael also makes frequent visits to elementary schools and Boys and Girls Clubs in the Ames area, and spends his summers as a wrestling spokesman traveling across the nation to various wrestling camps, generating interest in the sport. As a teacher and former wrestling coach, I commend Cael Sanderson on his many accomplishments on and off the mat. I think all of us in this body can appreciate the time and effort he has put into the sport so many of us love. Cael is a champion in the true sense of the word, as well as an inspiration and role model, not just to wrestling fans, but to everyone chasing a goal of a dream. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the invaluable contributions of State Representative Mary Lou Cowlishaw over her nearly 20 years of service to the people of Illinois as a member of the Illinois General Assembly. Moreover, I am proud to have served alongside her during her first four years of service. As a parent and former public school teacher, I would like to commend Representative Cowlishaw for her strong commitment to improving educational opportunities for the young people of Illinois. As the Ranking Member of the Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and as a board member of the Lisle School District 202 Foundation, Representative Cowlishaw has done an exceptional job of advancing education and thereby securing the well-being and future success of all children in Illinois. During her tenure in the Illinois General Assembly, Representative Cowlishaw's efforts contributed to the establishment of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy located in my congressional district. She has also worked tirelessly to advocate innovative approaches to increase student learning, improve teacher quality, and expand access to teaching in mathematics and science. And, Representative Cowlishaw's exemplary dedication to the young people of Illinois extends well beyond the walls of the classroom. In fact, this past March, the Illinois Coalition to End Homelessness honored Representative Cowlishaw for her work to improve the educational rights of homeless students across the Nation. When Representative Cowlishaw retires from the Illinois State House of Representatives at the end of this year, she should carry with her the knowledge that she has made the Illinois General Assembly, and particularly the State of Illinois, a better place.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Chairman, I think the gentleman makes a good point. This proposal is certainly reasonable. He has my assurance that the bill works its way through the conference with the other body, that I will do my best to make sure that the gentleman's proposal is not only considered carefully by the Congress and both sides but we will take very, very extraordinary methods and work to make sure that this type of concept is incorporated in the bill. It could form the basis, I think, for an excellent conference agreement.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 12th Annual Teachers on an Agriscience Bus Program as well as the invaluable contributions it has made in expanding the understanding of agriculture and agriscience. First launched as a pilot program in June 1991, the Teachers on an Agriscience Bus Program was developed to include tours and seminars at a variety of agriscience industries in Chicago and the Western Suburbs. Tour hosts explain the multitude of career opportunities in agriscience and provide tours of their facilities, demonstrating the high-tech nature of the industry. In 1991, the program included 26 staff members from Naperville School District 203. However, it became evident to those involved that the wealth of information provided by the Program could serve a greater purpose by opening up the experience to neighboring school districts. To date, 504 participants from 30 school districts, many of which are located in my Congressional District, have taken part in the program. The agriculture industry in the State of Illinois is of primary important to the economy, not only to the state, but as one of the largest employers in the U.S. The youth of America, and particularly those in Illinois, need current, up-to-date, technological backgrounds in the importance of agriculture in their everyday lives and of the career opportunities available to them in the industry. As a former high school teacher, I can attest to the importance of continued innovative programs needed to reach our youth. The Teachers on an Agriscience Bus Program enables educators to share an awareness and appreciation for agriculture and agriscience career opportunities with their students. Participants in the Program have introduced approximately 60,000 students to the fact that agriscience and its related industries constitute more than just farming; today it is a highly technical, viable and sophisticated industry. Finally, I would like to point out that the continued success of the Teachers on an Agriscience Bus Program is due to the overwhelming support of the sponsoring organizations, including: the Midwest Dairy Association of Illinois, DuPage County Fair Association, DuPage County Farm Bureau, DuPage County Regional Office of Education, Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Wheatland Plowing Match Association, DuPage Education to Careers System, 1st Farm Credit Services of Northern Illinois, Illinois Pork Producers and Illinois Agricultural Association Foundation. I commend everyone involved in the Teachers on an Agriscience Bus Program for their commitment to educate our children on the importance of agriculture and am hopeful they will continue to make a positive impact in the lives of students and staff for years to come.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of debate on this bill today. This bill has been on the docket for about 6 weeks trying to bring it together. In this bill is $14 billion-plus for our men and women who fight the war in Afghanistan and around the world. In this bill is $5 billion for New York so that they can recoup and rebuild their city for the losses they got on September 11. In this bill is $7 billion for defense against terrorism in this country, air marshals, police, things to make this country safer so that we can travel, so that we can live our lives. There is a lot of debate and a lot of demagoguery that goes on in a place like this. But there are times when you need to move forward, pass legislation, get it done and do the right thing. I have heard a lot of, again, conversation from the other side of the aisle. Do we need eventually to raise the debt ceiling in this country? You know we have to do that. There is not one person in the room who will deny that that has to be done. Do we do it in this bill? No. Do we give ourselves a possibility that we can do it at a later date? Yes. Do we have to make sure that there is some discipline in the budget as opposed to the other side of the Rotunda where there is no discipline? Yes. We need to do that. We need to do it for our own good. We also need to do it on mandatory and discretionary spending if we want to do the things in health care and prescription drugs that is right for this country. You can vote no against this. If you vote no, you ought to know that you are voting against our military, you are voting against the people in New York. You need to know that you are also voting against the ability for us to solve the problems that we have in this country. If you want to vote against trying to solve the problems in health care and prescription drugs, vote no for this bill. If you want to move forward and have the Congress do the things that the American people expect us to do, then you want to vote yes for this rule and vote yes for the bill.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today at the start of National Volunteer Week to recognize the invaluable contributions of volunteers to communities across the nation. From the earliest days of our Nation's history, the spirit of volunteer service has been reflected by neighbors helping one another to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of happiness. The freedom and individual rights at the core of our society come from a shared responsibility for the health and well being of our communities and for each other. National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers who play such an integral part in creating a sense of community and shared responsibility for our future. This year's National Volunteer Week theme, ``Celebrate the American Spirit-- VOLUNTEER!'' is particularly appropriate as we continue to witness the outpouring of contributions and compassion following the September 11 terrorist attacks. By celebrating the volunteer spirit, we can show the world that helping is healing for our country and can encourage men, women, and children to help make positive changes in the lives of others. Volunteerism not only improves the lives of others, it builds a sense of community, breaks down barriers between people and develops leadership skills. Americans, young and old alike, can and do play important roles in our communities. For as long as the American people volunteer their time for the benefit of their neighbors, America's community spirit will continue to hold tremendous promise for the future.

Mr. HASTERT

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important contribution of the America in Bloom program to communities across the nation. America in Bloom is a national beautification contest that began last year with the participation of four cities across the United States. This unique program helps to foster community involvement, patriotism and civic pride through the challenge of a friendly competition between participating communities across the country. The contest is judged on the basis of eight categories, including tidiness, environmental awareness, heritage, urban forestry, landscaped area, floral displays, turf and ground cover areas and, most importantly, community involvement. This year, the contest will again provide communities with a forum to increase civic pride and community involvement through the challenge of a national evaluation. The program has registered almost thirty communities to date, including Batavia, Illinois, which I am proud to represent. It is my hope that more communities will take part in this program as it brings together citizens of all ages, municipal governments and local organizations to work collectively for the visual improvement of America's parks, neighborhoods, open spaces and streets. This can only encourage the preservation of our collective heritage and culture while creating a sense of unity and pride among citizens.