Robin Hayes

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) for yielding me the time. Folks have been here a long time. The real moment of truth has arrived. Are my colleagues going to fish or are they going to cut bait? I strongly, enthusiastically, heartily support the gentlewoman's amendment. This is campaign finance reform. It takes care of the problem on page 79 of the so-called latest and greatest Shays-Meehan bill, that page that allows soft money to borrow hard money and pay it back after the election. This fixes the problem now. In some precincts in Missouri I heard there was over 110 percent turnout. That is the kind of soft- money results that the other bill that is before us provides. Is that campaign finance reform? I do not think so. Let us be serious. Here is the real thing. Here is our chance, our real chance to reform, to fix; and I submit to my colleagues that it is not money that is the problem. It is people who are the problem; but if we believe that it is money, fix it, take it out, take it now, let us do it. Let us reform campaign finance and support the gentlewoman from Missouri's (Mrs. Emerson) amendment.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, let the Record reflect that due to a scheduling conflict, I was unable to be present for votes on Wednesday, January 23, 2002. Had I been present I would have voted YEA on the following: H.R. 700, H.R. 2234, and H. Res. 330. Thank you.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Today we are honoring a great American. I am proud to support this legislation that will award General Shelton the Congressional Gold Medal. General Henry H. Shelton was born and raised in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Henry H. Shelton advised President Clinton and was his principal military strategist. He also played a great role in the air war in Kosovo in 1999. As a North Carolinian, I am most proud to say that General Shelton commanded both the 18th Airborne Corps and Special Operations Command in my district at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. General Shelton is distinguished as a ``soldier's soldier'' and time and time again has displayed an extraordinary degree of leadership, competence, and professionalism. While it is right and appropriate that we recognize the service to our Nation that the General has performed today in Congress, I have also been working on commemorating him down home in my district in North Carolina right at Fort Bragg. Folks at Fort Bragg think of him as one of their own. In order to properly keep his legacy alive, it is proper to recognize him at Fort Bragg. That is why I worked to include language in the defense authorization bill for the fiscal year 2002 that was passed just this past Thursday to name a soldier support center currently being renovated on post in General Shelton's honor. So today while we honor General Hugh Shelton with the Congressional Gold Medal, we can be certain that the troops he led and commanded at Fort Bragg will also remember this great American. I am proud that today we are recognizing the accomplishments and service of General Hugh Shelton and commemorate General Shelton for his dedication and selfless contribution to our great Nation. I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) for bringing this forward.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, last week I wrote the leader of the other body a letter. Today I call on the majority leader in the other body to schedule a vote on the economic stimulus and security package immediately. There is no greater need in America today than to put people back to work in good jobs. People are hurting, unemployment is rising, and now we have proof that the economy is in recession. What more evidence does the leadership in the other body need? The American people deserve action on this now. It is time to put partisanship aside and work together to turn our economy around. The Democratic leadership in the other body failed to push through a strictly partisan version of a stimulus plan on November 14. Despite including big subsidies for chicken manure and bison burgers, the other leadership did not even consider President Bush's plan to accelerate tax relief for at least 34 million American workers. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve action on this now. It is time for the other body to stop stalling and pass an economic security/ stimulus plan.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I would like the record to reflect that, had I been present on December 5, 2001, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call Nos. 472, 473, 474, and 475. Thank you.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, last week we passed an economic stimulus bill to bolster our economy and stop the hemorrhaging of jobs that is going on around our Nation. Thousands of residents of North Carolina's eighth district have lost their jobs, especially in textiles and other manufacturing plants. Given the current state of the economy, one would think passing this legislation would be one of the top priorities of Congress. But, Mr. Speaker, we read that the Senate majority leader thinks that a bill to save jobs is not a front-burner issue. Needless to say, we have different priorities. Getting Americans back to work and creating more jobs is a front-burner issue with me, and I hope it is a front-burner issue with a majority of Members of Congress. It is imperative that we act now so the President can sign this bill and we can get our economy moving forward once again.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. An awful lot of work, a lot of time, a lot of hearings, a lot of studies have gone into this very crucial and important issue, and the first and last point in this debate is the security, the safety of the American flying public. I am a pilot. I have been to every hearing. I have listened to every hour of testimony. The Young-Mica bill, the President's position, provides the best security, the best safety for the American public as they fly. Think with me for a moment. The gentleman or the gentlewoman in the left seat in the front of that airliner has a piece of paper called a license. That license certifies that they have met the recent competency requirements, they have met very stringent physical standards, they have gone through testing, and they are competent to perform the job that is required of them. That pilot does not work for the Federal Government. The mechanic, the man or the woman who is at the maintenance facility, who keeps these aircraft maintained and flying safely, has a license. They are supervised by the Federal Government, but they are not a Federal employee. The men and women who guard Federal courthouses, who do an excellent job under extremely trying circumstances, are not Federal employees. The best system, based on history and present conditions, is a partnership using the authority, the experience, and the law enforcement ability of the Federal Government to set standards, ensure accountability, and then follow up and enforce those standards. The end result is the safest possible condition for the flying public because of the training and the enforcement for the pilots, the mechanics, and the law enforcement officials. That is the issue here. As we look at it, we all agree federalizing the standards is absolutely the correct thing to do. The system that we have now is not sufficient. It is broken, and we are going to fix it. The best way to fix it is with the Young-Mica and the President's position. If we want to look a little further, the folks who did these horrible, unimaginably horrible acts came through a system that was controlled by Federal employees. Having everyone on the Federal payroll does not give us the insurance or assurance that we need. Looking even a little bit further, under the bill of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), a good friend, and he has worked very hard and listened very carefully as well, there is a division of authority under that bill. Enforcement goes under DOT and screening goes under DOJ. Accountability comes from a firm, clear head. The supervision that we need, the standards that are required and the enforcement that comes from that gives us the safety and the security for the American public.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, let me say that the last time I checked, the item before this Congress at the moment was the Labor-HHS bill. I totally and thoroughly disagree with the gentleman's characterization of the activity of this Congress. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week for the last 30 days we have been working very hard to deal with the issues that he says we are ignoring. Back to the bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for their consideration in increasing spending for a very crucial issue, which is abstinence-until-marriage funding. I do not know of too many things from a security standpoint that is any more important than the health of our young people today. As we look at ways to increase the funding which will improve health conditions for our young people, I appreciate their concern, their approval of the funds; and I hope if this is not the right place, I am sure that my colleagues will find the right place to do this. In North Carolina we have a law that we worked very, very hard in a bipartisan fashion to pass; and that law says that we will have in our health education curriculum that abstinence until marriage is the expected standard of behavior. Young people, teenagers in particular, are very, very bright. They respond to proper leadership and good examples. If we tell them that this promiscuous behavior is going to happen, they cannot make the right choices, and then offer them contraceptives which have a 20 percent failure rate, we have not done our duty. We have not protected our young people. But if we say to them, abstinence until marriage is the healthy way to 100 percent provide protection from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, then I say to my colleagues, we have done our job. So I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for their attention to this matter. I commend the amendment, I support it very strongly, and I would love to work with my colleagues in any way to make sure we make this happen. By the way, the President in a recent letter does support funding at the $73 million level.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Kind Amendment to the Farm Bill. H.R. 2646, as reported by the House Agriculture Committee, provides an unprecedented 80% increase in soil and water conservation programs above current spending levels that firmly meets the needs of America's farm families. This bill builds on the popular and important conservation programs established in previous bills. The conservation section devotes over $16 billion over 10 years to soil, water and wildlife programs. It increases CRP acreage to 39.2 million acres, WRP to 1.5 million acres, creates a Grasslands Reserve Program up to 2 million acres, funds WHIP to $500 million, and finally, the conservation title will help MANY many family farms in North Carolina by funding the Environmental Quality Incentives Program at $1.285 billion, including a $600 million fund is created in EQIP to address surface and ground water conservation issues, including cost share for more efficient irrigation systems. Obviously, this bill will go far in helping our farmers continue be our Nation's best land stewards. To my colleagues who support this amendment, I ask why this was not brought up in Committee? At no time during the Committee's consideration of this bill did Mr. Kind offer his amendment. Why? Because he knew he didn't have the votes to pass it, and America's farmers adamantly oppose it. In addition, I would add that the sportsmen in my district oppose this amendment. This amendment undermines all the hard work we've done and it undermines future conservation benefits and I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I would and pick up on the remarks of the gentleman from Texas about the valid and important issues in this discussion. Simply put, Mr. Chairman, to my colleagues who support this amendment, I ask them, why was this amendment not brought up in the committee? The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) said that they discussed it. That is fine. But what he did not say was that as this discussion took place, it was obvious that he did not have the votes in committee to pass it. What does that mean? It means that the people of this House who are most interested in and probably most informed about agriculture did not support his well-intentioned amendment. Sportsmen and farmers in my district in North Carolina also very strongly oppose this amendment, as I do. An interesting contrast, the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Thune) spoke very eloquently in opposition to this amendment. He also had an amendment which he brought up in committee, and we discussed it over and over and over for hours and hours. The amendment was defeated, and that was the end of that. It is not here on the floor, as this amendment is and should not be. Because of the nature of this amendment and because of the need for balance in this bill, please join me in opposing this amendment, which undermines all the hard work, the field hearings, all of the information that has been gathered, and it undermines conservation benefits. I urge my colleagues to vote against the amendment.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bill. We have taken our time and done it right. H.R. 2646 is a product of more than 2 years' work by the Committee on Agriculture. In March 2000, the committee held field hearings in my home State and many others. Many producers and agricultural groups testified as to what they wanted to see in the next farm bill. They said they wanted to keep their planning flexibility that was part of the 1996 bill. This bill does that. They said they wanted an economic safety net that provided countercyclical assistance through times of low prices that farmers have faced during these past 4 years. This bill does that. They said they wanted a bill that will help them export their products to overseas, open new markets for North Carolina's valuable agricultural products. Again, this bill does just that. Finally, they asked for increased spending in conservation programs. Many producers in North Carolina have taken advantage of the successful conservation programs in past farm bills. I am proud to say that this bill provides more spending in conservation than any other farm bill in history, 80 percent more, to be exact. These programs will go far in achieving cleaner water, cleaner air, cleaner soil for our farmers and our communities. I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their efforts coming to all the counties in our district, and also for lending the support that our farm community needs. This is a good bill. I strongly urge its support.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of Mr. Hostettler's amendment--a vote in support of the Boy Scouts of America. The Supreme Court has ruled on this issue--and they said that to force the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual troop leaders would violate their right to free association and would dilute the Scout's message. We must not threaten the Scouts' constitutional freedoms that were clearly upheld by the Supreme Court. The process of appealing this ruling is costing the Scouts valuable dollars each day that could be better used to benefit the lives of young men--Young men who are being taught values such as duty to God and country, honor, respect, and community service. We must send a message that Congress will uphold the full benefits of freedom of association, and that the Scouts, a private organization, may continue to define their own leadership and promote core American values that have been taught to children for over a century. I urge my fellow members to vote in favor of the Hostettler amendment.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Mr. Hostettler's amendment--a vote in support of the Boy Scouts of America. The Supreme Court has ruled on this issue--and they said that to force the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual troop leaders would violate their right to free association and would dilute the Scout's message. We must not threaten the Scouts' constitutional freedoms that were clearly upheld by the Supreme Court. The process of appealing this ruling is costing the Scouts valuable dollars each day that could be better used to benefit the lives of young men--Young men who are being taught values such as duty to God and country, honor, respect, and community service. We must send a message that Congress will uphold the full benefits of freedom of association, and that the Scouts, a private organization, may continue to define their own leadership and promote core American values that have been taught to children for over a century. I urge my fellow Members to vote in favor of the Hostettler amendment. Amendment Offered by Ms. Norton to the Amendment Offered by Mr. Hostettler

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Alaska on this bill and the future of general aviation. Let me thank the chairman and ranking member, first of all, for the work they have done on this important piece of legislation. The country's air carriers are not only a vital part of our transportation infrastructure, but they are of great importance to our national security. However, they are not the only part of the aviation industry that find themselves in dire straits following last week's horrible attacks in New York and Washington. Many of those in general aviation suffer as well. For example, some 3,500 flight schools will have lost up to $245 million in revenue by this coming Tuesday due to the continued ban on VFR training. Mr. Speaker, while I believe it is important to address the problems facing our air carriers, does the chairman of the committee also intend to address the financial difficulties of other components of general aviation in the near future?

Mr. HAYES. I yield to the gentleman from Alaska.

Mr. HAYES. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time, and I thank the ranking member for conducting this debate in a very professional and proper way. Mr. Speaker, I have sat through every minute of hearings on airline financial stability and on security. I have been there for every minute. Members have raised relevant points, some more relevant than others, but here tonight we are faced with doing something that is crucial to our economy and to the airlines, which are a building log of that economy. Last Friday night, it was brought to our attention by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the markets would open on Monday and we needed to send a strong message to Wall Street and the financial community that we would be there for this important part of our commerce. That did not happen. We spent a week talking about very important things. Let me assure my colleagues, many of whom I have spoken to individually, and thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost) for their wonderful cooperation; but here we are a week later. We could have been doing the things that people are raising now. Please put this discussion aside. Take this building block, put it in place, then we will address in time, as everyone has promised and everyone unanimously wants to do, the other issues, some of which are discovered, many of which are yet to be discovered. Let us pass this rule and this bill.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) for their absolutely tireless effort on the part of our military, our men and women in uniform. Madam Chairman, the tragic events of September 11, 2001, have thrust our Nation's military into the spotlight and called to duty the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Once again, U.S. citizens are rallying behind them in strong support of the harrowing mission they have been called upon to do. We in Congress just passed a $40 billion funding bill, half of which will be devoted to our military. This financial support, devoted to our national security, is long in coming. I am proud to say that as a member of the House Committee on Armed Services, this legislation that we passed in August took the first step in rebuilding our military after almost a decade of decay and neglect. The bill in front of us today marks the most significant increase to the defense budget since the mid-1980s. It is targeted at two of the most critical areas crucial to maintaining a healthy and robust military: quality of life and readiness. For the soldiers in my district at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the ability to adequately care for their families and train for the mission for which they are called are the two issues that are second to none. I believe this legislation makes significant progress in these areas. Furthermore, this bill supports the President's missile defense program and ensures a necessary and realistic testing program. Madam Chairman, it is gross injustice and misfortune that it took the tragedy of a week ago to focus the public eye on the need for a more robust defense budget. I feel the legislation in front of us today takes that important first step and sets a clear and strong course to rebuild our Nation's defenses. I urge my colleagues to send a message, loud and clear, to our soldiers, sailors and airmen that we will strongly support them and give them the resources necessary to perform the mission at hand.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. On Tuesday, our Nation suffered the most horrific act of terrorism the world has ever seen. A hostile act of this magnitude should be viewed as an act of war against our Nation. Just as our country and the world changed in the wake of Pearl Harbor 60 years ago, our future was set on a new course with Tuesday's senseless attack on our citizens. This horrifying act has united us in a way that has not been seen in decades. It has inspired the world to act against terrorism and strike back. It is the duty of all of us to honor the victims of this tragedy by using this international spirit to do everything possible to stop the scourge of terrorism. Our President has shown leadership, prudence, wisdom, and courage in his response to the crisis. This resolution empowers our President and our men and women in uniform to win this war against terrorism and ensure freedom for our country and the world. As President Bush said, we will respond appropriately, at the proper time and the place of our choosing.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. Yesterday, our Nation suffered the most horrific act of terrorism the world has ever seen. Make no mistake about it, a hostile act of this magnitude should be viewed as an act of war against our Nation. Like everyone here today, I am proud to be an American. I am proud of our Nation today, and I am proud of the values and heritage which have made our Nation great. Our main government was formed on the base principle that our Creator endowed us with the inalienable right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our government is charged with ensuring these freedoms and equal protection to us all. Unfortunately, there is unspeakable evil alive and at work in our world and against these principles. That evil perpetrated the terrorist attacks against our Nation yesterday. As we begin our new future, the world can be assured that Americans will respond to yesterday's attacks on three important fronts. First, we will make every effort to provide care for those who are injured and lend comfort to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Second, we will provide all necessary intelligence and military resources to ensure that additional terrorist attacks are stopped in the near and long term. Third, our government will use the full assets of our law enforcement and intelligence communities to find the criminals who orchestrated these attacks and all those who aided them in their effort. Once they are found, we will act swiftly and deliberately to punish the guilty and show the world that this type of treachery will not be tolerated. Our country is the brightest light of freedom the world has ever known. The greatness of America emanates from our people, and as we have seen throughout our Nation's history, our people respond to evil like yesterday's acts of terrorism with greatness. May God bless, protect, and guide America.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, oil imports are now at 57% and growing rapidly. If we are to meet our domestic energy needs, we must decrease our reliance on foreign imports by boosting domestic energy supply. A workable energy plan requires attention to all areas, conservation, production, alternative fuels, research, and especially common sense. Over the last 20 years, the increase in demand for energy has outpaced the increase in supply. Since 1980, the supply has only increased by 18%, while energy demand has increased 24%. The United States is also far too dependent on foreign oil. Today, 57% of our oil comes from other countries; compared to 35% in 1973, and 48% 10 years ago. Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may provide the necessary increase in production of energy. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are up to 16 billion barrels of oil in ANWR; this would be enough to replace all imports from Saudi Arabia for the next 30 years. My family and I lived on the North Slope for a year. The family we lived with perfected the ice pad drilling technique, which leaves virtually no footprint. We can drill in ANWR safely and in an environmentally responsible way. We should do this to secure America's future energy needs. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve the affordable and reliable energy supply that this bill can provide. I commend the bill's sponsor and the many members and staff who have devoted so much time to this effort, and I ask my colleagues to support this comprehensive energy policy for the future of our country.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for rollcall vote 335 due to my recovery from hip surgery. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 335.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank President Bush for providing a patients' protection act, and to thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) for protecting patients and standing up against the powerful trial lawyers. I also rise to thank President Bush for giving us a comprehensive energy plan, which will provide protection for future generations against dependence on foreign oil. Mr. Speaker, as I talked to some of the folks lobbying against drilling in ANWR yesterday, I asked them if they had ever been there, and they said ``no.'' My family and I lived there for a year. The family we lived with, the Helmericks, perfected the ice pad drilling technique which allows us to drill safely and then remove virtually all evidence that drilling took place. Mr. Speaker, I thank President Bush for providing leadership for this country.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote for this measure and oppose granting China normal trade relations. Normal trade relations for the People's Republic of China does not represent fair trade for our Nation's textile workers. For the tens of thousands of textile workers and the many communities that depend on these jobs in North Carolina's eighth district, this agreement continues down the road of trading away a vital industry to our State's economy. Since December of 1994, the textile and apparel industry has lost nearly 600,000 workers, 20 percent of which belonged to North Carolinians. A devastating effect on many communities throughout the district has resulted. Closed foreign markets which persist despite trade policies that open our markets, continuing large-scale customs fraud, transshipments, and currency devaluation have all led to this loss of jobs in a vital industry. The textile industry is not protectionist. It is not afraid of competition. In fact, it is a highly automated and technology-driven industry that simply wants to assure its place within the global economy through fairness and equal access. Until that happens, I urge my colleagues to oppose trade with China.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I thank my colleagues for bringing this very important resolution to the floor. I think about what I have heard this morning, and it occurs to me that some things that we debate here are not very clear, but others are quite clear. National security is spoken of in the Constitution as one of our primary responsibilities. I do not really see this as a political or as a public relations issue. It is a philosophical issue. The gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and others and myself believe that strong national security, the protection of our families and our country against foreign aggression with missiles is very important to our future. This was a milestone. A technically very difficult assignment was met. It was successful, and we are moving in the right direction. In this day and age, when philosophies clash here, I think it is important to set the record straight: This is about sound science; this is not science fiction. We have the ability to produce this protective system. It can be done only by continued effort to protect this country and future generations. And I applaud the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), I applaud our men and women in uniform, and I think it behooves us to continue to support this resolution and to make sure that this country, both space and space inside and outside, are protected. I think this resolution is very timely.

Mr. HAYES

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, America is the land of the free, home of the brave. But the liberty we enjoy did not come without a price. Many Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in peace and freedom. They died nobly for us. Now it is our responsibility as Americans to live nobly in their memory. One of the first and foremost ways we can honor our fallen heroes is to protect the American flag. The brave men and women who died for the fight of freedom deserve to be honored by the flying of the stars and stripes. Our flag represents the freedoms we enjoy, the spirit of democracy, and the sacrifices of all those who have worked to make this nation what it is today. I am honored to support this measure that protects the great symbol of the United States of America. Our nation's veterans, active duty and reserve forces draw their strength not from America's great material wealth. Rather, these individuals draw their strength from the belief that there are some causes that are worth dying for, a conviction rooted in principle and represented by our flag. The patriots that have fought for our freedoms knew in their hearts that their cause was righteous, that making the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, liberty, and justice was worth the risk. Thus, we as a Congress have the opportunity to do what is right. We have a responsibility to honor the memory of those who have died for our freedom and to say to those who live, ``we will not let your sacrifice be in vain.'' The American flag and the principles for which it flies are deserving of honor and protection. Today we need to pass this legislation and send a clear message that we will not tolerate desecration of the American flag.