Rush Holt

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, if there is anything bipartisan about this budget resolution, it is probably our mutual displeasure with it. I do not think anyone is satisfied with this budget. And even if my colleagues on the other side accept the bottom line, that this budget resolution will run a real deficit and then continue to spend Social Security and Medicare dollars to pay for general government for years to come, I would say this year's partisan budget process does not permit a single substantive amendment, not in the Budget Committee, not in the Rules Committee, not on the House floor. I mention only one. Yesterday, I asked the Rules Committee to make in order an amendment that would have made improvements to this budget, specifically to increase our investment in research and development. It was not allowed. This budget resolution does provide increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, but it does not provide enough funding for general scientific research and development through the National Science Foundation and other agencies. The NSF, the National Science Foundation, provides the backbone for the science and the scientists that are necessary to ensure that this Nation remains a leader. In other words, if the NIH investment is going to pay off, we need to make an investment in the other areas of science research and development.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the Greek people and their successful struggle for independence from Ottoman occupation that began nearly 181 years ago. Greek Independence Day has special symbolic resonance for Americans. Our forefathers founded our democratic system of government on the principles of popular representation introduced to this world by the ancient Athenians. Our word democracy is, in fact, of Greek derivation and literally translates as people (``demo'') rule (``kratos''). The ancient Greek experiment with democracy, however, was a visionary aberration that was centuries ahead of its time. Democracy did not last long in Ancient Greece as the fist of empires--Romans, Byzantine, and Ottoman--silenced democratic yearnings for nearly two millennia. Although democracy temporarily disappeared, the Greeks continued to thrive and prosper. As the Roman Empire expanded in the early centuries after the birth of Christ, the Greek peoples dominated the eastern half of the Roman Empire, known as Byzantium, and it was in the Greek city of Constantinople where the Roman emperor Constantine converted himself and the entire Roman Empire to Christianty. Upon the fall of Rome in 476 AD, the Greek-led Byzantine Empire emerged as a potent force in the world and the protectorate of Christian Orthodoxy. The Greeks remained strong and independent until the Central Asian Ottomans crushed the Byzantine armies and conquered the spiritual capital of the Byzantine world at Constantinople in 1453. The victory of the Ottomans cast the Greek speaking peoples into more than 400 years of occupation. But even while under the yoke of Ottoman rule, the Greeks were an impressive force. As successful and educated merchants, they dominated the Ottoman middle class and were the backbone of the Ottoman economy. Still, the Greeks were not meant to be subject peoples and they began to oppose the imperial policies of the Ottoman government. Greeks, many of whom were educated in the universities of the West, began to adopt revolutionary ideas from France, Great Britain, and the United States. The concept of the nation-state, self-determination, and liberal democracy found their ways into the Greek villages and cities from Athens to Constantinople. On March 25, 1821, Greek patriots from the southern tip of the Peloponnese to the northern outskirts of Macedonia finally rebuked the yoke of the Ottomans and declared the independence of the Greek people from subjugation. At first, the Hellenic fighters met with violent failure, but their just cause ignited the imaginations of their people and of scores of Western philhellenes, such as the English poet Lord Byron, who left their homelands to fight and die with the Greeks for their liberation. The United States was never far from the minds of the revolutionary Greeks, nor was the struggle of the Greeks unnoticed by Americans. As Greek revolutionary commander Petros Mavromichalis, one of the founders of the modern Greek state, said to the citizens of the United States in 1821, ``It is in your land that liberty has fixed her abode and . . . in imitating you, we shall imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of them if we succeed in resembling you.'' By 1833, the Greeks had secured independence and with it a place in history as the first of the subjugated peoples in Europe to overthrow their Ottoman masters. As the Greek nation developed and grew, it emerged as a stalwart ally of the United States. The Greek people fought alongside the American and Allied forces in both of the world wars of the twentieth century. The Greeks again took up arms against their Ottoman foes in the First World War and then handed the Axis powers their first defeat in World War II when the Greek army pushed back the forces of Mussolini. Soon after, however, they would suffer through a long and painful Nazi occupation. After World War II, Greece became an instrumental member of the NATO alliance. Greece's strategic location made it a vital buffer between the Western Democratic world and Soviet Communism. Over the last 30 years, Greece has made major strides forward for its people. In 1974, Konstantine Karamanlis finally restored democracy to Greece, bringing representative government back to its birthplace. Greece became a member of the European Community and then the powerful European Union. Today, Greece continues to move in the right direction thanks to the enlightened leadership of Prime Minister Costas Simitis. He and Foreign Minister George Papandreou are working with their Turkish counterparts to end generations of strained relations between Turkey and Greece. Economically, Greece is prospering and recently became a member of the European Monetary Union. In 2004, Greeks will display their successes to the world when they host the Olympics, another Greek invention, in Athens. Strategically, Greece remains important. It is a force of stability in the volatile Balkans where it continues to promote open markets and democracy. The Greek government is also united with the United States in its war on terrorism. Greece has sent a troop contingent to participate in the international force in Afghanistan and has allowed U.S. aircraft use of its airspace and its airbases. I cannot overstate the importance of strong ties between Greece and the United States. As an American citizen who believes firmly in the principles of democracy and as a representative of thousands of Greek- Americans that live in Central New Jersey, I rise today in humble recognition of Greek Independence Day.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, the universal use of the term ``cloning'' to describe many procedures can be very misleading. I submit for the Record an article from the journal Science by Bert Vogelstein, Bruce Alberts, and Kenneth Shine that suggests the adoption of the term ``nuclear transplantation'' to describe what is now called ``therapeutic cloning'' to more accurately portray the technique. I commend it to my colleagues. Please Don't Call It Cloning! Scientists rely on a dialect of specialized terminology to communicate precise descriptions of scientific phenomena to each other. In general, that practice has served the community well--novel terms are created when needed to document new findings, behaviors, structures, or principles. The lexicon of science is constantly evolving. Scientists who are fluent in the language of any specific discipline can speak to one another using shorthand expressions from this dialect and can convey an exact understanding of their intended meanings. However, when the scientific shorthand makes its way to the nonscientific public; there is a potential for such meaning to be lost or misunderstood, and for the terminology to become associated with research or applications for which it is inappropriate. In scientific parlance, cloning is a broadly used, shorthand term that refers to producing a copy of some biological entity--a gene, an organism, a cell--an objective that, in many cases, can be achieved by means other than the technique known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. Bacteria clone themselves by repeated fission. Plants reproduce clonally through asexual means and by vegetative regeneration. Much confusion has arisen in the public, in that cloning seems to have become almost synonymous with somatic cell nuclear transfer, a procedure that can be used for many different purposes. Only one of these purposes involves an intention to create a clone of the organism (for example, a human). Legislation passed by the House of Representatives and under consideration in the U.S. Senate to ban the cloning of human beings actually proscribes somatic cell nuclear transfer--that is, any procedure in which a human somatic cell nucleus is transferred into an oocyte whose own nucleus has been removed. As Donald Kennedy remarked in a Science editorial last year, the legislation would interdict a wide range of experimental procedures that in the near future, might become both medically useful and morally acceptable. A law that would make it illegal to create embryonic stem cells by using somatic cell nuclear transfer would foreclose at least two important avenues of investigation. First, the technique shows promise to overcome the anticipated problem of immune rejection in stem cell-based therapies to replace a patient's diseased or damaged tissue. Creating stem cells with the patient's own nuclear gernome might theotically eliminate tissue rejection. Second creating stem cell lines by using the somatic cell nuclei of individuals with heritable diseases offers an unprecedented opportunity to study genetic disorders as they unfold during cellular development. Both of these goals have nothing to do with producing a human being. They may be caught up in the proposed legislation in part because of misunderstood scientific jargon--namely, the casual use of the term ``therapeutic cloning'' to describe stem cells made for research in regenerative medicine using somatic cell nuclear transfer. What is worse, the already blurred distinction between these two very different avenues of investigation has been compounded by the interchangeable use of human cloning with therapeutic cloning by those who suggest that cloning a human being is a ``therapeutic'' treatment for infertility. The term cloning, we believe, is properly associated with the ultimate outcome or objective of the research, not the mechanism or techniques used to achieve that objective. The goal of creating a nearly identical genetic copy of a human being is consistent with the term human reproductive cloning, but the goal of creating stem cells for rengenative medicine is not consistent with the term therapeutic cloning. The objective of the latter is not to create a copy of the potential tissue recipient, but rather to make tissue that is genetically compatible with that of the recipient. Although it may have been conceived as a simple term to help lay people distinguish two different applications of somatic cell nuclear transfer, ``therapeutic cloning'' is conceptually inaccurate and misleading, and should be abandoned. It is in the interest of the scientific community to clearly articulate the differences between stem cell research and human cloning. Most scientists agree that cloning a human being, aside from the moral or ethical issues, is unsafe under present conditions. A recently released National Academy of Sciences report details the considerable problems observed in the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer for animal reproduction and concludes that cloning of human beings should be prohibited. But the report also notes the substantial medical and scientific potential of stem cell lines created by using this technique. More careful use of terminology would help the public and lawmakers sort out the substantial differences between nuclear transplantation and human reproductive cloning. One place to start is to find a more appropriate term for the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer to create stem cells. We propose the term ``nuclear transplantation,'' which captures the concept of the cell nucleus and its genetic material being moved from one cell to another, as well as the nuance of ``transplantation,'' an objective of regenerative medicine. Legislators attempting to define good public policy regarding human cloning need the scientific community to be clear about the science, and to be clear when they speak to the public about it. Adopting the term nuclear transplantation in relation to stem cell research would be more precise, and it would help to untangle these two very different paths of investigation.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the Girl Scouts of Delaware- Raritan's 2002 Women of Distinction and Girl Scouts of Distinction honorees and their significant contributions to Central New Jersey. Through its efforts, the Girls Scouts of Delaware-Raritan serve over 12,000 young women across Central New Jersey. Tonight's honorees exhibit and exude the altruistic ideals that our Nation needs now, more than ever. These ideals, no doubt grew from their involvement in Girl Scouts and the grounding principals of the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law which read as follows: The Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. The Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be Honest and fair, Friendly and helpful, Considerate and caring, Courageous and strong, and Responsible for what I say and do, And to Respect myself and others, Respect authority, Use resources wisely, Make the world a better place, and Be a sister to every Girl Scout. As we celebrate Women's History Month, we honor each of these recipients for their hard work and dedication and we celebrate the legacy they have created for women and women's history in Central New Jersey. Women of Distinction/Girl Scouts of Distinction World of Corporate Leadership, Ms. J. Andrea Alstrup, Johnson & Johnson and Ms. Erin McKinley, Senior Troop 1099, Princeton. World of the Arts, Ms. Deborah Ford, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and Ms. Megan Copenhaver, Senior Troop 1703, West Windsor/Plainsboro. World of Education, Dr. R. Barbara Gitenstein, Ph.D., The College of New Jersey and Ms. Melissa Shulman, Senior Troop 523, Old Bridge. World of Industry, Ms. Margaret Guilliano, Inland Paperboard & Packaging, Inc. and Ms. Amirah Patterson, Senior Troop 308, Somerset. World Citizen, Ms. Katherine M. Kish, Market Entry, Inc. and Ms. Maryanna Vicente, Independent Senior, Mojasphe. World of Science, Dr. Elaine Leventhal, M.D., Ph.D., UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School and Ms. Victoria Rollins, Senior Troop 3038, Piscataway. World of the Environment, Ms. Mary T. Sheil, NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection and Ms. Kristen Schechter, Senior Troop 399, Somerset. World of Women, Ms. Melanie Willoughby, NJ Retail Merchants Association and Ms. Sweta Patel, Senior Troop 308, East Brunswick. Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate, honor and commend these outstanding New Jerseyans. I have personally observed the effective work of some of these honorees and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing their invaluable contributions to our community and to New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the YMCA of Western Monmouth County's 2002 Community Service Honoree, Mr. Arthur R. Kondrup, president of the Western Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce and his significant contributions to central New Jersey. For more than three decades, Mr. Kondrup has given selflessly of his time, treasure, and talents through his commitment to community, church, and family. With a reputation that precedes him, Arthur's legacy of hard work and dedication to worthwhile endeavors makes him well known throughout Central New Jersey. Over the years, Arthur has served his State honorably in numerous public service positions. As an elected official, he served on the governing body in Freehold Township for 14 years, including five terms as mayor. At the State level, Mr. Kondrup was appointed by Governor Kean as the first chairman of the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing. As chairman, he took on the difficult task of implementing the New Jersey Fair Housing Act. A keystone of Arthur's life has been his involvement with church and his commitment to his faith. Among his varying accomplishments, he has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 46 years and has served as a lector at Sunday mass for over 30 years. Additionally, it is appropriate to note that this September 13th, Arthur and his wife Patricia will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Arthur and Patricia are the proud parents of five children and grandparents of nine. Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate, honor and commend this outstanding New Jerseyan. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Arthur Kondrup's invaluable contributions to our community and to central New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Central New Jersey centenarian, Ms. Jeanette Giunco, a resident of Freehold, NJ celebrating her one-hundredth birthday on Sunday, February 17, 2002. Born to Elizabeth Seckler and Joseph Schmidt in Mulhouse, in the Province of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, Ms. Giunco was one of eight children. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, Alsace-Lorrain was a disputed region between France and Germany. As a result of the Versailles Peace Treaty in 1981, the region returned to France. It is interesting to note that during World War II, her brother August repaired General Eisenhower's automobile and shook his hand during the European Conflict. Ms. Giunco came to the United States in 1926 where she lived in New York City and took her first--and according to her, her best--job, as a companion speaking French to a businessman's family as she was fluent in German, French, Alsation and English. Another job as a companion and housekeeper moved her to Belmar, New Jersey in 1927 to work for the Strauss family. During that same year, Jeanette married a local Belmar merchant, Mr. Albert P. Giunco. Albert's family had operated various businesses in Belmar since the 1870s and by 1927, Albert and his brothers ran a series of food markets, liquor stores and butcher shops in the Monmouth County shore area. Jeanette and Albert had two children, John and Richard. Currently, Ms. Giunco is the proud grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of nine. Ms. Giunco was involved with many civic organizations such as the Belmar Women's Club and Fitkin Hospital--now know as the Jersey Shore Medical Center. Fitkin Hospital recognized her for over 2,000 hours of volunteer service. Ms. Giunco has traveled extensively, visiting Europe as well as travels throughout the United States, Canada and South America. As a proud citizen of the United States, Ms. Giunco has exercised her rights throughout the years, particularly carrying out her right to vote. She reflects that the World Wars and particularly the attack on Pearl Harbor were significant events and has found particular fascination with the fact that when she was born, airplanes and rockets were but a dream and yet less than 70 years later there was a man walking on the moon. Ms. Giunco regrets the recent terrorist attacks against the United States and has prayed for peace throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate and honor this Central New Jersey centenarian and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Jeanette Giunco and celebrating her one hundredth birthday on Sunday, February 17, 2002.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. There has been a steady stream of amendments today intended to kill campaign finance reform. This is the latest one, and I am sure voters will look at how Members vote on final passage to see if they really want this to take effect, those who say they want it to take effect immediately. I want to make sure that we do not lose perspective, as my colleagues talk about everything that is wrong with this. This is a bill that creates possibilities. This is a first and necessary step to restore a sense of the possibility of self-government to workers, to families, to college students, to farmers. When I arrived here in Washington, the first day I took the oath of office, I sat down with the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) to enlist in this effort because it was apparent it is necessary to restore trust in government. If the people of America do not have the trust in their ability to run their government, not special interests, but ordinary people, then America's gift to the world, this idea of self-government, will start to disintegrate.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Dean of Artists, Mr. Tom Malloy, Trenton New Jersey's Artist Laureate, and his myriad of contributions to Central New Jersey's cultural heritage. Mr. Malloy was born in 1912 to sharecroppers in South Carolina. His family moved to Trenton in 1923. It wasn't until his mid-fifties, after a career that included work in factories and religion, Mr. Malloy decided to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. Mr. Malloy has spent the last 3 decades capturing the essence of Central New Jersey and in particular, Trenton. Hailed locally for his watercolor paintings of Trenton, he tells the City's history through landscapes filled with architecture, cars, and city streets. It is told that, on request, Mr. Malloy can recapture and replicate an item or event as it appeared two and even three decades ago. His astute memory and talent will do much to convey the history and character of Trenton to future generations. Though renowned for his artistic abilities, Tom Malloy's keen sense of history and purpose are what propels his spirit into the hearts and lives of so many. In his words, ``I'm very conscious of history. If you don't understand history, you don't understand who you are.'' At this time in our Nation's history, when we struggle to understand where we're going and what is happening, his words ring true. We must know from where we've come, to know where we're going. It is with great pride that I join the distinguished Mayor of Trenton, the Honorable Douglas Palmer, and the proud arts community, in honoring Tom Malloy as Artist Laureate of Trenton. This distinction is a most appropriate tribute to this New Jersey hero. Mr. Malloy is truly a treasure in New Jersey's cultural heritage. His art, as well as his gentle spirit, is an inspiration to all Central New Jerseyans. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate and honor this true New Jersey hero and treasure. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Tom Malloy as the Artist Laureate of Trenton, New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois and the gentleman from Florida and join strongly and emotionally in the remarks of my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), who grew up near this post office, knew this law enforcement officer, knew Pat King, and understands the respect with which he was held in his town of Long Branch. It is really very fitting that we do this. It is an honor not only for Sergeant Pat King, but for all law enforcement officers. It will be a daily reminder to the people of Monmouth County, to all of New Jersey, to all who pass through this post office that law enforcement officers live day and night just an instant away from danger. It is also, I think, a testimonial to Maureen King, Pat King's widow. Maureen King is very much not a victim. She has suffered real grief, but she has not turned that grief inward. She has become deeply involved in safety issues in New Jersey, turned her talent to see that this sort of thing never happens again. She has taken this grief and turned it to something positive. She has become one of the leaders of Cease Fire New Jersey, advocating for gun safety. She has become one of the leaders of the Million Moms March in New Jersey, advocating for gun safety. No, she is not a victim. And in everything she does, the love comes through; surely the love for her four children, but for children all over the country. So this is a testimonial not just to Sergeant Pat King, not just to law enforcement officers across the country, but also to Maureen King. And it is very fitting that this bill be rapidly approved and that the designation proceed. And I thank my friend from Long Branch for championing it.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer a few comments on the House's consideration of H. Con. Res. 312. Today our nation is at war, both here and abroad. Congress is considering a budget plan that is likely to spend money out of the Social Security Trust Fund. Our economy is trying to find its footing in the wake of the ongoing recession. And many central New Jerseyans have questions about the security of their 401K retirement plans in the wake of the Enron bankruptcy. Looking at that list of issues, I imagine most Americans feel Congress has plenty of work to do. But instead of coming together in a bipartisan way to deal with these important matters, the House is wasting time today debating a symbolic and politically slanted resolution that has one and only one purpose: To try to make it seem like some Members oppose tax cuts so that it can be used against them in political campaigns. That this is a purely political exercise is underscored by the fact that the Congressional Leadership rejected all attempts to modify this resolution to include the protection of Social Security. I support tax cuts. My record on that is clear. I have consistently voted--sometimes even against my own party--to support responsible tax cuts for families, be it in the estate tax, the marriage penalty tax, or other tax cuts. Despite that, I will vote on this resolution. It is the type of silly political ``gotcha'' game that Americans hate about Washington. And it glosses over the real budget challenges we face. Last year, the Congressional Budget Office projected over $5.6 trillion in surpluses over the next ten years. Now, based on the President's budget presented this week, the surplus will be about $600 billion--a difference of $5 trillion lost in less than one year. That budget will force the government to dip into Social Security and Medicare every year for the next ten years, and because it fails to pay off the debt, will cost the country an additional $1 trillion. That is one trillion dollars that won't be available for families to meet their needs or for the government to help with schools, energy research, prescription medicine, or anything else. That's a one trillion debt that will rest on our children. As many of us warned last year, Congress simply left no cushion in the budget resolution. Last year, no one predicted that we would enter a recession, and no one knew we would be at war. But many of us warned that unforeseen occurrences always arise and carry expenses with them. Set aside more of the budget, we said, and that will put us in a better position for the future--whatever comes. There is no doubt that the recession and the war on terrorism have contributed to the disappearance of the surplus. But the single largest contributor to that disappearance over the next decade is the President's tax package. This resolution will be presented as a litmus test of who wants to raise taxes. I won't raise taxes. Americans can rest assured that no one here is proposing to raise taxes, certainly not at a time of economic weakness. We'll see this resolution in only two places: On the House floor today and in campaign commercials this fall. We shouldn't be wasting time on finger pointing and political games. We should be working together to find solutions to the problems that are waiting out on the horizon.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on the Budget, I really want to commend my colleague, the gentleman from North Dakota. I sense some animation in his voice right now as he is getting into this. There should be outrage throughout the country because of what is happening here. A year ago, as the gentleman pointed out so well, we were arguing about how rapidly we could pay down the debt. Now, as the gentleman points out so well, we will be, and our descendants will be, saddled with the debt and the interest that goes with that. The other side will say that this is because of the economic downturn and cyclic factors; and, indeed, there are some things that happened that perhaps were not fully foreseeable. The economic downturn was worse than people imagined, the war on terrorism has descended on us now, and we have obligations. But when we had the budget before us last year, some of us said: build a cushion into the budget for this kind of unforeseen thing. So some of what happened was beyond our control, but some of it was very much the work of the leadership and the leadership of the Committee on the Budget for putting in place a tax cut that put us on this path so that we cannot at the current rate pay down the debt.

Mr. HOLT. And the reason we should be outraged about this is that this is not some financial technicality. This is money out of the pocket of any American, any American who has student loans, any American who borrows to buy a combine, any American who has a mortgage, any American who does anything involving interest. And so this is not just a financial technicality. This is bread and butter for Americans. And the sooner we can shape up and get back on a path to pay down the national debt, the better will be the financial situation of all Americans. And we start by telling the truth. I commend my colleague from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) for telling the truth. His numbers hold up. They are clear and accurate. We have heard our colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the ranking Democratic member of the Committee on the Budget go through these. And one thing I have learned through my years here in Congress, do not pretend to know more about numbers, budget numbers, than the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt). He knows them well. He has shown how we have gotten onto this path. And in order to get off of this path so that we can begin to pay down the debt, the first thing we have got to do is be honest with the numbers. I commend the gentleman for doing it. He has laid it out so very clearly.

Mr. HOLT. Just a brief comment. While we were standing here talking, I was pleased to observe that we have done something else that is important to restoring trust to our process here in Congress, trust to the very idea of Americans being able to govern ourselves. And, that is we have picked up, I believe, the last signature, a Democratic member, a member of our party, signed the discharged petition to bring campaign finance reform to the floor for a vote. This is a historic step. It happened even as we spoke right here and I am pleased to acknowledge it.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, this is not the time to recount the full Congressional career of Dave Bonior, because he continues to build on that record, but I would like to speak for a moment about the way that he does the job of whip, the job he is leaving within the House now. We all know that there is a strong competitive streak in Dave Bonior. We have seen it on the baseball field, we have seen it in close votes, but we also see that in everything he does he exudes decency and civility. Civility has been talked about so much in this House in recent years. When I say Dave Bonior exudes civility, I mean that it is really contagious. And when I look at his staff, some of his staff here with him today, I know that they would agree with me that they do their jobs better and probably would agree that they are better people because of their association with Dave Bonior and the way he does his job, which helps them do their job, and helps all of us here in Congress do our job. It is a remarkable ability that Dave Bonior has to improve the performance of everyone round them so that competition does not mean meanness, and it does not lead to a lack of civility. The way you do the job as whip, Dave Bonior, is a model for every public servant. We will talk about all you have done in your Congressional will career later after we are congratulating you for your election as Governor. But, for now, I want to thank you for what you have done for each of us individually here in the House of Representatives. I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I'm sure everyone agrees that we now live in troubled times--times of anxiety, of uncertainty, of struggle. But we also live in a time of incomparable national unity. You could look around the country and easily spot superficial signs of unity, such as the plethora of American flags displayed outside homes and businesses or a crowd at a sports game chanting ``U-S-A!'' but the real truth is that the river of our national spirit runs much deeper than flag-waving could ever show. And in the fight against the evil that now confronts us, the American people are united like never before. More than a century ago, an English Literature Professor from Wellesley College named Katharine Lee Bates penned what has become the theme song for this extraordinary unity. On a trip to Colorado, Bates ascended Pike's Peak and basked in the wonder of the ``purple mountain majesties'' and ``spacious skies'' she saw. This scene inspired her to write ``America the Beautiful.'' Returning to Wellesley, Bates sent the four stanzas of ``America the Beautiful'' to the Congregationalist, where they first appeared in print, appropriately, on July 4th, 1895. The hymn garnered immediate popularity and was initially set to music by Silas G. Pratt. But the attention Bates' hymn drew prompted her to rewrite it in 1904, making it more simple and direct. After a few more changes over the next several years, the final version, the one so many Americans know today, was finished in 1913 and set to the tune of Samuel A. Ward's ``Materna.'' In true American spirit, Bates gave countless hundreds of free permissions for the use of ``America the Beautiful.'' Today we turn to Bates' timeless words for comfort and for a reminder of our nation's strength. These words remind us of the heroism of the firefighters and policemen who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon; of the soldiers, sailors and flyers fighting the war on terrorism; and of the cavalcade of heroes who have fought over the years for civil rights, voting rights, and workers' rights--those ``heroes prov'd/In liberating strife/Who more than self their country loved.'' They remind us that the ``thoroughfare of freedom'' we so often take for granted has been blazed by pioneering pilgrims working even up to today. They remind us of the incredible resolve of New York, one of the ``albaster cities'' that ``gleam/ Undimmed by human tears.'' But most of all, Bates' words remind us of the indomitable American spirit that stretches high and proud, ``from sea to shining sea.'' Perhaps the most expressive theme of ``America the Beautiful'' is that we Americans constantly seek to be uplifted--that we invoke divine help to mend our ``ev'ry flaw,'' that we know even our ``golden'' characteristics can be further refined. That is a sign of far greater strength than simply waving a flag and chanting ``U-S-A!'' Mr. Speaker, in a testament to our national unity, I ask unanimous consent that the complete lyrics of ``America the Beautiful'' be entered into the Record. America the Beautiful (By Katharine Lee Bates) O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! god mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife. Who more than self the country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize Plainsboro, New Jersey resident and World Trade Center victim, Jeffrey L. Fox with a poem written by his thirteen year old daughter, Jessica. Jessica asked that I share her poem with the world and I am honored to do so: A Place of Memories The gleaming towers stood in the sky, Majestic looking and up so high. The sun shines down on towers so great, No one knowing about their awful fate. Without a warning a plane hit hard. New York would be forever scarred. Minutes later, another plane crashed, Leaving the second tower extremely smashed. The towers crumbled down to Earth Because two planes crashed in their berth. People beneath the towers ran. Now the towers no longer stand. The rescue workers worked non-stop, Searching the rubble bottom to top. People pulled out became less and less And using their strength became a test. The gleaming towers stood in the sky, Majestic looking and up so high. Where the twin towers used to be Is now a place of memory. At this time in our Nation's history, when we struggle to find solace and draw lessons from acts of terror against us, we gain strength and perspective from those families these atrocious acts left behind. We find strength in the memory of Jeffrey Fox and in the words of his brave and courageous daughter. Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to honor the Fox family and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing their legacy to our community and New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of retiring Monroe Township Council Vice-President, Leonora Farber. For many years, Councilwoman Farber has made invaluable contributions to the Township of Monroe and to the State of New Jersey through her exceptional commitment to civil service, education, and the arts. Throughout her career Lee Farber has selflessly contributed her time and energy to her community and has embodied the spirit of public service that we in Congress hold so dear. She began her career of service as a public school teacher after receiving her Masters Degree in Secondary School Administration and Supervision from Hofstra University. Her unwavering support of education in New Jersey continued when she became the Chair of the New Jersey Training School for Boys Citizens Review Board. In her efforts to advance the interests of her neighbors, Councilwoman Farber has also served as Whittingham's representative to the Adult Communities Advisory Board, as a member of the Executive Board of Greenbriar at Whittingham Residents Association, and of the Executive Board of U.F.T. Retirees. Lee Farber has passionately supported women's rights and has provided a voice to the concerns of the disabled as a member of the League of Woman Voters and as Council representative to the Americans with Disabilities Committee. An outspoken advocate of environmental issues, Councilwoman Farber is the former chairperson of Monroe's Environmental Commission where she helped protect New Jersey's air, water, and land from pollution and degradation. An arts patron and enthusiast, Councilwoman Farber also currently serves as Council Liaison to the Cultural Arts Commission. Lee Farber has led a distinguished career of public service in New Jersey that sets an important example for us all. I hope my colleagues will join with me in honoring her.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, It is with tremendous concern that I note the President's announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. This is an ill-advised decision that could have dangerous repercussions in the long run. The most troubling part of the President's decision today is the rationale supporters have used to justify backing out of the treaty: they claim it interferes with the United States' development of a National Missile Defense (NMD) system. This is clearly a straw man argument. The United States is nowhere near developing or fielding a working NMD system, after decades and billions of dollars of effort. To back out of the treaty at this time, a time when we are working closely with Russia and other allies in the international war on terror, is unneeded and simply off base. And to do so for such a technologically premature program is clearly folly. Backing out of the ABM treaty is not without serious repercussions. For example, a senior Russian lawmaker predicted in response to today's news that Russia will pull out of the Start I and Start II arms reduction treaties. I fear that today's action will lead to a spiral of action and reactions, sparking a new arms race would not make us less, not more, secure.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address my colleagues regarding H.R. 1, No Child Left Behind. Although we passed this important legislation last week, I must express my reservations about certain language included in the conference report: The conferees recognize that a quality science education should prepare students to distinguish the data and testable theories of science from the religious or philosophical claims that are made in the name of science. Where topics are taught that may generate controversy (such as biological evolution), the curriculum should help students to understand the full range of scientific views that exist, why such topics may generate controversy, and how scientific discoveries can profoundly affect society. Outside of the scientific community, the word ``theory'' is used to refer to a speculation or guess that is based on limited information or knowledge. Among scientists, however, a theory is not a speculation or guess, but a logical explanation of a collection of experimental data. Thus, the theory of evolution is not controversial among scientists. It is an experimentally tested theory that is accepted by an overwhelming majority of scientists, both in the life sciences and the physical sciences. The implication in this language that there are other scientific alternatives to evolution represents a veiled attempt to introduce creationism--and, thus, religion--into our schools. Why else would the language be included at all? In fact, this objectionable language was written by proponents of an idea known as ``intelligent design.'' This concept, which could also be called ``stealth creationism'', suggests that the only plausible explanation for complex life forms is design by an intelligent agent. This concept is religion masquerading as science. Scientific concepts can be tested; intelligent design can never be tested. This is not science, and it should not be taught in our public schools. Mr. Speaker, I am a religious person. I take my religion seriously and feel it deeply. My point here is not to attack or diminish religion in any way. My point is to make clear that religion is not science and science is not religion. The language is this bill can result in diminishing both science and religion.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to enter in a colloquy with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula). Mr. Speaker, someone who casually observes the education part of this bill might think we will be spending less on math and science teacher programs this year than last, and as the United States falls increasingly behind the rest of the world in math and science performance, we need to pay attention to this area. The conference report states, ``The conferees believe that providing high-quality math and science instruction is of critical importance to our Nation's future competitiveness, and agree that math and science professional development opportunities should be expanded.'' It is my understanding from this that it is the intention of the committee that no less money than last year be spent on teacher training for math and science; is this correct?

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for clarifying this. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), as well as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for excellent work on this appropriations bill.

Mr. HOLT. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3054, legislation that would authorize Congressional Gold Medals be struck for those government workers who perished in the September 11 attacks at the Pentagon and World Trade Center, and also for the brave passengers on United Flight 93. This is an appropriated honor and entirely deserving of our support. This legislation says that in recognition of the bravery and self- sacrifice of officers, emergency workers, and other employees of State and local government agencies, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and of the United States Government, who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and perished in the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design for each such officer, emergency worker, or employee to the next of kin or other representative of each such officer, emergency worker, or employee. The bill also makes this honor available to the passengers of Flight 93. Earlier in the year, I joined with Representative Tancredo and others in introducing a similar bill to authorize a Congressional Gold Medal for the brave passengers of United Flight 93, who perished fighting the terrorists and denying them their mission. There were so many heroes on September 11. I am particularly pleased to honor Todd Beamer, the New Jerseyan who gave his life on hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 fighting the hijackers. All Americans mourn the loss of Todd Beamer and the others on that flight. Our hearts and prayers go out to Lisa Beamer, their children, and to all the other families of the people on that plane. So many Americans perished on that day. Many central New Jerseyeans were working in the World Trade Center on September 11th when it was attacked by terrorists. Others were on board the hijacked airplanes. Since then, numerous fire, rescue, EMT and medical personnel from our area have been on the scene in New York, caring for victims and their families. I have personally toured the sites of the attacks in New York and in Washington, and words cannot adequately capture the horror of those scenes. This is an appropriate honor for a number of very brave Americans. I urge my colleagues to join with me in supporting this bill.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member from the Committee on Ways and Means for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of seeing that we provide full recognition in debt and tax relief for the surviving families from this terrible tragedy, this terrible event. Mr. Speaker, the workers in the World Trade Center and the passengers on board these planes were targeted because they were Americans working in a symbolic building or on board American planes. They were victimized as much as if they were soldiers, and the surviving families have had the bottom yanked out from under their feet, under their lives. I know that Americans, big-hearted in their generous support for these surviving families, want them to have tax relief: income, payroll, no taxability of debt, and credit card forgiveness. I know Americans, in their big-hearted generosity, want that for these people that they have reached out to. Mr. Speaker, I hope that will be the result of this.