Melissa Hart

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman not only for yielding but especially for his 6 years of incredible service as chairman and his other years of service on the Ways and Means Committee. I have not in my 16 years as a legislator seen anybody who is so capable of developing great policy which certainly has produced an incredible return for this country. Following with that, this legislation carries a number of important tax provisions and extensions of some of those great policies that have really helped the economy to grow in this country. With today's announcement of an additional 132,000 new jobs created this month, this adds to the 5.7 million jobs that our pro-growth tax policies have created since the year 2003. These provisions are also important to the economy in my home area, especially in western Pennsylvania, where we have seen our unemployment rate drop to about 5 percent over the last 3 years from upwards of 7- plus percent. Part of what is continuing to help development and job growth in my area are some of the incentives to redevelop brownfields; brownfields, those abandoned industrial sites that are very difficult to find the capital to clean up. We are extending the incentive to clean up brownfields. This is so hugely important to an area like mine where there are so many industrial sites that need to be redeveloped but also the expansion of that credit to areas that have some petroleum contamination, which will also help us clean up the smaller sites such as old abandoned gas stations. Extremely important to the communities I represent. Also the green building incentives. These tax credits for the construction repairs for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings are extremely important. My home area is home to development of such products. My area is home to a significant amount of design of green buildings and also development of such buildings. We have had a great spurt in that growth and are headquarters to the Green Building Alliance. That is certainly going to help our region. But, finally, the issue of health care and health coverage is one that we have great strides in the last few years to improve for Americans. The other side can say what they want about HSAs, and I hear a lot of silliness in the characterization of HSAs from the other side of the aisle. There are more than 3.2 million enrollees in these health savings accounts, an alternative health coverage in this country. More than 30 percent of those individuals were previously uninsured. And I am going to restate that. More than 30 percent of people who put HSAs were previously uninsured. This alternative health coverage has provided so many opportunities for families who find it difficult to afford traditional health coverage. The changes that we include in this legislation will provide even more opportunity for more families to have very good flexible health coverage. I urge my colleagues to support these changes. They are vitally important.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 524, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the rule, supporting the rule, that would move this legislation to the floor. We have been debating this issue for a number of years, since certainly before I came to Congress in 2001, and it is a very important issue. It is an issue of respect. My colleagues and I, many of us, served in State legislatures before we came here; and we had the opportunity to move forward legislation that would require parental notification, parental consent before a minor girl could be subjected to the procedure called abortion. Unfortunately, there are still some States that do not have such laws, though they are in the minority. My State of Pennsylvania is one that does have one of these laws, and the people in the Commonwealth are overwhelmingly supportive of it. Unfortunately, some neighboring States don't have these laws, and we have heard terrible stories in recent years of young girls as young as 12 brought across the border by often the perpetrator of a rape to be given an abortion, to hide the crime, to hide the relationship and, unfortunately, further providing further damage to that young girl. What this bill would do is prevent this from happening. If a State has the requirement for parental notification or consent before a minor girl can have an abortion, then other States must respect the home State's law. It only makes sense, Mr. Speaker, for government to respect the relationship between the parent and the child. It is most important for us to respect that relationship, because that is the relationship that will guide that girl into responsible adulthood. Currently, unfortunately, we allow many States to interject and interrupt and really disrespect that relationship. This bill will remedy the problem. This remedy will make it a criminal offense to transport a child across the State lines for the purpose of having an abortion. In many of these cases, it has been an adult male who has exploited the teenager who then becomes pregnant and is, of course, pressuring her to get an abortion and sometimes is the one to transport her across the State lines. The idea of doing so defies all logic. Critics argue that these young girls are in the worst possible situation, like rape or incest should be exempted from this law, that this is especially cruel to them. But these girls are in the worst situation of all, and it is certainly most important for us to protect these girls, because rape and incest could be hidden if we don't pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and in support of the bill, and I am sure my colleagues will do the same, especially now that the Senate has agreed to it.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am pleased we have been joined by two more of our colleagues. I wanted to wrap up my points if I may. Is this the most important thing that we need to learn, and not just us standing here when I say we, I mean everyone who is hopefully going to be part of a dialogue among the faiths toward hopefully a more peaceful world, is something better than what we see at the typical interfaith meeting or the typical interfaith discussion, something beyond we will be nice to each other for an hour and then we will go home. We need to build real understanding and real respect for each other and for each other's rights to be here. For example, the discourse that we have been hearing that denies Israel's right to exist cannot exist in a discussion that is aimed toward peace. I would like to quote an editorial from the Wall Street Journal from a couple of days ago. ``Everyone at the table must reject the irrationality of religiously motivated violence.'' It goes on to say, ``The Pope wasn't condemning Islam. He is inviting it to join, rather than reject, the modern world.'' I would like to turn it over if I may to my colleague from Michigan.

Ms. HART. Which both he and I have read, was an outstanding analysis of the speech that the Pope made. After he cited what the Holy Father had said in the Deus Caritas Est, in the statement of Love Thy Neighbor, the analysis goes on to say that this speech, after that, was his second shot of trying to get us all to realize what is wrong with our current world, with the state of our current world and the state of mind of our current world. According to Father Schall, these shots are designed to do what all good intellectual battle does, namely, to make it possible for us to see again what is true and to live it. My colleague from Nebraska's real-life experience that shows that many people do live it and that those are the examples that we need to see more of. Unfortunately, our news carries with it from day-to-day stories of violence that those carrying it out carry out in the name of God, Allah, or the name of their faith. Congressman Murphy reflected on the problems in Northern Ireland, again, violence carried out often in the name of faith. It is such a misuse of the teachings in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and what most people would accept as a, I would say, progressive interpretation of the Koran, that that is not encouraged. What is encouraged is this peaceful dialogue. What is encouraged is this goal of us finding a way towards peace. The analysis by many in the days since the Pope's speech at Regensburg I think are fortunately giving a second look, after the unfortunate analysis in the New York Times which criticized him for his words. Phillip Blond from the International Herald Tribune made a statement that I think is extremely poignant and to the point. He said, ``Secular reason as value free and religiously neutral is meant to police interactions.'' Unfortunately, it really doesn't always work for us. He states, ``Little wonder then that religious people are so unable to interact about what is most crucial to them. Pope Benedict wants to change this. He wishes to restore the last time the great faiths talked to each other when he cited the High Middle Ages, when faith and reason were not separated and Christians could criticize Islamic conceptions of God and Muslims could do likewise. His address was intended to inaugurate an authentic theological engagement between the faiths. That this has been so misunderstood only stresses the urgency of this application.'' I think those are the telling words we must take to heart here in the United States, in the Middle East, in Europe, throughout the world, as we seek to solve the serious problems we face: Nuclear arms in the hands of Iran, the wars that we face on extremists in Afghanistan, in Iraq, the challenges we face in our own country where people are not willing to engage and discuss the truth on a level of honesty. It is a challenge to all of us. I am very pleased that we are taking the opportunity tonight to really analyze it a little bit more, to understand it a little bit more. I yield back to the gentleman.

Ms. HART. I thank the gentleman from Georgia and also want to reflect for a moment on the statement of the gentleman from Nebraska regarding the Pope's statement and also what the goal was, a reflection by a Father James Schall.

Ms. HART. That is right.

Ms. HART. Hopefully, if I may move us in the direction of a discourse without threats of violence, without acts of violence, and toward the goal that all of these leaders profess to have, at least most of them, which is peace.

Ms. HART. I thank the gentleman. Yes. I mean, his goal was to challenge those faiths today, not just Christians, not just Jews, not just those of the Islamic faith, not just anyone in particular, but everyone to be challenged, to always include together in their thoughts and their discussion and discourse with others, sure their faith as a basis, but reason as well. And I believe today, unfortunately, much of the discourse, and certainly the response, was completely inappropriate to what the Pope was teaching that day in Regensburg; was exactly, unfortunately, an illustration of a radical, really, faith without reason. In fact, it was illustrated as without reason in the reaction that we saw, that was reported in the news, much of which was reported as being a response to what the Pope said; you know, threats on lives, threats on the Pope's life, unfortunately a murder of an Italian nun, and basically a demand that the Pope apologize. Now, clearly he did apologize for the reaction to his words, but I believe that he had hoped and expected that his words would stand as stated. That it is a call to all people of all faiths to enter a discourse; do not abandon your faith, but bring along with it the reason and the goal of being peaceful-minded and having the goal of getting along with those of other faiths as the two gentlemen did who he cited in his quote. I would be interested in yielding to Mr. Murphy, if that is all right with you, Mr. Price?

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his comments. You know, I am pleased that we have joined the Official Truth Squad, because the main reason why several of us wanted to be on the floor tonight was to further discuss and hopefully enlighten each other and anybody who may be listening about what Pope Benedict was really talking about in Regensburg. Unfortunately, there was a significant amount of negative response and I believe inaccurate characterizations of the speech, or actually the class he was teaching as Regensburg, a university where he taught. And the discussion was regarding many things, but I think his focus was a hopefulness that faith and reason should always be joined together. Many of us have been speaking of this to each other, kind of challenging each other in our thought processes about why the reaction to his speech was so negative, and, in fact, why he was accused of being critical of Islam in the comments that he cited that were made in the Middle Ages during a conversation, an intellectual conversation, between a Christian and a Muslim about their faith, when at the time they could speak, I guess, honestly and peacefully to each other. Pope Benedict discussed it, and I think it is important that his actual words be cited. I know that Congressman Murphy wants to say a few things about that, but I want to open with the passage that so many people have been decrying. He said, ``Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new.'' Now, this is a quote. This is not the Pope's words. He is quoting from a Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Palaeologus, and his discussion with a man they called an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam. And the quote from the Byzantine Emperor was, ``Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'' The emperor goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. It does not end there, however. The statement is, ``God is not pleased by blood, and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and reason properly without violence and threats. To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm or weapons of any kind or any other means of threatening a person with death.''

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, he was quoting as an example of a discussion between two educated people of different faiths.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. This is a very important issue to discuss. I think it is one that many of us often look at very casually as we are naming a post office, but many times citizens of America whose names go on these post offices are people that we know we need to remember. And I bring one of those individuals before us today in our legislation to name the post office in Beaver, Pennsylvania, after Robert Linn. Robert Linn was one of those amazing people who anybody who ever met him would never forget. So I rise in support of the Robert Linn Memorial Post Office in Beaver, Pennsylvania. He was sworn into office as the mayor of Beaver, Pennsylvania, on January 2, 1946, and he served the Borough of Beaver, Pennsylvania, for 58 consecutive years as mayor. I am not exaggerating. It was really 58 years. So he was able to see many of the people he married as mayor welcome their grandchildren and great-grandchildren into the world. Prior to taking over the position of mayor at its original salary of $2,500 a year, Mayor Linn worked for the Duquesne Light Company. His first job was handling customer service before he eventually became supervisor of employee benefits, and he actually retired from the company in 1974. He continued his service both in the public and private sector throughout his life, and he was really known as a gracious gentleman. As I mentioned, anybody who knew him would never forget him. He showed up every day in a coat and tie. It didn't matter if it was Sundays, Saturdays, early, late. He was always in a coat and tie. In 1995, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Robert Linn as the longest-serving mayor in American history. His selflessness, his regard for the greater good, is reflected in these 15 consecutive terms that he served up until his death at age of 95 on August 22, 2004. There is much more to Bob Linn than just being the longest-serving mayor in American history. It was Bob Linn, the father of four daughters, Mary Scheidmantel of Beaver; Eleanor Hesser of Beaver; Mary Hockenberry of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; and Beth Mitchell of Virginia Beach, Virginia. There was Robert Linn, a grandfather of eight and a great-grandfather of one. He was definitely a dedicated family man, and he would do anything for his loved ones, including everyone in the Borough of Beaver. For example, when he was in his early 80s, he wanted to show his grandson that he, too, could ride a bicycle. Unfortunately, he learned the hard way that maybe he shouldn't be riding a bicycle. Although he was capable of running the town quite effectively as mayor in his advanced years, he was a little past his prime when it came to bike riding, when he fell off and broke his wrist, but he continued in his public service. There was Robert Linn, the mentor. A Beaver police chief was quoted as saying, ``One of the most important things that Mayor Linn ever told me was `You can think what you want, but once it is said, it is said.''' He said, ``I still to this day use this advice, and I pass it on to others. He was like a father to me,'' said Chief Anthony Hovanec. Bob Linn was a teacher for 6 years at the Beaver Falls Junior High School and a volunteer scorekeeper for the Beaver High School football games. He was just a man who loved his community. Finally, there was Robert Linn, the American and dedicated public servant, the one that I knew the best. He was a man dedicated to the community in which he lived to making sure it became better and better with every year he served in public life. Beaver Borough was Bob Linn's passion. His crowning achievement was the Streetscape project, which he proudly declared his finest accomplishment as mayor. This project received the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation's Harry S. Truman Beautification Award. The Streetscape transformed the Borough of Beaver into a real-life version of a Norman Rockwell painting. It removed all the utility poles, all the parking meters, and replaced them with trees and Victorian-style street lamps and bricked the sidewalks and streets. The Borough of Beaver and the 5,000 residents who live there still agree that Bob Linn's assessment that the borough was one of the ``best places you can be'' is certainly true. Mayor Linn was also successful in having the borough named a National Registry Historic District in 1996 and successfully converted the old freight train station in town into a museum. In fact, so many locals gathered there in October of 2000 that then-Governor George Bush, when he stopped his train on his cross-country tour, attracted so many residents of Beaver that they had to stop the train. The Borough of Beaver and the 5,000 residents who live there still agree that Bob Linn was the most effective community leader they have ever seen. And I think beyond just the Borough of Beaver, people in the Commonwealth and people across the Nation need to see as an example of public service what Bob Linn did. His effect on the borough goes much farther than aesthetics. He was a father, mentor, teacher, volunteer, and really the embodiment of a public servant. He truly loved Beaver to its core. He tirelessly dedicated himself and his life to making it the best place that it can be. I urge my colleagues to support the Robert Linn Memorial Post Office to honor a man who so generously dedicated his life to the town that he loved so future generations can know all about Bob Linn.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 983, which honors the life of Mayor Robert E. O'Connor. Throughout his life, Mayor O'Connor was an active member of our community. He was a successful businessman and public servant who had an energetic and hopeful vision for Pittsburgh. More importantly, he was a loving husband for more than 40 years and raised three children--an accomplishment I am sure he held very close to his heart. I will remember Mayor O'Connor fondly and I hope his family can find some comfort in the many accomplishments he had throughout his life. I want to thank my fellow Pennsylvania colleagues for introducing and cosponsoring this measure to honor the life of Mayor O'Connor and I want to thank the House of Representatives for considering it in a timely manner.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Catalyst Connection, the proud recipient of the Economic Development Administration's 2006 Excellence in Economic Development Award in the category of Enhancing Regional Competitiveness. Catalyst Connection is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping small- and medium-sized manufacturers improve their competitive performance. Clients of Catalyst Connection can receive assistance to address their operations in the fields of: Financial Programs, Information Technology, Lean Manufacturing, Market Development, Product Development, Quality Systems, Web Marketing and Workforce. Since Catalyst Connection's creation in 1988, they have served over 1,000 clients and have delivered $43.7 million in value-added impact to their clients' operations in 2005 alone. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring Catalyst Connection as recipient of the 2006 Excellence in Economic Development Award for all of its fine work with the region's businesses.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I especially thank the chairman for answering the call of families across the Nation to make 529 qualified tuition programs permanent. What are those plans? For those of you who do not know, the 529 section allows for tax-free college savings. This is something that has encouraged so many families to save for college. The figures in assets in 529 plans have grown from $13 billion in 2001 to more than $65 billion today. This has provided for so many families to save for education, and it is more important than ever because we know workers with the least education have generally experienced the slowest wage growth over the past three decades. Making this plan permanent allows families to plan for the future and make sure that they will get that education. Also, the pension changes are so very important. In the communities that I represent, we experienced terrible, really unfairness, on pension plans when US Airways filed for bankruptcy and turned their pension plans over to the PBGC, and unfortunately, their executives took a golden parachute. The gentlewoman who just spoke before me was wrong in her statement that those executives continue to do this. The plans must be funded before these executives could have a special set-aside pension plan for themselves. We ended that practice of unfairness of these large company executives stealing the money away while their rank-and-file workers lose. The bill encourages greater transparency for the employees to know the health of their pension plan. These are such important changes that anyone who does not support it is not supporting the retirement security for the people in their district. It is so important that people know the status of their finances as they work through their working life so they have expectation of their pension, they have expectation of how much income they will receive, and this bill will help them get there. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the 100th Anniversary of Old Timers Day, a city tradition in New Castle, Pennsylvania, since 1906. The first annual Old Timers picnic took place at Cascade Park on August 23, 1906, drawing in 7,000 residents of New Castle and has continued as an annual affair. The second year's picnic drew 11,000 people, and by the third year, attendance jumped to 17,000. The figures have fluctuated throughout the years, but this event has always been a success and an important community event. This year's festivities will be no exception, thanks to the chairmen and the community leaders who have planned the event. Activities will include: dancing, refreshments, prizes, and souvenirs. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in honoring the ``Old Timers'' of New Castle and their families. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute the achievements and fine traditions that truly improve the lives of the senior citizens of the New Castle and neighboring communities.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5640, the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006. This bipartisan legislation improves Child and Family Services by reauthorizing and improving the Promoting Safe and Stable Families, PSSF, program. The bill invests about $4 billion during the next five years into these programs, to help ensure children are protected from abuse and neglect. Included in this investment is a targeting of a $40 million increase in PSSF Funds that were included in the Deficit Reduction Act. The Deficit Reduction Act increased mandatory PSSF funds by $40 million per year ($305 to $345 million). This important legislation targets this $40 million for State efforts to ensure children in foster care are visited on a monthly basis. This responds to recent Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General concerns and other data indicating that monthly visits were not occurring, despite State policy. Beginning with FY 2008, only States that show improvement in completing monthly visits of foster children would continue to receive these funds. Holding States accountable on this is crucial since research has shown that frequent caseworker visits are strongly related to more timely permanence for kids as well as other outcomes the better. This legislation will also make needed improvements to the Child Welfare Services, CWS, Program. Under current law, the CWS program is permanently authorized at $325 million per year and was last updated significantly in 1980. CWS generally overlaps PSSF program purposes. The legislation reorganizes and updates the CWS program, making important technical changes including a new State plan requirement for doctors to be actively involved in assessing the health and well-being of foster children. The legislation ensures future Congressional review by authorizing the CWS program through FY 2011. This legislation creates a new 10 percent limit on CWS spending for administrative expenses. This legislation reauthorizes the Court Improvement Act. The legislation reauthorizes through FY 2011 the current $10 million set-aside for general Court Improvement Program activities provided from PSSF funds. (Note: DRA also provided an additional $20 million for each of FYs 2006 through 2010 to improve data collection and increase training of court personnel.) Reauthorization of the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program The legislation reauthorizes through FY 2011 such sums as may be necessary. (House Appropriations Committee FY2007 Labor HHS bill would provide $40 million for this program.) With this legislation, we are encouraging states to invest Federal funds in services that effectively assist at-risk families, protect children from abuse and neglect, and prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their parents.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Yusus a-Balkhi, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Saeed Kazim al-Saha, no longer a threat to the United States. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, no longer a threat to the United States. Ibrahim Bah, no longer a threat to the United States. Munib Zahiragic, no longer a threat to the United States. Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, no longer a threat to the United States. Tawfiz Attash Khallad, no longer a threat to the United States. Aziz Nassour, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdallah Muhammed Rajab Abd al-Rahman, no longer a threat to the United States. Abu Ubaida, no longer a threat to the United States. Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, no longer a threat to the United States. Abu Yasir al-Jaziri, no longer a threat to the United States. Mosabir Aroochi, no longer a threat to the United States. Mamoun Darkazanli, no longer a threat to the United States. Adil al-Jaziri, no longer a threat to the United States. Ali Ahmed Hamdoosh, no longer a threat to the United States. Taha Ahmed Kalif, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdul Rahim Riyadh, no longer a threat to the United States. Youssef Mustafa Nada, no longer a threat to the United States.

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Omar Rahman, no longer a threat to the United States. Syed Adnan Shah, no longer a threat to the United States. Amjad Hussain Farooqi, no longer a threat to the United States. Osama Nazir, no longer a threat to the United States. Yousaf bin Yousaf, no longer a threat to the United States. Wahid Khan, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Omar Abdel Rahman, no longer a threat to the United States. Shamshad Khan, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Shafique, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammad Hassan, no longer a threat to the United States. Khalid Ansari, no longer a threat to the United States. Mian Abdul Mannan Samejo, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Abdul Jalal, no longer a threat to the United States. Nek Mohammed, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Dost Mohammad, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Abdul Razaq, no longer a threat to the United States. General Abdul Qadeer, no longer a threat to the United States. Maulavi Abdul Razaq, no longer a threat to the United States. Qari Ahmadulla, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Fazel M. Mazloom, no longer a threat to the United States. Hazrat Ali, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Angar, no longer a threat to the United States. Sattar Sadozai, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Badar, no longer a threat to the United States. Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdul Kabir, no longer a threat to the United States. Maulavi S. Ahmed Shahid Khel, no longer a threat to the United States. Reza Khan, no longer a threat to the United States. Toor Mullah Naqibullah Khan, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdul Razzak, no longer a threat to the United States. Maulavi Qalamuddin, no longer a threat to the United States. Hilmi Tugluoglu, no longer a threat to the United States. Zahir Salaamah, no longer a threat to the United States. Ziyad Dabdoob, no longer a threat to the United States. Khalid al-Haajji, no longer a threat to the United States. Hilal Altah, no longer a threat to the United States. Imad ad-Deen an-Naqib, no longer a threat to the United States. Jamil Dawud, no longer a threat to the United States. Ibrahim Eid, no longer a threat to the United States. Alauddin Hammad, no longer a threat to the United States. Fuad Mubarak, no longer a threat to the United States. Mazin al-Qasir, no longer a threat to the United States. Mansor Hasnu, no longer a threat to the United States. Saad bin Laden, no longer a threat to the United States. Ahmed Zaoui, no longer a threat to the United States. Qari Saifullah Akhtar, no longer a threat to the United States. Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Mohsen Yahya Zayed, no longer a threat to the United States.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for allowing me some time to speak in favor of sustaining the President's veto. It has been a year since this House passed the Castle-DeGette bill, and in that year science, not Hollywood, has helped us to debunk the myth of a promise for embryonic stem cell research. Hollywood supports it. Science created fraudulent experiments. Before last year's vote, they made arguments supporting embryonic stem cell research. They were coming fast and furious from our colleagues. During the debate in the Senate, the same arguments came. They cited Dr. Hwang Wook Suk of South Korea and his research. Supporters of his research said that he had cloned a human embryo, that he had found a way to produce embryonic stem cell lines that could be done routinely and efficiently. What happened later? All of his research was debunked. The ethics of his research were called into question. It was revealed that his publications were faked, his experiments were unsuccessful, and the treatment of their egg donors was ethically grossly appalling. Mr. Speaker, I urge us to reject embryonic stem cell research as the science is not there. Science is very successful in treating patients using adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells, which we agreed to fund and the President signed, and I believe we should support that.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. And I am somewhat mystified by some of the claims made by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. I and several of my colleagues spent a significant amount of time making sure that additional moneys were put into this legislation when it was passed to make sure that there would be more money for child care. That was signed by the President and is current law today. We have increased assistance to women who were on welfare, who are now working. We needed to do that in order to make sure that their children would be safe. Our goal of welfare reform was about family growth and security and future financial security. Our goal was certainly not to put the children in jeopardy, and part of that complete goal was to make sure that they had availability of child care. We have worked to make sure it is available at different times of the day. We have worked to make sure that it is available and convenient, and obviously that those who are providers are providing safe child care. Another point that I think is very important to refute is that there is something wrong with the direction we are moving in, asking for people to work more hours. Once they commit to receiving welfare, they commit to work more hours, and they do so. What we found, the statistics show that when people start to work, obviously, their incomes will rise. They begin to climb the ladder of future success and their children do not live in poverty. I want to repeat this point, because again it is the most important goal that we had of welfare reform, to make sure that from generation to generation children are not living in poverty. And children have been lifted from poverty as a result of our welfare reform, and more will continue to be lifted out of poverty as a result of more work requirements. These children will grow up with a great example of industrious working parents, and they will do the same. Mr. Speaker, this Congress has a lot of missions before us. One of them certainly is to help encourage people to grow in their abilities, to grow in their talents and their willingness to teach their children. This welfare reform bill has helped us in all of those counts. I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate II-VI Incorporated, one of the leading high tech companies in southwestern Pennsylvania, as they celebrate the 35th anniversary of their founding. In 1971, II-VI Inc. began by producing materials available for the manufacture of high-powered industrial CO2 laser optics. II- VI Inc. has grown into a global company with headquarters in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania. Today, CEO Carl Johnson carries on II-VI's tradition of serving the needs of western Pennsylvania. More than 30 years after its founding, this western Pennsylvania- based company is racing to keep up with record demand for its infrared optics, radiation detection products and crystals used in laser and telecommunications equipment. The company was recently selected as one of Businessweek's Hot Growth Companies. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating II-VI Incorporated. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute this wonderful company.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I had been a member of the Financial Services Committee, the gentleman's committee, and have worked on a number of different issues with him. I respect the work he has done on this issue, and also the sponsor, Mr. Fitzpatrick's work, and I rise in support of the bill. The Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act will provide more transparency. For far too long only two rating agencies have had 80 percent of the market share. That is because they have an advantage under the current system. This bill will bring more competition and innovation into the credit rating agencies. This is extremely important. In the markets of today where we have had questions about the veracity of reported information, we need more competition among agencies and more transparency. While there are 130 credit rating agencies in the financial markets, only five are designated as nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. Blocking competition in the marketplace and stifling innovation is never a good thing. Our laws should encourage open competition and a fair marketplace. The basic principles of competition and fairness make our marketplace dynamic, and credit rating agencies should not be immune to these principles. By blocking entry to the market, mistakes have been made. The current certified agencies listed Enron as a safe investment and WorldCom as investment grade quality right before they filed for bankruptcy. As a former member of the Financial Services Committee, I have worked closely on these issues surrounding both Enron and WorldCom after the collapse, and I am pleased we are taking this commonsense approach to strengthen our markets and provide consumers with more choice, more transparency and more responsible information. Specifically, this bill will open the credit rating agency market by ensuring that more agencies will be able to get this national rating, ending the current requirement to specific business models. Encouraging competition and transparency in this industry will improve quality, and that is always better for the market.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Shaler Area High School Lady Titans AAAA Varsity Softball Team. These young women displayed both skill and tenacity on the field, and they should be commended not only for their ability, but also their good sportsmanship. The Lady Titans' hard work and determination took them to the 2006 WPIAL Quad A where they were runners up and made them the 2006 Quad A PIAA State Champions. I would like to recognize the following players: Lia Sorce, Erin Boyle, Megan Daley, Julie Stampfle, Megan Lynch, Joci Delaney, Val Smolter, Kristin Devlin, Kristen Lynch, Melissa McQuade, Jen Simile, Lisa Huber, Erin Fieldhouse, Heather Elstner, Stevie Stanek, Jenna Conrad, Sarah Knaus, and Becca Lynch. I would also like to recognize Head Coach Skip Palmer, Assistant Coaches Tom Haser and Brad Stone, Athletic Trainer Bill Couts, Athletic Director Paul Holszhu, and Principal William Suit. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating the Lady Titans Varsity Softball Team. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute such an outstanding group of athletes.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Natrona Bottling Company as they celebrate the anniversary of their founding. From their beginning in 1904, The Natrona Bottling Company has a long and rich history of serving the needs of the people of Allegheny County and beyond. Beginning in 1939, the torch was passed to the Bowser family, and they carry on the tradition today with Mr. Paul Bowser currently serving as the CEO. Natrona Bottling Company is the last remaining soda bottling company in Allegheny County, and all of their formulas are micro-crafted. They produce a multitude of delicious beverages, including: Red Ribbon Cherry Supreme, Red Ribbon Root Beer, Pennsylvania Punch, Jamaica's Finest Ginger Beer, and Champayno. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating the Natrona Bottling Company. It is an honor to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Pennsylvania and a pleasure to salute this wonderful company.