Darrell Issa

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 109, recognizing the historical significance of the Pinedale Assembly Center, the reporting site for over 4,823 Americans of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly interned during World War II. The Pinedale Assembly Center is located 8 miles north of downtown Fresno, California, on vacant land. It is a stark place, as was the policy that was supported by Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to authorize the tragic internment of Japanese Americans at the beginning of World War II. The assembly center was encircled by a high chain-link fence, topped with three rows of barbed wire, and it caged American citizens whose only crime was their ancestry. Soldiers gave orders to citizens who should have been free; livelihoods were put on hold; uncertainty and fear punctuated each day. Thousands of law-abiding citizens who loved America and contributed to its strength had been trapped in endless rows of drab cell blocks. The center serves as a symbol of America's stumbling. But our country has regained its footing. It has appropriately apologized for the tragic mistake of President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066, and it is reaffirming its commitment, through this resolution before us today, to never forget its mistakes lest they be repeated. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. I would like to thank Congressman Honda. Mike and I came into this Congress together. We came in at a time of peace. We came in at a time in which remembering 59 years earlier the history of the Japanese internment was a little abstract and yet necessary. I think that it is no longer abstract, and I thank the gentleman from California, because Mr. Honda made it very clear that we have a clear and present danger in the same way. It is easy to blame the Muslim community. It is easy to look at Arab Americans and say can we trust them. I might point out something that is not in the body of the resolution but I know that Mr. Honda and I have talked about in the past. During the time in which we were incarcerating women and children and old men of Japanese ancestry, the young Japanese Americans were in Europe fighting and dying in record numbers, defending our country in the most decorated way of any unit of World War II. That is a separate remembrance but it cannot be separated from the fact that today Arabs and Muslims are fighting in the war on terror in Afghanistan, in Iraq and around the world. They are in fact doing exactly the same thing. And I link the two because I believe that you don't respect history the way we are trying to today, if you don't link it to the present and the future, and you don't say we will learn from this terrible mistake. We can't undo what was done to the Japanese, Italian, and German Americans, but we can dedicate ourselves to ensure that this shall not happen again in this great Union. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 122 which recognizes the tragic significance of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to authorize the internment of Japanese Americans at the beginning of World War II. The resolution also highlights the injustices forced on Italian Americans and German Americans during this same period. In 1942, President Roosevelt authorized the Army to evacuate more than 100,000 Japanese Americans from the Pacific Coast States, including Washington, Oregon, and my home State, California, and also Arizona. This grossly blunderbuss approach to maintaining America's security serves, especially today, as a continuing reminder that the civil rights of American citizens should never be lost in the midst of the chaos of war, not even in a war on terror. President Roosevelt authorized the mass expulsion and incarceration of Japanese Americans, and these are American citizens, by signing Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. A few minutes ago, I spoke about the prodding of this body, the prodding about the Presidency and the prodding of the courts. This ill-fated action unfortunately was supported by this body, the one on the other side of the Dome and, yes, the U.S. Supreme Court. Had any of us recognized our burden of freedom and democracy and taken it to heart, this could not and would not have happened. The tragic misuse of this power was met with an equally powerful response, but unfortunately, it was too late. In 1976, President Gerald Ford issued Proclamation 4417, in which he said, ``Learning from our mistakes is not pleasant, but as a great philosopher once admonished, we must do so if we want to avoid repeating them.'' We recently put to rest President Gerald Ford, but there was no action that Gerald Ford ever did as President more significant than this one. President Ford, in apologizing and taking back the misconduct perpetrated on American citizens so long ago, has set a high standard for it ever happening again. Today, we have just those threats among us and amidst us, so I am happy to support this to join with the ACLU and all the other organizations that daily fight this and recognizing that this should never happen again. Last but not least, we are joined with our colleague, the widow of Bob Matsui, and I might note that as a freshman it was Bob Matsui who was on the Democrat side speaking about this issue firsthand. I am sorry that he is not with us today. I look forward to the statements of my colleague and his widow, because I believe that, in fact, this is something we must do every year so that it never, never, never happens again in my America. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, there are few things in this body that truly transcend party lines. The respect for the Constitution and our obligations under it clearly are the most important among them. The Constitution makes it clear that inventors and authors and artisans are entitled to protection for a limited period of time under the Constitution. And yet, if it takes years to get through a patent case and only to have it reversed 30 to 40 percent of the time, much more often if it is a first-time case before a Federal judge, then justice is not only delayed but in some cases denied if you don't have the ability, after paying maybe $2 million, to pay another $2 million to go through the appeal process. Therefore, it is essential at the district court that the judges get it right the first time. Under the Markman decision, a Federal judge must decide what the patent means. It is incredibly technical often to decide what 5,000 claims, sometimes looking thicker than the Bible and the Koran put together, really mean; and yet that is an obligation of the judge. Those obligations may be in the areas of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering. It could be chemical. It could be bio. It could be so technical as to require outside experts just to decipher some of the language. And yet we ask a Federal judge, most often the one who has just ascended to the bench, to take on these patent cases. This bill is designed to reduce the times in which the most complex cases get before the least prepared and sometimes even the least willing Federal judges. It also is an example of something that has been used in other ways, but appropriate here: a theory that you must mend it, not end it. We have an obligation, and the Federal courts with us have an obligation, to deal with intellectual property properly because it is a right under the Constitution, and yet it is broken. My colleagues, Mr. Schiff as the cosponsor but, more broadly, Ranking Member Smith have been supportive. The now chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Berman, helped all along the way. Mr. Conyers has been supportive, both in the last Congress and this Congress, in getting this bill out; and Senator Leahy and Senator Feinstein are working on the Senate side for a counterpart. This type of legislation is narrowly crafted but deals with the exact problems we are facing. Let me just give you one example, Mr. Speaker. Most Americans understand in the last Congress the RIM or BlackBerry case, a case in which for years the litigation continued on and we were dealing with over half a billion dollars of final damages. Reversal after reversal, decision and indecision. That shouldn't happen when we are dealing with billions of dollars. This legislation seeks to spend only $5 million a year to check out the feasibility of what would probably be only $50 or $60 million in total a year to make our Federal courts able to deal with what turns out to be tens or hundreds of billions of dollars of commerce. Therefore, I hope that because we pass this early and, I trust, unanimously once again, that we will be able to deal with the Senate, bring this to the President's desk, and begin working with the courts to implement it. Last but not least, an unusual ``thank you.'' Justice Breyer was a major part of this discussion from the earliest stages, and as somebody who, while as a Senate staffer, was considered to be the father of the Fed circuit, his opinion that there needed to be a fix in the district court so as not to have to take from the district courts the very jurisdiction that we speak of here today, was crucial to the development of this bill. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this bipartisan support. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 34, a bill to establish a pilot program in certain United States district courts to encourage enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges. Congressman Adam Schiff and I have worked together on this legislation since the last Congress, and I am grateful for the chance to move this legislation forward today. The high cost of patent litigation is widely publicized, and it is not unusual for a patent suit to cost each party over $10,000,000. Appeals from district courts to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit are frequent. This is caused, in part, by the general perception within the patent community that most district court judges are not sufficiently prepared to hear patent cases. I drafted this legislation in an attempt to decrease the cost of litigation by increasing the success of district court judges. H.R. 34 establishes a pilot project within at least five district courts. Under the pilot, judges decide whether or not to opt into hearing patent cases. If a judge opts in, and a patent case is randomly assigned to that judge, that judge keeps the case. If a case is randomly assigned to a judge who has not opted into hearing patent cases, that judge has the choice of keeping that case or sending it to the group of judges who have opted in. To be a designated court, the court must have at least 10 authorized judges with at least 3 opting in. The core intent of this pilot is to steer patent cases to judges that have the desire and aptitude to hear patent cases, while preserving random assignment as much as possible. Each of the test courts will be assigned a clerk with expertise in patent law or the scientific issues arising in patent cases, and funding is also allocated to better educate participating judges in patent law. The pilot will last no longer than 10 years, and periodic studies will occur to determine the pilot project's success. I am happy to say that H.R. 34 is supported by software, hardware, tech and electronics companies, pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, district court judges, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Intellectual Property Owners Association among others. This legislation is a good first step toward improving the legal environment for the patent community in the United States. H.R. 34 should not, however, be taken as a replacement for broader patent reform. We still need to address substantive issues within patent law, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on that broader effort as well. I thank Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Ranking Member Lamar Smith, as well as Intellectual Property Subcommittee Chairman Howard Berman and Subcommittee Ranking Member Howard Coble for all of their efforts in moving this legislation. I also thank Committee staff David Whitney and Shanna Winters for their counsel during the development of H.R. 34. I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 34.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, it is not good to talk process in the House of Representatives. I keep hearing that. But when the process that you are talking about is the execution of our right in a democratic society to speak and make a difference, then it is necessary to speak on process. Mr. Speaker, this week we will spend 4 days on the Iraq resolution. I say ``the'' Iraq resolution because it has already been crafted by Speaker Pelosi; it already is a final product. The only thing left to do is in fact to vote on it because we will not be allowed to amend it; the rule will be a closed rule. Democracy and speech and debate will not in fact change anything. The final vote will be exactly at the end of the week where it was at the beginning. That is wrong. Republicans never did that when we held the Speaker's gavel. Democrats should not do that as they hold the Speaker's gavel. The right to amend and the right to debate that leads to a better bill is a right of this democracy, and this body has been reduced by the taking of that right.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote. Motion to Table Offered by Mr. Obey

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, today as we prepare to pass House Concurrent Resolution 5, which will express support for the designation of Hire a Veteran Week, I would like to highlight two people, who have built a Web site that has assisted many of the military heroes and veterans from my Congressional District find employment upon their return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. In February, 2005, Mark and Tori Baird created the Web site www.hiremarines.com to serve Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA, who were seeking to find either part-time or full employment after bravely serving our Nation. This site quickly caught on with local employers and media, and soon the Baird's received e-mails from military personnel across the country that wanted to use their site. After 6 months, www.hiremarines.com was expanded to included servicemen from all branches of the Armed Forces, both in Southern California and beyond, and the name of the site was changed to www.hirepatriots.com. As a U.S. Army veteran, I have a sincere appreciation and respect for the military personnel who serve in our Armed Forces. Veterans posses special qualities and skills that make them ideal candidates for employment, and the Congress should do everything that it can to encourage more employers to hire them. Many of the brave men and women who have served the United States so gallantly and selflessly in the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq since September 11, 2001, are beginning to return home to be reunited with their loved ones. They will soon be reentering the workforce or searching for their first jobs outside of military service. H. Con. Res. 5 is an important effort to highlight this issue. I hope it will encourage other citizens to follow in the example of Mark and Tori in either hiring veterans, or providing assistance to those that are currently seeking jobs. This is a small thing to do for these brave men and women who defend our safety and freedom.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and service of Oceanside Police Officer Dan Bessant, who was killed in the line of duty on December 20, 2006. A 3-year police department veteran, Officer Bessant was fatally shot while responding to a fellow officer's call for assistance on a routine traffic stop in Oceanside, California. It is intolerable that such a fine young man should be taken from those he loved in the prime of his life to a senseless act of youth violence. Just as he did on that fateful day, Officer Bessant spent his life of 25 years committed to serving the public--first as police cadet, then as a Police Community Safety Assistant, and finally as an Oceanside Police Officer. Each day of Officer Bessant's service made Oceanside a safer place. Officer Bessant will be remembered as a dedicated officer, passionate for his work and eager to improve the community where he was born and raised. His family and friends will remember him as a proud, new father and devoted husband. By all, he will be recalled for his unwavering honor and courage. On this day, Congress should remember Officer Bessant's passion for law enforcement and his endless devotion to Oceanside. May God bring peace to his wife Katelyn, 2 month-old son Wyatt, and his family, friends and colleagues.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, this weekend over 300 Members of the House violated the House rules. They did so not with malice or any intent to violate the rules, but they did so because of the hubris of the leadership of the House. Today, Mr. Speaker, the rules of the House prohibit Members from taking nongovernmental aircraft by any organization, any corporation that has a lobbyist. Mr. Speaker, I might point out that there are lobbyists for United Airlines, Delta, U.S. Air and a litany of other airlines. These rules are unfair, unreasonable and unenforceable, but they have not yet been changed; and under a closed rule, it was a take- it-or-leave-it on the entire package. Mr. Speaker, I submitted for the House H. Res. 92 in order to clarify and reform these foolish, foolish rules that were instituted without any debate, without any hearings, and even without much notice. I would ask the House to seriously consider, Is it time to begin being honest and reputable? Isn't there a time to not break the rules and say, ``But everyone's doing it''?

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, in response to the gentleman from American Samoa, I too agree with you that a post office is just a good first down payment for somebody who did so much for veterans; and I, for one, look forward to finding a veterans facility somewhere in the United States or a hospital for veterans that would be fitting and appropriate for the man who would be the chairman of the Veterans' Committee were he still in the Congress.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman). (Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure that I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), one of the Members who knew Lane Evans both as a staff member here on the Hill and then as a fellow colleague. (Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 521 to rename the post office in Rock Island, Illinois, for Congressman Lane Evans. The Congressman was born in 1951 in Rock Island, Illinois. Mr. Evans grew up the son of a firefighter and joined the Marines out of high school and fought in the Vietnam War. After that, he earned an undergraduate degree from Augustana College and a law degree from Georgetown. Just 4 years later, he found himself in the House of Representatives, a Democrat representing a largely Republican 17th District of Illinois, where he quickly developed a reputation as an advocate for regular Americans. Known in his district, which covers Moline, Rock Island, Quincy, Decatur, Galesburg, and parts of Springfield and the Quad Cities, for excellent constituent services, he also fought hard for working families and especially for veterans. He became chairman of the Vietnam-Era Veterans Caucus here in the Congress, where he pushed for legislation particularly to improve health care for vets and those with disabilities such as post-traumatic stress syndrome. That disorder today still affects many Americans of that era. He also supported legislation to eliminate land mines and assist land mine victims, and later he helped those affected with Gulf War syndrome. After Hurricane Katrina, long into a debilitating disease, he fought hard to make things right for those people affected so desperately by the hurricanes. Even after being diagnosed in 1995 with Parkinson's, he continued to serve for another six terms in the House and served with great distinction, never giving up the fight. In his final term, the Congressman and I had the pleasure of flying for over 14 hours across the United States and all the way to Iwo Jima to commemorate the 60th commemoration of that great battle. He did so at a time in which he needed a physician's assistant, in which he was uncomfortable at all times, and in which most men afflicted with Parkinson's would never have considered such a trip. He did so because, first of all, he was a Marine. He did so, secondly, because he cared so much about this country and about the battles that men and women had fought for this country. I will remember Congressman Lane Evans for that trip. For someone who went above and beyond what the public saw to do what was right and what was important, even while putting himself in tremendous potential physical harm for those long hours in an aircraft is something that most Members with less afflictions would not have done. I will remember him, and I ask that all Members vote positively on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to echo the praise of Senator Gale McGee. The gentlewoman from Wyoming has unfortunately been detained and will not be able to speak on the floor, but she authored this bill because, in fact, he did have a long career of service to this body in the sense of the Congress, and it is appropriate to name this post office after the Senator. Certainly it is clear that the Congress often names post offices and other bodies after their own Members. But I think today on all three of these bills we picked appropriate candidates, candidates who, in fact, exemplify what this body on both sides of the Dome are about, a body of dedication and service by people who come here to work in a bipartisan way, who come here to make America better, who bring the values of their home State here but who recognize the value of the entire country is what we seek when we come here to meet together to debate and to vote.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of another down payment on thanking President Gerald Ford for his legacy, a legacy that really began, flourished and was all about this body. We are recognizing Gerald Ford as the 38th President of the United States because he did spend 2\1/2\ years as our President. But, uniquely, the man born in 1913 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was, in fact, a man of the House. During his entire tenure in the House, he did not enjoy time in the majority. Yet his goal was to be Speaker of the House. He had no higher calling, never sought one, but accepted the one that was cast upon him. At the time that he was selected to be Vice President of the United States, we were already mired in the Vietnam War and disgrace had been brought upon the Vice Presidency. It was Gerald Ford who came in impeccably honest, undeniably a man of the people and a man who was only for the people. That is how he was selected, that is why he was selected, it is why the Senate and the House thought he was the only man for the job. Who would have known that just a short time, 10 months later in fact, he would find himself cast into an even larger role, another role that he did not ask for. Yet that was who Gerald Ford was, a man who came out of athletics and out of university to serve in the United States Navy in 1942 because it was the right thing to do. He had represented a district that would have returned him to the House to this very day if, in fact, he were still alive. Instead, he answered a call, a call that each of us in the House has answered by coming to this body. That was the call of service to the United States. As I support this naming of this post office in the place he loved, in the place he skied, in the place that he called home for his immediate period after leaving the White House, I do so as the second man of the House that we are recognizing here today, first Congressman Lane Evans and then Congressman/President Gerald Ford.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, Sergeant Major Bell was born in Washington, DC, on 17 January 1957. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 28 February 1977 in Boston, MA. Upon completion of recruit training at MCRD Parris Island, SC, he was assigned to AA V School at 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion Camp Lejeune, NC. Upon completion of school he reported to Company D for duty as an AAV crewman. In February 1978, Sergeant Major Bell was ordered to Company D, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Brigade, Kaneohe Bay, HI for three years. In November 1978 he was meritoriously promoted to Corporal and deployed with Battalion Landing Team 2/3 on West PAC 79 as a crew chief. In October 1980, he was promoted to Sergeant. In April 1981, Sergeant Major Bell was transferred to School's Battalion, Assault Amphibian School, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA where he served as a crew chief and classroom Instructor. During this tour of duty he helped implement a new course of instruction for the LVTP7A1 family of vehicles. In March 1984, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and attended the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy in Quantico, VA. In June 1984, Sergeant Major Bell was transferred to the 3d Marine Division for duty with 1st Track Vehicle Battalion, Okinawa, Japan. He served with both Companies A and B and deployed to Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. In May 1985, Sergeant Major Bell returned to CONUS and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA, for duty with 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion. He served in a variety of billets from section leader to Company Gunnery Sergeant. Promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in January 1990, he was transferred to Marine Corps Security Forces Battalion, Diego Garcia and assumed the duties as Guard Chief and Training Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge. In March 1993, he was assigned to Company A, 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion and deployed with 13th MEU (SOC), Battalion Landing Team 1/9, West PAC 93-94, as the AAV Detachment Platoon Sergeant. Selected to First Sergeant in April 1994, Sergeant Major Bell's assignments as a First Sergeant included: Company C and H&S Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division (April 1994-March 1996); United States Naval Academy Company, Marine Barracks 8th and I, Washington D.C. (April 1996-May 1997) where he was subsequently selected for promotion to Sergeant Major. He was assigned to the Assault Amphibian School Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA, as the Battalion Sergeant Major from June 1997-March 1999. In April 1999, he was reassigned as the Squadron Sergeant Major for HMM 268, MAG 39, 3d MAW, MCAS Camp Pendleton, CA, where he deployed with the 11th MEU as the Air Combat Element Sergeant Major. In April 2002 Sergeant Major Bell was reassigned to the 11th Marine Regiment where he deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In July 2003, he was assigned as the Sergeant Major of 1st Marine Division and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II from Feb 2004-Mar 2005. He was assigned to his current billet as Marine Corps Installations West Sergeant Major on 24 February 2006. Sergeant Major Bell's personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal w/2 Gold Stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/2 Gold Stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon. Sergeant Major Bell is married to the former Ms. Crystal Nadine Bynoe of Boston, MA. They have three sons, Sherman (31), Shannon (29), and Wayne Jr. (22), and five grandchildren Temarah (9), Julius (8), Micah (4), Jayden (2), Nia (1). On behalf of the people of the United States whom Master Sergeant Bell spent a career serving, I thank him for his service and commitment to the defense of our Nation.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker I rise today in remembrance of a talented Californian, David Hermance, who passed away on November 25, 2006 at the age of 59. David was both an innovator of technology and an admired friend of the environment. Although best known for his recent work with hybrids, David championed advanced-technology vehicles throughout his four decades in the auto industry. After 26 years of dedicated service to General Motors, David joined Toyota in 1991 to become the North American Executive Engineer for Advanced Technology Vehicles. Through his dedicated work, he became known as the ``father of the American Prius.'' His efforts have educated Americans and Congress alike on the enormous potential of advanced technology vehicles, such as hybrids. David's unique ability to explain the inner workings of complex technologies to all audiences made him the most respected American voice on hybrid technology. Today, consumers and environmentalists alike laud the products he has advocated for years. On this day, Congress should remember David Hermance's vision for a better tomorrow. May God bring peace to David's family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.