Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I would like to thank our friend and colleague, Congresswoman Woolsey, for organizing this very important statement, historic statement. Women that come from all over America, Members of Congress who have no ax to grind, who have no representation of special interest other than the American people: we stand on this floor to answer our colleagues and those who have offered a negative perspective, all kinds of obstructions and poor commentary. Like an email I received blaming people for their obesity and diabetes. Yes, we need to be a healthier country, but does anybody realize that insurance companies would never provide for preventative care so that we could be tested and that we could learn to eat differently, to watch our diets? That is why this country spends more time wasting dollars on those who are sick. So I stand today to be able to say to all of the moms and nurturers who happen to be women that we have listened to your call. We have actually recognized that it is important to provide for preventative care. You know what you do. As we were raised by our moms and grandparents and aunts and uncles, they told us wipe our nose with tissues, wash our hands way before this whole concept has come with automatic hand washers and bottled water. They wanted us to be clean and to respect cleanliness. Why? It was a method of preventing disease. But we were sick anyhow. And when we got sick, we couldn't get to the emergency room. We couldn't get to a doctor. We couldn't get to a hospital because many times that required health insurance. So today for the women of America, for all of the women who have been denied insurance because of pregnancy, of a C-section, of issues that deal with womanhood, we now stand up and declare freedom with the passing of this bill. Now, Mr. Speaker, I might say to you that all that is in this bill I don't agree with. Frankly, I'm concerned about the position being taken on physician-owned hospitals, many of them who have come and saved neighborhoods by opening up hospitals, declaring desert areas where rural communities had no hospitals, they came in and opened them up on inner-city neighborhoods. We understand that all of them are going to be looking for long-term fixes down the road almost the same way when Medicare was passed in 1965. That wasn't a perfect system, but I can tell you that of all the lives of women that it has saved since its passage in 1965, for one, it saved the life of Ivalita Bennett Jackson, my mom, who now lives and lives enthusiastically with a love of life because of the resources that came about through Medicare. And she worked. So this is not a handout. So this bill, for example, is going to give women affordability. It's going to give women in States the opportunity to go into a health insurance exchange pool, pick the insurance that they need. It's going to give women the right of choosing, give women the right to have healthy bodies. It's going to focus the responsibility of insurance on employers. It's going to make sure that Medicare is strong. If you're an elderly woman, it's going to close the doughnut hole for all of the insurance needs that you have. It's going to help my mother-in-law, E. Theophia Lee, who needs care as we speak. It's going to give her the opportunity to buy prescription drugs without going into the poorhouse. It is going to provide for an expanded Medicaid, and it's going to work on our hospitals in our community, provide 100 percent Medicaid coverage in the first year, 95 percent, and then 90 percent. Mr. Speaker, this is going to open the doors of opportunity for community health clinics so that women can be engaged in preventative care. Women are nurturers. They need to be able to take themselves to doctors and their children to doctors at the same time. That's what community health clinics will do. They will be set up in your neighborhood. They will have full service, geriatric care, pediatric care, and, yes, the care that will take care of women and their individual needs. Mental health parity will be in this particular bill so individuals who are concerned about mental health needs will not have to hide, cover themselves up, go in the dark of night or not even get the care that they need. It is going to be there in this bill. There's going to be a demand for health insurance companies to cover mental health needs. What a new day this will be to be able to allow women to take care of their children. Let me remind you that there are stories all across America. The mother whose son died because he did not have health insurance. A young man who believed in giving help to other people, a young lawyer who gave pro bono work, but he died because he had no health insurance. Or the mother who came to my town hall meetings, was crying because she couldn't get her child into school. Why? Because her insurance didn't cover a doctor's visit. Well, that will be cured. This is going to cure the ills of women across America. Vote for this bill.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 267 ``Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz, expressing appreciation to Iranian-Americans for their contributions to society, and wishing the Iranian-Americans and the people of Iran a prosperous new year.'' As a cosponsor of this resolution, I am proud to recognize the contributions of Iranian Americans on their day of celebration. Nowruz is celebrated by nearly 300 million Iranians and other peoples all over the world, including in the United States, Iran, and other countries in Central Asia, South Asia, Caucasus, Crimea, and Balkan Regions. Nowruz, which means new day, is celebrated on 21 March, the day of the vernal equinox. Nowruz is celebrated by more than 1,000,000 Iranian-Americans of all backgrounds, including those with Baha'i, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Zoroastrian, and non-religious backgrounds. The people of Iran have a long history of celebrating Nowruz--a holiday that embodies the tradition that each individual's thinking, speaking, and conduct should always be virtuous, and the ideal of compassion for our fellow human beings regardless of ethnicity or religion, and symbolizes a time of renewal and community. This resolution not only reminds us all of the contributions made by our Iranian constituents, but also of the trying times faced by Iranians in Iran and in the Iranian diaspora. During this time of renewal, my thoughts are with the residents of Camp Ashraf and their families--some of whom reside in my district. Late last year, three months after U.S. forces turned over control of Camp Ashraf, Iraqi security forces violated the human rights of the People's Mujahideen of Iran (PMOI). Camp Ashraf detains over 3,400 exiled Iranian political dissidents, who are members of the PMOI, including over 1,000 women. The PMOI opposes the current Iranian regime, and for their political beliefs they have been exiled from Iran and sequestered in Camp Ashraf. Several women detained at Camp Ashraf have reported acts of intimidation and threats of physical and sexual violence by members of the Iraqi security forces. On July 28, 2009, Iraqi security forces conducted a raid on the detainees at Camp Ashraf. The raid occurred fewer than three months after the U.S. passed control of Camp Ashraf to the government of Iraq. The raid began on Tuesday, July 28th when Iraqi armored vehicles began attacks against the Iranian prisoners. The attacks continued for two full days and resulted in the death of 11 exiles and the injury of over 400 more. As a result of the raid on Camp Ashraf, 36 men were arrested under allegations of violent behavior. The 36 arrested Camp Ashraf residents have since been freed, but the United States has a continuing interest in ensuring that the events of July 28th never occur again. The Iraqi government's treatment of the camp's residents sets a dangerous precedent for future treatment of minority groups. In recent years, there have been alarming numbers of religiously motivated killings, abductions, beatings, rapes, threats, intimidation, forced conversions, marriages, and displacement from homes and businesses, and attacks on religious leaders, pilgrims, and holy sites, in Iraq, with the smallest religious minorities in Iraq having been among the most vulnerable, although Iraqis from many religious communities, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, have suffered in this violence. In summary, members of small religious minority communities in Iraq do not have militia or tribal structures to defend them, do not receive adequate official protection, and are legally, politically, and economically marginalized. Madam Speaker, as 300 million people worldwide celebrate the start of a new year, it is my hope that Iranians around the world find peace and prosperity.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2377, ``To direct the Secretary of Education to establish and administer an awards program recognizing excellence exhibited by public school system employees providing services to students in pre- kindergarten through higher education'' introduced by my distinguished colleague from Nevada, Representative Titus. The program which shall be known as the ``National Classified School Employees of the Year Awards,'' will allow all of our classified school employees who work as paraprofessionals, clericals, custodial and maintenance, transportation, food and nutrition, skilled trades, health and human services, security, and technical services who provide exceptional service to public schools in the United States that play a vital role in providing for the welfare and safety of students. The awards program established and administered under the Secretary of Education will recognize those who strive for excellence in all areas of service to the education community and will recognize exemplary employees for their outstanding contributions to quality education in the United States. Nominations will be submitted to the Secretary of Education by a chief state school officer no later than November 1 and shall consider nominations from local education agencies, school administrators, labor unions and professional associations based on work performance, school and community involvement, leadership and commitment, and local support. Prior to March 31, the Secretary of Education shall select an employee from each occupational specialty to receive an award under this recognition program. I believe in recognizing those individuals who take time out to make a difference in the lives of our young people and I feel that the ``National Classified School Employees of the Year Awards,'' will highlight the great work put forth by great people who have a great impact not only in the lives of our children, but in the area of education and in our local communities. I would like to personally thank all of those who work and contribute to the area of education through their selfless service and tireless efforts.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there are many, many important issues that we will be debating over the next couple of days. I look forward to being engaged in helping America. But all of us believe in saluting our youth, and so I rise today to salute Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas. I salute them because of their achievement when things were going wrong. They are the AAAA State Champions in basketball, but they are rated as the number 1 high school basketball team in the Nation. So we stand here in the Congress saying thank you to young men that not only know how to play sports and basketball, but also know how to play the game of academics. Let me salute their principal, Principal Mumphrey; their coach, Coach Wise; and all of the team, both the starting five and others, who showed courage and showed character. During the game Saturday at the Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, they suffered injuries. But they didn't give up, they didn't give out, and they didn't give up. They stood tall; they played; they ordered themselves, and they won this game. They have had a no-loss season. They should be commended because they also stand for character. They have served their community. I'm proud of the Lions in Winter. Jack Yates High School should be congratulated.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, Medicare will be expanded. Medicaid will be expanded to allow more people to be insured. Our children will have more health insurance. It will be a major change for America--a positive change. It is interesting that every time America makes a historic and catastrophic change for the better, there are large voices of opposition--confused voices; voices without the facts. I'm reminded of the history of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. They did not pass with large margins. The Dixiecrats raised their voices in opposition. Africans Americans, Negroes, should be second-class citizens forever. It is time now for the courageous to recognize that Americans cannot be second class and third class in the climate of needing health insurance. That they must be able to go to hospitals and not be kicked out; that they must be able to get insurance without saying you have a preexisting disease; that women cannot be discriminated against. Where's the courage to stand up as we did in the time when African Americans needed their freedom? It is now time to free others who do not have health insurance. Do you have the courage to make these hard decisions when others are chatting away, saying the wrong thing? It is time to pass health care reform. I want to stand with the courageous on behalf of the American people.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I thank the Congresswoman from Ohio. And I rushed back because I was listening to you and this debate on the floor of the House. Let me bring you greetings from NBC-LEO, which is the component of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, city council members and many mayors. And I mentioned you and Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who I know was already on the floor, and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and others that came. Let me add to the cry and the desperate need for work for the chronically unemployed. This is a time when we must focus on this effort. I met with my local governmental agency that receives Federal funding, and they are begging not only for the chronically unemployed, which they are familiar with, but summer youth jobs. And this is the work of the Congressional Black Caucus, to focus on those who have been left along the wayside. We are grateful for the leadership of this President that understands the value and importance of making sure that everyone has a job. I stopped calling the Recovery Act ``stimulus.'' I call it an investment, an investment in people. I don't let anyone tag me with a stimulus bill. Stimulating. It is investing. It is building roads and bridges. It is putting people back to work. We want to make sure that those people who have been unemployed for a long period of time, who still have hope, who still have abilities to be able to work, want to make sure that those who have paid their time, who are rehabilitated, who have families, who may have had a, if you will, a start that wasn't the best start, may have deviated from the straight road but are now trying to ensure that their families are taken care of, ex-felons, should be able to have training. We want to work with unions to ensure that they open vastly the opportunities for people to be trained in apprenticeships. And we want to make sure that small and minority businesses, who in fact are the backbone of this economy in terms of employment, get the opportunity through our transportation infrastructure rebuild to be able to both participate in the contractual process of rebuild and then at the same time go into our communities and build. I want to say also that the faith community can be a real partner to us. They can be the sources of recruitment. I have spoken to my pastors in my own congressional district. They are eager to work with us to provide resources and sites and populations of those who can be employed. This is a crucial effort that the Congressional Black Caucus is initiating, our day on Wednesday when we will be speaking, in essence, truth to power, where we will be talking about the chronically unemployed, summer youth jobs, and public jobs. Maybe we cannot do the WPA as we did in World War II, but we can have a focus to ensure that there is an opportunity for every single American to have a job. And I would say in closing that the challenge is not hard, because we are talking about census tracts. And census tracts have people from all walks of life. They are Caucasian, they are Latino, they are African American, they are Asian. We are talking about going into the census tracts that are documented as impoverished. We want to get those people who want to work, who can work. If we lift their boat, if we provide them with the opportunity for income, they are renting, they are buying, they are circulating the dollar inside our community. If we give small businesses the opportunity, they are growing, they are multiplying, and they are placed inside those communities. And if we give the summer youth job program the boost that it needs to have, what an amazing opportunity to get young people not only to be committed to work and understand what work is, but to be able to invest in the community, to be able to buy school supplies, school uniforms, and also to be able to help their family. I think that this effort is long overdue. I look forward to working with President Obama and the Congressional Black Caucus. I want to thank the chairwoman, Barbara Lee. I want to thank Congresswoman Fudge and the economic task force, which I am proud to be working with. And, finally, what I would say is I am going to speak about them later on this week, but Jack Yates won the State championship for basketball, and they are rated as the number one high school basketball team in the Nation. I only cite them to say that our young people are not our yesterdays. They are not our todays. Excuse me, they are not our future. They are our todays. And as they play sports and they are academically geared as we want them to do, let's give them an opportunity to work and to invest in themselves and to help them go forward in their college education. I'm excited about what we are doing. It is something that cannot be left along the wayside. We cannot forget those who have been forgotten for too long. I believe that our theme should be the chronically unemployed not yesterday, and not even in the future, but today. We must answer the question to provide opportunities for them.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I want to quickly make two points. The community college system we have heard now is expanding because everyone wants an opportunity to be there and be trained. I hope that we will be able to have, in our package, the unemployed who are getting unemployment, keeping their unemployment but getting a scholarship to be trained which helps their income and, therefore, does not deprive of them that unemployment while they are getting a stipend to go to school. And I also hope that in the Houston community--I'm sorry. Let me cite the Houston community college system that I have on my mind. They do a great job, but that in our community college system, that those ex-felons that we have just spoken about can also be trained and be given opportunities. Let's not close any door to the chronically unemployed.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, this is the week--the week-- that we will have an opportunity to provide expanded coverage for Americans. I hope this will be the week of truth and not for misrepresentations that have been carried forward. I hope that those who are uninsured will understand now that 31 million will have insurance; that Medicare care will be protected and in actuality expanded by the basic benefits plan; that Medicaid will be reimbursed in all 50 States. There will be no fixes for 100 percent, and then, going forward, 95 percent, and then 90 percent to protect those who are impoverished; we will have a system of a pool of insurance companies to thwart the one-insurance-company per State. You will be able to shop for the best plan. If you have your insurance, you'll be able to keep it. If you're a small business, you'll have subsidies. As well, yes, we require companies to carry insurance. But I believe this is ``the week.'' It is a good week for America to vote for real health care reform.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, yesterday, I debated the impeachment resolution, H. Res. 1031, but I was delayed in a health care discussion and meeting, which caused me to miss rollcall vote 102 of article I of H. Res. 1031, the impeachment resolution. I ask unanimous consent to place my vote in the Record. If I were present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I ask it to be placed in the Record in the appropriate place.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fallen hero, my friend, the late Congressman John Murtha. During the time of his memorial services and the special order hour that was rendered on this floor, my statements were not able to be submitted because I wanted to speak directly on the floor in his honor. John Murtha was of course a husband, a father, a loved one, a Marine, and a patriot. What we loved most about John Murtha was his love for the United States military, unwavering and always steadfast. He was a family man that loved his family, and a Congressperson that loved his people. Those he represented were so very important in his mind and in his heart. He came to this floor and to this House tall and recently from battle, having served in the Vietnam war on several occasions, knowing what it is to have been shot at and to be in battle on behalf of your Nation. That true lesson gave him a cause for life, and the cause for life was to be able to fight for the men and women of the United States military. But he did not stop there. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense on the Appropriations Committee, he fought for the families of the United States military, the wives and husbands and the children. He fought for a better quality of life in health care and housing. He fought for better standards, if you will. And yes, he recognized the importance of leave time, R & R coming out of battle. And there was no greater champion during the midst of the Iraq war, the most recent war, who fought to give relief to the soldiers on the battlefield who were doing tours of duty one after another. He was a man of courage. He didn't step away from a fight. But he also was a friend. And if he gave you his word, he would fight on behalf of your constituents as he would fight on behalf of his. In fact, Mr. Speaker, he was an American's American, all-American. And if it had something to do with bettering the lives of Americans, you can be assured John Murtha was there. He took a very tough stand just a few years ago. The eyes of those who knew him as a champion of the military fighting for their cause, standing alongside of them, wondered what happened when he stood up with his eloquent voice, steady voice, and spoke about the Iraq war, calling for the soldiers to come home. That is courage, because he had been a supporter of that war. But he saw it crumbling before his eyes. Oh, yes, there has been an election over the last couple of days, but we always wonder what direction and how we could have handled it differently so that the lives that were laid down did not have to be laid down in a war in Iraq. The champion for the military saw that there was a crack in the system, and he chose to speak eloquently about it. I miss John Murtha. This body misses John Murtha, Democrats and Republicans. America misses John Murtha. But the one good news about John Murtha's life is that his legacy will live on forever and ever and ever. I thank him for serving, for living. And to his family, God bless you, and may he rest in peace. Mr. Speaker, I will submit a statement into the Record next week that will also speak to the qualities and the honor of John Murtha, the late Congressman from Pennsylvania.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have served on the Homeland Security Committee, tragically, since the occurrences of 9/11, and I want to congratulate this Nation for moving toward securing its people in a way that balances civil liberties and as well recognizes our responsibilities. As the chairwoman of the Transportation Security Committee, I want to acknowledge that in looking at how we treat our guests that come from other countries, we should always continue to review those circumstances. Just a few days ago, our guests from Pakistan, Pakistani parliamentarians, were traveling through our airport and were detained and asked a number of questions even though they were traveling with State Department escorts, as we understand it. I believe it is important to always remain secure but to remain balanced as well. I think it is appropriate that we look again at our procedures to ensure that our international diplomatic guests receive the kind of responsible treatment that is appropriate. We thank those who serve us on the front lines, but I will be looking forward to a full report by the Department of Homeland Security, and I offer to those dignitaries our respect because we do believe in international diplomacy.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a sad day and a solemn day. As indicated by my colleagues on the floor of the House, however, it is an obligation of this body. I'd like to acknowledge the chairman of the Impeachment Task Force, Congressman Schiff, for his leadership, but also for his balance and temperament in a very serious challenge that we have in providing the guideposts and the moral guideposts for a number of tough issues that deal with our Federal Judiciary and a number of other instances where impeachment is in fact the authority of this body and the Constitution. I'd like to acknowledge the ranking member, Mr. Goodlatte; the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Conyers; and the ranking member, Mr. Smith. This is an instance where you would have hoped that we would have had a different outcome. But as my colleagues have so articulately expressed, there was a long pattern that many of us found very disturbing. Judge Thomas Porteous seemingly began these actions without reproof while he was a State district judge, soliciting and accepting cash and other things of values from attorneys practicing before him, and failing to recuse himself from a prominent case in which those attorneys were involved. As a State judge, he repeatedly accepted things of value from bail bondsmen in exchange for setting bonds at levels to increase profits for the bail bondsmen and, after becoming a Federal judge, assisting them in forming corrupt relationships with other State judges. The pattern continued. As a Federal judge, he fraudulently concealed his personal bankruptcy, income, assets, gambling activities, gambling debts, and in violation of court order, incurring additional gambling debt while his bankruptcy proceeding was pending. He fraudulently concealed, in his FBI background check and on his Senate questionnaire, the corrupt relationships with attorneys and bail bondsmen. I think it is worth noting that Judge Porteous began his career as a State court judge, but because of the concealment of these activities, he was then nominated to the Federal bench. In the essence of being nominated, let me be very clear, one could have personally taken one's self out of the running for a bench as high and as sacred as a Federal Judiciary. That is a lifetime appointment, but at no time during the time that his nomination was put before the President of the United States, the United States Senate, did Judge Porteous think that his previous behavior did not warrant him ascending to the Federal bench. That saddens me. Maybe we need to look more at counseling individuals who are seeking or have the opportunity to be nominated to these high offices. Maybe they need that to understand the flaws or failures in their character or performance. Again, fraudulently concealing in his FBI background check and on his Senate questionnaire the corrupt relationships with the attorneys and bail bondsmen, evidence that the committee was able to see when questions were asked whether there was anything in your background that would warrant you not being able to be appointed to the Federal bench, this judge did not answer truthfully. The Department of Justice attempted to reprimand, and their complaint indicated that the instances of Judge Porteous' dishonesty in his own sworn statements and court filings, his decade-long course of conduct in soliciting and accepting streams of payments and gifts from litigants and lawyers with matters before him, and his repeated failure to disclose those dealings to interested parties and the court all render him unfit as an Article III judge, that is, a Federal judge. Although the Department did not seek criminal charges for reasons that involve partly the statute of limitations, their complaint indicated that his actions would render him unfit as an Article III judge. The Fifth Circuit also moved to take the maximum disciplinary action allowed by law against Judge Porteous, suspending him for 2 years or until Congress takes final action on the impeachment proceedings. Unfortunately and sadly, that day has come, and as we had asked, through the task force, for the opportunity for Judge Porteous to have due process, and that is to give him the opportunity to speak before the task force and, the alternative, to allow witnesses to come on his behalf, none of that was accepted. So today I rise on the floor of the House to accept the findings of our task force and the vote of our committee in full and ask this body to address the concern by sending this to the United States Senate for hearings on impeachment. This is a resolution to suggest that the Articles of Impeachment should be passed to the United States Senate under our constitutional process. Again, this is a sad day and a solemn day. But sadly, this indicates that a behavior of an individual who has achieved one of the highest offices in the land, that is, of the Article III courts, judge for life on the Federal bench, deserves, if you will, to be recommended for impeachment. I ask for a vote of ``yes'' on the resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res 1031, a resolution setting forth four Articles of Impeachment against G. Thomas Porteous, Jr., judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, for high crimes and misdemeanors. I would like to thank our Judiciary Chairman Conyers for shepherding this bill through the Judiciary Committee so that justice can be served. The Judiciary Committee was charged with determining whether federal Judge Thomas Porteous should be impeached for the following: soliciting and accepting cash and other things of value from attorneys practicing before him and failing to recuse himself from a prominent case in which those attorneys were involved; as a State judge, repeatedly accepting things of value from bail bondsmen in exchange for setting bonds at levels to increase profits for the bail bondsmen and, after becoming a federal judge, assisting them in forming corrupt relationships with other State judges; as a federal judge, fraudulently concealing, in his personal bankruptcy, income, assets, gambling activities, and gambling debts and, in violation of court order, incurring additional gambling debt while his bankruptcy proceeding was pending; and fraudulently concealing, in his FBI background check and on his Senate questionnaire, the corrupt relationships with the attorneys and bail bondsmen. As a federal judge, Judge Thomas Porteous's number one responsibility under the oath that he is sworn to is to ensure that the laws of the land under the United States Constitution are protected and supported. The Justice Department investigated whether or not Judge Porteous broke his oath. In May 2007, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation completed a multi-year criminal investigation of Judge Porteous and submitted a formal complaint of judicial misconduct to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Although the Department decided not to seek criminal charges for reasons including statute of limitations issues and other factors impacting prosecution, the complaint stated that the investigation uncovered evidence that ``indicates that Judge Porteous may have violated federal and state criminal laws, controlling canons of judicial conduct, rules of professional responsibility, and conducted himself in a manner antithetical to the constitutional standard of good behavior required of all federal judges.'' The complaint concluded that ``the instances of Judge Porteous's dishonesty in his own sworn statements and court filings, his decade-long course of conduct in soliciting and accepting a stream of payments and gifts from litigants and lawyers with matters before him, and his repeated failures to disclose those dealings to interested parties and the Court all render him unfit as an Article III judge.'' Mr. Speaker, there was also an investigation by the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit appointed a Special Investigatory Committee to investigate the allegations. Hearings were held at which Judge Porteous, representing himself, made statements, cross-examined witnesses, and called witnesses on his own behalf. Based on the Special Committee's report concluding that Judge Porteous had engaged in conduct which might constitute grounds for impeachment, the Judicial Conference voted unanimously to certify the matter to the U.S. House of Representatives, based on substantial evidence that Judge Porteous had repeatedly committed perjury, willfully and systematically concealed information from litigants and the public, violated several criminal statutes and ethical canons, and made false representations with the intent to defraud. The Fifth Circuit also moved to take the maximum disciplinary action allowed by law against Judge Porteous, suspending him for two years or ``until Congress takes final action on the impeachment proceedings.'' As Members of the House Judiciary Impeachment Task Force, my colleagues were directed by the House to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to impeach Judge Porteous for the alleged crimes for which he was being charged. As part of the initial investigation, our staff interviewed over 65 individuals, deposed approximately 25 witnesses under oath, and obtained documents from various sources, including from witnesses, the 24th Judicial Court in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and the Department of Justice. After the initial investigatory phase, the task force held four separate hearings over five days in November and December 2009 in order to determine whether Judge Porteous's conduct provides a sufficient basis for impeachment and to develop a record upon which to recommend whether to adopt Articles of Impeachment. The first task force hearing focused on allegations of misconduct in relation to Judge Porteous presiding over the case In re: Liljeberg Enterprises, Inc. The record reflects that Judge Porteous was engaged in a corrupt kickback scheme with the law firm of Amato & Creely, that he failed to disclose his relationship with the firm, and that he denied a motion to recuse himself from the case despite the firm's representation of one of the parties. The kickback scheme involved appointing Mr. Creely as a curator in hundreds of cases, with fees amounting to approximately $40,000 paid to the Amato & Creely firm, approximately half of which was paid back to Judge Porteous. Judge Porteous made intentionally misleading statements at the recusal hearing, intended to minimize the extent of this personal relationship with the firm. The record also reflects that Judge Porteous engaged in corrupt conduct after the bench trial and while the case was under advisement, by soliciting and accepting things of value from attorneys at the firm, including $2,000 in cash. This corrupt relationship and his conduct as a federal judge have brought his court into scandal and disrepute and demonstrate that he is unfit for office. The second task force hearing focused on allegations that Judge Porteous repeatedly made false and misleading statements, including the concealment of debts, under oath and in disregard of a bankruptcy court's orders. The record reflects that as a federal judge, he knowingly and intentionally made material false statements and representations under penalty of perjury and repeatedly violated a court order in his case. This included using a false name and post office box to conceal his identity as a debtor in the case; concealing assets, preferential payments to certain creditors, and gambling losses and debts; and incurring new debts while the case was pending in violation of the court's order. The third task force hearing focused on allegations that Judge Porteous engaged in a corrupt relationship with bail bondsman Louis Marcotte and his sister Lori. The record reflects that as part of this corrupt relationship, Judge Porteous solicited and accepted numerous things of value, including meals, trips, and home and car repairs, for his personal use and benefit, while at the same time taking official actions to improperly benefit the Marcottes. This included setting, reducing, and splitting bonds for the Marcottes while on the State bench, and improperly setting aside or expunging felony convictions for two Marcotte employees. Judge Porteous also used the power and prestige of his office to assist the Marcottes in forming relationships with State judicial officers and others. Judge Porteous also knew and understood that Louis Marcotte made false statements to the FBI in an effort to assist his appointment to the federal bench. Fourth Hearing--False and Misleading Statements in Confirmation; Expert Views At the fourth hearing, the Task Force received testimony from a panel of constitutional scholars on whether Judge Porteous's conduct renders him unfit to hold office and provides a sufficient basis for impeachment. The scholars considered not only allegations that were the subject of the previous hearings, but also the record reflecting that Judge Porteous had knowingly made material false statements about his past to both the U.S. Senate and to the FBI in connection with his nomination to the federal bench in order to conceal corrupt relationships. In addition, Judge Porteous knew that another individual made false statements to the FBI in an effort to assist his appointment to the federal bench. Judge Porteous's failure to disclose these corrupt relationships deprived the U.S. Senate and the public of information that would have had a material impact on his confirmation. The panel of experts testified that making these materially false statements. clearly constituted impeachable conduct, as did the conduct established in the previous task force hearings. The task force invited Judge Porteous to testify, but he declined the offer. In addition, the task force afforded the opportunity for Judge Porteous and his counsel to request that the task force hear from a witness or witnesses that they wish to call. Judge Porteous's counsel informed the task force that they did not wish to avail themselves of that opportunity. The task force permitted Judge Porteous's counsel to participate in the hearings on behalf of his client and to question the witnesses. This was an extraordinary prerogative that was granted to counsel. After the task force concluded that the full record established that Judge Porteous should be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, we met on January 21st and unanimously voted in favor of recommending four Articles of Impeachment for consideration by the House Judiciary Committee. These Articles were subsequently introduced in the House in the form of H. Res. 1031. On January 27th, the House Judiciary Committee individually approved each Article unanimously and ordered H. Res. 1031 favorably reported by a rollcall vote of 24-0. Mr. Speaker, today we must determine whether we fulfill our duty to uphold the laws of the Constitution and allow justice to be served or whether we will condone what has been determined by my colleagues on the judiciary committee as impeachable actions. As a member of the Impeachment Task Force, I had an opportunity to see firsthand the evidence that was presented in this case and believe that Judge Porteous should be impeached for his actions. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 1031 and urge my colleagues to join me in upholding the laws of our great nation.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. This is a very historic occasion. I would like to thank Congresswoman Waters for her continued and persistent leadership on debt relief for countries around the world. I thank the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Meeks of New York, for his persistence and guidance on passing this bill so quickly with Mr. Bachus and Mr. Miller. Thank you for your commitment and for your interesting and very good idea about putting Americans to work. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support this legislation to acknowledge that we are talking about a country right now that has only 20 percent of the revenue that it needs to run its nation. They need seed. They need fertilizer. They are living some 80 percent below the poverty line, owing some $709 million in debts to multilateral financial institutions--$447 million to the Inter-American Development Bank--and also to countries such as Venezuela. This legislation will, in essence, help us clear the slate of all of those debts, and it will help us track what the United States has done. I would like to take this time to thank all of the first responders, USAID and so many who stood tall when Haiti called. Today, in the White House, it was good to be able to acknowledge those first responders from around the world, from around the Nation, in addition to the United States military. Helping them with this debt relief over all the land will allow the President to focus on building and on rebuilding--rebuilding Port-au- Prince, rebuilding the suburbs in the outlying areas--and to focus on creating jobs for the Haitian people and on bringing contractors there who will work with Haitians in a joint venture with agencies. So the relief of this debt, I believe, is an enormous step in making a difference in the lives of Haitians. I want to thank you and ask support of this legislation. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4573--the Debt Relief for Earthquake Recovery in Haiti Act of 2010. As, a co-sponsor of this bill, I strongly believe that it is a necessary step to ensure a successful recovery in Haiti. Haiti's long term development is currently hampered by its debt burden. January's earthquake struck Haiti during a time of economic vulnerability. Before the earthquake, Haiti was, by far, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Before the earthquake, Haiti also has among the world's lowest levels of gross domestic product per capita. An estimated 80 percent of the population lived under the poverty line with 54 percent living in abject poverty, according to the CIA World Factbook. According to the United Nations Human Development Report, more than two-thirds of the labor force is believed to not have formal jobs, and just 62.1 percent of adults over age 15 are literate. Additionally, 18 percent of Haitians did not live to the age of 40. Yet, despite the destruction wreaked by multiple tropical storms in 2008, Haiti's economy and infrastructure-building seemed to be turning a corner in recent years, aided by international support and debt relief programs. In fact, according to the New York Times, ``Haiti was one of only two Caribbean countries expected to grow in 2009. There were hopes of a tourism revival, reinforced by the announcement that a new Comfort Inn would open there this May. In a sign of its growing structural sophistication, Haiti even recently announced that it would begin collecting better national statistics, with the help of the International Monetary Fund, so that it could better assess and calibrate its economic policies.'' The earthquake on January derailed this progress. As this legislation states, the Government of Haiti cannot afford to invest in reconstruction and development efforts while continuing to make payments on debts owed to multilateral financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Inter- American Development Bank and to other international creditors. Prior to the earthquake, debt service payments to multilateral financial institutions and other international creditors already were a tremendous burden that interfered with the ability of the Government of Haiti to meet the needs of its people. On June 30, 2009, the World Bank announced that Haiti qualified for and received $1.2 billion in debt relief from the IMF, the World Bank, and other multilateral financial institutions. In order to qualify for this debt relief, the Government of Haiti successfully developed and implemented a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, under the direction of the IMF and the World Bank. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, despite previous debt relief, Haiti still owes a total of $709 million in debts to multilateral financial institutions, including $447 million to the Inter-American Development Bank, $165 million to the IMF, $39 million to the World Bank, and $58 million to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. According to the IMF, Haiti owed Venezuela $167 million and Taiwan $92 million at the end of September, 2008; furthermore, the amounts of these debts may have grown since that time. The cancellation of Haiti's debts to multilateral financial institutions and other international creditors will allow the Government of Haiti to use its meager resources for essential reconstruction and development efforts. As important as this legislation is, it is only one part of a much larger American assistance response to the earthquake. America will continue to respond with humanitarian assistance to help the people of this struggling island nation rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people and government of Haiti as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As Haiti's neighbor, I believe it is the United States' responsibility to help Haiti recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against future disasters. To date the United States Government has contributed over $402 million in earthquake response funding for Haiti. It has also deployed approximately 17,000 military personnel in support of the relief effort. Subsequently, as part of the new Government of Haiti-led effort, the U.N. World Food Program will provide commodities, non- governmental organizations will manage distributions, and U.S. military will provide security escorts. America and her allies have already initiated a comprehensive, interagency response to the earthquake. The State Department, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard, USAID--all worked overnight to ensure critical resources were positioned to support the response and recovery effort, including efforts to find and assist American citizens in Haiti. Once again I stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and will do everything in my power to assist them with rebuilding their country and livelihoods. I am proud of our first responders and pledge that America's long term commitment to Haiti will live up to the standard that the first responders set.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker. I rise in support of H. Res. 1144, ``Expressing condolences to the families of the victims of the February 27, 2010, earthquake in Chile, as well as solidarity with and support for the people of Chile as they plan for recovery and reconstruction'' introduced by my distinguished colleague from Texas, Representative Hinojosa. As you know, on Saturday, February 27, 2010, a massive, 8.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the largest ever recorded, struck off of the coast of Chile. An estimated 2,000,000 people, including upwards of 1,500,000 displaced persons, have been directly affected by the earthquake, the tsunami, and its aftermath. As the casualties continue to grow, there is a great deal of extensive damage to highways, bridges, apartments, and infrastructure, have led the government of Chile declaration of a `state of catastrophe.' Since the initial earthquake, there have been over 100 aftershocks, which include 8 aftershocks registering above a 6.0 magnitude. These aftershocks continue to affect the coast and the rest of the country. According to the United States Geological Survey, Concepcion, Chile's second largest city, was 70 miles from the earthquake's epicenter and suffered some of the worst damage. Thousands of its residents initially remained cut-off from the remainder of the country without any basic necessities, such as running water and electricity. The coastal town of Dichato and its 4,000 residents were among the hardest hit and is 80 percent destroyed. 80 percent of Talcahuano's 180,000 residents living on the Chilean coast were left homeless by the earthquake. Initial estimates of damages range from $15,000,000,000 to $30,000,000,000, and basic necessities across the country, including electricity, clean water access, telephone access, and communication systems continue to be restored on a progressive basis in many zones. Chile's stringent building codes, which one local architect called `our proud building standards,' as well as the Government of Chile's ability to implement them greatly mitigated the impact of this catastrophic natural event both in terms of casualties and physical damage to the infrastructure of this country. The Government of Chile has taken significant measures to maintain order and public security in the streets in order to prevent more widespread panic and chaos as damage assessments are made and relief is delivered. America is again responding, and will continue to respond with immediate humanitarian assistance to help the people of this struggling island nation rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people and government of Chile as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As Chile's neighbor, I believe it is the United States' responsibility to help Chile recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against future disasters. Throughout my time in Congress, I have been highly involved in strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and countries abroad. I have worked to establish positive and productive partnerships with local development officials, non-profit organizations, and various leaders to establish a strong web of support for countries abroad. In collaboration with the Congressional Black Caucus, I have been a continual advocate of providing assistance to various countries to strengthen their fragile democratic processes, continue to improve security, and promote economic development among other concerns such the protection of human rights, combating narcotics, arms, and human trafficking, addressing migration, and alleviating poverty. Once again, I am devastated by the immeasurable tragedy that occurred in Chile. Along with my colleagues, I hope to visit Chile in the near future to meet with their leaders and see what the United States can do to rebuild the shattered livelihoods.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1081, which supports the goals and ideals of ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''. Mr. Speaker, allow these alarming statistics to speak on behalf of the importance of this resolution: 1 in 3 adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting youth. 1 in 10 high school students, nationwide, (9.9 percent) has been hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend. 1 in 4 teenagers have been in a relationship where a partner is verbally abusive. 20 percent of teen girls exposed to physical dating violence did not attend school on 1 or more occasions during a 30-day period because they felt unsafe either at school, or on the way to or from school. Since 2006, the United States has recognized ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week'' during the first week of February. Because of the severity of the issue, the awareness campaign was extended to include the entire month of February in 2010. This initiative increases awareness and educates others about the very real dangers of teen dating violence. This epidemic of teen dating violence is perhaps one of the most complex and invasive problems facing teenagers today. Technology has added an additional ubiquitous and hidden feature of teen dating violence, with the use and the availability of cell phones, text and instant messaging, e-mail, and community networks. About 30 percent of teenagers who have been in a dating relationship have been text-messaged between 10 and 30 times per hour by a partner seeking to find out where they are, what they are doing, and with whom they are with. Yet 67 percent of parents are unaware that their teen is being checked up on some 30 times per day on their teen's cell phone. The warning signs of teen dating violence for young females are: Apologizes for his behavior and makes excuses for him; loses interest in activities that she used to enjoy; and stops seeing her friends and family members and becomes increasingly isolated. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today with a zeal and vigor about the goals and ideals that the ``National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month''; because this issue, if not handled with properly, grows into domestic violence, the ugly older sister of teen dating violence. In Houston, 9 percent of Houston students surveyed in grades 9 to 12 reported being hit, slapped or physically hurt by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the past year. This is unacceptable! Teenagers' foremost concern should be achieving academic excellence, not dealing with physical and mental abuse, from anyone! This Congress should be committed to tackling the roots of issues, such as teen violence and supporting this resolution will not only address with the root cause of domestic violence, but also; (1) support teen victims of abuse; (2) educate pre-teens and teenagers, both male and female, about the issue; and (3) give the support needed by organizations and groups to effectively distribute life saving information and awareness to those in need. So in conclusion, I support H. Res. 1081 and I encourage my colleagues to join me.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4783--a bill that will accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Chile. As you know, on Saturday, February 27, 2010, a massive, 8.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the largest ever recorded, struck off of the coast of Chile. An estimated 2,000,000 people, including upwards of 1,500,000 displaced persons, have been directly affected by the earthquake, the tsunami, and its aftermath. As the casualties continue to grow, there is a great deal of extensive damage to highways, bridges, apartments, and infrastructure, have led the government of Chile to declare a `state of catastrophe.' Since the initial earthquake, there have been over 100 aftershocks, which include 8 aftershocks registering above a 6.0 magnitude. These aftershocks continue to affect the coast and the rest of the country. According to the United States Geological Survey, Concepcion, Chile's second largest city, was 70 miles from the earthquake's epicenter and suffered some of the worst damage. Thousands of its residents initially remained cut-off from the remainder of the country without any basic necessities, such as running water and electricity. The coastal town of Dichato and its 4,000 residents were among the hardest hit and is 80 percent destroyed. 80 percent of Talcahuano's 180,000 residents living on the Chilean coast were left homeless by the earthquake. Initial estimates of damages range from $15,000,000,000 to $30,000,000,000, and basic necessities across the country, including electricity, clean water access, telephone access, and communication systems continue to be restored on a progressive basis in many zones. Chile's stringent building codes, which one local architect called `our proud building standards,' as well as the Government of Chile's ability to implement them greatly mitigated the impact of this catastrophic natural event both in terms of casualties and physical damage to the infrastructure of this country. The Government of Chile has taken significant measures to maintain order and public security in the streets in order to prevent more widespread panic and chaos as damage assessments are made and relief is delivered. America is again responding, and will continue to respond with immediate humanitarian assistance to help the people of this struggling nation rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people and government of Chile as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As Chile's neighbor, I believe it is the United States' responsibility to help Chile recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against future disasters. Throughout my time in Congress, I have been highly involved in strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and countries abroad. I have worked to establish positive and productive partnerships with local development officials, nonprofit organizations, and various leaders to establish a strong web of support for countries abroad. In collaboration with the Congressional Black Caucus, I have been a continual advocate of providing assistance to various countries to strengthen their fragile democratic processes, continue to improve security, and promote economic development among other concerns such as the protection of human rights, combating narcotics, arms, and human trafficking, addressing migration, and alleviating poverty. Once again, I am devastated by the immeasurable tragedy that occurred in Chile. Along with my colleagues, I hope to visit Chile in the near future to meet with their leaders and see what the United States can do to rebuild the shattered livelihoods. America is responding to the earthquakes in Chile and will continue to respond with immediate humanitarian assistance to help the people of Chile rebuild their livelihoods. I send my condolences to the people and government of Chile as they grieve once again in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As Chile's friend, it is the United States' responsibility to help Chile recover, and build the capacity to mitigate against future disasters. Financially, 2009 was not an easy year for many Americans. Although thousands of jobs were created and we are back on the road to economic recovery, Americans lived on tighter budgets than usual. This legislation will allow those Americans who have generously donated money to Chile to receive their tax break this year instead of next year. In January of 2005, Congress enacted this type of relief for individuals that made charitable contributions to victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred in late December of 2004. That bill (H.R. 241 in the 109th Congress) passed the House of Representatives without objection and subsequently passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Additionally, these same benefits were extended to people who donated to Haiti. I hope that this legislation, like our response to the 2004 tsunami, and January's earthquake in Haiti will encourage Americans to contribute more money to Chile. As Haiti starts on its long recovery, every dollar is critically important. Once again, I am proud to represent such a compassionate and generous nation.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I was one of those Members who understood the horror of 9/11 and joined with the then-President of the United States to respond to an attack on the United States. Subsequently in the Iraq war, I voted against that war knowing that it had nothing to do with the attack on the United States on 9/11. So I do not stand on this floor with a heart that is not heavy-laden and an understanding of the importance of this resolution. This resolution is grounded in the Constitution and it has merit; for the question is, when we responded to 9/11, it was a war on terror. Today, we find that this is a war of insurgents. There is no real documentation that al Qaeda still lingers in Afghanistan. But we do understand that we have lost 1,000 Americans to date--70 in 2010 and 316 in 2009--soldiers that we honor and respect. Never will there be one soldier that we don't call for an honor and respect of the United States. In fact, I filed legislation to have a day of honor for all of our returning soldiers. None of them should come home to silence. We should always provide great honor for them. But here is where we are as it relates to the situation in Afghanistan. Today, although he has the right to do so, President Karzai is greeting the President of Iran. I hope they work together for peace. But the questions are: What are our soldiers doing to help impact the governance of Afghanistan? The governance that requires the fighting of corruption; the governance to fight for freedom and for human rights and the right to worship; governance to establish schools for the girls and boys and allow girls and boys to go. Yes, we need nation building, but not with our soldiers out walking step by step trying to bypass IEDs, many times missing it and losing arms and legs and eyes. This is the time to give the President, who did do the right thing, who deliberated and who took time and responded to his generals--we salute him for that. But now is the time for the United States Congress and the constitutional separation of the branches of government to be able to assess whether or not this particular conflict must continue and whether there is a benefit to the American people. I would make the argument there is much to do. There is much to do in cleaning up Afghanistan. There is much to do in providing for the opportunity of governance. We can do that in a way that will support the State Department with support staff from the military. And if there is a need to defend the United States, I have no doubt that the brave men and women of the United States military will stand at attention and will rise to the occasion. Now we owe their families, these young men and women, 165,000 who came home from Iraq, many of whom are suffering from posttraumatic disorder.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. When we send them into battle, we have the obligation of saying there is a beginning and an end. World War I, World War II, wars that we may have liked or disliked, but we knew as they went into battle that there was an ending. And how brave they were. As we saluted the women who participated in the Air Army Corps for Women, the WASPs today, some hundreds of them, we know that there is no doubt that they are brave. But I would say to you, end this war with Afghanistan and end this partnership with Pakistan. There are ways to be able to support the structure of both governments without our soldiers losing their lives on and on and on. This resolution says that if the President finds it necessary to extend, he can do so. But we are asking for the troops to be out by the end of this year. So many of us have spoken to that over and over again. Madam Speaker, this is not something unusual. This is not a cause of the fearful. This is not a cause of those who are nonpatriotic. This is a cause for people who believe in the red, white, and blue, who stand here today loving their country and believe that our soldiers are owed this respect to bring them home as heroes. We ask that you support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I rise in solemn opposition to a war that has cost too many American lives and too many American dollars. To date, over 1,000 Americans have lost their lives in the Afghan theatre, including 70 in 2010. In 2009, 316 Americans lost their lives. The war in Afghanistan should end as safely and quickly as possible, and our troops should be brought home with honor and a national day of celebration. I strongly believe that this can and must be done by the end of the year. This stance is borne from my deeply held belief that we must commend our military for their exemplary performance and success in Afghanistan. As lawmakers continue to debate U.S. policy in Afghanistan, our heroic young men and women continue to willingly sacrifice life and limb on the battlefield. Our troops in Afghanistan did everything we asked them to do. We sent them overseas to destroy the roots of terror and protect our homeland; they are now caught in the midst of an insurgent civil war and continuing political upheaval. Throughout the discussion of the administration's proposed surge, I expressed my concern for the cost of sending additional troops, as well as the effect that a larger presence in Afghanistan will have on troop morale. The White House estimates that it will cost $1 million per year for each additional soldier deployed, and I believe that $30 billion would be better spent on developing new jobs and fixing our broken healthcare system. Many leaders in our armed forces, including Secretary Gates, have said that it is optimal for troops to have two years between overseas deployments; yet, today, our troops have only a year at home between deployments. Expanding the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan by 30,000 will negatively impact troop morale and will bring us further away from the conditions necessary to maintain a strong, all-volunteer military. This is not President Obama's war and I applaud his thoughtful leadership--the Congress now needs to give counsel to have a time certain for the troops to come home. I very strongly believe that our nation has a moral obligation to ensure that our veterans are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. One reason that we are the greatest nation in the world is because of the brave young men and women fighting for us in Iraq and Afghanistan. They deserve honor, they deserve dignity, and they deserve to know that a grateful nation cares about them. Whether or not my colleagues agree that the time has come to withdraw our American forces from Afghanistan, I believe that all of us in Congress should be of one accord that our troops deserve our sincere thanks and congratulations. It is because I respect our troops that I am voting to bring them home from a war that has strayed far beyond its original mandate. The United States will not and should not permanently prop up the Afghan government and military. To date, almost $27 billion--more than half of all reconstruction dollars--have been apportioned to build the Afghan National Security Forces. The focus should be on strengthening the civilian government for it to lead. And we should continue to chase the real terrorists that are now lodged in Pakistan. We must support governments with a diplomatic surge--more resources for schools, hospitals, and government reform. U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan will come to an end, and when U.S. forces leave, the responsibility for securing their nation will fall to the people and government of Afghanistan. Governance is more than winning elections, it is about upholding human rights, especially the rights of women; it requires fighting corruption. Governance requires fighting corruption. Governance requires providing for the freedom to worship. Governance requires establishing schools that provide education from early childhood through higher education. Yet, Afghanistan has largely failed to institute the internal reforms necessary to justify America's continued involvement. The recent elections did not reflect the will of the people, and the government has consistently failed to gain the trust of the people of Afghanistan. The troubling reports about the elections that were held on August 20, 2009 were the first in a series of very worrisome developments. The electoral process is at the heart of democracy, and the disdain for that process that was displayed in the Afghanistan elections gives me great pause. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction recently released his quarterly report which detailed our nation's efforts to work with contractors and the Afghanistan government to prevent fraud and enhance transparency. This is the 8th report by the Special Inspector General, but as a recent series in the Washington Post showed, we are unable to stem the flow of corruption and waste within Afghanistan, despite our efforts at reforming our own contracting procedures. This money likely comes from the opium trade and U.S. assistance and, the Washington Post estimates, totals over one billion dollars each year. The task of establishing legitimate governing practices remains formidable. A November 17, 2009 report from Transparency International listed Afghanistan as the second most corrupt country in the world, continuing its second straight year of declining in the corruption index. Such news is disparaging and provides an important dynamic to how we consider our strategy with regards to Afghanistan going forward. In January, a U.N. survey found that an overwhelming 59 percent of Afghans view public dishonesty as a bigger concern than insecurity (54 percent) and unemployment (52 percent). This is telling for a country with widespread violence and an unemployment rate of 40 percent. As co-chair of the Congressional U.S.-Afghanistan Caucus, I have called for policies that allow the United States to provide benefits to the people of Afghanistan. Our effort must enhance our efforts at building both hard and soft infrastructure in Afghanistan. Change in Afghanistan is going to come through schools and roads, through health care and economic opportunity, and through increased trade and exchange. The Afghan people need our help to achieve these objectives, but I am not convinced that our military is the solution. If the Government of Afghanistan can demonstrate a responsible and non-corrupt commitment to its people, I believe that America should respond with appropriate and targeted foreign assistance. I am also concerned that the United States is shouldering too much of the burden in Afghanistan. Although the terror attacks on American soil prompted NATO to respond with collective military action, no nation is immune from the threat of terrorism. Although the troops and resources provided by our allies have been invaluable to date, especially regarding development for the people of Afghanistan, questions must be raised about how long other nations will remain involved in Afghanistan. France and Germany, for example have already questioned whether or not to send additional troops. NATO resources must continue to focus on improving the livelihoods of the Afghan people, but if the support of these governments wavers, American troops and Afghan citizens will suffer the consequences. I agree with our President that a stable Afghanistan is in the best interest of the international community, and I was pleased to see President Obama's outreach to our allies for additional troops. Currently, 41 NATO and other allied countries contribute nearly 36,000 troops. That number is expected to increase by nearly 6,000 with at least 5,000 additional troops coming from NATO member countries. Multilateralism is vital to ensuring that our operations in Afghanistan succeed. Madam Speaker, today, we face difficult realities on the ground. The Taliban attacks our forces whenever and wherever they can. Agents of the Taliban seek to turn the people of Afghanistan against us as we attempt to provide them with help in every way we can. This situation is unsustainable. Afghanistan's history has earned it the nickname, ``The Graveyard of Empires,'' and I believe that we should not take this grim history lightly. By including a timetable for our operations in Afghanistan, we focus our mission and place it in a long-term context. Although development to improve the lives of the Afghan people is important, defeating al-Qaeda and the threat they pose to America and our allies is the most important objective of our operations. To that end, I believe that Pakistan, not Afghanistan, is now the key to success and stability in the region. Over the past eight years, coalition forces have successfully pushed most of al-Qaeda out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan. This has not only put them outside the mandate of our forces, but has also forced Pakistan to address an enlarged terrorist threat. During his State of the Union Address, President Obama spoke of the importance of Pakistan when he noted ``America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan's security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed.'' As the co-chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, I know, firsthand, of the great potential of the Pakistani people, and I strongly believe that the recently approved assistance package to Pakistan will work to this end. U.S. foreign assistance to Pakistan will improve Pakistan's capacity to address terrorist networks within its own borders, but I worry that a troop increase will cause even more refugees and insurgents to cross into Pakistan. Ultimately, we in Congress must decide what is in the best interest of the American people. Fighting al-Qaeda was in the best interest of the American people in 2001, as it continues to be today. Yet, we are now fighting an insurgency--not al-Qaeda--in Afghanistan. This should not be their mission, and we must bring our troops home.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring H. Con. Res. 1150, which establishes NASA and all of its assets as a national security interest. We need to work with the President in moving forward on restoring the funds for the Constellation Program and to reemphasize and recommit ourselves to human space exploration. In the current budget of the NASA program, funds have been increased, but funds have been taken away from the Constellation Program. In essence, it has been canceled. My request is that we have our task before us, and the answer is simple: to reprogram the funds that are in the NASA budget to ensure that this great asset of NASA, NASA Johnson, the NASA centers in Alabama and Mississippi and Florida and elsewhere, are maintained. The international space station has been built over the last 10 years. It has been built with the genius, the intellect, and the research of the United States. That research and genius and that kind of data requires protection as a national security interest. The funding that needs to be restored will help create this opportunity and save jobs. Let us save jobs and provide for NASA space exploration.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Thank you very much, Congressman Olson, and to the colleagues that have joined you tonight and who recognize the importance of this hour, albeit how late it might be, to really emphasize the uniqueness of America's space program and the uniqueness of, if you will, the human space exploration. As I was listening to the debate, I was very much convinced that we do have an opportunity to save this valuable asset. I think we know that the NASA budget actually, as I understand it, has seen an increase in 2011. And I think all of us would admit--and thank the President-- that's a good thing that the budget itself has increased, but we know that the program that deals with exploration to the Moon and Mars have suffered a blow. So I would say that we have an easy fix, a reprogramming of the moneys to allow for a program that has now had a sufficient start to be able to redesign itself, to be able to focus on what's important about human space exploration. But the main thing is to save it, because when we save it, we not only save jobs of today--Johnson, Huntsville, Mississippi, Florida, and places around the Nation--but we save the jobs for 2020, 2030, 2040, and beyond. I think it's important for our colleagues to know that we built the space station. I was on the Science Committee. That space station is barely a decade old--it is a decade-plus. We put it together piece by piece. And when our friends, the Russians, were delayed, they had bad economic times, we moved on. The space station is the size of a football field. And the necessity of human space exploration is to be able to tend to that space station which has the possibilities of massive research that creates jobs. Let me thank my friends on the floor. And Congressman Olson, let me thank you for your leadership--we have joined you in this bipartisan effort--for signing onto the legislation, H. Res. 1150, which establishes or, if you will, determines that NASA is a national security asset, and it is. Because involved in NASA is much of our military science, climatic science, and technology not yet discussed or discovered. And so I would rise today to support the moving forward on the Constellation Program, but also the working with this administration. I think we all know that we have a leader at NASA who knows Houston, for example, but also knows the human space exploration program. General Bolden was an astronaut and a marine. That's good news for us. And the reason why it is good news is because that is a voice that can be part of this discussion. I don't take the initial budget by the President as a statement that human space exploration is not good. And I think it is important tonight to take a stand for our continued effort and energy in working to bring about the right kind of response between the Congress and the administration, a budget that is right there in the President's budget, one that can be reprogrammed, reformed, enhanced, if you will, to emphasize the importance of saving the space exploration, this Constellation Program. Now, let me say this, Constellation is Moon and Mars. And there are scientists who probably have different perspectives, but I don't think anyone can have a different perspective on the pushing of the human capacity and what it brings about in terms of our own enhancement, both in terms of the knowledge that we gain--and I remember when we were trying to gain votes, Congressman Olson, that we would say things which were really true--the kind of research on the space station had to do with heart disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS. And discoveries today are being utilized. Those discoveries are saving lives, but they also create jobs, medical jobs. So I, one, want to continue to raise the question. I want to put in the Record that the potential of jobs lost at Johnson Space Center could be anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 high-tech jobs. And each day jobs are being created more and more. And then of course the idea of the national security information--classified, climatic, as I've said, the weather research that's being done--and the need I think most of all-- let me not say most of all because we stand on our own merit here in the United States, we are inventors, we are world leaders, but there are other countries that have looked to our leadership, Russia, India, China, all competing to be part of space exploration. Let me close and yield back to you by saying this: I want to see business involvement in this industry, but I believe it is important for NASA to, in essence, be part of the government and for the jobs we save all over this Nation on behalf of the American people.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of NASA programs across the country and to express my concerns about the Administration's proposal to cancel NASA's Constellation Program, which includes the Orion Crew Capsule, the Altair Lunar Lander, and the Ares I and Ares V rockets. These programs, which together comprise our human spaceflight program, were authorized in both 2005 and 2008 by Republican and Democratic Congresses respectively. It is under the Constellation program, that NASA is currently developing new launch vehicles and spacecraft capable of travel to the moon, Mars and other destinations. Not only does cancelling the Constellation Program jeopardize America's leadership role in human space exploration, but it will have detrimental effects on our economy and national security. Take, for example, the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Johnson Space Center has the lead to manage the Constellation Program and several of its major elements, including the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and the Altair Lunar Lander. Without Constellation, the Johnson Space Center could lose anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 high-tech jobs. If the JSC loses 4,000 direct jobs, an additional 2,315 indirect jobs would be lost, totaling 6,315; loss of income and expenditures locally would be over $567 million. If the JSC loses 7,000 direct jobs, an additional 4,052 indirect jobs would be lost, totaling 11,052; loss of income and expenditures locally would total almost $1 billion. When speaking of the decision to cancel the Constellation Program, Administrator Bolden stated that ``NASA intends to work with the Congress to make this transition smooth and effective, working responsibly on behalf of the Taxpayers.'' To the contrary, I believe that the best use of taxpayers' money is to continue the investment in NASA to build America's scientific future. That future will create jobs. Finally, I would like to reiterate that the present Administration's plan for the Constellation Program would cause drastic job loss across America and would place America in a behind the edge position as it relates to competitiveness in scientific research. NASA and the space industry are critical to Houston's economic success in both the short and long term. According to the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, NASA accounts for nearly 16,800 direct federal jobs and serves as the engine for another 3,100 civilian jobs that together supply more than $2.5 billion in payroll into Houston's regional economy. As you are aware, the Johnson Space Center is the primary location for training Astronauts for spaceflights and this move; yet, the proposed budget will effectively cancel America's human spaceflight program. In his statement announcing NASA's budget, Administrator Bolden stressed that changes in the FY 2011 budget would be ``good for NASA, great for the American workforce, and essential for our nation's future prosperity.'' While I seek the same objectives, I strongly disagree with the closing of this project and I believe it will hurt America's scientific progress. Additionally, the aerospace industry would lose as many as 20,000- 30,000 jobs nationally in either of these scenarios. Given our current economic downturn, we cannot take the possibility of these job losses lightly and the Johnson Space Center is just one example of what the cancellation of this program would do to other NASA centers nationally. It will take years for the commercial spaceflight industry to get up to speed to reach the level of competence that exists at NASA today. Our government has already invested literally years and billions of dollars into this program. We should build upon these investments and not abandon them. Our country can support the commercial spaceflight industry, but not at the expense of our human spaceflight program, which for years has inspired future generations and driven technology that enhances our quality of life. This technology is crucial to our national security. NASA conducts aeronautics research to address aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and, emissions reductions and fuel efficiency. NASA's contribution to our knowledge of air and water supports improved decision making for natural resource management and emergency response, thus enabling us to better respond to future homeland security threats. Knowledge of Earth's water cycle is a critical first step in protecting our water supply; water flows over the Earth's surface in oceans, lakes, and streams, and is particularly vulnerable to attack. NASA sensors provide a wealth of information about the water cycle; and contributes to improving our ability to monitor water resources and water quality from space; we must also protect the quality and safety of the air we breathe; airborne contaminants can pose danger to human health; and chemical, nuclear, radiological, and biological attacks are plausible threats against which we can protect. Thus, join me in my efforts to restore funding for the Constellation to the FY 2011 budget for the following reasons: (1) Elimination of the Constellation program, will present Homeland security implications for Cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and Intelligence community of the United States; (2) Elimination of the Constellation program will compromise the effectiveness of the International Space Station as it relates to the strategic importance of space station research, and intelligence; (3) Continuation of NASA's Constellation program is crucial to improving national security, climate, and research in science and medicine. It is my hope, Madam Speaker, that this Congress will continue to support NASA's Constellation Program and to support balanced energy policies that promote economic growth and will help us meet our clean energy goals. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, March 9, 2010. Dear Colleague: I hope you will consider joining me as a co-sponsor for the resolution I will introduce expressing the sense of Congress that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a national security interest and asset, and that the elimination of funding for the NASA Constellation program in the President's proposed FY 2011 budget presents national security concerns. The President's proposed FY2011 budget eliminates funding for the Constellation Program which includes the Orion Crew Capsule, the Altair Lunar Lander, and the Ares I and Ares V rockets. These programs, which together comprise our human spaceflight program, were authorized in both 2005 and 2008 by Republican and Democratic Congresses respectively. It is under the Constellation program, that NASA is currently developing new launch vehicles and spacecraft capable of travel to the moon, Mars and other destinations. Not only does cancelling the Constellation Program jeopardize America's leadership role in human space exploration, but it will have detrimental effects on national security. NASA conducts aeronautics research to address aviation safety, air traffic control, noise and, emissions reductions and fuel efficiency. NASA's contribution to our knowledge of air and water supports improved decision making for natural resource management and emergency response, thus enabling us to better respond to future homeland security threats. Knowledge of Earth's water cycle is a critical first step in protecting our water supply; water flows over the Earth's surface in oceans, lakes, and streams, and is particularly vulnerable to attack. NASA sensors provide a wealth of information about the water cycle; and contributes to improving our ability to monitor water resources and water quality from space; we must also protect the quality and safety of the air we breathe; airborne contaminants can pose danger to human health; and chemical, nuclear, radiological, and biological attacks are plausible threats against which we can protect. Thus, join me in my efforts to restore funding for the Constellation to the FY 2011 budget for the following reasons: (1) Elimination of the Constellation program, will present Homeland security implications for Cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and Intelligence community of the United States; (2) Elimination of the Constellation program will compromise the effectiveness of the International Space Station as it relates to the strategic importance of space station research, and intelligence; (3) Continuation of NASA's Constellation program is crucial to improving national security, climate, and research in science and medicine. (4) The United States should maintain its funding of the Constellation program and should begin funding commercial space in five years and not sooner. To join as a co-sponsor, please call my office for Mona K. Floyd of my staff or email (Mona.FloydPmail.house.gov). Very truly yours, Sheila Jackson Lee, Member of Congress.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Earlier this evening, Madam Speaker, colleagues came to the floor of the House to salute our late colleague, the Honorable Congressman Charles Wilson, who made the people of the world happy because of his enthusiasm and leadership. Congressman Wilson was born June 1, 1933, in the small town of Trinity, Texas. He attended public schools there and graduated from Trinity High School in 1951. While attending Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, Wilson was appointed to the United States Naval Academy. He received his B.S. degree, graduating eighth from the bottom of his class in 1956. However, that was not a testimony to how Charlie Wilson would serve this Nation. He served in the Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant. He graduated as a gunnery officer. He was assigned to a destroyer to search for Soviet submarines. He then took a top secret post at the Pentagon as part of an intelligence unit that evaluated the Soviet Union's nuclear forces. Wilson came into politics by volunteering for John F. Kennedy's Presidential campaign in 1960. After a 30-day leave from the Navy, he entered his name into the race for Texas Representative from his home district. While back on duty, his mother, sister and their friends went door-to-door, campaigning. It worked. At age 27, he was sworn into office. For the next dozen years, Wilson was known as ``the liberal from Lufkin.'' In 1972, he came to the United States Congress. He was a power. He was a man who enjoyed the friendship of many of our colleagues. He was a staunch supporter of the elderly, of women, and of equal rights. He was unique in his time. He came to this Congress in a segregated time, coming from Houston, Texas, and the surrounding areas; but he knew my colleagues Congressman Mickey Leland and Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. I know that he had a relationship that showed no discrimination, no bias. I know he loved this country. He wanted to do well by our allies; and, yes, he was the star of ``Charlie's War.'' He was the one who led quietly an opposition to the Russians' takeover of Afghanistan. That story will always be his--brave, quiet, but successful. As the story is told, he didn't do a lot of talking about it, but he got the job done. We will miss Congressman Charlie Wilson. I am so honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to serve with him for 2 years when I first came to the United States Congress. He was a joy to serve with. He was a defined Member of this body, who respected this body but who had a great time. We will miss him as he has lost his life just recently. We say to his lovely wife who shared times with him for 11 years, Thank you for sharing Charlie Wilson. Thank you for giving him the joy of his life, and thank you so very much for recognizing what a special treasure he was to the American people and to the great State of Texas. Madam Speaker, my words, I hope, will be a mere comfort to his family and friends. To my colleagues in the Texas delegation, yes, we have a fallen hero; but we have a friend we will be able to remember for a lifetime. God bless you, Charlie Wilson. May you rest in peace.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the contributions Congressman Charles Wilson made to the people of Houston, Texas, and the nation. He served the people of Houston, Texas with vigor. Congressman Wilson was born June 1, 1933 in the small town of Trinity, Texas. He attended public schools there and graduated from Trinity High School in 1951. While attending Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, Wilson was appointed to the United States Naval Academy. Wilson received a B.S. degree. From 1956 to 1960, Wilson served in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant. Having graduated as a gunnery officer, he was assigned to a destroyer that searched for Soviet submarines. He then took a top secret post at the Pentagon as part of an intelligence unit that evaluated the Soviet Union's nuclear forces. Wilson stumbled into politics by volunteering for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. After a 30-day leave from the Navy, he entered his name into the race for Texas State Representative from his home district. While back on duty, his mother, sister and their friends went door to door campaigning. It worked. And at age 27, he was sworn into office. For the next dozen years, Wilson made a name for himself as the ``liberal from Lufkin.'' In 1972, Wilson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Second District of Texas, taking office the following January. Though he did not speak much on the House floor, he spoke through his actions. He was a staunch supporter of the elderly, women, and equal rights. Charlie Wilson supported abortion rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. Wilson also battled for regulation of utilities, Medicaid, tax exemptions for the elderly and a minimum wage bill. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the contributions of Charlie Wilson as a representative of the people of Houston and this nation.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Just a few minutes ago, Mr. Speaker, I stood on the floor of the House to introduce H. Res. 1150, which addresses the National Aeronautic and Space Administration as a national security asset and interest. I served for 12 years on the Science Committee and as a member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. I visited almost every NASA center around the country. I have visited our science laboratories. I am very engaged with the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Program, to help educate America's children to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of science and technology and inventiveness, and as well to be able to build jobs for the 21st century. We are in that century now. I have interacted with NASA and many of the astronauts over the years, watching them as they have launched into space, experiencing the tragedies of Challenger and Columbia, the loss of life of those brave souls who were willing to risk their lives to explore on behalf of the American people. I want to work with the administration, because I believe they are knowledgeable about the value of human spaceflight. However, the approach to commercialize this important national security interest is not appropriate for now. We live in a world that has changed. I chair the Subcommittee on Homeland Security dealing with transportation security and the protection of our infrastructure. Our infrastructure includes the buildings that we are in today, hospitals and schools, private-sector buildings, mass assets of the Federal Government, and, yes, the NASA centers and the NASA shuttle and all of the equipment that goes into providing for human spaceflight. Lending that space technology to commercial exploration and private- sector businesses on the basis of profit is not appropriate now. It will put us in a noncompetitive position with China, India, and Russia. So this resolution is simple. It declares the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a national security interest and asset. It indicates that the United States has invested in the human space program since May 5, 1961. We all can remember the words of our President, John F. Kennedy, that challenged this Nation when he asked the question, Not why, but why not? Although those words came from his brother, he captured it in the early 1960s when he asked and demanded what we could do not for ourselves, but what we could do for our country. At that time, we established the United States as a leader in the role of space exploration, and as well in the advancement of scientific research, and therefore that equals a national security interest. It does so because science provides security, and the penetration of the scientific knowledge that we have lowers the security of this Nation. My Committee on Homeland Security deals with protecting the infrastructure. Infrastructure is security. Infrastructure involves the science labs. Infrastructure involves the many space centers we have around the Nation. The States that are involved are Florida; Huntsville, Alabama; Texas; and the various sites in California as well. And so I would ask that this legislation be moved quickly in the United States Congress and in this House because the 2010 NASA budget funded a program of space-based research that supports the administration's commitment to deploy a global climate change research and monitoring system. That research can be done better on the international space station. That international space station needs to be supported. It needs to be able to carry astronauts and scientists there to continue the research to make the quality of life for Americans and the world better. In the early stages of the international space station, research was done involving HIV/AIDS, stroke, heart disease, and cancer. That research has created opportunities for a better quality of life, and it saved lives. Let us not miss the opportunity, the treasure of being able to explore in space; the genius of America to allow us to be at the cutting edge of science; and, yes, to protect a natural security interest, which is the National Aeronautics Space Administration and all of its assets. And so I look forward to working with General Bolden, an astronaut and a very able appointee of the President of United States, to see how we can save NASA and the Constellation program that will allow us to be at the cutting edge of science, not in America, but around the world.