Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me just congratulate the Blue Dog Coalition. I have listened to this very articulate explanation, if you will, of the national debt; and I want to congratulate the gentleman from Georgia and the gentleman from Arkansas and the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee. I just want to thank you for acknowledging or at least bringing to the attention of the American people the impact of the deficit. Just a reminder that when the Clinton administration left office there was a surplus. And so this issue of the national debt and deficit is crucial. And I would just simply leave with this thought: I also heard you talk about the gasoline prices and, obviously, there is an enormous range of issues that we need to discuss with that, the ethanol issue and, of course, the strategic petroleum reserve. But let us remember that the people who are most harmed by where we are today, the deficit and gasoline prices, are hardworking, struggling American families. These are people who get up every day, turn the lights on early and get in their cars to make ends meet. And, frankly, even though the President has offered some suggestions today as it relates to gasoline pricing, I don't think this House should rest a moment until we address this question. Many people will say, I represent the energy company so I am not here to suggest that there is a single answer. But I think the energy company should come to the table, I think the President needs to have the bully pulpit, if you will, and some relief needs to go directly to mom and pop senior citizen at the gas pump. And I hope, as you continue your discussion this evening, that Americans will understand that Democrats are prepared to fix this horrible debt to protect the Social Security trust fund which is a very important issue, but also respond to the struggling Americans or the needs of fixed-income persons when it comes to this crisis in gasoline pricing. It is not tomorrow, next week; it is now. This Congress needs to stand up and address this question, and they need to do it now. And I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I include the following letters of support for this legislation: Consumers Union, Washington, DC., February 8, 2006. Hon. Charles Schumer, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Arlen Specter, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Bill Nelson U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Senators Schumer, Specter and Nelson: Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, supports the Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006, S. 2178, and applauds your leadership on this critical consumer issue. The Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act would go far in protecting consumers' private telephone records. Consumers have a reasonable expectation that their calling records will not be released to anyone other than themselves. Congress must meet that expectation by preventing stalkers, identity thieves, and shady data-brokers from accessing consumers' personal telephone calling records. Subjecting to criminal penalties the selling of those records and the practice of pretexting to obtain them will serve as a strong deterrence. Importantly, instead of simply reaffirming Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce penalties against unfair and deceptive trade practices, the Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act ensures that other federal entities are empowered to protect consumers' calling records. Additionally, the bill covers all wireline, wireless and VoIP services, protecting the rights of consumers to keep their phoning records private regardless of which platform they use. We look forward to working with you toward adoption of S. 2178 as well as other complementary measures required to protect consumers phone records. These include stronger enforcement powers and penalties for FTC and the Federal Communications Commission; mandatory consumer notice when calling records have been requested or provided to any party; requirements that consumers affirmatively opt-in before any of their records are shared, even with affiliates of the phone company; and finally, provisions strengthening carrier internal processes for safeguarding consumer information under Section 222 of the 1934 Communications Act, with tough penalties for noncompliance. We applaud your swift action and thank you for your leadership to protect consumers. We look forward to working with you toward effective, enforceable consumer phone record privacy legislation. We look forward to working with you toward enactment of this important legislation. Respectfully, Jeannine Kenney, Senior Policy Analyst.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I ask the support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, nothing was more talked about during the work recess than the outrageous gasoline prices as they go up and up and up. None were more harmed than seniors, others on fixed income, and, of course, America's families who are struggling. We also in Texas had a rolling blackout. So we must act now; not the Republican agenda, not the agenda that does not work, but Democrats and Republicans must work together to act and pass solutions. We must have, if you will, a conservation day, 1 day that you are on public transportation or bicycles; taxes on the excessive CEO salaries, how much can they spend? We must have, of course, a tax on the outrageous profits of the energy companies, but, more importantly, that tax can be used as a rebate, a one-time $10 rebate to those families who are at a certain income; review of the release of barrels from the petroleum reserve; Congressional hearings on the allegation of price gouging; the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, must be out in the field doing a national survey on gas prices, an assessment of the market, analyzing the exploiting of political issues like Iraq and Iran. The President must take leadership. Government incentives for domestic production of ethanol and town hall meetings will be held in my district, and also we must do exploration in the gulf. Outrageous gas prices require us to act.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honor to enthusiastically stand before you, Mr. Hoyer, and to join with the two outstanding co-Chairs of the Fire Caucus to acknowledge our brothers and sisters who are now being hosted at the Hilton Hotel to say thank you. Thank you to the 1 million firefighters, who every single day, and emergency operators, stand up and fight for the American people and protect the American people. Coming from a city of firefighters and a district of firefighters and a district that has a number of devastating fires because we are elderly and we have old housing, never have we had a situation where a firefighter has not been willing to put their life on the line. So let me simply thank you for this Resolution 764. Thank you again for acknowledging that we will never forget, and not on our clock will we forget to say thank you to America's firefighters. Congratulations to you both. Thank you for your leadership. And I hope to see you down at a great celebration for all of these great men and women.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today the Attorney General appeared in the hearing of the Judiciary Committee for an oversight hearing, and we raised the question again about the protection of those displaced voters in New Orleans who have now the responsibility of casting their vote for a local election. Ordinarily, Mr. Speaker, we would ask the involvement of the Federal Government, but the Voting Rights Act, section 2 in particular, guarantees protection of certain States and persons of the right to vote. Therefore, we cannot understand why the Justice Department precleared a system that will not work. Today I have introduced with 42 cosponsors legislation to express the sense of Congress that the State of Louisiana and the Department of Justice must create outside satellite voting for the more than hundreds of thousands of displaced, disheartened Louisianans who have no way of going back to their home State at this time to be able to cast their vote for their city. They are, in essence, trying to come home. But with the little resources they have, today they cannot head home to cast a vote. I hope the Attorney General and the State of Louisiana understand the Voting Rights Act and create outside satellite voting so that we can have the constitutional right to vote.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from California for his leadership. I do not know why we have this controversy. I do not see anything controversial about protecting, if you will, the rights of older workers. And I might remind my colleagues that the House of Representatives has already voted three times to require the Treasury Department to protect older workers from age discrimination and cash balance conversions. This motion to instruct is simple. It provides protection for older workers under cash balance conversion; but more importantly, it is part of a negotiated Senate bill that has a bipartisan approach. Mr. Speaker, I come from the city of fallen pensions, and that is, of course, the city of Houston. I am reminded of the tears and the disaster that occurred after the Enron collapse that showed that the lack of security for pensions in general and certainly those of older workers can be the actual collapse of a family. This motion to instruct provides for prohibiting discrimination against older workers by the practice of offsetting previously earned pension benefits. I would only say we have voted for this before. Uncloud the issue and vote the right way, for the Miller motion to instruct to protect older workers' pensions.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, the last time the American people had chicken feathers it was President Hoover who promised a chicken in every pot, and his economic policies collapsed. Today I tell you that the resolution and budget that is offered by the outgoing chairman and the Republican Party is collapsing on the American people. Republicans increased the debt limit by $3 trillion, families without hope, women and children without hope, and a tax cut that breaks the backs of all Americans. What this budget does, it cuts affordable housing, it cuts higher education, Medicare, and for the veterans who are coming home injured from the war in Iraq there is no light at the end of the tunnel. There is no door open for them. And so I ask my colleagues to support the Democratic substitute and the CBC alternative budget because you know, in fact, we are not worried about an America who is willing to help those who are in need. We believe that is a good America. I am sorry to say that Republicans believe that those Americans are un-American. A $3 trillion debt. You know that this budget is a bunch of chicken feathers. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to join many other colleagues of mine in expressing disappointment in this budget resolution. What we have under consideration today is a budget that forgets the American people in the name of supposedly American ``values.'' How can we say to our children, to our elderly mothers and fathers, to our neighbors, to those who reach out to us as Members of Congress to secure and protect their rights under the constitution--how can we say to them that we are engrossing a budget that cuts their healthcare, their education, their livelihoods, and resources to their communities? What do I tell my constituents when they call to say that their safety net has shrunk? I fiercely believe that Congress must speak on behalf of those who most desperately need a voice. I speak today not only as a Member of Congress, but as an American woman on my own behalf. This budget ignores many of my concerns, and the concerns of American women. There are 20 million women in this country who struggle to make a living, who struggle to find adequate health care, who struggle to raise their children into upstanding citizens, who struggle to either attain education for themselves or educate their children. Our country is a great nation among nations, and although we must be more informed, measured, and wise in how we pursue our foreign policy, we are also committed to bringing stability to many regions and countries around the world. However, we should not pursue our foreign policy ambitions at the expense of our families and communities. One does not substitute the other. economy and Welfare Nearly 70 percent of adult food stamp recipients are women, and the budget we are now considering would leave 300,000 women vulnerable to a loss of their food stamps. Food stamps are not handouts--food stamps are economic exchange for staples such as bread, and milk, and eggs. What message are we sending when we cut the assistance our most needy population receives to purchase food? The Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides nutritious food packages to low-income seniors and pregnant women, infants and children, has been identified as one of many programs to be completely eliminated. The President's budget cuts $6.3 billion in Social Security benefits over 10 years by eliminating the survivor benefits safety net for women and children. This benefit can make the difference between subsistence and destitution, and it is heartbreaking that Congress could even consider pocketing funds rightly earned and needed by our constituents and their families. The budget also completely eliminates the Women's Educational Equity Act, which has funded hundreds of programs to expose girls to careers from which they have traditionally been excluded. The Women's Educational Equity Act was introduced in Congress by Representative Patsy T. Mink in 1973 as a complement to the proposed equal rights amendment, ERA, and to title IX. This program, which only received $3 million this year, provides educational materials to help schools comply with title IX, research and information to help schools promote equality between boys and girls, and technical assistance. Healthcare Unfortunately, Medicare will also suffer under this budget, getting slashed by $36 billion over 5 years and $105 billion over 10 years. It is a fact that over 56 percent of Medicare recipients are female, and many of these women have very limited means of income to support themselves. Medicare is supposed to be the crutch for the elderly, even though we do not yet have a plan to address their primary concerns: chronic illness and long-term care. And yet this budget continues the misguided policy of dissolving this crucial program. We are also looking at a proposal that consists of gross Medicaid cuts, including both legislative and regulatory cuts, of $17 billion over 5 years and $42 billion over 10 years. On top of the deep Medicaid cuts that Congress enacted in 2005, Republicans are willing to stifle State programs that help children get healthcare. It sounds heartless, and I have not heard a convincing argument to the contrary. The administration's budget would increase funding for abstinence education programs by $89.5 million for a total of $204 million in fiscal year 2007. I agree that the most effective way to prevent the transfer of STDs and the occurrence of pregnancy is abstinence. However, time and again, it is proven that abstinence education is not effective, and that the emphasis needs to be on birth control and safe sexual practices. Just this week, the GAO criticized the Bush AIDS/HIV program in Africa for diverting needed funds and focus--in fact, U.S. coordinating officers actually stated that the abstinence focus undermined previous education efforts and confused communities. Abstinence is a fine message in some cases, but must not be the primary message, and must be supported by factual and clear information. Education For a President who insists that he cares so much about education at every level and for every child, it is a strange thing to realize that the Republican 2007 budget resolution cuts spending on education by 29 percent. The Bush budget freezes Head Start funding at this year's level, meaning that 19,000 children will have to be cut from Head Start next year. Similarly, the budget cuts Even Start, a program targeted to combat low literacy, to encourage family supported programs, and help children with limited English proficiency. We have strong indications that these programs give underprivileged children access and exposure that helps them succeed in school a year or two later. Perhaps if this program had ever been fully funded, we would know definitively that this program has the potential to launch every child toward educational and life-long success. It is a shame that the President is more interested in Scantron fill-in-the-bubble standardized tests rather than a nurturing and effective education. Over the past several years, Congress has slipped backward in its commitment to fully fund IDEA, from a high of 18.6 percent in fiscal year 2005 to the proposed level of 17 percent in President Bush's fiscal year 2007 budget proposal instead of the promised 40 percent. Under the budget, IDEA would receive $10.7 billion, a $1.2 billion decrease below fiscal year 2006. Of that amount, $380.8 million would be available for preschool grants and $436.4 million would be available for grants for infants and families. Funding for vocational education programs would be eliminated under the fiscal year 2007 budget. Congress allocated $1.31 billion for vocational education in fiscal year 2006. The unfulfilled promises are countless, and each more self-defeating than the last. At 4-year public universities, tuition and fees increased by 7 percent this past year and 57 percent since President Bush took office. About 40 percent of African-American students and 30 percent of Hispanic students depend on Pell grants, compared to 23 percent of all students. Two-thirds of Perkins loan recipients are from families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less. Yet, the Perkins loans took a hit on the Republicans' fiscal year 2007 budget resolution and would recall $664 million from Federal Perkins loan funds from nearly 1,800 colleges in 2007. As a result, 463,000 college students would lose a key part of their financial aid. Six years ago President Bush promised to increase the maximum Pell scholarship for all college freshmen to $5,100. Unfortunately, this budget is now the fourth time that the President and Republicans in Congress have frozen the maximum Pell grant. About 40 percent of African-American students and 30 percent of Hispanic students depend on Pell grants, compared to 23 percent of all students. These numbers indicate the need and the demand for assistance to achieve a higher education and a greater chance at lasting success. I share the fear and concern that every Member of Congress and every American citizen feels in regards to defending our homeland, but what kind of homeland are we defending? What do we want it to be? Each of these programs is designed to enrich our society and fulfill our obligations as a civilized nation to our citizens. Even the youngest school-children are sensitive to dishonesty, and by breaking our word and cutting funding to mandated programs, we are teaching our children to distrust their government. We need them to grow into the upstanding citizens we know each of them has the potential to be. We want our Nation to be educated, confident, capable, internationally competitive, and safe. This budget undermines each of these. I ask, urge, cajole, and demand that we reconsider this budget, that we remember who our greatest priority is--the American people.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me again applaud the International Relations Committee, Chairman Hyde and the ranking member for never stepping away from a very difficult challenge on the international arena. Mr. Smith, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, let me again acknowledge your ongoing stand against the brutalization of peoples who are disenfranchised around this world and taking the responsibility that this moral Congress has, the one entity that is looked upon around the world for that extended helping hand. I, too, traveled to Chad and to Sudan and looked at this whole complex situation. On the one hand, the Sudanese government in a certain sense having a mea culpa, ``not me, not I.'' The African Union being somewhat helpless to the extent that the charge they are given is only to watch and to see. And then in Chad, a country that is now being in essence not destroyed, but certainly charged and challenged with responsibilities that they cannot handle, thousands upon thousands of displaced persons, many of them women and children. I visited in the heat of the spring and saw no water for the children to go to school, women being raped as they were leaving the camps to find survival, the Chad economy not being able to survive because of this enormous influx of new human beings. Yet, the Sudanese government continues, continues, to deny. Might I say that in the course of this work, Mr. Lantos, you know that I have worked very hard to be, as many Members of Congress, a bridge builder between nations in the Mideast. But it is important for our friends, our Arab friends and our friends in China, to understand that they are participants, that they are doing all that is good; if they become implementers or affirmers of the genocide, that this excellent legislation that has the handprint of the outstanding gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Payne, who consistently has been on the battlefield, along with, of course, the excellent leadership of Leader Pelosi, who passionately went to the Sudan just a couple of months ago with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and others, who symbolize the concern of this Congress, that if they don't understand our allies, China being an emerging ally, certainly the work we are trying to do in the Mideast, that they are affirming this disaster. Then they are not reading the tea leaves. So I come to this floor acknowledging the excellence of H.R. 3127, asking for the other body to immediately move forward. This is not a can-do piece of legislation. This is an emergency piece of legislation. And the President, who should have listened to Secretary Powell over a year ago, who declared after we pressed as Members of Congress, members of the congressional black caucus in particular, that genocide was going on, that it was crucial that the genocide that is going on, that Americans, Americans in every corner of this particular nation would be empathetic and sympathetic to say stop this massive killing. And when I say that, it is like horses going into your suburban neighborhoods, men and women or men on horses and attacking your homes and sending you out of your homes and burning your homes. That is what is going on in Sudan. So let me join in the sanctions of this particular legislation, but let me say to the gentleman on this floor, I do think it is time to re- energize the movement that expressed to the Sudanese government by way of the embassy, to be very honest with you, that people be at the embassy to again express our disappointment with their lack of sensitivity. And then I must say that what I intend to do is to begin a movement of divestiture. I want to see the investment houses of America divest of any investment in the Sudan, and we will begin this as others have done in their States, and Texas needs to hear my call. Get your money out of Sudan. They are not listening. And the only way that they can be heard or we can be heard is the same way that apartheid was destroyed in South Africa, was to isolate them and to determine that they cannot any longer murder and pillage without impunity in this particular country. I thank the distinguished gentleman, but I hope that we will be able to wage an effort, a bipartisan effort of divestiture, which ultimately brought South Africa to its recognition, that of separation of black and white and the brutality that occurred had to stop, and look at South Africa today. Sudan can be the kind of nation we all can be proud of.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Lantos. Again, I express my appreciation to Mr. Smith, and I express my appreciation to Congresswoman Sanchez, who has been a strong stalwart of vocalizing the inconsistencies with the image of Vietnam, a united country, and the reality. And let me express my personal outrage that Members of Congress extend themselves to a foreign land to be able to be a fact-finder, to find out information, to share that with their constituents; that foreign governments who are welcomed into the United States would be so arrogant as to deny a visa so that information could be written. I have a personal story, of course, which I did not mention previously in the same way of attempting to visit the Sudan and going through the normal channels and finding that visas would not be rendered. And they have done that to Members of Congress who are there doing the work of the American people. So to the Vietnamese government, we know what you are and what you are doing. This is an important resolution that establishes the importance of human rights and dignity in Vietnam. Although the war is behind us, we realize that the Vietnamese people in the United States love democracy. They fled the country because they love democracy, but they want democracy for the existing Vietnam. The plight of Dr. Pham and many, many others that are now being detained is a poor story, a poor assessment of the outright rejection of human rights and freedom of expression that should be the call of this Nation that claims that it wants to be part of the world human family. So I call upon this issue to be addressed not only by this resolution, which I enthusiastically support, and I thank the authors of this bill, but also for the United Nations to get in gear and get a grip. The Human Rights Council, Mr. Lantos, as you well know, has been revised just recently with some difficulty and opposition from the American government because it was a little less strong, if you will, a little less in great depth than we would have wanted it to be, where we could have prevented some of the more heinous actors against human rights from even being on this council. But it is a first step. Now is the time for the United Nations, along with this resolution, to show itself truly committed to human rights. Do something about the Sudan. Do something about Vietnam. This is not to suggest that we don't want a thriving economy. For years, I voted against the Jackson amendment that deals with trade in Vietnam. Why? Not because I am against Vietnam, Mr. Speaker, but because I want human dignity and human rights. So I rise in support of this resolution, H. Con. Res. 320, but I am asking that as we put forward this resolution, that institutions that deal with human rights wake up and smell the coffee or the tea and begin to address these questions in a forthright way. And let me close by simply saying that there is a whole mountain of people that are being detained and their human rights violated. Can we suffer this indignity? I ask that this resolution be supported, and I ask the United Nations to do its job. General Leave

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. If the gentleman would yield, as I was in my office and I saw this very focused message, let me just briefly say that today we added insult to injury by the debate on the floor regarding the 527s. I know we are talking about the massive tax cuts, but I think the American people should know, rather than focusing on the seriousness of addressing these monumental tax cuts, frankly, as was distributed on the floor today, we are just passing legislation that allows random excessive spending as relates to campaigns. So what I say to my friends on this side, the other side of the aisle, is why waste time with, as they say, this massive spending of dollars in campaigning, and not really providing transparency for the American people to note, making a mirage on the Floor of the House that we are trying to do something good about scandal and corruption, and, at the same time, not spending our time focusing on correcting this deficit, correcting this increasing debt limit and spending the people's money by enormous tax cuts.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I think that is a good point. May I just give some history for a moment, because you set the tone or you set sort of the parameters for an indictable offense. When the Clinton administration was ending its tenure, as many of you are aware, it was one of the most maligned and accused 8 years by this majority-controlled House, even though there was a high degree of success. But I think the most striking success was the Balanced Budget Amendment in 1997, which generated an enormous amount of surplus, putting us in the black, which created the Children's Health Insurance Program that went all over America, except for the State of Texas, which returned back money because with our Republican leadership we couldn't find children to insure. But we had at that time billions of dollars of surplus. Now we have this gift given to the American people: Republicans increased the debt limit by $3 trillion. And we get to $3 trillion. And if you want to calculate what that means for each child, each grandchild, each mother and father, each grandparent, you can see the enormity of this amount. So it is crucial for Democrats to come and to make and select and to emphasize priorities.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. If the Members could indulge me as well just for a moment, because by my good friend Mr. Delahunt calling up those memories, Mr. Delahunt, you remember in essence Newt Gingrich rode in on a revolution, a revolution of change, a revolution of a government that would be smaller and allegedly more efficient. His first act was, of course, many of us claim it to be a Contract on America, but he called it at that time a Contract with America. A balanced budget was allegedly his goal, along with a number of other issues. Certainly, this whole question of a misdirected war or an undeclared war I don't think would have been the kind of effective and efficient government, and, of course, I am not in any way characterizing the work of our soldiers, but that he would have argued. I wanted to raise this point so you can get to that bottom line, Mr. Delahunt, which, if I read it correctly, talks about the mismanagement of the Iraq war. Many people will condemn the words that we have offered about the Iraq war, saying there is a question of patriotism. But this former Speaker says mismanagement of the war in Iraq, and that the government has squandered billions of dollars in Iraq. Let me just cite this point from the International Relations Committee. The Special Inspector General for Iraq has cast grave doubts on the results and effectiveness of the United States reconstruction plan, including the failure to complete three-quarters of oil and gas reconstruction projects, half of all the electricity projects and about 40 percent of water and sanitation projects financed by the U.S. So Mr. Gingrich is, like you said, Mr. Delahunt, telling it is like it is. I simply leave you with this question: If we are in the business of governance, balancing the budget, why do Democrats have to beg for hearings so that the American people can find out the truth? Not to question the valid, courageous efforts of our soldiers, but why we have money that is wasted, so soldiers, for example, have no equipment? This is what Democrats are trying to do, clear up the mess.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I would be happy to yield.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. If I may add to your question, if you would. I do not think most Americans know that 70 percent of the Nation's ports are owned by foreign operators. Of course, to hear this administration tell the story, they tell you of course that does not interfere with security, the Coast Guard handles it. What they do not tell you is the Coast Guard makes checks on compliance; they do not handle the security operation of our ports. So this is an important issue that was rejected by the Republican Congress time after time, every time we try to rebuild America, put America on the right track, eliminate a $3 trillion debt limit, Republicans turn the clock back. I think the Democrats have a better story to tell for the American people.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. It says shame on them, shame on them that they would tolerate this kind of abuse. Let me just quickly say, Democrats have been saying this over and over again. Democrats have been asking in the most polite way for Mr. Rumsfeld to step aside, to resign. Tom Lantos says that Americans will not tolerate this waste of tax dollars, but let me give an anecdotal story. What is happening in Iraq and other places, where Americans go and make commitments, we are going to build schools, we are going to reconstruct, we give these contracts to no-bid competitor, huge contracts. They sit in their offices. They give it to another contractor, another contractor, another contractor, who takes a piece of the pie. By the time you get down to the reconstruct in Mosul or Baghdad, nothing happens. What do the Iraqi people say? Americans have made a promise. What do the taxpayers say? You want to pay all this money for foreign aid and defense and you give us nothing. Then we get bad diplomacy because our allies or who we are trying to help looks and says we are masquerading. Let me just finish by saying I have spoken to contractors and to the independent contractors who say they are living large in Iraq, while sadly our soldiers are looking for water, are looking for body armor, and some of the contractors are living large. Let me say this, there are many who are over there sacrificing in danger. I am not condemning the workers who are on the front lines, who are civilians, who are in those places where our soldiers are. We thank them. But some of those who they work for are layering the contracts, and therefore, by layering the contracts, American people are expending dollars, and no one is turning on the light like the International Relations Committee has asked for, to have oversight to answer the question of what is going on. I believe we owe the American people more than this. Shame on this House, shame on this leadership.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on March 30 I was detained on official business at the installation and inauguration of the Prime Minister of Jamaica as part of the congressional delegation that was authorized by the Speaker and therefore I was not present on the following rollcall votes. Rollcall vote No. 75, the rule, if present, I would have voted ``no,'' H. Res. 742. Rollcall vote No. 76, the Pelosi resolution, if present, I would have voted ``no'' on the motion to table. Rollcall vote No. 77, on the Gohmert amendment, if present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Rollcall vote No. 78, the Kennedy of Rhode Island amendment, if present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Rollcall vote No. 79, the King of Iowa amendment, if present, I would have voted ``no.'' Rollcall vote No. 80, the Miller substitute, if present, I would have voted ``yes.'' And on final passage, rollcall vote No. 81, if present, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, quite to the contrary, Democrats today stood for real security. We stood for the transitioning of Iraq's security to the Iraqi Government, as has been promised by this administration. We have stood for the equipping of our soldiers. We have stood for energy security. And today, of course, proudly we have stood for ensuring that our veterans were cared for. So, Mr. Speaker, I hope that America sees the direction that we want to take this country and join us. Tomorrow, I will be unavoidably detained. I wanted to mention H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005. I had wished that we could have supported this legislation, but I think it is important for America's students to know that the average tuition and fees for 4- year public colleges has risen over 40 percent since 2001. This bill does nothing to allow our students to afford college. I, however, will have an amendment as this bill goes to conference to increase the Pell Grant maximum to $7,000 from $6,000, and to provide support for our visually impaired students who need to have Braille textbooks to be able to survive. Mr. Speaker, I hope that we will eventually be able to support legislation that will help our college students in the future.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for their collegiality, I thank them very much. I again thank the distinguished gentleman from American Samoa for his leadership, but as well the commitment that he brings to this Congress of internationalism and international cooperation. Likewise, my appreciation for my good friend Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for the leadership she brings to this committee and, as well, her compassion for issues dealing with human rights. I want us to be reminded of the fact that Haitians fought alongside Americans in the course of our freedom. So I want to applaud Congresswoman Waters for knowing our history and, as well, appreciating the pivotal role that Haiti and Haitians play in the security of America and the friendship of America. I remind you again that when we were fighting for our freedom, Haitians were alongside of us fighting, shedding their blood, and allowing us to be free. So our American history and Haitian history are intertwined, and we have a legitimate reason for looking and ensuring the democracy, the justice, and the freedom of the people of Haiti. Let me also acknowledge the fact that many times our interaction with Haiti has not been the best. I traveled to Haiti with the chairman of the Intelligence Committee and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Conyers, and we traveled before the elections occurred, met with the interim government, met with many of the different party leaders and others seeking to have a fair election. It was not a very easy trip. There were accusations. There were suggestions that the government was trying to keep some of the candidates off of the ballot. What I will say about Mr. Preval is that he stayed the course. Even in the midst of all that turmoil, he continued to campaign. Even with threats against his candidacy, he continued to campaign. I think we should appreciate as well the comfortable relationship that he has with former President Aristide. He does not bring hostility to his leadership, but at the same time he brings his own leadership, his own mantle, if you will, of guidance of the people of Haiti. So I too join my voice in congratulating the soon-to-be president on his inauguration and hoping that we will help him establish an excellent police force, one that provides safety for the Haitian people. And I would ask, as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, that we would join in the authorization and the encouragement of the Appropriations Committee to be able to provide that funding. I would ask that the Judiciary Committee, along with the appropriators appropriately associated with the authorizing committee, really focus in on assisting Preval, along with, of course, the Committee on International Relations, in this whole question of law enforcement and a secure, trained police force. As well, the education of the children is important, clean water. And I too believe that there is optimism as 2.2 million people voted on February 7. But we need to encourage trade; as well, we need to make sure that the Haitians who are in the United States feel safe to return. And if they do not feel safe, Mr. Speaker, I hope that as we look at immigration reform, we will add Haitian parity to the bill, which means that those who are in fear of their life who are still here in this country would have the opportunity to attain their status. Many of them are detainees because their particular status does not equate to other provisions, if you will, such as those in Cuba. Let me also say that I hope that the extra money that the ranking member spoke of, $50 million and more, will be added to the Haitian appropriations. And then, of course, I hope that we will have a representative delegation with good intentions and good will that will visit and represent the United States as they attend the inauguration of Rene Preval. Might I say that there is legislation going through the House that calls, offered by Congressman Kucinich, of which I am one of the cosponsors, to establish a Department of Peace. It is interesting that I would say that in the course of debating or congratulating Haiti and its election, but maybe that is a valuable department to have, because maybe we can then promote peace. Might I just say in closure, I thank the Speaker very much, and I thank the gentlewoman, the manager of the bill. I congratulate the Haitians and I support H. Con. Res. 363; I congratulate the author, Ms. Waters, and I look forward to better days for the Haitian people.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, this is an important statement that we are making. And again I am sure that we will experience ridicule because I will stand here and say that I believe that the troops have done their job, their patriotic job, the job of defending America. They have won the victory, and it is time for them to come home. We must redeploy our troops. And for all of those who say that many of us do not have a plan, we do. And that plan incorporates the gentlewoman's amendment, and I thank her for her leadership, and that is that we want to redeploy and we want to vest in Iraq and the Iraqi people and soldiers the defense of their nation. Therefore, we want to insure that there will be no basing rights between the United States and Iraq, no permanency, no establishing of our obligation to defend and defend and defend. We just had a debate about avoiding the eviction of thousands of Americans from places where they are living because they have no place to live because of the hurricane disaster. It is time now to redeploy. We do have a plan for Iraq to control their government and to be able to defend themselves and to bring our troops home and to disestablish any relationship of a base in Iraq.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, today and yesterday, we spent time on the floor of the House trying to construct a legislative initiative in the emergency supplemental to rebuild lives of Americans. We also attempted to respond to the rising crisis in Iraq. And I rise today to simply say that I know that America can do better. In the course of that debate, I heard a story of a woman whose husband is in Iraq, and she is looking to try to understand where the funding is going, or where are the monies that have been appropriated going, because her husband is writing back and telling her about contaminated water and lack of equipment. And then of course, I met a mother in my district who wondered why her son had to be redeployed for the third time to Iraq. I know America can do better. I am hoping as this emergency supplemental makes its way to the United States Senate that our colleagues, working with the administration, will understand that it is time now to redeploy our troops to bring them home in the honor and victory that they deserve, and then, of course, invest in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast and not causing the stigmatizing of any of those who have suffered the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, and certainly provide the funding that the State of Texas needs once and for all, a State that has been impacted in a devastating way as we host those who are in need. It is time to do better for Americans.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Chairman, I would like to ask for the yeas and nays.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to now call up the election amendment regarding gulf coast elections.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Chairman, if I may have a moment of explanation, I thank the gentleman for his acceptance.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1184, a bill that would waive the passport fees for a relative of a deceased member of the Armed Forces who is proceeding abroad to visit the grave of such member or to attend a funeral or memorial service for such member. The current United States passport fee is $97.00 for adults and $82.00 for children under 16. Present law allows waivers for a widow, child, parent, brother or sister to visit a grave. The proposed bill would expand the waiver to include grandparents, and it would add funerals and memorial services as well as grave site visits. At a time of such grieving for a lost service member, the family of the fallen hero should not have to worry about paying passport fees, which can add up quickly for a family. Waiving the fee in such cases is the least that we can do. I urge you to vote for this bill.