Sam Johnson

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to bring to the attention of my colleagues a True Texas Hero, Chief Deputy Danny Chandler. On behalf of the people of the Third District of Texas, I want to congratulate him on his promotion to be the first-ever Director of the Office of Security and Emergency Management in Dallas. America is a whole different country since September 11. This is a different kind of war with a different kind of enemy. That is why Dallas has taken the lead to win the war for freedom, both at home and abroad. I know he will do a fine job heading that effort. The Commissioners Court of Dallas County could not have picked a better leader. Starting as a Deputy Sheriff in 1973, Chief Chandler dedicated 29 years of his life to the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. A highly decorated officer, he has put the lives and safety of others before his own. It's no wonder that Dallas Morning News named him a ``Special Angel.'' Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege today to recognize the courage and service of Chief Chandler. His selfless sacrifice, hard work and dedication to his community are an example to us all. The people of Dallas and the surrounding communities are blessed to have his leadership and commitment to our neighborhoods. Chief, you have my admiration and support as you protect our Great State in the fight for freedom. God bless you and God bless America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe some of the things being said here today. The other side keeps saying they support marriage penalty relief and yet they do not vote for it. I rise today in support of marriage. Marriage is a cornerstone of a strong family. There are many influences in today's culture that undermine marriages and there are a lot of those influences we cannot do anything about. But one thing we can keep trying to do is fix the Tax Code, and with the Senate's help, we can do that. The tax cuts we have passed last year remove many of the worst part of the marriage penalty. We have doubled the standards deductions for marriage couples; we expanded the 15 percent tax bracket to twice the income of single people; but this marriage penalty relief is only temporary. Why? Because of an arcane Senate rule that prevented permanent tax cuts. That is not, is not it. Should we not help make marriages permanent, not temporary? Instead of this tax relief lasting through the diamond anniversaries of weddings, marriage penalty relief will sunset on the aluminum anniversary of this bill. In 2011, when the sunset of tax relief takes place, countless couples will face higher tax bills simply because they said I do. And you know what, that is just plain wrong. We need to fix that in this Congress.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, only in our government are you given a certificate at birth, a license at marriage, and a bill at death. It is tax, tax, tax. It is the grim reaper every day. Death taxes can wipe out a lifetime of work. That is why this House should vote to end this unfair tax once and for all. Permanentize it. For many small businesses, death taxes are a death sentence. We have already voted to repeal the tax, and I want to empower small business owners to go on making their businesses successful instead of planning for their own demise. But unlike a villain in a bad movie, this tax brings back to life in a few years the grim reaper. Tax, tax, tax. This House did not pick up the rules that prevented permanent repeal of the death tax. Today we will overwhelmingly pass permanent repeal. Many of our Democrat colleagues are arguing for something less than full repeal. Class warfare does not work on this issue. Americans strive to be successful, and when they share the fruits of their labor with their children, Americans support full repeal of the death tax. They do not want a toll booth on the road to meet their maker. Mr. Speaker, just as you cannot be a little bit dead, the death tax cannot be a little bit gone. Imposing taxes on the value of a lifetime of work is just plain wrong, and we must end this unfair tax permanently.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, it is not about Colombia. It is about our own military. That is what this bill is about. That is what you people should be talking about. Freedom is not free. I am standing here before you as a 29-year Air Force veteran. During that time I had the honor of running two military bases. At that level, you know firsthand what it takes to keep our military safe, strong and secure. And when you are in charge, you want to give them the best. They need great planes, tanks, trucks and munitions. This bill helps give our military men and women just that. America is a whole different country since September 11. A terrorist attack, designed to tear us apart, has actually put our Nation closer together. We cannot desert our troops now. Despite the ill wishes of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, this bill shows our military that America cares about them and wants the best for them. This bill would replenish depleted attack munitions. The war will be long. Our troops have been strong. So we must give them more munitions they need if they are going to fight for our freedom. Sadly, no one knows more than I the horrors of fighting without munitions. I fought in both Korea and Vietnam. When I was in Vietnam, we ran out of munitions because this Congress would not fund them. We are at that same point again. I had to carry munitions on a mission that I was not supposed to carry that munition on. They were cannibalizing airplanes. They are doing that today in our services. And the gun that was cannibalized on my airplane did not fire. Because that gun did not fire, I was shot down. I tried to fire at the enemy, but nothing came out. It was on that tragic mission, April 16, 1966, that started my 7 years in captivity, more than half of that time in solitary confinement. Please, I urge you not to let that happen to any other member of our military. We must learn from our mistakes. Our men and women in uniform deserve the best America has to offer, not the worst. Make no mistake, the U.S. military has come to the aid of America. It is time that America came to the aid of our military. We must win the war for freedom. It is not for freedom just for America. It is for the freedom of the world. Let us help our military. God bless you all. I know you will.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of seniors who want prescription drug coverage, today, tomorrow and always, and against those who do not. Earlier this month, Congress Daily noted that a Senate Democrat prescription drug bill would sunset in 2010. That is right, the bill would just stop in 2010. Sorry, seniors, no more drugs for them after 2010. That is plain wrong. First, Democrats block permanent tax relief. Now they want to block prescription drug coverage. Well, seniors better start saving, so when their benefits end, they will have money to buy their drugs. Hold on, just think about this. That is impossible, because the same Democrats refused to permanently extend tax relief so people can save some of their own money or even empower seniors to save their own money in a medical savings account. Well, two-thirds of seniors have prescription drug coverage. The one- third going without are my top concern. Our Republican plan will help, and help them for life.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, since 1996 nearly 9 million people have gone from collecting welfare checks to paychecks thanks to Republicans. One shining example of the success of welfare is a constituent of mine I will call Janice. Janice is a single mother of a 5-year-old. Last spring she lost her job in the soft economy. Thanks to welfare reform and the good people at the Texas Workfare Center in McKinney, Janice found a job and child care, becoming self-sufficient with full benefits and retirement after just 6 months. Mr. Speaker, she illustrates what many of us have known all along, the 1996 Republican welfare reforms have worked. Child poverty has fallen sharply. Nearly 3 million children are no longer welfare kids, and that is because more parents are working. Employment by mothers most likely to go on welfare has risen by 40 percent. Welfare caseloads have fallen by 9 million. Nine million people. Is that not great news? Nearly 50 percent of Texas welfare recipients have left welfare because of the successful model created by Congress and enacted by then- Governor George Bush. Critics ask if it is not broken, why fix it. Well, even the best race cars go for tune-ups, and that is what we are doing with this bill. This bill requires States to put 70 percent of their welfare caseloads to work 40 hours a week, 16 of which can be used for education and training. This bill encourages, not discourages work. It reflects the President's plan to encourage healthy, stable marriages. Today we begin the next step in welfare reform based on the President's priorities. This legislation will help even more low income parents know the dignity that comes with a paycheck instead of a welfare check. By passing this bill we can help even more low income Americans improve their lives for themselves and their children, and that is what welfare reform is all about.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, nearly 9 million people have gone from welfare checks to paychecks, thanks to Republicans. Let me give an example of a constituent in my district, and I will call her Janice. She is a single mother of a 5-year-old, and last spring Janice lost her job in a soft economy. With a tight labor market and no college degree, Janice could not find a job to support her family. But thanks to welfare reform and the good people at a Texas Workforce Center, Janice applied for welfare the very next day. She did not want to stay on welfare; she wanted to find a job. The center helped her organize her options and find a job at a manufacturing plant. They also helped her find child care. Mr. Speaker, eventually, they helped her find a job in the Garland Independent School District. She now has self-sufficient pay, a regular schedule, full benefits, and even retirement. After 6 months of steady work, Janice and her family moved from welfare to work. Janice is a story of determination. Janice is a story of hope. I salute her and an even better welfare reform bill today.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to bring to the attention of my colleagues several distinguished teachers from the Third Congressional District of Texas. I am pleased to recognize these recipients of the Teacher of the Year Award who enable our students to understand and learn from each other, and strive to achieve their goals. Mr. Speaker, great teachers nurture our country's best hope for tomorrow: our children. Children may be a fraction of our society, but they are 100 percent of our future. The perseverance and dedication of our teachers challenge and shape students to dream, and to work hard to make those dreams come true. Unfortunately, educators work with little public thanks or appreciation, even though topnotch teachers are essential to a strong future. These educators in particular go beyond the call of duty and selflessly make for our children and our country a better place. It is my distinct honor to present the Third District of Texas's teacher of the year. In the Allen Independent School District, Jackie Schornick and Maridee Ryan; From McKinney Independent District, Tom Flurimonte and Ms. Lisa Stout; From the Plano Independent School District, Mrs. Be Janet Tang and Ms. Diane Davey; And from the Wylie Independent School District, Ms. Janet McMillen and Ms. Tricia Gent. As a former Air Force instructor, a father, a grandfather, and the highest ranking Texan on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I know firsthand the importance of a quality education. However, it is outstanding teachers like these who strive for excellence. I thank the hometown heroes, the excellent educators, for all they do for our children, for America, and for our freedom. God bless them.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Spencer Ritchie who is leaving the Hill this week to finish his last semester and pursue his degree at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and then maybe even law school. The efforts and energy of Spencer will be missed dearly by all members of my office. Spencer is a first-rate Southern gentleman with a keen understanding of people, poise and patience; the latter is most needed when juggling numerous tasks while managing the front desk. He conquered the thankless jobs of being the gatekeeper, all the while supporting my entire staff and office guests. Because of his academic performance and student leadership, Texas Tech selected Spencer to represent the University as a Presidential Intern--and they could not have selected a more well-rounded young man who puts priorities like faith and family first. Although he's only been with the office for a short time, he's left a lasting impression on many. Numerous constituents and visitors have commented to my staff and me that Spencer has an amazing way with making people feel welcome. Spencer has the unique ability to make every guest feel like family--and after meeting Spencer, they wanted to be Texans too! His knowledge, insight, guidance and generosity have been inspiring to others. Though Spencer's good graces will be missed in Washington, I know that our loss is most definitely Texas Tech's gain. He enjoyed a unique and historic experience and one which I hope will serve him well as he continues his education and begins his career. You name it--he's done it. No job is too big or too little for Spencer. He just does it--and he does it enthusiastically with a smile on his face and a laugh for others. He's given Capitol tours in the wake of September 11th. He's welcomed tired tourists from Texas! He's written letters and called constituents. I was proud to have him up front as an ambassador, if you will, for the people of the Third District. So much of what we do in Congress is done for the next generation, for young people like Spencer. He can be proud that what we have done in this Congress has not only been done for him--but with him. Like each Member of Congress, he is now a part of this institution. And as of Friday, he will be a part of its history. I wouldn't be surprised if he may even be part of its future, returning some day as a staff member or even a Representative! Too many Americans do not have a full understanding of how hard the staffs of Members of Congress work, how conscientious they are and how much they care about doing the right thing for their country, regardless of whether they are conservatives or liberals, moderates, Republicans, Democrats or Independents. Spencer has learned that lesson firsthand. So he will have something that many of his neighbors and friends and relatives will not have had: hands on experience of how the greatest democratic institution in the world works. He will have the opportunity to go back and tell our fellow citizens that the system works--and that it works well! And that they need to participate, not necessarily run for Congress, but to participate by voting. By speaking out. By writing. By communicating--by involving themselves in the democratic process that makes our great nation a beacon of freedom and liberty! I wish Spencer luck and look forward to the day when I meet him again--as a proud Texas Tech graduate and Sam Johnson office alum!

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, over the past 8 months, the American people have heard horror stories about the inefficiencies and inadequacies of the INS. I am afraid we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Something has to be done, and it needs to be done now. First and foremost, we must remember that immigration to America is not a right, it is a privilege. We must ensure that our government is doing everything it can to make the system run more efficiently and protect our people. We can no longer allow people who respect our laws to fall to the back of the line while those who neglect laws fall through the cracks. The INS is one bureaucratic blunder after the next, and I fear what that means for the American people. We must be fair, and laws must be followed. In short, when it comes to the INS, those who follow the law should be rewarded; those who break the law should be deported.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is morally irresponsible not to pass this. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, for bringing this bill to the floor. We have to make the tax cuts we enacted last year permanent. Hard-working Americans and the Texans who live in my congressional district were downright angry when they heard that their taxes would increase in 10 years. They think we have lost our minds in Washington. Mr. Speaker, I think they are right. Just think about it for a moment. We decided to repeal the worst parts of the marriage penalty. We all hope and expect marriages to last. Why would anyone object to the marriage penalty relief becoming permanent? If they do, they must be in a fight with their spouse. Why would anyone object to $1,000 child tax credit being permanent? How can somebody be against giving parents the extra money they need to raise their children? If my colleagues are against it, I guess they just do not like children. On another issue, this Congress took important steps to help Americans save for their own retirement by increasing the amount people can contribute to an IRA to $5,000. How can anyone argue against this? If my colleagues do, it means my colleagues are addicted to government spending and against personal savings. The only reason for arguing against these important changes is if my colleagues love big government and do not like people making their own choices and keeping their own money. Mr. Speaker, we need to pass this for the good of America.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a major milestone in the history of American business. This past Sunday, on April 14, J.C. Penney Company, whose Plano headquarters is located in my district, celebrated 100 years of serving American consumers. J.C. Penney is a name that Americans know well, and most of us have shopped in a J.C. Penney store at some point. We have learned by experience to expect their superior value for our money. And a century of delivering on that promise has made J.C. Penney a trusted name among American retail institutions and hard-working Americans. When James Cash Penney opened his first store on the Wyoming frontier 100 years ago, he had but one passion: to serve his customers to their complete satisfaction. That passion has been the enduring reason for his company's growth, survival and success, and also why J.C. Penney has helped millions of Americans raise the quality of their lives. Trends may come and go; businesses like J.C. Penney, built on timeless values, endure. I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the company for 100 years of performance.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be an original cosponsor of the Clergy Housing Allowance Clarification Act, and I totally agree with what the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) just elaborated on. I am sorry that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has made our actions today necessary. Their motives are unreasonable, unconscionable, and unnerving, at best. We must act quickly on this bill to preserve the parsonage allowance that members of the clergy receive as part of their compensation. For thousands of years, churches, temples, mosques, and synagogues have provided housing to members of their clergy. It makes complete sense that these benefits are not taxed. Since 1921, the parsonage allowance has been considered exempt from the United States income tax system. The problem is that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has taken it upon itself to challenge the very constitutionality of the clergy housing being tax-exempt. Rather than simply decide the facts in a case that only had to do with how much of a minister's salary could be considered exempt, the court has gone way out of its way to raise this question. The best I can say about this issue is that at least it was not the IRS this time that decided to take this strange action. If Congress does not act, clergy in this country would be faced with a tax increase, as the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) said, of roughly $2.3 billion in the next few years. Reverend Dr. Frederick Schmidt of SMU's Perkins School of Theology, who lives in my district, said it best when he wrote me a letter stating that not protecting the tax exemption ``will drastically alter the financial well-being of many clergy, and present a fiscal hurdle to religious communities that are ill-prepared to address that change.'' He calls it unconscionable and unnerving, as well. I say that our courts must be restrained from undermining American values by making law. Americans are the most generous of people. However, I doubt they will want to increase their charitable donations simply because of a bad decision of a court in California. In passing this bill, we are merely providing a legislative capstone to an issue that everyone else in America, except for the judges in the Ninth Circuit, presume to be current law. I look forward to this bill being signed into law very quickly to take the case away from these nutty judges and settle the issue for our hard-working clergy.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I hate to tell everybody this, but there is independent advice authorized in this bill; and it is for everybody, not just the bottom, but the top and the bottom. I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. The Pension Security Act contains some important provisions that will modernize pension legislation. The gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, also included in this bill a very important pension-related provision that will overturn a new IRS position on employee stock purchase plans. I have received a number of calls, letters, and e-mails from constituents regarding the new IRS position that is overturning 30 years of tax policy, that was, the employee stock purchase plans are not subject to payroll tax. The IRS overturned that 1971 policy just recently. Imposing payroll taxes for Social Security and unemployment on employee stock purchase plans is just wrong, just as imposing payroll taxes on contributions to 401(k) plans would be wrong. At least the IRS did not go that far. I hope the IRS sees we are serious about this matter and they do the right thing and simply make this issue go away. This IRS ruling penalizes hard-working people and is just wrong. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for his dedication to this issue and for making sure that America's pension plans are safe and secure.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, conflicted advice, we keep hearing about; but there is not any conflicted advice when you have somebody who is recognized as a professional stock or option advisor being concerned. I have been concerned about many of the pension proposals that have been introduced aimed at protecting Americans from themselves. If history is any guide, Congress should very well protect Americans by simply destroying another successful pension plan. Just look at what happened with the government's over-regulation of the defined benefit pension system. Congress killed those plans with kindness. Let us not repeat those mistakes here. The bill we are debating here is moving pension reforms cautiously in the right direction, and it is balanced and fair. And I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) for their hard work in putting together this bill. As a subcommittee chairman for the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I will focus on those sections of the bill. First, I believe that the rolling 3-year diversification rights for employees who are given company stock as a match in their 401(k) is as important an improvements as any in this proposed legislation. Rolling diversification will preserve employees' ownership ethics as stockholders, but will also permit individuals to diversify into other investments as they see fit. Next, I am glad that we have clarified the issue of employer liability for stock market fluctuations in a 401(k) plan during a black-out period. We heard a lot of testimony in my subcommittee on this subject. Under the bill reported by the full committee, employers are not responsible for market swings and 401(k) accounts during a black-out period, as long as they provide 30 days' notice in advance and make sure they have a legitimate reason for doing the black out. The bill today also exempts privately held businesses from being subjected to the diversification mandates and permits them to use their most recent annual valuation for reporting stock value on 401(k) stock benefit statements. I probably sat through more hours of hearings on pension benefit issues in this session of Congress than any other Member. One thing that has been confirmed for me during these hearings is that employees want, need and deserve to receive professional investment advice for their 401(k) plans. This bill does this. Last month, Mr. Dary Ebright was a witness before the Committee on Ways and Means; and he told his personal story about the horrors of putting all your eggs in one basket. His personal tragedy could have been prevented if he had received professional investment advice. He had invested 60 percent of his 401(k) into Enron stock, and then he cashed out his traditional pension plan and bought Enron stock. His defined benefit pension would have paid him roughly $2,000 per month for the rest of his life. But instead, at the age of 54, the only retirement savings that he has left is the portion of his 401(k) that was diversified. I asked if he received any professional advice on these decisions. He said he did not. Too many workers lack access to quality investment advice on how to invest their hard-earned savings. Without a doubt, investment advice must become law soon, and I urge Members to vote for this sensible bill which does that. It educates. It provides investments advice. It provides diversification, and it stops big executives from selling their stock during a black-out period.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we are not raiding Social Security, not one penny. Back home in the Lone Star State, we say, ``Don't mess with Texas.'' To the terrorists, I say, ``Don't mess with the U.S.'' We are at war, and this is a wartime budget, putting first things first. Here are three of them: National security tops the list, homeland security tops the list, and economic security tops the list. Also, this will be the largest increase in defense spending in over 20 years. This wartime budget gives President Bush all the resources necessary to meet the Nation's top priorities: winning the war, strengthening our homeland security, investing in the future of our Armed Forces, and keeping our promises to our veterans. A vote for this wartime budget is a vote for America's freedom. A vote for this wartime budget is a vote for America's security.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, it has been over 100 days since President Bush demanded that Congress pass legislation to create jobs and spur our economy. Today, we are trying to help the unemployed and we might finally succeed. Republicans are asking our Senate over there to put the American people first and their political ambitions second. Nothing should stand in the way of this bill, because it targets those that need help, the unemployed, our businesses and our economy. I know the people of South Dakota and Missouri are tired of these political games and so am I. We are just trying to make America strong by creating new, high-paying, long-term jobs. This bill does just that. Vote for America's workers. Vote for this commonsense bill.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire of the Chair, who has the right to close?

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I think the gentleman is absolutely correct, and I happen to agree with the gentlewoman over there. I think we should do something for our veterans. I think that is atrocious that they have doubled or tripled that cost. I think that is the best reason I can think of why we should not subjugate the veterans of the United States of America, past, present, future, to some unconstitutional law that we are trying to pass tonight. This amendment will fix that for our veterans now and in the future. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This amendment, Mr. Chairman, addresses the rights of veterans of this Nation. As a 29-year Air Force veteran and prisoner of war who had my freedom stripped away for many years, nearly 7, I am appalled that anyone would try to take away the rights of any American, especially those who put their lives in harm's way to defend our Constitution and this Nation. Let us not forget that between 1940 and 1947, over 16 million Americans signed up to stand with their country against the forces of fascism and tyranny. Over 400,000 never returned. Let us not forget that a decade later, almost 7 million Americans served in the Korean War, and 55,000 ended up giving up their lives. Throughout the conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam, Desert Storm, and now Afghanistan, let us not forget that more than 42 million brave men and women have answered the call to protect our freedom, and today more than 25 million of those brave souls are still alive in this country wanting their freedom. Veterans understand that freedom is not free, and I think everyone in here knows that. Those men and women fought and defended this Nation for us to be able to stand here on this floor today and talk. It must be defended again. Would anyone disagree with this? I do not think so. Is there anyone who would deny a veteran's right to be heard or the right to hear what affects them? After all, veterans' issues are not Republican issues. They are not Democrat issues either. Veterans' issues are not liberal; they are not conservative. Veterans' issues are American issues. They have the right to talk about them, and we have an obligation to listen to them. Veterans' issues are about defending our country, providing quality health care and protecting Social Security. We must not silence the men and women who have fought and died to keep America free. I need a vote for this amendment. We need to vote for veterans. Let me just tell you that our veterans today are over there in Afghanistan protecting the freedoms of America and the freedom of the world. We are doing everything we can to provide them the sustenance, the equipment, the best training possible; and we have the best-trained men and women in the world. They are going to protect us and our rights, and we need to protect them and their right to free speech. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I kind of agree with the gentleman, but if we take away their right to speak, we are not ever going to get that fixed. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.