Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Defense Authorization bill. Despite the 2006 mandate from the American people to end the war and occupation of Iraq, this bill authorizes the funding to continue operations in Iraq well into the 2009 fiscal year. This bill authorizes $68.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition it authorizes the entirety of the administration's request of $542.5 billion for the National Defense budget. This is a grand total of $611.1 billion to continue misguided policies such as preemptive strikes, interventionism and peace through strength. The bill includes absolutely no language calling for the withdrawal of our honorable and brave service members in Iraq, 4,170 servicemen and women have been killed in Iraq, there have been tens of thousands of injuries to our troops and over 1 million innocent Iraqi civilians have been killed as a result of the war. The true monetary cost of the war is estimated to be $3 trillion. Yet instead of keeping a commitment that we made back in 2006 to end the war, we are once again voting on a bill that will continue to fund it well into the term of the next President. Congress has the ability to end the war and bring our troops home simply by refusing to continue funding. Additionally, I do not support the authorization for $465.8 million to continue development of the European Ground-Based Mid-Course Defense, GMD, program despite a lack of assurance that the system will work or is needed for the safety of our nation. Congress' continued funding of the European GMD only lends credence to the administration's misguided claims the system is necessary to defend the U.S. from a long-range ballistic missile attack from Iran despite the fact that Iran is unlikely to pose such a threat to the United States in the foreseeable future. Continuing to develop the European GMD has consequences for U.S. foreign policy. This deal has exacerbated tensions between the U.S. and Russia. There has also been strong opposition by the citizens of the Czech Republic and Poland to the placement of the radar and interceptors in their respective countries. This bill continues to reflect the wrong priorities for our nation's security. The continued proliferation of nuclear weapons does not make America safer. What will make America safer is to place a priority on cooperation with the global community on nuclear nonproliferation initiatives. This bill authorizes over $6.6 billion for the nuclear weapons activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and less than $2 billion for nuclear nonproliferation. The U.S. administration has established a record of unilateralism that undercuts our nation's credibility in the eyes of other nations. The repercussions of this record include undermining our security and diplomatic integrity. In just under eight years the U.S. administration has backtracked on international treaties and conventions. The U.S. has rejected the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, refused to sign the Land Mine Treaty, withdrawn from the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty, unsigned the Kyoto Protocol, and blocked a verification protocol for the Biological Weapons Convention. Continuing to keep ``all options on the table'' while refusing to engage in diplomacy without preconditions leaves America devoid of any moral authority. The idea that peace (the absence of 'violence) can be brought about through violence and increasing weapons stockpiles is antithetical. The assertion that keeping our nation safe requires us to maintain a pre-emptive strike policy is built on a foundation of fear and continues to drive Americans further away from each other and the world community. The belief that the bulk of our foreign policy should be comprised of insisting other countries do what we tell them, while we fail to engage in any meaningful global cooperation is hypocritical and condescending. The security of America lies not in defense spending but in ensuring well paid jobs for hardworking Americans, guaranteed health care and a strong education for our nation's youth. We must shift our priorities. This body must stop spending half of America's tax dollars on the funding of the military industrial complex and instead invest in economic projects that really will keep America safer. With our economy in crisis it should be clear that continuing to hemorrhage money on defense spending while our future economic stability is uncertain is not in the best interests of our citizens. Congress must wake up. In other words, I believe that Congress must reassess our current priorities and in so doing begin to provide for the traditional sense of security by first ensuring economic security, health security, and job security for all.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. The $700 billion bailout for Wall Street is being driven by fear, not fact. This is too much money in too short a time going to too few people while too many questions remain unanswered. Why aren't we having hearings on the plan we have just received? Why aren't we questioning the underlying premise of the need for a bailout with taxpayers' money? Why have we not even considered any alternatives other than to give $700 billion to Wall Street? Why aren't we asking Wall Street to clean up its own mess? Why aren't we passing new laws to stop the speculation which triggered this? Why aren't we putting up new regulatory structures to protect the investors? How do we even value the $700 billion in toxic assets? Why aren't we directly helping homeowners with their debt burden? Why aren't we helping American families faced with bankruptcies? Why aren't we reducing debts for Main Street instead of Wall Street? Isn't it time for fundamental change in our debt-based monetary system so we can free ourselves from the manipulation by the Federal Reserve and the banks? Is this the United States Congress or the board of directors of Goldman Sachs? Wall Street is a place of bears and bulls. It's not smart to force taxpayers to dance with bears or to follow closely behind the bulls.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentlelady for her kindness. I rise in opposition, regretfully, to the rule and to the underlying bill. If we really wanted to protect the taxpayers, we wouldn't be paying cash for trash, $700 billion in taxpayers' funds which turns our beloved U.S. Treasury into a toxic landfill. This plan is a $700 billion bailout of Wall Street speculators, bankers, lenders who operated for years without the oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the oversight of the Federal Reserve. This legislation doesn't do anything to punish the speculators. It rewards them by having taxpayers bail them out. It has no additional controls of speculation, no strengthening of oversight, no mention even of the implications of the Financial Modernization Act, which took down Glass-Steagall, which provided those post-depression era protections so we wouldn't be in this situation that we're in right now. And I would predict, Mr. Speaker, that we will be right back here in a few months with the same kinds of problems because we're not solving the underlying matter here, which is a distortion of the economy because of speculation run wild on Wall Street. Now, we've been given a plan, we haven't been given alternatives. Alternatives would have required Wall Street to pay for its own bailout. This plan doesn't suspend dividends, it doesn't force shareholders or creditors to directly contribute to the bailout. This plan rejected a .25 percent stock transfer tax that would have raised $100 billion from Wall Street. This is legislation that is further proof that our government has been turned into an engine that accelerates the wealth upwards, taking money from the pockets of the people of this country and putting it into the hands of the few. That is what our tax policy does. It accelerates the wealth of America upwards. That is what the war does. It accelerates the wealth of America upwards. That is what our energy policy does. It accelerates the wealth upwards into the hands of the oil companies. That is what our financial policies do. And that is what our national debt has done. It has doubled in the past 8 years, $700 billion that taxpayers are being put on the hook. When Wall Street makes a profit, it is their profit. When Wall Street loses money, our people lose money. Seven hundred billion dollars. Why aren't we bailing out those millions of Americans who are losing their homes? Why aren't we addressing the fact that 50 million Americans don't have any health care? It is absolutely astonishing that we are talking about giving $700 billion in taxpayers' money which comes in the failure of the Fed through a quadrupling of public and private debt during the time of Mr. Greenspan, up to $43 trillion, and we have no discussion at all about the underlying monetary policy.

Mr. KUCINICH. There has been no discussion at all in any of this about the underlying dynamic of a debt-based monetary system. As long as we're working in a debt-based monetary system with our having no control over our own money supply through the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, with the banks being able to literally make money out of thin air with their fraction reserve policies, how can we ever get to the bottom of a national debt that is building beyond our capacity to deal with it? It is appropriate that this action of the Congress is being timed to the opening of the Asian markets. How appropriate, given the fact that we are losing control over our financial destiny. Mr. Speaker, when I was a child in Cleveland, there was a myth that if you took a shovel and dug a hole deep enough, you could get to China. We're there.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, industrial capitalism can finally be destroyed as we finish hollowing out our economy by substituting casino socialism, where the only real product is debt, where hard work in shaping raw materials into a product for a profit becomes ``so yesterday'' and we lead Americans to the gaming tables. Work becomes denigrated and wagering becomes the road to wealth. As Steve Zarlenga of the American Monetary Institute observed, ``You only have to make a fortune once.'' The top hedge manager in 2006 made $1.7 billion, and in 2007 some $3.7 billion. Both paid a lower tax rate for much of their earnings than people who clean the bedpans of the sick. And, of course, with that nasty ``death tax'' under attack by working families because almost 5 out of every 1,000 Americans pay it, that wealth can go on forever, just like the landed families of England and America maintain their economic status for hundreds of years. Precious money needed to bring national health care, reindustrialization of America, the repair of our infrastructure and wider available of quality education becomes secondary to keeping this artificial real estate bubble going. Speculators are winning, and this is the system we are saving.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6063, the NASA Authorization Act of 2008. I want to thank the committee chairman, Bart Gordon, and the subcommittee chairman, Mark Udall, for putting together this effective package and my friends on the other side of the aisle for their support of it as well. This bill authorizes funds and specifies policy guidance that will keep NASA's centers, which are the heart of the agency, healthy and financially strong. H.R. 6063 provides $1 billion to accelerate the completion of the next generation of manned vehicles that will replace the Space Shuttle. I am proud to say the world class facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center in my district will play a lead role in maintaining key aspects of tomorrow's space program. NASA Glenn also specializes in aeronautics basic research. This bill continues the record of excellence by providing $853 million for aeronautics, a 35 percent increase over fiscal year 2008. But the reason for NASA's historical and continued successes are its workers. They have brought NASA unparalleled repute around the world, turning it into an icon of intelligence and innovation. That is why this bill's most important provisions are those that protect workers. I want to thank the chairman of the Federal Workforce Subcommittee, Danny Davis, for working with me on two critical workforce provisions that are included in this bill. The most important provision is an extension of a ban on layoffs until at least 2011. Since announcing the ambitious vision for space exploration, the administration has, unfortunately, underfunded NASA. But with equal consistency in a bipartisan way, Congress has rejected these cuts and layoffs. Layoffs undermine not only workers' lives and mission of the agency, but also the regional economy. According to researchers at Cleveland State University, NASA Glenn in Brook Park generated a demand for products and services of $955 million and was responsible for over 6,000 jobs in northeast Ohio in 2006. This bill will also temporarily extend health care benefits for employees in transition. The sudden loss of health care coverage is a major factor currently discouraging employees from taking a buyout. The provision would be helpful in fostering a respectful workforce transition plan during this time at NASA. Again, this is a bipartisan bill. I want to thank the Ohio delegation for supporting our establishment as well as this Congress for the work that they have done on this.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman. I rise in opposition. What we see here at work is the Bush administration's flawed national security doctrine. They are staging an attack on Iran. Their Navy is in the gulf. There have been overflights. There are covert operations and assassinations. The administration recently sent weapons to Israel which can be used for an attack on Iran: 1,000 so-called smart bombs, the GBU 39s, which could be used to attack the nuclear power sites that would produce a catastrophe, according to the Physicians for Social Responsibility report. I believe it is adverse to the security of Israel to continue to follow the United States' current national security doctrine. And it's also adverse to continue to insist that nuclear power is to be equated with nuclear weapons. Now, if we want diplomacy, and we should, we should be listening to five former Secretaries of State who have said that diplomacy is what we should pursue. I would like to enter their names into the Record. Sanctions are not to be confused with diplomacy, any more than war is to be confused with diplomacy. Nuclear power, I want to repeat, does not equate with a nuclear weapons program. I want to cite our own CRS report which was given to the Congress on August 11, 2008, just a little more than a month ago, which cites the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, that says according to the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, and that is from December of 2007, ``Iranian military entities were working under government direction to develop nuclear weapons'' until fall 2003, but then halted its nuclear weapons program ``primarily in response to international pressure.'' I would like to enter the CRS report into the Record. Furthermore, the International Atomic Energy Agency has recently released a report which states very clearly, and this report is 4 days ago, September 22, 2008, by the Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, with respect to the implementation of safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran, ``The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material in Iran.'' It goes on to say, ``I note that the agency has not detected the usual use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies, nor does it have information apart from uranium metal document on the actual design or manufacture by Iran of nuclear material components of a nuclear weapon.'' I would like to include this in the Record. I would also like to include in the Record a quote from a piece by historian William Polk, who has said, ``Ironically the U.S. has three times actually helped Iran move towards nuclear weapons. Under the Shah, the Nixon administration gave Iran a big push in that direction. Then 6 years ago in Operation Merlin, the CIA provided Iran with plans for the central explosive charge for a nuclear weapon. The idea was to mislead the Persians into working on an unworkable model for the bomb, but the ploy was so crude that Iran probably profited from it. Finally, it turns out the U.S. Department of Energy has been subsidizing Russian organizations that have been helping Iran's nuclear program.'' Now, one of my many concerns with this legislation is it sanctions the Central Bank of Iran. In doing that, I raise a question with regard to our current liquidity problems on Wall Street, whether or not the sanctioning of Iran's Central Bank will be a problem for our own economy, as well as the sanctions here on oil transactions, which could affect the price of energy. I want to submit this for the Record as well. Precis of Understanding Iran (By William Polk, Historian) Ironically, the U.S. has three times actually helped Iran move toward nuclear weapons: Under the Shah the Nixon administration gave Iran a big push in that direction; then six years ago in ``Operation Merlin,'' the CIA provided Iran with plans for the central explosive charge for a nuclear weapon. The idea was to mislead the Persians into working on an unworkable approach to the bomb but the ploy was so crude that Iran probably profited from it. Finally, it turns out that the U.S. Department of Energy has been subsidizing Russian organizations that have been helping Iran's nuclear program.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry. In order to protect the voting rights of the Members, the Speaker may not see this, but right behind the Speaker where the votes are recorded with the colored lights is a whole column that is blank, and I just wondered if the Members who are in that column, if their rights are going to be protected. They're turning cards in, but some may have gone off the floor. So I'm asking you not to call this vote until every person who we know to be here today is canvassed with respect to that vote so they're not recorded as having missed a vote that they had previously cast but have lost credit for because it's been removed by the electronic system.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry, we're now informed that some Members having voted ``yes'' have a red light by their name. Why don't we just turn off that so there is no confusion and Members will know that they're voting accurately and not rely on that particular system until they get it fixed.

Mr. KUCINICH. How am I recorded as voting?

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman. As with many Members of this House, I am a strong supporter of India. I have had the opportunity to visit the country, meet with leaders, meet with people, and I think we could say we have a lot in common. India's the world's largest democracy. Someone whose life I have admired, the life of Mahatma Gandhi, is synonymous with peace. India is a strong ally in the quest for nuclear disarmament. It was the first nation to call for a ban on testing back in 1954. Regretfully, I rise in opposition to this bill because I believe it threatens security in India and the Asian subcontinent and in the world. The U.S. should work with India on initiatives to eliminate all nuclear weapons for the safety of the global community and for the safety of every man, woman, and child. The contradictory policies of this administration with respect to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty are obvious. The administration has repeatedly cited Iran for minor breaches of the nonproliferation treaty and has used these breaches to rally support for a military attack on Iran. Yet the administration is undercutting the nonproliferation treaty by seeking to build new nuclear weapons, a major violation of the NPT, which states that nuclear weapon states should be seeking to phase out nuclear weapons. Now the administration would like this body to approve a civilian nuclear agreement with India, despite India's refusal to join the NPT or sign the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. India has nuclear weapons. It has no intention of limiting its nuclear weapons cache or production capability. The United States should be leading in nonproliferation and towards nuclear abolition. This legislation undermines global nonproliferation efforts by endorsing India's refusal to sign the NPT. We are also extending a more favorable civil nuclear trade policy to Indian than that which is extended to countries in substantial compliance with the nonproliferation treaty. Furthermore, by ensuring a foreign supply of uranium fuel to India for use in the civilian sector, India will be able to use more of its own limited uranium reserves to produce nuclear weapons. Mr. Speaker, I urge defeat of this resolution.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Dave Pavlick for his dedication to social justice on the occasion of the completion of his second 600 mile walk throughout southeastern Ohio to promote the Health Care for All Ohioans Act. In coordination with the Single Payer Action Network (SPAN), Dave is ending his twenty-three day walk for Healthcare Justice in Parma, Ohio. The purpose of the walk is to promote the Health Care for All Ohioans Act and to raise awareness of the plight of millions of Americans who are underinsured or without healthcare. Dave's walk across southeastern Ohio has garnered attention and support from people all over the State of Ohio and has raised our collective consciousness of one of the biggest issues facing Americans today. I, along with SPAN and the United Auto Workers Local 1005 join in welcoming Dave back to Parma at tonight's ``Welcome Home Dave'' celebration. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Dave Pavlick, and in recognition of his outstanding commitment to social justice and promoting healthcare for all Ohioans.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I wish to honor the life and legacy of Congressman Seiberling, an eight-term Congressman from Akron, Ohio. John Seiberling won Ohio's 14th Congressional District in 1970. He ran for Congress because of his strong opposition to the Vietnam War and a belief that the system could be made to work in favor of a more livable world, a peaceful world. His desire for peace was his primary reason for running. In a speech at the University of Akron on May 6, 1970, just two days after the tragic shootings at Kent State University John Seiberling said that ``the system can be made to work . . . 25 years ago I never thought that a peace candidate would win a congressional election in this district, even a primary election, in which the principal issue is the cause of peace.'' He went on to speak about the importance of Gandhi's accomplishments in India; how Gandhi used non- cooperation to bring his cause to the attention of the world and non- violence to win the hearts of his enemies. During his time in Congress he had many major accomplishments. Among them was the creation of Ohio's first national park, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and his coauthorship of the War Powers Act. He was elected to and served as Chairman of the Members of Congress for Peace Through Law Caucus. It is reported that he opened his office to Vietnam veterans protesting against the war by allowing them to sleep there. He was committed to a world that resolved conflict through peaceful means. And as such, throughout his 16 years in the House he prioritized disarmament. When he announced his retirement in 1986 he reportedly told the Plain Dealer newspaper that it was the job of Congress to ``maintain a livable world, free of nuclear disaster, a world that we have not polluted to the point where we can't breathe and where we preserve some natural beauty so that we can have the solace and the experience of being out in God's world.'' Following his retirement he dedicated himself to teaching law at the University of Akron and for a number of years was the head of the university's Center for Peace Studies. Since his passing on August 2, 2008 he has been sorely missed and will be missed well into the future.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady. As a cosponsor, I rise in support of H.R. 6460, the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act. This bill will reauthorize and expand a highly successful program designed to help address the issue of contamination in the Great Lakes. The lakes hold 20 percent of the world's fresh water and are an irreplaceable economic engine and drinking water source for our region. As a Member of Congress representing Ohio and particularly the Cleveland area, we pride ourselves on our access to that fresh water and we know it is not only important for today, but it is also part of our future as well. So the program created by the Great Lakes Legacy Act is focused on cleaning up areas of concern, sites that are known to be contaminated with toxic chemicals. These chemicals can cause damage to the entire ecosystem as well as damage to human health. For example, in the past research has linked consumption of Great Lakes fish by pregnant women to irreversible health problems in the child. So it becomes obvious that this program which will help to clean up contamination that remains in the Great Lakes will have an appreciable impact on improving human health and will also give people confidence in the fish that they consume from the Great Lakes. We can do better to protect our precious Great Lakes. This bill is an important step, and I urge my colleagues to support the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 2008 Hispanic Heritage Month, as we celebrate the members of this community and their invaluable contributions to the Greater Cleveland Area and to our country. I also rise in honor of Senator Kenneth McClintock, and in recognition of his immeasurable accomplishments as President of the Puerto Rican Senate. Senator McClintock is the keynote speaker at the kick-off ceremony of the 2008 Hispanic Heritage Month in Cleveland, Ohio. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates and illuminates the significant contributions that Americans of Hispanic heritage have made in all aspects of American culture. Hispanic Americans have contributed immeasurably to the fields of law, medicine and education, and have shared their diverse and rich culture with us all through fine arts and music. Americans of Hispanic descent have served our country in numerous ways--as elected officials, teachers, musicians, veterans, community activists, and dedicated employees in virtually every sector of the economy. Their longstanding commitment to social justice and to sharing their diverse culture with friends and neighbors has been an invaluable addition to Cleveland's diverse social fabric. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and in celebration of this year's Hispanic Heritage Month and in recognition of Senator Kenneth McClintock for his dedication to public service. I am deeply grateful for the outstanding contributions made by Hispanic Americans in my district and around the country.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Nick ``Sonny'' Nardi, and in appreciation of his outstanding dedication to social justice and workers rights. I, along with the Parma Democratic Party, join in recognizing Sonny for his invaluable leadership in the Democratic Party, as he is being honored as the 2008 Parma Democrat of the Year. Sonny, a native of the Greater Cleveland area, has a multifaceted history of leadership and social service. He graduated from Parma High School in 1978 and joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 416 here in Parma in 1981. Since joining Local 416, Sonny has demonstrated his dedication to workers rights in the various leadership roles he has held over the past twenty-seven years. From 1986 to 1989, he was the Trustee and Business Agent. He became Vice President of Local 416 in 1992, a position he held for three years, until becoming Secretary-Treasurer in 1996. Sonny held the position of Secretary- Treasurer for ten years and just last year, he became Local 416's President and Principal Officer. His commitment to workers rights and to the local Democratic Party has earned him the honor of being one of only two Super-Delegates of the 1.4 million Teamster membership. From 2003-2006, Sonny served on the Labor Advisory Council for Governor Taft and was also appointed to the RTA Board of Trustees. His experience as a true leader in the local Democratic Party earned him an appointment to the Executive Committee for the Democratic Party in 2006. In 2007, the same year he became Local 416's President and Principal Officer, Sonny was chosen to represent Ohio as a member of the Democratic National Committee. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Nick ``Sonny'' Nardi, and in recognition of his invaluable dedication to workers rights and to the local Democratic Party. May his commitment to social justice serve as an example for all of us to follow.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Glenn W. Krueger on the occasion of his retirement, and in recognition of his outstanding commitment to his country, his family, and his community. Glenn is retiring as Fire Chief after 41 years of dedicated service to the city of Brook Park. Glenn Krueger has an immeasurable track record of community and public service. Prior to becoming a fire fighter in Brook Park, Ohio in 1967, he served in the United States Navy from 1960 to 1963. He was hired as a fire fighter for the city of Brook Park on September 15, 1967. Fire fighters often endure long work hours and dangerous conditions when responding to emergency calls. Fire fighters put their lives on the line everyday to protect and serve the community; and are often the first emergency workers to respond to critical situations. In addition to protecting the public from hazardous situations, many fire fighters like Glenn become certified EMT's in order to provide medical treatment at the scene. Glenn was promoted to Lieutenant in 1973 and served as a certified EMT for 6 years. He was again promoted in 1986, this time as Captain of the Brook Park Fire Department. He would serve in that position for 13 years, until his promotion to Fire Chief 8 years ago. Glenn and his wife Carol Jaye have been married for 46 years and have resided in the city of Brook for the last 36 years. They have five children; Christi, Tricia, Rebecca, Glenn and Scott; and have six grandchildren; Cory, Alicia, Rob, Leah, Jeremy and Jordan. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Glenn W. Krueger, and in recognition of his exceptional leadership and dedication to the city of Brook Park, on the occasion of his retirement as a fire fighter after 41 years of service.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ron Brown, and in recognition of his work for social justice and dedication to the Parma Democratic Party. I, along with the Parma Democratic Party, recognize Ron as the Parma Democrat Volunteer of the Year. Ron has an immeasurable track record of community and public service in the local Democratic Party and for the city of Parma. He graduated from Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights in 1996 and continued his education at Cuyahoga Community College, where he earned a degree in business administration. His dedication to serving the residents of Parma is demonstrated by his 14 years of public service for the city of Parma. He currently works as a case manager for the Parma Public Housing Department and is always at the forefront of activism on behalf of the citizens of Parma. Ron earns the award of Parma Democrat Volunteer of the Year for his enthusiasm and commitment to the Parma Democratic Party. For years, Ron has worked diligently with the community on voter registration and has volunteered as a precinct chairman. A familiar face to many in the community, he has gone door-to-door, volunteered at polls and canvassed for all the democratic elected officials in Parma. Ron has been a tremendous volunteer and leader for the local Democratic Party. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Ron Brown, and in recognition of his commitment to social justice and public service, as he is named this years Parma Democrat Volunteer of the Year.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the El Hasa Temple #28 Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, A.E.A.O.N.M.S., on the occasion of their one-hundredth anniversary. The members of El Hasa Temple #28 celebrate this grand anniversary with their 46th annual Potentate Ball. I also rise in honor of El Hasa's current Illustrious Potentate, Andrew D. White, and in recognition of his outstanding leadership and dedication to the community. El Hasa Temple #28 A.E.A.O.N.M.S. was founded on November 19, 1908, when it obtained its Charter from the Imperial Council. The Charter was delivered to Charles E. Gordon, who became El Hasa's first Illustrious Potentate. On the occasion of El Hasa's one-hundredth anniversary, I also rise in honor of H.H. Franklin, the 25th Illustrious Potentate, F.D. Armstead, the 50th Illustrious Potentate, and LaVon McCall, the 75th Illustrious Potentate. El Hasa is part of an international fraternity built on the values of fellowship, philanthropy and community. During Christmas each year, members of El Hasa Temple #28 distribute Christmas baskets to the economically disadvantaged in the Greater Cleveland Area. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of El Hasa Temple #28, as they celebrate their one-hundredth anniversary during their annual Potentate Ball, and in recognition of the outstanding community work its members contribute to the Greater Cleveland Area.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the UAW Local 1050 on the occasion of their 60th anniversary, and in recognition of the Unions' exemplary work in the Greater Cleveland Area. Cleveland's UAW Local 1050 became a chartered member of the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America Union (UAW) 60 years ago this month. The UAW is one of North America's largest unions, representing workers from nearly all sectors of the economy. The UAW Local 1050 represents over eight-hundred employees of the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) Cleveland Work's Facility. The facility specializes in manufacturing large aerospace, small aerospace and car and truck wheels. A testament to the workers, the facility is thriving and even during times of economic hardship. The Union members work together to ensure each other's safety and collective success in the workplace. The UAW Local 1050 has numerous committees promoting community including a Veteran's Committee, Women's Committee, Recreational Committee and a Retiree's Committee. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of the UAW local 1050 on the occasion of their 60th anniversary, and in recognition of the outstanding work of all of its members.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Polish Legion of American Veterans (PLAV) on the occasion of their 39th Biennial National Convention and in recognition of their dedication to veterans' issues and to the community. I am proud to be an honorary member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans and of the leadership of the National Commander, Ernest Stetz. PLAV, founded in 1920, is comprised of American veterans of Polish descent who actively engage in the community through education, charitable and civic activities. In addition to civic engagement, founding PLAV members worked for an independent Poland, in congruence with President Woodrow Wilson's ``Fourteen Points.'' President Ronald Reagan signed an Act of Congress, P.L. 98-372, on July 23, 1984, granting the Polish Legion of America a Federal Charter. There are over five posts in my congressional district which host events and volunteer within the community, with dozens more around the country. The members of PLAV work collectively to ensure that all those who served our country are provided with benefits and work with Congress to support legislation necessary to ensuring that veterans receive these benefits. This year's National Convention features Robert Kupiecki, Ambassador and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of the Polish Legion of American Veterans and in recognition of their outstanding community service and dedication to our Nation's veterans. Their involvement in the community is invaluable; may their work in the community serve as an example for us all.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Councilwoman Fannie Lewis, an outspoken leader and profoundly respected member of the Greater Cleveland Community, and to honor a life spent in service to her community. One of Cleveland's longest-serving Council Members, Councilwoman Lewis was known for her unfailing support and activism for the working class residents of the Greater Cleveland Area. Recognized as a ``neighborhood activist,'' she emerged as the prominent voice for the economically disadvantaged in Cleveland, fighting for their rights regardless of the opposition. Councilwoman Lewis began her career in public service fighting for civil rights and equality in the Hough neighborhood in Cleveland as a recruiter for the Neighborhood Youth Corps during the 1960s. After helping local residents find work and through the Youth Corps, she continued her activism for the residents of Hough Avenue during her tenure in Cleveland's City Council. She joined the City Council in 1980 and immediately began working on renovating Hough Avenue. Councilwoman Lewis worked tirelessly on housing development in several neighborhoods, pushing for new apartments and houses as well as a large nursing home in Eliza Bryant Village. She challenged local residents to keep their neighborhoods clean. Her tenacious voice for those with educational and economic needs stood in stark contrast to her personable disposition that enabled her to work closely with the residents she represented. Her leadership skills affected all of those around her and she worked around the clock encouraging her residents to stand up for their needs and beliefs. In addition to her activism for housing and economic development in Cleveland, Councilwoman Lewis pushed for school vouchers for her residents in City Council, giving economically disadvantaged students and their families the opportunity to attend private schools. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Councilwoman Lewis's program in 2002, upholding her voucher program. In 2003, the Fannie Lewis Law, which requires that city residents constitute at least 20 percent of the workforce on any construction projects that receive contracts worth $100,000 or more, was passed. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebrating the life of Councilwoman Fannie Lewis, whose career in public service is a shining example for public officials and women everywhere. May her pioneering character and exemplary life serve as an example for all of us to follow.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Society of the Donauschwaben on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The group is celebrating 50 outstanding years of preserving German culture on August 9, 2008 with a beautiful gala, featuring traditional German dishes and dancing. Over the past 50 years, the Society of the Donauschwaben has greatly enhanced Cleveland's diverse community in numerous ways. Donauschwaben's German-American Cultural Center in Olmsted Township is an epicenter of German culture in Ohio. The center provides extensive classes in German for young children, teens, and adults and displays traditional German costumes, relics, books, and photographs. The group is also the umbrella organization for several clubs that share German traditions with the Greater Cleveland community through cultural events and programs throughout the year. Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the Society of the Donauschwaben and congratulating them on 50 years of sharing German culture with the Greater Cleveland community. Their contributions exemplify the diversity and culture that our community is so fortunate to possess.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of my colleague and dear friend, United States Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who left us far too soon. Stephanie's fearless passion for social justice, unyielding commitment to improving the lives of her most vulnerable constituents, and limitless love for her family and friends, will forever resound throughout our Cleveland community and across our nation. Her professional achievements were many--her success as a county prosecutor, municipal judge, trial court judge and Congresswoman are well known, but it was her strength of character in the face of personal hardship, her dedication to and ability in helping others and her luminous zest for life that ran through everything she did. It is these attributes, framed by her hearty laugh and generous heart--that will forever be remembered. Stephanie's life touched and inspired countless lives, young and old, and her energy and positivity knew no bounds--reaching from the block clubs of Cleveland, to the halls of Congress, across the country and around the world. Wherever she went, people were drawn to her quick smile, sharp intellect, easy going nature and passion for making the world a better place. The child of devoted, working class parents, Stephanie blazed a trail of possibility and hope for women everywhere, especially for African American women, when she made history upon being elected as the first African American woman from Ohio elected to Congress. Stephanie was not afraid to stand up against the tide--she was one of the Representatives to vote ``no'' to authorizing the use of force in Iraq--an action she believed to be a grave affront to the honor of United States veterans and the honorable service of our United States military women and men. Stephanie's sage advice and ability to get to the heart of the matter was coveted by her family and wide circle of friends. Her warmth, friendship and loyalty inspired and strengthened the lives of many, including my own. People from all walks of life--from United States Senators to the cashier around the corner--called Stephanie ``friend'' and ``sister.'' Stephanie's most cherished roles were as wife and mother. Her unwavering devotion to her family was evidenced her entire life. Together, Stephanie and her late husband, Mervyn Jones Sr., raised their son, Mervyn, Jr., who was heart, soul and center of Stephanie's life. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of my dear friend and confidant, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Our shared experiences--from our Cleveland childhood to standing together in the House of Representatives--was the foundation for a friendship that grew and strengthened over the past thirty years. Her passing is a profound loss for all of us, and especially for her beloved son, Mervyn, yet her fiery spirit, love for her family and friends, and commitment to serving the most fragile of our society will be forever reflected in those who loved and knew her well--in Cleveland, Washington, and far beyond. The indomitable spirit, love for life and passion for social justice that defined my friend, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, will live on forever, through every friendship she ever forged and within everyone whose life was improved, inspired and lifted because of her, and she will be remembered always.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, America must move from the errant, retributive justice of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation. Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth seeking set our Nation on a path of reconciliation. We suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda, which has set America on a course of the destruction of another nation and the destruction of our own Constitution. And we have become less secure as a result of the warped practice of pursing peace through the exercise of preemptive military strength. It is not simply 9/11 that needs to be remembered. We also need to remember the politicization of 9/11 and the polarizing narrative which followed, locking us into endless conflict, a war on terror which has wrought further terror worldwide and which has severely damaged our standing worldwide as an honorable, compassionate nation. As we were all victims of 9/11, so we have become victims of the interpretation of 9/11. Our government's external response to 9/11 was to attack a nation which did not attack us. Indeed on the first anniversary of 9/11, the Bush administration issued a well-publicized stern warning to Iraq which was part of a campaign to induce people to believe Iraq had something to do with 9/11. The deliberate, systematic connection of Iraq with 9/11 has led America into a philosophical and moral cul-de-sac as over one million Iraqis and over 4155 U.S. soldiers have died in a war which will cost over $3 trillion. Additionally, soldiers from 23 other countries have died in the Iraq war. We attempt to unite Iraq by further dividing it. We talk about restoring Iraq while taking steps to place control of its vast oil wealth in the hands of U.S. oil giants. And we intend to impose upon the Iraqi people the cost of rebuilding a country which our government ruined, keeping a once prosperous nation lashed to debt and poverty for a long, long time. Iraq has paid for 9/11. We all continue to pay for 9/11. The heartbreaking loss of the lives and injuries to America troops further binds us to the Administration's illogic of the Iraq war: We remember our troops' sacrifice by demanding more sacrifice; we support our troops by continuing the war. The dominant color of our new national security since 9/11 is neither red, white nor blue. Every day is orange. Everyday reminders of fear of 9/11 become banal. Yet we no longer hear the airport announcements nor see the orange-colored warnings because they have commonplace standards in our new national security state, as is the PATRIOT Act, wiretapping, and a host of invasions of privacy and diminution of civil liberties. The Constitution has been roundly attacked by the very people who took an oath to defend it. There is a powerful desire across America for change, not necessarily from control by one political party to another, but a change from living with lies to living with truth. Over two dozen nations, facing peril within and without, deeply divided by politics and war have travelled down a path of restoring civil society through a formal process of reconciliation. At some point within each of those countries it was understood that the way forward is shown through the light of truth. This process is not without pain because it requires a willingness to study evidence to which eyes had been averted and ears had been closed. But in the process of truth and reconciliation, nations found new strength, new resolve, and new commitment. The South African Truth and Reconciliation enabled that nation to come to grips with its past through a public confessional, bringing forward those who committed crimes and having the power to grant amnesty for full disclosure of crimes against the people. Of course, our path may necessarily be different: High U.S. government officials stand accused in impeachment petitions of violating national and international law. Our continued existence as a democracy may depend upon how thoroughly we seek the truth. I will call upon the American people to join me in supporting this effort. The truth can move us forward, as a unified whole, so that we can one day become a re-United States. September 11 is the day the world changed. It is the day America embraced a metaphor of war. If we are open to truth and reconciliation, we may one day be able, once again, to embrace peace.