Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of James A. Tucciarone, upon his retirement that follows an exemplary, thirty-six year career with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), throughout Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. In 1971, Mr. Tucciarone began his career as an FAA air traffic controller at the Akron-Canton control tower, and later served as Manager of the Akron Municipal Air Traffic Control Tower, Akron-Canton Air Traffic Control Tower and the Columbus Air Traffic Control Tower. He was called upon to serve as Manager of the Cleveland Center, and as Sectional Supervisor of the Operations Branch at the Great Lakes Regional Office in Des Plaines, IL. Mr. Tucciarone also worked as Assistant Air Traffic Manager at Cleveland and Detroit Metro Towers, and also at the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center. In every place he worked, Mr. Tucciarone's integrity, expertise and focus on flight safety never wavered. Mr. Tucciarone's boundless enthusiasm, energy, kind heart and steadfast integrity frame both his personal and professional life. Aside from his numerous accomplishments in the field of aviation, Mr. Tucciarone is an active member of his community. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for ``Kids in Flight, `` a non- profit organization whose mission is to use aviation as a tool of empowerment for seriously ill children and their families. He is a member of numerous civic agencies and also volunteers his time coaching and umpiring youth basketball and softball teams. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor, recognition and gratitude of Mr. James A. Tucciarone, upon his retirement from the FAA that follows thirty-six years of outstanding service and accomplishment. His dedication, expertise, leadership, and energy, focused on excellence and safety in aviation, also extends outward into the community, where he offers his time and talent to children and their families who struggle daily with illness, uplifting their lives to a place where hopes and dreams take flight. I wish Mr. Tucciarone and his family an abundance of health, peace and happiness as his journey begins from here.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the leaders and members, past and present, of Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio, as they celebrate forty years of faith, guidance and support, embracing citizens of all ages within our Cleveland community and far beyond. Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church was founded in the spring of 1966, when a small group of devoted Christians met at the home of Reverend and Mrs. Rudy York and decided that an organized mission of faith and service was needed in the neighborhood. On Monday, May 2, 1966, the Church was officially established and the Reverend Robert M. Berry was called upon to lead as the first Pastor. Reverend Berry guided the early days of the church with commitment and compassion. When he became ill, Reverend Thomas Shearer served as interim pastor, and did so with great care and dedication. In June of 1969, Reverend George O. Stewart was called to serve as Pastor. For 37 years, Reverend Stewart has led this congregation with grace, energy and steadfast faith in the resilience and goodness of the human heart, raising lives into the light of self-awareness, forgiveness and service to others. Reverend Stewart's kind heart and charismatic demeanor inspires thousands of churchgoers every week. His dynamic leadership is reflected in faith-based initiatives for families, children and teens; is evidenced within a congregation that continues to flourish; and is visible in structural expansions that include a new fellowship hall, new parking lots and new residential properties. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of every member and leader, past and present, of the Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, as they celebrate 40 years of faith, hope and healing. The guidance and compassion offered here serves to strengthen the lives of countless families and individuals, and offers light and hope along Lee Road and horizons beyond.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I made the attached remarks regarding the Avian Flu on May 11, 2006. You're on your own. This has been the credo for the Administration's approach to health care and it summarizes their approach to Avian Flu. The Implementation Plan gives a little guidance to state and local governments and businesses and then wishes them luck. First, there is the leadership vacuum. The plan calls for HHS to coordinate the medical response but calls for Homeland Security to coordinate federal operations and resources. A bipartisan report out of the Senate, released in April, found that the Department has lagged in fixing the problems that plagued its atrocious response to Hurricane Katrina. It found that major structural reforms were necessary and that little has changed in the Department so far. So we can expect Homeland Security to adopt a similar motto to the one they adopted last Summer: you're on your own. What's more is that the plan has been called the mother of all unfunded mandates. While 7.1 billion dollars for avian flu preparedness is a step in the right direction, it is simply not enough. Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, called the budget ``completely unrealistic.'' A big part of the reason it is insufficient is that it has to make up for years of steady erosion of the public health infrastructure due to lack of funding. In fact, Dr. Redlener points out the need for 5 billion dollars just for ``staffs, equipment and supplies, and general resiliency.'' Yet the vast majority of the Administration's funding is going toward the anti-viral and vaccine stockpile. This plan, therefore, gives us inadequate leadership and inadequate funding, which leaves the clear impression that we truly will be on our own in a pandemic. And a crisis is precisely the time we need to look out for each other the most. However, we can be assured that everyone is not left to their own devices. On November 4, 2005 during a House Government Reform Committee hearing on Avian Flu Preparedness, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt responded to my questioning by saying that he would not be issuing a compulsory license for the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu. He also declared that he was in negotiations with Roche, manufacturer of Tamiflu, over the cost of the drug being purchased for the national stockpile. On one hand, Secretary Leavitt has a Congressional mandate to stockpile enough Tamiflu for 25% of the nation. On the other hand, he withdrew the threat of compulsory licensing, even if Roche tries to price gouge. In so doing, Leavitt undercut his own negotiating power and effectively surrendered control of price to Roche. On November 10, six days after the hearing, the New York Times reported that Roche announced what they would be charging developed countries for Tamiflu: 15 Euros, or about 19 dollars for a course of treatment. Wondering how the price negotiations between HHS and Roche went, my office recently asked HHS what they were paying for Tamiflu for the stockpile. The asking price of 15 Euros, or 19 dollars. Even with the bulk purchasing power of 810 million pills, HHS did not bother to get a better deal than the asking price. Lest you get the impression that this price is fair, allow me to point out that Roche did not sink a dime into research on the drug. They simply license it from its inventor, Gilead Sciences. That means there is no need to recoup research costs. Furthermore, we know it can be sold for a profit for much less. Cipla, a generics manufacturer in India, for example, is selling Tamiflu for only 12 dollars. That is 36 percent less than what the Federal Government is paying. If we paid Cipla's price instead of Roche's, we would save over a half a billion dollars. I bet local health agencies and hospitals could save a lot of lives with that kind of money. Think of what we could do with a half billion dollars--we could reduce the deficit, put teachers in classrooms, invest in renewable energy, provide health care to some of the uninsured, brace ourselves for the effects of climate change. Those that stand to gain from inflated prices for pandemic pharmaceuticals are doing well. Roche's sales for the first quarter of 2006 are up 22 percent to 7.7 billion dollars. Gilead Sciences, the company that originally developed Tamiflu and continues to receive royalties on its sales, outperformed RBC Capital Markets estimate of 350 million dollars in Tamiflu Sales by 163 million dollars. In essence, we are telling state and local governments that there's not enough money to fund things like medical personnel and equipment while we're giving away bags of money to the already incredibly profitable pharmaceutical industry. In other words, you're on your own, unless you're big Pharma.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the Dow Jones will hit a record and the Nation's economists will be doing their hosannas, but who profits when factories and businesses are closed in the United States and cheap goods made by no-rights, no-benefits, low-wage Chinese workers flood our markets? We have an $804 billion trade deficit. Hello? Since 1982, $4.5 trillion in assets have been transferred from American to foreign owners. Hello? Wall Street thumps their golden tub for the Wal-Marts and the cigarette-peddling Altrias while record numbers of Americans are laid off, file bankruptcy, lose their homes, their health care benefits, their retirement and savings, and in some cases, their families. Why do we celebrate Wall Street when Wall Street does not celebrate Main Street? Wall Street makes a killing while gas prices soar, health care costs skyrocket, and food prices increase. We need a new way to measure our economy, as in how many people are working at good-paying jobs and have job security, and how many have health and retirement benefits. Let us create economic progress for all in America, not just for a privileged few.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Mike Zappone, Sr., beloved husband, father, successful restaurateur and friend. Mr. Zappone, Senior leaves behind a legacy that reflects his joy for life, love for his family and dedication to his community. Mr. Zappone was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. He learned early on the lessons of family unity, hard work and team work, as his father died at a young age, leaving his mother with a large family to raise. Shortly after graduating from John Marshall High School, Mr. Zappone joined his older brother, Tony Zappone, in the restaurant business. Tony Zappone operated Tony's Diner for nearly 30 years, until his death in 1977. Mike Zappone opened his first restaurant in Kamms Corners in the 1950s, then in 1962, he opened up the Original 13 Colonies restaurant, located in the Holiday Inn on Brookpark Road. Mr. Zappone took over Tony's Diner when his brother passed away, and later opened up the highly popular Mr. Z's. For decades, both brothers were successfully involved in the ownership and operation of nearly 20 local and out-of-State restaurants. Their signature establishments were Tony's Diner and Mr. Z's, cultural landmarks that provided a welcoming atmosphere where anyone could enjoy a great meal and lively conversation. Both Tony's Diner and Mr. Z's frequently set the stage for people from all walks of life--from politicians to steelworkers, to business owners and every profession in between, to discover and debate the neighborhood news of the day. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, remembrance and gratitude of my dear friend, Mike Zappone, Sr., whose kindness, integrity and goodwill defined his character and framed his life. I offer my condolences to his wife Jeanne; his sons, Michael, Junior and John; his four grandchildren; and his extended family and friends. His friendly smile, joyful spirit and kind heart will live on within the hearts of his family, friends and every patron, young and old, whose day was made brighter while gathered at the table of Tony's Diner or Mr. Z's, including my own.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Richard Zeager as he celebrates his 90th birthday. Richard worked hard throughout his life, served his country and raised a family. His accomplishments and contributions to his community are worthy of recognition. Mr. Zeager was born on May 14, 1916, at home in Rocky River, Ohio, where he would spend the rest of his life serving his community and country. Much of his childhood was spent working and playing with his four siblings. After receiving his diploma from Rocky River High School in 1934, Richard worked a number of jobs as a gardener, hunter, fisherman, and truck driver and worked in the PepsiCola factory in Cleveland. Mr. Zeager found a career as a warehouse manager at Lifetime Cookware, where he worked for 52 years, just retiring last year. In 1942, Richard answered the call of duty to fight for America during World War II. As a decorated Sergeant of the 7th Airdrome Squadron of the 13th Air Force Division, Richard served as an Aircraft Electrical Specialist. From 1942-45 he served in the Philippines, Guadalcanal, and New Guinea. Since his return home in 1945, Richard became an active member of the VFW in Rocky River, where he was a past commander, and also a member of the American Legion in Bay Village. He participated in parades and veteran reunions for his squadron, continuing close friendships with his fellow soldiers. Richard enjoys sharing his stories from the war with his family and friends. Besides his involvement with the VFW, he is also a member of the Danish Brotherhood Lodge where he continues the traditions of his heritage. After his honorable service in World War II. Richard married Edna Klavon in March 1946. Throughout their 57-year marriage they had 3 sons, Terry, Stanley, and Edward. Richard and Edna also were loving and supportive grandparents to their six grandchildren. Besides spending time with family, Richard is an avid stamp and coin collector. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Richard Zeager on his 90th birthday. His contribution to his community, family, and country are irreplaceable and we are ever grateful for his service.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Charlotte Crews, upon her retirement as center director of the Barton Center of Lakewood, whose dedication and devotion to the residents of the Barton Center has brought joy and energy to their lives for more than two decades. Mrs. Crews began volunteering at the Barton Center nearly 21 years ago. Though busy with family and her own job at a local insurance company, Mrs. Crews made time to prepare meals, and she also utilized her creative theatrical talent and experience by writing and directing countless performances and shows at the center. Her husband, Curt, was program director at the time, and she also volunteered as his assistant. In 1995, she was offered the position of center director. As center director for 11 years, Mrs. Crews went above and beyond the usual call of duty. Her care and compassion for the elderly and disabled residents of the center was equally matched by her energetic drive and dedication that focused on enriching their lives. Mrs. Crews worked overtime to cook dinner for more than 100 people for the monthly dinner show. She set the menu, shopped, cooked and served the food. She also continued to channel her talents by writing, producing and directing the annual staff show. Additionally, she created a small grocery called the Corner Store, located in the building, for residents unable to leave the center. Mrs. Crews added a computer to the center, created several new programs for residents, and initiated a successful fundraising plan, known as the Annual Campaign. Moreover, Mrs. Crews' approachable demeanor and great sense of humor easily drew others to her, and her presence brightened the spirits of residents, staff and volunteers. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, recognition and gratitude to Charlotte Crews, for her unwavering dedication, generous heart, expansive talent and true sense of giving that has framed her presence at the Barton Center for the past 21 years. Her achievements are numerous, yet her most significant accomplishment is the love and compassion that she shared with the most frail citizens of our society--bringing them joy, great care and hope, and the foundation of friendship that Mrs. Crews created has raised the lives of every resident at Barton Center, and has strengthened our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Lakewood Library, as we join in celebration of their 90th Anniversary. For the past nine decades, the library, located on Detroit Avenue, has served as a vital source of learning, entertainment and enlightenment for residents of all ages, at no cost or low cost. Founded in 1916, the Lakewood Library has evolved over the years from a small space where books were exchanged, to a peaceful haven of energy where information and ideas are exchanged, learning flourishes and computer technology is presented on the cutting edge. The Lakewood Library lends out thousands of books, and CD's every year, and also lends its rooms to community organizations where members gather on a regular basis. The Library offers programs for children, adults and seniors, literary programs, workshops, community volunteer programs and a variety of family entertainment programs and classes, including reading circles and the visual arts. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of staff, administrators, volunteers and visitors, past and present, of the Lakewood Library. The library's collection of books, resources, historical documentation and advanced technology, offered free to the public, is a priceless component that continues to shape our culture, broaden our horizons and raise our collective and individual dreams into the light of reality--through imagination, discovery and learning, with every turn of the page.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, on May 4, 2006, I prepared the following opening statement for the Committee on Government Reform's hearing, ``Sifting Through Katrina's Legal Debris: Contracting in the Eye of the Storm'': Thank you, Chairman Davis, for holding this important oversight hearing to examine federal contracting for Hurricane Katrina relief. I appreciate that you have kept your promise to hold a series of hearings on the subject of Hurricane Katrina as you said you would in September of last year. I am grateful for your leadership in this regard. Since this Administration has come into office, we have witnessed multiple federal contracting sprees, which have all been reckless and wasteful. After 9/11, and the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, a variety of security functions were contracted out to private companies. The Iraq war and reconstruction brought the next round of federal contracts, and finally, after Hurricane Katrina, several contracts were administered to aid in relief and reconstruction. Contracts awarded have consistently been cost-plus and no bid contracts, have lacked oversight and transparency, and have led to costly waste, fraud and abuse. Despite the waste, fraud and abuse, which have been well documented by government oversight bodies, including this Committee, the federal government has refused to learn its lesson and change its contracting practices. The contracts handed out for Katrina relief and reconstruction were just as flawed as those for Homeland Security functions and Iraq reconstruction. Halliburton, for example, which has been the target of investigations for robbing the American taxpayer blind in its Iraq contracts, was one of the first companies awarded no bid contracts after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, to repair 3 different Navy facilities in Mississippi. Furthermore, measures put forward immediately following Hurricane Katrina to help ensure proper contracting, such as Ranking Member Waxman's bill, the ``Hurricane Katrina Accountability and Clean Contracting Act,'' were disregarded. Now, eight months later--eight months too late--we are here in this Committee examining what went wrong. Our government should have known better. Today's hearing will reveal how FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies entered into at least eight major contracts, worth over $5.6 billion, that have resulted in significant waste, fraud and abuse. We will also hear some familiar testimony: how full and open competition has been the exception, not the rule, in awarding Katrina contacts; how lack of contract management and oversight were missing in Katrina contracts; and how these flawed contracting procedures lead to significant cost or performance problems in nearly every major contract related to Hurricane Katrina. Far too much taxpayer money has been squandered on important jobs that aren't getting done. I look forward to the testimonials from the witnesses today. Despite the federal government's record, it is my sincere hope that this hearing will lead to concrete reforms in contracting practices.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I, the Ranking Minority Member on the House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, delivered the following statement to the Subcommittee's hearing on ``UN Sanctions After Oil-For-Food: Still A Viable Diplomatic Tool? I'd like to thank Chairman Shays for holding this hearing and providing Ambassador Bolton the opportunity to testify before this Subcommittee. We are in a critical moment for U.S. policy at the UN, especially regarding Iran. Just last Friday marked the Security Council's deadline for Iran to freeze all nuclear fuel enrichment, and the beginning of the inevitable struggle at the Security Council over what to do to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions. We've seen this kind of struggle at the Security Council before. The U.S. spent much time in 2002 pressuring the Security Council to take action against Iraq to contain its supposed WMDs. Finally, on November 8, 2002, the Council approved resolution 1441, which imposed tough new arms inspections in Iraq, and promised ``serious consequences,'' to be determined by the Security Council, if Iraq violated the resolution. Even though Iraq did submit a weapons declaration, and began destroying its Al Samoud missiles as instructed to by UN inspector Hans Blix, serious consequences were imposed on the country anyway. It was the United States, however, and not the Security Council that determined those consequences for Iraq, when President Bush went to war against Iraq on March 20, 2003. Experience in Iraq has proven that this administration will act unilaterally, outside the mandate of the Security Council, thereby rendering the work of the Council almost irrelevant. At the same time, however, experience has indicated that this administration will use the UN to make its case for war to the world community. In the coming weeks and months, I think it's fairly predictable that we will see the United States' case for war against Iran unfold at the U.N. I think it's highly probably that the administration has already made the decision to go to war against Iran. There are already U.S. combat troops inside Iran (REPEAT for emphasis). On April 14th, retired Col. Sam Gardiner related on CNN that the Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA, Aliasghar Soltaniyeh, reported to him that the Iranians have captured dissident forces who have confessed to working with U.S. troops in Iran. Earlier in the week, Seymour Hersh reported in the New Yorker that a U.S. source had told him that U.S. marines were operating in the Baluchi, Azeri and Kurdish regions of Iran. On April 10, the Guardian reported that Vincent Cannistraro, a former CIA counter-terrorism chief, said that covert military action, in the form of special forces troops identifying targets and aiding dissident groups is already under way and that it had been authorized. We also know from reports that the U.S. is supporting military activity in Iran by Iranian anti-government insurgent groups, some of whom are operating from U.S.-occupied Iraq, such as the terrorist group Mujahedin e-Khalq (MEK). An article published by Newsweek magazine on February 14, 2005 confirms cooperation between U.S. government officials and the MEK. The article describes how ``the Administration is seeking to cull useful MEK members as operatives for use against Tehran.'' Furthermore, an article by Jim Lobe published on Antiwar.com on February 11, 2005 claims that according to Philip Giraldi, a former CIA official and a source in an article about this subject in the American Conservative magazine, U.S. Special Forces have been directing members of the MEK in carrying out reconnaissance and intelligence collection in Iran since the summer of 2004. Even a statement attributed to Ambassador Bolton, and which I would like elaboration on today, seems to confirm that U.S. policy for Iran is war. According to an article published April 10, 2006 in the Guardian, Ambassador Bolton told British parliamentarians that he believes military action could halt or at least set back the Iranian nuclear program by striking it at its weakest point. U.S. policy for Iran advocates regime change, not behavior change. We should expect that even if Iran decides to negotiate with the U.S. or other Security Council members over its nuclear program, U.S. policy promoting war in Iran will remain steadfast. When Iraq destroyed its missiles and submitted its weapons declaration, abiding by Security Council Resolution 1441, the Administration decided to unilaterally attack Iraq anyway. This Administration is reckless and hungry for war. It is imperative that Congress exercise oversight on the Administration's plans for war with Iran before our country is immersed in another quagmire, with more U.S. casualties, diminished national security, and greater a financial burden. I thereby feel very privileged to have Ambassador Bolton with us here today. I have several questions for him regarding the Administration's plans for Iran, and I look forward to his candid answers. Again, thank you, Ambassador for being with us today, and thank you, Chairman Shays for holding this hearing.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I sent the following letter to Secretary Rumsfeld requesting records pertaining to Pentagon plans to use U.S. Special Forces to advise, support and train Iraqi death squads: Hon. Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, DC. Dear Secretary Rumsfeld: I am writing to request a copy of all records pertaining to Pentagon plans to use U.S. Special Forces to advise, support and train Iraqi assassination and kidnapping teams. On January 8, 2005, Newsweek magazine first published a report that the Pentagon had a proposal to train elite Iraqi squads to quell the growing Sunni insurgency. The proposal has been called the ``Salvador Option,'' which references the U.S. military assistance program, initiated under the Carter Administration and subsequently pursued by the Reagan Administration, that funded and supported ``nationalist'' paramilitary forces who hunted down and assassinated rebel leaders and their supporters in El Salvador. This program in El Salvador was highly controversial and received much public backlash in the U.S., as tens of thousands of innocent civilians were assassinated and ``disappeared,'' including notable members of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Oscar Romero and the four American churchwomen. According to the Newsweek report, Pentagon conservatives wanted to resurrect the Salvadoran program in Iraq because they believed that despite the incredible cost in human lives and human rights, it was successful in eradicating guerrillas. Mr. Secretary, at a news conference on January 11, 2005, you publicly stated that the idea of a Salvador option was ``nonsense.'' Yet mounting evidence suggests that the U.S. has in fact funded and trained Iraqi assassination and kidnapping teams and these teams are now operating with horrific success across Iraq. We know that the Pentagon received funding for training Iraqi paramilitaries. About one year before the Newsweek report on the ``Salvador Option,'' it was reported in the American Prospect magazine on January 1, 2004 that part of $3 billion of the $87 billion Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill to fund operations in Iraq, signed into law on November 6, 2003, was designated for the creation of a paramilitary unit manned by militiamen associated with former Iraqi exile groups. According to the Prospect article, experts predicted that creation of this paramilitary unit would ``lead to a wave of extrajudicial killings, not only of armed rebels but of nationalists, other opponents of the U.S. occupation and thousands of civilian Baathists.'' The article further described how the bulk of the $3 billion program, disguised as an Air Force classified program, would be used to ``support U.S. efforts to create a lethal, and revenge-minded Iraqi security force.'' According to one of the article's sources, John Pike, an expert of classified military budgets at www.globalsecurity.org. ``the big money would be for standing up an Iraqi secret police to liquidate the resistance.'' We know that some of the Pentagon's Iraq experts were involved in the Reagan Administration's paramilitary program in El Salvador. Colonel James Steele, Counselor to the U.S. Ambassador for Iraqi Security Forces, formerly led the U.S. Military Advisory Group in El Salvador from 1984-1986, where he developed special operating forces at brigade level during the height of the conflict. The role of these forces in El Salvador was to attack `insurgent' leadership, their supporters, sources of supply, and base camps. Currently Colonel Steele has been assigned to work with the new elite Iraqi counter-insurgency unit known as the Special Police Commandos, operating under Iraq's Interior Ministry. Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte, was U.S. Ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005. From 1981 to 1985, he was ambassador to Honduras where he played a key role in coordinating U.S. covert aid to the Contras, anti-Sandinista militias who targeted civilians in Nicaragua. Additionally, he oversaw the U.S. backing of a military death squad in Honduras, Battalion 3-16, which specialized in torture and assassination. The U.S. had similar programs of supporting paramilitary groups set up Nicaragua and Honduras as its program in El Salvador. In a Democracy Now interview on January 10, 2005, Allan Nairn, who broke the story about U.S. support of death squads in El Salvador, suspected that Ambassador Negroponte would most likely be involved in the economic side of U.S. support to death squads in Iraq. We know that a wave of abductions and executions, in the style of the death squads of El Salvador, and with ties to an official government sponsor, and to the U.S., has hit Iraq. News reports over the past 10 months strongly suggest that the U.S. has trained and supported highly organized Iraqi commando brigades, and that some of those brigades have operated as death squads, abducting and assassinating thousands of Iraqis. Some news highlights: May 1, 2005--Los Angeles Times reports that the U.S. is providing technical and logistical support to the Maghawir (Fearless Warrior) brigades, the Interior Ministry's special commandos, according to Major General Rasheed Flayih Mohammed. Iraqi authorities plan to increase deployment of the 12,000-strong Maghawir (Fearless Warrior) brigades, which are composed of well-trained veterans who have worked closely with U.S. forces in Najaf, Fallujah and Mosul and include the Wolf, Scorpion, Tiger and Thunder brigades. May 16-20, 2005--Los Angeles Times and New York Times reveal discovery of 46 bodies, all Iraqi men abducted and slain execution-style, in various locations: floating in the Tigris, dumped in ditches and garbage-strewn lots, and buried at a poultry farm. June 15, 2005--Washington Post reports that U.S. forces had knowledge of secret and illegal abductions of hundreds of minority Arabs in Kirkuk. The abductions were by forces led by Kurdish political parties and backed by the U.S. military. June 20, 2005--Los Angeles Times reports that Saad Sultan, of Iraq Human Rights Ministry said that police and security forces attached to the Iraqi Interior Ministry, thousands of whom have been trained by American instructors, are responsible for abusing up to 60% of estimated 12,000 detainees in prison and military compounds. He says the units have used tactics reminiscent of Saddam's secret intelligence squads. July 3, 2005--Reuters News reports that the government of Iraq publicly acknowledged that the new security forces were using torture. Article further says that accounts are common of people being seized by armed men in the uniforms of the police, army or special units like Baghdad's Wolf Brigade police commandos, and then disappearing without trace or being found dead. July 28, 2005--Los Angeles Times reports that members of a California Army National Guard company, the Alpha Company, who were implicated in a detainee abuse scandal, trained and conducted joint operations with the Wolf Brigade, a commando unit criticized for human rights abuses. In an online Alpha Company newsletter, Captain Haviland wrote, ``We have assigned 2nd Platoon to help them transition, and install some of our `Killer Company' aggressive tactical spirit in them.'' The article further states that despite the Wolf Brigade's controversial reputation for human rights violations, it is regarded as the gold standard for Iraqi security forces by U.S. military officials. August 31, 2005--BBC reports that on the night of August 24, a large force of the Volcano Brigade raided homes in Al- Hurriyah city in the Baghdad, kidnapping and then executing 76 citizens. The victims were all shot in the head after their hands and feet had been tied up. They suffered the harshest forms of torture, deformation and burning. November 16, 2005--Reuters News reports the discovery of 173 malnourished men, some of whom were tortured, imprisoned in a secret jail run by Shi'ite militias tied to the Interior Ministry. November 17, 2005--Newsday reports that in the past year, the U.S. military has helped build up Iraqi commandos under guidance from James Steele, a former Army Special Forces officer who led U.S. counterinsurgency efforts in El Salvador in the 1980s. The brigades built up over the past year include the Lion Brigade, Scorpion Brigade and Volcano Brigade. February 15, 2006--Associated Press reports that the Interior Ministry has launched a probe into death squad allegations. February 19, 2006--BBC reveals that morgues in Baghdad receive dozens of bodies picked up daily from rivers, sewage plants, waste burial sites, farms and desert areas. Most of the bodies are handcuffed and blindfolded civilians with a bullet or more in the forehead, indicating that they were executed. The handcuffs used on the victims are like those used by the Iraqi police. February 26, 2006--The Independent reports that outgoing United Nations' human rights chief in Iraq, John Pace, revealed that hundreds of Iraqis are being tortured to death or summarily executed every month in Baghdad alone by the death squads working from the Ministry of Interior. He said that up to three-quarters of the corpses stacked in the Baghdad mortuary show evidence of gunshot wounds to the head or injuries caused by drill-bits or burning cigarettes. March 9, 2006--Los Angeles Times reports that Iraqi police officers who worked at the Interior Ministry's illegal prison had received American training, and that U.S. trainers have also given extensive support to 27 brigades of heavily armed commandos accused of a series of abuses, including the death of 14 Sunni Arabs who were locked in an airtight van last summer. March 10, 2006--Sidney Morning Herald reports that men wearing the uniforms of U.S.-trained security forces, which are controlled by the Interior Ministry, abducted 50 people in a daylight raid on a security agency. Masked men who are driving what appear to be new government-owned vehicles are carrying out many of the raids. March 27, 2006--The Independent reports that while U.S. authorities have begun criticizing the Iraqi government over the ``death squads,'' many of the paramilitary groups accused of the abuse, such as the Wolf Brigade, the Scorpion Brigade and the Special Police Commandos were set up with the help of the American military. Furthermore, the militiamen were provided with U.S. advisers some of whom were veterans of Latin American counter-insurgency which also had led to allegations of death squads at the time. Mr. Secretary, in light of this evidence of U.S. support for and the existence of death squads in Iraq, what is the basis for your January 11, 2005 statement, that the idea of a Salvador option in Iraq is ``nonsense''? I request a copy of all records pertaining to Pentagon plans to use U.S. Special Forces to advise, support and train Iraqi assassination and kidnapping teams. I look forward to receiving your response. Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, Member of Congress.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, this is Cover the Uninsured Week. As we take this occasion to reflect on the ways in which we can cover the uninsured, I encourage my colleagues to address the issue head-on. We need a solution that will not only address the uninsured problem, but will also address the rising cost and inequities. Consider that we pay almost twice as much for health per person than the average of other industrialized countries. Yet the World Health Organization ranks our health care system 37th in the world. The situation is worsening as costs continue to increase, employers continue to scale back coverage and the number of uninsured, now 46 million, continues to rise. Four out of five (82%) of the uninsured are in working families. 46% of all bankruptcies were either fully or partly caused by illness or medical bills according to a Harvard study. Three-quarters of those bankrupted by illness were insured when they first got sick. Our health care system based on private health plans gives us low quality, inefficiency, inaccessibility and is ultimately unsustainable. The inefficiency of privately administered health care is especially stark. Between 1970 and 1998, total healthcare employment in the US grew 149 percent while the number of managers in health care grew 2348 percent. Our businesses bear the burden of that inefficiency because they provide health care to most Americans lucky enough to have it. All other industrialized countries have universal health care that costs less. The result is that our businesses are losing competitive advantage. Ontario now makes more cars than Detroit. Canadian GM, Ford, and Daimler Chrysler signed a letter in support of their single payer heath care system because of the advantage it gives them. Managed care has failed. Employer based insurance is failing and dragging down American businesses. Consumer driven health care being trumpeted by right wing ideologues tries to control costs by providing less care, not more. Instead, we need to control costs by addressing the real inefficiencies, not by growing the uninsured and underinsured. We know exactly how to do it. Traditional Medicare enjoys consistently higher satisfaction ratings than private insurance. Its overhead costs are about 3 percent compared to overhead costs of private health plans which average about 31 percent. Medicare's rates of cost increase have been significantly lower than in private health plans. We need such a time tested, rock solid model like Medicare to address our health care crisis. In fact, by addressing the inefficiencies, we could bring everyone in the U.S. under Medicare and they would pay no premium, no deductible, and no copayments. Polls consistently find that Americans favor expanding government guaranteed health insurance like Medicare to all Americans. The Deans of medical schools including Harvard and Stanford, 14,000 doctors, including the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, and two former Surgeons General now support national health insurance like HR 676. Newspapers around the country are making the case for Medicare for All, including two recent editorials in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Over 100 unions have officially endorsed it. HR 676 boasts the support of 69 members of Congress, including 9 ranking members of full committees and 28 ranking members of subcommittees. Access the high quality health care is a right. I encourage my colleagues to support real health care reform that covers all of the uninsured and contains costs. Please support HR 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, on April 14, 2006, I sent the following letter to President Bush regarding reports of United States troops conducting military operations in Iran: Dear President Bush: Recently, it has been reported that U.S. troops are conducting military operations in Iran. If true, it appears that you have already made the decision to commit U.S. military forces to a unilateral conflict with Iran, even before direct or indirect negotiations with the government of Iran had been attempted, without UN support and without authorization from the U.S. Congress. The presence of U.S. marines in Iran constitutes a hostile act against that country. At a time when diplomacy is urgently needed, it escalates an international crisis. It undermines any attempts to negotiate with the government of Iran. And it will undermine U.S. diplomatic efforts at the

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, On April 18, 2006, I sent the following letter to President Bush regarding the United States' use of Iranian anti-government insurgent groups in fomenting opposition and supporting military operations in Iran: Dear Mr. President: Last week I wrote to you regarding reports that U.S. troops are conducting military operations in Iran. There are also reports, however, that the U.S. is fomenting opposition and supporting military operations in Iran among insurgent groups and Iranian ethnic minority groups, some of whom are operating from Iraq. The Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PEJAK) is one such group. PEJAK is based in the Kurdish region of Iraq, a few miles from the Iranian border, and has staged attacks across the border in Iran since 2004 on behalf of Iranian Kurdish interests, according to an April 3, 2006 article in the Washington Times. PEJAK claimed to kill twenty-four Iranian soldiers in three raids against army bases in March. Iran's official news agency also reported that three Republican Guard soldiers were killed in a gun battle near the Iraqi border in late March. Iran has denounced PEJAK as a terrorist group and has accused the U.S. of funding PEJAK. According to an April 15, 2006 article in the Economist, Iranians and Turks both believe that the U.S. is supporting PEJAK. It is hard to believe that PEJAK is operating successfully from Iraq without U.S. knowledge, support and coordination. The Mujahedin e-Khalq (MEK), an Iranian anti-government group which has been listed as a ``terrorist group'' by the State Department since 1997, is another anti-government group that has received U.S. support. An article by Jim Lobe published on Antiwar.com on February 11, 2005 claims that Pentagon civilians and Vice President Cheney's office are among those in the U.S. government who support the MEK. His article further describes how according to Philip Giraldi, a former CIA official and a source in an article about this subject in the American Conservative magazine, U.S. Special Forces have been directing members of the MEK in carrying out reconnaissance and intelligence collection in Iran from bases in Afghanistan and Balochistan, Pakistan since the summer of 2004. Seymour Hersh's April 10, 2006 article in the New Yorker also confirms that the U.S. troops are establishing contact with anti-government ethnic-minority groups in Iran. According to a government consultant with close ties to civilians in the Pentagon, American combat troops now operating in Iran are ``working with minority groups in Iran, including the Azeris, in the north, the Baluchis, in the southeast, and the Kurds, in the northeast.'' The consultant further says, ``The troops are studying the terrain and giving away walking-around money to ethnic tribes, and recruiting scouts from local tribes and shepherds.'' U.S. support for insurgent activity in Iran is not tolerable. You have claimed numerous times that the object of the so-called ``War on Terror'' is to target lawless insurgent groups. Previously I asked you to immediately report to Congress on the extent of U.S. military operations currently in Iran. Now, in light of the evidence described above, I urge you to report to Congress on U.S. support for military operations in Iran by anti-Iranian insurgent groups. It is a great breach of public trust to set this country on another path of war while keeping the Congress and the American people in the dark. I am demanding that you respond. Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, Ranking Democrat, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, this bill is called the Federal Energy Price Protection Act of 2006 because the bill will protect today's excessive gasoline prices from government intervention. This bill will prevent our government from actually doing anything to reduce the price of gasoline. To reduce the price of gasoline, one must understand the underlying causes of excessive costs. Consider the fact that it costs only $20 a barrel to extract oil out of the ground today, but oil companies are making $72 a barrel. At the same time, the crude oil reserves already pumped out and in storage are at all-time highs. Therefore, crude is not constrained, and the excessive price for a barrel of oil is not based on a free market. The crude oil price is being manipulated with much speculation that recent increase in the oils futures market had played a significant role. The recent increase in profits in the refinery business correlate with the industry effort to shut down to independent refineries to constrict supply. These two factors account for 99 percent of the excessive profits. Now, the FTC has approved the oil companies' monopolies, and they set the stage for the increased prices. This same FTC is going to define price gouging, as if they don't know what it already is? I suspect, under the FTC, the excessive profits are unlikely to be illegal unless the FTC can show manipulations occurred. Since manipulation is well disguised by the industry, the FTC will be easily able to brush aside excessive profits as nothing more than a market signal. Any definition drafted by the current FTC will also likely establish that the price of crude oil set by the world market and therefore any profits relative to that price are not price gouging. This bill will enable the Federal Government to cut off aggressive State actions by intervening and then settling with minimum penalties. Mr. Speaker, the American people want something done now. We need a windfall profits tax, 100 percent on windfall profits. That will give the oil companies a signal that they won't forget.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this motion to instruct, and I commend my colleague, Congressman Miller, for filing this motion and bringing the pressing issue of worker and executive parity to the floor for debate. Under the pension reform bill passed by the House, a pension plan that is less than 80 percent funded would not be allowed to increase benefits or establish new benefits for its workers, regardless of the reason for the underfunding. But as has been pointed out by Mr. Miller and Mr. Andrews, while worker pensions are held stagnant, executive pensions remain unrestricted until the plan is less than 60 percent funded. This is patently unfair to workers. The American people can understand that when workers are being treated in a way that diverges from the people who run the companies and when the game is fixed to make sure that the CEOs receive incredible pensions, well, the workers are cheated. People can understand that. Pension plans are administered and funded by companies, not workers. Yet, under H.R. 2830, the workers are punished for faulty management of plans. This restriction undermines workers' retirement security, and it is contrary to the purpose of ERISA. The past decade is littered with examples of increasing executive pay and pensions while workers' pensions were underfunded or even terminated. In 2002, for example, U.S. Airways CEO Stephen Wolf received a lump sum pension of $15 million. Six months following that executive payout, U.S. Airways filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. One eventual outcome of that bankruptcy was the termination of the pilots' pension plan. The CEO, $15 million; the workers, their pension plan is terminated. Stories with a similar theme can be shared about United Airlines and Delta: executive receives a protected pension benefit or extra stock options while workers are left with terminated pension plans and a cut in benefits. As has been said before, ExxonMobil's outgoing CEO, the same ExxonMobil that is gouging people at the pump, their CEO is going to get $98 million in a lump sum pension payment while the company's overall funding for workers and retirees remains only 72 percent funded. It is time for these disparities to end. Although this motion to instruct is not going to be able to restore the pensions of those workers already harmed by executive abuse, it will make a difference to others. Pensions are not just investments to a worker. To a worker, a pension is a vital piece of retirement security. Pension plans do not belong to the companies; they belong to the workers. They are the workers' money. They are the workers' futures. They are the property of the workers. We have a duty to ensure that workers' pensions are not subject to unfair restrictions while those controlling the plans receive bonuses. Millions of American families are watching this debate, and they are wondering, whose side are we on?

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the nation of Greece on its triumphant 185th anniversary of winning independence. Throughout its glorious history, Greece has proven to be an inspiration to the United States and to nations around the world. The birthplace and cradle of democracy, Greece's long history of promoting the ideals of justice and freedom now serves as a standard against which we measure all other nations. The legacy of antiquity is still felt throughout the streets of Athens today. It was the ancient Greeks who first realized that the right of self-governance was an essential foundation of any civilized society. Although such principles seem elementary today, their ideas were revolutionary in their own time. We cannot discount the influence that ancient Greece has had on our Nation. In the founding of our Nation, Greece served as a model by which the framers of the constitution structured our government. After helping to author our Constitution, Thomas Jefferson referred to Greece as ``the light, which led us out of Gothic darkness.'' That same light, still shining from the distant memories of ancient Greece, guides our Nation today. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring the nation of Greece, on the 185th anniversary of their independence. Much like our own Fourth of July, Greek Independence Day is a time for people to come together and celebrate a shared vision. For the past six years, the organizers of the Greek Independence Day Committee have worked to create a wonderful community and family event that is enjoyed and shared by Clevelanders of all ethnic backgrounds. This year, it is important for all Americans to remember the history of independence and to remember where the roots of our Nation originate. It is a time to honor all people who join in the struggle for liberty and justice.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Everyone knows the oil companies are posting record profits. Oil companies are blaming everyone but themselves for large gas price increases. The consumer is being gouged, and oil companies continue to avoid their responsibility. The most recent data for the Nation shows the average price of gas is close to $3 a gallon. Gas prices increasing; wages across the Nation dropping. Gas prices hurt even more because folks have less money to pay for them. You know what is going on? People are actually going into their change jars to go to the gas station to be able to pay for the increased cost of gas. Some people are hocking their jewelry to be able to pay for the increased price of gas. Price gouging is occurring as the oil companies are reaping profits close to $300 billion since 2001. Time for a windfall profit tax. Time for a bill, the Gas Price Spike Act. Over 50 Members of Congress want a windfall profits tax. That is what the oil companies understand. When we get that up to 100 cosponsors, then the oil companies are going to start backing off, because right now, their foot is on the accelerator. They are looking at $3 a gallon, $4 a gallon, $5 a gallon. We have to stand up for the American people, and that is what we are here to do.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in appreciation of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for its stewardship of the historic rail line through the Cuyahoga River Valley. For thousands of years Indians used the Cuyahoga River and Valley in northern Ohio as a north-south transportation corridor. Later the Ohio and Erie Canal provided the early settlers a slow but easy way to move bulk goods and people. In 1880, the first steam engine chugged its way down the new Valley Railway, signaling an era of progress and prosperity for the Cuyahoga Valley residents. Primarily built to transport coal from south of Canton to Cleveland's growing industries, the Valley Railway also served the farmers, merchants and factories along its route. Depots piled high with farm produce dotted the valley section of the railroad line. Financial difficulties in 1894 led to the Valley Railway's acquisition by the Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railroad (CT&V). The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bought the CT&V in 1915 and continued to provide freight and passenger service between Akron and Cleveland. However, the popularity of the automobile caused a decline in passenger traffic on the line. Passenger service ended in 1963. The last freight train operated by the Chessie System ran in 1985. Today, the historic rails are owned by the National Park Service as part of its goal to preserve the significant cultural resources in the Cuyahoga Valley. The CVSR operates the excursion train through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in cooperation with the National Park Service. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the CVSR, which is holding its annual fundraising event this weekend, the ``All Aboard Ball.'' Recognition is due not only for this railroad's history, but also for its current enhancement of the Cuyahoga American Heritage River and its role in perpetuating passenger rail and excursion rail in Ohio's 10th Congressional District and nationwide.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of United States Navy Hospital Corpsman Third Class Victor L. Lewis, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Combat Team 2, Marines Expeditionary Forces, upon his recognition by the United States Navy with a Bronze Star Medal for his heroic actions while serving in Iraq on April 4, 2005. Hospital Corpsman Third Class Victor L. Lewis is a firefighter in Cleveland, Ohio. His courage and conviction exceeded his excellent training and experience as a firefighter, when his platoon came under fire last year. During a mission in Haqllnayah, Iraq to locate an enemy weapons cache, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Victor L. Lewis and his platoon came under attack by a well-coordinated enemy ambush. The platoon was bombarded by heavy machinegun fire, mortars and rocket- propelled grenades. When a fellow Marine fell wounded, Corpsman Lewis ran forty meters through heavy gunfire, administered first aid and moved him to safety. When a second Marine was wounded, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Victor L. Lewis ran to his aid, again through the smoke and blast of heavy gunfire, rendered first aid, then lifted him up and carried him to safety. His efforts to save the lives of others while placing his own life in grave danger reflects courage and heroism of the highest level. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, recognition and gratitude to Hospital Corpsman Third Class Victor L. Lewis, whose bravery and unwavering devotion to the members of his platoon will forever stand as a testament to the spirit and strength of the human heart to face down fear and run through the fires of war to save the lives of his friends. Our community and our Nation will be forever grateful.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin. I want to say what a pleasure it is to serve with him on the committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring a note of caution to the discussion of this resolution and the debate surrounding charter schools. Much has been said today in praise of charter schools; praise for the diverse ways charter schools use their flexibility to reach students, praise for the innovation educators can demonstrate in these schools. There is no doubt that numerous charter schools across the Nation are founded and run with the best of intentions and with hopes for the success of their students, and I think it is necessary to pause and acknowledge the risk that comes along with the flexibility and the autonomy that charter schools are given. In my hometown of Cleveland, a charter school which opened in 1999 was forced to shut down in 2005 after several years of fiscal mismanagement. State audits had shown discrepancies for several years before the eventual closure of the school. After its closure, parents were left mid-school-year scrambling to find another school for their children. Teachers who had diligently worked for several months were left without pay and without recourse. Children were uprooted and forced to start over again in a new school with new classmates and new teachers. The intention behind granting charter schools additional flexibility is an admirable one. The use of creative and unique tools and methods to teach students is refreshing in an era of standardized tests and one-size-fits-all accountability measures, but that flexibility cannot and should not extend so far that it places students' educations at risk. Increased autonomy in schools should not equal teachers left without jobs and pay, as it did in Cleveland. The characteristics of charter schools lauded in this resolution offer additional independence for educators, but they also offer additional risks for children. In our quest to ensure that every child in America receives a quality education and the opportunity to realize their dreams, we must take heed of these risks. We must ensure that every child is able to reach his or her highest potential and give every child the opportunity to realize his or her dreams.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Joseph L. Fortuna, devoted family man, United States Veteran, business leader, and friend and mentor to many. As the founder of Fortuna Funeral Home on Fleet Avenue in Cleveland, Mr. Fortuna served the citizens of Slavic Village, Newburgh Heights and communities beyond with great care, compassion and professionalism, for more than 50 years. He grew up near Union Avenue, and held a lifelong commitment to family, faith and to the residents of southeast Cleveland that reflected throughout his lifetime. Mr. Fortuna's generous spirit, kindness of heart and sense of civic responsibility had a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals and families. He was a lifelong member and leader at his parish, St. John Nepomucene, past President of the Laurentian Athletic Club, and remained proudly connected to his Slovenian heritage through his involvement with various Slovenian organizations. Mr. Fortuna was honored many times for his significant contribution to our community and was named ``Man of the Year'' in 1975 by the Slovenian National Home of Cleveland. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of my friend, Joseph L. Fortuna, whose kindness, compassion and generosity has served to uplift the people of Fleet Avenue and miles beyond. I offer my deepest condolences to Mr. Fortuna's beloved wife, Virginia; to his beloved children, Joseph; Mary Ann (Jim), John (Roberta), and Jane (Phillip); and to his grandchildren and extended family and many friends. Mr. Fortuna's life, framed by love and kindness, will always remain in the hearts and memories of his family and his community, and he will never be forgotten.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of six bills I introduced today that will provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all genetically engineered plants, animals, bacteria, and other organisms. The bills will protect our food, environment, and health. They are a common sense precaution to ensure genetically engineered foods do no harm. Genetic engineering is having a serious impact on the food we eat, on the environment, and on farmers. To ensure we can maximize benefits and minimize hazards, Congress must provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for all genetically engineered products. Current laws, such as our food safety and environmental laws, were not written with this technology in mind. Clearer laws are necessary to ensure that these new scientific capabilities and the associated impacts are closely monitored. The six bills include the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act of 2006, which requires food companies to label all foods that contain or are produced with genetically engineered materials and instructs the Food and Drug Administration to conduct periodic tests to ensure compliance. This is a basic consumer rights and consumer safety issue. People have a right to know what is in the food they are eating, and that the food is safe. Combined, these bills would ensure that consumers are protected, increase food safety, protect farmers rights, make biotech companies liable for their products, and help developing nations resolve hunger concerns Summary of Genetically Engineered Food Legislation The Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act Consumers wish to know whether the food they purchase and consume is a genetically engineered food. Concerns include the potential transfer of allergens into food and other health risks, potential environmental risks associated with the genetic engineering of crops, and religiously and ethically based dietary restrictions. Adoption and implementation of mandatory labeling requirements for genetically engineered food produced in the United States would facilitate international trade. It would allow American farmers and companies to export and appropriately market their products--both genetically engineered and non- genetically engineered--to foreign customers. This bill acknowledges consumers have a right to know what genetically engineered foods they are eating: Requires food companies to label all foods that contain or are produced with genetically engineered material and requires the FDA to periodically test products to ensure compliance. Voluntary, non-GE food labels are authorized. A legal framework is established to ensure the accuracy of labeling without creating significant economic hardship on the food production system. The Genetically Engineered Food Safety Act Given the consensus among the scientific community that genetic engineering can potentially introduce hazards, such as allergens or toxins, genetically engineered foods need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and cannot be presumed to be generally recognized as safe. The possibility of such hazards dictates a cautious approach to genetically engineered food approvals. However, FDA has glossed over the food safety concerns of genetically engineered foods and not taken steps to ensure the safety of these genetically engineered foods. This bill requires that all genetically engineered foods follow a strenuous food safety review process: Requires FDA to screen all genetically engineered foods through the current food additive process to ensure they are safe for human consumption, yet continues FDA discretion in applying the safety factors that are generally recognized as appropriate. Requires that unique concerns be explicitly examined in the review process, a phase out of antibiotic resistance markers, and a prohibition on known allergens. Requires the FDA to conduct a public comment period of at least 30 days The Genetically Engineered Crop and Animal Farmer Protection Act Agribusiness and biotechnology companies have rapidly consolidated market power at the same time as the average farmer's profits and viability have significantly declined. Policies promoted by biotech corporations have systematically acted to remove basic farmer rights enjoyed since the beginning of agriculture. These policies include unreasonable seed contracts, the intrusion into everyday farm operations, and liability burdens. The introduction of genetically engineered crops has also created obstacles for farmers, including the loss of markets and increased liability concerns. To mitigate the abuses upon farmers, a clear set of farmer rights must be established. This bill provides several farmer rights and protections to maintain the opportunity to farm: Farmers may save seeds and seek compensation for failed genetically engineered crops. Biotech companies may not: shift liability to farmers; nor require access to farmer's property; nor mandate arbitration; nor mandate court of jurisdiction; nor require damages beyond actual fees; nor charge more to American farmers for use of this technology, than they charge farmers in other nations, or any other unfair condition. Seed companies must: ensure seeds labeled non-GE are accurate; provide clear instructions to reduce cross- pollination, which contaminates other fields; and inform fanners of the risks of using genetically engineered crops. The EPA is required to evaluate the concern of Bt resistant pests and take actions necessary to prevent resistance to Bt, an important organic pesticide. The bill prohibits genetic engineering designed to produce sterile seeds and loan discrimination based on the choice of seeds an agricultural producer uses. The Genetically Engineered Organism Liability Act Biotech companies are selling a technology that is being commercialized far in advance of the new and unknown science of genetic engineering. Farmers may suffer from crop failures, neighboring farmers may suffer from cross pollination, increased insect resistance, and unwanted ``volunteer'' genetically engineered plants, and consumers may suffer from health and environmental impacts. Therefore, biotech companies should be found liable for the failures of genetically engineered crops. This bill ensures that the creator of the technology assumes all liability: The bill places all liability from negative impacts of genetically engineered organisms squarely upon the biotechnology companies that created the genetically engineered organism. Farmers are granted indemnification to protect them from the liabilities of biotech companies. The bill prohibits any transfer of liability away from the biotechnology companies that created the genetically engineered organism. Real Solutions to World Hunger Act The demand for mandatory labeling, safety testing, and farmer protections do not constitute obstacles to the cessation of world hunger. Economics remain the significant barrier to a consistent food supply, and the development of expensive genetically engineered foods may only exacerbate this trend. Almost all research funding for the development of genetically engineered food target the developed nation's agriculture and consumers. However, agroecological interventions have had significantly more success in helping developing nations feed themselves with higher yields and improved environmental practices, all within reasonable costs for developing countries. This bill offers several new initiatives and protections to help developing nations resolve their hunger concerns: To protect developing nations, genetically engineered exports are restricted to those already approved in the U.S. and approved by the importing nation. The bill creates an international research fund for sustainable agriculture research paid for the Sustainable Agriculture Trust Fund, a small tax on biotechnology company profits. The Genetically Engineered Pharmaceutical and Industrial Crop Safety Act A pharmaceutical crop or industrial crop is a plant that has been genetically engineered to produce a medical or industrial product, including human and veterinary drugs. Many of the novel substances produced in pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops are for particular medical or industrial purposes only. These substances are not intended to be incorporated in food or to be spread into the environment. That would be equivalent to allowing a prescription drug in the food supply. Experts acknowledge that contamination of human food and animal feed is inevitable due to the inherent imprecision of biological and agricultural systems. This contamination by pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops pose substantial liability and other economic risks to farmers, grain handlers, and food companies. This bill attempts to prevent contamination of our food supply by pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops. The bill places a temporary moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops until all regulations required in this bill are in effect. The bill places a permanent moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops grown in an open-air environment and on pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops grown in a commonly used food source. The United States Department of Agriculture shall establish a tracking system to regulate the growing, handling, transportation, and disposal of all pharmaceutical and industrial crops and their byproducts to prevent contamination. The National Academy of Sciences shall submit to Congress a report that explores alternatives methods to produce pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals that have the advantage of being conducted in controlled production facilities and do not present the risk of contamination.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) whose Cleveland office is hosting its 4th Annual Banquet and Fundraiser on Sunday, April 30, 2006. CAIR is a nonprofit, grassroots civil rights and advocacy group and the nation's largest Islamic civil liberties organization, with regional offices nationwide and in Canada. Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, lobbying, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. Through its promotion of civil rights, research, education, conferences, seminars, internships, and public events such as the Cleveland chapter's 4th annual banquet, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage its participation in political and social activism. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that CAIR is working nationwide and locally in the Greater Cleveland community to promote civil rights, civil liberties, and free speech and is able to educate the public about these issues by bringing such an outstanding program to the people of Northeast Ohio for their 4th annual banquet.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Betty Friedan, devoted social activist and writer, whose bestseller served to greatly benefit the women's movement. Ms. Friedan was a beloved sister, mother, grandmother, friend and mentor to many, whose activism, talent, and dedication changed the lives of women and sparked one of America's greatest social movements. After graduating summa cum laude from Smith College in 1942, Ms. Friedan studied psychology for a year at the University of California at Berkeley. Frustrated with inequality in the workplace and women's accepted role as wife and mother, Ms. Friedan directed her passion and energy into her 1963 bestseller ``The Feminine Mystique.'' Her commanding voice and passionate words opened the minds of women and led to substantial positive changes to define their status. In 1966, Ms. Friedan co-founded the U.S. National Organization for Women, and became its first president. Her strong influence, beliefs, and wisdom laid the foundation for the organization that has grown exponentially to the size it is today. In addition to her vital work with NOW, she was essential in advancing women's rights to privacy, choice, and political participation. In 1979 she led an effort which resulted in women gaining half the delegate strength at the Democratic Party's nominating convention. Mr. Speaker and colleagues please join me in honor and remembrance of Betty Friedan, whose enthusiasm, devotion, and ability to affect the world with her writing, has served to improve the status and lives of women everywhere. I extend my deepest condolences to her family members and many friends. Betty Friedan's unwavering commitment to change and equality has served to make a difference within the lives of countless individuals, and on history itself. Betty Friedan's legacy of service and revolution will be honored and remembered for all time.