Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, Congress must break the hold which the oil companies have on the politics of our country. The American people are demanding action. The price of gasoline has climbed to over $3 a gallon, headed towards $4, maybe $5 a gallon. But listen to this: since 2001, the five largest oil companies have made over $280 billion in profits. ExxonMobil alone made $36 billion in profits last year. There is only one way to stop the oil companies from an endless series of increases in the price of gasoline. Nearly 50 Members of Congress have now signed on to my bill, H.R. 2070, which calls for a 100 percent excess profits tax on the oil company profiteering. This act does not tax the price of gasoline so it will not increase the cost. However, by taxing excessive profits, it puts the breaks on price gouging and will lower the price of gasoline. Congress must not stand by while the oil companies are stealing from the American people.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for his very calm and patient approach to this. I don't think the American people want our Nation set on a path of war with Iran, and I believe the American people are very concerned about the steps which set us on a path to war against Iraq. There are questions that have to be answered by this administration before Congress should rightfully even vote on this. You know, it has been reported recently that U.S. troops are conducting military operations in Iran. In Iran. Now, if that is true, then apparently the administration has made a decision to commit U.S. military forces to a unilateral conflict with Iran, even before direct or indirect negotiations with the Government of Iran have been attempted, without U.N. support and without authorization from this Congress. First things first here. Where are we right now? Are we already inside Iran? According to Seymour Hersh, in the New Yorker, there is evidence that suggests that we are. The presence of U.S. troops in Iran would constitute a hostile act against that country. Now, put that in the context of this particular bill. At a time when diplomacy is urgently needed, this bill would escalate an international crisis that is already percolating by the probability or at least the possibility that this administration has already committed troops to Iran. What we are seeing here is an undermining of any attempt to negotiate with the Government of Iran, and we are seeing the undermining of any diplomatic efforts at the U.N. I said this before and I will say it again. Any kind of saber rattling against Iran puts our troops in Iraq at jeopardy. The achievement of stability in transition to Iraqi security control will be compromised, reversing any progress that has been cited by the administration. I am sure that many Americans are saying, you know, it is hard to believe that the United States could have already taken such an imprudent decision as committing troops to Iran, but we have had a number and variety of sources confirming this. Over a week ago Air Force Colonel Sam Gardner related on CNN that the Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA, Aliasghar Soltaniyeh, reported to him that Iranians have captured dissident forces who have confessed to working with U.S. troops in Iran. Earlier that week, Seymour Hersh reported that a U.S. source told him that U.S. Marines were operating in the Baluchi, Azeri and Kurdish regions of Iran. Now, any kind of military deployment in Iran would and should constitute an urgent matter of national significance. And I think that the administration has an obligation to this Congress, before Congress would vote on this kind of a bill, to tell us exactly what is going on with the activities of American forces with regard to Iran. Also, there are reports 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, and the other group is called the MEK, the Mujahedin e-Khalq. It is an Iranian antigovernment group which was listed as a terrorist group by the State Department since 1997. An article by Jim Lobe, published in antiwar.com, on February 11, 2005, claims that the Pentagon civilians in Vice President Cheney's office are among those in the U.S. Government who support MEK. We also know from the Hersh article in the New Yorker which confirms that U.S. troops are establishing contact with antigovernment ethnic minority groups in Iran. Now, U.S. support for insurgent activity in Iran would not be tolerable. The administration has claimed numerous times that the object of the so-called war on terrorism is to target lawless insurgent groups. It would be a breach of trust if the administration is involved in this. Iran does not present an imminent threat. Any setting the stage for an attack on Iran is setting the stage for a unilateral act of war. I think that this country needs to move very slowly anytime we are setting the stage for conflict with another nation. Don't we have enough problems in Iraq to clean up without setting the stage for another conflict in Iran? We must use diplomacy. We must use our relationships with Russia and China and other nations in order to avert a conflict with Iran.

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for the point that he made that is well taken. With all due respect to my colleagues who may have a difference of opinion about this bill, I think that most American people know that this administration has already made a mess of international relations with respect to the illegal and unwarranted invasion of Iraq. We now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq was not cooperating with al Qaeda with respect to 9/11, that Iraq had neither the intention nor the capability of attacking the United States, and yet we took steps, starting with the policy of regime change, that took us into a war against Iraq that we clearly did not have to initiate, and we clearly should not be there. Now, if you love the steps which took this country into a war in Iraq, then you are going to like this bill because it does the same thing, which is why I rise in opposition to it. This bill sounds a lot like the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, which many Members voted for in good faith, not knowing later on it would be evoked as a cause for the prosecution of war against Iraq. Overall this bill seriously inhibits the ability of the United States Government to use diplomacy, and diplomacy is the strongest and most rational tool we have to resolve the situation regarding Iran's nuclear program. Instead I submit that this bill sets our country on a path to war with Iran. You can be sure the Government of Iran will view this bill in this way. First, the bill makes it official U.S. policy to impose international sanctions through the U.N. Security Council for Iran's ``repeated breaches'' of its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. Now, this sounds eerily familiar to actions pursued in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, and which, as we know, were for appearances only. Similarly, advocating international sanctions against Iran through the Security Council is for appearances only. This administration has apparently made up its mind it wants to attack Iran. There is evidence that the U.S. military is already inside Iran, and I ask to include at this point in the debate an article from the New Yorker by Seymour Hirsch which asserts just that. Including this section in the bill that I just referred to is simply an attempt to cover the President's slap in the face of the international community with respect to Iran. Second, H.R. 282 also promotes regime change in Iran as opposed to behavior change, regime change as a solution to the stand-off regarding Iran's nuclear program. By advocating regime change, we indicate our priority is not, in fact, to encourage Iran to adhere to its nonproliferation treaty obligation, but to remove the leadership in Iran even if it were to make some concessions. This communicates to the world community that, to the U.S., Iran has passed the point of no return, which completely undermines any efforts towards diplomacy and negotiations. Furthermore, while this bill makes the point of so-called not authorizing the use of force against Iran, be assured this is a stepping stone to the use of force, the same way that the Iraq Liberation Act was used as a stepping stone. Third, H.R. 282 supports antigovernment advocates in Iran promoting regime change. Now this is highly problematic. While an important amendment offered by my friend Congressman Blumenauer was adopted in this bill during markup to prohibit U.S. assistance to groups that are on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations or have been on the list for the last 4 years, there are ways around this. For example, according to a Newsweek article from February 14, 2005 that the U.S. has been recruiting individuals from the MEK, a group currently labeled as terrorists by the State Department, who have agreed to form a new group with the same mission as the MEK, regime change in Iraq. I will insert this article from Newsweek in the Record at this point. [From Newsweek, Feb. 14, 2006] Looking for a Few Good Spies (By Christopher Dickey, Mark Hosenball and Michael Hirsh) This is a terrorist cultleader? Maryam Rajavi is dressed in a Chanel-style suit with her skirt at midcalf, lilac colored pumps and a matching headscarf. Over a dinner of kebab, rice and French pastries, Rajavi smiles often and laughs easily. She's at once colorful and demure, like many an educated woman in the Middle East. Indeed if George W. Bush--who relies on powerful females for counsel--were pressed to identify a Muslim model of womanhood, this 51-year-old Iranian would look very much the part. But of course that's exactly the impression Rajavi seeks to give. Behind her smile is a saleswoman's savvy--and a revolutionary's zeal to prove that she and her mysterious husband, Massoud Rajavi, are neither cultists nor terrorists. Maryam Rajavi is demanding that the exile groups they lead together, centered on the Mujahedin-e Khalq (People's Holy Warriors) or MEK for short, should be taken off the State Department's list of terrorist organizations, their assets unfrozen and their energies unleashed. The MEK, Rajavi says, is the answer to American prayers as Tehran continues to dabble defiantly in both terrorism and nuclear arms. ``I believe increasingly the Americans have come to realize that the solution is an Iranian force that is able to get rid of the Islamic fundamentalists in power in Iran,'' she told Newsweek in a rare interview at her organization's compound in the quiet French village of Auvers sur Oise. The group's own former role in terrorist attacks dating back to its support for the U.S. Embassy takeover in 1979, Rajavi insists, is ancient history. And the MEK is not a Jim Jones- like cult as critics allege, with forced separation between men and women and indoctrination for children, all overseen by the Rajavis' autocratic style. Instead, she insists, it is ``a democratic force.'' Whatever Rajavi's true colors, Newsweek has learned that her role may be growing in the calculations of Bush administration hard-liners. At a camp south of Baghdad--it's called Ashraf, after Massoud Rajavi's assassinated first wife--3,850 MEK members have been confined but gently treated by U.S. forces since the invasion of Iraq (once they were allies of Saddam against their own country in the 1980s Iran- Iraq war). Now the administration is seeking to cull useful MEK members as operatives for use against Tehran, all while insisting that it does not deal with the MEK as a group, American government sources say. Some Pentagon civilians and intelligence planners are hoping a corps of informants can be picked from among the MEK prisoners, then split away from the movement and given training as spies, U.S. officials say. After that, the thinking goes, they will be sent back to their native Iran to gather intelligence on the Iranian clerical regime, particularly its efforts to develop nuclear weapons. Some hawks also hope they could help to reawaken the democratic reform movement in Iran, which the mullahs have silenced. ``They [want] to make us mercenaries,'' one MEK official told Newsweek. These individuals have been conducting military activity in Iran with United States support. I just wanted to remind everyone that the MEK was the group responsible for the U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran in 1979. This group also had a camp in Iraq where Osama bin Laden's first fighters were reportedly trained. The MEK also trained and supported Taliban fighters. Now we are recruiting help from members of the MEK which makes a total mockery of the so-called war on terror. Fourth, H.R. 282 states that it is U.S. policy to focus attention to stopping cooperation, stopping cooperation, between Iran, Russia, China and Pakistan. Considering Russia and China have the strongest leverage with Iran, yet are also opposed to Iran's violations of the Nonproliferation Treaty obligations, the U.S. should try to work with Russia and China to try to find a path to diplomacy, not to isolate Russia and China. In the end we are only isolating ourselves and setting our country on another unilateral path of war. Our troops are already extended in Iraq, and they are in a vulnerable position. Starting a war in Iran is the last thing we should be doing. I urge a vote against this dangerous bill. Stop this unilateralism. Work with diplomacy and work towards peace.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I want to thank all of those who served in gathering intelligence to protect the American people. It is regrettable that intelligence is often reshaped to fit doctrine instead of doctrine being reshaped in the face of the facts of intelligence. This rule blocks several important amendments that the House should have had the opportunity to debate. I sponsored one of those amendments that would have resolved the concerns of media leaks by intelligence community agents. Several high-profile classified leaks to the media have emerged in the last few years. These leaks have led to considerable release of information about secret programs related to our intelligence agencies. From these media leaks, we became aware of the efforts to manipulate intelligence, to falsify a cause for war against Iraq. We became aware of the illegal NSA domestic wiretapping program without a court order. We became aware of the rumored CIA detention centers in Eastern Europe, and the CIA's extraordinary rendition program, used to transport suspects to other nations with less restrictive torture policies. The House Intelligence Committee report for this bill states that leaks to the media damage our national security. In response, the CIA fired an agent who had unapproved contacts with reporters last week. I understand the concerns raised when intelligence leaks are reported in the media. However, if this House had conducted effective oversight, we would not have been there in the first place. Our democracy was bolstered by these leaks, and the world is a safer place as a result. Absent these leaks, the current administration would see no limit to its dangerous policies and continue to inflict its failed war on terrorism without limitation. To resolve this conflict I proposed an amendment that would remove barriers to intelligence agency employees communicating with certain committees of Congress. The purpose was to provide intelligence employees a more appropriate outlet than the media and give Congress better oversight capability. This amendment provided an obstacle-free path for intelligence employees to report to key Members of Congress their concerns. By providing this outlet, the employees would not feel any need to leak information to the media. So we need to do everything we can to protect these who serve in intelligence who want to get information out to the American people. They should do it through the Congress, but there is no provision for that in this bill. We need to protect this Nation, but we need to protect it with the truth, not with manipulated intelligence.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance and recognition of the 31st Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. This historical date commemorates the end of the Vietnam War, and represents the beginning of a new life for tens of thousands of Vietnamese people, as they began their hopeful journey to America. On April 30, 1975, the ancient city of Saigon fell to the conquest of communist troops. This action solidified the communist takeover of South Vietnam. Thirty-one years later, I rise to honor the memory and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of American soldiers, South Vietnamese soldiers and civilians who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty. Despite the takeover and the Communist rule that followed, the culture, spirit and hope reflected by the Vietnamese people remained steadfast. After the fall of Saigon, thousands of Vietnamese, determined to rebuild their lives, began a treacherous exodus out of Vietnam. Their daring escape was on foot, through thick jungles and over jagged mountains. They escaped by boat, through snake-infested rivers and across turbulent seas. They became refugees in many nations, including America, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and the hope for freedom in their hearts. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me to honor and remember the hundreds of thousands of men and women who struggle for peace and freedom, then and now. We also honor agencies and churches such as The Vietnamese Community of Greater Cleveland and St. Helena Catholic Church, which offer a haven of support, services and hope to immigrants from all over the world. The Vietnamese culture, through the care and commitment of its people, has flourished in Cleveland and across America, yet remains forever connected to its ancient cultural and historical traditions that spiral back throughout the centuries, connecting the old world to the new, spanning oceans and borders in the ageless quest for peace--from Vietnam to America.

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.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC), whose leaders, staff and members have uplifted, restored and energized all aspects of Cleveland's Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre neighborhoods for thirty-one years. The OBCDC, a non-profit community organization, was formed in 1975 by a small group of concerned citizens and business owners who set out to protect their neighborhood from falling into decline. The initial vision and effort, one that spans 31 years, was a united one, bringing together civic, religious, government and neighborhood and private business leaders to the table to begin the work of uplifting a neighborhood. Beyond historic preservation, neighborhood revitalization and housing and commercial redevelopment programs and projects, the OBCDC has initiated numerous programs and services for residents and business owners, including the Old Brooklyn News. This award-winning monthly newspaper was established by the OBCDC in 1978 and still exists as a vital instrument of communication throughout the neighborhood. Another significant agency that sprung from the early work of the OBCDC includes Senior Citizen Resources, Inc. (SCR), a senior support organization that evolved from senior services provided by the OBCDC. The treasure of the neighborhood, the Benjamin Franklin Community Gardens, managed by the OBCDC, has attracted gardeners from all over the county for the past 26 growing seasons. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the members, staff and leaders, past and present, of the Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation. Their collective dedication, vision, volunteerism and work on behalf of all residents has served to preserve the historic integrity of the neighborhood, promote new commercial growth and maintain a healthy living environment for residents, young and old, throughout Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre, thereby strengthening the foundation of our entire Cleveland community.

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 recognition of Mr. John ``Jack'' Doxsey and every volunteer who participated this past year in Cleveland Reads, bringing hope and possibility through the gift of literacy to countless children and adults--thereby changing their lives forever. I also rise in recognition of Cleveland Reads Volunteer of the Year Nominees: Jessica Anthony, Andy Evridge, Dorothy Fike, Anita Morgan and Stephen Novak. Established in 1987, Cleveland Reads, a non-profit organization, has consistently worked to draw individuals, businesses and agencies into their volunteer literacy projects and campaign. Mr. Doxsey, 84 years young, consistently reflects a caring and positive demeanor that gently inspires his students, raising their confidence with every turn of the page. Twice weekly for the past 6 years, Mr. Doxsey, a tutor with ABLE in Cleveland Heights, volunteers his mornings as a tutor, instructing teachers and college students in English as a Second Language class. Mr. Doxsey has worked with students who hail from countries around the world, spanning five continents. Following the profound loss of his beloved wife, Mr. Doxsey had several options, including moving closer to his adult children, who live outside Ohio. Instead, he chose to move closer to Case Western University, where he has given the gift of language to numerous students struggling to assimilate to their new experience in America. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring every Volunteer of the Year nominee, and especially Mr. John ``Jack'' Doxsey, upon being named Cleveland Reads Volunteer of the Year. Mr. Doxsey's patience, kindness and concern for the young people of the world who journey to Cleveland seeking education, serves to build foundation of understanding that transcends language, borders and culture, connecting us all with the gifts of giving, empowering, and humanity.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the parish community of St. Andrew Catholic Church, as members and leaders celebrate 100 years of faith and hope throughout Cleveland's southwest side. Throughout the past century, St. Andrew parish has served as a spiritual refuge, opening its doors to individuals and families in search of guidance, spirituality and peace. The ministry of St. Andrew began in 1906, serving immigrant families who settled in Cleveland. Since that time, a number of pastors and parishioners have served as critical guides in the journey of the faithful at St. Andrew Church. Over the years, the parish community has evolved and grown, and has also survived numerous struggles and hardships. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of every past and current member and spiritual leader of St. Andrew Catholic Church. Despite hardship and adversity, St. Andrew Catholic Church continues to provide a haven of faith, guidance, renewal and support for hundreds of families and individuals, in the heart Cleveland and far beyond.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the life of James Anthony Zack, who was truly a champion for the rights of working people in northeast Ohio and a proud and dedicated Teamster. Jim served for 18 years as a Union Trustee, Vice President, and in June of 1997, was elected President of Teamsters Local #1164. He was constantly working to further his knowledge of the issues and areas of concern to Ohio's working families. In 2002, he received a certificate in labor relations from Cleveland State University. A 1958 graduate of Elyria High School, Jim had over 25 years in sales at Pepsi Cola of Elyria, close to 23 of which were as a driver salesman. Additionally, Jim owned and operated his own businesses as a distributor for 7-Up and Pepsi. Well liked by those who knew him, Jim truly brightened and enriched the lives of all those around him. His devotion to the Teamsters and the members he worked so hard to represent was matched only by his love and devotion to his family and faith. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Barb, children, Jim Jr. and Debbie, and five grandchildren. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the life of James Anthony Zack. His dedication on behalf of working people has served to uplift our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate the Association of Ohio Commodores. Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the association has traveled the globe as Ohio's preeminent ambassadors to international commerce. Founded in 1966 by Governor James A. Rhodes in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie, the Ohio Commodores have served various missions around the world as official representatives of the State. From the Japanese Ambassador and the Governor of Ohio's sister province in Korea, to the Consul Generals of Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, they have acted as the official hosts to foreign dignitaries visiting Ohio. Since its inception, the association has invited over 300 men and women to join the ranks of Commodores. Considered Ohio's ``most distinguished honor,'' government officials, lawmakers, leaders in higher education, and business leaders have all been recognized for their contributions to the economic strength of the State. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and congratulation of the Association of Ohio Commodores, which has dedicated the past four decades to honor the finest Ohioans and ensure a bright future for the Buckeye State.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Cleveland Federal Executive Board, for their individual and collective dedication as public servants, all focused on the public good. The community of federal employees in Cleveland, Ohio, is comprised of nearly 20,000 individuals who contribute their talent, trade and expertise daily within an array of roles, including park rangers, administrators, accountants, clerical employees, attorneys, engineers, military members, mail carriers, scientists, nurses and physicians. The professional contribution extended daily by federal employees serves as a foundation of support, safety and security throughout our community. Every day, the mail is delivered; veterans receive medical care; the environment is monitored; our national park is preserved; immigrants are guided to citizenship; job services are provided; and astronomers study the mysteries of the universe. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and gratitude of the members of the Cleveland Federal Executive Board and the thousands of federal employers who live and work within our Cleveland community. Their individual and collective commitment to their work continues to preserve, protect and strengthen our entire community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Vasilios ``Bill'' Kavadias, owner and manager of the Greek Taverna Restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue, for his 41 years of service to the Capitol Hill community. For 41 years, Bill has opened his doors to thousands of Members of Congress, Senators, Capitol Hill residents and visitors. Bill arrived from the Greek Island of Kefalonia on the USS Independence on December 30, 1956, with his brother. Soon after his arrival, Bill met and married his wife, Ifigenia. Two years later in 1965 around the same time Bill was starting his new business, the couple gave birth to their one and only child, Gregory. Starting Taverna with his brother in 1965, rocky times would soon befall on him. But being the man that Bill is, he would not allow the initial shortcomings interfere with his desire to succeed. Changing the menu 3 times in 10 years to meet customers' requests, Bill and his brother noticed that people really enjoyed Greek food, and in 1977, Taverna went all Greek. From here on, Bill turned Taverna into a culinary palace it is today. Even though he would insist that it was his customers who made it happen, we all know that it was Bill who transformed his modest establishment into the symbol it is today. Along the way, he befriended many people including former Speakers of the House Tipper O'Neil and Newt Gingrich. Among the many other Members of Congress that frequent this iconic restaurant, Bill has warmly served the President of Brazil, former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, the Greek Ambassador during the Reagan years and Secretary of State Madeline Albright to name a few. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill about 10 years ago shortly after I was elected to Congress. Day after day, I would make my way to his extraordinary establishment and each and every time, Bill was there to greet me. Over time, he and I forged a remarkable friendship that I am so grateful for. Taverna is like my home, but it would not be so without Bill. I am saddened by his retirement but am very thankful for the time I have had with him. Aside from his business accomplishments, Bill always made sure that he devoted his heart, mind and time to his surrounding community, his customers and his family. This was made evident when many of his friends and long-time customers showed up on the Thursday before his retirement to pay him homage. This man is truly one to be honored and emulated as he has touched the hearts of so many of his customers and friends during his time at Taverna. His immense kindness and overwhelming generosity is something that is not often seen in today's society. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as he embarks on his new path. And like everything else Bill has done, I am certain that he will be enormously successful. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Vasilios ``Bill'' Kavadias, whose dedication and 41 years of service to his customers and community will be missed, but never forgotten.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Reverend Ralph Emerson Leach, devoted husband, father, grandfather, United States Veteran, prolific journalist, spiritual leader, social activist, and friend and mentor to countless people, across the southwest and far beyond. Reverend Leach was born and raised in Massachusetts. He attended the University of Texas School of Journalism until WWII interrupted his studies. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Yunnan Province of China. After 3 years of decorated service, he was honorably discharged. In 1947, Reverend Leach and his wife, Gloria, were married. He began his editorial and reporting career, working at a series of newspapers throughout Texas and Arkansas. As News Editor of the Arkansas Gazette in the mid-50s, Reverend Leach was a frontrunner in exposing the injustice of racism by working on a series of articles that highlighted the historic Central High School integration crisis. The Gazette was later awarded the Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of this benchmark event in the civil rights movement. Personally moved by the racial intolerance that he witnessed overseas and at home, Reverend Leach ended his career in journalism and began building a spiritual ministry that existed to raise the poor and struggling out of the shadows of poverty and hopelessness, and to free the soul of our Nation from the chains of human injustice. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, was ordained into the Episcopal ministry, and became firmly entrenched in the civil rights movement. Reverend Leach's work led him to collaborate with our Nation's foremost heroes in the civil rights crusade, including the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Reverend Leach also served as the Manpower Director with Total Action Against Poverty (TAP). Even in his later years, Reverend Leach's dedication as a grassroots activist was as energized and focused as ever, and is reflected in his contribution and leadership within grassroots political campaigns, including my own. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor, remembrance and gratitude to Reverend Ralph Emerson Leach, whose life was defined by his steadfast commitment to his family and by his limitless passion to make his community, our Nation and our world, a better place. I extend my deepest condolences to his daughters and their spouses: Laura and Don, Rebecca and William, Naomi and Paul; to his son and his fiancee, Stephen and Sally; to his grandchildren, extended family members and many friends. His kindness, integrity, gentle guidance and service to others has made a difference in my life and in the lives of countless families and individuals, and he will be remembered always.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Erma Ora Byrd, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and dear friend and mentor to many. Her passing marks a great loss for her family and friends, and also for the people of West Virginia, whom she served with the highest level of commitment, concern, integrity and honor. The daughter of a coal miner, Mrs. Byrd remained deeply connected to the foundation of her childhood--one based on family, faith and community. Whether greeting kings at state dinners or meeting with neighbors at the town hall, Mrs. Byrd reflected a certain grace, kindness and warmth. She shied away from the harsh glare of politics, preferring instead to focus on family and close friends, gently inspiring and teaching by example. Mrs. Byrd and Senator Robert Byrd were married for 68 years. They met in grade school and married at the tender age of 19. Together, they raised two daughters, Mona and Marjorie. Mrs. Byrd's limitless love for her daughters, grandchildren and great-children extended to every child in West Virginia, upon whose behalf she advocated. Though awards and accolades held no significance to her, Mrs. Byrd's outreach and advocacy work has been honored numerous times. Both West Virginia University and Marshall University have established academic scholarship programs in her name. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Mrs. Erma Ora James Byrd. I extend my deepest condolences to her husband, United States Senator Robert Byrd; to her daughters, Mona Carole Byrd Fatemi and Marjorie Ellen Byrd Moore; to her sons-in-law, Mohammed Fatemi and Jon Moore; and to her grandchildren, great- grandchildren and extended family members and many friends. Mrs. Byrd's boundless love for her family, friends and for the people of West Virginia will be remembered always.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I sent the attached letter in support of compulsory licensing for Avastin on February 21, 2006. February 21, 2006. Mike Leavitt, Secretary; Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. Dear Secretary Leavitt: I request that you issue a compulsory license for Avastin in order to bring the price under control and to send a clear signal to the pharmaceutical industry that price gouging will not be tolerated. As you know, the New York Times reported on February 15, 2006 that Roche and Genentech plan to charge $100,000 for a year's supply of Avastin to late stage lung and breast cancer victims. This represents a price increase over the already astronomical $50,000 price tag for its current use for colon cancer. These exorbitant prices bear little on the cost of production, which is ``a fraction of what Genentech charges for it.'' Roche and Genentech's pricing decisions will force many cancer victims to choose between extending their lives and leaving their family a burden of irreconcilable debt. In fact, the Times reports that some are already opting for less life for cost reasons. Furthermore, the poorest and sickest among us will be the most likely to refuse the treatment. Even those patients with insurance are not protected because the copays are likely to approximate $1000 per month for Avastin alone, to say nothing of the cost of chemotherapy pharmaceuticals that often accompany it. Pricing schemes like these will have ripple effects. They will make it easier for other companies with similar drugs to charge higher prices. Insurance companies will pass on much of the cost, accelerating already out of control health care costs. If the trend of this legal price gouging proceeds unchecked, Medicare's own future is imperiled, especially in the absence of the ability to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers. In the past, the pharmaceutical industry's excuse for charging substantially higher prices for their drugs as compared to the cost of generics in the U.S. has been that they needed to recover their research and development costs. But Roche and Genentech cited a different reason: it is what they can get away with charging. `` `As we look at Avastin and Herceptin pricing, right now the health economics hold up, and therefore I don't see any reason to be touching them,' said William M. Burns, the chief executive of Roche's pharmaceutical division and a member of Genentech's board.'' Roche and Genentech have the legal latitude to act in this way through the patent system, which gives pharmaceutical companies a monopoly on drugs they bring to market. But it is not an absolute, unchecked right to extort. You have the authority to issue a compulsory license. Doing so would allow other manufacturers to compete with Roche/ Genentech and therefore drastically lower the price of Avastin. Roche and Genentech would be guaranteed ``reasonable and entire compensation'' as required by law (28 USC 1498). A compulsory license would also send a clear signal to the pharmaceutical industry that abuse of the patent system, especially when at the expense of health, will not be tolerated. I look forward to your immediate response. Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, Member of Congress.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, later today the Committee on Rules will decide what modifications to the budget bill Congress may consider. In the spirit of the remarks of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) with respect to how we need to concentrate on research, I want to offer these remarks. I hope that the Rules Committee does not deny this House the opportunity to correct the mistreatment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which is occurring in this budget. I am not as optimistic about this rule, so I rise to draw Members' attention to the underlying issue. NASA's contributions in the field of research, in the field of aeronautics to this Nation and the world are profound. From surveillance systems that monitor aircraft flight paths to the development of secure communications systems, NASA's research has been instrumental in improving our national security. NASA's research and NASA's aeronautics programs have also contributed substantially to the Nation's economy. Civil aeronautics is the major contributor to this sector's positive balance of trade, more than any other industry. We have a positive balance of trade in aeronautics, and we can attribute that directly to the work of research and development at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and this enables a new generation of service based industries, like e-commerce to flourish by performing the research that leads to inexpensive and reliable flights. Congress recognizes the value of aeronautics, which is why it restored cuts that were proposed in the administration's fiscal year 2006 budget. Once in the CCJS appropriations bill, and again in the NASA reauthorization bill, Congress protected aeronautics with strong bipartisan support bringing funding back to fiscal year 2005 levels. And I am proud to have played a role in that and working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in focusing in on the necessity of protecting our ability to do basic research and research which leads to developments in aeronautics. Now, in spite of this, this administration is proposing an even bigger aeronautics cut, $179 million, or 25 percent of the aeronautics budget they are trying to cut. I mean, if this was farming, it would be like throwing away your seed corn. This shortfall is a direct result of the administration's consistent and inexplicable failure to fund the very vision for space exploration that it launched. Now, in order to keep this vision alive, NASA is forced to take the money from other essential programs like aeronautics. About a month ago our colleagues in the Senate passed a budget amendment with four Republican cosponsors that increased funding for aeronautics at fiscal year 2005 levels. I tried to introduce the same amendment with bipartisan support, but it has not been approved by the Rules Committee. We cannot afford to stand by and watch the erosion of research of aeronautics and the erosion of these NASA programs that are connected. If the Rules Committee produces a rule that lets Congress have the ability to focus on protecting NASA's aeronautics research, then we ought to support the rule. However, if the Rules Committee denies Congress the ability to debate the mistreatment of NASA, then I will ask that we vote ``no.'' And later, at the appropriate time, I will ask my colleagues to urge conferees to agree with the Senate's position on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This is about our ability to grow America's future, and vitally connected to that is the work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. And let's not forget national aeronautics, aeronautics, aeronautics, research, research, research. Fund it.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the Miller motion to instruct conferees. This motion to instruct supports the bipartisan Senate compromise language that will protect older workers. Now, H.R. 2830 does a great disservice to older workers by denying the reality that conversions from traditional defined benefit plans to cash balance plans harm older workers. A report released in early November by the GAO found that a majority of older workers experienced deep cuts in their pension when converted from a traditional plan to a cash balance plan without transition protections. This is not only unfair, it is wrong. Providing transition protections for older workers should not be a choice for employers. It should be a requirement. Any change in plans must protect the accrued benefits of employees, and the conference report should reflect that reality. It is a myth to believe that cash balance plans are innocuous. For older workers especially, these plans are hazardous. A pension plan is worth nothing if it does not provide security for employees, and these plans translate into increased vulnerability for workers as they retire. Hard working employees should not be rewarded for their service with a denial of pension benefits. I urge my colleagues to help ensure that workers' pensions are protected by supporting the Miller motion to instruct conferees. Let's stand up for people who work a lifetime and were told at the beginning of their work experience the money was going to be there to enjoy their golden years. Support the Miller amendment and put some teeth behind that guarantee.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, a number of Members of Congress from the Democratic side have come together in a process known as an e-hearing where we have solicited from people across the country their concerns in particular about the auto industry, trade law, labor law and Delphi Corporation filing for bankruptcy. This evening, a number of us will come before this House to make a presentation on behalf of people who participated in the e-hearing and to make clear the direction this country must go in with respect to our trade law, labor law and with respect to the Delphi case. I want to begin by thanking the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) who is the ranking member on our committee for his work in helping to organize this hearing, and hopefully he will be here himself to participate, but you will be hearing shortly from the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) as well as other Members with respect to the results of our e-hearing. Much of the talk surrounding the current crisis facing U.S. automakers revolves around the toll that wages, health insurance and pensions place on companies. A loss of these benefits would be a devastating blow for workers and their families. Consider what my constituent, Betty Payer of Parma, Ohio, said during our committee's recent e-hearing. She said, ``The way the auto industry is going affects us in so many different ways. If my husband was to lose his job, we would not be able to raise our children properly. I don't even know how we would be able to give them the proper education. We can barely afford to buy them clothes and get them the things they truly need the way it is. My oldest son is getting ready to turn 3 and he needs speech therapy and physical therapy the way it is. Without insurance, we would not be able to take him to those because we cannot afford to pay for them. He has to go once a week until they see an improvement in him.'' That is from Betty Payer of Parma, Ohio. But the discussion about the auto industry is not served when certain individuals mischaracterize the actual labor costs. There is a myth put forward by the CEO of Delphi about the overpaid auto workers. He is claiming that $65 per hour is a typical wage Delphi pays for blue color labor. The problem is Delphi doesn't pay $65 an hour. Rather, this figure is a creation of Delphi's media consultants and it lumps together all of Delphi's labor costs and payments to unemployed and retired workers, but falsely allocates them only to Delphi's much smaller workforce. That inflates the average labor cost. Actual average wage for current Delphi workers is about $23 per hour. So whatever Delphi's financial problems, one thing that is not a cause is workers earning $65 per hour. And it is misleading of Delphi's CEO to say otherwise. But bad faith characterizes the Delphi CEO. It was bad faith that he filed motions in bankruptcy court to break his labor contracts. Negotiations with the union had not reached an impasse. Rather, the opposite was true. GM and Delphi had just reached an agreement with the union on a Special Attrition Program. Don't you think that one agreement could lead to another? If Delphi's CEO is notorious for his drive to beat down the wages and benefits workers have won through their unions and impose a wage scale that is more in line with that of China, then he has been greatly helped by the official policy of the United States, both in terms of trade law and labor law. We have a trade policy that actually permits foreign based companies to export an infinite number of goods and services to the United States, with no expectation that goods and services made in the United States will find buyers overseas. So companies locate in low wage countries, such as China, and export without limit to the U.S. Predictably, the U.S. is, in turn, suffering from a record-sized widening trade deficit with China and the world. Our trade deficit is approaching $750 billion. Workers are threatened by plant closures, and plant owners can plausibly threaten they are going to move to Mexico where they can find lower wages, lower legal standards, and export to the U.S. what they used to manufacture in the U.S. What is needed is balance. There should be some kind of a balance between our imports and our exports. What we import from China, for example, should be roughly in line with the value of what we export to China. Our trade policies should be guided by what you could call a principle of reciprocity. We also have a labor policy that enables foreign-owned companies to threaten and intimidate American workers when they try to organize themselves into unions. The leading foreign automakers have plants in the U.S., but they are all non union, thanks to the anti worker slant of U.S. law. That gives them an unfair advantage over the unionized American auto companies. Why do we tolerate giving Honda and Toyota such an advantage in our own country? If workers were allowed join unions, as they do in Canada, when a majority signed cards attesting that that is their wish, foreign auto companies would be less able to squash an organizing effort. Then GM and Toyota would be on a level playing field as far as labor costs were concerned. Here in Congress, we cannot compel automakers to design cars people want to buy. We hope that they can find the people to design such vehicles. Clearly, the American automakers have made serious errors. Auto workers didn't make the errors because they are told what cars to make. But we can make sure that the playing field is level so there is fair competition in the auto industry. Our trade policy, Mr. Speaker, and I am speaking of NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, for starters, has had a consistent effect. Know what that effect has been? To deindustrialize the United States. We are losing our industry, not because of the laws of nature or the invisible hand, but due to trade policy established here in Congress. Our labor law is also responsible. American-owned companies are losing market share to foreign-owned transplants because of the viciously anti-worker environment this Congress has unfortunately established. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing my other colleagues about what we can do to protect American industry and American auto workers.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. I rise in support of this resolution honoring the Space Shuttle program at NASA on the anniversary of its test flight. Commander John Young and Pilot Robert Crippen flew Space Shuttle Columbia on its first low-earth orbit flight for 3 days. Such a feat was made possible by the world-class workers and supporters of NASA, who are also commended in this resolution. The Space Shuttle was remarkable in part because it was the first spacecraft to launch with wings, using solid rocket boosters. It was also the first reentry spacecraft to land on a conventional runway. Notice that both these firsts are visual, if not literal, reminders of the strength of the agency itself: NASA excels in both spaceflight and flight in the atmosphere, or aeronautics. It is proof of the value of having an agency that is strong in both fields. It is unfortunate, then, that the Vision for Space Exploration, which has the potential to build on the Shuttle successes, has not been adequately funded. Instead, the proposed budget pits the Vision against aeronautics in an internal battle for insufficient funding. In fact, ever since the Vision for Space Exploration was released, there has not been adequate funding for it in the Administration's budget. The result is that other critical NASA programs lose money to the Vision as NASA is forced to pick one important program over another. For example, in FY06, there was a proposed cut in aeronautics of roughly $60 million. In FY07, that number is $179 million, despite Congress' clear support in both the appropriations and authorization bills last year. That is a 20 percent cut in 1 year. This resolution before us today will send a message that Congress is proud of what NASA has accomplished. I urge my colleagues to prove their reverence by working to fund it.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Chair and the ranking member for this opportunity to speak and thank them for bringing this resolution forward. I think it is important that this Congress take a stand and make noteworthy the achievements of many men and women of science who in this case have been accorded the highest award of a Nobel Prize in physics and in chemistry. It is manifestly clear that this country needs to put forth an emphasis on scientific achievement. It is this emphasis on scientific achievement which characterized the Kennedy administration, which gave America vision to shoot for the stars, and it is an emphasis on scientific achievement which will cause more Nobel Prize winners in future to come forward from the United States, not only in physics and chemistry but in economics and literature. We need to emphasize our quest for knowledge, and in this resolution we are helping to confirm our belief that the quest for knowledge needs to be recognized nationally. I want to add one more note. Recently the Nobel Prize winner for economics and peace a few years ago, Joseph Stiglitz, made an assessment of what the economic cost would be of the United States' continued presence in Iraq. I think that we need to look at what our Nobel Prize winners tell us about the world in which we live. They have achieved a level of excellence which can be communicated to Members of Congress and our constituents. They have achieved the level of credibility which we should give credence to, which we are doing this evening with this important resolution.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 703, but I feel compelled to qualify my support to ensure the people of Ukraine continue to receive support in the wake of this tragedy. To understand the gravity of the worst nuclear accident in history, let's review what happened on April 26th, 1986. While testing the reactor, a series of mishaps led to a large chemical explosion that resulted in the 1,000-ton cover blowing off the top of the reactor. Ultimately, fifty tons of uranium fuel from the reactor core vaporized immediately, and were blasted high into the atmosphere; a further 70 tons of uranium and 900 tons of highly radioactive graphite were dispersed into the area around the reactor, starting more than 30 fires; the 800 tons of graphite that remained in the reactor core caught fire at once, creating a radiological inferno that would burn for 10 days, sending a continuous plume of lethal radionuclides roiling into the sky. The Soviet government would wait nearly three full days before acknowledging that an accident had taken place, and did so only after the drifting plume set off radiation alarms in a nuclear plant in Sweden. Nine million people were exposed to radiation in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The contaminants, which included plutonium isotopes with a half-life of 24,360 years, eventually traveled around the globe, depositing radioactive material as far away as the lakes of Japan and the hill farms of north Wales. The long-lived radioactivity released was more than 200 times that of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The economic consequences of the accident remain a massive burden on the countries most affected; Belarus and Ukraine continue to spend around 6% of their Gross National Product on trying to deal with the consequences of the accident. I have concerns with the following clause in H. Res. 703 because it sanctions an attempt to downplay the health effects on millions of innocent people. ``Whereas the findings of the Chernobyl Forum, issued in September 2005, significantly added to the understanding of the health consequences and economic impact caused by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster;'' The Chernobyl Forum study understates the health consequences of Chernobyl. The authors excluded more than 30,000 anticipated cancer deaths from the collective doses in all other countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Over 6,000 thyroid cancer cases have been diagnosed so far in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, and more are anticipated. Recent scientific studies are revealing an increased incidence of solid cancers, including breast cancer, as well as cardiovascular and ophthalmic effects. These effects have long latency periods of more than 20 years. In the Rivne region of Ukraine, 310 miles west of Chernobyl, doctors say they are coming across an unusual rate of cancers and mutations. There is a 30 percent incidence rate amongst people in the highly radiated areas that have physical disorders, including heart and blood diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. Nearly one in three of all the newborn babies have deformities. It took some 600,000 workers for recovery and clean-up operations, all of them exposed to high levels of radiation. Studies show that almost 35,000 people who took part in the cleanup of Chernobyl have died in the years since the catastrophe. The rate of death from cancer was nearly three times as high as in the rest of the population. The conflicting scientific studies suggest much more research needs to be done. But it is essential that we do not minimize the effects of this disaster without cause. I am concerned that any effort to downplay the effects of this disaster may jeopardize the U.S. financial commitment to Ukraine and the innocent victims. I cannot support anything that might permit the U.S. to abandon the Belarus, Russia and Ukraine victims of Chernobyl.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute and recognition of the 45th Anniversary of Eugenia Stolarczyk's Polish Radio Program, broadcast every Sunday morning on Cleveland's WCPN 90.3 FM and WERE 1300 AM, as she is honored by the Polish American Cultural Center of Cleveland, established in 2001. The native language, music and news of Poland streams from the radio on Sunday mornings, here in Cleveland and around the country, connecting Americans of Polish heritage to their beloved homeland. The music and song of Poland, from classical to polka, serves as a living bridge that transcends time and distance, connecting the memories, history, spirit and culture of Poland. Eugenia Stolarczyk's talent, passion and joy in promoting Polish music, culture and news brings the soul of Poland into the kitchens and living rooms of people living on Fleet Avenue in Cleveland and along avenues across the country. American citizens who emigrated here from Poland add significant depth, richness and brilliant color to the diverse fabric of nations that comprise the cultural fabric of Cleveland, reflecting the heart and soul of our nation--a nation founded on, and unified by, the grit and struggle for freedom--a nation of immigrants. Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honoring Eugenia Stolarczyk, whose dedication, talent and energy has illuminated the radio waves from Cleveland to California every Sunday morning for the past 45 years, echoing the spirited melodies and language of Poland. This vital radio broadcast serves as a guardian of ancestry, protecting and preserving the song and spirit of Poland for every new generation to come to embrace--with just a turn of the dial.