Mark Kennedy

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a very special person, Norma Knudsen. Although she is one of the oldest members of the Spicer, Minnesota, Sunrise Lions Club at age 86, Norma continues to be one of their most active and devoted volunteers. Norma has been a leader in efforts to restore and preserve the gift of sight by volunteering at various charity events like baseball games, barbecues and fish fries to benefit the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, one of the most successful eye banks in the country. While this is laudable itself, it is even more remarkable when you consider that Norma suffers from macular degeneration, a devastating eye disease that has left her almost totally blind. Because of her selfless efforts and the outstanding example she has been for the rest of us, Norma was recently presented the Helen Keller Award by the Spicer Sunrise Lions Club. There is no more deserving person for this award than Norma Knudsen. With her long track record of volunteerism, Norma has more than met Helen Keller's challenge to be a ``knight of the blind in the crusade against darkness.'' Mr. Speaker, I commend the fine efforts of Norma Knudsen to help bring sight to many who would have been left in the darkness.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of February 3, 2004, and as the designee of the majority leader, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 493) congratulating the St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, football team on winning the 2003 NCAA Division III Football National Championship, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the St. John's University football team from Collegeville, Minnesota on their NCAA Division III National Championship. The Johnnies were underdogs in the championship game against Mount Union College of Alliance, Ohio on December 20, 2003, because Mount Union entered the game with an NCAA record, a 55-game winning streak, and had won 109 of their 110 previous games. But as senior wide receiver Blake Elliott, winner of the Gagliardi Trophy said, all it took was 52 guys believing, and believe they did, and so did the other players, students, professors, monks, alums like myself and my family, and proud parents in Minnesota scattered throughout the country and on that frigid field in Virginia. The Johnnies put on quite a show for the fans of all ages. For the 3 chartered planes full of St. John's faithful who braved the Minnesota- like weather on the East Coast and the many more watching on nationally televised TV, St. John's put on a great game. They finished a perfect 14 and 0 season with a 24-6 victory in the 2003 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game. This team victory capped off a season that also saw Coach John Gagliardi become the all-time winningest football coach in NCAA history, earning him a trip to the White House. This is St. John's fourth national championship in school history, and highlights the tradition that has brought national attention to St. John's and its partner school, the College of St. Benedict in west central Minnesota. They are both exceptional liberal arts schools with a proud Catholic Benedictine tradition. I am proud to have been able to have followed closely each of the last two St. John's championship seasons. I was a student for the most recent championship in 1976 and now am proud to represent St. John's in my congressional district. As an alum and a fan of St. John's football, I try to make as many games as possible. The alums, professors, monks, local fans, and students alike watched the Johnnies play football in the recently renovated Clemens Stadium, set in a beautiful natural bowl that seats about 5,000 fans; although many more attend the games, like the 13,000 fans that attended the game against Bethel College to break the all-time coach and win record, as anybody who comes to the stadium can get in. The St. John's tradition is woven into these games, which can become more of a reunion than a mere football game, where fathers and grandfathers who played for St. John's come to watch their sons and grandsons play. Before the game begins, the St. John's men's chorus sings the National Anthem and the Johnny Fight Song, and all former men's chorus singers, including me, get a chance to come down and join in. Every player that goes out for the football team dresses for home games and the sidelines are filled with over 150 players. John Gagliardi joked to me that St. John's is the only team that gets penalties for having 2 players with the same number on the field at the same time, because John plays everyone he can. But the tradition at St. John's goes well beyond the football team. It extends to the classrooms and to the monastery. Players are expected to be student athletes and many of them go on to success in a wide variety of their chosen careers. In fact, during John's 51 years coaching at St. John's, no player has failed to graduate, and most do so in 4 years. Student life at St. John's is intertwined with the monastery life, as many of the resident directors and the professors are monks living at the on-campus monastery. Monks attend the games and are said to, on more than one occasion, tell the coaching staff that if the players just get the ball close enough, they will pray it in. This partnership shows the camaraderie, team spirit, and drive that leads to the success that is alive and the students that play football for St. John's year after year, and it is one we celebrate here today. Therefore, I once again congratulate the players, coaches, parents, and all of those associated with St. John's on the team's national championship and encourage the House to pass this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Administrator Dennis Fuchs, the staff and board of supervisors, and all the residents of Stearns County, Minnesota, on Stearns County's recognition as Minnesota's Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District of the Year. Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District has been very active in protecting natural resources for all to enjoy. The District has been successful in developing programs to assist landowners with such conservation practices as soil erosion prevention, animal waste storage, wildlife habitat preservation, and lakeshed management. This award is based on a number of factors including program participation, training for staff and supervisors, and increased involvement in Minnesota's Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts work to better manage our precious natural resources. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Minnesotans I would like to congratulate Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District on receiving this recognition and thank them for their commitment to conservation.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend David Schwartz on his 34 years of service to the Forest Lake, Minnesota, police department. Among David's accomplishments during his service are mentoring young officers, creating a youth safety camp, and participating in the National Night Out program. His colleagues describe him as a fair and trustworthy person and someone that has always done what he considers best for his community. Born in 1948, Schwartz and his family moved to Forest Lake in 1964. He graduated from Forest Lake High School and holds degrees from Lakewood Community College, Metro State University and a master's degree in police leadership from St. Thomas University. He and his wife, Lucy, live in Hugo, Minnesota, and have three grown children, Bryan, Matt and Margaret, and two grandchildren. David began his career as a part-time police officer in 1969 and rose through the ranks until he was promoted to chief in 1979. When he first put on the officers uniform, the department operated with one radio channel for communication and handled about 2,000 calls per year. At his retirement, the Forest Lake police force now uses 16 radio channels, an on-board computer system and radar weather images to handle the 13,000 calls per year they receive. Chief Schwartz plans to stay busy during his retirement and is looking forward to teaching and doing some writing. He also plans to spend some much deserved time with his family at their cabin in northern Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, Chief David Schwartz has been working to make Forest Lake a safer community for the past 34 years. I join the residents of Forest Lake and all of Minnesota in thanking him for his service to his community and his tireless efforts to make Forest Lake a wonderful place to live.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mayor William Hargis, the City Council and all the residents of Woodbury, Minnesota, on Woodbury's recognition as the nation's hottest city under 100,000 people in the central United States by Money Magazine. Since 1990, Woodbury's population has grown by 153 percent, it boasts lower than average property taxes, 1,600 acres of parklands, a low crime rate and a recently completed indoor park with a playground and waterfalls. Originally named Red Rock, the first settlers came to Woodbury in 1844 and established a farming community. Today, Woodbury is one of the fastest growing suburbs in the Twin Cities area. It is home to many large businesses, but also 75 miles of trails and attractive neighborhoods for families of all sizes. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Minnesotans I would like to congratulate the citizens of Woodbury on receiving this distinction by Money Magazine and thank them for showcasing the best of Minnesota to the entire nation.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise today to honor St. John's University's Coach John Gagliardi for becoming the winningest college football coach ever. After beating archrival St. Thomas to tie Eddie Robinson's record of 408 wins at Grambling, Coach Gagliardi's Johnnies set a new record by defeating nationally ranked Bethel in a hard-fought game before over 13,000 fans in the natural bowl of Clemens Stadium. That is quite a crowd, since the stadium only seats 5,500. As a graduate of St. John's, I was honored to be able to join John at the White House today where the President rightly praised both his achievement and his character. Both St. John's University and Coach John Gagliardi are quite special; and as one might expect from a relationship stretching over half a century, they are special for many of the same reasons. Indeed, the similarities begin with both the university and the coach being named ultimately after St. John. St. John's, with 1,900 male students, is one of the oldest universities in the State of Minnesota, having been founded by Benedictine monks in 1856. It sits on a beautiful campus of 2,400 acres with four lakes on campus. Their sister school, St. Benedict's, with 2,000 students, was founded by Benedictine nuns in 1913. The Benedictines live according to the Rule of St. Benedict with an emphasis on faithfulness, community, study, work, prayer, and humility. They have infused these values into the culture of St. John's and St. Ben's as well. Community is important to Johnnie and Bennie alumni, who are among the most loyal anywhere. Coach Gagliardi has personified these values. After coaching 4 years at Carroll College in Helena, Montana, John has coached at St. John's for the last 51 seasons. That record of faithfulness has been matched with 47 years of marriage to the partner of his life, his wife, Peggy. The Gagliardi family has been intertwined with the St. John's community. They live on campus, and all four of their children have attended St. John's or St. Ben's. I attended St. John's with their son John, Jr. Their son Jim is one of St. John's assistant coaches and joined him today at the White House. Since he is assistant coach there at St. John's, the President said that he appreciated sons following in their father's footsteps. Consistent with John's commitment to community, he cuts no one from games, from coming out for football, and over 150 players regularly suit up for home games. In fact, St. John's was recently penalized for having two players with the same number on the field, a penalty few teams ever have to worry about. And while Gagliardi is acclaimed for his perennial success on the football field, he is equally loved and admired at St. John's for his commitment to making sure that his players get a quality education. Consistent with his commitment to study, I am proud to say that no player has ever failed to graduate in John's over a half century of coaching. Every class of graduating football players includes those who go on to graduate, law, or medical school. St. John's and St. Ben's, which are ranked as among the best Catholic national liberal arts colleges in the country by ``U.S. News and World Report,'' match Gagliardi's commitment to educational excellence. The Benedictine monks have long stressed work and in their early days were almost entirely self-sufficient, growing and building most of what they needed. Coach Gagliardi's personal work ethic is reflected in his intent to continue coaching even after he has achieved this important milestone. Yet John has a nontraditional view towards work in the form of practice. His practices involve no blocking sleds, no dummies, no whistles, no pads, no tackling, and no mandatory weight training. John does not conduct spring practices, and he gives his team the day off if it is too cold, too hot, or there are too many mosquitos, as is often the case in Minnesota. But where Gagliardi asks his players to work is on game day. They work and they win. In over 55 years of coaching, he has now had 410 wins and only 114 losses. My son Peter recently commented that it is impossible to be a fair-weather fan of St. John's because they always win. Gagliardi's teams have won 26 conference titles, appeared in 45 post-season games, and won three national championships. Their most recent national championship was in 1976, while I was a student at St. John's, when they beat Towson State of Maryland, a school 10 times its size. Playing bigger schools is not unusual for St. John's with its 1,900 students. I fondly remember sitting at a playoff game with St. John's president, Brother Dietrich Reinhart, in Dayton, Ohio, against the University of Dayton. They were playing St. John's in football, but Michigan State in basketball that evening. According to St. John's folklore, prayer is vitally important to their football success. The St. John's abbey is the largest Benedictine abbey in the world. As the saying goes, if the team gets it close, they will pray it in. Despite John's unmatched record of success, he remains amongst the most humble people one will ever meet. His news director, Michael Hemisch, has a hard time getting him to speak to the press. John avoids the limelight and wears a coat during games that everyone is happy to see has now been contributed to the College Football Hall of Fame, so he will not wear it anymore. But he said it is the only coat that will keep him warm enough for Minnesota falls. Some were surprised that he accepted President Bush's invitation to come to the White House today. When the press asked him what was the secret of his success, he answered: talented players, luck, and prayers. Certainly, the many players that have played for Coach Gagliardi should be congratulated on this achievement. John took no credit for himself but would be happy to ascribe some of the credit to his current coaching staff and his coaching staff over the years, three of whom joined him: his son Jim, Jerry Haugen, and Gary Fasching. He would also give credit to the monks, including athletic director Father Tim Backous, who joined him as well at the White House. Father Tim and I sang together at men's chorus at St. John's. And John likes to joke that the monks said they would always be with him, win or tie. Though John is humble, my fellow alumni at St. John's and St. Ben's, including 13 of my family members, have great pride not just in his success as the winningest college football coach ever but the way his life has modeled the Benedictine values of faithfulness, community, study, work, prayer, and humility. I appreciated the Johnnies who joined John at the White House and the many that came out to the reception this afternoon here in Washington to honor John, including Senator Dave Durenberger; Al Eisele, editor of ``The Hill,'' David Rehr from the Beer Wholesalers; and Tom Super, whose wife, Kathy, works for President Bush, Sr. I encourage my fellow Members to join me in honoring his achievement.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Scot Storm of Sartell, Minnesota, on winning the 2003 Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Scot's painting depicts a pair of redhead ducks flying over a pond. His inspiration for the painting came from a photograph he took in North Dakota. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sponsors the annual Duck Stamp Contest and I am proud to represent the winner for the second consecutive year. Groups from stamp collectors to conservationists purchase the stamps for their collections. Additionally, all waterfowl hunters are required to purchase and carry the Duck Stamp as a part of their license. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp go to purchase wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, over half a billion dollars in proceeds from the Duck Stamp have purchased 5 million acres of habitat. Mr. Speaker, Minnesota is proud of its hunting and fishing tradition and its commitment to conservation, exemplified in Scot Storm's winning stamp. On behalf of all Minnesotans, I congratulate him on this prestigious award.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Franciscan Brother Michael Gaworski, who died of complications from pneumonia on August 28, 2003. Brother Michael was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in Eagan, Minnesota. He attended St. Thomas Academy and St. Thomas College. In 1982, with encouragement from Archbishop John Roach, Brother Michael founded the St. Paul archdiocese's first community of religious brothers, the Franciscan Brothers of Peace. Additionally, Brother Michael was well known for his involvement in the pro-life movement, founding the Pro- Life Action Ministries, a group that now has 20,000 members. Brother Michael valued every life and dedicated his work to helping those that needed help the most. However, it was Brother Michael who was the recipient of tremendous support when, 12 years ago, he was left a quadriplegic as a result of a bout with pneumonia. His Franciscan Brothers worked out rotating shifts, so that one of them was with Brother Michael every day, taking care of all his needs. The Brothers believe that their ministry has blossomed from this experience, teaching them to love and give unconditionally. While the Brothers mourn the loss of their founder, they celebrate his life and will continue his mission of service. Mr. Speaker, Brother Michael and his brothers in the Franciscan Brothers of Peace exemplify what it means to give of yourself to others and to live life as an example.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true American hero, Cpl Charles W. Lindberg. Like so many of our veterans, he put his life on the line so that we might live in peace, free from tyranny and oppression. On the morning of February 23, 1945, six brave young Marines--Jim Michels, Hank Hansen, Louis Charlo, Boots Thomas, Harold Schrier, and Charles Lindberg--trudged up the steep slopes of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, dodging grenades and machine gun fire, to destroy an enemy outpost. There they planted the first American flag on Iwo Jima, marking the first plot of native Japanese soil captured by Americans in World War II. This historic event paved the way for the raising of the second American flag, immortalized in Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize winning photograph as one of our greatest symbols of freedom, triumph and courage. Sadly, Cpl Charles W. Lindberg is the sole remaining survivor of this fearless group. However, Cpl Lindberg's selfless devotion to his country did not end on the battlefield. Cpl Lindberg worked hard to improve our country and the lives of our soldiers. Today, he continues to devote himself to veterans, veterans organizations, and his community. I salute Cpl Charles W. Lindberg for his ever-lasting spirit of patriotism, bravery, dedication, and service to his community and country.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the city of Anoka, Minnesota, as the ``Halloween Capital of the World.'' Anoka has been holding Halloween festivities since 1920, when a group of business and civic leaders suggested the idea of a celebration to deter old-time Halloween pranks. The community planned a night parade that featured children in costume marching along with members of the fire department, Kiwanis Club, Commercial Club and the National Guard. Anoka first called itself the ``Halloween Capital of the World'' in 1937, with a proclamation carried to Washington, D.C. by 12 year-old Anoka resident, Harold Blair. Since the first celebration, the festivities have expanded to include card parties, bingo, a 5K Grey Ghost Run and a parade that is the second largest in the state. This year's celebration marks the 81st annual festival and was bigger and better than ever. I would like to congratulate and thank the city of Anoka, the more than 30 volunteers and all who work to make the Anoka Halloween celebration a yearly success and a family event for everyone to enjoy.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, we are hearing two sides of a story here. On one side we are hearing doom and gloom. On the other side from folks like myself who have had a chance to go over to Iraq, we are hearing a story that there is much more progress there than the press is reporting. There are much greater prospects there if we just take the time to finish the job and invest in this country. And what I would like to do today to try to shed some more light on that is quote from an article that was e-mailed to me by a constituent, a Major Cepleche who is serving in Iraq. I am just going to quote an excerpt from the article, but I will include the whole article in the Record. What it says is: ``Over 3 months after a formal declaration of an end to hostilities, the occupation is bogged down. Fanatical elements of the former . . . regime who, in their zeal to liberate their nation from the foreign occupiers . . . continue to commit almost-daily acts of sabotage against an already-ravaged infrastructure, and attack American troops.'' It also says that many complain of a lack of security, that in the wake of the budding disaster, some have called for more international participation in peacekeeping. It goes on to say: ``. . . It's time to ask whether the people are better off now than they were a few months ago. Yes, a brutal dictator has been deposed, but at least the electricity and water supply were mostly working.'' It says: ``Many have criticized flawed intelligence for our failure,'' and finally says: ``Without this man that they told us was such a great threat to America, how can they even claim that this war was justified?'' Mr. Chairman, this sounds like a lot of the things that are being said here today by some others talking tonight, but this was really a 1945 article that Reuters wrote about Germany during the time of America's reconstruction of Germany. We all know that Germany was a success. It was a success because America's troops were there to bring stability and security because we invested through the Marshall Plan in reconstructing Germany. If we think about Germany in the 50 years before 1945 that helped contribute to starting two world wars that caused millions of deaths, in the 50 years since then they have been a great friend, a supporter, and have brought prosperity and peace to the region. We are well ahead of Germany in our reconstruction of Iraq in so many important variables such as naming a cabinet, such as reforming the currency and so many other things. Reforming Iraq, having a democratic government there and an open economy can transform that region; and that will not only be a great benefit to that region but a great benefit to our security here a home. Let us continue America's proud tradition of reforming as we did in Germany and Japan and continue on in Iraq; and I am confident that when we look back in a decade or two from now, we will be proud of the work that we are authorizing here today. I encourage support of the amendment. [From Reuters, Aug. 12, 1945] Administration in Crisis Over Burgeoning Quagmire Washington.--President Truman, just a few months into his young presidency, is coming under increasing fire from some Congressional Republicans for what appears to be a deteriorating security situation in occupied Germany, with some calling for his removal from office. Over three months after a formal declaration of an end to hostilities, the occupation is bogged down. Fanatical elements of the former Nazi regime who, in their zeal to liberate their nation from the foreign occupiers, call themselves members of the Werwolf (werewolves) continue to commit almost-daily acts of sabotage against Germany's already-ravaged infrastructure, and attack American troops. They have been laying road mines, poisoning food and water supplies, and setting various traps, often lethal, for the occupying forces. It's not difficult to find antagonism and anti-Americanism among the population--many complain of the deprivation and lack of security. There are thousands of homeless refugees, and humanitarian efforts seem confused and inadequate. In the wake of the budding disaster, some have called for more international participation in peacekeeping. A Red Cross official said that, ``. . . the German people will be more comfortable if their conquerors weren't now their overlords. It makes it difficult to argue that this wasn't an imperialistic war when the occupying troops in the western sector are exclusively American, British and French.'' The administration, of course, claims that, given the chaos of the recent war, such a situation is to be expected, and that things will improve with time. As to the suggestion to internationalize the occupying forces, the administration had no official comment, but an unofficial one was a repetition of the quote from General McAuliffe, when asked to surrender in last winter's Battle of the Bulge--``Nuts.'' In an attempt to minimize the situation, a White House spokesman pointed out that the casualties were extremely light, and militarily inconsequential, particularly when compared to the loss rates prior to VE Day. Also, the attacks seem to be dying down with each passing month. But this statement was leaped upon by some as heartless, trivializing the deaths and injuries of young American men. Many critics back in Washington seem now to be prescient with their previous warnings of just such an outcome a little over a year ago. One congressman said that ``. . . It's time to ask whether the German people are better off now than they were a few months ago. Yes, a brutal dictator has been deposed, but at least the electricity and water supply were mostly working, and the trains running on time. After years of killing them and destroying their infrastructure with American bombs, it seems to me that the German people have suffered enough without the chaos that our occupation with its inadequate policing, is bringing.'' It's not clear how much support the Werwolf has among the populace, who may be afraid to speak their true minds, given the fearfully overwhelming ``Allied'' presence in the country. But it is possible that, like the guerrilla forces themselves, the people have been inspired by Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels' pre-victory broadcasts, and those of Radio Werwolf. ``God has given up the protection of the people . . . Satan has taken command.'' Goebbels broadcast last spring. ``We Werwovles consider it our supreme duty to kill, to kill and to kill, employing every cunning and wile in the darkness of the night, crawling, groping through towns and villages, like wolves, noiselessly, mysteriously.'' While no new broadcasts of Goebbels' voice have been heard since early May, no one can be certain as to whether he is alive or dead, and continuing to help orchestrate the attacks and boost morale among the forces for German liberation. As long as his fate, and more importantly, that of the former leader Adolf Hitler himself, remains unresolved, the prospects for pacifying the brutally conquered country may be dim. Although Grand-Admiral Donitz made a radio announcement of Hitler's brave death in battle to the beleaguered German people on the evening of May 1, some doubt the veracity of that statement, and there has been no evidence to support it, or any body identified as the former Fuehrer's. Rumors of his whereabouts continue to abound, including reported sightings as far away as South America, and many still believe that he is hiding with the ``Edelweiss'' organization, with thousands of Wehrmacht troops, in a mountain stronghold near the Swiss border. Many have criticized flawed intelligence for our failure to find him, causing some, in the runup to next year's congressional elections, to call for an investigation. A staffer of one prominent Senator said, ``For months, starting last fall, we were told by this administration that Hitler would make a last stand in a `National Redoubt' in Bavaria. General Bradley diverted troops to the south and let the Russians take Berlin on the basis of this knowledge. But now we find out that there was no such place, and that Hitler was in Berlin all along. And now we're told that we can't even be sure of where he is, or whether he's alive or dead.'' For many, marching in the streets with signs of ``No Blood For Soviet Socialism,'' and ``It's All About The Coal,'' this merely confirmed that the administration had other agendas than its stated one, and that the war was unjustified and unjustifiable. General Bradley's staff has protested that this is an unfair criticism--that the strategic decision made by General Eisenhower was driven by many factors, of which Hitler's whereabouts was a minor one, but this hasn't silenced the critics, some of whom have bravely called for President Truman's impeachment, despite the fact that most of these decisions were made even before he became president in April. But some have taken the criticism further, and say that failure to get Hitler means a failed war itself. ``Sure, it's nice to have released all those people from the concentration camps, but we were told we were going to war against Hitler, even though he'd done nothing to us,'' argued one concerned anti-war Senator. ``Now they say that we have `Victory in Europe,' but it seems to me that if they can't produce the man we supposedly went to war against, it's a pretty hollow victory. Without this man that they told us was such a great threat to America, how can even they claim that this war was justified?''

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, today this House is set to pass a historic bill, the partial-birth abortion ban. We have passed it several times in the past, but this time is different. In this case, we have a President who has said that he will sign this important bill to end this horrific practice. I have a nephew that was born a few years ago less than two pounds, and many of the young men and women waiting to be born that have been killed by this procedure have weighed more than Alexander. So I call on my colleagues to rise to this historic moment, pass this important bill, and protect those, the most innocent among us.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I think one can see the passion that we who are gathered here today have for ending this cruel procedure. We have heard from the AMA. We have heard from two doctors in a row who confirm the AMA's belief that this procedure is not only not necessary, as the AMA would say, but as the last two physicians so eloquently said, is a cruel procedure that's time has long since passed, should have never started, should never have been allowed to start in the first place, but now we are calling upon it to end. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the dean of the pro-life caucus, a man who has dedicated decades of his life here in Congress to try to lead the effort on repealing partial- birth abortion and so many other pro-life issues, and will be a big factor in our success when President Bush finally signs this. So again, it is an honor for me to yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. We have a disagreement on that issue.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, and with great authority with his medical experience he speaks out the truth that this is a procedure that America must ban. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey), someone who has equal authority from the medical field.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that there is finally light at the end of the tunnel in what has been a long battle. Tomorrow, the House is poised to pass the conference report on S. 3, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. This conference report represents several years of hard work on the part of the Congress to produce a bill that passes constitutional muster. Since 1995, State legislators in both Houses of Congress have passed laws with broad bipartisan support banning this barbaric procedure. Although successful in 31 States, twice bills passed by Congress to ban partial-birth abortion were vetoed by President Clinton. However, I am happy to say that President Bush has indicated that he will sign this bill into law and ban what he calls this abhorrent procedure that offends human dignity. We have several Members here joining me to speak on why this needs to happen, and I want to first yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) for clearly and crisply outlining why we find this procedure so abhorrent and why we find it important to pass this tomorrow. Since I had a young nephew that was born less than 2 pounds, a pound and then some, sadly, three to 5,000 young children, most of them, many of them bigger than my nephew was born, have lost their lives through partial-birth abortion; and it is time that we end this. It is deplorable that a country like ours which was founded on the respect for life has continued to allow this terrible practice. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. I thank the Member from Arizona. Partial-birth abortion, it is often said is there, to try to help the women's health. But so often it is detrimental to the very things that people say it is trying to help. So often women suffer from depression and psychological stress after having performed this procedure. So this again is something that we need, as a Congress, to act on tomorrow. I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan), and he and I are not alone in the position that this should end. A Gallup Poll conducted in January found that 70 percent of those surveyed favored banning this horrible procedure. Even doctors agree on this point. The overwhelming share of doctors believe this procedure is not necessary. The partial-birth abortion procedure has been labeled as not good medicine by the AMA. Respected medical professionals like former Surgeon General Everett Koop testified in 1996 that partial-birth abortion is never medically necessary to protect the mother's health and future fertility. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. I thank the Member from Missouri. I thank him for calling us all back to our roots, to what this country has always stood for, what this country was built upon, the respect for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I would also like to call on the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) for his remarks.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, even the strongest abortion rights supporters have a hard time defending this procedure. In four of the last five Congresses, Congress has passed a partial-birth abortion ban by a two-thirds majority. Instead, abortion rights supporters insist this procedure is rare and used only in the most extreme positions to avoid serious physical injury to the mother. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hundreds of obstetricians have stated they regularly treat women for medical conditions used to rationalize partial-birth abortions, and these babies are regularly delivered with no threat to the mother's health or future fertility. These medical reasons include depression and other treatable conditions like emotional trauma, psychological problems, and age. While these may be serious, I do not think that they warrant the life of an otherwise healthy unborn child. Even Dr. Martin Haskell who has performed more than a thousand of these abortions has stated that 80 percent of those were purely elective, meaning the health had nothing to do with it. What is most disturbing is that multiple doctors have testified that this procedure is typically done on healthy women with healthy unborn children after 20 weeks when a baby can often survive without assistance for hours outside the womb. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. I thank my friend from Texas. I would just remind us to keep in mind that under Federal and most State laws, a live birth is when a baby is entirely delivered from a mother and shows any sign of life, regardless of whether or not it has yet reached the stage where it can survive independently of the mother. Under the doctrine set by the Supreme Court, such a baby, no matter how premature, is a person and is protected under the law. Even worse, scientists have shown that babies at such a stage certainly experience great pain during partial-birth abortion. On this fact alone, we should ban this procedure. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey. I thank him for his leadership on this very important issue, on protecting the lives of those babies that have been lost in this horrific procedure, to keep this from happening in the future. I now yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) to also continue the reasons why it is we need to, as a Congress, pass this bill tomorrow and send it to the President's desk.

Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana. I thank him for the passion that he has had for this issue since his time at Notre Dame. I am very pleased to have a son there at Notre Dame. I am very pleased that my oldest daughter was the first president of the Fire for Life chapter at her high school. And as the father of four, it is hard to imagine not having those children. It is hard to imagine children not having the opportunity to have the same experience that each of us as parents have had the opportunity to grow up with and watch and watch them develop. As someone who is very familiar with children and has a passion for life, I would also like to yield to my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy).