Ron Klein

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, 7 years ago, our country was attacked by those who sought to terrorize our way of life through violence and through fear. The tragedy and loss caused by these hateful acts will haunt our generation, yet the resilience of the American people will inspire many more to come. Today, America stands strong and our democracy undeterred. This republic remains one Nation, united by democratic ideals and tolerance. New York, home to many South Floridians where I am from, remains in the hearts and minds of all Americans. Florida, like New York, is a mosaic of traditions and cultures. Such communities can only exist when respect and understanding champion over bigotry and hate. America is founded upon the principles of freedom, we are sustained by the rule of law, and we are defended by brave men and women at home and abroad who serve our country and protect our democracy. In remembering September 11, 2001, we must never forget the sacrifices made by Americans that came before us, and always honor those that continue to do so today.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from Ohio and all my colleague here tonight. I'm going to carry this conversation a little further about fiscal discipline because all of us elected last year, Democrats and, interestingly enough, Republicans, have supported fiscal discipline, but got way off track over the last 10 years. It's now the Democrats, many of us, who are sort of leading the fight. We are the fiscal hawks. We are the ones saying this is totally unacceptable for all the reasons you heard tonight. I think the gentleman from Vermont already mentioned this, but it's worth restating. The Bush administration is responsible for the five biggest deficits, and that total is a staggering amount. But I want to just take that one step further because this is the kind of change that we are going to deliver. Given the opportunities over the next couple of years, hopefully in a bipartisan way, that is the way we get things done here, but looking at this figure here, this is a chart that says: Taxpayer spending on Iraq war versus Federal spending on other priorities. This is for last year, fiscal year. It has the cost of the Iraq war, $150 billion. The cost of NIH funding, that is all the research that government does, all the research on cancer and heart disease and Alzheimer's, all the things that afflict our families and our communities, it is a substantial amount of money. But that figure, plus all the college tuition assistance, everything we do to try to make sure that kids get into school and get a college education, which we know is so important in the world economy, plus the cost of all the children's health care we provide in the United States, and all the cost of all the bridge repairs and road building and all the things that go on in every single one of our communities, sewers, roads, bridges, all those kinds of things, if you take the cost of roads and bridges, the cost of research, the cost of all the college tuition and the cost of all the health care, that total sum is less than what we spent on the Iraq war. Now, we debated at length whether the Iraq war is a good war or not or has accomplished a lot. I personally believe, and I serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee, that, unfortunately, the real threat against our national security is in Afghanistan. And it still boggles my mind and most Americans that Osama bin Laden, who committed the worst crime against Americans in our history in the United States, is still free somewhere in the world perpetrating additional threats against the United States through al Qaeda. The problem, of course, is that he and others most likely are in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the mountain areas there. Unfortunately, we took our eye off the ball. But let's put that issue aside. Hopefully we will be able to deal with that in the near future with the next President. Let's just talk about, we have spent $650 billion. I want everybody to remember this number, that is $339 million we are spending each day on the war in Iraq, $339 million per day. Let's think about what we could do with that money. I mean, we could have a debate at length here, and I am sure everybody listening tonight on the floor and throughout our country would have lots of good ideas that are legitimate priorities for our country. Yet we are spending that amount of money. Now, is there an answer that the Democrats have put forward? You bet there is. What was this war sold to us on in terms of how it was going to be paid for? Oil revenues. Iraq sits on the third largest oil revenues and reserves of oil in the world; $80 billion, it is reported, in banks, some of which is in New York. Eighty billion dollars. That money was supposed to pay for the cost of reconstruction of Iraq, the cost of our military fuel and the cost also of the retraining of the military in Iraq, our military training their military. All legitimate things. Yet what has happened? President Bush has refused, the Republicans have refused to do that. Now, I introduced a bill, H.R. 1111. H.R. 1111. I said it is number one, put Americans first. I think most Americans would agree with that. Let's take the money that Iraq has, it is $80 billion, and let them pay for the cost of their reconstruction, the cost of our men and women training their military, and our fuel costs. That is common sense. That is what we were told in the beginning. They have got the money. Let's get on with it. That is how we can start putting Americans first and all the priorities that are so important to fixing our economy, getting jobs created, getting an educational system, getting health care put back together, Social Security, Medicare, all the priorities that make America strong on the inside first. So I think that is a very important point, and we finally got a little bit of discussion on this. But the reality is this is the kind of leadership we are offering and we are providing.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Thank you to the gentleman from Wisconsin. Just to pick up on your point on our men and women serving and our veterans, I'm from Florida. Every one of us in our districts has a huge number of veterans--some from World War II, some from the Korean war, some from Vietnam. Many of our Vietnam veterans today are hurting. Whether it's Agent Orange or just age, itself, it has really begun to impact them. Now we're creating a new generation of an upwards of 2 million new veterans. We don't want to create that next generation of homeless. We know there are huge post-traumatic stress issues associated with it, but I'm particularly proud in working with our local veterans' organizations and national veterans' organizations which gave our leaders the recommendations of what they need in order to eliminate the backlog, to make sure that the care was in place for evaluations of post-traumatic stress or to recognize that, of the many men and women coming home today, back in the Vietnam war, they wouldn't have lived with their damage and with their injuries. That's right. Today, they're coming home, and we have a responsibility. I say this and people understand. Americans understand. We stand up for our men and women who put the uniform on. That's something we feel very strongly about, but we have to recognize that we will have to provide for them for the rest of their lives and that we will have to support their families as well. That new GI Bill is key. It was the right thing to do. For many of the people who don't even know this, it even allows the balance of those benefits to go to the spouse and to the children. Isn't that the right thing to do for the families?

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. I mean that's the ``thank you'' that Americans want to give the men and women who serve us, but when we are asked to serve in our military, we need to make sure it is the right place and the right time and for our national security interests, which is, unfortunately, what went wrong. The gentlewoman from Ohio, you have led the fight in this Congress on jobs. I'm from Ohio originally. You and I talk about that. I grew up in Cleveland. Now, as a Floridian, I know we have a different set of economic issues in Florida, but they're very similar in terms of jobs being lost overseas. I want to point this board out real fast here because it talks about jobs created through August in President Clinton's years. There were 1.47 million jobs created under President Clinton. In President Bush's 8 years----

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Excuse me. In 8 months. Thank you. In these last 8 months, 605,000 jobs were lost under this administration. You'll hear in the Presidential election on the Republican side the same thing again and again and again, the same economic plan. It's an old plan. It's not getting us anywhere. I just want to point this out because we can do better. It's one of those areas again. This Congress has already done a number of things, I think, that are very positive. We've passed the biggest increase in the Pell Grants in years. For those who aren't familiar with Pell Grants, it's those scholarships for great students to get into college. The kids in our communities want to get those great college educations. There are Pell Grants and other types of financial incentives for kids to get into schools. We recognize foreclosures are a big problem in many of our communities. My district in Fort Lauderdale has a huge number of foreclosures. It's not just the individual person who is foreclosed on; it's the neighbors who are impacted, and it's the depression on the value of homes, and it's the communities that are impacted and all of the things that go with it. And we passed something that the Congresses in the past should have done in the last few years to prevent this from ever happening in the first place. We actually did some things now to help get people back on their feet and fix that. But look what happened last week again. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, another multi billion dollar bailout. And why are they doing this? Well, they have to do it is what we're told. But the bottom line is again, a legacy of very, very bad economic planning, very bad policies that this administration and previous Congresses were not able to do anything or had no will to do anything about. The bottom line is, though, we are a resilient people as Americans. We have a resilient economy, and we will get beyond there. So I'm all for the education part; I'm all for the job training part, our community colleges, our universities, our scholarships, the job training, the skill sets to get everybody back to work and the recognition that if we are going to do some economic stimulus thing, let's get our infrastructure, let's go out there in the community.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Well, I think it's really been an honor and privilege to be with my colleagues tonight. It's been an honor and privilege to serve as the freshman class, as Democrats and serving with our Republican colleagues as well. This is a great institution. Our country is a great country. We've pointed out, as you said from the very beginning, where we're starting from. That's the reality. I mean, as decisionmakers, if you're in business or you run your household, you always have to know where you start from in order to make good decisions going forward. And unfortunately, our next President and this next Congress and our country is going to be saddled for a little while with debt. And that's something we can start to dig our way out. And one thing that we did in this Congress, Democrats leading the charge here on our fiscal conservative policies is PAYGO. And that's a principle that everybody operates. You may not know what that means. PAYGO, pay as you go. It's the most simple principle. If you have a checkbook, you can't spend more money than what's in your checkbook. Or if you have a credit card, you can't spend more money than you can afford to pay back every month. Well, why should Congress, in the last 6 years under the administration, operate under this principle of because we can print money, they just keep printing? Well, fortunately last year a new principle is involved here. And now, when we pass a bill, unless it's an emergency, we have to make sure the money is in the budget. No, based on speculation that in the next number of months we're going to have all this new revenue in here. Things have slowed down a little bit, so we have to be realistic. That's exactly what the American people expect, and that's the kind of leadership we're delivering. So I am pretty excited about the fiscal policies under this Congress, and we're beginning to get them where they should be. A new president with new policies, not tied to the old policies as we've been talking tonight will deliver on that on our health care, on Social Security, on Medicare, veterans' benefits will continue to be the highest priority and understanding that comes first. Getting our foreign policy, which I serve on the committee, and many of you do, getting that re-established in a way that we earn the respect and work well with our partners around the world to really make sure that our national security is protected. And most importantly, get our economy, our American families in Ohio, in West Virginia and Wisconsin and Florida, in Seattle, everywhere, all over the country, that we will get them back in shape and give those Americans the opportunities that they've always had. And every generation, that principle of every generation having it a little better than the last generation. It's what my parents fought for. It's what my grandparents fought for and it's what we fight for our children. So I thank our President, Madam Betty Sutton from Ohio, Peter Welch from Vermont, Mr. Perlmutter from the great State of Colorado, Dr. Kagen from Wisconsin, Mr. Murphy from Connecticut. It's just a small representation of a great group of people that really are working very hard to do the right thing by Americans and get our country back on track. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, On Friday, August 1, 2008 I was unavoidably detained. Had I voted, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 558. Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. McCaul of Texas

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House passed two pieces of legislation critical to consumer safety, both in my district in south Florida and of course throughout the United States. The first bill, the Product Safety Modernization Act, bans dangerous chemicals in the manufacture of children's toys to keep them safe. The second bill, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, grants the FDA necessary authority to restrict tobacco marketing and sales to children. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important responsibilities as parents that we have is to keep our children safe. I'm proud that we passed these bills by a bipartisan majority to demonstrate that we will not allow our children to be exposed to toxic chemicals by unscrupulous toy manufacturers or cigarette company marketers. The rash of product recalls in the last year prove that we must be vigilant when it comes to consumer safety. Thanks to this week's legislation, parents in south Florida and across the Nation can rest a little easier.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the tireless efforts of a true local hero, Amy U. Hickman, Esquire. A long-time Florida resident, Amy earned an Undergraduate and law degree from the University of Florida, then went on to intern for Judge Alcee Hastings, now my friend and colleague in Congress. Since then, Amy has made a name for herself championing adoption legislation improvements. Amy is known by her peers for her skills as a keen litigator and as THE go-to person for adoption cases. She had been an associate civil trial litigator at a prestigious South Florida law firm, but Amy chose to devote her career to serving the neediest in our community- our children. In 1996, Amy co-founded her own practice, with her partner Michelle Hausmann, to specialize in adoption placement, litigation, parental rights and surrogacy. In 2002, Amy drafted substantial revisions to Florida's adoption law and has successfully lobbied to help children in the Florida legislature. Amy continues to be a force for positive change. Her career is a testament to her devotion to children that need a home. That is why I nominated Amy as an ``angel in Adoption.'' Her commitment to finding safe homes for our kids is unparalleled. Countless children enjoy a caring childhood, thanks to Amy Hickman. I commend her for her service.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the economic challenges that are affecting America are having a real impact on my constituents in South Florida. The Associated Press recently reported that Fort Lauderdale has among the highest foreclosure rates in the country. Market stability is of the utmost importance in returning Florida's economy to a position of strength and restoring consumer confidence. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act provides mortgage refinancing assistance to keep families from losing their homes, protect neighboring home values, and help stabilize the housing market. It also helps borrowers avoid foreclosure, while minimizing taxpayer exposure and, at the same time, requires lenders and home owners to take responsibility. It also provides a $7,500 tax credit to first time home buyers to jump start the residential real estate market. This is an excellent, well-thought-out response to the housing market crisis that we are dealing with. I would like to thank Chairman Frank and Chairwoman Waters and the minority members who worked on this commonsense economic compromise legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008, and to applaud my good friend and the bill's lead sponsor, Senator Nelson, who has been a tireless advocate on this issue for Florida's recreational boaters. I also want to thank the distinguished chairman of the full committee and my good friend from Minnesota, Mr. Oberstar, for fulfilling a promise he made on the House floor when we considered the Coast Guard bill back in April. He promised then to take up this issue on behalf of recreational boaters before the September 30th deadline, and once again, the distinguished Chairman has proven that he is one of the truly great leaders of the House. Mr. Speaker, in a mere 70 days, the nation's 73 million recreational boaters will face a huge and unreasonable regulatory burden as a result of a recent U.S. District Court decision. The underlying decision dealt primarily with halting the spread of invasive species through commercial ballast water--an effort I support, having seen firsthand the ravages of invasive species on Florida's environmental treasure: the Everglades. The U.S. District Court, however, did not limit its decision only to ballast water. Instead, it struck down a longstanding exemption for recreational boaters from obtaining a permit for incidental discharges. As a result, 73 million boaters will be forced to obtain permits from the EPA or face fines as high as $32,500. To be frank, this is a ridiculous scenario. We don't need a new DMV for our recreational boaters, especially since the EPA feels ill-equipped to handle this new regulatory responsibility. We must also not forget that this new permitting system will hurt an industry that is already suffering as a result of our country's economic downturn. In particular, the marine industry is a major economic force in my home state of Florida, responsible for over $18 billion of revenues and 220,000 jobs statewide. It's critical to note that $13 billion of the economic impact and 162,000 of those jobs as well as almost half of the industry's gross sales come from the tri- county region, much of which is in my Congressional district. But this great industry is not without its own perils. People don't need boats, and they generally buy them when they are comfortable with the necessities of life. The industry is also affected by high interest rates, record insurance costs and rising property taxes, particularly for those on the waterfront. We must not add to their troubles this new regulatory burden that could prevent potential boaters from buying or using a boat. That's why I cosponsored the House version of the Clean Boating Act and have supported its swift passage. Mr. Speaker, the Senate already has acted earlier this morning by passing S. 2766 and the next bill up for debate, S. 3298. I strongly support that bill as well because it provides a two-year moratorium for certain small commercial vessels and all fishing vessels from the regulatory permits. I urge my colleagues to follow suit and adopt both bills so we can stop this logistical and regulatory nightmare. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an area of exceptional natural beauty in my congressional district. The John U. Lloyd Beach State Park was honored on the national news program Good Morning America as one of the four most unique and scenic parks in the entire country. We're lucky in south Florida to have miles of beautiful coastline, but the John U. Lloyd Beach State Park truly stands out. In addition to sandy beaches, the State park features a coral reef ecosystem just 100 yards offshore and a mangrove swamp with a variety of plant species. Wildlife sightings are common for visitors to the park, and few will forget watching sea turtle hatchlings crawl down the beach. I would like to commend the hardworking park rangers who care for our State park, as well as Bob and Barbara Magill, who submitted footage of the beach for national recognition. Mr. Speaker, the John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is truly a national pleasure, and we are committed to preserving this site for future generations to enjoy. We welcome all Americans to come down and visit.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the lead sponsor of H.R. 5464 to urge my colleagues to vote in support of the A Child is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act. And before I begin, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) and the gentleman from Ohio, as he supported the bill in committee as well; as well as Mr. Conyers of Michigan, the Chair of our Judiciary Committee; and the Chair of the Crime Subcommittee, Mr. Scott of Virginia, for their extraordinary leadership and support in moving this bill out of their committees and on to the floor. And also I would like to acknowledge and thank the ranking members, Mr. Smith and Mr. Gohmert. Mr. Gohmert was especially supportive during the hearing on the legislation in the Crime Subcommittee, and I would personally like to thank him for his remarks and support. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5464 would expand the widely praised A Child is Missing nonprofit organization into a national program with regional centers under the Department of Justice. The authorized funds would allow for the purchase of future technologies and techniques, centralized and on-site training, and for the distribution of information to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agency officials on the best ways to utilize the round-the-clock services provided by the A Child is Missing Alert and Recovery Center. Currently, A Child is Missing is the only program of its kind that assists in all missing cases involving abduction, children who are lost, wander, or run away; and adults with special needs such as the elderly who suffer with Alzheimer's, which is a concern in my district in south Florida. When a person is reported missing to the police, A Child is Missing utilizes the latest technology to place 1,000 emergency telephone calls every 60 seconds to residents and businesses in the area where the person was last seen. It works in concert with the existing AMBER Alert system and all other child safety programs and has the support of law enforcement agencies all across our country. A Child is Missing also fills a critical gap in time in the most dangerous cases. Although the AMBER Alert has been an extremely successful program, there is still a crucial void of 3 to 5 hours in many cases from when a child is first reported missing and when an AMBER Alert shows up on our highways or is announced, which is only activated when cases of criminal abduction have been issued. This critical period of time can be the difference between whether a child lives or dies. Recently, a Washington State Attorney General's office study showed that among cases involving children abducted and murdered, 74 percent were slain in the first 3 hours. This only highlights the importance of this time element. Adding to this problem is the resource and manpower limitations facing many local law enforcement agencies. Roughly half of these officers in the United States have 25 or fewer officers, and an average 12-hour search for a missing child can cost up to $400,000. A Child is Missing helps to fill this critical gap in time as well as complement the AMBER Alert during the ongoing search. We know this for a fact because we have heard it from countless law enforcement officers from all over the United States. So the issue isn't whether A Child is Missing works or not. The real issue is that not enough local communities have access to the program. The founder and president of A Child is Missing, Sherry Friedlander from my home community of Ft. Lauderdale, has done an exceptional job in creating and spreading this program not only in our community but throughout all 50 States. But if we are going to bring the program to every community in all these States, then we will need to leverage the resources of the Federal Government, and that's exactly what this legislation does. H.R. 5464 has broad bipartisan support in Congress. We have cosponsors from all across the country including Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, Indiana, and New York. In the Senate companion legislation was introduced by Senator Menendez and is cosponsored by Senator Hatch, the distinguished former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. We have such support because A Child is Missing provides a service that transcends politics. Our children are not Democrats or Republicans. They are our children, and they are all of our responsibility, and their protection requires us to work together to do what's best for their continued safety. That's why, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to support H.R. 5464.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the contributions of an extraordinary organization in my congressional district: the Stand Down House. The Stand Down House and its dedicated staff provide support and services for homeless veterans, including transportation, counseling, and job training. These honorable servicemen have fallen on hard times and need a place to stay and a chance to get their lives back on track. The Stand Down House provides exactly that chance, and it is a lifesaver for many of our veterans. Mr. Speaker, there are over 200,000 homeless veterans in America today, and up to 2,000 in Palm Beach County alone where I live. We must never turn our backs on a single one of our servicemembers, and I commend the Stand Down House for serving those who have served our Nation.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished member of the Jewish Community and a real role model in my life. Dr. Leatrice B. Rabinsky, an Adjunct Professor of Jewish Literature at the Siegal College of Judaic Studies and a board member of the Ohio Council on Education, has recently retired after 25 years of dedicated service, teaching Ohio youth about the Holocaust at Cleveland Heights High School. During her 25 years of service she pioneered Holocaust education and led eight ``Journeys of Conscience'' for students and survivors to the sights of the Holocaust in Europe and Israel. I was privileged be a student of Dr. Rabinsky. She instilled in me principles and knowledge that have had a lasting impact on my life. She shaped me as a person and as a public servant. One of my proudest moments as a state legislator in the Florida legislature was when we passed the Holocaust Education Act, legislation that I authored that mandated teaching about the lessons of the Holocaust in all of Florida's public schools. Because of this legislation, which grew out of Dr. Rabinsky's inspiration, more of America's children will know the consequences of bigotry and intolerance. Now, as a member of the United States Congress, and as the Chairman of the Congressional Taskforce Against Anti-Semitism, I continue to make Holocaust issues a priority. I am sure that each and every one of our colleagues can identify a teacher from their past who left a significant mark on their lives. I know that I would not be where I am today without the motivation and encouragement of Dr. Rabinsky. Finally, I would like to thank the Jewish National Fund for honoring Dr. Leatrice Rabinky as a ``Woman of Valor.'' She is a pillar in the Jewish community and, I am proud to honor her in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6331, the ``Medicare Improvements and Patients and Providers Act of 2008,'' and thank Chairmen Rangel and Dingell for their leadership in bringing it to the House floor today. This legislation, among other things, will block a devastating 10.6 percent cut in reimbursement fees for physicians who accept Medicare patients. Mr. Speaker, Medicare used to be known as the ``Gold Standard'' for physicians because it provided them with fair and sustainable reimbursement rates, but not anymore. As a result of the President trying to balance the budget on the backs of doctors, physicians all across the country are facing severe cuts in their Medicare reimbursements on July 1. In south Florida, we're currently facing a severe shortage of qualified physicians in part because of the way physicians are paid under Medicare, and the pending cut could hasten this exodus, potentially leaving many elderly and other vulnerable populations without doctors to treat them. This is an unacceptable situation for south Florida or for any region of this country. Eliminating the cuts and providing physicians with a 1.1 percent increase in 2009 is simply the right thing to do. But we cannot be satisfied with short-term patches to this systemic problem. During the next 18 months, let us once and for all end all talk of patches or fixes, and come together in a bipartisan way to find a permanent solution to the way we pay our doctors. We owe it to our seniors, to the men and women who helped to make this country the greatest in the world, to ensure that when they are sick, a doctor will be there to see them. It's a fair deal, and one we must not turn our backs on.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the winners of the Congressional Award Gold Medal from my congressional district in south Florida. This award recognizes a significant commitment to community activism, as well as leadership development and physical fitness. I am proud to recognize Angela Boyd, Addison Craig and Elizabeth Lott from Palm Beach Gardens and Jacob Schattie from Jupiter. Angela Boyd completed over 450 hours of community service, including raising money for juvenile diabetes. Addison Craig worked to raise money for organizations dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and heart disease. Elizabeth Lott completed 500 hours of work with children and cancer patients. Jacob Schattie was a coach and camp counselor to local youth. These young men and women are role models for people, young and old, in my community and throughout our country. I am proud to honor these distinguished individuals today.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 12, 2008 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 413.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Second Lieutenant Alexander ``Sandy'' Nininger, a heroic American soldier and the first United States recipient of the Medal of Honor in World War II. Lieutenant Nininger entered service in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and bravely served his country during the Second World War as a member of the 57th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts. He gave his life near Abucay, Bataan, Philippine Islands in January of 1942. He fought valiantly into relentless enemy fire even after sustaining three wounds. In his hometown of Fort Lauderdale stands a Sandy Nininger statue and WWII memorial where annual Memorial Day services are held in recognition of his service and that of his fellow veterans. Their efforts have provided Americans with security and peace of mind, and I join all Americans in gratitude for their sacrifices. On June 14th, which has been designated as National Flag Day, Americans honor those who fought to protect this country and the ideals for which the American flag stands. Sandy Nininger fought for America, and I think it is only appropriate to pay respects to him on Flag Day. Madam Speaker, I believe that America owes its military heroes the utmost appreciation and I am honored to represent thousands that served our country honorably in our nation's military, just as Sandy Nininger did. On this Flag Day, I am proud to remember a distinguished local and national hero, Sandy Nininger.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Nathalie McCrate on winning the Congressional Art Competition for Florida's 22nd Congressional District. Nathalie is a tenth grader at Jupiter High School, and her winning art work titled ``The Brink'' puts viewers on the edge of a forest looking out at urban sprawl. The contrast between the natural and the man-made is sharp in Nathalie's work, and she has a great future ahead as an artist. Madam Speaker, as you know, the Congressional Art Competition is in its 27th year. This tradition brings together the work of young artists from all over the United States to hang in the United States Capitol. And I'm proud that Nathalie's will be among them. I congratulate Nathalie, her parents and teachers, and all of our students for all that she has accomplished.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act. I was proud to work with the chairman and Mr. Blumenauer to authorize the use of funds to improve building infrastructure to facilitate bike and pedestrian access. This could include bike storage facilities, safety lighting, lockers, safe travel routes on school grounds for bicyclists and pedestrians, and more. Alternative modes of transportation and storage facilities for bicycles are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as criteria for obtaining certification as a green school and are critical to reducing emissions and the carbon footprint of our Nation's schools. With skyrocketing gas prices, American families are feeling the pain at the pump. It's my hope that this amendment will help ease that burden by encouraging students, just as we did, to walk and bike to school rather than catch a ride with their parents or drive themselves. I would like to thank my friend Representative Blumenauer for working with me on this important provision and commend him for his tireless work on this issue. Additionally, I would like to thank the distinguished chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, along with his staff, for their work to bring this legislation to the floor today.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3681, the Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2008, which passed the House of Representatives this week. Fifty veterans move to Florida every day, and I am honored to represent thousands who served our country honorably in our Nation's military. The efforts of military veterans have provided Americans with security and peace of mind, and I remain eternally grateful for their sacrifices. I believe that America owes its military heroes a debt of gratitude, and that their priorities must be the Nation's top priorities. I am committed to making sure that members of the military and veterans receive the benefits that they deserve when they return home. Several times per year, I am proud to convene my Congressional Veterans Advisory Groups in Broward and Palm Beach Counties to listen and learn about the needs of South Florida veterans. One of the most pressing issues that has repeatedly come up is the veterans' need to know more about their benefits. One solution to this problem is an awareness campaign to educate returning servicemembers about available benefits. The Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2008 does just that by allowing the Secretary of the VA to advertise and promote awareness of veterans' benefits. I am proud to support H.R. 3681, the Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2008, because I believe that nothing should stand in the way between a veteran and the benefits that he or she deserves. This legislation will go a long way to help returning servicemembers and veterans in my district and throughout the country.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Chairman, I rise today to support the amendment that I authored with my friend, Congressman John Yarmuth of Kentucky. Although some of my colleagues and I have differing views on our strategy in Iraq, one thing is clear: after five years and $600 billion of American taxpayer dollars spent, ``enough is enough.'' That is why Mr. Yarmuth and I are offering this amendment today. Our amendment declares that any future Status of Forces Agreement that is negotiated between Iraq and the United States must include cost-sharing measures so that that the Iraqi government can take more responsibility. With an expected Iraqi budget windfall of some $60 billion this year, it is time for Iraq to stand up and take responsibility for its own future. All of our districts are feeling the pinch of tough economic times here at home. Critical domestic priorities are being underfunded or not funded at all. Our amendment would help put our economy back on track and would send a message to the Iraqi government that they must participate in their own future.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Had I voted, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall No. 294.

Mr. KLEIN of Florida

Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a leader in our community. A man of faith and a deep generosity of spirit, Rabbi Howard Shapiro has served his congregation at Temple Israel in Palm Beach County, Florida, with distinction for the last 27 years. His retirement in June will be bittersweet for all those who have come to know the rabbi. Rabbi Howard Shapiro has served our community for nearly 30 years and has also served our country as an Army chaplain in Vietnam. The rabbi is a family man, and often speaks proudly of his wife, Eileen, his son, David, and daughter, Rachel, and her husband Bobby Green. The Shapiros have five grandchildren--Tali, Jacob, Maya, Samantha and Cory. Since coming to South Florida, Rabbi Shapiro has been a steadfast leader, serving as president of the Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis and Urban Interfaith Council. He leads his congregation in regular good works, mitzvot, that include helping the elderly and the needy. Rabbi Shapiro is not only a leader in our Jewish community. He frequently organizes joint programming with Christian congregations and interfaith groups. The rabbi is a community builder in the Palm Beaches, bridging different institutions and forging links between people, traditions and congregations. He cares deeply for Jewish education and loves to teach and to learn. Rabbi Shapiro has been a blessing to the thousands of congregants he has served over the years. He will be sorely missed.