Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth). (Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), my colleague on the committee. (Mr. KOLBE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for one of the most illuminating, but also one of the longest, statements I have ever heard him make on the floor. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), chairman of the greatest subcommittee in the appropriations process.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to bring to the House for its consideration the conference report on H.R. 1268, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief. The conference agreement includes a total of $82 billion. The vast majority of these funds are to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. For that reason, it is critical that we move this package quickly. It also provides needed assistance to the victims of the tsunami. During our conference with the Senate, Chairman Cochran and I agreed that the final agreement should come in at or below the President's request and relatively free of extraneous items. The conference report before you has met both of these very critical parameters. We did our very best to keep the package clean, and by and large, we were successful with that. We have funded our foreign policy priorities while still preserving congressional prerogatives where appropriate. With that said, the conference report provides a total of $75.9 billion for defense-related expenditures, roughly $921 million over the President's request. The additions over the request are for force protection, and increasing the survivability of troops in the field. In addition to the defense-related spending, the conference report provides a reduction of $1.5 billion in foreign assistance from the President's request. The conference agreement also includes $635 million for increased border security enforcement. This includes 500 additional border patrol agents and increased detention space. We have also included $656 million for tsunami disaster relief. Finally, the bill includes much of the REAL ID Act of 2005, which was included in the House-passed version of the bill. The provisions on asylum, border infrastructure, and driver's license standards are included. Each of these provisions will greatly enhance the security of our borders. All of these provisions reflect agreements negotiated by relevant authorizing committees. I especially want to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner, Chairman Davis and their staffs for getting this measure before the Congress in a timely fashion. I urge my colleagues to support this much needed support for our troops. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.005 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.006 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.007 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH05MY05.008 Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to our majority whip, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham), a great member of our committee.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, and Commerce, and Related Agencies, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) as I express my deep appreciation for his cooperation in this project.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 258, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 1268) making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence, and for other purposes.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to notify Members of the House that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and I are sending out invitations by way of an event that will take place in the Committee on Appropriations on May 16. The title is ``Celebrating Charlie Wilson's War and the End of the Soviet Empire.'' Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our former Members and a stalwart on the House Appropriations Committee, whose ability to work behind the scenes and across the aisle helped speed the downfall of the Soviet empire. Those who are interested in the past impact of one Member concentrating himself upon the Soviet empire and the effect he had should be a part of this celebration. Mr. Speaker, I rise today pay tribute to one of our former Members, and a stalwart on the House Appropriations Committee, whose ability to work behind the scenes and across the aisle helped speed the downfall of the Soviet empire. I am referring to former Congressman Charlie Wilson, who was renowned for providing top-notch representation for his east Texas constituents. Many of you will remember my good friend Charlie for that, and for a dashing and debonair style that was perhaps unequaled during my time in the House. But I would like to recount something Charlie did quietly about two decades ago that may have changed the course of world history. In the early 1980s, foreign policy was for the most part a bipartisan affair. The Soviet Union seemed unshakable in its anti-American strength, and the evil stain of communism continued to spread around the world. Those of us who served on the Intelligence Committee and the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee heard constant reports of our Nation's efforts to counter-act that tyranny and oppression. I served on those committees with Charlie Wilson, a former Navy lieutenant who was known outside the House as a connoisseur of the good life. Those of us who served with him were well-aware of his insight and keen intellect. When Charlie spoke about world affairs, we always listened. Longtime members of the Appropriations Committee develop a unique perspective on Congress's ability to influence national policy. We have seen time and again that one Member, who has developed an expertise in a subject and a commitment to change, can influence colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide support and get a program moving that might spend years languishing in bureaucratic review. Perhaps the most dramatic example of this was how Charlie Wilson found a way to fund the rebels in Afghanistan, which eventually led to the defeat of the Soviet Union's efforts in that country, which was the beginning of the disintegration of the Soviet empire. As CIA Director James Woolsey later said: ``The defeat and breakup of the Soviet Union is one of the great events in world history. There were many heroes in this battle, but to Charlie Wilson must go a special recognition.'' Charlie was amazed that the Afghan rebels seemed to be holding the Soviets at bay with rocks and knives, and urged appropriators to provide covert funding to get them more sophisticated weapons. The committee agreed to a few million in the first year, and Charlie persuaded his colleagues to increase spending in succeeding years. Ultimately the rebels began shooting down Soviet planes and helicopters with Stinger missiles. By 1988, the Soviets were on the run. By 1990, the Berlin Wall had fallen and the breakup of the Soviet empire was under way. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues will recognize this tale from George Crile's marvelous ``Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History.'' I urge everyone to read this highly entertaining book, and I am happy to say that it may soon be produced as a motion picture. What you as members will see in this story is that a single voice, heard with respect and supported by House colleagues, can initiate the kind of program that can change the world. I know that Charlie Wilson is gratified to have been given that respect and support, and I am proud in the knowledge that I have been privileged to serve with Charlie in this House and on that committee. Mr. Speaker, Charlie Wilson retired from Congress in 1996, but he is only now leaving Washington. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking him for giving us the opportunity to take part in history, and to wish him well as he heads home to Texas.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the conference report to accompany the bill, H.R. 1268, and that I may include tabular material on the same.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the managers on the part of the House may have until midnight tonight to file the conference report to accompany the bill, H.R. 1268.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me say that I feel this discussion is a very healthy discussion in terms of the preliminary work we have to do here. The most important reason for this supplemental is because in line and waiting are the troops who are representing us so well in the Middle East. It is critical that we get this bill on to conference and move it quickly to the President's desk. So, today, I would hope with all of our discussion, above and beyond everything else we make every effort to make certain we get this bill to the President as quickly as possible. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I do not.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I do not intend to use a lot of my time, but I think our public knows that both sides of the aisle, Democratic and Republican sides of the aisle, are struggling with the question of how we provide adequate funding to make certain, absolutely certain, that we are protecting our borders. Just following 2001, the past administration had difficulty trying to figure out exactly what those costs should be. We should be willing to do whatever is necessary within the limits of what is sensible, to secure those borders. It is my intention to support that position, and I do not intend to resist this motion to instruct. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1268) making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence, and for other purposes, with Senate amendments thereto, disagree to the Senate amendments, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, we have come to the conclusion, by looking at some recent history, that we can, within pretty close margins, measure what our likely allocations will be. The subcommittees are proceeding as though there are numbers, recognizing full well that we will have to respond to the final budget package as they have given it to us and as we have talked between subcommittee chairmen, but we can pretty well guesstimate. In the past, I believe that we have tended to delay our process because we decided we had to wait until the budget process was already complete, and we let supplementals interfere with that process, et cetera. So, in the past, we found ourselves sending our product to the other body just as we go past the end of the fiscal year, hardly giving them the time to do the kind of work that they would like to do, thus the omnibus, et cetera. The cooperation between the two bodies, I must say to my colleague, is better than I could ever have imagined. It is a fabulous, growing relationship, and I think it will benefit both of the bodies.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my Appropriations colleague yielding me a moment just to say that my colleague, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), and I have spent a lot of time together discussing these questions and the schedule and otherwise. The relationship is extremely positive, and I believe he and I this week, before the week is out, will have a chance to sit down and talk about 302(b)s, for example. We are going to move forward very expeditiously, and I think it will benefit, one more time, my colleague and I, who are Appropriations members together, and it will benefit our committee greatly. I very much appreciate the gentleman yielding.