Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), another member of our delegation.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from San Diego, California (Mrs. Davis of California).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I very much appreciate my colleague's expression of concern.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I have never been more proud to be a Member of the House of Representatives than during a recent trip, when I had the privilege of chairing a delegation of 17 Members who traveled to Iraq, the largest delegation to travel there to this point. And, indeed, it was a delegation made up of liberals, of conservatives, of Democrats, Republicans, of people who voted against the war in the first place, of individuals who supported, very strongly, the President's position in the region. The map is different than the territory, the saying goes. And one really has to visit this country and see firsthand what has taken place there to get an understanding as to why America has such a vital and important role in the region. Indeed, it is my view that Iraq can become a model of developing countries within the region, where there is new opportunity for freedom, for enterprise, for democracy, for, in this case, the first time in their history. Indeed, during our travels, we had a chance to see absolutely the worst of the most significant totalitarian regime to operate in this shrinking world in modern times. Absolutely, this regime carried forward in a fashion that treated its people worse than or just at least as bad as the experience in Nazi Germany, as well as during the reign of Stalin. To visit the killing fields where you see mounds of dirt, clothing poking out, where relatives had come to try to dig out the bodies of their loved ones who had been murdered at such locations, several such locations, perhaps in the hundreds in Iraq where between half a million and 1.5 million Iraqis were murdered by Saddam Hussein and his henchmen, to have the experience to see firsthand what has happened over these past 35 years to their infrastructure, utility plants. We visited one location where there were four stacks, two of them operating, but inside you could see the deterioration. I mean, literally, grime everywhere, steam flowing that should not have been flowing, basic infrastructure that had been ignored. Iraq is fundamentally a very wealthy country, a country that has agricultural potential that would cause it to rival any country in their region. A fabulous people of great intellect and educational background, an oil reserve that has huge potential, that too, for one reason or another, to my astonishment, Saddam Hussein allowed to deteriorate. So at this point, this country with potential is burdened by a huge debt, made largely by our friends like Germany and France, who we hope, sometime in the near term, will consider forgiving much of that debt so that Iraq has a chance to get back on track. Indeed, it is critical for us to recognize that the supplemental that is before us later today involves some $65 billion to support our troops in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and elsewhere. The balance of the $87 billion package, some $18.5 billion, is to give direct assistance for the reconstruction of this Iraq. It is the chance to provide a democratic opportunity as well as economic opportunity for these people who have been under such burden for so long. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla).

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Reclaiming my time, I am struck as the gentleman is making remarks, he talked a lot with us about the fact that the funding flow that may come from this supplemental, including the reconstruction, are as much designed to help secure our troops as anything. Would my colleague react to that?

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, we learned many a thing during our trip to Iraq, but most impressive to me is that the media has talked much about the fact that there were not people cheering in the streets when we arrived in Iraq. I can tell my colleagues that was largely true because of the fear that remained on the part of the people in Baghdad, but as we flew over hundreds of miles of Iraq, very low altitudes in helicopters, one of the great impressions was endless farmhouses, kids running out of the houses, families running out of the fields, waving at the helicopters. I can tell my colleagues they were not waving at Congressmen. They did not know we were there. They were waving at American troops who were there providing them with an opportunity for peace and, indeed, for freedom in the years ahead. Above and beyond that, among the horrendous actions of this terrorist, indeed Saddam Hussein, directly impacted the mortality of the children of Iraq from a time when the children of Iraq lived as long as children in the whole region. It now has one of the worst child mortality rates in the entire world. Beyond that, one of our colleagues, one of the Democrats with us, a fellow who voted against the war in the first place, kind of crystallized it for me, he said, After all we have seen, this is going to be a very tough vote for me, and he went on to say, After seeing what we have seen, it occurs to me that sometimes we have to be just a bit ahead of where our constituents may be. It is time for us to lead, and so I am going to vote for this package that is coming to the House.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Jackie Robinson, who richly deserves the award of a Congressional Gold Medal as a pioneer in opening professional sports to all Americans. Like my colleagues, I am proud to remember him as an American hero. But as a proud graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, I wanted to remind my colleagues that Jackie Robinson was already known to American sports fans even before he made history by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. In fact, he is one of UCLA's most distinguished alumni and was considered one of our nation's most important athletes during his college days. Robinson's true passion was athletics and he excelled at every sport he tried. Regarded as the finest all-around athlete in the United States during his lifetime, he was the only Bruin to earn varsity letters in four sports: football, basketball, track, and baseball. As a football player, at UCLA Robinson led the nation in punt return average in 1939 (16.5 yards) and 1940 (21.0 yards) and his career average of 18.8 yards ranks fourth in NCAA history. During his senior year he led UCLA in rushing (383 yards), passing (444 yards), total offense (827 yards), scoring (36 points) and punt returns (21.0 yards). In his career, he rushed for 954 yards (5.9 average) and passed for 449 yards. As a basketball player, Robinson led Pacific Coast Conference's Southern Division in scoring in both 1940 (12.4 average in 12 league games) and 1941 (11.1 average in 12 league games) and was named All-PCC Southern Division in 1940. Robinson's UCLA track career was abbreviated because he missed most of the 1940 season while playing baseball, but he still managed to win the NCAA title in the broad jump (24' 10\1/4\") as well as the broad jump at the Pacific Coast Conference meet with a leap of 25' 0". He did not even consider baseball his best sport, but in his first collegiate game, he totaled four hits and stole four bases, including home base. Despite his achievements in the realm of sports, Robinson, like other black athletes, was often confronted by the harsh realities of the times. I am proud to say that race was not an issue on Bruin teams, but in those days much of the rest of the nation wasn't as accepting. Ned Mathews, a football teammate of Robinson, recalled an incident at Stanford University where black athletes were turned away from dining in a restaurant. The Bruins left. ``If they didn't fit, we didn't fit,'' Mathews told the UCLA faculty newspaper, ``and that's the way it went.'' The support of his UCLA teammates and the heroism Jackie Robinson showed in facing this early discrimination would provide the foundation for his history-making career in major-league baseball. Shortly after his time in college, Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, ending decades of discrimination against blacks in the major leagues. In spite of enduring torment and abuse through much of his professional career, he remains one of the sport's all-time athletic stars. Robinson was posthumously named a charter member of UCLA's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. Robinson once said ``A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.'' His impact on the sporting world and our nation cannot be overstated. By showing us that athletes--and indeed all Americans--should be judged by their talent and character rather than their skin color, Jackie Robinson's life has brought us closer to fulfilling our creed that ``all men are created equal.''

Mr. LEWIS of California

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I want you to know we do not intend to use 30 minutes on either side, but we are very proud to bring before you today that bill that deals with appropriations for the fiscal year 2004. The bill, in its total, involves some $368 billion in discretionary budget authority; and within those titles there is approximately $98 billion for military personnel, $116 billion for O&M, $74 billion for procurement, $65 billion for R&D, and nearly $16 billion for defense health. Within those numbers we have developed a bill that absolutely balances the needs of our military while we go forward ensuring that America will remain the strongest country in the world for the years to come. At this point I would like to insert a summary of the conference agreement into the Record. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE03.224 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE03.225 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE03.226 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE03.227 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH24SE03.228 Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I must say to my colleague from Puerto Rico that there is language within the bill that would require that the Secretary of the Navy close Roosevelt Roads. And, frankly, I had designed very simple language that would make sure that happened expeditiously and beyond that that there be no complications regarding work, environment, et cetera. I know the gentleman from Puerto Rico and I have worked very closely together; but I want him to know I am very, very concerned about the language that is in this bill that is coming out of the conference. The language essentially takes us back to the BRACC process. And I am afraid, I do not want to be apologizing for this process, but I must say there is a need to ring some bells here because the people of Puerto Rico could experience the worst of all worlds with this base closing earlier than any other base in the BRACC process, but at the same time being tied to the BRACC process. Indeed, if that is the case, a likely experience I had in my own district was where BRACC just does not work, and we could find that base sitting fallow for years. We may find ourselves 5 and 10 years from now with an empty base with a lock on the gate. What was done in the conference, really on the part of people who are interested in changing our simple language, has not been healthy for this process. So I say to the gentleman that while we have worked together, I am very concerned right now with the result of the conference report.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) for all of his efforts, and in this instance on behalf of the young men and women who are wounded, lying in hospitals, who are in many ways being unfairly treated, I say congratulations to the gentleman from Florida; and congratulations to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) and all of our fine staff for their fine work.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Reclaiming my time, Madam Speaker, I must say that I had this experience in my own district with similar assurances. The BRACC process, legal challenges, and otherwise, this is 20 years later and that base is just beginning to get on its feet. So I am very, very concerned; and I appreciate working with the gentleman. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the full Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Puerto Rico.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2658) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2658, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. LEWIS of California

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, the amendment at the desk is an amendment that comes from the Secretary, Mr. Mineta. He essentially is urging the House to move a $2 million amount from the administrative funds to that piece of the work done in the Department of Transportation that involves intelligence and security matters. There is willingness to accept this amendment on the part of the majority, as I understand it, and the minority. I will take no more of our time if that is the case.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible achievements of John Wooden, famed educator, coach, and basketball player. Coach Wooden was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor, in a ceremony at the White House today. What Coach Wooden accomplished during his 40 years of coaching will never be surpassed. He compiled an 885-203 record, leading the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA Men's Basketball Championships. During his time at UCLA, the Bruins had four undefeated seasons and 88 consecutive victories, including 38 straight NCAA tournament victories. Among his many honors Wooden was named NCAA College Basketball Coach of the Year six times. Coach Wooden nurtured and inspired many of the greatest basketball players of all time who would go on to fame in their own right, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Wooden was also a standout athlete. Born and raised in Martinsville, Indiana, Wooden led his high school squad to the state title in 1927. Later, at Purdue University, he won letters in basketball and baseball as a freshman, and then went on to captain Purdue to the 1932 National Collegiate Championship. Wooden's accomplishments on the basketball court led to him being one of only two men enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both player and coach. But it is his role as an educator where he has made his greatest mark. Wooden developed the ``Pyramid of Success'', a graphic representation of the ideals that form the basis of Wooden's outlook on life and explain much of his success on and off the court. Emphasizing such traits as skill, poise, and confidence, the Pyramid of Success has helped millions be their best when their best was needed. Coach Wooden has not been content to sit back as a legend. He is a best-selling author, active on the public speaking circuit, and has devoted much of his energies to public service. Wooden was the first sports figure to be awarded the Bellarmine Medal of Excellence, whose other recipients have included Mother Teresa and Walter Cronkite. He received the 1994 Landry Medal for Inspiration to American Youth and also has a number of honorary degrees. The National Father's Day Committee has named him ``Grandfather of the Year'' and the National Urban League has honored him for his years of humanitarian service. Mr. Speaker, John Wooden's philosophy benefits us all. Be quick, but don't hurry. It's not how tall you are, but how tall you play. Make each day your masterpiece. Character is what you really are; reputation is what you are perceived to be. Through his life's work and his great accomplishments, Coach John Wooden has earned every award he has received. More importantly, he has earned our respect and admiration. Please join me in congratulating this legendary coach and educator on his latest award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform: Concurrent Resolution Expressing the sense of Congress that John Wooden should be honored for his contributions to sports and education. Whereas John Wooden was one of the greatest basketball coaches and players; Whereas John Wooden nurtured and inspired many of the greatest basketball players of all time who would go on to fame in their own right; Whereas John Wooden is one of only two men enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach; Whereas John Wooden coached the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA Mens' Basketball Championships in 12 years; Whereas John Wooden led the Bruins to 88 consecutive victories; Whereas John Wooden, during 40 years of coaching, compiled a 885-203 (.813) record; Whereas John Wooden developed the ``Pyramid of Success,'' a graphic representation of the ideals that form the basis of Wooden's outlook on life and explain much of his success on and off the court; Whereas John Wooden was a successful amateur basketball player who led Martinsville High School of Martinsville, Indiana to 1927 Indiana State Championship and led Purdue University to the 1932 NCAA Mens' Basketball Championship; Whereas John Wooden is a best selling author, public servant, holder of numerous honorary degrees, and recipient of many awards honoring his lifetime dedication to improving the lives of others; Whereas John Wooden has been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award; Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress-- (1) congratulates John Wooden for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award; (2) recognizes the achievements and contributions of John Wooden in the fields of sports and education.