Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I want the gentleman to know I am inclined to accept his amendment if we do not have to spend a lot of time discussing it, since we have discussed the matter already.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman bringing up this important subject. I could not respond any better than my colleagues from Pennsylvania did, and we look forward to working with the gentleman.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I will not take the 5 minutes, but the gentleman is a member of the authorizing committee and he knows full well this has to do with authorizing policy. The fact is, we have begun spending money and we have already provided a considerable amount of money to build those silos in Alaska, that are designed to do the testing he says we are not interested in doing. The reality is that this amendment takes the heart out of our ability to even consider ground-based missile defense, which is pretty fundamental when we consider possibilities for protecting our country in the future. Because of that, I very, very strongly object to this amendment. I would do so even if I did not object to the fact that the gentleman did not discuss it with us before we came to the floor.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I was going to rise to try and strike this item on a point of order, but the gentleman from South Carolina is such a quality gentleman, he had done the homework on this amendment in a fashion so that it is not subject to a point of order. But in the meantime, let me say that the thrust of his amendment, really an intent, has essentially the same purpose as the amendment that I did object to, regard space-based missile defense. He does speak to the question of putting funding back into airborne laser. I might mention to the gentleman that this bill increases funding for that program, increases it enough so that the Department will have a decision to make whether they want to put the money into a more robust program or to go to the second aircraft. So I think we have really met that challenge within the work of the bill. On the other hand, the question relative to space-based kinetic energy I think is a matter that was fully discussed in the authorizing committee and on that bill as it moved through the House.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, with that, we will accept the amendment if we can move forward.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. I insist on my point of order, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I object on the ground that this is legislation on an appropriations bill; and because of that, it is subject to a point of order, I believe, and I place that point of order and I object.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I have made a point of order because this is legislation on an appropriations bill, and it violates clause 2, rule XXI. I understand the rule is that an amendment to a general appropriation bill shall not be in order if it changes existing law. Further, Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding that expressing an opinion is not required under the CFO act. I ask for a ruling of the Chair.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendment. We have not seen it.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Point of order, Mr. Chairman. Could the gentleman provide me a copy of the amendment, please? I have not seen it.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is my privilege to rise today and join the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) to take up the defense appropriations bill for the year 2003. We have been allocated adequate time on both sides. This bill involves an expenditure of some $354.7 billion on behalf of our national defense, and at this point, I would like to insert for the Record a summary of this bill, by appropriations account. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH27JN02.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH27JN02.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH27JN02.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH27JN02.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH27JN02.005 Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I do not believe a point of order applies to this amendment. So let me say, I was going to rise and suggest that we oppose the amendment. The gentleman who is speaking to the amendment, however, talked about a program that was going to spend X number of tens of millions of dollars, and claiming we do not know if it will work or not. But the amendment he is speaking to essentially, Mr. Chairman, would eliminate research on that very program to determine its feasibility, and whether it will work.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, we have not seen the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, because this is legislation on an appropriations bill, and just as importantly, because we did not have the courtesy of seeing it before the case, I must object to the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to commend Robert Wussler for his 19 years of public service with the San Bernardino County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Under his leadership, the Red Cross chapter has quadrupled its budget and modernized its efforts to better serve the citizens of the Inland Empire. Mr. Wussler began his tenure in 1983 as the accountant for the chapter in San Bernardino County, which is the main population center of my home district. After serving in that capacity for seven years, he became the chief executive officer of the newly created Inland Empire Chapter in 1990. Since that time, the chapter has grown its budget from $300,000 to more than $1.2 million, and increased its staff from seven to 15 professional employees. At the same time, he has reduced the chapter's dependency on United Way funding from 83 percent in the 1980s to 5 percent today. The chapter is now computerized, centralized and very well organized, thanks to Mr. Wussler's efforts. It recently received a $1 million gift from a special donor. The improvement of the San Bernardino Chapter under Mr. Wussler's direction was recognized by the American Red Cross headquarters. Two decades ago, the chapter was considered near the bottom among chapters across the country. It is now ranked among the 100 best of 1,125 nationally. Mr. Wussler himself received the 1997 Golden Bear Award for Management from the State of California, and the National Tiffany Award, the highest granted to Red Cross paid staff. Mr. Wussler and the chapter's board of directors in 1994 created the National Nurse Assistant Training program, which is gratefully supported by local hospitals and trains and certifies 200 students a year as nursing assistants. The chapter has also implemented a home health care training program and an acute care program to help nurse assistants further their career. Most important to the citizens of San Bernardino County, the Red Cross has been a lifeline for thousands of people who have lost their homes or seen their lives thrown into turmoil by disasters like the Big Bear and Landers Earthquakes of 1993 and the terrible floods that wiped out communities from Forest Glen to Mentone in 1999. The chapter has also helped in countless small disasters that have thrown individual families from their homes, and helped in planning for the disasters we will face in the future. Mr. Speaker, after 19 years with the San Bernardino Chapter, Robert Wussler has decided to retire. I ask you and my colleagues to please join me in thanking him for a career dedicated to public service and aiding the afflicted, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, Americans have found a new set of sports heroes in the past through weeks as we have watched the breathtaking performance of the U.S. men's team in the World Cup soccer championship. While the entire team has won the hearts and cheers of the nation for going further than any U.S. team in 72 years, my constituents and I are particularly proud of a native son, Landon Donovan of Redlands. A former student at Redlands East Valley High School, Landon Donovan can rightfully be called a soccer prodigy. Quickly moving on from the Youth soccer leagues in my San Bernardino County district, Landon was the most valuable player for the Under17 World Championship as a 16- year-old in 1999 and played for the U.S. team in the 2000 Olympics. His promise was recognized by one of Europe's top soccer teams when he was recruited by the German club Bayer Leverkusen. But his real potential was revealed in 2001 when he Joined the San Jose Earthquakes of the professional Major Soccer League and led the team to the national championship. Landon Donovan's impact on the World Cup has mirrored that of the U.S. team. He has taken on some of the world's best players and shown that he can be competitive with anyone. He scored a goal in the first U.S. match against Portugal and very nearly scored another. He scored the only goal in a loss to Poland. And he was named the ``Man of the Match'' in the U.S. team's win over Mexico after scoring the team's second goal and nearly scoring another. Thanks to the speed and determination of Landon Donovan and his teammates, this year's U.S. team went further in the World Cup than any time in the past 72 years. In their final match against Germany, one of the elite teams, they pressured the German goal again and again. Donovan broke away for four shots on his own, and forced the German keeper to make desperate saves each time. The German victory at 1-0 ended the U.S. run, but will in no way lessen our pride in the players' spirited performance. Mr. Speaker, the youth of San Bernardino County have now been treated to thrilling hometown performers twice in the course of a year. Derek Parra of San Bernardino shocked and inspired the world at the Winter Olympics with his recordbreaking gold medal performance in speedskating, a sport long-dominated by cold climate European nations. And now Landon Donovan, a product of Redlands youth soccer, has helped his team win against some of the elite teams of the World Cup. Please join me in thanking this team for showing Americans how entertaining soccer can be, and for reminding us all that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to pay tribute to Victoria McMurray for her more than 41 years of service with the federal judiciary. Starting as a temporary bankruptcy clerk in 1961, Ms. McMurray has worked her way up to be chief deputy of operations for the Central District of California, U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Nicky McMurray, as she is known to her friends and co-workers, began her service as a temporary clerk in the Riverside division, and was made a permanent clerk in 1962. She worked at every position in the office and was promoted to deputy-in-charge in 1974. She worked her way to become assistant chief deputy of operations for the Central District in 1996, while still serving as deputy in charge at the Riverside division. In her current job, Ms. McMurray manages 65 deputy clerks, who support four federal bankruptcy judges and their chambers staff. She has been highly praised by many co-workers, from judges to clerks, for her efficiency, compassion, sensitivity and consideration for everyone who works in the district. The Central District, which is largest bankruptcy court in the United States, was once ranked fifth worst among the 91 courts across the nation. Under Ms. McMurray's leadership, it is now ranked second best. She has successfully managed two major relocations of the Riverside Division, as well as two technology conversions. The Riverside Division under her direction has successfully completed a five-year Judicial Workload Equalization Program, pioneered hearings by video conference, and is now serving as a pilot project for digital court recording for the district. Ms. McMurray has been an ex-officio member of the board of directors of the Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum since 1993, and is a member of the Bankruptcy Study Group, the National Council of Bankruptcy Clerks, and the Federal Court Clerks Association. Mr. Speaker, Nicky McMurray is retiring from the federal bankruptcy court system. I ask you and my colleagues to please join me in thanking her for those 41 years of dedicated public service, and wish her well in her future endeavors.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin. I am always proud to use his name.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I object.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, rarely do I come to the well of the House to address the House, but I wanted to say a few words to my friend, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), personally. I think the gentleman knows full well that I dislike that rule vote every bit as much as he does. I am not certain, but perhaps it is the worst vote I have ever made around this place. But when the chairman of my committee, a man of great patience, is providing leadership for my committee, the gentleman knows very well where I will be. The underlying bill before us today involves a supplemental to fund the war on terrorism. Now, when we are not in the leadership, we find ourselves in interesting circumstances. The leadership has to do certain things to get the work of governing done. If you look at the history of my service in the House, among other things, from time to time I found myself among those who voted for raising the debt limit when the other side of the aisle put us in the position of having to approve debt limit increases or close down the government. I voted from time to time for debt limit increases. I did not like doing that, but sometimes you have got to govern around here. Now, having said all of that, and separate from our leadership, there is absolutely no doubt that one of the more thrilling moments that I have ever experienced was in this House after the President spoke to us all--the Senate, the House, the entire Cabinet and the Supreme Court were present. He brought us all together after September 11th, reflecting the spirit of America that said we are at war for the first time in a generation, several generations. Our country, our very way of life is being threatened. We are at war. The President struck a note that was the American people's note. They want us together, not in partisan division. My colleagues will remember that moment--Tom Daschle stepping into the well of the House with the President--When they hugged each other, not just in friendship and respect, but because they were reflecting that American spirit. Our people want us together. This Bill is the mechanism for funding this war on terrorism. We will either play a partisan game all day in where the other side which was leading us in my first 15 years in the House to a multiple, multiple trillion-dollar debt, wants to roll a partisan drum that says, Oh, there's more debt out there as a result of that rule yesterday. Debt? Give me a break, friends. Everybody around here seems to want to spend money when it is available to spend. But we are at war. This bill is a wartime supplemental, something that most of the Members of this House have never experienced. Most of you have never served at a time of war. I have not. The reality is that this is a time for us to come together, to reflect the American will that says we will be together, we will not be in partisan divide. We will hear this today. We will see who drags back the work of the House. This supplemental should have been off the floor last week, the week before, if it had not been for silly games. My colleague, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), knows full well that is the case. I appreciate his support.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Let me suggest to my colleague that for the first 18 or so years of my time here I served in the minority. I say this is my eighth year in the House because I did not know what it was like to be in the majority. I must say that you all have learned a lot from the time when we were in the minority. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes that is bad. But the fact is, I did not realize a difference until suddenly a revolution took place here. With that revolution came new responsibility. This majority is going to pass the bill that funds the war on terrorism, no matter how long it takes.