John Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a few moments to remember the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. May 17, 1954, became a history-making day. I was 14 years old, in the ninth grade, when the Brown decision was issued. I rode to school on a broken-down school bus. I was taught in a dilapidated schoolhouse. I had hand-me-down books and sat in an overcrowded classroom. When the word of the Brown decision reached me outside of Troy, Alabama, I thought the very next school year I would be able to attend an integrated school. But it did not happen for me. It did not happen for many African American children for many years to come. Mr. Speaker, as you know, laws set the standard in America, but that is only one important part of the so-called contract in a democracy. Courts can hand down the law, but the people must be willing to abide by the law before it has power. So it took some time before school integration came to many parts of the American South. But the Brown decision was the first powerful step in the modern-day civil rights movement. It set the tone and laid the groundwork for what was to come. It said once and for all that segregation was dead. It said separate could never ever be equal. So it was only a matter of time before the whole system of American apartheid would come to an end. But perhaps most important, Mr. Speaker, the Brown decision was an inspiration. It gave hope to so many throughout the South. It was the first time we had ever had an indication that anyone in the Federal Government knew about the injustice we suffered, and it was the first time we had ever heard any government agent agree that it was wrong. The Brown decision strengthened the resolve of people already involved in the struggle for civil rights, and it encouraged hundreds and thousands of young people like me to believe a new day could come in America. And that is why the Brown decision is so important to remember. Many people never dreamed that they would ever see the end of segregation, but the Brown decision helped them to see that a persistent call for justice in America can bring change. That is why we cannot give in, we cannot give up, and we cannot give out, Mr. Speaker, until the promise of the Brown decision is fully realized in America. We have come a long way in 50 years, but we still have a great distance to go before we lay down the burden of race in America. But our struggle is more than one decision, more than one vote, one congressional term, or Presidential election. Ours is a struggle of a lifetime, and that is why we must not get lost in a sea of despair, Mr. Speaker. We must not lose faith in a dream of an integrated society promised by the Brown decision. Here, in the United States Congress, we must hold fast to the struggle for peace, the struggle for equality, and the struggle for justice for all, until the dream of a truly interracial democracy is fully realized in America, until we see the dawn of the beloved community, a Nation at peace with itself. We cannot be satisfied, we cannot rest until that day comes, until the true meaning of Brown is a living reality for all Americans.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak against this rule. We can do better. We can do much better as a Nation and as a people. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart, but my conscience is clear. I am so sick and tired of seeing so many of our young men and our young women die in Iraq. I am deeply troubled by the acts that some of our soldiers committed against the prisoners of war in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues today, we must take a good and hard look at the leadership of this Nation, the leadership of this government, the leader of this government, the person who was in charge. I say to my colleagues today, we must hold the leadership, the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Vice President, hold them accountable for mistake after mistake we have committed in this war, and we must hold them accountable for the unjust torture of prisoners of war. Mr. Speaker, it is not a question of who committed these unbelievable acts. It is not a question of who, but what. What led to this flagrant disregard for the humanity of our fellow human beings? Those at the highest level of this government, the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, they all have created the climate and the environment that led to these abuses. What happened to those prisoners is a reflection on our soul, on our values. American citizens smiling as they humiliate citizens of Iraq! There must be a sense of righteous indignation in America about what happened in those prison cells, and there must be a sense of righteous indignation in this Congress against these unspeakable acts. Does it profit a great Nation to gain a whole world or win a war and lose a soul? Mr. Speaker, I have said it in the past and I say it again today. War is messy. It is bloody. It tends not to just hide the truth, but to sacrifice the truth. Why did it take so long, so long for us to get this information? Why did not Mr. Rumsfeld, why did not the President inform the Congress? Why did officials at the highest levels of government try to hide these criminal acts against humanity? Why did they try to cover it up? Mr. Speaker, we have made mistakes, yes, but it is not enough to issue an apology. It is not enough to say we are sorry--and we should apologize. We should say we are sorry. The handwriting is on the wall, Mr. Speaker. It is time for us to close this very dark and sordid chapter of our history. It is time for the Secretary of Defense to go. He must leave.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart, but my conscience is clear. I am so sick and tired of seeing so many of our young men and our young women die in Iraq. Why has our Commander in Chief led them to their deaths in this unnecessary war? What will we tell the parents who will never see their children again? What will we tell the children longing in vain for their mothers and fathers to come home? Why did they die? Why? After the atrocities we have committed against the Iraq prisoners of war, after the physical and psychological damage we have inflicted on the people of that nation, we can no longer truthfully say we are leading Iraq to freedom. Before the war, we were told that we would be welcomed as liberators. Mr. Speaker, I say to you today, we must take a good hard look at our leadership in America. I say to you today, we must hold them accountable for mistake after mistake we have committed in this war. We must hold them accountable for the deaths of our young people, and we must hold them accountable for the unjust torture of our prisoners of war. Mr. Speaker, it is not a question of who committed these unbelievable acts of torture. It is not a question of who, but what. What led to this flagrant disregard for the humanity of our fellow human beings? Those at the highest level of this government, the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of Defense, they have all created the climate and the environment that led to these abuses. They have disregarded the sovereignty of another nation. Now our soldiers have disregarded the humanity of the citizens of Iraq. Violence begets violence, Mr. Speaker. A military overthrow of another government does not lead to a peaceful democracy. American soldiers smiling as they humiliate citizens of Iraq. There must be a sense of righteous indignation in America about what happened in those prison cells, and there must be a sense of righteous indignation in this Congress against these unspeakable acts. Mr. Speaker, I have said it in the past, and I will say it again today: war is messy. It is bloody. It tends to not just hide the truth, but to sacrifice the truth. Why did it take so long for this information to come out? Why did the officials at the highest level of government try to hide these crimes against humanity? Why did they try to cover them up? Mr. Speaker, we have made mistakes, yes; but it is not enough to issue an apology. It is not enough to say we are sorry. We should issue an apology, but we should say we are sorry also. But, Mr. Speaker, the handwriting is on the wall. It is time for us to get out. It is time for us to bring our young men and our young women home. It is time for us to close this very dark and sordid chapter in the history of our great Nation.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I just want to raise a question. Is it proper, is it appropriate, is it a violation of House rules for Members of this body to attack Members of the other body by name?

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding this person is not even the nominee of his party yet.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper) and all of the Members for participating. Mr. Chairman, I have no other speaker at that time, and therefore, I yield back my time to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the ranking member.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis), a member of the Committee on the Budget.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cooper), a member of the Committee on the Budget.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), my colleague on the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on the Budget. (Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding me this time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the Republican budget before us fails the American people. It ignores the very real problems of working families. It will force deeper and deeper cuts to nearly every domestic program that supports our citizens and our way of life. This Republican budget fails to create jobs. It shortchanges education. It robs Social Security. It cheats seniors out of secure, affordable health benefits at a time in their lives when they need it most. It fails to provide adequate health benefits for the wounded and disabled veterans who have fought so hard to protect our freedom. This budget is without compassion. In my estimation, this budget is cruel and inhumane. It fails to meet the basic human needs of our citizens. It would slash nearly every domestic program in order to cut the taxes of a few wealthy Americans. Mr. Chairman, this budget would dig our economy into a deeper, ever- expanding hole that our children and our children's children will have to work long and hard to pay for. This is not fair, it is not right, and it is not just. As a Nation and as a people, we could do much better. We should be using our wealth to benefit the whole Nation, all of our citizens, all of the people, not just a few. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin), a member of the Committee on the Budget.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this Friday marks the 1-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Over 10,000 Iraqi soldiers are dead. Thousands of Iraqi civilians are dead. Nearly 600 Americans, 600 of our sons and daughters, are dead. Thousands more have been wounded. Physically and emotionally, their lives changed forever. But the dead and the wounded are not the only casualties of President Bush's decision to invade Iraq. Something else has died in those desert sands. Something else has been lost. Truth, nothing but the truth, honesty. For over a year, the American people have been deceived by the words of the President and his administration. Officials at every level have misled the people that they were elected to serve. They have also misled the community of nations. We asked for truth, and President Bush told us that ``Iraq sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.'' We asked for truth, and Vice President Cheney repeatedly warned us of close ties between al Qaeda and Iraq. We asked for truth, and Secretary of State Colin Powell told the United Nations that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Where are those weapons, Mr. Speaker? We asked for truth, and President Bush warned us that Iraq had planes that could fly weapons of mass destruction to our shores. We asked for truth, and they told us that our troops would be greeted as liberators, that Iraqi oil would pay to rebuild Iraq. The falsehoods go on and on. I do not know whether this administration cannot stop or will not stop. I only know that they do not stop. Just last Sunday National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice told the American people that ``Iraq was the most dangerous regime in the world.'' Where is the truth? Mr. Speaker, this administration would never be able to justify the war on Iraq because we cannot believe a word they say. They have never been honest about why we went to war. Just ask the former Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill. He told the Nation this administration was hell bent to go to war from day one, even before the President took oath of office. And it is not just Iraq. It is almost on every issue, every comment, every deed. We cannot believe a word they say. The Bush administration proposed a $550 billion Medicare prescription drug bill and told us it will only cost $400 billion. They cut down trees on public land and call it ``Healthy Forests.'' They let industry pollute our air and call it ``Clear Skies.'' The President himself, President Bush, proudly told the American people that his budget would cut the deficit in 5 years, but his budget does not pay for Iraq. It does not pay for Afghanistan. It does not pay for his tax cuts for the rich. Mr. Speaker, instead of searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, we should be searching for the truth right here at home. The Bible tells us, ``The truth will set you free.'' And we will not find it at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. The British novelist John Le Carre once said, ``I think the single greatest enemy is the misuse of information, the perversion of the truth in the hands of terribly skillful people.'' On the eve of the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, we must reflect on these words. President Bush and his administration have misused information. They have perverted the truth, and now 600 Americans are dead, 10,000 civilians are dead in Iraq, hundreds of thousands of our sons and daughters, brave men and women, young people, 18, 19, 21, 23 years old, have been torn from their homes, from their families, and sent thousands of miles from home. I would ask the President, what are they fighting for? I would ask him why so many of our young people are dead and wounded, but I do not want his answer. I do not want the answer from the Vice President or Secretary Powell or Secretary Rumsfeld. The American people do not want more of what we have been hearing for the past year. What we want, Mr. Speaker, and what we need more than anything else, is the truth.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter the comments of some Georgia residents into the Congressional Record. For Black History Month, the Democratic National Committee queried African Americans asking them to write in and describe how the policies of President George W. Bush's administration are affecting them. The following are the words of Georgia residents who responded: John A. Olagoke, Dallas, Ga: ``Dear Mr. President, For the very first time in American History, I have never seen such a mess up in the American Economy. So many of us African Americans have lost their jobs, their homes, their assets and everything they have worked hard for. I am talking about well-educated people, Mr. President. Most of our telecommunication jobs are being moved overseas for cheaper labor. Last week, again, over 500 co-workers were laid-off at my company. I and others can no longer wait until the November election. I intend to take two of my family members who have not voted for eight years with me to the polling station to express our feelings.'' Arnitta Lawson, College Park, Ga.: ``In spite of the fact that I have a job, I am very worried that the job I do have will not last. I was laid off once because of 9/11, as well as other family members. [I was] forced to take menial jobs and worry about how to get food for the children, pay bills and try to get a job. I am very distrusting of Republicans such as George W. Bush.'' Ginny Albert, Atlanta, Ga.: ``Mr. President, because your administration has been so lax and deliberately cruel to the middle class, the corporations who have filled your coffer, thanks to the tax cuts and special initiatives that favor businesses over people, these same corporations now feel that they can be negligent and indifferent toward their customers and employees. They demand more and pay less in every sector. They have cut back on benefits, and in some cases have eliminated benefits altogether. Yes, your lack of true caring toward the non-rich has engendered a sense that cruelty toward people is okay and acceptable, and that employers no longer have to promise their workers anything. And another thing, why have you not initiated a program that will assist the unemployed in keeping their homes. Legislate something that will make it impossible for companies to foreclose on unemployed Americans. The homeless rolls are growing under your administration. If you care, put a stop to it.''

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, in the last days of Black History Month, I want to be sure this Congress honors the memory of Orah Belle Sherman, a woman who served our democracy well. In the eyes of some, her labor may have seemed humble, but her spirit was great. For 41 years, Orah Belle Sherman served the citizens of Atlanta as the hostess of Paschal's restaurant, and the comfort and hospitality of Paschal's reached the very soul of the Civil Rights Movement. The role of the capable hostess is fully acknowledged in politics today. Sometimes decisions that impact the history of mankind may be made in the relaxation of social environments. A hostess is the architect of that relaxation, creating a seamless atmosphere of comfort where minds can meet undistracted and strike an agreement. Her grace eases the tension of division, and the ambience she offers invites opposing sides to sit down together. Orah Belle Sherman was a master hostess among hostesses because her grace not only cooled the tensions of ideological differences but momentarily silenced the ravages of racism. In a segregated Atlanta, where a cacophony of signs declared ``White Only,'' ``Colored Only,'' ``Colored Waiting,'' ``White Waiting,'' in the heart of a hostile America, in the recesses of the Jim Crow South where a wilderness of racism threatened the future of this nation, Paschal's became an oasis of friendship, brotherhood and peace. There African Americans were always welcomed by Orah Belle Sherman. She created a safe space where men and women who were outcasts of mainstream America could socialize in dignity and peace. In her haven of comfort and acceptance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Benjamin Mays and many other soon-to-be great men of the Civil Rights Movement were welcomed, fed, and given the room to deliberate. In the loving glow of Orah Belle Sherman, they strategized the actions that would become the Movement we know today. Many of the great civil rights speeches, the plans for marches and sit-ins, the boycotts and sermons were discussed in the ambience of Paschals restaurant. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that, ``Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force is the most potent instrument available in mankind's quest for security and peace.'' The love of Orah Belle Sherman has an enduring place in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. She is a gem of the South that reminds us of a culture of hospitality that is slipping away. Her graciousness and charm consoled the builders of a new day for America. She will long be remembered in the hearts of all the lives she touched.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Pearlie S. Reed, a native of Heth, Arkansas, attended the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry in 1970. He then attended graduate school at American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a degree in Public Administration-Finance in 1980. Mr. Reed began his career with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service in a temporary appointment in June 1968 as a Soil Conservationist Student Trainee. Thirty years later, in March 1998, he became the chief executive officer for USDA's Private Lands Conservation agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly the Soil Conservation Service. He served NRCS in various positions and locations including District Conservationist, Budget and Accounting Officer, Administrative Officer for NRCS National Headquarters, Deputy State Conservationist in Wisconsin, State Conservationist in Maryland and California, Regional Conservationist, and the Associate Chief for the agency. Under the Clinton administration, Mr. Reed served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration that led the most powerful USDA Civil Rights Action Team that developed the most comprehensive report ever written to document the status of Civil Rights in USDA. As the Acting Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Administration, Mr. Reed provided leadership for USDA-wide offices and functions, such as the Office of Civil Rights, the Office of Human Resources Management, procurement, contracting, and facilities and property management, the Office of Small Business Utilization, the National Office of Outreach, the Board of Contract Appeals, the Office of Administrative Law Judges, and the Office of the Judicial Officer. As the Team Leader for the Secretary's Civil Rights Action Team, Mr. Reed provided the leadership for recommendations to address civil rights problems in programs delivery and employment, and actions to ensure accountability and follow-through. The Secretary accepted the findings from that project, and committed to act on all 92 recommendations. The work of the Civil Rights Action Team is recognized as setting the direction for civil rights policy at USDA that semantically reformed a movement within USDA. As the Chief of NRCS, Mr. Reed served as the executive officer for USDA's private lands conservation agency serving communities in all 50 states, the Pacific Basin, and the Caribbean area. He led a conservation partnership consisting of over 12,000 federal employees, 15,000 conservation district officials, 7,000 conservation district employees, 20,000 Earth Team volunteers, and 350 Resource Conservation and Development Councils. Mr. Reed served as a leader of several USDA- wide activities, such as the chair of the USDA/1990 Task Force, chair of the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, chair of the USDA National Food and Agriculture Council, and the USDA representative on the United States Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. As Associate Chief, Mr. Reed served as the chief operating official for NRCS. Under his leadership, NRCS initiated a workforce planning process that was recognized by the National Academy of Public Administration as a model for other agencies. He led the development and implementation of the most comprehensive reorganization of the agency in its 60-year history. With a strong commitment to customer service and conservation partnerships, he initiated the American Indian outreach effort for NRCS to work directly with tribes. He also provided leadership in the development and implementation of the Conservation Title of the 1996 Farm Bill. Mark Rey, USDA Under Secretary for the Natural Resources and Environment said of Mr. Reed, ``I believe that if you look up the term `public service' in the dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of Pearlie Reed there next to it.'' Mr. Reed has had a distinguished career, with 35 years of service which also included international conservation experience and service outside the continental United States. His contributions in South Africa, Australia, and with the International Soil Conservation Organization, exemplify his span of influence as a strong leader, visionary, and unquestionable natural resources conservation ethic. Mr. Reed received numerous awards for outstanding sustained performance, including the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award--the highest award that can be bestowed upon a Career Senior Executive Service member. Another significant award included is the USDA Secretary's Honor Award for equal opportunity and civil rights that recognizes his vision and leadership in the most comprehensive reorganization in the history of NRCS. Other recognitions he has received includes the Professional Service Award from the National Association of Conservation Districts, the Soil and Water Conservation Society Award, the George Washington Carver Public Service Hall of Fame Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Another tribute to Mr. Reed was the naming of several campus buildings, including the Pearlie S. Reed/ Robert Cole Smith Farm Outreach-Wetland Water Management Center by the University of Arkansas System's Board of Trustees. Mr. Reed is a soft spoken man of few words; a visionary who is marked by foresight, and a person who has distinguished himself by making contributions to conservation in America that will never be forgotten. He is a dedicated man that has never wavered from his work ethic: ``Each day I come to work, I think about what is important and how the NRCS can get more conservation on the ground.''

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues of the many barriers people with disabilities face. They confront barriers to employment, transportation and mobility issues, environmental obstacles, as well as fears, prejudices and misconceptions about their ability to offer valuable service to business, to our communities, and to our nation. People with disabilities battle a 50 percent nationwide unemployment rate, and those with severe disabilities struggle with a debilitating 70 percent rate of unemployment. I regret that ten years after this Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is still necessary to affirm that people with disabilities can work and want to work. They can enrich the workplace with meaningful skills and talents. And they, like any other Americans, want to contribute their talents to our society. The key to changing these shocking labor statistics is to encourage employers to focus on the abilities of an individual, rather than an individual's disabilities. Hiring a deserving, qualified individual with a disability is a win-win situation for business and the community. When a person with a disability is employed, the positive benefits reverberate in the community reducing welfare dependency and generating self-sufficiency, independence, stable families, and an increased tax base. Employing people with disabilities helps businesses as well. They have extremely high retention rates, higher than most employees, and there can be tax advantages for businesses that hire employees with disabilities. The Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program is to be commended and should be supported for providing employment opportunities to Americans with disabilities. The JWOD Program uses the purchasing power of the Federal Government to buy products and services from participating, community- based nonprofit agencies dedicated to training and employing individuals with disabilities. JWOD completes the cycle of support by enabling persons with disabilities to acquire job skills and training, receive good wages and benefits, and gain greater independence. The program serves 40,000 people with disabilities nationwide. Last year, it generated approximately $280 million in wages earned and nearly $1.5 billion in products sold. In Georgia alone, some 972 people with disabilities earned nearly $3 million in wages last year as a result of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day program. The Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI), a community rehabilitation facility in my district, has found particular success with JWOD contracts. Bobby Dodd Institute trainees operate the Veterans Administration Hospital switchboard, the U.S. Attorney Office mailroom, the Decatur Army Reserve Base janitorial service, and even have an expanded regional presence at the Veterans Administration Hospital switchboard in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. As a result of these JWOD contracts, the Bobby Dodd Institute has been able to provide employment opportunities to numerous individuals with disabilities and has helped them to become independent, self- sufficient citizens. I am pleased that these JWOD contracts have had such a positive impact and hope that this is only the beginning. With support from my esteemed colleagues, Javits-Wagner-O'Day contracts can increase, and our whole society will benefit. This is a program that truly makes a difference in the nation, and in Georgia. I am proud to support it.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, is the majority leader telling us there is not a need to bring this legislation to the floor of the House for a vote when more than 200 Democratic Members have signed a discharge petition?

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I continue to yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the leader for that information. Mr. Majority Leader, when the Congress adjourned for the year last year, it failed to extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, leaving 90,000 American workers and their families every week, roughly one-half million workers by the end of this month, in the lurch. We have 200 Democrats who have signed a discharge petition that would bring to the floor legislation to extend this much-needed help to those workers. Can the majority leader tell the House, tell all of us when he will schedule debate on this important matter?

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I wish to address the House for the purpose of inquiring of the majority leader the schedule for next week.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong opposition to H.R. 1. I believe in Medicare, I believe that Medicare is a sacred trust between the Federal Government and the American people. I believe with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my being that Medicare must have a dependable, affordable, and strong prescription drug benefit. And that is why I cannot support this bill. Mr. Speaker, 38 years ago the Republicans did not like Medicare and they do not like it now. Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich gleefully stated that he wanted to see Medicare wither on the vine. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, Newt Gingrich is back, and his fingerprints are all over this bill. If this bill is passed, it would be a dagger in the heart of Medicare as we know it. This bill is an attempt by the Republican party to privatize Medicare. I stand against privatizing Medicare, and I stand against this bill. Medicare is a sacred trust. It is a covenant with our seniors. Let us not breach this trust. Let us not violate this covenant. We must do what is right. I urge my colleagues to vote against this unreliable bill, vote for the seniors, vote for those that are in need. Vote against this bill.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.