Ray LaHood

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words in favor of the amendment. This is a very good amendment. I am surprised anybody would come to the floor and be against this amendment. This is an amendment that provides the money to take care of the farmers and ranchers and people that do the hard work. This is the amendment that people have been clamoring for for a long time, more money on the ground for the up- front office workers that do the work, that work with the farmers, that provide the service to people, that help them fill out their forms and do the work that needs to be done. We hear year in and year out from our farmers that we do not have enough staff, there are not enough people there, there are long lines, the forms cannot get filled out, we do not have enough people to advise us. I cannot think of any reason to be against this amendment. These are the service workers that help our farmers and ranchers to do the work required by us and required by the USDA to fill all the forms that need to be filled out, to make sure all the reports are done. We require a lot of paperwork, USDA requires a lot of paperwork; and our farmers and ranchers deserve to have the kind of professional staff that this amendment provides for. So I say to those people who represent farmers and ranchers all around the country, if you want your farmers and ranchers to have the expert professional people to help them do the things, to do the work, to fill out the forms that need to be done, you ought to be supporting this amendment. Every year our farmers come to us and say, there just is not enough staffing. We need more people. In some instances, we have allowed for part-time people to come in. We have allowed for temporary people to come in. This, though, is the kind of opportunity that provides the money. I compliment the chairman, and I would surely hope that the ranking member would reconsider her position on this, given the fact that reallocating of money to help the people that are out there doing the hard work of growing the fruits and vegetables, and doing the hard work providing the food and fiber for our country are going to have the professional staff. So I compliment the chairman for doing this, and I say to all Members who may be listening to this debate on this amendment, this is leadership on the part of the chairman of this subcommittee to say to our farmers and ranchers, the money is going to be there for the professional staff to do all the things that need to be done that we require in Congress and USDA requires, and that we hear year in and year out from our farmers, particularly from the producers out in the area, certainly in Illinois and the 20 counties I represent, I hear from them every year that we do not have enough staff in our offices to do the things you are requiring us to do. So great leadership on the part of the chairman here to reallocate the money that needs to be used so that we can hire the people and they can help our farmers and ranchers. I ask all Members who hear from their farmers and ranchers each year to support this amendment. It is a good amendment, and I appreciate the leadership of the chairman.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, as the ranking member, the gentlewoman knows our farmers and ranchers and the producers come to us every year with the common complaint, we don't have enough people in these local offices to help us. We have to set priorities.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I am going to yield to the gentleman from Virginia, but I would like to know why the gentlewoman from Ohio would object. Let him make his point; then if they have the votes, knock it out. He was on the floor. The gentleman was on the floor. He could not get to the microphone because he thought there was going to be a vote on the gentleman from Texas's (Mr. Bonilla) amendment. That is the point here. If she does not like what he is going to say, stand up, but give him the right to say it, not to object to it. That is a lousy way to treat a Member. If somebody were doing that to you, you would have motions to adjourn and motions to do this and that. The gentleman was on the floor. He wants to make a point of order. Let him make his point. What is the problem with doing that?

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, he was on the floor.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I am going to say this: I think the gentleman does have a right. He was on the floor. He could not get to the microphone because he thought a vote would be called for on the gentleman from Texas's (Mr. Bonilla) amendment.

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia to make his point.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I wonder if the gentlewoman from Ohio would reconsider her objection.

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I could not understand the gentlewoman's response. I wonder if the gentlewoman would consider giving the opportunity to the gentleman from Virginia to speak on the part of the bill that he wants to speak on.

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. LaHOOD. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 4766 in the Committee of the Whole pursuant to House Resolution 710 the bill be considered as read and open for amendment at any point and no further amendment to the bill may be offered except: Pro forma amendments offered at any point in the reading by the chairman or ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees for the purpose of debate; Amendments 4, 5, 6, 8, and 12; Amendments 7, 10, and 13, each of which shall be debatable for 20 minutes; An amendment by the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) regarding Farmers Market Promotion Program, which shall be debatable for 20 minutes; An amendment by the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) regarding outsourcing, which shall be debatable for 20 minutes; An amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) regarding Office of Assistant Secretary For Civil Rights; An amendment by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) regarding livestock compensation; An amendment by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) regarding fluoroquinolone; An amendment by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey) regarding FDA, which shall be debatable for 20 minutes; An amendment by the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) regarding contraceptives, which shall be debatable for 40 minutes; An amendment by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) regarding information technology systems; An amendment by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) regarding circular A-76; An amendment by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake) regarding tobacco, which shall be debatable for 40 minutes; An amendment by the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) regarding agriculture tourism, which shall be debatable for 14 minutes; and An amendment by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) regarding food stamps, which shall be debatable for 20 minutes. Each such amendment may be offered only by the Member designated in this request, or a designee, or the Member who caused it to be printed in the Record, or a designee, shall be considered as read, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. Except as otherwise specified, each amendment shall be debatable for 10 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. An amendment shall be considered to fit the description stated in this request if it addresses in whole or in part the object described.

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I wonder if Members under the unanimous consent request had thought that their amendments were so important why they would not be here to offer them. It seems a little odd to me that when someone actually gets their amendment into the unanimous consent request because they think they have an important issue that is so earthshaking or so dramatic or so important, and yet when the hour arrives for their amendment to be considered, they do not come and offer it, I wonder how important the amendment really is. So I wonder if we ought to just consider having the committee rise and vote on the bill. That seems to be the appropriate thing to do.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I think, out of courtesy to the gentleman from Virginia earlier today, it would have been nice if the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies would have had the courtesy to recognize him when he was on the floor and could not get to the microphone. There was no consideration given to his ability when he had an important matter that he wanted considered, and out of courtesy that would have been nice to have been done. If it had been done on the other side, if a Member on your side had been treated the way that the Member was treated on our side, I am sure there would have been many, many procedural votes today. But, apparently, the ranking member on the Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies did not have the courtesy or the common decency to allow the Member to have his say or the right just to have his say. I guess that is the way it is, and we see from time to time when that courtesy is not extended to your Members, all you-know-what breaks loose around here.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I know that the gentleman from Wisconsin is a very fair-minded person, and had he been on the floor and recognized what was done to the gentleman from Virginia I am sure he would have persuaded the ranking member to owe him the courtesy to give him a chance to speak. Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Tiahrt

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding me this time and for his leadership on the Subcommittee on Legislative. I certainly rise in support. I would ask Members, after reviewing the amendments, to vote against the amendments. I think the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) have worked very hard on this bill to make sure it is the right mix of staffing for the House of Representatives, the right mix of staffing for our law enforcement personnel, the right mix for the Library of Congress and for all those who serve the Members of Congress. I know Members like to take the opportunity from time to time when they have a complaint maybe against another Member or against another committee or somebody else to come to the floor and use this bill to try and carry out some kind of a complaint or a gripe that they have. This is not the bill to do it. I would urge Members to vote against the amendments that are being proposed. As a member of the subcommittee, I have worked very hard over the last several years on the issue of improving the quality of life for employees of the House of Representatives, particularly as it relates to their health care, particularly as it relates to the issue of whether our employees of the House of Representatives should have some kind of health fitness center similar to the kind of center that we have for Members where staff, who work here pretty much 24/7 when we are in session, can have the opportunity to go and to work out and to keep healthy. We have accomplished that goal. I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia for his leadership in providing the funding in this bill and also the gentleman from Virginia, who obviously represents a lot of the employees, for his leadership for including the money so that we can begin, once this bill is signed by the President, to have the construction of a health fitness center for our employees for the House of Representatives. This is an important issue. There is a lot of talk about obesity and health care and how do we all stay healthy. Working around here is very, very demanding. I can think of no other opportunity that we can provide to our hard-working employees than an opportunity to have a place to stay healthy, to be healthy and to have it right here on the premises. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), too, for his leadership. As a former staffer, he also worked hard around here and continues to work hard on behalf of the staff. I just want to say a word about the people that make all of us look good, the people that are gathered here in the House Chamber, the Parliamentarians, the lawyers, the doctors, the police, the law enforcement who work here 24/7 to make sure that we are well protected, that we are well taken care of, that every word that we speak is taken down. There are so many people that work in the House complex that average, ordinary citizens, certainly taxpayers, never see, but they help make this institution what it is, the great institution that it is, in terms of our ability to do our work and pass bills and make new laws and solve problems in the country. We could not do it without the many wonderful employees that work so hard on behalf of the Members of the House of Representatives. My hat is off to them. This bill is the bill that takes care to make sure they have the equipment, make sure they have the information and the means to do their jobs. In supporting this bill and asking Members to look carefully at the amendments and rejecting the amendments because of the good work that has gone on by the chair and the ranking member, I say to the employees of the House of Representatives, job well done, and this is our way of saying thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this committee.

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 301 I inadvertently voted ``yea'' I meant to vote ``nay.''

Mr. LaHOOD

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, which calls for the CIA's Inspector General to submit a report to Congress detailing evidence of any relationship between Saddam Hussein's regime and al Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001. This report will help augment an already public record of such a relationship. On November 4, 1998, the U.S. Federal Grand Jury issued an indictment against Osama bin Laden alleging that he and others engaged in a long- term conspiracy to attack U.S. facilities overseas. The same indictment states that ``al Qaeda reached an agreement with the government of Iraq and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the government of Iraq.'' I would like to enter at the appropriate time the 1999 indictment into the Record. An Iraq defector to Turkey told the London Sunday Times that he saw bin Laden's fighters in camps in Iraq in 1997. And I would also like to enter at the appropriate time the July 14, 2002, London Sunday Times article on this issue into the Record. In October, 2000, an Iraqi intelligence operative was arrested along the Afghan border by Pakistani authorities, according to ``Jane's Foreign Report.'' This respected international newsletter reported that the operative was shuttling between Iraq intelligence and al Qaeda's number two man and that throughout 2003, in the portion of northern Iraq loyal to Saddam Hussein, an Ansar al-Islam official admitted to Kurdish newspapers that when Ansar al-Islam was established in 2001, al Qaeda operatives offered a gift of $300,000 to assist the group in conducting suicide operations against Americans. An al Qaeda leader went to Iraq after he was injured in Afghanistan in May, 2002. Once he recovered, he traveled to Lebanon where he met with Hezbollah just before the October, 2002, assassination of USAID official Lawrence Foley in Jordan. After Zarqawi's return to Iraq, he met with Ansar al-Islam officials in January, 2003, according to several AI terrorists arrested in Britain. Zarqawi is currently in Iraq taking credit for suicide car bombings against innocent Iraqis and coalition forces. More recently Abdul Rahman Yasin remains the only member of the al Qaeda cell that detonated the 1993 World Trade Center bomb to remain at large from the Clinton years. He fled to Iraq where U.S. forces recently uncovered a cache of documents in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit that show Yasin received both a house and monthly salary from Iraq. A 9-11 Commission staff working paper stated that there appears to be no evidence that Iraq was linked to the September 11 attacks on the United States, but several Commission members have corrected the record recently to state that ``The Vice President is saying that there were connections between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's government. We don't disagree with that,'' and that the Commission has ``found contacts between al Qaeda and Iraq, that some of it is shadowy, but there is no question that the contacts were there.'' I would like to submit at the appropriate time the transcript of the Talk Radio News Service questioning of 9-11 Commission members Hamilton and Kean following the hearing of the 9-11 Commission on Thursday, June 17, 2004. Lastly, we should not forget that Iraq was designated as the state sponsor of terrorism for more than a decade, including this administration as well as previous administrations. I urge this amendment be adopted so we can further augment our understanding of the nature of any relationship between al Qaeda and the Hussein government. Indictment In the United States District Court--Southern District of New York, United States of America v. Usama bin laden, Defendant. count one--conspiracy to attack defense utilities of the united states The Grand Jury charges: Background: Al Qaeda 1. At all relevant times from in or about 1989 until the date of the filing of this Indictment, an international terrorist group existed which was dedicated to opposing non- Islamic governments with force and violence. This organization grew out of the ``mekhtab al khidemat'' (the ``Services Office'') organization which had maintained (and continues to maintain) offices in various parts of the world, including Afghanistan, Pakistan (particularly in Peshawar) and the United States, particularly at the Alkifah Refugee Center in Brooklyn. From in or about 1989 until the present, the group called itself ``Al Qaeda'' (``the Base''). From 1989 until in or about 1991, the group was headquartered in Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan. In or about 1992, the leadership of Al Qaeda, including its ``emir'' (or prince) USAMA BIN LADEN, the defendant, and its military command relocated to the Sudan. From in or about 1991 until the present, the group also called itself the ``Islamic Army.'' The international terrorist group (hereafter referred to as ``Al Qaeda'') was headquartered in the Sudan from approximately 1992 until approximately 1996 but still maintained offices in various parts of the world. In 1996, USAMA BIN LADEN and Al Qaeda relocated to Afghanistan. At all relevant times, Al Qaeda was led by its ``emir,'' USAMA BIN LADEN. Members of Al Qaeda pledged an oath of allegiance to USAMA BIN LADEN and Al Qaeda. 2. Al Qaeda opposed the United States for several reasons. First, the United States was regarded as ``infidel'' because it was not governed in a manner consistent with the group's extremist interpretation of Islam. Second, the United States was viewed as providing essential support for other ``infidel'' governments and institutions, particularly the governments of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the nation of Israel and the United Nations, which were regarded as enemies of the group. Third, Al Qaeda opposed the involvement of the United States armed forces in the Gulf War in 1991 and in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1992 and 1993. In particular, Al Qaeda opposed the continued presence of American military forces in Saudi Arabia (and elsewhere on the Saudi Arabian peninsula) following the Gulf War. Fourth, Al Qaeda opposed the United States Government because of the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of persons belonging to Al Qaeda or its affiliated terrorist groups, including Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman. 3. Al Qaeda has functioned both on its own and through some of the terrorist organizations that have operated under its umbrella, including: the Islamic Group (also known as ``al Gamaa Islamia'' or simply ``Gamaa't''), led by co- conspirator Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman,'' the al Jihad group based in Egypt; the ``Talah e Fatah'' (``Vanguards of Conquest'') faction of al Jihad, which was also based in Egypt, which faction was led by co-conspirator Ayman al Zawahiri (``al Jihad''); Palestinian Islamic Jihad; and a number of jihad groups in other countries, including Egypt, the Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia, Eritrea, Kenya, Pakistan, Bosnia, Croatia, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Chechnya, Bangladesh, Kashmir and Azerbaijan. In February 1998, Al Qaeda joined forces with Gamaa't, Al Jihad, the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh and the ``Jamaat ul Ulema e Pakistan'' to issue a fatwah (an Islamic religious ruling) declaring war against American civilians worldwide under the banner of the ``International Islamic Front for Jihad on the Jews and Crusaders.'' 4. Al Qaeda also forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in the Sudan and with the government of Iran and its associated terrorist group Hezballah for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States. In addition, al Qaeda reached an understanding with the government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq. 5. Al Qaeda had a command and control structure which included a majlis al shura (or consultation council) which discussed and approved major undertakings, including terrorist operations. 6. Al Qaeda also conducted internal investigations of its members and their associates in an effort to detect informants and killed those suspected of collaborating with enemies of Al Qaeda. 7. From at least 1991 until the date of the filing of this Indictment, in the Sudan, Afghanistan and elsewhere out of the jurisdiction of any particular state or district, USAMA BIN LADEN, a/k/a ``Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Laden,'' a/k/a ``Shaykh Usamah Bin-Laden,'' a/k/a ``Mujahid Shaykh,'' a/k/a ``Abu Abdallah,'' a/k/a `QaQa,'' the defendant, and co- conspirator not named as a defendant herein (hereafter ``Co- conspirator'') who was first brought to and arrested in the Southern District of New York, and others known and unknown to the grand jury, unlawfully, willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated and agreed together and with each other to injure and destroy, and attempt to injure and destroy, national-defense material, national-defense premises and national-defense utilities of the United States with the intent to injure, interfere with and obstruct the national defense of the United States. Overt Acts 8. In furtherance of the same conspiracy, and to effect the illegal object thereof, the following overt acts, among others, were committed: a. At various times from at least as early as 1991 until at least in or about February 1998, USAMA BIN LADEN, the defendant, met with Co-conspirator and other members of Al Qaeda in the Sudan, Afghanistan and elsewhere; b. At various times from at least as early as 1991, USAMA BIN LADEN, and others known and unknown, made efforts to obtain weapons, including firearms and explosives, for Al Qaeda and its affiliated terrorist groups; c. At various times from at least as early as 1991, USAMA BIN LADEN, and others known and unknown, provided training camps and guesthouses in various areas, including Afghanistan and the Sudan, for the use of Al Qaeda and its affiliated terrorist groups; d. At various times from at least as early as 1991, USAMA BIN LADEN, and others known and unknown, made efforts to produce counterfeit passports purporting to be issued by various countries and also obtained official passports from the Government of the Sudan for use by Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups; e. At various times from at least as early as 1991, USAMA BIN LADEN, and others known and unknown, made efforts to recruit United States citizens to Al Qaeda in order to utilize the American citizens for travel throughout the Western world to deliver messages and engage in financial transactions for the benefit of Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups; f. At various times from at least as early as 1991, USAMA BIN LADEN, and others known and unknown, made efforts to utilize non-Government organizations which purported to be engaged in humanitarian work as conduits for transmitting funds for the benefit of Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups; g. At various times from at least as early as 1991, Co- conspirator and others known and unknown to the grand jury engaged in financial and business transactions on behalf of defendant USAMA BIN LADEN and Al Qaeda, including, but not limited to: purchasing land for training camps: purchasing warehouses for storage of items, including explosives; transferring funds between bank accounts opened in various names; obtaining various communications equipment, including satellite telephones; and transporting currency and weapons to members of Al Qaeda and its associated terrorist organizations in various countries throughout the world; h. At various times from in or about 1992 until the date of the filing of this Indictment, USAMA BIN LADEN and other ranking members of Al Qaeda stated privately to other members of Al Qaeda that Al Qaeda should put aside its differences with Shiite Muslim terrorist organizations, including the Government of Iran and its affiliated terrorist group Hezballah, to cooperate against the perceived common enemy, the United States and its allies; i. At various times from in or about 1992 until the date of the filing of this Indictment, USAMA BIN LADEN and other ranking members of Al Qaeda stated privately to other members of Al Qaeda that the United States forces stationed on the Saudi Arabian peninsula, including both Saudi Arabia and Yemen, should be attacked; j. At various times from in or about 1992 until the date of the filing of this Indictment, USAMA BIN LADEN and other ranking members of Al Qaeda stated privately to other members of Al Qaeda that the United States forces stationed in the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, should be attacked; k. Beginning in or about early spring 1993, Al Qaeda members began to provide training and assistance to Somali tribes opposed to the United Nations' intervention in Somalia; l. On October 3 and 4, 1993, members of Al Qaeda participated with Somali tribesmen in an attack on United States military personnel serving in Somalia as part of Operation Restore Hope, which attack killed a total of 18 United States soldiers and wounded 73 others in Mogadishu; m. On two occasions in the period from in or about 1992 until in or about 1995, Co-conspirator helped transport weapons and explosives from Khartoum to Port Sudan for transshipment to the Saudi Arabian peninsula; n. At various times from at least as early as 1993, USAMA BIN LADEN and others known and unknown, made efforts to obtain the components of nuclear weapons: o. At various times from at least as early as 1993, USAMA BIN LADEN and others known and unknown, made efforts to produce chemical weapons; p. On or about August 23, 1996, USAMA BIN LADEN signed and issued a Declaration of Jihan entitled ``Message from Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Laden to His Muslim Brothers in the Whole World and Especially in the Arabian Peninsula: Declaration of Jihad Against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Mosques; Expel the Heretics from the Arabian Peninsula'' (hereafter ``Declaration of Jihad'') from the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. The Declaration of Jihad included statements that efforts should be pooled to kill Americans and encouraged other persons to join the jihad against the American ``enemy''; q. In or about late August 1996, USAMA BIN LADEN read aloud the Declaration of Jihad and made an audiotape recording of such reading for worldwide distribution: and r. In February 1998, USAMA BIN LADEN issued a joint declaration in the name of Gamaa't, Al Jihad, the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh and the ``Jamaat ul Ulema e Pakistan'' under the banner of the ``International Islamic Front for Jihad on the Jews and Crusaders,'' which stated that Muslims should kill Americans--including civilians--anywhere in the world where they can be found. (Title 18, United States Code, Section 2155(b).) Mary Jo White, United States Attorney.

Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.