Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 288 which honors the Seeds of Peace Program for its efforts to promote understanding and peace among young people from areas of conflict. John Wallach, a constituent of mine and a true visionary, founded the program in 1993 to bring youths together from around the world to break down barriers and learn more about each other. The organization plays a vital role in promoting many of our foreign policy goals and has been recognized by American leaders for its outstanding work. By instilling understanding and open-mindedness in the world's children, we can help to put an end to long-standing conflicts and bring hope to these regions. Seeds of Peace is a wonderful program that I hope will continue to produce more thoughtful, understanding leaders of the future. At a time when there is so much hate in the world, the Seeds of Peace participants are an inspiration, and I admire their courage and determination. I join my colleagues in paying tribute to this great organization and its founder John Wallach.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 23rd Street Association on the occasion of their Annual Award Luncheon. This year, the 23rd Street Association is honoring Cushman & Wakefield and Kenneth Krasnow for their dedication and service to the community. Named New York Top Tenant-Rep Firm on Co-Star's Top 50 Manhattan Office Leases list, Cushman & Wakefield is the largest New York-based commercial real estate firm, representing tenants in three of the city's top 10 deals last year. The firm's retail brokers have also won the coveted Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Retail Deal of the Year Award every year since the award's inception. Cushman & Wakefield is New York City's largest property manager, managing approximately 52 million square feet of property. Founded in New York City in 1917, Cushman & Wakefield now operates 163 offices in 49 countries and employs over 11,000 professionals. Ken Krasnow, Senior Managing Director for the New York Metro Region, joined Cushman & Wakefield in 1987 and spent ten years as a commercial leasing broker in Midtown Manhattan. Mr. Krasnow rose through the ranks, serving as Director of Business Development and Regional Managing Director for Cushman & Wakefield's Stamford and Long Island offices before his promotion to Senior Managing Director. Mr. Krasnow has responsibility for the firm's offices in midtown and downtown Manhattan, White Plains, NY, Stamford, CT, and Melville, Long Island, with approximately 175 brokers generating $200 million in annual revenue. Recently named one of Real Estate New York's ``40 under 40'' and one of Real Estate Forum's ``next great leaders,'' Mr. Krasnow is responsible for the strategic direction, business growth and development at Cushman & Wakefield as well as profitability of the region for the firm. Despite his heavy business obligations, Mr. Krasnow has made time for civic and charitable works. He is active in numerous organizations, including REBNY, YM/WREA and the Westchester County Association, and serves as a member of the boards of the National Conference for Community and Justice, St. Mary's Foundation for Children and the Avenue of the Americas Association. I would also like to commend the 23rd Street Association for its success in enhancing the quality of life for families and businesses in the area bounded by the Hudson and East Rivers from 17th to 28th Street. Incorporated in 1929 by 22 local business people, today's 23rd Street Association has approximately 300 members. Their projects include conducting business-training programs in local junior high schools, mobilizing the community to support a $2.5 million renovation of Madison Square Park, working with the local police to combat drug dealing and other crime, and developing annual summertime concert programming and children's entertainment in the community. The Association is fortunate to represent individuals and organizations that are so committed to the advancement of their community. In recognition of the invaluable contributions and the selfless efforts of tonight's honorees, I ask that my colleagues join me in saluting the 23rd Street Association on 74 extraordinary years of service to the community.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Gary A. Beller of New York, in recognition of his retirement from an extraordinarily accomplished and distinguished career of over thirty years in the corporate legal profession. The practice of law is itself a worthy pursuit. It is an accomplishment to do outstanding work for outstanding companies, as Mr. Beller has done for two venerable giants of the financial services industry--American Express early in his career and more recently MetLife. But what I have learned is that the preeminent characteristic of the career of Gary Beller is his devotion to best practices and legal excellence; setting the standard for highly ethical and skilled legal work and consistently exceeding that standard out of sheer energy, talent, and sense of responsibility. As 2003 draws to a close, Gary Beller retires from his position as senior executive vice president and general counsel for MetLife. Mr. Beller joined MetLife in November 1994 and has since overseen the company's extensive legal affairs group as well as the mergers and acquisitions department. One of the notable accomplishments of his tenure at MetLife was his contribution to bringing the company public in 2003 from its previous status as a mutual company. MetLife became one of the most widely held public stocks as result of the successful completion of the transaction. This is the kind of high quality work that has made Gary Beller well known and respected professionally. To those who know him and work with him, Mr. Beller personifies the best of the corporate legal profession. The perfect example is his chairmanship of the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association, an organization devoted to establishing the best in ethical market conduct for the insurance industry. In addition to his professional success, Mr. Beller has also been a leader in his community. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York for 10 years and remains a Vice Chairman today. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, one of New York City's renowned social service agencies. In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the dedication and service of Gary Beller as he retires from MetLife. He is a role model of civic involvement, corporate loyalty and professionalism, and service to the legal profession. He deserves our congratulations and well wishes as he begins his retirement.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I would like to add that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL/CIO join my distinguished colleagues on both sides of the aisle in support of this amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts, the distinguished ranking member.

Mrs. MALONEY. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, the amendment extends to the new contracting officer of the various civilian agencies, including the new Department of Homeland Security, the same powers available to contracting officers of the Department of Defense in their dealings with the Federal Prison Industries. It will better enable them to get the best value for the taxpaying dollars being expended with FPI. Under FPI's 1934 authorizing statute, FPI is a mandatory source to all Federal agencies. Federal contracting officers must purchase products offered by FPI unless FPI authorizes, through the granting of a so-called waiver, the solicitation of competitive offers for the private sector. In making the unilateral determination to grant a waiver, FPI, rather than the buying agency, determines whether FPI's offered product and delivery schedule meet the mission's needs of the buying agency. FPI, rather than the buying agency, determines the reasonableness of FPI's offered price. While comprehensive FPI reform was being advanced in both Chambers, several Members of the other body devised a means to provide some modest interim relief to DOD's procurement professionals by including interim relief in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2002. That provision added a new section 2410(n) to title 10 of the U.S. Code which governs DOD. My amendment adds a new section to title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, which governs procurement by the civilian agencies. This new provision mirrors exactly the test of section 2410(n) in title 10. Specifically, my amendment will make explicit that a contracting officer is fully empowered to determine if a product offered by FPI is comparable to products available from the private sector that best meet the Department's needs in terms of price, quality, and time of delivery; provide a contracting officer access to the full range of market research tools to make the required determination and full discretion on how to use such tools; empower contracting officers to ensure that FPI performs its contractual obligations to the same extent as any other contractor; and prohibit inmate workers from having access to classified data, critical infrastructure data, and personal or financial data under any service contract. The text of the amendment being offered today was offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) and accepted by the Committee on Government Reform during its consideration of H.R. 1837, the Services Acquisition Reform Act, earlier this year.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise to voice my support for the Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of which I am a lead sponsor with my colleagues, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). We are living in difficult times, in a tough job market. The Federal Government should not be taking actions that put American working men and women out of work. But that is exactly what the Federal Prison Industries does. Federal Prison Industries has established eight business groups including the garment industry that use Federal prisoners to manufacture goods at cut rate prices. With its predatory practices, FPI has contributed to the closure of private companies and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs throughout the Nation. One of my constituents, Glamour Glove Company confronted FPI directly in 1997. FPI sought to simply take Glamour Glove's competitively won Defense Department contracts to make gloves for the military. If FPI had succeeded, Glamour Glove would have been out of business. And its workers, members of UNITE would have been out of work. I led a fight to save those jobs in my district and had strong support of my colleagues in this Congress. In the forefront was my friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra). We won that battle, but I recognize that FPI had to be fundamentally changed. It is examples like Glamour Glove that have brought us to where we are today. This bill will require FPI to compete for contracts while continuing to offer rehabilitative work opportunities to Federal prisoners. Federal prisoners will be allowed to compete, but it will not allow FPI to come in, arbitrarily, and close plants down across this country. This legislation will ensure that contracts are awarded to the company that will provide the best products, delivered on time, and at the best prices. Virtually all segments of business community led by the United States Chamber of Commerce, organized labor led by the AFL/CIO, and Federal managers represented by the Federal Managers Association enthusiastically support this bill. Passage of this legislation will not mean that inmates will sit idle in prison. This bill provides alternative rehabilitative opportunities including work in support of nonprofit public service organizations to better prepare inmates for a successful return to society. This bill authorizes $75 million dollars a year for vocational, education and work programs for Federal inmates. I urge my colleagues to put an end to this unfair government-sponsored monopoly.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his leadership. I rise in support of this rule and in support of the bill that will protect the jobs of American taxpayers. In a time when 3 million workers have lost their jobs, we should be doing everything possible to keep workers employed. FPI is not competing on a level playing field. It pays its workers pennies and is not required to pay taxes. With its predatory practices, FPI has contributed to the closure of private companies and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs throughout our Nation. With its predatory practices, I confronted them in 1997 when they tried to close one of my constituent's company, Glamour Glove. FPI sought to simply come in and take away all the competitively won contracts with the Department of Defense to make military gloves. If they had succeeded, Glamour Glove would be out of business and the workers of UNITE! would have been out of work. Outraged, I appeared before the FPI board with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), who was facing similar challenges in his own district, and we were successful in negotiating and saving these jobs; but this effort led to the bill that we have before us today. It has been a 7-year effort. I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra) for helping me save the jobs in Glamor Glove and for his work on this legislation. By passing this bill, we will save thousands of jobs across this country, and we will protect competition. We will allow the prison industries to compete with hardworking, tax-paying workers in America. This legislation will ensure that contracts are awarded to the company that will provide the best products, delivered on time and at the best prices, thereby saving not only jobs, but taxpayer dollars; in short, the way the free market is supposed to operate. The bill has large bipartisan support, over 140 of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and it has support both from the business community, led by the Chamber of Commerce, and organized labor, led by the AFL-CIO. Passage of this legislation will not mean that inmates will sit idly in prison. It also requires and provides for alternative rehabilitative opportunities, including work in support of nonprofit public service organizations, to better prepare inmates for a successful return to society. I urge my colleagues to put an end to this unfair, government- sponsored monopoly, which really would be more at home in communist Russia, under Fidel Castro or in mainland China, where people are paid pennies for their work, where there is no competition and workers are stripped of their jobs and thrown out on the street and not even given an opportunity to compete. This allows our workers to compete. It will save jobs. It is good for America, it is good for workers, and it is good for business. I urge a yes vote on the underlying bill and the rule.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, this bill marks the end of a very long journey to pass legislation that will put criminals behind bars and protect the innocent. I thank the extraordinary work of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) who brought all the pieces together and the long, long leadership of the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner) and so many others that have brought this successfully to the floor. In the 107th Congress, I authored a bill to provide funding to process the backlog of DNA evidence after holding a hearing with Congressman Horn where a courageous rape survivor, Debbie Smith, testified. After her testimony, there was not a dry eye in the room, where she told how she was dragged from her home and brutally raped while her husband slept upstairs. After medical attention and after many years of living in fear, Debbie finally learned that DNA processing techniques had produced a cold hit identifying her assailant. But her story in many ways is a story of many women. There is great violence against women in America. Every 2 seconds, there is a sexual assault against a woman. And we know that DNA techniques can convict and prevent rapists from attacking in the future. We know that each rapist will attack at least seven or eight times, according to law authorities, and each unprocessed DNA kit represents an innocent person, like Debbie Smith, or a rapist who could attack again if he is not put behind bars. This bill will literally protect many women from sexual assault. It is an extremely important bill, and it will help with this backlog of hundreds of thousands of rape kits that are sitting on shelves across America gathering dust, when, if it was processed, could convict and place a rapist behind bars. Mr. Speaker, there are many various important aspects of this bill. I am delighted that it includes the Debbie Smith act. I thank her for her courageous work, and many, many others. Earlier this year, I reintroduced similar legislation, along with Representative Mark Green. The bill would accomplish several critical objections including providing funding to process the backlog of DNA evidence, setting national standards for DNA evidence collection, providing grant money for Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner programs, and providing funding to train law enforcement authorities on the collection and handling of DNA evidence. I am delighted that the legislation that we are about to pass today includes ``The Debbie Smith Act.'' H.R. 3214 represents a bipartisan and bicameral effort to pass legislation that will put rapists in prison. Many domestic violence groups and activists, including former Congresswoman Liz Holtzman, have helped us to get to this point. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of Lifetime Television in fighting against domestic violence and sexual assault. And of course, this bill has had no greater champion than Debbie Smith herself. Tragically, the dismal reality is that only 6 percent of women who have been raped will ever see their attacker spend a day in jail. Once again, I sincerely thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for his leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation so that we can put an end to this travesty of justice.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce legislation that will ensure that local law enforcement is represented on Joint Terrorism Task Forces. It would codify the number of JTTFs for full nationwide coverage. This legislation allows for increased representation of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and provides for a sharing of federal and local law enforcement between agencies. No portion of our country is immune and no portion should be unprotected.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my support for a provision included in this legislation that was offered by myself, Congresswoman Biggert, Congressman Hyde, and Congressman Lantos, which devotes $60,000,000 to programs that will help Afghan women and girls, and $5,000,000 to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. This funding will go a long way toward making the lives of Afghan women better by providing critical services and by ensuring that they are not relegated to second-class status. I would like to thank my colleagues Congressman Young, Congressman Kolbe, Congresswoman Biggert, Congressman Hyde, and Congressman Lantos for their help in securing this funding as well as our counterparts in the other body who care so deeply about this issue.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I join people of Greek descent in Astoria, New York, the country, and the world in saluting the courageous acts of the Greeks against Mussolini and Hitler. October 28, 2003, marks the 63rd anniversary of a very historic day in Greek history. On October 28, 1940, the Italian Minister in Athens gave an ultimatum to the Prime Minister of Greece, demanding the unconditional surrender of Greece. His answer was ``Oxi,'' which means ``no'' in Greek. Military success for the Italians would have sealed off the Balkans from the south and helped Hitler's plan to invade Russia. In fact, the Italian army was fully equipped, well supplied, and backed by superior air and naval power. They were expected to overrun Greece within a short time. Fortunately, the Greek Army proved to be well trained and resourceful despite their lack of military equipment. In less than a week after the Italians first attacked, it was clear that their forces had suffered a serious setback in spite of having control of the air and fielding armored vehicles. On November 14th, the Greek Army launched a counteroffensive and quickly drove Italian forces far back into Albania. On December 6th, the Greeks captured Porto Edda and continued their advance along the seacoast toward Valona. By February 1, 1941, the Italians had launched strong counterattacks, but the determination of the Greek Army coupled with the severity of the winter weather, nullified the Italians' efforts. The Italians launched another offensive on March 12, 1941, but after six days of fighting, the Italians made only small gains, and it became clear that German intervention was necessary if the Italians were going to win. On March 26th, Hitler declared that he would make a clean sweep of the Balkans. It took him five weeks, until the end of April, to subdue Greece. It turned out to be an important five weeks. These five weeks delayed Hitler's invasion of Russia and contributed to the Germans' failure in Russia. The victory of the Greek Army against the Italians astonished the world. The heroic stance by the Greeks against insurmountable odds, was the first glimmer of hope for the Allies, and today we can take great pride in those who risked their lives to defend their country.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to address this proposed $87 billion appropriation for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan. I have been gravely concerned over the problems surrounding the reconstruction, over the poor planning for the postwar period and our inability to work productively with the international community to rebuild Iraq. The supplemental appropriation before us raises many difficult questions. With great reluctance, I will support this funding. I believe it will both support our soldiers and help increase their safety. Sixty-five billion dollars will directly aid our troops; I feel that the additional $18.6 billion in reconstruction aid will make them safer and get them home sooner. While I am going to support this funding request it should not be interpreted that I am supporting all of the policies and actions to date in the war effort. We need to do more. We need to get more countries involved to help with the security. We need to make the reconstruction effort more cost-effective. We need to follow the model set by Major General David Petraeus, whom I met with in Iraq. Advised by American engineers that rebuilding a cement factory to American standards would cost $15 million, General Petraeus took the initiative to identify Iraqi contractors, who were able to bring the factory back on line for a mere $80,000. That example and others like it inspired me to introduce an amendment to increase competitive bidding in Iraq and to encourage the use of Iraqi contractors and subcontractors. I regret that this amendment was not accepted and urge the administration to embrace a more open bidding process in the reconstruction of Iraq and to avoid the use of sole- source contracts. We need to be doing more to bring human rights to Iraq and Afghanistan. One measure of the success of our efforts will be the degree to which women are integrated into the political, economic, and educational life of these nations. I will offer amendments to ensure that women are fully included in the process of drafting Iraq's new constitution and to devote $65 million from a previous authorization to programs for Afghan women, amendments which I hope this body will support. Hundreds of my neighbors and constituents lost their lives at the hands of terrorists, some of whom were trained in Afghanistan. Twenty- five firehouses in my district lost men trying to save others whose lives were imperiled by those terrorists. I remember all too vividly the awful consequences of our failure in Afghanistan. History teaches us that, when America turned its industrial and economic might toward the cause of helping others around the world who sought to rebuild after bitter conflicts--for the reconstruction of a Europe ravaged by World War I; for the creation of democracies in Germany, Japan and Italy after the devastation of World War II; and for the political and economic rebirth of Central Europe after the Cold War--we truly succeeded in making our mark as the greatest nation on earth. Before us stands that opportunity once again. But we need to do a better job of winning the peace then we have been doing. We must work more productively with the international community to secure Iraq's transition to a stable democracy. I will support this budget request but with the understanding that we need to do better. Let us remember the past. Let us not repeat its failures. We do not have a choice to leave or to fail in Iraq. We must succeed.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, on October 15, 2003, I missed rollcall vote number 543. Rollcall vote 543 was on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to as amended H.R. 1848, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003. As I am a cosponsor of this important legislation and had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote 543.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I would like to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) for their support. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment which I am offering with the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) designates $60 million of the $672 million in the supplemental bill before us for accelerated assistance to Afghanistan to help women and girls. The amendment also directs $5 million to the National Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan, established by the Bond Agreement, which is doing critical work to monitor, remedy and create public awareness about rights abuses against women and others. Without human rights, the Afghan project and the efforts to create a constitution are seriously threatened.

Mrs. MALONEY. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for yielding time to me and for his continued leadership on so many important issues. Mr. Chairman, I will be offering an amendment later along with my colleague and very good friend the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert). It will discourage the ongoing violence against women in Afghanistan and the deplorable attacks on girls schools in that country. The legislation before us appropriates more than $230 million over the administration's request for Afghanistan, and I thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Ranking Member Obey) for making this increase possible. While the country has made progress in the last 2 years since the fall of the Taliban, warlords and reactionary Islamic forces continue to wage a campaign of hatred against their own women. According to recent press reports, more than 30 schools for Afghan girls were burned to the ground, depriving hundreds of girls of a chance to receive a basic education. This amendment designates $60 million of the $672 million in the supplemental bill to help women and girls. It also provides $5 million in support to the National Human Rights Commission in Afghanistan, which is doing critical work in bringing to light human rights abuses against women and men throughout the country. Without human rights, the Afghan Project and the efforts to create a constitution are seriously threatened. If we are to succeed in Afghanistan, these issues must be addressed and addressed now. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in support of the resolution and thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for his work. This resolution is a good start but I believe the House must do more to promote debt relief for Iraq. The sense of Congress states that France, Germany and Russia should recognize the role that Iraq's current debt could play in hindering its reconstruction. I strongly agree with this language but we should move beyond France, Germany and Russia on this issue. While total debt figures are difficult to gather, Representative Coalition Director Paul Bremer has put the number at roughly $200 billion, and actually, the debt of France, Germany and Russia is just a fraction of the total debt. Russia's estimated to be owed between $9 and $12 billion. The amount of Iraq's debt to France ranges from $1.7 to $4 billion and Germany is owed $4 billion. Iraq owes its neighboring countries far, far more money than it does Germany and Russia and over $4 billion is owed to the United States. Together with the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) I have introduced a bill, the Iraq Freedom from Debt Act, and this legislation would require the U.S. representatives at the IMF and World Bank to vote within these highly influential international financial institutions to reduce the debt owed to Iraq. The IMF and World Bank are owed roughly $150 million, and together with the U.S., these institutions are working with the international community on the donor conference to reduce Iraq's debt. As my colleague pointed out, the neighboring countries of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait owe much much more. Just this past weekend in Qatar, the foreign minister indicated the $1.5 billion owed to Qatar, they would negotiate relief in that debt. Much of this debt was odious debt to build palaces for Saddam Hussein, and certainly the people of Iraq should not be saddled with having to repay it. I will put the balance of my remarks in the record in the interest of time.

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mrs. MALONEY

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?