Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. We just came through a campaign in which everybody talked about the need for deficit reduction. The bipartisan Bowles- Simpson commission made it clear that we are on an unsustainable course. When they presented their report, everybody in this town nodded gravely and said this is important work. Yet here we are, less than a month later, making the problem worse. Mr. Speaker, I cannot support the underlying legislation as written. I know we will have an opportunity to improve this bill by supporting an amendment to pare back some of the estate tax cuts for the wealthiest estates in America. I urge my colleagues to support that amendment. Mr. Speaker, we can do better than this. We must do better than this. Future generations are counting on us.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the recent congressional elections here in the United States focused on many issues, but the war in Afghanistan was not one of them. There is no draft in this country. We have an all-volunteer Armed Forces. Only a small percentage of our population is at risk. And no one is paying for the war. It is all going on America's credit card. We are borrowing all the money to pay for this war. So, why should anyone pay attention? I believe, Mr. Speaker, that we must pay more attention. There is absolutely no excuse for our collective indifference. At 109 months, this is the longest war in our history. Over 1,400 of our uniformed men and women have lost their lives in Afghanistan. Over 8,700 have been wounded in action. High levels of deployment continue to strain our uniformed men and women, their families and their communities. In spite of the military's best efforts, suicide and post-traumatic stress rates continue to soar and our ability to care for the wounded is severely overburdened. The ability of individual servicemembers and their units to rest, recuperate, retrain and reequip themselves for redeployment is stretched beyond its limits. And in Afghanistan, our so-called ally, President Hamad Karzai, is corrupt. The Afghan military and the police are not reliable partners and al Qaeda is someplace else. A few weeks ago, President Obama told us we are in Afghanistan for at least another 4 years, maybe more. The question is, for what? Why do we need to sacrifice more precious American lives? Why do we need to continue to align ourselves with a crooked government that routinely commits fraud in elections? Why aren't we instead using all of our resources to go after the terrorists that murdered so many of our civilians on September 11? The Republicans won back the majority of the House by promising to control spending and reducing the deficit. This war has already cost us over $450 billion. When combined with the cost of the war in Iraq, it accounts for 23 percent of our combined deficits since 2003. Where is the outcry from the tea partiers and the deficit hawks? Fiscal conservatives should be outraged that this war is being financed with borrowed money. And for those who support the war, you should pay for it. And where is the liberal outrage? For those of us who are tired of being told that we don't have enough money to extend unemployment benefits or invest in green jobs or new jobs, we should be yelling and screaming at the fact that when it comes to the war in Afghanistan and supporting Hamad Karzai, our Treasury is an ATM machine. Let us put in perspective what this war truly costs and what we must give up in order to maintain the status quo. According to Nobel Laureate and Columbia University professor Joseph Stiglitz, testifying before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, the total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including interest payments on the money borrowed for these wars and taking care of our wounded soldiers and veterans, will likely be between $4 trillion and $6 trillion. Yes, Mr. Speaker, between $4 trillion and $6 trillion. On Saturday, December 11, Mr. Speaker, another soldier from my district sacrificed his life in Afghanistan. Army Specialist Ethan Goncalo was just 21 years old when he died in Kabul. He is the third graduate of Durfee High School in Fall River to die in uniform this year, and the fourth servicemember from Fall River, a town of 90,000 residents. His loss is deeply felt in this tight-knit community, and my thoughts and prayers are with his parents, family, friends, and schoolmates. Mr. Speaker, I believe the human and financial costs of this war are unacceptable and unsustainable. It is bankrupting us. We need a plan to extricate ourselves from Afghanistan, not a plan to stay there for 4 more years and ``then we'll see.'' This doesn't mean that we abandon the Afghan people, Mr. Speaker. Rather, we should abandon this war strategy. It hasn't brought stability to Afghanistan, and it is not enhancing our own national security. Ending war is politically difficult. It is easier for politicians to ``go along'' rather than make waves. But, Mr. Speaker, this isn't about politics. It's about doing the right thing. And the right thing is to end this war. [From the Boston Globe, Dec. 14, 2010] Wartime Losses Hit Hard in Tightknit Fall River (By David Abel and John M. Guilfoil) Fall River.--A week before Army Specialist Ethan Goncalo was scheduled to speak at BMC Durfee High School, where he had been an A student known for his fastball, the 21-year-old died in Afghanistan. He became the school's third graduate to die in uniform this year and the fourth servicemember from Fall River. In Massachusetts, only Boston, with six times the population of Fall River, has lost more of its own in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to icasualties.org, which tracks military deaths. ``As a community, it's tough . . . very tough,'' principal Paul Marshall said yesterday. Marshall said the succession of deaths has made him wonder whether it was wise for administrators to steer students into the military. ``In time of peace, it's a great opportunity,'' he said. ``Kids can get their education paid for, but they are literally putting their life on the line.'' Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, Fall River has lost five servicemembers, and Boston has lost seven. Goncalo, who was assigned to the First Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment in Worcester, died Saturday in Kabul of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident, military officials said. In addition to Goncalo, Fall River has lost Army Private Michael E. Bouthot, a 19-year-old who died in Iraq in 2006; Army Sergeant Robert Barrett, a 21-year-old who died in Afghanistan in April; Army Specialist Scott Andrews, also 21, who was killed in June in Afghanistan; and Marine Corporal Paul Fagundes, 29, who died July 4 while trying to rescue fellow Marines drowning in a rip current off Guantanamo Bay. Barrett and Fagundes were also Durfee graduates. ``It seems surreal that we would lose this many heroes,'' said Manuel DaPonte, director of veterans services in Fall River, which has about 90,000 residents. ``It's really hard to believe. It doesn't seem real or fair for so many people to die from a city our size.'' Mayor Will Flanagan said it was hard for him to imagine attending his fourth military funeral this year, his first term in office. ``It has had a toll on me,'' he said. ``This is a time for me to reflect and to be there for the families and the city, to honor any requests they have.'' He said the city has paid tribute to the fallen in parades and through benefits. In addition, he said the city plans to rename the reconstructed Brightman Street Bridge the Veteran's Memorial Bridge when it is rededicated in the spring. ``Fall River is a hard-working community, a patriotic community, and our young men see the military as a way to serve,'' said Flanagan. ``It provides them stability in their lives and gives them an opportunity to further their education and to earn an income.'' He added: ``We are deeply saddened by the loss, but these young men paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and democracy. Their losses are not in vain, and their memories will not be forgotten.'' At Durfee yesterday, friends, coaches, and administrators described Goncalo as a talented baseball player, a driven student, and a good friend. He had agreed to address his school during his upcoming leave. Marshall said each of the young men who attended the 2,200- student school was the kind of person you would want beside you in a foxhole. ``They were stand-up kids,'' he said. ``The common thing is that they made their commitment with their eyes wide open.'' He said Goncalo, who graduated from Durfee in 2008 after transferring there a year earlier from Bishop Connolly High School, fit in immediately. ``It felt like he was here for four [years],'' Marshall said. ``He was that kind of kid.'' Brad Bustin, the varsity baseball coach at Durfee, described Goncalo as ``dedicated, well-rounded, and a hard worker.'' Goncalo was a utility player who caught and pitched, with an arm strong enough to play outfield and a glove good enough to play first base. ``He was a nice, nice kid, easy to get along with and liked by all the other kids,'' Bustin said. ``He was just a happy person, a happy kid, always smiling.'' The school put a large piece of paper in the school cafeteria with several boxes of magic markers. Students described Goncalo as a ``good man'' and a ``big brother.'' ``You were a great teammate, friend, and an overall good man,'' wrote one student, Nathan Farias. ``Thank you for all you helped me with.'' Danielle Santos, another student, also thanked the fallen soldier. ``You were the nicest guy and a great athlete,'' she wrote. ``You will be missed.'' Goncalo's relatives could not be reached yesterday and were apparently heading to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where his body was to be brought sometime today or tomorrow, city officials said. The military did not release details about his death. On Goncalo's Facebook page, friends sang his praises. Bryanna Rego, who attended Bishop Connolly High School with Goncalo, recalled how he loved to goof around. ``Ethan was an amazing person,'' she wrote. ``. . . He made an impact on so many people's lives, and his face will be engraved in not only mine, but in the hearts of everyone who knew him.''

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1755 provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 3082. The rule makes in order a motion offered by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee that the House concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 3082 with the amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying the resolution. The rule provides 1 hour of debate on the motion, with 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations and 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the motion. Finally, the rule provides that the Senate amendment and the motion shall be considered as read. Mr. Speaker, today the House will consider the FY 2011 continuing resolution legislation that will fund the Federal Government for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. Additionally, this bill contains the food safety bill, as passed by the Senate, with minor technical corrections. I am grateful to Mr. Obey and Mr. Dingell for their incredible leadership. Both these measures need to be passed. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman again for his comments and congratulate him and his party for their election victory. I look forward to voting for nothing but open rules next year. I also just want to say that we need to pass this rule so we can pass the continuing resolution, which is important, and to pass this food safety bill. And, again, I am baffled by the controversy. Anybody who has watched the news over the last several years remembers tainted spinach, tainted eggs, recall after recall after recall. The fact is that our food safety system in this country needs to be strengthened and modernized. Everybody knows that. I began my presentation today by listing the thousands and thousands and thousands of people who get sick each year from tainted food. And my friends on the other side of the aisle stand up, and they are standing with the special interests rather than with the consumer. And I worry, quite frankly, about the direction of this Congress, because they are heart and soul with the corporate special interests, and they neglect time and time again the average consumer, the average worker. And that is what this bill is about, to protect the consumer from tainted food that we get from other countries. Why is this so controversial? I don't know. So having said that, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the gentleman from Texas, I thank him for his views. We always appreciate hearing his unique point of view. I thought that the election ended several weeks ago, but apparently it hasn't. But I would just like to say for the record that we are in a difficult economy in large part because of the policies that were pursued by my friends on the other side of the aisle. We are in this debt that we are in now in large part because of tax cuts for mostly wealthy people that were not paid for; they took Bill Clinton's surplus and turned it into a deficit; a Medicare prescription drug bill that was double, triple the cost that it was advertised to be, not paid for; and two wars that are not paid for. On top of that, when they were in charge, they let the financial industries do whatever the heck they wanted to do. They did, and they stuck it to the American people, and we are now trying to dig ourselves out of this economy. I am sorry the gentleman is not for safer food safety measures, but let me just point out for the record that while the food supply in the United States is one of the safest in the world, each year about 76 million illnesses occur, more than 300,000 persons are hospitalized, and 5,000 die from food-borne illnesses. An increasing portion of our food now comes from overseas, I am sad to say. Our food safety system was designed 100 years ago and was appropriate for a world in which most of our food was grown and processed domestically. Meanwhile, the FDA has struggled in recent years with outbreaks of food-borne illnesses and nationwide recalls of contaminated food from both domestic and foreign sources. The food safety bill that we will be voting on today modernizes our food safety system to better prevent food-borne illness and respond to outbreaks. I can't believe that a food safety bill designed to protect the American people is somehow controversial, but everything that we propose, everything that this President has proposed they are against, so there is nothing new here. Again, I would urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I also ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 1755.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. I yield myself such time as I may consume. General Leave

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1755 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. I want to begin by thanking the gentleman from Florida for not only yielding me the time but for his service here in Congress. He has been an incredible Member, and I look forward to his return. As well, I thank my friend, my colleague from New Jersey, for his comments. I would also like to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros- Lehtinen for their leadership and support of this bill. I also appreciate the support of Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer and the bipartisan cochairs of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, Representatives Maloney and Bilirakis. Madam Speaker, I was very proud to introduce H. Res. 1704, along with my good friend and colleague, John Sarbanes of Maryland, to honor the 2,500th anniversary of the Greek Battle of Marathon. Every time someone runs a marathon race, he is commemorating one of the most momentous events in Western history, the Battle of Marathon, fought in 490 B.C. A few thousand Athenian and other Greek soldiers destroyed a huge force of invading Persians on the plain of Marathon, a victory widely believed to have ensured the democratic legacy of Western culture. A soldier charged with carrying the important news of victory back to Athens literally ran his heart out to deliver that message--and so the spirit of the marathon was born. There is a deep connection between the nation of Greece, the city of Marathon, Greece, the Massachusetts town of Hopkinton, and the city of Boston. Hopkinton, Massachusetts, which I am proud to represent, is where each year the Boston Marathon begins. In 2008, in preparation for the 2,500th anniversary, the city of Marathon asked Hopkinton to be the guardian of the Marathon Flame, and brought it to Hopkinton, its sister city, in order to embody the spirit of Marathon all over the United States. This year, as part of the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon, the Flame of Marathon was brought by Hopkinton to Washington, D.C., to honor the 35th anniversary of the Marine Corps Marathon and its race director, Mr. Rick Nealis. I recently had the privilege of honoring Mr. Nealis at a dinner in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, celebrating the partnership between the town of Hopkinton, the Boston Marathon, and the Marine Corps Marathon. The Boston Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, and the New York City Marathon are among the three stellar marathon races organized each year in the United States, but over 500 marathon races take place every year around the world, including scores of races in the United States involving hundreds of thousands of American and foreign athletes, all seeking to emulate the spirit of that first marathon run 2,500 years ago this year. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Timothy Kilduff and Michael Neece with the Hopkinton Athletic Association for all the support they have given to this resolution. I also want to thank the Board of Selectmen of the town of Hopkinton for their steadfast support of Hopkinton's proud tradition as the starting place for the Boston Marathon each year, and for their support of this bill. I also want to express a special ``thank you'' to the Embassy of Greece, most notably to Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis, Minister Counselor for Cultural Affairs Zoe Kosmidou, and Constantinos Orphanides, the Consul General for Greece at the consulate in Boston. I have been a longtime spectator but never a participant of the Boston Marathon or of the Marine Corps Marathon, and I am honored to support this resolution that honors these two events that are such a source of pride to the people who live and work in Massachusetts and the Nation's Capital. I honor the people of Greece, the city of Marathon, and the memory of the Battle of Marathon. I ask all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and I can't wait until we honor the 5,000th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon and the establishment of Western democracy. Remarks by H.E. Ambassador of Greece Mr. Vassilis Kaskarelis at the Marine Corps Marathon Press Conference, Washington, DC, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010 Honored Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great honor for Greece and even more so for myself to be participating in these inspiring events that mark, on the one hand, 2,500 years from the Battle of Marathon and on the other, the 35th anniversary of the annual Marine Corps Marathon. We read and hear of Greece's contributions to Western civilization, of having invented democracy, having given us great works of philosophy and literature, but we often forget Greece's holistic approach to life and living, that is ``noyw ygihw en dvmati ygiei'', that is ``healthy body mind in a healthy body''. Today at the Walter Washington Convention Center, as we are surrounded by the spirit of a healthier approach to our daily living, we ought to consider whether we would be living in a different world, had it not been for the victory at Marathon 2,500 years ago. One might wonder, and rightly so, as to why a Battle that was fought thousands of years ago, might still be important today, and why commemorate it 2,500 years later. The answer is simple. The Battle of Marathon, won by a handful of Athenians, was decisive not only for the future of Greece, but also the future of Western civilization.The Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon allowed for the establishment of democracy. It allowed for the flourishing of the classical period of Greek culture, establishing the foundation of the Western civilization. One wonders whether Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes might have written their definitive works had the Battle of Marathon had a different result. Would Socrates, perhaps even Plato and Aristotle have laid the foundation of western philosophy? Would the democratic principles, which, unfortunately, we take for granted today, have developed as they have? Most of you know that the Marathon run, as we know it today, was instituted in the 1896 Olympics, and was won, if I may say so, by a Greek peasant, Spyros Louis. Today, there are more than 500 marathons throughout the world each year. They are inspirational gatherings, which bring together thousands of athletes of different cultures, ethnicities and races, an accomplishment in and of itself. Many are also run to raise awareness for good causes. Phidippides, the first so-called Marathon runner, the man who ran to tell his fellow citizens of their glorious victory in the city of Marathon, is the stuff of legends around the world. His story, as the story of many current Marathon runners, who dedicate themselves to the pursuit of athletic excellence, continue to inspire us. And as the Olympic Games, so do marathon runs offer a moment in time when differences are forgotten and participants are unified in the pursuit of an ideal. Greece is grateful to Marathon Committees around the United States for organizing the 2500th anniversary celebrations in conjunction with Marathon runs throughout the country. We thank all of them for their participation in these commemorative events. We are also grateful to the Boston Marathon and the city of Hopkinton, the guardian of the Marathon Flame, which carries the spirit of Marathon all over the U.S. The cities of Hopkinton and Marathon are sister-cities and share similar cultural and athletic values. Most of all, we thank the United States Marines for bringing the Marathon flame from Hopkinton to Washington, under the auspices of the 35th Marine Corps Marathon and Race Director, Mr. Rick Nealis. We are privileged to continue this tradition and honored to be celebrating it with the Marine Corps Marathon, also known as ``The People's Marathon''. It is on occasions such as this that we realize our common past and hopefully realize that we ought to work for a common future. Thank you.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, this morning I was proud to participate in a press conference in honor of Mr. Liu Xiaobo, the 2010 Laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. I was joined by my fellow co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Congressman Frank Wolf, as well as Representatives Joseph Pitts, Chris Smith (NJ), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, David Wu and Robert Aderholt. Representatives from human rights organizations also made statements in support of Mr. Liu, including Sophie Richard with Human Rights Watch; T. Kumar with Amnesty International; Paula Schriefer with Freedom House; Todd Stein with the International Campaign for Tibet; Clothilde de Le Coz with Reporters Without Borders; and Harry Wu, well-known Chinese human rights activist. I would like to submit the statement that I made this morning in support of Liu Xiaobo's non-violent advocacy on behalf of democratic and human rights in China and his having been awarded this well- deserved honor. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen: Today I proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with my colleagues in Congress and so many distinguished human rights defenders and congratulate Liu Xiaobo on being awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. When the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced its decision on October 8th, it renewed its past proud history of awarding this prestigious award to outstanding individuals and groups who embody incredible courage and humanity in the face of severe suppression, to bravely stand up for their fellow citizens, for truth, democracy and human rights--despite the likely consequences. The Nobel Committee in its announcement specifically cited that it awarded the Peace Prize to Mr. Liu because of ``his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.'' When the award ceremony takes place this Friday in Oslo, Norway, on December 10th, International Human Rights Day, Mr. Liu will be serving yet another day of the 11-year sentence he received last December for alleged `subversion of State power.' If the Chinese government had to explain what exactly is the alleged `subversion,' it would of course be hard pressed. Mr. Liu's entire life has been dedicated to the peaceful reform of his country, a country that yearns for greater space for democracy and human rights. That is exactly why the People's Republic of China does not explain its blatant abuse of judicial power, or allow judicial review or meaningful court proceedings in the first place. Instead, China immediately embarked on a massive international campaign to pressure the Nobel Committee not to award the Prize to Mr. Liu as the first Chinese recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and pressed foreign governments not to attend the ceremonies in Oslo. We remember how China responded in a similar fashion when His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, won the award, and when Uyghur human rights and democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer was nominated for the Peace Prize. China's arm reaches far, and the PRC, unfortunately, has been able to exert pressure on a handful of countries. The United States, however, must be a beacon of hope. I call on President Obama--as a Peace Prize recipient himself--to send a high level delegation to Oslo as a very clear signal to the world that the U.S. stands full square for human rights and democracy, and that we stand with Liu Xiaobo and the Chinese human rights and democracy movement. China also cracked down harshly on any attempts to celebrate Mr. Liu's achievements in his country, and has so far prevented Mr. Liu's wife, Liu Xia, from traveling to Oslo, as well as most of China's democracy activists and scholars who were invited by Mr. Liu's family. The speeches in Oslo will no doubt highlight Mr. Liu's incredible courage and peaceful convictions. We will hear about his leadership as a writer, literary critic, professor and human rights activist; his role during the 1989 pro- democracy protest in Tiananmen Square, where he negotiated on behalf of student demonstrators, that he served as President of the Independent Chinese PEN Center since 2003, and the prominent leadership role he played in the drafting of one of the most important Chinese reform documents, Charter 08. This Friday, Mr. Liu will take his rightful place among those human rights giants who were also imprisoned when they were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize--Germany's Carl von Ossietzky in 1935 and Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi in 1991. But what Mr. Liu needs most is not the ornate medal, or even the cash prize which goes with the award, but our ongoing commitment to stand with him and the goals and aspirations he represents. That is our job as law makers, NGOs, the public, and the international community--today, tomorrow, in Oslo, and most importantly, beyond December 10th. Mr. KLEIN OF Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. When my friends talk about passing on to future generations debt, I can't help but wonder where they were when President Bush passed these tax cuts that added over a trillion dollars to our debt, totally unpaid for, most of it going to millionaires and billionaires. And I want to know where they are right now, they want to extend the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and they still don't want to pay for it. But somehow when it comes to debt and piling it on to future generations, when it comes to tax cuts for very wealthy people, they're silent. Where were they when President Bush at 2 o'clock in the morning, they kept a roll call open for 3 hours and passed a Medicare prescription drug bill that cost hundreds of billions of dollars that was totally unpaid for. That cost a lot more than was advertised. Totally silent. Where are they when some of us are saying, we ought to pay for these wars. If you want them, you ought to pay for them or end them. I'd prefer to end them, but for those who want them you ought to pay for them. They're silent. When it comes to closing loopholes for big corporations that routinely stick it to the American people, no, no, we can't do that. Even though it might save money for taxpayers, we can put it toward deficit reduction. No, no, no. Those are very wealthy special interests. They want to protect them, whether it's Big Oil or big pharmaceuticals or whatever, at any cost. So when I hear them talk about debt, I am reminded of the fact that when President Clinton left office we had a surplus. They ran this place and drove this economy into a ditch. And quite frankly, it's been a nightmare trying to dig us out of this ditch. And I give the President great credit for his courage in trying to move this country forward in the area of health care, and today in the area of trying to move this bill forward on child nutrition. So they have no credibility when it comes to talking about reducing deficits or debt. And, in fact, as we speak, they are trying to figure out a way I think probably to defeat this bill, to take the money that this bill costs, the offsets for this bill, take that money and put it toward tax cuts for rich people. I mean, that's what they want do. So again, I would urge my colleagues to understand the importance of what we are doing today. We are trying to make sure that our kids get healthy food and nutritious food in school settings. We are trying to pave the way for healthy futures for our kids. We want to make sure our kids can learn better. This is important stuff that we are talking about here today, and I would urge all my colleagues to support the rule and to support the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me just say to the gentlewoman that when they are in charge next year, I am happy to support her in eliminating excessive paperwork. But I wish she and others would understand the importance of what we are discussing here today, feeding hungry kids, making sure that our children get nutritious meals at schools. I mean, I've got to be honest with you. I think that's a hell of a lot more important. The fact that, to some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, this appears as if it's some sort of a trivial issue tells me that they haven't been to food banks and they haven't been in some of their schools talking to teachers and talking to the people who oversee the food service program about the challenges that so many school districts face in providing healthy meals to our kids. We all talk about how we want to control health care costs. Let's give our kids healthy food in school settings. That will do more to control health care costs and ensure that kids will have a healthy adulthood. You want to deal with the issue of better test scores? Making sure kids have a good, nutritious meal in a school setting is one of the ways to do that. That's an important issue. This is a big deal what we're talking about here today. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation that has come to this floor, and I would appreciate if my friends on the other side of the aisle would join us in supporting this underlying bill so we can get it on the President's desk at the end of the day to get him to sign this so we can move forward in an area that is of great importance. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) who's been a champion on this and so many issues dealing with food insecurity and hunger and good nutrition.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield the gentleman from California an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Baca), who will focus on the important issue of child nutrition.

Mr. McGOVERN. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. McGOVERN. Let me just respond to my colleague briefly by saying, when he talks about borrowing, I can't help but be reminded of the fact that my friends on the other side of the aisle have borrowed countless billions of dollars to pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. They have no problem with doing that. They have no problem with borrowing money to pay for wars. That all goes onto our credit card. They have no problem with that. Mr. Speaker, what we are doing here is improving the quality of nutritious food that our kids will have access to. In doing so, we accomplish a number of things. One is we end up with healthier kids who, quite frankly, will grow up to be healthier adults, which--guess what?--will cost less to our public systems. We are ensuring when our kids get healthy meals that they can learn better in school. I don't think there is any debate-- maybe there is on that side of the aisle--about the fact that there is a tie between kids' ability to concentrate and learn and having adequate food and having healthy food. So I would say to my colleague Mr. Diaz-Balart, we are paying for it, and I know we are paying for it because I don't like the offset. I don't like the fact that the offset that the Senate gave us was in the SNAP Program. I've been fighting that offset. That is a real offset and it has real consequences. It is one of the reasons we are lobbying the White House: to find an alternative offset. But let's not diminish the fact that, by passing this bill, we are actually saving this government countless billions, if not trillions, of dollars down the road by making sure that our kids have access to nutritious food in the school setting. At this point, I yield 3 minutes to a valued member of the Rules Committee, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, my Republican friends will do what they always do. They will come up with some stunts to try to get us to delay or to not pass this bill today. That's just what they do. And the fact is that if we change this underlying bill in any way--and I would urge my colleagues to be prepared for probably an uncomfortable or an ugly motion to recommit later on in the debate. But if any of their procedural stunts prevail, then we will end up not passing this bill-- the Senate will not consider an amended child nutrition bill; it ends it right here and now--and that would be a tragedy. I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stop the politics just for a few minutes and do the right thing when it comes to this child nutrition bill. This is a bill that will improve access for our kids. This is a bill that increases the focus on nutrition quality and on children's health. It is a bill that will improve program management and program integrity. It is fully paid for at no cost to the taxpayers. And I would say to my colleagues on the Democratic side who are concerned about the current offset, that we have a commitment from the White House to fix that in a future vehicle so that the offset is not the SNAP cuts. But the underlying bill here is a good bill, is a good bill that will mean a world of difference for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of our kids all throughout this country. Making sure that hungry kids get at least one, hopefully more than one nutritious meal a day in a school setting is something we all should be for. It should not be the subject of partisan politics. Making sure our kids get healthy, nutritious food and not junk in school should be a priority of all of ours, Republican and Democrat alike. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. I mean, the fact that we are here today and there is some controversy around this bill tells me that it's just politics as usual. My friends on the Republican side don't like it because the President likes it. Well, you know what? That's been the routine throughout the entire tenure of this President. But for once, for once, just put the party politics aside and do what's right. I cochair the House Hunger Caucus and the Congressional Hunger Center. Hunger is a problem in this country. There are tens of millions of our citizens who are hungry. Seventeen million children in this country, the United States of America, the richest country on this planet, are hungry. It's a national disgrace. All of us in this Congress should be ashamed of that fact, that we haven't been able to help be part of the solution in a more significant way. This is one way that we can be part of that solution. I have a list of national organizations and State organizations, too many to put in the Congressional Record, but it is significant. The support across this country for this legislation is significant. I want to thank the Speaker of the House and Chairman George Miller and Rosa DeLauro and Carolyn McCarthy and Barbara Lee and so many others who have been part of this legislation. I want to thank Senator Blanche Lincoln, who was a champion of this legislation over in the Senate. But we must act today. We must do what's right for our kids, not for our political party, but for our kids. So enough of the stunts. Let's say ``no'' to all the stunts today. Let's say ``yes'' to this important child nutrition reauthorization bill, ``yes'' to a healthier future for our kids, ``yes'' to making sure they can better learn in school, ``yes'' to developing better and healthier habits that will last them a lifetime. This is a good, this is an important bill. This is a big deal today. This is a huge deal, and everybody should join and support the final passage of the bill. So I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule. I urge my colleagues not to fall for any motion to recommit stunts when the bill is under consideration.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H. Res. 1742 provides a closed rule for consideration of S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and Labor. The rules waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 of rule XXI. The rule provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against provisions of the bill. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit the bill with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, as many of my colleagues know, my colleague from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) has decided not to seek reelection and move on to other endeavors in his home State of Florida. I just want to publicly thank him for his friendship over the years, and also thank him for his great service not only to the people of Florida but to the people of this country. This may be the last rule that we handle together, so I wanted to take this opportunity simply to acknowledge his service and to thank him. Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity today to pass a very good bill that will improve the lives of our children. And I believe that we must seize that opportunity. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Miller, Congresswoman DeLauro, Congresswoman McCarthy, and others who have worked so hard on this issue. And I want to say a special thank you to First Lady Michelle Obama. She has been an incredible champion for our children, particularly in the areas of nutrition and obesity. She has challenged us to live up to one of our highest moral obligations--to make sure that the children of this Nation have the nutritious food they need to grow, to thrive, and to succeed. Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues know, I chair both the House Hunger Caucus and the Congressional Hunger Center, and I've said many times that hunger is a political condition. We have the resources to end hunger, particularly childhood hunger, and what we need is the political will to make it happen. President Obama has pledged to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. If we support that goal, then we must pass this bill. I hope that the Members of this House, all of us, Democrats and Republicans, can come together today to summon the political will necessary to move forward on this issue. There is not a single community in America that is hunger free. Talk to any food bank. They will tell you that the demand has never been greater, and far too many of the people who need help are children. The child nutrition bill that we will take up today gives us a chance to provide healthy meals to hundreds of thousands of children who need them. It's also important to remember that hunger and obesity are two sides of the same coin. The fact is that highly processed, empty calorie foods are less expensive than fresh, nutritious foods. That's why so many families are forced to make unhealthy choices. This bill increases the reimbursement to schools for meals by 6 cents a meal, 6 cents, and that's the first increase in 30 years. Too often, the only nutritious food our kids get is in a school setting, and this bill also increases access to after-school programs. And the bill helps communities to establish farm-to-school networks, which are not just good for children, but they're also good for our local farmers. Now, it's no secret, Mr. Speaker, that I've had concerns with how this bill is paid for, and I remind my colleagues that this bill is fully paid for. The cuts to the SNAP, or food stamp, program don't make a lot of sense to me. I don't believe we should be taking access to food away from some people in order to provide it for others. But we have been assured, repeatedly, by the President and the White House that they will work with us to restore these cuts, and I look forward to working with the administration and my colleagues to make sure that the White House lives up to that commitment. Quite frankly, if I did not believe that this commitment to restore SNAP funding was real, I would have had a hard time voting for the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, this bill, this exact same piece of legislation, passed unanimously in the Senate. Every single Member in the Senate, including a Who's Who of the most conservative Republicans, voted for reauthorizing our child nutrition programs. Unfortunately, from what I heard in the Rules Committee last night, that probably won't happen today in the House. Some of my friends on the other side of the aisle have no problem expanding wasteful weapons systems. They have no problem expanding tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires on Wall Street, but apparently, some of them have a problem with expanding access to nutritious food for our children. They say it's an outrageous example of Big Government or that a high school basketball team would be prohibited from having a bake sale. Nonsense. Utter nonsense. As the president of the national PTA has said, ``The measure will effectively eliminate the constant presence of junk food in school while allowing reasonable practices like periodic PTA or other school group fundraisers, such as bake sales, and the sale of hot dogs and sodas at after-school sporting events.'' An extra few million for a hedge fund manager who doesn't need it? No problem, so my Republican friends say, but heaven forbid we spend another 6 cents to make sure our kids have a more healthy school lunch. Those may be their priorities, Mr. Speaker, but they're not mine, and they're not the priorities of the people in my district. Some of my friends on the other side will say that they want no children in our country to go hungry. Fair enough. Here's their opportunity to put their vote where their rhetoric is. Here's their opportunity to demonstrate that their concern for the hungry in this country is more than just lip service. Mr. Speaker, I understand the politics here. It's pretty simple. If the President's for it, my Republican friends are against it. But I would ask them and I would plead with them to check those politics at the door just this once. Please don't sacrifice an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of our children on the altar of partisan politics. The need to act is clear. Our moral obligation is clear. Our children are getting sicker and sicker and sicker. If kids don't have enough nutritious food to eat they don't learn. We are wasting millions and millions of dollars on health care for diseases like diabetes and heart disease that are preventable with healthier diets. Today, we could begin to turn that tide. Please join us in doing the right thing. I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 1742.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart). All time yielded during consideration of the rule is for debate only. General Leave