Sue Myrick

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 247 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Frost, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for purposes of debate only. Yesterday, the Committee on Rules met and granted a structured rule for H.R. 1588, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. This rule provides for further consideration of the bill and makes in order only those amendments printed in the Committee on Rules report accompanying the resolution and amendments en bloc described in section 2 of the resolution. The amendments printed in the report shall be considered only in the order printed in the report, except as specified in section 3 of the resolution, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. Each amendment shall be debatable for 10 minutes, unless otherwise specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to amendment, except that the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services may each offer one pro forma amendment for the purpose of further debate on any pending amendment. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. This is a fair rule. It is a traditional, structured rule for defense authorization, and it provides for debate on 30 additional amendments that deal with pertinent issues, including personnel issues, maritime security, quality-of-life issues for our servicemen and women, and a number of noncontroversial concerns. The most controversial of these measures is certain to be the modernization of the personnel system. Modernizing the management system is imperative to national security and the retention and recruitment of civilian personnel. The Committee on Armed Services believes that the important lessons learned from various demonstration projects within DOD should be applied across the Department. These projects have shown to improve the expeditious hiring of qualified personnel, have been valuable in providing flexible personnel compensation and assignment systems, and have improved organizational efficiency. These demonstration projects have also been highly successful in attracting and maintaining high- quality work forces. The reforms included in this legislation would be similar to the flexibility provided to the Department of Homeland Security. Finally, I believe that the Secretary of Defense should have more flexible management authority. H.R. 1588 is more than just a signal to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines that this Nation recognizes their sacrifices. It is the means by which we meet our commitment to providing them a decent quality of life by providing an across-the-board 4.1 percent pay increase for military personnel, so as to sustain the commitment and professionalism of America's all-voluntary Armed Forces and the families that support them. While our men and women in uniform have swiftly dispatched our enemies abroad, they face increasingly complex personal and professional challenges at home. We must do more to take care of those who are putting their lives on the line to defend our freedom, and for the families that support them. Currently, the Survivor Benefit Program for the survivor of an injured or ill service member who lives long enough to be disability retired is better than the benefit for the survivor of a service member who dies instantaneously. I am deeply concerned about this inequity and am pleased that this legislation recommends that the Secretary of Defense review SPB procedures and propose legislation to ensure equitable treatment for the survivors of all members of our military, regardless of their circumstances. With Memorial Day on Monday, it is only fitting to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our country. Let us take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to those who are currently defending our homeland and abroad by passing this rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes), my neighbor and a member of the Committee on Armed Services. (Mr. HAYES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Rules. (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for purposes of debate only. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Rules met and granted a structured rule for H.R. 1588, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. The rule provides for 2 hours of general debate, equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services. It waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. Finally, it allows that the chairman of the Committee of the Whole may recognize for consideration of any amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules out of the order printed, but not sooner than 1 hour after the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services or a designee announces from the floor a request to that effect. This is a fair rule, it is the traditional structured rule for defense authorization, and it provides for a debate on a number of pertinent issues, including nuclear policy, border security, and an assessment of NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. H.R. 1588 is a good bill. It firmly shows our commitment to restoring the strength of our Nation's military. The Committee on Armed Services has recommended $400.5 billion be authorized for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy in fiscal year 2004. I commend President Bush, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, and our military leaders for taking the fight to those who would do us harm. We stand committed to provide the resources to ensure our continued success. The Iraqi conflict and our continuing war on terrorism have brought a renewed and proper focus on national defense. We owe much to our men and women in uniform. Their success in Iraq and Afghanistan is a testament to their bravery, training and equipment, and their commitment to defend our freedom. With U.S. military personnel risking their lives on the front lines of the war on terrorism, H.R. 1588 is more than just a signal to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines that this Nation recognizes their sacrifices. It is the means by which we make our commitment to providing them a decent quality of life by providing an across-the- board 4.1 percent pay increase for military personnel, so as to sustain the commitment and professionalism of America's all-volunteer Armed Forces, and the families that support them. Even before Operation Iraqi Freedom, the global war on terrorism and the commitment to homeland security, the Armed Forces had insufficient manpower for existing wartime and peacetime requirements. A lesson learned is that with the likelihood of the open-ended, long-term manpower requirements of stabilizing Iraq and the continuing war on terrorism, it is now crucial to begin addressing existing shortfalls. I commend my colleagues, the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), for crafting this legislation that will strengthen America's military. Today, our forces must be able to respond quickly to rapidly changing threats. As such, nothing could be more important to our military than its current state of readiness. The pace of current operations has placed huge demands on personnel and equipment already suffering from a decade of underfunding. This legislation reduces non-warfighting spending and puts the money where it is of best use, training for our service members, maintenance of equipment, and support for the cost of operations. I am pleased that H.R. 1588 authorizes $35.2 million for 39 Knight family systems to the Army National Guard. The Knight system is a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle-mounted system which incorporates a Bradley fire support vehicle mission equipment package of a laser rangefinder, thermal sight, hand-held computer and global positioning systems. It is used to locate targets for laser-guided munitions. As the Department of Defense increases the use of precision-guided munitions in combat, this money will help North Carolina's 30th Heavy Separate Brigade Armor use the Knight system to locate targets in support of these munitions. H.R. 1588 makes the preparation and modernization of our National Guard a top priority. I also want to commend my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes), for his work on strengthening the ``Buy American'' provisions included in this bill. His language will ensure that all of the components of DOD uniforms come from American companies. The language specifically works to more adequately cover domestic textile and leather industries. However, there is one amendment the Committee on Rules made in order that I strongly oppose personally, the Sanchez amendment. It would allow abortions on our military bases overseas. Military treatment centers, which are dedicated to nurturing and healing, should not be forced to facilitate the taking of the most innocent human life, the child in the womb. For the past 6 years, the House has voted to keep abortion-on-demand out of military facilities, and I urge my colleagues to stay on this course and vote against this amendment. That said, this is a fair rule. So let us pass the rule and pass the underlying defense authorization bill. At the end of the day, we will be making our homeland safer, supporting our sons and daughters serving in the military, and preparing for war, thereby ensuring victory. At this crucial time in our history, this bill is most important. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Armed Services.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 245 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, two hundred and twenty-eight years ago on this date, May 20, 1775, the Scotch-Irish residents of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina declared themselves no longer subject to British rule. The day after the battle of Lexington, the Committee of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, which was led by the Polk and Alexander families, drafted a document we refer to today as The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. In short, this document declared that the citizens of Mecklenburg County had dissolved all ties with Great Britain, and declared itself free and its people independent. One of my staff members, Andy Polk, is a direct descendant of the Polk and Alexander families. As a member of Congress who represents much of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, I must say that I am very proud to represent an area that is so rich in history and so dedicated to freedom. Ever since May 20, 1775, the citizens of Mecklenburg County have been a freedom loving people who have laid down their lives so that others might experience the greatness of being a free people, who have the right to govern themselves as they see fit. Many of these men who signed the Mecklenburg Declaration went on to fight and die in the American Revolution to secure the liberties and freedoms we have today. I am happy to note that in honor of this date the great state of North Carolina has placed May 20, 1775 on its flag and on its seal to honor the men who signed the Mecklenburg Declaration. And to further honor them I ask that their names be placed in the Congressional Record. Such men should not ever be forgotten, lest we forget the freedom we hold so dear. Signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence: General Thomas Polk, Robert Irwin, William Graham, Hezekiah Alexander, John Flennegin, John Queary, Matthew McClure, David Reese, Ephraim Brevard, Adam Alexander, Abraham Alexander, John Phifer, John Foard, Ezra Alexander, Waightstill Avery, John Davidson, Hezekiah J. Balch, James Harris, Richard Barry, Charles Alexander, Benjamin Patton, Richard Harris, Neil Morrison, William Kennon, Henry Downs, Zaccheus Wilson, and John McKnitt Alexander.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, rather than bring clarity and direction to the troubled telecom sector, the Federal Communication Commission's recent, local competition ruling promises continued uncertainty and, worse yet, litigation. At a time when the American economy is in desperate need of a jolt of innovation and investment, some of this country's most technologically strong, capital-rich companies are being kept on the sidelines. We need to reframe these issues in terms of the larger goals of getting more technology in the hands of customers and more capital pumped into the economy where it can create jobs, growth and entrepreneurial activity. To get our economy growing again, we need policies that encourage investment and job creation, especially in high-technology industries like telecommunications. Mr. Speaker, companies in this sector are poised to spend in excess $100 billion over the next ten years on orders for fiber, routers and switches to build the network of the future. Orders that will create jobs and incomes all across this nation. Telecommunications is very important to my own state of North Carolina. More than 30,000 North Carolinians work in telecommunications. Thousands more depend on the industry to maintain their pensions and their retirement savings. Congress needs to send the message to the FCC majority that we need policies to foster investment, innovation and jobs. Three months have passed and we are still waiting on the FCC to render the right policy decisions.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), and, in deference to my chairman, for whom I have great respect, I am still speaking. I think that this would ensure that we stay within the President's plan originally and within the budget. He did say on the 29th of April that, with the approval of Congress, this plan will direct $15 billion to fight AIDS abroad over the next 5 years, but beginning with $2 billion in 2004. The reason I think it is important to stay within our budget is because due to the war and the economic downturn we, unfortunately, are running the largest budget deficits in American history this year and next. We cannot continue to just overspend every year, piling debt on our children and grandchildren. It does not mean this program is not important. I support it. But there are many important programs, and there is a limited amount of money. So passing the President's proposal, with this amendment, is still a huge increase in our commitment to this problem.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to oncology nurses. May is the ninth annual Oncology Nursing Day and Month. The celebration kicks off on Thursday, May 1, 2003, on Oncology Nursing Day, during the opening ceremonies of the Oncology Nursing Society's 28th Annual Congress in Denver, CO, and continues until May 31, 2003. Oncology Nursing Month recognizes oncology nurses, educates the public about oncology nursing, provides an opportunity for special educational events for oncology nurses, and celebrates the accomplishments of oncology nurses. The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), the largest professional oncology group in the United States composed of more than 30,000 nurses and other health professionals, exists to promote excellence in oncology nursing and the provision of quality care to those individuals affected by cancer. As part of its mission, the Society honors and maintains nursing's historical and essential commitment to advocacy for the public good. ONS was founded in 1975, and held its first Annual Congress in 1976. Since the Society was established, 218 local chapters have been formed to provide a network for education and peer support at the community level. In my state of North Carolina there are more than 939 oncology nurses and health professionals that care for individuals with cancer and their families. In addition, North Carolina has 6 local Oncology Nursing Society chapters located in the areas of Charlotte--my district--Wilmington, Canton, Greenville, Durham, and Trinity. Over the last ten years, the setting where treatment for cancer is provided has changed dramatically. An estimated 80 percent of all Americans receive cancer care in community settings including cancer centers, physicians' offices, and hospital outpatient departments. Treatment regimens are as complex, if not more so, than regimens given in the inpatient setting a few short years ago. Oncology nurses are on the front-lines of the provision of quality cancer care for individuals with cancer. Nurses are involved in the care of a cancer patient from the beginning through the end of treatment. Oncology nurses are the front-line providers of care by administering chemotherapy, managing patient therapies and side-effects, working with insurance companies to ensure that patients receive the appropriate treatment, provide counseling to patients and family members, in addition to many other daily acts on behalf of cancer patients. With an increasing number of people with cancer needing high quality health care coupled with an inadequate nursing workforce, our nation could quickly face a cancer care crisis of serious proportion, with limited access to quality cancer care, particularly in traditionally underserved areas. Without an adequate supply of nurses there will not be enough qualified oncology nurses to provide the quality cancer care to a growing population of people in need. I was proud to support the passage of the ``Nurse Reinvestment Act'' in the 107th Congress. This important piece of legislation expanded and implemented programs at HRSA to address the multiple problems contributing to the nationwide nursing shortage, including the decline in nursing student enrollments, shortage of faculty, and dissatisfaction with nurse workplace environments. Mr. Speaker, I plan to work with my colleagues to ensure that the Nurse Reinvestment Act receives funding during the FY 2004 appropriations process. I commend the Oncology Nursing Society for all of its hard work to prevent and reduce suffering from cancer and to improve the lives of those 1.3 million Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2003. I wish the Oncology Nursing Society the best of luck in its endeavors and urge all Americans to support its important efforts.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).

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

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the majority leader.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record two letters, one from the National Mentoring Partnership and the other from the National Council of Youth Sports, in support of this bill. The letters referred to are as follows:

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Yesterday the Committee on Rules met and granted a ``normal'' conference report rule for S. 151, the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003, or the PROTECT Act. The rule waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration. Mr. Speaker, this should not be a controversial rule. It is the type of rule that we grant for every conference report that we consider in the House. The PROTECT Act sends a clear message to those who prey upon children that if they commit these crimes, they will be punished. This legislation provides stronger penalties against kidnapping, ensures lifetime supervision of sexual offenders and kidnappers of children, gives law enforcement the tools it needs to effectively prosecute these crimes, and provides assistance to the community when a child is abducted. To accomplish this, S. 151 establishes an AMBER Alert coordinator within the Department of Justice to assist States with their AMBER Alert plans. This coordination will eliminate gaps in the network, including gaps in interstate travel, work with States to encourage development of additional AMBER plans, and serve as a nationwide point of contact. The AMBER program is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies and broadcasters to activate an urgent alert bulletin in serious child abduction cases. The goal of the AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for, and the safe return of, that child. I am pleased that this legislation also authorizes $20 million for fiscal year 2004 for the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to States for the development or enhancement of notification or communication systems along the highways. I am sure Members have seen those reader board signs. These signs are for alerts and other information for the recovery of abducted children. Doing this will enable all 50 States to implement this life-saving program, and we have seen several examples of it working lately to literally save children's lives. For those individuals who would harm a child, we must ensure that punishment is severe and that sexual predators are not allowed to slip through the cracks of the system to harm other children. To this end, this legislation provides a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment for stranger abductions of a child under the age of 18, lifetime supervision for sex offenders and mandatory life imprisonment for second-time offenders; and we all know that is a very common occurrence. This responds to the long-standing concerns of Federal judges and prosecutors regarding the inadequacy of the existing supervision period for sex offenders, particularly for the perpetrators of child sexual abuse crimes, whose criminal conduct may reflect deep-seated deviant sexual disorders, and they are not likely to disappear within a few years of release from prison. Furthermore, S. 151 removes any statute of limitation and opportunity for pretrial release for crimes of child abduction and sex offenses. Oftentimes it is years later that sex offenses come to light because a child is afraid to speak out. That is why this conference report is so important. Not only does it come to the aid of the children after the abduction with the AMBER Alert, it aims to prevent the abduction with the provisions I just mentioned. I also want to applaud the conferees for including legislation authored by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) that would punish those who use misleading domain names to attract children to sexually explicit Internet sites. It accomplishes this goal by increasing the penalties and provides prosecutors with enhanced tools to prosecute those seeking to lure children to porn Web sites. As a mother and grandmother, it is hard for me to understand how anyone can prey on a defenseless child. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and support the underlying bill. It is imperative for our Nation to protect our most valuable resource, our children. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley).

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 188 and ask for its immediate consideration.