Donald Manzullo

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Mr. MANZULLO. I would ask unanimous consent to add the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) as a cosponsor to this bill.

Mr. MANZULLO. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to recognize the 175th anniversary of the strong and enduring relationship between the people of the United States and the people of Thailand. The United States has no older ally in the Asia- Pacific region than the Kingdom of Thailand. It was in the early days of our Republic, during the administration of Andrew Jackson, that the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed with King Rama III. Thailand has been a staunch friend of the United States ever since. Remarkably, during the dark days of our Civil War, the King of Thailand offered to send President Lincoln a herd of elephants to help lead the Union to victory. While Lincoln did not take up the offer, the gesture was greatly appreciated. More recently, Thailand provided support for our military forces during the Vietnam War. It has also served for more than a quarter century as the host for our Pacific Command's annual multinational military training exercise known as ``Cobra Gold.'' Our two nations have worked closely together on humanitarian issues as well. Thailand was of great assistance as the host nation for many of the refugees who came out of Indochina after the war there. More recently, Thailand has provided a safe haven for Burmese and North Korean refugees. Thailand also came together with the United States in launching joint relief operations following the tragic tsunami which caused its devastation in 2004. Thailand is America's 20th largest trading partner. A half million Americans are of Thai descent, including the remarkable Tiger Woods. These are indeed the ties that bind. It is my strong hope that the Government of Thailand with build on last year's successful parliamentary elections by ensuring that all parties in Thailand are brought into the political process. Thailand's rebirth of diplomacy is something which all Americans welcome. I therefore urge my colleagues to support this resolution which recognizes our oldest and one of our most loyal Asian allies. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 1024. The Republic of Greece is an important friend and ally of the United States. The links between Greece and the United States involve political philosophy, values, a concrete alliance, and important actions. Greece is the birthplace of Western Civilization and modern democracy, and it is from Greece that our Founding Fathers drew so many important principles of government, law, and freedom. Today, our two nations continue to share the values that we hold dear: liberty, freedom, and democracy. Greece and the United States have also stood together resolutely throughout difficult times during the last century, particularly during the Second World War. Greece, in fact, is one of the few nations that has supported America in every major conflict over the past century. After the end of World War II, Greece joined in a formal alliance with the United States, through NATO, and went on to broaden its commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights through its notable contributions to international peacekeeping and stability missions. Today, as America faces a complex array of threats posed by extremism around the world, Greece indeed remains a valuable strategic partner. Most notably, Greece provided access to its airspace for American military aircraft en route to Iraq and allowed our U.S. Navy ships to refuel in its ports. Through its substantial economic investment and aid to the Balkans, Greece has also sought to play an important role as an agent of stability in that important region, supplementing the efforts by the United States and the European Union to end the conflicts in that region. Recent efforts on the part of the Government of Greece to deal constructively with its neighbor Turkey on outstanding issues where they have differences show hope for ensuring future stability throughout the Aegean Sea region, an outcome the United States seeks as well. Madam Speaker, this resolution notes that this year marks the 187th anniversary of the beginning of the revolution that led to the independence of Greece. There are approximately 1.3 million Americans of Greek descent living in the United States. A large number of Greek Americans live in northern Illinois, particularly the Chicago area. Greek Americans contribute significantly as community leaders, entrepreneurs, and mentors for young children. The Greek Orthodox Church in the United States and important Greek community organizations are positive forces and should be recognized also. So I welcome the opportunity afforded by our consideration of this resolution to point out the friendship and shared interests of our two countries. I congratulate the country and people of Greece for the progress they have made over the past 187 years, and I urge the adoption of this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I am really just distressed over the manner in which this bill has come to the floor. When the Republicans were in the majority, any bill that was in excess of $100 million had to go through the regular process, was subject to amendments on the floor, et cetera; and now we are bringing on the Suspension Calendar, which is for naming post offices and minor things like that, a bill that would spend $6.2 billion over the next 5 years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the estimated current outlay in fiscal year 2008 for existing Federal community service and volunteer programs is already $607 million a year. Spending under this bill would go up $884 million in fiscal year 2008, $942 million in 2009, $1.058 billion in fiscal year 2010, $1.154 billion in fiscal year 2011, and $1.235 billion in fiscal year 2012 for a total new spending for volunteers of $4.1 billion over 5 years. That's outrageous to pay for volunteer programs to have the bill not subject to any amendment on the floor such as an amendment to pare down the size of the spending. And I think in a time when we have a fiscal crisis on our hands, where the stock market is tanking and people are losing their homes and people are not sure of having a job, for this Congress to come in and use this extraordinary procedure to waive all the rules, including a way to amend the bill and spend an additional $4.1 billion over 5 years, that really cracks the back of fiscal responsibility. The majority has shown unequivocally here that it is not the party of fiscal responsibility, and I would therefore encourage my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, as the dean of the Illinois Republican delegation, I want to take this opportunity to extend to our newest colleague from Illinois, with whom I share two counties, welcome to the big city. I look forward to working with you. I have always wanted a scientific mind, and maybe I can learn from yours. Thank you and welcome to Congress.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my deepest sympathies to the victims and their families who suffered the horrific shooting tragedy at Northern Illinois University. I would like to offer my deep thanks and gratitude to Chairman George Miller and Ranking Member Buck McKeon of the Education and Labor Committee for allowing this resolution to come to the floor for expedited consideration. Northern Illinois University is one of the largest schools in Illinois. It's over 25,000 students, and it's centered in the corn fields in the beautiful city of DeKalb, Illinois. And it reaches throughout the entire State and indeed around the country and in many cases around the world with the diversity of the foreign students. My colleagues and I represent thousands of Northern Illinois University faculty, staff and graduates. The tragedy has shaken all of us. Schools are supposed to be a sanctuary of safety, which is why the news that came out of NIU on the afternoon of February 14 was particularly tragic. A lone gunman, a former NIU student, opened fire on an oceanography class, killing five students and wounding 17 more in a matter of seconds. The NIU police were in the auditorium within 30 seconds of the shots being fired. Shortly afterwards he killed himself, but all of the shooting took place prior to the police arriving, even in that short period of time. Many of us remember the shock we felt almost a year ago when 33 members of the Virginia Tech community were lost in a similar senseless act of violence. As a father of three children in college, I cannot even imagine the sorrow and hurt the families are experiencing. I shared that a bit this past week when I, along with Senators Durbin and Obama and Representatives Emanuel, Roskam and Bean stood with a crowd of more than 10,000 mourners on the NIU campus to memorialize this tragedy. But still the sorrow and the shock remain. We cannot bring back these young men and women to the classroom, to the sidewalks of DeKalb, or to the arms of their families. We cannot explain why, but we continue to search for answers. But as we did last week at NIU, we can pause to remember the spirit, energy and life of each of the five students lost in this tragedy. Gayle Dubowski, was a 25-year-old anthropology major from Carol Stream. She loved the arts, and was committed to her Christian faith. Her friends remembered her as a sweet and genuine person, someone who shined brightly for her Lord on the campus of NIU. Catalina Garcia, 20 years old of Cicero, Illinois, a first-generation American who hoped to be a teacher. An honor student, an athlete and a dancer in high school, her teachers remember her as a quiet girl but with big ideas. Jamie Garcia, her older brother, says he'll always remember her as the family princess. Julianna Gehant, age 32 of Mendota, Illinois, had served our Nation for 12 years in the Army and Army Reserves. She enrolled at NIU to major in elementary education, a childhood friend remembered, because she loved the innocence and creativity of children. Ryanne Mace, age 19 of Carpentersville, was an only child whose friends remember her rarely being without a smile. She majored in psychology to pursue her dream of helping others. Her roommate remembers her as a vibrant person, full of life, never wanting to miss a beat. Daniel Parmenter, age 20 of Westchester, Illinois, is remembered as a 6-foot-5 rugby player with a gentle spirit and a bright future. His family has memories of his touching gestures, phone calls and small acts of love and courage. His last act of love was to throw himself in front of his girlfriend and he took the fire and was killed. And she was injured. It is an honor to have these students remembered in this body and to remember the courage of those who responded that day. The purpose of this resolution is to express the condolences of the House to those affected by this devastating tragedy. The Bible tells us to mourn with those who mourn, to pray for one another that we may be healed. We pray the healing continue for the families and the victims of Northern Illinois University.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to ask the House to observe a moment of silence for the tragedy that beset Northern Illinois 11 days ago. On the afternoon of February 14, five bright, energetic young people, Gayle Dubowski, Juliana Gehant, Catalina Garcia, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter, were killed and 16 others injured as a deranged gunman opened fire on students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, before committing suicide himself. Today, we grieve with our friends at NIU and millions around the world as we try to make sense of this unfathomable tragedy. Let us stand with and pray for the families of the victims and the 25,000 students who will have to deal with the aftermath of this senseless violence for years to come. I know others in the Illinois delegation join me in this House in extending our condolences to all concerned and commend the brave and noble actions of our first responders. We respectfully ask for a moment of silence to be observed in this body.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, it is with a great honor and a sense of humility as the senior Republican from the Land of Lincoln that I offer this resolution to celebrate the birthday of our Nation's 16th President. I want to first offer my deep thanks and gratitude to the chairman and ranking minority member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Mr. Waxman of California and Mr. Davis of Virginia, respectively, for allowing this resolution to come up on the floor to coincide with President Lincoln's birthday. I recognize that this was an unusual procedure and that normal committee protocol was waived to expedite consideration of this resolution to time with Lincoln's birthday today. I also want to offer my profound appreciation to my good friend and fellow Illinoisan, Representative Danny Davis of Chicago, who made all of this possible to happen today. Abraham Lincoln was born 199 years ago today to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks at Knob Creek Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky, in Hardin County. Today starts a series of celebrations over the next 2 years to commemorate the life of Abraham Lincoln based on the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 2000. These commemorations include a special kick-off ceremony at Lincoln's boyhood home, the redesign of the Lincoln penny, a special bicentennial postage stamp, a rededication of the Lincoln Memorial, and a special joint session or meeting of Congress for ceremonies and activities related to Abraham Lincoln. I am absolutely delighted that the House will join in this kick-off celebration in Kentucky, albeit delayed because of an ice storm, with the debate over this resolution. This resolution will continue honoring Lincoln's legacy beyond the next 2 years by requesting the President to issue a proclamation every year in his honor as he does for many other great figures of American history. In the fall of 1816, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln packed their belongings and their two children--Sarah, 9, and Abraham, 7--and left Kentucky bound for the new frontier of Spencer County in southern Indiana. Abraham Lincoln lived in Indiana for the next 14 years until he was 21 years old. However, in October 1818, when Abraham was 9 years old, his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died. His feelings for her were still strong some 40 years later when he said, ``All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.'' In 1830, Thomas Lincoln, then re-married, decided to move the family to another new frontier--this time to the tiny village of Decatur, Illinois, located in Macon County. Hard working and intellectually inquisitive, Abraham Lincoln's first foray into public service came in 1832 when he was elected and served as a captain of an Illinois militia company during the Black Hawk War. Following his military service, Lincoln was elected to the Illinois legislature in 1834 from Sangamon County and was successively reelected until 1840. In 1846, Abraham Lincoln was elected to serve in this great House, where he ably represented central Illinois in the seat now held by my good friend and colleague, Representative Ray LaHood. Lincoln grew to prominence as an attorney and a legislator with a reputation for fairness, honesty, and a belief that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. He founded these beliefs in the ideals of the Declaration of Independence--a document which, as President, he would cite frequently as his inspiration for saving the Union and as the basis for his opposition to slavery. During a speech at Independence Hall in 1861, Lincoln stated, ``I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence . . . [it is these sentiments] which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time.'' Lincoln's belief in the principles espoused by the Declaration formed the motivating moral and natural law principle for his opposition to the spread of slavery and his belief in slavery's ultimate demise. Lincoln found his belief in the equality of men to be directly at odds with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1856. This legislation promulgated the concept of ``popular sovereignty''--the idea that State citizens should be able to determine the presence of slavery in their State by popular referendum. Lincoln's strong feelings against the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act propelled Lincoln to return to politics, and he began a bid for the U.S. Senate. During his campaign for the Senate, Lincoln engaged in a series of seven debates with his opponent, Stephen Douglas. Now known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln's eloquence and studied opposition to the spread of slavery brought him into national prominence. The second of these debates was held in Freeport, Illinois, a city in the district that I am privileged to represent, and was the origin of what is now known as the ``Freeport Doctrine.'' Cornered by Lincoln into choosing between the notion of popular sovereignty or the prohibition against outlawing slavery put forth by the infamous Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, Stephen Douglas responded that slavery could be prevented from any territory by the refusal of the people living in that territory to pass laws favorable to slavery. Likewise, if the people of the territory supported slavery, legislation would provide for its continued existence. While this doctrine would see Douglas reelected to the Senate over Lincoln, it would be a key factor in his loss in the 1860 Presidential election. Lincoln's performance in the debates won him national prominence and a reputation for courage, character, and patriotism. These factors played heavily into his election to office as the 16th President of the United States on November 6, 1860. Upon taking office, Lincoln was thrust into the throes of the Civil War. Leading a partitioned Union, Lincoln relied heavily on his political ideals born of the Declaration of Independence. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued what would become the most iconic document of his Presidency--the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all the slaves in southern States that seceded from the Union. His commitment to the promises of the Declaration of Independence were further evidenced in the opening lines of his greatest speech at Gettysburg: ``Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.'' On November 8, 1864, Abraham Lincoln was reelected to the Presidency by 55 percent of the popular vote. He continued to act as a courageous and principled leader until he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865. Abraham Lincoln's profound and courageous belief in the equality of men and the sacredness of the American Union propelled him forward as one of the greatest Presidents our Nation has known. Last Sunday, at a White House ceremony honoring Abraham Lincoln, President George W. Bush said, ``he, of all the successors to George Washington, none had greater impact on the presidency and on the country . . . He was a fabulous man, a great President. His life was one of humble beginnings, and steadfast convictions. And so we celebrate his deeds, we lift up his ideals, and we honor this good man.'' Lincoln is a hero to so many of us here in this House on both sides of the aisle, as he is to me. The prominence of President Abraham Lincoln is an undisputed fact of American history. The man best known for freeing the slaves and saving an imperiled Union has attained iconic status among historians and citizens alike as evidenced by best selling books such as Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin that documented the political genius of Lincoln in winning the Presidency and governing the Nation. And yet, this man of great genius, compassion and acumen lacks official Federal recognition for the day of his birth, February 12, because what is popularly known as President's Day is legally Washington's Birthday. While I do not wish to diminish the contributions George Washington made to the establishment of this great country, this resolution will finally give Lincoln his due without the cost of a separate Federal holiday by simply requesting the President each year to issue a proclamation honoring this great man and encouraging the people of the United States to observe his birthday with appropriate ceremonies and activities. The resolution also encourages State and local governments and local educational agencies to study and appreciate the reverence and respect Abraham Lincoln had for the Declaration of Independence in the development of American history, jurisprudence, and the spread of freedom around the world. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Abraham Lincoln today and in recognizing the profound influence the Declaration of Independence had upon Lincoln's political philosophy as a model for us to emulate.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, I was unable to return to Washington in time to vote because of the large snowstorm that hit the Chicago-land area yesterday and delayed my arrival until mid-afternoon today. If I was here, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 29, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 30, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 31, ``no'' on rollcall No. 32, ``no'' on rollcall No. 33, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 34, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 35.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, last week, the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, released its report outlining options for responding to the Nation's short-term economic weakness. One key finding of the report contains a warning: Any stimulus that a short-term economic package ``can provide to the economy depends on how much of the resultant spending goes to purchase domestically produced goods. The degree of stimulus that a policy can provide to the economy also depends on how much of the resultant spending goes to purchase domestically produced goods. If the additional consumption, or investment, demand is satisfied by imported goods, the income of foreign producers will rise, and the stimulus essentially will be exported.'' Simply put, the benefits of the proposed $145 billion U.S. economic stimulus package should not go abroad. The benefits of this package should help Americans as much as possible. That's why I, along with Representatives Bill Lipinski, Eric Cantor, Wally Herger, and Jeff Fortenberry, am proud to introduce today the American Jobs Creation and Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. This bill will provide a quick power boost to the economy that does not cost too much and rewards companies for keeping and adding jobs in America. This proposal simply accelerates the phase-in of the domestic manufacturing tax benefit by 2 years. Any economic stimulus package that is crafted by Congress should include this provision. The domestic manufacturing tax deduction, now section 199 of the U.S. Tax Code, started in 2005 at 3 percent as part of the 2004 law that replaced the Foreign Sales Corporation/Extraterritorial Income, FSC/ETI tax structure, which was ruled as an illegal export subsidy by the World Trade Organization, WTO. Last year, the domestic manufacturing tax deduction increased to 6 percent. The final phase--raising the domestic manufacturing deduction to 9 percent--is scheduled to start in 2010. The American Jobs Creations and Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 simply changes the start date of the 9 percent domestic manufacturing tax deduction from January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2008, thus providing an additional 3 percent tax incentive for all domestic manufacturers right now. According to the Internal Revenue Service, IRS, 378,627 small and large manufacturers, as broadly defined by the U.S. Treasury, were helped by this benefit in 2005. One year later, that number grew to over 400,000. The domestic manufacturing benefit applies to firms of all types--C Corporations, S Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, LLCs, and sole proprietorships. This tax deduction is ideal because it only applies to revenue generated by operations based in the United States and discourages the ``off-shoring'' of American production. No other economic stimulus idea ties tax relief to requiring companies to keep production and jobs in the United States. The American Jobs Creation and Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 is a simple bipartisan low-cost idea that will make a real difference right now. It also fits within the parameters, as outlined by the President on Friday, of what could be included in an economic stimulus package. Madam Speaker, I respectfully urge the inclusion of accelerating the phase-in of the domestic manufacturing tax deduction in any economic stimulus legislation that will be voted on by the House this year.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hour to speak for the millions of innocent voices that have been silenced due to the passage of Roe v. Wade on this day, 35 years ago. Since the passage of Roe v. Wade, the National Right to Life estimates that nearly. 50 million lives have been lost. This number is staggering. What do the deaths of 50 million children, say about the state of our Nation? It says that the Declaration of Independence is no longer absolute, as its ``unalienable'' right to life only applies when it is convenient. It says that Congress can make a Federal crime out of roosters crossing State lines, but when a defenseless child is taken across state lines to have an abortion, it is merely a ``right''--a choice being exercised. It says that seven unelected Supreme Court justices ignored the separation of powers, and appointed themselves as a superior legislature in order to decide the abortion issue. But what is the good news? The good news is that citizens who believe that the Constitution protects life in all its seasons have worked to educate the public about abortion and the biological development of the unborn child, as well as to provide support and options for women when they need it the most. As a result, abortion numbers continue to drop from a high of over 1.6 million in 1990 to 1.2 million in 2005--proving that when given the right options and the whole truth about abortion, many women will choose life. However, even as the pro-life movement continues to have an impact all over the United States, science has opened other doors that threaten the sanctity of life in the United States. Mass production of cloned embryos to be destroyed in research promotes the same principle as abortion--that human life only matters when it is chosen to matter. We must continue to be vigilant in protecting human life at its creation--whether in the womb or in the lab.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my anger and sadness regarding the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The horrific murder of Prime Minister Bhutto is a chilling reminder that extremist forces are continually trying to undermine democracy and freedom. Today, we stand with the democrats in Pakistan and throughout the world to oppose tyranny and terrorism. Benazir Bhutto was the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state and served twice as Prime Minister of Pakistan. I had the distinct honor and privilege to meet her when she spoke to members of the House International Relations Committee during the mid-1990's in an ornate ceremonial room just one floor below this rostrum. Her accomplishment paved the way for other women leaders to seek and win top offices throughout the developing world. Bhutto's dedication to democracy in Pakistan is closely tied to the time she spent as a student in the United States. In fact, she credits her exposure to America as a driving force behind her push for a free Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Bhutto was also no stranger to the good people of Illinois' 16th Congressional District. In 2002, she spoke to an overflow audience at Rockford College about the link between promoting democracy and defeating extremist terrorists. I know I speak for the people of northern Illinois in expressing our heartfelt gratitude that she visited Rockford. Bhutto's speech was inspirational and enlightening. I enclose for the Record the article titled, ``Ex-Premier Pushes U.S. to Aid Democracy Fight'' from the Rockford Register Star, published on September 20, 2002, discussing Bhutto's historic remarks at Rockford College. Pakistan must continue its journey to political reform and democracy. The United States must stand with those who advocate for the fundamental freedoms that were bestowed onto all of us by our creator. Let's not forget Bhutto's legacy and stand with the people of Pakistan in this dark hour. [From the Rockford Register Star, Sept. 20, 2002] Ex-Premier Pushes U.S. To Aid Democracy Fight Rockford.--Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said Thursday that people of her country support her battle to bring democracy to Pakistan. She wants President Bush to help. The deposed leader--who at age 35 became the first female prime minister in the Muslim world--continues her efforts, made more important in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Bhutto remains critical of the regime of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who has controlled the country since 1999. She is an author and active in the Pakistan People's Party, the country's largest, pro-democracy party. ``I support democracy in Pakistan and, with the war on terrorism, there is a new commitment to bringing democracy to the Muslim world and the empowering of the Muslim people based on fundamental human rights,'' she said. Bhutto planned to share this message later Thursday night with a sold-out crowd at Maddox Theatre at Rockford College. Additional crowds were seated in the Cheek Theatre and dance studio to watch a live television feed of Bhutto's presentation. Bhutto's visit kicked off the 2002-03 Rockford College Forum Series, a program of speakers and workshops focused on the politics and culture of Islam. Bhutto acknowledged that she hasn't met with Bush about bringing democracy to her home country but ``other U.S. officials'' assured her that the United States remains committed to fostering democracy in Pakistan. ``I want President Bush to say `Look, you've been our ally, and we want to help bring democracy because democracy doesn't promote terrorism,' '' she said. Her determination to see Pakistan become a democracy began after she completed her education at Radcliffe College and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, in the late 1970s. Bhutto was born June 21, 1953, in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1977, at age 24, she returned home and took up the struggle to restore democracy and human rights in the country as a leader of the Pakistan People's Party. Bhutto faced imprisonment and exile while guiding the resistance to Pakistan's military regime. Her government was replaced by opposing political forces in 1990, but Bhutto was again elected prime minister in 1993 and served until 1996, when the government was overthrown by a military coup. ``My leadership was of different vision than the conservatives. It was dictatorship vs. democracy.'' Jeff Hendry, chairman of the forum series committee, said Bhutto's visit was ``huge, especially now with all the news in that part of the world.'' In her speech: ``she will deal with the international political climate and deal more with what the U.S. can do and should be doing to bring democracy to Pakistan as well as the strategic importance of the region,'' he said. What she said The Register Star asked Benazir Bhutto: Is Osama bin Laden dead? ``It's 50-50, and it's anybody's guess. I thought for a while if he was dead, there had to be certain funeral ceremonies done for the soul, but maybe he was killed and nobody knew. He could be playing dead and he could pop in the next five years. But if he's hiding, it would probably be in the mountains of Afghanistan.'' How the people of Pakistan view the United States: ``Pakistan has mixed feelings toward the U.S. It's like a love-hate relationship. They see it as a land of opportunity and power and to them, they feel they are powerless. They like the power the U.S. has, but they hate their own powerlessness.'' Have the Pakistani people been treated differently in the United States since the terrorist attacks? ``I have respect largely in the area of academia. I have talked to students who have said Americans came to them and asked `Are you OK?' Other stories I hear from big cities are of hate crimes and of some men who have shaved their beards off in fear of being targeted. But President Bush is right when he says Pakistan is safe here. I hear others say, `We are Americans, and please accept us as the way we are.' ''

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this very important effort to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Aung San Suu Kyi. She is one of the most honorable advocates for democracy and human rights the world will ever know. Ms. Suu Kyi is the world's only Nobel Peace Prize winner to remain a political prisoner. Ironically, the daughter of Burma's revolutionary hero is herself a captive in the very country that her father freed from colonial rule. I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleague and good friend from New York (Mr. Crowley) for being a leader on such an important matter. His drive and commitment to awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Ms. Suu Kyi is not only impressive, but it is a true testament to his character. I am honored that he reached out to me to help drive this measure. Mr. Speaker, Burma's military junta has held Aung San Suu Kyi captive for most of the 18 years she has spent inside that country. In fact, she was placed under house arrest in 1989, after she formed the National League for Democracy. And even after that party won the decisive election in 1990, with Ms. Suu Kyi elected as Prime Minister, the junta continues to not recognize the election results and the fact that the people have spoken. Except for brief occasions, Ms. Suu Kyi has remained a prisoner. She even was not allowed to attend her husband's funeral and remains separated from her children. In September of this year, the Burmese people held the largest peaceful protests that country has seen in the past 20 years. They protested the poor economic decisions of the junta as well as the continued denial of democratic and human rights of the Burmese people. An estimated 100,000 people marched through Rangoon, peacefully demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. The world watched and hoped that this time the Saffron Revolution would lead to meaningful change. But, rather than listening to its people, the regime of Than Shwe turned its guns against the people, as they did in 1988. The U.N. Special Envoy for Human Rights reported recently that at least 31 people were killed in September and over 1,000 people remain incarcerated. Last week, we gathered here in this House to pass a bill sponsored by two champions of freedom, my good friends Mr. Lantos, chairman, and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Block Burmese JADE Act of 2007 can be an important tool to add even more pressure to the regime to change its ways, particularly if our government encourages more countries to adopt similar economic sanctions. I note that the European Union is following a similar approach in response to the killings. Even Burma's immediate neighbors have issued strong statements condemning the massacre. Mr. Speaker, the American people are outraged and disgusted by the severe use of force on the protestors and the continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi. Shortly after the protest, the Subcommittee on Asia, Pacific, and Global Environment, on which I serve as ranking Republican member, with Congressman Eni Faleomavaega as chairman, held a hearing on the situation in Burma. We heard dramatic testimony from experts within the administration and from nongovernmental organizations. All the witnesses agree that Burma's fall from a prosperous country to pariah state was a direct consequence of the dictatorship. So that is why we are here today, to state for the record that it is time the military junta recognize the will of the Burmese people, and of most countries of the world, and open the door for true reconciliation. By awarding Ms. Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal, we Americans send a strong message that totalitarianism in Burma needs to come to an end. I urge all Members to support H.R. 4286 so that we can voice our full support for Burma's first daughter and for all the people of Burma. This will remind the military junta of the American people's unwavering support for Aung San Suu Kyi. We need to pass the bill so there can be no mistaking our support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, I rise to raise awareness about a mental health concern that is afflicting our brave veterans. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an illness that can have devastating consequences if not treated. For too long, those suffering from PTSD have been unfairly stigmatized. On December 12, 2007, Mike and Kim Bowman traveled from their home in northern Illinois to testify about the immeasurable tragedy their family has suffered as a result of the suicide of their son Specialist Tim Bowman. Specialist Tim Bowman was 23 years old when he lost his battle with PTSD only eight months after returning from active duty in Iraq. The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to do more to ensure that all members of the armed services receive the care and attention they deserve. Mike and Kim's story is one that is all too often repeated around the country. As Mike Bowman said in his testimony, ``we must all remove the stigma that goes with a soldier admitting that he or she has [PTSD].'' I enclose for the Record the testimonies of Mike Bowman and author Ilona Meagher. I encourage all Members to read their statements and judge for themselves the level of the mental heath challenges that exists. It is time that this country recognizes what is going with PTSD and takes appropriate action now. No one should suffer a day longer. Testimony of Mike Bowman Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, my wife and I are honored to be speaking before you today representing just one of the families that lost a veteran to suicide in 2005. As my family was preparing for our 2005 Thanksgiving meal, our son Timothy was lying on the floor of my shop office, slowly bleeding to death from a self inflicted gun shot wound. His war was now over, his demons were gone. Tim was laid to rest in a combination military, firefighter funeral that was a tribute to the man he was. Tim was the life of a party, happy go lucky young man that joined the National Guard in 2003 to earn money for college and get a little structure in his life. On March 19th of 2005 when Specialist Bowman got off the bus with the other National Guard soldiers of Foxtrot 202 that were returning from Iraq he was a different man. He had a glaze in his eyes and a 1000 yard stare, always looking for an insurgent. Family members of F202 were given a 10 minute briefing on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) 2 months before the soldiers returned and the soldiers were given even less. The commander of F202 had asked the Illinois Guard command to change their demobilization practices to be more like the regular army, only to have his questions rebuffed. He knew that our boys had been shot up, blown up by IED's (Improvised Explosive Device), extinguished fires on soldiers so their parents would have something to bury, and extinguished a fire on their own to save lives. They were hardened combat veterans now, but were being treated like they had been at an extended training mission. You see our National Guardsman from F202 were not out filling sand bags. They departed in October of 2003 for 6 months of training at Ft's Hood and Polk. On Tim's 22nd birthday, March 4, 2004, Foxtrot left for Iraq where they were stationed at Camp Victory. Their tour took them directly into combat including 4 months on ``the most dangerous road in the world'', the highway from the airport to the green zone in Baghdad. Tim was a top gunner in a humvee. Tim as well as many other soldiers in F202 earned their Purple Hearts on that stretch of road known as Route Irish. We are STILL waiting for Tim's Purple Heart from various military paperwork shuffles. When CBS News broke the story about Veterans suicides, the VA took the approach of criticizing the way that the numbers were created instead of embracing it and using it to help increase mental health care within their system. Regardless of how perfectly accurate the numbers are, they obviously show a trend that desperately needs attention. CBS did what NO government agency would do; they tabulated the veteran suicide numbers to shed light on this hidden epidemic and make the American people aware of this situation. The VA should have taken those numbers to Capitol Hill asking for more people, funding, and anything else they need to combat this epidemic. They should embrace this study as it reveals the scope of a huge problem, rather than complaining about its accuracy. If all that is going to be done with the study is argue about how the numbers were compiled, then an average of 120 soldiers will die every week by their own hand until the VA recognizes this fact, and does something about it. The VA mental health system is broken in function, and understaffed in operation. There are many cases of soldiers coming to the VA for help and being turned away or misdiagnosed for PTSD and then losing their battle with their demons. Those soldiers, as well as our son Timothy, can never be brought back. No one can change that fact. But you can change the system so this trend can be slowed down dramatically or even stopped. Our son was just one of thousands of veterans that this country has lost to suicide. I see every day the pain and grief that our family and extended family goes through in trying to deal with this loss. Every one of those at risk veterans also has a family that will suffer if that soldier finds the only way to take the battlefield pain away is by taking his or her own life. Their ravished and broken spirits are then passed on to their families as they try to justify what has happened. I now suffer from the same mental illnesses that claimed my son's life, PTSD, from the images and sounds of finding him and hearing his life fade away, and depression from a loss that I would not wish on anyone. If the veteran suicide rate is not classified as an epidemic that needs immediate and drastic attention, then the American fighting soldier needs someone in Washington who thinks it is. I challenge you to do for the American soldier, what that soldier did for each of you and for his country. Take care of them and help preserve their American dream as they did yours. To quote President Calvin Coolidge, ``The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.'' I challenge you to make the VA an organization to be proud of instead of the last place that a veteran wants to go. It is the obligation of each and every one of you and all Americans, to channel the energies, resources, and the intelligence and wisdom of this nation's Best and Brightest to create the most effective, efficient and meaningful healthcare system for our men and women who have served. You must find a way to remove the stigma that goes with a soldier admitting that he or she has a mental problem. We have the technology to create the most highly advanced military system, but when these Veterans come home, they find an understaffed, underfunded, and underequipped VA mental health system that has so many challenges to get through it, that many just give up trying. The result is the current suicide epidemic among our nation's defenders, one of which was Specialist Timothy Noble Bowman, our 23 year old son, soldier, and hero. Our veterans should and must not be left behind in the ravished, horrific battlefields of their broken spirits and minds. Our veterans deserve better!! Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. Thank you. Testimony of Ilona Meagher Chairman Filner, Ranking Member Buyer, and other distinguished members of the Committee, I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. To open, I'd like to briefly share my thoughts on why it is that I believe I'm here. I am not only someone who's spent the past two years researching and writing about post- traumatic stress in our returning troops, I'm also a veteran's daughter. My father was born in Hungary, served two years in antitank artillery as a Hungarian Army conscript, fought against the Soviet Union on the streets of Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and later fled to America where, in 1958, he again became a soldier, this time wearing a United States Army uniform, and serving as a combat engineer stationed in Germany. My father's unique experience of having served on both sides--East and West--in such differing armies during the Cold War, gave him a unique perspective on military life. And so, growing up, my sisters and I often heard my father say, ``You can always tell how a government feels about its people by looking at how it treats its soldiers.'' Looking at our returning soldiers and their widely-reported struggles with the military and VA health care systems they rely on, of being stigmatized from seeking care or of being placed on lengthy VA waiting lists when they need immediate help--some even committing suicide before their appointment dates arrive--have raised this citizen's alarm bells. We have had a ``see no evil, hear no evil'' approach to examining post-deployment psychological reintegration issues such as suicide. After all we have learned from the struggles of the Vietnam War generation--and the ensuing controversy over how many of its veterans did or did not commit suicide in its wake--why is there today no known national registry where Afghanistan and Iraq veteran suicide data is being collected? How can we ascertain reintegration problems--if any exist--if we are not proactive in seeking them out? As late as May 2007, Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Karen Fedele told the Washington Post that there was no attempt to gather Afghanistan and Iraq veteran suicide incidents. ``We don't keep that data,'' she said. ``I'm told that somebody here is going to do an analysis, but there just is nothing right now.'' Meanwhile, the Army reported its suicide rate in 2006 rose to 17.3 per 100,000 troops, the highest in 26 years of keeping such records. At long last, the Associated Press revealed that the VA is finally conducting preliminary research. They've tracked at least 283 OEF/OIF veteran suicides through the end of 2005, nearly double the rate of the additional 147 suicides reported by the DoD's Defense Manpower Data Center. Looking only at the these suicide figures from the VA (283) and the DoD (147), there have been at least 430 Afghanistan and Iraq veteran suicides that have occurred either in the combat zone or stateside following combat deployment. Lost in the VA and DoD counts are those veterans who have returned from their deployments, are still in the military and not yet in the VA system. The DoD says they do not track those incidents, and I assume neither does the VA because these veterans are not yet on their radar. Yet even with this omission, many of these 430 confirmed suicides are a result of our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and should--but won't--be listed with the DoD's official OEF/OIF death toll of 4,351. It bears mentioning: Currently 10 percent of the overall fatal casualty count of these wars is due to suicide. Dismissing the issue of veteran suicide in the face of this data is negligent and does nothing to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans and the families and communities that literally are tasked with supporting them once they return. Yet, prior to last month's CBS News investigation, which revealed that 120 veterans of all wars committed suicide every week in 2005 and that 20-24 year old Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are two to four times more likely to commit suicide than their civilian counterparts, the scope of the problem has been largely unknown because no one with proper resources and access to do the compiling of data came forward to do so. In my written testimony, I've included 75 suicides that I and other citizen journalist colleagues have been tracking since September 2005 and which today reside in the ePluribus Media PTSD Timeline. Offering only a small and incomplete sliver of insight into how some of our returning troops are faring on the home front--especially in light of the fact that at least another 355 incidents could be added among them according the the VA and DoD--I believe that they collectively tell an even greater tale about the failure of us as individuals and as a society to ensure that our returning warriors are cleansed completely from the psychological wounds of war. They also reflect the failure of our government institutions to protect those who protect us. While I realize that these distressing stories are the exception and not the rule, to our exceptional military families having to deal with the deterioration of a loved one they thought had safely returned from combat, they are the rule. In 1956, the same year that my parents fled to this incredible country, the 84th Congress--in the very House that we sit in today--had this to say in a presidential commission report on veterans' benefits: ``The Government's obligation is to help veterans overcome special, significant handicaps incurred as a consequence of their military service. The objective should be to return veterans as nearly as possible to the status they would have achieved had they not been in military service . . . and maintaining them and their survivors in circumstances as favorable as those of the rest of the people. . . . War sacrifices should be distributed as equally as possible within our society. This is the basic function of our veterans programs.'' I am not a pedigreed expert or a government official seasoned in testifying before you, but those who are from the GAO and the Congressional Research Department and even the Veterans Administration itself, have sat in this very seat over the years and told you we are falling far short in providing the resources and programs our returning troops and military families need to successfully return to their personal lives following their service to the nation. To those who resist hearing the cold hard truth of where we are today, I'd like to say: The time is here to stop fighting the data, and to start fighting for our troops. This is America. We can do better. We must do better.

Mr. MANZULLO

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, the subject of our Special Order this evening is our dear friend, Henry Hyde. Mr. Speaker, I would yield to Congressman Rohrabacher from California.

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois, Congressman Ray LaHood.