Thad McCotter

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I know our time is short. I thank the gentleman. I wish to emphasize why, as the gentleman from Texas pointed out, our border security efforts to date have been a good step, but they must be increased. History shows us that once before an enemy of the United States, the communist Soviet Union and its Bolshevik dictators, joined league with the communist Castro on the island of Cuba to plant nuclear weapons 70 miles off the United States shores. What a sad irony in history it would be for the United States today to see a dictator in Tehran join league with the oppressive dictator Mr. Chavez in Venezuela to potentially place nuclear devises within America's borders. I think we should look back to what President Kennedy talked about when he addressed the Cuban missile crisis in order to steel ourselves for the struggles ahead. President Kennedy pointed out that America does not keep its word only when it is easy. America does not keep its word only when it is easy. And while the price of freedom is always high, Americans have always paid it. I am convinced that if we learn from the lessons of histories and from the successes of individuals like President Kennedy, from his commitment to defending this Nation, to the expansion of liberty, we ourselves will see the day where both Cuba and Venezuela and the people of Iran are free.

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. For a moment there I thought you were introducing someone else. But I appreciate the compliment, however misguided it may be. We in America are so seemingly secure in our rights, our liberties, our God-given constitutionally recognized rights, that we too often cursorily scan our Nation's foundational truths which secure those liberties. We also as a young Nation far too often have a disdain for history, because since our inception, our eyes always have been fixed forward, towards the progression of our Nation and the expansion of liberty to our fellow Americans. We also, because of the size of our country and its vast beauty, tend to overlook world geography and the relative situation of other nations to each other. We cannot do that any longer. We cannot ignore the mistakes of past history. We cannot ignore the realities of geography. And we cannot ever endeavor to forget our own history. As the gentleman pointed out, we call each other in this house ``honorable,'' and rightly so. For we are all people who have been elected to serve our fellow Americans. And he rightly pointed out the remarks of the gentleman, the distinguished and honorable gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). He could not have pointed to a finer example. Because Mr. Rangel not only serves his Nation in this Chamber; Mr. Rangel also is a decorated veteran who served his Nation in a foreign war. I bring up history to Mr. Rangel because like the gentleman from Tennessee and the gentlewoman from North Carolina, to Mr. Rangel history has a way of revealing the elemental truths of a Nation to itself however unwilling we may be at the time to recognize them, for the very same Mr. Rangel who defended our Nation abroad, had ancestors in this country who were enslaved by the government and the people of this Nation. The gentleman from Tennessee and the gentlewoman from North Carolina and myself doubtless had relatives in the United States at the time of the Civil War who were sworn enemies who endeavored to kill each other. Yet because of the foundational truth of this Nation, we stand here today recognizing each other as honorable and joined in the peaceful resolution of our political disputes, because where there is liberty, there is a chance to transcend history to a better tomorrow. In our Nation's history, we have always done so. When we look abroad, we can go back to the past of that great conflagration that emancipated a race and forged a more perfect Union, to what we are trying to do today. For it is by remembering that in the age of industrialization America could not endure half slave and half free that we realize in an age of globalization our world cannot endure half slave and half free. When we face the grim contest, the unsought struggle in which we find ourselves against Jihadist fascism, which is more akin to a death cult than any governing political philosophy, we can trace the strain of our own trials and tribulations to ensure more perfect liberty to ourselves and to the efforts that young men and women of our military and our State Department and others are trying to expand throughout the globe, because we know that America's security rests in the promotion of liberty. We face an enemy that seeks to enslave the globe under its warped worship of death. If we fail in the task before us in the Middle East, if we allow the newly emancipated people of Iraq, the newly emancipated people of Afghanistan, to be thrown to the wolves at their door, and allow Iraq to evolve back into a state sponsor of terror, if we allow the Taliban and its bloodthirsty ilk to again rule Afghanistan and turn female parliamentarians back into property, slavery will have consumed them, and our liberty will be imperiled. When we look at the efforts of Ahmadinejad and Chavez, we see a common union between oppressors. We see that the Iranian President would seek to impose the oppression that he puts upon his own people, and his common link with the Venezuelan oppressor of his own people. It would be easy at this point in time to see Mr. Chavez is nothing but a third-rate Castro clone, but he is not, because while Mr. Chavez may seem to us to be a bit of a caricature, he is actually a very cunning individual, as is the President of Iran. The President of Iran, I believe, has a very good grasp of geography. The President of Iran understands that while we have helped to expand liberty on the frontiers of Iran in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq, which have put nascent democracies on his doorstep, he needs only to look to South America to see the conditions of poverty and oppression that are rife within that continent and seek to prey upon them by joining league not with duly elected democratic governments that are out to better the quality of lives of their people, but he joins hands with Hugo Chavez to attack the President of the United States, to attack the United States of America, to distract both their citizens, citizens of both countries, from the reality that it is they who are oppressing them, not the United States, who is emancipating them. If we look at our southern border and the absence of security, the comity between Mr. Ahmadinejad and Mr. Chavez is clear, and the danger to our security becomes clear. If we have, as some reports lead us to believe, indications of Jihadist fascism in South America, in Mexico, in other places, that are willing to cross the border, or joining with gangs to cross the border, it is painfully obvious to see that what the President of Iran will do is export his version of worldwide slavery, through the person of Mr. Chavez, with the assistance of the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and try to utilize our lax and porous southern border to help these individuals infiltrate the United States. You see, we may not know geography, we may not learn the lessons of history of how dictators band together to attack free people, and we may be devoid of our own knowledge of our own responsibilities to each other and to our fellow citizens, but our enemies are not. Our enemies believe our strengths are our weaknesses. It is up to us to prove them wrong. For as every generation of Americans before us, when faced with a challenge to their own liberty and security, have met that challenge directly, they have defeated it, and they have expanded liberty to their fellow human beings abroad. I have no doubt we will continue to do the same, because as Americans it has been our tradition, and it is our duty, and we have never shirked from our duty as a free people.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the extraordinary life of Austin Malcolm ``Mike'' Allen, former Mayor of Northville, Michigan, and mourn his passing at the age of 91. For more than nine decades, Mike served the people of the City of Northville, where we served as its Mayor from 1958-1978. Born on October 3, 1914, he left his world on September 9, 2006. In his magnificent life, Mike embodied the virtues of honesty and duty--and good old fashioned common sense--for which he was widely admired and never equaled. (Though, admittedly, few tried to emulate his love of suspenders!) Mike is survived by his wife, Betty; his children, Jim, Sharon, and Patricia; and his siblings, Doris, Naomi, Jerome, Flora, and Hoy. He will be remembered for his witty sense of humor, unfaltering dependability, and endearing concern for others. Mike touched everyone he met; and, by his absence, we are all diminished. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Austin Malcolm ``Mike'' Allen for his lifetime of dedication and service to his fellow human beings.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for confusing me with someone else, but in all seriousness, as someone with a very pluralistic district, who myself have many friends in the Muslim community, I wish to join the number of voices that are echoing the call for dialogue between all of the great religions. But I think we would be remiss if we missed a simple intelligible fact, as if one of the fundamental dialogues that must occur is within the Muslim community itself, both here and home. While conversation amongst the religions is always very healthy, we face a dire situation in the Muslim community where there are those who are bent on the death and destruction not only of non-Muslims but upon Muslims themselves. So I would ask my Muslim friends to engage in that dialogue amongst their co-religionists because, in the final analysis, I, as an outsider, in my own mind, in my own heart, can think of no truer definition of an infidel than someone who claims to be a Muslim, killing their fellow Muslims in the name of Allah.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman. It was my hope to emphasize a point which you raised in your rather enlightening remarks today, and I thought I would best be able to do that through illustration with a map. We often hear people wonder what the United States policy is currently in the Middle East in terms of our military and in turn how it affects our national security. Why does Iraq matter? I will not use this occasion to dwell upon the past, because, as you have quoted Churchill, if I may myself, Winston Churchill pointed out that if we seek to open a quarrel between the past and the present, we will lose the future. We are where we are. So let me explain. When you look at a map, you see Iraq right here in the heart of the Middle East. Surrounding Iraq are Syria and Iran, two state sponsors of terror. If we allow what happened in the 1930s to happen here, you will see Syria continue to assist the insurgency in Iraq, Iran continue to assist the insurgency in Iraq, al Qaeda continue to infiltrate Iraq, and should Iraq's efforts towards democracy fail, you will see all three countries linked. The crushing weight of putting Iraq back into the terrorist and the jihadist-fascist camp will have enormous ramifications, because the sheer combined weight will immediately press upon the Kingdom of Jordan. It will lead to the destruction finally with a counterattack by Hezbollah in the south to the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon. It will have enormous adverse effects in Egypt through the Muslim Brotherhood. It will also lead to the destabilization of Saudi Arabia, and, eventually, what Iran has professed, the destruction of the State of Israel itself. Again, a historical parallel with Iraq at the present time can be drawn between the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact of the 1930s, which ultimately sparked the war, where they had Germany on one side, the Soviets on the other and Poland sat in between, and in their non- aggression pact they carved that country to pieces. Iran and Syria now have a mutual defense pact. We have seen its ramifications within Lebanon and we are experiencing its ramifications within Iraq itself. The alternative to seeing the unholy alliance between Syria, Iraq and Iran that are run by terrorist sponsoring states, that are run and shielded by a nuclear powered Iran, is quite simple to grasp. Over here you have Afghanistan, which is struggling for democracy. Here you have Iraq, which is struggling for democracy. You have the moderate Kingdom of Jordan, you have Egypt, you have Saudi Arabia, which is trying to strive toward reform, and you have Turkey, which is a moderate, a relative concept, but a moderate democracy, Muslim democracy. If Iraq becomes democratic and Afghanistan becomes democratic, the pressure then is no longer on the people who seek their own liberty within these countries. It becomes a pressure point for Iran and a pressure point for Syria to explain, to have these despots explain within their own nations how they can oppress their citizens and why they do not deserve the type of better life that they have in hopefully a democratic Iraq and a democratic Afghanistan, as they do in Turkey and elsewhere. This is not going to be easy to achieve, for what we see in Iraq basically is a counterattack. After the initial removal of the Hussein regime, you had infiltrations of insurgent support from Syria, infiltrations of insurgent support from Iran. You had al Qaeda come into Iraq, because they know that if Iraq goes democratic, history could very well, and I believe will, repeat itself. One of the things we face in the Middle East today is the threat of World War II, of an inherently invidious ideology, jihadist fascism, which in many ways more closely resembles a death cult than any governing philosophy, combined with the approach that won the cold war. I repeat that, we face the threat of World War II, and we are addressing it with the solution of the cold war. As you recall, what ultimately ended the cold war was when the Berlin Wall fell and Eastern Europe was freed. And it was after freedom swept through the satellite states of Eastern Europe that eventually the Soviet Union collapsed, not from a nuclear exchange or other military exchange with the United States and the West, but from the aspirations of the Russian people themselves for a better life and a life of liberty. When we look at this map, when you can see an Afghanistan that is democratic and free, when you can see an Iraq that is democratic and free, when you can add that with Turkey, with the Kingdom of Jordan, with the reforms in Egypt, with the reforms in Saudi Arabia, with the successful resolution and triumph of the peaceful Cedar Revolution, what you will then see is serious people demanding to share the lifestyle and the freedoms that are enjoyed by their fellow Muslims in the world. You will see Iranians, many of whom are under the age of 30, many of whom are not opposed to westernized ideas, or at least pluralism and tolerance, and you will see the Iranian people demanding their freedom. This will never happen if this goes back to being a terrorist state sponsor. And for those who are rightly concerned that in this period in our Nation's history we could face war without end, I ask you this question: If you disagree with my scenario, with my analysis that a democratic Iraq combined with a democratic Afghanistan will eventually put pressure on Syria and Iran whereby they will collapse from within, if you disagree with that, find me a better solution. Because I assure you that if Iraq goes back to being a state sponsor of terror and Iran gets a nuclear weapon, that scenario is far more likely to produce the war without end than will be the liberation and emancipation of people throughout that region and the demands of Syrians and Iranians for the freedom that we here so often take for granted. I yield back to the distinguished gentlewoman.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge John B. Dean, Chief of Police of the Waterford Police Department, upon his retirement from a distinguished career in public service. From a young age, Chief Dean dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Michigan. At age 15, he enrolled as a cadet in the Waterford Police Department before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. Following his military service, Chief Dean first joined the Detroit Police Department before returning to Waterford in 1975, where he continued his career in law enforcement. Over the next three decades, Chief Dean advanced through the ranks of the Waterford Police Department, eventually serving as a Patrol Officer, Undercover Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Youth Liaison Officer, Patrol Lieutenant, and Detective Bureau Commander. In January of 2000, he was promoted to Chief of Police. A Central Michigan University alumnus and graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy, Chief Dean also served on the Police and Fire Pension Board of Waterford Township, Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America, Board of Directors of the Oakland County Chiefs of Police, the State Police Advisory Board, and as Treasurer of the Michigan Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. For his tireless service to the community, Chief Dean has been recognized with the Officer of the Year Award; the Medal for Bravery; the Meritorious Service Award; and was named Waterford Employee of the Year. Mr. Speaker, for 31 years, Chief John B. Dean has unwaveringly upheld his oath to protect and defend the citizens of Michigan. As he enters the next phase of his life, he leaves behind a legacy of dedication, honor, and courage. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Chief Dean upon his retirement and recognizing his years of loyal service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Madam Speaker, undreamt by all but the mind of God, on November 9, 1989, a chance was breach-birthed through a blood spattered wall, and heralded by the joyous chorus of freedom unfettered. Confusing this chance with entitlement, hubristic humanity christened this transient moment ``the end of history.'' For a spell, her siren song stupefied and sedated all who wished the world was different, for it was, wasn't it? Universally, right reason retreated before her beguiling tidings of permanent peace, as statesmen, scholars and citizens boasted the future was at hand, though not in their hands because these elites assumed ``the end of history'' had relieved humanity of its duty to shelter and shape the fragile civilization separating us from savagery. But duty was not so easily abdicated, nor was reality so cavalierly ignored. Incessantly through the benighted times, incipient sparks of tumult flitted before blinded eyes, wafting heavenward, spiraling downward and mirroring the death of the chance. Incidents begat situations which begat problems which begat crises and--Nothing, as the pyre of hope flamed out; and mercilessly, ``the end of history'' was found murdered amidst the ruins of evil's wanton feast on September 11, 2001. With the chance turned to ashes in our hands, we've stumbled from our slumber to feel our way through a shadowy series of dire events. Frustrated and fearful, we are tempted to seek relief by wallowing in a mire of suicidal denial or sating ourselves on the saccharine succor of sophistry. Such desperate acts will ill avail us in our quest for the true resolution of our troubles. No, a generation who embraced ``the end of history'' to elude its duty must now reacquaint itself with its own history in order to understand, confront, and conquer the quartet of crises besetting it. Thankfully, for enlightenment and inspiration, our generation of Americans can still turn to this Nation's Greatest Generation. America's Greatest Generation faced and surmounted four crises: the social and economic upheavals of industrialization, including the Great Depression; a Second World War against abject evil; the rise of the Soviet ``super-state'' as a rival to democratic capitalism; and the civil rights movement's struggle to equally ensure the God-given and constitutionally recognized rights of all Americans. Today, our generation of Americans must also confront and transcend a quartet of crises: the social and economic upheavals of globalization; a third world war against abject evil; the rise of the communist ``China, Inc. super-state'' as a rival to democratic capitalism; and moral relativism's erosion of our Nation's foundational, self-evident truths. Yet there is a critical difference between the crises conquered by the Greatest Generation and the crises confronting our generation of Americans: Generally, they faced their crises consecutively; we face our crises simultaneously. In response, we must construct prudent policies which, through the moral rule of law, wrest order from the chaos. In this purposeful pursuit, we must be heartened and guided by the Greatest Generation's greatest virtue: their moral clarity. The Greatest Generation knew America was the greatest Nation. This was no blind belief. This conviction, born of right reason applied to the providential unfolding of their personal experience with America's fundamental truths, traditions, rights and duties, empowered the Greatest Generation to prevail against all odds and attain the zenith of acclaim. Now our generation of Americans must possess the moral clarity needed to meet our quartet of crises. Yes, there will be those who will pale amidst our perilous present, and those who deny the inherent decency of our democracy and decry its righteous defense. But if our resolve erodes absent right reason and such cynics prevail in the public square, we are damned. For if in our duty we falter and fail, generations unnamed will rue the day we slipped the womb to salt their Earth. Thus we must embrace what we cannot escape. Once more in the life of our free Republic's revolutionary experiment in democracy, we, its sovereign citizens, confront a historical crossroads which will determine whether our children are bequeathed a legacy of freedom or serfdom, of liberty or slavery. Our path is stark; our task is great. Yet, with God's guidance through these transformational times, we will seize our moment and deliver America from evil. Then, one day, later, perhaps sooner, but wherever the future holds our transcendent tomorrow, free Americans and an emancipated humanity will kindly recall our courageous defense of the ``last best hope of Earth.''

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge the distinguished career of Dr. Samuel J. Prisk, upon attaining the Boy Scouts of America's prestigious 2006 Silver Buffalo Award. For nearly six decades, Dr. Prisk has dedicated his life to improving the communities in which he lived. On March 1, 1948, he began his career as a dentist in Livonia, Michigan. From October 1960 until June 30, 1987, he served with distinction as a member and officer of the Clarenceville School Board in Clarenceville, Michigan. To commemorate his commitment to exceptional community service, the Board created the Dr. Samuel J. Prisk Scholarship, an award given to high school students who have excelled in academics, community involvement, school spirit, and attendance. Since 1986, Dr. Prisk has proudly served on the board of directors of the Methodist Children's Home Society, a non-profit volunteer-driven agency, which provides foster care, residential care, adoption, and literacy programs for children. During March 2006, he was recognized by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association with an honorary membership for supporting high school sports for 43 years by providing medical services during games, and gathering the resources necessary to assist aspiring athletes. For his extraordinary loyalty and invaluable contributions to youth, the Boy Scouts have bestowed upon Dr. Prisk the 2006 Silver Buffalo Award, Scouting's highest commendation. He has held positions at the national and region level and served the Boy Scouts Detroit Area Council as council vice president, council commissioner, council activities chair, council executive committee, district training chair, Scoutmaster, and Webelos leader. Mr. Speaker, during Dr. Samuel J. Prisk's laudable career, he has demonstrated exemplary leadership and involvement in local schools, sports teams, and youth agencies. His legendary benevolence has improved the lives of countless children across Michigan. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring his many years of loyal and dedicated service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge Jim Padilla, president and chief operating officer of Ford Motor Company, upon his retirement. Since Jim first joined Ford in 1966 as a quality-control engineer, he has worked tirelessly to maintain the company's position as a global leader in automotive quality. In 1976, Jim was promoted to the first of several management roles he would hold in product engineering and manufacturing. He served in a number of senior manufacturing, engineering, and management positions from 1992 to 1996, before being named president of Ford South America operations until 1998. Jim became group vice president of global manufacturing in 1999. He then served as Ford president of the Americas from 2001 to 2002, which is responsible for all operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. In April of 2005, Jim was promoted to chief operating officer of Ford Motor Company and chairman of Ford automotive operations. On February 1, 2005, Jim was named president of Ford Motor Company and elected to its board of directors. For 40 years, Jim's commitment to quality, environmental consciousness, and innovation has helped keep Ford a premier automotive manufacturer. He is credited with revamping failing sectors of the company, such as the Jaguar automotive line, and with successfully restructuring operations after the breakup of Autolina. A graduate of the University of Detroit-Mercy, he now serves on the university's board of trustees and has been named a fellow of the National Academy of Engineering. Mr. Speaker, Jim's tireless leadership and vision of excellence has revolutionized Ford's automotive operations for four decades. As he enters the next phase of his life, I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding his achievements and honoring him for his legendary service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge Dick and Gini Britton as they celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary, September 4, 2006. Dick and Gini are a loving couple committed to improving the lives of Michigan citizens. Over the years, their friends and family have watched as their friendship blossomed into a relationship of mutual respect, love, and fulfillment. It began during the mid-1970s, when their friends Mike and Mary Sedlak arranged a dinner date for the couple-to-be. Soon, a relationship ensued, Dick and Gini fell in love, and they married on September 4, 1976. Their first home was in Dearborn, Michigan, where they lived with their dog, Erin. By the end of the decade, the couple had moved to Commerce Township and bore their first child, Michelle, in 1980. In 1985, their second daughter, Bridget, was born and the family moved to Northville Township a year later. Dissatisfied with the Northville Township Board of Trustees, Gini decided to make a difference by entering public service; she was elected to the Board in the early 1990s, where we initially met. Her dedication to the citizens of Northville continued even after moving to Oxford, Michigan, during the spring of 1999. For several years after they moved, Gini still ordered the local newspaper, the Northville Record, to maintain her awareness of Northville current events. Currently, Gini serves as a political consultant for the Oxford Rotary and member of the Oxford Women's Club. In addition, Dick is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has loyally worked at the manufacturing representative firm, Terry Barr Sales, for 30 years. Last year, as Gini battled breast cancer, Dick supportively stood by her side through chemotherapy and at every major consultation or procedure until she defeated the disease. Mr. Speaker, this loving family has touched the lives of so many individuals across Michigan. Gini Britton's legendary commitment to promoting effective governance is a testament to her moral and compassionate character. For three decades, Dick and Gina have shown an unwavering and selfless dedication to their family, their friends, and to each other. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary and in honoring them for their years of unfaltering service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge John B. Dean, Chief of Police of the Waterford Police Department, upon his retirement from a distinguished career in public service. From a young age, Chief Dean dedicated his life to protecting the citizens of Michigan. At age 15, he enrolled as a cadet in the Waterford Police Department before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. Following his military service, Chief Dean first joined the Detroit Police Department before returning to Waterford in 1975, where he continued his career in law enforcement. Over the next three decades, Chief Dean advanced through the ranks of the Waterford Police Department, eventually serving as a Patrol Officer, Undercover Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Youth Liaison Officer, Patrol Lieutenant, and Detective Bureau Commander. In January of 2000, he was promoted to Chief of Police. A Central Michigan University alumnus and graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy, Chief Dean also served on the Police and Fire Pension Board of Waterford Township, Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America, Board of Directors of the Oakland County Chiefs of Police, the State Police Advisory Board, and as Treasurer of the Michigan Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. For his tireless service to the community, Chief Dean has been recognized with the Officer of the Year Award; the Medal for Bravery; the Meritorious Service Award; and was named Waterford Employee of the Year. Mr. Speaker, for 31 years, Chief John B. Dean has unwaveringly upheld his oath to protect and defend the citizens of Michigan. As he enters the next phase of his life, he leaves behind a legacy of dedication, honor, and courage. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Chief Dean upon his retirement and recognizing his years of loyal service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House.

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the extraordinary life of Staff Sergeant Duane Dreasky of Novi, Michigan, and mourn his passing. Staff Sergeant Dreasky proudly served in the 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery Regiment, of the Army National Guard in Lansing, Michigan, and he devoted his life to serving our country. As a student at Walled Lake Western High School, he enjoyed studying military history and playing football, but dreamed of serving his country as a soldier. Despite being a versatile athlete who wrestled, ran track, sky dived and taught martial arts, Staff Sergeant Dreasky suffered a knee injury, which threatened to prevent him from serving in the military. In March of 2000, Staff Sergeant Dreasky married his best friend, Mandy, who served in the United States Army. When Mandy was deployed to Iraq in 2003, Staff Sergeant Dreasky transported members of her unit to Wisconsin for training and helped loved ones communicate with soldiers overseas. Finally, after writing to elected officials about his desire to enlist, he was able to join the National Guard in June of 2003. After basic training, Staff Sergeant Dreasky served in Cuba before voluntarily deploying to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. On November 21, 2005, an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle near Habbaniyah, Iraq. He sustained severe injuries and was transported to the burn center at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for treatment. Wrapped in medical bandages and unable to stand, he struggled to salute President George W. Bush, who visited him in the hospital. With his father, Roger; mother, Cheryl; sister, Dawn; and Mandy by his side, Staff Sergeant Dreasky never lost his patriotism. For 8 months, Staff Sergeant Dreasky fought courageously for his life, but ultimately passed away on July 10, 2006. His legendary commitment to his family, community, and country is a testament to his enduring and selfless love. Staff Sergeant Dreasky is remembered as an inspiration to the citizens of Michigan, a soldier of unyielding dedication and a hero. He will be sorely missed. Mr. Speaker, during his 31 years, Staff Sergeant Dreasky enriched the lives of everyone around him. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning his passing and honoring his contributions to our community and our country

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding. I am here as a Representative from Michigan. And as many of you know, and I am sure you do, Mr. Speaker, Senator Arthur Vandenberg from Michigan played a key role in bringing the United States into the postwar world. He originally started out of Grand Rapids as an isolationist. And yet as he saw the gathering clouds of World War II and the impact of isolationism and appeasement upon the course of world events, he quickly became a believer in the United States' role in the world, and not simply being in the world itself and going along with the tide of history but trying to direct that tide of history towards a positive outcome for our own citizens and for humanity. This is why today, as an admirer of Senator Vandenberg and, yes, as an admirer of President Roosevelt, we have to admit that today the dream of President Roosevelt has been turned into a nightmare by the corruption of the United Nations. The dream which President Roosevelt inherited from President Wilson and his League of Nations, a torch that President Roosevelt carried throughout election after election, despite its being many times unpopular, has been put in the hands of people who operate the United Nations not as an entity to bring about global peace and prosperity and security through mutual diplomatic action but rather as a corrupt political machine. In fact, the United Nations has one advantage over a traditional municipal political machine. It is that the enormity of their crimes tends to mask their crime. The global scale of the theft, which the gentleman from Tennessee will soon help to elucidate, has masked the simple fact that they are operating in their own interests rather than the interests of the citizens of the United States and rather than the interests of people throughout the world. One of the things which is most striking, as the gentleman pointed out, is the fact that when we look back upon the search for weapons of mass destruction by the Security Council and the resolutions that were passed and passed and passed, and ignored and ignored and ignored, is the simple, ineluctable fact that Saddam Hussein had bribed the jury, that Saddam Hussein had taken the Oil-for-Food program and turned it into an instrument not only for his aggrandizement and enrichment at the expense of starving people in his own nation, he also utilized it to buy influence amongst member countries at the Security Council level. When viewed in that light, it is easy to see why there was such discord and such incomprehensible division amongst former allies and erstwhile allies in the buildup to the invasion of Iraq by the United States to liberate that country from Saddam. It is also easy to see why, in so many other instances when dealing with the dictator, it was very difficult to get the U.N. to take a stand and to commence action to enforce its own resolutions. As the distinguished ranking member of the International Relations Committee, Mr. Lantos of California, has pointed out, the United Nations is a derivative reality. As he points out, it is a derivative reality in the sense it is composed of member states. And member states can be bad actors on the international stage or good actors on the international stage, and when they come together, the results can often be less than productive. But in the end, it is not the position of myself or many in the United States who are encouraging U.N. reform that the U.N. do what we ask it to do or that it be led by the nose by the United States of America and back us in all our diplomatic efforts. But what we are trying to do, through the Henry Hyde bill and through other attempts legislatively, is to guarantee a fair and impartial hearing amongst the Security Council and amongst the member states and know that when we make our case that we will not be greeted by a bribed judge and jury, but that we will be greeted by other sovereign nations acting objectively in the best interests of world security and world prosperity. It is this chance that we were cheated of, and it is this chance that we are endeavoring to restore because endeavoring to restore the integrity to the United Nations, we are endeavoring to rekindle the spark of the dream of Franklin Roosevelt and the entire postwar generation that hoped that the horrors of the Second World War would not be lost upon future generations, thus condemning them to a third world war. Arguably, that chance has already been lost. Regardless, we must press ahead because the United Nations as a concept, as an ideal, has a very practical value in the world today. And I think it is very difficult for us not to confront the reality that it is not performing that function, largely due to its own corruption.

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I am very happy, too, with Mr. Shawn producing this book, because I hope it brings light to the problems at the United Nations. I would also like to thank the gentlewoman for her kind remarks about it. Just because we are loquacious does not make us eloquent. And you certainly know how to make your point. Aside from the international ramifications of the United Nations corruption, it would be very simple for Americans to say, well, what is the problem? We know that the world is not perfect. We know that an amalgamation of nations is not going to always act with the proper rectitude that is expected or the proper perspicacity that is required under an international crisis. Many people in my district and throughout America will say to themselves, well, the U.N. is corrupt. That is not news to us. We are not surprised that champagne-sipping, caviar-chomping globalists are making a mess of the jobs that we have entrusted to them. But there are several points that are important. Even if we are tempted to shut out the ramifications for the world of the United Nations corruption, let us remember that we are paying for it. The United States taxpayers are the largest contributors to the United Nations. Now, by any objective measurement, this is not a sound investment for the American taxpayers, given the current circumstances occurring at the United Nations, anymore than I would say that in 1900 Tammany Hall was a wise investment for New Yorkers. My concern also is that these very people, not content with their misfeasance and malfeasance internationally, now wish to do something about your sovereign rights as an American citizen. The U.N. continues to like to use international treaties, and as many of you know, when the United States signs a treaty, that treaty has more weight than statute, has more weight than State laws. They like to engage in coming up with conventions and conferences to come up with treaties that nations can sign and then be bound by and, consequently, their citizens governed by. The United Nations has such incentives to deal with your second amendment constitutional rights. They have conventions that they would like you to sign to help reduce your ability to raise your own children as you see fit, to intrude upon every aspect of American life. I think that that is insane for us to continue to fund an organizations that would like to destroy the Republic's consent to be governed through international convention while they make a nice buck off of doing it, and get to travel to all of the places that they like to frequent and hold these conventions, and, might I point out, not one of them is in Darfur or in North Korea. The ramifications to the United States taxpayer in terms of their prosperity and in terms of economy of measures by the government, as well as in terms of their inherent sovereignty itself, is endangered by a corrupt organization that is bent on its own aggrandizement at our expense. It is often frustrating to me, as someone who came out of Wayne County Commission, the Wayne County Government, which is very much like Cook County, Illinois, and politics in Chicago, as one of the few Republicans who got to watch a machine, a political machine at work. Mr. Speaker, I do not think it would be wise for the United States to continue to subsidize heavily a corrupt political machine. I do not think it is wise for us to subsidize it at all. I think that we should terminate it if it proves that the reforms that we are trying to achieve are impossible. I think it is imperative that we continue to demand accountability from them. But I think it is also important, as Mr. Wamp from Tennessee and Ms. Foxx from North Carolina and others are trying to do, is to make the American public aware that this is not some esoteric exercise in international law. This is a direct threat to your sovereign, inalienable constitutional rights as an American citizen. If we do not demand accountability from the United Nations, if we continue to allow the United Nations to believe itself, as a self- aggrandized harbinger and herald of a new world order, then we will feel the ramifications not only in places like North Korea and Iran and Iraq, we will feel those ramifications in Iowa and New Hampshire and Idaho. That is why we are engaged in this discussion tonight. It is not only to decry and curse the darkness of the past, it is try to light a candle upon the unsavory activities of the United Nations, to try to engage the American public with an awareness of the realties of the consequences to them should U.N. reform not occur; again, in our own way, to try to start the journey of the thousand miles that is U.N. reform, and put that organization back on a track that will serve the people of the United States, that will serve the citizens of other nations, and will again rekindle Franklin Roosevelt's dream for that organization.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Abu Abbas, no longer a threat to the United States. Atta Kumar, no longer a threat to the United States. Saifullah alias Gori, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdullah of Parnot, no longer a threat to the United States. Burez Begum, no longer a threat to the United States. Mustaqim, no longer a threat to the United States. Farouk Hijazi, no longer a threat to the United States. Nasser Al-Fahd, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammad Salim Al-Ghamdi, no longer a threat to the United States. Tariq Mikhail Aziz, no longer a threat to the United States. Hassan Ghul, no longer a threat to the United States. Khala Khadr Al-Salahat, no longer a threat to the United States. Nayif Shindakh Thamir, no longer a threat to the United States. Adil Abdallah Mahdi, no longer a threat to the United States. Humam Abd al-Khaliq Abd al-Ghafur, no longer a threat to the United States. Ahmad al-Ali, no longer a threat to the United States. Lt. Colonel Khaled Rajab, no longer a threat to the United States. Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdul Hadi Daghlas aka Abu Taisir, no longer a threat to the United States. Shihab al-Sab'awi, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed al Harahse, no longer a threat to the United States. Abdullah al-Shami, no longer a threat to the United States. Ayoub Hawleri, no longer a threat to the United States. Abu Saeed, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammad Salman Eisa aka Ibrah, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Sultan, no longer a threat to the United States. Mo'ayed Ahmed Yassin aka Abu Ahmed, no longer a threat to the United States. Husam al Yemeni, no longer a threat to the United States. Abu Abdullah Hasan bin Mahmud, no longer a threat to the United States. Didar Khalan, no longer a threat to the United States. Anas Ahmad al-Issa, no longer a threat to the United States. Mohammed Najm Ibrahim, no longer a threat to the United States. Abu Zubair al-Haili, no longer a threat to the United States. Mahmud Hameeda, no longer a threat to the United States. Isa al-Millly, no longer a threat to the United States. Kasir al-As'ad, no longer a threat to the United States. Madam Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Barrett.

Mr. McCOTTER. Reclaiming my time, I yield to the gentlelady from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).

Mr. McCOTTER. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, I wish to yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).

Mr. McCOTTER. Reclaiming my time, Madam Speaker, as the hour is almost upon us. Madam Speaker, these were but a random portion of the thousands of names which could have been read into the Record. But I trust we have proven our point of how honorably and effectively our citizen soldiers and our homeland security personnel have been defending and continue to defend our lives and liberties against our evil terrorist enemy.

Mr. McCOTTER. Madam Speaker, throughout this unsought struggle, which is the world war on terror, our Nation's citizen soldiers have expended their fullest measures of devotion to our defense. The cost of their heroic sacrifices, especially our fallen soldiers' ultimate sacrifices, upon themselves and their loved ones has rightly been solemnly noted on the floor of this, the people's House. The success of their heroic sacrifices in protecting our families and freedoms, however, has yet to be fully enunciated and honored, for as the men and women of the United States Armed Forces themselves, and their loved ones, have expressed to myself and my colleagues, their sacrifices have not been in vain. Thus, tonight my colleagues and I will endeavor to emphasize but a portion of our noble military's and our Homeland Security personnel's victories in defending our lives and our liberties from our evil terrorist enemies. To commence, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

Mr. McCOTTER. Reclaiming my time, Madam Speaker, I wish to yield to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).

Mr. McCOTTER. Reclaiming my time, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter)

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, once again, the Nation finds itself engaged in a world war against abject evil. And in the process, it is always wise to look back to the last world war against abject evil, one which was led by the greatest Democratic President, one of the greatest Presidents ever, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We must learn not only from the past how to win this struggle but we must look to the past to see that we do not repeat some of the mistakes that were made by the government at the time, most notably the internment of our fellow citizens of Japanese descent in internment camps. In that process, I do believe that the press has an invaluable role. It has an invaluable role as a watchdog of democracy and liberty, and it has an expressed constitutional right to do so. What this resolution I believe would help to do, however, is to rectify the current mistake that is being made in a time of war, whereas classified information is being broadcast on the basis of potential abuse rather than actual abuse. I think that we must further that debate and come back to the realization that potential abuse is a very nebulous standard and which, fortunately, was not applied in World War II to classified information, or there would have been no Manhattan Project. Further, I think it is also wise to look back at the relationship between the government and the press at the time of World War II. President Roosevelt was fond of bringing reporters into his office, and he would engage in off-the-record conversations with them so that they were aware that he trusted them and that then he could reciprocate that trust to the reporters. At one point, some of the off-the-record briefing appeared in a column in a paper. At the next meeting of the assembled press in the Oval Office, Franklin Roosevelt gave that reporter a gift. It was an iron cross. Mr. Speaker, I urge that we support this rule, this resolution, and that we all continue to encourage the debate where the differentiation between potential abuse and actual abuse and the Nation's interest in the defense of our citizens' lives is ever remembered.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge the 50th Anniversary of the Livonia, Michigan Chapter 114 of the Disabled American Veterans. For five decades, Chapter 114 has tirelessly sought to improve the quality of life for disabled veterans. Founded in a basement by 12 people in 1956, Livonia Chapter 114 had 31 charter members. Now the third largest in the state of Michigan, this chapter has blossomed into a membership of 1,500. After 50 years, Chapter 114 continues to promote appreciation and understanding of American history at local schools through benevolence and outreach. To foster patriotism, members host a writing contest, What the American Flag Means to Me; to encourage involvement, members sponsor local ROTC programs; and, to educate young men and women, members speak with students about the role of America in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The members of Chapter 114 also play a vital role in the lives of other veterans. They schedule hospital visits to newly admitted veterans and wounded soldiers, plan bingo nights for hospitalized soldiers and veterans, assist with health benefit claims for disabled soldiers, and donate modified cars to help disabled veterans drive. The organization is also an institution where veterans of all wars can meet other legendary former servicemen. One of the first members of the 1920 National Disabled American Veterans Convention in Detroit, Joseph Piccola, joined the U.S. Army in 1918 and lost an eye during World War I. At age 98, Joe continues to inspire members to retain their independence and give back to their community. Thomas Silvermail, another inspirational figure, was wounded in the Korean War and is the only surviving charter member of Chapter 114. Mr. Speaker, to the men, women, and children of our community; to the families of missing and fallen soldiers; and to every veteran of foreign wars, Livonia Chapter 114 is the embodiment of eternal unity and brotherhood. For 50 years, the organization's tireless efforts have commemorated the lives of heroic servicemen, preserved the independence of disabled veterans, and ensured the bravery of our armed forces is never forgotten. We owe the courageous members of Chapter 114 a great debt of gratitude. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking them for their years of unrelenting service to our community and our country.

Mr. McCOTTER

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and acknowledge Robert (Bob) Leclercq as he completes his distinguished career as a firefighter in Garden City, Michigan. Bob has dedicated his life to helping the citizens of Michigan. Upon graduation from East Garden City High School in 1970, he joined the National Guard as a Medical Corpsman in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, Unit 2077, of Detroit. Bob began his career as a firefighter in Garden City on October 30, 1979. During 23 years of honorable and dedicated service, he advanced through the ranks from Firefighter to Engineer to Lieutenant and ultimately to Captain. For two decades, Bob has vigorously pursued additional education and specialized training, including Advanced Firefighting, EMT Specialist, Pump Operator, and Hazardous Materials courses. He has also served as Trustee, Secretary, and currently as President on the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1911 Executive Board. In addition, Bob started two beneficial community programs: one, which teaches CPR classes; the second, which takes blood pressures at the senior tower. In 1986, the Jaycees recognized Bob's contributions with the Michigan's Top Ten Outstanding Young People Award. At this milestone in Bob's life, let us reflect upon the decades of his dedication; let us remember the scores of lives which have been touched by his benevolence; and let us not forget the bravery and courage with which he served and protected. His friends and family are inspired by his accomplishments, honored by his loyalty, and ennobled by his exemplary love for neighbor and community. Mr. Speaker--Bob's wife, Brenda, his children, Bob Jr. and Sherri, and his grandson, Drake, have ample reason to celebrate. In honor of his commitment to protecting all the citizens of Michigan and of his legendary dedication to improving the lives of Garden City residents, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Bob for his years of service to our community and our country.