Kendrick Meek

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. He is a CPA, and he lets us know when we are running out of money. The bottom line is that he is saying he has to take drastic steps. Never before, this last letter just written days ago, it says for the first time in the history of the United States of America, we may not be able to reach our obligations to foreign nations. Madam Speaker, I think this is something we need to be very alarmed about, and we need to do something about versus being alarmed about, but we need to do something about it immediately.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I am sorry, Mr. Ryan, you are going to have to yield to me.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. He thinks someone might have said something to him about it.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, you have to yield to me. The President has said that he has not known about a lot of things and then we found out later.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this, Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Democrats on this side of the aisle have great credibility when it comes to homeland security. Great credibility. I am on the Homeland Security Committee. We asked the Department of Homeland Security. Madam Speaker, we brought the President and the Republican majority along, kicking and fighting, not to do it. Now, we did it, but they do not want to provide the oversight, when I am saying the Republican majority. I just want to mention a few things now that we are getting into this subject, because I want to put what we are doing first versus what they are not doing. September 29, during a meeting of House and Senate conferees, Democratic Congressmen Obey and Sabo and Senator Byrd offered an amendment to increase funding for port container security by $300 million. House conferees defeated the amendment on party-line votes. 2004, October 7. During also a House and Senate conference committee, the same Democratic Members offered an amendment to increase and enhance funding by $150 million. Republicans defeated it on a party- line vote. On June 18, 2004, Democrats supported the same amendment to increase port and container security by $400 million, because this is what the Coast Guard is calling for, Mr. Delahunt.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. This is not where we are just picking a number out of the sky. And this is not all they need. We are trying to give them a little bit more, and I will yield to Ms. Wasserman Schultz in a minute and she will talk about what is being checked and what is not being checked. We are trying to do something about it. We are trying to protect America. So it goes on, Mr. Delahunt, and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and it goes on and on. If we had enough time, I could read all this off. So when folks start talking about where are the Democrats on this issue, just because the Republicans say it, it does not necessarily mean it is true. We have facts, Madam Speaker, and the Congressional Record on our side and commitment to the American people and the safety of our country on our side. The bottom line is that the Republican majority talks about things, and we do things. When we are in the majority, we will do it. We will not talk about it. We will talk about what we have done and how we are doing it. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, can you share with the Members this chart?

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, you are 110 percent right. As we close, Mr. Speaker, since we have only 3 minutes or so left, once again we have seen this chart, and as I have said before, it will be in the National Archives. We are not trying to make history, but just to report what is going on here so the American people will know this. In 224 years of great history in this great country of ours, 1776 to 2000, 42 Presidents, $1.01 trillion was borrowed from foreign nations. That is 224 years. And in 4 years, from 2001 to 2005, President Bush, and we don't want to leave out the Republican Congress, borrowed $1.05 trillion from foreign nations, in 4 years, jeopardizing the financial security of this country. Mr. Ryan, you are 110 percent right to be alarmed.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. You are 110 percent right to be alarmed. Mr. Speaker, I challenge the Republican majority to give us a good way to talk about this. They can't. They can't, Mr. Speaker. We hope we can have what we call a paradigm shift, a change in the way we do business here in Washington, D.C., not on behalf of the Democratic Party but on behalf of the American people. So we are looking for a comprehensive game plan, Mr. Speaker, because we have one. We have one on this side. History is on our side. The precedent is on our side of trying to do something about it. We ask for the majority to join us in this.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, with that we would like to thank not only the Democratic leadership but also many of us here in the House who are trying to work hard on behalf of the American people. I know we all are, but I think it is important that we bring these issues to the forefront.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. $67.8 billion. So, Mr. Speaker, when we start talking about raising the debt ceiling and responsibility, we balanced the budget. We did not have these issues. When I say ``we,'' I am saying the Democratic Congress balanced the budget without a single Republican vote. The reason why I speak boldly on this issue is the fact that it is fact and it is not fiction and that we are sharing it with them. The real issue, when you talk about the ports, some Members may say the bill that you have and a number of Members signed on to in the Senate, a number of Members who have signed on to it, Mr. Speaker, they are saying, well, you know, I do not represent a port city or a coastal city so I do not have anything to worry about. Well, guess what, these containers that we see here are all throughout America because these containers are loaded on to trucks and trains, and they go through America. If a terrorist wants to put a nuclear device in one of these containers to be put into activation in a certain U.S. city, they have the power to do so because they know that we only check 5 percent. That is not because we cannot check more. It is because we cannot get amendments passed here as Democrats in the minority to check more and protect America. So I think it is important we do it.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, it is not a point. This is fact, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important that we say June 18, 2004, Democrats supported an amendment to increase port container security by $400 million. Republicans have refused to allow it to be considered, the amendment to be considered. That means they moved on a procedural way. June 9, 2004, Democrats supported Obey amendment once again in Appropriations Committee to increase container security by $400 million. Republicans defeated it on a party-line vote. That is House report 108-541, page 128. Now, we have all of this stuff that will be on the Web site, Mr. Speaker, so that other Members can get to it, and it goes on and on and on. Enough of this, the Democrats do not have plans. That is what the majority wants you to believe. We have plans. Unfortunately, they cannot be reality because the Republican majority does not want to work in a bipartisan way. And it is upsetting. It is beyond upsetting because our country is being jeopardized. Meanwhile, we have individuals that are hired by the Republican majority going out here talking to these cable shows and Sunday shows on spend. This is not about spend. This is about making America stronger and more secure. The bottom line is the reason why, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, many of the Republicans are getting a little shaky now, because on this subject, Mr. Speaker, we have been on top of it. The record speaks for itself. Fiscal responsibility: we have been on top of it. On securing America: we have been on top of it. On innovation: there is not an issue that Americans are looking for that we have not tried to address and continued to try to address even though we are in the minority. Being in the minority is not an excuse for us. It is just something that does not allow us procedurally to allow these American ideas to bubble up and allow the American people to be prepared. You want to talk about fuel. We can talk about that too. You can talk about energy. We can do all of these things. But until the American people truly understand that what they hear from the Republican majority is not necessarily fact, then we are going to continue to go in the wrong direction as it relates to the history of this country. Being a Member of this Congress, I almost feel that we are just as important as the Continental Congress, the first Congress, because now, no other time in the history of the country have we been in this kind of posture as a country, not due to the fact what folks are doing on foreign soil. It is what the Republican majority is doing to us right now based on friends and family and a number of things that have taken place in this Chamber unprecedented. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, I am sorry, I wanted to make sure I got that out because I think it is important, not only third-party validators, the Congressional Record, and actions we have taken, because it does not upset me, the fact that this stuff is not being reported the way it should be reported; but I am extremely concerned about the fact that we have the Republican majority that is not even shaken by this. Meanwhile, 50 percent of our debt, almost 50 percent of our debt is being owned by foreign interests.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is a no-brainer, and we called for a vote last week, Mr. Speaker, to stop the port deal, period. Forty-five days for what? What do we have to think about here? That 45 days later we are going to say it is okay for foreign interests to be able to operate six of our major ports, including New York, that the whole thing, 9/11, should mean something? Our major ports, fine, that is okay, but let me tell you something, we do not have to wait 45 days to not do the deal. You got folks in the Republican majority who say, well, you know, after 45-days we are going to--after 45 days, the facts are still going to be the facts. The Coast Guard raised the question of security as it relates to this port deal, and deals like this happen every day here in Washington, D.C., under this Republican majority and this White House. The President dared the Congress to pass a bill because he would veto it. That is on the record. I did not say it. He said it. You know something, I would like to tell the Republican majority to leader it. We are trying to call for a vote, and I guarantee you there will be another attempt to call a vote this week. We want to separate the leaders from the followers. We say we want to balance the budget, which we have done. The Republican majority say they want to cut it in half. You take the choice what you want. Do you want to continue to have foreign countries buy our debt? But that is for individuals willing to be followers. The thing about the United States is we believe in leadership. We want to lead. We do not want to follow. The bottom line is the Republican majority is fine with following economically, following as it relates to leadership on this port deal. They have a problem because they have been rubber stamping everything that the President has said. The President says let us turn right, okay, let us turn right; okay, let us turn left, they turn left. That is not what the Constitution says. We did not stand out in front of the precinct saying, hey, I am running for Congress; I am willing to do everything that the President asks me to do, regardless of how you feel about it. That is not what we ran for office for, Mr. Speaker. So when we look at these deals, I think it is very, very important. Secretary Snow is asking us to raise the debt ceiling by $82 billion. Who is going to buy that debt? Who is going to buy it? Can I for a minute talk about who is buying it and who will buy it? Here is my map here again. This is not a weather map. This is a map to talk about who is going to buy this $821 billion that Secretary Snow is calling for, not because he feels like it. It is because he has to. I am going to start off with the big one. Japan, $862 billion of our debt. Japan is not a county anywhere in any of these States. China, Red China, China has all the jobs. China, that has a positive trade with the United States but we do not have positive trade with them, are buying up our country while the Republican majority is sitting here saying do not worry about it America, trust us. The UK, $223.2 billion owned of the United States of America debt. Taiwan, $71.3 billion. Korea, that should ring a bell with some people and especially some of our veterans, $66.5 billion. Germany, Germany should ring a bell with some of our veterans, $65.7 billion of our debt, and Canada, just north of, us $53.8 billion. OPEC Nations, oh, wow, who are they? It happens to be Saudi Arabia, happens to be Iran, happens to be Iraq.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I did but go over it again.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. We are trying to work in a bipartisan way.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. I wanted to do a couple more.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, wait. Hasn't the President and the Republican majority said, we want to listen to people in the field and give them what they need when they ask for it? Am I correct?

Mr. MEEK of Florida. We like third-party validators, and I think it is important for the American people to understand this is not something that Ms. Wasserman Schultz and Mr. Ryan or other members of the 30-something Working Group just dream up. I think it is important as an American, leave alone a Member of Congress. I am alarmed and very, very concerned about what is happening. I have children. I pray to God that they have children and the family line continues. But I am concerned about right now. I am concerned about what is happening as relates to the irresponsible policies that have been passed by the Republican majority. We are all friends. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, or what have you, but I think it is important that we alert Americans about this unprecedented time in the history of the country. I am saying right now as we speak, this moment. I want to hold up, this is an article that came out today. It is an AP story. Any of the Members in their office can pull this up from the AP Web site. I think it is important. It says ``Treasury Details Its Steps to Avoid Debt Limit.'' I want to read a couple of paragraphs here. Treasury Secretary John Snow, and this is Secretary Snow, he is a good guy. He is just an accountant for the United States of America. We appreciate his service and what he does in the Treasury Department. But John Snow told the Congress yesterday that the administration has taken all prudent and legal actions, to include tapping certain government retirement funds, to keep from reaching the $8.2 trillion national debt limit. Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about this because now we are tapping into funds that not only Federal workers but the people on the United States of America count on us to be able to govern correctly. In a letter to Congress, Snow urged lawmakers to pass a new debt ceiling immediately to avoid the first default on obligations in U.S. history. Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about something that I embellished. This is what Mr. Snow said from the Treasury Department. If I am the Republican majority, leave alone the leadership, I would be alarmed. I would sit up in my bed and say, we have to do something about it. What is unfortunate is that I know, as sure as my name is Kendrick Meek, representing Florida's 17th Congressional District, and by that we have been validated to represent the people of the United States of America, I know the Republican majority is going to rubber- stamp what Secretary Snow needs, because it is an outrageous example of the kind of spending and borrowing that this majority has taken us into. I think it is important to promote what we have been trying to do on this floor as Democrats, time after time again, promoting pay-as-you-go versus borrowing. We are not out of control, the Republican majority is out of control. It is not just me name calling or finger pointing. This is fact, not fiction. I can see if it were fiction and if we were doing what we call in Washington, DC, the Potomac two step. I go left, you go right; no, this is what is printed not only in the Congressional Record, when you have the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Republican Senate, we have to be very alarmed. For Republicans and Independents that are paying attention to what we are saying on this floor, and other parties, they cannot say oh, that is just the Democrats glossing over the facts.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to once again address the U.S. House of Representatives. We would like to thank the Democratic leadership for the time, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, and our Democratic whip, Mr. Steny Hoyer, and also Mr. James Clyburn, who is our chairperson. Also, we would like to come to the floor once again, Mr. Speaker, to share not only with the Members but with the American people the priorities not only of the Democratic Party, but of this side of the aisle on the Democratic side, and also the priorities of all Americans. Our vice chair, Mr. John Larson, communicates in the best way to many, many Democrats, Republicans, and Independents about our plan on this side of the aisle. It would not be a plan, it would actually be action if we were in the majority. I think it is important to come up with a comprehensive approach, Mr. Speaker, and using a team effort to move us in the right direction as a country; whether it be homeland security, innovation, affordable health care, or other initiatives that we all embrace. If we can come together in a bipartisan way, then America will be stronger, and also other countries throughout the world will be stronger based on our leadership. Unfortunately, we are not providing that leadership right now. When I say ``we,'' I am talking about the Republican majority coming together with Democrats and finding a bipartisan way to approach many of the issues that are facing our country right now. That is very, very unfortunate. The work of the 30-something Working Group is to make sure that we can promote ideas that all Americans embrace, not just Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, but all Americans, even those that are not taking part in the voting process that we have throughout the country. One may call it apathy of voting, but I think that I would phrase it as a number of Americans having very little trust in this system, very little trust in what goes on here in the Congress, very little trust in what happens over at the White House. And I think it is very, very important that we have a paradigm shift. I will go further and add that we need a shift in thinking here in Washington, DC, so that all Americans feel a part of this process; so that all Americans feel that they are being leveled with; and that all Americans know that the individuals that they elected from their communities, their cities or counties, that they have their best interests at heart when they come here to the U.S. House of Representatives. Today we are going to talk about a number of issues, issues that are facing everyday Americans and things that we should be promoting here as Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, some of the things I think are very disturbing that not only I am reading in the paper but Americans are reading in the paper and watching on the news. The whole issue as it as relates to port deals, America being sold off not by foreign countries but by the policy that we pass here on this floor that have accumulated more debt in 4 years to foreign nations, foreign nations are buying U.S. debt, unprecedented in the history of the Republic. Ever since we have been a country, no other time such as this time have other countries owned so much of our debt. I think it is important for us to remember because there are a number of my constituents and a number of Americans that have fought hard. Literally, their grandparents have fought hard for them to salute one flag. I think we are putting that spirit, that good history that we have and the future they fought for to allow our children and grandchildren to salute one flag, not to have foreign interests owning our debt. I think it is very, very important that we pay close attention to that. I am glad to be joined tonight by Ms. Wasserman Schultz from South Florida. Congresswoman, I am glad we are continuing to have a level of consistency on not only challenging the Republican majority. The gentlewoman knows if we were in the majority, it would not be talk. We would be on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives talking about things that would make the lives better of Americans. I think the only thing that is stopping us from doing that is having enough votes in this House to have that vision turn into reality. I look forward to that day because I believe in this year Americans will have an opportunity to be able to promote their ideas and what they feel. Be it a Democrat, a Republican, a Green Party or an Independent, or a brand new voter, they will be able to have their voice heard.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. President Bush.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, there have been in this Republican House, and I am just going to talk about President Bush being in office, this Republican majority, I am going to point the letters out and let you go ahead and drive your point. December 29, a letter written, Mr. Speaker, in the closing days of 2005, the closing days, the 29th. Americans think about what they were doing on the 29th. Many Americans were off work, those that had jobs and what have you, celebrating with their families, thinking about the new year. Secretary Snow found his way to the office to send this letter to one of our colleagues over in the Congress, over in the Senate, that says, ``We must raise the debt limit or we will be unable to continue to finance government operations.'' That is just for this round. I mean, I think it is important that we get staff to be able to get the rest of the letters that Secretary Snow wrote. Here is a letter just written in February, February 16. This letter is to the ranking member, Mr. John Spratt, who is the ranking member on the Democratic side, again saying, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, we must do this now, Mr. Speaker, saying we must raise this debt limit as soon as possible or they are going to have to go into the Federal retirement system and stop paying into that system. I want to say to the Federal workers, because we believe in third party validators and also believe in telling the truth, the Secretary goes on to say, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, he believes once the debt limit is raised, we will be able to pay back into the retirement system. These letters are coming so fast and furious, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, we can't get them up on the big board. Here is a letter, March 6, that was just yesterday. Secretary Snow, this is alarming, he is saying, did you receive my two letters beforehand? Then he talks to the press. We have a problem. NASA is also located in Florida, but also in Houston, but Houston, we have a problem. He is saying to the United States Congress, we have a problem. How did we come about the problem and having to raise the debt ceiling? It is because of the policies of the Republican majority that have rubber stamped everything the President said do. Ms. Wasserman Schultz, yes, there are a number of letters and alarms going off.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. The question, Mr. Speaker here is, does the Republican majority have the will and the desire to make the kind of change we need to take or make to protect this country? The will and the desire. Now, the will may be there, but the desire is questionable. And I think it is important, because there are other priorities that the Republican majority, and I would say some of them join in with some of us Democrats, very few, unfortunately, it is in the single digits, because we are not able to promote some of things that we need to promote to protect this country. Now over the weekend, there were a lot of pundits out there talking about, wow, you know, this thing may very well change, this thing meaning the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, because the Republican majority, Mr. Speaker, has fumbled the ball time after time again. Since this is now NCAA time, they have lost the ball when they were supposed to shoot a shot on behalf of protecting this country. The other team is taking it the other way. I think it is important to get in the spirit. We have to break this thing down so that we all understand. Some people say we need to put the cookie on the bottom shelf so that everyone can reach. I think it is important. I am using a metaphor, but I think it is important that everyone understands. Folks are wondering why we are alarmed. Now I can tell you, I speak here with great confidence, Mr. Speaker, because I have the facts here not fiction. I think it is important, Mr. Ryan, that we share with people that on January 29, 2005, during a meeting of the House and Senate conferees, our ranking Member on Appropriations, Mr. Obey, offered, along with Senator Byrd, one of the longest-serving Senators over in the Senate, offered an amendment to increase funding for port and container security by $300 million. The house conferees defeated the amendment along party lines. When we say along party lines, I want to make sure the Members understand. That means Republicans voted one way against that, increasing the funding so that we can be able to do what was said, secure the containers more. Can we get that container chart up here, because I want to make sure, just in case the Republican majority, some of the Members have their television turned down, that they are able to see what we are talking about. Because I think it is important. There it is right there. It is already there. These containers here that are being checked, the 5 percent of them, and I am questioning that as a Member of the Homeland Security Committee if it is really 5 percent. As Democrats, Mr. Speaker, we are not saying that we want to do something about it, we are trying to do something about it. But the Republican majority is not allowing us to do so. And we want to make sure that we share with them, because we want their constituents to know and we want our constituents to know that we are fighting on their behalf. All of us are Americans saluting one flag. On October 7, 2005, during a meeting of House and Senate conferees, that is when House and Senate Members come together. When the House and Senate pass their individual bills, they select certain Members to be able to go into a room and work out the differences between that bill. That goes back to in our generation a cartoon, I am Just a Bill on Capitol Hill. Again, Senator Byrd and Representative Obey, offered an amendment to increase funding to enhance port security by $150 million, Republicans defeated it on a party-line vote.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gunnery Sergeant Lorenzo V. Chance, who is retiring after more than 22 years of service in the United States Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant Chance was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina where he graduated from Cape Fear High School in 1983. He began his military career at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Paris Island, South Carolina, where he attended basic training in 1984. His assignments included the MOS's of Rifleman, Administrative Chief, Drill Instructor, and Marksmanship Instructor. Throughout his distinguished career, Gunnery Sergeant Chance has served in a wide variety of assignments in the Marine Corps including: September 1984-1986--Administrative Clerk, HQMC Manpower Branch; November 1986-December 1987--Embarkation NCO Marine Wing Headquarter Squadron-1 Okinawa, Japan; January 1988-December 1991--HQMC Programs and Resources Division, Assistant Security Manager ensuring the personnel, physical, and information security of a division of 60 persons, hundreds of highly- sensitive documents, and equipment; January 1992-June 1995--Military Entrance Processing Station Montgomery, AL, Processing Specialist, interviewing and processing thousands of applicants into the U.S. Armed Forces; July 1995-November 1997--Paris Island, SC, Senior Drill Instructor Third RTBN, K Company and, Operations Chief/Acting First Sergeant, Support BN, Special Training Company, a direct impact in the ``Making of Marines''; December 1997-April 2002--HQMC PP&O, Current Operations Branch, Marine Corps Command Center where he served as an Assistant Watch; Team Chief, SNCOIC Marine Corps Exercises Employment Program, and Post 9/11 Crisis Action Team Operations Chief. During this period he was also assigned various other duties, including service as a Member of the Headquarters Marine Corps, Inspector General's Readiness Assessment Team, responsibility for globally inspecting Marine Corps units for deployment capability and, in the 2000 Presidential Inaugural Committee, SNCOIC of the Street Cordon. Finally, from May 2002 through November 2005, Gunnery Sergeant Chance served the 435 Members of both the 108th and 109th Congress as SNCOIC Marine Corps Congressional Liaison Office. He was also the Senior Enlisted service member to the U.S. House of Representatives during this period. During this period, Gunnery Sergeant Chance was responsible for directing, and organizing numerous congressional and staff delegations around the world. His attention to detail in making these very important trips logistically successful is noteworthy. Gunnery Sergeant Chance has been very effective in carrying the Marine's message to the halls of Congress. By his exemplary professional competence, sound judgment, and total dedication to duty, Gunnery Sergeant Chance has reflected great credit upon himself and has always upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps. He has made a lasting contribution to the capability of today's Marine Corps and has helped shape the future of tomorrow's Corps. His superior performance of his duties highlights more than 22 years of honorable and dedicated Marine Corps service. I know that my many colleagues who have come to know and rely on Gunnery Sergeant Chance extend to him our warmest thanks for his service and our best wishes for happiness and success in his future endeavors.

Mr. MEEK of Florida

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Saying that if anyone, anyone, raised any concerns, any concerns, one of the lowest bars of statutory language, that there should automatically be a 45-day review. Do you remember that we went for 72 hours, Madam Speaker, and no one bothered to open the statute books to say we should have had an investigation because there is a questionable pass of this country and that it should be done. But the administration came out stonewalling and trying to strong-arm this House of Representatives and the Senate, saying, we are going to do what we have got to do and we are going to stick with it, and we think it is the right thing to do. And the statutes were on our side, on the people's side, saying, no, there should be a 45-day review. So we are going to see what is going to happen. But I hope, Madam Speaker, that the Republican majority here in the House and in the Senate no longer says, well, Mr. President, we still have our stamp. If you say we should do it, we will figure out a way to do it, and we will not object because we have got to be close to our friends. Well, we are going to find out the leaders from the followers. The bottom line, Ms. Wasserman Schultz and Mr. Ryan, is, are you with them or are you with our allies, our true allies? That is the question.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Ryan, the bottom line is that you really started to paint a picture here. What has happened over the last 4 to 5 years of this Republican Congress rubber stamping what the President has proposed has driven this country almost to the point of the 50 percent mark of foreign countries owning the United States of America financially. We owe them. Countries that don't even recognize, folks want to talk about an effort against terrorism. Right now there is something major going on in the Middle East. You have the countries that are a part of this port deal that don't even recognize Israel. I mean, they are like, well, we don't even want to do business with them. Okay? As a matter of fact, Iran wants to blow Israel off the map. You have folks that are there saying all these statements every week about our friends and allies: if this is about the war on terror, we have to make sure that we do what we need to do and stick close to our friends. And what is wrong here, Mr. Ryan and Ms. Wasserman Schultz, is that the President is still making statements, Madam Speaker, such as, well, I have not changed my mind. They are going to have their 45-day review and all that kind of stuff. It happens to be a U.S. statute, I must add.