Bob Ney

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Anita Adams, Auditor of Muskingum County, has for the tenth straight year, earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting; and, Whereas, this award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) is an honor given to local governments that publish comprehensive financial reports meeting the standards on the GFOA; and, Whereas, Anita has shown continuous dedication to the people of Muskingum County; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in applauding Anita Adams for receiving the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Raymond Warner has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Raymond Warner has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Raymond Warner has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Raymond Warner must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with Troop 212 and the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Raymond Edward Warner as he receives the Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Shayna Smith has devoted herself to education during her enrollment at Wheeling Jesuit University; and Whereas, Shayna Smith has spent countless hours in the pursuit of academic excellence; and Whereas, Shayna Smith has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Shayna Smith must be commended for the hard work and dedication she put forth in graduating from Wheeling Jesuit University; Therefore, I join the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Shayna Smith as she receives her Bachelor of Science from Wheeling Jesuit University Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Matt and Joy Dillon were united in marriage July 31, 1977 and are celebrating 25 years of marriage this year; and Whereas, Matt and Joy Dillon have demonstrated a firm commitment to each other; and Whereas, Matt and Joy Dillon must be commended for their loyalty and dedication to their family; and Whereas, Matt and Joy Dillon have proven, by their example, to be a model for all married couples; and Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Dillon as they celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Where Jacob Hollingshead has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Jacob Hollingshead has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Jacob Hollingshead has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Jacob Hollingshead must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; and Therefore, I join with Troop 269 and the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Jacob Hollingshead as he receives the Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Joseph and Malvina DeGenova were united in marriage on August 24, 1933; and Whereas, Joseph and Malvina DeGenova are celebrating 69 years of marriage; and Whereas, Joseph and Malvina DeGenova have demonstrated a firm commitment to each other; and Whereas, Joseph and Malvina DeGenova must be commended for their loyalty and dedication to their family, consisting of 3 sons, 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; and Whereas, Joseph and Malvina DeGenova have proven, by their example, to be a model for all married couples. Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. DeGenova as they celebrate their 69th Wedding Anniversary.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, September 11th was a day that impacted everyone in the United States of America in a shocking and terrible way; and, Whereas, September 11th also became a pivotal event that unified all Americans, strengthening our communities and nation in amazing and inspiring ways; and, Whereas, the committee of Phil Wallace, Marian Klier, Dorothy Powell, and Marian Martin are to be commended along with the community of Martin's Ferry for seeking to honor and remember those who lost their lives that day; and, Whereas, this anniversary of September 11th calls for solemn remembrance, gratitude, patriotism, and most importantly a celebration of the indelible American spirit; Therefore, I join with the residents of Martin's Ferry and the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in remembering those who died and thanking those who became heroes with perseverance and American pride.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Mark Dugan is a hero who used his knowledge of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to help save the life of a one-year-old child; and Whereas, Mark Dugan acted quickly and efficiently without hesitation or thought of himself; and Whereas, Mark Dugan is an asset to the New Philadelphia community in his preparedness and willingness to help others; and Whereas, Mark Dugan has displayed remarkable responsibility by becoming trained in life-saving first aid and furthermore by his real- life application of that knowledge; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in honoring and congratulating Mark Dugan for his selflessness and heroism.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Jonathan Weiss has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Jonathan Weiss has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Jonathan Weiss has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Jonathan Weiss must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with Troop 401, the residents of Jefferson County, and the entire 18th Congressional District in congratulating Jonathan W. Weiss as he receives the Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, the Morning Journal published in Lisbon, Ohio will celebrate its 150th anniversary on September 15, 2002; and Whereas, the Morning Journal started as The Buckeye State in 1852 and became the Evening Journal in 1909; and Whereas, the Morning Journal has grown to become the largest newspaper in Columbiana County; and Whereas, the Morning Journal serves its community with publication seven days a week; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District in recognizing the Morning Journal on September 15, 2002 its 150th anniversary.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, the House has an award winner amongst its workforce. Mr. Jim Cirillo, an employee of one of the House food service contractors Guest Services, Inc. (GSI), won the 2002 Capital Restaurant & Hospitality Award for ``Hospitality Manager of the Year.'' Jim is manager of the Rayburn Building Special Orders Deli and Pazzos Pizza. This annual award given by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation was presented to Jim at the industry's annual Awards Gala on Sunday, June 23, 2002 in Washington D.C. One of five nominees from facilities in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, Jim won top honors for his superior service and extraordinary management skills as the manager of two facilities in the U.S. House of Representatives. Guest Services' President/CEO, Gerry Gabrys commented, ``Members of Congress and their guests and staff have gone out of their way to recognize Jim's attitude and superior service on many occasions.'' In a survey of customer satisfaction last fall, the Rayburn Special Orders deli was found to have the highest satisfaction rating amongst GSI's eleven business locations within the House. Recently, Jim developed two innovative websites where Members of Congress and their staff can conveniently and effortlessly place their food orders. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I'd like to recognize Jim for this outstanding and well-deserved award, and for Jim's service to the House and his customers. Thank you Jim and keep up the great work!

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I think this is in the best interests of the entire force. It is not a matter of what has been completely historical but having elected officials of the House and the Senate to have a say about payroll versus turning it over to completely unelected individuals within this Capitol. I would ask for a ruling, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order against section 110 on page 16, line 21 through page 21, line 17 of H.R. 5121 on the ground that this provision changes existing law in violation of clause 2 of House rule XXI and therefore is legislation included in a general appropriations bill.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to instruct conferees. This motion would hinder the House's ability to have a meaningful conference with the Senate on H.R. 3763. The Senate does not equate to perfection. We have two bodies here, and this is an important issue. Mr. Speaker, it is also important that we have a conference on this important bill so that we have the ability to negotiate on all the issues contained in this bill. It is vital to protecting investors and creating the best legislation we can possibly bring to the American people. For example, there are some provisions in the House-passed version that are not in the Senate version that I believe will increase investor protections, transparency, and improve disclosure. The gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Oxley) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Baker) have done a good job, and a lot of time has been put into this. But let me just say something in addition to what the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Oxley) just mentioned. I think this is very important for anybody who has any doubt. We had a 391 to 28 vote here. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5118, in the Senate, increased the penalties for fraud to a maximum of 10 years. The House increases the penalties for mail and wire fraud from 5 to 20 years and creates a new securities fraud section and carries a maximum penalty of 25; 25 versus 10. I think we are a little bit better, obviously. The Senate, the maximum penalty for destruction of records and documents is 10 years. The House strengthens laws that criminalize document shredding and other forms of obstruction of justice and provides a maximum of 20 years. The Senate 10, House 0. Under the Senate version, the maximum penalty a corporate officer would face is a $1 million fine and 10 years in prison. The House, $5 million and 20 years. One and 10; 5 and 20. The last provision I wanted to mention does not change the current penalties of a maximum fine of $1 million and 10 years in prison; corporations would still only face a maximum fine of $2.5 million. The House increases the criminal penalties for those who file false statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission to a maximum penalty of $5 million and 20 years; 1 and 10 in the Senate, 5 and 20 in the House. It is so clear, and the rhetoric is unbelievable here tonight. We are the strong version. We are the version that is right for the American people. Going to a conference does not do anything except help us to get these tough penalties to protect the American people and to make this a better bill. I surely urge that people rise in opposition to this conference report.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, again, I support this motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say today that I agree with the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) that we need to take steps to improve access for the disabled to our Nation's election systems. The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our ranking member and a partner on this bill, and I worked closely with our colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island, during the drafting of this bill, the Help America Vote Act. I am grateful for his input and support during that process, so I want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) for all his hard work and efforts on this piece of legislation before us. The bill we passed in the House by an overwhelming margin last December included a number of provisions to improve access for persons who have a form of disability and authorize funds to help make those improvements happen. I was pleased to receive the endorsement of the National Federation of the Blind for our bill, the bill that the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and many other Members on both sides of the aisle, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and others, supported; and we had that endorsement for the bill, and we were very, very appreciative of that. Just yesterday I was honored to address the National Federation of the Blind's convention in Louisville on precisely this topic. There is no question that no matter what the form of disability, in this case it was a convention of the National Federation of the Blind, people have a right to vote in secrecy and in privacy. In this case, secrecy is not a bad word; secrecy is something people have a right to do with their ballots, and should have the right to do. As the work on this bill continues in the conference committee, Mr. Speaker, I am confident we are going to produce a final product. It will be a final product that makes great strides in improving access to the voting process for the citizens in this country. While I will support the gentleman's motion, and I do fully support it, and I appreciate the gentleman's work on this, I want to make just a couple of points. First, I do say that it is my belief that this Congress should provide funding that will enable States to meet the requirements it imposes. That is not only for this issue. It is for other issues, provisional voting, central database, all the other good provisions that are contained within this bill and many good provisions, frankly, that are also in the Senate bill. But I always like to mention the monetary side to this, too, because far too often we here in Congress like to enact requirements and pat ourselves on the back for all the good we have done while sending the bill to someone else. Now, I say that because I am a creature of the Ohio legislature and the Ohio House and Senate, so it used to be my course of business to complain about Washington, D.C. sending down mandates or something of that nature and then not providing the money. Now, the bill we crafted together has minimum requirements; but they are requirements enforced by Justice, and good requirements are going to ensure that an illegal vote does not cancel out a true vote. People have the right to vote, and we back all of those provisions. I want to make sure that we always stress that if we are going to impose any requirements on the States, we should provide funds to make it possible for those requirements to be met. My support for this motion and all the language, frankly, contained in the House bill and in the Senate bill dealing with any provision, as I mentioned before, provisional voting, central database, is always going to be conditioned on the fact that we have to have the money. I know that my colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), agrees with that. We have to continue through this whole process. As we get the language that makes this bill a great bill to send to the President, we have to continue to push also for the money so locals have some help in implementing. Otherwise, it is not going to be implemented in the way that we need it done. Second, in keeping with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I think we should be requiring States to make also reasonable accommodations. One thing we need to talk about down the road here too in the next couple of weeks are certain rural areas where we want to make sure that if provisions are adopted that we in fact do not shut people out of voting. Because sometimes the rural areas, and we have used this in the Committee on Energy and Commerce many times as we have talked, in rural areas there are places where people vote, for example, and if you try to move them to another area you would have to involve buses to take people to other places to vote. In my district, for example, we have very few taxis or public bus systems. So looking at the rural area, still protecting people's rights is going to be something I know that we can talk definitely about. Again, let me make it clear that I expect when this conference is completed, and I expect this conference to be completed hopefully very soon, the changes that will ensue will improve access for the disabled community and ensure, I will use the word ``ensure,'' that blind voters are able to vote privately and independently. One other point I want to add about the technology, too. I know there are certain companies that have actually publicly stated that they can equip every machine, and I hope that as this bill progresses and people are buying machines across this country to update and put integrity into the voting process, that the machines are equipped; the hope is the technology comes through and that en masse machines are equipped. I look forward to working with the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) and my friend from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who I mentioned earlier, to secure the adequate funding but also to enact a conference report that absolutely improves access for the disabled community across the United States. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 5018) to direct the Capitol Police Board to take steps to promote the retention of current officers and members of the Capitol Police and the recruitment of new officers and members of the Capitol Police, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is an important resolution, and I want to make sure that everybody understands and hears every word of this. It is an honor for me to be here today to introduce with the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) the Capitol Police Retention, Recruitment, and Authorization Act of 2002. The men and women of the United States Capitol Police Force have responded in a most professional and exceptional manner since the attacks on our country last September. Let me point out that they did their jobs before that, but the attacks in September obviously put tremendous constraints and really tested the system; so I just want to point out that they did their jobs before, but since September they have had, I think, an unusual situation here in the Nation's Capitol. We have all been forced to look at the security and life safety issue with new eyes. Our United States Capitol Police are the frontline of that effort. They are doing an outstanding job of ensuring the safety of every person at the Capitol. It is for this reason that we must act today to pass this legislation which will give the Capitol Police the resources they need to remain fully equipped to handle the security and life safety challenges they may encounter. Our Capitol Police officers have responded in a tremendous way, in an unbelievable fashion to the demand placed upon them as a result of our heightened security posture. But this recognition mandates that we respond by authorizing an increase in their annual rate of basic compensation, as well as authorizing an increase in the number of full- time positions for the force. This legislation achieves that end. Further, we need to recognize not only the hard work and hundreds of hours of overtime that the officers have already been called to work, but also the sacrifices they and their families are making as a result of this increased demand upon them. Therefore, we are authorizing changes to the Capitol Police pay regulations to allow for the eligibility of and payment for more premium pay retroactive to September 11, 2001, the day in which their lives and their workforce and their work situation changed forever. Additionally, we recognize that since September 11 of last year, there are many new attractive opportunities for individuals who have law enforcement experience or who are interested in law enforcement careers. Because we believe that a career with the United States Capitol Police Force provides an individual with an opportunity to be a part of the very best an organization can offer, this legislation contains certain incentives to both recruit new officers to the force and also help retain veteran officers who may be looking for additional opportunities. These incentives are not only financial in nature, but are also designed to promote the quality of life for officers, both on the job and at home with their families. I call tonight upon every Member of this House to enthusiastically support this legislation today and to send a message to the hard- working officers of our Capitol Police Force and, additionally, to those who may be considering a career with the Capitol Police Force that we are behind you all the way. More than that, we are deeply appreciative of the service and sacrifice made by all persons who make up the United States Capitol Police Force. We all know of our two officers who, unfortunately, just within the last couple of years, were killed in the line of duty. We all know the trauma and the tragedy of that situation. So we know at any point in time lives can be lost. We know across this Nation with law enforcement and firefighters, people involved in safety services, of the sacrifice that they make every day when they make a call and they are not sure whether they will return home. So we are here to ensure that the Capitol Hill Police Force has the resources they need to continue to be the very best in enforcement. I also want to close by saying something about our Committee on House Administration and about the Capitol Police Force. I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the ranking member, and all of the members of that committee. Since 9-11, a lot of difficult decisions have had to be made, and I can tell my colleagues that the members of the committee on both sides of the aisle cooperated at 150 percent capability to allow us to continue to make sure that this floor operates as the bastion of freedom for the world. I also want to tell my colleagues, and I actually said this to somebody last night about the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), and that is in not one single case or not one single incident did he ever inject one ounce of politics. These are difficult decisions where somebody could have tinkered and toiled with them or done whatever they wanted to do. That never happened. We had a perfect cooperative relationship to do what was best for the safety and security of Members and visitors and, I may add, the thousands of visitors that come here to Washington to visit the people's House. I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) publicly for an absolutely tremendous job since 9-11, and the countless hours of the minority and majority staff who have poured in hours to make sure this happened. I also want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and members of this committee for cooperating on this resolution and for bringing the idea to me, as the gentleman from Maryland did, and for making this work for what is best, and that is the people's House. In closing, let me just also say that we all are concerned about future generations in this country. That is why we are here. We may disagree on this floor over certain issues in how we get down that path, but we are all concerned about what happens to the future generations in this country. I think that every single Capitol Hill police officer, every morning when they get up, they look in the mirror, whether it is to hopefully brush their hair or comb their hair, or brush their teeth, I should say; when they look in that mirror, what they see is a face of the human being that is morally responsible for whether this planet is going to be safe, prosperous, and peaceful for future generations. They see themselves. They have accepted that challenge to be morally responsible, to make this a better place. They have accepted that challenge to protect this House and this Capitol to make sure that we can engage in the energetic give-and-take of public debate that makes this the greatest country and, hopefully, makes the world a better place to be in. Mr. Speaker, I commend them, I salute them, as well as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and members of the committee; and I urge the support of this measure.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Theodore Berardinelli has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America Troop 141; and Whereas, Theodore Berardinelli has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Theodore Berardinelli must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Theodore Berardinelli for his Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I appreciate the sentiment just expressed in the motion offered by the gentleman from Florida. I nevertheless must oppose it. The gentleman from Florida has shown a tremendous amount of interest in this issue. He has been very passionate and has pushed for action on this issue for quite some time. I remember when I testified at the Committee on Rules last year on the campaign finance reform bill and the gentleman expressed his displeasure that the House was even taking up that issue prior to consideration of election reform. I certainly agreed with him that election reform should have been the priority and I appreciate his support for our efforts. I also appreciate the fact, Mr. Speaker, that his motion instructs the conferees to insist on the provision in the House bill pertaining to the effective date of the minimum standards the bill imposes. I, like every American, want the improvements that will be brought about by the passage of this bill to be implemented as soon as possible. I want to restress that, as soon as possible. I am anxious for the day when all voters will have access to provisional ballots and better technology, when registration systems are modernized and made more accurate. No one should have a vote cancelling out another vote. Technology is a part of getting to that solution. A part. But there are other parts that we have to be able to insist upon to make sure that voting is fair across the Nation. When disabled citizens will be able to cast a secret ballot and those serving in our military will be assured that their votes will be counted, this will be an appropriate election process for the United States. The House bill set up a formula grant process that would ensure that Federal funds get to the States quickly, allowing them to begin implementing these improvements without delay. That is a very good and important provision of the bill that my colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), worked on. Obviously, like the gentleman from Florida, I want to see these improvements in place as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, I must oppose the gentleman's motion for a simple reason. The effective dates that were in the bill that passed this House last December were drafted in the fall of 2001. They provided that the requirements go into effect 2 years from the date of enactment and gave a waiver to States that could not comply, allowing them until the November 2004 election to come into compliance. Mr. Speaker, it is now June of 2002. While I hope the Congress will be able to come to agreement rather soon, I think the best we could hope for is a bill being enacted in July. The waiver language which we included was intended to give States having difficulty coming into compliance a significant amount of time to do so. The reality of the time frame we are now working under has effectively rendered the waiver meaningless. I certainly also agree with the gentleman from Florida that we need to get going and should impose an aggressive schedule for compliance. However, we must also be realistic in what we impose. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that, just by commanding it, we can make it work and make it so. The fact is, whatever conference agreement is reached, States will have a heavy burden in coming into compliance with the requirements imposed. We will be offering a significant amount of Federal money to assist them in their efforts, but the fact remains it will simply take some time for States and localities to incorporate the changes we will require to their election systems. The Senate bill has a number of different effective dates for different provisions that, frankly, we do not have necessarily in our House bill. This is appropriate, as some requirements will be more difficult to meet than others. Establishment of a state-wide registration system will take more time, for example, than it will to provide voters with educational materials and sample ballots. The Congress will have to wrestle with how best to strike the balance between imposing effective dates that get States into compliance as soon as possible, without imposing unrealistic time frames that prove impossible to meet, create chaos, and wind up doing more harm than good. In light of that, we should not be instructing the conferees to incorporate bill language that is outdated, and thereby unrealistic, given our current schedule. Therefore, I do oppose the gentleman's motion; but I do want to reiterate that I agree with the sentiment and the spirit that it expresses and hope and will push and work with my colleagues on the Committee on Energy and Commerce to make sure the conference will be able to reach agreement quickly on effective dates that are realistic and achievable. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just wanted to make a couple of comments here to just restress the importance of getting this monumental piece of legislation concluded. I cannot stress that enough. I appreciate the comments of my colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and also the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings). It was a two-way street working with the gentleman from Maryland in being able to do something that, frankly, some people on either side on the aisle said maybe we ought not do this, but we knew it was the right thing to do. We had people that joined us in crafting a bipartisan piece of legislation that is well thought out. I also want to restress, too, that I am sympathetic to the spirit of what is being done here today by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings). We need maybe some flexibility going into it, from my point of view. But I do want to stress that the spirit of what he is attempting to do is something that I fully understand. I appreciate both of the gentlemen. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.