Randy Neugebauer

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. James Reckner, Director of the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University. Dr. Reckner, a combat veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, is a dedicated historian who has created an internationally renowned program dedicated to all aspects of the Vietnam War. The main focus at the Vietnam Center has been the Virtual Vietnam Archive. Second only to the U.S. National Archives, Texas Tech University is home to one of the most complete collections of artifacts related to America's involvement in Southeast Asia. Dr. Reckner's vision began in 1989 when he asked his freshman history class to name a general from the Vietnam War. He was amazed to discover that only 1 student out of 100 knew the name of General William C. Westmoreland, the commander of American military operations during the Vietnam War. As a result, Dr. Reckner organized a meeting with a group of West Texas veterans to talk about what steps could be taken to preserve the stories, information, and lessons from the Vietnam conflict and pass them on to future generations. It was then that the Texas Tech Vietnam Center was born. For 15 years, dedicated veterans, scholars and students have been collecting and preserving materials relating to the American Vietnam experience. The Virtual Vietnam Archive now contains more than 2 million pages of material. Earlier this year, James Harton, a Rating Specialist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sent a letter to U.S. Representative Steven Buyer, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, outlining the successes of the archive. Mr. Harton wrote, ``Because of the documents provided by Texas Tech, I am often able to resolve a veteran's claim within fifteen minutes as opposed to the request sent to the USASCURR.'' Often times requests sent to the U.S. Armed Services Center for Unit Record Research take 6 to 12 months for a reply. With the help of Texas Tech's virtual archive, Mr. Harton has been able to resolve over 500 veteran's claims in the past four years. America's men and women in the military give their time, and in many cases life and limb, to serve our country. Dr. Reckner served his country admirably during the Vietnam War. Today, he continues to serve this country and the memory of a significant time in American history. Thanks to his efforts, the Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University will assist future generations in remembering the Vietnam experience. It is our duty to ensure that our children and grandchildren never forget our country's finest heroes and always know of their sacrifices. Their sacrifices and those of our military families serve as freedom's foundation. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and their families, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so brightly, and live so freely.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, this year is the 40th anniversary of Medicare. Medicare has come a long way. Initially, it started off as a hospitalization policy. Later we added physician benefits and physician visits and even some tests. Now we have put the third leg of that stool on; and we are going, effective January 1, to add prescription drugs to Medicare, making Medicare now a full health care policy for our seniors. The reason that Congress did this was because many times the physicians would prescribe prescriptions for our seniors, yet they would have to make a decision between buying food or the prescription. Congress did not think that was a good idea; and so effective January 1, seniors will have a prescription drug option. The sign-up begins next Tuesday, November 15. We encourage seniors to begin to go shopping. I held a town hall meeting in Abilene, Texas, on Monday at the Rose Park Senior Center and encouraged our seniors to go shopping. One of the things that was so important about this new process was that we allowed seniors the ability to make their own choices and brought competition in it. I urge our seniors to look very closely at this new great prescription drug benefit that has been provided for them.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. It is very humbling, and as we sat and participated with those Iraqi women and talked about, you know, how they began to participate in this democracy and whether it is at the local level or at the state level or at the parliament, but the commitment and the courage that they had already shown. I think, as you have heard this story before if you have been to the theater, about the fact that the insurgents are now targeting the Iraqi people because they realize what is going on over there, that the Iraqi people have a hunger for this new gift that we have given them. So they are targeting these recruiting stations where some people were killed maybe the day before, and the very next day there will be long lines of young Iraqi men and women coming forth to serve. It is very encouraging. I want the American people to know that they can be very proud of their soldiers. I want to thank Chairman Hunter for arranging this Special Order Hour tonight as well as all of my colleagues who are taking the time tonight to honor our troops and show support for the brave Iraqi people. Two and a half years ago, the United States military and its allies embarked on a difficult, yet noble mission: Rid the world of a murderous, lying, and unpredictable dictator and, by doing so, allow the people who had lived for so long under the shadow of totalitarianism to experience the light of freedom. Our troops and the Iraqi people have risen to each challenge in front of them. Establishing a democracy takes persistence and dedication, and the Iraqi people continue to prove that they are capable of this tremendous task by meeting each deadline on the way to democracy. Much progress has been made over the past 17 months on the political front. In June of 2004, the Coalition Forces handed over control of the country to Iraqis. A date of January 30, 2005, was set to hold democratic elections for a transitional government. Despite the threats of terrorists attacking voters at the ballot box, millions of Iraqis turned out on January 30 for a historic democratic election. This newly elected government was tasked with drafting a constitution and putting it up for a national referendum in October. Right on schedule, on October 15, millions of citizens from Iraq's eighteen provinces stood together to vote on a document that will guarantee and protect their rights and serve as a blueprint for their nation's future. In this latest vote, 63 percent of Iraq's 15.5 million registered voters once again defied the threat of terrorist attacks and voted. The result: 78 percent of voters backed the constitution. And the role of women in establishing this fledgling democracy should not be overlooked. In April, I took a trip to the Middle East, including Iraq. While on the trip I attended the Iraqi Women's Democracy Initiative Training Conference held in Jordan. At this conference, women came from all parts of Iraq. Many of the women tell me they were threatened because of their desire to come to the meeting. Several report that they were shot at. In total, about 130 women were in attendance. These women were thankful. I told them that the folks back home want to know if the Iraqis appreciate what America has done. They do, and they also realize the price that many Americans have paid. They said that they are mothers and wives themselves, and they know that mothers in America have lost sons, and wives have lost husbands. The military has seen its share of successes as well. These successes began with the swift removal of Saddam Hussein from power and his ensuing capture, and have continued through the creation of Iraqi security forces. One by one, Iraqi Army battalions have stood up and joined the fight to defend their homeland. By the end of October, a total of 206,500 Iraqi Security Forces have been trained and equipped. Parts of the country that a few months ago were hotbeds of insurgency are now controlled by Iraqi forces. Our military is now fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with their Iraqi counterparts to track down terrorists every day. Top al-Qaeda leaders have been caught or killed. Stockpiles of weapons and ammunition are being uncovered Tough times--both politically and militarily--may still lie ahead for this young democracy. The terrorists will undoubtedly attempt to thwart the will of free people. And Iraqis will need to return to the polls in December to elect a full-term parliament. However, the Iraqi people have met their challenges and have overcome obstacles at each step along the way. I am confident that as long as Iraq and its allies continue to stand up against terrorism, I am optimistic that more successes lie ahead. The mainstream media has a habit of only reporting the bad news coming out of Iraq. So it can be tough for some Americans to remain optimistic about our efforts in Iraq. This would not be the case if everyone had the chance to talk with many of the brave men and women who are serving in Iraq. Since the War began in 2003, I have visited Iraq twice. On each trip, I have had the opportunity to talk with our troops on the ground. Let there be no misunderstanding: our troops are proud of their accomplishments. We should be too. Because of our troops and the bravery and fortitude of the Iraqi people, young Iraqi boys and girls are attending schools. Electricity is being restored to all parts of the country, not just the regions favored by a dictator. Iraqis are beginning to protect Iraqis. Men and women are participating in the democratic process. And, most importantly, a ruthless dictator who terrorized his own people and his neighbors, and who had shown a willingness to obtain and use the worst weapons known to man, is no longer in power and will stand trial for his crimes. Let me end with this message to our troops and their families: We are proud of you, we thank you, and the American people continue to stand behind you.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) for recognizing me. Mr. Speaker, I have had the great honor on two occasions since I have been in Congress to go to Iraq and Afghanistan. I went early in November of 2003 and then again back in March of this year. What a difference those months have made. One of the things that I was awestruck by was the amount of progress that has been made in the country of Iraq since the beginning of the war when we overthrew Saddam Hussein. One of the things that I am puzzled by is that, when I go back to the district and start talking about how things are going in Iraq, my fellow Texans say, ``Randy, why do we not ever get to hear about that when we watch the news?'' You know, that is a really good question. One of the things that I think is important for the American people to realize is the amount of progress that we have made over there. In a very short period of time, we have liberated Iraq from a terrible dictator, a killer, a murderer, and that country is moving forward to install a democratic government. That is happening. They have met every deadline that they have established for themselves. In December, they will have a very important democratic election to elect their new parliament. One of the other things that is going on that is so important is that the Iraqi people are participating in a major portion of the defense of their country. That is an important part of our strategy. Our strategy is two-fold, to help the Iraqi people to learn to be able to defend their country themselves and also to help them move in a way to establish this democratic government. I think it is a great tribute to our men and women that, just the other day, 63 percent of the Iraqi people turned out to vote. I wish in some of our elections 63 percent of Americans turned out. You have to understand the conditions that these people turned out. Sixty-three million people turned out to vote in conditions where it was not snowing or raining, but they were risking their lives; and over 78 percent of those people so far have supported this new constitution. On a recent trip back from Iraq we stopped in Amman, Jordan, where about 120 or 130 Iraqi women had risked their lives and driven to Amman, Jordan, to participate in a conference to learn how to participate in this new democracy that they are about to inherent. And one of the things was I was sitting at the table with some of those women at lunch, and we were discussing different things about their coming and risking their lives to come to that. And I asked them, I said some people back home asked if the Iraqi people appreciate what the Americans have done for them, and the allied forces. This one lady, I will never forget, with tears streaming down her eyes, she said, ``Mr. Congressman, you have to understand. We are mothers. We are wives. We are sisters. We are aunts. And we understand the huge price that mothers and sisters and wives and Americans have paid for our freedom. And we shall never forget.'' And it is important that America not forget the tremendous contribution that our young men and women are making. As I go around, I always take an opportunity to thank the families, because, right along with our men and women that are in harm's way, those families serve right beside them. They are back home holding down the fort, making sure the kids get to school, making sure the car gets fixed and the house is in repair. We cannot forget them. On Saturday, unfortunately, I had the opportunity to have to go to a funeral in Dimmit, Texas, for Jacob Dones. J.J. he is called by his friends. But you know what? It was an opportunity to go and be a part to celebrate the life of a young hero. As I travel back and forth to Iraq, one of the things that I am awestruck about is the enthusiasm and the dedication and the commitment that our young men and women have to the job that they are doing over there; and I always ask them, is there a message that you want me to take back home? And they say, ``Congressman, tell the folks back home what a great job we are doing and how important it is that we finish this job.'' To get back to Lubbock, Texas, and back into District 19 each week, I travel and I stop at DFW airport. There are always young men and women going and coming from the battlefield, and I always take an opportunity to say thank you for your service. And one of the things that they start, without me even asking them, they say, ``Congressman, it is important that we finish this job.'' I wish you could see the children that are going to school, boys and girls that get to go to school now, and the fact that electricity is on in parts of the country that in the past it was not and that water systems are in place and that an economy is beginning to emerge in Iraq. So, as I close and thank the gentlewoman for this opportunity, I want to say to our young men and women, thank you again. We pray for you. We are glad you are doing the job you are doing. We are proud of you. And to those families we say thank you, also. So God bless them, and God bless America.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Leach amendment. H.R. 1461 clearly stipulates that the new regulator for Fannie, Freddie, and the Home Loan Banks has the authority to increase the minimum capital levels ``to the extent needed to ensure that the regulated entities operate in a safe and sound manner.'' This is a broad grant of authority to this new regulator. The Leach amendment, however, begins to limit the discretion of the regulator by adding several competitive issues in the determination of the minimum capital. The Leach amendment would effectively establish minimum capital at an arbitrary decision, by equating that to banks. Let us be very clear that these entities are not banks. One of the things that we need to make sure of is that if we are going to form a world-class regulator for these entities and that we are going to put in place people to manage that process and to regulate these entities, we need to give them the discretion that they need to make sure that as they set those capital levels that they are considering the economy, the state of the markets at that particular time, and have the ability to regulate to those entities and not try to make those entities something that they are not, and these entities are not banks. The gentleman's amendment does not do anything to increase the safeness and the soundness of these institutions. By the very fact that the regulators will have the ability to do that, set those minimum capital levels at a level that they need to be, gives them the flexibility to do that. And so I would urge Members to vote against the Leach amendment.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for organizing this important debate this evening. I think what has been pointed out is there are some very important challenges facing this Congress and facing this Nation. We are defending America in the war on terror, both abroad and domestically. We are grappling with rising energy prices. We are trying to figure out how to get a lid on health care in our country and how we are going to continue to grow this economy and provide jobs for American citizens, as well as how we are going to deal with this catastrophic loss of property that has been experienced by these hurricanes. There are those that want to say, well, we will just push that problem down the road for someone else; that this is just a little blip on the screen; that we do not need to pay for this relief. We will just borrow money. But those same people were the people that we are talking about that our deficits are rising at too fast a rate. So what does this call for? It calls for a sound fiscal policy. It is what the American voters sent us to Congress to do. They sent us here to make these difficult choices, to make policy that makes sense, to make policy that they have to live with at home, and that is we have a certain amount of money coming in, and we have a certain amount of money to spend. But what is interesting here, and it has been brought up tonight, and I want to reiterate it, is we do not have an income problem in our country, we have a spending problem. In fact, tax revenues, as the gentleman pointed out, have been increasing over the last few years, and, in fact, what we found is when we put more money back into the American taxpayers' pockets, they spent that. When the small businesses had more capital to invest in their businesses, they invested. They created jobs and our economy is growing; and now, for that reason, our deficit this year is projected to be $80 billion to $100 billion less than what was originally projected. But the problem is that our spending is growing faster than our economy. Currently, over the last 5 years, the Federal budget has been increasing at an annual rate of 6.3 percent. However, our economy has only been growing at an annual rate of 2.75 percent. So you do not have to be an economist to figure out that if the government is growing at this rate and the economy is growing at this rate, that we are never going to be able to balance our budget. So what it causes is for the Republican-led Congress to take action and to begin to work on this spending problem. What you did not hear from the other side of the aisle tonight was any spending cuts, any program reform. What you heard is their solution is to continue to raise taxes for the American people and to take away the momentum that we have already given this economy by the fact that we are putting more money back in their pockets. What has happened because of these reductions in taxes is that the economy is now growing this year at 4.2 percent and that Federal tax revenues have risen $360 billion since 2003 and that a 22 percent reduction in the Federal deficit has occurred since 2004. We have frozen nondefense discretionary spending. Now, I know we are using a lot of Washington kind of talk. So what is discretionary spending? That is the spending each year that Congress gets to vote on. So each year, the budget chairman brings before the Congress and the appropriations chairman, they bring a plan of how to spend the American taxpayers' money, and we get to vote on that, and we have made progress on that. But let me tell you where the real problem is in our country. The programs that were put in place many, many years ago are growing at such a fast rate, and these are programs that we do not get to vote on on an annual basis, so we go through this process called reconciliation. What is reconciliation? Well, really what that is is how we look into that budget and say, are these programs relevant today and should we or could we do something to stem the rate of growth. Now, the colleagues on the other side talked tonight about all the cutting we are doing. What we are doing is we are talking about slowing the accelerator down. We are talking about reducing the rate of increase, reducing the rate of government. That is why we are going to go through this process. What we are doing, just talking about over the next 5 years, is finding at least $35 billion, because as the gentleman made the point awhile ago, we are spending $7.257 trillion in 2006 alone. So how do we do that? Well, one of the things that I have proposed, as the gentleman alluded to, is to look at some ways to offset say some of the spending that we are going to have to do for those devastated areas in the gulf coast. By the way, I have been to the gulf coast, and I have seen that devastation and I have seen what has happened to the lives of those people down there; and, certainly, there is a role for the Federal Government, but there is also a role for the private sector down there. What we need to make sure of is that the Federal Government does not preempt the private sector's ability to go down and make sure that we begin to rebuild those communities. There is a little box that you checked when you did your tax return in April, and it says, I want to give $3 to the Presidential campaign. You know what? The American people less and less and less have thought it was a good idea to give money to Presidential campaigns and to their conventions. So I have introduced a bill that would allow the deletion of the payment to political campaigns and to the parties' conventions. Hey, let us spend that money for our efforts in Iraq. Let us spend that money for relief for Katrina, or maybe let us use that money to pay down debt, instead of putting monies into political campaigns. In fact, the campaigns themselves have started turning down that money because they feel like that leaves them at a disadvantage, and so many of the major campaigns over the last few years have not even used that money and turned it down. So we can save $200 million alone by just saying to the political parties, hey, go raise your own funds. So what we are talking about tonight is in that quest to balance the budget and not leave our future generations with a debt they cannot pay, we are talking about slowing down the rate of growth in our government. We are talking about getting the rate of growth of government to coincide with the rate of growth of our economy. As a small note, I started a little tradition a few years ago with my grandsons, and each evening when I come home, I put the change in a little coffee can, and when the coffee can gets full, we go down to the toy store, and we count how much money we have in the coffee can. So my 2 grandsons, who are 5 and 7, we go into that toy store knowing how much money we have to spend. They are 5 and 7 and they already understand how much money they have to spend. So they ask what each item that they are looking for might cost, and they try to figure up, do they have enough money to buy that purchase. Some of those purchases are more than they have, so they cannot make that purchase. That is what the American taxpayers expect the United States Congress to do. It is a concept that 5- and 7-year-olds understand, and it is certainly a concept that Members of the United States Congress need to understand. We cannot afford not to have this debate. I welcome the other side to come up with some solutions and some ideas on how we can reduce this rate of growth of our government, because our future generations are depending on it. Madam Speaker, I yield back to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. That is correct. The State of Texas is looking for innovative ways to make sure that we cut down on the waste, fraud, and abuse and also to deliver that service in the most cost-effective way.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. The gentleman is correct. Because what happens is when we begin to think outside the box and be creative and innovative, what we actually do is we save the taxpayers money, but we also at the same time generate more program money for those people that really need those benefits.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, Lance Armstrong won an unprecedented seventh Tour de France race over the weekend. His life, both on and off the race track, is a great example of hard work and perseverance. Albert Carey Caswell, a U.S. Capitol Tour Guide, who is also a prolific poet, wrote the following poem in tribute to Lance Armstrong and his accomplishments. I believe that reading this poem will provide encouragement and inspiration to my colleagues as we consider Mr. Armstrong's great accomplishments. A Real Fine Tour De Force of Life With Heart and Soul, Body and Mind . . . and Legs and Armstrong This force, this presence . . . which guides us along life's path and roads . . . Directing us from deep down within . . . this burning force, which lasts in life we follow as we go. As emanating, from so very deep within our very souls, this voice . . . of this our chosen goal, of this our life's Tour De Force of Life as shows! While, riding along life's roads, As there upon our paths as rode, embarking on this journey we call life . . . as ever onward we go . . . To win the race of life, we all must follow a code of courage and sacrifice . . . until, approaching our final nights, upon this our earth as rode. For in the game of life, there is but one thing which makes us bright . . . of which makes us all contenders. Just one difference between winning and losing . . . for it's ``The Heart'' from which all great things are so rendered! For True Champions come in all shapes and sizes . . . but, it's what's found within their hearts as where lies their true and golden splendor . . . While, traveling through life's country sides, As over her mountain tops we climb, as along life's rivers which we wind . . . as by her we glide . . . In this our most valiant of quests, To Be The Best . . . as before us so lies the answer so . . . Of this great test, within our hearts inside . . . Do we get up when we fall down? While, upon each new stage in this race called life . . . do our hearts burn bright in our souls as found? For in this our greatest of quests, To Be The Best . . . will we one day because of these our precious gifts, perhaps be so Heaven bound? In Life . . . to go for the Gold! To cheat death, to reach down inside of yourself as your soul stretch . . . until, none is left, oh, so very bold! To be a true Champion, To be The Best, to rewrite history and the records books while upon our life's valiant quest . . . as Lance so-Gold. A True Great Champion . . . among just mere men. A winner, a man of courage . . . of passion . . . of fury and heart . . . from the start . . . to the middle . . . until, the very end! A man who knows but only one creed . . . who knows no bounds . . . to push the envelope as he is found . . . as his quest for victory never so ends! A Real Fine Tour De Force of Life . . . A Real Tour De France . . . as is this Tour De Lance! A True Terminator, among his fellow athletes as a most historic creator . . . as ever onward he'll advance . . . For there is no mountain too steep for him to climb, no cure too sharp for him to ride in time . . . with but one thing on his mind, that Golden Chance! With Heart and Soul . . . Body and Mind . . . and Legs and Armstrong! As this great American Hero, has shown to this our world . . . why, with his character he so belongs . . . For in Sir Lancelot, we see this Valiant Knight of Courage's Quest . . . reaching deep down into our souls, as with his tests . . . his sweet life's song! While, there looking into the very face of death! Pedaling uphill, how Lance achieved the ultimate victory . . . while ``cheating death''. . . in his most valiant of all quests . . . But not to lull, but to move ever forward somehow . . . on so courageously now . . . while, to this our world he's shown his very best! And, as Lance rides onward into history. . . My child, I bid you to learn and see . . . and glean from his life lessons, all about what's within a heart you need! What it takes to wind and to succeed, about hope and faith, about character and courage and dedication within great hearts within you to succeed. In traveling down the road of life, For in Lance, we so see A Great Fine Tour De Force of Life, to so carry with us in our hearts about God and Faith and Sacrifice! A true celebration of the Heart and Soul of Courage and Faith . . . and it's true fine worth in Gold, this his A Fine Tour De Force of Life!

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the USA PATRIOT Act. Nearly four years ago and shortly after terrorists maliciously killed thousands of Americans on September 11, 2001, Congress passed the PATRIOT Act. This act provides law enforcement officials the tools they need to save lives and protect this country from future terrorist attacks. Today, we are at a critical point as Congress considers extending 16 important provisions of the law. I have looked carefully at the law and I have heavily weighed the constitutional questions some have raised. In the end, I wholeheartedly support all 16 provisions. I believe that the tools provided under the law are consistent with our long cherished values and consistent with our rights under the Constitution. I especially support the provisions which take important steps to ensure information sharing and cooperation among government agencies. By providing these necessary tools, the PATRIOT Act builds a culture of prevention and makes certain that our government's resources are dedicated to defending the safety and security of the American people. For decades, terrorists have waged war against freedom, democracy, and U.S. interests. Now America is leading the global war against terrorism. As President Bush has said, ``Free people will set the course of history.''

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to return to Washington, DC, in time for votes on Monday, July 11, due to official congressional business in Texas. I testified yesterday, before the Base Realignment and Closure, BRAC, Commission meeting in San Antonio in support of Dyess Air Force Base which is located in my congressional district. As a result, I missed rollcall votes Nos. 363 and 364. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on both votes: Rollcall vote No. 363: H. Con. Res. 168--Condemning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for the abductions and continued captivity of citizens of the Republic of Korea and Japan as acts of terrorism and gross violations of human rights; and Rollcall vote No. 364: H. Res. 333--Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection for Darfur, Sudan.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, my amendment will prohibit the National Institute of Mental Health from further funding two grants whose research falls outside the mission set by NIMH. The amendment would not reduce overall research funding. Rather, it would focus the funding toward serious mental health issues. According to NIMH, its goal is to ``reduce the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders'' and prevent ``disabling conditions that affect millions of Americans.'' This is a noble goal. Serious mental health diseases such as autism and Alzheimers do affect the lives of many Americans. And finding cures and treatments for these debilitating diseases is something we all hope for. This is why I was curious when I saw that two NIMH grants have been going on for years that do not focus on our most pressing mental health issues. For nearly 15 years, more than $1.5 million has been awarded to study ``Perceptual Bases of Visual Concepts.'' According to NIMH, this study trains pigeons to distinguish between natural and man made objects. Now on its fifth year, a second study has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to determine how the self-esteem of newlyweds affects their marriage. Now, I am a fan of marriage. In fact, I have actively participated in one for 35 years. But what does this research contribute to the effort to find better treatment, or even a cure, for Alzheimers or autism or Schizophrenia? Whatever scientific merits these research projects may have, they are not directed at serious mental health disorders. Sending millions of dollars to research that falls outside the mission of NIMH is problematic enough. However, this problem is compounded when you look at the list of grants that have been rejected over the same time period. If you look at the list, you will find grant after grant which specifically targets serious mental health diseases, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. According to a 2003 study done by a group of mental health professionals and entitled, ``A Federal Failure in Psychiatric Research,'' only 1 out of every 17, 2002 research grants is reasonably likely to improve the treatment and quality of life for individuals presently affected by serious mental health illness. Some here today may feel hesitant about ending these grants. But, ladies and gentleman, as members of Congress, we must become better stewards of taxpayer dollars. I urge my colleagues to support research on serious mental health issues by supporting the Neugebauer amendment.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 2745, the United Nations (U.N.) Reform Act. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), Chairman of the International Relations Committee, for his leadership on this critically important issue. For years, Americans have watched with disbelief as the United Nations has put brutal dictatorships like Syria and Sudan on its Human Rights Commission, while at the same time it lectures free democracies on what it means to respect human rights. Now, we are seeing not only misplaced condescension, but also widespread corruption. The U.N. was established in order to promote international cooperation and peace between nations. However, the good intentions that led to the U.N.'s founding have been followed by a long list of mismanagement, scandal and corruption. Clearly, the U.N. is in desperate need of reform. Most recently, for example, there were problems of kickbacks, bribes and nepotism within the Oil for Food program. There are also serious concerns with the behavior of the U.N. peacekeepers in Africa, including accusations of sexual abuse of the very people they are there to protect. These are just two areas of concern; there are countless other examples. This important legislation requires the U.N. to make 39 critical reforms to decrease bureaucracy, increase oversight and most significantly provide accountability. In order to ensure that the U.N. takes action, the bill requires the U.S. to withhold 50 percent of our contribution if the U.N. does not enact these much-needed reforms. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the U.N. This year, the U.S. is expected to provide 22 percent of the U.N.'s budget, an estimated $362 million. It is a travesty that our tax dollars are being misused by the U.N. with no accountability. This is why we need this legislation. In closing, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It was a remarkable trip. My second trip, also. As I was going over there, I was wondering what was going to be different or if things were going to be different from the first time I was there and kind of two historic events took place. As the gentleman from Nebraska will remember, we were on our way to Iraq the first time and Afghanistan. We were eating in Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and it was the day that they caught Saddam Hussein. Then, of course, the second time we were sitting in Baghdad and got to have, I guess, one of the first delegations to meet with the new Prime Minister Jafari. What a historic event that was. I, too, was struck, as the gentleman from Colorado was, by his enthusiasm and his passion for his new responsibility. I thought about the weight that is on his shoulders as he begins to lead the Iraqi people into uncharted territory for them. Someone said the other day, and one of the things I wanted to talk about was General Patraeus was briefing us. I think the first thing he started off with was a little video or slide show that he had prepared for us to kick off the meeting. It was about the election. He talked about the great impact that that election had not only on our young men and women that are over there providing this opportunity for a free Iraq and a democracy but the impact that it had on the Iraqi people. They were a little bit skeptical as to how many of the people would brave to come out with all of the threats that the terrorists, the insurgents, were going to be out on the streets and there would be a lot of people killed. As we were watching that video, I remembered seeing the thousands and thousands of Iraqi people that were standing in lines for what they said were hours and hours for that first opportunity to experience what our young men and women had gone over and provided for them. Of course, the famous holding up their index finger to signify that they had voted, that they had gotten to exercise that wonderful freedom. I also was thinking about what General Patraeus was saying about how they are now teaching the Iraqi people how to defend their own country and how that is an integral part of bringing our young men and women home and how now, though, in many areas, Iraqi soldiers are primarily providing security forces in parts of that country and we in some cases take a secondary role but in many cases we are working alongside the Iraqi people and how important that is. One of the things that I tell the people back home about understanding what is going on in Iraq, I use the analogy that if you can imagine if you were blind and deaf at birth, you had never been able to hear, you had never been able to see, but on your 30th birthday, you woke up and you could hear and you could see. Imagine all of the adjustments that you would have to go through in your life. You would have to really learn how to live your life in a new way. That is very much similar to what the Iraqi people are learning how to do. They have been oppressed for most all of their lives and all of a sudden one day they are a free people, beginning a journey of becoming a democracy, much like this country did over 200 years ago. I think also, as the gentleman mentioned, about that historic meeting of these Iraqi women that had come from all over Iraq and many of them, we sat at various tables and had lunch. They wanted to interface with us, we wanted to hear from them, but them telling their stories of the peril, the risks that they took coming to that meeting, that meeting to learn how to begin to be a part of this process. I think about a third of the people in the parliament are women. They wanted to come and learn how do we participate. And watching them go through those exercises of how to go to a city council or how to deal with the media or how to introduce legislation, how to run for office, all of the things that make this democracy great. I think one of the things that I did go back home and say to the people in my district as I was sitting at lunch on that day, I had probably nine, 10 women at that table with me. And so the big question I finally got around to, and I think it is a question that probably some of your constituents back home ask, So do the Iraqi people really appreciate what the Americans are doing for them? A smile came on the faces of many, but I looked over and I will never forget this one lady, I believe she was a Kurdish lady, and tears were rolling down her eyes. She said, Oh, yes, Congressman, we appreciate that very much. Because, you see, we are mothers, we are sisters, we are wives, we are aunts, and we know there are mothers and wives and sisters and aunts in America that have paid the ultimate price for freeing our people. She looked me right square in the eye and said, And we will never forget. That made a huge impression on me, because I needed to hear that and I wanted to convey that to the American people. When I told that story back home, they said, You know, we didn't get to hear that on the evening news. One of the things I think is so important as we have Military Appreciation Month, I think the thing that as I come back and I look at the big picture and I think the gentlemen that are in the Chamber with us tonight that traveled, is that we understand a couple of concepts about our military today. Number one, it is an all-volunteer force. Everyone that we ran into in that theater was there because they chose to be. I am overwhelmed at the dedication, the commitment, the quality of young men and women that we have defending our country, our Nation and helping liberate Iraq and Afghanistan. I think one of the real treats for many of us was that we tried to eat about every meal with the troops that we could while we were there. Sometimes we were eating meals on the go, but many times we had an opportunity to meet with the troops and we tried to eat with people from our State or from our area. Of course, you know for sure that the people from Nebraska certainly recognize the former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. It was like traveling around with a rock star actually, because everybody wanted his autograph and wanted his picture. The rest of us kind of felt like we were part of the groupies that were following him along. One of the things that I thought was so significant, we let those young men and women talk nonattribution, tell us kind of what is going on, how do you feel about what you are doing, your job. I never heard one soldier say, Congressman, we shouldn't be here. Congressman, get me home as quick as you can. What they wanted to talk about is how they are helping the Iraqi people and how they were proud that those Iraqi people got to exercise that right to vote and when they saw them with those index fingers stained, that they say, hey, you know, I was a part of that. I helped make that happen for the Iraqi people. One of the things, it was an idea I think I got from the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Beauprez), was that many of us, I think, got names of loved ones back home. I know that I got about 30 or 40 names of young men and women that gave me their loved ones back home, and so they gave me those numbers. It was so fun to call back and say, I was with your son, I was with your husband and talked and tell them how proud that we are of them. But what it did remind me, and I think it reminds everyone, is that when these young men and women are serving our Nation, their families are serving right alongside them. I had been over to thank their husband or their wife or their brother or their sister or their son or their daughter, but it also gave us an opportunity to thank the parents and the wives and the husbands of those young men and women serving. It was a great trip. I enjoyed it so much. I thank the gentleman from Nebraska for including me. I look forward to going back with him soon.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 810, but in strong support of adult stem cell research as it respects life. An embryo is a human at its earliest stage of life and deserves the same respect that we give infants, adolescents and adults. During this debate, some would attempt to justify embryonic stem cell research on the basis that we are dealing with something other than real human beings. We use the words stem cell, but we could also use the words Nathan and Noah. These are justifications based on definitions of life that are purely arbitrary. Indeed, a human at the embryonic stage may look a little different than a human at the adult stage, but that does not make the embryo any less a human. The embryo possesses the genetic identity as it will as an adult. It is merely at an earlier stage in life. Just as we find it unconscionable and unethical to exploit human life in the name of science during the latter stages of life, neither should we accept the exploitation of human life at its earliest stages. Instead, we should focus our resources on supporting medical research such as cord blood and adult stem cell research that respect human lives and have an actual track record of creating cures. Vote against H.R. 810.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, due to official congressional business, I missed Rollcall vote No. 150 on H. Res. 210, a resolution supporting the goals of WorId Intellectual Property Day. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 748, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act of 2005, and the rule. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for leading the charge on this important piece of legislation. Let us talk about what this piece of legislation does. It does three things: one, it upholds the democratic process that has taken place in 44 States; it respects the rights of parents to be involved in the medical decisions for their children; and, most importantly, it protects the health of young daughters. When someone takes their child to get their teeth cleaned, if they are underage today, they have to have a parent's permission. We should have parents involved in this very important decision in a young woman's life and protect them from those who do not have their best interests at heart. I encourage the Members of this body to do the right thing today. Let us protect these young women and make sure that this important decision is with a parent's involvement and not with someone who does not have their best interests.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H.R. 8 to express my strong support for this important legislation to permanently repeal the estate or ``Death'' tax. The estate tax is one of the most unpopular, destructive taxes collected by the Federal Government. It forces many small businesses and farms to dissolve, undermines incentives for work, savings, and investment, and leads to unnecessary development of environmentally sensitive land. By permanently repealing the estate tax, we would be eliminating a cruel tax that devalues the hard work and confiscates the savings of some of our most productive citizens. As we all know, the estate tax is scheduled to be totally repealed on January 1, 2010; unfortunately, this repeal will sunset on December 31, 2010. At that point, unless the Congress acts, the estate tax will revert to the 2001 level. As no one I know can accurately guess which year they might pass on to the hereafter, only one year of complete relief of the estate tax is not only cynical--it's bad policy. The uncertainty of not knowing whether or not the death tax will really be repealed, makes it difficult for American taxpayers to make plans for their futures, their spouses' futures, and the futures of their children. Additionally, the tax increase that would result if Congress fails to act would be entirely unfair to many of our constituents. On the one hand, I am pleased that the House is once again taking action today to rid our Tax Code of this punitive measure. But we've done this several times in the past and each time it has gotten bogged down in the other body. Let's hope we don't have to meet again to do what should have been done years ago. Let's do the right thing today. Let's finally and irrevocably repeal the death tax.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Madam Speaker, H.R. 482 provides for a small land exchange between Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico and Lubbock Christian University in my district. This land exchange is a fair exchange and provides benefits for both parties. One of the good things about this exchange is that we are exchanging 80 acres of pristine land that LCU currently controls that has National Forest all of the way around it, giving that 80 acres back so we do not have a doughnut in the middle of a National Forest, in consideration for 80 acres adjacent to a camp that is already up and going and has many facilities already on it and is serving many young people in the summertime. And in the fall and the winter, adult groups are able to utilize this facility. I thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce). This land is in his district. The gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce) has been very cooperative, and we appreciate that. I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) and the Committee on Resources for their work and thank them for getting this to the floor for a vote so that LCU can begin putting improvements on this land, and hopefully some of those improvements may be available for this summer. This is a like-kind exchange between two pieces of property. This bill provides for if there is perceived to be some difference in compensation. This bill gets this off center. This request has been pending for a couple of years, and we are able to expedite this issue and get it in place. I think that is good public policy. I urge my colleagues to support and pass H.R. 482.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to return to Washington from my congressional district due to illness on April 5, 2005, and missed Rollcall vote numbers 91-93. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on all three votes: Rollcall Vote Number 91: H. Res. 108--Commemorating the life of the late Zurab Zhvania; Rollcall Vote Number 92: H. Res. 120--Commending the efforts of the Armed Forces and civilian employees in response to the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004; and Rollcall Vote Number 93: H. Con. Res. 34--Honoring the life and contributions of Yogi Bhajan.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 686. As many before me and many still to come have indicated, this is not an easy situation. If it were, we would not be here at this late hour, on this day. What makes this situation difficult is that there are so many unresolved questions. What are Terri's wishes? Terri Schiavo never prepared a living will to express definitively what her wishes would be. So we are left with conflicting accounts of what course of action Terri would want her doctors to take. What has the family decided? Opponents of this legislation say this should be a family issue. I agree. However, we have a family that disagrees on the fate of Terri's life. While her husband wants to end her life, we have a set of parents who are willing to do everything it takes medically, emotionally, and financially to save the life of their child. We have some doctors saying that Terri will not recover. Yet we also have other neurologists saying that with the proper medical care, there is a chance that she could improve considerably. And let us be clear: Terri is not on life support she is not brain-dead, and no heroic measures are needed to keep her alive, she simply needs the assistance of a feeding tube for food and water. If we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the answers to these questions, we would likely not need to be here tonight. However, because these questions remain disputed, the responsible course of action is to err on the side of life. Some may ask why Congress is getting involved. The answer to that is simple. One of the primary duties of the Federal Government and Members of Congress is to uphold and defend the Constitution and the individual rights it sets forth. So we are acting to allow that every possible legal process has been exhausted to ensure that Terri's federal rights have been properly defended. One of those federal rights is the right to life. The Fourteenth Amendment establishes that no ``State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, and property, without due process of law.'' Everyday, in cases where the action of the state will result in the death of an individual, that individual is provided the opportunity to have their case heard in both the state and federal court systems. That is all we are asking to be done today. My thoughts and prayers, as well of those of my constituents in 19th district of Texas, are with Terri and her family during these difficult times.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the House of Representatives' budget plan and thank Chairman Nussle and his committee for their dedicated work on this legislation. I think many of us agree that a federal budget of more than $2.5 trillion dollars provides enough resources for the government. As I tell my constituents, we don't have an income problem herein Washington; we have a spending problem. Even as our economy has grown and revenues have increased in the past year, we continue to spend more than we take in. Our House budget takes important steps to address this spending problem while ensuing that our nation's most pressing needs are being met. We are at war, so defense and security funding remain a priority. Much of the increased spending in the past few years has gone toward national defense and security, including $258 billion in extra funding since September 11, 2001. Our House budget matches President Bush's commitment to our national defense needs with a 4.8 percent increase. Beyond national security, this budget provides sufficient funds to meet our priorities, but it also take important steps to begin addressing Congress' spending problem. First, our budget does not raise taxes in order to pay for more spending, as some are proposing in their alternatives. Second, our budget actually reduces non-defense and non-homeland security discretionary spending by .8 percent. Third, this budget will set us on course to reduce the growth in mandatory spending, which is growing far faster than our economy and comprises nearly two-thirds of all federal spending. By maintaining the tax relief and not allowing for tax increases, our House budget ensures that the economy will continue to grow and create jobs. Sustained economic growth resulting from sustained lower taxes also narrows the budget deficit. While non-defense discretionary spending is only about 20 percent of federal spending, it is the area in which Congress exercises the most direct annual control. We know there are programs that are wasteful, duplicative or unnecessary. By reducing spending in this area by .8 percent, we force ourselves to do better at finding the waste and consolidating or eliminating the programs we don't need in order to make the best use of the resources available. For the first time in eight years, Congress is finally dealing with the unchecked growth of mandatory spending in this budget. Let's be clear--despite what we are hearing from some on the other side, this budget does not ``cut'' any programs that help those in need. More will still be spent this year than was spent last year, and by my West Texas definition, that is not a cut. What this budget does is set on the track to slow the rate of growth on the mandatory side, which is currently unsustainable. In the last ten years, federal Medicaid spending has nearly doubled, growing at an average of 8 percent each year. Even with the savings called for in this budget, Medicaid will still grow by 7.3 percent over the next 10 years, as opposed to increasing by 7.6 percent. With regard to the mandatory spending reduction set for agriculture. I am concerned that the target in this bill is more than agriculture's total share of mandatory spending. As we conference with the Senate, I ask that the Budget Committee work toward a number that is more in line with agriculture's 4.7 percent share of mandatory spending. What we are doing here with respect to agriculture is allowing the Agriculture Committee to look at all mandatory spending at USDA and have full discretion on how we reach our savings total. We can do this without ``reopening'' the Farm Bill. All USDA mandatory spending, including nutrition programs, must be considered. During the first three years of the 2002 Farm Bill, farm programs have cost $14 billion less than the Congressional Budget Office predicted when the legislation passed. The 2002 Farm Bill has proven to be a very effective safety net for our producers, providing support in times of lower prices, and reducing support when it is not needed. And even though spending will increase somewhat this year due to lower prices, total spending over the life of this Farm Bill is still projected to be less than was predicted. Changing the rules of the game now, and then again in two years, is not sound policy. Budget decisions we make in agriculture today will not only affect the 2007 Farm Bill, but they will also affect our negotiating position in the World Trade Organization. If we take all of our chips off the table now, we will not have anything left to negotiate with as our trade representatives continue efforts to open new markets and reduce other barriers to U.S. products. During meetings with constituents throughout my district, farmers understood the importance of balancing the budget, and they are willing to do their part to reduce the deficit. However, they do not support agriculture bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. Neither do I, and I am committed to working in conference to ensure our final budget outline for the year treats agriculture fairly. Our constituents are looking to us to make responsible decisions about the use of their hard-earned tax dollars. They are counting on us to set the right priorities and follow through on past commitments. I believe our House budget sets us on the right path toward reducing spending, keeping our economy growing and protecting our nation.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1268, the Emergency Supplemental and Wartime Appropriations Act of 2005. This supplemental provides necessary funding for a variety of military operations and for equipment that will keep our troops safe while they fight the War on Terror. We are asking the brave men and women of our Armed Forces to put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom. In return, we should not hesitate to give them the best protective gear that we can provide. However, I have serious concerns about providing additional non- defense and nonemergency items, such as money for facility construction and international peacekeeping efforts that are included in this supplemental. I believe that while these items may be vital to our Nation's interests, they are not true emergencies. I commend the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Lewis, for his efforts to limit the amount of non-defense and nonemergency funding in this bill. But, far too often the Federal Government deems additional spending an ``emergency'' because it was not included in the original budget request. Any non-defense and non-emergency funding should be considered in the regular budget process. As Members of Congress, we owe it to the American taxpayer to ensure any new request for emergency spending is thoroughly reviewed and considered in a fair manner on the House floor, especially when essential funding for our Nation's Armed Forces is at stake. Despite my displeasure in allowing some of these additional items to be included in the supplemental, I support this legislation because Congress has a moral obligation to provide our troops with the safest equipment and most up to date training available.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment, which will help small transit systems maintain flexibility in the use of their Federal money. I would like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue, which is particularly important to my constituents in Lubbock, Texas. I want to repeat, this amendment does not increase funding for transit systems. Rather, it gives them some flexibility to manage those transit systems in the most efficient and effective ways. Under the current law, once an urbanized area exceeds 200,000 people in population, it loses that flexibility. What impact that is going to have on my constituents in Lubbock, Texas, is my transit system has had to try to scale back the hours of operation, particularly some on Saturday. Saturday is when a lot of families need to get to the doctor and need to go buy groceries. But quite honestly, also for people who live in my district who are employed, that have to get to work on Saturdays. So what we need to do is have these communities work with their transit systems and look for alternative ways to fund transit in the future. We need to give them some time and the flexibility they need to do that. Mr. Chairman, I urge Members to support this amendment.

Mr. NEUGEBAUER

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 310, the Broadcasting Decency Enforcement Act. While the House passed this bill last year by an overwhelming majority, unfortunately it did not become law. As a result, the House must reconsider this issue. During my service in Congress, this is one of the top two issues my constituents have mentioned in their e-mails, phone calls and letters. My constituents are telling me that enough is enough. When broadcasters violate indecency rules and a complaint is filed, my constituents want it to be taken seriously by the Federal Communications Commission, FCC. They want meaningful penalties that will make broadcasters think twice before airing objectionable programs. They want broadcasters to be held accountable. Above all, they want to be able to watch an entertainment program with their families without having them exposed to content unsuitable for children. When supposedly family-friendly programming such as the Super Bowl becomes a program many families don't want their children to see, we have a problem. As a grandfather, I worry about being able to turn on the TV and watch a program or sports event with my 3- and 5- year-old grandsons. The bill before us today increases penalties for broadcasters and performers who violate decency standards over the airwaves. Raising the cap on fines to $500,000 for broadcasts that violate the rules helps show that Congress and the FCC are serious about punishing offenses. The current cap is only $27,000 per violation, a drop in the bucket for most broadcasters. When broadcasters know that indecency violations will be taken into consideration when they ask the FCC to renew their broadcast licenses, they are going to take additional precautions to prevent instances of indecency. If a broadcaster accumulates three violations, a hearing will be triggered to review revoking that station's license. This legislation sends a strong signal that Congress is serious about enforcement of broadcast indecency regulations. If all Members, constituents care about this issue as much as mine do, then this should be an easy bill for us to support. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.