Joseph Pitts

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be withdrawn as a cosponsor H.R. 4755, the Federal Aviation Administration Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday demonstrations in over a dozen countries, including the U.S., U.K., Thailand and Japan took place demanding that the U.N. Security Council take action to stop the violence in eastern Burma. I join them today in speaking out against the brutal military dictatorship of Burma. The thugs of Rangoon are on an all-out rampage. Since March the Burmese military dictatorship has forced over 15,000 Karen tribal people from their homes. This map shows more than 2,800 villages. All of these dots are villages that have been destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced since 1996. These photos point to the awful plight of the displaced persons. There are numerous reports documenting the systematic tracking, torturing, the killing of many of the Karen tribe in the recent weeks. But ethnic genocide is occurring in Burma. On December 16 the U.N. Security Council held its first-ever briefing on Burma. At the briefing, U.N. Secretary General Annan indicated that the Security Council should get involved in Burma. But mere talk is not enough. The U.S. should lead an effort to pass a resolution on Burma and the Security Council. The world knows what is happening. If the international community does not act, we are complicit in their atrocities.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the wonderful generosity of the people of my district, the Pennsylvania 16th. This generosity has been on full display in the aftermath of the hurricanes that hit our gulf coast last year. The small Mississippi town of Pass Christian is roughly 1,200 miles from Lancaster County, but this hasn't stopped the people of Lancaster County, including many of the Amish community, from providing an outpouring of volunteer help to this devastated gulf coast town. Organized through a group called Community Aid Relief Effort, dozens of Lancaster County residents have been traveling to the gulf coast every week since Katrina to help out with whatever was needed, and the results are showing. Debris has been cleared, damaged homes are being repaired and new homes are being built. Mr. Speaker, while this outpouring of compassion warms my heart, it doesn't surprise me. The people of Lancaster County have a long tradition of helping those in need, and this is just the most recent example. I honor their efforts.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, we know that the Iraqi insurgent terrorists are shameless in their conduct. From blowing up crowded streets full of citizens to beheading innocent noncombatants, their ruthless brand of violence is well documented. What is not so well known is the funding sources these terrorists use to carry out their atrocities. Thanks to the leadership of my colleague, Sue Kelly, some of the most outrageous fundraising sources for the Iraqi terrorists have recently come to light. One fundraising campaign, called 10 Euros for Resistance, uses posters of bloody American soldiers to solicit funding in Europe. So far, it appears the terrorist extremists have found sympathetic radicals in more than one European country to donate to their cause. The funding is then funneled to Iraq, where insurgent terrorists use it to finance more attacks on American forces and innocent civilians. This is an outrage, Mr. Speaker; and I applaud Congresswoman Kelly's efforts to call attention to it. European countries should be doing all they can to stop this fundraising practice within their borders. I do not think that is too much to ask of our allies.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the President this week threatened to veto the emergency supplemental spending bill currently under consideration in the Senate, and rightfully so. Members of the other body have been busy adding billions of dollars in non-emergency pork to this emergency spending bill, and the price tag is simply unjustifiable. One particularly egregious earmark seeks $700 million in Federal funds to move a railroad track that has just been repaired at the cost of $250 million. Supporters of the project say the rail line needs to be moved because it is vulnerable to hurricane damage. Yet the proposed new location is just a short distance inland and was greatly damaged by Katrina last year. The real reason supporters want this newly repaired rail line moved is to make room for a casino gambling development along the gulf coast. Mr. Speaker, relocating a newly updated rail line to an equally vulnerable area simply to make room for casino gambling is not an emergency. The taxpayer should not have to pick up the tab for this railroad to nowhere. I urge the President to stand by his veto threat unless pork like this is removed from the bill.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, anyone following the news knows that tension is growing in our relations with Iran. But as we consider our response to this situation, let us be clear about where the problem lies. The problem is with the radical new leadership of Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his extremist regime. It is not with the good people of Iran, who have shown openness to freedom and moderation. Historically, Iran has been a center of culture and civilization. Millions of Iranians still value these things and seek a future with greater freedom and individual liberty. We must be reaching out to these people through diplomacy, person-to-person diplomacy and other ways to encourage their desire for freedom. The idea of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of a leader who calls the Holocaust a myth and openly says Israel should be wiped off the map is unthinkable and must be addressed. But the best way to do that is through reaching out to the moderate people of Iran who want better for their country than the current regime, not through military action.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I read recently that Planned Parenthood in San Francisco has launched a fresh marketing gimmick to drum up new business for its clinics. Under its ``Tell A Friend'' campaign, girls can earn free movie tickets for referring a friend to Planned Parenthood clinics. These same area clinics are offering the chance to win a free iPod for scheduling an appointment by April 30. While the idea of luring young girls into abortion clinics with gimmicks like free iPods and movie tickets may be outrageous, I guess it shouldn't be surprising. After all, Planned Parenthood may be feeling the financial squeeze these days. Statistics show U.S. teenagers are having fewer abortions than any time since Roe v. Wade, and polling indicates that today's teenagers are more pro-life than previous generations. Mr. Speaker, the pro-choice side likes to say that their goal is to see that abortion in America is safe, legal and rare; but those who truly seek to reduce abortion rates in America aren't baiting girls into abortion clinics with offers of free movie tickets and iPods.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, last week a disturbing report was released showing evidence of a security breach at U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar. According to the report, Iraqi documents now in our possession show that Russian officials provided Saddam Hussein with intelligence on U.S. strategic planning during the lead-up to the war in Iraq. The documents say Russians provided the intelligence through ``their sources inside the American Central Command in Doha,'' specific details 2 weeks before our troops entered Iraq. Mr. Speaker, this is not a small matter. U.S. CENTCOM in Qatar is the nerve center of our operations in Iraq. That's why it is absolutely vital that we have full confidence in the security of our operations there. With troops on the ground and in harm's way, it is essential that we seek to find out how this information was leaked and whether or not such leaks could still be happening. While military officials have been slow to investigate, Congress should not be. Getting to the bottom of this should be a top priority of the House and Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. Nothing less than the security of our troops is at stake.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, Democrat leaders are planning to make big news at a press conference later today. What is the news? That they are tough on national security. This kind of claim coming from congressional Democratic leaders leaves the American people scratching their heads. It is one thing to hold an election-year conference full of tough talk on national security issues; it is quite another thing to back that talk up with your voting record. Unfortunately, their rhetoric doesn't match their record. Where were the Democrat leaders when it came time to vote for the PATRIOT Act or for border security legislation or armed services recruiting or the REAL ID Act? Given the chance, they often line up against our Nation's national security initiatives, again and again and again. It is Democrats who would like to censure President Bush for authorizing the NSA terrorist surveillance program. It is Democrats who want to unilaterally withdraw from the Iraqi front in the war on terror. A news conference to announce Democrat leaders are tough on national security, that certainly is big news.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month two more women died after using the abortion drug RU-486. A premature death is always tragic, But the deaths of these women are even harder to bear because they simply did not have to happen. We already knew RU-486 to be dangerous and life-threatening. These are not the first deaths linked to it. Yet, despite this knowledge, neither the drug's manufacturer nor the FDA, has been willing to pull it from the market. Faced with this reluctance, Congress has the duty to take action. We often hear advocates of abortion promote their cause in the name of women's rights and women's health. If they want to protect women, then they should add their support to H.R. 1079, Holly's Law, offered by my colleague from Maryland, Mr. Bartlett. This common-sense bill would withdraw FDA approval of RU-486 and subject it to a thorough review to measure its health risk. Mr. Speaker, we should act in the best interest of women's health. Let us pass Holly's Law.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, the demise of once-renowned South Korean embryonic stem cell researcher, Hwang Woo-Suk, has been well publicized. Once the darling of the research community, Dr. Hwang has since been disgraced, his research exposed as fraudulent, his methodologies shown to be unethical. The fact that Dr. Hwang fabricated much of his research made big headlines. What was less noted, though, was that he coerced female members of his research team to donate their eggs for experimentation. This brought attention to a relatively unknown fact about embryo research. It requires an enormous amount of human eggs, and the likelihood of women being exploited is great. This issue has brought together a coalition of pro-choice and pro-life women who are taking a stand against the exploitation of women by the biotech industry. They point out that the egg extraction techniques required for this research can lead to infertility and even death. They are right to take such a stand against such exploitation, and we ought to stand with them.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan described the process by which perverse behavior slowly becomes accepted by society over time. He called it ``defining deviancy down.'' A recent newswire story illustrates his point. The story reports that Germany's sex industry is gearing up to handle a record demand for prostitution during the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament. One man involved in the criminal underworld of German prostitution told the reporter, ``Football and prostitution are a great match. What else could you hope for?'' What else could you hope for? Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the evils of prostitution and human trafficking be condemned by society, not flaunted. I would hope for an end to sexual exploitation of women and children. I would hope for some sanity to prevail in the civilized country of Germany. The story also reports that there are an estimated 15,000 victims of sex trafficking in Germany at any given time. That, Mr. Speaker, is the real cost of defining deviancy down.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 190, urging the Russian Federation to protect and ensure religious freedom for all people in Russia. Last year witnesses at a Helsinki Commission hearing on unregistered religious groups in Russia, provided alarming reports about the actions of local authorities towards unregistered or minority religious communities. Recurring reports of police harassment and criminal violence (that is rarely vigorously investigated) against these groups is jeopardizing the status of religious liberties in Russia. Adding to the concerns are recent reports that the Duma is preparing legislation to regulate the activities of missionaries. Reportedly, the bill would create administrative and criminal penalties for ``unlawful missionary work connected with provoking religious extremism.'' There was also speculation in the Russian media that the Justice Ministry was looking to tighten the rules for granting visas to foreign missionaries. Furthermore, there are also reports that the Duma is considering an amendment to existing legislation that would require re- registration of registered religious organizations. Mr. Speaker, these initiatives make evident that some people in the Russian government believe the role of the state is to control religious freedom rather than to facilitate and protect free expression. Officials know that it is very difficult for unregistered religious organizations to function effectively and freely--they know that limiting the actions of missionaries and restricting the distribution of visas would be the best option to control the growth of religious organizations. The Congress must send a clear signal to President Putin and other Russian officials that religious freedom is a critically important issue and that we expect Russia to uphold its own constitution and its international commitments and protect the fundamental right of freedom of conscience. This resolution specifically urges Russia to fully protect religious freedoms for all religious communities, whether registered or unregistered, and to prevent the harassment of unregistered religious groups by the security apparatus and other government agencies. I strongly urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 190.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, The New York Times published a front-page article earlier this month under the headline ``Scant Drop Seen in Abortion Rate if Parents Are Told.'' The story went on to say that laws requiring parents to be informed about a daughter's decision to have an abortion do not have the effect of reducing abortion rates. I would just point out two things about this story, Mr. Speaker. First, other studies on the subject disagree with the findings published by the Times. Studies done by the Heritage Foundation and the Associated Press show significant drops in some States' abortion rates after the enactment of parental consent laws, such as 33 percent in Virginia and South Dakota and 25 percent in Texas. I would also point out that all these statistics cloud the larger point of parental consent laws. The laws first and foremost seek to involve parents in one of the most important decisions their daughter will ever make. Minor girls dealing with a pregnancy desperately need their parents' involvement. That is what these laws promote.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a good day for the millions of Americans who own a cell phone. For several years, wireless phone customers have had more and more reason to question the privacy of their cell phone numbers. Right now a database of cell phone numbers is being compiled by the industry so that companies can offer wireless directory assistance in the future, but most Americans would rather not have their personal cell phone number made available to just anyone. Yesterday after 2 years of effort on this issue, the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved my amendment to put the power back into the hands of consumers. The amendment simply forbids wireless phone companies from disclosing the cell phone number of any customer without prior express authorization from the customer. Just common sense. America is counting on us to do something about this, and we have the power to do so. Let us bring this important legislation to the floor and protect Americans' privacy rights.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, the front page of Monday's Washington Post carried a heart-wrenching story about sex trafficking in the Washington, D.C., area. The story detailed unspeakable tragedies, including the story of a 14-year-old girl forced into sexual servitude in order to meet her pimp's demand of earning him $500 a night at $50 per sex act. Oddly enough, that wasn't the only front-page story Monday that mentioned pimps. Right above that story, The Post also reported that the song ``It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp'' was honored with an Oscar this year for being the best original song in a movie. Should we really be shocked to read of the sexual horrors taking place on our streets when our most popular cultural awards show is handing out awards for songs that glorify prostitution and sexual violence? This is outrageous and disgusting. Music that glorifies the men responsible for such atrocities, like exploitation of women and children, should be condemned, not celebrated with an Oscar.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the leftward drift of American higher education has been well documented. On the modern-day campus, nothing is too extreme and all ideas and political philosophies are declared equal in the name of tolerance, often producing ridiculous results. The most recent example comes from Yale University. In the name of tolerance and diversity, administrators there have enrolled a member of one of the most radically intolerant and nondiverse groups in recent history, the Taliban. A few years ago, Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi was a spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban regime, the same regime that provided safe haven for the 9/11 terrorists and brutally oppressed women and nonMuslims. Today, he is in the Ivy League, a student at Yale. Rahmatullah said it best himself: ``I could have ended up at Guantanamo Bay. Instead, I ended up at Yale.'' Mr. Speaker, we have come to a point where elite universities like Yale will tolerate the Taliban on their campus but will not tolerate the ROTC, political correctness in the extreme.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, in the coming days we will take up the Federal budget. While I am pleased to see the President's budget hold the line on discretionary spending, the Congress should also get serious about entitlement reform. The numbers speak for themselves, Mr. Speaker. Three entitlement programs alone, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, currently consume about 42 percent of the entire budget. If we add defense and homeland security, which most people would consider mandatory spending, along with all the other entitlements, we get 82 percent. Only 18 cents on the dollar really is discretionary. Mr. Speaker, entitlements are important programs, but they will benefit no one if they go bankrupt. And we are headed for a fiscal tsunami in this country. So as we begin the budget process, let us keep in mind that runaway discretionary spending is wrong, and we would do well to rein it in. But unsustainable entitlement spending is a greater problem that we should address as well for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Whether we like it or not, this is a very real problem. It is not going to go away. Doing nothing is simply not an option. In fact, doing nothing is the worst thing we can do.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Cannon Caucus, I hosted an event for diplomats based in D.C. to watch portions of a film entitled ``Human Trafficking.'' We had 97 countries, over 160 diplomats, many ambassadors there. They were very interested to learn what other countries are doing, the cooperation and partnership between nations and leaders around the world to combat trafficking in persons. They are very interested in increased training for their staff, particularly consular staff, and the many NGOs and their resources that are available. I want to thank the governmental leaders, the law enforcement personnel, NGOs, business people, and ordinary citizens around the world who are helping combat this horrible exploitation and violence against women and children. I look forward to talking with them again about creative ways to stop trafficking, not just through stronger legislation and prosecution of traffickers but through other means, particularly providing assistance to victims, their families, addressing corruption, interdicting assets. I commend to my colleagues this film, ``Human Trafficking.'' It will be shown on TV on April 22 to educate yourself on this issue.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of news coming from the field of stem cell research lately, but it is all just a new variation on an old theme: Ethical or ``adult stem cell'' research is working. Research that kills embryos, embryonic stem cell research, is not. While embryonic stem cell research's leading scientist has been disgraced for his research fabrications, adult stem cell researchers are announcing new breakthroughs. One research group recently announced the development of a machine capable of taking adult stem cells from fat tissue and adapting them to treat other tissue damaged by heart disease and heart attacks. In a different study released recently, researchers have been able to turn adult muscle stem cells into cartilage, and in animal studies this regenerated cartilage has been used to treat damage caused by arthritis. These studies add to the ever-growing list of treatments and cures that come from noncontroversial adult stem cells. Meanwhile, stem cell research involving the destruction of human embryos continues to be plagued by tumors, rejection, and research scandals. As we address this issue this year, we would do well to keep this in mind, what is working and what is not.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the House's attention a very important issue relating to the reimbursement of plasma protein therapeutics. Specifically, I continue to be concerned regarding the inadequacy of reimbursement for immune globulins. A fragile Medicare beneficiary population is dependent on immune globulins for life saving therapies. As a result, Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) share a responsibility to assure access to these therapies. CMS recently recognized the importance of this issue by providing for a pre-administration fee in both sites of service for immune globulins, physician offices and hospital outpatient settings. This provision was outlined in CMS's Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule and in the Physician Fee Schedule final rule. Third party studies are currently underway to identify the true costs associated with the acquisition, handling, and administration of immune globulins. Congress anticipates that CMS will issue a Program Memorandum reflecting the study findings upon receipt of the data. To guarantee access, I urge CMS to provide for product specific reimbursement for each separate immune globulin and to recognize that the infusion of immune globulins should be classified as a biologic response modifier for reimbursement purposes. I intend to follow this matter carefully and look forward to working with the Administration and my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee to address these concerns.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the outburst of hateful and irresponsible rhetoric coming from Iran in recent days and weeks is simply outrageous. In October, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked international outrage when he publicly declared that Israel should be ``wiped off the map.'' Just last week, he suggested that the Holocaust never happened. This week, he called for Israel to be moved to Europe. Nations, including the U.S., France, Germany, and the European Commission, have all expressed their disgust with these comments. The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, said it best when he said, ``The combination of fanatical ideology, a warped sense of reality, and nuclear weapons is a combination that no one in the international community can accept.'' He is absolutely right. These comments were not made by some cleric of some small mosque. He is a head of state, and to think of him having nuclear weapons is frightening. It threatens not only Israel, but the international community as a whole, and should be denounced in the strongest terms possible by all nations.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, today is a historic day for democracy and freedom. Iraqis go to the polls to democratically elect the 275 seats of the new Iraqi Council of Representatives. The newly elected Council will then select a Prime Minister, a Presidency Council, and a Cabinet of Ministers. By any measure, today's elections are remarkable. In just under 3 years, 26 million Iraqis have gone from brutal tyranny to representative democracy. A ruthless and dangerous dictator has been removed, and the stabilizing influence of democracy is taking root in a region desperately in need of it. This progress is a fitting tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much to see this day realized. There is more work to be done and there will be more setbacks to overcome, but this is tremendous progress. I salute them.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, as the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito moves from the back burner to center stage in the coming days, we should not allow it to become politicized by the left. President Bush has nominated a capable and qualified individual to sit on our highest Court. Judge Alito has more judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in the last 70 years. He has a reputation as an even-tempered, impartial, fair-minded judge who believes in judicial restraint. The Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Alito to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in 1990. Mr. Speaker, as this debate heats up, people should not be fooled by the mischaracterizations and personal attacks that are sure to come from the liberal left wing. Judge Alito is qualified. He deserves an up-or-down vote in the Senate.

Mr. PITTS

Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean has taken his party's irresponsible rhetoric about our involvement in Iraq to a new low. In an interview earlier this week Mr. Dean said, ``The idea that we are going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong.'' Dean's take on Iraq makes even less sense than his scream in Iowa. What does Mr. Dean think it does for the morale of our troops on the ground in Iraq when they hear the leader of one of their Nation's two major political parties say that he does not believe that they can get the job done. Mr. Dean may not believe that our troops are up to the task in Iraq, but I and the overwhelming majority of my colleagues do. It is important our troops understand that. Our troops have freed 26 million Iraqis from the grip of a brutal and murderous dictator, set the stage for democratic elections in a country where this was once thought impossible. Make no mistake, if the war against terrorism is lost, it will not be lost by our magnificent troops on the battlefield. It will be lost right here at home by politicians who lose their resolve.