Tom Price

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 902) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 4761, including corrections in spelling, punctuation, section numbering, and cross-referencing and the insertion of appropriate headings.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday, July 12, 2006.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues what most Americans know all too well and that is that our tax system is broken. Many would say it is broken beyond repair. Our Tax Code contains over 50,000 pages of confusing, contradictory, inconsistent, and intimidating regulations. Filing a tax return often takes months of preparation and Americans spend billions of dollars getting expert assistance just filling out the forms. But there is a solution, the FairTax. A national retail sales tax would provide common sense to the current mess. The FairTax would simplify the process and allow individuals to keep all of their hard- earned pay check and determine for themselves when they save or they spend or they invest their money. It would encourage investments, spur economic growth, and be less regressive than our current system. For far too often we have chosen to try and fix problems with our Tax Code by adding to it. It is time to start over. It is time to remove the redundancy of the Tax Code. Tear out those unneeded pages and adopt a fair plan. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 25 and deliver smart and fair tax policy for the American people.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services have until noon on Friday, July 7, 2006, to file a report on H.R. 2990.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at noon on Monday, July 3, 2006, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 440, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in frustration over the recent leak by the New York Times of a vital national security program. In a time of global war, this leak is a disgrace to all Americans and especially a disgrace to those risking their lives every day to keep us safe. This disclosure raises grave concerns about why some in the media seem determined time and again to simply hand over our playbook to barbaric terrorists. Our ability to emerge victorious in this war on terror hinges on the success of these legal, appropriate and needed programs. This is a war that more than any other in our history relies heavily on sophisticated data gathering. Giving away these details only empowers our enemy. Freedom of the press is an important right. However, the media must practice responsibility with classified intelligence. Not just American prosperity is on the line, Mr. Speaker. These counterterrorism programs exist solely to protect the lives and the freedoms of American citizens. It is time that American lives are given greater priority than selling more newspapers.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, sending troops to control our borders has already proven to be successful. Instead of being buried on page eight, this should be front-page news. The press should know that the story is no longer about what is happening here in Congress, but what is happening at the border. During the first 10 days of June, total detentions of illegal aliens declined by 21 percent compared to the same period a year ago. That is pretty good for just 55 National Guard troops who didn't arrive on the border until June 3. While the National Guard is certainly not the final answer, their presence clearly demonstrates that added resources on the border is pivotal to controlling our illegal immigration emergency. Strong enforcement decreases the influx of illegal aliens. Promises of amnesty only encourage illegals to storm our borders in greater numbers. Madam Speaker, our laws must be taken seriously by both those who would violate them and those charged with their enforcement. Thanks to our National Guard troops for their vital work in bringing order out of chaos.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what a pleasure it is to come back to the House floor this evening, even though it is for really just a few short minutes, and bring the latest edition of the Official Truth Squad. The Official Truth Squad is a group of Republican Members who began with a group of freshmen Members of Congress in their first term this past year, who got together and said, why on Earth do we have all of the misinformation and disinformation and distortion that you hear oftentimes on this floor over and over and over again, and nobody, nobody, refutes it. What is going on? So what we did is we formed the Official Truth Squad. We have heard some items just this evening that deserve some truth. So I am pleased to come this evening to the floor, Mr. Speaker, and to bring some facts, some facts, to the issues, because facts are important when we are talking about issues in Washington. If you don't deal with true facts, then it is extremely difficult to get to the right solutions. We in the Official Truth Squad have a saying that we are fond of, a quote that we like to identify and like to call to people's attention. It is from the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He said everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts. That is important, Mr. Speaker. We have just heard from what has been described as the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs. Well, I am here to tell you, Mr. Speaker, these folks have perfected, perfected, saying one thing at home and doing something here. In fact, as I was sitting here tonight, they have perfected saying one thing here and doing something different here. To point that out, facts, Mr. Speaker, the truth, Mr. Speaker, here they tout the importance of the line item veto. We believe in the line item veto. A number of years ago we had an opportunity to demonstrate our belief in that by a vote on the floor of the House. This vote was back in 1995. At that time, eight Democrats voted in favor of the line item veto. This is a bill that would give the President an opportunity to control spending, to assist in making sure that we move toward a balanced budget, and in fact eight Democrats voted yes. 194 Democrats voted no. Most of those, most of those that were in the Blue Dog contingent, were in the no column. I haven't updated this, Mr. Speaker, but as you know, last Thursday we voted on a new line item veto bill on this floor of the United States House of Representatives. I have got to update this, because the numbers are staggering. The numbers are staggering. 156 Democrats voted no. It is a fact, Mr. Speaker, they voted no on the line item veto. In fact, half, virtually half of those folks who call themselves fiscally conservative Blue Dogs, voted no. So, as I say, Mr. Speaker, they have perfected the fine art of saying one thing here and doing something different here, not just saying one thing at home and doing something different here. You heard about a balanced budget tonight, how strongly they support a balanced budget. Well, what about when given the opportunity to vote for a balanced budget, Mr. Speaker? What happened then? This is very recent, just this year. Roll call vote 156 this year, 2006, the balanced budget substitute was an amendment to the fiscal year 2007 budget. This is a bill that the Republican Study Committee put on the floor of the House and it would in fact balance the budget, which is what most folks say they desire and what they say they want. But when given the opportunity to speak up, what they say they want with true action, what happens? You see it right there, Mr. Speaker. Not a single, not a single Member of the minority party voted in favor of that bill, including, including all of the Members of the Blue Dog Group. So, Mr. Speaker, I know facts are difficult, because they are tough to argue with and they are tough to refute. But truth and facts are important. And there are individuals here trying to do very responsible things as it relates to the economy and as it relates to our budget, and as it relates to being responsible with spending hard-earned taxpayer money. And the vast majority of those folks are in the majority party. And the reason that I say that with such confidence is because the actions that have been taken by the Republican majority have resulted in a remarkable economy. A remarkable economy. Now, you will not see that on the nightly news, and you will not hear about it on the radio, likely, and you will not read about it in your local newspaper. But it is important stuff that is going on. It is important and exciting activity that is going on in our economy. And I would just like to highlight a few of them. We have got some charts that we would like to show that demonstrate that. The economic boom that we are currently under is almost unprecedented. Today, at this point, last month America had 75,000 new jobs, 75,000 new jobs created, which is in addition to 1.9 million new jobs in the last 12 months. This is really exiting news, Mr. Speaker. More than 5.3 million new jobs since August of 2003. Now, the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent. Unemployment rate at 4.6 percent. That is lower than the average of the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. Mr. Speaker, this is all great news. It is remarkable that we do not hear that kind of positive news coming from many folks on the floor of the House. We have had the fastest real gross domestic product growth in 2\1/2\ years. Productivity has increased at a strong rate, 3.7 percent in the first quarter, increase this past first quarter. Real hourly compensation, real hourly compensation, all of the times you hear folks say that real wages are not going up. In fact real hourly compensation rose at a 3.2 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year. Personal income. Oftentimes you hear things that are not the truth on the floor of this House and across this Nation. They talk about people not having an increase in their income. Personal income, the facts are, Mr. Speaker, the truth is, Mr. Speaker, personal income increased at an annual rate of 6.7 percent in April. And since January 2001, real after-tax income has risen by 12.9 percent. That is a remarkable, remarkable achievement for this economy, which continues to grow. Real consumer spending increased at an annual rate of 5.2 percent in the first quarter. Employment increased in 47 States over the last 12 months ending in April. Industrial production. We often times hear about lagging industrial production. Industrial production increased 4.7 percent over the past 12 months. And manufacturing production which has been criticized as lagging behind in this recovery, in fact it is showing strong rebounding with, over the past 12 months, manufacturing production increasing by 5.5 percent. Those are facts, Mr. Speaker. Those are facts. That is the truth about a remarkable economy that really is going along extremely well and continuing to improve. There is a reason for that. We are going to touch on that in just a minute. But I think it is important when we talk about our economy, the American economy which is strong, and is growing stronger by the day, that we use some benchmark. And probably the best benchmarks to use are other large developed nations and developed economies. How are we doing compared to the rest of the world? And I have here a paper from the Joint Economic Committee, which is a bipartisan group that reports on economic activity, not just in the United States but around the world. And it states here that although some people have expressed dissatisfaction about the performance of the U.S. economy, the economic data show that since 2001 the United States has outperformed every other large developed economy. Mr. Speaker, did you hear that? The United States has outperformed every other large developed economy since 2001. Now what does that mean? Well, the United States ranks first in economic growth among the other large developed economies. It is first in job creation. As I mentioned 5.3 million new jobs since August of 2003. In terms of industrial production, the largest cumulative increase in industrial production, 4.6 percent. That is compared to nations, other large developed nations that have not seen that kind of growth. First in labor productivity growth. Remarkable productivity growth that we have seen in our Nation. And when we compare it to our nations, that have large developed economies, remarkable, remarkable progress and remarkable improvement. And we ought to be celebrating that, Mr. Speaker, we ought not be casting aspersions on the kind of policies that have had a direct affect and a district positive, positive result on the United States economy. And so folks say, well, why is the economy booming? What is happening out there? In addition to the hard work of Americans all across this land, I think it is important to appreciate that one of the reasons that the economy is doing so well and that we continue to improve is because of the tax policy that was put in place by this Republican Congress and this Republican administration in 2001 and 2003. And the reason that that is important to look at is because you often times hear the other side say, well, we in fact they say, well, you need to be more responsible with spending. You need to decrease spending. You need to have greater accountability. But then immediately out of their mouth is the programs that they would spend more money on, in fact billions, billions more money on. And their solution to how to get more money into the system is the tried and true system that they use all of the time, and that is to raise your taxes, Mr. Speaker. That is the tried and true method that they have. But we believe and can demonstrate clearly that by decreasing taxes, by decreasing taxes, you increase revenue to the Federal Government. And this demonstrates it so very, very clearly. This is a graph that shows the increase in tax receipts over each year from 1982 on through 2005 and 2006. In the last 3 years you see a significant increase. In fact, in 2005- 2006, a $432 billion, 2-year increase. That is a significant increase. And the reason for that is because people had more money in their pockets, they spend, they save, they invest as they choose. And in fact that drives the economy in a much greater way. And it sometimes seems counterintuitive, but if you look at this graph, this is the growth, projected growth of revenues. And the 2001 and the 2003 tax relief being made permanent. And what you see here is the historical average of the percent of gross domestic product that comes in as revenue. That is this green line right here that is straight across. And what we see with the red line is what happened with the tax policy previously, and the recession and the affects of 9/ 11. But what happened at this point is that tax decreases, appropriate tax decreases, were put in place, often times opposed, most often times opposed by the minority party. But what we have seen is a significant increase in receipts to the Federal Government because of, because of the appropriate tax policy that was put in place. So tax decreases indeed help increasing revenue to the Federal Government. Our good friends on the other side often times talk about the debt. And they talk about the deficit. And we have shown that in fact when given the opportunity they do not support a balanced budget, but they often times talk about the deficit and not being responsible enough with hard-working taxpayer money, and we can always be more responsible. But I think it is important to appreciate that what is happening under current policy is that we are decreasing the deficit significantly. This graph shows the deficit over a 40-year historical average of 2.3 percent. That is that dotted black line straight across the chart here. And what we are seeing is a continual decrease in the deficit of hundreds of billions of dollars, put in place because of appropriate tax policy that allows individuals to have more money in their back pocket, again, and decide when they spend or they save or they invest. And that drives the economy to a much greater degree, Mr. Speaker, as you well know. So we are making progress. We are making good progress, in a wonderful economy that is moving along in the right direction. What we need to do is greater fiscal responsibility, yes indeed, but also making certain that we continue the appropriate tax policies that allow individuals all across this Nation, hard-working American taxpayers to have more of their own money in their back pocket. I think it is also always important when we talk about taxes to get a lot of distortion and misinformation that often times comes from folks in Washington when they talk about who is paying taxes. You often times hear that. Well, you know, it is just, the rich do not pay their fair share. And you get this class warfare going on that is really destructive, it does not help anything, it does not solve any of the challenges that we have, and it is not positive in terms of its presentation. But I am struck by the amount of tax revenue that comes from different sectors of our society. And if you look at the percentage of taxpayers, and if you look at the share of individual income taxes that those percentage of taxpayers pay, the top 1 percent, remember this is what the other side call the richest of the rich, and they continually denigrate them and belittle their participation in our system. In fact, the top 1 percent, Mr. Speaker, pay over 30 percent of the taxes in this Nation. The top 1 percent pay over 30 percent. And you can see that as you get to the top 5 percent, it is over 50 percent. So the top 5 percent of individuals in our Nation pay over 50 percent of the taxes. Mr. Speaker, I think that probably really shows, one, the facts and the truth, but it also makes it so that the argument that the other side brings forth over and over and over about the class warfare just is so destructive, and it is not even true. It is not even true. So the foundation of their argument does not even hold any water. And that tall bar over there, Mr. Speaker, that is the top 50 percent, and in fact the top 50 percent pay about 96 percent of the taxes. The hard-working Americans taxpayers, hard-working American taxpayers. But this is a very progressive scale. And it is important that we appreciate that. It is also important that we remember that. It is important that we talk about it, because when you try to define these issues as they relate to taxes in terms of class warfare, it does not help. It is not a positive solution. It does not bring us together as a people. We have so many challenges out there, Mr. Speaker, they are not Republican challenges, they are not Democrat challenges, they are American challenges. And we do best when we work together. I encourage my friends on both sides of the aisle to make certain that we do indeed talk about facts, talk about truth, try to make certain that we work together as we move through the remarkable challenges that are present in our Nation today. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be able to come tonight and bring that positive information about the economy, positive information about where we are going as a Nation, and as a United States House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, we live in a wondrous and a remarkable Nation, a Nation that remains the land of opportunity for all who are here. It is indeed a beacon of hope and a vessel of liberty to men and women around the world. It is such a privilege for me to have the opportunity to come tonight and to share that kind of positive information with not just Members of this body, but with you, Mr. Speaker, and with the men and women around the Nation. So I thank you and the leadership so very much for the opportunity to be with you tonight.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today we will be debating the line item veto. Now, if you ask my constituents, this is an issue that doesn't need much debate. Giving the President the ability to cut wasteful spending should go hand in hand with fiscal responsibility. Since coming to Congress 1\1/2\ years ago, it has become crystal clear to me, as it was to President Reagan, that Washington doesn't have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. The line item veto is a commonsense solution. Greater transparency to the earmark process and backing it up with a 2-week window for Congress to ratify the President's actions will allow us to address unnecessary new spending, one of the biggest long-term challenges of the Federal budget. Mr. Speaker, when we use tools to cut wasteful spending and work toward achieving a balanced budget, the beneficiaries are hardworking American taxpayers. If we truly stand for fiscal restraint, we must pass the line item veto. I call on all of my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to support this commonsense, positive move to provide greater responsibility to the budget process.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I proudly rise to honor and congratulate some spectacular student athletes from Georgia's Sixth District. This month, two of our hometown high schools won a State baseball championship. Marietta's Lassiter High School and Roswell's Blessed Trinity High both took home their respective class' State championship in dominating fashion. These skilled young men showed what is possible with hard work and unending determination. Lassiter took home the school's second State title after beating another Sixth District team, Kell High School. The Trojans ended their season with 19 straight wins, sweeping every round of the playoffs. Blessed Trinity amazed everyone with their ascendancy to the State title in only 6 years of existence. Similar to Lassiter, the Titans went through the playoffs losing only one game and sweeping four out of five series. These student athletes will forever cherish the memory of this season. The players, their families, and their classmates who cheered them on will always look back at the 2006 season as a source of pride, accomplishment and satisfaction. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to all from Lassiter and Blessed Trinity High Schools.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I rise and ask the House to recognize and congratulate an outstanding Atlanta area small business that has proven to be a model for community leadership and responsibility. The MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service was recently named the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce 2006 Small Business of the Year. The company provides 9/11 emergency ambulance services and prehospital care for the sick and injured throughout the Atlanta area. As a medical doctor, I know the importance of reliable and rapid emergency response care, and MetroAtlanta Ambulance provides a service critical to the health and well-being of our community. The company has demonstrated time and again that they are more than just a business. Rather, they have shown an honest, sincere, and repeated desire to lend a hand to others. They took a lead role last year in coordinating ambulance services and logistics for the evacuation of victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Their hard work led to the relocation of 1,300 people from the flood-damaged region. Mr. Speaker, MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service is a great example of what can be accomplished when sound, honest business practices are coupled with a sincere desire to help neighbors in need. Congratulations to MetroAtlanta Ambulance.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, international terrorism is an issue of life and death, not just for each of us individually but for our Nation and our way of life. We did not want this fight. We didn't invite this fight. We did not wish to engage in this battle. However, once our enemy crossed over the line and confirmed for us and the world that they were unwilling to respect international law, respect individual liberty, and respect the sovereignty of nations, and that they were willing and desirous of engaging in mortal battle, no other option was left to us or to the civilized world. Abu Musab al Zarqawi, on January 23, 2005, said this: ``We have declared a fierce war on this evil principle of democracy and those who follow this wrong ideology.'' So this discussion over the past few days comes down to a fundamental question: What is the appropriate strategy and tactic to adopt to win the war on terror? Will we withdraw and simply defend a policy of isolation and containment, or will we aggressively combat terrorism and take the battle to our enemy? Now, this war is unlike any other in history. Our enemy has no single home. It recruits and trains its army from nations around the world. The only unifying element is hate, hate for democracy and hate for liberty. Thankfully, we have stayed the course. Thankfully, we have persevered in both Iraq and Afghanistan, because the greatest threat to terrorism is freedom and liberty and democracy in the Middle East and beyond. And great progress is being made. Last week, the U.S. and Iraqi forces eliminated al Qaeda's top terrorist, Zarqawi. This was accomplished with excellent intelligence, and that information came from Iraqi citizens themselves. A very positive sign. And while Zarqawi was eliminated, finding him brought a wealth of information, allowing U.S. and Iraqi forces to dismantle many more pieces of al Qaeda's puzzle. And Iraq just this past week selected three more officials, cabinet ministers, to serve in its standing government. These are very positive accomplishments. But it is also important for us to remember what led up to this war, and just a short look at a couple of the incidents over the last 30 years will bring it into focus and vividly demonstrate the death, destruction, and terror brought to Americans by our enemy. The Iran hostage crisis in 1979, where our hostages were held for 444 days; 1983 suicide bomb attacks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 242 Americans; 1985, the Achille Lauro hijacking, where an invalid American was murdered in his wheelchair; 1988, Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 259 people on board; February 26, 1993, the first World Trade Center bombing; 1996, Khobar Towers bombing, U.S. Air Force barracks in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 U.S. military personnel; 1998, U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, killing over 300; The year 2000, the USS Cole bombing, killing 17 U.S. sailors; And then, September 11th. Now, treating these incidents as crimes and not as acts of war, providing reactionary measures rather than moving proactively will not work. And how do we know? Because that is precisely what we did for decades, and the consequence was 9/11. The campaign against the United States and its allies is ambitious, simple, and clear. Terrorists will stop at nothing to achieve their distorted sense of reality. We could have stayed out of this conflict. However, giving terrorists free rein would not make us any safer, and history has proven that. The price would be more innocent lives lost, more bombings, and not an ounce of peace. We must not be held hostage by terrorism. That is not living in liberty and freedom. There are defining moments for every generation. And for this generation that defining moment is how we engage in this war on terror, highlighted by a very different post-9/11 world. When we came to that defining moment, to that tragic day, we, as a Nation, with our allies around the world, decided we would not allow terrorists to win. Mr. Speaker, freedom isn't free. The choice is clear, our resolve is clear: we must and we will prevail.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution. International Terrorism--when we discuss this very important issue-- an issue of life and death--not just for each of us individually, but for our nation and way of life--it is imperative that we begin our discussion--at the beginning. And that beginning wasn't on 9-11! We've been under attack for at least 30 years. We did not want this fight--we did not invite this fight--we did not wish to engage in this battle. However, once our enemy crossed over the line--confirmed for us and the world--that they were unwilling to respect international law, respect individual liberty, respect sovereignty of nations--and that they were willing and desirous of engaging in mortal battle--no other option was left to us or the civilized world. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, on January 23, 2005, said: ``We have declared a fierce war on this evil principle of democracy and those who follow this wrong ideology.'' So, this discussion today comes down to a fundamental question--what is the appropriate strategy and tactic to adopt to win the War on Terror? Will we withdraw and simply defend--a policy of isolation and containment--or will we aggressively combat terrorism--and take the battle to our enemy? This war is unlike any other in history--without a doubt. Our enemy has no single home. It recruits and trains its army from nations around the world. The only unifying element is hate--hate for the West--hate for democracy--hate for freedom of religion--hate for liberty. The only message our enemy understands is force. Period. Terrorists don't negotiate--terrorists don't compromise--terrorists are not interested in peace. To them, that's weakness. Thankfully we've stayed the course. Thankfully we've persevered in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The greatest threat to terrorism is freedom, liberty and democracy--in the Middle East and beyond. Today the terrorists are truly on the run. Last week U.S. and Iraqi forces eliminated Al Qaeda in Iraq's top terrorist--Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. This was accomplished with excellent intelligence--knowing where the bad guys were and when. And this information came from Iraqi civilians--that is a very positive sign. This important step demonstrates many things: we will hunt down terrorists and eliminate them wherever they are hiding, the shackles of decades long terrorism are being removed from the Middle East, Iraqi security forces are stepping up to the challenge; Iraqi citizens want to be free of terrorists and they are not going to sit idly by. Success breeds success. Never has that been more evident than this past week. While Zarqawi was eliminated--finding him brought a treasure trove of information allowing U.S. and Iraqi forces to dismantle many more pieces of Al Qaeda's puzzle. Success breeds success. Iraq just this past week selected 3 more officials--cabinet ministers--to serve in its standing government. Success breeds success. It is also important for us to recall and reiterate why we are engaged in this war. It is imperative during this debate that we re-examine the conditions that required the United States to take military action in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Just a short look at recent history--just the last 27 years--vividly demonstrates the death, destruction and terror brought to Americans by our enemy. November 4, 1979--Iranian radicals seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 53 hostages for 444 days. April 18, 1983--Sixty-three people, including the CIA's Middle East directory, were killed when our U. S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed. October 23, 1983--simultaneous suicide bomb attacks on American and French compounds in Beirut, Lebanon; killing 242 Americans and 58 French troops. March 16, 1984--Islamic Jihad kidnapped and later murdered Political Officer William Buckley in Beirut, Lebanon. October 7, 1985--Achille Lauro Hijacking--terrorists seized the Italian cruise liner and murdered one American invalid in a wheelchair. April 5, 1986--Berlin Discotheque Bombing--Two U.S. soldiers were killed and 79 American servicemen were injured in a Libyan bomb attack in West Berlin, West Germany. December 21, 1988--Pan Am 103 Bombing--Pan Am 103 blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland by bomb placed by Libyan terrorists--all 259 people on board were killed. February 26, 1993--First World Trade Center Bombing--car bomb exploded in an underground garage killing 6 people and injuring over 1000. November 13, 1995--car bomb explodes at U.S. military complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing one U.S. citizen, several foreign national employees of the U.S. government and over 40 others. June 25, 1996--Khobar Towers Bombing--a truck bomb in Dhahran destroys Khobar Towers, a U.S. Air Force barracks, killing 19 U.S. military personnel and wounding 515 people, including 240 U.S. personnel. August 7, 1998--U.S. Embassy Bombings in East Africa--two coordinated attacks on U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania--killing over 300. October 12, 2000--Attack on U.S.S. Cole--a small dingy carrying explosives rammed the destroyer U.S.S. Cole, killing 17 sailors and injuring 39. September 11, 2001--Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Homeland--Two hijacked airliners crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Soon thereafter, the Pentagon was struck by a third hijacked plane. A fourth hijacked plane, suspected to be bound for a high-profile target in Washington, crashed into a field in southern Pennsylvania. The attacks killed 3,025 U.S. citizens and other nationals. Treating these incidents as crimes--not acts of war--and providing reactionary measures rather than moving pro actively--will not work. How do we know? Because that is precisely what we did for decades--and the consequence was 9-11. The attacks we witnessed that day serve as a reminder of the dangers we face as a nation in a post-9/11 world. We can no longer expect oceans between us and our enemies to keep us safe. Policy of containment has been proven to be a dismal failure. Just as the battle in Afghanistan was not simply to remove the Taliban. The battle in Iraq was not simply to remove Saddam Hussein and his murderous regime. One has to look no further than the action of our enemy to see that we are fighting those who want to bring their brand of terror and fear to our shores. We must not forget those threats that have been disrupted here at home and on our allies: the West Coast Airliner Plot; The Heathrow Airport Plot; and The Jose Padilla Plot. The campaign against the United States and its allies is ambitious, simple and clear. Terrorists will stop at nothing to achieve their distorted sense of reality. Now, we could have easily stayed out of this conflict . . . However, giving terrorists free reign would not make us any safer-- history has proven that. The price would be more innocent lives lost--more bombings--and not an ounce of peace. We must not be held hostage by terrorism--that is not living in liberty and freedom! There are defining moments every generation must face. For this generation that defining moment is how we engage in this War on Terror--highlighted by a very different post 9-11 world. When we came to that defining moment--that tragic day--we, as a nation with our allies around the world, decided we would not allow terrorists to win. The choice is clear, our resolve is clear. We will and must prevail.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity once again to come before the House. I want to thank the leadership and the conference for their providing us the opportunity to come and talk this evening for a while and share some views with the Members of the House about a very important topic. We have coined this on occasion the Official Truth Squad. This is the House Official Truth Squad, the Republican conference Official Truth Squad that grew out of a general frustration on the part of many Members of the freshmen class, 25, 26 strong, who are now about 18 months into our first term in Congress. And after about 6 months, we met and shared conversation and thoughts about the House of Representatives and where we are going as a Nation. There was some real concern about what we sensed as the politics of division and the politics of deception that seemed to be practiced by many here in this Chamber and across the land, frankly. So we organized what we called the Official Truth Squad and come to the floor of the House on many occasions, as often as possible, at least try to do it at least once a week. We broadened that participation in the Official Truth Squad, Mr. Speaker, because I think other Members of the conference felt that was an appropriate thing to do, to try to bring some light, shed some light and truth on the issues that we talk about here in the United States House of Representatives, because it is so doggone important to make certain that we have truth and facts when we are talking about issues. Because if you don't have the right facts, the truth of the matter is, it is tough to get to the appropriate solution. We have adopted a slogan or a quote that we like to call on by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and he had a quote that he used often. He said everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts, and I think that kind of crystallizes the genesis of the Official Truth Squad and why we felt it was so important to come to this floor and talk about various issues. So, Mr. Speaker, tonight is a topic that is extremely important, and it is a discussion that is important, and it is a topic that demands the truth. Tonight, we are going to talk a bit about the war on terror, and it is one of those areas where, yes, people can have their own opinions, and it is important but it is also important to make certain that we think and talk about the facts of the war on terror. I am going to be joined by a number of colleagues this evening, but I wanted to start off by outlining or by citing actions, events that have occurred in the war on terror. And many people have differing opinions as to when the war on terror actually began, when did the terrorism begin to threaten us. I think it probably was in 1979, and we will talk about that a little bit, but I want to just highlight a list of terrorist activities that I think bring real focus to the war on terror and that, Mr. Speaker, are terribly sobering, but I think they are important as we kick off this discussion about the war on terror. There are literally tens, if not hundreds, of events that one could cite as being associated with the acts of terrorism around the world, but I would like to just highlight a number of them here. I am going to go in chronological order. I am going to start in 1961 when the first U.S. aircraft was hijacked on May 1, 1961. A number of events occurred over the next decade, but we all remember the Munich Olympic massacre on September 5, 1972. The ambassador to the Sudan was assassinated on March 2, 1973, U.S. ambassador to Sudan Cleo Noel. Other diplomats assassinated at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Khartoum. There was the attack and hijacking at the Rome airport in December, December 17, 1973. The United States ambassador to Cypress, Rodger Davies, and his Greek Cypriot secretary were shot and killed on August 19, 1974. Ambassador to Afghanistan was assassinated on February 14, 1979, and of course, the Iran hostage crisis began in November of 1979 when Iranian radicals seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took 66 American diplomats hostage, holding 53 of them for 444 days. Grand mosque seizure, November 20, 1979, in Mecca. U.S. installation bombing, August 31, 1981 in Ramstein, West Germany. Assassination of President Sadat, the Egyptian President, on October 6, 1981. Murder of missionaries on December 4, 1981 in El Salvador. The bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut, April 18, 1983. Sixty- three people, including the CIA's Middle East director, were killed. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Naval officer assassinated in El Salvador on May 25, 1983. Bombing of the marine barracks, Beirut, October 23, 1983. There were simultaneous suicide truck bomb attacks made on American and French compounds in Beirut, killing 242 Americans and 58 French troops killed when a 400-pound device was deployed at a French base. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Facts, Mr. Speaker. Naval officer was assassinated in Greece, November 15, 1983. Kidnapping of an embassy official and the murder of political officer William Buckley in Beirut, Lebanon, March 16, 1984. Restaurant bombing in Spain, April 12, 1984. Eighteen U.S. servicemen were killed, 83 people injured. TWA hijacking June 14, 1985. Achille Lauro hijacking, October 7, 1985. Aircraft bombing in Greece, March 30, 1986. Berlin discotheque bombing, April 5, 1986, two U.S. soldiers killed and 79 American servicemen injured. Bus attack, April 24, 1987, 16 U.S. servicemen riding in a Greek air force bus near Athens were injured. Kidnapping of William Higgins on February 17, 1988. He was kidnapped and murdered by Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Naples USO attack on April 14, 1988. Attack on U.S. diplomat in Greece, June 28, 1988. Defense attache to the U.S. embassy in Greece was killed when a car bomb was detonated outside his home in Athens. Pan Am 103 bombing, December 21, 1988. Pan Am 103 was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb believed to have been placed by Libyan terrorists, 259 people killed. And then of course, Mr. Speaker, the first World Trade Center bombing, February 26, 1993, when a car bomb, planted by Islamic terrorists, exploded in an underground garage leaving six people dead and 1,000 people injured. Something we oftentimes forget or very few people talk about, there was an attempted assassination on President Bush by Iraqi agents on April 14, 1993. Saudi military installation attacked November 13, 1995. Khobar Towers bombing June 25, 1996, in Dhahran, killing 19 U.S. military personnel, wounding 515 persons including 240 U.S. personnel. Empire State Building sniper attack in February of 1997. The murder of a U.S. businessmen in Pakistan, November 12, 1997. U.S. embassy bombings in east Africa. August 7, 1998, a bomb exploded at the rear entrance of the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 12 U.S. citizens and 32 foreign service nationals and 247 Kenyan citizens. Almost simultaneously a bomb detonated in Tanzania, killing 7 foreign service nationals, 3 Tanzanian citizens and injuring 1 U.S. citizen and 76 Tanzanians. It is sobering, Mr. Speaker. Attack on USS Cole. October 12, 2000, a small dinghy carrying explosives rammed the destroyer USS Cole killing 17 sailors. Manila bombing in December 2000. Philippines hostage incident, May 2001. And then the attack on September 11, 2001, on the U.S. homeland, four planes, two colliding with the twin towers in New York, one crashing in a field in southern Pennsylvania and one crashing into the Pentagon, 3,025 United States citizens and other nationals killed. Mr. Speaker, you can have opinions about what is going on here, but you cannot dispute the facts. That the war on terror should have begun long ago. The terrorism has plagued our Nation for years. This is a long, long battle, and it is a real war. So to talk about some of those facts tonight I am pleased to be joined by some very good friends and colleagues. Representative Eric Cantor is the deputy majority whip from the State of Virginia, and he joins us this evening to talk a little bit about the war on terror and to share some perspective during this week when we have had actually some very, very good news and some very good facts come out on the war on terror. I am pleased to yield to my good friend from Virginia (Mr. Cantor).

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I appreciate so much your participation tonight, and I join you in looking forward to our discussion and our debate on Thursday. We will spend the majority of the day here in the United States House of Representatives talking about the war in Iraq and talking about the war on terror and the importance of it and bringing a perspective that I think is so needed for the American people to see and appreciate as we recognize the longevity of the battle that has occurred already and the challenges that we have before us. I am so pleased to be joined by my colleague from Georgia this evening, Congressman Phil Gingrey, my good physician colleague from Georgia and also congressional colleague from Georgia. He is an individual also who recognizes the extreme importance of the support of our military forces and the gravity of the war in which we are engaged now, this war on terror. I am pleased to have you join us tonight and yield to you.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I think it is important because when we talk about opinions and facts, a lot of people have their opinions about the nature of our enemy and what their goal is, but the fact of the matter is you don't have to look too far because you can look to their words. You can look to their words, and we have a quote here from al-Zarqawi, who was finally brought to justice in the past couple of days, and what he said in January of 2005. These are his words, now. These are not our words but his words: ``We have declared a fierce war on this evil principle of democracy and those who follow this wrong ideology.'' That is the nature of our enemy. That is why it is unlike any enemy that we have ever, ever had before. And I yield back to the gentlewoman.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. If the gentlewoman will yield once again.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for joining us tonight, and I appreciate your perspective and your commitment to our servicemen and -women and for the sober reflection that you gave on the situation that we find ourselves in today and the importance, the real importance of this war. And it is a real war. It is a real war, and you know and understand that as well as anybody. I also appreciate your reminding folks again that on Thursday we will be spending time on this floor discussing the war on terror and the importance of it and why America has found itself in this situation, why it is important that we respond in the way that we have. When I am at home, I hear people talk about the war in Iraq. And whenever I discuss this with some of my constituents, I oftentimes will say it is important for us to remember that this war in Iraq is really just the battle in Iraq in the larger war on terror. And the gentleman from Georgia just described it extremely well, that the policy of containment that we had used in the past, prior to 9/11, was a dismal failure. And so this is truly a war. It is a real war. It is a real war in which we must engage, and it wasn't of our choosing. It wasn't of our choosing, Mr. Speaker. I want to spend the final few moments that I have to talk about an issue that is related to the war on terror and the battle in Iraq that we have right now, because you hear so many people say, how are we going to know when it is over? How are we going to know what victory is? How will we know when we win? It is difficult. I understand that. It is difficult because this, again, is a war unlike any war we have ever had. Victory in Iraq will not come in the form of our enemy surrendering, because our enemy doesn't hold any territory. It is not like they can say, okay, I give up, I am not going to fight any more. And it won't be signaled by a single particular event. For folks who remember past wars and past ends to past wars, there will be no Battleship Missouri signing. There will be no Appomattox signing. The ultimate victory in the battle in Iraq will be in stages. And I think it is important to point out that these stages have been defined by members of the military and members of this administration and have been articulated by the administration as well as members of the United States House of Representatives leadership and others. And they have been defined in the short term, in the medium term and in the long term. I would like to run through those briefly because I think it is important for the American people to appreciate that yes, indeed, there are benchmarks that one can follow, and that we have made incredible progress, not just in the war on terror but in the battle in Iraq. In the short term, we have an Iraq that is fighting the terrorists and neutralizing the insurgency, meeting political milestones, which they have done to a remarkable degree, building democratic institutions and standing up robust security forces. We hear over and over that those security forces number around 250,000, which is truly remarkable. They are destroying terrorist networks and maintaining security and tackling key economic reforms to lay the foundation for a sound economy. So in the short term, those are the kinds of benchmarks that we should be looking at. Many of them have been accomplished. In the medium term, an Iraq that is in the lead defeating terrorists and insurgents and providing its own security with a constitutional, elected government in place. Mr. Speaker, that is a medium-term goal that has been described for a number of years and in fact has now been accomplished, providing an inspiring example to reformers in the region, and well on its way to achieving its own economic potential. And then in the longer term, Mr. Speaker, we will know that victory in Iraq has been obtained when an Iraq has defeated the terrorists and neutralized the insurgency, an Iraq that is peaceful and united and stable and democratic and secure where Iraqis have the institutions and resources that they need to govern themselves justly and to provide security for their own country, and an Iraq that is a partner, a partner in the global war on terror and the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, integrated into the international community and an engine for regional economic growth and proving the fruits of democratic governments to the region. Mr. Speaker, those are the kinds of benchmarks we ought to be looking at. There won't be a surrender. There won't be a signing. There won't be a waving of the white flag certainly by our enemy. We just hope Members in this body and across the Nation do not wave the white flag. This is an important battle. It is a part of the war on terror. It is imperative that we wage this with the vigor and enthusiasm and the spirit that we saw on the faces and heard in the voices of American soldiers as they greeted President Bush as he made his visit to Baghdad. Mr. Speaker, America is a wondrous and a glorious nation. Freedom's light is strong here. We are a vessel of liberty and a beacon of hope to so many people around the world. The work that we do here is so important as we continue to provide that American leadership, international leadership, and show that light, show that light of freedom. I am so proud to have the opportunity to stand here with my colleagues and to highlight some of the truthful and honest efforts that this government, this administration, this House of Representatives is taking to make certain that that vessel of liberty and that beacon of hope rings true around the world.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. A couple of points you make are so important for this discussion. One is about the quality and nature of our enemy. It is unlike any enemy we have ever faced because it is not an enemy who is attaining ground or territory. This is an enemy that hates us because of who we are, what we are, and what kind of government we have. They clearly have stated that democracy is their enemy. It is not a territory. And you mentioned about the troops being behind our actions virtually 100 percent. I was so heartened to see the President in Baghdad earlier today in the tape we saw and the welcome he received from our U.S. troops. It was just incredibly moving to see our President visit our troops there and to visit the new government in Iraq. I yield back.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. If the gentlewoman will yield.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments and his keen perspective and dedication to the support of our men and women in the military who are waging this incredibly important battle and incredibly important war. Thank you so much for your participation tonight in bringing a little light, a little vision and a little truth to the discussion. We are also joined tonight by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee who is almost a regular on the Official Truth Squad that brings some truth and light to so many topics, and she has a clear vision as well and a great perspective on the importance of truth in this discussion but also the importance of waging this war on terror, and I am happy to yield to my good friend from Tennessee.

Mr. PRICE of Georgia

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what an honor it is for me to stand here today and recognize three outstanding soldiers and citizens, Sergeant Kenneth Kraus, Staff Sergeant Jacob Long, and First Sergeant Michael Matthews. These brave men represent the best our country has to offer. They served in our military and now continue service in Roswell, Georgia, as police officers and city employees. Just like the freedoms they protect, the heroism and selflessness embodied by our brave soldiers must never be taken for granted. Each and every day these men and women sacrifice for the well-being of Americans and our allies, and they stand on the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world bringing freedom and hope to millions; and they do so with an unwavering dedication and professionalism. We must insure that they have not only our gratitude but our genuine support in their continued efforts. Thanks to Sergeant Kraus, Staff Sergeant Long, and First Sergeant Matthews, as well as all members of the United States armed services for their contributions both at home and abroad. You continue to make our Nation great and our friends and allies around the world secure and free. God bless you.