Mike Ross

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, who died on November 13, 2007, at the age of 26, while serving our country in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles graduated from Fountain Lake High School before attending the University of Central Arkansas. While in high school and college, his deep sense of unity and teamwork flourished when he joined the ROTC program which was the inspiration for his service in the Army National Guard upon graduation. Second Lieutenant Liles served our country in the U.S. Military in the National Guard, the Army Reserves, and as an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army. His proud and honorable service will forever be remembered by our nation. He served in the 122d Aviation Support Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. His bravery, courage and dedication to the U.S. Army are exemplified by his service and leadership roles within his platoon, where he served as Platoon Leader on active duty. Second Lieutenant Liles was a dedicated family man who adored his family dearly, and he was also a man of devout faith. As a deeply spiritual man, Liles was often proud to have the opportunity to combine two of his passions--his faith and his love of acting. In the community of Hot Springs, he will always be remembered for his portrayal of Jesus in the outdoor musical passion play, ``The Witness.'' Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles will be remembered as a hero, a son, a father and a husband. My deepest condolences go out to his wife Aubre Paschal Liles of Little Rock; his daughter Aurora Elisabeth Liles of Little Rock; his mother Kristen Liles Quintanella of Hot Springs; his sister Erin Long of Saint Mary's, Georgia; his brother Sean Liles of Fayetteville; and to his numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He will be missed by his family, his community, his country and all those who knew him and called him a friend. I honor Second Lieutenant Stuart Liles for his bravery, his patriotism and his service and I will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Ray Smith, Jr., of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who passed away November 1, 2007, at the age of 83. Ray Smith, Jr., spent his lifetime dedicated to his family, his country and to public service. After returning from World War II where he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, Smith completed law school and began practicing in his hometown of Hot Springs. Smith decided in 1955 to run for public office, which began his whirlwind career in politics that has left a lasting impression upon the Hot Springs region and the State of Arkansas. After he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives, Smith rose through the ranks and became majority leader, majority whip and chairman of the House Education Committee. However, it was prior to these accomplishments in which Smith's name will forever be remembered. During the 1958 special session called by then-Governor Orval Faubus, Smith cast the lone dissenting vote on a Faubus bill to close any schools that were ordered to be integrated. It was this belief in equality and opportunity for all Americans that led Smith to vote his convictions even when his colleagues could not. During his 27 years representing Hot Springs in the Arkansas State Legislature, Smith continued to play a key role in the community. His belief in the importance of education led him to sponsor legislation creating the Garland County Community College, where he would go on to serve as chairman of the board of trustees. His dedication to local organizations such as the Boys Club of Hot Springs and the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club displayed his deep commitment to giving back to the community. In addition to his civic leadership, Ray Smith, Jr., was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served on the board of trustees and as chairman of the Official Board of the First United Methodist Church. I send my deepest condolences to his wife, Patricia Floyd Smith of Hot Springs; his three sons, William Randolph Smith of Washington, DC, Scott Floyd Smith of New York, New York, and Steven Bryan Smith of Hot Springs; his two daughters Patricia Carol Smith of Arkadelphia and Suzanne Smith Palmieri of Silver Spring, Maryland; his brother William Y. Smith of Falls Church, Virginia; his sister Betty Mildred Pierce of Pine Bluff; and to his nine grandchildren and numerous friends. Ray Smith, Jr., will be greatly missed in Hot Springs, Garland County and throughout the State of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Judge Charles Skinner, a true treasure to the community of El Dorado, Arkansas, and to Union County. Judge Skinner passed away November 2, 2007, at the age of 73. Judge Charles Skinner spent his lifetime dedicated to public service and to improving the community around him. He devoted 20 years to Union County as a juvenile probation officer where he garnered much support and admiration for his professionalism and out- going nature. His work over the years with youth where he taught the values of respect and service shaped the lives of numerous young people, and had a lasting impact on the quality of life in Union County that can still be felt today. It was Judge Skinner's deep work ethic and dedication to helping others that led him to seek public office as Union County Judge. His popularity, which he gained through his selfless service, was evident in his 1990 landslide victory in which he won each precinct within the county. He will always be remembered and held in high regard for his service to Union County to make it a better place to live for all who called it home. Throughout his life and career, Judge Skinner believed deeply in the fundamental idea of assisting others and giving back to those who needed a helping hand. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Jo Ann Skinner of El Dorado; his two sons, Charles Skinner Jr., of El Dorado and David Skinner of El Dorado; his brother, James Skinner of Magnolia; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Judge Skinner will be greatly missed in El Dorado, Union County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I will continue to keep his family in my thoughts and prayers.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, this evening, as most Tuesday evenings, I rise on behalf of the 47-member-strong, fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. As I sat here, Mr. Speaker, thinking about what I wanted to discuss in this next hour with some of my Blue Dog colleagues, I couldn't help but listen to some of the rhetoric that we've heard over the past hour. You know, for 6 years, for 6 years the Republicans controlled the White House, the House and the Senate. And what did they give us? They gave us tax cut after tax cut for folks earning over $400,000 a year. And this new Democratic majority, what has the Democrats given you? We are giving you health care for children of working parents. Let me repeat that. This is health care for the children of working parents. This is not for children whose parents are on welfare. They're already covered under a program known as Medicaid, which is health insurance for the poor, the disabled and the elderly. Some 10 million children in America will go to bed tonight without health insurance, without the ability to go to the doctor when they get sick. And who are they? They're the children of parents who are trying to do the right thing and stay off welfare, but they're working the jobs with no benefits. While the Republicans were hiding earmarks, the Democrats in this new majority have been passing legislation that says if you're a Member of Congress and if you break the law, you lose your pension, period. And while the Republicans have been on an agenda that benefits those earning over $400,000 a year, the Democrats in this new majority have raised the Federal minimum wage for the first time in 10 years. If we're serious about moving people from welfare to work, we've got to pay them more than $10,712 a year, which is what the previous minimum wage represented if you worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, never get sick, and never take a single day off for vacation. Now, they said that the Democrats are wanting to provide health insurance for children of working parents. We plead guilty to that, and after all, if the working families have been benefiting from some of these tax cuts that primarily benefited those earning over $400,000 a year for the past 6 years, our working families might not need the help, but they do because under the past 6 years of a Republican White House, House and Senate, quite frankly, they haven't got it. It's time, Mr. Speaker, to tone down the political rhetoric and look at the facts, and as a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, I can tell you what we're all about. We're about fiscal discipline and accountability. We're about putting an end to the partisan bickering. We don't care if it's a Democrat or Republican idea. We ask ourselves, is it a commonsense idea and does it make sense for the people that send us here to be their voice? Today, the U.S. national debt is $9,063,547,746,613. If you divide that enormous number by every man, woman and child in America, including the children being born today, every one of us, our share of the national debt, $29,888. That's what those of us in the Blue Dog Coalition refer to as the debt tax, D-E-B-T, which is one tax that cannot be cut, cannot go away until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order. Tonight, we're going to be talking about the debt, the deficit, and as members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, we're going to be talking about ways to put an end to this reckless spending. If you ask 100 people on the street what they think about this Iraq war policy, you will get about 100 different answers, but one of the things that unites us as Blue Dogs is we believe that the money that this administration asks for for Iraq should be accounted for. We believe that if this President is going to continue to spend, and this is year 5, if this President is going to continue to spend $16 million an hour, $16 million every 60 minutes going to Iraq, and if this President's going to continue down that path, then we believe we're not here tonight to debate the merits of $16 million an hour going to Iraq, but we're here tonight to hold this administration accountable for how that money is being spent and to ensure that it's being spent not on projects for Iraq but providing the protection and the state-of-the-art equipment that our brave and honorable men and women in uniform not only need but deserve. This war has affected all of us. My first cousin was in Iraq when his wife gave birth to their first child. He's now back for a second time, and he will be there when she gives birth to their third child. My family's not any different from many families across America. Many families have made the sacrifice, some of them the ultimate sacrifice, in support of their loved ones who have gone and simply done what they've been asked to do. And Mr. Speaker, if we're going to send our men and women in uniform to Iraq, we need to make sure some of this money is being spent on them, and we need to make sure that we're taking care of them. At this time, one of the things that the Blue Dog Coalition has done is we've written legislation known as H. Res. 97 that was drafted by members of the Blue Dog Coalition to ensure accountability for how the money is being spent in Iraq. At this time, I would call on one of the cochairs, the cochair for policy for the Blue Dog Coalition, and that is my dear friend, the cochair for policy for the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs, and this is Dennis Moore of Kansas who's going to talk more to us this evening about H. Res. 97, which simply is called, Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom Cost Accountability, and I thank Congressman Moore for being a part of this Special Order this evening.

Mr. ROSS. I thank my colleague and former policy cochair for the Blue Dogs from Tennessee, Mr. Cooper, for his insight on not only Iraq war spending but these other fiscal responsibilities, trying to restore fiscal responsibility to our government and those issues surrounding that. You mentioned Medicare. Medicare is health insurance for, basically, it's the only form of health insurance most seniors have to either stay healthy or get well, not to be confused with Medicaid, which is health insurance for the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. Your bill, as you discuss the entitlement programs and find ways to put an end to these deficits, I applaud you for trying to do this in a bipartisan manner and having support on both sides of the aisle. Do you have any other examples you'd like to share with us on this legislation?

Mr. ROSS. The gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) is the cochair of policy of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. As you can see, the 2007 Iraqi war funding, the total cost, $135.2 billion; the cost per month, $11.3 billion; the cost per day, $370 million. That's about $16 million an hour. I helped dedicate and break ground on interstate I-530, which someday will connect I-30 and I-40 in Little Rock through Pine Bluff to I-69 in southeast Arkansas, which could create a economic revival in one of the poorest regions of the country, the delta region. In my speech in Pine Bluff yesterday I couldn't help but point out in the last transportation reauthorization bill there was about $6 billion for new interstate construction for all of America for the next 5 years. That's about the amount we will spend in Iraq in the next 2 weeks. Don't get me wrong, let me make it very clear, as long as we have troops in harm's way, I am going to support them and make sure we support them as a Nation in providing them the very best that money can buy and the technology and the equipment they need to do their job as safely as possible and return home to their families. We have to ask ourselves at some point, $16 million an hour going to Iraq means $16 million an hour we don't have to invest in our communities in America, that we don't have to invest in education and homeland security and veterans benefits, and the list is endless. At some point, at some point we have to demand a new direction in Iraq and begin to invest in America again. At this time, I would recognize our administrative cochair of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, and that's my good friend, Allen Boyd from Florida.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), the administrative cochair of the Blue Dogs for his insight and examples of waste, fraud and abuse that's going on with your tax money over in Iraq. If you have got any comments or concerns or questions of us, you can e-mail us at bluedog@mail.house.gov. That is bluedog@mail.house.gov. Again, this is an hour where most Tuesday evenings we come and lead a discussion about accountability and fiscal discipline in our government by the Blue Dog Coalition. If you are wondering how in the world did we get our name, Blue Dog Coalition, a lot of folks, especially in the South, have heard of a Yellow Dog Democrat, meaning you would vote for a Democrat even if it was a yellow dog as long as it was running as a Democrat. Somewhere along the way we were Yellow Dog Democrats that felt we were being choked blue by the extremes of both parties. Thus the name the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative, commonsense Democrats that are trying to restore fiscal discipline and accountability to our government. At this time I am pleased to turn this thing over to a former policy cochair of the Blue Dogs, the gentleman from Tennessee, Jim Cooper.

Mr. ROSS. It was a fascinating discussion, and you raise a good point, and that is that it wasn't too long ago that Members of Congress were coming to this floor to debate how to spend a budget surplus, how to invest a budget surplus. You know, it was under President Clinton. I'm proud to say it was a fellow Arkansan from my home town of Hope, Arkansas, where I grew up and graduated high school, who gave us the first balanced budget of any Democrat or Republican President for the first time in what, 40 years?

Mr. ROSS. And he did that. There were several contributing factors that allowed him to be able to lead us in that direction, one of which was having what's called PAYGO rules on the floor of this very House, something the Republican leadership threw out the door with this new Republican President back in 2001. And what PAYGO rules mean is it means pay as you go. PAYGO is an acronym for pay as you go, which means exactly what it sounds like it means. If you've got an idea for a new program that's going to cost money, you've got to show how you're going to pay for it. No more of just borrowing money from China. If you want to cut taxes for folks earning over $400,000 a year, you've got to show how you're going to pay for it. No more borrowing money from China. And I'm proud to tell you that in this new Democratic Congress, there's a lot of discussion about the first 100 legislative hours where we raised the Federal minimum wage and where we implemented the 9/11 Commission recommendations, where we said Members of Congress who break the law will no longer receive a pension, where we passed earmark reform, where we have passed SCHIP to ensure that the children of working parents receive health care. We've done a lot in this session of Congress. Unfortunately, a lot of it is sitting over on the Senate's doorsteps waiting for Senate action, which is somewhat disappointing for a lot of us that come here every week and work hard to pass these policy initiatives that are good for working families, good for children and good for seniors. But not in the first legislative 100 hours, not in the first 9 months of this new 110th Congress under a Democratic majority, but in the first hour on this very floor of the United States House of Representatives, this new Democratic Congress reinstituted a House rule known as PAYGO. You want to expand on that?

Mr. ROSS. That is a national security issue, in my opinion, Mr. Cooper. What if those countries decide to call those loans? What does that mean? The ``dream team,'' Mr. Rubin and the others told us today what it meant, and I think you asked the question. And it means higher interest rates. They will have to raise interest rates in this country to where it's attractive for other countries to buy our paper, to buy our money. That is, I think, directly a threat to our national security. And to put it in perspective, the total national debt from 1789 through 2000 was $5.67 trillion. But by 2010, the total national debt will have increased to $10.88 trillion under this Republican President's administration and under his budgets that he sends to Congress. This is a doubling, a doubling, of the 211-year debt in just 10 years. Interest payments on this debt are one of the fastest-growing parts of the Federal budget, and the debt tax is one that cannot be repealed. For every man, woman, and child in this country, you take the national debt and divide by the number of people. It is about $29,000 per person. And that is one tax that cannot be cut until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order. Our Nation, under this Republican President's budget, is borrowing about a billion dollars a day. But before we borrow another billion dollars a day, we are spending about a half billion paying interest on the debt we have already got. This puts it in perspective. Interest payments on debt dwarf other priorities, the 2008 budget authority in the billions of dollars. The red box is the amount of money, your tax money, Mr. Speaker, that is going to pay interest on the national debt, to repay the loans to places like Japan and China and the United Kingdom and OPEC and Korea and Taiwan and the Caribbean Banking Centers and Hong Kong and Germany and Mexico. We talk a lot about education. We talk about how we want our children to receive a world-class education. But the turquoise box, this box, Mr. Speaker, reflects how much of your tax money is going to educate our children compared with the amount going in the red to pay interest on the national debt. We say we want to keep our promises to our veterans. We say we want to provide our veterans with world-class health care and housing and education when they return home. But in the green box, Mr. Speaker, you will see the amount of money we're spending on our veterans compared to the red box, the amount of money being spent on interest on the national debt. And, finally, the purple box, homeland security. Now, I came here in 2001. The first 9 months of 2001, I don't think I ever heard the word ``homeland security'' mentioned once. But that is now a household name, a household phrase, a household word. Homeland security. It make us feel good. We go through the metal detectors at the airport and we feel safer. We take our shoes off and I always take my pen out of my pocket, and we feel safer. And what most of us don't know is about half the belly of a plane is not your suitcase that you saw X-rayed. It's freight, freight that continues to go unchecked. About one out of every 100 containers that enter our ports, five out of every 100 containers, maybe 10 out of every 100 containers that enter our ports are checked. And what about the food we put in our body? Mr. Speaker, for all the seafood and fruits and vegetables that come into this country from other countries by way of port, do you know how many FDA inspectors there are at those ports? Not per port. But for all the ports in America. For all the seafood, fruits, and vegetables coming into America from all over the world, there are about 70 FDA inspectors. Not per port, not per shift, not counting the ones that aren't sick or on vacation. There are 70 total. Homeland security, the purple box, this is how much we are really investing in protecting our homeland. And that is why a recent nonpartisan assessment indicated that we are less safe today in America than we were on September 11, 2001. These priorities, education, veterans, homeland security, will continue to go unmet until we get our Nation's fiscal house in order. Deficits matter. They reduce economic growth. They burden our children and grandchildren with liabilities. They increase our reliance on foreign lenders who, as Mr. Cooper pointed out, now own 40 percent of our debt. That's right. Our Nation, the U.S., is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign lenders. Foreign lenders currently hold a total of $2.199 trillion of our public debt. Compare that to only $623.3 billion in foreign holdings in 1993. It's kind of like David Letterman and his top 10 list. The top 10 countries, this Republican administration, this Republican Congress for the past 6 years time after time after time has borrowed money from foreigners to fund tax cuts in this country for folks earning over $400,000 a year. And whom have we borrowed the money from? Japan, $637.4 billion; China, $346.5 billion; United Kingdom, $223.5 billion; OPEC, $97.1 billion; Korea, $67.7 billion; Taiwan, $63.2 billion; Caribbean Banking Centers, $63.6 billion; Hong Kong, $51 billion; Germany, $52.1 billion. And rounding out my version of David Letterman's top 10 list, the 10th country that we have borrowed the most money from, number 10 on the list, all this debate these days about immigration policies, and I think we do need to secure the border and I think that we should have those who want to come here and live among us play by the rules, respect our laws, learn English, respect our flag. I believe those things. No amnesty, as Mr. Reagan gave us during his years in office. We learned that doesn't work. But rounding out the top 10, while everybody is focused on immigration: Mexico. The United States of America has borrowed $38.2 billion from Mexico to fund tax cuts in this country for folks earning over $400,000 a year. Those are the facts. I am pleased to be joined by a fellow Blue Dog from the State of North Carolina, Mr. Mike McIntyre. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina. In the remaining four or five minutes we have, I want to turn this over to one of the founders, one of the long-time leaders of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, and that is my friend from Iowa, Mr. Leonard Boswell.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Iowa. The gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, this evening you've heard from Blue Dog members from Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Iowa and Arkansas. And we're a group of 47 fiscally conservative Democrats that are simply trying to restore common sense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's Government as we try to offer up commonsense, practical ways to put an end to this reckless spending and hold this government accountable for how your tax money is being spent.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Howard Newton of Dumas, Arkansas, who passed away September 25, 2007, at the age of 89. Howard Newton was a decorated World War II veteran, a retired farmer and an inspiration to all who knew him. Upon graduating from Tillar High School, he enlisted in the Army where he honorably served his country earning numerous medals including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. His bravery and courage was exemplified by his selfless leadership in battles including the noted rescue of trapped Allied forces in Bastogne, Belgium, during World War II. After the war, Howard Newton returned home to Desha County to pursue his true passion of farming the land that he loved. He worked thousands of acres of farmland in Desha County and was the first farmer in the area to irrigate cotton. He continued his work in agriculture by chairing the committee to build a Farm Bureau office in McGehee that would eventually benefit thousands of farmers from across the region. In addition to his leadership in the field of agriculture, Howard Newton was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the Newton Chapel United Methodist Church where he served as board member and Sunday School teacher, as well as a familiar face in the congregation, and always someone with open ears for conversation and fellowship. Howard Newton will forever be remembered for his outstanding service to our country and his community. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Frances Rands Newton; his daughter, Gene Beard Curry of Pottsboro, Texas; his sister, Hazel Wheeler of Sulphur Springs; his stepchildren, Sarah Jones of Soldotna, Alaska and Allan Rands of Dumas; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Howard Newton will be greatly missed in Dumas, Desha County and throughout the State of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Earl Clemons, Jr., formerly of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who passed away October 20, 2007, at the age of 83. Earl Clemons, Jr., dedicated his life to his family, his community and his country. He was born in the small Delta town of Tamo, in Jefferson County, and his deep affection for the Delta region can be measured by the enormous contributions he made to the agriculture community of Arkansas, something he dedicated his passions and energies to throughout his long life. It can always be said he lived life to the fullest and impressed upon each person he met the value of giving back, something that was evident in his numerous leadership roles he held in life. Upon graduation from Grady High School, Earl Clemons, Jr., served his country in the 103rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. After his service, he returned home and earned a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He took his enthusiasm for agriculture back to his hometown of Tamo where he refined his craft on the family farm. Over the years, he gave everything he had to agriculture and to the Delta region. His famous ``Farm Tour'' was a detailed history of agriculture in the Delta that included visits to a local cotton gin, cotton oil mill and river port where grain was loaded. In addition to his work in the field of agriculture, Earl Clemons, Jr., was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pine Bluff. His belief in the importance of community led him to serve in many civic organizations such as the Grider Field Airport Commission and the local Board of Directors of Simmons First National Bank in Pine Bluff. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Bennye Jane Haskins Clemmons; his two sons, Earl ``Skip'' Clemons III of Little Rock and Neil Clemons of Chicago, Illinois; his two daughters Jane Clemons of San Francisco, California and Rose Clemmons Gladner of Little Rock; and to his six grandchildren and numerous friends. Earl Clemons, Jr., will be greatly missed in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, the agriculture community and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, October 24, 2007, I was not present for rollcall vote 996, final passage of H.R. 1483, the Celebrating America's Heritage Act. Had I been present for rollcall 996, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Earl Paty, Jr., of Sheridan, Arkansas, who passed away October 17, 2007, at the age of 76. Earl Paty, Jr., was a lifelong resident of Grant County where he built a solid foundation of community service that impacted countless lives and will forever be remembered by all who knew him. Whether serving others during his 40-year career at International Paper Co., or through his involvement with numerous local and state organizations, he devoted his lifetime to selflessly giving back to the citizens of Grant County and the State of Arkansas to make the world a better place. Earl Paty, Jr., was a devout man of faith and a member of Moore's Chapel United Methodist Church. He took great pride in serving the church and congregation on the Administrative Board, as a Sunday School teacher and as a delegate to the Arkansas Annual Conference. He even rose to the level of becoming a certified lay speaker within the United Methodist Church. In addition, he was actively involved with numerous local organizations where he devoted his time and heartfelt energies to others. These included the Grant County Fair Board, the Grant County 4- H Club, the Southeast Arkansas District Development Cooperative and the Sheridan Masonic Lodge. Perhaps my fondest memories of Earl Paty, Jr., are the many discussions we had over the years about politics, as he well understood how a career in public service could positively affect the lives of thousands. I always admired his fervor for politics which took him up the ladder from chairman of the Grant County Democratic Party to the Executive Director of the Senior Democrats of Arkansas. His contributions to the Democratic Party were recognized in 2003 when he was honored with the distinguished Harold Jinks Democratic Memorial Award. In fact, it was Earl Paty, Jr., who inspired me, through his passion and love of politics and public service, to seek elected office and run for the seat I now hold as U.S. Representative of Arkansas's Fourth Congressional District. For that, I am forever grateful. He was a man I truly looked up to and admired and I am blessed to have been able to call Earl a dear friend. I send my deepest condolences to his wife of 53 years, Betty Sue Autrey Paty; his children Patricia Knighten, David Paty, and Leslie Tannahill; his two sisters Sue Walker and Faye Welch; and his nine grandchildren, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Earl Paty, Jr., will be greatly missed in Sheridan, Grant County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Flave Joseph Carpenter Sr., formerly of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, who passed away October 15, 2007, at the age of 89. Flave Carpenter spent his lifetime dedicated to his family, his community and his country. He was born in Clark County and his affinity for the region he called home can be measured by the enormous contributions he made to all the people and organizations he championed throughout his long life. He lived life to the fullest and would always say yes when he was called upon to help. Flave Carpenter spent 28 years serving in the military, which encompassed tours in World War II and Korea where he was honored with multiple decorations including two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars and a Silver Star. Upon retirement, he returned to Arkadelphia where he took his enthusiasm for serving his country and shifted it into public service. Over the years, he gave everything he had to the city of Arkadelphia and Clark County by serving as the executive director of several local businesses and organizations. He was appointed by then- Governor Dale Bumpers to the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Commission and was later elected chairman of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Directors. His passion for public service was rewarded in 1984 when then-Governor Bill Clinton inducted him into the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Hall of Fame. In 2002, he received the esteemed Lifetime Leadership in Economic Development recognition by the Arkansas Economic Developers. In addition to his civic leadership, Flave Carpenter was also a man of devout faith. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon and elder. He also enjoyed the outdoors and the camaraderie that came with hunting, experiencing nature and the numerous recreational opportunities the State of Arkansas offered. I send my deepest condolences to his three children, Diane McKenzie of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jan Davis of Brazil, South America, and Flave Carpenter Jr., of Searcy; his sister Carolyn Jane Berry of Arkadelphia; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Flave Carpenter will be greatly missed in Arkadelphia, Clark County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor from H. Res. 106.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor SFC James Doster of White Hall, AR, who died on September 29, 2007, fighting for our country in Iraq while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was 38 years old when he selflessly gave his life for his country during combat operations in Iraq. Sergeant First Class Doster graduated from White Hall High School before attending Hendrix College. While in college, his deep sense of unity and teamwork led him to join the United States Army and honorably serve his country. Although he was a quiet man, everyone who had the privilege to meet and know him was immediately made aware that he had a big heart and could see how much he cared for all those around him. He was a dedicated family man who was always there for his family-- especially his two daughters, whom he adored. Sergeant First Class Doster joined the Army in 1990, and his proud service will continue to live on and serve as an inspiration to the many soldiers who knew him and fought alongside him in combat. He served in the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas. His bravery, courage and dedication to the Army are exemplified by his 17 years of service. He believed so deeply in the Army that he also served as a recruiter helping others gain the passion and sense of camaraderie, service and love of his country that he possessed. SFC James Doster will forever be remembered as a hero, a son, a father and a husband. My deepest condolences go out to his wife, Amanda Doster; his two daughters, Kathryn and Grace; his mother, Billie Doster; and his brother, Rob Doster. He will be missed by his family, his community, his country and all those who knew him. I honor Sergeant First Class Doster for his bravery, his patriotism and his service and I will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, what we have just witnessed on the House floor is an example of why the American people are sick and tired of all of the partisan bickering that goes on up in Washington. Mr. Speaker, there are 47 of us who are fiscally conservative Democrats who want to put an end to the partisan bickering. We are a group of conservative Democrats who quite frankly don't care if it is a Democratic idea or a Republican idea. We want to know if it is a commonsense idea and does it make sense for the people that send us here to be their voice. Mr. Speaker, there are 47 Members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. As you walk the Halls of Congress, it is easy to identify which Members are members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition because you will see this poster as you walk the hallways of the Cannon House Office Building, the Longworth House Office Building and the Rayburn House Office Building. This poster not only serves as a doormat to Blue Dog Coalition Members of Congress, but also as a daily reminder to Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and to the American people that our Nation is in debt. Today, the U.S. national debt is $9,010,742,245,690. If you divide that enormous number and put it in perspective by every man, woman and child in America, every one of us, our share of the national debt is $29,735. It is what we have coined the phrase ``debt tax,'' and that is one tax that cannot be cut and that is one amount that is not going to fund America's priorities but rather is going to simply pay interest on the national debt and to pay down the national debt. I had a constituent from back home in Arkansas in my office today. She said she was in my office a couple of years ago, and everybody's share of the national debt was some $27,000. Again, today it is $29,735. Under this Republican administration, we have seen the largest debt ever in our Nation's history. We have seen the largest deficit ever in our Nation's history. Contrast that with the past administration, the Clinton administration. President Clinton was the first Democrat or Republican in 40 years to give us a balanced budget; and yet here we are 7 years later with the largest debt ever in our Nation's history, and as members of the Blue Dog Coalition, we want to restore fiscal discipline and commonsense to our Nation's government. That is why there was a lot of talk about the first 100 hours on the House floor in this new Democratic majority, and we accomplished more in the first 100 hours I would dare say than the previous Congress did all together. In fact, I believe we have done more on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in the past 9 months than the previous Republican Congresses have done in 9 years. Unfortunately, these bills are then sent to the Senate where too many of them remain. But I am proud of the work that we are doing in the House under this new majority. And, Mr. Speaker, we are doing it with fiscal discipline. We are passing these bills, a new vision for America, putting America's priorities where they ought to be, and that is putting our families and children first again. But we are doing it in a sensible and responsible way, a way in which we pay for it. One of the first things to happen on the floor in this new Congress was to reinstitute the PAYGO rules. PAYGO is an acronym for ``pay as you go.'' It is what we do at the Ross home in Prescott, Arkansas. It is what most American families do. Mr. Speaker, for the past 6 years, a Republican-led Congress and a Republican President gave us the largest debt ever in our Nation's history, the largest deficit year after year. To put it in perspective, to put it in perspective, this President has borrowed more money from foreigners in the past 6 years than the previous 42 Presidents combined. We are going to put an end to that, and we did so when we reinstituted the PAYGO rules on the floor of the House of Representatives. Every bill that comes to the floor of the House in this new Democratic Congress must be paid for. Now, some of the Republicans say, oh, that's a disguise to raise taxes. The Republicans now believe that the only way to create new revenue, the only way to pay for a program is to raise taxes. Not so. As conservative Democrats, we know the way you pay for programs is to cut wasteful spending. There are a lot of examples of wasteful spending. I have got 8,000 brand-new, fully furnished mobile homes sitting in a cow pasture in Hope, Arkansas, mobile homes purchased by FEMA destined for Hurricane Katrina victims that never quite found their way to the gulf coast. Now FEMA, our government, is spending a quarter of a million dollars a month to warehouse these mobile homes which have created another bureaucracy in and of itself back home in Hope, Arkansas. And they are not doing anyone any good. You want to talk about accountability, I had a tornado a few months ago hit Dumas, Arkansas. They needed 30, that's right, 30 of these mobile homes, while 8,000 of them sat in a cow pasture 2\1/2\ hours away in Hope, Arkansas. I called the director of FEMA. He came up with every excuse in the book why he couldn't help these 30 homeless people. He said it wasn't worthy of a declaration for a Federal disaster. This tornado devastated this small delta town of 5,000 people. There were 150 homes destroyed or heavily damaged. Over 25 businesses were destroyed. The electrical grid system for the town was destroyed. They went 5 days without electricity. Lots of people were injured. Thank God no one died. And we needed 30 of those mobile homes sent 2\1/2\ hours down the road to help these folks. And, instead, the response I got was they weren't worthy of a Federal disaster declaration. It took me going on CNN, and, finally, 30 minutes after I was on ``NBC Evening News'' talking about this tragedy, FEMA had a change of heart and decided to let the people of Dumas have these 30 mobile homes to house the homeless who were victims of this tornado. This is an example of wasteful spending and this is a symbol of why people are fed up with our government, and it is an example of why we need to restore accountability, accountability to our Nation's government. So when I say we are going to pay for our programs in the future, it doesn't mean raise taxes. It means cut wasteful spending, eliminate the programs that do not work so we can fund the programs that do. From 1789 to 2000, our national debt rose to $5.67 trillion, but by 2010, the total national debt will have increased to $10.88 trillion. This is a doubling of the 211-year debt in just a decade, in just 10 years. Interest payments on this debt are one of the fastest growing parts of the Federal budget, and again, the debt tax, D-E-B-T, is one that cannot be repealed, and every man, woman and child in America, your share, our share, my share, your share, Mr. Speaker, of the national debt is $29,735. Current national debt, again $9,010,742,245,690 and some change. Some say why do deficits matter; can't y'all just print more money? It doesn't work that way, and besides deficits reduce economic growth. Think of the economic good times we had in the 1990s when President Clinton gave us the first balanced budget in 40 years, and look at the economy today. We propped up the economy through much of the last few years through low interest rates and allowing folks to purchase homes that maybe couldn't quite afford it, and now that's coming back to haunt this administration. Deficits reduce economic growth. It's time to restore fiscal discipline to our national government. It is time to reduce our debt and deficit so that we can create new jobs and economic opportunities for working families. Why do deficits matter? I would argue they burden our children and grandchildren with these last liabilities. For the last 6 years, this Republican Congress and Republican administration has spent money like you wouldn't believe. They have spent money and haven't paid for their spending. They have left it for our children and for our grandchildren. That is simply wrong. Growing up at Midway United Methodist Church outside of Prescott, Arkansas, I heard a lot of sermons about being a good steward, and the American people have elected us as Members of Congress to make the weekly trip to our Nation's Capital and be good stewards of their tax money. And that's why I'm proud to help lead and cochair the Blue Dog Coalition, because we're doing our best to demand accountability, to demand fiscal responsibility and to give this Congress a good dose of common sense. Why do deficits matter? Because they increase our reliance on foreign lenders. Foreign lenders now own 40 percent of this debt. Much of the rest of it's been borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund, with absolutely no provision made on how or when it's going to be paid back. That's why, Mr. Speaker, the first bill I filed as a Member of Congress was a bill to tell the politicians in Washington to keep their hands off the Social Security Trust Fund. The U.S. is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign lenders. Foreign lenders currently hold a total of about $2.199 trillion of our public debt, and I believe this is every bit as much critical to our national security as anything else. Compare this to only $623.3 billion in foreign holdings back in 1993. So who are these countries? Who are these foreign investors that are funding our government, that for the past 6 years funded tax cuts for folks in this country earning over $400,000 a year, while the rest of us were pretty much left to fend for ourselves? Topping off the list, Japan. The United States of America has borrowed $637.4 billion from Japan. Number two, China. The United States of America has borrowed $346.5 billion from Communist China. The United Kingdom. The United States of America has borrowed $223.5 billion from the UK. OPEC, and we wonder why gasoline is so high. The United States of America has borrowed $97.1 billion from OPEC. Korea. $67.7 billion is the amount of debt that the United States of America has accumulated with Korea. Taiwan, $63.2 billion. The United States of America has borrowed $63.2 billion from Taiwan. One of the founders of the Blue Dogs, John Tanner from Tennessee, put it best when he said, if China decides to invade Taiwan, we'll have to borrow more money from China to defend Taiwan. That's crazy. It is crazy that we borrowed and continue to borrow all this money from foreigners. And as members of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition and this new Democratic Congress, we're saying enough is enough, and we're trying to restore fiscal discipline, common sense through the passage of the PAYGO rules, pay-as-you-go. If a Member of Congress has an idea and it's worthy of being funded, that's fine and dandy, but don't borrow the money from Taiwan or China or OPEC. Show us how you're going to pay for it. That's the new rules of the House of Representatives, and those are the rules that were in place back in the late 1990s when we saw the first balanced budget in this Nation in 40 years, a balanced budget that continued from 1998 through 2000. The Caribbean Banking Centers. The United States of America has borrowed $63.6 billion from the Caribbean Banking Centers. Hong Kong. The United States of America has borrowed $51 billion from Hong Kong. Germany, $52.1 billion. The United States of America has borrowed $52.1 billion from Germany. And rounding out the top 10 list of foreigners that the United States of America under this Republican administration has borrowed money from to fund our government and tax cuts for those earning over $400,000 a year, and this one will surprise a lot of people, Mexico. Yes, the United States of America has borrowed $38.2 billion from Mexico to help fund this debt which, as of today, is $9,010,742,245,690 and some change. That's what the Blue Dog Coalition is all about. We're about trying to restore fiscal discipline and common sense to our national government, and I'm proud of our Blue Dog members. We're 47 members strong. There's 47 of us that are not afraid to come to Washington and take a stand for common sense, for fiscal discipline and to restore accountability to our government. Well, we talk about the debt and the deficit. Another thing that's important to point out, Mr. Speaker, is our Nation's been borrowing about a billion dollars a day, but before we borrow a billion dollars today, we're going to spend a half a billion, with a B, a half a billion dollars of your tax money paying interest on the debt we've already got, and until we get our fiscal house in order, we will not be able to meet America's priorities. What do I mean by that? Interest payments on debt dwarf other priority. 2008 budget authority in billions. The red indicates the amount of money we're spending of your tax money paying interest on the national debt. And until we get our fiscal house in order, we can't stop those interest payments, which means many of America's priorities are going unmet because so much of our tax money, Mr. Speaker, is going to pay interest on the national debt. The red indicates the amount of money in the fiscal year 2008 budget as presented by the President that's going to pay interest on the national debt. Now, we say we love our children. We say that we want them to have a world-class education. We say that we want our children to be competitive in this 21st century global economy. We say one thing; we do another. Look at the light blue. That's how much we spend educating our children compared to the red, which is the amount of money we spend paying interest on the national debt. Veterans, and we're creating a new generation of veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan tonight, and it's time that our country did right by our veterans. It's time that our Nation, the United States of America, honored our veterans and kept our promises to them, and yet in the President's budget for 2008, the green, that's how much we're investing in veterans health care and veterans programs. And again, contrast that to the red. Look at the amount of money we're spending paying interest on the national debt. Contrast that to the green box, the amount of money we're spending taking care of our veterans. And homeland security, ``homeland security,'' a new word, a new buzzword since 9/11. Oh, we feel safe. We go through the airports and we take off our shoes and we do all that stuff to then board a plane where half the belly of the plane is filled oftentimes with freight that remains totally unchecked. All the containers entering our ports, very few are checked. ``Homeland security'' is a nice buzzword, but look at the amount of money we're investing in homeland security and protecting the citizens of this country and keeping America safe. Look at the amount of money in the President's budget for homeland security contrasted with the red box. Purple box, homeland security; red box, the amount of money the President proposed that we spend simply paying interest on the national debt. This does not reflect my priorities, Mr. Speaker, and I can assure you that the President's budget does not reflect the priorities of this new Democratic Congress. It is time that we put families and children first again. We do that by investing in our children, ensuring they receive a world-class education. We do that by honoring our veterans, including a new generation of veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and we do that by protecting our homeland. We do that by protecting our homeland. Mr. Speaker, there's a lot of talk about Iraq and what we should or should not do. I voted to go to Iraq. Most Members of this Chamber, both Democrat and Republican, did, and we went there, we were told, because of weapons of mass destruction. They no longer have weapons of mass destruction. We'll save that debate for another evening, Mr. Speaker, about whether they ever did or not, but we were told that they had weapons of mass destruction and they were never found, which, at best, our intelligence in this country failed us. And I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, there's not a more difficult decision that Members of Congress are forced to make than whether or not to send our men and women in uniform into harm's way, and when we're asked to make these decisions, we've got to know our intelligence is right. Our intelligence failed us in the decisions we had to make leading up to this war in Iraq. I've got a brother-in-law. He's been in the Iraq region several times. He's in his, I don't know, 19th year in the United States Air Force. My first cousin is an officer in Iraq. He was in Iraq when his wife gave birth to their first child. He's back in Iraq. He's there for a year and a half, and he will be there when his wife gives birth to their third child. He's not complaining. He's proud to serve his country. He does whatever's asked of him. That's what our men and women in uniform do. But this war has not only affected my family. It's affected everybody's family. Just in the last month, I've had to make three telephone calls to wives and mothers in my district who have lost a loved one in Iraq, including one just an hour or so ago before coming to the House floor. We can never do enough for those families. We can never do enough to honor and remember those who have served our Nation in Iraq and Afghanistan and all over this world. But at some point we've got to ask ourselves, I mean, we went there because of weapons of mass destruction. We said that we would stay until Saddam was overthrown; we did. Then we were told we would stay until he was captured; he was. Then we were told that we would stay until he was tried and executed; we did. And then we were told we needed to stay until the new Iraqi Government was in place and they had open and free elections; and they did. Mr. Speaker, we continue to move the goal post on our troops. We continue to redefine what our ultimate victory is. And I'm here to tell you, Mr. Speaker, if our ultimate victory is convincing the folks of Iraq to live like we do, we will be there for the rest of my life. It's time for a new direction in Iraq, and I bring this up because we're spending some $16 million an hour of your tax money, Mr. Speaker, $16 million an hour in Iraq. I think we should demand accountability for how that money is being spent, and I think we should demand a new direction. I think we owe that to our men and women in uniform. Well, I am very delighted to be joined this evening by some of my Blue Dog colleagues as we discuss the Blue Dogs. I have kind of set the stage, by explaining the debt, why it matters, how we have gotten into the mess we are in and what we are trying to do as conservative Democrats to fix it. We are not just talking about it; we have legislation to accomplish it. In the Iraq war, we have H.R. 97, the demand accountability on how your tax money is being spent in Iraq. We talked about that on the floor of the House many times. Tonight, some of the things I want to talk about is the Blue Dog fiscal accountability package, taking the next steps to restore fiscal accountability to our Nation's government. We have the Fiscal Honesty and Accountability Act, we have the balanced budget amendment, and we have a resolution strengthening the budget process; and we will talk about these in more detail as the evening goes on. But at this moment, I would like to yield to my friend from Tennessee, fellow Blue Dog member, Lincoln Davis.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his commitment to our men and women in uniform. I especially appreciate it as the Arkansas 39th Brigade, our Arkansas National Guard, they have only been home for about 33 months from a year on the ground in Iraq. They have been called up and are now training at National Guard armories all across Arkansas. They will be doing that through the end of the year. They will be going to Mississippi in January and February and then sometime in March headed back to Iraq for another year of duty. We owe it to them and their families to ensure that they are properly trained and to ensure that we are investing in them the very best equipment and technology to give them a fighting chance, coming back, returning to their families safely. If you have got any comments or concerns, you can e-mail us at BlueDog@mail.house.gov. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, you can e-mail us at BlueDog@mail.house.gov. Again, the Blue Dog Coalition is a group of 47 fiscally conservative Democrats that, quite frankly, feel like we have been choked blue by the extremes of both parties, and we are just simply trying to restore common sense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's government. We are in the middle, and that's what we believe America is. I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his commitment to our troops, for his commitment to fiscal discipline and for sharing with us the piece that he recently submitted to a newspaper in his district. Thank you, Lincoln Davis. I mentioned the Blue Dogs have three bills that we believe can go a long way toward fixing this mess, cleaning up the mess here in Washington. One of the bills to do that is the Fiscal Honesty and Accountability Act. It strengthens our commitment to fiscal responsibility and accountability, and reinstitutes statutory PAYGO rules. It implements multiyear discretionary spending caps. It closes a loophole in the law that has been used to add billions of dollars in routine spending, and it requires the Congressional Budget Office, commonly referred to as the CBO, to estimate interest costs produced by spending in any bill. We will go over this and explain what all this means. I am pleased to introduce and to yield to a fellow Blue Dog from the State of Indiana, who is the author of this commonsense piece of legislation that has been embraced by my fellow colleagues, conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition, and that's Baron Hill.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Indiana's Ninth Congressional District, Mr. Hill, for his sponsorship and for authoring this very important legislation, the Fiscal Honesty and Accountability Act of 2007, one of three key pieces of legislation that we believe can go a long way toward restoring common sense, fiscal discipline and accountability to our national government. Another one of those is a resolution strengthening the budget process. We're going to talk more about that. I yield to the gentleman at this time, though, from Tennessee, Lincoln Davis.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for those thoughts, and he is absolutely correct. We must keep all the soldiers who have died in service to our country, those who have been injured in service to our country in our hearts and in our prayers. And on this evening I hope we'll especially remember Sergeant James Doster from Jefferson County, Arkansas, the latest casualty from Arkansas' Fourth Congressional District. The gentleman from Tennessee mentioned those who've died in service to our country, and we've talked a little bit about the Iraq war. And I want to deviate for a moment and let you know, Mr. Speaker, that Mr. Davis and I are part of a group outside of the Blue Dog Coalition, but a group of Democrats and Republicans that have come together, 14 Democrats, 14 Republicans that have created this bipartisan compact on Iraq debate because the fact is, Mr. Speaker, I voted three times to bring our troops home in a responsible and in a manner that would be responsible. But the reality is this: That the reason I voted three times is because we don't have a veto-proof majority in the House of Representatives. And we can continue to have those votes, but the reality is the President will veto those actions and so we really, at the end of the day, haven't been successful in a new direction in Iraq. Finally, you know, if there's one issue that shouldn't be a Democrat or Republican issue but should put us all in the context of being Americans first, it should be how we move forward on this Iraq debate. And there are 28 of us, 14 Democrats, 14 Republicans that have come together to create this bipartisan compact on Iraq debate. And I welcome, as I go through these points, I would welcome the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Davis), any comments or thoughts he might want to interject. But basically, here's the compact. We agree, 14 Democrats, 14 Republicans, we agree that the U.S. Congress must end the political infighting over the conflict in Iraq and commit immediately to a truly bipartisan dialogue on the issues we are facing. I would yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. ROSS. There are eight points that we make in this bipartisan compact on Iraq debate on how we move forward. The second one, we agree that efforts to eliminate funding for U.S. forces engaged in combat and in harm's way in Iraq would put at risk the safety and security of our servicemembers. In other words, as long as we've got troops in harm's way, we're going to support them. We agree that there must be a clearly defined and measurable mission for our continued military involvement in Iraq. Again, stop redefining victory. Stop moving the goal post. This mission must be further and continually defined so that the military and the country are aware of the end goal of our mission in Iraq and what progress toward that goal is being achieved. We agree that the Government of Iraq must now be responsible for Iraq's future course. The government must continue to make progress on the legislative benchmarks outlined in section 1314 of the recent Supplemental Appropriations Act, public law 110-28. Demand accountability from the Iraqis.