Mike Ross

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. And for the troops.

Mr. ROSS. I want to thank the gentleman from Kentucky for joining us today. And, Mr. Speaker, if you have any questions comments or concerns for Mr. Scott or any of us, you can e-mail us at BlueDog@mail.house.gov. And it is a pleasure for me to be joined by a real leader within the Blue Dog Coalition, someone that demands fiscal responsibility and accountability, someone who is helping us with this House Resolution 97, a cosponsor of it, someone that helped author it, and a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Chandler, and that is my friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Georgia, a fellow Blue Dog member, a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, for joining us to discuss the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition's House Resolution 97 that provides for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability. The Constitution clearly gives Congress oversight authority, and this Congress, this new Democratic Congress, is going to provide oversight of this administration, of this government, and fulfill our constitutional duty and demand that our troops get the money they need to get the job done as safely as possible; but also demand that it be done in a way to where this administration is held accountable for how, Mr. Speaker, your tax money is being spent in Iraq. I recently received an e-mail from a soldier from my hometown. He wrote to me in an e-mail from Iraq, and there are a couple of points I would like to point out. I am quoting this soldier now in Iraq. ``Needless to say, war profiteering is high, and disgusting to witness as a taxpayer.'' This is a citizen soldier, this is a soldier that comes to us from the Army Reserve. He has now been in Iraq 7 months. And in his e-mail to me he said, ``Needless to say, war profiteering is high, and disgusting to witness as a taxpayer.'' He goes on to say, ``And the black market thrives over here as well. For example, much of the fuel never reaches the military; it ends up in the wrong hands through a complex network of interconnected relationships that truly reminds me of the Mafia.'' Another example from a soldier on the ground in Iraq that has been there 7 months about the need for accountability for how tax money, some $400 billion so far, some 20 percent of that $400 billion is unaccounted for, according to the most recent reports. As members of the Blue Dog Coalition, we are offering up a resolution to demand that this money, your tax money, Mr. Speaker, be accounted for in how it is being spent in support of our soldiers in Iraq. And you know what? We might just find enough waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq that we could take that money and invest it in veterans' benefits, to ensure that our men and women coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan are properly cared for. With that, I yield to a gentleman that knows a lot about this subject, a gentleman that is not only a very important member of the Blue Dog Coalition, but someone who served on the House Armed Services Committee, someone who now serves on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, and that is the gentleman from Long Island (Mr. Israel).

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Long Island for his insight on this resolution to put an end to war profiteering and demand accountability on how the American people, the hardworking American people's tax money is being spent in Iraq. I yield back to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his heartfelt comments. This war has had an impact on just about every family in America; and my brother-in-law, who is in the United States Air Force, career, is now in Kurdistan, which is one of the entry points to Afghanistan. My first cousin, his wife, gave birth to their first child while he was in Iraq, and it has had a tremendous toll on the families, and not only for the military but also the citizen soldier, those who serve as members of a National Guard and as a member of an Army reserve. When the President talks about a surge, when the President talks about adding another 21,500 troops to Iraq, that is code for calling back up the National Guard and the Reserves. Many folks in the National Guard today have been sent out of country at historic levels. In many instances, the citizen soldiers, those in the Guard, have been called up more times than some soldiers that are in the full-time military as a career. It has a tremendous toll on the family, the families that are left behind, and a huge increase in the number of divorces that occur when they come back. The bottom line is we are creating a generation of veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we can sit here and talk about being patriotic and supporting our soldiers all night long, but what is important is that we cast our votes in a way that honors them and ensures that they have health care and the things they need when they come back so hopefully we can minimize the number of divorces. We cannot do enough to thank our men and women in uniform for their service to our country. One of the ways I think we can honor them is by demanding accountability for how tax money is being spent in Iraq, not only in the rebuilding efforts but also in support of them, making sure those men and women in uniform have the resources they need to stay safe while they are there. Mr. Speaker, if you have got any comments, questions or concerns for us, I would encourage you to e-mail us at bluedog@mail.house.gov. Again, that is bluedog@mail.house.gov. The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Chandler) was talking about Halliburton earlier. Let me just make this quick point and I want to yield to the gentleman from Long Island, but last year, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction reported that the Coalition Provisional Authority could not track over $8 billion it had transferred to Iraqi ministries and that CPA officials left millions of dollars in cash unsecured in their offices. Halliburton failed to complete required work under its oil infrastructure work, leaving distribution points unusable. Auditors in one region found that contract managers could not account for $97 million disbursed from the development fund for Iraq. Under its no-bid contract to rebuild Iraq's oil infrastructure contract, Halliburton overcharged by over 600 percent for the delivery of fuel from Kuwait. An audit of programs designed to train guards to protect Iraq's oil and electrical infrastructure concluded that U.S. agencies could not provide reasonable assurance that $147 million expended under these programs was used for its intended purpose. In one case, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found that a company which was awarded a security management contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars could provide no assurance that it was providing the best possible safety for government and reconstruction personnel as required by the contract and could not even show that its employees, authorized to carry weapons, were trained to use those weapons. Halliburton tripled the cost of hand towels, hand towels at taxpayer expense, by insisting on having its own embroidered logo on each towel, and Halliburton employees dumped 50,000 pounds of nails in the desert. Why? Because they ordered the wrong size, all at taxpayer expense because it was a cost-plus contract. Halliburton double charged tax payers for $617,000 worth of soda and charged taxpayers for services that it never provided and tens of thousands of meals that it never served our soldiers. That is why, Mr. Speaker, we have filed H. Res. 97 to demand accountability on how tax money is being spent in Iraq, and I yield to the gentleman from Long Island.

Mr. ROSS. H. Res. 97, providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability, and it is quite simple. We want this administration to be accountable for your tax money, Mr. Speaker, that is being spent in Iraq, number one. Number two, we want a Truman-like commission to put an end to war profiteering in Iraq. And, finally, we want this administration to stop playing games and asking for emergency supplementals to hide the true cost of the war and ask for the money the way that all other funds are appropriated by this Congress, through the normal process. One hundred point four billion dollars was the cost for 2006. Over $400 billion has been spent since this war began. That is $8.4 billion a month. That is $275 million a day, and that is nearly $12 million an hour of your tax money, Mr. Speaker, and the tax money of every hardworking man and woman in this country; and it is time to restore commonsense, fiscal discipline and accountability to our government. That is one way, Mr. Speaker, that we believe we can honor our men and women in uniform.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening on behalf of the 44-member fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. Each week we come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss with you and the people of this Congress, Mr. Speaker, about the need to restore fiscal discipline and common sense to our national government. We speak of the need for accountability. Why? Because today the U.S. national debt is $8,710,232,192,210; and, we ran out of room on the poster, but if you want to be exact about it, 43 cents. And for every man, woman, and child living in America today, their share of the national debt as of tonight is $29,061.20. It is what those of us in the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition refer to as the debt tax, D-E-B-T, which is one tax that will never go away until we get our fiscal house in order. Mr. Speaker, as you walk the halls of Congress, it is easy to detect when you are walking by an office of a fellow Blue Dog member, because you will see this poster reminding Members of Congress and reminding the American people of the fiscal recklessness that we have witnessed all across this Nation for the past 6 years. The American people have spoken, the American people have given the Democrats an opportunity to lead this Chamber, and we are determined as members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition to getting our Nation's fiscal house in order and restoring fiscal discipline and common sense to our national government. The Blue Dog Coalition is about accountability. And, Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, on Tuesday, many members of the Blue Dog Coalition will be filing a resolution for the 110th Congress, a resolution providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability. I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Patrick Murphy) for his work on this, a veteran of the Iraqi war who will be joining us later this evening on the floor. This evening, as members of the Blue Dog Coalition, we plan to talk about providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability. You ask people what they think about this postwar Iraq policy, you ask 100 people, you get 100 different ideas about how we ought to do it. One thing is for sure, everybody believes that we need to move in a new direction. But, Mr. Speaker, one of the things that really makes me proud to be an American is that, unlike Vietnam, and I believe one of the painful lessons to come out of Vietnam is this time, this time at least, we are getting the support for soldier part of this right, because I see us all, not as Democrats and Republicans, but as Americans first. And what I have witnessed this time around has been truly amazing and has made me proud to be an American, and that is that everyone, regardless of how they feel about the war in Iraq, regardless of whether they are a Democrat or a Republican, everyone in America for the most part has stood united in support of our men and women in uniform. I couldn't help but notice the plane I was on today from Little Rock to Atlanta had about a half dozen soldiers heading to Iraq, and I had the opportunity to shake their hand and thank them for their service to our country. I noticed others doing the same when I was changing planes in Atlanta. There were a lot of soldiers today in Atlanta headed for Iraq. Mr. Speaker, personally I am opposed to this surge. I think that is not a new direction, I think it is more of the same. But as members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, we didn't take a position on that because everyone needs to represent the views of their district, and everyone needs to speak from their heart. We have approached this, Mr. Speaker, from an accountability standpoint. And, Mr. Speaker, I would like to read to you this resolution so you will know exactly what is in it, and you will know exactly what the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition stands for and what we are talking about, and then a number of Blue Dog fellow members will be joining me in this Special Order to discuss various aspects of this. But resolution providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability says: Whereas it has been nearly 4 years since Operation Iraqi Freedom began; Whereas our military personnel have performed with honor and bravery, and deserve the support of all Americans; Whereas more than 3,000 American military personnel have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and more than 20,000 have been injured; Whereas the United States has spent nearly $400 billion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas the United States has spent tens of billions of dollars paying private contractors for services performed in Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas government investigations and media reports have detailed waste, fraud, and possible war profiteering by some of these contractors; Whereas American taxpayers deserve a detailed cost accounting for funds spent in Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas instead of the normal budgetary process, the administration has used emergency supplemental appropriation bills to fund Operation Iraqi Freedom; Whereas the normal appropriations process gives Congress greater oversight concerning both the need for and use of budgeted funds; Whereas the annual need to budget substantial funding for Operation Iraqi Freedom is not unanticipated within the meaning of section 502 of the fiscal year 2007 budget resolution, and further funding for Operation Iraqi Freedom should be attained through the normal budgeting process; Whereas since coalition forces removed Saddam Hussein from power, success in Operation Iraqi Freedom has depended upon an active and effective partnership between coalition forces and the Government and people of Iraq, a partnership that provides indispensable leverage to the coalition's financial, military, and political investments; Whereas Iraqis must assume principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq, failing which past, present, and future coalition investments will not lead to security in Iraq and Iraq will dissolve in chaos. Let me read that again: Whereas Iraqis must assume principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq, failing which past, present, and future coalition investments will not lead to security in Iraq and Iraq will dissolve in chaos. In other words, we are in this together, and it is time for the Iraqi people to step up to the plate and assume more accountability and responsibility for the internal policing of Iraq. Now, therefore, be it resolved that; and this is what the Blue Dog Coalition's accountability measure is about: Within 30 days after the adoption of this resolution, and every 90 days thereafter, the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction shall prepare and transmit to Congress an unclassified report, but with a classified annex if necessary, that would contain: Number 1. A detailed accounting of how military and reconstruction funds in Iraq have been spent thus far; $400 billion of tax money from the hardworking people of America has gone to Iraq, and they deserve to know how that money has been spent in support of our men and women in uniform in support of this new Iraqi Government; Number 2. A detailed accounting of the types and terms of contracts awarded on behalf of the United States, including the methods by which such contracts were awarded and contractors selected; Our cities and counties all across this Nation are expected to advertise for bids and award bids based on the lowest bid they receive for services rendered for what they are looking for. Our Federal Government should not be any different. Number 3. A description of the efforts to obtain support and assistance from other countries toward the rehabilitation of Iraq; And, number 4. An assessment of what additional funding is needed to complete military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq, including a plan for security of Iraq, a detailed plan for how any future funds will be spent, and a statement of how those funds will advance the interests of the United States in Iraq. That is one point. The second point: If either Inspector General fails to submit a quarterly report, the Government Accountability Office shall conduct an audit and report to Congress. Sanctions shall be imposed against contractors who have engaged in fraud or abuse or war profiteering. Congress should create a Truman Committee to conduct an ongoing study and investigation of the awarding and carrying out of contracts by the United States to conduct activities with regard to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and make such recommendations to the House as the select committee deems appropriate. Funding requests for Operation Iraqi Freedom in fiscal year 2008 and beyond must come through the regular appropriations process, and not through so-called emergency supplementals. No more hiding the cost of the war. In furtherance of the partnership that is critical to success in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the administration should firmly condition further American financial, military, and political resources upon steady improvement in Iraqi assumption of principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq. That is the resolution that many members of the Blue Dog Coalition will be filing, a resolution endorsed by the 44-member strong, fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, with the Clerk of the House on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. I just read it in detail, word by word, so the American people, Mr. Speaker, will know exactly what it is that we are offering up. It is not complicated. It is not partisan. It is not about whether we should or should not be in Iraq and about whether we should or should not leave tonight or tomorrow, next month or next year. It is about being accountable for the $400 billion that has already been spent in Iraq, and God knows how much more will be spent in Iraq, and the American people, the hardworking people of this country that get up, go to work, work hard and pay taxes, deserve to know and have a full accounting for how their money is being spent in Iraq. That is what this resolution is all about. It is what the Blue Dog Coalition is all about. It is about standing for responsibility, transparency and accountability and in getting our Nation's fiscal house in order so we can see this number, Mr. Speaker, the national debt, begin to trend downward, because as long as we are spending a half a billion dollars a day paying interest on the debt we have already got, before we increase it another billion dollars a day, many of America's priorities will continue to go unmet. We have got to get our fiscal house in order because, you know what, coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan and other parts of the world is a whole new generation of veterans. It is our duty in these United States to be there in support of our veterans, to be there in support of our men and women in uniform, regardless of whether they are serving us in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere across the globe. We can have differences of opinion with the President on Iraq and his Iraq policy, but what makes me proud to be an American is that we are standing together in support of our men and women in uniform. Mr. Speaker, we have got a number of folks that have joined me this evening to talk about accountability in this Iraq War, and at this time, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia and would invite him to stay and continue this conversation with me this evening during this Special Order that is being hosted by the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. Mr. Speaker, if you have any comments, questions or concerns for us, you can e-mail us at bluedog@mail.house.gov. Again, you can e-mail us at bluedog@mail.house.gov. One of the new Members of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition comes to us from the State of Pennsylvania, and that is Patrick Murphy, a veteran of the Iraq War who was very involved, as I mentioned at the beginning of the discussion this evening, in helping to carefully craft this resolution to demand accountability for how the tax money of the people of America is being spent in Iraq while continuing to remain steadfast in our support of our soldiers. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Patrick Murphy).

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, a veteran of the Iraqi war, a new member of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, for not only joining us for this Special Order this evening on demanding accountability of the American people's tax money and how it is being spent in Iraq, but also playing a very important role in helping draft, carefully craft and write this resolution that the Blue Dog Coalition has endorsed and will be filed as a House resolution on the floor of this House this week. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania again for his work on that and for his service to our country. At this time I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois, Ms. Bean, another very active member of the Blue Dog Coalition, someone who comes to this town and demands fiscal accountability and responsibility like we are doing here on the floor of the House this evening.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank an active member of the fiscally responsible Blue Dog Democrat Coalition, the gentlewoman from Illinois, Melissa Bean, for being a part of this discussion this evening to talk about the Blue Dog Coalition's resolution to demand accountability for how tax money is being spent in Iraq, just as we do here at home through our Blue Dog 12-point plan for budget reform. This resolution will be filed on the floor of this House this week as the Blue Dog Coalition demands this administration to be accountable for how your tax money, Mr. Speaker, is being spent in Iraq. At this time I yield to the gentleman from New York, a new member of the Blue Dog Coalition, someone who has come here and been a very active member of our coalition and has been doing a lot to help us with this resolution, and that is the gentleman from New York, Mike Arcuri.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri), a new Member of this Congress, a new member of the Blue Dog Coalition, for coming and visiting with us this evening about the need for accountability and responsibility in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the Blue Dog Coalition is about fiscal responsibility. It is about restoring common sense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's government, not only here at home, but also in Iraq. And that is why this week the Blue Dog Coalition will file a resolution that its coalition, the Blue Dog members, have endorsed to demand accountability in Iraq. We read the resolution in its entirety at the beginning of this Special Order. Basically, we want a detailed accounting of how military and reconstruction funds in Iraq have been spent thus far, a detailed accounting of the types and terms of contracts awarded on behalf of the United States, including the methods by which such contracts were awarded and contractors selected; a description of efforts to obtain support and assistance from other countries toward the rehabilitation of Iraq. The U.S. should not be going this alone; an assessment of what additional funding is needed to complete military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq, including a plan for security in Iraq; a detailed plan for how any future funds will be spent; and a statement of how those funds will advance the interests of the United States in Iraq. Sanctions shall be imposed against contractors who have engaged in fraud or abuse or, yes, war profiteering. We are calling for the creation of a Truman-like committee commissioned to conduct an ongoing study and investigation of the awarding and carrying out of contracts by the United States to conduct activities with regard to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and make such recommendations to the House as the select committee deems appropriate. Funding requests for Operation Iraqi Freedom in fiscal year 2008 and beyond must come through the regular appropriation process, not through the so-called emergency supplementals; no more of not being accountable; no more hiding the true cost of the war. And finally, the administration should firmly condition further American financial, military and political resources upon steady improvement in Iraqi assumption of principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq. Now, why are we filing this resolution? Because our Nation has now spent over $400 billion, nearly a half a trillion, in Iraq. Total for 2006, $100.4 billion; for the month, $8.44 billion; the cost per day, $275 million. And, Mr. Speaker, yes, each hour we are sending $11,458,333 of your tax money to Iraq. And we believe it is time for this Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty to provide oversight on how this money is being spent. I yield to my fellow Blue Dog member from California Mr. Costa.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa). And in the 8 minutes or so we have remaining, I have got three other members of the Blue Dog Coalition that have joined us, and we are very pleased that they have. At this time I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza).

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from California for demanding accountability of how your tax money, Mr. Speaker, is being spent, the tax money of hardworking Americans is being spent, not only here at home, but also abroad in places like Iraq. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee, my fellow Blue Dog member, Mr. Lincoln Davis.

Mr. ROSS. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his assessment in support of this Blue Dog resolution to demand accountability in Iraq. And with the remaining 3 or 4 minutes left in this Special Order, Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as the gentleman from Florida, a new member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a new Member of this Congress, Mr. Mahoney, may so desire.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear the Blue Dog Coalition stands for fiscal responsibility and accountability here at home and in Iraq, and we stand in support of our men and women in uniform, and we demand accountability for them to ensure that these resources are going to them to support them, to keep them safe, and to return them home to their families. May God bless our troops and their families. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, it is with honor and great pride that I recognize and congratulate the Jessieville Lions of Jessieville, AR, whose outstanding teamwork and dedication on the football field earned them a Class 2A Arkansas State Title at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on December 8, 2006. The Jessieville Lions embody the spirit of teamwork, determination, and all that defines a champion. As a parent, I value the important lessons that teamwork teaches our students in pursuit of a lifetime of success. I have long been an advocate of sports and extracurricular activities as they complement academic excellence, inspire leadership, and build character, which better prepare our State's students to face the challenges of the 21st century. It is a tremendous honor to congratulate the Jessieville High School football program on winning the Class 2A Arkansas State Football Championship. I applaud the Jessieville Lions for their season. This victory is the result of hard work contributed by the players, students, coaching staff, faculty and the community. I salute all who remained focused on this goal and especially the players who rose to the occasion to become State champions. Congratulations Lions.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, it is with honor and great pride that I recognize and congratulate the Arkansas High School Razorbacks of Texarkana, AR, whose outstanding teamwork and dedication on the football field earned them a Class 6A Arkansas State Title at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on November 25, 2006. The Arkansas High Razorbacks embody the spirit of teamwork, determination, and all that defines a champion. As a parent, I value the important lessons that teamwork teaches our students in pursuit of a lifetime of success. I have long been an advocate of sports and extracurricular activities as they complement academic excellence, inspire leadership, and build character, which better prepare our state's students to face the challenges of the 21st century. It is a tremendous honor to congratulate the Arkansas High School football program on winning the Class 6A Arkansas State Football Championship. I applaud the Arkansas High School Razorbacks for their season. This victory is the result of hard work contributed by the players, students, coaching staff, faculty and the community. I salute all who remained focused on this goal and especially the players who rose to the occasion to become State champions. Congratulations Razorbacks!

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, it is with honor and great pride that I recognize and congratulate the Nashville Scrappers of Nashville, AR, whose outstanding teamwork and dedication on the football field earned them a Class 4A Arkansas State Title at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on December 9, 2006. The Nashville Scrappers embody the spirit of teamwork, determination, and all that defines a champion. As a parent, I value the important lessons that teamwork teaches our students in pursuit of a lifetime of success. I have long been an advocate of sports and extracurricular activities as they complement academic excellence, inspire leadership, and build character, which better prepare our State's students to face the challenges of the 21st century. It is a tremendous honor to congratulate the Nashville High School football program on winning the Class 4A Arkansas State Football Championship. I applaud the Nashville Scrappers for their season. This victory is the result of hard work contributed by the players, students, coaching staff, faculty and the community. I salute all who remained focused on this goal and especially the players who rose to the occasion to become State champions. Congratulations Scrappers.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Katheryn Reeves Jean, who passed away January 14, 2007, in Magnolia, Arkansas. Katheryn Reeves Jean was a pillar of the community of Magnolia and of greater Columbia County for decades. Mrs. Jean was a homemaker and president of Reeves Land and Timber Company. She also served the community in numerous ways, including Chairman of the Columbia County Election Commission, Justice of the Peace for Columbia County and Director of Farmer's Real Estate. Mrs. Jean was a member of the Jackson Street Church of Christ, Quota Club International and the local and state Republican Party. Mrs. Jean was a former Girl Scout troop leader and a den mother for the Boy Scouts of America. Her dedication to making Magnolia and South Arkansas a better place to live could not have been greater. My deepest condolences go to her two sons, Hal Jean and Mayor Lane Jean of Magnolia; her sister, Ann Reeves Eddy; and to her 4 grandchildren. Katheryn Reeves Jean will be greatly missed in Magnolia and throughout the state of Arkansas.

Mr. ROSS

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, this evening, on behalf of the 44 member strong fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog coalition, I rise to spend an hour this evening talking with you and Members of this body about the Blue Dog Coalition's desire to restore fiscal discipline and common sense to our national government. Over the next hour, we plan as members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog coalition to talk on this floor about the Blue Dog Coalition's 12-point plan for budget reform. We plan to discuss our accountability measures, because we believe it is time to restore accountability, fiscal discipline, and common sense to our national government. Before I begin the formal presentation this evening, and will be joined by other members of the Blue Dog Coalition, I would like to take a moment to recognize Sergeant Marcus Wilson. Sergeant Wilson grew up in Dermott, Arkansas, in southeast Arkansas, in our congressional district back home. This afternoon I had the honor to go to Walter Reed Army Hospital where I was able to sit down and visit with Sergeant Wilson and his wife and his son and thank him for his service to our country. He is there because of injuries suffered in Iraq. Before that he served in Afghanistan. All of us have different ideas about what we should be doing with this post-war Iraq policy. But one of the things that I believe is absolutely critical and important is that as Members of this Congress, and as American citizens, that we remain united in support of our men and women in uniform. This evening I pay tribute to Sergeant Marcus Wilson of Dermott, Arkansas, and thank him for his service to our country and pray for him as he recovers from injuries he suffered in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I wish you could have been with me there this afternoon in conversations with Sergeant Wilson because he makes all Americans proud with his attitude, his attitude of perseverance, his attitude of service to our country as a soldier in the United States Marines. Again, I pay tribute and salute Sergeant Wilson. Mr. Speaker, on this day my brother-in-law leaves to go to Kyrgyzstan, which is the entry point for Afghanistan, much like Kuwait is the entry point for Iraq, for his second mission there. I hope that all of us will keep him and all our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere across this globe in our hearts and in our prayers. Mr. Speaker, the underlying purpose of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition is to demand a balanced budget in this country. Mr. Speaker, it was not too long ago from 1998 through 2001 that we had a President named Bill Clinton, from my native State, from my home State, who gave us a balanced budget. One of the ways he did that was with PAYGO rules in place on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, rules that the Republican leadership threw out after they took control of the House and Senate and the White House in 2001, the beginning of the 107th Congress. What we have witnessed over the past 6 years has been absolutely staggering, if not startling. We have seen the largest deficit year after year after year until we have accumulated the largest debt ever in our Nation's history. As members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, we are committed through our 12-point plan for budget reform and through our accountability package to restore fiscal discipline to our Nation's government. As we begin this evening, today the U.S. national debt is $8,701,316,295,722.43. We ran out of room. For every man, woman and child in America, their share, your share of the national debt, $29,035.60, what we refer to as the debt tax, d-e-b-t, which is one tax that cannot be repealed, cannot be cut until we go away and get our Nation's fiscal house in order. If this is not startling enough, what's even more alarming is the fact that our Nation is borrowing about $1 billion a day. On top of that, we are spending about half a billion every day paying interest on the debt we have already got before it increases by another $1 billion a day. It is important that we get our fiscal house in order, that we return to the days of a balanced budget, that we restore fiscal discipline to our national government, because it is about priorities. Many of America's priorities, honoring our soldiers, giving them the resources they need to get the job done, honoring our veterans and providing them the services that they were promised and so desperately need, especially with this new generation of veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan and other parts of the world, the priorities in education, and so many other areas that are going unmet, half a billion dollars a day is not going to those priorities, they are going to simply pay interest on the debt we already got before it increases another $1 billion just about every single day. We want to do something about this. We want to effect change. We are sick and tired of all of the partisan bickering that goes on in our Nation's capital. As members of the Blue Dog Coalition we don't care whether it is a Democrat or Republican idea. We ask ourselves if it is a commonsense idea and does it make sense to the people who sent us here to be their voice. We have pushed, for 6 years we have asked the Republican leadership to reinstitute the PAYGO rules on the floor of this House, and for 6 years they turned a deaf ear to us. We are really proud that this new leadership, the Democratic leadership, has listened to the Blue Dog Coalition. In the first 24 hours of the 110th session of Congress, we saw the new Democratic leadership on this floor institute rules that reinstated PAYGO, which is the first step in returning to a balanced budget and putting an end to deficit spending. This evening, Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be joined by a former cochair of the Blue Dog coalition, a real leader within our group from the State of California (Mr. Cardoza). At this time I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardoza).

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for joining us this evening as a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition to talk about the need to restore common sense and fiscal discipline and accountability to our Nation's government. On the accountability front, Mr. Speaker, under the United States Constitution Congress has an obligation to provide Congressional oversight of the executive branch. Congressional oversight prevents waste and fraud, it ensures executive compliance with the law and evaluates executive performance. What we saw, Mr. Speaker, for the last 6 years is a Congress that failed to uphold its constitutional duty to provide oversight of the administration. Rather, what we saw was a Congress that provided a rubber stamp. The 110th Congress will be different. We will uphold the Constitution of the United States of America and we will provide oversight of the executive branch, as the founders of this country wrote into our Constitution. The reason we are doing that is because when Congress does not do that, it abandons its responsibility by failing to conduct meaningful investigations of allegations of serious waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. Mr. Speaker, it is time for this Congress to hold this administration and the Pentagon accountable for how your tax money is being spent in Iraq. Let me be clear about it: As long as we have soldiers in harm's way, we will support our men and women in uniform. As I mentioned earlier, my brother-in-law is in the U.S. Air Force, and today is headed from Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, to Kurdistan, where he will be serving for the next few months, if not the first year. My first cousin is in the U.S. Army. His wife gave birth to their first child while he was in Iraq. This war has impacted all of us across this country in one way or another. I have had 3,000 National Guard soldiers, brave soldiers from Arkansas, spend more than a year in Iraq. I e-mailed today with a soldier from my district in Iraq. Make no mistake about it, as long as we have men and women in uniform in harm's way, we will support them and ensure that they receive the resources they need to get the job done. But that should never be confused with holding the administration, the Pentagon and the Department of Defense, accountable for how this money is being spent. We are sending some $9 billion a month, with a B, of your tax money to Iraq. The last report I got, it was some $57 million a day to Afghanistan. It is time that this Congress held this administration and the Department of Defense accountable for how it is spending your tax money in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, it is time that we hold this new Iraqi government accountable. They must be accountable for their actions. If we are going to put soldiers in harm's way, if we are going to have soldiers dying and becoming injured and returning home without arms and legs and with other injuries that forever change their life, it is time we hold this new Iraqi government accountable for what they are doing or not doing in Iraq. Finally, Mr. Speaker, it is important, it is absolutely critical, that we stop this nonsense of passing supplemental after supplemental in funding for the Iraq war when we know that this is a long-term deal. It is time for the President to quit playing games with the American people, to stop this nonsense of passing supplements. It is my understanding he is going to ask for billions more in a supplemental just days, if not weeks, before the budget comes out for fiscal year 2008. It is time to make the cost of Iraq and Afghanistan clear to the American people, provide a level of transparency, and include it in the budget. This is what we are talking about when we are talking about restoring accountability to our national government. Once we demand accountability we will see these deficits begin to disappear. When I was a small child growing up, I always heard it was the Democrats that tax and spend, and yet I come to Congress and we have got for 6 years a Congress that is controlled by Republicans in the House, the Senate and the White House, a country controlled by the Republicans, and what do they give us? They gave us the largest deficit ever in our Nation's history, year after year after year, in fact, the largest deficit ever. $413 billion in hot checks occurred in 2004; in 2003, it was $378 billion in hot checks; in 2005, $318 billion; in 2006, $296 billion in hot checks. It is time to restore fiscal discipline to our Nation's government. It is time for this government to have a balanced budget once again, because where is this money coming from? It is not only coming from taxpayers, but we are spending more than we are taking in. It is coming from foreign central banks and foreign investors. In fact, this administration has borrowed more money in 6 years from foreigners than the previous 42 Presidents combined. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be joined this evening for this discussion by the cochair of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Boyd.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida, a real leader in the fiscally conservative movement, cochair for administration in the Blue Dog Coalition, for his insight this evening. Mr. Speaker, if you have any comments, questions or concerns for us, you can e-mail us at bluedog@mail.house.gov. That is bluedog@mail.house.gov. Mr. Speaker, we are often asked how we got the name Blue Dog Coalition if we are just simply a group of fiscally conservative to moderate Democrats. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, ironically, after the Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, we were a group, which I wasn't yet a part of, I came here in 2000, but the conservative- moderate movement in this Congress was a group of Democrats that, you have heard the phrase ``yellow dog Democrat,'' well, the Democrats to our left were choking us blue and the Republicans to our right were choking us blue, and we found ourselves in the middle, which is where we believe America is and where we are trying to bring our country, or at least our Congress as we try to restore fiscal discipline to our national government. But on this accountability measure, if you think with me, Mr. Speaker, no business in our country could succeed financially if it failed to fully report to its shareholders on how it is spending its money. However, that is exactly how our Federal Government has been operating for the past 6 years. This administration is not telling its shareholders, the American taxpayers, how it spends the money coming into our Nation's capital. In 2004, $25 billion of Federal Government spending went absolutely unaccounted for, according to the Treasury Department. The Bush administration was unable to determine where the money had gone, how it was spent or what the American people got for their tax money. Even worse, the Republican-controlled Congress at the time failed to hold the executive branch accountable for this omission. Again, a rubber-stamp Congress year after year. The 107th Congress, a rubber-stamp Congress; the 108th Congress, a rubber-stamp Congress; the 109th Congress, a rubber-stamp Congress; the 110th Congress, no more rubber-stamp Congress. You are going to see a Congress that upholds its constitutional duty given to it in the Constitution of the United States of America to provide oversight. That does not mean go on witch hunts. It means do our job that we have been elected to do in providing oversight and accountability on how the American people's tax money is spent. In fact, in 2005, the General Accountability Office reported that 18 of 24 major Federal agencies had such bad financial systems that they do not even know the true cost of running some of their programs. Yet the Republican-controlled Congress at the time did not force these agencies to fully account for how money was being spent before doling out billions more of your tax money, Mr. Speaker, to the same programs. Clearly, Congress year after year has failed to ask the serious questions about the Bush administration's fiscal irresponsibility and record-high deficits 4 years in a row and have now pushed the Federal debt to nearly $9 trillion. The time has come to hold this administration accountable for its reckless behavior here at home, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world. You are going to see this 110th Congress do that under the leadership of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. I believe Congress must act now to renew its constitutional responsibility to serve as a check and balance for overspending, waste, fraud and financial abuse within the executive branch. Wasteful government spending has forced the national debt to its current record level; and future generations, our children and grandchildren, have to pay that bill. Future generations will have to pay back with interest the money the Federal Government is borrowing from other countries due to this administration's fiscal recklessness. The time has come to restore commonsense and fiscal discipline to our Nation's government. As members of the Blue Dog Coalition, we have a plan to restore accountability to our government and we have a 12-point plan for budget reform. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to a new Blue Puppy, if you will, a new member of the Blue Dog Coalition from Ohio (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio, and we welcome him to the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and appreciate his commitment to restoring accountability, commonsense, and fiscal discipline to our national government. A lot of times when people think of conservative Democrats, they think of the South; and you will find with the Blue Dog Coalition that we come from every region of the country, Arkansas, Ohio, Long Island, Burbank, Florida, California, and everywhere in between, and we share a common value, and that is, to be responsible stewards of the tax money that is sent to this capital and to ensure that we leave this country just a little bit better than we found it for our children and grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, what brings us here this evening is, as this poster demonstrates, the national debt, $8,701,316,295,722 and some change. Again, you divide that number by every man, woman and child in America, everyone's share of the national debt is $29,035. A lot of money, a number we need to pay down by going back to the days of a balanced budget, as we had in this country from 1998 through 2001. Mr. Speaker, as you walk the Halls of Congress, it is easy to detect when you are walking by the office of a Blue Dog member because you will see this poster as a welcome mat by their door to constantly remind Members of Congress and the American people of the national debt. This number, unfortunately, not only changes daily but will go up some $40 million during the hour that we are on the floor this evening discussing this crisis.

Mr. ROSS. I would yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I guess a good way of putting that was the total national debt, not just 6 years ago, but the total national debt from 1789 to 2000 was $5.67 trillion. Today, it is approaching $9 trillion; and by 2010, it is estimated to total more than 10 and approaching $11 trillion. Put it another way, it is doubling, a doubling of the 211-year debt in the past 6 years. The reason the debt should matter, Mr. Speaker, is because interest payments on this debt are one of the fastest growing parts of the Federal budget, which means less money for education, less money for veterans benefits, less money for health care, less money for roads, and on and on and on. So deficits do matter. Deficits reduce economic growth. They burden our children and grandchildren with liabilities. They increase our reliance on foreign lenders who now own a sobering 40 percent of our debt. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.