John Sununu

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution, a resolution which I believe will send a clear and an unmistakable message to our own citizens, our allies, and our enemies, as well, that Congress stands behind our President in defense of America's national security interests. Mr. Speaker, there is no more serious an issue for Congress to debate than the question of authorizing the use of America's Armed Forces. We are a peaceful Nation, preferring instead to rely on diplomacy in our relations with other countries. On the question of Iraq in particular, the United States and the United Nations have been exceedingly patient, working steadily to integrate Iraq into the community of law-abiding nations, but to date we have failed. In the decades since Desert Storm, Iraq has chosen a very different path. Iraq has worked to develop weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological agents; and Saddam Hussein has repeatedly ignored U.N. resolutions demanding that he disarm. He has refused to allow weapons inspectors access to potential sites. Thus, the threat of obtaining stocks of these terrible weapons continues to grow. Most troubling of all, Saddam Hussein has shown, has demonstrated, his willingness to use such horrible weapons against other nations and against his own people. Only when military action is imminent does the Iraqi regime begin to discuss allowing inspectors to return, but the restrictions they wish to place on these inspectors would effectively render their mission useless and, instead, simply delay action and allow a covert weapons program to begin to bear terrifying results. If we wait until Iraq succeeds in achieving these goals, we will have waited too long. The resolution we are debating today encourages a diplomatic solution to the threat that Iraq poses to our national security. The President has called on the U.N. to act effectively to enforce Iraq's disarmament and ensure full compliance with Security Council resolutions. But if the U.N. cannot act effectively, this resolution will provide the President with full support to use all appropriate means. Mr. Speaker, neither I nor any Member of this body want to see a renewed conflict in Iraq. We must be prepared to act give the President flexibility that he needs to respond to this gathering threat to protect American lives and address the threat to global peace. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, no one in the corporate world should ever believe that their position puts them above the law or outside the bounds of ethical responsibility. Those who do should be held accountable, those who break the law should go to Jail. Today, the House will vote for the third time this year to hold corporate America to the highest of standards. Our action today will inform executives that their actions will be scrutinized, with the threat of real penalties for violations of their legal responsibilities to shareholders and the public. The citizens of my state, and indeed all Americans, have watched the stock market tumble as accounting scandals have shaken investor confidence. Investors have watched as the values of their portfolios have fallen. They want--and deserve--tough action against fraud and malfeasance. In short, they want Wall Street to abide by the common sense principles that guide Main Street, and the public deserves nothing less. This conference report, which I am proud to support, includes key provisions from our House-passed legislation that will improve disclosure, impose tougher penalties, and better protect investors in such cases of fraud. By establishing for the first time a requirement for real-time corporate disclosure, the bill will better protect investors. Companies will now have to disclose any information that would materially affect the company's financial health. That is the kind of information that can never be--and should never be--withheld from the public. Accurate and clear financial disclosure will enable better investment decisions to be made based on a company's true financial performance. Second, by strengthening the penalties for corporate fraud, the bill will act as a better deterrent to those seeking to stretch or, test the boundaries of the law. This conference report provides double the jail time that was included in the Senate bill--up to 20 years--for corporate criminals who defraud the public, destroy documents or obstruct justice. Finally, the investor restitution provision in this bill will enable investors who lose money in the markets as a result of corporate malfeasance to reclaim the gains of corporate criminals. Under the FAIR provision, a fund will be established to collect civil penalties and other funds from executives who violate the laws and defraud investors. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the conferees for working quickly to develop a bill that can win bipartisan support. I am confident that passsage of this conference report will send a clear message to the corporate world that Congress and the American people expect them to play by the rules or face the consequences.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my condolences to the family of William B. Ruger who passed away on July 6 at his home in Prescott, Arizona, and to celebrate the life of this true American original--inventor, manufacturer and business owner. Although he was not New Hampshire born, Bill Ruger embodied the best of the Granite State. He blazed his own trail, and in the process, turned his name into a recognizable symbol of ingenuity and workmanship. A native of Brooklyn, Bill Ruger was interested in firearms for virtually his entire life. He received his first rifle from his father at age 12, and as a teenager, read and studied as much as he could on firearms; the history of firearms, their design and how they are manufactured. Bill carried his passion for firearms to the University of North Carolina where as a student he turned a vacant room into a machine shop. His interest in firearms was so keen that while in his early 20's, Bill developed the preliminary plans for a light machine gun for use by the Army. After two years at North Carolina, Bill left to work at what he loved. He took a job in a gun factory and eventually opened his own business as a toolmaker; a business which did not succeed. Still, during that time, Bill kept experimenting with firearm designs, eventually perfecting a design for a .22 caliber pistol. In 1949, with a $50,000 investment from his partner, Alexander Sturm, Bill Ruger founded a firearm manufacturing business in a ``little red barn'' in Southport, Connecticut. As business increased, Sturm, Ruger and Company expanded, opening new plants including a plant in Newport, New Hampshire in 1963 to produce its own firearms components instead of paying others to do the same. Today, Sturm, Ruger and Company is world- renowned for its more than 50 models of revolvers, police sidearms, target pistols, rifles and shotguns, and has developed a reputation for quality in specialized castings for products in the aerospace field, the automobile industry, medicine and the sport of golf. The company has grown to become America's largest firearms manufacturer and one of New Hampshire's largest employers; all under the watchful eye of Bill Ruger. Bill Ruger valued his employees and their craftsmanship and would never sell a product he would not have been proud to own himself. This attention to excellence is a fact to which generations of firearms owners, police officers and military personnel will attest. Beyond the success Bill Ruger enjoyed as a firearms manufacturer, he had many other pursuits and interests including his collection of antique firearms, 19th Century Western American art, and antique automobiles and was particularly known as a generous and charitable man who gave of himself and his finances. The foundation of his life, though, was his family--his son, William Ruger Jr., who now heads the family business; his daughter, Carolyn Vogel; his six grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Each held a special place in his heart, as did the memory of his lovely wife, Mary Thompson Ruger, who passed away in 1994, and that of his late son, James Thompson (``Tom'') Ruger. In New Hampshire, Bill Ruger's legacy will remain for decades to come. He was an American original, and those of us fortunate enough to have been able to know Bill will truly miss him.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men and women of law enforcement who have exemplified themselves through uncommon and distinctive service to the citizens of New Hampshire during the course of their duties. Few among us would question that one of the most demanding professions in our nation is law enforcement; it is a profession that requires sacrifice, courage and a dedication to serve others. Each day, these brave men and women put themselves in harm's way in order to administer the laws of our society. In so doing, they have earned--and deserve--our respect and our gratitude. In 1998, my friend and colleague, Representative Charles Bass, and I first established the New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards at the request of current and retired New Hampshire law enforcement personnel. We both agreed that these awards would be an excellent way to honor the men and women of law enforcement whose service and professionalism was truly extraordinary, and this Sunday, July 14, a ceremony will be held at the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training facility in Concord to honor the 82 recipients of this year's awards. In New Hampshire, the nominations process for the awards starts with all duty sworn officers of the law, full or part-time, including local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement professionals from other states who distinguish themselves in serving the people of New Hampshire are also eligible. Nominations are then made based on exceptional achievement in any police endeavor, including: extraordinary valor; crime prevention; drug control and prevention; investigative work; community policing; community service; traffic safety; search and rescue; and juvenile training, programs. Individual officers are nominated for the award by citizens, an officer's department or his or her co-workers, a city or town official or a government agency. The awards honor law enforcement personnel in one of five separate categories: Career Service Award, which recognizes those who have shown an outstanding dedication to law enforcement over the length of their career; Unit Citation Award, which recognizes officers for actions taken as a group in dangerous situations; Dedication and Professionalism Award, which recognizes personnel who exceed their normal duties in service to others; Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award, which honors officers who put their lives in harm's way in service to others; and Associate Service Award, which honors fire and rescue personnel as well as civilians who assist law officers in the course of their duties--at times putting their own lives at risk. While Congress works each day to pass legislation that supports local law enforcement and protects the interests of our communities, families and children, the men and women of law enforcement, working on the front lines every day, take the necessary risks to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones. These awards have been a fitting tribute to our officers and a reminder to all of us of the important role they play in our lives and in our communities. Mr. Speaker, I join with Congressman Bass and all the citizens of the Granite State in offering our appreciation for the service and the dedication of our law enforcement personnel. I congratulate each recipient of the 2002 New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards, and thank the people with whom they work and the citizens they serve for nominating such outstanding individuals.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Vice Admiral George Peter Nanos, Jr., United States Navy. Vice Admiral Nanos will retire on Monday, 1 July 2002, after 35 years of faithful service to our nation. Hailing from my hometown of Bedford, New Hampshire, Vice Admiral Nanos is a graduate of the U. S Naval Academy. At the Academy, he was awarded the 1967 Harry E. Ward Trident Scholar's Prize. Following graduation, he spent two years at sea as Antisubmarine Warfare and Gunnery Officer on USS Glennon (DD 840) before entering Princeton University, where he earned a Ph.D. in physics in 1974. Returning to sea, Vice Admiral Nanos served as Engineer Officer aboard USS Forrest Sherman (DD 931) and as Materiel Officer on the staff of Destroyer Squadron Ten. From 1978 to 1982, he was the manager for Technical Development in the Navy's High Energy Laser Program Office (NAVSEA PMS 405). He then served as the Combat Systems Officer in Norfolk Naval Shipyard while also training to become an Engineering Duty Officer. He returned to sea yet again as Chief Engineer for the aircraft carrier USS America (CV 66). While on America, he participated in Operation Eldorado Canyon and helped to ensure the successful launch of naval airstrikes against Libya after that country was linked to a terrorist bombing of a West Berlin discotheque, which killed 1 American and injured 78 people. Following this tour, he was assigned as the Deputy Director, Warfare Systems Engineering in the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. In 1988, Vice Admiral Nanos reported to Strategic Systems Programs, serving consecutively as Head of the Navigation Branch, Head of the Missile Branch, and Director of the Technical Division. In June 1994, he assumed duties as Director, Strategic Systems Programs, responsible for all aspects of the Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile Weapon Systems. In May 1998, Vice Admiral Nanos assumed his rank and duties as Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, the Navy's largest acquisition organization. Throughout the past four years, he has been responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, integration, construction, in-service support, and maintenance of the Navy's ships, shipboard weapons, and combat systems. Vice Admiral Nanos' service education includes U.S. Naval Destroyer School at Newport, Rhode Island; Engineering Duty Officer basic and mid-career courses; the Senior Officer Ship Materiel Readiness Course at Idaho Falls, Idaho; and the Program Management Course at the Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. His specialty as an Engineering Duty Officer is ordnance and weapons systems acquisition. Vice Admiral Nanos successfully led the Command through a brilliant transformation of NAVSEA'S business practices in executing complex acquisition and Fleet maintenance and modernization responsibilities. He expertly managed the resizing, recapitalizing, and realignment of the personnel and technical resources devoted to designing, building, repairing, and modernizing ships and their weapons systems. Displaying bold vision, innovation, and superb leadership, he instituted far-reaching quality initiatives that forged a highly focused, reenergized workforce. These have transformed the Command into a unified corporation that provides world-class technical, acquisition, and life-cycle support leadership to America's Navy. His contributions have had a direct and lasting impact on the overall readiness, effectiveness, and survivability of the United States Armed Forces. Vice Admiral Nanos' superb leadership, exceptional integrity, engineering expertise, and tireless devotion to duty reflect great credit upon him and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He has done a superb job in leading the Naval Sea Systems Command to fulfill its mission: Keeping America's Navy #1 in the World. Although Vice Admiral Nanos has worked diligently to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of naval and marine shipbuilding capabilities throughout the United States, he has often shown his dedication to and respect for the men and women of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard team. He recently visited the Shipyard to personally congratulate and thank the Shipyard team for their record-setting work on two submarines: A record-setting depot maintenance period on USS Miami, followed by a record-setting engineering refueling overhaul on USS City of Corpus Christi. Thanks in part to his vision, the Shipyard retains its important military-industrial capabilities and continues to provide critical jobs for the region. Vice Admiral Nanos' innovation has ensured the success of the Naval Sea Systems Command and the United States Navy's ships well into the 21st Century. He is an individual of uncommon character and his professionalism will be sincerely missed. I am proud, Mr. Speaker, to thank him for his honorable service in the United States Navy, and to wish him fair winds and following seas as he closes his distinguished military career. I suspect Vice Admiral Nanos will continue his adventures, and will bring much credit to his name, as well as our government and our country. He is a true American hero, and his direct contributions to our military will long be remembered with heartfelt gratitude.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi.

Mr. SUNUNU. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is willing to rescind all the tax cuts that are in effect this year. That is effectively a tax increase for fiscal year 2002 and 2003. I respect the gentleman for taking that stand, for increasing taxes in fiscal year 2002 and 2003, but that is exactly the wrong thing for our economy at this time in this place. Finally, we have heard the opponents of this legislation say, all we want is a separate vote on raising this debt ceiling. That is all we ask for. But let me refer them to the rules and manuals of this House of Representatives. On page 806 of Jefferson's Manual, which sets the precedents for this House, they can clearly see that the rule put in place by the Democrat majority in 1979 clearly prevented this House from taking a stand-alone vote on raising the debt ceiling for over 20 years. And that rule was only rescinded under this majority. Now, my Democratic colleagues are absolutely correct in saying we do not have a stand-alone vote on this issue today. But the fact of the matter is it was the Democrat majority that stood firm for well over 15 years preventing such a stand-alone vote from ever taking place. That is a very pointed fact.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, the last few speakers have spoken quite eloquently about the importance of the funding in this supplemental appropriation bill, strengthening our national security, investing in homeland security, investing in the technologies, the maintenance, the resources to support our men and women serving overseas. They have been unequivocal about their support for that funding, for that financing. But the last speaker was also unequivocal in making her point that she was vehemently opposed to borrowing to fund that investment in winning the war on terrorism and strengthening our homelands security. I think therein lies the fundamental problem. That is maybe the disconnect that we are hearing and the complaint that we are hearing that this is somehow partisan. It is not partisan when you point out that if we are going to invest in this unprecedented war on terrorism, if we are to give the men and women of the armed services the resources they need, which we all understand that because of the economic recession we are going to have to borrow additional funds to make sure they have that support, then you cannot stand on the floor and say, well, I support everything in this bill, but I will not support borrowing to support our men and women fighting overseas. This brings us back to the debate that began the year in the Committee on the Budget, when as previous speakers have pointed out, we brought a budget to the floor, we brought a budget through committee that met the priorities laid out by the President in his State of the Union Address: winning the war on terrorism, strengthening homeland security, and getting the economy moving again. The Democrats offered no alternative. And the simple reason is because the choices were simply not to fund the war on terrorism, to raise taxes, which they are apparently not willing to do, or to cut other programs. Those are the three choices we are faced with today as we recognize that due to the economic downturn we need to borrow some additional funds to win that war, to strengthen homeland security and keep the economy moving. They will talk about postponing taxes or tax relief 5 and 10 years down the road, and they will say it is only for the wealthiest of Americans. But the fact of the matter is we know we need the resources this year. They are not willing to raise taxes this year. We know we need to fund the war on terrorism this year. They claim they support all the funding in this bill, but they are not willing to borrow $1 billion, $2 billion, $10 billion, much less raising the debt ceiling by the required amount to make sure we have all the resources we need in this time of crisis. Those are the three choices. And I would yield the floor to anyone that will state whether they are willing to raise taxes this year, whether they are opposed to the defense and homeland security funding in this bill, or whether they are going to stand on the floor and say we are willing to dramatically cut other domestic programs so that we do not have to raise the debt ceiling. And I will pause. Apparently there is no one willing to go on the record supporting one of those three options, the only three options available if we are not going to borrow funds to fight the war on terrorism.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly great American community, the town of Milton, New Hampshire, which will celebrate its 200th Anniversary on June 11, 2002. Located in Strafford County in eastern New Hampshire, Milton epitomizes the magnificent beauty that dominates the New Hampshire landscape, and Milton's nearly 4,000 residents are quick to boast about the pristine waters of its three ponds and the Salmon Falls River, which is overlooked by scenic Teneriffe Mountain. Milton is also home to one of New England's more unique museums, the New Hampshire Farm Museum, whose historic structures, open spaces, and vast collection of farm tools showcase New Hampshire's rural and agricultural roots. Originally a part of Rochester, New Hampshire, Milton became incorporated as a new town on June 11, 1802. Milton's town founders held the first formal Town Meeting at the Lieutenant Elijah Horne house on August 30, 1802. Today, Milton continues to adhere to the proud New England tradition of the Town Meeting, where neighbors gather to debate and vote on issues that impact their daily lives. I congratulate the Town of Milton on its 200th Anniversary, and I extend my best wishes to all the citizens of Milton in celebration of this wonderful milestone.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a familiar New Hampshire voice that will soon be absent from Northern New England's airwaves. Dover, New Hampshire's Mike Martel, a member of WOKQ's ``Morning Waking Crew,'' will be retiring on May 31 after making his start in local, New Hampshire radio 30 years ago. For the past 28 years, Mike has been employed at WOKQ, a 50,000 watt radio station located in Dover, New Hampshire. There, he often began his day well before most of us had even stirred from bed preparing to hit the airwaves at 5 a.m. Whether hearing Mike from their homes or while making the drive to work, listeners in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Canada were sure to have their day brightened with his infectious laugh and ``Joke of the day.'' Mike's consistent service to his profession and his community stands out as a positive contribution to the field of radio, and is one in which he and his family can certainly take pride. For the rest of us, he will be sadly missed. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in thanking Mike for his dedication and wishing him the best.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Toomey).

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We have worked in the Committee on the Budget to put together a budget that funds the priorities laid out by the President in his State of the Union address, funding the war against terrorism, funding homeland security and getting the economy moving again, and what we have heard over the last 10 minutes here are a lot of scare tactics. First and foremost, the suggestion that Social Security taxes paid are not credited to the Social Security Trust Fund. That simply is not true and it is outrageous to scare the American people, let alone to scare someone who is on Social Security today, by suggesting otherwise. We have heard a lot of discussion about the Social Security surplus. Well, let us look at the budgets that the minority voted against in past years, setting aside the Social Security surplus, paying off $450 billion in debt, and that is one of the reasons we start from a strong foundation. The suggestion that the Social Security Trust Fund balances are changed one iota because of any tax relief legislation that was passed last year is completely false and misleading. We have put together a budget that funds our economy, encourages investments for small businesses and technology and equipment, strengthens agriculture, funds our highway priorities and keeps the economy moving forward, and I think those are the right priorities. To criticize the budget without offering any alternative, without offering any other proposal is simply wrong, and those on the other side that voted against the tax relief package last year that would want to repeal it this year in increased taxes, I think are headed in the wrong direction. Those on the other side that would want to cut defense spending are headed in the wrong direction. We funded the right priorities. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), someone who has worked hard and probably understands Social Security better than anyone else in this Chamber.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht).

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, when we set out to put together this budget, our goal was to put together a strong wartime budget, a budget that met the priorities laid out by the President during his State of the Union Address, to fund and win the war on terrorism, to fund our homeland security needs, and to get our economy moving again after the attacks on September 11 and the impact it has had on our economy and not just in Washington and New York but across the country. We worked hard to put together a budget plan that meets these priorities and in particular on the economy, putting together a budget that lays the groundwork for strong economic growth not just as we move forward in the year but out 2 years, 5 years and 10 years. We put together a budget that fully funded the worker protection act signed by the President earlier this year, extending unemployment benefits and giving businesses, large and small, incentives to invest in new technology, new productivity, accelerating the depreciation that they could take. We have got to remember that jobs are not created here in Washington by legislators. Jobs are created by entrepreneurs and risk- takers and investors. In my home State of New Hampshire, over 60 percent of the jobs come from small businesses. By giving them that incentive to invest, we give them the opportunity to create jobs for others. We made a commitment to implement a national energy strategy to reduce our dependence on oil imports from the Middle East and from overseas. We made a commitment to invest in roads and infrastructure, something that the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure spoke about with the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) during a colloquy earlier. We made a commitment to pass a strong farm bill and included that in the budget. We made a commitment to expand opportunities to export American- manufactured products overseas, expand trade and strengthen our economy. We will hear and have heard a lot of criticism about this budget proposal, but let us remember a few things. If someone wants to change this bill, if someone is criticizing this bill, the spending levels and the priorities, you have got three choices: you can raise taxes to fund those priorities, and I do not think in this economy we should be raising taxes; you can cut defense and homeland security funding to put into a particular domestic initiative, and I think that would be a grave mistake in this environment as we have made a commitment to win the war on terrorism; or you can increase the deficits. Those are your only three choices. We will hear a lot of scare tactics about Social Security, but let us step back a little bit. The budgets that were opposed by the other side of the aisle over each of the last 4 years, let us look at what they have done. We have paid down over $450 billion in debt. Never have we put public debt as a percentage of our economy at such a low level. And the scare tactics on Social Security, let us look at where the Social Security trust funds are, with and without the tax relief legislation passed last year. The balances in the Social Security trust funds have not been changed one penny. Do we need to take up legislation to strengthen Social Security? I believe we do. Do we need to fund a prescription drug benefit for Medicare? Absolutely. And we have committed to doing just that. In this budget, there is $350 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit that is voluntary, that is affordable, that makes a difference for seniors around the country. We have increased special education funding, something very important to schools in New Hampshire, to a record level. And we have funded $2.6 billion in veterans health benefits and also funded concurrent receipt legislation. This is a budget that sets good priorities, that I think sets the right priorities; but that does not mean we have not had to make some tough choices. But in not presenting a budget plan, the other side has defaulted on their willingness to make those choices or to set priorities. We heard some discussion about a potential substitute calling for a mid-session review and better CBO scoring. That is not an alternative. That is not a different set of priorities. We need a budget and we need vision. That is what this committee has offered.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gary G. Miller).

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, I rise to the floor today to honor some very important people in the lives of New Hampshire's children--teachers. I am proud to recognize the accomplishments of nine recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. These nine recipients are now candidates for the national award. Like all teachers, they are hard working and dedicated to their students. They instill curiosity and drive to explore ideas and concepts that will help their students in the classroom and throughout their academic pursuits. The teachers are recognized for their professional performance and for significantly improving their students' understanding of science and mathematics. The recipients are science and math teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools from all across New Hampshire. I applaud each one of them for their hard work. In science, the recipients are: Deborah Morill Bates, of Bluff Elementary School, in Claremont; Laura Elise Dreyer, of McKelvie Middle School, in Bedford; Diane Barbara Savage, of Nashua Senior High School, in Nashua; and Dennis Paul Vienneau, of Moultonborough Academy, in Moultonborough. In mathematics, the recipients are: Catherine Stavenger, of Memorial Elementary School, in Bedford; Janet Christina Valeri, of Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, in Nashua; Terry Reginald Bailey, of Pinkerton Academy, in Derry; Catherine Brownrigg Burns, of McKelvie Middle School, in Bedford; and Dianne Jaye Klabechek, of Belmont Middle School, in Belmont. On behalf of your students, your schools, and your state, I salute you.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, when America's freedom is threatened, Americans respond. And in the hours that have followed the horrific attacks of Tuesday morning, our Nation has done just that, and done it in ways that bring forth deep emotions of patriotism and gratitude and humility. Humanitarian assistance has poured forth from across the country, thousands have enlisted as volunteers, and funds have been made available to help recover and to help rebuild. Tonight we take the next step in responding to this great challenge. The resolution before us will place a unified Congress behind the Commander in Chief and send a clear message to America's enemies. We must authorize and we must employ all necessary force to protect our Nation against this terrorist threat and to destroy the capability of those who would wage future attacks. We know the challenge is great, but the cause of preserving our freedom demands no less. In doing so, we ensure that although our Nation never sought this conflict, we will end it in a way and in an hour of our choosing.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, America was besieged by images of tragedy and horror as we witnessed an attack on the very heart of the freedom which we hold so dear. Today, the Nation and the world are besieged by emotion: disbelief, anger, and enormous sorrow. We mourn the loss of thousands, and grieve for the families, friends, and communities that have lost so much. As Chaplain Coughlin told us through prayer this morning, ``Yesterday changed the world, and today we are changed.'' We will meet this change and this challenge united--knowing that our freedom is our greatest strength and knowing that in our resolve to protect freedom, we will not fail.

Mr. SUNUNU

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, again, the previous speaker I think made clear the difference in the debate, arguing from the extreme that no exploration, no utilization of this Nation's resources, no drilling anywhere could be considered environmentally sound, environmentally safe; no limitation of footprint would be enough. I think it this is a reasonable amendment, and I will read from it directly. It ensures that the maximum of acreage covered by production and support facilities, including air strips and areas covered by gravel, berms, or piers, does not exceed 2,000 acres. I believe that the gentleman from Massachusetts will stand and display his map again. That map depicts the 1.5 million acres of the coastal plain area. 2,000 acres represents one-tenth of one percent of that area. Now, it is not necessarily contiguous area, but the map that he showed earlier, the map that he will show again, represents a swath that is easily 100,000 acres, perhaps 200,000 acres. It is not one- tenth of one percent of the area on his map. I think that does a disservice to the quality of the debate in the House here. I think it does a disservice to the importance of striking a balance in any energy policy we pursue. This is a complex issue. If it had an easy, simple solution, the previous administration would have put in place a sound energy policy. They did not. The chairman has worked hard to bring together four disparate bills striking a balance between conservation, renewable energy, as well as investment in new sources and supply and efficiency. I urge my colleagues to support the underlying bill and support this important limiting amendment.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman if he means to suggest in any way, shape or form that the pink-shaded area in his diagram is representative of an area equal to 2,000 acres given the scale of the map?

Mr. SUNUNU. Reclaiming my time, I am not arguing that that is a Department of Interior map. I am asking you if the pink shaded area is 2,000 acres. I think, given the scale of that map, the answer is clearly no. The pink shaded area probably represents at least half a million acres, if not more, given the scale of that map. I suggest it is misleading. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson).

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rehberg).

Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton). (Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)