John Salazar

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the effort to defeat the previous question. If the previous question is defeated, my bill, H.R. 1330, the Social Security Trust Funds Protection Act, will be brought before the House for debate and a vote. My bill would ensure that Social Security payroll contributions cannot be diverted to establish private accounts. I know that people say that Social Security was not meant to be the only source of retirement income, but the sad reality is that for too many people it is the only source of retirement. Amelia Valdez from Pueblo, Colorado, gave me this photograph about 2 weeks ago. As she gave it to me, she looked up into my eyes with tears as she said, ``This is a photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act in 1935. Please hang it in your office as a reminder.'' She continued and said, ``Please do not let them dismantle my only source of income.'' In rural America, Social Security keeps tens of thousands of people from falling into poverty. My Democratic colleagues and I are committed to keeping our promises to American workers. We will fight to strengthen Social Security so that American worker gets the benefits that they were promised. Creating private accounts will only hasten the demise of Social Security by draining trillions of dollars from the Social Security Trust Fund. We cannot forget the lessons that we learned from Enron. A retirement fund that relies on the stock market is simply not a secure benefit. The proposal to privatize Social Security would mean a 40 percent cut in benefits. It simply does not make sense to change the Social Security system program so that it cuts benefits. The first step towards saving Social Security is to make sure that the payroll moneys are only used to pay Social Security benefits. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so that we can protect the retirement security of every American.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of our troops serving overseas and H.R. 1268. I would first like to recognize Mr. Lewis, Mr. Obey and the Appropriations Committee for their work on this bill. This past weekend, Colorado welcomed home the 143rd Signal Company of the Colorado Army National Guard. We honor the sacrifices these men and women have made and welcome them home. We must ensure the safety and well being of the brave men and women who are still serving our country overseas. By passing this budget supplemental, we send a message to our troops that, ``we support you in your cause to bring freedom and democracy to the world.'' I commend the committee for proposing to increase funding for vehicle armor kits, new trucks and night vision equipment above and beyond the administration's request. This money will ensure our troops are safe in the line of fire. I am also very pleased that H.R. 1268 proposes to increase benefits for military personnel. For too long, life insurance and death gratuity benefits have not been enough to take care of families who lost a loved one. I urge my colleagues to support these two important provisions and not allow them to be stripped from the bill. Although I will be voting for this supplemental, I hope in the future we will not have to vote for supplemental appropriations. I hope in the future we will vote on the funding of military operations during the budgeting process. We are dealing with known and fixed costs in this supplemental. It is time for the Congress to send a message to the Administration that we must include future funding for the war on terrorism in the federal budget. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support our troops and pass H.R. 1268. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. Chairman, first, I want to take a moment and commend the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Edwards, Ranking Member Obey, Chairman Lewis and the Committee on Appropriations for bringing this supplemental appropriation to the floor so quickly. This legislation is extremely important to the lives of servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. As many of my colleagues know, Las Vegas is home to the Nellis Air Force base and many of the men and women stationed there have been sent overseas. Over 1,000 Nevada reservists and National Guard members have been called to active duty. I have spoken to the parents and families of our men and women who have fallen in the line of duty and I am acutely aware of family conflicts which are exacerbated by the death of a servicemember. Therefore, I have serious concerns regarding the application of the Servicemember's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) spousal consent requirements in section 1113(b) of the emergency supplemental bill. This section requires a married servicemember to purchase a particular level of life insurance and to list their spouse as the beneficiary, unless the spouse consents otherwise. At first blush, this proposal sounds great- until you think about it. This ``one size fits all'' approach could result in the one-time payment of $400,000 to a spouse, at the expense of a servicemember's wishes and the best interest of his orphaned children. We must remember that not all married servicemembers have the same types of families and relationships with their spouses. Imagine a servicemember who is married to a man with a serious drug problem. This servicewoman may prefer to name their children as the beneficiaries of her life insurance policy so that in the event of her death, the insurance is spent on he children's school, clothes, and health care. Not her husband's cocaine addiction. I do not believe that this woman should have to receive permission from her husband to name her children as the beneficiaries of her life insurance policy and that the government should be forcing her to do so. Consider a serviceman who has minor children from a prior marriage. He may want his children to receive the monies, instead of his current wife. A man who wants to be responsible and take care of his children in the event of his death, should not be prevented from doing so. But the spousal consent provision in the emergency supplemental may do just that. Current law allows a servicemember to designate 50% of his life insurance policy to a spouse and the rest to a child. This flexibility has given servicemembers the opportunity to properly take care of their families upon their deaths, no matter what kind of family situation they have. The Military Officers Association of America originally supported the provision, but now recognizes that the language is excessively stringent. The organization now supports striking the requirement for spousal consent. I would like to insert in the record a letter from MOAA and a similar letter from The Military Coalition. Mr. Chairman, the potential of this provision to require that a large one time payment be made to the legal spouse of a deceased servicemember could have serious ramifications for the servicemember's children. It needs to be reconsidered in that light. I do not want to delay passage of this important bill, since it contains many important and urgent provisions. I trust that the conferees will be able to address this issue in conference. Military Officers Association of America, March 11, 2005. Hon. Steve Buyer, Chairman, Committee on Veterans Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: On behalf of the 370,000 members of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), I am writing to inform you that, after discussing the issue extensively with the Committee's majority and minority staff, MOAA has reconsidered its position on the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) spousal consent requirement, as included in the Appropriations Committee's markup of the FY2005 Defense Supplemental Appropriations Act. We believe there is merit to the staff's view that the Appropriations Committee's language is excessively stringent and could inappropriately preclude servicemembers' ability to make reasonable insurance decisions--especially in circumstances where it may be reasonable and appropriate for a member to designate children as beneficiaries instead of the current spouse. MOAA believes Congress is doing the right thing in expediting passage of improved death benefits coverage in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, and we have no wish to slow that process in any way. Therefore, MOAA urges your support for a floor amendment that would either substitute a provision requiring spousal notification (instead of spousal consent) or strike the spousal consent requirement to allow the Committee to develop more appropriate language that could be offered in conference or another appropriate legislative venue. Sincerely, Steven P. Strobridge, Colonel, USAF (Ret), Director, Government Relations.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Transportation Equity Act and urge swift passage of the measure. I would like to recognize the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), as well as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), for their leadership in this historic bill. Over the past couple of months I visited across the Third Congressional District of Colorado. From Grand Junction down to Durango and across the mountain to Pueblo, it is clear that rural America cannot afford to wait any longer. For too long, Coloradans have put more money into the Highway Trust Fund than we have gotten out of it. As a Member of Congress, I have sworn to make sure Colorado receives its fair share of Federal tax dollars. I am pleased with the progress that has been made on the rate-of- return issue. I thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), for coming up to compromise on this important issue. This funding is necessary to invest back in our own infrastructure. Increased truck traffic from I-70 and I-25 all throughout my district has put additional strain on the infrastructure already at capacity and in need of much improvement. Many of us view TEA-LU as an investment, as a stimulus for economic development and agree that we should have a higher funding level. But the reality of the budget constraints have hit hard. Rural communities have suffered most. This legislation is a fair solution, a compromise with the total of $284 billion in guaranteed funding, a 42-percent increase over the previous bill. With this new funding, we will create and protect millions of U.S. jobs within the transportation sector and related industries. It will allow us to direct critical resources to improve highways, roadways, and other forms of transit. In Colorado alone, nearly 75 percent of the current interstate system was built before 1970, but our population has increased by 37 percent over the past decade, and we are projected to increase another 35 percent by the year 2020. Now is the time for us to start investing in the infrastructure that will bring and support growth. TEA-LU is a bill that will touch people at all levels. It is about connecting communities. It is about ensuring that trade flows across this country and benefits rural communities. I urge my colleagues to support the development of rural America and passage of this bill.

Mr. SALAZAR

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Army Private First Class George Geer, who was killed in the line of duty while serving his country honorably in Iraq. Each day our men and women willingly face unknown dangers as part of the effort to promote peace and democracy throughout the world. Their individual stories of honor and courage must not be forgotten. George Geer was from Cortez, Colorado. On January 17, 2005, Pfc. George Geer was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq. He made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He was 27 years old. My heart goes outs to George's parents, Harold and Lois, and to his sister, Hope. They too have sacrificed for our Nation. I am humbled by their strength and perseverance in the face of such hardship. Pfc. George Geer died performing the most noble of deeds, serving and protecting his Nation and fellow countrymen. George and his family have exhibited a rare form of selflessness and courage. I submit this recognition to the U.S. House of Representatives in honor of their sacrifice so that Mr. George Geer may live on in memory.