Allyson Schwartz

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the Holmesburg Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on celebrating its 100th Anniversary. I am proud that the Holmesburg Library has served the people of my district as a lending library since June 26, 1907. The Holmesburg Library was named for Thomas Holme, who was granted the land that eventually became the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, in payment for his services as Surveyor General to William Penn. The Holmesburg Library began its development in the late 1800's, first as a subscription library and then becoming a free library in 1899 upon entering into an agreement with the Free Library of Philadelphia. In 1906, Andrew Carnegie, industrialist and philanthropist, donated funds for a new library building which opened on June 26, 1907. Andrew Carnegie's philosophy was that education is the key to life and that all people should have access to information through free local libraries. The red brick library building sits on the main commercial avenue that defines the Mayfair neighborhood. Built in the Carnegie style with front steps leading up to a decorative and welcoming entrance, both the main and children's reading rooms maintain the integrity of the original architectural design to this day. The Holmesburg librarians and staff work diligently to maintain the library as a hub of learning and community activity. Currently housing a collection of over 35,000 books and media as well as computers with Internet access for public use, the library has year-round programs that engage children and adults in lifelong learning pursuits, some in cooperation with local corporations and civic groups. Programs for youth include homework assistance, computer literacy, library skills, multicultural enrichment, and ``Science in the Summer.'' Adult programming includes reading enjoyment, how-to seminars on gardening, and other topics of interest. Family programming includes movie nights for everyone's enjoyment. The volunteer Friends of Holmesburg Library sustain outreach, advocacy and fundraising activities to strengthen the library's presence in the community. Their most recent venture is the planting of a Children's Reading Garden to be dedicated at the Library's 100th birthday celebration on June 20, 2007. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating Holmesburg Library's 100th anniversary milestone, and wish them many more years of community enrichment and service.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. My own State, Pennsylvania, is in the forefront of science and medicine. Our hospitals, medical schools, biotechnology and pharmaceutical institutions are home to some of the best and brightest scientists who are working every day to provide new medicines and diagnostics. These scientists need access to all of the tools available to do their vitally important work. The science is clear. Stem cell research offers hope for better treatments and possible cures for cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and so many other debilitating diseases and disorders that directly affect 100 million Americans and their families. Yet President Bush continues to let politics, not science, not the health and well-being of American families, and not the will of the majority of Americans dictate his decision-making. American families want cures, not politics. They want hope, not lost opportunities. That is why it is so important that we are, again, bringing this proposal to the floor of Congress. Today, with bipartisan support, Congress will again seek to offer hope to millions of Americans battling disease and injury. Today, Congress will, once again, vote to maintain the United States' stance as a world leader in medical research and scientific advancement. And today, we will stand up to the President and, again, choose to advance scientific discovery in an ethical and responsible manner. I urge my colleagues to support ethical scientific research and to support hope. We should vote ``yes'' on this rule. We should vote ``yes'' on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. If the gentleman will yield, I think the way you put it, I wanted to just echo that. What trade agreements really are are setting the rules. I think you are right. There has been, I hear it, I think we all hear it. We go in our districts and people say trade is ruining us. Yet many of those same people work in companies that sell products overseas and are proud of the work that they do. They realize how specialized, how important the work is that we do, and how we often are still setting the standards in the world marketplace. But the reason to set these rules and to set the rules as strongly as we can, and we are setting them now, it doesn't mean they won't be changed at some point. They may need some tweaking, which is why you renegotiate these agreements. They don't go on forever. It is a dynamic marketplace we are in. But it also means we can then go enforce those rules. And when we see lack of enforcement, I understand that frustration. I have businesses come to me, and I have tried to advocate on their behalf to say, wait a minute, it is in the rules, and we are unfairly disadvantaged. Is there something we can do? Sometimes there is. We have seen dumping of steel. We are concerned about currency manipulation in China. These are complicated issues. In some ways, I am learning some of them myself. But the fact is there are such different systems in these different countries, and we need to recognize that. But there are so many nations now that want to have a capitalist system and be able to have private investment and to be able to compete with us. At the same time there are very different rules in some of these countries, so we have to have a mechanism for interpreting what is fair and what is not. That is part of the reason we do these trade agreements. So if there is unfair manipulation, if there is dumping and State support for a company that makes it very difficult for us to compete, we have the rights within these agreements to bring forward those complaints and to have a fair hearing.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I know we're concluding our hour, but I just think that's a great note, as New Democrats, for us to end on. It is important for us to move forward on these trade agreements. I think all of us would say this is a major breakthrough for the Democrats to see this kind of labor and environmental standards and kind of enforcement and commitment to do that. But the real question is, this is just a piece of the puzzle. This is only one part of it, and we're committed to a much broader agenda of making sure our young people are prepared for the future, that some of our slightly older people also have the enormous opportunities for new directions for them as well, and that our businesses can be competitive. So we've a lot of work to do to making sure that our tax policy and our trade policy and our education and health care policies and energy policies all contribute to making sure that America has that economic capacity and opportunity for all of our people.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I thank Congressman Joe Crowley from New York, who has been a leader in the New Democratic Coalition. He has really been, as a member of both the coalition and of the Ways and Means Committee, as I am, really out front and really working to make sure that we are as economically competitive as we need to be in this country. And that means all American workers being given new opportunities. And that really does involve making sure that we get these trade agreements right. So I want to thank the Congressman, and thank him for asking me to join him this evening. What I want to do is to add my words, some of them will be similar, I share some of the same feelings you do, about how important it is for us as new Democrats to participate and to push to make sure that we get trade policies in this country that, in fact, are committed to advancing sustainable and responsible trade between ourselves and the rest of the world. We recognize that this is a new day in the way we work. It is a global marketplace. We need to recognize that, we need to recognize these new marketplaces. I, too, want to recognize our leadership on the Democratic side, Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Rangel and Sander Levin, who really are absolutely committed to doing these trade agreements differently and bringing a Democratic perspective to some of the goals and ambitions that we have for our constituents and for the American people to really try and do things differently. But let me also say that I understand very clearly, as I think all of us do here in Congress, that the new global economy has created real challenges for American businesses, for American workers, for American consumers and for American families, and that we need to do things differently in the 21st century. We need to recognize the competition that we are in, and we need to do a number of different things. Trade agreements are one piece of what we have to do, and do them in a way that recognizes how difficult this issue is for so many Americans. But it is not all we are going to do. So we are going to talk specifically about trade this evening, but I think as you started to speak to towards the ends of our remarks, the fact is as New Democrats, and I hope for all of us in Congress, we need to work together to make sure that Americans are well prepared for the jobs of the 21st century, and that means investing in education, demanding more from our educational systems, demanding access to higher education and job training. It means making sure that people displaced by globalization, by the changing marketplace, have access to continuing education and job training, and that they are trained for jobs that are family-sustaining, that help them be able to do all they want to do for their families, and that we help American businesses be as innovative and as technologically advanced as they possibly can. Our support as New Democrats for research and development, for ways and means, for tax credits that help advance the use of technology in our businesses and to make sure that we are competitive are all things that we need to do, in addition to making sure that our trade policies are really going to work for American businesses and American workers. You went into some detail, and I think that was important, but let me certainly say that what we have done and what has been put forward by Chairman Rangel and by Congressman Sandy Levin really is an enormous change over the agreements that we have seen in the last 6 years in particular. I want to say I am very proud of the fact that they held really firmly on putting forward, making sure that we and other nations really meet international labor standards. They were missing in our trade agreements. If we are going to bring up the standards of workers in other countries, if we are going to be able to compete with workers and businesses in other countries, we need to have them make a commitment to those ILO standards, to the international labor standards. We also stood firmly on making sure we were going to demand that other nations work on environmental protections. That means when we are dealing with Peru, we are talking about logging and making sure that they meet commitments. Of course, we will need to make sure on an ongoing basis that language that is written in these trade agreements is enforced. It does not help us to write good language, although that is the first step; we must make sure there is an enforcement. I think many Democrats, and I hope that it is true for all of us, are concerned about the lack of enforcement that has gone on in the last 6 years. I myself have raised some of those questions in the Ways and Means Committee hearings. So we are not finished by any means, even by speaking tonight. This is a broad template. We are referring to it as a new trade policy for America. But we feel very strongly, I certainly do, that we have made an enormous step forward here in making sure of the trade agreements, and we expect the template to be first used in our pending agreements with Panama and Peru. There are obstacles and other issues that have to be dealt with in our trade agreements. This is just part of the special ones that often have to be dealt with. They certainly will be with Colombia, with South Korea, that are not spoken to in this template that will be very specific.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. I just want to make a point here that when you talk about lifting up, I want to make sure that people understand what trade agreements really are about. This is not the foreign aid bill, and we will discuss it in another moment, and I think there's important work that we do through some of that. This is also saying to the countries, if you're going to be our trading partner, you have to allow certain labor standards. Some of them are really very well known. We'll not allow child labor or slave labor. But we're also saying that your workers have a right to organize, have a right to bargain, and to be able to have workers in some countries that have not had this opportunity to be able to band together. We know how important it is, as part of our own history continues to be in speaking up on behalf of workers and making sure they're paid fairly and treated fairly, that our rules are fair.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Exactly. We know there's a huge struggle. So part of what we're saying is if you're going to be our trading partner, then there's certain expectations about the way you treat people, and that is true in the workplace. And once we're partners, there are also broader issues, of course, about human rights and about rule of law, and, you know, we have some deep concerns about this as well. And this becomes sometimes complicated, but having that trade agreement often allows the beginning debate and engages us to be able to make, in some ways, some of these other expectations for themselves and for us as well to be part of the world community, to be part of the world economy. And part of it is we don't want our own people to be disadvantaged, but because we understand they have a right to organize, they have a right to speak up, and if we have some kind of engagement with them, then their standard of living will improve and, of course, hopefully their human rights.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. We spoke before about all of the other things that we need to do to ensure that our businesses and workers are fairly able to compete and excel. One of the other things that I was going to say is that when we look at these new environmental standards, it also creates opportunities for American businesses. We have been speaking in a different context about the way we are going to create more energy-efficient businesses and products. And I am sure you have been visited, as I have been visited, by entrepreneurs across this country who have great ideas and are trying to move to market with solar and wind and biofuels and are ready to go. When you think about these other countries that are trying to move very quickly to gear up and create new businesses, they are going to be looking for that technology and they are going to be looking for the scientists and the engineers. Hopefully, we will do a little patent protection and intellectual property protection, but this is where America has been so great, have that innovation and be on the cutting edge to do the very next thing that will then be bought by not only other American companies, but by other nations' companies as well. I think there is a hunger across this globe for that kind of interaction and cooperation. Market working, that is really what this is about, and trade capacity. So what this does, and it is not the end-all and be-all. I think that is something we want the American people to understand. These are trade agreements, some of the rules and trying to make sure that it is fair for American businesses and American workers, and then are enforced. But we have a lot of other work to do on education and health care and research and development and some of our tax laws to, in fact, make sure that we can compete and it is fair. But I think we, as new Democrats, in particular, are very excited about this challenge. It is scary. We hear from families who are committed to making some of those other changes, particularly in trade assistance adjustment. I think we will. So we recognize how difficult this is. There have been certainly some serious bumps, and those are very, very hard for families. But we also have seen businesses grow and thrive and we have seen individual workers go on to do remarkable work as well. That is what we are trying to do with not just the trade agreements, but with all of the work that we are trying to do in here in the Congress.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Budget Committee, I first want to recognize the leadership of Chairman Spratt. It is under his leadership that we have a budget before us that is both responsible and attentive to America's priorities. It reaches balance in 5 years, and it does so without raising taxes, and it meets our obligations while making important investments in America's future. First, it provides for our national defense. It targets resources to the most urgent military and security concerns, including implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Second, our budget honors our commitment to our servicemen and women. It provides funding that will enable the Veterans Administration to provide for the increasing needs of our veterans. Third, our budget recognizes the priorities of hardworking Americans. It provides tax relief to middle-income families by fixing the AMT, extending lower tax rates, and continuing the earned income and child tax credits. And it expands SCHIP to provide health coverage to 7 million uninsured children in this country of middle-income families. Fourth, our budget enhances our Nation's economic competitiveness and makes key investments to ensure that our future workforce has the education and skills needed to compete in the global economy. Our budget is fiscally disciplined. It ends the unsustainable borrow- and-spend policies of the last 6 years, and it balances the budget in 5 years, setting us on a course to pay down our debt while meeting our Nation's obligations. We should all be proud of this budget. It is a new direction, and it is the right direction for America.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in support of the COPS Improvement Act. Created by President Clinton, COPS grants have successfully put 117,000 police officers in our neighborhoods. The formula is simple-- more cops means safer streets and more secure neighborhoods. As a result of this tough-on-crime policy, our nation experienced a significant drop in crime rates throughout the 1990s. Unfortunately, last year the Republican-led Congress completely eliminated funding for this highly successful initiative. It is no coincidence that when federal funds for COPS grants dried up, violent crime rates escalated. For example, last year the City of Philadelphia experienced a nine-year high in homicides, claiming 406 lives. This shamefully high number of homicides included my constituent, Police Officer Gary Skerski, who was shot while responding to a robbery. Last week was the one-year anniversary of Officer Skerski's death, and we must not forget the sacrifices that he and the other officers have made to protect their communities. That is why I am pleased that the Democratic Majority is taking steps to restore funding for COPS grants. As a result of this bill, we will put 50,000 new officers on our nation's streets, provide local law enforcement with additional tools and resources to combat crime, and better ensure that criminals are put behind bars. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, and the National Sheriffs' Association. These men and women serve our constituents every day, and they rely on us to support them with necessary equipment and resources for essential personnel.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, last year U.S. foreign oil imports climbed to a record level of 66 percent. American families are paying a record $3.09 a gallon on average for regular gasoline, more than double the cost of gasoline when President Bush took office. For 6 years now, the President has failed to address these costs or our Nation's energy needs. Yesterday, under pressure to finally do something, President Bush announced an executive order to develop regulations to lower vehicle emissions before he leaves office in 2009. This is too little, too late. The administration has had 6 years to act, and they have failed. They failed to address the energy concerns of our Nation while giving big tax breaks to the oil and gas industry. Fortunately, we have a new Democratic Congress that is going to lead our Nation towards energy independence. We are determined to find ways to be more energy efficient, to bring new, safer, less expensive, homegrown sources of energy to American families and American businesses, and we will start now by bringing a comprehensive energy bill to the House floor in July that will drive down costs and meet our Nation's future energy needs.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. As a Member of the Budget Committee, I am proud of the 2008 budget that we sent to conference committee this week. Our budget is a responsible one, and it is attentive to America's priorities. First, our budget honors our commitment to our service men and women. It provides funding that will enable our veterans' health system to meet increasing needs. Second, our budget recognizes the priorities of hard-working Americans. It provides tax relief to middle-income families by fixing the AMT, extending lower tax rates, and continuing the earned income and child tax credits. And it expands SCHIP to provide health coverage to 7 million children of middle-income families who are currently uninsured. Third, our budget enhances our Nation's economic competitiveness. It makes key investments to ensure our future workforce has the education and skills needed to compete in the global economy. Our budget is fiscally disciplined. It ends the unsustainable ``borrow-and-spend'' policies of the last 6 years. And it balances the budget in 5 years, setting us on a course to pay down our debt while meeting our obligations. We should all be proud of this budget. It is a new direction; it is the right direction for America.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Sowing the Seeds through Science and Engineering Research Act. By cultivating the Nation's next generation of skilled scientists and researchers who are in the early stages of their careers, the House-passed plan will better ensure that our Nation educates the best and the brightest young people to be scientists and engineers. I firmly believe that leadership and innovation is absolutely necessary for the United States to maintain its competitive advantage in the increasingly global marketplace. My own home district in southeastern Pennsylvania is a leader in the field of biotechnology. I have seen the economic and social benefits of innovation and technology in science and engineering. Science, research and biotechnology industries attract highly skilled workers and offer them good wages and benefits. These innovators and the businesses they are creating in my home district make us competitive in this global marketplace. Most importantly, they are developing new treatments, medicines, vaccines, that are improving the quality of life for people around the world. As the sister of a dedicated scientist and the mother of a young medical researcher, I recognize the need to support the work of highly skilled scientists whose work is on the cutting edge of research and development. Madam Speaker, the ``Sowing the Seeds Through Science and Engineering Research Act'' will help ensure that we encourage and train highly skilled scientists in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. I am proud to have supported its passage.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, the United States is the world's leading, industrial Nation. We are the wealthiest Nation in the world, and we are a country at the cutting edge of medicine and health care, leading the world in discovery of new medicines, treatments and methods of care. Yet we are a Nation that, despite spending the most per capita on health care, has some of the highest rates of infant mortality, the lowest rates of life expectancy, and the highest proportion of uninsured, when compared to other industrialized nations. We are a Nation where nearly 45 million Americans do not have health insurance. We are a Nation where over one-half of all uninsured are adults working full time, and we are a Nation where 9 million children are without health coverage. Too many Americans, too many hardworking families, too many children, are without care and they are suffering the consequences. Democrats believe something must be done, and Democrats will lead our Nation in a new direction. We have solutions to drive down the cost of care. We have a plan to expand health coverage opportunities for working families, for small businesses, and for the self-employed. We understand that we must provide Americans with access to affordable health care, and we will start with America's children. America's uninsured children are twice as likely to forego needed care. They are more likely to use costly emergency services for routine care, and they are more likely to miss school and to underperform, compared to their peers who have health coverage. America's uninsured children come from working families. Six million children have at least one parent who works full time. America's population of uninsured children is growing. Last year, for the first time since 1998, the number of uninsured children in our country has increased. This trend is alarming, it is unacceptable, and it cannot continue. That is why Democrats are committed to continuing and expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which is commonly known as SCHIP, by reauthorizing this initiative and dedicating an additional $50 billion over the next 5 years so that we can expand coverage to qualified families. This is a significant and wise investment, and it demonstrates that we as a Nation understand why health coverage matters for families, for the healthy development of children, and for the continued economic competitiveness of our Nation. More than 14 years ago, the Pennsylvania State legislature enacted legislation establishing one of the Nation's first state-supported public/private children's health insurance initiatives for children of working families. I authored this proposal and I championed its enactment. This is one of my proudest accomplishments in my years of public service. I am proud of this effort not only because it led to a dramatic increase in the access to care for Pennsylvania's children, but also because it inspired Federal action. Five years after Pennsylvania enacted its CHIP program, the U.S. Congress recognized that providing America's children health coverage is one of the most cost-effective worthwhile investments we can use as a Nation. So using Pennsylvania's law as a model, we enacted SCHIP. SCHIP has been an unqualified success, which is why the Democratic-led Congress wants to significantly strengthen it, and Governors like Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania want to expand it. Unfortunately, President Bush does not. The President's budget did not include funding to even maintain coverage for those children already enrolled in SCHIP. It would also severely restrict those children who qualify for SCHIP. At a time when there is broad bipartisan support for moving forward and expanding our efforts to cover more children, sadly the President wants to move us backwards and cover fewer children. Mr. Speaker, every child in America deserves access to health care. Our children deserve access to primary doctors who will help make sure that they enter school healthy and ready to learn, and that their hardworking parents deserve the ability to afford the insurance that provides for their care. We have a plan to insure all of America's children. I look forward to working with my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to enact this top priority for this Democratic Congress and for America's families.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the Wyndmoor Hose Company No.1 in Springfield Township, PA on celebrating its 100th Anniversary. Since 1907, volunteer firefighters have contributed their time, expertise, and in some cases, lives, to aid members of the Springfield community and surrounding areas. I am honored to represent them in Congress. In Philadelphia 271 years ago, Benjamin Franklin started the first fire department in America. Franklin's brigade, comprised entirely of volunteers, was dedicated to looking out for their neighbors. Today volunteers constitute 73 percent of all firefighters nationwide, and Franklin's proud tradition of volunteerism is being continued by the brave men and women of Wyndmoor Hose Company just a few miles from where it began. This fire company began as an in-house fire brigade for the Nelson Valve Company. Over the years it evolved from tin hats and push carts to a Company of highly trained and motivated individuals who have used their training in basic life support, firefighting, rescue, and hazardous materials containment to serve the public good everywhere from their own streets to Ground Zero in New York City after the attacks of September 11, 2001. In the densely populated region of Southeastern, P A, the Wyndmoor Hose Company protects residential areas, commercial businesses, professional offices, and industrial plants, including the United States Department of Agricultural research facility, and most importantly the lives of the residents of Pennsylvania's 13th District. As part of these efforts, Wyndmoor has also established an excellent reputation for conducting educational programming to teach children and families the importance of fire safety. Madam Speaker, once again I congratulate all of the volunteers of the Wyndmoor Hose Company for their service, dedication, and sacrifice. I look forward to continuing our work together and ensuring another 100 years of success, safety and security.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pennsylvania's newest National Historic Landmark--Temple Beth Sholom of Elkins Park. On April 4, 2007, Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne designated Beth Sholom as a National Historic Landmark, ensuring that it would be remembered for its importance in interpreting the heritage and history of our Nation. As the only synagogue in my State honored with this distinction, Beth Sholom is a source of pride for the people of Montgomery County, greater Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania. Founded in 1919, Beth Sholom was the first Philadelphia congregation to move to the region's suburbs in the 1950s. Today, the congregation has a membership of more than 1,000 families. Beth Sholom is also the only synagogue ever designed by America's renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Built between 1954 and 1959, Beth Sholom was constructed to represent two metaphors suggested by the congregation's then rabbi, Mortimer J. Cohen--a tent and Mt. Sinai--to convey the sense of a collective sacred space, To fulfill this vision, Mr. Wright designed the temple as a hexagon. When asked why he chose this shape for the temple, Mr. Wright is reported as saying, ``when one enters a place of worship he should feel as if he were resting in the very hands of God,'' Indeed, Beth Sholom is truly an awe-inspiring structure and worthy of its recognition as a National Historic Landmark. So, Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in saying ``Mazel Tov,'' to Beth Sholom's congregation, to express our collective congratulations, and wish them many more years of prosperity and success.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise as a member of the Budget Committee. I am now in my second term. There is a great contrast between what went on in the last 2 years when I was in the Budget Committee and this budget that is being presented. I want to compliment, first of all, on behalf of the people in my district, the 13th Congressional District in Pennsylvania, and as a proud American, to be able to do the right things fiscally, to be responsible, to compliment and congratulate Mr. Spratt for putting forward a budget that is fiscally disciplined and fiscally responsible. And it is very different than the budgets we saw presented by the President or that I have seen passed in my last 2 years in Congress. This budget is fiscally responsible, and it is a budget that is committed to new priorities for Americans, priorities that recognize the needs of the American families. This budget ends the Republicans unsustainable borrow-and-spend policies. One of the most irresponsible things we could do we have watched them do for the last 6 years, and that is, spend money we simply do not do not have, with no real expectation about how we are going to repay the debt that we have incurred. In the last 6 years, we have reached a point where we have, because of their borrow-and-spend priorities, an almost $9 trillion national debt. This budget will put our Nation on sounder financial footing. It won't correct everything because the fact is that you can't deal with an $8 trillion debt in 1 year, and we won't. But this budget does put us on sound fiscal footing, and that is something we should all be proud of and we should all support, both sides of the aisle, because what this budget does is it says that we are going to finally take responsibility to pay for what we spend and we are going to reach a balanced budget in 5 years. We are going to have some surplus at the end of that 5 years. We are going to be able to start paying down our debt that we would otherwise be leaving to our children and our grandchildren. And at the same time, we are going to do everything we possibly can to make sure that we spend a few extra dollars, take money other places, pay as you go, as we have talked about, to actually be able to put some more spending into education and health care and veterans' health. You have heard about some of that already this evening, Mr. Chairman, but we want to be absolutely clear that this budget requires any new Federal spending, including what we do this year, to be fully paid for, rather than left to future generations. It balances the Federal Government's checkbook within 5 years without raising taxes. It sets us on a course to pay down that debt and to pay for Social Security. It is committed to tax relief for hardworking Americans, particularly the middle class, and we are committed to do so in a way that is fiscally responsible by saying we will do it and we will pay for it. And we have asked our committees to take that seriously. I am on the Ways and Means Committee. We fully expect to deal with what would be an enormous tax increase on middle-class Americans, the alternative minimum tax, by not just patching it for 1 year, as the Republicans suggest and have been doing for 6 years, but by, in fact, fixing it permanently. This budget also, Mr. Chairman, and I want to emphasize this, recognizes the priorities of American families as they seek to meet their obligations, just as we should as the Federal Government. Fifteen years ago, a long time ago now, in 1992, I worked successfully as a Pennsylvania State Senator to start one of the Nation's first children's health insurance programs. We call it CHIP; the Federal Government calls it SCHIP. But as a result after 1992 to now, we have 150,000 children in Pennsylvania who have health insurance they wouldn't have had otherwise, private health insurance, and 4 percent of Pennsylvania children still don't have coverage. And nationwide, there are 7 million children across America who are uninsured. This is unacceptable. So let me just say, Mr. Chairman, this budget responds by dedicating resources to insure those children. So let me just say this budget is a win for America's children, and it is a win for America's family. It is a budget that values our Nation's future economic outlook. It balances the budget. It lays the future groundwork for prosperity for the future of this country. It gets us to a point where we can pay down our debt. This budget is a proposal that presents a new direction for America. We should all be for it. It is fiscally sound and makes that investment. I am proud to support this budget. We all should be.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Council Migration Service of Philadelphia on their 125th anniversary. Since 1882, HIAS and Council have resettled and aided over 125,000 immigrants and refugees in their quest for safety and opportunity in our great Nation. Originally formed to serve the Jewish community, this charitable organization provides vital social and legal services to individuals representing 100 nationalities. The work of HIAS and Council to ensure that refugees and immigrants assimilate, and become permanent residents and citizens, is truly commendable. As the largest provider of citizenship application assistance in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, HIAS and Council uphold our tradition as a Nation of immigrants. In honor of this special anniversary, HIAS and Council are posthumously paying tribute to Daniel Aaron. The Aaron family is among those who have been served by HIAS and Council. In 1937, as a child, Daniel came to the United States from Germany, overcoming many obstacles to become one of the founders of Comcast, a Fortune 100 company. My mother, Renee Perl, was one of many who had to flee their homeland during the Holocaust. Those who survived and came to America could not hide their deep gratitude and love for this country. My own love and respect for our country and belief in responsibility to each other stems from my mother's strong sense of patriotism. I am proud to represent such an exemplary organization as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Council Migration Service of Philadelphia, as well as so many Americans assisted by this organization.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow this body will vote on the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act. After 4 years of failed policies from the Bush administration, and absolutely no accountability demanded by the previous Republican-led Congresses, this body has the opportunity to say enough. We say enough to continuing the open-ended war with no end in sight. We say enough to giving away hard-earned taxpayer dollars to the Iraqi Government without any real mechanisms for accountability. We say enough to ignoring the will of the American people who have overwhelmingly demanded a new direction and a new course in Iraq. This week the Iraq war will enter its fifth year. It has already eclipsed the length of the U.S. participation in the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. More than 3,200 American heroes have paid the ultimate sacrifice, while more than 24,000 have been injured, and tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed, just as millions have been fleeing the country. Despite this immense sacrifice and hardship, the President's war strategy has not made the Middle East or our Nation safer. Today the Middle East is less stable than it was in 2003. An Iraq in chaos and an emboldened Iran has fundamentally changed the balance of power in the region in a way that undermines the security of our Nation and the entire region. The war has caused us to lose sight of the mission in Afghanistan where the Taliban is resurgent and Osama bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, and other key members of al Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for killing 3,000 Americans on 9/11, are still at large and still plotting against us. Our own National Intelligence Estimate tells us that the war in Iraq estimate has increased, and the threat of terrorism globally has increased. Just 2 weeks ago, I visited Iraq, and I met with the brave servicemen and -women. I deeply admire these individuals and their families. Out of pure selflessness and a profound love of our Nation, they have volunteered to serve. They do so humbly and honorably. The Bush administration owes them a strategy that is worthy of their sacrifice. When they failed to provide it, we must hold them accountable. Our Nation can no longer afford the failed policies put forward by President Bush. We must step forward, abandon the rubber-stamp policies of the previous Congress, and reassert our place as a coequal branch of government. Tomorrow we will have the opportunity to meet this obligation and put the administration on notice. The days of writing a blank check for the mistaken and mismanaged war are over. When we send our men and women into Iraq without the proper equipment, training and rest, as the President continues to, we expose them to greater danger. This legislation we will vote on tomorrow recognizes this fact by requiring the President to honor his own standards and the standards the Department of Defense has set for the troop readiness, training and equipment. When our own wounded warriors return to the United States, we as a Nation have an obligation to ensure that they are taken care of. There is simply no excuse for the deplorable conditions of neglect that our soldiers have faced at Walter Reed medical center. That is a national disgrace. This legislation addresses our veterans health care crisis by adding $1.7 billion to treat the growing number of veterans, to address the maintenance backlogs at the VA health care facilities, and to ensure a significant level of personnel to deliver quality services. This legislation recognizes that the only solution in Iraq is political and diplomatic. As General Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, has said: ``There was no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq.'' This legislation will hold the Iraqi Government accountable by requiring them to meet their own benchmarks for political progress. We are putting them on notice that they must take the political steps necessary to achieve stability, including disarming the militia and a plan that equally shares oil revenues around the country. We are also sending a strong clear message to the Bush administration that they must engage in tough diplomacy needed to ensure that Iraq's neighbors do not continue to undermine the efforts of our troops or they undermine the hope for stability in Iraq. Most significantly, this legislation will lead to the responsible end of our military engagement in Iraq through a phased redeployment of U.S. combat troops. Instead of continuing the President's policy of open-ended commitment, strategically redeploying combat troops from Iraq, while maintaining a small presence to train Iraqi troops and engage in counterterrorism operations is the most responsible strategy in Iraq. We will move our troops from direct engagement. It will require the Iraqis to protect Iraqis, and it will allow our Nation to be better prepared for other contingencies affecting the security of our Nation. Let there be no mistake: this is the President's war, and the President must be held accountable for its military and diplomatic failures. With this vote, we are demanding that the President meet his obligations to our men and our women and to our Nation. With this vote, we are fulfilling our promise to the American people that we set a new direction in Iraq. And, with this vote we are putting forward the leadership needed to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible conclusion and bring our troops home.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member McCrery for proving that the Ways and Means Committee can work in a bipartisan way to extend needed relief to our Nation's small businesses. I am particularly pleased that this bill--the first to be acted upon by the committee since I became a member--includes a provision that closely mirrors the Veterans Employment and Respect Act. which was the first legislative proposal I introduced upon being elected to Congress in 2005. Section 2 of the bill before us today extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include veterans who have developed a service-related disability and who have been discharged or released since September 11, 2001. Our military service men and women deserve our utmost respect during their active service, and our support and assistance during the sometimes difficult transition back into civilian life. One key component of a successful transition is the opportunity to gain meaningful employment in the private sector. Incentives designed to encourage employers to hire some of the newest veterans--many of whom are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan--will better enable these men and women to make a smooth return to civilian life. I offer my appreciation to the Chairman and Ranking Member for including this important provision and for making additional changes to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit that will ensure more businesses are able to take advantage of it and, as a result, positively impact the lives of our disabled veterans and citizens seeking gainful employment after a period of unemployment, welfare assistance, or disability.

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member McCrery for proving that the Ways and Means Committee can work in a bipartisan way to extend needed relief to our nation's small businesses. I am particularly pleased that this bill--the first to be acted upon by the committee since I became a member--includes a provision that closely mirrors the Veterans Employment and Respect Act, which was the first legislative proposal I introduced upon being elected to Congress in 2005. Section 2 of the bill before us today extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include veterans who have developed a service-related disability and who have been discharged or released since September 11, 2001. Our military service men and women deserve our utmost respect during their active service, and our support and assistance during the sometimes difficult transition back into civilian life. One key component of a successful transition is the opportunity to gain meaningful employment in the private sector. Incentives designed to encourage employers to hire some of the newest veterans--many of whom are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan--will better enable these men and women to make a smooth return to civilian life. I offer my appreciation to the Chairman and Ranking Member for including this important provision and for making additional changes to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit that will ensure more businesses are able to take advantage of it. This will positively impact the lives of our disabled veterans and citizens seeking gainful employment after a period of unemployment, welfare assistance, or disability.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, on Monday morning of this week I had the opportunity to recognize and honor 53 elderly widows of veterans of World War II and the Korean War. The sacrifices of that Great Generation are legendary, and they are a reminder of the sacrifice of the current generation of our military men and women who have heeded the call to service in defense of our Nation. Their patriotism, their willingness to put themselves in harm's way, possibly to pay the ultimate price for our Nation, should give us all pause. So, Mr. Speaker, I stand here with deep gratitude and respect for the sacrifices of all of our troops, but especially for the 3,124 Americans killed in Iraq and those tens of thousands injured. I stand here with great sympathy for the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, whose loss is irreplaceable. I stand here tonight firmly and strongly in support of this resolution, in support of the troops, and in opposition to the President's escalation of our military involvement in the war in Iraq. Let there be no misunderstanding. The men and women serving our Nation in our Armed Forces will continue to receive the support they require during their training, while they are in theater and when they return home. It is in honor of their service and the sacrifices of their family, and the love of our country that we share that I stand to make it clear that the President's plan for Iraq to escalate the number of troops and to continue his failed conduct of this war is wrong. Escalation of this war will not make our Nation safer. Escalation of this war will not stabilize Iraq. Escalation of this war will not move us closer to bringing our troops home, and escalation of this war will not better protect Americans from those terrorists who would stop at nothing to bring grave danger to our Nation and our allies. It is for these reasons that the President's escalation of the war in Iraq is wrong. At a time when so many current and former military leaders, as well as the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, recognize the need for political, rather than military solutions to the ever increasing violence, that the President is so gravely misguided in sending more of our men and women into combat in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is the answer to a simple question: Do you believe that an escalation of this war will bring our troops home sooner, and will it help the Iraqis achieve the national reconciliation needed to bring a lasting peace to their nation? I and the majority of Americans do not think so. We believe the facts are clear. Escalation of this war fails to address the administration's strategic and diplomatic failures. It does not move us closer to success. What we now need to succeed in Iraq is an overwhelming political and diplomatic force, not more American combat troops. Instead, the President should be working to end U.S. combat involvement in Iraq. To do so, he must demand that the Iraqis take charge of their internal security, should demand that the Iraqi President take the lead in national reconciliation, he should engage all the regional parties to prevent this war from escalating regionally and to explore every diplomatic and political solution to end this war. Finally, the President must be accountable for his actions to this Congress and to the American people. Mr. Speaker, over the first 6 weeks of the Democratic control of Congress, we have begun to move our Nation in a new direction, to restore credibility and ethics in this Chamber and to put the interests of everyday Americans in the forefront. There is so much more to do, here at home, and in our relations internationally, to better ensure the security and opportunity for all Americans. The war in Iraq overshadows all that we do. The war has already cost this Nation so much, young lives lost, greater uncertainty and instability in the Middle East, greater hostility towards our own Nation and financial costs that will take years to repay. So it is timely and right that we take action now to change direction and strategy in Iraq. I stand with the majority of Congress in support of this resolution, in support of our troops, and in opposition to the escalation of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. This resolution sends the President a very strong message. It is our hope and the hope of the American people that he heeds it.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Thank you, Mr. Lantos. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the floor this afternoon. Madam Speaker, I was honored to serve on the House Democracy Assistance Commission during the 109th Congress, and I was privileged to travel on the commission's first trip to Indonesia and East Timor in February of 2006. I too want to thank the commission's chairman, Congressman David Price, and the ranking member, former chairman, Congressman David Dreier, for their hard work and their leadership on this important initiative. I also want to acknowledge the commission's staff, John Lis, in particular, the director, and the rest of the staff who worked hard in advance of our trips and continued to work hard in preparing for the designation of certain emerging democracies and our trips abroad as well to bring some of those members here. The last few years have borne witness to a number of encouraging events in emerging democracies around the world, as well as a number of discouraging setbacks. One thing that has become clear is that to help advance democracy, transparency and the rule of law abroad, the United States can and must do more than just support elections. We must support the establishment of strong, independent democratic institutions, which provide the backbone of viable democracy. So in addition to elected executives, we must, and indeed it means, help legislative and judicial branches of government have the authority, the autonomy and the continuity that they need. As Members of Congress, Members of the oldest directly representative democratic institution in the world, we are in a unique position to reach out to our counterparts in fragile democracies to held build relationships and to learn from each other. The House Democracy Assistance Commission has conducted legislative strengthening programs with our counterparts in Indonesia, East Timor, Georgia, Macedonia, Kenya and Afghanistan; and these legislators face enormous challenges. For instance, in East Timor, where I traveled, only two of their legislators had legislative experience prior to serving in their parliament. They have almost no support staff and few resources. Their constitution provides for a substantive parliamentary role; however, lack of experience and lack of infrastructure have severely limited their role, leaving the executive to control most of their legislation. Nonetheless, the members that we met with are deeply committed to their role as representatives and to their role in maintaining and building democratic institutions. They are keenly aware of the challenges that they face as one of the poorest nations in the world, where basic services from electricity to schools are just being initiated. It is in our Nation's interest to work with nations like East Timor, nations struggling on the road to democracy and stability to establish effective legislative bodies. The commission enables Members of this body, Democrats and Republicans alike, to do just that, to share our knowledge, expertise and passion for the legislative branch with our counterparts in these emerging democracies. We have worked with parliamentarians from these countries in their home countries, in State capitals across this country and here in Washington, focusing on the establishment of legislative information and research services, on providing advice on legislative procedures and committee operations, and on constituent services. The commission has also provided these parliaments with some needed material support, such as office equipment and computers and library resources. So as we confront the global security challenges of the 21st century, initiatives that strengthen democratic institutions abroad and help provide a positive image of the United States are of utmost importance. That is why this commission is so worthy of our continued support. That is why I urge a ``yes'' vote on House Resolution 24.

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the CLEAN Energy Act. This plan will lead the Nation in a new direction on energy policy. The United States imports 65 percent of the oil we consume. We spend $800 million every day on foreign oil-producing countries. This threatens our economic stability, our environmental security, and our national security. And today we say, enough. Today we roll back the Republican-led Congress's giveaways to the oil industry. We stop rewarding the oil companies with taxpayer dollars; and, instead, we start to turn our attention to energy independence in this country. We will invest the revenues, $14 billion, to put this Nation on the path to energy independence and environmental security. We will reduce our energy consumption by encouraging the development and construction of energy-efficient buildings and consumer appliances and motor vehicles; and, most importantly, we will advance our energy independence by using these revenues to research. We are going to use this money to research and develop and bring to market the alternative sources of energy for a safer, cleaner, cheaper and American-made energy alternatives. We set this country in a new direction. I wholeheartedly encourage a ``yes'' vote in doing that today on the floor of Congress. Parliamentary Inquiry

Ms. SCHWARTZ

Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from Colorado for her leadership on this work and bringing this forward again and, of course, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) as well. Today, the Democratic majority will advance life-saving medical research. We will give American families hope, not lost opportunity. We will give them medical cures, not politics. Mr. Speaker, we will give grandparents and parents, children and loved ones the promise of stem cell research. President Bush's policies have let the ideology of a few dictate and degrade matters important to safeguarding the public's health. That will change. No longer will the promise of stem cell research and sound and ethical medical science be stifled. Instead, we will expand stem cell research. H.R. 3 will mandate and maintain the United States' stance as a world leader in medical research and scientific advancement. It will advance scientific discovery in an ethical and responsible manner. It will enhance the ability of our medical professionals to care for their patients. It will use Americans' ingenuity and intelligence for the greater good. And most importantly, it will benefit millions of people who are battling disease and injury. My own home State, and in particular southeastern Pennsylvania, is in the forefront of science and medicine. Our hospitals, medical schools, biotechnology and pharmaceutical institutions are home to the best and brightest scientists who are working every day to provide new medicines and diagnostics. These scientists deserve access to the tools they need to find the cures for 100 million Americans suffering from diseases like cancer and Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and other debilitating diseases and disorders. Support ethical scientific research. Support hope. Vote ``yes'' on the Expanding Stem Cell Research Act.