Jean Schmidt

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to engage in a colloquy with the esteemed chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Wolf. Mr. Chairman, in January, I introduced legislation to require the Department of Justice to make available on the Internet the documents related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, called FARA. It is imperative that we make FARA documents available on the Internet. This will increase public access to information about foreign lobbyists and, in turn, increase public confidence in Congress. I know the subcommittee chairman has been working with the Department of Justice to accomplish this. I am told that this process is under way and may be completed by the end of the year. I thank the subcommittee chairman for his continuing leadership and for including report language urging the Department of Justice to complete this effort as quickly as possible. I would like to work with the subcommittee chairman to ensure that this important project is completed this year.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Chairman, I thank the subcommittee chairman for his remarks and look forward to working with him and the rest of the Congress.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 4890, the Legislative Line Item Veto Act. I commend the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan) for his work on this important legislation. I am proud to be a cosponsor because I believe H.R. 4890 will be a useful tool to reduce the budget deficit, improve accountability, and ensure that our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Unlike previous versions of the Line Item Veto Act, H.R. 4890 preserves Congress' authority. This legislation would give the President the ability to identify unnecessary, duplicative, or wasteful spending provisions that have passed Congress, and send these specific line items back to Congress under an expedited procedure for an affirmative up-or-down vote by both the House and the Senate. When I was elected to Congress, I pledged to be fiscally responsible. The line item veto is a way to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the new freedoms women have recently discovered in the Middle East, freedoms that the hardworking heroes in uniform have given them, freedoms they now not only cherish but themselves will fight for. There are 50 million new lovers of freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their liberation from oppression should compel every freedom-loving citizen on Earth to rejoice. I too am so proud of the freedom we as a Nation have brought to the oppressed. However, some were more oppressed than others. Women had no voice, no opportunity, no hope, no dreams. All of that is changing, changing because we have championed the cause of freedom. Millions of young girls this very day are getting something they dared not dream about a few short years ago: an education. Today, women are voting. They are also serving as legislators in town councils and places where, before our commitment to liberation, they dared not even look a man in the face. They have been liberated. We are their liberators. We can and should be proud. Yes, more needs to be done, but in lands where women were treated worse than cattle, a revolution is occurring, a revolution of respect, a liberation of lives. Our actions have made the lives of millions of women not just better on the margins but have actually giving them hope, endowed them with freedom, and dared them to dream. We have much to be proud of. I am proud of our men and women in uniform who stand in harm's way. I am proud that this great country stands for good and opposes evil. I am proud that this Congress and this President understand that freedom is God's gift to all mankind and that evil tolerated is evil assisted.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, as we focus on the global war on terror, I am reminded of the brave actions of our military, including Matt Maupin, the only soldier missing and captured in Iraq on April 9, 2004. Matt and his family live in my district. His parents, Keith and Carolyn Maupin, continue to support our military through their yellow ribbon campaign, sending literally thousands of boxes of food and other items to Iraq and Afghanistan for our brave men and women. Please continue to pray for Matt and all who are fighting for us.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for giving me the time to speak on this very important bill. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5126, the Truth in Caller ID Act, and I commend Chairman Barton for introducing this legislation and moving it forward. I know firsthand that there is a need for this legislation. In my own congressional district, just as in many others, prerecorded telephone call campaigns have misidentified the sponsors by forging the caller identification number to make it appear that my own congressional office was doing the calling. You can imagine how surprised I was to see my number appear on a screen from political prerecorded messages attacking me. It is called spoofing. H.R. 5126 would prohibit the manipulation of caller identification information, or call spoofing, which occurs when a caller falsifies the caller identification number displayed in the caller ID screen. Many companies now offer sophisticated software that permits caller identification information to be manipulated and increasingly allows con artists to scam consumers, sometimes with complicated schemes that ask consumers to provide personal identification data, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and bank account information. With the increasing frequency of identity theft, we must do all that we can to end opportunities for falsification of this data. I introduced similar legislation to prohibit caller identification last year. Let us make caller identification truthful and accurate. I strongly support Chairman Barton's legislation and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this amendment. Aquaculture is becoming a burgeoning industry in my State. Ohio aquaculture has grown 17 percent in the last year alone. Ohio State University, Ohio's land grant university, has been conducting this vital research in my district to most importantly help Ohio's tobacco farmers transition to new crops, and that is important that we find ways for Ohio's tobacco farmers to transition to new crops or otherwise those farmers will find themselves unable to continue to be farmers in Ohio. This funding is not just important to my district. It is essential to the aquacultural research in all of Ohio through a state-wide aquacultural extension program. This funding is well spent, and it produces real dividends for Ohio farmers. A few years ago I got to witness one of the farms that actually participated in this research, a tobacco farmer that now raises shrimp and is making money off raising shrimp in Ohio. I am a conservative and a fiscal conservative, and I do not like to spend people's money, but I do understand the importance of this kind of economic research for Ohio's farmers and Ohio's folks.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I was unavoidably detained and missed two rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 173, On Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 821, the Rule for H.R. 5385; and ``aye'' on rollcall vote No. 174, On Adoption of the Rule for H.R. 5385.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, the world will celebrate a tradition born in Greece and celebrated around the world, Mother's Day. I know that my fellow mothers in this House look forward to a special day with family. I know that my male colleagues had better be planning a special time with their wives and mothers, as well. The birth of a child is a magical experience that changes a parent's life forever. Joy, laughter, some tears, and always love, are just part of the emotional rollercoaster ride we call parenthood. My little girl was recently married and one day, God willing, will enjoy the experience that I wouldn't trade for a subcommittee gavel on the Appropriations Committee. But giving birth in large parts of the world is very dangerous, even deadly. In some parts of the developing world, 1 of every 10 mothers giving birth gives her life in the process. Equally disturbing, 3 million brand new babies die in the first week of life due to inadequate healthcare. On this Mothers Day, let us celebrate our mothers. We can hardly repay them, but we can try at least for one day. But let us also pause to appreciate the struggle mothers thousands of miles away in places we will never visit. Let us rededicate ourselves to reach out to every human hand, no matter how small or how frail. On Sunday, please join me in honoring your mother and mothers everywhere across this small planet.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Neil Armstrong, a war hero, teacher, businessman, and one of the world's greatest explorers, who received the prestigious National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ambassador of Exploration Award on April 18, 2006 at the Cincinnati Museum Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. An Ohio native son, Neil Armstrong rewrote history in July of 1969 when he was the first man to set foot on the moon. Mr. Armstrong served as commander of Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission. He was accompanied on this historical journey to the moon by Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin. Born in 1930, Mr. Armstrong always had a fascination for airplanes and space travel. He started taking flying lessons at the age of fifteen and received his pilot's license at the age of sixteen. After graduating from high school in 1947, Mr. Armstrong entered Purdue University with a U.S. Navy Scholarship. He started working toward an aeronautical engineering degree, but in 1949, he was called to active duty with the U.S. Navy. He was awarded his jet wings at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida at the age of 20, making him the youngest pilot in his squadron. During his service in Korea, he flew 78 combat missions in Navy panther jets earning three Air Medals. After his service, he returned to Purdue to complete his bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. He went on to earn his master's in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970. Mr. Armstrong joined NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), NASA's predecessor, where as a research test pilot he piloted the X-I5, an experimental rocket plane. In 1962, he attained astronaut status and in 1966 served as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Following his 1969 mission to the moon, Mr. Armstrong held the position of Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA for several years. Aside from his sizeable contributions to aeronautics, Mr. Armstrong has also made an impact in the college classroom. From 1971-1979, he was a professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He previously served as chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation in Charlottesville, Virginia, and chairman of the board of AIL Systems, an electronics systems company located in New York. He currently serves as chairman of CTA Inc. in Lebanon, Ohio. In addition to worldwide recognition for his role on the Apollo 11, Mr. Armstrong has earned countless awards and distinctions for his many accomplishments, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award bestowed upon a U.S. citizen; the NASA Distinguished Service Medal; the NASA Exceptional Service Medal; and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. He is a former Chairman of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. Mr. Armstrong and his wife Carol currently reside in Indian Hill and own a farm in Warren County. He has two grown sons. All of us in the Cincinnati area congratulate Neil Armstrong on receiving the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ambassador of Exploration Award.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Gregory Family as they receive the Tree of Life humanitarian award on April 30th, 2006 from the Jewish National Fund. The Jewish National Fund has bestowed its prestigious Tree of Life award annually since 1981. Recipients of this honor are chosen on the basis of outstanding community involvement, professional leadership and humanitarian service. The Tree of Life award was named to symbolize the Jewish National Fund's efforts to reclaim and develop the land of Israel from barren and uninhabitable land into a land of lush green forests and fields, productive farmlands and varied tourism and recreation facilities. Members of the Gregory Family receiving the award include the late Ted Gregory, his wife Matula and their children and spouses, Tom and Pam; Dean and Hedy; Evan and Terry; and Vickie. This talented and generous family is behind one of Cincinnati's most notable treasures, The Montgomery Inn Restaurants. These award-winning restaurants are known not only in our own region, but across the nation. Ted Gregory and his wife Matula worked hard to build their business and instill a strong work ethic and sense of charity in their children. Ted often said, ``Give until it hurts, then give a little more.'' This belief, combined with a strong work ethic, is no doubt the recipe to the Gregory Family's success. As the Gregory's success has steadily grown over the years, so too has their mission to give back to others. Some of their beneficiaries include the Bob Hope House, The Free Store Food Bank, The Down Syndrome Association, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, One Way Farm and countless others. The family also established the Montgomery Inn Invitational, which has raised more than $500,000. These funds have benefited the Jewish Federation, the Uriah P. Levy Jewish Chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy, the United Negro College Fund, the Billy Barty Foundation, and scholarships benefiting many area youth. Today, Ted and Matula's children continue to carry on the family's charitable legacy. The four Gregory children graduated from Sycamore High School, where they recently endowed a state-of-the-art fitness center bearing the name of their parents. The Gregory Family will donate the proceeds from this year's Tree of Life dinner to the Jewish National Fund Therapeutic Riding Consortium Endowment for Israel. In addition to four children, Ted and Matula have eight grandchildren. All of us in the Cincinnati area congratulate the Gregory Family on receiving the Tree of Life humanitarian award.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3127, the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act. I commend Chairman Hyde and Chairman Smith for their work in moving this important legislation forward. Defending the basic human rights of the world's most vulnerable populations should be a priority for all of us. Sudan, the largest country in Africa, has been ravaged by civil war intermittently for four decades. An estimated 2 million people have died due to war- related causes and famine, and millions more have been displaced from their homes. This ongoing crisis in the Darfur region in Western Sudan has led to a major humanitarian disaster. Estimates are that up to 300,000 people have been killed in the Darfur region over the past 24 months alone. In 2004, the House, the Senate and the White House declared the atrocities taking place in Darfur as genocide. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation to impose sanctions against individuals responsible for genocide, support humanitarian operations and promote peace efforts in the region. This is not only an issue of religion or politics. This is a matter of mercy and humanity. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3127. I want to thank Chairman Smith, again, for this great bipartisan legislation.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have Mr. McHenry's time, please.

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in special tribute to Sergeant Keith Matt Maupin, an Army reservist from Batavia, Ohio in my congressional district, who has been missing, captured in Iraq since April 9, 2004, 2 years ago this Sunday. Matt Maupin's convoy came under attack by Iraqi insurgents, and he has been missing ever since. Matt went to Iraq because he believed in the freedom of the Iraqi people, and to make America a safer place. We are proud of him and his enormous commitment to the ideals of freedom and democracy. I also represent Matt's parents, Keith and Carolyn Maupin. Keith is a veteran, and Matt's brother, Micah is a Marine. They are a tremendous family, and are an extraordinary example to all of us. To support all families of the many brave servicemembers in harm's way, Keith and Carolyn Maupin lead a nonprofit organization called the Yellow Ribbon Support Network. Offering moral support, helping to raise morale and coordinating communication among families, the Network has literally sent thousands of packages to the military personnel overseas. As I am speaking here tonight, they are working back in Eastgate, Ohio, assembling packages for those brave men and women. On this second anniversary, we honor Matt Maupin, Keith and Carolyn Maupin, Micah Maupin and the entire Maupin family, and offer our prayers for Matt's safe return home.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee. I appreciate the opportunity to talk tonight, Mr. Speaker, about an important tool that would I believe help eliminate wasteful spending. When I was first elected to Congress last August, I pledged to be a fiscal conservative for the residents of the 2nd District of Ohio. Taking a fiscally disciplined approach to government has always been one of my top priorities as an elected official. I am committed, as my colleagues on this side of the aisle are, to seeking out and supporting common-sense measures that promote fiscal responsibility and curb government spending. That is why I cosponsored and strongly support the Line Item Veto Act of 2006, which the President recently sent to Congress. The line item veto would be a useful tool designed to reduce the budget deficit, improve accountability and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Many people are surprised to learn that the President currently has no power to remove wasteful or unnecessary spending in appropriations bills or other pieces of legislation that are presented to him. Oftentimes, provisions are slipped into a larger spending bill that never gets discussed or debated. The result is more spending in the Federal budget. The Legislative Line Item Veto Act would allow the President the authority to line out unjustified spending items, eliminate new entitlement spending from larger legislation, and return the bill to Congress for consideration. The Congress, us, would then have 10 days to vote on each and every proposed cut. I am proud to say this is a bipartisan issue. Leaders and Members of the Republican and Democratic side of this aisle, in both the House and the Senate, have supported this approach in the past. They have. In fact, in 1996, the Congress gave the President a line-item veto but the Supreme Court struck down that version of the law in 1998 because the Court felt that the act gave the President too much power to change the text of enacted statutes. But this Line Item Veto Act does not raise those constitutional issues because the President's rescission proposals must be approved by a majority in Congress and signed into law. So we do have congressional oversight. Forty-three governments, including my own in Ohio, have the line-item veto to reduce spending, and I believe now is the time to give the President of the United States a similar tool to help control spending in the Federal budget. The line Item Veto Act is not about giving the President more power or taking power away from Members of Congress. This legislation is about ensuring that hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent more wisely, and that is our mission, is it not, to spend the taxpayer dollars more wisely, more efficiently, more prudently. While I do believe that this legislation will go a long way toward identifying and eliminating waste in government, I caution this body to realize this is not the only solution. This is one of many, and I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle to seek out other ways to promote fiscal responsibility and curb spending. Thank you, and I commend my good colleague from Tennessee for taking on this issue and all the Members that are here.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2120, the Milk Regulatory Equity Act, which would amend an outdated regulatory exemption within the Federal milk marketing order. I commend Chairman Goodlatte and the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes), the author of the bill, for their work in moving this legislation forward. Years ago, the United States Department of Agriculture exempted small producer handler dairy farmers from regulation because they owned and milked their own cows and sold their own products directly to local consumers. Today, some of these unregulated producer handlers collect U.S. Government subsidies and have grown to be among the largest dairy processors in the country with significant market shares. This is an unfair advantage, and this exemption can adversely affect the prices other farmers receive. Consumers also suffer as unregulated producer handlers eliminate competition. This bill eliminates the loophole that allows now large producer handler operations to be unregulated and requires equal application of the law. It still allows family producer handlers to be exempted if their product is less than 3 million pounds per month. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 40th anniversary of the Talbert House, one of the largest social service agencies in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana tri-State region. Talbert House serves a broad population with its quality mental health, community corrections, substance abuse and welfare-to-work services. Talbert House was founded in 1965 by a group of local citizens to help ex-offenders in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati. The program was named for Dr. Ernest Talbert, 1879-1971, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Cincinnati, who believed in community alternatives to incarceration. Even in its earliest days of service, Talbert House won the support of leaders in the community. The concept was groundbreaking because Talbert House began as a residential treatment program rather than an extension of an institution. In its first year, the program housed 16 paroled men. Since its inception, the Talbert House has steadily grown and expanded its services to effectively address emerging problems within our community. In the 1970s, Talbert House added drug and alcohol treatment services and programs for women and children. In the 1980s, its services were expanded to include chemical dependency treatment. And in the 1990s, the agency added more mental health and adolescent services. Today, Talbert House is a regional multi-service agency with more than 35 programs to address challenging social problems, and serves more than 20,500 registered clients annually. Over the years, Talbert House has received numerous national and State accreditations and awards for its many successful programs. I want to congratulate Talbert House's 40th anniversary honorees: Larry Galluzzo; Sherry and Virgil Reed; Bonnie and Bill Rumpke; and Beatrice and Stephen Rosedale. We appreciate their extraordinary and unselfish commitment to Talbert House. Those of us in the greater Cincinnati area congratulate all of the people behind Talbert House as it celebrates 40 years of outstanding community service. We wish you continued success.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 21, legislative bells failed to go off in my office. I came to the floor as soon as I was notified of the vote, but arrived after the vote had closed. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 357, honoring former United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and commend my colleague from Florida, Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite, for her work on this legislation and Chairman Sensenbrenner for allowing this to go through. In 1981, when Sandra Day O'Connor was unanimously confirmed to the seat previously held by my fellow Cincinnatian, Justice Potter Stewart, as the first woman Justice, it was a very different time in America. After 24 years serving our Nation, it can be said that her legacy is multifaceted: one of the most influential Justices in history; certainly one of the most powerful women in America; and a pioneer in every sense of the word. We know she was born in El Paso to parents who owned a 198,000-acre cattle ranch in southeastern Arizona. There she learned roping and riding but also the self-reliance and determination that influenced her life. Despite her many achievements at Stanford and Stanford Law School, law review, graduating in 2 years instead of three, and third in her class of 120, no law firm would hire her because she was a woman. She turned to public service and was Arizona's assistant attorney general, the first woman majority leader of the State senate, a trial judge and an Arizona court of appeals judge before being named to the United States Supreme Court. Maybe it is good no law firm would hire her. Although I have not always agreed with her on every decision, Justice O'Connor stood for federalism, pragmatism, compromise and interpreting, not legislating, the law. She considered each case individually on its own merits. Her hallmarks of integrity, diligence, and fairness have been woven through every task she has undertaken. Balancing the demands of a career and family, Justice O'Connor set a positive example for women, especially young women. She once said, ``Society as a whole benefits immeasurably from a climate in which all persons, regardless of race or gender, may have the opportunity to earn respect, responsibility, advancement and remuneration based on ability.'' During Women's History Month, it is especially fitting that we honor her.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the importance that we as a nation need to continue to do all we can to prevent another terrorist attack on our homeland. Some of us on this side of the aisle a few weeks ago had the chance to listen to the President, and the President talked about how 9/11 has changed all of us, and it has changed us forever. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. In fact, a few weeks ago I talked again about how when my daughter lived in New York in Manhattan and we as a Nation witnessed the attacks on the Twin Towers, my daughter and I, we had dinner at the Windows on the World just 30 days before the event. And I knew she did not work close to the building, but I did not know the subway system. So when I saw the towers come down I was scared, scared about where she was. I was also horribly afraid that another attack would occur. The thing that was so frustrating was my husband and I could not get through to her because cell phones were the only way to get through and the buildings that housed the towers were destroyed. We did not get through to her for 2 full days. It made me realize how important national security and homeland security are for our Nation. Thank God, we only had fear and did not have regret and sorrow as so many others did. We as a Nation must do everything in our power to prevent another attack. Period. I rise today to congratulate the hard-working men and women of our intelligence agencies and first responders on preventing another attempt since 9/11. The headlines normally fail to mention that it has been over 4 years since our Nation was hit by those terrorists on that horrific day. I, like most Americans, like Congress, wake up every morning feeling safe, proceed with my day without even worrying about the threat of an attack because I know that from law enforcement to our national security apparatus, thousands of highly trained professionals are diligently watching and working and protecting. Men and women using the latest technologies and a lot of muscle are hard at work around the clock making sure that those that want to hurt us are kept away. I hope everyone understands that the desire of the terrorist organizations to launch a deadly attack has not subsided. It is their mission to attack and destroy us, to attack and destroy our way of life. But what has changed is that our ability to thwart attacks has dramatically increased. The latest in database technology, coupled with surveillance technologies, is proving to be a powerful force in identifying those potential attackers who want to kill us. We owe a great deal of gratitude to these men and women on the front lines of our defense. Just this past week the media reported that some 200,000 people across the globe are on our watchlist, persons that we have reason to believe wish to do us harm, but most importantly, 200,000 people we have already identified as potential threats. And when you know who your enemy is, you have got a better chance at seeing them come at you. When we wake up each morning and turn on our television sets and there is no news of an attack, we do not even think that there might have been one. That, in itself, is a tribute to the hard work of our national security team. We go about our lives without fear of another attack because of the job they are doing each and every minute of each and every day for us. And that means we must give them every tool needed to complete their mission. Their mission is not only important, it is a matter of life and death. Our life and death. My life and death. Your life and death, Mr. Speaker. Much has been said about the National Security Agency's surveillance program in the media. Much of it is nonsense and distortion, and I am so glad we have the Official Truth Squad here tonight to talk about that. I asked my constituents in a recent survey what they thought about the National Security Agency's surveillance program. Over 2,000 people have responded to date. Slightly less than 80 percent support the program. Mr. Speaker, 80 percent is a huge number. That is a supermajority of folks, folks like you and me representing all kind of ideologies and political affiliations. Eighty percent want the NSA to continue to do their job so you and I can remain free from terrorist attacks. The American people, first and foremost, want to be safe in their homes and go about their lives without that fear again of another 9/11. They exhibit far more common sense than the media ever gives them credit for. One of our colleagues from the great State of Texas has a great saying that Texas could use a whole lot less of Washington and Washington could use a whole lot more of Texas. I agree. Unfortunately, some day I hope in the very, very far, distant future we may well again be attacked. That attack may well be much larger in scope than 9/11 ever hoped to be. And on that day I hope and I pray that we can all say we did everything in our power we could do to prevent it. That is our responsibility. Do you not agree? It is our responsibility to give this agency the tools necessary to protect the American people from another terrorist attack. I am glad we are giving them those tools. It is our responsibility to see that they continue to have them so that you and I can wake up once again tomorrow morning in the freest nation in the world, free to be able to go about doing our business without fear of an enemy knocking at our door.

Mrs. SCHMIDT

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Thank you so much. Tonight, I really want to talk about what I believe freedom is all about. As we sit in this beautiful Chamber, we must be mindful that we are the luckiest people in the world to live in the greatest Nation in the universe. So I stand here tonight on the floor of this great Chamber like thousands of Representatives before me as living proof that democracy works. I share the same love for my country as my 37 predecessors from the Ohio Second Congressional District. I am the 38th Member of Congress from my district and the first woman. And I may be the first to wear high heels, but I am not alone in my support of this great country and for all that it stands. Our country was founded on the principles of freedom: freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness; freedom to bear arms; freedom to voice your opinion in the market square, or in this very Chamber; freedom to print what you decide to be printed is fit to be printed. Freedom is a wonderful thing. It is an infectious thing. Millions of the oppressed around the world yearn for this very thing called freedom: free from oppression, free from terror, free from tyranny. Freedom is a powerful drink. It spills 1 million people into the streets of downtown Beirut demanding to be free from the rule of Syria and its dictator. It causes men to take up arms against their oppressors on the streets of Baghdad and Kabul. Just the dream of freedom caused men and women to risk their lives by organizing opposition in places like Beijing and Havana. Far too often we Americans take our freedom for granted. We forget about the heroes before us that gave us this right, this privilege, this ability. Thomas Jefferson said, ``The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.'' He knew, even as freedom was being brought to our new country, that our very freedom would be constantly at risk. ``Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it,'' said Thomas Paine. As we stand here tonight, the Official Truth Squad, surrounded by the glorious testament of our democracy and freedom, we must be mindful, mindful that democracy is on the march, mindful that 50 million people are newly free thanks to our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let me repeat that. Fifty million people have the same opportunity that we have to taste and drink freedom, but most importantly, mindful that much more needs to be done. Tonight, the oppressed are dying at the hands of evil in far too many places around the world, in the camps of Darfur, in the jails of Havana, in political prisons in Asia. Dwight David Eisenhower once said, ``History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We did not chose to lead this fight, history has chosen us. Only we have the power needed to spread freedom. We indeed have been given the responsibility.'' Our forefathers knew that when they were participating in this grand experiment so many years ago. We have been handed that torch. History will judge not what we say, but what we do. I am honored to be here tonight to speak about this very important principle, because if we do not continue to lead this march, someone will come and take that torch from us. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak my mind in the greatest Nation, in the greatest chamber.