Curt Weldon

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal).

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, parliamentary inquiry. Is it in order to ask unanimous consent for an additional 2 minutes beyond what has been allotted?

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enlarge the debate for both sides by 4 minutes.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment out of a sense of frustration. I was the prime author of the missile defense legislation in 1998, with our friend John Spratt, that passed the House with a veto-proof margin calling for a moving forward on missile defense. At the time of that debate and leading the debate, I said to our colleagues, as I committed to the Russians, that we would do joint missile defense in cooperation so as not to create any feeling that we were trying to achieve a strategic advantage over them. In fact, the weekend before the vote, I took Don Rumsfeld, Jim Woolsey and Bill Schneider to Moscow, along with several of my colleagues from the other side of the aisle, to reassure the Russians that this was not about scoring a strategic advantage. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, 2 years ago, this administration cancelled the only remaining program with the Russians on missile defense. That program, entitled RAMOS, had been attempted to be cancelled back in the 1990s, and Senator Levin joined with us in blocking that cancellation. By canceling the RAMOS program, we have sent a terrible signal to the Russian military and to their government at a time when we need to reinforce strategic cooperation with Russia. I would argue that there is no country that could assist us in dealing with both North Korea and Iran more than Russia at this point in time, but continuing to send mixed signals like the cancellation of our cooperation on missile defense is entirely taking us in the wrong direction. Now, General Obering, who is in charge of our Missile Defense Agency, agrees with me. In fact, he had negotiated a contract over a year ago with the Russian General Balyuevsky to gain joint cooperation on missile defense. It was the policy office of the Secretary of Defense that cancelled that contract that had been negotiated by General Obering. To me, that was absolutely outrageous and wrong, but yet, it has still not been corrected. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is simply designed to lay down a marker to this administration that we do have a need to work together with our Russian counterparts. They have assets that we can use. They have large, phased radar systems that can assist us in areas of the world that we cannot cover. They have the ability to provide targeting opportunities for us. They also have very sophisticated theater systems, including the S-400, the S-500 and the S-600, that we can work on jointly with them to learn the technologies and the techniques that the Russians have employed with their missile defense systems. So, Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment as a signal from the Congress, hopefully with bipartisan support, to the Pentagon and to the White House to get back on track, to do what the Congress mandated when we passed the Missile Defense Act back in 1998, and to begin and renew our cooperation, as General Obering has called for, with the Russians on missile defense cooperation, both at the theater level and at the strategic level. I would ask that our colleagues on the other side would see fit to join with us in having this amendment be included as a part of our defense authorization bill.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank our colleagues and particularly Mr. Taylor and the chairman and ranking member for this tribute to our good friend, Sonny Montgomery. When I first came to Congress as a junior Member, it was Sonny Montgomery who kind of took the freshman Members under his wing from both parties and kind of taught us the ropes of how to work on the committee in a bipartisan manner. Sonny Montgomery is, in fact, a statesman. He was the kind of leader on defense and security issues that everyone followed and rallied around. Time and again, we had bills where leadership, under both Democrat administrations and Republican administrations, would want clean bills with no significant amendments. It was always Sonny Montgomery with his Guard and Reserve package that would ensure at least one amendment, and usually it was strong bipartisan votes because of his commitment, as Chairman Hunter has outlined, to our Guard and Reserve.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, Sonny Montgomery also was the individual who authored the Montgomery GI bill and is responsible for the education of our young people. So many have used that bill to go on to school, and it has had such a positive impact on the men and women that have served this country that Sonny's name is known by people far and wide in this Nation, not just because of his commitment to the Guard and Reserve, but to the continuing educational needs of our young people. I had the pleasure of accompanying Sonny on my first codel to North Korea. He led the delegation into South Korea. We drove up to the DMZ. Sonny led the official delegation to bring back the first remains of Americans from the Korean War. He handled that responsibility with a great deal of pride and responsibility, as Sonny Montgomery did on a continuing and frequent basis in representing this Nation and our President, in receiving the first remains of American prisoners that had been found by the North Korean Government. I would just add my name to the list of all our colleagues who have such high regard for Sonny Montgomery. He is a statesman, and the gentleman has done a great job in making sure that this bill is a lasting legacy to Sonny Montgomery's leadership.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I thank my distinguished chairman and friend for yielding and thank the ranking member for his outstanding leadership, two great Americans. You know, this city is filled with a rhetoric that we don't work well together, that we are at each other's throats, that we are partisan. This bill passed our committee with a vote of 61 to 1. This bill was done in a bipartisan way and has the support of members from both sides. I am proud of the fact, Mr. Chairman, that my subcommittee, which has 28 members, for the 12th consecutive year had no votes, no votes or suggested votes that would split our party along or our committee along party lines. My good friend Neil Abercrombie, my ranking member, and I worked together. He had great ideas. I took his ideas and suggestions and made them a part of the bill. I want to say to our colleagues in this body and our people around the country, the Congress is working, we are working well together. We are doing good things. Now some would say that we don't have the right thing in the Congress to change what the White House and the Pentagon gives us. Hogwash. That is our job. If we hadn't done our job, we would not have had the Predator armed. It was this Congress mandated back in 1996 that we arm the Predator. It was this Congress in the 1990s, when the Clinton administration didn't request increases for pay for the troops, that plussed up the funding for the pay for the troops. It is our responsibility to make change, and we have done it. It was this committee that recommended we put the $25 billion up for the supplemental for the war. When the White House didn't want to do it, we led the effort, and everyone else followed. Mr. Chairman, in this committee, in my mark we have increased $1.5 million for up-armoring Humvees. We have increased $200 million for tactical radios for the troops to use. We have increased to $69 million towards explosive jammers to allow our troops to be able to detonate these bombs before they are in the area or to make them not able to work. We have increased technology that will reduce the weight of the equipment that our military officers and soldiers and officers have to wear when they are in combat situations in the theater of Iraq or in any place in the world. This committee has also cut programs. There are some who say all we want to do is keep increasing defense spending. In my subcommittee alone, or our subcommittee, we cut $678 million from programs that we felt the contractors were requesting too many dollars or the services were not properly overseeing. We cut the Joint Strike Fighter Program, Future Combat Systems, even the Presidential helicopter, because as my friend pointed out, Mr. Abercrombie, we want the President to be flying in a safe platform when that helicopter is ready to go. We took that money and we added $276 million for M1s and Bradley fighting vehicles; $408 million for an additional alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter to continue competition. We put hundreds of millions of dollars into our Guard and Reserve troops. The role that this committee played is an unbelievable role. It is the legitimate role that was thought of in advance by our Founding Fathers when they designed our Constitution, that we just do not rubber-stamp what the White House and the Pentagon tell us. Mr. Chairman, this committee went through dozens and dozens of hearings. This chairman has had more briefings for us. In fact, Members of Congress walk around with their eyes partly closed because he has us up at 8:00 in the morning attending briefings and our markups and hearings go until late at night. The involvement of both our members from the other side and our members from this side produces a cooperative spirit where the resultant product, I think, is outstanding. There may be some disagreements on floor. I can tell you, Mr. Chairman, I am so proud of the committee and the work that we did in delivering a 61-1 vote. But it is not just about our troops. It is not just about giving them the best technology, the best training, the best equipment. We have also taken some bipartisan steps to increase the flexibility of using our cooperative threat reduction dollars, to go after those weapons of mass destruction, whether it is in North Korea or whether it is in Libya. In our bill in a joint bipartisan amendment with Mr. Spratt, we have put language in providing flexibility for up to $30 million to be used by the Pentagon to go into these areas without having to go back for a reprogram request to allow us to immediately take action against these deposits of WMD when we find them. We have also put into place the Nuclear Strategy Forum. We happen to think there should be a national debate on what the use of nuclear weapons should be in the 21st century. Again with bipartisan support, we have put together a team of the best thinkers, the best academics in America, who in a bipartisan and nonpartisan way will hold meetings and hearings on what should be our nuclear posture. Should we in fact reduce our nuclear arsenal? Should we in fact look at testing? Should we in fact look to an alternative type of technology away from nuclear weapons totally? That is a part of this bill. So it is not just about weapons systems. It is about a comprehensive approach that will allow us to maintain security and, in the end, avoid war, which is the ultimate objective I have as long as I am going to be a Member of this institution. We also reauthorized the EMP Commission. I want to pay particular accolades to Roscoe Bartlett, our colleague, who has been out front on that issue for a decade warning us of the threat from the use of electromatic pulse. We have put into place a panel. That panel has now been reauthorized and are advising us on how we can protect America's infrastructure and weapons systems. Mr. Chairman, there is a personal priority in this bill to me because I am also vice chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and I work on behalf of the Nation's firefighters. You know our firefighters are our domestic defenders. Our soldiers are international defenders. Much of the technology we developed for the soldiers has direct application to our firefighters, our paramedics and our first responders, but we haven't done a good job in transferring that technology, whether it is thermal imagers or whether it is GPS capability. We need to give our first responders the same kind of protection that we give to our warfighters. In this bill, again with the cooperation of members on both sides, we put in a specific provision that focuses on the need to immediately transfer technology developed by our military people and put it into use for our domestic defenders. I ask our colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important domestic bill. Mr. Chairman, I have the honor of serving as the Vice Chairman of the Armed Services Committee and as the Chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. I, first of all, want to thank my distinguished chairman for the leadership he continues to provide across the wide range of issues that come before our committee. And similarly, I would like to express my admiration for the ranking member, for the leadership and expertise he brings to the committee. To the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), my ranking member, I thank him. He is a great American and it is great to work with him. We have a great committee. Yes, there are contentious issues, but they get debated, we vote, and then we move on. We address the vast majority of issues in a what is best for the troops and taxpayer, non- partisan way. I cannot tell the Members how proud I am to serve on this committee. Every day that I serve in this institution, I am happy that we work so well together. This committee, I think, sets the example for the entire Congress, demonstrating that we can all work together. I think the best evidence of that is, we again had a vote out of committee of 61 of the 62 members coming together. Where we had areas of disagreement, we have been able to work those out. This is a real credit and testimony to this Congress and those 62 members who are on this committee and to our Chairman. Those of us in the Subcommittee have two priorities: to take care of the troops and to do our best to hold DOD accountable for its acquisition programs. This committee did this year what we have done for the prior two years to support our personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have held hearings at the subcommittee and full committee level, pushing the Pentagon's bureaucracy to get the best available equipment to our personnel as soon as it can be properly tested--body and vehicle armor; improvised explosive device jammers, unmanned aerial vehicles, small arms, night vision equipment, and so on. It was this committee that first called for additional funding to up-armor our Humvees and take care of the troops that were in harm's way. It was this committee that led the White House two years ago in getting that first $25 billion supplemental. This bill makes big changes to programs and it makes seemingly small changes to programs that are yet very meaningful to the average soldier, sailor, marine, and airman. H.R. 5122 provides over $1.5 billion in additional funds to procure up-armor Humvees and body armor to protect our personnel. The bill provides over $200 million in additional funds to procure tactical handheld and small unit radios for ground forces, addressing urgent needs in Iraq. The bill also provides an additional $69.0 million to produce and deploy 10,000 man-portable improvised explosive device jammers that can address a full spectrum of threats in theater. At the same time increased authorization is provided for small arms and small arms technologies. The basic infantryman or marine entering combat can be required to carry combat configured loads of ammunition and equipment, that combined, can exceed 90 pounds. The bill contains funding to advance technologies that can reduce this carrying load through advancements in lightweight components for existing small arms and caseless ammunition. With our military personnel at risk each and every day, supporting those personnel by providing them the proper equipment is where our number one priority must continue to be. We cannot shortchange the current force for a promised future capability. Our military is facing major financial challenges in upgrading tactical aircraft programs, shipbuilding programs, and space programs. And the Army in particular is facing a major budgetary challenge in trying to fund its Future Combat Systems Program--a $200 billion program; along with Modularity--a major restructuring and equipping of its combat brigade structure, a $52.5 billion program; and Reset, repairing and remanufacturing equipment returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, a $72.3 billion program. The bill is about balancing the health and capability of the current force with the needs of future military capability. Our concern with several programs is one of excess R&D and procurement concurrency. We have cut $678 million from the Pentagon's request in programs within the subcommittee's jurisdiction. Both the Joint Strike Fighter, F-35, and Presidential Helicopter Program, the VH-71, have been reduced by a total of $280 million because of our concerns that they are not meeting our ``fly before buy'' rule. We make other changes that better balance current against promised future capabilities: $276 million has been added for M-1 tank and Bradley fighting vehicle upgrades. Instead of the Army paying $3 million per Bradley upgrade, if done at the minimum economic order quantity rate, the Army is paying $8 million per vehicle--2\1/2\ times what we should be paying. Instead of paying $5 million for an M-1 tank upgrade, the Army is paying $7.4 million a tank. Our $276 million recommended increase would fund the economic order quantity for each vehicle. Finally, we seek to correct major last minute budget decisions by the Pentagon that seemingly make no sense whatsoever. An example is the alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35. Congress has supported a competitive engine strategy for that program for the past ten years. The Pentagon proposes to terminate that program without having done any substantive analysis. It was a last minute decision to balance the books. We add back $408 million to maintain competition in the F-35 engine development program. The Subcommittee believes engine competition is an important ingredient in fielding an F-35 that is both capable and affordable. In closing, I again want to thank my distinguished chairman and ranking members of the full committee and our subcommittee. This bill is deserving of a ``yes'' vote from every Member of this body.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and the leaders for bringing this bill forward. I just want to refresh the memories of my colleagues who say we should not take any action. It was in 1997 when we had evidence that Iran was getting cooperation on developing a missile system that we brought a bill before this body called the Iran Missile Sanctions Act. For my colleagues who were not here, 398 Members voted ``yes,'' 98 Senators voted ``yes,'' the White House opposed the bill, and President Clinton vetoed the bill that year because he said we did not need it. Last summer, Iran paraded the Shabab III missile system down the streets of Tehran. It is completed. It is the most capable offensive system in the Middle East. We could have stopped it and we didn't. Madam Speaker, for the past 3 years I have been feeding the CIA information about Iran's efforts to undermine Iraq, the Middle East, and to foment terrorism around the world. It got so uncomfortable that I had to write a book. Everything that I said that I gave to the CIA for the past 3 years is now true: the support for Bani Sadr, the efforts for taking two teams up into North Korea to acquire nuclear technology, the attempts to assassinate Mullah al-Sastani. All of those things are now verified, and all of them I told the CIA and they ignored. We do need to be aggressive with Iran and we need an approach that does not call for war. I am not for war with Iran. The people of Iran are not our enemy. It is a young nation. The people there want to be back as friends with America and the West. We need to work with those Iranians in exile, and that is what this legislation calls for. Madam Speaker, 2 months ago I was out in California where I spoke to the 13 largest Iranian radio and television stations that beamed by satellite into Iran. For 2 hours I spoke directly to the Iranian people by satellite, 12 million households. I came back 8 hours later and took calls from people inside of Iran. Madam Speaker, 400 Iranians called through the satellite and through cell phones to issue their recommendations and their questions to me live. Madam Speaker, only 1 of 400 supported the regime of Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Khomeini, who really runs the government there. Every other caller said we need your help, we need to do what you did with Ukraine, you need to help us take back our government. You need to do what they did in Georgia, to have an internal revolution, to bring about change so we truly can be friends with the West. That is what this legislation calls for. But there is one other point this legislation does not focus on that I feel strongly about, and this was mentioned by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich). The closest nation to Iran is Russia, and what we have to do is renew our efforts diplomatically to have Russia play a significant role to peacefully convince the people of Iran to get their government to back off of this nasty rhetoric and of this effort to build up this offensive capability using WMD, including nuclear weapons. This is of vital urgency for us. This is the number-one threat we face in the world. While this legislation may not be perfect, it certainly sends a signal that we are not going to do what we did back in 1997. We are not going to allow any administration to back us off from stopping the development of technology like the missile system that Iran currently possesses.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise to honor the founders and employees of the Container Research Corporation on the celebration of their 50th anniversary on this Saturday, April 29, 2006. The Container Research Corporation is located in the small town of Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, in the 7th Congressional District that I represent. The Container Research Corporation, CRC, was founded in 1956. At its helm were the young, innovative minds of Stan Rines, Sr. and Bill Swan, Sr., talented businessmen and engineers. Mr. Rines and Mr. Swan designed and patented modern high tech metal containers that replaced existing commercial and military wooden crates. I am pleased to report that Mr. Rines and Mr. Swan, now in their eighties, still own and manage the growing company, with 140 employees at three facilities. The Container Research Corporation was an early pioneer of military packaging for large aircraft parts. Over their 50 years of service they have excelled in the research, design and manufacturing of aerospace maintenance platforms, storage and shipping containers to worldwide aerospace customers. CRC has produced containers for the Pershing Missiles, the Pickatinny Arsenal artillery shells, nuclear fuel rods, all styles of helicopter blades, jet engines and most recently the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Jet. They have partnered with such companies as Westinghouse, Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky and the U.S. military. As the Vice-Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, I have seen first-hand the positive effects of the Container Research Corporation's incredible work ethic and upstanding patriotism. They have been a strong and consistent partner in strengthening not only our national economy, but our national defense and security as well. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have within my district one of the founding companies for modern aerospace storage and shipping containers. Our Nation owes Mr. Rines, Mr. Swan and all of the dedicated employees at the Container Research Corporation a huge debt of gratitude. We are certainly a safer country because of their efforts. I am proud to represent these fine men and women and honor them on their 50th Anniversary on the House Floor today.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a special honor to recognize Matt Valenti, a student athlete from the University of Pennsylvania, who recently won the NCAA wrestling championship. Penn's sports history records need updating now to include Matt as one of only three wrestlers to have achieved this distinction as national champion. All three wrestlers are bound together by their high level of motivation and their devotion to the time-honored virtues of hard work and sacrifice. We are all aware of the competitive nature and demanding rigors of this sport. Matt's achievements have set a new benchmark for excellence in this sport. The following statistics speak for themselves and place Matt in an elite category: He won five consecutive matches against the nation's best wrestlers in the 2006 NCAA Championships to win the national title at 133 lbs. He showed courage and determination in reversing and riding Chris Fleeger of Purdue University to win the national final 3-2. He accomplished his title by beating the tournament's second and third-seeded wrestlers and a former national runner-up. He had two pins in five matches at the NCAA Championships. He showed excellence and outstanding skill by being taken down only once and reversed once in his five matches. He became only the third national champion in the 102-year history of Penn wrestling. He led his team to score the most points in an NCAA Championship in team history. He is a two-time All-American, in 2004 and 2006. On the day Matt won the NCAA Championship, the pressure on him was immense. The way he wrestled his way to the championship is a testament to his grace under pressure, his good sportsmanship, and most importantly, his example as a role model for youth that make him special to not only to wrestling fans in Pennsylvania, but to everyone who pursues the American dream. Finally, I would be remiss, if I did not recognize the extraordinary effort and commitment of Head Coach Zeke Jones who inspires and motivates the true grit and discipline so necessary on the mats. His personal commitment to excellence has served the University of Pennsylvania well. We share his pride in Matt Valenti's tremendous success as NCAA Champion and look to Matt to take us to the 2008 Olympics.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank my distinguished friend and chairman, Mr. Davis, who is a cosponsor of this legislation, and my good friend and partner, the distinguished minority whip, Mr. Hoyer, for their leadership in bringing forth the resolution to pay proper tribute to the 1.1 million men and women across the country in 32,000 departments that protect our communities. The Fire Service of America is older than America as a country. The fire service is in every community, both large and small. They are the backbone of our country, the heart and soul of the Nation. They are the people that make this country great. Tonight, 2,500 of these brave leaders are assembled at the Washington Hilton, and they are looking forward to this recognition, which we will take to them as Mr. Hoyer and I travel to the Washington Hilton and pay our respects. In addition, this resolution goes one step further. In recognizing a recent Federal court decision that junior firefighters are in fact fire fighters, this resolution is affirming the Court decision that a junior firefighter is in fact recognized when the States in this country allow junior firefighters to be so designated. This is an important piece of legislation. In honor of one of my constituents, Christopher Kangas, I am happy to have this bill come up so that all of us can provide true support for all of those men and women, including those younger junior firefighters, who aspire to take over the protection of our towns and cities across America. I thank my colleagues for their support.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, 20 years ago the world witnessed one of the last crimes of the Soviet communist regime against its own people. The biggest nuclear catastrophe in human history was kept secret from Soviet civilians, who were exposed to massive amounts of radiation that exceeded the medically tolerable norm by 100 times. On April 25-26, 1986, many firefighters sacrificed their lives to put out the huge fire caused by the explosion. Thirty-one died. Their heroism prevented a European Hiroshima. In 1986, the Soviet Government let millions of people in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia conduct their daily lives as usual--completely unprepared, unwarned, and unprotected. On May 1, 4 days after the catastrophe, citizens of Kiev, Minsk, Gomel, and dozens of other cities went outdoors celebrating Labor Day, an official holiday in the Soviet Union. Only days later the civilian population was gradually informed of the disaster's extent. By that time, millions of people, including infants and children, had received high doses of radiation. Dozens were doomed to suffer painful deaths in the years to come. Thousands are still coping with health problems caused by exposure during those tragic days, including thyroid and breast cancer, and tumors. The ultimate prognosis for millions remains unclear. 20 years later, grave danger remains at Chernobyl. 200 tons of highly radioactive nuclear waste in Reactor #4 remains separated from the outside world by a ``Shelter'' that was determined to be reliable only until 2006. Today's occasion is an opportunity for all people of goodwill to commemorate Chernobyl victims--both civilians, and the brave individuals who sacrificed their lives to save those exposed to radiation. European nations and Japan should follow the U.S. example and live up to their pledge to contribute to creation of the Shelter-2. This barrier would be effective for another 100 years, and has been approved by the Ukrainian government and international experts. The cost is estimated to be $1 billion, which is a small price to pay given the price-tag in dollars and lives of another radiological disaster.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise to honor Dr. I. King Jordan upon his retirement as president of Gallaudet University on December 31, 2006. Dr. Jordan is a native of Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town near Philadelphia, in the 7th Congressional District which I represent. Dr. Jordan made history in 1988 when he became the Nation's first deaf university president at the world's only liberal arts university for the deaf--Gallaudet University. He also claims the distinction as the first deaf president of any institution of higher education in the U.S. The important message that Dr. Jordan sent to the world upon his appointment in 1988 was that deaf children brought up in a world that too often tells them that they can't do, now see they can do anything and that the only limit to their achievements is their ability to dream. The year 1988 was a pivotal one for the deaf and hard of hearing. The year began when the students and faculty of Gallaudet University protested the decision by the board of trustees to bypass two qualified deaf candidates for president and choose instead a hearing candidate. Called Deaf President Now (DPN), the week-long protest was a watershed event. Their persistent, but nonviolent demonstrations captured the hearts of the Nation and their victory resulted in the selection of Dr. Jordan--a selection which was applauded by hearing and nonhearing Americans alike. Dr. Jordan was not only a strong advocate for the Gallaudet community, but for individuals with disabilities across this Nation. One of his many proud accomplishments is the work he did to assist with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which I supported. He was a leading witness in support of the ADA and delivered significant testimony not only in Congress, but across the country during the deliberations of this bill. Dr. Jordan's presidency has paralleled a time of great accomplishments for deaf persons, and all individuals with disabilities. Their needs and abilities have come to the forefront of public debate. He is far more than a symbol of ability over disability, he is a sensitive and caring individual, and a strong and forceful leader. Mr. Speaker, I wish Dr. Jordan and his wife, Linda, much happiness as they anticipate and begin a new chapter in their lives. I am proud to list Dr. I. King Jordan in the ``Who's Who of the 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.'' His strong, forceful, compassionate leadership and service will be greatly missed.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise today to commend the residents of the Seventh Congressional District and the people of southeastern Pennsylvania for their generosity and compassion toward the people of the gulf coast in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As vice chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I visited Louisiana 5 days after the storm hit, and witnessed the strength and resolve of the citizens and those working to save lives and restore order. This weekend I am pleased to host gulf coast first responders in my district to recognize their indomitable spirit and their great relief efforts. In the days and dark nights that followed the hurricane disasters, these first responders worked around the clock with remarkable resiliency in moving forward a person, a house, a building at a time. More than 6 months have passed since the most devastating natural disaster in American history. In that time, as has been the case in every time of national crisis, the citizens of my region have opened their hearts to their fellow citizens. Displaced residents were welcomed to our communities, schoolchildren held fundraisers, supplies were donated, prayers were said and communities sent their fire and EMS personnel to aid neighbors in towns hundreds of miles away, that were unknown to them weeks earlier. College students from my district are spending their spring break in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama assisting with the recovery and rebuilding effort. To this day, our local citizens continue to donate money, time and effort to help rebuild this devastated part of our country. This spontaneous generosity--great and small, emotional and financial--of all of my constituents in the wake of this tragedy has been remarkable. I have never been more proud to represent the Seventh Congressional District. The extraordinary efforts of the residents of Delaware, Chester and Montgomery Counties are exemplary of the spirit of service that has made our Nation great. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have dedicated not only their time, but also their resources, to the recovery effort along the gulf coast. I am proud to recognize and commend the tremendous commitment, kindness and generosity of southeastern Pennsylvanians whose invaluable dedication to helping our Nation deserves our special recognition.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solid support of this legislation and with deep thanks to the leadership on both sides of the aisle for their work on this issue. This is a critically important piece of legislation, not just for the people of Ukraine but for the people of the world. As a founder and cochair of the Ukrainian Rada-U.S. Congress relationship, this has been our number one priority for a number of years. But going back in my own career as a mayor and former county commissioner, I can recall each January that, with hundreds of my Ukrainian-American constituents, we would assemble and light candles. We would light candles for those people who are being oppressed by the Soviet regime. In working with groups like the National Council of Soviet Jewry, we would make visits into the Soviet Union and go to those homes where people were being oppressed. We understood in a real way the oppression that was being brought by the Soviet leadership. And those candles that we lit each January were to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people, that one day they would achieve independence and one day they would achieve the full equal respect of our country. In the early nineties they achieved their independence. Today they receive the full respect of America and its people, because today we grant them equal status as a trading partner. Ukraine has been working hard to achieve the basic foundation of democracy. They worked hard as a million people stood in the streets in the area of the Maden and stood up to the leadership in attempting to take away the election of the people. They stood tall for the leadership of President Yushchenko. President Yushchenko has continuously called for this action that we take today. And certainly the timing is appropriate because in several weeks Ukraine will elect a new Rada. This sends a signal that Ukraine now has the full and equal respect of the government and of the people of the United States. And it sends a signal to all those other emerging democracies that you can follow the Orange Revolution. Ukraine has been very helpful to us, Mr. Speaker, in ways that we do not often talk about publicly. It was President Kuchma, before Yushchenko, who laid the groundwork with contacts in Libya through his Foreign Minister, Konstantin Greshenko, to assist us in getting Gadhafi to give up his weapons of mass destruction. Quiet discussions among Ukraine leaders were assisting us to achieve what many thought was impossible in Libya. It has been Ukraine and the diaspora in this country that has constantly reminded us of the economic bonds between our two nations. Today we stand tall with the people of Ukraine, and we tell them that we are with them, as we told Prime Minister Yekhanurov when he was here only a few weeks ago. Today Ukraine becomes a symbol for all of the world. Hopefully, we will continue to work with Russia to achieve a similar status before the end of this year. I was encouraged by the comments of our Trade Representative in calling for that ultimate conclusion, once Russia has continued to show success and improvement in their economic relations. To all of our colleagues, I say vote for this issue. Slava Ukraine.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness and tremendous gratitude to honor the life of my good friend, Samuel B. Ward, a longtime Chester Heights Fire Chief, veteran, engineer and community leader. As his family, friends and neighbors mourn the passing of Sam Ward, I want to take a few moments today to remember his work and the difference he made in the community he served so bravely and selflessly. Mr. Ward was born in Chester, but grew up in Chester Heights, a community with whom he had a life-long affiliation. After enlisting at the end of World War II, he attended Pennsylvania Military College, now Widener University, where he played football and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Ordinance Corps, he was detailed to the Infantry and served in Korea as a Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, earning his Combat Infantry Badge. After returning from Korea, he was assigned to the Tank and Automotive Command in Michigan before leaving the military and returning to Chester Heights. After his military service, he returned to the fledgling Chester Heights Volunteer Fire Company, and was elected to positions of increasing leadership including Engineer, Assistant Fire Chief, and finally Fire Chief, a position he held for 35 years. Firefighting is a matter of life and death, and individuals like Sam Ward assume an enormous responsibility when they accept the job of running a fire department. They are responsible for the lives, homes, and livelihoods of thousands of citizens throughout their community. And on a day-to-day basis they become directly responsible for the health and welfare of all the men and women they supervise. Chief Ward discharged his enormous responsibilities with real distinction. During his 35 years as chief, a good department became even better. Chief Ward was respected for his commitment to public safety and his ability to get things done. An innovator in the fire service, he developed the first workable portable Air Bank in the county, a system which recharges the air packs worn by firefighters. As chairman of the Delaware County Radio Committee, his work laid the foundation for the county-wide fire response radio and the 911 service. Within the community, Mr. Ward served the borough of Chester Heights in numerous capacities, including Fire Marshal, Council Member and President of Borough Council. In later years, he used his expertise from the fire service to serve as Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness. Mr. Ward's service activities also included a very active role in the Boy Scouts of Troop 260, where as a boy he earned his Eagle Scout. His leadership on the troop committee provided opportunities for boys of the area to experience adventure activities and other projects to enhance their scouting life. His other community involvement included various service organizations, including the Lions, Jaycees, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Concordville Rotary. Mr. Ward worked throughout his career as a metal fabricator, eventually founding his own business, which had a reputation for quality and innovation for more than 34 years. He married the former Mary Frances Ahearn, his high school and college sweetheart, in 1951, who died in 1995. He is survived by one daughter, Joan and four sons, Steven, James, Lawrence and Joseph, and one sister, Polly (Madeline); and seven grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, the 7th Congressional District has lost an exceptional public servant, and I have lost a good friend. I wish Chief Ward's family, my heartfelt condolences and may they find comfort in knowing that the many people he impacted deeply value his dedication and generosity and the example of his life and work. Chief Samuel B. Ward exemplified the spirit of service that has made this country great. This man was a genuine community leader. He not only did his job well, he loved it, and the community he served. We are safer because of his life and service. I am personally grateful to have known Chief Ward as a friend, and mourn his passing.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise today to congratulate the Radnor Fire Company for 100 years of dedicated service to the residents of Radnor, Tredyffrin and the surrounding communities in Pennsylvania. On a historical note, after 30 years of service in 1904, the Wayne Hose Company & Wayne Chemical Company disbanded leaving no fire protection for the community. Following a devastating fire that completely destroyed the Wayne Suburban newspaper building in March of 1906, 24 men organized the Radnor Fire Company to protect the community and incorporated on March 15, 1906. The Wayne steam plant agreed to sound the steam whistle if there was a fire and it sounded its first alarm on May 24, 1906 for a working house fire near Strafford train station. In that first year of existence the Radnor Fire Company responded to 13 fire calls. In 1907, looking to improve the firefighting capabilities the members were tasked to find a motorized fire truck. Since none existed at that time they drew specifications and The Knox Company was hired to build the first motorized fire pump in the United States. The firefighters of the Radnor Fire Company have an impressive record when it comes to firefighting. The fire company has fought such spectacular blazes including four at Villanova University, six at Valley Forge Military Academy, the Pennsylvania Fire Works Company explosion in Devon, the Wayne Opera House, Caley Nursing Home and crashes of P-40 fighter planes during World War II. During that time, the fire company manpower was augmented by a ``school boy fireman''-- Rick Taddeo, who is still a member today. The first ambulance was purchased in 1947 with funds raised by the Rotary Club following the death of a Radnor firefighter. By the 1970's the fire company was responding to 390 fire and 890 ambulance calls annually. Today they answer nearly 800 fire and 4,000 ambulance calls annually. From its beginning with a horse-drawn fire apparatus to the first motorized firefighting equipment to its modern new trucks of today, Radnor is a leader in firefighting capabilities and continues to protect the citizens of Radnor, portions of Tredyffrin and the surrounding communities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have dedicated not only their time, but also their lives, to the safety of all Radnor residents as well as surrounding communities. As a former fire chief in Marcus Hook, I am aware of the risks firefighters face each day, under intense pressure, in life or death situations. Our thanks and appreciation can never repay those who put their lives on the line to ensure our safety. I am proud to recognize and commend the tremendous commitment, courage and dedication of the Radnor Fire Company members who continue to reflect the same spirit in which the department was established more than 100 years ago. I am honored to rise today to extend my thanks for what the members of the Radnor Fire Company do each day and congratulate them on this milestone anniversary.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, three years ago it was my privilege to lead a bipartisan delegation of my colleagues to the Korean Peninsula. At the time, we had a rare opportunity to visit Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, as well as Seoul, the capital of South Korea, which I have had the pleasure of visiting on more than one occasion. During that trip, we gained a greater understanding and appreciation of the security challenges we face in Northeast Asia and the particular challenges faced by the Republic of Korea. Our delegation made a return trip to North Korea in January 2005. With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the seldom noted fact that our close friend and staunch ally, the Republic of Korea, has contributed the largest contingent of military personnel in Iraq, after the United States and the United Kingdom. South Korea has currently deployed 3,300 troops to Iraq, performing important functions in the northern part of the country, freeing up U.S. forces for operations elsewhere. The South Korean government, through legislation passed by its National Assembly in December 2005, extended the time period of deployment of their troops for another year, despite political pressures to withdraw altogether. The extension of the stationing of troops is an expression of South Korea's deep and abiding support for the U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq and establish a permanent peace there. By its actions, South Korea demonstrates its firm commitment to a rapid reconstruction of Iraq and to establishing stability as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, South Korean troops have been stationed in Iraq since they were first dispatched in August 2004. Named the Zaytun Division, derived from the Arabic term for ``olive'' and symbolizing peace, the unit has been actively involved in rehabilitating civilian infrastructure facilities for local residents and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The South Korean National Assembly announced that there will be a gradual reduction of the Zaytun troops by one-third to 2,300 over the course of the coming year. It will be a phased reduction in close consultation with the U.S. and dependent on the Iraqi police force's readiness and the situation on the ground. It is important to note, however, that while there will be a gradual reduction in presence, the role of Zaytun will be enhanced. In fact, the South Korean troops will soon provide security service for the Irbil Regional Office of the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), protecting UNAMI's middle ring and its convoys. Additionally, the USAID office will now be stationed within the Zaytun compound and protected by South Korean forces. Mr. Speaker, I am afraid that our South Korean friends have not been thanked loudly or frequently enough for this contribution to the stabilization of Iraqi society. It is a genuine shame that the news media in the U.S. missed this significant story, which was widely reported in the Korean press. On January 18, 2006, a letter from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was delivered to the commander of South Korean forces in Irbil, a city in northern Iraq, expressing our country's appreciation for their peacekeeping efforts. The letter said, in part, ``The humanitarian and reconstruction activities your troops have undertaken have made lasting and substantive contributions to the quality of life for the people of Irbil.'' For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my personal appreciation to the government and people of South Korea for their lasting contribution to the coalition forces in Iraq and for their commitment to playing an important and responsible role in the international community. As a staunch ally of the United States with a mutually comprehensive alliance partnership that has spanned over fifty years and four major conflicts since the end of World War II, South Korea deserves our recognition and expression of support.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness and tremendous gratitude to honor the life of Francis L. Brannigan, who over the years has helped firefighters be more astute to the importance of knowing building construction to promote firefighter safety. As a groundbreaking leader in providing for firefighter safety, Frank was one of the first to realize that the biggest threat to firefighters were the buildings they were working in. Throughout his career, Frank provided constant focus on the issues associated with building construction and the fire environment. The safety of firefighters was always the focus of his message and as a result, generations of firefighters will be safer because of his message. The knowledge that he possessed, and generously shared, was second to none. Frank Brannigan devoted more than half of his 63-year career to the safety of firefighters in building fires. He was well known as the author of ``Building Construction for the Fire Service,'' and for his lectures and videotapes. The first edition of his ``Building Construction for the Fire Service'' was an instant success in 1971. Since then, it has sold more than 130,000 copies in three editions, the most recent of which was published in 1992. Designated by Fire Chief as one of the 20 people who most influenced the fire service in the 20th century, Frank Brannigan was truly one of the giants of the fire service. Frank Brannigan was not a fire chief or an engineer, but he became one of the most important influences in the fire service in the last quarter of the 20th century. I am proud to say I knew Frank Brannigan. Mr. Speaker, the Fire Service has lost an exceptional leader and guardian of firefighters everywhere. I wish Frank Brannigan's wife Maurine and family my heartfelt condolences and may they find comfort in knowing that the many people he impacted deeply value his dedication and generosity and the example of his life and work. Frank Brannigan exemplified the spirit of service that has made this country great. As long as firefighters fight fires, the fire service will be the beneficiary of Frank's writing, scholarship, zeal and life-saving message.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Chief Joseph J. Manerchia upon his retirement as Fire Chief of the Marcus Hook Fire Department after more than 30 years of distinguished and dedicated service to the Department. Joseph J. Manerchia joined the Marcus Hook Fire Company No. 1 at the age of 15 in 1975. In the years that followed, he held every administrative and Fire Line office within the company. In 1995, he became company chief and is credited with initiating many positive changes in the operation of the company, especially in areas of firefighter/fire officer training, firefighter safety, development of fire officer qualifications and training programs for apparatus drivers. He also wrote the first Standard Operating Guideline Manual adopted by the fire company and developed a ``Fire Department/Police Department Interface Program'' to promote better cooperation between the two agencies. Chief Manerchia led his company to 4 consecutive Pennsylvania State Championships as the ``Best Appearing Marching Unit'' in the Pennsylvania State Firemen's Convention Parade. In 1999, Joe rose to the rank of Borough Fire Chief, a position he would hold through 2005 which made him the longest serving Borough Fire Chief in the history of the department. At that time, the Marcus Hook Fire Department was comprised of the Marcus Hook Fire Company No. 1 and the Viscose Fire Company No. 2. As Borough Fire Chief he provided the leadership that would eventually consolidate the two local fire companies into one organization. In the year 2000, he was instrumental in developing a plan that led to the replacement of the fire department's aging aerial ladder truck with a new 75 Foot Quint. Again under his chairmanship, the State spotlight was cast on Marcus Hook as the Fire Department hosted the Pennsylvania State Firemen's Convention in September 2003, a first for the fire department and the borough. The Chief has attended local, State and nationally accredited fire, hazardous materials and command training classes. He is the graduate of several National Fire Academy on campus programs as well as programs at the University of Texas A&M and the University of Nevada at Reno. Joe holds Pro-Board Certification as a Fire Instructor and as an Industrial Firefighter and is a Pennsylvania certified Emergency Medical Technician and Vehicle Rescue Technician. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Service Instructors and is on the board of directors of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Currently Chief Manerchia is working on a degree in Emergency Management and accreditation as a ``Chief Fire Officer Designate'' through the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He continues to lecture locally and regionally on fire company consolidations and chairs a committee charged with consolidating three fire companies in two municipalities. Joe is still active with the Marcus Hook Fire Department and is a member of the Emergency Management Committee of the Borough of Marcus Hook. On January 21, 2006, Chief Joseph M. Manerchia was recognized for his 7 years as Borough Fire Chief as well as his 30 years of service to the community and the Fire Department at a banquet held in his honor hosted by the Marcus Hook Fire Department and the Borough of Marcus Hook. During his 30 years of service, he certainly has earned this recognition, and I call upon all of my colleagues to join me in applauding his leadership in both his Department and community. While his service will not soon be forgotten and his boots will not soon be filled, the high standards he has set for his department will strengthen fire service for many years to come.