Roger Wicker

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. I thank the chairman.

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Chairman, I seek this time in order to enter into a colloquy with Chairman Hobson. The colloquy is regarding the construction of mooring facilities on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Mississippi. A new $800 million steel plant, SeverCorr, is bringing over 500 jobs to Lowndes County. Given that the average wages for hourly workers will approach $70,000 annually, each one of these jobs is likely to be transformational for the families involved. The SeverCorr project is the largest private construction project in the United States this year. A large amount of SeverCorr's raw materials and finished product will be shipped utilizing the Tennessee- Tombigbee Waterway beginning in June 2007. The company expects to use approximately 50 or 60 additional barges each month. However, there are no mooring facilities along this portion of the Tennessee-Tombigbee. Presently, if an operator needs to moor a barge temporarily or overnight, the operator may tie the barge to one of several trees along the bank. This situation will clearly present a significant threat to navigation safety once the steel plant begins operation. Absence of a mooring facility could also present operational challenges to the smooth and safe transport of materials and inhibit this critically important economic activity. I understand that the bill continues a moratorium on new projects by the Corps of Engineers. However, I hope the chairman will work with me to identify ways the committee can help support the important economic development taking place in my district along the Tennessee-Tombigbee.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, may I say initially that I certainly support the passage of H.R. 5385 and urge my colleagues to cast an ``aye'' vote. But I rise at this point to enter into a colloquy with Chairman Walsh regarding Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. During fiscal year 2006 military quality of life appropriations process, funding was authorized and provided for the first phase of the mission support complex at Columbus Air Force Base. Currently, mission support facilities are spread across the base and are too small for their functions. The proposed mission support complex will consolidate many of the command and control functions into one complex adjacent to the wing headquarters. Also, this new facility will meet new force protection antiterrorism standards. Funding for the second and final phase of this complex is needed to complete the project. I realize this project was not authorized in the House version of the 2007 Defense Authorization Act, and this fact prevented the project from being funded in this appropriation bill, Mr. Chairman. However, I hope the chairman will work with me as this bill moves through conference in order to complete the project on schedule.

Mr. WICKER. I thank the chairman very much for yielding and this colloquy.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida, who could also have mentioned that spending on Federal health research has almost tripled in the decade of Republican rule in this House of Representatives. So I am proud of the accomplishments we have made in that regard. Mr. Speaker, there has been a great deal of debate tonight about the growth in the national debt, and certainly it is something we are very interested in. In the debate on the previous rule, accomplishments were pointed out on the discretionary spending side. That is spending that is controlled by the appropriations process. But we will never get a handle on deficit reduction, we will never be able to accomplish this challenge of the growth in the national debt unless we get a handle on our mandatory spending, those entitlement programs that are on autopilot. They spend year in and year out, whether there is an appropriation bill or not. Mandatory programs will grow this year at a growth rate of over twice the inflation rate. If we do nothing about the mandatory spending programs, they will increase from their current 54 percent of the Federal budget to an unbelievable, unchecked 62 percent of total Federal spending in a decade. So clearly this is the key area in budget deficit reduction, and that is why we have a plan to implement reforms to provide savings for the American people in the area of mandatory programs. One example, of course, would be the Medicaid program, a program which Governors, Democrat and Republican, from around the country have come to Congress about, saying please help us to save this valuable program by slowing the growth rate. Under the underlying bill that this rule would provide, Medicaid will grow at a rate of 7.5 percent over the next 10 years, instead of a rate of 7.7 percent. For these reasons, I support the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, my friend from California asked just a few moments ago, what is it that Republican budgets do? I will tell you what Republican budgets do, and I will tell you what this Republican budget does. It provides a plan to give savings to the American people. It provides a plan to slow the growth rate of some of the most important programs that we have in the United States of America so that we can save those programs, programs mentioned in the motion to instruct conferees, such as food stamps, funding for child support enforcement, Medicaid benefits, and student loans. Republicans acknowledge, as most Americans acknowledge, that these are important and valuable programs. But, Mr. Speaker, we must slow the growth rate of these programs; not cut them, but slow the growth rate in order to preserve those programs. What do Republican budgets do? Republican budgets also keep intact those tax policies that have grown this economy for 10 straight quarters, a growth rate of 4.1 percent in our GDP currently. Now, what do Democrat budgets do? They consistently advocate increased spending, increases in discretionary spending, that done by the Appropriations Committee; and higher spending on the entitlement programs that we are talking about in this motion to instruct conferees. Also, Democrat budgets consistently call for higher taxes on the American people. It is just a difference of philosophy. But that is what Democrat budgets do, and that is contrasted to what our responsible and reasonable Republican budget does today. Now, I will mention one program, if I have the time, and that is Medicaid. Democrat Governors from around the country, Republican Governors from around the country have come to Congress and said, please, implement Medicaid reforms so that we can protect our budgets, so that Medicaid will not completely eat up State budgets in the 50 States, so that we can continue to provide this valuable service for our citizens. The Democrat motion would allow Medicaid to grow. The Republican budget, our budget plan, would allow Medicaid to grow just a little slower, at just a little less of a growth rate than the Democratic plan. Slowing the growth rate of Federal entitlement programs, which is what our Republican plan does, is not a cut in these programs. It is a way to acknowledge the value of these programs, it is a way to say we should preserve them, and it is a way to provide an additional means to protect the tax cuts and the tax policy that have been so successful in having our economy grow the way it has. I urge my colleagues to vote against the motion to instruct.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support a congressional program that builds character and fosters community service, personal development and citizenship in young Americans--the Congressional Award program. Established in 1979, the Congressional Award is the highest honor Congress bestows upon young people. Any interested, motivated youth age 14 to 23 may participate. The Congressional Award adapts to meet the needs of each participant. Students set goals according to their own interests and level of abilities. Congressional award recipients represent the best of America. They are required to have committed to bettering themselves and to giving back to the communities in which they reside. It is the making of fulfilling of that commitment that makes these young people so extraordinary. Over 650 young people in Mississippi are actively pursuing a Congressional Award. Many of these participants are currently involved with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts as a part of their volunteer service commitment. Last year 15 Mississippi youths earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal by serving over 400 hours of volunteer community service and 200 hours each in personal development and physical fitness. 2005 Gold Medal recipient William Fleming of Vardaman, MS, says this of his experience: ``I gained a renewed sense of accomplishment and self worth that cannot be replaced. I got all of this from the activities that I completed in the Congressional Award program.'' Participation in this program is growing rapidly. Over 2,700 Congressional awards were earned in fiscal year 2005--an increase of 100 percent from just 5 years ago. On June 22, 2005, Members of Congress presented 242 young people with Gold Medals--our highest number to date. In 2006, that number will most likely exceed 300. As a long time supporter of the Congressional Award, I encourage my fellow colleagues to reauthorize this outstanding program.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. James A. Boyd of Columbus, Mississippi, on the occasion of his 40th anniversary as pastor at Zion Gate Missionary Baptist Church. I want to join with the congregation, his family, and friends in offering congratulations on this special recognition. Dr. Boyd's dynamic presence in the pulpit and his leadership abilities have given him the opportunity to travel far and wide in service to God and country. He entered the ministry in 1965 when he became pastor of Zion Gate and El Bethel Missionary Baptist Churches in Columbus. He also taught English in the Columbus School System before choosing to become the fulltime pastor at Zion Gate in 1970. Over the past four decades, Dr. Boyd has played leadership roles in countless organizations and served as evangelist for revivals, seminars, and conferences all across the nation. He is currently serving as president of the Northeast Mississippi Baptist State Convention, Inc., and is a board member of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. He is Trustee/Chairman of the Ministerial Institute and College, Homiletic instructor at the college, and lecturer for the Mt. Olivet District Association. Dr. Boyd is a native of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, and graduated from Oktibbeha Training School before earning a bachelor's degree from Stillman College in 1964. He also attended Iowa State University and Mississippi State University. He received a doctorate of ministry at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California. He also received a doctorate of divinity from Mary Holmes College in West Point, Mississippi, in 2002. Dr. Boyd is married to the former Kathrene Peterson, and they have two daughters and three grandsons. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. James Boyd for his lifetime of service to God and country.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, in the brief time I have allotted, I want to talk about one of the important reasons why this bill needs to be enacted, and that is with regard to the reforms we have in Medicaid. Currently, Medicaid provides medical care for 53 million Americans at a cost exceeding $300 billion each year. It is a great program; but Medicaid is already the biggest item in many State budgets, exceeding elementary and secondary education combined. If unreformed, Medicaid will bankrupt every State in as little as 20 years, absorbing 80 to 100 percent of all State dollars. Because of these stark realities, the bipartisan National Governors Association has stated that serious Medicaid reforms are needed. The Deficit Reduction Act, which we vote on tonight, takes an important step in that direction by slowing the rate of growth in this valuable program. Currently, Medicaid grows at a rate of 7.7 percent per year, as indicated by this chart, making it one of the fastest growing programs in the government. The plan included in this legislation tonight reduces the Medicaid rate of growth over the next 10 years from 7.7 percent a year to 7.5 percent annual growth rate. While this is a very small change, the bill includes necessary reforms to address the problem before it is too late. The plan provides greater flexibility for our States and its governors. Under the current program, governors cannot tailor Medicaid benefits to meet the needs of the people. Under the new plan, they can. The most irresponsible thing we can do at this time, Mr. Speaker, is to do nothing. I urge the Members to vote for this bill.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time. Madam Speaker, forces have been marshaled from across the Nation and, indeed, from around the globe to assist in the relief and recovery from Hurricane Katrina. But the biggest asset in this effort is not the Federal Government; it is the generosity of our fellow citizens. From the corner lemonade stands to the corporate board rooms, people are opening their hearts, homes, churches, and their pocketbooks to assist in the relief efforts. Donations continue to pour in to countless nongovernmental organizations and to the faith community as we begin to take stock in the breadth of Katrina's destruction. According to the 2004 generosity index, based on IRS statistics, Mississippi is the most charitable State in the country. Now we find ourselves in need of charity. It is something we take great pride in back home, that we are the leader in generosity; and with that in mind, I am thankful to see that the provisions of H.R. 3724, the charitable donation legislation I introduced last week, have been included in the relief package. Under current law, the amount of individual or corporate deductions is now capped. This bill includes provisions to lift those caps for Katrina-related donations. In doing so, we are unleashing the awesome power of the American public and our capacity to care for our own. This past weekend, I was part of a caravan of trucks and vans loaded with supplies from north Mississippi to several churches in the ravaged portions of my State. While I saw the pain on the faces of those who had lost so much, I also saw a determination that is strong among our people. We are already working hard on recovery and rebuilding, spurred on by the compassion and generosity of so many Americans. This bill will help provide individuals affected by this tragedy with the charitable assistance they need.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, the Energy Policy Act that the House passed yesterday includes a commitment by Congress to make a significant investment for research and development into renewable and alternative sources of energy. As demand for clean and reliable energy increases, it is imperative that America's young people be introduced and educated in conservation and alternative energy. To decrease foreign dependence, we must increase our knowledge and ability to foster our own forms of energy. With that in mind, it is with great pleasure that I inform this body of some recent educational achievements in alternative energy sources. The Dell-Winston Solar Challenge is an educational competition among high school teams from across our Nation using solar powered cars. The competition began ten years ago at the Winston School in Dallas, Texas, to promote science and engineering to high school students. This unique competition has grown significantly since its inception. Technology and Learning magazine has named this Solar Race Challenge as one of the 10 Most Innovative Projects in Education. In an effort to produce a competitive solar-powered vehicle, teams spent up to eighteen months designing and building the sun-fueled racers. The nine teams crossed the finish line at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, after an eight-day race that began in Round Rock, Texas. The 1600-mile competition concluded this year as the winning team set a new race record with a top speed of 57 miles per hour. I am immensely proud that the winner of this race is located in my district, from the city of Houston, Mississippi. This race team from a town with about 4,000 people consistently dominates the competition from much larger cities and schools. This remarkable team from the Houston Vocational Center is under the guidance of adviser and race coach Keith Reese. The team includes: captain Katie Weaver and members Tyler Davis, Austin Jordan, Stefanie Barkley, Brister Bishop, Matt Jernigan, David Peel, Leign Anna Springer, Mason Faulkner, Quinton Grice, Callie Weaver, Katie Weaver, Jesse Lal, Roderick Wiley, and Andrea Westmoreland. I am proud of each one these individuals. Their hard work and dedication is evident in the finished product. The winning tradition of this team includes more than the aforementioned teachers and students. This project has grown into a community event. Support from the City of Houston is as consistent as the team's success. It is evident that these constituents have recognized the positive impact projects like these provide. Year after year dedicated students and teachers build and race these advanced solar powered machines. This year marks the fifth consecutive time the Houston Race Team has won the coveted title. To quote Bubba Weir, the Executive Director of The Mississippi Alternative Energy Enterprise, ``The Program integrates classroom principles in a real- life situation that fosters learning and encourages the students to work to the best of their ability.'' This team brings much more than a trophy back to Mississippi; they bring a renewed emphasis and excitement to the fields of science and energy research. As the number of students studying math and science decreases nationwide, programs such as these pay dividends in increased interest in these fields. Dr. Lehman Marks, the founder and director of the Dell-Winston Race described it as ``A Challenge that helps teach high school students the 21st century skills they need to be successful in the future, whether it's to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow or wherever their paths may lead.'' I am encouraged when I see future leaders taking the initiative to compete and excel in this demanding contest. Programs like this demonstrate the importance of implementing new education techniques. Projects outside the classroom environment generate learning that enhances knowledge students receive from traditional instruction. The challenges in the fields of math and science are changing, and I am proud that Mississippi's educators are training students to meet these challenges head on. The success of the Houston solar race team has spread statewide, and many other Mississippi schools are beginning to experiment in alternative energy education programs. It is good to see young Mississippians leading the way through these innovative projects. Congratulations to the Houston Solar Race Team for an extraordinary performance and a job well done. The city of Houston, Chickasaw County, the entire State of Mississippi, and the United States of America are very proud of you.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I shall not take near 60 minutes, but I intend to yield the vast majority of this time back to the Chair so the Chair can recognize my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe). I appreciate the leadership accommodating me so I can tell to the Members the story, the unfortunate story, of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the state of affairs in the Russian Federation today. Since June of 1987, when President Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate and urged Mikhail Gorbachev to ``Tear down this wall,'' through glasnost and perestroika, through monetary reform and trade, the United States has taken an approach towards active engagement toward democratic reform in Russia. As cochairman of the Russia Democracy Group, I am committed to seeing these efforts continue. Today the U.S. looks to Russia as a partner in this changing world. At the same time, the responsibility lies on our shoulders to hold our Russian counterparts accountable as they move towards democracy. Recent events in Russia such as the consolidation of power by the Kremlin, restrictions on the media, and the government seizure of private companies, have raised concerns over the path Russia is taking to freedom. One recent incident in particular draws to mind memories of Russia under the Soviet Union, not the free and democratic society we had hoped it would become. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is pictured here to my left, was CEO of the YUKOS Oil Company, the largest company in Russia. In October of 2003, he was arrested at gunpoint and tried for a multitude of politically motivated charges. The trial, if you can call it that, was completed on May 31 of this year, and Mr. Khodorkovsky was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Recently I, along with many Members of Congress, had the opportunity to meet with one of Mr. Khodorkovsky's business partners, Leonid Nevzlin. Mr. Nevzlin, now living in Israel, has also been charged by the Russian courts for his connection to YUKOS. While in the United States, Mr. Nevzlin spoke before the U.S. Helsinki Commission and confirmed what many of us feared. Russia is quickly moving away from democracy rather than embracing it. Mikhail Khodorkovsky's account of the trial and the deterioration of law in Russia is a compelling story that needs to be heard. Following his sentencing, Mr. Khodorkovsky wrote his thoughts from his prison cell as he awaited his departure for the Siberian prison camps. I believe it is important today that I read his profoundly eloquent statement in its entirety. ``Despite obvious lack of evidence of my guilt and a mass of evidence that I was not involved in any crimes whatsoever, the court has decided to send me to the camps. ``I do not intend to harshly criticize the esteemed judge, Irina Kolesnikova. I can imagine what sort of pressure she was under from the initiators of the Khodorkovsky case while she was preparing the verdict. Scores of government functionaries, or just plain self- interested intermediaries, were ready to bring any amount of money to the court to make sure I was sent to Siberia. ``When it comes right down to it, Kolesnikova is not the problem. The problem is that the judiciary in Russia has turned completely into a mindless appendage, a blunt weapon of the executive. Actually, not so much of the executive branch of power as of several economic groups with criminal ties. Millions of our fellow citizens have seen today that despite our country's top leadership's statements about the need to strengthen due process, there is nothing to pin our hopes on for now. This is a shame and a stain on our country, and it is a misfortune. ``I do not admit guilt, and consider that my innocence has been proven. This is why I will appeal the sentence handed down to me today. For me, it is a fundamental matter of principal to obtain truth and justice in my Motherland. ``I know that the sentence in the criminal case against me was ultimately decided in the Kremlin. Some people in the President's entourage insisted that only an acquittal could bring back society's trust in the government, while others insisted that I be locked up for a long time in order to deprive me of the will to live, to be free, and to fight. ``I want to say thank you for the former, and bring attention to the latter that they have not won. ``They will never be capable of understanding that freedom is an internal state of a person. It is precisely those who wish me ill, the ones who have dreams at night of a Khodorkovsky rabidly thirsting for vengeance, who are doomed to spend the rest of their lives trembling over the stolen assets of YUKOS. ``It is they who are profoundly unfree and will never be free. It is their pitiful existence that is the true prison. ``I, on the other hand, have the full right to say whatever I think and to act as I deem necessary without needing to get my plans approved by any overseers. And this is why my living space from now on is the territory of freedom. The captives are those who remain slaves of the system, who have to grovel, to lie, and to debase others in order to preserve their incomes and their dubious status in this obscene society. ``I will engage in civic activities; I plan to create several philanthropic organizations, for example a foundation to support Russian poetry and one for Russian philosophy, as well as a Union for Aid to Russian Prisoners. I remain an active participant in the programs of Open Russia. I will soon be holding an extramural press conference at which I will discuss the highest-priority steps. This will be the first press conference from jail in post-Soviet history. ``While I no longer have significant personal assets, there are many people willing to provide financial support for my programs because of their association with my name? ``I want to say a big thank you to everyone who gathered here today inside and outside the courthouse, and to everybody who supported me over the preceding year and a half. You are the decent and valiant people of Russia. I solemnly state that you can always count on me. Even though I do not have big money anymore, we can accomplish a great deal together. ``I would like to say a separate word of thanks to those tens of thousands of ordinary inhabitants of Russia, from every corner of our country, who have supported me with their letters. My time in jail has shown me yet again that the Russia people are not mindless beasts of burden, as certain ideologists close to those in power assert. No, they are a righteous and noble people. ``I will work together with those who want and are able to speak openly about our country, about our people, and about our common present and future. I will fight for freedom, for mine, for Platon Lebedev's, for that of my other friends, and for that of all Russia. And particularly for that of the next generations, those to whom our country will belong in only a few years.'' Mr. Speaker, Mr. Khodorkovsky concludes his letter with these profound paragraphs: ``For them, my fate must become a lesson and an example. ``Thank you to my family. They have been and remain my support, now and always. It may take many years, but I will walk out from the barbed wire and will return home. I have never been as sure of anything as I am of this. ``Even though years of prison await me, I am still experiencing a great sense of relief. My life is now a clean slate; there is nothing extraneous, accidental, or superficial in it anymore. I see my future as bright, and the air of tomorrow's Russia as pure. ``I have lost my place in the oligarchs' clique. But I have gained a huge number of true and loyal friends. ``I have regained a sense of my country. I am now together with my people, and now, we shall overcome together as well. ``Do not despair. Truth always wins out sooner or later.'' Thus ends the statement of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Mr. Speaker, as Russia's participation in the international community increases, it is imperative that the United States works to ensure that this country continues toward democracy for the people of Russia and for the entire world. Rest assured that Mikhail Khodorkovsky is right. In the end truth will win out, as will freedom. I thank the leadership and the Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to direct my colleagues to the critical need for adult immunizations and ask that they join me in supporting the Total Health Requires Improved Vaccination Efforts--or THRIVE Act--which Ms. Roybal-Allard and I are introducing today. Vaccines are one of our great medical achievements. Successful immunization efforts have eradicated small pox and driven rubella from the United States. Mumps, diphtheria, measles, and chicken pox are at record low levels. And thanks to immunization, we're on the brink of eradicating polio across the globe. Unfortunately, the success of childhood vaccination efforts has largely over-shadowed the need for adult vaccinations. Vaccine- preventable diseases among adults result in 45 thousand unnecessary deaths each year. I urge my colleagues to support the THRIVE Act which will improve adult immunization efforts and help save lives.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) for yielding me this time. I join the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula) in opposing the Owens amendment and would submit to my colleagues that this amendment offers this very straightforward question to Members of the House today: whether to continue the effective job that the Centers for Disease Control are doing currently to fight tuberculosis in the United States or whether, on the other hand, to adopt the Owens amendment and implement an expensive new regulation to allow OSHA to become involved in infectious disease control. That is the basic question. I know that many of us in the House of Representatives and many people across the country are concerned about the issue of rising health care costs. And I will tell the Members that this amendment, if adopted today, would increase the cost of health care for Americans. It may sound reasonable and narrowly drawn at first, dealing only with the fit testing of respirators used to prevent tuberculosis; but I would invite Members to call their hospital administrators and find out what they have to say about this amendment, and what they will tell them is this will be an expensive new regulation for hospitals, and it will increase health care costs for Americans. I think most of us agree that the correct people to fight infectious disease are the health care professionals in our hospitals, and the best agency to regulate and provide guidelines for these health care professionals is the Centers for Disease Control. They have been doing it since 1992, and they have been doing a good job of it. This amendment is a back-door method of allowing OSHA a foothold in the regulation of infectious diseases, and I do not think we want to do that today. And one reason we do not want to do it is the success of CDC. I direct the attention of my colleagues to this chart here. I do not know if every Member can see it, but we can see that tuberculosis rates are the lowest they have been since 1953, and they continue to drop. On the other chart, ``Reported TB cases in the United States, 1982 to 2003'', along about 1992 when CDC started providing guidelines for our health care facilities for regulation of tuberculosis, the TB rate started to drop, and it has continuously dropped. CDC is winning the war against tuberculosis in this country. I thank the chairman for including this in the legislation last year. It is now the law of the land. I thank the chairman for keeping the legislation this year, and I urge my colleagues to stay with a proven record in fighting tuberculosis by voting ``no'' on the Owens amendment.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall votes Nos. 171-175, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On Nos. 171-174, ``yea''; on No. 175, ``aye.''

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill and support the President's position on embryonic stem cells. Let's be clear. Embryonic stem cell research is legal in America today, and nothing in the administration's current policy has affected the legality of this research. The administration's policy simply provides that Federal taxpayer dollars not be used to destroy human embryos. I believe most Americans, when they understand this, agree with the administration. But this rule does not in any way limit the private sector from pursuing embryonic stem cell research. But ultimately, Mr. Speaker, no one can deny that this debate involves profound ethical and moral questions. This is a matter of conscience for millions of Americans who are deeply troubled by the idea of their own funds being used to destroy another human life. For many of my colleagues, and for me, this is a vote of conscience. Let the private sector go forward, if it must, with the destruction of embryos for ethically questionable science. But spend the people's money on proven blood cord, bone marrow and adult stem cell research.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall votes Nos. 133-145, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On Nos. 133-139, ``yea''; on No. 140, ``nay''; on Nos. 141-142, ``no''; on No. 143, ``nay''; on No. 144, ``aye''; on No. 145, ``yea''.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I support this budget because it represents at least a small step in coming to grips with mandatory spending. As a member of the Budget Committee and the Appropriations Committee, I have seen firsthand that we spend the vast majority of our time fighting over discretionary spending, those 11 appropriations bills which we must pass each year. But that type of spending makes up only one-third of our total spending. Entitlement spending continues to grow with no restraint. We have allowed mandatory spending to be on autopilot, and now it consumes 55 percent of our total budget. It is time we wake up and take control of this spending. Today our mandatory spending not only is growing at a rate far beyond what any of us could have imagined, it is also growing at a rate far beyond our means to sustain it. Left unchecked, over 62 percent of our total budget will be mandatory spending by the year 2015 as this chart explains. This will place an unsustainable burden on our economy and eventually crowd out other priorities like education, transportation, and veterans programs. This trend can easily be seen in some of our larger mandatory programs. Student loan growth is more than 10 percent a year. During the past decade, Medicare has grown by 88 percent. Medicaid has more than doubled. These are popular and valuable programs, Mr. Speaker, but these growth rates cannot be sustained. We need to slow the growth rate so that we can save the programs. Despite what Members have said tonight, this budget does not contain cuts in mandatory spending. We are enacting commonsense reforms that slow the growth rate and improve care. Mandatory spending will continue to grow every year of this budget. We cannot put off this program any longer. It is becoming more serious and difficult to control with each passing year. There is nothing more irresponsible than doing nothing. Our budget makes the tough choice to begin dealing with this problem now. It takes the critical step in slowing the growth of spending by including reconciliation instructions to the authorizing committees to find a specified amount of savings in the mandatory programs under their jurisdiction. In total, these savings would slow the growth of our mandatory spending by about one-tenth of 1 percent over 5 years. That is all. And while that may not sound like much, it is a critical first step.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 90, the vote to suspend the rules and pass S. 686, a bill for the relief of the parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo, I was unavoidably absent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time, and I thank him for saying what he did earlier about tax increases. I have been watching these budget debates for 11 years now as a Member of Congress, 3 years as a member of the Committee on the Budget; and year after year the argument is the same. Our colleagues from the other side of the aisle criticize our budgets in two respects. They say Republican budgets do not spend enough, and they say taxes should be higher. That is pretty much the gist of their complaints against our budgets. So I am glad to see the chairman pointing out his opposition and join him in adding my opposition to tax increases. Now, I do want to talk as the chairman has asked me about mandatory spending. And I appreciate this opportunity as a member of the Committee on Appropriations, as well as a member of the Committee on the Budget. As the chairman has noted, Congress spends a lot of time talking about discretionary spending, that part of the budget that makes up only one-third of total spending. The last time we made any real effort to restrain the bulk of our spending, that part on auto-pilot, was back in 1997 and before that 1990. Now if we look at this pie chart, we can see how much of our total spending has come to be mandatory spending: 48.7 percent in 1995, 54.3 percent today. And if we do not get a rein on it, by the year 2015, the portion of the budget over which we have little control or have chosen to have little control will grow to 62.1 percent. Eventually this spending will crowd out other priorities which we also need to address. Let us look at the other chart if we might. This one deals with student loans. We address much of our student spending with discretionary money, but student loans are mandatory programs. Since 2000, student loan volume has increased by 64 percent, with loans increasing by $31.4 billion to $80.7 billion today. This represents an annual growth rate of 10.5 percent at a time when our economy has grown by approximately 4 percent per year. The next chart deals with Medicare spending. Medicare, of course, as we all know, is the Federal Government's nationwide health care system for 41 million senior citizens and disabled persons. That is 14 percent of the population. Since 1995, Medicare spending has grown 88 percent. This year alone we will spend $293 billion on Medicare. Over the next 5 years, CBO estimates that Federal outlays will amount to $2 trillion, and as my friend from Tennessee pointed out, $1 trillion is an awful lot of money. Our next chart deals with Medicaid. Medicaid provides medical and long-term expenses to more than 40 million low-income families, elderly and disabled individuals. This is one out of seven Americans who benefit from this program. It serves as the cornerstone of America's health care safety net. Since 1995, Medicaid spending has grown an astonishing 211 percent. Let me repeat that. Since 1995, Medicare spending has grown 211 percent. According to CBO, this year the Federal Government will spend $183.2 billion on this important program, and over the next 5 years that spending will grow by over $1.1 trillion, an enormous rate of increase in this mandatory program. So why have we allowed it to get to this point? And why are there still so few people who are willing to admit there is a problem, let alone trying to tackle the problem? The first reason, mandatory spending is difficult to control. This spending is tied to a variety of factors outside Congress's control, demographics, economic conditions, medical prices and so on. In addition, we have an aging population, with longer life expectancy-- that is a good thing--increasing benefits and ever increasing medical expenses. In addition, the baby boom generation, my generation, is about to retire, adding huge strains to the resources of these programs. Secondly, these programs address critical needs that must be met, Medicare payments, Social Security payments, commitments to our veterans. Almost everyone is affected by one or more of these programs, either ourselves, our children, our parents, our grandparents. In many cases, people associate these programs with the one check that they receive with their name on it. Now, all of these factors make it especially difficult not only to control entitlement spending but even to discuss getting it back under control without causing concern to good, deserving people who worry that their benefits will be changed. So we have a big problem to deal with, not only to get our hands around the problem, but to do it in a way that is fair for today's recipients and tomorrow's recipients. The President's budget addressed this problem by including savings in mandatory programs, just slowing that rate of growth, as part of our effort to get the growth rate under control and to help reduce the current deficit. Our budget, while not an exact duplicate of the President's proposals, begins the process. It is important to remind everyone that this is not happening in a vacuum. As the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) pointed out, we have already taken the first steps toward getting a grip on discretionary spending. Specifically, what does this budget do? It provides, for the first time since 1997, reconciliation instructions to the authorizing committees. It directs each of them to find a specified amount of savings. What it does not tell them to do is where to find those savings. That will be left up to the committees. The budget has a number that is given to each committee, and it directs the committee of jurisdiction to find that amount of savings. This is a critical step to begin the process of getting our mandatory spending back to a sustainable level, simply slowing the rate of growth of programs such as the one demonstrated on this poster. It is a critical step, and I ask all of my colleagues to support this effort by supporting the budget, and I thank my chairman again for putting together a resolution that addresses the very needed mandatory spending restraint that is going to be necessary for our future economic prosperity.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Florida for allowing me to participate in this tribute to our friend, Tillie Fowler. I was privileged to get to know Tillie and to see how effective she was here in this body. I served with her on the Whip team, where her intelligence and leadership abilities were great assets. Tillie also had the universal respect of members of Congress in both parties because of her gentle demeanor and the way she got things done. She also enjoyed that same measure of respect from all the branches of our armed services. Tillie gained a seat on the Armed Services Committee and worked hard on issues to strengthen our military and improve the quality of life for our service personnel. One of the newspaper stories referred to Tillie as a passionate advocate for the City of Jacksonville and for the military. There is no question about that, and she achieved success without raising her voice or pounding on the rostrum. She did it with a personal style that embodied all the characteristics of a Southern lady. Tillie was polite and courteous, always immaculately dressed, and easy to work with--yet tenacious in pursuit of her goals. Working Woman magazine once said about Tillie that she was a ``diminutive Southern belle but tough as an old Marine.'' She said she learned that lesson from her grandmother, who said being a lady doesn't mean you can't be tough. Tillie heeded her grandnother's advice, and it served her well throughout a career that was marked by pioneering accomplishments. She was one of only five women in her Emory University Law School graduating class. She won a seat on the Jacksonville City Council and was elected as the council's first woman president. She earned high marks for her work ethic and ability to get things done. In 1993, she brought that same energy and determination to Capitol Hill. She already had Washington experience as a former House staffer and in the Office of Consumer Affairs at the White House. Tillie's abilities were recognized quickly and she became a leader on issues relating to our military. She also became a member of the House leadership team, serving as vice-chair of the Republican Conference. Even after leaving Congress in 2001, Tillie was still being called on to tackle tough assignments. She chaired the commission that investigated sexual misconduct allegations at the Air Force Academy and was named to the panel looking into issues surrounding the treatment of prisoners in Iraq. She never moved to Washington, choosing to commute back home every weekend to be close to her family and her strong Jacksonville roots. While Tillie focused much attention on the district and on issues important to Florida, her work touched lives all across our great country--especially those with ties to our military. That was evidenced by the strong outpouring of support the family received from so many Americans who appreciated Tillie's faithful service. The House of Representatives is a better place because Tillie Fowler served here. I am honored to help pay tribute to Tillie and her remarkable career.

Mr. WICKER

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I just want our constituents to understand that, and I want the Members of this body to understand that. I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue. We are not going to do anything to Social Security disability and survivorship, but we do need to give our younger workers an opportunity not only to save the system for their future, but to get a better deal than the one-half percent return or 1 percent return that they are getting now. We can do better; and if we can, we certainly ought to for retirees now and also for future generations. And I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman for his remarks. We can save the Social Security system and also we can get a better deal for our young workers in retirement. Let me make one quick point and see if I have it right. There are actually three aspects to the Social Security system. One is Social Security disability, another is the survivorship program, and the other is the old age retirement program. I think what most of us are saying is, we can save the retirement program through these individual accounts, but we do not have to do one single change to disability. People do not have to worry about losing their disability and they do not have to worry about the survivorship. So if people raise that red herring, that is exactly what it is: It is a false charge. Nothing will be done to disability and nothing will be done to survivorship; is that correct?