H5640 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 12, 2005 workers living standards under past need for this massive project because ary 4, 2005, the gentleman from New trade agreements simply have not they claim that barge traffic on the Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) is recognized risen. Mississippi River system is going up. during morning hour debates for 5 min- We know, Mr. Speaker, that we need But according to the Corps’ own data, utes. a different CAFTA, and we have a dif- barge traffic has declined 23 percent Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is ferent CAFTA when the world’s poorest from 1992 to 2003. Last year it dropped time President Bush’s Deputy White people can buy American goods, not by 19 percent. House Chief of Staff Karl Rove level just make them, we will know our While it seems the Corps’ traffic sce- with the American people and explain trade policies are finally working. We narios are wildly overoptimistic, and exactly what his role was in the leak of should defeat this CAFTA and renego- that barge traffic is likely to continue a covert CIA agent. tiate a better Central American Free its decline, our amendment will allow Mr. Speaker, this is serious business. Trade Agreement. the Corps to go forward with its plan- But from the way the White House has f ning project if, over the next 3 years, been handling it, you would think it is they meet the lowest scenario that no big deal. Valerie Plame was a covert CHANCE TO KEEP FAITH WITH makes this project economically justi- CIA agent stationed in many hot spots AMERICAN TAXPAYERS fied. around the world. When someone in the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Why is this special attention so im- White House decided to leak her name ant to the order of the House of Janu- portant? Well, I have already pointed to reporters they were jeopardizing any ary 4, 2005, the gentleman from Oregon out it is the largest project in the his- undercover operations that Plame had (Mr. BLUMENAUER) is recognized during tory of the Corps and is going to im- worked with in the past. morning hour debates for 5 minutes. pact projects all across the country You would think that President Bush Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, that are worthy and much more impor- would take this issue very seriously, this week, Members of the House of tant. But we ought to consider the since it was his father who said in a Representatives will have a chance to troubled history of this project, for presidential address at the CIA head- keep faith with the American tax- this project is, for many people, the quarters back in 1999, and I am going payers and the interests of our each project that launched the Corps Re- to quote that, ‘‘that I have nothing but and every district. The gentleman from form movement. In 2000, the Corps contempt and anger for those who be- Arizona (Mr. FLAKE) and I will offer an economist, Donald Sweeney, claimed tray the trust by exposing the name of amendment to assure that the most ex- that the Corps officials ordered him to our sources. They are, in my view the pensive project in the history of the cook the books in order to economi- most insidious of traitors.’’ Corps of Engineers, the Upper Mis- cally justify this project. After a whis- Now those are some tough words sissippi River Navigation expansion, is tle blower investigation, the Army In- from the first President Bush who in fact justified. spector General agreed, and two gen- knew the CIA well from his days as di- This $1.8 billion project will take up erals and a colonel lost their jobs. rector of that agency. But when Val- 10 to 15 percent of the entire Corps con- This project epitomizes the need for erie Plame’s name was first leaked, struction budget for years, perhaps reform and modernization of the Corps this president, the current President decades to come, impacting projects in of Engineers. It is an example of how Bush, also had some tough comments every congressional district. That is the Corps’ planning system has a bias for whoever was responsible. In Sep- because the Corps’ current backlog of towards large structural projects. The tember 2003 he said in response to a construction is about $58 billion and National Association of Science has question regarding the leak of Plame’s the construction budget is less than $2 concluded that the Corps has ignored name, and again I am quoting, ‘‘if billion a year. We need to make sure nonstructural alternatives such as con- there is a leak out of my administra- that we are using our limited funding gestion fees, scheduling and switch tion, I want to know who it is, and if for worthwhile projects. boats, that will enable the system to the person has violated the law, the Now, while I have deep reservations work better. And we do not yet have a person will be taken care of.’’ about this project, I respect the hard good system of independent review, Well now, Mr. Speaker, it appears work of our chairman, the gentleman which, if it had been required of this that we know who one of those people from Tennessee (Mr. DUNCAN), of the project, we would not be arguing about is. And now the question is, will Presi- ranking member, the gentlewoman it today. dent Bush hold Karl Rove accountable from Texas (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHN- Several National Academy of Science for his actions? SON), and particularly of the gentleman reports have examined the project. In Karl Rove has also repeatedly denied from Illinois (Mr. COSTELLO), who, for 2001, the panel concluded the Corps had any involvement. When he was first years has worked hard in the com- relied on over optimistic projections. asked if he had any knowledge or in- mittee and behind the scenes to make In December of 2003 a second panel re- volvement in the identification of the this a better project. newed their objections, concluding it CIA agent, Rove simply said no. Then Out of respect for their hard work, was not possible to evaluate the bene- earlier this month, when interviewed the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. fits of lock expansion until an efficient by CNN, Rove amended that statement FLAKE) and I have come up with a com- system for managing the waterway was slightly and said, and again I am promise, not to eliminate the project, implemented. Last year an additional quoting, ‘‘I will repeat what I said to but simply to make sure that we are report concluded that despite the ABC News when this whole thing broke preserving the integrity of the Corps’ Corps’ efforts, ‘‘the study contains some number of months ago. I do not project and the fiscal responsibility of flaws serious enough to limit its credi- know her name and I did not leak her Congress. bility and value in the policymaking name.’’ The amendment we will offer will au- program.’’ Well, we now know that he may not thorize the project to proceed if the While I believe we have gone a long have necessarily given the reporter minimum economic justification that way in modernizing many of the Corps Valerie Plame’s name. But he certainly has been offered for the project is met. activities, I salute my colleague, the told the reporter that Joseph Wilson’s The planning is such that this project gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. DUN- wife was a covert CIA agent. is going to be in a planning stage for CAN) and the committee for the work Now how difficult would it be for a the next 5 years. So our amendment that WRDA has done. It is a step in the reporter to find out the name of Wil- will not in any way interfere with the right direction. I urge my colleagues to son’s wife? Not that difficult, obvi- planning process itself. It will simply look at this amendment, and I urge its ously. require that over the course of the next approval. Mr. Speaker, it is troubling that nei- 3 years that the projections for barge f ther Karl Rove nor the Bush adminis- traffic at the minimum level are met. tration have leveled with the American Now, this is the key justification be- KARL ROVE people about Rove’s real involvement. cause barge traffic is cited in scenarios The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Shortly after the leak became news, put forward by the Corps to show the ant to the order of the House of Janu- White House Press Secretary Scott

VerDate Aug 04 2004 01:53 Jul 14, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12JY7.002 H12JYPT1 July 12, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5641 McClellan went before White House re- the same moment that the Administra- acted heroically. They have done their porters and told the world he talked tion missed a very important deadline job. Now is the time for Washington to with Karl Rove, Elliot Abrams and to share precisely this sort of informa- do its job. Lewis Libby, and that each of three tion with this Congress. f had assured him that they were not in- There is something wrong when we RECESS volved. are learning about the Administra- And so now the question is, was Karl tion’s plans for our troops, not from The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Rove withholding information from his the President, not from the Pentagon, ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair colleagues at the White House about but from leaked foreign memos. Yes- declares the House in recess until 10 his involvement in the Valerie Plame terday the Pentagon should have re- a.m. today. scandal? Or did the White House know, leased to Congress an essential report Accordingly (at 9 o’clock and 22 min- and did they send out erroneous and on the benchmarks and guidelines for utes a.m.), the House stood in recess false statements to the media? measuring progress in Iraq. until 10 a.m. It would be nice if the White House The report for ‘‘Measuring Stability f would answer these questions, but now and Security in Iraq’’ was a provision b 1000 the White House refuses to comment of the Supplemental Defense Appro- on any issue regarding the ongoing in- priations Bill passed by this Congress AFTER RECESS vestigation. Yesterday reporters tried and signed into law by President Bush The recess having expired, the House to ask Scott McClellan whether or not on May 11, 2005. This law required the was called to order by the SPEAKER he would stand by the statement he Administration to outline a com- pro tempore (Mr. FOLEY) at 10 a.m. made back in 2003 in which he stated prehensive approach to Iraq by July 11, f that Karl Rove had told him he was not yesterday, with follow-up reports every involved. And McClellan said he could 90 days thereafter. PRAYER no longer comment on the investiga- This report presents an invaluable Rabbi David Greene, Chabad- tion. How convenient, Mr. Speaker, opportunity for the administration to Lubavitch, Rochester, Minnesota, of- that McClellan was able to vouch for explain to Congress and to the Amer- fered the following prayer: Rove back in 2003 but is silent today. ican people their plans and intentions Almighty God, Master of the Uni- So today we are left are two possi- in Iraq. Providing Congress with a verse, according to the Jewish tradi- bilities really. 1, the White House has more comprehensive set of perform- tion, You instructed mankind to obey been bending the truth on this very se- ance indicators will undoubtedly lead seven universal laws: rious issue since the beginning, or 2, to a more informed debate over U.S. not to worship false Gods; Karl Rove has misrepresented his in- policy in Iraq. never to blaspheme Your Holy Name; volvement to the White House. Either The congressionally mandated report not to murder; way, Karl Rove has a lot of explaining calls on the Administration to outline not to commit adultery, incest, or to do. And I believe, Mr. Speaker, that key measures of stability and security any sexual misdeeds; President Bush should stand behind his in Iraq. This includes measurements of not to steal, lie, or cheat; past statement and ask Karl Rove to political stability, the training of Iraqi not to be cruel to any living crea- either defend his actions or resign. forces. Specifically, the report man- ture; f dates that the Administration provide and that every society govern by just information on the operational readi- DRAWDOWN OF FORCES IN IRAQ laws based on the recognition of You, O ness status of the Iraqi military forces, God, as a sovereign ruler of all men and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- including the type, number, size and all nations. ant to the order of the House of Janu- organizational structure of Iraqi bat- Today the Members of this House ary 4, 2005, the gentleman from Massa- talions, as well as their ability to con- convene to fulfill one of these com- chusetts (Mr. MEEHAN) is recognized duct counterinsurgency operations. mandments, to govern by just laws. during morning hour debates for 5 min- The report requirement also calls for May it be Your will that those assem- utes. estimates of the strength of the Iraqi bled here enact laws to govern this Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, this insurgency and details on the training great country, be mindful of Your pres- weekend many of us learned that the of the Iraqi police force. ence and conduct themselves in all Bush Administration may have a plan I urge the Administration to take their matters with justice, kindness, for a phased drawdown of coalition this responsibility seriously and to and peace. forces in Iraq in the next 12 to 18 take this legal obligation seriously by Grant them success in making this months. providing this information to Congress country truly fit for Your presence. Unfortunately, we did not learn as quickly and as comprehensively as Bless them with good health, wisdom, about these plans from the Administra- possible. compassion, good cheer, and fellowship. tion’s legally mandated yet unfulfilled The information contained in this re- Amen. reporting requirements to Congress. port is a critical step towards bringing f We learned about it from news reports our troops home. To that end, I am a of a leaked memo circulating in the cosponsor of House Resolution 55, the THE JOURNAL British government. Homeward Bound Act. This bipartisan The SPEAKER pro tempore. The The memo outlines the Administra- legislation requires the President to Chair has examined the Journal of the tion’s plan to cut the size of our force announce a plan by December 31 of this last day’s proceedings and announces in Iraq from 140,000 down to 66,000 by year for the eventual return of all ele- to the House his approval thereof. the middle of next year, and describes ments of the Armed Forces. This plan Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- a ‘‘strong U.S. military desire’’ to hand would be a natural extension of the re- nal stands approved. over control to the Iraqi security port due to this body yesterday. f forces in most of Iraq. The bill also requires the President In January I released a white paper to begin a drawdown of our troops on PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE in which I proposed a timetable for a or before October 1, 2006. Beyond that The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the phased drawdown of the majority of date, it provides the President with the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. GUT- American troops by the end of 2006. If flexibility for an orderly drawdown. KNECHT) come forward and lead the the information in the British memo is Finally, the legislation requires the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. true, then the Administration may be President to accelerate the training of Mr. GUTKNECHT led the Pledge of planning similar plans, despite its pub- Iraqi forces and to ensure that they are Allegiance as follows: lic claims to the contrary. adequate to take the leading role in I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Ironically, the British memo, report- fighting the insurgency. United States of America, and to the Repub- edly written at least a month ago, Our troops have done everything we lic for which it stands, one nation under God, broke in the American press at exactly have asked of them in Iraq. They have indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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