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Congressional Record—House H11012 H11012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 27, 2007 my colleagues to cosponsor and to sup- tleman from North Carolina (Mr. legislation. It is time for Congress to port the passage of H.R. 933, the Wit- JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. meet its constitutional duty, and it is ness Security Protection Act of 2007, Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. long overdue. should it come to the House floor for a Speaker, earlier this week I introduced And with that, Mr. Speaker, before I vote. Upon enactment, this legislation H.J. Res. 53, the Constitutional War yield back my time, I want to ask God authorizes $90 million per year over the Powers Resolution. Today, every Mem- to continue to bless our men and next 3 years to enable State and local ber of Congress received a Dear Col- women in uniform and to bless their prosecutors to provide witness protec- league letter on this resolution. I hope families, and for God to continue to tion on their own or to pay the cost of that all Members and their staffs will bless America. enrolling their witnesses in the Short- take the time to review this legisla- f Term State Witness Protection Pro- tion. THE HEALTH OF IRAQ gram to be created within the United Too many times, this Congress has States Marshals Service. abdicated its constitutional duty by al- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a In closing, I will highlight a recent lowing Presidents to overstep their ex- previous order of the House, the gentle- case that exemplifies the need for this ecutive authority. Our Constitution woman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) type of program. states that, while the Commander in is recognized for 5 minutes. On his way to lunch in March 2006, Chief has the power to conduct wars, Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, earlier Carl Stanley Lackl, Jr., walked only Congress has the power to author- this week, the World Health Organiza- through a Baltimore City alley and ize war. tion released a report that can only be witnessed Patrick Byers shoot Larry As threats to international peace and called shocking and appalling. Cholera Haynes. Not only did Carl Lackl call security continue to evolve, the Con- is on the rise in Iraq and spreading to the police, he stayed with the dying stitutional War Powers Resolution re- urban areas like Baghdad and Basrah, victim, comforting and reassuring him dedicates Congress to its primary con- and some of the northern provinces as as paramedics arrived. Mr. Lackl was stitutional role of deciding when to use well. prepared to testify as a key witness in force abroad. As most of you know, cholera is a di- Byers’ trial. In 1793, James Madison said: ‘‘The arrheal illness caused by infection of Unfortunately, Carl Lackl will not power to declare war, including the the intestine. People get cholera from get the opportunity to carry out his power of judging the causes of war, is drinking water or food contaminated civic duty. He was killed 8 days before fully and exclusively vested in the leg- with the cholera bacteria, and it the trial, gunned down in front of his islature. The executive has no right, in spreads rapidly in areas with inad- home. Police have accused Byers of any case, to decide the question, equate treatment of sewage and drink- sending a text message to an associate whether there is or is not cause for de- ing water. giving Lackl’s name and address and claring war.’’ And that was James This sounds like a disease of the offering $1,000 to have him killed. Ac- Madison, 1793. Third World, not one of a developed cording to police, Lackl was at home at The Framers of our Constitution and wealthy country, certainly not a about 8:45 when he received a call sought to decentralize the war powers country where the United States is about a Cadillac that he was selling. As of the United States and construct a propping up the health care system, he stood next to the Cadillac, a dark- balance between the political branches. right? Then why have the confirmed colored car drove up, and a 15-year-old Because this balance has been too often number of cases of cholera risen to inside shot him three times, in the ignored throughout American history, more than 2,000? In one week alone, 616 arm, chest and leg. Carl Lackl was pro- the Constitutional War Powers Resolu- new cases were discovered. The WHO nounced dead soon after arriving at a tion seeks to establish a clear national estimates that more than 30,000 people nearby hospital. policy for today’s post-9/11 world. have fallen ill with similar symptoms Mr. Lackl deserved better. By all ac- The War Powers Resolution of 1973 which may later be confirmed as chol- counts, he was a hard worker and a de- aimed to clarify the intent of the con- era. voted father. My prayers go out to his stitutional Framers and to ensure that This is a shocking epidemic. As a re- mother, his daughter, and his entire Congress and the President share in sult, the Iraqi Government is consid- family. We can and should do better. the decisionmaking process in the ering travel restrictions to limit the Mr. Speaker, witness intimidation is event of armed conflict. Yet, since the spread of this often deadly disease, par- a growing national problem jeopard- enactment of the resolution, time and ticularly for children. izing the criminal justice system’s again Presidents have maintained that In a country already crippled by refu- ability to protect the public. This issue the resolution’s consultation reporting gees and internally displaced people, must be addressed because without wit- and congressional authorization re- the situation grows more severe every nesses there can be no justice. quirements are unconstitutional obsta- single day. Why, as we are spending Therefore, I ask my colleagues to cles to executive authority. more than $13 million an hour for the support H.R. 933, the Witness Security By more fully clarifying the war pow- occupation of Iraq, $13 million an hour, and Protection Act of 2007. ers of the President and the Congress, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, can we f the Constitutional War Powers Resolu- not join with the international commu- tion improves upon the War Powers nity to provide for the most basic 1845 b Resolution of 1973 in a number of ways. human needs? We are talking clean ADJOURNMENT TO MONDAY, It clearly spells out the powers that drinking water and proper sanitation. OCTOBER 1, 2007 the Congress and the President must This is not reinventing the wheel or Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask exercise collectively, as well as the de- putting a man on the Moon. unanimous consent that when the fensive measures that the Commander Clean water and sanitary conditions, House adjourns today on a motion pur- in Chief may exercise without congres- is that too much to ask? I guess it suant to this order, it adjourn to meet sional authority. might be for our leader at the other at 12:30 p.m. on Monday next for morn- It also provides a more robust report- end of Pennsylvania Avenue, because ing-hour debate. ing requirement that would enable the administration spews a lot of rhet- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Congress to be more informed and have oric about liberating the Iraqi people. objection to the request of the gentle- greater oversight. This resolution is Does that mean crumbling infrastruc- woman from California? the result of the dedicated work of the ture, sectarian fighting, a massive ref- There was no objection. Constitutional Project and its War ugee crisis, and on top of that, a pos- f Powers Initiative. And it protects and sible epidemic of cholera? preserves the checks and balances the Iraqi families need to start their CONSTITUTIONAL WAR POWERS Framers intended in the decision to lives over again. They need their kids RESOLUTION bring our Nation into war. to be able to go to school. And they The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Mr. Speaker, I hope many of my col- need to start their businesses and re- previous order of the House, the gen- leagues will consider cosponsoring this open them. They want real sovereignty VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:42 Sep 28, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K27SE7.152 H27SEPT1 hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMHOUSE September 27, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H11013 over their own nation. They want U.S. fact is,’’ he says, ‘‘the Iraq war has (Ms. WATERS addressed the House. troops out. kept us from devoting assets we need Her remarks will appear hereafter in Real leadership in Iraq means bring- to fight terrorists worldwide, as evi- the Extensions of Remarks.) ing our troops home and offering hu- denced by the fact that Osama bin f manitarian assistance to the people of Laden is still on the loose and al Qaeda The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Iraq. We must join with the inter- has been able to rebuild. We need an ef- previous order of the House, the gen- national community to provide relief, fective strategy that takes the fight to tleman from California (Mr. DREIER) is reconstruction, and reconciliation. our real enemies abroad, and the best recognized for 5 minutes. This is the only way forward for Iraq. way to do that is to get our troops out (Mr. DREIER addressed the House. Force and occupation will not rebuild of the middle of the civil war in Iraq.’’ His remarks will appear hereafter in Iraq.
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