H2762 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 18, 2006 married his sweetheart, Rose, and they Last year Republicans passed not one our country flies directly in the face of had three children, Stuart, Garry and but two immigration reform bills, the what we are doing in Iraq. If we are in Lisa. Also with us today are his grand- Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Iraq to handle insurgents, why aren’t children, Katherine, Ryan and Kyle, Illegal Immigration Control Act, and we able to do so within our own bor- Doug, Becky, Charlotte, Kelly, Jack, the REAL ID Act. And the Democrats ders. I, along with a vast majority of Nina, Kelly and Ken are also in the response: No. Americans, say to you and the govern- Chamber. Finally, just last week, Republicans ment, ‘We want our country back.’’’ Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me approved a tax conference agreement America is now going to be sued in in acknowledging a great American, that will help keep the Bush economic our courts by foreign nations for pro- George Olson, today and wish him and boom going and prevent a massive tax tecting our Nation. his family well as they continue their increase. The Democrats response: No. Mr. Speaker, this ought not to be. We visit to Washington, DC. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats favorite the people have become we the defend- The sacrifices of his generation en- new slogan is ‘‘America Can Do Bet- ants. Mr. Krueger has got it right. sured we could live in a free society as ter.’’ The American people have a clear Hopefully our government does. we do today, and they certainly de- choice in November: The party that is And that’s just the way it is. serve every bit of gratitude we can accomplishing things, or the party that f offer. stands on the sidelines and says ‘‘no.’’ CHENEY’S SECRET ENERGY TASK Yes, America can do better, better f FORCE HAS PAID DIVIDENDS than the party of no. FEMA HOUSING FOR BIG OIL f (Ms. LEE asked and was given per- (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was mission to address the House for 1 KATRINA SURVIVORS given permission to address the House minute and to revise and extend her re- (Ms. MCKINNEY asked and was given for 1 minute and to revise and extend marks.) permission to address the House for 1 her remarks.) Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, the Bush ad- minute.) Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, 5 ministration failed the people of the Ms. MCKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, after years ago this week Vice President Gulf Coast before Hurricane Katrina evicting all Katrina survivors in tem- CHENEY convened his secret energy and continues to fail them today. porary housing on March 15, FEMA has task force, bringing Big Oil and energy Now, people who were abandoned and now announced that 55,000 families will lobbyists together to craft the Bush ad- left to fend for themselves are about to lose their emergency housing assist- ministration energy agenda. Last year get kicked to the curb again. ance as of May 31. House Republicans rubber-stamped First, we had to fight and force Tens of thousands of these families that agenda, and the administration FEMA to allow survivors to tempo- are being told they are ineligible for happily signed the legislation into law. rarily stay in hotels and motels. Now, further assistance because of FEMA’s Today, the results are in. Big Oil is survivors may be on the streets again. onerous and discriminatory rules. laughing all the way to the bank. Dur- On May 31, 55,000 displaced families Is this how we treat people who have ing the first quarter of this year, the could lose emergency shelter assist- lost everything? big five oil companies reported profits ance, even though it was promised to Where do we expect families who of $32.8 billion. These profits are a di- them for at least a year. have lost their homes, their jobs, even rect result of those secret Cheney FEMA says that these families are their city, to turn without housing as- meetings. Big Oil has experienced supposed to apply for a different kind sistance? record profits because Washington Re- of assistance, yet four out of five appli- Nearly 9 months have passed since publicans chose to shower Big Oil with cants reportedly are being turned Hurricane Katrina hit. If FEMA can’t more than $20 billion in gifts. down. Those who do receive assistance help these families reclaim their lives, While Big Oil is prospering, the deci- have to reapply every 3 months. Why then Congress has to act. sions made in those secret Cheney are we messing with these people who Literally dozens of Katrina bills are meetings are not paying off for the deserve to be treated better by their still languishing in committees, in- American consumer. Over the past 5 own government? cluding H.R. 4197, the most comprehen- years the average American family is FEMA has failed to submit its plan sive relief package offered to date. paying $2,000 more a year in gas, home for permanent transitional housing for I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 4197 heating and electrical bills. Congress, which was due in January. in support of Katrina’s survivors. Washington Republicans continue to Instead of assistance, they have offered f hurt everyday Americans by cozying incompetence. In the place of aid, they up to Big Oil. Is it any wonder that MEXICO SUES AMERICA—LONE have offered nothing but bureaucracy. Americans are demanding change? STAR VOICE: CURTIS KRUEGER Why in the world are we adding in- Democrats will end Big Oil price sult to injury? Katrina survivors de- (Mr. POE asked and was given per- gouging and rapidly move our country serve better. mission to address the House for 1 to energy independence and a renew- f minute.) able, clean energy future. Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, my office has f THE PARTY OF NO been inundated by calls from citizens (Ms. FOXX asked and was given per- since the announcement that the Mexi- CONGRATULATING RICHMOND NA- mission to address the House for 1 can government plans to sue the TIVE AND AMERICAN IDOL CON- minute.) United States over our military troops TESTANT ELLIOTT YAMIN Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the rhetoric along our border, hauled into court by (Mr. CANTOR asked and was given from the other side of the aisle, which the Fox south of the border. permission to address the House for 1 is usually full of hyperbole, has sud- Curtis Krueger of Kingwood, Texas, minute.) denly dissolved down into one simple writes to me: Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, today I word. No. ‘‘Now I read that Mexico is consid- rise to congratulate Richmond, Vir- It is no to energy solutions. It is no ering suing the United States over bor- ginia, native and American Idol con- to immigration reform. It is no to tax der patrols. To not respond to this testant Elliott Yamin for pursuing his relief. would be egregious. We as Americans dream while sharing his powerful voice Last year Republicans passed not one have a sovereign right to have our bor- with all of us. Elliott is returning but two energy bills, the Gasoline for ders protected by however and whom- home a star; a man with an extraor- America’s Security Act, and the En- ever we see fit. Our government should dinary gift who dared to put his talent ergy Policy Act. More recently, we vocalize this in every way possible, not on display and achieved great success. passed the Refinery Permit Process sit back and let someone else formu- Elliott’s personality and amazing abil- Schedule Act. And the Democrats re- late public opinion. To say we cannot ity won over the judges and the viewers sponse: No. handle the immigrant insurgency in to earn him national recognition as a

VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:20 May 25, 2006 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 D:\FIX-CR\H18MY6.REC H18MY6 May 18, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2763 final contestant on the most popular of assistance. The Stafford Act, unlike both their health and their pocket- show on television. Elliott will be re- FEMA, recognizes that every disaster book. turning home to Richmond, having in- is different and that each disaster can- House Republicans expected seniors spired and entertained millions with not be treated the same. to choose a plan by May 15 even though his extraordinary singing voice and Over the next few months, our they knew seniors were receiving in- charisma. I join Elliott’s community, State’s housing plan, The Road Home, complete and incorrect information family and friends in proud recognition will be up and running; SBA loan funds from the Bush administration. An in- of his fantastic achievement and un- will begin to flow into homeowners’ vestigation by GAO concluded that the doubtedly bright future. hands; insurance claims will be re- CMS was giving out wrong information f solved and paid; and then the people of to seniors 60 percent of the time. New Orleans will begin rebuilding in You would think that Washington b 1015 earnest. Republicans would not start penalizing URGING VIDEO GAME MAKERS TO The President has the authority to seniors with the Bush prescription drug ACT RESPONSIBLY IN WAKE OF issue waivers, to make adjustments to tax until the administration began giv- RECENT POLICE SHOOTINGS accommodate the survivors. FEMA ing out accurate information. But no, also can behave more reasonably, more they chose instead to force seniors into (Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota asked humanely. Until FEMA has a workable a plan by midnight on May 15 or face and was given permission to address plan for transitional housing for these the Bush prescription drug tax that the House for 1 minute.) American survivors, it must not evict will remain with them for the rest of Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. them. To do so is unconscionable. their lives. Speaker, the suburbs of Washington f House Republicans and the President were shaken last week by the senseless who the Congressional Black Caucus murder of two police officers in Fair- YOUTH COUNCIL called on had a chance to help seniors fax, Virginia. This shooting occurred (Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was and they didn’t. Congress should have just days after the 25th annual Police given permission to address the House extended the deadline to give seniors Officers Memorial Service honoring the for 1 minute.) more time. They still can. I call on 155 police officers who, like Shawn Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I them to do so. Silvera from Lino Lakes, Minnesota, am pleased to take this opportunity to Bring the Congressional Black Cau- died in the line of duty last year. talk about a group of exceptional stu- cus bill to the floor and pass it. These deaths come at a time when vi- dents in my district. After coming to f olence against police officers is being Congress last year, I put together sev- glorified by video games like 25 to Life eral advisory councils made up of con- CRITICAL CONDITION: THE STATE which gives players points for shooting stituents. These panels perform re- OF THE UNION’S HEALTH CARE, police officers. search, investigations and advise me on 2006 This is unacceptable, it is out- the needs and concerns of my district, (Mr. MURPHY asked and was given rageous, it must be stopped. our State and our Nation across a vari- permission to address the House for 1 I urge the makers of this game to ety of different areas. minute and to revise and extend his re- think carefully about the message they Most recently, my Youth Advisory marks.) are sending to the families of fallen of- Council presented their report. Made Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, a couple ficers and the impact it has on impres- up of 46 students representing 25 local weeks ago, I provided for Members of sionable children. If companies like high schools, the council met monthly Congress this document: ‘‘Critical Con- those that produce 25 to Life continue to discuss and debate three very perti- dition: The State of the Union’s Health to market this filth to our children, I nent topics of their own choosing: So- Care, 2006,’’ put out by my office. In say to my colleagues, we have a duty cial Security, tax reform, and illegal that we outlined many programs that to act. immigration. During that time they would help reduce costs of health care f also compiled and reviewed data from in America. surveys administered to fellow stu- Let me expand on one of them about ONGOING HOUSING CRISIS ON THE dents. Community Health Centers, which are GULF COAST Much to my delight, the most con- nonprofit centers to provide primary (Mr. JEFFERSON asked and was sistent conclusion in all three working and preventative care for folks who are given permission to address the House groups was that many of our young low income or who are uninsured and for 1 minute.) Americans are thirsty for more infor- underinsured. However, a recent report Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, after mation on these issues. They want to by the Journal of the American Med- almost 9 months, I suppose it doesn’t be a part of the national dialogue. ical Association said that although surprise anyone to hear that FEMA is I am excited to have had the oppor- these clinics are of tremendous value, failing the citizens of the gulf coast. In tunity to hear their voices. The infor- there is a shortage of medical per- the wake of the storms, FEMA ex- mation and conclusions they presented sonnel at them. A study published by pressly advised the survivors of Hurri- to me were extremely thorough and Dr. Roger Rosenblatt of the University canes Katrina and Rita that they could valuable. I thank them for their time of Washington says that there is a 13 expect 1 year of assistance. Moreover, and effort. I will work with colleagues percent shortage of family physicians, section 408 of the Stafford Act provides here to implement many of their rec- a 20 percent shortage of obstetricians, for 18 months of assistance to victims ommendations. and a 22.5 percent shortage of psychia- of natural disasters. f trists for these positions. Yet just 9 months after these dev- Oddly enough, if a physician is em- astating storms, FEMA is working fe- HOUSE REPUBLICANS CHOOSE TO ployed by a Community Health Center, verishly, not to house the victims of PENALIZE CASH-STRAPPED SEN- they are covered by the Federal liabil- the hurricanes but to terminate their IORS ity, but if someone wants to volunteer housing assistance, to kick them out (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was at a clinic, they are not. into the street without any assurance given permission to address the House It is important that we provide that the survivors will be able to find for 1 minute.) mechanisms to allow physicians and housing for themselves or their fami- Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, other medical personnel to volunteer lies. say it isn’t so. House Republicans are at these clinics. America needs that. Why? Because FEMA says it’s time ready to penalize millions of American The uninsured and underinsured need to move on. May 31 is the deadline. seniors who did not sign up for a pre- that, and, quite frankly, it would save After that, you’re on your own. scription drug plan by that arbitrary a tremendous amount of money. There is a reason the Stafford Act May 15 deadline. Congress should have People can receive further informa- provides for more than $20,000 in aid extended that deadline to give seniors tion on my Web site, mur- per household and for up to 18 months more time to pick the right plan for phy.house.gov.

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