Congressional Record—House H2299
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
April 22, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2299 Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, today is Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, when KERRY PLANS TO ELIMINATE Earth Day, and the President is coming Americans watched U.S. troops take SMALL BUSINESS FEDERAL CON- to my home State of Maine to speak Baghdad through embedded media, TRACTS about the environment. they saw the American GI in his true (Mrs. BLACKBURN asked and was Unfortunately, the administration character. They saw a GI who was com- given permission to address the House has taken us backward in protecting passionate, who was honorable, and for 1 minute and to revise and extend the environment, and Maine is worse who had great courage. In a way they her remarks.) off because of it. In August, the EPA saw also the GIs of Vietnam because in Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, the rolled back pollution controls for coal- many cases those were the sons and Nashville Business Journal recently burning plants in the Midwest and just grandsons and granddaughters of peo- ran an article entitled ‘‘Kerry Plan recently announced plans to allow ple who had fought in Vietnam, people Would Cut 100,000 Government Con- more mercury to be emitted into the who had the same character, the same tracting Jobs.’’ This was reporting on air, just as we find that many parts of honor, the same courage. JOHN KERRY’s plan to eliminate 100,000 Maine do not meet quality air stand- private sector contractor jobs. Appar- ards. b 1100 ently, he does not feel that the private This is not just bad for air. It is bad sector provides much bang for the tax- Yet we have had a person who is run- for jobs. When the EPA rolled back payer buck. His solution is bigger gov- ning for President, Senator JOHN mercury regulations in August, hun- ernment, less competition. dreds of pipe fitters were laid off be- KERRY, describe those people as having According to the Professional Serv- cause the pollution-control equipment murdered 200,000 people in Vietnam, ices Council, small businesses would being stoned on pot 24 hours a day, they installed was no longer needed. bear the brunt of KERRY’s return to big Protecting our air is not a partisan that is he said 60 to 80 percent of them, government. Last year, small busi- issue. Clean air improves public health, and ravaging the country in a Genghis nesses competed for and won $63 billion saves money, and can create jobs for Khan-like fashion. in government contracts, equaling Americans. The administration cannot I think Americans have a choice. If more than 25 percent of the Federal just ‘‘outsource’’ the responsibility for you feel that your son or daughter did Government’s contracting budget. protecting our environment to another those acts in Vietnam, if that was a Study after study has shown that country. true characteristic of American GI’s in contracting with our Nation’s small f Vietnam if you served in Vietnam, if business sector reduces the cost to tax- you think your husband conducted payers, conserving taxpayer dollars. JOHN KERRY AS COMMANDER IN himself in that fashion, perhaps you CHIEF? That should trump favors to special in- want to vote for JOHN KERRY. If you terests and big business any day. (Mr. CUNNINGHAM asked and was think that is a wild-eyed, nutty state- Mr. Speaker, those of us in touch given permission to address the House ment that is not an appropriate state- with folks outside the Beltway know for 1 minute.) ment for somebody running for Presi- small businesses make this country Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, dent of the United States, vote against run. Colonel Bud Day, former Vietnam pris- JOHN KERRY. f oner of war for over 6 years, recalls in his book on how Jane Fonda, Ramsey f DISPARAGING THE HONORABLE Clark, and JOHN KERRY energized the SERVICE OF VIETNAM VETERANS enemy through their accusations and TROUBLING REMARKS BY JOHN (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given hurt them as prisoners of war. KERRY permission to address the House for 1 Mr. Speaker, I was shot down over minute and to revise and extend his re- North Vietnam at that time. I can re- (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given marks.) member the anger and the disparaging permission to address the House for 1 Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, 30 years remarks that JOHN KERRY made about minute and to revise and extend his re- ago a Vietnam veteran went to the our service. I remember the rage in all marks.) Senate Committee on Foreign Rela- of us from his slander. Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tions and he delivered a stinging in- I am proud of the men and women today also to highlight some very trou- dictment of our American troops, all of that I served with in Vietnam and bling remarks by JOHN KERRY, who is the American troops serving in Viet- those that are serving us at great risk now seeking the Presidency of the nam. He stated that murders and other today in Iraq and Afghanistan and all United States, our Commander-in- crimes were ‘‘not isolated instances, over the world. Chief. but crimes committed on a day-to-day Even today, JOHN KERRY votes In 1971, KERRY testified before a Sen- basis with the full awareness of officers against defense, the military, veterans, ate committee that communism was at all levels of command.’’ and intelligence bills that would en- not a real threat to the United States. That individual who alleged that our force the safe return of our men and He went so far as to say that the U.S. military openly and systematically women. We do not need someone that was ‘‘reacting under Cold War precepts violated the Geneva Conventions more would vote like a Jane Fonda as com- which are no longer applicable.’’ than any other body is now running for mander in chief. Mr. Speaker, that was 1971. I think President, and that is Senator KERRY. f we can all agree the Cold War was very Many of these charges rose from the Winter Soldier Investigation, where ac- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER much applicable and continued to be for the next two decades. tivists gathered to describe these war PRO TEMPORE crimes. It was later learned that many Now JOHN KERRY has the gall to com- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The of those who confessed these war pare our efforts in Iraq to Vietnam. Chair would remind Members that per- crimes never served near a battlefield. sonal attacks on Members of the Sen- Mr. Speaker, as a veteran of Vietnam It was a fraud. ate do not comport with the rules of War, I take great offense to Mr. Senator KERRY disparaged the honor- the House. KERRY’s statements, then and now. Our able service of all the countless vet- efforts in Iraq have liberated millions f erans who served in Vietnam with of civilians from a brutal dictator that these charges, and he should apologize JOHN KERRY’S ACCUSATIONS has used weapons of mass destruction for what he said against his fellow vet- AGAINST AMERICAN SOLDIERS against his own people. erans. IN VIETNAM The world is a safer place without f (Mr. HUNTER asked and was given Saddam Hussein in power, and the permission to address the House for 1 United States is a safer place with IN DEFENSE OF JOHN KERRY minute and to revise and extend his re- President Bush as Commander-in- (Mr. LARSON of Connecticut asked marks.) Chief. and was given permission to address VerDate mar 24 2004 04:19 Apr 23, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K22AP7.020 H22PT1 H2300 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE April 22, 2004 the House for 1 minute and to revise I spent 2 years, 1968 to 1970, as a psy- record, but not to make personal at- and extend his remarks.) chiatrist in the United States Navy tacks. Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. taking care of people who lived Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Speaker, especially with so many in through what JOHN KERRY went to war it is my understanding this person is the gallery today, I rise to defend JOHN about, and for anybody to come out not even the nominee of his party yet. KERRY from the onslaught on the floor here and attack his war record, you The SPEAKER pro tempore. The today, a decorated veteran in Vietnam, have to have pretty good credentials. Chair has not purported to identify an a person who received three Purple Now, if you served and showed up for actual nominee. Hearts and the Silver Star for serving drills at your local National Guard, I f with distinction. And now, because he think those would be acceptable cre- PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY is a candidate for President of the dentials. But if you were in the Na- United States, he receives the unbri- tional Guard and you did not show up, Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, I have a dled attack from the opposition. you were AWOL for a whole year, you parliamentary inquiry. We ought to rise above this here on have got real nerve to start an attack The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- tleman will state it. the floor of the House and across the on JOHN KERRY’s character. Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, is it ap- Nation in this debate. What we need to During that war many people on both propriate for the Speaker, who presides do is focus on the issues that this coun- sides of the issue, whether we should go over this Chamber, when there is a try desperately needs to address, sen- to war or were against the war, acted clear and direct personal attack using iors that need prescription drugs, peo- bravely.