May 11, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2781 these cards and gives the insurance in- Is this Election Year rhetoric and the meeting place for all women of dustry a $46 billion subsidiary. And do partisan banter part of the Democrats’ where they can share ideas, offer train- my colleagues know what? While the winnable strategy in Iraq? The bottom ing, coordinate communications, and drug benefit program does not go into line is that some Members of the other build a safer homeland. effect until 2006, the insurance indus- party have become representative for And in , Iraqi police say they try, the HMOs, already got their pay- retreat and appeasement. Mr. Speaker, are grateful to the soldiers from the ment on March 1, their first payment. appeasement and retreat has not U.S. Army’s 503rd Military Police Bat- Mr. Speaker, we could have done this worked in the past and will not work in talion for their assistance in rebuilding right and done a regular prescription the future with the terrorists. Mr. police stations. Coalition forces helped drug program through Medicare with a Speaker, we must win this war on ter- to renovate several police stations and good discount. Instead, the President ror. The stakes are too great for the fu- enabled the Iraqi police officers to pro- and the Republican leadership have ture of humanity. tect their fellow citizens. There are again done the bidding of the drug in- I went to Iraq late last year and per- more than 1,600 policemen who have dustry, again have done the bidding of sonally visited with our soldiers. The trained from scratch in an 8-week the insurance industry, again have young men in this picture and the training program. done the bidding of these companies young women that I met, those are the Mr. Speaker, these are the stories of that make these discount cards. soldiers in Iraq who are an all-volun- our young men and women in Iraq. It is outrageous, Mr. Speaker, that teer force who are fighting so that our These are the stories of the people who instead of doing Medicare right and children and grandchildren do not have are fighting for freedom and fighting to preserving the Medicare that we know to live in a world where there is daily rebuild a country. Mr. Speaker, the and that this country likes and that fear of terrorism. These men and war on terror must be won. seniors have benefited from, we have women deserve the thanks of a grateful The new Iraqi Army is growing. In early privatized this system. We have con- Nation and a grateful world. They de- March, more than 1,000 recruits of the 4th fused seniors, and we have let the drug serve to have our unwavering support Battalion graduated from the nine-week basic industry and the insurance industry for their unwavering belief in liberty training program. write this legislation, benefit from that and their understanding of freedom. These are our soldiers stories. There are legislation, and cash in on this legisla- Since the American people will not hundreds, perhaps thousands more. I am tion. hear these stories on the evening news, proud of our soldiers and want to say ‘‘thank f Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight to you.’’ These are not the stories that you will WE MUST SUPPORT OUR TROOPS share true stories of astonishing brav- hear on the news, or in the newspapers—nor ery, courage, compassion, valor, and will you hear them during election year rhet- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a steel nerve. Mr. Speaker, I am talking oric. previous order of the House, the gen- about our soldiers and what they have A U.S. soldier evacuated an Iraqi woman, tleman from New Mexico (Mr. PEARCE) done for America, Iraq, Afghanistan, Farha Abed Saad for medical treatment after is recognized for 5 minutes. she had been harmed by the thugs who wish Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, first of and the entire world. to rob Iraqis of their right to freedom. ‘‘Thank all, in response, I found a different case The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Di- God, you have come here to Iraq and make from my constituents. The first woman vision have been working to make Iraq us free,’’ said Ms. Saad, kissing a soldier’s who signed up for one of the drug secure but also have been putting time cards, Mr. Speaker, was 85. She had a and effort into helping towns and vil- hands. ‘‘When I see you, I see my own sons! monthly cost of $409, and after the card lages with their ‘‘Operation Helping Thank you, thank you.’’ It is a sad day, Mr. Speaker, when some in was given and she was able to navigate Hands’’ program. With ‘‘Operation this city who routinely ignore the great accom- her way through it, her cost was $13.61. Helping Hands,’’ our soldiers donate plishments of our soldiers only to politicize the Mr. Speaker, that hardly sounds like their own money to help provide fami- war at their expense. the drug industry is going to get a pay- lies with food and health care neces- We will win this war on terror, Mr. Speaker, off. sities. Brigade Commander Colonel Ben Mr. Speaker, I, like many, am pro- Hodges came up with the idea of help- there is no other option. This IS a winnable foundly disappointed in the photos and ing the poor families in the area. They war—and we must stand behind our policy the actions of a handful of our soldiers, have collected several thousand dol- and our troops with a firm resolve. but I do not for one moment mistake lars, which goes a long way toward A world controlled by terrorists is not ac- the actions of a few to be representa- helping many Iraqi families. ceptable. If the of America can- tive of the many. Mr. Speaker, our troops are compas- not defeat terrorism, who in the world can? On the floor of this House, Mr. sionate. They are helping Iraqi families We will continue to fight against Al-Qaeda and Speaker, I have heard my colleagues in a way that they have never been Al-Qaeda affiliated groups—like the one who from the other side of the aisle say helped before. Soldiers are often out in viciously beheaded 26-year-old Nick Berg. that the war being fought in Iraq can- Iraq communities to provide medical Nick Berg was a civilian who voluntarily went not be won and is, in fact, care and humanitarian assistance. A to Iraq to help rebuild Iraqi communication an- ‘‘unwinnable.’’ And yet with straight small, impoverished village about 10 tennas. And my prayers are with his family. faces these same colleagues say that miles from was recently paid After 9–11, Mr. Speaker, America was they support our troops. a visit by personnel from the Medical called to a new destiny. Our destiny is to de- They have short memories, Mr. Civic Action Program. This program feat terrorism and tyranny. Amid the towers of Speaker. They say they support our sends doctors and medics out to pro- American tragedy, Mr. Speaker, emerged our troops, and yet some of them earnestly vide free medical care on a regular soldiers as towers of American strength. voted against providing our troops basis. Because of conditions under Sad- And they shall have my eternal gratitude. with the very resources they need in dam Hussein, soldiers are treating dis- f the field, fighting not only for our lib- eases we rarely see here at home such b 2000 erty but for the freedoms of others. as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and polio. Mr. Speaker, the words and actions Mr. Speaker, we should also be proud REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- of these individuals do not indicate of our troops for fighting for women’s VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF support for our troops, and I find it rights. For the first time in history, H.R. 4275, PERMANENT EXTEN- profoundly disappointing when some women in Mosul, Iraq were able to join SION OF 10-PERCENT INDIVIDUAL show such blatant disregard, dishonor, the rest of the world in celebrating INCOME TAX RATE BRACKET and disrespect for our troops. Some of International Women’s Day. The day Mr. SESSIONS, from the Committee my colleagues have made such com- recognizes coordinated efforts of on Rules, submitted a privileged report ments without concern for the impact women everywhere for equal rights and (Rept. No. 108–483) on the resolution (H. that it has on the morale of our troops political and economic equality. Res. 637) providing for consideration of who are currently fighting in Iraq as The People’s Assembly Building was the bill (H.R. 4275) to amend the Inter- well as those who are poised to go to rededicated as the Center for Iraqi nal Revenue Code of 1986, to perma- Iraq. Women. The center will serve as a nently extend the 10-percent individual

VerDate May 04 2004 05:31 May 12, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K11MY7.101 H11PT1 H2782 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 11, 2004 income tax rate bracket, which was re- ing report by Major General Antonio ‘‘That is good, but not enough. ferred to the House Calendar and or- Taguba. Every soldier involved should ‘‘This was not just a failure of leader- dered to be printed. be ashamed. ship at the local command level. This f ‘‘But while responsibility begins with was a failure that ran straight to the the six soldiers facing criminal top. Accountability here is essential, REPORT ON RESOLUTION PRO- charges, it extends all the way up the even if that means relieving top lead- VIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF chain of command, to the highest ers from duty in a time of war.’’ H.R. 4279, PROVIDING FOR DIS- reaches of the military hierarchy and That is from the Army Times, the POSITION OF UNUSED HEALTH its civilian leadership. May 17, 2004, issue. BENEFITS IN CAFETERIA PLANS ‘‘The entire affair is a failure of lead- I called earlier for Secretary Rums- AND FLEXIBLE SPENDING AR- ership from start to finish. From the feld’s resignation, as had others, be- RANGEMENTS; H.R. 4280, HEALTH moment they are captured, prisoners cause of the jiggered intelligence about EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE, LOW- are hooded, shackled and isolated. The the weapons of mass destruction and COST, TIMELY HEALTHCARE message to the troops: anything goes. the so-called links that did not exist (HEALTH) ACT OF 2004; AND H.R. ‘‘In addition to the scores of pris- with terrorist groups with this regime, 4281, SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH oners who were humiliated and de- the fact that they ignored intelligence FAIRNESS ACT OF 2004 meaned, at least 14 have died in cus- reports and plans drawn up by the Mr. SESSIONS, from the Committee tody in Iraq and Afghanistan. The State Department, and concerns about on Rules, submitted a privileged report Army has ruled at least two of these post-war occupation of Iraq, about the (Rept. No. 108–484) on the resolution (H. homicides. This is not the way a free number of troops necessary to prevent Res. 638) providing for consideration of people keeps its captives or wins the looting, the downward spiral that could the bill (H.R. 4279) to amend the Inter- hearts and minds of a suspicious world. begin with looting, the fact that the ‘‘How tragically ironic that the nal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for troops did not have body armor, ar- American military, which was wel- the disposition of unused health bene- mored Humvees. fits in cafeteria plans and flexible comed to Baghdad by the euphoric That is all because they were not or- spending arrangements; for consider- Iraqi people a year ago as a liberating dered, not because there was not ation of the bill (H.R. 4280) to improve force and ended 30 years of tyranny, enough money. They were not ordered. patient access to health care services would today stand guilty of dehuman- Rumsfeld did not think they would and provide improved medical care by izing torture in the same Abu Ghraib need them, in his arrogance. reducing the excessive burden the li- prison used by Saddam Hussein’s And today he talks about troops as ability system places on the health henchmen. fungible, and he reigns over a Defense ‘‘One can only wonder why the prison care delivery system; and for consider- Department that has wasted billions, wasn’t razed in the wake of the inva- ation of the bill (H.R. 4281) to amend while the troops are lacking basics. sion as a symbolic stake through the title I of the Employee Retirement In- And he is the guy at whose desk the heart of the Baathist regime. come Security Act of 1974 to improve ‘‘Army commanders in Iraq bear re- buck stops when prisoners are abused, access and choice for entrepreneurs sponsibilities for running a prison as says the Army Times, not just a pro- with small businesses with respect to where there was no legal advisor to the gressive Democrat from Oregon. medical care for their employees, commander, no ultimate responsibility f which was referred to the House Cal- taken for the care and treatment of the WHAT AMERICA HAS endar and ordered to be printed. prisoners. ACCOMPLISHED f ‘‘General Richard Myers, chairman of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a the Joint Chiefs, also shares in the A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP AT previous order of the House, the gen- shame. Myers asked ‘60 Minutes II’ to THE HIGHEST LEVELS tleman from California (Mr. DREIER) is hold off reporting news of the scandal The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. recognized for 5 minutes. because it could put U.S. troops at CHOCOLA). Under a previous order of Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, we all risk. But when the report was aired, a the House, the gentleman from Oregon demonstrated our righteous indigna- week later, Myers still hadn’t read (Mr. DEFAZIO) is recognized for 5 min- tion over what took place in the Abu Taguba’s report, which had been com- utes. Ghraib prison in Iraq, and we are horri- pleted in March; Defense Secretary Mr. DEFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, in re- fied by it. But I would like to take just Donald Rumsfeld also failed to read the sponse to the gentleman who spoke a few minutes to share the transcript report until after the scandal broke in earlier in the well about casting asper- of the Fox News Sunday program the media. hosted by Chris Wallace, in which he sions on Donald Rumsfeld and others in ‘‘But then, of course, it was too late. the Bush administration, I will not ‘‘Myers, Rumsfeld and their staffs talked about the positive accomplish- cast aspersions. I called for his resigna- failed to recognize the impact the scan- ments. tion earlier; and if I have time at the dal would have, not only in the United He said on Sunday, ‘‘As many of you end, I will go into those again. States, but around the world. may know, we thought the ABC News But I am going to read from the ‘‘If their staffs failed to alert Myers program, ‘Nightline,’ made a mistake Army Times, not exactly a bastion of and Rumsfeld, shame on them. But last week, listing all the brave men and Democrats or liberalism. shame, too, on the chairman and Sec- women who died in Iraq but without ‘‘Editorial: A Failure of Leadership retary, who failed to inform even Presi- providing the context of what they died At the Highest Levels. dent Bush. for. So we have said that we would put ‘‘Around the halls of the Pentagon, a ‘‘He was left to learn of the explosive together our own tribute, our own list term of caustic derision has emerged scandal from media reports instead of of what these brave men and women for the enlisted soldiers at the heart of from his own military leaders. have built in Iraq. the furor over the Abu Ghraib prison ‘‘On the battlefield, Myers and Rums- ‘‘A couple of points before we begin. scandal: The six morons who lost the feld’s errors would be called lack of sit- Some of you have written saying that war. uational awareness, a failure that we’re pushing the White House agenda. ‘‘Indeed, damage done to the U.S. amounts to professional negligence. As you saw in the last segment, there military and the nation as a whole by ‘‘To date, the Army has moved to are plenty of hard questions to ask the horrifying photographs of U.S. sol- court-martial the six soldiers suspected about the Bush administration’s policy diers abusing Iraqi detainees at the no- of abusing Iraqi detainees and has rep- in Iraq, and we will keep asking them. torious prison is incalculable. rimanded six others. ‘‘There were also times this week ‘‘But the folks at the Pentagon are ‘‘Brigadier General Karpinski, who when you couldn’t help but wonder talking about the wrong morons. commanded the MP brigade that ran about putting on the good news from ‘‘There is no excuse for the behavior Abu Ghraib, has received a letter of ad- Iraq, as we saw those ugly pictures displayed by soldiers in the now infa- monishment and also faces possible from the Abu Gharib prison. But the mous pictures, and an even more damn- disciplinary action. more we thought about it, what better

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