Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 112 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 112 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 158 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012 No. 47 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was are encouraged to reflect on just how with dirty water compounds the prob- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- fundamental freshwater is to our lems in terms of diarrheal diseases that pore (Mrs. ELLMERS). health, our children’s well-being, and result from that dirty water. f how much we take for granted. We’ve Madam Speaker, since we’ve passed never had to try to work that hard to the Water for the World legislation 7 DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO find drinking water. We don’t have to years ago, where Chairman of the For- TEMPORE choose between drinking dirty water eign Relations Committee Henry Hyde, The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- and going thirsty. For many of us, Senator REID, and Senator Frist were fore the House the following commu- freshwater is so safe, abundant, it’s my partners, we’ve increased our lead- nication from the Speaker: hard to even imagine life without it. ership globally. We owe a debt of grati- WASHINGTON, DC, But on this World Water Day, we tude to Secretary Clinton, who has March 21, 2012. should reflect that every 20 seconds a made water a cornerstone of her work I hereby appoint the Honorable RENEE L. child dies needlessly from waterborne while at the helm of the State Depart- ELLMERS to act as Speaker pro tempore on disease. Today, and every day, women ment. But we do need to do more; and this day. will spend 200 million hours collecting one simple step, an area where we find JOHN A. BOEHNER, water. This week, 3 million students broad bipartisan support, is the Water Speaker of the House of Representatives. will miss school because they lack ac- for the World Act that is cosponsored f cess to clean water or sanitation. In- with my friend and colleague from MORNING-HOUR DEBATE deed, half the people who are sick Texas (Mr. POE). around the world today are sick need- This legislation strengthens the ca- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- lessly from waterborne disease. pacity of USAID and the State Depart- ant to the order of the House of Janu- There is a vision, there is a knowl- ment, increases aid effectiveness, ary 17, 2012, the Chair will now recog- edge to do something about it, but, transparency, accountability for sani- nize Members from lists submitted by sadly, we don’t have the resources, and tation water and hygiene, and it has no the majority and minority leaders for we actually don’t have the plan. The net cost, according to the CBO. morning-hour debate. United States does not only have an I strongly urge my colleagues to co- The Chair will alternate recognition obligation to do the right thing and sponsor this legislation and hope that between the parties, with each party save lives, but it’s also in our self-in- we can move it forward in this Con- limited to 1 hour and each Member terest to provide access to safe water. gress, as there has been movement in other than the majority and minority United States security experts testi- the Senate. Millions of lives will be leaders and the minority whip limited fied before this Congress that water transformed. to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall problems will contribute to the insta- f debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. bility in states important to United JOSEPH KONY AND THE LORD’S f States national security interests. With all the problems the world RESISTANCE ARMY WORLD WATER DAY faces, Congress needs to prioritize pro- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The The SPEAKER pro tempore. The grams that deliver the highest return Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Chair recognizes the gentleman from on investment with substantial multi- Florida (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN) for 5 min- Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- plier effects. And when it comes to for- utes. utes. eign assistance, increasing access to Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speak- Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, clean water is perhaps the most effec- er, I would like to begin my remarks for many, tomorrow is just an ordinary tive use of taxpayer dollars. The World by commending all the citizens and Thursday, like any other day. But for Health Organization estimates that up young students in my congressional hundreds of millions of people who lack to $34 is saved for every dollar in- district and, indeed, throughout the access to clean water and billions who vested, saved from health care costs country who have worked so hard to lack access to adequate sanitation, this and resulting in increased economic raise awareness about Joseph Kony and ordinary Thursday is part of the daily productivity. his brutal crimes. As we can see in this struggle. Indeed, it affects other efforts of our poster, there’s Kony, and these are just But this Thursday is World Water aid. We’re involved with trying to a few of the photos of so many inno- Day, where those of us fortunate eradicate diseases like HIV/AIDS and cents who have been mutilated by enough to live in developed countries tuberculosis, but taking the medicine Kony and his thugs. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H1429 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 05:47 Mar 22, 2012 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A21MR7.000 H21MRPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H1430 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 21, 2012 Joseph Kony is a mass murderer, b 1010 moting a national immigration policy whose campaign of violence against in- BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER that makes all Latinos look like sus- nocent civilians spans decades. The pects and all immigrants look like predatory forces doing his bidding are The SPEAKER pro tempore. The criminals. known as the Lord’s Resistance Army, Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mitt Romney has said that Arizona’s or LRA, and they have perpetrated Illinois (Mr. GUTIERREZ) for 5 minutes. anti-immigrant law—a law that essen- some of the worst human rights abuses Mr. GUTIERREZ. Last Thursday, a tially demands racial profiling of any- of our time. different kind of March madness took one who looks like they might be un- Under the direction of Kony, the place in the NCAA basketball tour- documented—is a model for our Nation. LRA has murdered, raped, mutilated, nament. In a game between Kansas But that’s not all Mitt Romney has and abducted tens of thousands of inno- State and Mississippi State, Angel said to American Latinos. He has said cent people, many of whom are chil- Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican point guard all 11 million immigrants, most of dren. They target remote villages, for Kansas State, was met with taunts them Latinos, should self-deport, even butchering civilians, abducting women from Mississippi State students while if they’ve lived here since they were and children to serve as sex slaves and he was getting ready to shoot a free children and have American citizen fighters. Kony’s bloody reach now ex- throw. The taunt: ‘‘Where’s your green families. tends to the Democratic Republic of card?’’ Mitt Romney has even gone as far to the Congo, the Central African Repub- That wasn’t the only March madness. attack the first Latino Supreme Court lic, and the newly formed Republic of Earlier this month in San Antonio, justice. He believes that Justice South Sudan. Texas, a white high school in San An- Sotomayor is unqualified to serve on One measure that we could accom- tonio chanted during the regional bas- the Supreme Court. He’s proud of the plish would be for the U.N. peace- ketball championship trophy presen- support of anti-immigrant extremists, keeping missions in the region to more tation. Their chant: ‘‘USA, USA, including the author of Arizona’s anti- effectively coordinate their actions and USA.’’ Why did they chant USA? Be- immigrant law. He has attacked the share information related to Kony and cause their team had defeated San An- DREAM Act, a perfectly reasonable the LRA, because this is a threat that tonio’s Thomas Edison High School, a bill. And Mitt Romney is hardly a lone crosses many international borders. team of mostly Latino players. voice. It is sad. I’d like to thank my colleague, Con- One U.S. citizen asked to produce his One Member of this House said he gressman ED ROYCE, for introducing a green card, one entire team of Ameri- would be for any measure to stop ille- new bill, H.R. 4077, which I proudly sup- cans taunted as if they were foreigners. gal immigrants ‘‘short of shooting port. H.R. 4077 would authorize the Sec- These young people, subjected to ha- them.’’ Even hanging them? gassing retary of State to use the State De- tred and bigotry, handled it well. them? One other colleague of ours here partment’s Rewards Program to gain Angel Rodriguez ignored the taunts called undocumented immigration a intelligence and strengthen the capac- and played a great game. If he hadn’t slow-rolling, slow-motion terrorist at- ity of those who are actively engaged been busy helping Kansas State win tack on the United States.

Load more