Congressional Record—House H7422
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H7422 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 28, 2007 for Washington to offer serious solu- that they have made and make sure all and I wish I could have thanked tions to the problems facing the coun- that the American people don’t con- them all. try. One look at the polls shows Ameri- tinue to have this very negative opin- But one of the groups I did get a cans are taking notice and they aren’t ion of the Congress of the United chance to visit with just recently was pleased. States. We want this House to be re- the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic But where the majority is failing to spected. We want the Senate to be re- Church of Naperville, Illinois, again, lead, Republicans are stepping up. spected. And we need to live up to our one of the thousands of groups that While Democrats broke their promise promises so that we can get on with have been to south Mississippi and con- to operate the House floor in an open, the important work that the American tinue to go to south Mississippi to help fair, and bipartisan manner, Repub- people have sent us here to do. people rebuild their lives. licans have found ways to strengthen This is the people’s House, and I am We want to thank them and all the and expose flaws in Democratic bills. extraordinarily proud to be a Member groups, but I also want to recognize a While Democrats broke their promise of this House. And I know I join with letter that they sent to my office. And to lead the most open, honest, and eth- other Republicans in saying that we it’s strange that they should even be ical Congress in history, Republicans want to bring back respect and integ- thanking someone from my office, it is are pushing for commonsense ethics rity to this House so it is not called a my office that should be thanking rules that hold lawmakers to a higher House of hypocrisy. them. But I want to read their letter in standard. While Democrats broke their f gratitude for them, and thank them as promise to deliver transparency in a way of thanking all the people that spending taxpayer dollars, Republicans b 2045 helped. have forced the majority to restore ‘‘We are eternally grateful to you for GOP earmark reforms that bring great- AMERICA, MISSISSIPPI THANKS YOU sharing with us one of Mississippi’s fin- er transparency and accountability to est natural resources, Chris LaGarde.’’ Federal spending. While Democrats The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Chris is an employee in my office. broke their promise to enact legisla- HALL of New York). Under a previous Since we first met Chris a year ago, tion that makes America energy inde- order of the House, the gentleman from we’ve come to know him as a dear pendent, Republicans believe we can Mississippi (Mr. TAYLOR) is recognized friend, a counselor, a leader, a chef, a lower gas prices and reduce our depend- for 5 minutes. mentor and a pack rat. He is a great ence on foreign energy by increasing Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I want to big energizer bunny in a bright orange domestic energy supplies, conserving thank my colleagues for yielding me jumpsuit, not only because he never more, and investing in the technologies the time. stops, but because his presence ener- of tomorrow. While Democrats broke Mr. Speaker, as you know, about 22 gizes all of us. Chris is a man of com- their promise to be fiscally responsible months ago the Mississippi Gulf Coast passion and passion. He is caring, lov- increasing taxes and spending in tan- was hit with the worst hurricane in our ing, generous and the most humble dem, Republicans put forth a plan that Nation’s history. It was followed up by man you could ever meet. He’s an ex- balances the Federal budget without a disaster made by man, which was the cellent chef and host. raising taxes. And while Democrats insurance industry almost uniformly Through all of the trials and tribu- broke their promise to make national denying the claims of people who had lations of finding work for our 60 vol- and homeland security a priority, paid their premiums for decades. So unteers all week and feeding us twice House Republicans have stood united people who thought they were covered this week, he always kept his to provide our troops the resources woke up the next day or the next week composure, his sense of humor and his they need to defeat al Qaeda and rad- to discover that their house was gone, love for all of us. He is a role model not ical jihadists and are determined to se- and that their insurance company that cure our borders and enforce our immi- only for young adults, but for us older said they were in ‘‘good hands’’ or that adults as well. He lends perspective to gration laws. might have been their ‘‘good neighbor’’ While Republicans are working to what is really important in all of our or were ‘‘on their side’’ weren’t going lives, not our iPods, TVs, cell phones, earn back the majority, Democrats are to pay. acting like the entrenched majority cars and homes, but our friends, family It has led to several problems, one of and fellow human beings. they led before, saying one thing to which will be addressed, we hope, in Americans outside of Washington and Chris is the epitome of the face of July with a promise by the Speaker doing something different inside the Christ, of service, of love for his fellow PELOSI, Chairman FRANK, Chairwoman Capitol building. man. Over the next few weeks, every House WATERS for a hearing in the Financial To the folks of St. Elizabeth Seton, Democrat must answer this key ques- Services Committee to amend the Na- know what you’ve said is really about tion: Why haven’t you kept your prom- tional Flood Insurance Program to yourselves and about the other people ises? allow people to buy all-perils insurance who’ve come to south Mississippi to I don’t have a Web site available like through their Nation, something that help us out. And on behalf of the people some of the other groups do. But I can will prevent the fight in the future in of south Mississippi, I want to thank tell you that this publication, ‘‘House other areas of America where 52 per- all of those volunteers for what they Democrats’ Top 100 Broken Promises,’’ cent of Americans live. So if they go have done and what they continue to will be available from any Republican through the same sort of tragedy that do. And on behalf of not only the peo- Member of this Congress, and I am sure the people of Mississippi went through, ple of south Mississippi, but all of our that we can make it available. I am that they will be paid. Because the fellow Americans, I think our fellow sure it is on a Web site, probably on only people who did pay their claims Americans have truly risen to the oc- the Web sites of all of the leadership: last time, uniformly, was our Nation casion. And I, for one, am eternally Republican Leader JOHN BOEHNER, Re- through the National Flood Insurance grateful for their help. publican Whip ROY BLUNT, Conference Program. f Chair ADAM PUTNAM, Policy Chairman One of the ways that the American ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE WHITE THADDEUS MCCOTTER, Conference Vice people responded to that, Mr. Speaker, HOUSE Chair KAY GRANGER, Conference Sec- is that by the thousands, all the way retary JOHN CARTER, Chief Deputy from kindergartners to grandparents, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under Whip ERIC CANTOR, Rules Committee volunteers that have come to south the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- Ranking Republican DAVID DREIER. My Mississippi, they volunteered their uary 18, 2007, the gentleman from New guess is that it can be found on any of time, they have given of their own per- Hampshire (Mr. HODES) is recognized their Web sites. I am going to make sonal treasure to help the people of for 60 minutes as the designee of the sure that it is on my Web site in the south Mississippi rebuild who should majority leader. next few days. have been paid by the insurance indus- Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I’m here But I think, again, it is important try but won’t. We’ve had so many tonight with my distinguished col- that we hold people to the promises groups. And I wish I could name them league from Florida (Mr. KLEIN) to talk VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:08 Jun 29, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K28JN7.259 H28JNPT1 hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMHOUSE June 28, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7423 in this Chamber about accountability, mocracy in that region, it just doesn’t there are choices; there are good and to talk about our security in the necessarily work that way. Although choices, there are better choices, and Middle East, our strategy for the war we would like to believe as Americans, there are choices to move forward. To in Iraq, the problems the American and we know that we have the best sys- stand still, to say the surge and all people face with the leadership of this tem in the world, it just can’t be plant- those things, we need to move forward country, which does not seem, at the ed in some other part of the world and and best protect our troops and best very top echelon, the President and the just accepted as it is.