HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES—Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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February 28, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 4 4793 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES—Wednesday, February 28, 2007 The House met at 10 a.m. and was I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO TALK called to order by the Speaker pro tem- United States of America, and to the Repub- TO IRAN WHILE PLANNING WAR pore (Mr. PASTOR). lic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the ad- f ministration now says it wants to talk f to Iran. At the same time it is making DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER INTRODUCTION OF REV. TYRONE plans to attack Iran. By saying it PRO TEMPORE SKINNER, GUEST CHAPLAIN wants to talk to Iran and Syria, the ad- The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given ministration appears to be reversing fore the House the following commu- permission to address the House for 1 course after spending 2 months pump- nication from the Speaker: minute.) ing the media full of anonymously WASHINGTON, DC, Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise sourced articles reporting to link Iran February 28, 2007. today to recognize the Reverend Ty- to the Iraq war. I hereby appoint the Honorable ED PASTOR rone Skinner of the Metropolitan Bap- Now it says it wants to talk. Making to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. tist Church in Altadena, California, as it appear that it wants to avoid an- NANCY PELOSI, other war. Right. Think about it. Air- Speaker of the House of Representatives. guest Chaplain of the House of Rep- resentatives. craft carriers to the region, mine f Pastor Skinner embarked on his ca- sweepers to the Persian Gulf, arming neighboring countries with Patriot PRAYER reer as a preacher at a remarkably young age. He delivered his first public missiles, ordering an increase in a The Reverend Tyrone Skinner, Pas- sermon at the age of 10. While at Strategic Petroleum Reserve, antici- tor, Metropolitan Baptist Church, Al- Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, in pur- pating an oil embargo. When this ad- tadena, California, offered the fol- suit of his bachelor’s degree, he joined ministration puts the guns on the table lowing prayer: the First Baptist Church of Hamilton and says let’s talk, chances are it is Dear gracious God our savior, we Park. He earned his Master’s of Divin- going to shoot first and ask questions spend these moments reverencing You ity Degree from the Perkins School of later, just like in Iraq. as we invoke Your presence in this Wake up, Congress. This administra- Theology at Southern Methodist Uni- place so that sound judicious decisions tion is planning an attack on Iran with versity in 1989. One year later, he be- will be made that will benefit our de- or without the permission of this came pastor of Metropolitan Baptist mocracy. We admit our shortcomings House. Church. and our need for Your guidance in all Under Reverend Skinner’s char- f that is done in this place. ismatic leadership, the Metropolitan THE HURRICANE AND TORNADO We seek Your face to address racism, Baptist Church has seen incredible MITIGATION INVESTMENT ACT classism, sexism, and other discrimina- transformations. Pastor Skinner has tions that divide us and seek to devour (Mr. BILIRAKIS asked and was given enriched the worship experience for 800 the very core of our democracy. We lift permission to address the House for 1 members and has overseen significant especially the victims of Katrina and minute and to revise and extend his re- infrastructure improvements to the other natural disasters in our country marks.) church facility. Pastor Skinner was in- that they may find peace and resolu- Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, my strumental in engaging church mem- tion to the quest for placement that State of Florida is going through a cri- bers in a Body and Soul program by should be theirs. sis, a crisis that began with the dev- serving as a judge at a men’s cook-off Finally, we pray for our troops who astating hurricanes that ripped and encouraging members to become fight for the cause of democracy in through my State in recent years, a more healthy physically as well as Iraq. We know You will not allow their crisis made worse by the overwhelming spiritually. tornados that plagued central Florida fighting to be in vain. Thank you for Pastor Skinner helped establish hearing our prayer, and we now listen earlier this month. Praise Team, Praise Dancers, Soldiers These and other natural disasters for Your voice to direct our paths. for Christ Stomp Team, and several have pushed homeowners’ insurance In the name of Him who has been other ministries in the church. He also rates to unaffordable levels. As a re- given all power. Amen. established a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the sult, many of my constituents have f Metropolitan Community Action Serv- been forced to leave the area they call THE JOURNAL ices Corporation, which has been a home. It is incumbent upon this body sponsor of the Young African American to pass legislation that would help my The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Male Conference. State and others affected by these Chair has examined the Journal of the The list of Reverend Skinner’s ac- forces reduce the cost of skyrocketing last day’s proceedings and announces complishments is long, his altruism is homeowners’ insurance rates. to the House his approval thereof. broad. Last year, Metropolitan cele- I have introduced H.R. 913, the Hurri- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- brated its 100th anniversary, and today cane and Tornado Mitigation Invest- nal stands approved. is a fitting capstone to his service to ment Act to do just that. My bill would f the church, the community and now to provide tax incentives to home and the country. business owners to better protect their PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE f homes and businesses from major The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the storms to reduce the loss of innocent gentleman from Florida (Mr. BILI- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER lives and destruction of private prop- RAKIS) come forward and lead the PRO TEMPORE erty. The end result would be more House in the Pledge of Allegiance. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The manageable insurance rates. Mr. BILIRAKIS led the Pledge of Al- Chair will entertain up to 15 one- Mr. Speaker, hurricane season begins legiance as follows: minute speeches on each side. in a few months, but the tornados that 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. VerDate Sep 11 2014 12:11 Jun 16, 2017 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK 4\LOC FILES\BR28FE07.DAT BR28FE07 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with BOUND RECORD 4794 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 153, Pt. 4 February 28, 2007 hit my State are a stark reminder that BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S SPIN ON military, many severely injured, have Mother Nature doesn’t keep a calendar. BRITISH TROOP WITHDRAWAL received anything less than stellar I encourage my colleagues to support NOT HELPFUL FOR THE FUTURE health care from this agency. The exec- and help me pass H.R. 913. (Mr. HARE asked and was given per- utive branch, starting with the admin- f mission to address the House for 1 istration, has fallen short. THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET AND minute and to revise and extend his re- f NATIONAL DEBT marks.) THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET AND Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, last week (Mr. WALZ of Minnesota asked and NATIONAL DEBT, TIME TO RE- British Prime Minister Tony Blair an- was given permission to address the STORE FISCAL DISCIPLINE IN nounced that he plans to withdraw House for 1 minute.) WASHINGTON 1,600 British troops this summer. The Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speak- (Mr. KLEIN of Florida asked and was administration’s response, this is good er, President Bush recently released given permission to address the House news, because it shows that some good his seventh budget, and it is more of for 1 minute and to revise and extend things are happening in Iraq. Nice spin. the same. The Bush administration’s his remarks.) 2008 budget continues the same fiscal But one has to wonder why our closest Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, irresponsibility of the past 6 years, ally in this war is pulling out troops at the President’s 2008 budget proposal sending us spiraling ever further into the very same time this administration does not properly address the concern debt while failing to address this Na- wants to send 21,500 additional U.S. sol- of American families. President Bush tion’s critical issues. diers into Iraq. once again proposes substantial cuts to During this administration and past The British say they are withdrawing programs so important to our districts Republican-led Congresses, they took a their troops because the Shiite-domi- like Medicare, Medicaid, education and 10-year surplus of $5.6 trillion left over nated southern region is relatively the environment. He then uses those from the Clinton administration and calm. That is, indeed, good news. But if funds not to offset our country’s mas- turned it into a $8.2 trillion deficit that the British really believed, as this sive debt, but instead to fund expensive mortgages our children’s future. De- President does, that expanding number tax cuts that do not grow our economy spite the President’s continuous prom- of troops in Baghdad would lead to the and give it to people who need it the ise to balance the budget by 2012, the same results there, wouldn’t they least.