Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 149 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2003 No. 123 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was MILITARY DEATH GRATUITY TAX calling on the House leadership to called to order by the Speaker pro tem- REPEAL bring up H.R. 693, bring it to the floor pore (Mr. COLE). Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. as a stand-alone bill, let us pass it and f Speaker, I came to the floor today be- send it over to the other body, because cause let me first explain the posters if we will do that, Mr. Speaker, I will DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO on my left and right are the faces of go on every radio show I can get on, TEMPORE young men and women who have died every TV show I can get on, and ask The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- fighting for freedom in Iraq and Af- that we not leave this October/Novem- fore the House the following commu- ghanistan, and also, Mr. Speaker, I ber without passing this bill to elimi- nication from the Speaker: hold up a photograph of a young man nate the tax on the death gratuity. $6,000 is not enough. We need to raise WASHINGTON, DC, from Connecticut whose name is Tyler September 9, 2003. Jordan, 6 years old. He has the Amer- that, but there is one thing we can do, I hereby appoint the Honorable TOM COLE ican flag folded under his arm, and he take off the tax. Again I hold up the photograph of to act as Speaker pro tempore on this day. is looking at the casket of his father this young man, Tyler Jordan, who J. DENNIS HASTERT, who died for freedom. Gunny Sergeant Speaker of the House of Representatives. gave his father to this country, and Phillip Jordan from Connecticut died why in the world should his family, in f for freedom. the year 2004, get a tax due bill from Mr. Speaker, the reason I am on the MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE Uncle Sam? Is not giving the life of a floor today is that last year I intro- loved one fighting for freedom enough? A message from the Senate by Mr. duced a bill that would repeal the tax Monahan, one of its clerks, announced So, again, Mr. Speaker, I ask the on the death gratuity. The American House leadership, both Republican and that the Senate has passed concurrent military family receives when a loved resolutions of the following titles in Democrat, to join me and bring to the one dies a small amount of money. It is floor H.R. 693. Let us repeal this death which the concurrence of the House is $6,000, and there is a tax on $3,000 of the requested: tax and send it over to the other body, $6,000. And last year we passed in a and let us put pressure on them to get S. Con. Res. 64. Concurrent resolution to larger bill a repeal, and it was sent to commend members of the United States it to the President so that the other the other body and they did nothing Phillip Jordans throughout this coun- Armed Forces for their services to the with it. This year again the House has United States in the liberation of Iraq, and try will not have a mother or father for other purposes. passed the same language which was in saying I owe Uncle Sam tax on the gift S. Con. Res. 65. Concurrent resolution to H.R. 693, the Military Death Gratuity of my loved one. commend the Third Infantry Division Tax Repeal, the bill I put in. It was put Mr. Speaker, with that, I want to (Mechanized) of the United States Army for into a larger bill that went to the Sen- close by asking God to please bless our its role in the liberation of Iraq. ate, and they still have taken no ac- men and women in uniform. I ask God f tion. Let me tell the Members what to please bless the families of our men that means. MORNING HOUR DEBATES and women in uniform, and I ask God From September 11, 2001, to Decem- in His loving way to hold in his arms The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ber 31, 2001, over 292 military were those who have lost ones fighting for ant to the order of the House of Janu- killed and their families paid a tax on freedom, and I ask God to bless the ary 7, 2003, the Chair will now recog- the gift of their son or loved one fight- American people, the House and Senate nize Members from lists submitted by ing for freedom. That is absolutely hor- that we will do what is right. I ask God the majority and minority leaders for rible in my opinion, Mr. Speaker. And to give strength and wisdom to the morning hour debates. The Chair will in the year 2002, 1,007 families had to President of the United States. And I alternate recognition between the par- pay a tax on the death of a loved one. ask God three times, please, God; ties, with each party limited to not to Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that please, God; please, God, continue to exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, we, the House, have done our part and bless America. except the majority leader, the minor- we have sent to the other body legisla- f ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- tion to repeal this tax. It is unaccept- ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. able that any family in this country WTO MINISTERIAL The Chair recognizes the gentleman who has a loved one who has died for The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- from North Carolina (Mr. JONES) for 5 freedom would get a bill tax due from ant to the order of the House of Janu- minutes. Uncle Sam. And, Mr. Speaker, I am ary 7, 2003, the gentleman from Ohio 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. H8019 . VerDate jul 14 2003 05:11 Sep 10, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A09SE7.000 H09PT1 H8020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 9, 2003 (Mr. BROWN) is recognized during morn- World Trade Organization, and do so in Mr. Speaker, it is clearly the belief of ing hour debates for 5 minutes. a way that benefits all of the WTO na- these women that ultrasound provides Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, we tions, not just the most powerful and understanding, not uncertainty. It is have seen little press coverage in the the richest countries. with this new information in mind that United States of the World Trade Orga- While different developing nations I remind my colleagues about my bill, nization before its ministerial begin- have different ideas about fair trade, H.R. 195, ‘‘The Informed Choice Act.’’ I ning this week in Cancun, Mexico. But they are united in opposing any expan- have introduced this legislation au- around the globe, the WTO’s 5th Min- sion of the WTO into these new areas thorizing HHS to establish grants for isterial is a big story. The divide be- outside of just trade. When the Uru- which nonprofit health clinics could tween WTO nations about its future is guay Round in 1994 created the WTO, apply and, if awarded, purchase the coming into public view. At stake in developing countries were promised needed ultrasound equipment. Many Cancun is the future of the World major gains. They were promised that uninsured women are prohibited from Trade Organization and how it will im- industrialized nations would lower and finding the health care they need be- plement corporate globalization. Suc- eventually eliminate tariffs on items cause the free health clinics to which cess or failure depends on which side of like textiles and apparel and cut agri- they have access are unable to provide the divide countries stand. Given that culture subsidies that have enabled medical services because of the lack of the most powerful countries of the huge agribusinesses to dominate the funds to purchase such medical equip- WTO, partnering with the supposedly world market. They were promised the ment. The mother is, therefore, forced neutral WTO Secretariat, have set the WTO would be good for development in to wander from one clinic to another in meeting’s agenda to suit their goals. the poor countries. Newspapers and search of the services that she so des- There can be no good outcome. opinion shapers largely endorsed the perately needs. Enabling these health The best result is what the U.S. ideas and promoted it. clinics to purchase ultrasound equip- media may report as a ‘‘failure.’’ The As the WTO, however, moves forward ment would be a persuasive push in the small block of powerful nations fail to on new issues of negotiations, these direction of transitioning from a steamroll the majority of the WTO’s promises remain utterly unfulfilled. If health clinic to a medical facility. members who are developing nations, the WTO is to maintain trade credi- The advantages of ultrasound are and the summit ends in deadlock.