E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2007 No. 8 House of Representatives Now, part of my concern over the President Bush talks about democ- Iraq war is that it continues to distract racy in Iraq, but what about democ- U.S. policy, both foreign and domestic, racy in Pakistan, which is much more The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was from more important concerns. The likely to achieve democracy if the U.S. called to order by the Speaker pro tem- threat of international terrorism is did not prop up the Musharraf dictator- pore (Mr. RUPPERSBERGER). real, and it came home to us vividly ship. after 9/11, but the focal point of our war f The media, Mr. Speaker, has reported against terrorism should be Afghani- many times that al Qaeda and the DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO stan, not Iraq. Taliban operate freely out of Pakistan TEMPORE While our soldiers continue to die in where they maintain training camps The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- Baghdad and we spend hundreds of bil- and receive the support of Pakistan’s fore the House the following commu- lions of dollars in Iraq, we are neglect- ISI, the equivalent of the American ing the situation in Afghanistan and nication from the Speaker: CIA. its environs, particularly Pakistan, Last fall, the Pakistan government WASHINGTON, DC, where bin Laden, al Qaeda and the January 16, 2007. entered into an agreement with the Taliban grow stronger every day. I hereby appoint the Honorable C.A. DUTCH Taliban. In return for not conducting Mr. Speaker, last Saturday the New RUPPERSBERGER to act as Speaker pro tem- raids into Afghanistan, they were guar- York Times did a front page story on pore on this day. anteed effective control of certain fron- the NATO struggle in Afghanistan, NANCY PELOSI, tier regions of Pakistan. However, the which stressed how the Taliban were Speaker of the House of Representatives. incursions by the Taliban into Afghani- coming back. The likelihood is there f stan continue while the Musharraf gov- will be a new spring offensive by the MORNING HOUR DEBATES Taliban as early as February, next ernment left the Taliban alone in these month. The article went on to say that areas of Pakistan. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Mr. Speaker, I believe that the U.S. ant to the order of the House of Janu- corrupt and ineffective leadership have turned people against the central gov- has the opportunity for nation-building ary 4, 2007, the Chair will now recog- in Afghanistan that will continue to nize Members from lists submitted by ernment and its U.S. allies, and that U.S. reconstruction efforts are a fail- elude us in Iraq. Afghanistan’s econ- the majority and minority leaders for omy is increasingly dependent on morning hour debates. The Chair will ure. Mr. Speaker, if there is any place drugs; in other words, the opium crop alternate recognition between the par- where the United States should be which has expanded while the normal ties, with each party limited to not to stepping up its efforts, both in terms of economy falters. Afghanistan needs a exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, resources and manpower, and where we major infusion of resources from the except the majority leader, the minor- would have international support, United States and its allies to prevent ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- again, in terms of other countries’ a Taliban resurgence. ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. troops as well as other countries’ re- I simply ask, Mr. Speaker, as we de- The Chair recognizes the gentleman sources and money, it would certainly bate President Bush’s surge in Baghdad from New Jersey (Mr. PALLONE) for 5 be Afghanistan. The U.S. was directly over the next few weeks, think about minutes. attacked from there by bin Laden and the alternative in Afghanistan. Let’s f al Qaeda operatives, and they were of not forget where the real U.S. and glob- al threat of terrorism both started and AFGHANISTAN AND THE WAR ON course harbored by the Taliban. So you might ask, Mr. Speaker, why continues this day. TERROR does President Bush get on national f Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I did TV last week and stress the need for a RECESS not support the resolution authorizing surge in Baghdad and reconstruction the Iraq war, and I continue to believe dollars for Iraq, and not prioritize Af- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- it was a mistake, and that we should ghanistan instead? ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair redeploy our armed forces out of Iraq In addition, President Bush con- declares the House in recess until 2 as quickly as possible. Needless to say, tinues to appease the military dicta- p.m. today. I adamantly oppose the President’s lat- torship in Pakistan, which effectively Accordingly (at 12 o’clock and 38 est proposal to escalate the war, the encourages and provides safe harbor in minutes p.m.), the House stood in re- so-called ‘‘surge.’’ its frontier territories to the Taliban. cess until 2 p.m. 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. H517 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:43 Jan 17, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A16JA7.000 H16JAPT1 jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with HOUSE H518 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 16, 2007 b 1400 serve, they do assert their constitu- American people know what we have tional rights and their military code accomplished so far on their behalf. AFTER RECESS rights to speak with Members of Con- During our first week in session, we The recess having expired, the House gress. changed the rules on how this institu- was called to order by the Speaker pro Article 3.5.7, Department of Defense tion works, cutting ties between lobby- tempore (Ms. SOLIS) at 2 p.m. directive 1325.6 provides the right of ists and lawmakers, and reinstituting f servicemembers to request redress and commonsense pay-as-you-go budget grievances against the actions of their rules. PRAYER commanders. The action taken and Last week we began our 100-hour The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. presented to me by individual service- agenda, passing four pieces of legisla- Coughlin, offered the following prayer: members is an appeal for redress to end tion that will help the American people Almighty God and Father of all, yes- the war in Iraq. live better and healthier lives. We in- terday this Nation and the world Troops are risking their careers to creased the minimum wage for the first quickened the living legacy of a great present this message to Congress. They time in 9 years. We passed legislation American and citizen of the world, the have all individually signed the fol- giving the government the ability to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lowing statement: fund promising stem cell research. We passed a bill that allows the govern- May the Members of Congress and all As a patriotic American proud to ment to negotiate better prescription Americans rededicate ourselves to his serve the Nation in uniform, I respect- drug prices for American seniors. We clarion call to work toward the Be- fully urge my political leaders in Con- passed long overdue legislation insti- loved Community he envisioned both gress to support the prompt with- tuting the recommendations of the 9/11 at home and abroad. drawal of all American military forces Commission that should make our Na- Help us, precious Lord, to dissolve all and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the tion safer. And we are not finished yet. prejudicial thinking and take practical This week we will make college more steps to build peace rooted in equal jus- price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home. affordable by cutting interest rates in tice. half on student loans and investing in At this hour of uncertainty, Lord, f biofuels by repealing unnecessary tax fashion leaders whose actions spring SALUTING THE 218TH INFANTRY breaks to Big Oil. from the inherent counsel of Dr. King’s BRIGADE OF THE SOUTH CARO- Democrats are delivering on the living legacy. In charting the course LINA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD promises we made to the American for the national stability of Iraq, let people. Dr. King’s dream of little black chil- (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina f dren walking hand and hand with little asked and was given permission to ad- white children come true for little dress the House for 1 minute and to re- TRANSIT FLEXIBILITY Shi’a, Sunni, Kurdish, Christian and vise and extend his remarks.) (Mr. PITTS asked and was given per- Jewish children. From the southern Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. mission to address the House for 1 plains around Basra to the northern Madam Speaker, on Saturday, January minute and to revise and extend his re- plateaus of Ninnevah, someday soon let 7, South Carolina’s adjutant general, marks.) them sing: ‘‘Free at last. Thank God Stan Spears, hosted the departure cere- Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I rise Almighty. We are free at last.’’ Amen. mony for the 218th Enhanced Separate today to highlight an issue of impor- Infantry Brigade.