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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 110 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 153 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2007 No. 97 House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. and was come forward and lead the House in the days with his family. And to Mr. Willis called to order by the Speaker pro tem- Pledge of Allegiance. from our entire Nation, we are grateful pore (Mr. MCNULTY). Mr. KLEIN of Florida led the Pledge for your service to our country. Thank f of Allegiance as follows: you for the sacrifices you have made to I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the protect our freedom. DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER United States of America, and to the Repub- PRO TEMPORE lic for which it stands, one nation under God, f The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. fore the House the following commu- f nication from the Speaker: PRESIDENT BUSH’S VISIT TO ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER BULGARIA WASHINGTON, DC, PRO TEMPORE June 15, 2007. (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina I hereby appoint the Honorable MICHAEL R. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The MCNULTY to act as Speaker pro tempore on Chair will entertain up to five 1-minute asked and was given permission to ad- this day. requests on each side. dress the House for 1 minute and to re- NANCY PELOSI, vise and extend his remarks.) f Speaker of the House of Representatives. Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. HONORING VIETNAM WAR f Speaker, earlier this week, President VETERAN JAMES WILLIS PRAYER and Mrs. Bush visited Bulgaria as part (Mr. KLEIN of Florida asked and was The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. of a six-nation European tour during given permission to address the House the G8 Summit. Following Bulgarian Coughlin, offered the following prayer: for 1 minute.) United in prayer and in the belief admission this year into the European Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I Union, the President’s visit signifies that this country deserves the very rise today to honor and pay homage to best of their efforts, Lord, this Con- Bulgaria’s increased importance with a Vietnam War veteran by the name of gress is called to order. Selected by the its strategic location. James Willis. Mr. Willis, who is strick- citizens to uphold the Constitution in en with cancer and only has weeks to I am especially grateful President all circumstances, the Members of Con- live, has been living on the streets of Bush and the First Lady participated gress are truly called by You, O Lord, West Palm Beach for nearly 20 years. in a round table discussion on free mar- to bring Your truth and Your compas- Because of the good will of a local po- ket democracy with students at the sion to a pulsating reality in this Na- lice officer who has been keeping track American University in Bulgaria. I am tion. honored to serve on the university’s May the fidelity of the Members to of Mr. Willis for the past year, Mr. Wil- board of trustees and I appreciate the public service and their ability to rep- lis received a $121 bus ticket to Greens- leadership provided by president Mi- resent the best of their districts here boro, North Carolina, so he could spend create today even a small signal of his dying days with the only family chael Easton and chairman of the Your tremendous fidelity to Your peo- left, his half brother. board David Flanagan. The round table Friends, it is an absolute shame that ple, so revered and so loved, both now was held at the university’s Elieff Cen- and forever. Amen. many of our Nation’s veterans are liv- ter for Education and Culture. The ing on the streets. These brave men Elieff Center was made possible by the f and women in uniform served our coun- gracious financial donation of Eliot THE JOURNAL try with bravery, honor and sacrifice. Elieff, a Bulgarian American living in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Yet unfortunately many of them are San Marino, California. This world Chair has examined the Journal of the barely scraping by, and, in the case of class facility proves his commitment last day’s proceedings and announces Mr. Willis, are homeless. to promote a bright future for Bul- to the House his approval thereof. In the words of Palm Beach County garia. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Corporal Karl Martin, who arranged through the Marine Corps League to I also appreciated a visit this week nal stands approved. by Sofia mayor Boyko Borissov on Cap- f purchase him a bus ticket, ‘‘There’s no reason for any veteran in this country itol Hill. Bulgaria is a strong ally of PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to be living in the woods somewhere.’’ America and a full partner in NATO. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the Corporal Martin, you’re a hero for ar- In conclusion, God bless our troops, gentleman from Florida (Mr. KLEIN) ranging for Mr. Willis to spend his last and we will never forget September 11. 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. H6479 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:50 Jun 16, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A15JN7.000 H15JNPT1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with HOUSE H6480 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2007 REPUBLICAN DELAY TACTICS ON He predicted the weather by watching Amendment No. 105 by Mr. KING of APPROPRIATIONS BILLS the animals. Iowa. (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given One afternoon in the 1950s while he Amendment by Mr. BILBRAY of Cali- permission to address the House for 1 was laying asphalt as a foreman of a fornia. minute.) work crew for the Texas Highway De- Amendment No. 99 by Mr. MCCAUL of Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I was partment, a drunk driver broke Texas. hopeful at the beginning of this week through the barricade and killed my Amendment No. 2 by Mr. ROGERS of that we were finally going to address grandfather. I was 5 years old. My Kentucky. America’s homeland security needs and grandmother lived another 50 years Amendment No. 28 by Mr. POE of also increase funding for our veterans’ after his death. Texas. health care by a significant amount, What I know of my grandfather Amendment by Mr. LATOURETTE of more than has been done, I think, in makes me proud of my heritage. Ohio. over 50 or 70 years. This Father’s Day we remember our Amendment by Mr. TANCREDO of Col- But instead what we saw was a con- fathers and grandfathers and know orado. certed effort by the Republican minor- that a lot of good men have made us Amendment No. 7 by Mr. TANCREDO ity to delay every one of these appro- who we are today. of Colorado. priations bills: the Homeland Security And that’s just the way it is. Amendment by Mr. ROYCE of Cali- bill that deals with our local respond- f fornia. ers, in response to 9/11, and in the case DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE- Amendment by Mr. FORBES of Vir- of the Military Construction and Vet- CURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, ginia. erans bill, they constantly delayed our 2008 Amendment by Mr. ROGERS of Ken- efforts to move a bill that was going to tucky. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- increase funding and benefits for our Amendment No. 1 by Mr. ROGERS of ant to House Resolution 473 and rule veterans. Kentucky. XVIII, the Chair declares the House in It really is awful to see what they’ve The Chair will reduce to 2 minutes the Committee of the Whole House on been doing all week in trying to delay the time for any electronic vote after the state of the Union for the further and delay. If you go back to when the the first vote in this series. consideration of the bill, H.R. 2638. Republicans were in the majority, they AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. MC HENRY TO weren’t even able to pass the appro- b 0910 AMENDMENT NO. 33 OFFERED BY MS. FOXX priations bills. They weren’t even able IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE The Acting CHAIRMAN. The unfin- to get their work done because they Accordingly, the House resolved ished business is the demand for a re- constantly delayed until they actually itself into the Committee of the Whole corded vote on the amendment offered lost the election and never finished the House on the state of the Union for the by the gentleman from North Carolina bills. further consideration of the bill (H.R. (Mr. MCHENRY) to the amendment of- At the same time, they keep talking 2638) making appropriations for the De- fered by the gentlewoman from North about spending. Well, every year when partment of Homeland Security for the Carolina (Ms. FOXX) on which further they were in the majority the amount fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, proceedings were postponed and on which the noes prevailed by voice vote. of Federal spending continued to go up. and for other purposes, with Mr. ROSS The Democrats finally have gotten (Acting Chairman) in the chair. The Clerk will designate the amend- spending under control and at the same The Clerk read the title of the bill.