May 4, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2939 In parceling out Ramadi, the Marine Corps declined to discuss the matter. His first fit- growing businesses and creating jobs. leadership gave Company E more than 10 ness report, issued on May 31, 2004, after the This bill was opposed by the minority square miles to control, far more than the company’s deadliest firefights, concluded, leader. battalion’s other companies. Captain Royer ‘‘He has single-handedly reshaped a company Permanent repeal of the death tax, said he had informally asked for an extra in sore need of a leader; succeeded in forming platoon, or 44 marines, and had been told the a cohesive fighting force that is battle-tested supported by 42 Democrats. The death battalion was seeking an extra company. and worthy.’’ tax is the leading cause of dissolution The battalion’s operations officer, Maj. John The second, on Sept. 1, 2004, gave him op- for most small businesses. Seventy per- D. Harrill, said the battalion had received posite marks for leadership. ‘‘He has been de- cent of businesses do not make it past sporadic assistance from the Army and had scribed on numerous occasions as ‘dictato- the first generation because of death given Company E extra help. General Mattis rial,’’’ it said. ‘‘There is no morale or moti- tax rates. According to one small busi- says he could not pull marines from another vation in his marines.’’ His defenders say he ness survey, more than 80 percent of part of Iraq because ‘‘there were tough fights drove his troops as hard as he drove himself, small businesses spend $25,000 annually going on everywhere.’’ but was wrongly blamed for problems like Colonel Kennedy said Company E’s area armor. ‘‘Captain Royer was a decent man on attorney-consultant fees and life in- was less dense, but the pressure it put on the that was used for a dirty job and thrown surance premiums in an attempt to marines came to a boil on April 6, 2004, when away by his chain of command,’’ Sergeant avoid the crushing blow of the death the company had to empty its camp—leaving Sheldon said. tax. Again, this money could be much the cooks to guard the gates—to deal with Today, Captain Royer is at Camp Pen- better spent growing businesses and three firefights. dleton contesting his fitness report, which creating jobs. This was opposed by the Ten of its troops were killed that day, in- could force him to retire. Company E is minority leader. cluding eight who died when the Humvee awaiting deployment to Okinawa, Japan. The Border Security Act, supported they were riding in was ambushed en route Some members have moved to other units, or by 42 Democrats. This will implement a to assist other marines under fire. That are leaving the Marines altogether. Humvee lacked even the improvised steel on ‘‘I’m checking out,’’ Corporal Winn said. much-needed national standard for the back where most of the marines sat, ‘‘When I started, I wanted to make it my ca- driver’s license requirements and Company E leaders say. reer. I’ve had enough.’’ strengthen our borders so that those ‘‘All I saw was sandbags, blood and dead f who intend to do us harm find it harder bodies,’’ Sergeant Valerio said. ‘‘There was to enter our country. This was opposed The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. no protection in the back.’’ by the minority leader. KUHL of New York). Under a previous Captain Royer said more armor would not Thank goodness for the moderates in have even helped. The insurgents had a .50- order of the House, the gentleman from the Democratic Party who are willing caliber machine gun that punched huge holes New Jersey (Mr. SMITH) is recognized to put aside partisan bickering and through its windshield. Only a heavier com- for 5 minutes. work together to get things done for bat vehicle could have withstood the bar- (Mr. SMITH of New Jersey addressed rage, he said, but the unit had none. Defense America. The minority leader’s contin- the House. His remarks will appear Department officials have said they favored ued opposition tactics more closely re- hereafter in the Extensions of Re- Humvees over tanks in Iraq because they semble the pirates of the South Seas marks.) were less imposing to civilians. who hijacked commerce and progress The Humvee that trailed behind that day, f and accomplished absolutely nothing which did have improvised armor, was hit with less powerful munitions, and the ma- ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 109TH in the long run. rines riding in it survived by hunkering CONGRESS What a shame. down. ‘‘The rounds were pinging,’’ Sergeant f The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Sheldon said. ‘‘Then in a lull they returned DEFEAT CAFTA fire and got out.’’ previous order of the House, the gen- Captain Royer said that he photographed tleman from Kentucky (Mr. DAVIS) is The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a the Humvees in which his men died to show recognized for 5 minutes. previous order of the House, the gen- to any official who asked about the condi- Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Ethics. The tleman from Oregon (Mr. DEFAZIO) is tion of their armor, but that no one ever did. principles of honor and morality. The recognized for 5 minutes. Sergeant Valerio redoubled his effort to accepted rules of conduct. The moral Mr. DEFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, pro- fortify the Humvees by begging other principles of an individual. branches of the military for scraps. ‘‘How am ponents of the so-called free trade I going to leave those kids out there in those Mr. Speaker, the 109th Congress re- agreements like the North American Humvees,’’ he recalled asking himself. cently passed its 100-day mark, and I Free Trade Agreement, which I op- The company of 185 marines had only two would like to reflect on the progress we posed, have long promised endless Humvees and three trucks when it arrived, have made under the strong leadership riches for U.S. workers, farmers, busi- so just getting them into his shop was a of the Republican Party to create jobs, nesses and the economy. Of course, logistical chore, Sergeant Valerio said. He to strengthen the economy, support they have been wrong on all counts. also worried that the steel could come loose our troops, and to protect our borders. But they are not to be deterred. They in a blast and become deadly shrapnel. For the gunners who rode atop, Sergeant And we have done this with strong bi- want another bite of the apple here. Valerio stitched together bulletproof shoul- partisan support as wiser, calmer heads They think that the American people der pads into chaps to protect their legs. have prevailed on the other side of the and Members of Congress who rep- ‘‘That guy was amazing,’’ First Sgt. Ber- aisle. resent them, those who have lost their nard Coleman said. ‘‘He was under a vehicle The energy bill, supported by 41 jobs, seen their jobs threatened, their when a mortar landed, and he caught some Democrats. This bill will create nearly standard of living diminished as we in the leg. When the mortar fire stopped, he half a million new jobs in the manufac- have gone into massive trade deficits went right back to work.’’ turing, construction, agriculture and and exported industries overseas in A CAPTAIN’S FATE technology sectors by reducing our de- pursuit of cheaper labor and lower en- Lt. Sean J. Schickel remembers Captain pendency on foreign oil while exploring vironmental standards, that they can Royer asking a high-ranking Marine Corps domestic sources and alternative en- fool us again. visitor whether the company would be get- ergy sources. This was opposed by the The President finished secret nego- ting more factory-armored Humvees. The of- ficial said they had not been requested and minority leader. tiations a year ago the end of this that there were production constraints, Class action reform, supported by 73 month for what is called the Central Lieutenant Schickel said. Democrats. This will unclog overused American Free Trade Agreement. And Recalls Captain Royer: ‘‘I’m thinking we courts, end the harassment of local they are promising all the same things. have our most precious resource engaged in businesses by stopping predatory forum I went before the Committee on Ways combat, and certainly the wealth of our na- shopping by some trial attorneys and and Means which reluctantly, begrudg- tion can provide young, selfless men with will protect consumers with a con- ingly, allowed some of us to testify in what they need to accomplish their mission. sumer class action bill of rights. Small opposition to this pending agreement. That’s an erudite way of putting it. I have a much more guttural response that I won’t businesses pay an average of $88 billion Now, there is no legislative process. give you.’’ each year on lawsuits and this cost is They mark up what is called a mock Captain Royer was later relieved of com- simply passed on to consumers. This bill or a pretend bill or a play bill in mand. General Mattis and Colonel Kennedy money could be much better spent Ways and Means. They are not allowed

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That was tion. the U.S. and foreign countries. going to be one of the big winners Mr. Speaker, it is clear that this If this were in the best interests of under the WTO, CAFTA, NAFTA. Oh, man’s testimony cannot be considered the United States or an urgent pri- it’s going to be great for ag. I remem- credible. How can these charges move ority, it might make sense; but what it ber having all these farmers come in, forward when the primary witness is does is perpetuate a failed and failing Oh, this is going to help us so much, someone who did not actually see the trade policy. The United States of the wheat farmers in Oregon. They shooting and who cannot definitively America, the Bush administration, is were back the next year saying, You stick to one recollection of the series setting a record every month this year. were right. The Chinese bought one of events that took place? If that is not Congratulations to the Bush adminis- shipload and that was it. enough evidence, let me also quote tration. They have us on track for Now, they are talking about shipping briefly from Navy Medal Corpsman beating last year’s trade deficit of $620 wheat to the United States of America. George Gobles, the only other person billion to $720 billion, $2 billion a day We are going to run a trade deficit in present at the time of the shooting and borrowed from foreign interests rep- agriculture. We are going to become the prosecution’s other main witness resenting tens of thousands, hundreds not only dependent upon foreign coun- who took the stand. He called Pantano, of thousands of U.S. jobs that have tries to borrow money and build things and I quote, ‘‘a damn good leader.’’ He moved to China, India, Central Amer- that we use every day but to feed us, testified, ‘‘I felt the safest with, you ica, Latin America, Mexico and other and we are going to ask them to lend know, this platoon, because more than countries chasing the cheapest labor us the money to buy the food to feed anything because of Lieutenant they can find, the most exploited labor ourselves. Pantano, his leadership.’’ they can find, the most environmental This is not a policy that is sustain- Likewise, Major Brian Neil, the oper- depredations they can find around the able and in the national economic in- ations officer for Pantano’s battalion, world. terest or the national economic secu- testified that Lieutenant Pantano was They think that this is just working rity or defense interest. We need a new one of the finest second lieutenants he great. The President thinks that it just model for trade, not replicating the old has ever known during his 17-year ca- shows our economy is really strong. failed model. I am pleased to see that reer in the corps. He recalled the day of That is why we are running these huge more and more and more of my col- the shooting, testifying: ‘‘To me, it was trade deficits. So they want to rep- leagues are coming around to this con- a good day. We killed two obvious in- licate it closer to home so U.S. compa- clusion. surgents.’’ nies do not have to go all the way to Defeat CAFTA. Mr. Speaker, as I have said many China to exploit cheap labor; they f times before, Lieutenant Pantano is by could move a little closer to home in all accounts an exceptional Marine. I IN SUPPORT OF LIEUTENANT Central America. hope that last week’s proceedings will When they offered NAFTA, the U.S. PANTANO finally bring out the truth in this case. Chamber of Commerce predicted it The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a I pray that the end is near so that the would create 170,000 jobs in the United previous order of the House, the gen- Pantano family can move forward with States. Many on that side of the aisle tleman from North Carolina (Mr. their lives. Hopefully, the facts can are still talking about all the great JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. bring closure to this serious and sad jobs that will come from NAFTA. Of Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. mistake in the history of the Marine course, and now CAFTA, it actually Speaker, Saturday was the final day of Corps. cost the United States 880,000 jobs. So the article 32 hearing for a Marine fac- In conclusion, I continue to ask my they were off by a million jobs. That is ing murder charges for actions he took colleagues to research the case and a pretty big miss. CAFTA is likely to against Iraqi insurgents in self-defense. consider supporting House Resolution accelerate that trend. A year ago in Iraq, Second Lieutenant 167, my bill to help support Lieutenant They tell us, Oh, it’s just that we Ilario Pantano made a split-second de- Pantano as he faces this battle. I en- want to sell things to Central America. cision to shoot two Iraqi insurgents courage them to visit his mother’s Web Think of the massive buying power of who refused to follow his orders to stop site at www.defendthedefenders.org and those people in Central America. They their movement towards him. Two and learn more about this fine young Ma- earn $2 a day. If they devoted all of the a half months later a sergeant under rine. I would be proud to call him my economies to all of the countries that his command, who never even saw the son or my son-in-law. would be included in CAFTA, if every shooting and who was earlier demoted I ask as I close today, Mr. Speaker, penny in those countries was spent on by Pantano for his lack of leadership that God please bless Lieutenant buying U.S. goods, it would equal 5 abilities, accused him of murder. Now Pantano’s family, to please bless our days’ production in the United States the case is in the hands of a hearing of- men and women in uniform and their of America. ficer who must determine whether families, and I ask God to continue to No, it is not about selling U.S. goods Lieutenant Pantano will face a court- bless America. there any more than it was about sell- martial. f Mr. Speaker, I stand here today, as I ing goods to Mexico or selling goods to b 1630 China. It is creating an export platform have many other nights, in support of for U.S. companies who want to move this bright young lieutenant. I have al- COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION overseas and have cheaper labor and ways maintained the innocence of REFORM avoid environmental laws and protec- Lieutenant Pantano, and I believe last The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. tions in this country. week’s hearing produced information KUHL). Under a previous order of the The only problem with this theory is that will ultimately prove his inno- House, the gentleman from Illinois what happens to the middle class? cence. (Mr. GUTIERREZ) is recognized for 5 What happens to the working people of During the hearing, it became clear minutes. this country? We are larding them that the sergeant who accused Lieuten- Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise down with a huge foreign debt, $2 bil- ant Pantano, Sergeant Coburn, dis- to discuss ways we can work together lion a day, and they are losing their obeyed orders to not grant interviews to create an immigration system that jobs. How is this model sustainable? It to the media on this case. At one point better reflects the enormous contribu- also undermines our sovereignty. As we he left the stand after the hearing offi- tions immigrants make every day, re- borrow more and more money from cer read him his rights and explained spects our Nation’s proud history of

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