E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 111 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 155 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009 No. 177 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was Mr. POE of Texas led the Pledge of part of ‘‘get out’’ do we not under- called to order by the Speaker. Allegiance as follows: stand? f I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the f United States of America, and to the Repub- PRAYER lic for which it stands, one nation under God, CONDITIONAL COMMITMENT The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was Coughlin, offered the following prayer: f given permission to address the House Lord God, why is global security so for 1 minute.) ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER difficult to achieve or sustain? Why is Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, a global security so needed and so de- The SPEAKER. The Chair will enter- war cannot be won from a podium, but sired? What do we mean when we say tain up to 15 requests for 1-minute it can be lost. Laying out our entire these words? How do we pray or even speeches on each side of the aisle. military strategy in Afghanistan for imagine what global security would f our enemies is not only unwise, but look like? poses a significant threat to national OUR PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN So far, beyond our day-to-day world, security. Our enemies have proven to NOT WANTED the round of an agriculture cycle, the be patient and steadfast in their deter- ordinary manufacturing routine, the (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given mination to wage war on democracy busy swirl of business, economic free- permission to address the House for 1 and freedom. The President will send fall, or the data of any computer, is the minute.) more troops, but has shown his entire unimaginable picture of global security Mr. KUCINICH. Why are we still in hand to the world. so impossible to communicate? Afghanistan? Al Qaeda’s been routed. Last night’s premature announce- No wonder we are not sure what steps Our occupation fuels a Taliban insur- ment by the President of an arbitrary to take if we do not have a picture in gency. The more troops we send, the end date for withdrawal contradicts mind. How do we pray, except to lay more resistance we meet. If we want to our commitment to winning the war on the words themselves before You, O be truly secure, we need to redefine na- terror—no matter how long it takes. It Lord, as if it were Your problem or of tional security to include financial se- reaffirms our enemy’s belief that Your making and, so now, in need of curity, because America has record America will lose its will to win. It Your healing power. To which part of debt, skyrocketing unemployment, seems our policy in fighting the war in the world’s prayer for global security is huge trade deficits, record business Afghanistan is the surge-and-retreat any of us willing to say amen, Lord? failures, and foreclosures. plan. Success should be the mission, Yet deep down we know You know. The people of Afghanistan don’t want not ‘‘get out of Dodge’’ on a certain We need global security. Help us, Lord, to be saved by us. They want to be date. in word, in deed, in heart—at least in saved from us. Our presence and our Nowhere in history has a nation told prayer, be united as we pray for global Predator drones kill countless inno- its enemy that commitment would be security and together say: amen. cents, create more U.S. enemies, and for a set period of time and then the f destabilize Pakistan. The U.S.-created struggle would be abandoned. The Karzai government is hopelessly cor- President has said he wants to avoid THE JOURNAL rupt, despised by Afghans. Our solu- another Vietnam, yet he has reintro- The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- tion: provide them with a high-level duced the Vietnam syndrome of condi- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- U.S. minder, making him less legiti- tional commitment to America’s ceedings and announces to the House mate. Another strategy: buy or rent cause. her approval thereof. friends among would-be insurgents. And that’s just the way it is. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Give them cash and guns. When the f nal stands approved. money runs out, they shoot at U.S. sol- JOBS AND THE ECONOMY f diers. We played all sides in Afghanistan— (Mr. WILSON of Ohio asked and was PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and all sides want us out. They don’t given permission to address the House The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman want our presence, our control, our for 1 minute.) from Texas (Mr. POE) come forward and troops, our drones, our way of life. Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speak- lead the House in the Pledge of Alle- We’re fighting the wrong war in the er, I rise today to address the issue of giance. wrong place at the wrong time. What key importance for my constituents: 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. H13389 . VerDate Nov 24 2008 04:08 Dec 03, 2009 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A02DE7.000 H02DEPT1 jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with HOUSE H13390 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 2, 2009 jobs and the economy. I’m proud of the late winter and Democrats took bold ment is a staggering 14 percent. We work that Congress has done to bolster and decisive action, the stock market continue to have one of the highest the economy and create new jobs has risen 4,000 points and America ex- rates of foreclosure in the Nation. The across our country. In Ohio, we con- perienced its first positive GDP growth hardworking men and women in my tinue to see new funds awarded and re- in 15 months. But more can be done district and throughout the Nation de- leased every week. Communities across and more must be done. serve a good-paying job; quality, af- the State and my district have been So as we recover from one of the fordable health care; enough food to positively impacted by these funds. To most severe recessions in our Nation’s put on the table; and a good quality of date, over $225 million of recovery history, Democrats will focus on help- life. funds have been announced to counties ing Americans on Main Street, not I commend President Obama for I represent along the Ohio River, rang- Wall Street. We will build upon the hosting a jobs forum. We need to create ing from improvements in technology momentum we have created for posi- jobs so that people can put food on the investments to education funding, sub- tive growth in our economy and bring table and keep their homes and live the stantial things for our future. to the House floor strong legislation to American Dream. Instead of pointing Just last week, $75 million in recov- create jobs. American families are de- fingers and calling names, this is a ery money was announced in Ohio. pending on their leaders to focus their time when we all need to be working These funds include $8.6 million for attention on job creation and make the together to find real solutions in cre- water projects in 10 of my 12 counties. difficult decisions necessary to curb ating jobs for the American people That investment represents jobs for employment and begin growing our job right here in the United States and not our workers and clean water for our force once again. Americans expect outsourcing those jobs outside of here. residents. I’m proud to work for the re- nothing less, and House Democrats are For my part, I will host a jobs sum- sults that these investments have ac- committed to bringing to the floor a mit to hear from the private industry, complished. With more than half the strong jobs bill and work to turn nonprofit organizations, and labor or- money to be spent, I look forward to around our Nation’s economy. ganization and educators. more of these improvements through- f f out the State of Ohio as we put Amer- ica back to work. HONORING KEVIN LEE MITCHEM DISPELLING HEALTH CARE f OF MATHEWS COUNTY, VIRGINIA MISINFORMATION HONORING MIAMI-DADE POLICE (Mr. WITTMAN asked and was given (Mr. GOHMERT asked and was given DIRECTOR ROBERT PARKER permission to address the House for 1 permission to address the House for 1 minute.) minute.) (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was Mr. WITTMAN. I rise today to pay Mr. GOHMERT. I need to dispel some given permission to address the House tribute to Kevin Lee Mitchem. Kevin of the misinformation that’s been put for 1 minute and to revise and extend Mitchem was a proud Mathews County out about the health care bill that we her remarks.) resident and a fervent supporter of pub- passed in this House. For one thing, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I rise today to lic education, and he was committed to some have said, Well, States require extend my sincere thanks to a distin- lending his time and knowledge to you to have insurance on your car, so guished south Floridian and a faithful youth in the community.