E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2004 No. 115 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the In 1994, the Dow Jones industrial av- The Reverend Austin DeLoach, Jr., United States of America, and to the Repub- erage was at 3,834. Today, it is 10,453. Pastor, Southside Baptist Church, lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Homeownership was at 64 percent. Lakeland, Georgia, offered the fol- indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Today it is a record high of 69.2. Vio- lowing prayer: f lent crime is down. Interest rates are Heavenly Father, I come to You MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE down from 8.5 to 4.42. thankful for this great country that Charitable giving among Americans A message from the Senate by Mr. is at its highest, from $150.7 billion in You have blessed us to live in. Monahan, one of its clerks, announced Please keep us ever mindful that 1996 to over $241 billion now. Bank- that the Senate has passed with an freedom only comes with a price and ruptcy rates are down from 17.9 to 2.8. amendment in which the concurrence Per capita incomes are growing. Pov- cannot be sustained without responsi- of the House is requested, a bill of the erty is shrinking. African Americans bility. House of the following title: Give our Nation wisdom to under- living in poverty are decreasing and H.R. 4837. An act making appropriations stand that liberty must be protected in for military construction, family housing, their homeownership is at record part by laws that are grounded in Your and base realignment and closure for the De- highs. Unemployment is down from 6 truth. partment of Defense for the fiscal year end- to 5.4. I come humbly before You today ask- ing September 30, 2005, and for other pur- These may be dry statistics to some, ing You to give this body, the Congress poses. but they are progress to many Ameri- of the United States, wisdom and guid- The message also announced that the cans, thanks to the direction we have ance as they fulfill their call to serve Senate insists upon its amendment to taken this country and this Congress. others through public office. the bill (H.R. 4837) ‘‘An Act making ap- Yes, America is safer, and I thank the According to Your Word, as written propriations for military construction, President for standing steadfast in Romans 13:1, You, Lord, have or- family housing, and base realignment against terrorism, against tyranny. dained government and chosen to work and closure for the Department of De- f through those who serve. So I lift up fense for the fiscal year ending Sep- DEMOCRATIC PARTNERSHIP WITH every man and woman of this Congress tember 30, 2005, and for other pur- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE to You. Bless their families and the poses,’’ requests a conference with the people they represent, that these House on the disagreeing votes of the (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given United States may serve Your purpose two Houses thereon, and appoints Mrs. permission to address the House for 1 in this world, as the book of Esther HUTCHISON, Mr. BURNS, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. minute.) says, for such a time as this. DEWINE, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, today I thank You for hearing this prayer Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. JOHN- House Democrats will announce a new and I ask it in Jesus’ name. SON, Ms. LANDRIEU, and Mr. BYRD, to be partnership with the American people, Amen. the conferees on the part of the Senate. a partnership that would strengthen six of our Nation’s most important f The message also announced that the Senate has passed a bill of the fol- core values. We will put Americans THE JOURNAL lowing title in which the concurrence back to work, make health care more The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- of the House is requested: affordable, hold polluters responsible ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- S. 2279. An act to amend title 46, United for the contamination they cause, give ceedings and announces to the House States Code, with respect to maritime trans- our children the education and develop- his approval thereof. portation security, and for other purposes. ment tools they need to have a positive Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- f future, and restore fiscal responsibility nal stands approved. here in Washington. FULFILLING AMERICA’S PROMISE f Democrats’ new partnership is nec- (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given per- essary today because a large majority PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE mission to address the House for 1 of Americans have lost faith in Con- The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman minute and to revise and extend his re- gress. Over the past decade, Repub- from Florida (Mr. FOLEY) come forward marks.) licans have controlled the people’s and lead the House in the Pledge of Al- Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, this year House and have often strayed from legiance. we celebrate our 10th anniversary as these core American values. Mr. FOLEY led the Pledge of Alle- the governing party of this great My Democratic colleagues and I have giance as follows: Chamber. been fighting for these causes for many 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. H7331 . VerDate Aug 04 2004 03:17 Sep 23, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A22SE7.000 H22PT1 H7332 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 22, 2004 years, but this is the first time we are A decade ago, the GOP promised to expectations of what this great coun- unveiling a partnership with the Amer- help seniors. Instead, the GOP sent try of ours can be. ican people, a promise, if you will, that plastic cards to senior citizens and big As the undisputed superpower of the if the American people put their trust profits to drug companies. Some con- world and the richest nation in the his- in us and elect a Democratic majority tract. tory of the planet, our opportunity to in November, we will work with them When it comes to the American peo- be a force to advance humankind in all as partners to make their lives and our ple, the GOP, like the President, have respects is without limit and, one after government better. been AWOL. The contract is null and another, this Nation has squandered f void. It is time for a new partnership. those opportunities, leaving more Come January, we will stand and say, Americans in poverty and without TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE Madam Speaker, as the gentlewoman health insurance, breathing dirtier air, GOP HOUSE MAJORITY from California (Ms. PELOSI) becomes fewer with a chance of college, 1,027 (Mr. BLUNT asked and was given the first woman Speaker of the House. dead in a war that has made the United permission to address the House for 1 The time is now and it is long over- States reviled around the world. minute.) due. It is only 40 days away. The Democrats are offering today a Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, Americans different vision, inviting all Americans like the partnership they have. Repub- f to partner with us and each other in an licans have trusted the ingenuity of ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER America built on our shared values of the American people to expand oppor- PRO TEMPORE prosperity, opportunity and fairness tunity for themselves and their fami- for all, national security, account- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. SIM- lies. ability and community. For 10 years, the Republican major- MONS). Members are admonished to re- Together, we can fulfill the great ity has worked to expand the power of frain from improper references to the promise and the great hope that is the the American people over the power of President. United States of America. the American government. f f We believe in letting people keep TEN YEARS OF A REPUBLICAN WELCOMING DAVE AND KELLY more of their hard-earned money so HOUSE KEIM OF BERNE, INDIANA that they are better able to provide for their families and invest in their own (Ms. PRYCE of Ohio asked and was (Mr. PENCE asked and was given per- futures. given permission to address the House mission to address the House for 1 We trust small business owners to for 1 minute and to revise and extend minute and to revise and extend his re- create jobs and grow the economy bet- her remarks.) marks.) ter than government programs can. Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, in Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this We understand that school teachers the past 10 years, the Republican ma- morning to welcome Dave and Kelly and parents in Springfield, Missouri, jority in this House has created a Keim of Berne, Indiana, to our Nation’s and other places across this Nation stronger, safer and more prosperous capital. They are in town today to know what is best for students, not bu- Nation and we celebrate that today. At stand with many others in this build- reaucrats in Washington. the heart of that prosperity stand our ing to oppose embryonic stem cell re- We know that excessive government Nation’s small businesses.