E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 107 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 148 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2002 No. 80 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was 11, Mr. Speaker, as I would like to that have appeared in various arms of called to order by the Speaker pro tem- elaborate, as I did so in a letter to the the national press. These are 10 dif- pore (Mr. CULBERSON). Attorney General last week, there is a ferent facts that I articulated in a let- f growing list of facts that suggest Iraqi ter to Attorney General John Ashcroft involvement not just in the events of 9– asking, as I did last week, for some ex- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO 11, but perhaps, Mr. Speaker, even in planation as to why the FBI seems to TEMPORE the events and circumstances that led have ruled out an international source The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- to the anthrax bacillus finding its way for the terrorist attacks. fore the House the following commu- to Capitol Hill, costing the lives of five First and foremost, the letter to Sen- nication from the Speaker: Americans, grinding much of the insti- ate Majority Leader TOM DASCHLE was tutions of our Federal Government to a actually dated September 11 and WASHINGTON, DC mailed, we believe, around that time, June 17, 2002. halt. I hereby appoint the Honorable JOHN As Members may recall, Mr. Speaker, included phrases like ‘‘Death to Amer- ABNEY CULBERSON to act as Speaker pro tem- my office was one of three offices on ica,’’ ‘‘Death to Israel,’’ and ‘‘Allah is pore on this day. the House of Representatives side of great.’’ J. DENNIS HASTERT, the Capitol building that tested posi- The evidence also suggests in media Speaker of the House of Representatives. tive for the anthrax bacillus in Octo- reports that one or more of the 9–11 terrorists visited physicians to be f ber. In addition to myself and my fam- treated for skin lesions and infections ily and my staff and many constituent MORNING HOUR DEBATES that would be consistent with cuta- visitors to our office having to take a The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- neous exposure to anthrax. 3-month regimen of doxycycline and Also the material found in my office ant to the order of the House of Janu- ciprofloxacin, also, as was the case in ary 23, 2002, the Chair will now recog- and elsewhere on Capitol Hill was a Senator DASCHLE’s office and the Sen- finely milled weapons grade anthrax nize Members from lists submitted by ate Hart Office Building, we were ex- the majority and minority leaders for that had been genetically modified to pelled from our offices for decon- increase its virulence. These are highly morning hour debates. The Chair will tamination for a period of 4 months. It alternate recognition between the par- technical methods that can be em- was, in addition to the loss of human ployed by governments with the re- ties, with each party limited to not to life, an extraordinary disruption of our sources to do them. exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, Federal Government as well as an occa- This anthrax was also so powerful except the majority leader, the minor- sion that truly terrorized the American that not only had five people been ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- people. killed, including two postal workers ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. Since the time of the attacks, vir- and two elderly women, but these The Chair recognizes the gentleman tually within a week, the Federal Bu- deaths we believe occurred just from Indiana (Mr. PENCE) for 5 min- reau of Investigation offered a theory through cross-contamination. This was utes. of the case, Mr. Speaker, that could be a virulent strain developed to kill f described loosely as an American mad human beings. scientist, a version of the Unibomber, Now, DNA evidence, which has been STATUS OF ANTHRAX who had simply preyed upon this sea- reported in the press, suggests that the INVESTIGATION son of uncertainty following the 9–11 anthrax that was found here in the Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, press ac- attacks and used anthrax materials Capitol was part of the Ames strain of counts beginning in The Washington that had been absconded from a U.S. anthrax, which we had developed at Post yesterday and on cable television weapons facility to further terrorize Fort Detrick, Maryland. But what you networks over the past 24 hours have Americans. It seemed like a very plau- may not be aware of, Mr. Speaker, was been resplendent with discussions sible case, to say the least; but there is that the Ames strain was actually sent about possible covert operations, the a growing list of facts that seem to to England’s Porton Down research fa- authorization of Special Forces by the suggest the possibility of an inter- cility, and in that facility in 1988, ac- President of the United States to con- national connection to the anthrax at- cording to many intelligence agency front the regime of Saddam Hussein in tacks and even possibly, Mr. Speaker, reports, Iraqi germ warfare scientists Iraq. While it might not surprise some to a connection to Bagdad. sought to obtain that very same Ames Americans that Iraq may in some way Let me give some of those facts, virus, and many believe that they did have been involved in the events of 9– which are uncontroverted allegations obtain the Ames virus. 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. H3565 . VerDate jun 06 2002 01:38 Jun 18, 2002 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JN7.000 pfrm15 PsN: H17PT1 H3566 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 17, 2002 So the anthrax bacillus with the ge- hundreds of billions of dollars in tax RECESS netic coding of the Ames strain could cuts to the most privileged people in The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- have been and may well have been ob- society and still afford to do an ade- ant to clause 12 of rule I, the Chair de- tained by Iraqi germ warfare scientists. quate prescription drug benefit for sen- clares the House in recess until 2 p.m. We also know that European govern- iors. Accordingly (at 12 o’clock and 43 The third purpose that the Repub- ment and CIA officials reported meet- minutes p.m.), the House stood in re- lican bill serves that will be offered in ings between al Qaeda members and cess until 2 p.m. Iraqi intelligence officials before Sep- committee this week on prescription tember 11, and the 9–11 terrorists also drugs is it is what the drug industry f we know from confirmed accounts in wants. The drug industry wrote their b 1400 legislation. the press, attempted to rent crop dust- AFTER RECESS ers, presumably as delivery vehicles, Congressional Republicans couched for chemical weapons. these three motives in choice rhetoric. The recess having expired, the House Lastly, according to U.N. weapons in- They will argue that seniors should not was called to order by the Speaker pro spector Richard Spertzel, Iraq has con- be forced into a one-size-fits-all pre- tempore (Mrs. BIGGERT) at 2 p.m. ducted military exercises to explore scription drug program, that they de- f serve, quote-unquote, a ‘‘choice’’ of pri- the possibility of disbursing anthrax PRAYER using crop dusters. vate plans. These are all facts that suggest an Think about that. What kind of The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. international connection, perhaps even choice is actually desirable when it Coughlin, offered the following prayer: an Iraqi connection. This week I will comes to drug coverage? A drug plan We bless You and praise You, Lord urge the Justice Department and the either covers the prescription drugs, or God, source of all authority on heaven administration to follow the facts it does not cover the prescription and earth. This weekend in worship wherever they lead. drugs. Disbursing seniors into multiple service and at family meals, we gath- complicated private plans serves the ered to thank You and pray for our fa- f best interests of the drug industry, to thers. As You guide and protect this PROVIDING ADEQUATE be sure, the best interests of the drug Nation through the governance of the PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE industry, something that my friends on President and Congress, so You The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- the other side of the aisle are always strengthen and direct family life in ant to the order of the House of Janu- intent on doing; but it would undercut this great country through parental ary 23, 2002, the gentleman from Ohio seniors’ collective purchasing power, authority. Shape the men of this House (Mr. BROWN) is recognized during morn- enabling the drug industry to continue to be models of leadership, but most of ing hour debates for 5 minutes. charging their outrageously high all to reflect Your presence in being Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, prices. good fathers. Surround them with love earlier this month Congress made a The Republican prescription drug so that they may manifest under- choice. Republicans in this body passed plan, unlike the Democratic plan, the standing and seek every opportunity to legislation giving literally hundreds of Republican plan does nothing about strengthen character in their children.