E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 157 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011 No. 161 Senate The Senate was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Thursday, October 27, 2011, at 11 a.m. House of Representatives TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011 The House met at 10 a.m. and was bringing all of our troops home from was the whole purpose in going to Af- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- Iraq by the end of this year. This was ghanistan. Al Qaeda has dispersed all pore (Mr. FITZPATRICK). an unnecessary war that cost over $850 around the world, and we are spending f billion, in which over 4,400 Americans $10 billion a month in Afghanistan to were killed and over 33,000 wounded. It prop up a corrupt leader, $10 billion DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO is my hope that future Congresses will that we could be spending here in TEMPORE not accept misinformation from an ad- America to help our children and our The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- ministration as justification for send- senior citizens. I hope that this Con- fore the House the following commu- ing our troops overseas to engage in gress will come together and join those nication from the Speaker: combat. of us in both parties who say that vic- WASHINGTON, DC, I am reminded of a quote from tory should be declared because bin October 25, 2011. Rudyard Kipling’s ‘‘Epitaphs of War’’: Laden is dead. I hereby appoint the Honorable MICHAEL G. ‘‘If they ask you why we died, tell Mr. Speaker, I bring with me to the FITZPATRICK to act as Speaker pro tempore them it is because our fathers lied.’’ I floor a picture of a triple amputee, a on this day. hope this lesson stays with the future young soldier and his lovely wife look- JOHN A. BOEHNER, leaders of this country and they do ev- ing at an apartment and thinking as to Speaker of the House of Representatives. erything they can to keep our young how they’re going to adjust their life. f men and women from going to war un- Both legs were amputated and his arm MORNING-HOUR DEBATE less it is absolutely justified. was amputated. Before the district work period, I It is time for the American people to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- went to the new Walter Reed facility in speak out to Congress and say, ‘‘Bring ant to the order of the House of Janu- Bethesda. I saw five marines, four of our troops home’’ because they have ary 5, 2011, the Chair will now recog- whom had lost both legs. A young done everything that they could do and nize Members from lists submitted by lance corporal looked at me and asked, they’ve done it so very well. the majority and minority leaders for ‘‘Why are we still in Afghanistan?’’ I Mr. Speaker, I will close by asking morning-hour debate. had to stand there, with his mother in God to please bless our men and women The Chair will alternate recognition the hospital room, and say, ‘‘I don’t in uniform. I ask God to please bless between the parties, with each party know.’’ the families of our men and women in limited to 1 hour and each Member My hope now is that this administra- uniform. I ask God in His loving arms other than the majority and minority tion will bring our troops home before to hold the families who have given a leaders and the minority whip limited 2015. That is the timetable that Mr. child dying for freedom in Afghanistan to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall Obama has agreed to. Just this week- and Iraq. I will ask God to bless the debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. end, President Karzai said, ‘‘If fighting House and Senate, that we will do what f starts between Pakistan and the is right in the eyes of God for His peo- United States, we are beside Pakistan. ple here in America, and I will ask God AFGHANISTAN If Pakistan is attacked and the people to give wisdom, strength, and courage The SPEAKER pro tempore. The of Pakistan need Afghanistan’s help, to President Obama that he will do Chair recognizes the gentleman from Afghanistan will be there with our what is right in the eyes of God for North Carolina (Mr. JONES) for 5 min- friends in Pakistan.’’ God’s people here in America. And I utes. I don’t know how much more Amer- will close three times by saying, God Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I would ica has to take from a corrupt leader please, God please, God please continue like to thank President Obama for like Karzai. Bin Laden is dead. That to bless America. 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. H7011 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:41 Oct 25, 2011 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0636 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A25OC7.000 H25OCPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H7012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 25, 2011 TUNISIA, LIBYA, SYRIA, AND destruction, and yet literally thou- gone below 8 percent since the passage YEMEN sands of Americans’ lives were lost, of the stimulus. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The thousands of Iraqis’ lives were lost, and But do you know what has gone up? Chair recognizes the gentleman from perhaps $1 trillion was lost. It’s time to Not employment. Debt and deficits, Minnesota (Mr. ELLISON) for 5 minutes. go. I congratulate President Obama in more and more of a burden that we’re Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, the his decision to leave. piling on our children. changes in the Arabic-speaking coun- Syria’s path toward change is also ir- Now the President is coming out tries over the last year have been as- reversible, but the outcomes are less with a plan that says we can’t wait, tonishing. This region, which is home certain. Bashar al-Assad’s government that we can’t wait to pass stimulus to over 300 million people, has been has now killed over 3,000 people. Count- version 2. Really, if you look at the making unmistakable drives toward less others have been raped and tor- depths of what the jobs plan is, it’s democracy, but those drives have not tured. This is not the model that will stimulus 2. It’s, in essence, a carbon always been linear and smooth. There characterize the region’s future. copy of stimulus 1 but a little bit have been setbacks in advances. But as People like Tawakel Karman of smaller. I’ve heard people in this this region changes, the United States Yemen are setting a new standard. Re- Chamber argue, actually, that the must also adjust to those changes as ferred to as the ‘‘Mother of the Revolu- problem with the first stimulus is it well. tion’’ in Yemen, she recently won the wasn’t large enough. Now, I disagree. I First, I want to congratulate the peo- Nobel Prize for her nonviolent activ- think that’s the wrong answer, but ple of Tunisia on their historic election ism, and I congratulate her. let’s say for a moment that that’s on Sunday. It was Tunisia’s first free As people across the Middle East and right. Let’s say the problem is it and fair election since gaining inde- North Africa struggle for democracy, wasn’t large enough. Why would you pendence in 1956. Tunisians created a the United States should do all that it introduce a second stimulus that’s new paradigm for governance in the can to help them reach that demo- even smaller and say, This is the mir- Middle East, and I hope this is rep- cratic condition that we take for acle bullet right here, this is how we’re licated throughout the region. Tunisia, granted. As Americans, we will remem- going to pull ourselves out? by the way, was the first country to ber our own long struggle for freedom I don’t know how many times we begin its dramatic social change and should be at the waiting to help have to do the same thing over and against a historic dictator. others secure their democratic future. over and over again until we realize it Last December, Tunisians said, f doesn’t work. The American people are ‘‘Enough.’’ They took to the streets to hurting. The definition of insanity, by demand their rights, and they ousted a JOBS the way, is doing the same thing over dictator and went to the polls just a The SPEAKER pro tempore. The and over and expecting different re- few days ago to elect new leaders. More Chair recognizes the gentleman from sults. than 90 percent of registered voters Illinois (Mr. KINZINGER) for 5 minutes. House Republicans have a plan for turned out to vote—that’s 90 percent. Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. America’s job creators. We’ve had a Long lines snaked down sidewalks and Speaker, I agree with my colleague plan for America and America’s job around street corners. People waited that spoke previously. America needs creators and our economy for many, for hours to exercise their right to vote to be a voice for freedom in the world.