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, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004 No. 35 Senate The Senate was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, March 22, 2004, at 12 noon. House of Representatives THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004 The House met at 10 a.m. forward and lead the House in the Iraq has changed the world as we Rabbi Elie Spitz, Congregation B’nai Pledge of Allegiance. know it. Libya is cooperating on nu- Israel, Tustin, California, offered the Mr. ANDREWS led the Pledge of Al- clear weapons. North Korea is talking following prayer: legiance as follows: about peace. Pakistan and India are Master of the Universe, may You I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the trying to settle their longstanding bless our great country and its leaders. United States of America, and to the Repub- skirmish over Kashmir. May You give them, our congressional lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Michael Woodliff died defending the leaders, the wisdom to discern the path indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. honor of this country. Politicians of righteousness. f should think of him when they utter Scripture teaches: ‘‘Today, I place ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER words on this floor. His sacrifice to this before you life and death, blessing and Nation is a lot better than the speeches curse. Choose life.’’ The SPEAKER. The Chair will enter- I have heard by some. Sixty years ago this day, the Ger- tain 10 1-minute speeches on each side. God bless you, Michael. Thank you mans invaded greater Hungary to oust f for serving your Nation. the government and begin deportations of hundreds of thousands of Jews and HONORING SPECIALIST MICHAEL f others. Many of those who survived WOODLIFF have modeled an affirmation of life and (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given per- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE a passion for justice in the shadow of mission to address the House for 1 THE TRUTH tragic loss. minute and to revise and extend his re- (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given May You, the Almighty, guide our marks.) permission to address the House for 1 congressional leaders toward affirming Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, last Friday minute.) life and pursuing justice in all that in Punta Gorda, Florida, I attended the Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, one of the they do. May they find Your light de- funeral services for one Specialist Mi- reasons this current administration spite shadow. chael Woodliff who was killed in Iraq. has run up the largest Federal deficit Infuse their acts with strength and He was laid to rest in Arlington Ceme- in the universe’s history is it has not courage, memory and wise purpose, tery on Monday. told the truth to the American people. open hearts and outstretched hands. At the ceremony there was no bitter- The most recent example of that is Amen. ness, but fond memories for a fallen this story that has come out that the f hero. His friends and families describe chief actuary for Medicare had num- THE JOURNAL his credos as faith, family, country. His bers indicating that the President’s The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- father said to me, ‘‘Michael died serv- Medicare bill would cost billions of dol- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- ing his country with pride in defending lars more money than the administra- ceedings and announces to the House his homeland.’’ tion told the American people. Indeed, his approval thereof. Michael would not want the political Richard Foster advised the administra- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- debate that has taken place in the last tion that this bill would cost $534 bil- nal stands approved. 24 hours of acrimony and division. Mi- lion, when the administration was tell- chael would want us not to question ing the American people it would cost f the merits of the war in Iraq. He would about $400 billion. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE want us to track the terrorists who And the reason this individual was The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman killed him and others who killed those not able to blow the whistle at that from New Jersey (Mr. ANDREWS) come in New York on September 11. time is they effectively said they would 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. H1231 . VerDate jul 14 2003 01:10 Mar 19, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4636 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18MR7.000 H18PT1 H1232 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 18, 2004 fire him if he told the truth to the plaint on behalf of American con- publican Member of Congress to sup- American people. sumers because OPEC is breaking the port that legislation. In an e-mail disclosed yesterday in rules? They have told me they will not No wonder the senior citizens do not the Wall Street Journal, it was dis- do that. like this bill. It was never about them. closed that this gentleman got an e- They are going to unilaterally dis- It was only about the special interest mail that said essentially, if you tell arm Americans in face of this attack and special money and campaign con- Congress or the American people the against our economy by OPEC because tributions and employment contracts truth, quote, ‘‘The consequences for in- some of their buddies in the oil indus- for the Republican administrators and subordination are extremely severe,’’ try are adding a little margin on and the Republican Members of the House. closed quote. We know what that doing okay. f means. f This administration told the person ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ he would be fired if he told the truth to WAR IN IRAQ the American people. Well, we disagree (Mr. MURPHY asked and was given (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given with Jack Nicholson: We can handle permission to address the House for 1 permission to address the House for 1 the truth, and we deserve it. minute.) minute and to revise and extend his re- f Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, 1 year marks.) ago the Iraqi people lived under the Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, today IRAQ rule of a man who massacred and tor- this House should recognize that just 1 (Mr. PITTS asked and was given per- tured his own people by the hundreds year ago the campaign started in Iraq mission to address the House for 1 of thousands, who supported terrorists to liberate the Iraqi people. A signifi- minute and to revise and extend his re- groups, and who was a human weapon cant part of the war on terrorism, mili- marks.) of mass destruction. tary victory in Iraq, and the capture of Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, a year ago Today 25 million Iraqis have been lib- Saddam Hussein have helped move the our troops went into Iraq, removed erated and an example has been made world closer to safety. Saddam Hussein from power, and the of Saddam Hussein. Today America is a Make no mistake about it, the deci- world is a safer place with him gone. safer place. Today the world is a safer sion to go into Iraq was not taken Hussein was a homicidal tyrant who place because of the actions of our lightly. And the price of freedom is disregarded international law, basic military. costly, but we must endure. We must human rights, and invaded his neigh- Since September 11, thousands of recognize and relate the victories that bors at will. He supported Palestinian Guard and reservists have been acti- have been achieved. terrorists and suicide bombers. He used vated to fight the war on terror and 40 Unfortunately, we cannot count on chemical weapons of mass destruction percent of the current force in Iraq is our own news outlets to be objective against Iran and his own people. He composed of these soldiers. And despite and complete in this, because just last killed thousands and thousands. what some critics continue to say, week, Mr. Speaker, a momentous event Hussein reigned over the people of Guard and Reserve service is just as occurred that has yet to receive suffi- Iraq in terror and he terrorized the re- honorable as regular military service. cient mention in the press. And this, of gion. Human rights organizations re- They have left their families and their course, was the signing of the interim port that women told them that rape jobs to serve their Nation. They too Iraqi Constitution by the 25 signato- was routinely used by Iraqi officials as have seen the horrors of Saddam Hus- ries. a means of torture and intimidation. sein’s regime and the gratitude of the The press scarcely reported what will Electric shock, pulling out fingernails, Iraqi people as they work hand in hand likely be the outcome of this constitu- dripping acid on victims’ skin, gouging to rebuild their country. tion and how this will shape the world out eyes, were torture methods used by Today I thank all who serve. I give a events for the rest of this century. Saddam’s regime. special nod to our guardsmen, for when Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Iraq has come a long way since then.