December 22, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2647 Calorie March’’ from Florida to Boston in (#669). Had I been present I would have voted Law Enforcement Block grants, which goes to which took place in 2005. ‘‘aye.’’ help our first responders, will be cut by $315 Working with opera star Andrea Delgudice, S. 1932, On Agreeing to the Conference million. While I agree that we must be fiscally Todd also founded the Todd G. Patkin Oppor- Report for Budget Reconciliation, 2006 (#670). responsible, we cannot do so at the expense tunity Performing Art Center. It brings the Had I been present I would have voted ‘‘aye.’’ of vital social and federal programs that assist highest quality vocal, dance and acting in- f our communities. struction to its students, many of whom are Mr. Speaker, I support our troops, and I be- from the less-advantage areas of Brockton, H.R. 2863 lieve in a robust defense. But we cannot use Massachusetts, and are receiving full scholar- this legislation to hold our troops politically ships because of their economic need. HON. DAVID WU hostage to unwise policies. I am pleased that Todd recently made a substantial contribu- OF OREGON ANWR has been stripped out of this bill, and tion to the Boston Medical Center for its Todd IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I strongly support its passage now that it has and Yadira Patkin Sickle Cell Anemia Clinic. Thursday, December 22, 2005 been removed. He has also provided significant financial sup- f port to the Boston chapter of the Anti-Defama- Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, now that the most tion League, where he and Andrew Tarsy will egregious provision has been stripped out the H.R. 2863—DOD APPROPRIATIONS be managing a new initiative to combat bigotry Defense Appropriations bill, I rise to offer my CONFERENCE REPORT and intolerance in greater Boston. support for this important legislation. Todd has had a positive impact internation- When the House first voted on this measure HON. TOM UDALL ally as well, Mr. Speaker. He supports two early Monday morning on December 19, I op- OF NEW MEXICO posed this bill because, among other reasons, charities in the State of Israel—the Jewish Na- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tional Fund, which is chaired by Ronald it included a provision to permit oil and gas Thursday, December 22, 2005 Lauder, and the Yemin Orde Youth Village drilling in ANWR. The Arctic Refuge is one of headed by Chaim Peri. The village is perhaps the last, wild, untouched places left in the Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I the most advanced orphanage in Israel and United States—with an abundance and variety applaud the removal of a provision from the the world. It focuses on helping children, who of wildlife. Not only was I concerned about the Department of Defense Appropriation bill that frequently have been orphaned under dev- environmental impact of opening up ANWR to would have allowed drilling in the Arctic Na- astating circumstances, to become happy and drilling and exploration, but I was also op- tional Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This pristine productive members of society. Today over posed to the inclusion of this unrelated provi- wilderness area deserves to be protected, and two-thirds of the 300 children in the village are sion in a defense bill. I am glad that the furthermore, a Defense Appropriations bill was Jews of Ethopian descent. ANWR provision has been stripped from this an entirely inappropriate vehicle to use to at- bill. f tempt to approve drilling in ANWR. For those The remaining bill will do a great deal to and other reasons, I opposed passage of H.R. PERSONAL EXPLANATION support our troops. It appropriates a total of 2863 on December 19, 2005. $453.5 billion for defense programs, including I am greatly pleased, however, that the Sen- HON. JIM KOLBE $50 billion in emergency spending for military ate rejected the inclusion of the ANWR lan- OF ARIZONA operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am guage, and removed the rider from this impor- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pleased that it contains language, authored by tant appropriations bill. I still have grave con- Senator JOHN MCCAIN that bars any U.S. per- cerns over several provisions still included in Thursday, December 22, 2005 sonnel, including civilians, from engaging in H.R. 2863, however, when it is passed into Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, on December 16, ‘‘cruel, inhumane, or degrading’’ treatment of law our brave soldiers will get the resources 17, and 18, 2005, I missed the following votes detainees. I am particularly pleased it includes they need to do the job overseas and return due to previous commitments in my Congres- funds for an average 3.1 percent pay increase home safely as quickly as possible. sional district: for the men and women in our armed forces. f S. 1932, On Motion to Instruct Conferees, H.R. 2863 also includes funding for certain Budget Reconciliation, 2006 (#652). Had I special pay and bonuses for reserve per- THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE been present I would have voted ‘‘nay.’’ sonnel. APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE H.R. 4437, On Passage of the Border Pro- With that said, and while I now support this REPORT tection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration bill in its final form, I am concerned about a Control Act (#661). Had I been present I number of remaining provisions in the bill. HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL would have voted ‘‘nay.’’ Among other things, H.R. 2863 includes a pro- OF NEW YORK H. RES. 623, On Agreeing to the Resolution vision to provide virtually unlimited liability pro- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES providing for consideration of motions to sus- tection to the drug industry, while providing il- pend the rules (#663). Had I been present I lusory and unfunded compensation to any po- Thursday, December 22, 2005 would have voted ‘‘aye.’’ tential victims. We must be prepared in case Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on December 19, H.R. 2520, Suspend the Rules and Agree to of a flu pandemic, including ensuring our first 2005, I voted against the Department of De- the Senate Amendment, Stem Cell Thera- responders are ready. Yet, the Republican bill fense Appropriations Conference Report as it peutic and Research Act (#664). Had I been uses the threat of a flu pandemic as an ex- was considered by the House of Representa- present I would have voted ‘‘aye.’’ cuse to push the Administration’s agenda of tives. While I voted for the Defense Authoriza- H.R. 1815, On Agreeing to the Conference giving unwarranted and broad liability protec- tion Act and normally would support a De- Report, National Defense Authorization Act, tion to the drug industry for a broad array of fense Appropriations bill—especially with our FY 06 (#665). Had I been present I would products. troops in harm’s way—this year I regrettably have voted ‘‘aye.’’ I am also concerned about the bill’s inclu- had to vote against the legislation. H. RES. 639, On Agreeing to the Resolution sion of funding for the national missile defense I did so largely because the Republican ma- waiving points of order against the conference (NMD) system. The bill before us includes jority inserted a provision allowing oil drilling in report on H.R. 2863, Department of Defense $7.8 billion for this system. While we should the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Appropriations, FY 2006 (#666). Had I been always stand alert with a strong national de- This controversial measure was repeatedly re- present I would have voted ‘‘aye.’’ fense, the NMD system is scientifically jected through the democratic process, but the H.R. 2863, On the motion to recommit con- unproven, fiscally irresponsible, and grossly in- Republican leadership preferred to hold the ference report with instructions for the appro- accurate. There are better ways to improve Defense Appropriations bill—and our troops in priations bill for the Department of Defense for our defense. the field—hostage to the effort to drill in this the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, Last, I share many of my colleagues con- pristine wildlife refuge. Moreover this legisla- and for other purposes (#668). Had I been cerns over this bill’s provision to cut all non- tion contained a 1 percent across the board present I would have voted ‘‘nay.’’ emergency discretionary spending, except for cut in non-defense discretionary spending. H.R. 2863, On Agreeing to the Conference VA programs, by 1 percent. As a result, K–12 Mr. Speaker, America cannot drill its way to Report for the appropriations bill for the De- education will see a cut of $1 billion this year; independence from foreign oil. Tapping ANWR partment of Defense for the fiscal year ending LIHEAP, which helps many people heat their would produce barely a drop in the bucket of September 30, 2006, and for other purposes homes, will be cut by $21 million; and Local the amount of oil we consume in this Nation. VerDate Aug 31 2005 07:09 Dec 23, 2005 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K22DE8.002 E22DEPT1 ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with REMARKS E2648 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 22, 2005 Even if we started drilling in ANWR today, we tem continues to be a waste for tax dollars ‘‘nay’’ on rollcalls 666, 669, 670 and ‘‘yea’’ on would not see any of that oil until 2012. since the program has failed many of its crit- rollcalls 665, 667, 668, and 671. Rather than drilling in the Arctic wilderness ical tests and by all accounts is a boondoggle.