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March 2, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H513
health care system to save ten of thou- General Sam became President of the aliens, criminal illegal aliens, are at-
sands of lives and tens of billions of Republic of Texas, and when Texas tempting to cross that border every
dollars. Members can see more infor- joined the Union, he became Governor single day, and it is time that we stop
mation on this at and U.S. Senator. He is the only Amer- it.
www.murphy.house.gov. ican in history to be Governor of two In December, the House passed a
f different States. good enforcement and border security
His example was a majestic story of bill, and the bill is a great start to ad-
b 1015 bravery, boldness, and brashness. dress this problem and make our Na-
REPUBLICANS’ FAILURES IN SE- Mr. Speaker, his last words before he tion safer. One important provision in-
CURING PORTS: FAILURES GO died were ‘‘Texas, Texas, Texas.’’ Sam cluded in the bill was an amendment I
BEYOND DUBAI PORTS WORLD Houston, the stuff real Americans and had authored which will withhold Fed-
(Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was real Texans are made of. And, Mr. eral law enforcement funding from
given permission to address the House Speaker, that’s just the way it is. sanctuary cities that prohibit law en-
for 1 minute.) f forcement officers from notifying Fed-
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, the eral officials about known illegal
DEMOCRATS’ EFFORTS TO
Bush administration’s deal with the aliens.
ADDRESS PORT SECURITY
United Arab Emirates showed the The practice of prohibiting coopera-
American people again that securing (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given tion is appalling. We should not reward
our ports is not their priority. permission to address the House for 1 these cities with Federal funds. I urge
The bipartisan and unanimous 9/11 minute.) my colleagues in the Senate to include
Commission report clearly showed the Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, the this provision and pass a strong en-
need for increased security for our Na- United Arab Emirates port deal should forcement bill without amnesty.
tion’s ports. Now 4 years after 9/11, less never have been approved. Sure, the ad- f
than 10 percent of the 9 million con- mission is now backpedaling, but de-
spite this 45-day delay, the administra- BUSH ONCE AGAIN SKIRTING LAW
tainers entering our ports are ever
tion is still going to try to push this IMPACTING OUR NATIONAL SE-
screened. Even worse, Republicans in
deal through. CURITY
this House have fought Democratic ef-
forts to increase port security funding. It does not matter that the Coast (Ms. WATSON asked and was given
In 2003, this House voted to kill a Guard voiced concerns about the pro- permission to address the House for 1
Democratic amendment to add $250 posal before the administration ini- minute.)
million for port security grants; then tially approved the deal. It does not Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, Congress
again, in 2005, against a Democratic matter that large numbers of Demo- should not allow the secretly decided
proposal calling for an additional $400 crats and Republicans have come out backroom United Arab Emirates port
million in funding for port security. in opposition to the deal. It does not deal to go through. It must be stopped,
For the record, let me say, my con- matter that the overwhelming major- and House Republicans should stand up
stituents in St. Louis, Jefferson Coun- ity of Americans do not support this to the President in the name of na-
ty, and Ste. Genevieve County, Mis- deal and believe it to be dumb. Nor tional security. Our ports are not for
souri, understand right from wrong. does it matter that the administration sale to the highest bidder.
They, like all Americans, demand ac- never checked with the affected com- This deal shows once again the
tion from this Congress that is long munities before signing off on it. No, lengths the Bush administration will
overdue, and they will not go along the Bush administration sees this 45- go to bend the laws to their advantage.
with any deal compromising our na- day period as an opportunity to steam- The administration failed to conduct a
tional security. roll Congress. 45-day investigation that is legally re-
The American people have every We simply cannot allow that to hap- quired. This, in itself, should be enough
right to be outraged with the adminis- pen. Congress must play an active role to stop this deal. The national security
tration’s approval of the UAE port in this decision. I hope, I really hope, implications are simply too important
deal. It is time the people’s House that the House Republicans will join us to ignore. And, unfortunately, House
make the security of our Nation’s ports in insisting that no deal move forward Republicans have neglected our vulner-
a priority. without a vote here on this floor. able ports since 9/11.
f Democrats insist that in addition to Over the past 4 years, House Repub-
the 45-day investigation there must licans have opposed and defeated
HONORING GENERAL SAM also be a congressional vote. This is a Democratic efforts to increase funding
HOUSTON national security decision, and it is for port security. Right now, only 6
(Mr. POE asked and was given per- simply too important for partisanship percent of cargo coming into the U.S.
mission to address the House for 1 to take precedence over prudence. is being checked, producing a large
minute.) f hole in our homeland security.
Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, Sam Houston I would hope that we can make port
from Virginia was born this day, March IMMIGRATION BILL IN SENATE
security a top priority.
2, 1793. He was unique among all Amer- AND CAMPBELL AMENDMENT
f
icans. He grew up in the mountains of (Mr. CAMPBELL of California asked
eastern Tennessee. He befriended the and was given permission to address ENTITLEMENT REFORM
Cherokees as a kid. He fought the Brit- the House for 1 minute.) (Mr. PITTS asked and was given per-
ish in 1814. He stood with Andrew Jack- Mr. CAMPBELL of California. Mr. mission to address the House for 1
son and was wounded three times fight- Speaker, today the Senate Judiciary minute and to revise and extend his re-
ing Indians. He became a lawyer, Mem- Committee will begin work on the im- marks.)
ber of Congress, and a Governor of the migration and border security legisla- Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, in the com-
great State of Tennessee. More than tion the House passed at the end of last ing days we will take up the Federal
enough for one life. But then he left for year. budget. While I am pleased to see the
Texas and quickly got passion about This bill is one of the most important President’s budget hold the line on dis-
Texas independence. pieces of national security legislation cretionary spending, the Congress
On his birthday, March 2, 1836, he was before Congress because border secu- should also get serious about entitle-
one of the signers of the Texas Declara- rity is national security. ment reform.
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE
tion of Independence from Mexico. Recently we have been engaged in de- The numbers speak for themselves,
General Sam was made commander in bates, some of which you have just Mr. Speaker. Three entitlement pro-
chief of all Texas armies, and on the heard, about whether or not our ports grams alone, Social Security, Medi-
plains of San Jacinto his outnumbered are secure. This is an important de- care, and Medicaid, currently consume
volunteer army defeated the invaders. bate. But we know our southern border about 42 percent of the entire budget. If
Texas was free. is not secure; we know that illegal we add defense and homeland security,
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H514 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 2, 2006
which most people would consider man- South Dakota, Alaska, Florida, Ne- recognize the institutional abuse that
datory spending, along with all the vada, New Hampshire and Texas. The is far too often perpetrated in our
other entitlements, we get 82 percent. least business-friendly tax codes were courts by personal injury lawyers and
Only 18 cents on the dollar really is found in New York, New Jersey, Rhode the frivolous lawsuits they introduce.
discretionary. Island, Vermont and Maine. These lawsuits do not just affect doc-
Mr. Speaker, entitlements are impor- Low-tax States are where the job tors. They are affecting patients all
tant programs, but they will benefit no growth is. Governors and businesses across the country who either lose ac-
one if they go bankrupt. And we are and residents want jobs to flow to their cess to their doctor altogether or are
headed for a fiscal tsunami in this States. Low taxes will do that. So low cared for by a physician who has been
country. So as we begin the budget taxes in America will also keep jobs intimidated into practicing defensive
process, let us keep in mind that run- here. medicine.
away discretionary spending is wrong, So, Mr. Speaker, there is a cau- While everyone is talking about ris-
and we would do well to rein it in. tionary tale from this report, remind- ing health care costs, let us not forget
But unsustainable entitlement spend- ing us that we are truly competing in a to recognize there are a number of dif-
ing is a greater problem that we should global economy, and we cannot ignore ferent ways to lower those costs, and
address as well for the sake of our chil- the fact that low taxes indeed create starting with lawsuit abuse reform
dren and grandchildren. Whether we new jobs. would be a genuine first step.
like it or not, this is a very real prob- f f
lem. It is not going to go away.
RECOGNIZING AMBER CASHWELL’S KATRINA EMERGENCY
Doing nothing is simply not an op-
SERVICE TO SOUTH CAROLINA ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2006
tion. In fact, doing nothing is the worst
thing we can do. (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, pursu-
f asked and was given permission to ad- ant to the order of the House of March
dress the House for 1 minute and to re- 1, 2006, I call up the Senate bill (S. 1777)
IT IS TIME FOR A POLICY THAT vise and extend his remarks.) to provide relief for the victims of Hur-
REALLY SECURES AMERICA Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. ricane Katrina, and ask for its imme-
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked Speaker, as I always say, congressional diate consideration.
and was given permission to address schedulers have some of the hardest The Clerk read the title of the Senate
the House for 1 minute.) jobs in Washington. bill.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. While serving as a scheduler, Amber The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.
Speaker, over the last couple of days Cashwell has seamlessly planned a cal- BOOZMAN). Pursuant to the order of the
we have seen the focus of the American endar, helped manage the office, and House of Wednesday, March 1, 2006, the
conscience look toward whether Amer- assisted the citizens of the Second Dis- Senate bill is considered read, and the
ica is actually secure. trict of South Carolina. Throughout amendment placed at the desk is
Mr. Speaker, I think it is time now her service she has handled her respon- adopted.
for the administration to craft a policy sibilities with patience, profes- The text of the Senate bill, as amend-
that answers the enormity of the con- sionalism, and good humor. Her col- ed, is as follows:
cerns that Americans have expressed in leagues and I truly appreciate her hard S. 1777
town hall meetings across America. work and dedication. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep-
Frankly, I think when the headlines A native of Spartanburg, South Caro- resentatives of the United States of America in
read 1,300 Iraqi dead, our soldiers lina, Amber began her career in Wash- Congress assembled,
standing by, not knowing whether to ington as a staff assistant for Congress- SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
engage or not in the civil war that is man BOB INGLIS. In May, 2004, she grad- This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Katrina
Emergency Assistance Act of 2006’’.
pending, it is actually now time for the uated from Converse College with an SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT ASSIST-
President to acknowledge that our impressive double major in French and ANCE.
troops have done their job, they have history. Notwithstanding any other provision of
won the victory, and they need to come Tomorrow, Amber will depart the law, in the case of an individual eligible to
home. halls of Congress to work at the Moore receive unemployment assistance under sec-
And then we speak of securing Amer- Van Allen law firm in Charlotte, North tion 410(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
ica and having conflicts cause the ten- Carolina. I am proud of her success and Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
sion that they are causing and then we pleased to congratulate Amber on this U.S.C. 5177(a)) as a result of a disaster dec-
laration made for Hurricane Katrina or Hur-
still want to say that it is all right to wonderful opportunity. ricane Rita on or after August 29, 2005, the
sell our ports to foreign entities; and, In conclusion, God bless our troops, President shall make such assistance avail-
of course, I think America needs to and we will never forget September 11. able for 39 weeks after the date of the dis-
know that in the 2007 budget there is f aster declaration.
no funding for securing the Nation’s The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen-
MALPRACTICE INSURANCE
ports around America. tleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. SHU-
It is time now for the administration (Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was STER) and the gentlewoman from the
to craft a security posture and policy given permission to address the House District of Columbia (Ms. NORTON) each
that really secures America. The time for 1 minute.) will control 30 minutes.
is now. Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, The Chair recognizes the gentleman
f when I opened up my local paper the from Pennsylvania.
other day, I was troubled by a letter to
STATE TAX COMPETITIVENESS the editor. This gentleman was lament- b 1030
(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given ing the fact that he and his wife were GENERAL LEAVE
permission to address the House for 1 losing a long-time doctor because the Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask
minute and to revise and extend his re- physician could not afford to remain in unanimous consent that all Members
marks.) business. What is even more troubling may have 5 legislative days within
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, this is that none of this is a surprise. which to revise and extend their re-
week the Tax Foundation, an edu- Every day more and more doctors marks and include extraneous material
cational foundation for taxpayers since across the country are watching their on S. 1777.
1937, released its much anticipated malpractice rates skyrocket. These The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.
hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE
third edition of their State business premiums are going up as the insur- BOOZMAN). Is there objection to the re-
tax climate index. It ranks the 50 ance companies are being forced to pay quest of the gentleman from Pennsyl-
States on how business friendly their higher and higher awards for mal- vania?
tax systems are. practice lawsuits. There was no objection.
The study finds the most business- Doctors need to be held accountable, Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield
friendly tax systems in Wyoming, yes. However, there is also a need to myself such time as I may consume.
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