as we are all aware, we have spent a great deal these past few years to secure our Nation in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. On 9/11, our priorities shifted because they had to, but we in Congress failed to make up for our…

House Resolution 242 is a same-day rule. It waives clause 6(a) of rule XIII requiring a two-thirds vote to consider a rule on the same day it is reported from the Committee on Rules. H. Res. 242 allows the House to consider the rule and…

their reliance on the press reports is much more favorable to their side than it would be for ours and a much more reliable source of information than it would be in our case. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, the gentleman's…

it is a great day in this House and a great day for our Nation and an honor to kick off the debate about the fiscal blueprint, that our conference of the House and the Senate has come together to set forth the priorities for our Nation…

all time on our side having expired, I move the previous question on the resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous question. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes…

Mr. Speaker, I certainly share the gentleman's concern about the situation that people up north find themselves in. It is a situation, to be honest, that is somewhat unfamiliar to me, having been raised in Florida and never having seen…

I want to just rise and join any colleagues from Florida and the rest of the Congress in expressing my profound appreciation for the assistance that is on its way to a number of States but particularly Florida. Words are inadequate to…

Mr. Speaker, on four occasions in a span of 6 weeks, portions of my home State of Florida have been designated disaster areas. Additionally, areas in nine other States have been declared disaster areas due to hurricane-related damage…

it must be an election year, because the fear mongering is in full swing. President George W. Bush has repeatedly said he doesn't intend to revive the draft, because he believes that the military is more effective and less expensive as an…

the 2000 census was the most accurate census in this Nation's history. In a Nation as large and diverse as ours, we will never, ever have a perfect count, and they have been doing these since Caesar. There is yet to be a perfect count. I…

It is an important debate that we are having today, I think one that cuts across party lines, it cuts across generational lines, this issue of fiscal responsibility, and really keeping our word, keeping our commitment to a process that was…

On behalf of a very proud Tampa Bay area, an area that has been growing an awful lot of champions in a variety of sports over the last several years, I urge adoption of House Resolution 668.

I was in grade school when President Reagan was elected, so my thoughts and observations are not based on any particular policy, but on the man, on the spirit himself. We took great courage as a Nation in watching him as he dealt with an…

I rise in support of Senate 117, the Florida National Forest Management Act of 2003. I commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), my good friend, for his leadership on this issue. This bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to…

I have seen what the death tax does to destroy families and destroy pieces of property that have been in the same family's hands for generations, that have cared for that land and have been steward of that land, and the environmental…

Florida set an example for the rest of the Nation by creating a program giving parents of children with disabilities the choice they deserve. The John McKay Scholarship Program was put in place to increase parental choice by allowing the…

Mr. Speaker, on March 14, 2003, the National Wildlife Refuge System celebrated its centennial anniversary. A hundred years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first refuge, the Pelican Island Bird Reservation in Florida's…

A recent broadband technology decision by the Federal Communications Commission presents serious issues for rural America and the agricultural industry as a whole. Perhaps no small- to mid-sized business sector has been more affected by…

This country has suffered a national emergency through September 11. We are engaged in war at this time, and we have come out of a recession that has put tremendous pressures on our revenues, but there are some in this Chamber who think…

just about every day the media glorifies and offers a platform for actors and actresses who speak out on the great issues of the day: war, environment, human rights. These social icons usually stress that they are taking these stands for…

as the United Nations charges towards irrelevance, we have this latest news that Libya has been selected to become Chair of the United Nations Commission on Rights. Libya continues to be a blatant violator of human rights and remains on…

I rise today to honor the seven brave men and women of the Space Shuttle Columbia: Commander Rick Husband; Pilot William McCool; Payload Commander Michael Anderson; Specialist Kalpana Chawla; Specialist David Brown; Specialist Laurel…

Mr. Speaker, it is a great day in the State of Florida. The jubilation, the celebration is still going on in the streets of Tampa and in large cities and small towns all over the Sunshine State as we rejoice in the victory of the Tampa Bay…

during this Congress I have been honored to serve as Vice Chairman of the Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans Affairs and International Relations. Under Chairman Shays' leadership our Subcommittee has…

Today we celebrate the centennial of 4-H in America. After a century of inclusion and collaboration, has spanned the nation from family farms to urban cityscapes. 4-H brings together youth and adults to build a nation of stronger…