we are now 4 months into the 109th Congress and Republicans have passed bankruptcy reform, repealed the death tax, adjusted class action lawsuits to help victims, enacted border security to keep out terrorists, passed a budget and wartime…

I rise today to thank, honor and express my sincere appreciation for Monsignor George Flinn, our guest chaplain. Reverend Flinn, originally from Cresson, Pennsylvania, and as we say back home, up the mountain, has dedicated his life to…

we have no speakers at this time, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 315, introduced by my colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown), will designate the United States courthouse located at 300 North Hogan Street in Jacksonville as the ``John Milton Bryan Simpson United…

I've been rather mystified over the reaction to the recent election by many Democrats. Since the November election, when a political opportunity arises, some on the other side of the aisle shout out words like ``fraud'' and ``sham.'' If…

I rise to salute our steadily growing economy. Sometimes it is hard to remember how the intellectual fortunes of free enterprise have fallen under high taxes and government intrusion. Now that the Bush tax cuts have started to kick in and…

we rise today with solemn hearts for the loss of an American hero, a man with an optimistic vision of this country that was infectious. I stand as an individual who felt the energy of the Reagan era. As a 19-year-old in 1980, I attended my…

I think the key issue on this amendment is the uncertainty of it. They have an analysis by the Federal Highway Administration. We have seen an analysis by the Federal Highway Administration and it is unclear. The Federal Highway…

I rise tonight to report back on the last 3 weeks I spent in my district, traveling the district, visiting with the 13 hospital and medical centers that are in my district, to talk to them about the Prescription Drug and Medicare…

This legislation deals with an issue which I have considered a priority for some time, our water resources and the ability of the Federal Government to provide our communities with effective solutions to their problems. Our economy depends…

I rise tonight in great anticipation of a historic action we will be taking tomorrow in this House. Tomorrow we will vote on a conference report that will ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion. With the passage of this…

I think it was General Sanchez that said to us that the way for us to succeed, to win this, to finally win this, is not going to be militarily, it is going to be through the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, helping them to rebuild a…

Tonight we need to shine light on the facts, on the truth of what is really happening in Iraq today. It is not the real story. It is not the whole story. We are getting bits and pieces, and we know that it is still a dangerous place, and…

Absolutely. That was one of the best stories that I have taken away from Iraq. Not only did we see firsthand the commitment and the bravery, the courage of our young men and women, but the decency of the American soldier. The story we were…

Our efforts are on track in Iraq. We do have a plan. But something that is very disappointing to me and, actually, I am angry about is that is in regard to the participation or lack of participation of the world's largest peacekeeping…

I rise today to mark a significant historical event in the community of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. This month the Zion Lutheran Church in Hollidaysburg will mark its 200th anniversary. The rich history of Zion Lutheran is a testament to…

while many economic indicators show that the American economy is back on the road to recovery, working families in central and western Pennsylvania continue to struggle to pay their bills. Unemployment rates for some portions of my…

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1166 is identical to legislation the House passed unanimously December 5, 2001. Unfortunately, this bill did not pass the Senate last year. We are here today to try again. This bill simply establishes a 3-year pilot…

the rising costs of medical liability insurance in Pennsylvania are among the worst in the country. In fact, Pennsylvania physicians faced a 50 percent increase in insurance costs in 2002, with an additional 50 percent hike expected this…

I rise in support of the Dam Safety and Security Act. This important legislation reauthorizes a program that has directly helped the States and protects the citizens of this country. This program, run by the Federal Emergency Management…

I rise tonight to honor the achievements of a Pennsylvania icon, Joseph Vincent Paterno. Coach Paterno, or JoePa, as he is affectionately known, became part of the Penn State football family in 1950 as an assistant coach. In 1966 he was…

I rise today to condemn the cowardly act of war set upon our country. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the citizens of this great country. As each one of us attempts to come to terms with this dastardly…

Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to stand here today as the newest Representative from the Ninth District from Pennsylvania. I want to thank the voters of central Pennsylvania for this incredible privilege. The faith and trust the people…

Mr. Speaker, while we are hopeful that we might have legislation to bring to this floor in the waning days of the Congress, that may well not be the case, so this could well be the last legislation that we will have before the body during…

Mr. Speaker, this indeed is historic environmental legislation, not only because it provides for water resource protection and development throughout these United States, but most particularly because this is the largest ecosystem…