Thomas Foley: “First, let me commend the House, Mr. Speaker, for its passage of the very, very important retirement security bill…”

“First, let me commend the House, Mr. Speaker, for its passage of the very, very important retirement security bill today, the Pension Security Act of 2002. I state emphatically, the bill brings about some necessary reform. My best quote, if you will, relative to this important legislation is, if it is good enough for the brass, it ought to be the same for the middle-class workers. So hopefully we have leveled the playing field, provided some protection, and it is well overdue. I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) for his outstanding efforts on leading us in this direction. He has been working on this for years. This is not as a result of Enron, but it certainly has been aided and abetted by that scandal that took place in Texas, so I am thrilled we are able to pass it to the floor today. Let us turn our attention to a very serious issue that is confronting the world, if you will, and that is what is going on in the Middle East. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reiterate my strong support for Israel.”