30 Something Working Group

Floor Speech

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Reichert). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) is recognized for 60 minutes.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, once again, it is an honor to come before the House, and we would like to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic leader, for allowing us to have an hour here on the floor on the Democratic side.

Our 30 Something Working Group has been coming to the floor now for the second Congress, talking about issues that are facing Americans, issues that we are working on here in the Congress, issues that are facing the Congress and things that we feel very strongly about. Every week, we come together to talk about these issues and then we come to the floor.

As of recent, we have been coming to the floor if not every other day, every day, because there are so many issues that are facing the country and this Congress. I think it is important that we continue to not only speak to the Members of this House of Representatives and this Congress, but this administration and the American people.

We have been talking for quite a few weeks now on the action or lack of action as it relates to Hurricane Katrina. We have had a couple of events today that I think is worthy of merit of discussing, and also, as it relates to still, Mr. Speaker, pointing out the fact that we have over 100,000 Americans still in shelters, some based on the fact that we have had a natural disaster, two natural disasters, but some based on the fact of we have not governed in the way that we should have governed to protect those Americans.

Many of the experiences that these Americans have gone through and loss of life has been a breakdown in government operation. Either it be local or State or Federal, it is important that we address these issues.

Before we really get into what we are here to talk about tonight, the last time we left this floor, we talked about an independent panel, a bipartisan independent panel outside of this Congress, to deal with the issues that are facing some may say, well, it is just dealing with the gulf States, but I think that is an understatement. I think we are dealing with all Americans when we are talking about $200 billion-plus of the Federal tax dollars.

I can also share with my colleagues and Members, Mr. Speaker, the fact that it is disturbing to see some of the proposals that are coming out from the majority side that are saying that we should sell 13 national parks to pay for the natural disaster or we should look at wasteful spending. Of course, we have been talking about looking at wasteful spending for a very long time. Of course, the majority side has taken us into a deficit as far as the eye can see, but I think it is important for us to look at Americans that understand that we have to respond to Americans when they are in their time of need, not take away from.

We need to address issues like oil companies making more money than they have ever made before, record profits. Meanwhile, Americans cannot even fill their tank. Folks in my neighborhood, where I come from, they are having to park their cars. The President is saying conserve; if you do not need gas, do not get it. I do not quite get that, but Americans need gas to be able to take their families to work and their children to school.

There are some very interesting statements, some very interesting actions, here in Washington, DC. I think it is important that we not only point out to the Members what the American people, in this time that we live in now here in this country, with all eyes on this Federal Government, that we act responsibly.

I think it is also important that we address the issue of protecting the institution. This institution, which is the U.S. Congress, wherein the Members of the 109th Congress, regardless of whether we are on the majority side or the minority side, it is our responsibility to keep this argument above the belt, and I am very disturbed, at a time of national disaster, in a time of need, that Americans need this Congress, that we are still moving as business as usual.

I am talking about the partisan panel that has been passed by this House to look into what happened in Hurricane Katrina. I know that a couple of hearings have taken place, but it is very disturbing that Americans have to see that we are working against what they have asked for.

Here in my hand I hold a CNN-USA Today poll that was taken the 16th through 18th. Anyone, I am pretty sure, can go on the Web site. I just want to make sure no one sees this as the Kendrick Meek Report or the Tim Ryan Report or the Ms. Wasserman Schultz Report.

The question goes as follows: As you know, some people have called for an investigation into the problems the government had in responding to Hurricane Katrina.

Who would rather see conduct this investigation, independent panel or Congress?

Now, it does say problems the government had in responding to Hurricane Katrina. It did not say the Federal Government. It did not say the State government. It did not say the local government. So I want to put that aside because some folks are playing this game as though it is some conspiracy theory to go after the Federal Government because they did not do what they were supposed to do and the local government did what they did right; they had no wrong.

Eighty-one percent, independent panel, 81 percent; 18, Congress. One percent was unsure. I am pretty sure if the question was put out on the issue of do you want a partisan panel to look at the response to the natural disasters, I am pretty sure they would have been a lot lower to Congress, and that is what is happening right now.

I, once again, say that it is important that we have an independent panel. What we mean by independent panel, just like the 9/11 Commission, that brought about the kind of accountability that we are having now. All has not been implemented that the 9/11 Commission called for, but a lot has improved as it relates to communications, the State, Federal and local governments, and I think it is important that we follow that.

Also, I know that we are going to talk about some of the cronyisms, some of the corruption that is going on around, not only this body, but throughout the government structure, and it is important, and I think a lot of this has brought about a lack of oversight, even when it comes down for some of the candidates for some of these appointments as it relates to the plum list, that have been well-documented, these are not my words, well-documented throughout the media and also as it relates to watchdog groups that are watching the Congress for what we do, and the President for what he does.

And I think we have to be responsible to the American people, Democrat, Republican, Independent alike. We have to make sure individuals that are being placed in these positions have some level of qualifications to be able to fill the position so that American people are not left vulnerable.

And with that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to either of my colleagues, whichever wants to start this discussion.

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Mr. MEEK of Florida. If the gentleman will yield for just a second on that point, he is not only hired as a consultant but he has been hired as a consultant to find out what went wrong.

This takes me back to last week. Same thing happening in the White House right now. The adviser, the young lady who is the Presidential adviser on homeland security now, has the task as it relates to the White House to find out what went wrong. These are the people that are making the decisions. That is the reason why we need an independent panel.

Last week we talked about this, and it was a little facetious to say it, but I said, My name is KENDRICK MEEK, and I am going to investigate myself and I will give you the findings in another 6 weeks. I said that to drive a point about the issue as it relates to the response to these natural disasters. And let us not leave Rita out, Hurricane Rita.

The fact is that people lost their lives, and not lost their lives in the storm, but lost their lives in the aftermath of the storm. Their lives could have been saved if we had had people in place that could make sound decisions.

I was reading in one of our publications here that Mr. Brown gave an interview to a newspaper and said, I called the White House and told them we have a problem and we need some help. Well, that is not good enough. Because the whole thing about the Federal Emergency Management Agency is to, what? Be ready to respond to a natural disaster. Now, Michael Brown, he is just Exhibit A as far as I am concerned.

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Mr. MEEK of Florida. Let me just say this, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important, very important, and my colleagues heard me earlier mention the issue about protecting the institution and making sure that we carry ourselves in the way we are supposed to carry ourselves, but I am here to say, as someone that knows that this happens when you are in political life, you have some people that are investigated. You have some people that are indicted. It happens. When it does happen, I think it is important for those that are accused, or it is said

that this is what you have done and here is my evidence, then it is appropriate for one to say, well, I believe that I am innocent. I believe this is not what you think it is; and in the coming weeks, days, months, or years the truth will come out.

But it is another thing entirely when it comes down to intimidation, and that is what I would like to address, especially of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Some of the press reports that I have read that came out just recently have me a little disturbed. I am a little disturbed that people in power are coming down on a locally elected prosecutor and saying this is politically motivated. They are not indicted. They have nothing to do with the case, but they are coming down on this individual. I think that is wrong.

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Let us be sure how this works. This is a grand jury. This is not a prosecutor, this is a grand jury.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. A grand jury has brought this about. But once again I want to state for the record that no one is saying that the person in question is guilty as charged. We do have courts in this land.

But we do know here in this political circle that some people would be lined up out at the door. We have seen it before in the last administration, or when the House was Democratic. Members lined up out of the door to convict on this floor Members that have been indicted or investigated in the past.

Now, I can tell you that I know on this side of the aisle we are better than that. Now, some of my friends on the Republican side did not take part in that, but I am here to tell you that there have been Members that have blown things out of proportion, coming onto the floor with paper bags on their heads, and we have heard Members saying, I am ashamed to be a part of this institution, because someone was accused of not paying a parking ticket. So there are some who have been blowing this thing out of proportion.

But I can tell you what is beyond a coincidence, and that is the number of inquiries that are being conducted on this Congress from outside officials. The number of inquiries that are taking place, and I am talking real inquiries. I am not talking about someone paid for a plane ticket for someone, or someone had a steak dinner somewhere and somebody is upset about it, or someone did not report something small. We are talking about serious charges. We are talking about charges of speaking to Federal officials and not telling the truth. We are talking about questionable financial transactions. We are talking about a number of things. But I will tell you this, it is beyond coincidence that all of this is happening now.

My point is this, my colleagues. The majority side has not carried out its responsibilities. On the Committee on Armed Services, we have had 110 complaints about contractors overcharging the government, people that are being paid that are not even in Iraq, troops not having what they need when they need it at the height of the fighting; and worse yet, we sit on the committee that has oversight, yet not a mumbling word. Not a mumbling word. Not one real ``let us pull you in and talk about it.''

Look at Abu Ghraib. It almost took an act of Congress, with Members kicking and screaming, to even get the Secretary there to talk about these issues. If we conducted the proper oversight, maybe, just maybe, FEMA would have been in the position to respond to those individuals that were in harm's way. Maybe, just maybe, we would not have these cost overruns as relates to some of these companies like Halliburton and other companies that are out there that are charging our Federal taxpayers' dollars that are undocumented. Maybe, just maybe, officials in the White House that are running around without any oversight, without anyone saying, excuse me, can you answer this question for me; without anyone questioning them, things would be different.

I will tell you this, and then I will come in for a landing because I know you all want to talk about this subject.

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Just get around the airport.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. We have been talking about this for a very long time, and I hate to say it, but in this Congress everybody wants to saying something out in the media. No one wants to come and talk about the responsibilities that we have as Members of the 109th Congress. We have a responsibility. Guess what, this was the Congress before we got here, and hopefully it will be a Congress and an honorable institution when we leave. We are the stewards of this. We are the benefactors of the past blood, sweat, and tears.

Mr. Speaker, there are veterans right now without limbs that are the reason we have the opportunity to come in here and breathe the very democracy we celebrate every day; their life, their commitment, these families that have lost so much in order for us to come in here. And for us to use our titles to chastise someone for doing what they believe is their job, and not just allegations against an individual but allegations that changed the face of this entire Congress. Members got unelected. If this is true, Members were unelected from this Congress because reapportionment took place. Members were elected and unelected in Texas because reapportionment took place. If that is true, then this is very, very serious.

So I would warn the Members of this Congress on both sides of the aisle to let us make sure that we pay attention to what is going on and make sure we refrain from using our office and our influence, because intimidation is the wrong medicine for this time.

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Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, I think it is important going back to protecting the institution, going back to making sure that we do what we are supposed to do as the 109th Congress. I cannot speak for the 110th Congress. It is up to my constituents if I am to make it there. But I tell my colleagues this: being a Member of the 109th Congress in the minority or the majority, I think it is important that we share with our colleagues the importance of their duty of making sure that they do what they are supposed to do, because this is not about friendships.

We were not elected to come up here to be friends with one another. We were elected to come up here to represent our districts and the American people, to be able to make sure that democracy stands for another 200-plus years and beyond. That is our job. Our job is to come up here to protect the welfare of those individuals who cannot protect their own welfare, and we are here to make sure that there is a government in place for when they need it.

Some people in our country do not want anything from government. But guess what. When they need it, it should be there for them. No one is trying to get into anyone's life. But I can tell the Members this right now: the reason why we are here on this floor and the reason why we come to this floor week after week is to make sure that we raise the issues of the American people, Democrat or Republican alike. It does not matter. I do not ask my constituents, when they come to my office, I need to know their party affiliation. I do not go and chastise in a general sense of the word Republicans because some Republicans that I know, many that I know that are supporters of mine, either it be politically or friendship-wise or what have you, they do not share some of the things that I see the majority side acting on now.

If it was not for this side of the aisle pushing after 9/11 for an independent commission and if it was not for the work of those families, there would not have been an independent 9/11 Commission. There would not have been the testimony by not only White House officials, Pentagon officials, CIA, FBI, DEA, name it, transportation officials. We never would have gotten close to the bottom of what really happened if it was not for the push on this side.

The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our leader right now, was called a tainter by the Republican side for calling for an independent commission. There is a lot of name calling that goes on here on this floor. I for one do not like to name call. I just like to speak of the truth, period. When I talked about the allegations today, if they are true, then it is a problem.

The 9/11 Commission would not have seen the light of day if it was not for what we are doing right now, giving voice to those who sent us up here to give voice to them. After 9/11, Democrats called for a Department of Homeland Security. It is well documented. The majority-side leadership said we do not need a Department of Homeland Security. The White House said we do not need a Department of Homeland Security. And now we have a Department of Homeland Security, not because they thought it was a great idea. It was because of the pressure that was brought upon by us and also by the American people.

I think it is also important to talk about the issue of Social Security. The 30-something Working Group cut its teeth on the issue of Social Security, making sure that every American has the opportunity to have a guaranteed benefit. Whether it be a Democrat, Republican, young, old, disabled, retired, a survivor of someone that paid into Social Security, we fought for that. We stood here on this floor. We called out the leadership on the majority side. And the American people then, when we were making that argument, were on our side and we were on the side of the American people, period, dot.

Now when it comes down to Katrina, when it came down to responding to Hurricane Katrina, we were brought up here in special session over a case in Florida. We have got to come up here, and we have got to vote to try to save someone's life. We can get into all of that, but that is the past. We came up here for that. And after Hurricane Katrina, the Democratic leadership called for a special session. Oh, we do not need to do that. The American people demanded that the Federal Government do more than what it is doing right now. The President said, I am calling Congress back to session. There was a question, did the Democrats not call for that? Yes, they did too, but we are all in this thing together.

There should be an emergency supplemental. Oh, we do not need that, not now. Then that happened.

We called for Michael Brown's resignation because it was obvious. Here on this floor, I remember like it was yesterday, we called for it. I personally said if they are in a football game and they are within the first quarter and they have a quarterback that is not necessarily going to get them to the goal line, it is time to change personnel. A week later the President said, Michael Brown, you are doing an excellent job.
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This goes into exactly what we are talking about. If it is left up to the majority, and I will not say us because we are here speaking now after 9 o'clock at night, children at home, loved ones at home, but we are here on this floor. Not because it is good for our health. It is because we care about what happens in this institution and this country. The bottom line is if it is left up to what the spin machine puts out from the majority side, we are in trouble.

Three days later, the Director of FEMA is sent back to Washington, then later resigned. We brought that issue up to the American people that he should be removed. Now we are at the independent commission. We have Members making statements that it is a shame that Democrats are not participating in the partisan commission.

The American people can see it. Go on CNN, USA Today Web site. This poll is there just as clear as my name is Kendrick Meek. As a matter of fact, I will give out the Web site: www.pollingreport.com disasters. We can get third, fourth-party validators. We called for an independent commission. Eighty-one percent of the American people called for an independent commission. I was talking with some of my Republican colleagues yesterday that are in leadership, and I told them they could save the country a lot of pain and frustration if they were just to say doing this in a partisan way is not the right way to do it. We should have an independent commission. If they are calling for it or the American people are calling for it, let us find a way.

I just want to finish this actual conversation that just took place yesterday. If they want it, we should just do it because we have nothing to hide. We are calling for an independent commission outside of this government because it does not have the ability to investigate itself. We cannot do it. We can just not do it because I am going to tell my colleagues right now, they say one thing and they do another. When I say ``they,'' I am talking about leadership on the Republican side.

The President said, I am a fiscal conservative. He has not vetoed one spending bill since becoming President. An unprecedented highway bill with all kinds of pork projects in it and everything. He is not even saying, I am going to stand for what I told you I would do, and we are not going to spend. Unprecedented spending. Unprecedented deficit. I mean, this is like opposite day. This is like, I am a fiscal conservative. No, I am not. I believe in responsible spending. I really do not. The action does not follow the words.

But in this case in the posture that we are in now, as Members of Congress, as we go to our districts, people cannot help but say, Wow, you are a Member of Congress? You are going to admit to that? You are actually going to admit that you are a Member of Congress? So you must not care about spending, or you must not really have control over no-bid contracts or companies that are already under investigation by the very government that has called them into question.

So what I am saying is that when we talk about credibility, when we talk about name-calling, remember the Democratic leader was called a tainter, and worse, I am pretty sure, in private. But I think it is important. And I call on all of my colleagues, Democrat, Republican, and the one Independent we have, that it is more important now than ever that we go see the wizard and get some courage and heart, and I will not even go to the third one as it relates to mine because I know that we know better. We need to be man-up and w
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oman-up and leader-up enough to say this is not right and we have got to stop it.

And I believe, as I close on this point, Madam Speaker, that the American people will smile on those that are trying to do something about the present situation and frown on those that just watch what is happening and say that it will go away. It will not go away. This is reality. People cannot afford to put gas in their tank; meanwhile companies are making record profits and no one is saying anything about it.

Eight States have asked the Congress to look into this issue of record profits of these gas companies. Has it happened? No. Do my colleagues know what I hear today? There are Members here looking at an energy bill. We are going to help the whole gas thing, and we have to go into the Arctic natural reserve and look for oil. People have hidden agendas that they want to carry out on the pain and suffering of Americans. As I speak right now, 100,000-plus in the middle of a basketball court in a shelter without a home, which could have been prevented if we had been on our j-o-b and making sure that the Corps of Engineers had what they needed to make sure that they can build that levee ar
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ound New Orleans, to make sure that FEMA was able to respond to these folks. To make sure that the Congress, as they said, or the majority said, does what they were going to do from the beginning of being fiscal conservatives.

They have been just the opposite. The President said, I will make sure that we do not carry out wasteful spending. Maybe, just maybe, we would have no no-bid contracts going on with record profits. Maybe companies that are under investigation by this government and Departments will not continue to get billions of dollars in contracts. Maybe, just maybe, we would have some accountability if, only if, we had Members that were willing to stand up and face the music on our responsibilities and tell whoever is saying that we have to look the other way: I am sorry. We have a constitutional responsibility because someone woke up early Tuesday on election day to make sure I was elected to come here to Congress.

So whatever repercussions that may come out of this pressure, so be it. That is the bottom line because I will not, as a Member of this Congress, look my constituents in the eye and say I was in the minority and it was not much that we could do because there were powerful people on the other side of the argument who would have done things to me and would have said things about me and would have looked at me funny if I would have said something.

This country would not be independent if we had leaders like that. I would not be in Congress if we did not have leaders that were willing to fight to make sure that I could make it to Congress. The lights would not be on on this building if veterans did not lay down their life to make sure that we are able to salute one flag here today. That is how deep this argument goes.

And for those who have a problem, a problem, with our exercising democracy under this flag, then they have a problem with America. That is the bottom line. That is what it is, period, dot.

Madam Speaker, I am sorry, but I just had to share the fact that the reason why we are here is to make this country better. The reason why we are here and we argue the way we do night after night is to make sure that those who are in power, those who are committee chairmen, those who make the decisions on what bills come up, what bills do not come up, that we work on their conscience, that we remind them of their power and we r
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emind the American people that if they want a change, then they will have their opportunity to make that change. And when they have that opportunity to make that change, then they need to make that change at the right time.

But I will tell the Members we cannot even last that long if we continue to act the way we are acting here, especially on the majority side, like it is just another day at the office.

People are suffering. People cannot put gas in their tanks. Folks are being threatened by the fact that they are going to roll back a prescription drug benefit that poor people have. Folks do not even know if their kids can get title I lunch. Meanwhile, no one speaks of billionaires getting tax cuts. We are going to sell national parks. There are questions of drilling where we have never drilled before. We do not even know if there is oil there; but because we are in this situation, we have individuals with power that want to come in and take advantage on the backs of suffering and death and lack of governance.

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Mr. MEEK of Florida. Give the website.

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. The website is 30somethingdems@mail.house.gov. If you think we have cronies in government, do you think there is an abuse of power, a waste of money, things are tilted too much, the website is 30somethingdems@mail.house.gov.

Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, with that, I just want to thank the Democratic leader for allowing us to have this time. Also I want to commend you both for doing your homework. I believe we will be back tomorrow, the 30-something Group tomorrow afternoon after votes.

http://thomas.loc.gov

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