almighty father in heaven what a joy and privilege it is to seek you through prayer all across this great land of the united states of america we are in need of your guidance your direction wisdom and grace he was from our sins resource to yourself and be glorified in our lives we entrust our citizens our troops our public servants and leaders to you this day you have a sad list this distinguish assembly of leaders to represent our citizens and we simply ask you to use each of them to make a positive difference today we recognize your powerful hand of guidance your heart of love for people your mind of wisdom and right just this may they pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all peka from chattanooga by way of dallas the peak of fellowship bible church congregation consisted roughly of about a hundred people six years later that same church now has over thirteen hundred loyal members pas a father and husband of excuse me as husband and father of three great boys has initiated a number of programs which greatly benefit our community of topeka one of those programs is called chair fest originally there were three churches performing much needed upkeep on two of our local schools this year the program has grown to a different churches including over five hundred volunteers painting and landscaping our topeka schools to share fast pastor joe has shown the congregation of the joy of giving without expecting anything in return very very very biblical in the principles of our lord and savior jesus christ through sheer fest and almost no time at all has created a ripple effect of goodness and charity in the topeka of community and the community have to peak excuse me and beyond pastor joe his famous thank you so much for bringing that ripple effect right here to congress one hundred eighty three point seven billion dollar war funding request in light of four more than four thousand u s troops who have died tens of thousands injured a million dead or more innocent iraqis a cost of two to three trillion dollars we're borrowing money from china to fight this war were ruining our economy we're ruining our moral standing in the world were ruining our children's future making the world more dangerous for a war based on lies why do we keep funding it support the troops by bringing them home and the war and the occupation close the bases bring the troops home set in motion an international security and peacekeeping process that can create the circumstances for our troops to come returned have a program of reconciliation and reconstruction in iraq returned all assets to iraq speaker last month the president signed into law the second chance act authorizing hundreds of millions of dollars to assist offenders transition back into our society my concern is that this congress has done little or nothing to prevent future crimes from occurring with more than seven hundred thousand offenders expected to be released back into our communities next year and the number of people who are entering their so called high crime years being an all time high conditions are ripe for a perfect storm of crime to hit our communities in my view this congress should act to among other things strengthen victims rights make restitution something that's real not just words on paper crackdown on drug dealers who sell death on our streets and truly protect witnesses so more people will be willing to come forward to testify against gang members who all too frequently virtually control many neighborhoods especially in urban areas and in cities across this country the time to act is now before it's too late and i yield back abou gentleman's time has expired the gentleman from new jersey without objection was the speaker that day the house will begin debate on a comprehensive housing package that will help families keep their homes prevent more foreclosures in the future and help the recovery of communities left almost vacant by the housing crisis that i three point five million home sit empty in america and if washington does not act another two million americans are expected to lose their homes in the coming months the democratic housing package will provide mortgage refinancing assistance to families so they can state in their homes we do this by expanding the f h a program so the borrowers in danger of losing their homes can refinance into a lower cost government if you mortgages that house the package also provides fifteen billion dollars in loans and grants to states so they can up why a balance of the time the gentleman from california is now one without objection thank you mr speaker i rise today to express to the house my concern about the fact that chairman obie and speaker pelosi are very very busy these days and it's news reports are to be believed it's apparent that they're going about doing all of the work of the in for appropriations committee as well as the house almost all alone with almost no input from democrats or republicans from the house because of that busy schedule i've been writing to mr robey of late i've sent him three letters all together last thursday i sent him a letter that was signed by the entire republican membership appropriations committee urging him to have regular order and full hearings on the supplemental that is before us that represents a huge portion of our spending and yet there's been no hearing whatsoever just in case mr robey hasn't seen this letter because his staff is very busy i know working on this make these major projects i'd like to submit that letter for the record and and urge the house to urge the leadership to allow us to have public hearings so that members can have input regarding their district needs on this very very important part of this year's work you know but without objection the challenge of john's request was granted john the time has expired gentlewoman from california without objection mr speaker tomorrow this house will have the opportunity to send the iraqi government a strong message they are now responsible for their own reconstruction funding as we debate a new  supplemental democrats are bringing an amendment to the floor that requires all iraqi reconstruction costs to be provided on a dollar for dollar match today the united states has sent and spent an estimated forty six billion dollars and reconstruction costs in iraq all while our infrastructure is crumbling the iraqi government is also currently working under a budget surplus while thanks to the bush administration we continue to face record deficits the admin also weak wires the iraqi government to charge the u s military in iraq the same discounted price for fuel that it charges every day iraqis another fair measure considering that the iraqis are expected to take in a record seventy billion dollars in oil revenues this year mrs speaker i would hope that democrats and republicans could come together tomorrow to pass this commiserate amendment so that we can invest in america rather than iraq the time of the gentleman has expired the gentleman from virginia without committee to offer them and i want to offer an amendment to prevent the u s government employees from attending the beijing olympics on taxpayers dime because they are china's violent repression of religious minorities and human right country and now participate in a genocide in sudan the political prisoners in china the dizziness around the world will be deeply demoralized is senior american officials attend this game and now and now and now because we cannot offer any amendment in the committee or on the floor you will see federal employees and government people sitting in the stadium watching during the period of the genocide olympics this is a bad process i yield back gentleman's time has expired the gentleman from pennsylvania without objection mr speaker while the consumers continue to pay record prices at the pump the big oil companies are once again pocketing all time record profits yet they disavow any correlation to those high gas prices but do they really expect the american people to believe that during the first six years of the bush administration congress pursued policies that furthered our dependence on oil they showered the big oil companies with billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies but never explained why those corporations deserve corporate welfare since regaining control of congress democrats have twice passed legislation to reach a record every penny of those taxpayer subsidies into research and development on alternative sources of fuel for years republicans in washington have supported a policy of corporate welfare for gentleman is recognized for one minute that morning the speaker efforts by americans and our allies in iraq have greatly weakened al qaeda if we withdraw our troops from iraq before their mission is complete we would forfeit all the progress we have made so far since the surge began last year we have made remarkable progress both on the military front and on the political front while we all agree that more needs to be done politically there is no question the tremendous efforts our military have done to bring stability to areas once controlled by radical extremists there should be absolutely no question of whether we provide them the funding they need to do the job we've asked them to do house republicans stand united with our troops and our veterans who have fought bravely on the front lines the least we can do is front the resources necessary for them to complete the task we sent our military to do we cannot delay and we should provide this supplemental funding without extra new spending an extra new programs before we leave for memorial day the balance of this time the gentleman from kentucky let's listen to address now one minute without objection mr speaker this week congress has an opportunity to change the course of the war in iraq by supporting in a memo to the emergency supplemental that would not only direct the president to immediately begin bringing our troops home but also would force the iraqi government to start paying their own reconstruction costs the amendment calls on the bush administration to begin redeploying our troops out of iraq one month after it is signed into law with the goal of having all of our troops out by december of next year another year of the status quo in iraq is unacceptable april was the deadliest month for u s troops in seven months and the political reconciliation that president bush promised  implemented his troop escalation plan has not become a reality mr speaker this is a significant step in the right direction but for some reason congressional republicans want to once again says president bush a blank check blank checks have not worked in the past and they will not this time we all know that there is no military solution to the war in iraq it's time we let the iraqis know that our days there are numbered and you know bug germany is back the balance of this time the gentlewoman from michigan unanimous consent to address the house one minute revise and extend that objection mr speaker our entire nation honors the brave men and women in our armed services who have sacrificed so greatly in the effort to bring freedom and liberty to the people of iraq and we also recognize the sacrifice of the american taxpayers who have shouldered the financial burden of this effort to protect america it is now time for iraq to stand up and shoulder the burden of protecting their own freedoms and it is long past time for iraq to start paying its own way but the cost of oil and the money that iraq is making on their own oil they need to be paying at a minimum entirely for their own reconstruction as we continue to transition from american forces to iraqi security forces we also need to quickly transition from the american taxpayer footing the entire bill to the now free country of iraq pain to protect their own freedom and rebuilding their own country americans understand that freedom is not free and the iraqi people need to understand that securing their own freedom rise today to honor the service and sacrifice of sergeant allen humanise and to express my continued support for alex's family during this most difficult time on may twelfth two thousand and seven sergeant jimenez and private first class byron fouty members of the tenth mountain division were ambushed south of baghdad there has been no information regarding their whereabouts since that time on june twenty seventh the united states army changed sergeant jim from duty status whereabouts unknown to missing are captured we may not know where alex is but he is never far from our thoughts family members like alex's father andy or his wife yet or lynn have weathered agonizing uncertainty while demonstrating support for their loved one service to our country we owe them a debt of gratitude that community and lawrence massachusetts has been so extremely supportive of p o w ride will take place this weekend in honor of sergeant jimenez in support of his family the jimenez and fout of families are not alone as we all pray for the safe return of alex and byron sargent jimenez put his life in danger for our country we cannot leave him or any other behind i support legislation to create a select committee p o w m i affairs to help these families learn the whereabouts of their loved ones thank you speaker i yield back the gentleman yield back the balance of her time the gentleman from georgia address minute revise and extend without objection that the speaker's interestingly come down here and to listen to the majority party the democrats talk about a new change in direction for our energy policy or something new to do about our troops newsflash y'all are in charge you've got two hundred thirty plus votes you're in charge you can pass anything you won't do mr speaker we need to stop the whining since i took over in two thousand and seven with a new energy policy h six our gasoline has gone up about a dollar fifty a gallon so here is what i want every by you do mr speaker i want you to go home tonight and i want you to go to home depot and i want you to bassam energy saving light bulbs because in their energy bill light bulbs is mentioned three hundred fifty times were gasoline was mentioned six crew dollars mentioned twelve i want you to go home i want you to take those energy saving light bulbs i want you to put them in and then i want you to drive to the gas station and see if gas has gone down because that's the way their plan is supposed to work you are in charge if you're in charge really mr speaker we need some leadership here we need to do something to help the american people at the gas pump with these outrageous gasoline prices in crude all fiction to go two hundred fifty plus dollars a barrel do something members are reminded to address the remarks of the chair the gentleman from new york asked with permission to request the house for one without objection thank you mr speaker yesterday the price of oil broke another record yet again closing at over one hundred twenty dollars families feel the impact of these costs every time they shell out close to four dollars a gallon at the pump and districts like mine were commuting is a way of life it's forcing some painful sacrifices are all dependence has become the energy albatross around america's economic neck and i'm proud that the majority in congress has advanced ideas for short term relief and long term solutions we've pushed for higher tax incentives for hybrid cars expanded the use of renewables and efficiency consumer protection to keep the oil companies honest at a time a time out from taking seventy million barrels a day of oil off the market and putting in the streets the strategic petroleum reserve the s p r what is the response from the president and his allies here in congress let's go drill for some more oil that won't hit the markets for another ten years and let's keep sending more taxpayer dollars to the oil companies that are already making record profits most can swim but would agree that we cannot wait a decade for relief and we shouldn't send any more of their money to big oil let's stop filling the s p r provide immediate relief and ask the president to move with us into a green to messick job producing energy future and i yield back gentleman's time has expired the gentleman from minnesota limit without objection mr speaker every day between seven thousand and eight thousand people file for foreclosures on their homes in the next two years one in thirty three homeowners is projected to be in  foreclosure as a result of sub prime loans but the housing crisis doesn't only affect families losing their homes an additional forty million neighboring homeowners could see their property values drop what forty four percent of all homeowners likely to feel the ripple effect of foreclosures from sub prime loans and the overall impact is not in the housing market the ripple effects are felt throughout the economy with a reduction in economic activity and severe job loss mr speaker we simply cannot turn our nation's economy around without properly addressing the housing crisis and that is exactly what we plan to do this week today house democrats will bring package of housing bills to the house floor that will address the current housing crisis while also seeking to prevent the problem from getting worse these bills are the appropriate response to a problem that is affecting our families our communities and our overall economy i hope it receives partisan support that it deserves mr speaker with that i yield back thank you gentlemen time has expired the gentlewoman from california one minute without objection thank you m speaker i read today to recognize world aids orphans day which is commemorated every year on may seventh over fifteen million children have already lost one an arm both of their parents h i b an aids twelve million of which live in sub saharan africa by two thousand and ten there could be twenty million children children who have been orphaned by hiv and aids course the left without food shelter education or protection three years ago we enacted legislation that i authored with chairman henry hyde to better focus and coordinate our foreign assistance programs to address the unique needs of these children last month the house passed legislation named after two great men who love children former chairman tom lantos and chairman henry hyde to reauthorize and provide fifty billion dollars for our global h i b aids tuberculosis and malaria programs and to allocate ten percent of global aids funding to meet the needs of aids orphans today on world aids orphans day i urge my colleagues in the other body to take the next step and to pass this important bill together we can create a brighter safer and more secure future for the world's children thank you and i yield back to bounce by time and time the gentleman has expired the gentleman from oregon that objection thank you mr speaker the housing crisis has devastated millions of american families who have lost their homes but the crisis doesn't end there experts predict that housing foreclosures could reduce overall economic activity by over one hundred sixty billion dollars this year thanks to sharp declines in real estate the construction industry and in consumer spending the slump in the real estate market is hurting manufacturers construction firms and other businesses that have been forced to lay off thousands of workers ending the foreclosure crisis is vital to the american economy our economic recovery and to americans who are hurting and that is why it is so important that this congress pass the bipartisan housing pac that we are presenting this week it is it was reap reported out of the financial services committee by both republicans and democrats and sent to this floor for our consideration mr speaker serious problems with subprime mortgages have pushed the housing market into its worse flop in decades weakening the economy and making american families less secure the package of bills we are presenting today will help stabilize the housing industry and give the american economy the boost it so sorely needs and i urge every member of the house to support these much needed bills thank you mr speaker i yield back the balance of my time time the gentleman has expired all time for one minutes has expired today's calendar wednesday the clerk will call the role of committe committee on agriculture committee on agriculture committee on appropriations committee on appropriations committee on armed services committee on armed services committee on the budget committee under budget committee on education and labor committee on education and labor committee on energy and commerce committee and placed on the union or house calendar could have been called up by the chairman as the committee name was read clause to the of rule thirteen a sufficient authority for the chairman of the committee to call up a bill on calendar wednesday for the point of parliamentary inquiry mr john no state is inquiry does the jurisdiction of the energy and and commerce committee as provided under clause one of rule ten of the rules of the house of representative include exploration production storage supply marketing pricing and regulation of energy resources including all fossil fuels which includes legislation to lower the price of gasoline which has increased over three to up to over three dollars and sixty cents a gallon under speaker pelosi is watch the chair believes that the gentleman has correctly stated the rule have a further point to parliament fireman on the status inquiry h r three two three six introduced by congressman boucher of virginia to promote energy efficiency improvements in buildings and appliances words were reported by the energy and commerce committee on august the third two thousand and seven and placed on the union calendar would it be possible for mr dingell the chairman of the energy and commerce committee to call up this bill under his committee's jurisdiction to help the speaker to implement her secret plan to reduce gas prices by diverting less of america's energy supply to buildings and appliances or for any other membership of the democrat majority to help their leadership to call up the will the chair will respond to the members parliamentary inquiry but not as political commentary and repeat that clause to be of rule thirteen is sufficient authority for the chairman of the committee to qualify bill on calendar wednesday for the point of parliamentary inquiry mr john may state is inquiry is it in order for any member of the majority to call up h r three two three nine also introduced by mr boucher of virginia and also available on the union calendar to promote advancing plug in hybrid vehicles and bil components through loan guarantees and grants and if this would help the speaker to implement her secret plan by reducing the demand for gasoline and bringing down the prices that have skyrocketed under this democrat leadership i would advise the gentleman that the authority is for the chairman only for the chairman only final point to parliamentary inquiry mr similarly status inquiry under the rules of calendar wednesday is in order for any member of this body including speaker to call up h read eleven thirty five legislation drafted by congressman dean heller of nevada which would call on speaker pelosi to reveal her secret commonsense plan to bring down gas prices since it's obviously not contained in the no energy energy bill passed by the congress last december the chair would advise the member that provided that the bill is on the union calendar a committee met a member other than the chairman must have specific water as a sion of the committee to call up a bill on calendar wednesday so in other words mr speaker what you're saying is that the committee chairman and the speaker had the ability to call up any bill that has been reported  all of those in favor of taking this out by the a's and they will rise and remain standing until counted a sufficient number having arisen the nays are ordered members will record their votes by electronic device pursuant to clause eight of rule twenty this fifteen minute vote on the motion to adjourn will be followed by five minutes all its on the approval of the journal and a motion to suspend the rules on eight read as one one six six this is a fifteen minute vote on the motion to adjourn followed by two five minute votes the house starts off this wednesday with a fifteen minute vote on a motion to adjourn we saw a number of procedural votes on monday and tuesday over the republicans disagreement with the democrats taking the iraq war funding bill directly to the house floor it will be on the house floor on thursday this fifteen minute vote first one first recorded vote of the day on the motion to adjourn the underlying business today in the u s house a couple of housing bills that should dominate the floor debate today the associated press reporting this morning a broad housing rescue package aimed at preventing foreclosures would have the government step in to ensure up to three three hundred billion dollars in new mortgages for struggling homeowners the plan designed to stabilize a key sector of the shaky economy is set for a house vote wednesday it would let the federal housing administration insure more fordable fixed rate loans for borrowers currently too financially strapped to qualify again that'll be the  the main agenda today a couple of housing bills and then on thursday we'll see that iraq war funding bill you're watching live coverage of the u s house on c span