H22 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 6, 2009 

(e) following morning-hour debate, 

the Chair shall declare a recess pursuant to clause 12(a) of rule I until the 

time appointed for the resumption of 

the session of the House. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Maryland? 

There was no objection. 

f 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE TO 

NOTIFY THE PRESIDENT 

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, your 

committee appointed on the part of the 

House to join a like committee on the 

part of the Senate to notify the President of the United States that a 

quorum of each House has been assembled and is ready to receive any communication that he may be pleased to 

make has performed that duty. 

f 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair customarily takes this occasion 

at the outset of a Congress to announce 

her policies with respect to particular 

aspects of the legislative process. The 

Chair will insert in the RECORD announcements concerning: 

first, privileges of the floor; 

second, introduction of bills and resolutions; 

third, unanimous-consent requests 

for the consideration of legislation; 

fourth, recognition for 1-minute 

speeches; 

fifth, recognition for Special Order 

speeches; 

sixth, decorum in debate; 

seventh, conduct of votes by electronic device; 

eighth, use of handouts on the House 

floor; 

ninth, use of electronic equipment on 

the House floor; and 

tenth, use of the Chamber. 

These announcements, where appropriate, will reiterate the origins of the 

stated policies. The Chair intends to 

continue in the 111th Congress the policies reflected in these statements. The 

policy announced in the 102nd Congress 

with respect to jurisdictional concepts 

related to clause 5(a) of rule XXI—tax 

and tariff measures—will continue to 

govern but need not be reiterated, as it 

is adequately documented as precedent 

in the House Rules and Manual. 

Without objection, the announcements will be printed in the RECORD. 

There was no objection. 

1. Privileges of the Floor 

The Chair will make the following announcements regarding floor privileges, 

which will apply during the 111th Congress. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER WITH RESPECT

TO STAFF

Rule IV strictly limits those persons to 

whom the privileges of the floor during sessions of the House are extended, and that 

rule prohibits the Chair from entertaining 

requests for suspension or waiver of that 

rule. As reiterated by the Chair on January 

21, 1986, January 3, 1985, January 25, 1983, and 

August 22, 1974, and as stated in Chapter 10, 

section 2, of House Practice, the rule strictly 

limits the number of committee staff on the 

floor at one time during the consideration of 

measures reported from their committees. 

This permission does not extend to Members’ 

personal staff except when a Member’s 

amendment is actually pending during the 

five-minute rule. It also does not extend to 

personal staff of Members who are sponsors 

of pending bills or who are engaging in special orders. The Chair requests the cooperation of all Members and committee staff to 

assure that only the proper number of staff 

are on the floor, and then only during the 

consideration of measures within the jurisdiction of their committees. The Chair is 

making this statement and reiterating this 

policy because of Members’ past insistence 

upon strict enforcement of the rule. The 

Chair requests each committee chair, and 

each ranking minority member, to submit to 

the Speaker a list of those staff who are allowed on the floor during the consideration 

of a measure reported by their committee. 

The Sergeant-at-Arms, who has been directed to assure proper enforcement of rule 

IV, will keep the list. Each staff person 

should exchange his or her ID for a ‘‘committee staff’’ badge, which is to be worn 

while on the floor. The Chair has consulted 

with the Minority Leader and will continue 

to consult with him. 

Furthermore, as the Chair announced on 

January 7, 2003, in accordance with the 

change in the 108th Congress of clause 2(a) of 

rule IV regarding leadership staff floor access, only designated staff approved by the 

Speaker shall be granted the privilege of the 

floor. The Speaker intends that her approval 

be narrowly granted on a bipartisan basis to 

staff from the majority and minority side 

and only to those staff essential to floor activities. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER WITH RESPECT

TO FORMER MEMBERS

The Speaker’s policy announced on February 1, 2006, will continue to apply in the 

111th Congress. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER, FEBRUARY 1, 

2006

The SPEAKER. The House has adopted a 

revision to the rule regarding the admission 

to the floor and the rooms leading thereto. 

Clause 4 of rule IV provides that a former 

Member, Delegate or Resident Commissioner 

or a former Parliamentarian of the House, or 

a former elected officer of the House or a 

former minority employee nominated as an 

elected officer of the House shall not be entitled to the privilege of admission to the Hall 

of the House and the rooms extending thereto if he or she is a registered lobbyist or an 

agent of a foreign principal; has any direct 

personal pecuniary interest in any legislative measure pending before the House, or reported by a committee; or is in the employ of 

or represents any party or organization for 

the purpose of influencing, directly or indirectly, the passage, defeat, or amendment of 

any legislative proposal. 

This restriction extends not only to the 

House floor but adjacent rooms, the cloakrooms and the Speaker’s lobby. 

Clause 4 of rule IV also allows the Speaker 

to exempt ceremonial and educational functions from the restrictions of this clause. 

These restrictions shall not apply to attendance at joint meetings or joint sessions, 

Former Members’ Day proceedings, educational tours, and other occasions as the 

Speaker may designate. 

Members who have reason to know that a 

person is on the floor inconsistent with 

clause 4 of rule IV should notify the Sergeant-at-Arms promptly. 

2. Introduction of Bills and Resolutions 

The policy that the Chair announced on 

January 3, 1983, with respect to the introduction and reference of bills and resolutions 

will continue to apply in the 111th Congress. 

The Chair has advised all officers and employees of the House that are involved in the 

processing of bills that every bill, resolution, 

memorial, petition or other material that is 

placed in the hopper must bear the signature 

of a Member. Where a bill or resolution is 

jointly sponsored, the signature must be 

that of the Member first named thereon. The 

bill clerk is instructed to return to the Member any bill which appears in the hopper 

without an original signature. This procedure was inaugurated in the 92d Congress. It 

has worked well, and the Chair thinks that it 

is essential to continue this practice to insure the integrity of the process by which 

legislation is introduced in the House. 

3. Unanimous-Consent Requests for the 

Consideration of Legislation 

The policy the Chair announced on January 6, 1999, with respect to recognition for 

unanimous-consent requests for the consideration of certain legislative measures will 

continue to apply in the 111th Congress. The 

Speaker will continue to follow the guidelines recorded in section 956 of the House 

Rules and Manual conferring recognition for 

unanimous-consent requests for the consideration of bills, resolutions, and other measures only when assured that the majority 

and minority floor leadership and the relevant committee chairs and ranking minority members have no objection. Consistent 

with those guidelines, and with the Chair’s 

inherent power of recognition under clause 2 

of rule XVII, the Chair, and any occupant of 

the Chair appointed as Speaker pro tempore 

pursuant to clause 8 of rule I, will decline 

recognition for the unanimous-consent requests chronicled in section 956 without assurances that the request has been so 

cleared. This denial of recognition by the 

Chair will not reflect necessarily any personal opposition on the part of the Chair to 

orderly consideration of the matter in question, but will reflect the determination upon 

the part of the Chair that orderly procedures 

will be followed; that is, procedures involving consultation and agreement between 

floor and committee leadership on both sides 

of the aisle. 

4. Recognition for One-Minute Speeches 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER WITH RESPECT

TO ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES

The Speaker’s policy announced on August 

8, 1984, with respect to recognition for oneminute speeches will apply during the 111th 

Congress. The Chair will alternate recognition for one-minute speeches between majority and minority Members, in the order in 

which they seek recognition in the well 

under present practice from the Chair’s right 

to the Chair’s left, with possible exceptions 

for Members of the leadership and Members 

having business requests. The Chair, of 

course, reserves the right to limit oneminute speeches to a certain period of time 

or to a special place in the program on any 

given day, with notice to the leadership. 

5. Recognition for Special-Order Speeches 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER WITH RESPECT

TO SPECIAL-ORDER SPEECHES

The Speaker’s policy with regard to special-order speeches announced on February 

11, 1994, as clarified and reiterated by subsequent Speakers, will continue to apply in the 

111th Congress, with the following modifications. 

The Chair may recognize Members for special-order speeches for up to 4 hours after the 

conclusion of 5–minute special-order speeches. Such speeches may not extend beyond the 


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January 6, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H23 

4–hour limit without the permission of the 

Chair, which may be granted only with advance consultation between the leaderships 

and notification to the House. However, the 

Chair will not recognize for any special-order 

speeches beyond midnight. 

The Chair will first recognize Members for 

5–minute special-order speeches, alternating 

initially and subsequently between the parties regardless of the date the order was 

granted by the House. The Chair will then 

recognize Members for longer special-order 

speeches. A Member recognized for a 5– 

minute special-order speech may not be recognized for a longer special-order speech. 

The 4–hour limitation will be divided between the majority and minority parties. 

Each party is entitled to reserve its first 

hour for respective leaderships or their designees. Recognition for periods longer than 5 

minutes also will alternate initially and subsequently between the parties each day. 

The allocation of time within each party’s 

2–hour period (or shorter period if prorated 

to end by midnight) will be determined by a 

list submitted to the Chair by the respective 

leaderships. Members may not sign up with 

their leadership for any special-order speeches earlier than 1 week prior to the special 

order. Additional guidelines may be established for such sign-ups by the respective 

leaderships. 

Pursuant to clause 2(a) of rule V, the television cameras will not pan the Chamber, 

but a ‘‘crawl’’ indicating the conduct of 

morning-hour debate or that the House has 

completed its legislative business and is proceeding with special-order speeches will appear on the screen. The Chair may announce 

other adaptations during this period. 

The continuation of this format for recognition by the Speaker is without prejudice 

to the Speaker’s ultimate power of recognition under clause 2 of rule XVII should circumstances warrant. 

6. Decorum in Debate 

The Chair’s announced policies of January 

7, 2003, January 4, 1995, and January 3, 1991, 

will apply in the 111th Congress. It is essential that the dignity of the proceedings of 

the House be preserved, not only to assure 

that the House conducts its business in an 

orderly fashion but also to permit Members 

to properly comprehend and participate in 

the business of the House. To this end, and in 

order to permit the Chair to understand and 

to correctly put the question on the numerous requests that are made by Members, the 

Chair requests that Members and others who 

have the privileges of the floor desist from 

audible conversation in the Chamber while 

the business of the House is being conducted. 

The Chair would encourage all Members to 

review rule XVII to gain a better understanding of the proper rules of decorum expected of them, and especially: to avoid 

‘‘personalities’’ in debate with respect to references to other Members, the Senate, and 

the President; to address the Chair while 

standing and only during, and not beyond, 

the time recognized, and not to address the 

television or other imagined audience; to refrain from passing between the Chair and a 

Member speaking, or directly in front of a 

Member speaking from the well; to refrain 

from smoking in the Chamber; to wear appropriate business attire in the Chamber; 

and to generally display the same degree of 

respect to the Chair and other Members that 

every Member is due. 

The Chair would like all Members to be on 

notice that the Chair intends to strictly enforce time limitations on debate. Furthermore, the Chair has the authority to immediately interrupt Members in debate who 

transgress rule XVII by failing to avoid ‘‘personalities’’ in debate with respect to references to the Senate, the President, and 

other Members, rather than wait for Members to complete their remarks. 

Finally, it is not in order to speak disrespectfully of the Speaker; and under the 

precedents the sanctions for such violations 

transcend the ordinary requirements for 

timeliness of challenges. This separate treatment is recorded in volume 2 of Hinds’ Precedents, at section 1248 and was reiterated on 

January 19, 1995. 

7. Conduct of Votes by Electronic Device 

The Speaker’s policy announced on January 4, 1995, with respect to the conduct of 

electronic votes will continue in the 111th 

Congress with modifications as follows. 

As Members are aware, clause 2(a) of rule 

XX provides that Members shall have not 

less than 15 minutes in which to answer an 

ordinary record vote or quorum call. The 

rule obviously establishes 15 minutes as a 

minimum. Still, with the cooperation of the 

Members, a vote can easily be completed in 

that time. The events of October 30, 1991, 

stand out as proof of this point. On that occasion, the House was considering a bill in 

the Committee of the Whole under a special 

rule that placed an overall time limit on the 

amendment process, including the time consumed by record votes. The Chair announced, 

and then strictly enforced, a policy of closing electronic votes as soon as possible after 

the guaranteed period of 15 minutes. Members appreciated and cooperated with the 

Chair’s enforcement of the policy on that occasion. 

The Chair desires that the example of October 30, 1991, be made the regular practice of 

the House. To that end, the Chair enlists the 

assistance of all Members in avoiding the unnecessary loss of time in conducting the 

business of the House. The Chair encourages 

all Members to depart for the Chamber 

promptly upon the appropriate bell and light 

signal. As in recent Congresses, the cloakrooms should not forward to the Chair requests to hold a vote by electronic device, 

but should simply apprise inquiring Members 

of the time remaining on the voting clock. 

Members should not rely on signals relayed 

from outside the Chamber to assume that 

votes will be held open until they arrive in 

the Chamber. Members will be given a reasonable amount of time in which to accurately record their votes. No occupant of the 

Chair would prevent a Member who is in the 

well before the announcement of the result 

from casting his or her vote. The Speaker believes the best practice for presiding officers 

is to await the Clerk’s certification that a 

vote tally is complete and accurate. 

8. Use of Handouts on House Floor 

The Speaker’s policy announced on September 27, 1995, which was prompted by a 

misuse of handouts on the House floor and 

made at the bipartisan request of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, will 

continue in the 111th Congress. All handouts 

distributed on or adjacent to the House floor 

by Members during House proceedings must 

bear the name of the Member authorizing 

their distribution. In addition, the content of 

those materials must comport with standards of propriety applicable to words spoken 

in debate or inserted in the Record. Failure 

to comply with this admonition may constitute a breach of decorum and may give 

rise to a question of privilege. 

The Chair would also remind Members 

that, pursuant to clause 5 of rule IV, staff is 

prohibited from engaging in efforts in the 

Hall of the House or rooms leading thereto 

to influence Members with regard to the legislation being amended. Staff cannot distribute handouts. 

In order to enhance the quality of debate 

in the House, the Chair would ask Members 

to minimize the use of handouts. 

9. Use of Electronic Equipment on House 

Floor 

The Speaker’s policy announced on January 27, 2000, as modified by the change in 

clause 5 of rule XVII in the 108th Congress, 

will continue in the 111th Congress. All 

Members and staff are reminded of the absolute prohibition contained in clause 5 of rule 

XVII against the use of a wireless telephone 

or personal computer upon the floor of the 

House at any time. 

The Chair requests all Members and staff 

wishing to receive or make wireless telephone calls to do so outside of the Chamber. 

The Chair further requests that all Members 

and staff refrain from wearing telephone 

headsets in the Chamber and to deactivate 

any audible ring of wireless phones before 

entering the Chamber. To this end, the Chair 

insists upon the cooperation of all Members 

and staff and instructs the Sergeant-atArms, pursuant to clause 3(a) of rule II and 

clause 5 of rule XVII, to enforce this prohibition. 

10. Use of Chamber 

The Speaker will make the following announcement with regard to use of the Chamber in the 111th Congress. 

The Chair will announce to the House the 

policy of the Speaker concerning appropriate 

comportment in the chamber when the 

House is not in session. 

Under clause 3 of rule I, the Speaker is responsible to control the Hall of the House. 

Under clause 1 of rule IV, the Hall of the 

House is to be used only for the legislative 

business of the House, for caucus and conference meetings of its Members, and for 

such ceremonies as the House might agree to 

conduct there. 

When the House stands adjourned, its 

chamber remains on static display. It may 

accommodate visitors in the gallery or on 

the floor, subject to the needs of those who 

operate, maintain, and secure the chamber 

to go about their ordinary business. Because 

outside ‘‘coverage’’ of the chamber is limited 

to floor proceedings and is allowed only by 

accredited journalists, when the chamber is 

on static display no audio and video recording or transmitting devices are allowed. The 

long custom of disallowing even still photography in the chamber is based at least in 

part on the notion that an image having this 

setting as its backdrop might be taken to 

carry the imprimatur of the House. 

The imprimatur of the House adheres to 

the Journal of its proceedings, which is kept 

pursuant to the Constitution. The imprimatur of the House adheres to the Congressional Record, which is kept as a substantially verbatim transcript pursuant to clause 

8 of rule XVII. The imprimatur of the House 

adheres to the audio and visual transmissions and recordings that are made and 

kept by the television system administered 

by the Speaker pursuant to rule V. But the 

imprimatur of the House may not be appropriated to other, ad hoc accounts or compositions of events in its chamber. 

There have been reports during a recent 

‘‘August recess’’ that the chamber was 

turned to inappropriate use by concerted activity. Those reports included the solicitation of visitors to fill seats on the floor to 

observe mock proceedings on the floor, dissemination of bootleg ‘‘coverage’’ of these 

proceedings over the internet, and lobbyist 

participation in the speechmaking. 

Things of this sort should not recur. Members correctly refer to this place as ‘‘the people’s House.’’ It is, indeed, the chamber of 

the people’s House of Representatives. It is 

for legislative deliberations and ceremonies. 

It is not for political rallies. The Chair enlists the good judgment of all Members to 

the end that this chamber be preserved as 


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H24 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 6, 2009 

the sanctuary of solemnity, deliberacy, and 

decorum that the rules of the House ordain 

it to be. 

f 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE TO 

NOTIFY THE PRESIDENT 

Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, 

your committee appointed on the part 

of the House to join a like committee 

on the part of the Senate to notify the 

President of the United States that a 

quorum of each House has been assembled and is ready to receive any communication that he may be pleased to 

make has performed that duty. 

f 

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO 

HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING COMMISSION 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 2001, and the order of 

the House of today, the Chair announces the Speaker’s appointment of 

the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 

HOYER) and the gentleman from Ohio 

(Mr. BOEHNER) as members of the 

House Office Building Commission to 

serve with herself. 

f 

APPOINTMENT AS INSPECTOR 

GENERAL OF THE HOUSE FOR 

THE 111TH CONGRESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 6(b) of rule II, and the 

order of the House of today, the Chair 

announces that the Speaker, majority 

leader and minority leader jointly appoint Mr. James J. Cornell, Springfield, Virginia, to the position of Inspector General for the House of Representatives for the 111th Congress. 

f 

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO 

PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 11 of rule X, clause 11 of 

rule I, and the order of the House of 

today, the Chair announces the Speaker’s appointment of the following Members of the House to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: 

Mr. REYES, Texas, Chairman 

Mr. HOEKSTRA

f 

, Michigan 

APPOINTMENT OF HON. STENY H. 

HOYER AND HON. CHRIS VAN 

HOLLEN TO ACT AS SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE TO SIGN ENROLLED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS IN SPEAKER’S ABSENCE DURING 111TH CONGRESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Speaker: 

WASHINGTON, DC, 

January 6, 2009. 

I hereby appoint the Honorable STENY H. 

HOYER and the Honorable CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

to act as Speaker pro tempore to sign enrolled bills and joint resolutions in my absence during the period of the One Hundred 

Eleventh Congress. 

NANCY PELOSI, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without 

objection, the appointment is approved. 

There was no objection. 

f 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE 

CLERK OF THE HOUSE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Clerk of the House of 

Representatives: 

OFFICE OF THE CLERK, 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

Washington, DC, January 6, 2009. 

Hon. NANCY PELOSI, 

Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, 

DC. 

DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: Under clause 2(g) of 

rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, I herewith designate Ms. Deborah M. Spriggs, Deputy Clerk and Mr. Robert 

F. Reeves, Deputy Clerk, to sign any and all 

papers and do all other acts for me under the 

name of the Clerk of the House which they 

would be authorized to do by virtue of this 

designation, except such as are provided by 

statute, in case of my temporary absence or 

disability. 

This designation shall remain in effect for 

the 111th Congress or until modified by me. 

With best wishes, I am 

Sincerely, 

LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

f 

Clerk of the House. 

b 1645 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE 

CLERK OF THE HOUSE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Clerk of the House of 

Representatives: 

OFFICE OF THE CLERK, 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

Washington, DC, January 6, 2009. 

Hon. NANCY PELOSI, 

The Speaker, The Capitol, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to the 

permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II 

of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on 

January 6, 2009, at 9:26 a.m.: 

Appointments: Congressional Oversight 

Panel. 

With best wishes, I am 

Sincerely, 

LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

f 

Clerk of the House. 

REAPPOINTMENT OF INDIVIDUALS 

TO GOVERNING BOARD OF THE 

OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL 

ETHICS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 4(d) of House Resolution 

5, 111th Congress, and the order of the 

House of today, the Chair announces 

the reappointment of the following individuals to serve as the Governing 

Board of the Office of Congressional 

Ethics: Nominated by the Speaker with 

the concurrence of the minority leader: 

Mr. David Skaggs, Colorado, Chairman 

Mrs. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, California, subject to section 1(b)(6)(B) 

Ms. Karan English, Arizona, subject 

to section 1(b)(6)(B) 

Mr. Abner Mikva, Illinois, Alternate 

Nominated by the minority leader with 

the concurrence of the Speaker: 

Mr. Porter J. Goss, Florida, Cochairman 

Mr. James M. Eagen, III, Colorado, 

subject to section 1(b)(6)(B) 

Ms. Allison R. Hayward, Virginia, 

subject to section 1(b)(6)(B) 

Mr. Bill Frenzel, Virginia, Alternate 

f 

RECALL DESIGNEE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following communication from the Speaker: 

THE SPEAKER’S ROOMS, 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

Washington, DC, January 6, 2009. 

Hon. LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk of the House of Representatives, 

The Capitol, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MADAM CLERK: Pursuant to House 

Concurrent Resolution 1, and also for purposes of such concurrent resolutions of the 

current Congress as may contemplate my 

designation of Members to act in similar circumstances, I hereby designate Representative STENY HOYER of Maryland to act jointly 

with the Majority Leader of the Senate or 

his designee, in the event of my death or inability, to notify the Members of the House 

and the Senate, respectively, of any reassembly under any such concurrent resolution. In the event of the death or inability of 

that designee, the alternate Members of the 

House listed in the letter bearing this date 

that I have placed with the Clerk are designated, in turn, for the same purposes. 

Sincerely, 

NANCY PELOSI, 

f 

Speaker. 

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 

PRO TEMPORE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

Chair announces that the Speaker has 

delivered to the Clerk a letter dated 

January 6, 2009, listing Members in the 

order in which each shall act as Speaker pro tempore under clause 8(b)(3) of 

rule I. 

f 

DAYS OF THE OLD WEST HAVE 

RETURNED 

(Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it 

looks like the days of the Old West 

have returned and are being played out 

in the Middle East between Israel and 

Hamas. 

Innocent Israeli civilians have been 

targeted by Hamas terrorists. These 

terrorist outlaws have fired over 8,000 

rockets and mortar shells at Israel 

since 2000, and they still won’t quit. 

These extremists call for the total destruction of the nation of Israel. They 

are shooting at Israeli civilians in 

southern Israel with the help of Iranian-made long-range rockets. 

Self-defense is a basic human right, 

Madam Speaker. It is a principle that 

goes back to the Wild West: If you are 


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