January 7, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H53 

accordance with rule VII of the Rules of the 

House. The Chair shall notify the ranking 

minority member of any decision, pursuant 

to clause 3(b)(3) or clause 4(b) of the rule, to 

withhold a record otherwise available, and 

the matter shall be presented to the Committee for a determination on written request of any member of the Committee. 

COMMITTEE PUBLICATIONS ON THE INTERNET

(c) To the maximum extent feasible, the 

Committee shall make its publications available in electronic form. 

CALENDARS

(d)(1) The Committee shall maintain a 

Committee Calendar, which shall include all 

bills, resolutions, and other matters referred 

to or reported by the Committee and all 

bills, resolutions, and other matters reported 

by any other committee on which a rule has 

been granted or formally requested, and such 

other matters as the Chair shall direct. The 

Calendar shall be published periodically, but 

in no case less often than once in each session of Congress. 

(2) The staff of the Committee shall furnish 

each member of the Committee with a list of 

all bills or resolutions (A) reported from the 

Committee but not yet considered by the 

House, and (B) on which a rule has been formally requested but not yet granted. The list 

shall be updated each week when the House 

is in session. 

(3) For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), a 

rule is considered as formally requested 

when the Chairman of a committee which 

has reported a bill or resolution (or a member of such committee authorized to act on 

the Chairman’s behalf): 

(A) has requested, in writing to the Chair, 

that a hearing be scheduled on a rule for the 

consideration of the bill or resolution, and 

(B) has supplied the Committee with an 

adequate number of copies of the bill or resolution, as reported, together with the final 

printed committee report thereon. 

OTHER PROCEDURES

(e) The Chair may establish such other 

Committee procedures and take such actions 

as may be necessary to carry out these rules 

or to facilitate the effective operation of the 

Committee and its subcommittees in a manner consistent with these rules. 

RULE 9—AMENDMENTS TO COMMITTEE RULES

The rules of the Committee may be modified, amended or repealed, in the same manner and method as prescribed for the adoption of committee rules in clause 2 of rule XI 

of the Rules of the House, but only if written 

notice of the proposed change has been provided to each such Member at least 48 hours 

before the time of the meeting at which the 

vote on the change occurs. Any such change 

in the rules of the Committee shall be published in the Congressional Record within 30 

calendar days after their approval. 

f 

HAMAS—A HISTORY OF HATE 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. POE) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, 

Israel and Hamas are fighting each 

other in the Gaza Strip. The question 

is, what is this fighting all about? 

For centuries, the Jews and Muslims 

have fought over a strip of land in what 

we call the Holy Land called the Gaza 

Strip. It’s a territorial dispute, but it’s 

also a conflict of a religious nature. 

The Gaza Strip is a tiny sliver of land 

about two times the size of Washington, D.C., with a population of 

about 1.5 million people. It is bordered 

by the State of Israel on three sides 

and the Mediterranean Sea to the 

West. 

The modern war between Israel and 

the Palestinians began after Israel became a sovereign nation in 1948, after 

the end of World War II. After the 

Egyptian invasion of Israel in May of 

1948 and the subsequent occupation of 

the Gaza Strip, large groups of Palestinian refugees began to arrive and live 

in Gaza. 

In the last half of the 20th century, 

territorial control bounced back and 

forth between Israel and its Muslim 

neighboring countries. In the 1990s, 

Israel transferred security and civilian 

responsibility for the Palestinian-populated areas of Gaza to the Palestinian 

Authority. After that transfer, Palestinians elected Yasser Arafat to be 

their leader, a person who was by no 

means pro-Israel, but a leader at the 

very least who worked for peace between Israel and Palestine. 

In September 2005, Israel unilaterally 

withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers 

and dismantled its military facilities 

in the Gaza Strip on the condition that 

the Palestinian terrorist groups, like 

Hamas, would stop terrorizing innocent 

civilians in Israel near the Gaza border, 

but that did not happen. Hamas continued its relentless attacks against the 

Jews, causing an escalation of tension 

in that region. 

Then in January of 2006, the people of 

Palestine elected Hamas to head the 

Palestine Legislative Council. The 

international community did not accept the Hamas-led government because it refused to renounce violence, 

refused to recognize the State of Israel, 

and refused to honor previous peace 

agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. 

After a series of infighting between 

Hamas and more moderate Palestinians, Hamas militants succeeded in a 

violent takeover of all the military and 

government institutions in the Gaza 

Strip. 

So since 2000, Hamas terrorists have 

targeted over 1 million Israeli civilians 

in Gaza and Israel literally firing thousands of rockets, missiles and mortar 

shells into Israel. In just the past 10 

days, Hamas has fired more than 500 

rockets at innocent Israeli civilians, 

and there is no end in sight. 

The anti-Semitic hate speech propagated by Hamas leaders is no figment 

of anyone’s imagination. It is real. It’s 

enticing an entire generation of young 

people to become terrorists, all in the 

name of religion. Even our State Department has designated Hamas as a 

foreign terrorist organization for as 

long as that list has existed. 

But we don’t have to take our own 

government’s word for it. In 2005, a 

Hamas leader in Gaza told the media 

that, ‘‘Neither the liberation of the 

Gaza Strip nor the liberation of the 

West Bank or even Jerusalem will suffice us. Hamas will pursue the armed 

struggle until the liberation of all our 

lands. We don’t recognize the State of 

Israel or its right to hold onto one inch 

of Palestine. Palestine is an Islamic 

land belonging to all the Muslims.’’ 

Later in 2006, another leader said, 

‘‘Israel is not a legitimate entity, and 

no amount of pressure can force us to 

recognize its right to exist. Israel must 

be humiliated and degraded.’’ 

These are not the words of a people 

who desire peace and reconciliation. 

These are the words of a people who 

blatantly call for the complete destruction of Israel and will not stop at anything until that happens. 

What’s worse, Hamas doesn’t care 

what it takes to make this happen, 

even if that means killing its own people. 

Since the fighting began, Israel has 

allowed over 200 truckloads of food and 

medicine to enter Gaza, even under 

shellfire. Just today, Israel agreed to 

cease its ground operations for 3 hours 

every day so that humanitarian supplies can be taken into Gaza. 

But meanwhile, Hamas is not only 

preventing its own wounded civilians 

from crossing into Egypt to receive 

medical treatment, but they’re stealing medicine and supplies meant for civilians and using them for their wounded terrorists. 

What makes Hamas even more inhumane is their willingness to put their 

own people in harm’s way. Time and 

time again, Hamas has intentionally 

launched missiles into school yards and 

residential areas, putting Palestinians 

at risk, daring Israel to try and come 

after them, even hoping for Palestinian 

civilian lives to be lost in these attacks. 

It’s time for the rest of the world to 

stand in solidarity with Israel in its 

fight against terrorism and demand 

that Hamas immediately end its rocket 

fire attacks on Israel and stop smuggling through tunnels between Egypt 

and Gaza. However, Hamas says it will 

never end their war against Israel until 

Israel ceases to exist. 

In the face of such hate, Madam 

Speaker, Israel is left with no other 

choice but to defend its people and its 

sovereign territory from these murderous terrorists. 

And that’s just the way it is. 

f 

NEW CONGRESS, REAL 

COMMITMENT 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. KAPTUR) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, the 

wonderful opportunity of a new Congress is that it is not bound by the mistakes of the past. 

As foreclosure rates rise in Ohio and 

across our Nation, it’s pretty obvious 

that the Federal responses are not 

working on Main Street, whether it’s 

the $700 billion Wall Street bailout or 

the $300 billion FHA loan workout program. 


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H54 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 7, 2009 

Citigroup, for example, was one of 

the big culprits that caused the financial meltdown; yet, they got paid $25 

billion from the public Treasury. But 

Ohio, where foreclosures are raging, 

got nothing. Instead, out-of-State 

megabanks are buying up Ohio banks, 

while more Ohio homeowners get booted out of their homes. 

Last year, in my home County of 

Lucas, another 4,100 homes were foreclosed. That’s a minimum of 10,000, 

10,000 more people who were not helped 

by Treasury’s failed TARP program. 

Ohio’s families alone need $20 billion to 

stop the real estate hemorrhage which 

is less than what Citibank received, 

and would go to real people, not ersatz 

and paper trades on Wall Street. 

In Toledo, Ohio, you can now buy a 

home for $4,500, but last fall, rather 

than local homeowners being refinanced in this Wall Street bailout bill, 

one California investor figured it out. 

He bought 137 foreclosed properties in 

Toledo at auction, an auction sponsored by the very Wall Street banks 

that caused the trouble in the first 

place. Houses are being auctioned at 

prices so low we could have put the 

original occupants back in. Even cities 

would be able to bid on these homes on 

behalf of their local homeowners, their 

property owners, but they’ve not yet 

received any funds from the $4 billion 

neighborhood stabilization program 

that we were told was supposed to keep 

local neighborhoods whole. 

But the Wall Street banks are cleaning up. They get the bailout money. 

They don’t have to manage those properties. They auction them to outsiders 

and then they’re just waiting for their 

taxes to be filed for 2008 at the IRS to 

get all those losses booked and get 

more back from the people of the 

United States. 

Something is very wrong and uncoordinated with the manner in which 

the Federal Government is allowing equity to be bled from local homeowners 

and from our communities at large and 

awarded to Wall Street whole. 

Wall Street banks that hold or sell 

mortgages on these foreclosed properties are not managing their property 

holdings. These holdings are then frequently stripped of copper, electrical 

wiring and other materials, further devaluing adjacent properties and decimating entire neighborhoods. 

The $300 billion FHA program designed to help modify troubled mortgage loans is as ineffective as the Wall 

Street bailout. The program has received fewer than 200 applications nationwide since taking effect October 1 

and not a single loan has been modified. 

A bank’s receipt of TARP funds 

should be conditioned on them lending 

money and engaging in mortgage workouts to ensure the program at least 

starts to work somewhat. Many banks 

and servicers are still reluctant to 

structure manageable workouts with 

their customers. Among them are JP 

Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and 

Wilshire, who have received $65 billion 

among them in Treasury funds. 

What’s fair about that? May the 111th 

Congress pass more than just hollow 

legislation. Let’s pass a measure worthy of the oath we took yesterday to 

protect our Republic from all enemies, 

foreign and domestic. 

Jesse James robbed banks because he 

said that’s where the money is. Well, 

Wall Street just robbed the biggest 

bank of them all, the public Treasury. 

It’s time for Congress to blink and do 

what’s right in the 111th Congress of 

the United States. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 

JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. JONES addressed the House. His 

remarks will appear hereafter in the 

Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

b 1300 

HONORING THE LIFE OF FORMER 

SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. KENNEDY) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. KENNEDY. Today, Madam 

Speaker, I join my colleague Congressman LANGEVIN in this tribute to Senator Pell, the great statesman from 

Rhode Island. His name is well-known 

throughout this country, associated 

most notably with the Pell Grant, the 

grant that allows millions of young 

people in this country opportunity to 

get a higher education. 

But Madam Speaker, we wanted to 

pay tribute to Senator Pell not only 

for what he did to open the doors for 

millions in this country for economic 

and educational opportunity, we wanted to pay tribute to him for all that 

he’s done as a five-term Senator from 

Rhode Island and one of the most distinguished Senators ever to serve not 

only Rhode Island but this country. 

He was the author of the Humanities 

Act, National Endowment for the Humanities, which allows the arts to be 

accessible to the average person as 

well. 

He was really the founder and the 

person who really began the belief that 

we ought to work cooperatively around 

the world in terms of foreign policy. As 

the chairman of the Foreign Relations 

Committee, he was the one who led in 

diplomacy. 

And my friends, he was far ahead of 

his time as an environmentalist as 

well. 

Madam Speaker, we could talk about 

his policies and what they meant to 

our country, but to know him as a person is to really say the most about 

Senator Pell. He was the most self-effacing, genteel, kind-hearted man that 

you could ever know. And in a world of 

rough-and-tumble politics, it’s hard to 

find a genuine person such as that. And 

for that reason, on a personal level I 

was honored to know him and serve 

with him and today join my colleague, 

JIM LANGEVIN, in paying tribute to 

him. 

Senator Pell left an extraordinary legacy that 

is appreciated by so many people around the 

world. 

He spent his life in service to our country 

from his start in 1960 as a U.S. Senator from 

Rhode Island to his retirement in 1997, and in 

the years beyond in which he remained active 

in our State. 

Our Nation has lost one of its most visionary 

and thoughtful legislative leaders, and his hallmark, the Pell Grant, exemplifies his efforts to 

promote education and opportunity for all 

Americans. So many families, though they 

may not know his name, were touched by the 

work and generous spirit of Senator Pell. 

There are so many areas in which he led 

our country to the forefront such as oceanography, foreign policy, and college tuition assistance. His commitment to public service 

and his notable contributions to Rhode Island 

and our Nation continue to inspire people of 

all generations. 

The magnitude and depth of his accomplishments may never be known because he let 

others take the credit and acclaim. His style 

was understated yet magnanimous and his 

work ushered in many essential policies that 

have shaped our world today. 

Earlier this week, President Clinton, Vice 

President-elect Biden, Senator KENNEDY, Senator REED and many of his other friends from 

around the globe paid tribute to his work and 

celebrated his life. 

He will be truly missed and my sympathies 

and prayers are with his family. He leaves behind his wife of 64 years, wonderful Nuala 

O’Donnell Pell; his son, Christopher T.H. Pell, 

of Newport; a daughter, Dallas Pell, of New 

York City; as well as five grandchildren and 

five great grandchildren. 

But those of us who will miss him extends 

much farther. It is our country’s sorrow to lose 

such a giant of the Senate and the Nation. 

And with that, I would like to yield 

the floor to my colleague and friend 

from the Second Congressional District, Congressman LANGEVIN. 

Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, I 

thank my colleague for yielding, and I 

am honored to join with him today in 

paying tribute to our State’s former 

senior Senator, Senator Claiborne Pell, 

who passed away on the 1st of this 

year. He was an incredible public servant, and someone who I was proud to 

call a friend and a mentor. He was one 

of Rhode Island’s greatest statesmen 

and gentlemen, as I said, who passed 

away on the first day of 2009. 

Born on November 22, 1918 into a 

prominent and wealthy family, Senator 

Pell was better known as a champion 

for the common man and also the ‘‘Father of the Pell Grant Program.’’ After 

receiving a degree from Princeton University, he served in the United States 

Coast Guard during World War II and 

later traveled the world as a Foreign 

Service Officer of the State Department. In 1960, he was elected to his 

first of six terms as a United States 

Senator from Rhode Island. After retiring in 1997, he became our State’s longest-serving Senator. 


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