E8 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 6, 2009 

theft is more effective in protecting the public 

than expanding the power of the federal police 

force. Federal punishment of identity thieves 

provides cold comfort to those who have suffered financial losses and the destruction of 

their good reputations as a result of identity 

theft. 

Federal laws are not only ineffective in stopping, private criminals, but these laws have 

not even stopped unscrupulous government 

officials from accessing personal information. 

After all, laws purporting to restrict the use of 

personal information did not stop the well-publicized violations of privacy by IRS officials or 

the FBI abuses of the Clinton and Nixon administrations. 

In one of the most infamous cases of identity theft, thousands of active-duty soldiers and 

veterans had their personal information stolen, 

putting them at risk of identity theft. Imagine 

the dangers if thieves are able to obtain the 

universal identifier, and other personal information, of millions of Americans simply by 

breaking, or hacking, into one government facility or one government database? 

Second, the federal government has been 

creating proprietary interests in private information for certain state-favored special interests. Perhaps the most outrageous example of 

phony privacy protection is the ‘‘medical privacy’’’ regulation, that allows medical researchers, certain business interests, and law 

enforcement officials access to health care information, in complete disregard of the Fifth 

Amendment and the wishes of individual patients! Obviously, ‘‘privacy protection’’ laws 

have proven greatly inadequate to protect personal information when the government is the 

one seeking the information. 

Any action short of repealing laws authorizing privacy violations is insufficient primarily 

because the federal government lacks constitutional authority to force citizens to adopt a 

universal identifier for health care, employment, or any other reason. Any federal action 

that oversteps constitutional limitations violates 

liberty because it ratifies the principle that the 

federal government, not the Constitution, is 

the ultimate judge of its own jurisdiction over 

the people. The only effective protection of the 

rights of citizens is for Congress to follow 

Thomas Jefferson’s advice and ‘‘bind (the federal government) down with the chains of the 

Constitution.’’ 

Madam Speaker, those members who are 

not persuaded by the moral and constitutional 

reasons for embracing the Identity Theft Prevention Act should consider the American people’s opposition to national identifiers. The numerous complaints over the ever-growing uses 

of the Social Security number show that Americans want Congress to stop invading their privacy. Furthermore, according to a survey by 

the Gallup company, 91 percent of the American people oppose forcing Americans to obtain a universal health ID. 

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I once 

again call on my colleagues to join me in putting an end to the federal government’s unconstitutional use of national identifiers to 

monitor the actions of private citizens. National 

identifiers threaten all Americans by exposing 

them to the threat of identity theft by private 

criminals and abuse of their liberties by public 

criminals, while diverting valuable law enforcement resources away from addressing real 

threats to public safety. In addition, national 

identifiers are incompatible with a limited, constitutional government. I, therefore, hope my 

colleagues will join my efforts to protect the 

freedom of their constituents by supporting the 

Identity Theft Prevention Act. 

f 

HONORING BRIAN MICHAEL 

BIRCHLER 

HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 

Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I proudly 

pause to recognize Brian Michael Birchler of 

Kansas City, Missouri. Brian is a very special 

young man who has exemplified the finest 

qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1261, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. 

Brian has been very active with his troop, 

participating in many Scout activities. Over the 

many years Brian has been involved with 

Scouting, he has not only earned numerous 

merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. 

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join 

me in commending Brian Michael Birchler for 

his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of 

America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout. 

f 

TO REAUTHORIZE THE TROPICAL 

FOREST CONSERVATION ACT 

AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO 

INCLUDE THE CONSERVATION OF 

ALL FORESTS AND CORAL 

REEFS AND ASSOCIATED COASTAL MARINE RESOURCES 

HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 

Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, today I introduce a bill to reauthorize and expand Rob 

Portman’s landmark legislation, the Tropical 

Forest Conservation Act. This reauthorization 

will help developing countries reduce foreign 

debt and provide comprehensive environmental preservation programs to protect forests and endangered marine habitats around 

the world. 

Since enacted in 1998, Tropical Forest Conservation Act programs have generated more 

than $162 million over 10 to 25 years to help 

conserve 50 million acres of tropical forests in 

Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America. But the rate of deforestation continues to 

accelerate across the globe in all types of forests. 

Similarly alarming is the rapid rate of coral 

reef and coastal exploitation. The burden of 

foreign debt falls especially hard on the smallest of nations, such as island nations in the 

Caribbean and Pacific. With few natural resources, these nations often resort to harvesting or otherwise exploiting coral reefs and 

other marine habitats to earn hard currency to 

service foreign debt. According to the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 60 

percent of the world’s coral reefs may be destroyed by the year 2050 if the present rate of 

destruction continues. 

The Forest and Coral Conservation Act will 

credit qualified developing nations for each 

dollar spent on a comprehensive reef preservation or management program designed to 

protect these unique ecosystems from degradation. This legislation will make available 

resources for environmental stewardship that 

would otherwise be of the lowest priority in a 

developing country. It will reduce debt by investing locally in programs that will strengthen 

indigenous economies by creating long-term 

management policies that will preserve the 

natural resources upon which local commerce 

is based. 

This legislation has enormous consequences for the existence of critical ecosystems, the health of our planet and the livelihoods of millions of people across the globe. 

I am proud to introduce the Forest and Coral 

Conservation Act with Representative ALCEE

HASTINGS (D–FL), which will help preserve the 

world’s most precious natural resources. 

f 

RECOGNIZING CONNIE PASQUALINO OF SPRING HILL, FLORIDA 

HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Connie 

Pasqualino of Hernando County, Florida. 

Connie will do something later this year that 

all of us strive to do, but that very few of us 

will ever accomplish, celebrate her 100th birthday. 

Connie Pasqualino was born June 28, 1909 

in Brooklyn, New York. While she was never 

married and has no children, Connie did make 

a career in advertising, attending the Pratt Institute of Design in Brooklyn. In fact, Connie 

said her proudest moment was the day she 

graduated from school. Following school she 

went on to work at BBD and O Advertising 

Company. While she did not pursue a career 

in design, if she had it all to do over again she 

would have spent her career as a fashion designer. 

As someone who lived in New York for 

many years, Connie remembers going to see 

the Pope perform Mass at Shea Stadium. She 

said that it was raining before he came onto 

the stage and as he came to the stage, the 

rain stopped and the sun shined brightly. She 

described it as a little miracle. 

Although she has never met her, Mother Teresa is Connie’s second cousin. Once, Connie 

and her family were going to visit Mother Teresa in New Jersey when she was visiting relatives there, but there was a blizzard and they 

had to cancel their trip. 

Moving with her sister Nancy to Hernando 

County in 1990, Connie said she made the 

switch because of the great Florida weather. 

She and Nancy also lived with their sister Margaret, who was ill and needed extra care, and 

her nephew Joseph. 

Today Connie lives in Hernando County 

near her centenarian sister, Nancy. She gets 

the most pleasure out of taking care of and 

playing with her pet Quaker parrot, named 

Jade. Connie’s advice to young people is to 

listen to their parents’ advice and get a good 

education. 


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