January 15, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H373 

are so close to finding cures for devastating disease might not have the 

funding they need for medical research 

and breakthrough clinical trials that 

will change the way we live. Cancer, 

Alzheimer’s, autism will all remain 

shortchanged if we do not have the discretionary funding necessary to put together the pieces. 

Think about the roads, the highways, 

the bridges. Our children and grandchildren may wake up in a dismal 

scene. These scenarios only scratch the 

surface on how concerned we should be 

about America’s future. 

The ramifications of out-of-control 

spending reach far beyond our shores. I 

have always believed in the biblical admonition that to whom much is given, 

much is required, and have supported 

efforts, as have many in this Congress, 

to fight global hunger and poverty and 

disease. For example, U.S. Government 

funding for global HIV/AIDS, TB and 

malaria was nearly $20 billion over the 

last 5 years. The recent 5-year reauthorization commits $50 billion. 

While that is good news for millions 

hurting around the world, it places 

America in the position of fulfilling a 

moral obligation to keep these vulnerable populations alive. Yet where will 

the money come from if America’s foreign assistance dollars continue to 

shrink because the mandatory spending is taking a growing piece of the 

pie? 

Ecclesiastes 5:5 says, ‘‘It is better not 

to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.’’ I fear, Madam Speaker, that 

the vow will not be able to be fulfilled 

because of the deficit spending that we 

have no way to deal with. 

The economic stimulus being shaped 

by the administration offers an opportunity, and JIM COOPER and I have a bipartisan bill, eight Republicans and 

eight Democrats, that puts all spending on the table and forces, and forces 

the Congress to act. 

Many Members of the Congress go 

home and love to give the speeches at 

the Rotary Clubs talking about how 

bad the deficit is, but yet when they 

come back to Washington they do 

nothing about it. So next week, Madam 

Speaker, I will offer an amendment in 

the appropriations bill to put the Cooper-Wolf language into law whereby we 

can get control of this runaway spending. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) 

is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Ms. WOOLSEY addressed the House. 

Her remarks will appear hereafter in 

the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

END TO FIGHTING IN GAZA STRIP 

NEEDED 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. GEORGE

MILLER) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express 

my deep concern over the increasingly 

grave situation in the Gaza Strip and 

to express my disappointment that 

Congress has not spoken more clearly 

and forcibly in favor of a cease-fire. 

The latest fighting between Israel and 

Hamas has led to a humanitarian crisis. According to news reports, quoting 

various official sources on both sides of 

the battle, the impact on civilians in 

Gaza is severe and growing worse. 

Madam Speaker, like every Member 

of this House, I support the right of 

Israel to defend itself and its people, 

and, like my colleagues, I strongly denounce Hamas’ ongoing indiscriminate 

destabilizing rocket attacks against civilian populations in southern Israel 

and Hamas’ clear intent to terrorize 

the people of Israel. In no uncertain 

terms, I call on Hamas to end its rocket attacks against Israel immediately. 

But I also believe in no uncertain 

terms there must be a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel and it must 

commence immediately. The loss of 

life to children and their families, the 

vast destruction of homes and the 

enormous suffering in Gaza that is 

being caused by the escalation of this 

conflict must end. 

Last week, the House spoke out on 

this latest conflict in the Middle East 

by passing H. Res. 34 that ‘‘recognizes 

Israel’s right to defend itself against 

the attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the 

United States’ strong support for 

Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.’’ 

I was disappointed that, as this body 

has done so often in the past, the House 

voted only to reiterate its support for 

Israel and its right to defend itself, 

rather than also to have used our considerable influence to pressure both 

sides to agree to a cease-fire in order to 

protect civilians on both sides caught 

in this conflict and in order to work toward a lasting resolution of this conflict that will lead to the protection 

and security of Israel. 

I support much of the language in the 

resolution, but I regret that H.R. 34 in 

its entirety was not a correct statement for the House to make at the 

time. The question for the House and 

the international community is how 

the Israeli people will be able to live in 

peace and security without the constant threat of attack from Hamas and 

others and how the United States and 

all other nations can assist in achieving that outcome in a lasting manner. 

The House has not weighed in on this 

question. The House of Representatives 

should throw its considerable weight 

behind the call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The 

cease-fire is in the best interests of 

Israel and the United States. 

The fact is that there has been a failure of political leadership that has led 

to this renewed and devastating fighting in Gaza. The Bush administration 

failed to adequately and successfully 

address the Middle East conflict during 

its time in office and during the time 

in which we knew the cease-fire was 

coming to an end, and conditions 

might have been changed so that it 

could have been extended. 

b 1500 

The international community has 

failed to adequately address the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Experts in the Middle East had warned 

that a conflict of this nature would 

eventually come, and will continue to 

come in the future if conditions on the 

ground do not change. Their warning 

went unheeded, and now a new and 

costly war has broken out. 

Hamas rocket attacks against Israel 

are indefensible. But neither can the 

disproportionate military response by 

Israel be defended. The latest fighting 

was preceded by a lengthy and crushing 

blockade by Israel of Gaza that caused 

an humanitarian crisis. Hamas, unfortunately, chose to break the cease-fire 

and continue shelling of Israel. And 

Israel chose the breaking of the ceasefire to launch, as it should have, a defense of Israel, but unfortunately, with 

an all-out attack on Gaza. 

Lost in all of this is the answer to 

the question of how the Israeli people 

can be assured the protection they deserve. The rocket attacks against 

Israel continue, albeit lessened now, 

despite the enormous firepower 

brought against Hamas by Israel. 

There is no clear answer as to how 

Israel will bring this conflict to an end 

in Gaza or clear what Israel’s ultimate 

goals are in this conflict. 

Only a cease-fire and a new international commitment to negotiate a 

cessation of hostilities between Hamas 

and Israel can protect the people of 

Israel. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. BURTON of Indiana addressed 

the House. His remarks will appear 

hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DEFAZIO) is 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. DEFAZIO addressed the House. 

His remarks will appear hereafter in 

the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. FRANKS) is 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. FRANKS of Arizona addressed 

the House. His remarks will appear 

hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. SHERMAN) 

is recognized for 5 minutes. 


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