mcgovern: mr. chairman, i yield myself two minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. mcgovern: mr. chairman, too many people have died in afghanistan. since january, i have attended three funerals in my district alone. of young men who sacrificed their lives there. tens of thousands more have been wounded. and the suicide rate among our veterans from afghanistan and iraq is soaring. there is no clear mission. the karzai government is corrupt. we continue to borrow money to pay for this war. we need to rethink what we are doing in afghanistan. it's time to define the plan to bring our uniformed men and women home to their families and to their communities where they belong. mr. chairman, this is the longest war in our nation's history. it's no longer about al qaeda. i have met with our troops in afghanistan. i have met with them after they have come home. they are incredible. politicians put them into harm's way. and we now have an obligation to get them safely home. president obama has p

mcgovern: mr. speaker, i urge all my colleagues to vote no and defeat the previous question so we can help our veterans, and i urge a no vote on the rule, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from massachusetts yields back. the gentleman from utah. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i offer an amendment to the resolution. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the amendment. the clerk: amendment to house resolution 276 offered by mr. bishop of utah. at the end of the resolution, add the following new section. section 5. notwithstanding any other provision as this resolution, the amendment specified in section 6 shall be in order in lieu of amendment number 5 in house report number 112-88. section 6, the text referred to in section 5 is as follows -- page 113 after line 17 insert the following -- section 317, health assessment reports required when waste is disposed of in open air burn pits. section 317 of the national defense authorization act for fiscal yea

and walter johns -- i think that jimmy mcgovern and walter jones the congress members pushing this,port. >> you could have done all this without the nation-building. you could have a military presce, but you don't have to be doing and as counterinsurgency and spending all this money -- endless counterinsurgency and spending all this money -- >> but you take this point about that basis and so forth? >> biden said we can do the military staff and targeted killing with a smaller base. we don't need to be trying to build afghanistan -- >> i think we will have a fairly active summer. i don't know if we can make progress because the summer is one of the real war happens. after that, obama is on a pretty short leash about actually getting troops out. popular support will erode. it is fire at the moment, but it will not last long. >> petraeus, mr. counterinsurgency, is now at the cia. >> does this mean -- i had a sense last week -- that the joe biden scenario is the one that is going to be -- >> with the personalities, i think it is possible, because at the cia they hunt down and killed ter

. >> that is congressman jim mcgovern of massachusetts, a democrat, who along with republican walter jones of north carolina has sponsored the afghanistan exit and accountability act, which would set a firm time line for withdrawing troops. a couple of months ago, a poll said that 73% of the american people want us out this year. >> i think they will stick with the timeline that the president set. you have to remember why we went in and the first place, because of 9/11 and back at the taliban -- the fact that taliban held to that country and al qaeda had to struggle there. >> charles krauthammer this week -- "we could never have pulled off the bin laden raid without a major presence in afghanistan. the joplin was jalalabad." does he have a point, mark? >> charles always has a point. i think the point is missing here. you can make the case that osama bin laden and scored a major victory it with what happened in this country as a result on 9/11. not just the coarsening of our life here, the lack of trust, the over-security in our nation. the money out of our pocket, two wars that only

in that sense, jimmy mcgovern and walter jones, the two congress members pushing this, deserve support. i think the popular support for the war in afghanistan -- >> you could have done all this without nation building. you could have had a military presence in afghanistan. you don't have to do endless counterinsurgency -- >> but take his part about the bases and so forth. >> remember when we were debating what to do, biden said we could do the military stop and targeted killing with a smaller base. we don't need to be trying to build afghanistan -- >> i suspect we will have a summer, a fairly active summer. i don't know if we can actually make progress. summer is one of the real war happens. after that, obama is on a pretty short leash about actually getting troops out because of popular support will erode enormously. it is higher at the moment but it will last for long -- will not last long. >> petraeus, mr. counterinsurgency, is now at the cia. >> does this mean -- i had the sense last week -- that the joe biden a scenario you suggest is the one -- >> look at the personalities, i thi

mcgovern: mr. speaker, let's be clear, this bill does nothing, nothing at all to lower fuel costs and everything to increase the profits by big oil companies. i think it shows where the priorities of the republican party is at this moment. at this time i'd like to yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from rhode island, mr. cicilline. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for a minute and a half. mr. cicilline: i thank the gentleman for yielding. mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of h.r. 1367, the advanced vehicle technology act and ask my colleagues to vote no on the previous question. this legislation rewards american workers and american invasion. it's a true investment in -- innovation. it's a true investment in american ingenuity. by promoting the vehicle technology program, the truck partnership, the next generation of advanced vehicles will be built in america. the advanced technology act is one important part of the democratic jobs plan. a jobs plan that focuses on making

mcgovern: mr. speaker, this rule allows for the consideration of h.r. 1216, the graduate medical education direct spending repeal act, and general debate for h.r. 1540, the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2012. and this rule also allows for a martial law reconsideration of the patriot act sometime this week. frankly, mr. speaker, this is a disappointing rule. while i have no problem with the rule providing for general debate for the defense authorization bill, it is disappointing that this rule also includes these two other provisions, especially the martial law rule. let me begin with h.r. 1216. this bill is simple. it's another chance for the republicans to dismantle the affordable care act. it's one more part of their repeal agenda. the funny thing is, mr. speaker, republicans continue to push their repeal agenda but they have not put any plan forward to replace these new health care protections that we passed. the truth is that the rpts are not only trying to -- republicans a

mcgovern: 30 seconds. mr. cicilline: that will stabilize afghanistan by ending an unpopular presence there and imprf our country's flexibility to respond to more immediate and pressing national security challenges, improving our fiscal and economic situation at home. this is about setting the rye rightor for the american people. i urge my colleagues to strongly support the mcgovern amendment. i yield back. i thank the gentleman from massachusetts. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from utah. mr. beneficiaryon: i'm pleased to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from missouri, mrs. hartzler. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for two minutes. mrs. hartzler: i thank the gentleman. i rise in support of the rule and of h.r. 1540, the national defense authorization act. and i want to thank chairman mckeon and ranking member smith for bringing this important bill to fruition. the legislation we have demonstrates support for our troops. it is a good bill will that provide them with the tools an

. >> jim mcgovern. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the tax describing of students debts the 2,000 pounds endowment for prime time home buyers and, of course, a refuse rendem on separatism. it's made on the s&p prior to the last elections that could never be kept could the prime minister for me and the house and the country, whether certain plenty commentary is correct if he would return to have the separatists to return for one reason and one reason only? >> i'm happy to confirm what i can see the possible showing for anabelle goldie who led with such distinction and i don't think i want to intrude in the private grief between labour and the s&p. i will say whatever that outcome of that election i for one will always stand foursquare behind the united kingdom. >> thank you, mr. speaker. is the prime minister aware of the significant fires raging in my constituency. i'm sure he would like to join me in congratulating the sterling work that has been done by these services and hope to fainter that the government will be there if any requ

mcgovern: mr. speaker, let me just make a couple of points that "the new york times" editorial made and that was drilling alone cannot possibly assure energy independence in a country 245 uses -- that uses 1/4 of the world's oil while only 2% of the reserves. the energy information agency recently projected what would happen if the nation tripled production on the outer continental shelf. there would be no price impact at all until 2020 and only 3 cents to 5 cents a gallon in 2030. the bottom line is we need an energy policy that does not rely solely on drilling for oil. and we tried to pass a bill that would do that only to have strong objection from my republican colleagues. i'd also say, because the chairman of the rules committee, i just want to make sure we are clear on one thing because the chairman of the rules committee seemed to intimate bringing up my legislation that would allow for there to be a vote to cut taxpayer subsidies to oil companies would somehow be against the rules. it's not

congress member mcgovern mentioned food security is national security. we can cover those billions of dollars will be china because china is loaded in china, they will come to the rescue center or later of those countries. make no mistake, already the world is being kind of like monopoly handing out game cards. qatar is invested in kenya to make sure they have fruits and vegetables. and many other countries and moving strategically. we tried to control the oil supply of the worlds. we will control them in the future. and paper, i love it because kobe helping the poor farmers next to them at the same time, putting our money where mouth is. 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now will not be anymore to control those areas of produced and this is not true national security unfortunately because we don't have a body that's the center of the universe in the same way the i am left -- imf was created. people, america and the world need an entity that is separated from everything else, that will somehow bring together policy, demanding to pay for social, research and dev

i would like to -- the house to know that when i talked about the mcgovern-jones amendment to get ourroops out of afghanistan, the statement received a very strong applause. showing the very strong support of the veterans of the third district for getting our troops home from afghanistan. after my comments, i had many of these veterans come up individually and want to talk to me expressing their support and telling me that they agree with mcgovern and myself. mr. speaker, i would like to thank the 26 republicans who voted in favor of the mcgovern-jones amendment last week. i believe we came within 11 votes of passage. mr. mcgovern and i will continue to fight until there is a definite plan to bring our troops home before 2015. bin laden is gone and there is zero taliban presence, al qaeda presence in afghanistan. we have done our job. in closing i would like to quote lesley guild from his may 9 article in the "wall street journal" and i quote, afghanistan is no longer a war about vital american security interests. it is about the failure of america's political elite to face two plain

1972 when all the action and energy was on the left side of the party and they nominated george mcgovern, and an admirable man who carried one state. >> a republican nominee who is a squished -- he will vote against him anyway. >> mike huckabee -- i take him at his word that he backed off, but i think they will be clamoring for him in the future. >> also grumbling about rick perry in texas. >> and michele bachmann. >> sarah palin. we reached the debt limit, and the gang of six is now a gang of five. >> the worst thing you do is bang your head against the wall until you break your head. >> that is republican senator tom coburn of oklahoma, who has pulled out of the gang of six and it frustration. senators from both parties have been trying to find common ground on the debt reduction plan. what is the back story on this, mark? >> gangs don't work. the gang of 14 agreed not to vote against any judicial nominees except the most extreme cases, posted an broken again this week. the pressures are enormous. the pressure in the democratic side with the special house race next tuesday in new york,

. >> woodruff: speaking of afghanistan, we saw democratic congressman jim mcgovern offer an amendment this week, david, demanding an accelerated troop withdrawal. it didn't pass, but it did show that there is-- but it was close. and so, that debate goes on, doesn't it? right, and it goes on with a lot more republican opposition. the tea party people, a lot of the freshmen, are suspicious of our measures in afghanistan. i think the crucial thing here, though, is saliencey. how vibrant is the anti-war movement? how energetic? how demanding are they? there's a lot of opposition-- the country is pretty much evenly divided but the opposition is not particularly aggressive, so i think president obama has as much running room as he wants, frankly. >> i think that growing pessimism in the united states will-- that the gains that are won, purchased through lives and eight american lives yesterday, we don't know how many more today-- are not sustainable. and they won't be. and i think that-- there is a demand-- this is putting an exit strategy on the-- the administration has no apparent exit st

jeff loved politics, went to work for george mcgovern briefly, but the pull of covering space shots, conventions, elections, wars, and revolutions just proved too much, so he went right back to the news business. he was at my side on election nights and most recently was a special consultant to our news division president steve capus. we found a quote from jeff today which is kind of perfect. "always demand what is right and never accept second best." jeff gralnick was a fixer, a teacher, a taskmaster, a leader, a husband, a parent, and a friend. he was 72 years old. we'll be back in a moment with tonight's "making a difference" report. >>> finally tonight, with the economy in the tank lately, few cities have had it worse than detroit. the proud motor city where the population is actually shrinking with entire neighborhoods left abandoned. it's hard enough for the people left there to fend for themselves, but what about those they leave behind with no voice of their own? now some folks are trying to change that and making a difference in the motor city. our report from nbc's kevin ti

. >> alison mcgovern: many of my constituents in wirral were in the quality of care that older people, particular those with dementia, received. >> one of the changes we are making is to better link of the national health service and social service provision and local authorities with how we look after the elderly, and all of us have seen too many cases a hospital where people and should be an either residential or inertia -- nursing care are stuck in either large district hospitals or in community hospitals, when they should begin in alternative pathways of care. that is what the change should be about. what i find out is that we must make sure that we take this opportunity to get this absolutely right. that is what the reform should be about. >> last year, 49% of the votes cast went to conservatives, with 95 percent of the seeds going to conservative mps. >> it was announced, that was an embarrassment. this is now a labor free zone. does the prime minister think that that result was there? >> in some parts of essex, they all had a vote. but i have to say, would enact -- black and nu

. >> allison mcgovern. >> thank you, mr. speaker. many of my constituents worry about the quality of care older people especially those with dementia receive in hospitals how does the prime minister think his topdown reorganization at the nhs will help make sure older people are looked after with real dignity? >> well, one of the whole aims of the changes we're making to the nhs must be to better link up the national health service and social service provision and local authorities in how we look after the elderly and all of us have seen too many cases in hospital where people who should be in either residential or nursing care all being looked after at home are stuck in either large district general hospitals or indeed in community hospitals when they should be getting alternative pathways of care. that's what the whole change should be about. as i'm finding when i go around the country listening to doctors, nurses and clinicians we must make sure we take this opportunity to get this absolutely right. that's what the reforms should

gail mcgovern is here to tell you how they are helping. >> gail mcgovern and i am the president and ceo of the american red cross. on behalf of everyone in the red cross family, i want to express our heartfelt concern and tell you that our thoughts and prayers are with every single person in the state of alabama. i got to see the devastation as my colleagues have said. it is almost impossible to get your head around it. our hearts go to the people who have lost everything. some have lost loved ones. we are here to help in any way we possibly can. i have to say that, as a u.s. citizen, it does make be proud to hear how government is helping the state of alabama at the local, state, and federal level. it warms my heart to hear how my colleagues will be hoping to recover. i am also proud of our volunteers at the american red cross. we have 1400 of them deployed throughout the state. we have serve 300,000 meals since the storms occurred. we have the emergency response vehicles. we are fanning out into the community to give out clean-up kits, comfort kits, serve meals, to do what it takes to

mcgovern of massachusetts. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. polis: yesterday in the rules committee, mr. mcgovern brought forth a bill that would have ended the giveaway of tax revenue to big oil. unfortunately, the republican majority chose not to allow that amendment in this rule. had that been allowed under the open rule that mr. mcgovern proposed, i would have brought an amendment to the floor to use those $50 billion to reduce the corporate tax break to help create jobs in america. instead, the republicans are seeking to keep american taxes high, to keep corporate taxes high and this another example of a job-destroying bill that keeps taxes high while picking winners and losers in the economy and using government subsidies to an industry that is one of our most profitable industry. we should allow all american businesses of all sizes to compete. the american corporate tax rate is higher than most of the rest of the world which is why they continue to engage in operations overseas. if we can reduce it from 35% to 28 or% -- 28% or 26%, and

after a stint as senator george mcgovern's press secretary, jeff served as executive producer of abc's "world news tonight" and later "nbc nightly news." he earned the respect of all of us in this business who had the privilege to work with him and learn from him. when he died this week of cancer, jeff gralnick was 72. with recipes from campbellskitchen.com, and campbell's cream of chicken soup. campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™ what helps keep her moving? caltrate soft chews. ready-to-go, delicious, and packed with 20% more calcium than viactiv. strong bones. strong convictions. caltrate soft chews. because women move the world. caltrate soft chews. [ male announcer ] wonder where the durango's been for the last two years? it toured around europe, getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty european roads. it went back to school, got an advanced degree in technology. it's been working out -- more muscle and less fat. it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime. now lease the all-new 2011 dodge durango express all-wheel-drive for $359 a month for we

george mcgovern, gary hart, there is a mix of historians and non historians will peak but to put the individuals band. but she asked me to do that and he said output might individual spin on it. i agreed to do it with his arthur ask me and i have great respect for him and we're both on the advisory committee and also because paul was the editor for the series was my editor for the book that i did. to friends you know, how it is when they ask you to do things and i said sure and put aside my misgivings. -- misgivings but i wondered if i could curb my feelings of looking at this period of history and i agreed to do that. i have to confess that is long overdue. so that took a lot of time and energy. i am very glad that i did. the first thing is to think about how do i approach this? not what is known but every survey of rankings american presidents, he is near the bottom, near the bottom five. near 1997 i have participated as sometimes a look at the results but usually he is in the bottom five. buchanan is usually the worst. this past year when i did not participate for the first time,

it only allow for more corruption and more extremism to grow here to discuss this with me israel mcgovern former senior cia analyst thanks so much for being here tonight both now when we talk about perceptions and the way that people look at u.s. foreign policy do you think that money actually becomes even more powerful than speeches the president may give than votes that our country might take at the u.n. when it comes to knowing that israel is the top receiver of u.s. aid they get three billion dollars a year how much does that weigh on minds well that is the symptom really the proof of how. published it has become. people in muslim world look at that and he pretends like wait a minute you are any pretense of equal treatment these are the figures that you cited here with israel getting three billion and the palestinian authority getting a couple hundred million and that speaks volumes and when you have people like general petraeus and even secretary clinton herself saying that this agenda vacation this total of unification with israel i suppose trouble and actually increases terrorism o

well i think obama's getting bad advice i'm going to deal with jim mcgovern a democrat from massachusetts that we introduced a week ago and he's concerned of course he's he's a democrat as a democratic president but he's concerned that there's some policy makers around obama that don't want him it to be seen as being weak and they think he's got to be seen particular now that they've taken out bin laden they've got to be seen as still strong and trying to finish the job in afghanistan where there's no end point and that's what the general said to me in the e-mail he said what do you say to the knowledge of the father the wife of the last marine killed for a corrupt government and a corrupt leader you know that the end of the day doesn't matter who started the war who gets in when someone has to go and make that statement someone has to go and tell that family what happened absolutely and that's the reason that because of my weakness in voting to go into iraq that i started writing the letters that i mentioned just a few minutes ago and that's been a penates that's been my way to say god f

gale mcgovern, the president of the national red cross who has contributed mightily to the rebuilding most of all to the family and friends of all those who have been lost and all those who have been affected. today we gather to celebrate the lives of those we've lost to the storm here in joplin and across the midwest, to keep in our prayers those still missing, to mourn with their families, to stand together during that time of pain and trial. and as reverend brown alluded to, the question that weighs on us at a time like this is why. why our town, why our home, why my son or husband or wife or sister or friend, why. we do not have the capacity to answer. we can't know when a terrible storm will strike or where or the severity of the devastation that it may cause. we can't know why we're tested with the loss of a loved one, with the loss of a home where we've lived a lifetime. these things are beyond our power to control. but that does not mean we are powerless in the face of adversity. how we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. how we live in the aftermath of tragedy and hea

walter jones and jim mcgovern, they are trying to say the situation has now changed.and we can save money and they say save lives. >> kate bolduan, reporting live from capitol hill. thanks so much. checking our stories, nearly two years after the crash of an air france plane, the body of one of the victims has been recovered from the atlantic ocean. the discovery comes days after the cockpit voice recorder was brought to the surface. >>> general motors is recalling more than 150,000 chevy cruze 2011 models. >> jackie pooper is dead at 88. he was nominated at the age of 7, the youngest nominee ever. >>> william and kate, the duke and dutchess of cambridge, as they are more formerly known. this will be kate middleton's first-ever trip to the united states. >>> let's talk sports now. sean bergenheim of the nhl's tampa bay lightning, an average goal scorer in the regular season and now he is tied for the lead. he scores to put the lightning up, 3-1 on washington. a better known scorer for tampa, mar marty st. louis seals the deal. they sweep the capitals and move on to th

the 1870's faster than any other time in our history it was a marvelous decade with the homes and mcgovern reward. what about the south? this was the depiction of the sunny south of the black people picking cotton just like 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860 common nothing change. why did we fight the civil war wide is 620,000 men die for this? especially the 150th anniversary of the american civil war. it is not ase celebration but a commemoration honoring those men who fought and died and we should honor their courage as well. but it would have been a greater tribute to our nation had they lived. thank you very much. [applause] taka. >> i will be more than half the two take questions. >> you teach in the bible belt, how do your students react to this perspective? >> many of them are confused. they are confused as you indicated in the evangelical tradition and view it positively. i do as well. but they are confused because they associate themselves with the evangelical tradition. they don't know about the northern story. number and southern evangelicals are very different. the evangelical church this

sealed his fate and reinforced the idea that the democrats going back to vietnam, to the george mcgovern campaign where he was against the war and so on, that the democrats were both wary of, inept about, and opposed to the use, the expert use, of tough military actions. this is a case where president obama and his team were brave in the choices they made. they were surgical in what they did. and they succeeded to the utmost. and i think that's going to go a long way, especially when the republicans were likely to run, and the dominant and prominent republican contenders, have no military experience. now we're past that time. nobody has any military experience anymore. but now ironically, it's barack obama who's got the commander in chief experience. john mccain isn't running again. and i think it's a big tipping point in my view, a big tipping point between the parties that didn't exist before. >> todd? ike was restrained. he didn't use military force hardly at all. carter didn't use it. but there's a difference between restraint -- >> most of our lifetime it's been the reverse. but i t

mcgovern of massachusetts. the chair: recorded vote has been requested. those in favor of taking this vote by recorded vote will rise and be counted. a sufficient number having arisen, a recorded vote is ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. this will be a two-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the chair: on this question the yeas are 204. the nays are 215. the amendment is not agreed to. the question is on the committee amendment in the nature 6 a substitute as amended. so many as are in favor say aye those opposed, no. the ayes have t the amendment is adopted. accordingly under the rule the committee rises. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair: mr. speaker, the committee of the whole house on the state of the union has had under c

gayle mcgovern. the president of the national red cross, which has contributed to rebuilding effortshere. here. most of all, to the family and friends of all those who have been lost all those affected. today, we gather to celebrate the lives of those we have lost in the storms in joplin and across the midwest. to keep in our prayer is, those still missing. to mourn with their families, to stand together during this time of pain and trial. alluded to,brown the question that weighs on us at a time like this is why? why our town. why our tomes? homes? why my son or husband or wife or sister or friend? why? we do not have the capacity to answer. we can't know when a terrible storm will strike or where or the severity of the devastation that it may cause. we're't an't know why tested with the loss of a loved one or the loss of a home where we have lived a lifetime. these things are beyond our power to control. but that does not mean we are powerless in the face of. adversity . when the stormnd strikes is

his younger days, he had a thankless political organizing assignment which is running the george mcgovern presidential campaign in texas. [laughter] he was codirector and the other codirector was bill clinton. another strand in his career has been the clinton strand, and he just wrote a book about a long series of very searching and private interviews that he had with president clip ton while he was president, probably the most, you know, realtime access any president ever gave a journalist with the possible exception and it drove him mad, and taylor is still here in one piece. [laughter] you'll be seeing him in a minute. before exiting the stage going to present the jay anthony lukas book award presented to a merited nonfiction on an american topic that exemplifies the literary grace, commitment to research, and the social concern that characterized the distinguished work of the award's name sake. it is awarded this year to eliza griswold that faults from the line of christian my and islam. eliza is -- well let me read the citationen on the prize and why she's not here. she has a good ex

like joyce apple become a thomas jefferson, of course she is a great jefferson scholar and george mcgovern who did lincoln i think, and so there is a sort of mix of historians and non-historians looking at the presidency is telling the basic story, but also giving your own sort of individual spin on it. and he asked me to do this, to the johnson book and i guess he figured i would put my individual spin on that. arthur asked me to do it and i had great respect for him. i knew him from the papers of thomas jefferson put some the size recommitting for that. because paul baala was the editor was also the general series editor for the series for the book i did on vernon can read cities are to friends when the friends ask you to do things to ask me to do this and i said sure, i put aside my misgivings. i know it's a fascinating topic . there's so much material, but i wondered if i would be able to sort of kerf my natural feelings of antipathy about looking at this particular period of american history and i agreed to do it. that was many years ago i have to confess this is all over to in-betwee

mcgovern: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, health care is a right not a privilege.hey will have health care when they retire so they do not have to wither away as they ainge. but republicans have broken that promise. republicans by passing the ryan budget believe that seniors should fend for themselves. america should not honor the bargain made with the seniors. it's simple, mr. speaker. republicans don't like medicare. i'm glad this new majority is showing its true colors and it's no surprise americans don't like this position. they didn't like it when they tried to privatize social security, and they don't like the republican plan to voucherize medicare. in contrast, democrats stand with america's seniors. we believe america should keep its promise to america's seniors. we believe america's seniors deserve better. support medicare. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from new hampshire rise? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

two former senators, bob dole, republican of kansas, george mcgovern, it democrat of south dakota, both alive, but world war ii vets, stepped up and started lbying for this. ed under bush but a lot of the energy for this started under the clinton years in the 1990's. getting to the spirit of what this memorial is about here, thanking the people who came before us for their service to our country. we do not want to forget the cost of our freedom. host: in the years since world war ii, had there been meetings japanese soldiers and german soldiers and american soldiers? guest: yes, it has been happening more and more. there is a friend of mine who is stars in onwon bronze vietnam, and he is taking people island-hopping to a lot of people are engaging with the japanese on what happened in those battles. it was a ltle slow in the pacific theater. the european situation has been dealt with for decades, but it is only in the past few years that we are dealing with the pacific and the united states. host: we are so pleased to have doug brinkley here athe world war ii memorial. thank you for bei

two former senators, bob dole, republican of kansas, george mcgovern, it democrat of south dakota, botht world war ii vets, stepped up and started lobbying for this. it it

gale mcgovern, the president of the national red cross which has contributed mightly to the rebuildingost of all, to the family and friends of all those who have been lost and all those who have been affected. today we gather to celebrate the lives of those we have lost through the storms here in joplin and across the midwest. to keeping our prayers those still missing to mourn with their families, to stand together during this time of pain and trial. and as reverend brown alluded to, the question that weighs on us at a time like this is why. why our town, why our home, why my son, or husband, or wife, or sister, or friend. why? we do not have the capacity to answer. we can't know when a terrible storm will strike or where or the severity of the devastation that it may cause. we can't know why we're tested. with the loss of a loved one. or the loss of a home where we've lived a lifetime. these things are beyond our power to control. but that does not mean we are power lines in the face of adversity. how we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. how we live in the aftermath of trag