Honoring former President James Earl (Jimmy) Carter on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois for yielding me time, and I welcomed hearing my colleagues from Georgia. It is interesting to think of President Carter as having deep roots down in the heart of Texas, but he does.

Let me say to my colleagues that my daughter's first political experience was as a 7-month-old at a rally for President Carter in Houston, Texas. I think that made an indelible mark on her and began her own journey of concern and interest in the needs of others.

So I rise today to honor the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, as he celebrates his 80th birthday. Truly this is a man worthy of commendation and the recognition of this entire body.

It is rare when a man can achieve the position of President, but it is even rarer when the same man can continue to do public service long after his political career is long over. That is President Jimmy Carter.

I can see his smiling face even now as he has traveled around the world touching the lives of people in the United States and around the world. He has championed safe and affordable housing, human rights and disease prevention. His fight for those who are underprivileged and often overlooked earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development.

I wonder if there is a place around the world where there has been hostility, divisiveness over elections and the search for democracy that President Carter and his lovely bride have not gone to count the votes and to ensure the integrity of the process and to help promote democracy.

President Carter loved this Nation, and, by doing so, by loving it, he has continued his work or the new work of his life in seeking to bring peace and reconciliation around the world.

I had the privilege, as I said, of having my 7-month-old daughter with me in a rally for President Carter. I am glad it was her first introduction to politics. I then had the honor of having President Carter alongside of us, many volunteers, as we worked in a project in my Congressional district for Habitat for Humanity, some 30 or so homes, families now living with integrity and dignity in the project that President Carter and his wife adopted in the aftermath of their presidential responsibilities. What President we know spent these long years of service to his community and to his Nation and to the world way after, way after, his tenure in office?

I am reminded of the words of President Carter when he said, ``Globalization as defined by rich people like us is a very nice thing. You are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world.''

This is a simple testament to what President Carter understood and what he believed in, and that is helping the least of those.

As I conclude my remarks on President Carter, let me make mention of another one of his friends that has since gone on, and that was Congressman Mickey Leland. There lies the nexus of the additional connection of President Carter to Texas, because in the last years of President Carter's tenure as president Mickey Leland was elected to the office of Congressperson of the 18th Congressional District representing Texas, and he became a good friend of the President.

Mickey Leland became a very good friend to President Carter, which leads me to make mention of another individual that was honored today. I was not able to arrive on the floor of the House at the time of the redesignation of the Kingwood Post Office facility to be named the Congressman Jack Fields Post Office facility, and I would like to briefly add my words and commendation to Congressman Jack Fields, who was a very, very strong friend of Mickey Leland and his family.

We have many fond memories of that friendship, and I have fond memories of the 2 years that I had the privilege of working with Congressman Fields, an individual who loved his country as well and worked with Democrats and Republicans. The great work that he did on restructuring the telecommunications industry, he did it in an enormously bipartisan way.

I cannot imagine a greater tribute to a great American, a great Houstonian and great Texan than Jack Fields, a friend of Mickey Leland, one who laughed frequently about the relationship they had on the basketball court.

Let me conclude by saying, Mr. Speaker, that these two individuals are joined by their knowledge and their great love of America and joined by their friendship with my friend and colleague Mickey Leland. I ask support of this legislation.

I rise today to honor the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, as he celebrates his 80th birthday. Truly, this is a man worthy of commendation and the recognition of this entire body. It is rare when a man can achieve the position of President, but it is even rarer when that same man can continue to do public service long after his political career is over.

Even after leaving office, President Carter has continued to touch the lives of people here in the United States and around the world. As he did during his Presidency, he has championed safe and affordable housing, human rights, and disease prevention. His fight for those who are underprivileged and often overlooked earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for ``his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.'' It was President Carter who reminded us of our responsibilities as a nation and as individuals when he said:

A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be

gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to

extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a

weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and

rashness and other signs of insecurity.

It was President Carter who made human rights and compassion a staple of American foreign policy. At a time of increasing violence and international unrest it was President Carter who offered a calm and decisive approach to American foreign policy. It was President Carter who simply stated: ``America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense human rights invented America.'' It was President Carter who was instrumental in the negotiation and signing of the Camp David Accord between Israel and Egypt, which gave hope to those around the world that even the most entrenched of adversaries could make peace.

It was President Carter who successfully negotiated both the Panama Canal and SALT II

Treaties, which to this day hold such great importance. It was also President Carter who inaugurated diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. In these difficult diplomatic situations President Carter never backed down because he knew that the price for a lack of international cooperation was far greater than any price he would pay simply for trying. Even today, it is President Jimmy Carter who remains actively committed to promoting peace and democracy abroad, supervising elections in fledgling democracies, and helping to defuse international crises in North Korea, Somalia, and Haiti. There are many men of rhetoric about how the world should be, but there are only a few men like President Carter who take the time to make their noble vision into reality.

I want to conclude my remarks by quoting the words of President Carter when he said:

Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very

nice thing . . . you are talking about the Internet, you are

talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers.

This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world.

This simple statement is a testament to the selflessness that has defined President Carter's life. Time after time when he could have used circumstances for his own advantage, he instead chose to take the more difficult path and use those circumstances to aid the less fortunate. It is that great spirit that defines the noble intentions of our nation and the future we hope to obtain. Again, I wish President Carter a happy 80th birthday and may God bless him in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding me this time. And I thank my colleagues for bringing this resolution.

I am very proud to represent President Carter. Plains, Georgia, and Sumter County are in the Second Congressional District. So it is a very proud moment for me to be here to today to help celebrate his 80th birthday.

Today, we certainly honor and give recognition to a man who truly serves as a living international symbol of American compassion and integrity. But his integrity did not begin with winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 or when he brokered peaceful solutions to international conflict. Rather, his humanity stems from a foundation of values laid in rural Georgia years ago, where church and school heavily influenced his early life. Those values, infused in the noble profession of peanut farming, shaped his character, influenced his political ideologies, and added to his commitment to democracy, to freedom, and to peace.

His commitment to humankind carried him through his early years of public service, on the school board, State senator, governor, and through election as the 39th President of the United States.

President Carter negotiated the Panama Canal treaties. He conceived the Camp David Accords, which laid a foundation for settling disputes in the Middle East, a feat that eluded peacemakers, I guess, for decades and decades, and he was behind the second Strategic Arms Limitation Talks with the then-Soviet Union.

But President Carter's success was not limited to just foreign policy. On the American home front, he worked on developing programs for harnessing alternative sources of energy such as solar, nuclear, and geothermal power. He created new departments of education and energy. His environmental track record included passage of legislation to preserve the wilderness and the vast natural resources in Alaska.

President Carter's deep commitment to social justice and human rights continued even after he left office. In 1984, he started the Jimmy Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity. Through this project volunteers built thousands of houses, raising the awareness of the need for affordable housing.

And today he remains loyal to his roots in rural Georgia and has worked to create job opportunities through State and local partnerships, which has stimulated economic growth and tourism.

President Carter has served his Nation and the world as the best example of American service. His actions always bring to mind dedication, statesmanship, and above all, honor.

I am privileged to recognize and to commend President Carter, my role model, my constituent in the Second District of Georgia, and my friend, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

The late Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, President Emeritus of Moorehouse College, said, ``You make your living by what you get; you make your life by what you give.'' We are all pleased because of the life that President and Mrs. Carter have made.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a milestone in the extraordinary life of one of America's distinguished statesmen, former President Jimmy Carter, who celebrated his 80th birthday last Friday, October 1.

In the aftermath of Watergate, America yearned for a leader with honesty and integrity to lead our country. We found that man in Jimmy Carter, a farmer from Georgia with dreams of a better day for America, and we elected him as our 39th President.

As President, Jimmy Carter achieved great distinction for his mediation of the Camp David Accords, a historic alliance between Israel and Egypt. President Carter succeeded in obtaining ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, established full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and completed the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union.

Perhaps what many find most admirable about Jimmy Carter is his 24 years of continued service as one of the world's great humanitarians. In 1982, Jimmy Carter founded the Carter Center, a nonprofit, nonpartisan center that is dedicated to the promotion of democracy, human rights, and conflict resolution throughout the world. The center's work has been extraordinary. The Carter Center has fought to eradicate Guinea worm disease, to ease tensions in Haiti, and to help free political prisoners throughout the world. Through these achievements, Jimmy Carter has earned the respect of this Nation as one of the most active humane and generous former Presidents in American history.

In 2002, Jimmy Carter's achievements as a Middle East diplomat and as the driving force behind the Carter Center earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Jimmy Carter ``for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.''

Now 80, the steadfast and courageous advocate for peace and justice continues to represent the very best of American values.

I am honored and pleased to thank Jimmy Carter for his selfless work and to wish him a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who brings us to this point.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) from the Albany area of Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize former President Jimmy Carter who celebrated his 80th birthday last week. President Carter continues to show us by his example and by his spirit of service what it means to be an American and a world citizen.

President Carter served our country as a naval officer; he then served the people of Georgia both in State government and as Governor.

As President, he served this Nation during challenging times. He opened the door of opportunity to women, African Americans and Hispanics by appointing them to many jobs in the Federal Government. He created the Department of Education, worked to improve the environment, and expanded the National Park System protection of the Alaskan wilderness. He worked hard to battle inflation and unemployment during his administration and was able to increase jobs by nearly 8 million and to decrease the budget deficit. During the energy crisis he had a comprehensive energy program.

In foreign affairs, his accomplishments include the Panama Canal treaties, the Camp David Accords, the treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. He championed human rights throughout the world.

Since leaving the White House, President Carter has dedicated his life to peace, democracy, human rights, and the elimination of human suffering, touching the lives of millions of people around the world. Through his exceptional work at the Carter Center, he has all but eliminated Guinea worm disease in Africa, and has treated millions who suffer from river blindness and trachoma. President Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 ``for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.''

He is a leader in the fight against poverty nationwide, and particularly in Georgia, through his Atlanta Project, which addresses the many social problems that come with poverty. He and Mrs. Carter are also regular volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, a charitable organization dedicated to ending homelessness.

President Carter is a man of faith and a man who loves his country. He has succeeded in making this world a better place than he found it. He is an inspiration for those of us who serve our communities and our Nation.

I am proud to call him a fellow Georgian and in celebration of his 80th birthday, I extend my thanks and best wishes to President Jimmy Carter and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for yielding me this time. I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) for speaking on behalf of this legislation and being here tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a fellow Georgian, a man whom I am proud to call a friend, former President Jimmy Carter. It is fitting that we honor President Carter on the occasion of his 80th birthday, which was celebrated just a few days ago.

President Carter has spent the better part of his life in public service, serving honorably as an officer of the United States Navy, as a Georgia State senator, as Governor of Georgia, and as the 39th President of the United States.

During his Presidency, he was a steadfast champion on human rights. Jimmy Carter established human rights as a tenet of American foreign policy and pressed nations to uphold basic standards. In the foreign policy arena, he successfully negotiated both the SALT II and Panama Canal treaties. However, his greatest achievement was the Camp David Accord. President Carter was instrumental in brokering the long-sought- after peace agreement between Israel and Egypt.

I have known Jimmy Carter for more than 40 years. He is a truly dedicated, committed human being. Considered the most successful ex- President of our time, President Carter has used his position not to earn a lot of money but to do good. He has used his position to continue his commitment to peace by going around the world doing good, monitoring elections, and fighting for health care and eradication of diseases that afflict humankind the world over.

In addition, he has been influential in mediating international crises around the world, including those in North Korea, Somalia, and Haiti.

A true man of peace, Jimmy Carter serves as a living international symbol of what is right, of what is good and what is compassionate. In 2002, President Carter's effort to promote peace earned him recognition by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Now, Mr. Speaker, it is our turn to recognize his tireless efforts to improve the human condition and to bring peace to a world in need of peace.

So tonight I ask all of my colleagues to join us in extending the birthday wishes of the House to former President Jimmy Carter.