A bill to designate the Federal building located at Fifth and Richardson Avenues in Roswell, New Mexico, as the "Joe Skeen Federal Building".

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to rename the Federal building in Roswell, NM, after my dear friend, Representative Joe Skeen. On December 7, 2003, Joe lost his valiant battle with Parkinson's Disease. He will be deeply missed.

I first met Joe more than 40 years ago when I was fresh out of law school and Joe was a rising star within the New Mexico Republican party. From that moment, I knew that Joe was destined for great things. To the great benefit of the people of the State of New Mexico and the Nation, Joe chose to dedicate his life to public service.

For those of us who knew Joe, it came as no surprise when he became only the third person in our Nation's history to win a U.S. House seat as a write-in candidate in 1980. During his 22 year tenure as New Mexico's representative for the 2nd Congressional District, Joe was a powerful voice for the people of his district and its rural lifestyle. For instance, he was a staunch defender of New Mexico's farming and ranching interests.

Many have described Joe as one of the most powerful members of Congress that New Mexico ever sent to Washington, DC. But Joe never forgot who he was and where he was from. He was part and parcel of this land and its people. Joe truly represented the people of the 2nd Congressional District, both politically and in spirit.

Joe sought committee assignments that would most benefit the largely rural district that he represented. During his time in the U.S. Congress, Joe served 17 years on the House Appropriations Committee, serving as Chairman of both the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

In 2002 Joe retired from Congress. After 11 terms in Congress, Joe decided to return to his ranch, a place that he described as being ``at the center of my upbringing and which shaped my character and principles in life.'' I feel truly blessed to have had the honor to

serve with Joe for those 22 years. I know Washington will go on without Joe, but it will not be nearly as good a place.

For all the good that Joe accomplished during his 22 years as a Congressman, I know he could not have done it alone. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Mary, his wife of 57 years. She and the Skeen children deserve great credit for making his life so remarkable.

Today I introduce legislation that would designate the Federal Building in Roswell, NM, the ``Joe Skeen Federal Building.'' I would like to thank my distinguished colleague Senator Jeff Bingaman for co- sponsoring this legislation. Additionally, Representatives Wilson, Pearce and Udall will introduce shortly a companion bill honoring Joe for his service to his State and Nation.

Joe was born in Roswell, NM, represented the people of the Second Congressional District for 22 years and spent his final days in Roswell, NM. It is fitting that the Roswell Federal Building bear his name. One of Joe's first actions after he took office in 1981 was to introduce legislation to name the Federal Building in Las Cruces after the man he replaced, the late Congressman Harold Runnels. I believe it's appropriate, 22 years later, to return the favor.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to rename the Federal building in Roswell, NM, after my dear friend, Representative Joe Skeen. On December 7, 2003, Joe lost his valiant battle with Parkinson's Disease. He will be deeply missed.

I first met Joe more than 40 years ago when I was fresh out of law school and Joe was a rising star within the New Mexico Republican party. From that moment, I knew that Joe was destined for great things. To the great benefit of the people of the State of New Mexico and the Nation, Joe chose to dedicate his life to public service.

For those of us who knew Joe, it came as no surprise when he became only the third person in our Nation's history to win a U.S. House seat as a write-in candidate in 1980. During his 22 year tenure as New Mexico's representative for the 2nd Congressional District, Joe was a powerful voice for the people of his district and its rural lifestyle. For instance, he was a staunch defender of New Mexico's farming and ranching interests.

Many have described Joe as one of the most powerful members of Congress that New Mexico ever sent to Washington, DC. But Joe never forgot who he was and where he was from. He was part and parcel of this land and its people. Joe truly represented the people of the 2nd Congressional District, both politically and in spirit.

Joe sought committee assignments that would most benefit the largely rural district that he represented. During his time in the U.S. Congress, Joe served 17 years on the House Appropriations Committee, serving as Chairman of both the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

In 2002 Joe retired from Congress. After 11 terms in Congress, Joe decided to return to his ranch, a place that he described as being ``at the center of my upbringing and which shaped my character and principles in life.'' I feel truly blessed to have had the honor to

serve with Joe for those 22 years. I know Washington will go on without Joe, but it will not be nearly as good a place.

For all the good that Joe accomplished during his 22 years as a Congressman, I know he could not have done it alone. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Mary, his wife of 57 years. She and the Skeen children deserve great credit for making his life so remarkable.

Today I introduce legislation that would designate the Federal Building in Roswell, NM, the ``Joe Skeen Federal Building.'' I would like to thank my distinguished colleague Senator Jeff Bingaman for co- sponsoring this legislation. Additionally, Representatives Wilson, Pearce and Udall will introduce shortly a companion bill honoring Joe for his service to his State and Nation.

Joe was born in Roswell, NM, represented the people of the Second Congressional District for 22 years and spent his final days in Roswell, NM. It is fitting that the Roswell Federal Building bear his name. One of Joe's first actions after he took office in 1981 was to introduce legislation to name the Federal Building in Las Cruces after the man he replaced, the late Congressman Harold Runnels. I believe it's appropriate, 22 years later, to return the favor.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, yesterday was an important and historic day for Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai signed a new constitution that guarantees the equal rights of all Afghans, including women.

Given the terrible hardship women and girls in Afghanistan faced during the years of war, drought and the draconian policies of the Taliban, this new constitution is an important step forward.

However, yesterday's victory will be sort-lived if the constitution is not implemented and women continue to suffer from discrimination and violence, and are denied access to health care, education and job training.

The biggest challenge facing women today is a lack of basic security. Human Rights Watch reported earlier this month that:

women and girls bear some of the worst effects of

Afghanistan's insecurity. Conditions are generally better

than under the Taliban, but women and girls continue to face

severe governmental and social discrimination. Those who

organize protests or criticize local rulers face threats and

violence. Soldiers and police routinely harass women and

girls, even in Kabul city. Many women and girls are afraid to

remove the burqa. Because soldiers are targeting women and

girls, many are staying indoors, especially in rural areas,

making it impossible for them to attend school, go to work,

or actively participate in the country's reconstruction.

Today, I am introducing legislation that will ensure that women and children are able to thrive in a post-Taliban Afghanistan.

This legislation authorizes $300 million each year to provide assistance to Afghan women and children with four specific goals. First, the bill seeks to enhance the political and human rights of women by providing assistance to help them exercise property, inheritance and voting rights and to enforce provisions in the new constitution that ensure equal rights for women.

Second, the bill provides funding for health care, including assistance to reduce maternal and infant mortality and to train midwives, nurses and traditional birth attendants.

Third, funding is authorized to be used for education and training, including expanding schools for women and girls, technical and vocational training and literacy programs.

Finally, the bill addresses the issue of security by providing programs to prevent the trafficking of women and girls, support the return of refugees, and provide general security to prevent violent attacks against schools. The bill also calls for an expansion of international peacekeeping forces throughout the country.

We have heard many times that failure is not an option in Afghanistan. Passage of this legislation will go a long way to ensure the success of a democratic and peaceful nation.