Floor Statements

I thank my friend from North Carolina. I rise today in support of H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, or the HIRE Act. This piece of legislation will help our small businesses heal during these tough economic times and help unemployed Kentuckians find good, local jobs. The HIRE Act cuts taxes for our small businesses and makes it possible for them to hire new employees, making our small companies stronger and creating jobs for out-of-work Kentuckians.

Madam Speaker, the unemployment rate is around 11 percent in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and we have to do all we can to create and save jobs throughout this Nation. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the engines of job creation. Investing in the long-term health of our small businesses is one of the surest ways to economic recovery.

This legislation isn't just about small businesses, though. It's about helping that mom, that dad who was laid off in the midst of this recession find a good-paying, local job.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of this legislation today because a vote for this legislation is a vote for middle class families; for small, innovative start-ups; and the long-term economic health of central Kentucky and the Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exemplary resident of Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District, Ms. Kristen Jarboe. Ms. Jarboe, a teacher at Elkhorn Elementary School in Frankfort, has been named as a winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science teaching. This prize, awarded on behalf of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, is a very high honor, and I am proud today to recognize the accomplishments of this exceptional educator in the U.S. Congress.

Her teaching methods emphasize individual attention and small classes so that struggling students are brought up to speed and not left behind. She is recognized as a leader not only among her students, but among the school as a whole, organizing after-school programs such as Family Math Night and creating a school-wide math test for primary through second grades. Her work does not end once students leave her classroom at the end of the year, as she strives to instill a desire to learn in each of her students, and motivates them to become lifelong learners.

Madam Speaker, I believe teaching is one of the most important jobs in our nation and is often underappreciated. Ms. Jarboe's devotion to her work and her students is certainly deserving of this great award and recognition, and with people like her teaching our young people, I am excited for our future generation of leaders.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of a special group of students in my congressional district. In November, the Bourbon County High School Marching Colonels became Class A champion at the prestigious Bands of America Grand Nationals competition for the second year in a row, placing first out of 91 marching bands from across the nation. I am proud to be able to address the accomplishments of such a talented group of students who are more than deserving of our recognition.

The Bourbon County High School Band, led by directors Eric and Nadine Hale and Kevin Akers, has enjoyed great success recently. In addition to their national championship--a prize considered to be the most prestigious award a marching band can win--they won the Class AAA title at the Kentucky Music Educators' Association championship just one week earlier. At the national championship, the 80-member band had the honor of performing for 25,000 people at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Winning one championship would be quite an accomplishment for any band, but that the Bourbon County Band has now won back-to-back national titles shows just how talented this group of young men and women is.

Madam Speaker, the Bourbon County Marching Colonels' unprecedented success is truly deserving of praise and recognition. I believe that educating our young adults in music and the arts is important in continuing to foster our great American culture, and it is with great pride that I rise today to acknowledge the successes of these extremely talented and accomplished young men and women.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kentucky Space's role in exciting new developments in space. Recently, this Kentucky enterprise partnered with NanoRacks LLC, a Houston-based aerospace company chosen by NASA to design, coordinate, and conduct research on the International Space Station to further the needs of both educational and commercial clients. Kentucky Space has been called upon by NanoRacks to assist in the design and integration of U.S. research payloads which will fly aboard the international space station starting in mid-2010.

The possibilities of what we can do outside the Earth's atmosphere are endless and include great promise for all nations and all people. This broadening of our current use of the space station opens doors to the endless opportunities for research in technologies ranging from new medical treatments and equipment to alternative clean energy. These technologies will create jobs and can improve quality of life as well as save lives. The need for this expansion is clear, and I am proud that Kentucky Space is a pioneer in this new realm.

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in applauding Kentucky Space along with NASA, the Augustine Commission and the White House for their work and support in furtherance of cost-efficient space research. The movement toward new uses of our space station will assure the continued leadership of the U.S. in our exciting exploration of the universe.

Madam Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 851 on H.R. 3639, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 709, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 726, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of one of Kentucky's premier journalists, a man who has shaped countless events and policies in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for decades, Mr. David Hawpe. After 40 years of public service journalism, tough reporting, and insightful analysis as editorial director, he will retire on August 14, 2009. I cannot begin to adequately describe the immeasurable contributions Mr. Hawpe has made to better the lives of all Kentuckians.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1965 with a focus in journalism, Mr. Hawpe began his career as a reporter for the Associated Press and then moved to the The St. Petersburg Times in Florida, where he was an editorial writer.

In 1969, he came back to his home state and took charge of the Hazard bureau of The Courier-Journal in Eastern Kentucky, and in 1972, he moved to the Louisville home office. Mr. Hawpe held many positions, including editorial writer, assistant regional editor, managing editor and editor of The Courier-Journal and also served as city editor of the former afternoon newspaper, The Louisville Times.

Through his decades of reporting, Mr. Hawpe's influence can be seen in nearly every corner of the state.

He covered the Hyden mine disaster in 1970, bringing to light the many hazards and realities of coal mining. In later years, he played a significant role in strengthening laws and regulations governing the mining industry, and attacked abuses related to the broad form deed and strip mining.

Through his reporting and advocacy, he helped bring about new regulations of toxic chemicals, improved school bus safety, better enforcement of drunk driving laws, and reform in the medical license system.

Through his and his colleagues' legislative coverage, Mr. Hawpe and his coworkers literally helped reshape the Kentucky General Assembly-- my home state's legislative body--into a more influential, co-equal branch of state government. In conjunction with formidable investigative reporting, Mr. Hawpe also played a critical role in the momentum to rewrite Kentucky's campaign finance laws.

And also, very notably, Mr. Hawpe has been instrumental in the reform of Kentucky's public education system. Through his direction of relentless and informed reporting, he helped convince the public that Kentucky was in need of meaningful, extensive higher education reform, which paved the way for the 1997 Kentucky Higher Education Reform Act. He has been credited by many, including a former governor and key policy makers, with being the main force behind this historic legislation.

In light of these achievements, it should be no surprise the newspaper won four Pulitzer prizes under his direction.

Mr. Hawpe is a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame and has long been a strong advocate for ethics and diversity initiatives. A Nieman Fellow at Harvard, he was also prominent in national news organizations, having served as president of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association.

Through Mr. Hawpe's editorials and columns, he has been called ``the voice and conscience of The Courier-Journal'' and, in my opinion, in many ways, he has been the voice and conscience of reform and good policy in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Over the years, he has held individuals and institutions accountable for their actions, reined in unfair practices, and been an unwavering advocate for the underprivileged. Mr. Hawpe will be sorely missed, but the impact of his work will be felt in my state, and, indeed the nation, for many years to come.

Madam Speaker, there is no doubt in my mind that he has made our great state even better.

I would first like to express my gratitude to our chairman, Mr. Dicks, who has provided tremendous leadership on this bill, tremendous leadership throughout the year on the Interior Appropriations bill, a bill that I believe is extremely important to the future of our country. I'd also like to thank our ranking member, Mr. Simpson, for the way that he has in a very bipartisan way conducted himself and the business of the committee. It's been a committee that has worked tremendously well together throughout the year.

Madam Chairman, I want to rise to express my strong support for this bill. This bill is an extremely important one, as I mentioned a moment ago; and I believe that we have had the opportunity this year, as a result of our chairman's efforts, to hear hundreds of witnesses in extensive hearings. I believe this is one of the most hardworking subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee. We have discovered some very real needs across this country. We discovered, of course, the fact that many of the needs in our country have languished over quite a number of years, and this subcommittee has made a great effort, I believe, in this bill to address some of those needs.

We're all struggling in this country today with a troubled economy. Therefore, the investments made in this bill are all the more important to the people and to the communities that we all serve. And I would like to mention a few of the things in this bill that I believe are particularly important.

Deteriorating water infrastructure across the country endangers the health of our citizens and of our environment. At the same time, our State and local governments are faced, as we all know, with enormous budget shortfalls, preventing them from adequately addressing the problem. Federal support for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is necessary. This bill provides nearly $4 billion in grants and loans for this purpose, a small down payment on the need, estimated at some $300 billion over the next 20 years.

In the area of conservation, this bill does great things for public lands and wildlife conservation. Funding for the National Park Service, our wildlife refuges, and our national forests will help

maintain these national treasures for the enjoyment of all Americans. Our public lands are key to preserving habitats and biodiversity, which have positive impacts on our quality of life and the health of our ecosystems.

And in the area of environmental protection, Madam Chairman, in this legislation we make strong investments in programs that protect our environment. The Superfund program cleans up our Nation's most contaminated sites and readies them for new economic development. The Energy Star program conserves energy and saves the consumer money. This bill provides increases to both the Superfund and Energy Star.

This bill also helps preserve our cultural heritage and educates our citizens about our history. State Historic Preservation Offices are funded at $46.5 million. The projects these organizations undertake in all 50 States not only protect our cultural identity, but they create jobs in so many of our small towns and communities.

This legislation is responsible, Madam Chairman, for investment in our future. It protects our environment, it protects our health, and it celebrates our heritage, among many other things. Chairman Dicks ought to be commended for the job that he has done in putting together a bill that is very difficult to put together in many ways. He's worked diligently on it.

And I also want to take this opportunity to thank our chairman for making a special effort this year to fly to my home State of Kentucky to look at some very significant issues in our mountains of Kentucky, the practice of mountain-top removal, a controversial practice which is of great concern to many of our citizens.

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for your efforts in that regard, and I thank you for the work you've done.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am very proud to be here today to urge passage of the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, which authorizes $6.4 billion to help renovate and modernize our schools.

This bill, in my view, is a home run. It will give much needed money to our schools' struggle with huge budget deficits and deteriorating facilities while encouraging energy efficiency and creating jobs for Americans that cannot be shipped overseas.

I'd like to thank Chairman Miller, subcommittee Chairman Kildee, Mr. Loebsack, and all of our cosponsors and committee members for their work on this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, we have the mightiest military in the world. We enjoy some of the most comprehensive freedoms and we have some of the world's best and brightest students who possess unlimited potential.

But today, many of our children are learning in crowded classrooms with lead and asbestos, falling plaster, broken windows, outdated technology, and crumbling infrastructure.

Where children learn has a large impact on what they learn. The U.S. Department of Education tells us that modern, functional school facilities are critical for effective student learning.

In 1995, the GAO found that schools were in desperate need of repairs totaling $112 billion. Over a decade later, we can be sure that the need is much, much greater.

Each day, we're competing on a global stage with countries like India and China that are pouring billions of dollars into educating their children. Investing in the education of our children at home is the key to staying in the game.

If we want to brighten the future of the next generation, we have to invest in our children. If we want to ensure America's competitiveness on the world stage, we have to invest in our children. If we want to create jobs, if we want to save energy, and if we want to support our most crucial economic resource, we have to invest in our children.

Today, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation. Our children cannot wait any longer.

Mr. Speaker, in Kentucky we have a very important motto: ``United We Stand, Divided We Fall.'' Not only is it on our state seal, but as a battleground state in the Civil War, it has always held a special meaning for Kentuckians.

After the unprecedented ice storms that moved through our state in late January 2009, the Commonwealth and its people were put to the test. Hundreds of thousands were without power or running water for weeks, infrastructure crumbled, and lives were lost.

Against great odds and in a brave display of humanity and strength, Kentuckians stood by one another and proved that together we could weather the storm.

A large debt of gratitude must be paid to the countless unsung, volunteer heroes of this storm: the Kentuckians who helped their neighbors in need with food, clothing, and shelter; the radio stations who pushed aside their regular programming to keep Kentuckians aware of the latest developments; the KEMA and FEMA workers who were on the front lines; and the volunteers at food pantries across the state whose generosity was astounding.

Our Kentucky National Guard, our local communities, and our volunteers from all over the state worked quickly and admirably to restore services, provide emergency meals, and clear debris. Through the swift support of these volunteers and the prudent leadership of Governor Beshear, hundreds if not thousands of lives were saved.

Truly, Kentuckians are deserving of our state motto as they exemplify the courage, leadership, and compassion that bind us together in times of need.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the people of the Commonwealth for yet another heroic example of what it means to be a Kentuckian.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 869 is a bill to designate the Federal Building and United States Courthouse located at 101 Barr Street in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Scott Reed Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''

I can think of no other individual more deserving, no other public servant more worthy, and no other action more appropriate than naming the federal courthouse in Lexington after the Honorable Scott Elgin Reed. Prominent Central Kentucky attorney, first Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, and federal judge--Scott Reed exemplifies the definition of honor and dignity.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, on July 3, 1921, Scott Reed graduated with distinction from the University of Kentucky. While in college, he was editor-in-chief of the Kentucky Law Journal and awarded the order of Coif, the highest academic award that can be given to a law graduate. He was also a member of the Phi Delta Phi Fraternity. He achieved many honors at the University of Kentucky, including the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion--a prestigious award recognizing outstanding character and humanitarian service.

Prior to his time on the bench, Scott Reed was County Attorney, retained as counsel for the Fayette County School Board, and distinguished himself as a trial lawyer of great integrity.

He served from 1948 through 1956 as an acting associate professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law. From 1964 until 1969, he was judge of the First Division of the Fayette Circuit Court. He then was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

As Chief Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Judge Reed oversaw the passage of a constitutional amendment that unified and modernized Kentucky's court system. As part of the modernization, the Court of Appeals became the Kentucky Supreme Court. Reed was

elected by his fellow justices to be the first Chief Justice of Kentucky.

As Chief Justice, he oversaw the implementation of a constitutional amendment leading Kentucky to have one of the most efficient court systems in the country. The Chief Justice of the Commonwealth holds equal rank with the Governor, the latter being the head of the Executive Branch and Chief Justice serving as head of the Judiciary.

He was elected as a Fellow in the National College of the Judiciary in 1965 and was a voting member of the American Law Institute, a body of scholarly people who shape the laws of our nation. The opinions written by Scott Reed during his time on the Supreme Court of Kentucky have received national acclaim for their scholarly content. Judge Reed was a frequent lecturer to the National College of Trial Judges and has achieved the highest honors that can be bestowed on a member of his profession.

In 1979, he was appointed by Jimmy Carter to be U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. He served as a U.S. district judge until he retired in 1990. His federal legal scholarship was widely regarded and likened to that of Justices Brandeis, Holmes and Marshall. Scott Reed was named to the University of Kentucky College of Law Hall of Distinguished Alumni on April 11, 1980.

Judge Scott Reed passed away on February 17, 1994, but his legacy will always be a part of Kentucky's rich history. He deserves this honor, one that is indeed long overdue.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Rogers of Kentucky for being a cosponsor of this legislation. I also want to thank my colleagues Ms. Holmes Norton and Mr. Oberstar for their help in bringing this legislation to the floor.

I support H.R. 869, and I strongly urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the now longest-serving Kentucky Senator in the history of the United States Senate. This is truly a historic milestone for both the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Senator Mitch McConnell.

Recently, Senator McConnell celebrated 25 years in the United States Senate, surpassing the great Senator Wendell Ford's previous record. By no means is this a small accomplishment, as our State has been the home to such noted Members of the Senate as Henry Clay, John J. Crittenden, Alben Barkley, and John Sherman Cooper, just to name a few.

The Senator did not become the influential man that he is today without hard work, dedication, and determination. He started his career as an intern on Capitol Hill, moved to legislative assistant, eventually deputy assistant attorney general under President Ford, to County Judge-Executive in Jefferson County, the largest county in our State, all before being elected by the people of Kentucky to serve in the United States Senate in 1984.

He led his classmates as student body president in college and then went on to be the president of the Student Bar Association in law school. He has garnered the respect of his peers for years; so it comes as no surprise that he has risen to be the leader of his party in the Senate, an accomplishment only one other Kentuckyan in history has ever achieved.

Parties aside, Senator McConnell has fought for what he believes in with the same dedication and fervor as he did when fighting polio in his early childhood. He can point to a number of achievements, such as aiding struggling Kentucky tobacco farmers by orchestrating the tobacco buyout and providing significant aid to Kentucky's colleges and universities. His influence also extends outside the Congress and the Commonwealth with his work on the Appropriations, Agriculture, and Rules Committees, opposing dictators in Myanmar and fighting for human rights in Egypt and Cambodia among others. Like Senator Wendell Ford, Senator McConnell won his first statewide election by a small margin, but since that time he has become a mainstay in Kentucky.

Senator McConnell and I are both students of history, and regardless of political differences, and we have a few of those, I believe it's important to recognize his truly outstanding achievements.

Mr. Speaker, today I ask the House to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky, Senator Mitch McConnell.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Israel's enduring friendship with the United States of America, as well as its right to self-defense in an appropriate and proportional manner from the threats posed to it by its neighbors who seek its demise.

As most Palestinians hunger for peace, the actions of Hamas, sponsored by Iran and often attempting to maximize Palestinian civilian casualties, make this road to peace much more difficult. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, hoping that this withdrawal would usher in peace between the two rivals. However, since 2005 Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Over the past 6 weeks alone, Hamas, outside the confines of the ceasefire agreement, fired hundreds of rockets and mortars into Israel without warning, killing men, women and children. These continuous acts of terror have left Israel with no other choice but to defend its citizens.

An important and reliable ally in an unstable region, Israel is fundamental to our foreign policy in the Middle East. I am disappointed to see an end to the 6-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as this ultimately leads to more civilian casualties on both sides. However, I think it is important to recognize that Israel faces great threats along its border from which it has every right to defend itself.

During the 6-month ceasefire, Israel's support of the people of Gaza--such as supplying food, medical and other supplies--was commendable. This assistance highlights the potential for a peaceful resolution to this enduring conflict, which I hope to see in my lifetime.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Ephraim McDowell, the Father of Abdominal Surgery, is one of the most well-known Kentuckians and physicians in American history. During a year-long celebration continuing through the end of 2009, Danville, Kentucky and the Sixth Congressional District will celebrate Dr. McDowell's contributions to the field of medicine.

Originally born in Virginia in 1771, Dr. McDowell's father, Samuel McDowell, served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was sent to Central Kentucky when Ephraim was 11 to serve as one of the first land court judges in the County of Kentucky.

Dr. McDowell received his early education in Danville and then returned to Virginia to study medicine under Dr. Alexander Humphries. Recognizing his great talent, Dr. Humphries encouraged him to travel to the University of Edinburgh, the seat of medical learning at the time. He studied there for two years, returning to Danville in 1795.

In December of 1802, Dr. McDowell married Sarah Hart Shelby, daughter of the first governor of Kentucky, Isaac Shelby. They had nine children, five of whom lived to adulthood.

On Christmas Day in 1809, Dr. McDowell performed the world's first successful ovarian surgery. Mrs. Jane Todd Crawford, a 46-year-old Green County housewife, had been told by other physicians that she was pregnant with twins. Using no anesthesia, Dr. McDowell removed a twenty-two and one-half pound tumor. Mrs. Crawford recovered in 25 days and lived for 32 more years, to the age of 78.

Throughout his career, Dr. McDowell performed many other surgeries, including one on future United States president, James K. Polk, who traveled from Tennessee to Kentucky for Dr. McDowell's expertise.

He was also an original founder of Centre College--a private, liberal arts school in Danville--allowing his legacies of education and ingenuity to remain alive in Central Kentucky's students.

Dr. McDowell lived until 1830. He died at his summer home, Cambus- Kenneth, of what is now believed to be appendicitis. Mrs. McDowell lived out her life at the home of one of her daughters. She passed away in 1840.

Dr. McDowell's residence, apothecary and office are preserved as a museum, the McDowell House, in Danville and are designated as a National Historic Landmark. This premier historical site will serve as a host for the year-long celebration to remember the most prominent surgeon west of the Alleghenies in the early 19th century.