Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 646) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Community Health Center Week to raise awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

House Resolution 646 supports national community health centers and their invaluable work in numerous American communities. The great Americans that work at these centers serve the unfortunate and, as the resolution states, their service acts as a vital safety net in the Nation's health delivery system. Their work is so very important to the welfare of many, many men, women and children who have a variety of health and wellness needs.

Community health centers and public housing provide food, shelter and care to the Nation's needy.

And I am so pleased to join the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), my distinguished colleague on the Committee on Government Reform, in support of this legislation. I hope its adoption today raises important awareness of the compassionate contributions to society provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers. The concerned men and women who provide these centers' health services deserve our gratitude. I congratulate the gentleman from Illinois for advancing House Resolution 646.

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly urge all Members to support House Resolution 646. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 684) honoring David Scott Tidmarsh, the 2004 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, the House acknowledges the accomplishments and the contributions of many deserving Americans during the course of every year. But today during the consideration of House Resolution 684, we congratulate one of our youngest honorees, and certainly one of the most impressive as well. Thanks to the work of the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola), today the House of Representatives salutes the winner of the 77th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. This is a 14-year-old boy named David Scott Tidmarsh. He lives in South Bend, Indiana.

David won the South Bend city spelling bee to earn a trip to the Scripps National contest here in Washington, D.C. from June 1 through June 3. And during the championship, David survived 15 nail-biting rounds against a couple of hundred of the most gifted spellers from across the Nation; and he clinched the championship on the word, and I hope I can even pronounce the word, ``autochthonous,'' I believe it is pronounced. It was very impressive, I would say. For those who are scoring at home, let me spell it for them. That is a-u-t-o-c-h-t-h-o-n- o-u-s.

While it is not surprising, due to his very clear mastery of the English language, it is important to note that David is a straight-A student who loves to read. Reportedly David's favorite books are mysteries and science fiction. And I also understand he enjoys learning about politics; so I would certainly urge both the national political parties to think about recruiting this young fellow very early on. David obviously has a very bright future ahead of him no matter what he decides to do.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the whole House, we wish David Scott Tidmarsh the very best in his continued schooling and in the future. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola) for recognizing David's incredible accomplishment, of which David should be very proud.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola).

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support House Resolution 684, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 702) honoring former President Gerald R. Ford on the occasion of his 91st birthday and extending the best wishes of the House of Representatives to former President Ford and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

It is certainly a true pleasure today to rise in support of House Resolution 702. This is a resolution that wishes former President Gerald R. Ford a wonderfully happy 91st birthday on behalf

of the House of Representatives. President Ford certainly holds a unique place in American history. Within a 1-year period during the very destructive Watergate scandal, he held the positions of House minority leader, of Vice President, and President because he was such a respected national leader of unquestioned integrity and principle.

Mr. Speaker, Gerald Rudolph Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 14, 1913; and then he moved to Grand Rapids in the great State of Michigan shortly after his birth. He was always an exceptional student and athlete and was very active in extracurricular activities, even attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

President Ford attended the University of Michigan to study economics and political science; and as a member of the U of M's football team, he won two national championships in 1932 and 1933. In 1934, he was named the team's most valuable player.

Rejecting offers to play professional football with either the Detroit Lions or the Green Bay Packers, Gerald Ford took a job at Yale University as a boxing coach and an assistant football coach, and he received his law degree then at Yale in 1941.

The war was on, and he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve during the war; and then he returned to Grand Rapids after the war, in 1946, to work as a lawyer. In 1948, he defeated the incumbent United States Representative in that district in the primary election and then won the general election by a very wide margin.

Mr. Speaker, Gerald Ford was a Member of this body from 1949 to 1973 and he served as House minority leader from 1965 to 1973.

In the Congress, Ford was an ardent proponent of strong national defense, and he realized the important role that the United States played in the global theater.

In October of 1973, as the Watergate scandal gradually unfolded, President Richard Nixon nominated Ford to succeed Spiro Agnew as Vice President of the United States. Ford became Vice President on December 6, 1973, and, in doing so, he also became the first Vice President to be appointed under the procedures of the 25th amendment.

Mr. Speaker, Gerald Ford's vice presidential tenure lasted less than a year. When Nixon resigned due to continued revelations of Watergate, Ford became President on August 9, 1974. In a move he deemed the best for the sake of the Nation, he issued a complete pardon to Nixon in an effort to end what he categorized as the Nation's long nightmare.

During his inauguration speech, President Carter paid immediate tribute to President Ford's role in helping America through such a difficult period saying, ``For myself and for our Nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land.''

On April 20, 1995, President Ford's boyhood home in Grand Rapids was designated as an historic site. I bring that up, Mr. Speaker, because at the time I was the Michigan Secretary of State, and one of my duties and responsibilities was serving as Michigan's official historian.

Certainly one of my fondest memories was hosting the President and his wonderful wife, his very gracious wife, Betty Ford, for the home's dedication. There was a huge crowd of family and friends and neighbors, and the President was standing on the front porch of his home telling everybody about some of his fond remembrances of living in that home in Grand Rapids and how he used to play baseball out in front of the house.

Gerald Ford is an extraordinary man and yet he grew up in an ordinary neighborhood, just like thousands of other neighborhoods all across our Nation. President Ford and his great accomplishments epitomize the greatness the American spirit, and I was truly honored to stand next to a living piece of American history that day.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from the great State of Michigan, the dean of the House of Representatives, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) for introducing this highly deserved tribute to our 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford. Our entire Nation thanks him for his service, and we wish him a very happy 91st birthday.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly urge all Members to support the adoption of House Resolution 772, that extends 91st birthday wishes to President Gerald Ford.

Mr. Speaker, happy birthday to a great American, President Gerald R. Ford.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4380) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4737 Mile Stretch Drive in Holiday, Florida, as the ``Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith Post Office Building''.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4380 commemorates the incredible bravery and patriotism of Army Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith. On April 4 of 2003, Sergeant Smith of Holiday, Florida, was tragically killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom during a fierce fire fight near Baghdad.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Smith was a member of the Bravo Company, Eleventh Engineer Battalion of the Army's

Third Infantry Division. He enlisted after graduating from high school and served an accomplished 13-year career in the Army. Sergeant Smith served valiantly in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Shield, Kosovo, and Bosnia. He earned several military honors, including the Bronze Star as well as the Purple Heart.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Smith leaves behind a wife and two children in Holiday, Florida; and we pray and we hope that this post office designation will always remind them of the bravery and the love of their husband and father, Paul Ray Smith. Our entire Nation owes Sergeant Smith an incredible debt, and that is why I strongly urge the passage of H.R. 4380. I certainly thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for advancing this legislation that honors the courageous Sergeant Paul Ray Smith.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the sponsor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I would certainly urge all Members to support H.R. 4380, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3340) to redesignate the facilities of the United States Postal Service located at 7715 and 7748 S. Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``James E. Worsham Post Office'' and the ``James E. Worsham Carrier Annex Building'', respectively, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3340.

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

Mr. Speaker on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 3340. This bill redesignates two postal facilities in Chicago, Illinois, as the James E. Worsham Post Office and the James E. Worsham Carrier Annex Building, respectively. My esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Chicago, Illinois, introduced this legislation and all members of the Illinois State Congressional delegation have cosponsored this bill. I share their support of H.R. 3340, and I urge all of my colleagues to likewise support this bill.

James Worsham was a native of Chicago and enjoyed an admired career as a letter carrier and a leader of a postal employees union. After bravely serving our Nation for 4 years, Worsham began his postal career as a letter carrier in 1963. He ultimately joined the National Association of Letter Carriers and he rose to the ranks of Branch President and National Trustee.

Today, we honor Mr. Worsham's sustained diligence within the postal community.

Mr. Speaker, again I urge support of H.R. 3340.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3340, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4327) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7450 Natural Bridge Road in St. Louis, Missouri, as the ``Vitilas `Veto' Reid Post Office Building''.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4327 is a great tribute to the service of one of St. Louis, Missouri's favorite sons. This legislation designates the St. Louis postal facility as the Vitilas ``Veto'' Reid Post Office Building.

Mr. Speaker, longtime Postmaster Veto Reid of St. Charles, Missouri, enjoyed a postal career that spanned over 5 decades. He started his career in 1951 as a substitute clerk and ultimately rose to be the postmaster in Godfrey, Illinois, from 1980 until 1983. He then moved to St. Charles, Missouri, where he served as postmaster for 18 years until his retirement in 2001.

Beyond his postal career, Reid is active in his community and sits on the boards of St. Charles County YMCA, the St. Louis branch of the NAACP, the Habitat for Humanity, and Lindenwood University. Veto and his wife, Bessie, reside in St. Charles; and on behalf of my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), I want to congratulate him for this deserved post office designation. After all, it is highly appropriate to name this postal facility in St. Louis after a great individual and a postal institution in St. Louis like Veto Reid. I commend the gentleman from Missouri for advancing H.R. 4327 to the floor today. I support this meaningful honor of Veto Reid.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 4327.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4427) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 73 South Euclid Avenue in Montauk, New York, as the ``Perry B. Duryea, Jr. Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4427.

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

I am proud to support this legislation that designates a U.S. postal facility in Montauk, New York, as the ``Perry B. Duryea, Jr. Post Office.'' Every Member of the New York State delegation has cosponsored this bill. While State cosponsorship is a formality for post office designations to be reported from the Committee on Government Reform, in this case I think it reflects a great deal of the sentiment from my New York colleagues.

Mr. Perry Duryea remains one of the most highly respected Speakers of the New York State Assembly in history. Speaker Duryea represented the people of Long Island with considerable dedication. First elected as a State Assemblyman in 1960, Perry Duryea exhibited extraordinary leadership for nearly two decades in the New York State legislature, spending 12 years as Republican leader. He held the distinguished position of Assembly Speaker from 1969 to 1973, and he served as Minority Leader from 1966 through 1968 and again from 1974 to 1978.

We all deeply regret that Speaker Duryea passed away in January following a car accident near his home in Montauk. I hope this post office designation provides a wonderful reminder of Perry Duryea's legacy as a public servant and as a great American to his friends, his family, and to all New York residents.

I thank the gentleman from New York for his work on H.R. 4427 that honors Perry Duryea. I strongly urge all of the Members of this House to support this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 257) expressing the sense of Congress that the President should posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 257.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to offer my support for House Concurrent Resolution 257. This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the President should posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Harry W. Colmery.

Mr. Speaker, countless remarkable Americans have contributed great

sums to the building and development of our great Nation. Today we celebrate Harry Colmery, truly one of the most remarkable of all Americans. Harry Colmery had the awesome vision and the practical brilliance to compose ``The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944,'' or much better known as the GI bill.

Harry Colmery grew up and attended school in Pennsylvania before earning a law degree in 1916. When the U.S. entered World War I, Colmery left to serve America as a first lieutenant in the Army Air Service. When he returned safely home after the war, he developed a successful law practice, eventually arguing two cases before the United States Supreme Court. He also became involved in the emerging American Legion and was elected National Commander in 1936.

As the head of the American Legion, Colmery had the foresight to see beyond the second great war and to understand that at its completion nearly 15 million servicemen and servicewomen would be returning home looking to continue their lives. Many would probably want to go back to work, many more would want to go on to college. Colmery addressed both interests at an emergency meeting of the American Legion leadership in December of 1943. There Colmery drafted the initial draft of what became the Servicemen's Readjustment Act. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the law the following year, and it is credited with almost single-handedly jump-starting the modern American economic engine.

Mr. Speaker, the G.I. Bill provided educational benefits that more than 2 million men and women utilized to attend college after coming home from World War II. Furthermore, an additional 5 million veterans received job training and other preparation through the G.I. Bill. Indeed, the G.I. Bill became one of the most directly influential acts of Congress in American history. It is impossible to measure the benefit to our national economy and general welfare from the fruits of all of this education.

Harry Colmery's work in authoring the G.I. Bill make him one of the great Americans about whom many people today actually know very little.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution requests the President to posthumously award the Nation's highest civilian award to Harry Colmery. On behalf of the chairman, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), and the rest of the Members of the Committee on Government Reform, I want to make clear that this is not a frivolous request, nor do we believe that the Presidential Medal of Freedom is an honor that should be awarded lightly. But we believe that Harry Colmery deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom for the millions of lives that he helped improve through the G.I. Bill.

I want to applaud the distinguished gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Ryun) for bringing this legislation forward on behalf of Harry Colmery and his momentous contributions to our Nation. I believe this legislation deserves the full support of the House.

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

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

I urge all Members to support House Concurrent Resolution 257 that was offered by the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Ryun). He wanted to be here today but was delayed at the airport.

I certainly commend him for his leadership on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3751) to require that the Office of Personnel Management study and present options under which dental and vision benefits could be made available to Federal employees and retirees and other appropriate classes of individuals, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3751, the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 3751, an important piece of legislation for all Federal employees. This bill requires the Federal Government to analyze available options to provide those who work in the civil service with better dental and vision benefits. These benefits may be provided through the existing structure of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or as stand-alone additional coverage.

Specifically, H.R. 3751 requires the Office of Personnel Management to study and to submit a report to Congress on how the government can provide dental and vision benefits to Federal employees.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis), the distinguished Chair of the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization, for offering H.R. 3751; and I certainly congratulate her today for moving the bill to the floor today. Along with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the chairman of the full Committee on Government Reform, as well as my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization, the gentleman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) is a leader in the Congress in representing the Nation's integral and steadfast Federal employees.

Every single day, civil servants protect the Nation's streets. They teach our children, they deliver the mail, they treat the sick, the injured. They perform countless other duties that help make America thrive.

H.R. 3751 a terrific step towards providing these individuals with the health benefits that they have earned and deserve. I urge its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3797) to authorize improvements in the operations of the government of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 3797, and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

H.R. 3797, a bill introduced by the chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis), authorizes the operations of the District of Columbia government. The bill, the first of its kind, actually, provides a vehicle to address necessary changes in Federal law pertaining to the District of Columbia. This legislation will give the mayor and the city's leadership necessary autonomy by allowing them to only have to deal with the House Committee of Jurisdiction, the Committee on Government Reform, on changes to Federal laws that affect the District.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for ushering H.R. 3797 through the Committee on Government Reform and on to the floor today, and I support its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 3797, and I also want to thank the chairman of the Committee, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis), for his outstanding leadership on this bill. It is really of vital importance to our Nation's capital, and I know the chairman is always working very hard to address all the challenges and concerns of the people of the District.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules

and pass the bill (H.R. 4222) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 550 Nebraska Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, as the ``Newell George Post Office Building.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4222, and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H.R. 4222, which names the postal facility in Kansas City after former Congressman Newell George.

Congressman George represented the second district of Kansas for one term in this House, from 1959 to 1961. Congressman George was the last resident of the City of Kansas City, actually, to represent the State of Kansas in the Congress. He later served as United States Attorney for the District of Kansas during the 1960s, after being appointed by President John F. Kennedy.

Newell George was a devoted, caring, vigorous public servant, who is highly deserving of this post office naming. It is a pleasure to support this meaningful measure, and I am hopeful and confident the entire House will as well.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 450) recognizing the 40th anniversary of the day civil rights organizers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner gave their lives in the struggle to guarantee the right to vote for every citizen of the United States and encouraging all Americans to observe the anniversary of the deaths of the 3 men by committing themselves to ensuring equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal justice for all people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 450, and to include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King once said, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' And during the Freedom Summer of 1964, a great injustice took place outside the small town of Philadelphia, Mississippi.

On June 21 of 1964, members of the Ku Klux Klan attacked and murdered three participants of the Freedom Summer project, an African American voter registration drive. Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner were attacked after driving away from the scene of a firebombed church. The murders drew national attention to the civil rights movement taking place in the deep south.

Today, 40 years to the day after their murders, we remember the contributions to America and to the Civil Rights movement by Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner.

Mr. Speaker, four decades ago, poll taxes, overly-complex voting tests, and mental and physical attacks terribly discouraged African Americans from voting in Mississippi during the 1960s. The Freedom Summer project was launched to help combat this reality, and Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner were active organizers of this effort. Sadly, it was not until news coverage of their murders that many Americans became aware of the unbelievable violence that was taking place here in our own country. The brutal murder of these three brave men was indeed a momentous event. In fact, it provided the basis for the 1988 film ``Mississippi Burning.''

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), for his work to bring this solemn anniversary to all of our attention. House Concurrent Resolution 450 is an important reminder of America's volatile past, and it aims to help all Americans work to assure that such atrocities will never happen again.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the resolution's adoption.

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

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

Let me also say that we certainly honor the gentleman from Georgia as well as the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia. They have earned all the respect of every American. They certainly are some of the greatest civil rights leaders that this Nation will ever have seen. Let me say that we honor them both as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 660) congratulating Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on pitching a perfect game on May 18, 2004.

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

May 18, 2004, will go down in history for all fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks and all fans of Major League Baseball because on that night, 40-year-old Randy Johnson became the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game. He retired all 27 Atlanta Braves he faced to lead his team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, to a 2-0 victory. It took him 117 pitches to throw the first perfect game, and first no-hitter, in Diamondbacks' history. Johnson became only the 17th pitcher in major league history to pitch a perfect game. On this day in May, Randy Johnson was, indeed, perfect. He recorded 13 strikeouts, and he put out the other 14 Atlanta hitters during his dazzling display of pitching dominance.

Perhaps the neatest thing about Johnson's perfect night was the support he enjoyed from the Atlanta fans. As Johnson neared his momentous accomplishment toward the end of the game, the 20,000-plus fans in Atlanta, keep in mind these are the fans of the opposing team, encouraged him with standing ovations and chanted his name. It was a terrific night for America's favorite pastime and a terrific night for Randy Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mr. Speaker, the House salutes Randy Johnson for pitching a perfect game. The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) is the sponsor of this resolution and certainly he should be applauded for his eagerness to honor Randy Johnson's historic feat. I certainly encourage all Members, even

those who are Braves fans, to support House Resolution 660.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 660, the resolution just considered.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 679) congratulating the Detroit Pistons on winning the 2004 National Basketball Association championship.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

June 15, 2004, is a date to be remembered throughout the metropolitan Detroit area and the entire great State of Michigan. On this Tuesday night, the underdog Detroit Pistons ended a phenomenal season by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 100-87 to win the 2004 NBA championship four games to one.

Heading into the series, the Lakers were the overwhelming favorites to defeat the Pistons, but the Pistons possessed one defining characteristic which did not show up on paper: they were a group of dedicated teammates working toward a common goal.

This team, under the great leadership of Coach Larry Brown, showed unprecedented teamwork and desire. And it was a beautiful thing to watch.

The Pistons are really fitting representatives for the people of Southeast Michigan. They might not be media superstars. They might not have the Hollywood elite watching them from their courtside, but they have a blue-collar work ethic and they thrive on great teamwork. And when everything is working against them and their backs are up against the wall, they rise to the occasion. The Pistons proved that strong defense and selfless play can deliver overwhelming victory.

Mr. Speaker, the ``Bad Boys'' of Detroit are back; and the people of Michigan are proud to call this team our own. The Pistons motto is ``Going to work.'' Their spirit and their desire is a reflection of Michigan. This attitude is not pretty. It is not flashy. It is gritty. It leads to scraped elbows, bloody noses. But most importantly, it conceives a desire to get the job done.

Team president Joe Dumars, a great champion as a Pistons player himself, took control of the team when a championship was really only a dream. He brought in players who display the same work ethic as he was known for as a player. He hired coaches who understand the role of individuals within a team and who could get these players to perform to their full potential, and despite the critics, the results speak for themselves. Well done Joey D.

Mr. Speaker, prior to the championship series, people around the Nation were not giving the Detroit Pistons a chance. But as the series progressed, it became apparent who was the best team in the NBA.

Finals MVP Chauncey Billups was scoring and passing with the heart of a champion. Rip Hamilton ran circles around defenders. Ben Wallace defended and rebounded like a man possessed. Fear the 'fro, NBA. Rasheed Wallace provided veteran leadership and intimidation like no one else. Tayshaun Prince scored and defended with an elegance that seemed effortless.

And when the Detroit bench was called to duty, the players answered the call. Each and every player knew that as a team, they would be successful, they knew that the work would not be done until the final buzzer.

Mr. Speaker, the entire team showed what teamwork and hard work can do, and Larry Brown was the perfect coach. No coach in sports is more respected than Larry Brown, and I can speak for all Pistons fans in hoping that he will call himself a Detroit Piston for many years to come.

And, finally, Mr. Speaker, we cannot honor the Pistons without mentioning their owner, Bill Davidson. He is a great man who is renowned for his generosity in his charitable works, not just in Michigan or in Southeast Michigan, but throughout our entire Nation and, in fact, the world. His players are a reflection of him, hard working, selfless, and they care about their communities. I congratulate and thank Mr. Davidson.

So, Mr. Speaker, the House solutes the Detroit Pistons for winning the 2004 NBA championship, and after the fireworks have gone off and the parades are over, one team stands above all the rest, the Detroit Pistons.

I encourage all Members to agree to House Resolution 679.

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

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

Unfortunately, I missed the last game because we were here voting, but

I was at game 4, where I had my thundersticks. Go Pistons.