Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, as a Member with a lifelong and established record of being an advocate for protecting the sovereign rights of Indian tribes, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Since first becoming aware of the unfavorable administrative ruling of the National Labor Relations Board that determined it has jurisdiction to regulate the labor practices of on-reservation tribal enterprises under the National Labor Relations Act, I, along with my Democratic colleagues, the gentlewoman from California (Minority Leader Pelosi), the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), and others have been participating in ongoing, sincere discussions between tribal representatives and representatives of labor.

The purpose of these discussions is to work out a permanent legislative solution that honors the principles of tribal sovereignty and Labor's traditional role of collective bargaining.

The amendment offered today by my dear friend, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), undermines the ongoing discussions we have had, because this temporary fix would harm the amicable relationship between the parties involved and would possibly destroy our efforts to seek a permanent legislative solution that is mutually satisfactory to all parties.

I have met with the various parties in my own office. They are in an active discussion trying to seek a permanent solution. I am convinced that this temporary solution will interfere with those negotiations to reach that which the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and I share in common, some solution and some balance to this very important principle embodied in our Constitution of retained sovereignty and collective bargaining.

I am convinced, or I would not be standing here, that we will get a solution satisfactory to both sides on this issue.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple. At a time when students and families are struggling with skyrocketing tuition, we are squandering an opportunity to generate more student aid. This fiscal year alone, nearly $1 billion in special student loan subsidies will be paid by the Federal Government to lenders rather than used for financial aid for students. This subsidy results from an obscure provision in the Higher Education Act and its regulations which provide lenders a 9.5 percent rate of return on certain student loans.

This rate of return is excessive when we consider that lenders are guaranteed approximately a 3.5 percent rate on other student loans. The 9.5 percent guarantee was established in the high interest rate year of 1980. Congress intended for it to be phased out of existence beginning in 1993; but through a regulatory loophole, the guarantee has continued. Both the New York Times and the L.A. Times have reported on this loophole. The Government Accountability Office will soon issue a report which calls for the Department of Education to correct its regulations on this matter.

This special subsidy has caused a loss of financial opportunity for students. Students are bearing the brunt of rising college costs and shrinking grant aid. Today we have an opportunity to correct this problem. Despite this issue being addressed in the last Presidential budget, no action has taken place. Since this subsidy has not been eliminated, it has now tripled in the past 3 years.

It has been publicly announced in our hearings in the Committee on Education and the Workforce and in the press that we will not authorize the Higher Education Act this year. This essentially prevents Congress from addressing this issue in the normal fashion. This amendment is the only recourse left to us today. The amendment ends the special subsidy for new loans which are funded with proceeds from bonds which have been refunded or transferred.

Today, Mr. Chairman, we have an opportunity to curtail the biggest use of this provision to date. I urge Members join me in supporting this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen), a cosponsor of the amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to bring to your attention an event that took place in my district. On Saturday, August 21, 2004 the Lake Fenton Community School district gathered to mark the official ribbon cutting and formal dedication of their newly constructed Lake Fenton High School. The celebration concluded on Sunday, August 22, 2004 with a non-denominational service and community open house.

Lake Fenton High School was first dedicated on May 19, 1961. With increasing enrollment and changing educational needs the Lake Fenton Board of Education and the Lake Fenton Schools Support Services/ Facilities Committee implemented plans to build a new high school. Their hard work and dedication resulted in three elective bond activities, and the final product is the first newly built facility within the Lake Fenton School district and the only new high school constructed within Genesee County in over 30 years. This is indeed an accomplishment worth commending.

The new high school boasts state of the art technology, computer and science labs, a media center, auditorium, gymnasium, and an outdoor athletic facility. The labs will allow the school to fully support their new program entitled ``Project Lead the Way''. This program introduces students to the demanding field of Engineering and Digital Electronics. As stated by their Principal, Julie Clontz, Lake Fenton High School is trying to in every way possible to adjust their curriculum to meet the needs of the students and help prepare them for life after high school. The completion of this beautiful new facility and the implementation of these exciting educational programs is without a doubt a step in the right direction. Superintendent Ralph Coaster has provided excellent leadership in this endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I consider it both my duty and privilege to work to improve the quality of our public school system. I am glad that communities such as Lake Fenton share this sentiment. They continue to work diligently to ensure students have the tools necessary to compete and succeed. I ask my colleagues of the 108th Congress to please join me in congratulating this fine community and its school district and in wishing them the very best in future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to acknowledge the 10th anniversary celebration of the Eastside Mission of Flint, Michigan, which took place on Friday, August 27, 2004, during their fourth annual back to school carnival.

Pastor Bill Burdine and his wife Barbara established Eastside Compassionate Mission Center, Inc. in 1994. The mission is an independent ministry of the Eastern Michigan District of the Nazarene Church. Over the 10 years in operation, the mission has served a quarter million meals, and distributed several tons of food from its food pantry to the needy. Currently the mission has 1,594 households on their rolls and 426 infants registered. The mission is blessed to have a volunteer medical team that visits regularly to provide free health screenings, answer questions, take blood pressure, and make referrals and appointments. The mission also has an optometrist and chiropractor that visit and provide services as needed, also free of charge.

The Eastside Mission is doing marvelous things in the name of our Lord. I commend Pastor and Mrs. Burdine for their leadership, hard work and unwavering dedication to sustain this ministry. Colossians 4: 14-15 reads; ``And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.'' To that fact I also commend the volunteers who donate hours of their personal time and talent to assisting the less fortunate. The Burdines stated that they praise God for the victories however so few and they pray to God for a mighty harvest for their friends.

Mr. Speaker, as a former seminarian, I truly understand the important role the Church plays in our lives, and as such, I am honored to have people such as Pastor Bill and Barbara Burdine in my district. Self- evident is their lifelong commitment to enhancing the dignity and spirit of people, and our community is a better place thanks to their dedication to performing the Lord's work. I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in wishing them another decade of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today on behalf of the members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) International Union and UAW local 651 to pay tribute to Miles Conrad Owens who is retiring from the position of UAW International Union Staff Representative.

Miles Owens was born October 19, 1942 in Cairo, Illinois. He graduated with honors from Beecher High School in 1960. Upon graduation he enrolled at the General Motors Institute (GMI), located in Flint, Michigan. With his enrollment came employment within GM's Flint Assembly Plant. Miles studied at GMI until he transferred in 1962 to Mott Community College. He graduated from Mott College in 1967. While studying at Mott he acquired a position with A.C. Spark Plug as an experimental model-maker apprentice and journeyman.

Miles' career within the UAW began in 1962 as a member of UAW Local 651. As a member of the union he held positions as an alternate, district, and shop committeeman from 1968-1981. In 1981 he was elected President, and in 1983 he attained the appointed staff representative position with the UAW International Union, from which he will retire on July 31, 2004. Miles is a strong positive role model for his fellow members and the community. Throughout his career he has made significant, long-term contributions to improving the lives and working conditions of the men and women who build America's automobiles.

In addition to being a strong leader amongst the workforce, Miles is a member of several community boards and organizations. He serves with the Flushing Board of Education, United Way, American Heart Association, Boy Scouts of America, Insight, Greater Flint Health Coalition, and Hurley Hospital HHS Board to just name a few. Miles has achieved much in his lifetime. Some of those milestones include, but not limited to, Explorer Scout, Representative of the Decade from 1960- 1970 in the Decades of Education Ceremony for Beecher High School, recipient of the Walter Reuther Award, selected to hold the post of Worshipful Master of Flushing Masonic Lodge #225 in 1991, attained the title of 32nd Degree Mason, and is a member of the Shriners.

Miles is also a devoted husband to his loving wife Shirley Ann and supportive father to their wonderful son Miles.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I consider it my duty and my privilege to protect and defend human dignity and the quality of life for our citizens. I am extremely grateful to have a person like Miles Conrad Owens who shares these beliefs, and has made it his life's work to see this task achieved. I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in congratulating Miles, and wishing him the best in future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to pay special tribute to 17 members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) local 599, who on September 18, 2004 will be presented with the Walter Reuther Distinguished Service award. The recipients of this prestigious award are Jesse W. Perry, Dave Carr, Michael S. Polovina, Gordon Harman, Matthew Yard, Dewayne A. Butterworth, Dan Emerton, Mark Fillmore, Andrew T. Puro Jr., Robert G. Singer, Michael C. Wright, Willie Duncan, John W. Bishop, Bill Gawne, Dave Rinker, James R. Ottaway, Donald P. Sorensen, and Earl W. Stephens.

The Walter Reuther Distinguished Service award is bestowed on union members who have authenticated 20 years of notable service. Walter Reuther believed in helping people. He also believed in human dignity and social justice for all. The awardees have committed themselves to these very ideas and principles. Their leadership and unwavering commitment to securing and keeping automotive manufacturing jobs in the Flint area is without a doubt commendable. They have constantly fought for decent wages, education and training as well as human and civil rights. Their efforts have greatly improved the quality of life for the UAW's membership. It is an honor to recognize these special individuals, for they have faithfully, without reservation served their union and community.

Mr. Speaker, many people have greatly benefited from the leadership and service of these awardees. They are individuals of moral character committed to improving the welfare and dignity of those employed in the automobile manufacturing industry. I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in congratulating these fine people for 20 years of impeccable service to their union and community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 714. This resolution honors one of the most influential individuals in American education today. As a former public school teacher, I am pleased to honor Ms. Feldman on her retirement.

Ms. Feldman's leadership at the American Federation of teachers has made teacher quality and improved working conditions for teachers one of the primary factors in ensuring academic success. Her advocacy on behalf of children and teachers alike have greatly improved education reform in this country. For this, we owe Ms. Feldman our thanks.

The value of a public education is immeasurable. Ms. Feldman's work at the AFT lifted the value of education in the minds of the public. Most importantly however, Ms. Feldmaan has defined the importance of teacher quality. This legacy will continue to help children for many years to come. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to honor the faculty and staff of Bay Special Care Hospital of Bay City, Michigan, for providing 10 years of superior medical care to patients requiring extended care management. On July 15, 2004, the hospital, along with the community, will commemorate this special occasion.

Bay Special Care Hospital, a McLaren health service, opened in 1994, and is the first of its kind in Northeastern Michigan. The mission of Bay Special Care is to provide extended care to patients with complex medical needs and require a 25-day or longer stay. The hospital is staffed with a team of highly skilled healthcare professionals, who have committed themselves to providing each patient with intensive personalized care.

Bay Special Care has consistently received high marks for its service from the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services and most importantly from the patients they serve. I commend these men and women for their dedication to detail and commitment to sustaining life.

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honor and a pleasure for me to have this opportunity to recognize this outstanding group of medical professionals. Many families have benefited from their care and services. The staff considers it their duty and privilege to protect and defend human dignity and the quality of life for their patients. I am grateful for Bay Special Care's commitment to go beyond the ordinary when providing healthcare services. I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in paying tribute to the Bay Special Care Hospital for 10 years of outstanding service to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to honor the members of the Disabled American Veterans Genesee Chapter No. 3 as they celebrate their 75th anniversary on July 11, 2004 with local veterans and their families.

The Disabled American Veterans Genesee Chapter No. 3, of which my father, Timothy L. Kildee, was a member, was founded on March 18, 1929. The members of this non-profit organization have worked diligently on the behalf of America's wounded war heroes to ensure that they are not forgotten by our government and society. Through their efforts and generous donations from the community, they are able to assist disabled veterans by providing services such as transportation to and

from veterans medical facilities, representation for veterans in processing claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, grant financial assistance to veterans and their families, provide memorial services for any veteran, as well as color guards for all types of occasions. The DAV is an organization that is committed to helping disabled veterans help themselves by providing the tools necessary to restructure their lives and accommodate their service-connected illness or injury so that they can live as close to a productive life as possible.

We must never forget the sacrifice our Nation's men and women make when they enlist in the military. Each day of their enlistment, whether it is in a war zone or on the home front, they are making significant contributions toward preserving the freedoms of the United States. We are indebted to these brave individuals. I am very proud of the Disabled American Veterans Genesee Chapter No. 3 for they have always worked hard to fulfill requests for support. I consider them to be a valuable asset to the community.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member of Congress representing Genesee County, I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in paying tribute to an outstanding veterans organization, Disabled American Veterans Genesee Chapter No. 3, for 75 years of unwavering devotion to taking care of the disabled veterans of Genesee County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize an outstanding veteran from Bay City Michigan, Mr. Terry Watson who is retiring from his post as president of the Bay City Fireworks Festival Committee after 32 years of commendable service and dedication. The committee along with the community will honor Mr. Watson during the festival opening ceremony on July 1, 2004, in Bay City.

U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Terry Watson is a life long resident of Bay City, Michigan. Terry has dedicated his life to making the Bay area a better place to live, work and visit. He is a retired Bay City Police Officer with 27 years of notable service.

In 1962 the Fraternal Order of Police founded the Bay City fireworks. In 1981 the event evolved into a 3-day festival, complete with carnival. The fireworks display has been a significant part of the Bay area 4th of July holiday celebration for the past 42 years. The celebration draws a crowd of approximately 350,000 people. The firework show has been rated over the past years as one of the Nation's top five displays. Because of Terry's strong teamwork and leadership skills the Bay City Festival has become a popular family vacation destination spot for not only residents of Michigan but for others residing in states throughout the Midwest.

Aside from being an outstanding leader, Terry is also a devoted family man and he credits the love and support of his devoted wife Peggy, their three children, Jerry, Sheri and Richard, for his success.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in paying tribute to an outstanding veteran, Mr. Terry Watson, for his service to our Nation and his contributions to Bay City, Michigan. I wish him the best in future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of Eastgate Baptist Church of Burton, MI, where the Rev. Levi Parish is pastor. On Sunday, July 4, 2004, the Church along with the community will commemorate this joyous occasion with a full day of festivities that will conclude with a flag raising ceremony.

A great event happened in the community of Burton, MI in 1954, when 32 individuals came together and formed one of the most spirit filled ministries in Genesee County. The church was named Providence Baptist until 1965 when the name changed to Eastgate Baptist. Also during that same year they relocated to their present place of worship at 4226 East Atherton Road. During the past 50 years Eastgate Baptist Church has made a significant impact on the community. The members of Eastgate have consistently heeded the call of Christ to assist all those who are in need of spiritual healing. The inspiration for living by Christian ideals is repeated again and again in the lives of the ministers and congregation of this church. I pray that during this glorious milestone the members and community of this magnificent church will come together and do as the Bible tells us in Psalms 33:1-4 ``Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right and all his work is done in truth.''

Mr. Speaker, as the Member of Congress representing Burton, MI, I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in paying tribute to the Eastgate Baptist Church community for 50 years of spreading God's ministry to the people of Burton, MI, and in wishing them the best in years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to join my Michigan colleagues in congratulating the Detroit Pistons on winning the 2004 National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship. This is truly a remarkable achievement and the entire city of Detroit and the State of Michigan are very proud. I have had the pleasure of representing the city of Auburn Hills, location of The Palace, home of the Detroit Pistons. I have also been lucky enough to see firsthand the Detroit Pistons in action there.

On June 15, 2004, the Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to win the title. This amazing accomplishment came from a great team comprised of players Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Darvin Ham, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Darko Milicic, Mehmet Okur, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Corliss Williamson.

I am especially proud of Pistons Forward Darvin Ham who is a Saginaw, Michigan native. His mother is Wilmer Jones-Ham, the mayor of Saginaw. Darvin played high school basketball at and graduated from Saginaw High School. He went on to play college basketball at Texas Tech University where he helped lead the Red Raiders to a 1996 NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Darvin played an integral role with the team and is highly deserving of the championship ring he will now wear.

Darvin and the rest of the Pistons who many had said could not compete with the Lakers are truly representative of Saginaw and the entire State of Michigan. Their hard work and never-say-die attitude will hopefully bring them more championships in the very near future. Once again, I congratulate the Detroit Pistons for winning the 2004 NBA Championship.

[From the Saginaw (MI) News, June 16, 2004]

``Mama Ham'' Cheers Darvin

(By Greg Mancina)

``Mama Ham'' was doing a jig early this morning while

waiting for her World Champion son, Darvin, to come back out

of the Detroit Pistons locker room in The Palace of Auburn

Hills.

``I'm trying to keep my composure, but it's hard,''

admitted Wilmer Jones Ham, called ``Mama Ham'' by the Pistons

players.

``The winning spirit of victory is in the air.''

That winning spirit came from a 100-87 shellacking of

Shaquille O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday that gave the

Pistons their third NBA title and Darvin Ham his first

championship ring after what many national pundits are

calling the biggest upset in NBA Finals history.

The Pistons were low-down underdogs to the powerful L.A.

Lakers, and its star-studded roster, bench and crowd. But

something happened on the way to their coronation--a better

team showed up, one that included Saginaw's Darvin Ham.

``I'm just trying to soak it all in,'' said Ham, who

finally emerged from the locker room and popped into the

team's post-game dinner in an upstairs dining room at the

Palace at about 2:30 a.m. ``We did it, baby!''

And Darvin Ham knew it all along.

``I knew back in February we had a championship quality

ballclub,'' he said.

Now the rest of the world knows it, too.

``Don't nobody play D like this, never, ever, not for the

long periods of time that we keep our defensive pressure

consistent at that high of a level,'' Ham explained. ``It is

nothing like anything that's come along in the NBA.''

``Larry Brown preached defense, rebound, share the ball,

defense, rebound, share the ball, defense, rebound, share the

ball, and it rings true. That's why he won a championship in

college and in the NBA.

``It's not rocket science, it's a simple formula, but I

wish I could bottle it up and create a championship wine

cellar so I can pop it open whenever I want.''

Adding to Ham's championship experience was sharing it with

his family, his mother, and the more than 250 extended family

members who somehow found a way into the Palace for Game 5.

``God allowed me to give birth to a World Championship

basketball player,'' Wilmer Jones Ham said. ``Isn't that

something?''

Wilmer Jones Ham, the mayor of Saginaw who Darvin says

``has a bigger name than I do,'' attended her first

basketball game in its entirety since a fainting spell during

a City Council meeting last month.

The mayor went to Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, but

could only stay until halftime ``by doctor's orders.''

But Tuesday was different. Tuesday was close-out day

for the Pistons and there was no way Ham was going to miss

what turned into the title-clinching victory.

``Guess what? I stayed the whole time and I'm wringing with

sweat,'' Wilmer Jones Ham said. ``My heart has been beating,

it's never stopped fluttering.''

``I would sit down and put a cold rag to my head, saying to

myself `exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale.' ''

The mayor sat in the first row along the baseline by a

basket and near enough to the Pistons' bench that they kept

asking ``You alright Mama Ham? You alright?''

``She got to see the important (game),'' Darvin Ham said.

``It's been incredible.''

The family atmosphere also permeates the team, said Darvin

Ham, who said that in all of his NBA stops he's never

experienced anything like the camaraderie he's had with this

team.

``Joe Dumars created an environment where it's easy to come

to work, and you look forward to seeing your teammates,''

Darvin Ham said.

And right on cue, the Palace turned into a hug-fest after

the victory.

``Everybody is holding onto Darvin, hugging him,'' Wilmer

Jones Ham said.

``This just shows you that hard work pays off,'' she

explained. ``They can be an example for all young people--you

don't give up, you don't throw in the towel.''

Darvin Ham is practically the poster child of not throwing

in the towel.

A reserve player on his Saginaw High School basketball

team, Ham worked through junior college to latch onto a

scholarship at Texas Tech.

Then he turned his reputation as a defender and ``banger''

into a profession, first playing in one of basketball's minor

leagues before signing an NBA free agent contract with the

Denver Nuggets.

He played for five more teams before finally landing in

Detroit in September of last year.

Darvin Ham came to the Pistons as a defensive specialist

and used his work ethic

and infectious personality to catch the attention of coach

Larry Brown, who also gave Mama Ham a hug after the final

horn.

Ham earned extended playing time in early-season games, and

two starting assignments, based on his work ethic and defense

in practice, an attitude Brown was trying to instill in the

rest of his team.

``I earned my minutes and recognition through the practice

floor,'' he said.

``Darv is such a good-hearted person and they told me he is

the joy of the team,'' Mama Ham said. ``He's the mover and

the shaker, `Hey, we can do it. We can work through it.' ''

In 370 career NBA games, Ham's averaged 3.0 points and 2.5

rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game, and he's had to bang a lot

of bodies in practice to earn those minutes. In Detroit this

season, he averaged 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 54 games.

``It's just being focused and competing,'' Darvin Ham said.

``Everybody matters. We all pushed . . . Darko (Milicic)

pushed our big guys every day in practice. That's stuff not

written about in the papers and people don't get to see it.

The thing I love the most is they recognize that around

here.''

The fans will recognize that over the next few days when

Ham and his teammates have a slate of parties, parades and

rallies planned beginning Thursday morning.

``I'm not sleeping until Labor Day,'' Darvin Ham said.

Greg Mancina is a sports writer for The Saginaw News. You

may contact him at 776-9670.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize an outstanding group of young men and women who on August 1, 2004 will receive their degree in the field of Mortuary Science from Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences located in Detroit, Michigan.

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, located on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center, is a unit of Wayne State University. The School of Mortuary Science was formed within the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 1943. Students from all over compete for a spot in this highly selective program. The program provides students with specialized training in the area of funeral preparation and services. The students who graduate from this program are fully prepared psychologically, physically and socially to deal with the process of dying and death. Upon acceptance of their degrees they each will be charged with the duty of providing guidance, advice and support to those who have lost loves ones. The process of bereavement is long and sometimes stressful. Many families will look to these individuals for answers to questions regarding the burial process, as well as words of comfort. I am confident that the instruction given to these graduates over their course of study will assist them in their mission to promote nobility and understanding within the field of Mortuary Science.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me congratulating the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Mortuary Science class of 2004 and in wishing them the best in future endeavors.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Rahall amendment, which would protect Native American sacred sites on Federal land.

Congress has enacted several laws designed to protect religious rights of Native Americans, as well as to protect the cultural and historic sites from poor management practices. These laws include the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, the American Indian Free Exercise of Religion Act, the National Preservation Historic Act and the Native American Grave and Repatriation Act.

But, Mr. Chairman, despite the enactment of these laws, many Native American sacred sites remain to this day under threat of desecration. I therefore urge my colleagues to support the Rahall amendment that would prevent Federal funds from being used to harm Native American sacred sites on Federal land.

I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize a woman of God, Sister Patricia Fischer, O.P. for her outstanding contributions in the field of education and religion.

Sister Patricia was born in Adrian, Michigan. She attended St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School, and graduated from Adrian Catholic Central High School. She received her Bachelor of Administration degree from Sienna Heights University in Adrian, and her Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University, Detroit. Sister Patricia also holds several certificates of completion for courses in Theology, Scripture, and Spirituality.

Sister Patricia, as a member of the Adrian Dominican Sisters took her first profession of vows on December 29, 1961 under the religious name of Sister Janice Ann. Her final profession was made on December 29, 1966. In 1969 she resumed her baptismal name of Patricia Ann Fischer. Sister Patricia's educational ministry began in Illinois. She held the position of teacher at St. Joseph School, Homewood, St. Lawrence School, and St. Carthage School of Chicago, and the Infant Jesus of Prague School, Flossmoor. Upon her reassignment to Michigan she accepted a position teaching at St. Leo School in Detroit. In 1975, she began a 29-year tenure as principal of St. John the Evangelist School in Fenton. Upon stepping down from her position as principal, Sister Patricia will return to the Motherhouse as an administrator. Sister Patricia has received numerous awards for her invaluable service and dedication to the community. She was honored by the Knights of Columbus, St. John the Evangelist Parish, St. John the Evangelist School, and the Principals Academy of Washington, DC. In addition to her position as principal of St. John Evangelist School, she sits on the Board of Admissions for the Adrian Dominican Sisters, on the board of St. Joseph Academy in Adrian, and serves as Co-Chair for the Diocese of Lansing Diocesan Services Appeal. Sister Patricia is also a St. John Evangelist RENEW Leader (Faith Formation), as well as a member of several St. John the Evangelist Parish committees, and she is a member of the Diocese of Lansing School Accreditation Teams. Sister Patricia is without a doubt a counselor, spiritual advisor and a friend to many. Our community is certainly a better place because of her presence.

I know Sister Pat would want me to point out that the love, prayers and support of her family has greatly contributed to her overall success. She has three sisters, Nancy Cochran, Janice Mann, and Martha Sue Marquis. She has several aunts including her mother's sister, Sister Clarine, S.S.N.D. and eight nieces and nephews.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of Congress, I ask my colleagues in the 108th Congress to please join me in paying tribute and congratulating Sister Patricia Fischer upon her retirement from the Catholic School System. Sister Pat has inspired many in the field of education. She has and continues to serve the Lord with the greatest devotion. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless Sister Patricia as she carries on her quest to spread the word of God to all.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and I can join forces to make a necessary adjustment in our immigration and homeland security laws that would ensure that the millions of Americans who work in the travel industry do not suffer while we continue to improve new immigration security technologies.

Today we are considering legislation to extend by 1 year the requirement that travelers from visa waiver countries present biometric machine-readable passports at United States ports of entry. A 1-year extension will allow business visitors and tourists from the 27 nations in the visa waiver program to continue to make plans for the near future with currently valid passports and travel to the United States while technology is improved.

Using biometric passports will make us safer, but only if the technology is effective, durable, and part of a globally interoperable system that is compatible between nations. A 1-year extension will give Congress and the State Department more time to assess the very important questions of protecting privacy and ensuring efficient processing, while continuing to make serious steps toward a system that will secure our ports and national security.

As we balance serious threats to national security with our needs to protect our liberty, we must adhere to our fundamental values as an open society. Most visitors come with goodwill, contribute to our economy, share their knowledge, learn about our culture, and spread the promise of democracy and freedom around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and me in supporting this legislation to ensure that the benefit of travel and exchange are not lost in the war on terror.

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