Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, at 9:02 a.m. on the morning of April 19th, 1995, a truck bomb detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City killing 168 individuals--all of them unsuspecting women, children, and men--thereby becoming one of the most abhorrent acts of violence ever undertaken against the American people. Fifteen years after the bombing, we recognize on this day--April 19th, 2010--all those both in Oklahoma and across the United States who were touched by this inexplicable articulation of violence, violence which signaled an irrevocable act of domestic terrorism. Our recollections of that nascent dawn are consequently entombed within these words as a small yet vital elegy to the mid-April daylight a decade and a half ago when our world exploded.

We cannot and we must not allow the events from 15 years past to lapse in our memories. The actions of that day still scar the surrounding landscape like the ghosts of an enduring trauma, latent but ever present behind the unyielding advances of time. Within a 16-block radius of the blast site where 850 individuals were injured, where 19 of the 168 killed were under the age of 6, where 324 structures were either damaged or destroyed, where 86 cars were utterly incinerated and where the window panes of 258 buildings were thoroughly shattered, the scorched earth campaign of Tim McVeigh and Terry Nichols permanently impacted not only the existence of each and every Oklahoman but of all Americans. Yet, the remarkable efforts of local, State, and Federal law enforcement, fire and emergency services, search and rescue teams from near and far, medical personnel both public and private, as well as vast numbers of volunteers who willingly endangered themselves to save others, assist the injured, support the grieving, and provide amenities to those endangered or otherwise altered by this act of terrorism all attest to the irrepressible character of Oklahoma and of America as a whole.

Today, after the chaos of tragedy unexpected, after the initial anguish of the moment, after the exposure of a malice which rocked us to our very core, the Oklahoma City National Memorial stands resilient in the downtown area as a sobering reminder of the attack on America's heartland 15 years previous. The memorial itself--set on the grounds of the incendiary assault, in the solitary shadow of an elm known as the Survivor Tree--bears the following inscription: ``We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.'' And, may we as Americans, never permit ourselves to forget the pilfered vitality those 168 empty chairs signify, especially the 16 smaller seats--each one a life, literally in its infancy, extinguished by the unmitigated cruelty of a terrorist plot planted and brought to fruition on American soil.

Moreover, we cannot dismiss the somber relevance the beloved departed lend to the grievous affairs of that morning. We cannot dismiss the 580 injured. Nor can we dismiss the countless number of volunteers from every corner of this country who came from near and far to aid in Oklahoma City's continued recovery. April 19th must remain firmly in our minds as the day America was altered permanently, as the day I urge us to recognize and to never forget.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to insert my views into the Record regarding the importance of the relationship between the United States and Israel.

Vice President Biden's visit last week to Israel and subsequent public statements made by U.S. and Israeli officials have given rise to a storm of speculation about the strength and durability of the alliance between our two nations.

The Obama administration in recent days has expressed frustration over an announcement made by the Israeli government during the Vice President's visit that it intends to build 1,600 additional housing units in East Jerusalem.

The administration contends such plans place in jeopardy its initiative to resume peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, and has publically rebuked Israel for last week's announcement, an act seldom seen from U.S. Government officials.

These events deeply concern me, and I find the administration's rhetoric troubling. Now is the time for greater solidarity between the United States and Israel, not less.

We cannot forget that the United States faces considerable challenges in the Middle

East. Iran is quickly advancing its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities to threaten the United States and our allies in the Middle East and Europe. Our significant political and military gains in Iraq and Afghanistan remain fragile and reversible. Moreover, the Middle East remains the epicenter of violent extremism, serving as a base for terrorist groups who continue to plan and launch attacks against America.

The United States cannot confront these threats alone. Israel has been our most critical partner in the Middle East, helping us to protect our national security. The ability of the United States to defeat our adversaries depends on Israeli support.

Bringing my remarks to conclusion, the relationship between the United States and Israel rests firmly upon the foundation of more than half a century of history. It is grounded in mutual respect, supported by shared values, and guided by our common long-term interests. Therefore, our alliance remains strong and, despite what some may speculate, it will not succumb to the shifting politics of the day or to petty disagreements.

Madam Speaker, for these reasons I call upon the President, members of his administration, and my fellow members of Congress, to remain steadfast in their unwavering commitment to the relationship between the United States and Israel.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remind Members of this body that the month of March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. During the month of March, colon cancer advocates across the country will organize and participate in a wide range of activities to raise awareness about this horrible disease. This year alone, almost 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, and approximately 50,000 of them will die from it.

Madam Speaker, it doesn't have to be that way. If detected early, the survival rate for colon cancer is almost 90 percent. Yet less than half of all Americans get the recommended preventive tests by the suggested age of 50.

Colon cancer is an issue that is very personal to me; 12 years ago, I lost my mother Janna to this dreadful disease. And since arriving in Congress, I have made it one of my missions to bring attention to this serious yet preventable cancer. So for the next 3 weeks, I want Members of this body to ask themselves and their constituents two important questions: Have you asked your doctor if you should get a colonoscopy? Do you know that it could save your life?

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2701, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. This bill makes an excellent product and much needed investment in many critical areas, including those that have been previously underresourced.

One of the most important investments is this bill's commitment to developing foreign language capabilities, specifically in African languages that have historically been underrepresented within the intelligence community. The bill creates a pilot program under the National Security Education Program, or the NSEP. It expands the David Boren Scholars by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to identify high-priority African languages for which language education programs do not currently exist. The NSEP would then develop intensive training programs for implementation in both the United States and in countries where these languages are spoken.

Let's not forget that 10 years ago we didn't anticipate the conflicts along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and the need for speakers of the local languages and dialects. When the need arose, we didn't have the capabilities to meet immediate demands, and to this day, we are still playing catch-up.

Similarly, we cannot predict from where the next crisis will emerge, but by recognizing the current instability in the Horn of Africa, Sudan, and Congo, we can anticipate crises that will impact national security.

We should be training the linguists and translators in the relevant languages now so that once again we are not reactive in our efforts; we're proactive in our actions.

I urge support for this bill.

I thank the gentleman from Idaho for yielding.

I rise today in support of the Minnick-Schock-Boren-Bright-Childers- Shuler amendment.

Madam Chair, most everyone in this body agrees that following a period in American history where the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 60 percent of its value, three of America's five major investment banks went broke, and the U.S. saw the largest number of commercial bank failures in four generations that the need to reform the way America's banking and financial regulatory system works is important. The question, though, is: Just how many new government agencies are necessary to accomplish this task? If we create a new Federal agency to regulate consumer credit, will it improve the current regulatory framework or will it end up costing American jobs? I think we need to be cautious in our approach, so today I rise in an effort to streamline this piece of legislation.

The amendment currently before this House will do a few simple things:

First, it will change the framework of the legislation by locating a newly created Consumer Financial Protection Council within the Department of the Treasury rather than creating an entirely new Federal agency to oversee the financial system.

Second, it will amend the legislation to take the power of regulating trillions of dollars of financial transactions out of the hands of one politically appointed administrator and instead create a Consumer Financial Protection Council charged with promoting consumer protection for users of financial products and services. By consolidating the expansion of government created by this regulatory bill, we can properly get the financial and banking system back on its feet without creating another new Federal agency designed to solve America's problems.

In the interest of good government, this legislation must be focused and directed at what caused the problem and not about settling old scores over business practices.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment.

Madam Speaker, as House Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and lifelong sportsman, I hereby recognize the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. The Foundation was officially incorporated 20 years ago this week on December 7, 1989.

On behalf of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and the millions of hunters and anglers across the country, congratulations to the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation on 20 years of successfully supporting the Caucus in advancing pro-sportsmen hunting, fishing, and conservation issues in the United States Congress.

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation is the most trusted organization focused on issues of importance to this nation's sporting heritage and serves as the most critical link between sportsmen and women and the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. The sportsmen and women of America can be proud of the long standing partnership between the Caucus and Foundation in accomplishing many legislative victories on their behalf.

Since its inception, the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus has grown into one of the largest and most effective caucuses in the United States Congress with nearly 300 members representing almost all 50 states. With bipartisan leadership in both the House and the Senate, the Caucus is the sportsmen's ally and first line of defense in Washington promoting and protecting the rights of hunters, trappers and anglers.

With the success of the CSC/CSF partnership, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation created a network of state legislative sportsmen's caucuses modeled after the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus in 2004, launching the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC). Currently with 38 state legislative sportsmen's caucuses and nearly 2,000 legislators, the NASC facilitates the interaction and idea exchange among state caucus leaders and the outdoor community.

Earlier this year the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation launched the Governors Sportsmen's Caucus to facilitate communication and information exchange among a bipartisan team of state chief executives in support of legislation and regulations that promote and protect hunting and fishing. Guided by a bipartisan leadership team of governors and staffed through the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the GSC further enhances the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses.

The combination of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses, and the Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus, working side-by-side with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, serves as an unprecedented network of pro-sportsmen elected officials that promote and protect the agenda of America's hunters and anglers.

The Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation looks back fondly on the accomplishments of the last 20 years and now looks forward to continuing the work of protecting America's hunters and anglers in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report on the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. This bill will fund many vital activities over the coming year that protect our public lands and our environment and that support our cultural heritage and contribute to the vibrant artistic life of the Nation. This bill also will have a major impact on the future energy development for our country.

It is in the best interests of our Nation to become energy independent and to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. No country can remain a leading player in the community of nations if it must increasingly rely on other nations for one of the bedrock elements of its economy. We must do everything we can to effectively increase our domestic supplies of energy in the most responsible manner possible.

As we all know, there are many things that we can do to facilitate the production of domestic energy including tapping of vast resources of clean-burning fuels such as natural gas. According to recent reports, the United States now holds as much as 1,800 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, almost one-third of which is in shale reservoirs. This is perhaps equivalent to over 300 billion barrels of oil, more than even the energy reserves of Saudi Arabia.

Hydraulic fracturing is one key and very important technique to help us tap the potential of our domestic oil and gas resources. Since the first commercial hydraulic fracturing operation was conducted in 1948, the use of this technology has become routine and often essential in the production of oil and natural gas. In fact, over 95 percent of new wells in unconventional formations such as tight sands, shales and coalbeds are hydraulically fractured. Hydraulic fracturing has literally unlocked vast supplies of natural gas in our country and has allowed us to produce natural gas in areas where it was never before possible.

States have effectively regulated hydraulic fracturing for many years and are fully capable of continuing to do so without unnecessary federal oversight. The key state organizations with the most significant involvement in oil and gas regulation--the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) and the Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC)--have both strongly reaffirmed the adequacy of state regulation of hydraulic fracturing. In fact, after analyzing the oil and gas regulations of 27 states, including the regulation of hydraulic fracturing by these states, the GWPC recently concluded that existing state oil and gas regulations were ``adequately designed to directly protect water resources.''

A number of studies have confirmed that these state regulatory programs are effective in protecting sources of drinking water. It was only a few years ago, in 2004, that EPA issued a report concerning its study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing of coalbed methane wells on underground sources of drinking water. At the time EPA stated that its report was the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of hydraulic fracturing. The Agency concluded that hydraulic fracturing of CBM wells--which was thought to represent a worst case scenario since coalbeds tend to be shallower and therefore closer to drinking water aquifers than other types of formations such as shales--posed little to no risk to underground sources of drinking water. EPA also found that there were no confirmed instances in which hydraulic fracturing had contaminated a drinking water well, despite the fact that the technology had been in use for over 50 years and hundreds of thousands of wells had been hydraulically fractured during that time.

Since its publication some have sought to discredit this EPA report based largely on the allegations of a single EPA employee who disagreed with the methods by which the report was created. However, the study was and remains both valid and credible. In fact, since EPA issued the report state regulatory officials have reiterated on numerous occasions that they are aware of no instances in which hydraulic fracturing has contaminated drinking water supplies.

The evidence clearly indicates that there is no need for further study of hydraulic fracturing. Rather than spend additional resources, EPA's Office of Drinking Water should be addressing activities that actually pose a significant risk to drinking water supplies. Nevertheless, the conference report we are considering today calls for EPA to undertake another study of hydraulic fracturing.

Under these circumstances we must ensure that any further study is guided by some key, well-recognized principles. First and foremost, any new study should be conducted in a very comprehensive, scientific, credible and transparent manner. To achieve this goal, it would be extremely prudent for this study to be conducted in accordance with applicable Agency quality assurance guidance and should be guided by recognized principles of risk assessment that consider hazard assessment, exposure pathways, and exposure levels. This work also should be based on substantiated information that is developed in accordance with fundamental scientific protocols. This approach will allow EPA to conduct a high quality study that focuses on the actual risks to public health, if any, that hydraulic fracturing entails.

In addition, another key point is that this study should be based on a phased approach in order to conserve resources and to avoid undertaking investigative activities that are not warranted. As part of this approach, EPA should first review and consider any existing studies, particularly the studies by the Groundwater Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, who have already undertaken considerable efforts in this area, and other related information concerning hydraulic fracturing and its potential impacts and determine specific areas that might deserve further review.

In addition, the study should be conducted with the involvement of a variety of key participants. For example, the study should be conducted in consultation with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Geological Survey and should include the participation of key state regulatory officials as well as the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Ground Water Protection Council. Interested stakeholders should certainly be involved at key stages of the study, and the public should have an opportunity to comment on the proposed design of the study and should be allowed to review and comment on a draft of any study report. The study also should be subject to an appropriate peer review process consistent with standard Agency guidance.

Finally, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Any study by EPA should certainly take into account the Agency's prior 2004 study of hydraulic fracturing and the conclusions reached in that study. At the same time, the study should take into account the impacts of current state and federal regulatory programs covering hydraulic fracturing Finally, it might be prudent to give proper consideration to an appropriate role for the National Academy of Sciences, an independent body of distinguished experts, in developing the study.

Madam Speaker, I am confident that if EPA embraces these principles as it further studies hydraulic fracturing, this study will properly address this issue in the detail that it deserves. This approach will help us then move forward in developing our nation's energy resources in the most effective manner possible.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 776 for the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2009, if I had been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor one of Oklahoma's most respected political leaders, Sandy Garrett.

Born and raised in my hometown of Muskogee, Oklahoma, Sandy Garrett has been Oklahoma's superintendent of public instruction for the past 19 years. As chief executive officer of the State Department of Education, Superintendent Garrett has led the implementation of major education reforms such as Oklahoma's Education Reform Act of 1990, the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act of 2005.

In 2006, she was re-elected overwhelmingly for the fifth time. Superintendent Garrett is the only woman in Oklahoma history to hold the office.

Her strong character and steady leadership have served, and continue to serve, multiple generations of Oklahoma school children.

Sandy Garrett, because of your commitment to public service, Oklahoma continues to be a great State to live and work in.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I remove my name from H. Res. 701.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Oklahoma's most distinguished public servants and a former Member of this legislative body, Congressman Wes Watkins.

Madam Speaker, the legislation that we have before us today, H.R. 1713, would name the USDA Lane Agricultural Research Laboratory in Lane, Oklahoma, and the United States Post Office in Bennington, Oklahoma, in honor of Congressman Wesley ``Wes'' Watkins.

Congressman Watkins' story is uniquely American. Born in De Queen, Arkansas, and raised and schooled in a working class Oklahoma agricultural family, Wes Watkins would grow and develop into one of Oklahoma's most prominent political figures.

Following his graduation from Bennington High School in the spring of 1956, a young Watkins would move to Stillwater, Oklahoma, and enroll in Oklahoma State University. Five year later, Watkins would earn a bachelor's and master's degree with honor and distinction.

After graduating from college, Wes Watkins did what many Oklahomans have done. He decided to serve his State and country by joining the Oklahoma Air National Guard. But in the summer of 1975, Wes Watkins felt he had a higher calling, and that was public service. That fall, he would successfully run for a seat in the Oklahoma State Senate, representing the same ``Little Dixie'' region that the former Speaker Carl Albert called home.

Two years later when Speaker Albert announced his retirement, State Senator Watkins decided he would run for the Speaker's former seat. After winning a competitive primary against the Speaker's former Chief of Staff, Wes went on to win the general election with more than 80 percent of the vote, and for the better part of four decades, Congressman Wes Watkins would represent eastern Oklahoma in the United States House of Representatives. As a Member of the House of Representatives, Congressman Watkins would go on to become the only Oklahoma Congressman to serve on all three major House financial committees.

Madam Speaker, I was fortunate enough to not only be represented by Wes Watkins in Congress, I was lucky to have the opportunity to serve on both his D.C. staff and his district staff, first as an intern in his Washington, D.C. office and then as a field representative in his eastern Oklahoma district. Without Congressman Watkins' guidance and his inspiration, I probably wouldn't be here today representing Oklahoma's Second Congressional District.

Wes Watkins' record serving the State of Oklahoma is one filled with leadership, compassion, and selfless service. The Lane Agricultural Research Laboratory and the United States Post Office that this legislation will name in his honor will serve as a permanent reminder of all that he has given to Oklahoma.

I ask that all my colleagues support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I wanted to add a couple of things as a former staffer to Congressman Watkins--and Congressman Cole was very eloquent in his remarks, and so was my good friend, Frank Lucas.

There are so many of us, not just myself but there are many of us in congressional offices across Washington, D.C., people in State government in Oklahoma, a lot of folks involved in agriculture, who can trace back their start to Wes Watkins.

I can tell you when I was starting out and I was looking for a job, he is the first person who gave me an opportunity. There are so many countless people that could say the same thing. So his legacy isn't necessarily just his name on a building. It is also all of the people and all of the families that he has touched. And also I wanted to say, and Tom Cole brought this up, Lou Watkins. She has been his partner for so many years. She has been a State regent at Oklahoma State University and a constant mentor to all of us.

With that, I hope my colleagues would support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 30th anniversary

of an influential Oklahoma publication, the McCarville Report, and to acknowledge its author, Oklahoman Mike McCarville.

Born in Enid and later raised and schooled in Del City, Oklahoma, Mike has spent his entire professional life in the field of journalism. Throughout his 35-year career, Mike has written or contributed to almost every notable Oklahoma newspaper. However, it has been the very popular McCarville Report that has solidified his influence in Oklahoma politics and culture.

The McCarville Report provides daily insight into the policy positions and issues that face Oklahoma's elected officials. It is an important resource to me and to thousands of Oklahomans that read it every day.

Congratulations, Mike, on 30 years of providing Oklahomans with the McCarville Report. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this measure, H.R. 310, the HALE Scouts Act, granting the U.S. Forest Service authority to sell roughly 140 acres of land to the Indian Nations Council of Boy Scouts, which is adjacent to the Scout's summer camp, Camp Tom Hale located in Talihina, OK. The Indian Nations Council of Boy Scouts is a non-profit organization providing educational programs for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.

Camp Tom Hale first opened in June 1930 to serve Boy Scouts in the McAlester, Oklahoma area. It was originally located at what is now Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton, Oklahoma. In 1963, the Boy Scout Council in McAlester worked with the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. Forest Service to exchange the camp at Robbers Cave for 480 acres of wilderness area in the Ouachita National Forest.

This ``new'' Camp Hale has continued as a summer adventure camp serving thousands of scouts during the intervening 41 years.

In 1997, the Council board developed a strategic plan for a $3.5 million expansion and renovation of the camp. Since then, the Council has spent in excess of $1 million continually updating and expanding facilities to meet the needs of scouts. As a result, a renewed emphasis on wilderness and the outdoors has flourished, with over 6000 scouts and leaders from a five state area attending weekly sessions offered in June and July and enjoying the beautiful Ouachita Forest.

Attendance has now exceeded the maximum number of available campsites and program areas, which is causing Camp Hale to begin turning away hundreds of scouts each summer. It is now critical for camp growth that the boundaries be extended to include more area for camping and additional program & training services. Successful completion of this objective will allow the Boy Scouts to continue the expansion of outdoor & leadership training for thousands of youth living in the Central Southwest and bring additional usage and enjoyment of the Ouachita Forest to more families.

It is for the benefit of these thousands of young Oklahomans that I proudly sponsored this measure. I greatly appreciate this House's consideration of this bill, and would like to urge my colleagues to support the measure.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for your hard work on this legislation and also your support for Indian country in Oklahoma for many years.

I would like to bring to the gentleman's attention an inequity and an inefficiency that currently exists within the Federal programs that assist local transit agencies with their capital projects such as buses and garages. Specifically, for alternative fuel transit buses, the Federal share is 80 percent of the capital cost of a standard diesel, plus 90 percent for the cost of vehicle-related compliance with the Clean Air Act, often referred to as the incremental cost.

In short, blending the percentages, grantees may apply for an 83 percent Federal share of the total vehicle cost. This was based on the policy that such buses contribute generally to cleaner air and maintaining compliance with the Federal air quality standards.

I would like to ask the gentleman if I'm correct in stating that this bill includes a provision that allows a 90 percent Federal share for the entire cost of a biodiesel bus?

I understand that this biodiesel provision was included in this and several past Transportation appropriations bills for air quality and petroleum displacement reasons. However, I would like to suggest to the chairman, there is no reason not to extend the same 90 percent of the total vehicle cost benefits offered to a biodiesel bus to a natural gas bus. Natural gas-powered buses produce 22 percent less greenhouse gases than comparable standard diesel buses, and they have a proven track record of displacing imported petroleum.

It is my hope that the gentleman would be willing to work with me on this issue to provide 90 percent of the total vehicle cost to natural gas buses.

That would help transit agencies accelerate the replacement of existing diesel buses with new, fuel-efficient, alternative fueled ones. This change would make a significant contribution in America's strategy for energy independence and global climate change.

Simultaneously, it would ensure clean air and the health of our citizens, and contribute to the growth of our economy.

I thank the chairman for his willingness to work with me on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a fellow Oklahoman, Wayman Tisdale, who tragically passed away on May 15th.

Many people in Oklahoma and across the nation knew Wayman as a college or professional basketball player, or even as an accomplished musician. But he represented much, much more.

Tisdale was a three-time All-American for the University of Oklahoma's basketball program in the 1980s before playing a dozen years in the NBA.

Wayman still holds Oklahoma's career record for both points and rebounds. Tisdale was the first OU athlete in any sport to have his jersey retired. After three years at Oklahoma, Tisdale played in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.

As a chart-topping musician, Tisdale recorded eight albums. Tisdale's jazz album ``Power Forward'' reached No. 4 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, and his album ``Way Up'' reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 10.

Aside from his long list of achievements, Tisdale's leadership, character, and grace set a strong example for his family, friends, teammates, fans, and above all else, his fellow Americans.

Mr. Tisdale was an All-American not just in basketball, but in life. With memories of his big smile and his big heart, we send our deepest condolences to Wayman's wife, Regina, and his four children. Wayman will be missed, but never forgotten.