Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of a fellow Oklahoman, Steve Moore, who unexpectedly passed away on Saturday, September 22, 2007.

Steve was a great person and a great Oklahoman. Many in the Oklahoma community and around the Nation knew Steve as the CEO of OG&E, but he was much, much more.

In fact, Steve's leadership paved the way for OG&E to be recognized by Forbes magazine on its list of the Nation's best managed companies. Additionally, as approximately 750,000 OG&E customers know, the company received numerous awards for customer satisfaction in emergency response under Steve's guidance.

However, during his 61 years, Steve managed not only to be the leader of Oklahoma's largest utility provider, but also a civic leader throughout the State. Few may know that Steve is the past chairman of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and he served on the boards of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, Allied Arts, the State Fair, the United Way, the Edison Electric Institute, and the foundations of both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University.

I think his list of civic activities, along with the State and national recognition given to OG&E, showed that Steve Moore truly cared for his employees, for his customers, and, above all else, his fellow Oklahomans. It was this home-grown Okie compassion that will make the Sayre-born and Altus-raised son of Oklahoma missed by us all.

With these thoughts, Oklahomans around the State send their condolences to Steve's wife Nancy, his daughter, Lisa, his son, Scott, and his mother, Melda. Steve will be missed, but not forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of Oklahoma's own Gil Morgan, for his first-place finish at the 2007 Champions Tour Wal-Mart First Tee Open.

Gil's victory at Pebble Beach is quite an accomplishment in and of itself, but I am proud to say that he is no stranger to the winner's podium. During his career in the world of golf, Gil has amassed nearly 40 championship wins. In fact, Gil had managed to claim his first professional victory of his 35-year career when he succeeded in winning the PGA Tour's 1977 B.C. Open. His career also reflects six other PGA Tour wins, including the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic in 1979 and the Kemper Open in 1990. More impressive is Gil's 25 Champions tour wins, which include the 2003 Kroger Classic, the 2006 Allianz Championship, and his most recent feat at the Wal-Mart First Tee Open.

While many around the nation know Gil as a professional golf champion whose career has taken him around the world, those of us from Oklahoma know him as one of our own. It all started for Gil in the small town of Wewoka, Oklahoma. From Wewoka, Gil went on to graduate from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma before earning his Doctor of Optometry from Southern College of Optometry in 1972. A short while after completion of his education, Gil began his long and illustrious career as a professional golfer.

Madam Speaker, I think that Gil's story is an inspiring one and provides many good lessons for the rest of us to follow. First, it doesn't matter where you begin in life. With a little effort and determination, we can all accomplish victories in our lives. Second, I see Gil's determination to finish both an undergraduate degree and a doctoral degree before beginning his professional sporting career to be an inspiration to both young and old. Some of us may have extraordinary talents, such as golf, that we are born in possession of; however, knowledge is something that cannot be taken away should our talents fail us. While Gil's talent as a professional golfer has never failed him, he has always had the comfort of his education to fall back upon should he need to do so.

For these reasons, Madam Speaker, I am proud to salute Gil Morgan and I join with all of my fellow Oklahomans in giving him praise and congratulations for his most recent accomplishment at the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. As you know, Oklahoma is usually known for its love of football; however, on Sunday, September 2, 2007, we were all golf fans because of Gil.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I offer this second-degree amendment because, while I respect the efforts of the gentleman from North Carolina to protect the tribal membership and rights of the Cherokee Freedmen, we must consider the fact that this issue is currently being addressed in the tribal court system. Pursuing congressional action before these citizens have their day in court would be acting prematurely.

Earlier this year, the tribal courts approved a stay, which had the effect of reinstating the Freedmen to full citizenship status, including benefits and voting rights. This reinstatement applies to all Freedmen descendants who had previously been citizens and will last until the Cherokee Nation District Court reaches a decision.

Because the Freedmen are current members of the Cherokee Nation, cutting off funding for the Cherokee Nation today would have the effect of cutting benefits to the Freedmen, the very people this amendment attempts to protect.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would allow the courts to uphold their responsibility in hearing this case and ruling before this disallowment of funding to the Cherokee Nation can be put into place.

In this country, we have judicial processes in place that should be honored before Congress steps in to act. My amendment is a reasonable approach, and I remain committed to protecting the rights of my constituents, the Cherokee Nation members, which currently includes the Freedmen.

My amendment would not end debate on this issue.

After the courts render a decision, Congress can examine this issue if necessary. Congressional action may not be necessary. So let's stop trying to find a legislative solution to a problem that does not currently exist. My amendment allows us to wait on the courts to rule before making a rash decision to cut funding for thousands of my constituents.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2358) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in commemoration of Native Americans and the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the development of the United States and the history of the United States, 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 this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2358, the Native American $1 Coin Act, requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins commemorating Native Americans and the important contributions they have made to the history and growth of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frank and Mr. Kildee for their hard work in making this legislation a priority and recognizing the importance of memorializing Native Americans who have been instrumental to the evolution of the United States.

H.R. 2358 calls upon the government to recognize and pay a long overdue tribute to Indian tribes and individual Native Americans for their significant contributions. This bill would allow for our country's acknowledgment of important events in Native American history.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the Financial Services Committee from the State of Massachusetts and a strong supporter of Native Americans (Mr. Frank).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a State that is home to nearly 40 federally recognized Indian tribes. Native Americans are not only a strong part of Oklahoma's history, they are also richly embedded in the history of the United States. H.R. 2358 allows the government to do its part to recognize the importance of Native Americans to our country's history and development.

Again, I thank Chairman Frank and Mr. Kildee for recognizing the importance of H.R. 2358.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Charles Edward Uhles, a strong community leader from Antlers, Oklahoma. He passed away unexpectedly on June 2, 2007, at the age of 65. Charles was the kind of man that everyone was happy to meet, and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Charles' commitment to leadership began at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where he studied pharmacy and was a charter member of Kappa Psi, the pharmacy fraternity. After his graduation, Charles continued this pattern of community service in Antlers, Oklahoma, where he held posts ranging from mayor of Antlers to Cubmaster. He held leadership positions in organizations including the Jaycees, the Lions Club, the Masonic Lodge and the Boy Scouts. Charles' desire to work for the good of his community also led him to be involved in business organizations, serving as president of the Antlers Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of the Little Dixie Community Action Agency and president of the Deer Capital Tourism Association. The pharmacy that Charles and his wife Jeanette owned for 35 years was selected as the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year 2006 and the Oklahoma Main Street Business of the Year 2007. In addition, Charles contributed to his community as a member of the First Methodist Church of Antlers.

I stand today to honor the life of Charles Edward Uhles, an outstanding community member with a distinguished record of service. Charles was a good man that I am proud to have known, and his dedication to service inspired those who knew him to follow his lead by reaching out and helping their communities in their own special way.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this amendment that is essentially an electricity tax on utilities and their consumers, with the greatest burden falling on States without renewable resources.

Utility companies must be allowed to develop their renewable capacity in relation to consumers' acceptance of the resource and its related additional costs. We have done that in the great State of Oklahoma.

Congress needs to recognize there are significant regional differences in the availability, amounts and types of renewable energy resources in different regions of the country. A one-size-fits-all Federal RPS mandate ignores the uneven distribution of available resources and the economic needs of individual States.

Mr. Chairman, I didn't get elected from these other States. I got elected from Oklahoma. This is bad for Oklahoma. This is bad for working families. I am the only Democrat in Oklahoma, but my district is one of the poorest in the country. This will do damage to working families who are on fixed incomes.

Mr. Chairman, this mandate for renewable electricity is nothing more than a thinly veiled tax.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express the importance of access to colorectal cancer screening tests for Americans.

Like far too many other Americans, my life has been touched by cancer. Nine years ago I lost my mother, Janna, to colon cancer. I understand too well the importance of catching cancer early.

Colorectal cancer is a leading killer in the United States that will unnecessarily take the lives of more than 52,000 of our constituents. This is a tragedy because we have every tool necessary to prevent suffering and almost all death from this disease.

Last September I took very seriously the fact that I signed the 2015 Pledge to

do anything possible to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer by the year 2015. Today I take a step in that direction.

Twenty-two States and the District of Columbia have protections in place to provide access to screening and early detection for colorectal cancer. It is time that the rest of the country has the same access that could save their lives.

Please join me and my friend from Texas, Mr. Ralph Hall, as we introduce the Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection Coverage Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Jim Shoulders, a favorite son of Oklahoma who called my district home. He passed away on June 20 at the age of 79.

Mr. Shoulders rode his way to legendary status as a cowboy on the backs of bucking broncos and snorting bulls. Known as the ``Babe Ruth of rodeo,'' Mr. Shoulders dominated the professional rodeo circuit during the 1940s and 1950s, rounding up seven world titles in bull- riding, four world crowns in bareback-riding, five all-round world championships, and three consecutive rodeo triple-crowns.

As great as he was during his prime, his humility always shown through. He liked to downplay his skills by saying that ``all there is to bull-riding is to put one leg on each side of the bull and make an ugly face for 8 seconds.''

Mr. Shoulders burst into the rodeo world in the 1940s, at the age of 14. While working the wheat harvest, he decided to take a break to watch a minor league rodeo nearby. He resolved to try it for himself and won the event as well as $18. Between that $18 start in the minor league rodeo and his elections to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, and the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame, he won an unprecedented 16 world championships. He is also the only professional cowboy to be honored in the Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame.

But the tough old cowboy was not only known for his exploits in the rodeo, he was also loved for his candid sense of humor, humbleness, loyalty, and toughness, everything Oklahomans are proud to be known for.

I stand today to honor and celebrate the life of Jim Shoulders, a great cowboy, a great Oklahoman, and a great man.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Inslee amendment. This amendment would ban the importation of trophies taken legally from healthy polar bear populations in Canada.

Removing incentives for U.S. hunters to hunt polar bear in Canada would do nothing to reduce the number of polar bear harvested in Canada. It would just lessen the resources that can be used for conservation and management of these species.

Similar to all wildlife conservation funding, U.S. hunters support polar bear conservation through fees that they pay. Permit fees directly support polar bear research and conservation in the United States and Russia.

Mr. Chairman, this management practice that has occurred in places like Canada has contributed to the rebound of the population of the polar bear for numbers somewhere around 6,000 to 20,000 today. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would do nothing for conservation of polar bears. It is simply one step further in the campaign to ban hunting.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last words.

Madam Chairman, I would like to engage in a colloquy on the subject of community tribal schools.

In 1969, Congress declared that Indian education programs run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs were a national tragedy and a national challenge. No one could dispute the fact that decades of neglect had left both programs and facilities in shambles.

Starting with the Self-Determination Act of 1975 and tribal local control of programs, the extent of the problem became apparent. Congress, to its credit, stepped up with increased facilities programs for schools serving Indians.

To ensure objective distribution of scant resources and to better serve students, Congress directed BIA to create a priority-based ranking system. BIA did so, but only with a facilities program which assessed then-current programs and looked to the adequacy and safety of facilities. Failure in either area meant an unhoused student ranking and a priority ranking on the list.

After the Tribal Schools Grant Act in 1988, tribes began taking over BIA schools and reworking their programs. They expanded services and also added new attendance areas. These changes had an unanticipated effect. They impacted the BIA ranking system, as the formula did not properly account for new students, listing them as unhoused students and skewing the BIA ranking system.

In 1995, Congress instituted a temporary moratorium on new programs in order to freeze current rankings and to allow the BIA time to catch up to the increasing demand for repairs. The moratorium was to last just one Congress with the BIA making policy recommendations on how to address this growing problem.

The BIA, unfortunately, never made the recommendations and the moratorium preventing modified tribally run academic programs has continued for over a decade.

Madam Chairman, Indian country remains concerned that public school academic programs are not enough for many Native American children who so often have special needs due to family, social, academic, and other problems. There are numerous cases where a tribe is in better condition to operate a school, providing first-class education while also meeting the cultural sensitivity needs these students may have.

But even if the tribe is willing to fund all construction and maintenance costs for a first-class facility, the moratorium prohibits them from being able to operate as a Federal grant school. The BIA has also interpreted the moratorium language as prohibiting the reestablishment of a preexisting program.

Chairman Dicks, children are the future of any nation, including tribal nations, and community tribal schools are an important step for a tribe's successful future. I ask that you would work with me to address this problem and that Congress require BIA to adhere to the fiscal year 2006 Interior Appropriations bill directive to develop recommendations to adjust the ranking system to allow for new schools, new students, and expanded programs.

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2127. This bill will designate the Chelsea, Oklahoma, post office as the Clem Rogers McSpadden United States Post Office.

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to be the author of this bill. Today we have the opportunity to honor not just one of Oklahoma's finest individuals, but in any opinion one of America's finest. As many of you know, Clem McSpadden served as a Member of this body from 1973 until 1975. His colleagues will agree that Clem was a highly respected Member of this Chamber. In fact, Clem was honored with being the first freshman Member ever to be appointed to the Rules Committee. He also helped create the Rural Caucus, which I am a proud member of today.

Those are big shoes to fill for anyone, and that is why it is an honor for me to say I represent a portion of his former congressional district.

Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to mention that Clem isn't just known as being a former Member of Congress. As those of us from Oklahoma know, Clem has readily served in all aspects of life, ranging from politics to family to military service to rodeo announcer. If you asked people in Oklahoma about Clem, you will surely be met with warm stories about how he helped them during his time in the State Senate, how they remember him introducing legendary bull rider Freckles Brown, or how he just gave them some good advice.

Very few people, Mr. Speaker, would make such a great role model for us all. For this reason, I am proud to say I know Clem McSpadden and that he is a friend. More importantly, though, I am proud to say I am one of the many Oklahomans that he has had a positive influence on.

Mr. Speaker, Clem is the nephew of Oklahoma's favorite son, Will Rogers. In keeping with the family legacy, Clem, like his uncle, is fully a part of the fabric that makes Oklahomans the people we are today. We are a people who care about our fellow Oklahomans and who pay their dues through hard work. Clem represents these values on a daily basis and has done so his whole life. This, I venture to say, also makes him one of Oklahoma's favorite sons. For this reason, I find it fitting that we honor an individual like Clem Rogers McSpadden for his selflessness and dedication to our State and country.

Mr. Speaker, in 1974 my father ran for Governor and Clem McSpadden ran for Governor the same year; and even though they were opponents in the election of 1974, they were friends after that election. I am also proud to say that when I was a member of the State legislature in my first term, Clem McSpadden took me aside and mentored me as a member of the legislature. He is a good man and I want to thank him for being a mentor to so many young people. I also want to thank his wife, Donna, for all that she does in the community of Chelsea and the State of Oklahoma.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2127.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2358) to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in commemoration of Native Americans and the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the development of the United States and the history of the United States, 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 this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2358, the Native American $1 Coin Act, requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue coins commemorating Native Americans and the important contributions they have made, both as individuals and collectively as tribes to the history and growth of the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Frank for his hard work in making this legislation a priority and recognizing the importance of memorializing Native Americans who have been instrumental in the evolution of the United States.

I also want to thank Mr. Kildee for his work on this legislation.

H.R. 2358 calls upon the government to recognize and pay long overdue tribute to Indian tribes and individual Native Americans for their significant contributions to the progression of the United States. This bill would allow for the acknowledgment of such important events as the Pueblo Revolt and the creation of the Cherokee written language; in addition, individuals such as the code talkers, who so valiantly served in our Armed Forces during World War I and II, and Olympian Jim Thorpe who will forever be engraved in the minds of all Americans.

H.R. 2358 ensures that we recognize the many individual Native Americans and Indian tribes who have so significantly contributed to the history and development of the United States.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the author of the bill, the gentleman from the fine State of Michigan (Mr. Kildee), home to 12 federally recognized tribes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a State that is home to nearly 40 federally recognized Indian tribes. But Native Americans are not only engrained in Oklahoma's history, they are also richly embedded in the history of the United States and in the history of each individual State.

H.R. 2358 requires the government to do its part to recognize the importance of Native Americans to our country's history and development.

Again, I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Frank, for recognizing the importance of H.R. 2358 and also Mr. Kildee for all of his efforts.

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

Mr. Chairman, yesterday an historic event occurred. Yesterday, in Prince George's County, the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus held its annual shootout, and the Democrats were victorious. I want to congratulate my fellow caucus members: Mike Thompson, who is our Top Gun. Overall, Collin Peterson was the top Democrat.

I want to congratulate some Members on the other side of the aisle: Mr. John Kline, the top Republican.

I want to mention, Mr. Chairman, there was a little bit of confusion yesterday. At the trophy presentation, it was noted that the Republicans had beaten the Democrats by seven shots. It was later found out that there was a mysterious Member who did not actually shoot in the competition on the Republican side; so the trophy was then taken from Congressman Ryan's office to my office, and the Republicans can come visit it and see it often.

Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

The Department of Defense can and should review its weapon systems to ensure they are relevant to current threats. But by arbitrarily singling out Cold War systems, this amendment sends DOD the wrong signal.

The House Armed Services Committee has provided thorough and aggressive oversight in considering DOD's budget request. While fully funding the Department, the committee cuts billions of dollars from major programs we found to be outdated or irrelevant to current and future threats, shifting those funds to more urgent priorities such as the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, MRAP vehicle. Every one of the weapons systems covered by the amendment has been reviewed during the three Quadrennial Defense Reviews held since the Cold War ended.

Many Cold War systems, like the Abrams tank, Bradley Fighting Vehicle and the B-52 bomber, have proven tremendously useful and effective in current operations.

This bill reflects responsible weapons priorities for current and future conflicts. I oppose this amendment because it puts DOD priorities in the wrong place, and I thank the gentleman from California and our chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Skelton. I also want to thank our colleague from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) and our ranking member, Mr. Duncan Hunter.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment prohibits the commercial use of our troops' names and images without permission.

The need for this protection was first brought to my attention by Judy Vincent, a constituent who lost her son, Marine Corporal Scott Vincent, to a suicide bomber in Fallujah in April of 2004. Since that time, Judy has found Internet vendors using the name and likeness of her son and other fallen soldiers on their merchandise.

Bills were signed into law in Oklahoma and Louisiana last year to address this abuse, but Judy's story made it clear that there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of American families out there facing the same problem, and only a Federal law will offer the protection that they deserve.

This amendment isn't about financial restitution, stifling debate on the war, even putting people in prison. It's about respecting the privacy of our soldiers and their families. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Thank you. My colleague from Arkansas, Mr. Ross, is a great leader for us on the Blue Dog Coalition. I am now in my second term, and I tell you there is no better organization than the Blue Dog Coalition.

When I was elected, and actually when I was running for Congress, I was able to sit down with a lot of the Blue Dog members. We had a lot of common interests, and one of those was fiscal responsibility.

Many of us that serve in Congress are former members of State legislatures. I can tell you, I can remember being a freshman State legislator and dealing with a State budget. When I was elected, we had a $700 million shortfall. That doesn't sound like big numbers here in Washington, DC, but they're big numbers in Oklahoma. And we were able to balance our budget because we basically had an amendment to our State constitution saying you will balance that budget. You're going to have to cut services; you're going to have to do something to rein in that spending. In Washington we don't have that. That's why it is so important that we have groups like the Blue Dogs who are focused on fiscal responsibility.

I can tell you, since this Democratic majority has taken hold, the Blue Dogs have been a key player in making sure that we have things like the PAYGO rules, PAYGO rules that make sure that whenever there is a new government program, we find a way to pay for it. We don't just write a hot check for it. So that is why I am proud to be a member.

My friend from Arkansas has been on this floor many, many times talking about the waste, fraud and abuse. And we will make sure that in this defense authorization bill we cut out any unwarranted spending that is not going to the warfighter. That is something that I have been working very hard with Chairman Skelton on each and every day, and I appreciate his leadership. We've got many Blue Dogs on the Armed Services Committee, and we are going to keep working to make sure that we spend those tax dollars wisely.

We are joined also by our friend here, a new member who sits actually next to me on the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Brad Ellsworth from Indiana. I would like to turn it over to him for any of his thoughts on the Blue Dogs or what is going on in the defense authorization bill or any other topics he wants to discuss.