Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay a personal tribute to my good friend and trusted advisor for many years, former State Senator Sherman Jones of Kansas City, Kansas, who died on February 21. For many years, he was a leading member of the Kansas City, Kansas, community, as well as a valued member of my kitchen cabinet and surrogate speaker on my political team. His friends and neighbors mourn his loss and will miss him terribly--none more so than me.

Sherman Jones was born on February 10, 1935, in Winton, North Carolina. After high school, he was recruited to play baseball, where he eventually served for three seasons as a pitcher in the major leagues for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. He pitched in the World Series for the Cincinnati Reds in 1961. Jones, whose baseball nickname was ``Roadblock'', appeared in game five of the 1961 Series, against the New York Yankees, pitching two-thirds of an inning. One of eight Reds pitchers in the game, he was the only one who did not allow either a hit or a run.

While playing baseball in Topeka, Kansas, Sherman met Amelia Buchanan; they married on December 16, 1956. After he completed his baseball career, they settled in Kansas City, Kansas, to raise their family. He joined the Kansas City police department, where he retired after 22 years of service. He also served as athletic director for Turner House, working with inner city youth. His community involvement led him to politics, where he served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from 1988 to 1992, followed by service in the Kansas Senate from 1992 to 2000. At the time of his retirement from the Senate, he served as ranking Democratic member of the Committee on Federal and State Affairs, and as a member of the Committees on Confirmations Oversight, Education, Public Health and Welfare, Utilities, and Health Care Reform Legislative Oversight.

During his rich, full life, Sherman Jones was involved with many organizations, including: Optimist International, where he served as international vice president; the Wyandotte County Park Board, where he served as member and chairman; the Kansas City, Kansas, Parks Foundation; the Kansas High School Activities Association; United Way; the Kansas Legislative Black Caucus, which he chaired; and the Kansas University Medical Center, where he served as board member.

Former Senator Sherman Jones is survived by his wife of 50 years, Amelia, three children, a sister, five brothers, eight grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Madam Speaker, I know that you and the entire House of Representatives join with me in celebrating the life of Senator Sherman Jones and in sharing the loss felt by Ameila Jones, their family and their many friends.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Hilary Lewis, who will be honored for her 30 years of service to Jewish education in the Greater Kansas City area on February 25. The Jewish Educators' Council of CAJE/The Jewish Federation, along with our community, will recognize Hilary's many contributions as a Jewish educator and for her work at CAJE, formally the Central Agency for Jewish Education.

Over the years, Hilary has worked with educators, parents and students to provide children at all congregations the best Jewish education possible. She has been instrumental as the principal of the Community High School of Jewish Studies, in providing continuing and relevant educational opportunities for hundreds of teens during their high school years. She has a talent for inspiring these young people to go beyond the acquisition of basic knowledge and she mentors them as they discover their own talents in reaching higher levels of understanding.

In addition to her work with children, Hilary has inspired many adults to share their love of Judaism and become religious school teachers. Hilary is the ultimate problem solver and uses her incredible creativity to guide and inspire these teachers while helping them develop the skills needed to educate our youth.

Hilary Lewis has and will continue to be one of the premier Jewish educators in the Greater Kansas City area, helping our community grow ``from strength to strength.'' Madam Speaker, I know that all members of the U.S. House of Representatives join with me in paying tribute to this valued educator and leader of the Kansas City community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of the resolution.

I wrote to the President on May 24 of last year and told the President in this letter: Mr. President, I voted for the use of force resolution based upon what later proved to be flawed intelligence about the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

I am glad Saddam Hussein is gone. He was a vicious dictator who killed thousands and thousands of innocent people. At that time, in May of last year, there were 2,400 dead Americans as a result of our intervention in Iraq. Now there are more than 3,100 dead Americans, 700 more than just 9 months ago.

We have done militarily all we can do in Iraq. We need to ask and tell the Iraqi Government, this new Iraqi Government, to step up to the plate and assume responsibility for the protection of their people and their country, Iraq. We need to give them incentive, powerful incentive to step up to the plate and assume responsibility.

Sometimes new governments are like some people. If you tell them you will do something for them, they stand back and let you do it and do it and do it and never, never assume responsibility.

We saved the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein, but we can't save the Iraqi people from the Iraqi people if they won't put aside centuries of religious differences and support their new government. I am talking about the Shia and the Sunnis for more than 1,000 years have been fighting.

Mr. Speaker, I want to read an e-mail I received from a constituent last week. This is from a young lady who is serving presently in Iraq.

``I am a soldier currently deployed to Iraq. Our company is on the verge of an extension. Although we all are proud to serve our country, we also want to go home. Most of us have been gone from home for over a year. If or when we get extended, we wouldn't have seen our families for almost 2 years.

``With the news of the possible extension, the soldiers' morale went down. The families at home are stressed and that can and will stress a soldier out. Some soldiers had to go home on emergency leave because their families are falling apart.

``We watch the news here all the time and most of the time we can't believe what we hear and see. We see soldiers dying left and right, but what are they dying for? Most of us don't even know what we are over here fighting for anymore.

``I guess I just wanted to tell the side of a soldier because no one else will do it.''

And I say to Mr. President, please listen to Congress. Please listen to the American people, and please listen to these soldiers.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant and individual of the highest integrity, Larry Welch, who has announced he is retiring after 12 years as director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and a lifetime of public service in law enforcement.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, with undergraduate and law degrees, and of the FBI Academy, Larry Welch served as an FBI agent and supervisor from 1961-1986 in Tennessee, Washington, Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, Missouri and Kansas. From 1986-1989, he served as deputy director of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, where he also served as director from 1989-1994. In 1994, he was named director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation; his longevity in that post is exceeded only by the first director, Lou Richter, who served from 1939- 1956.

The KBI has approximately 300 employees, including about 80 agents posted across Kansas. It has four forensic labs, with 53 forensic scientists at the labs in Topeka, Great Bend, Pittsburg and Kansas City. The labs provide technical support to local police agencies in areas including DNA analysis and fingerprint analysis.

Larry and Shirley Welch have three grown children and eight grandchildren. During my twelve years as District Attorney of Johnson County, I worked closely with Larry in his capacity as administrator of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. He is a public servant of unquestioned dedication and skill. The people of Kansas have been extraordinarily lucky that he has served them in a series of sensitive, important law enforcement positions in our state.

Madam Speaker, I include with this statement a column by the editor of the Lawrence Journal-World, Dolph Simons, Jr., entitled ``Welch has run KBI with integrity and professionalism.'' I couldn't have said it better myself, and I commend the career of Larry Welch to all of my colleagues in the House of Representatives.

[From LJWORLD.COM, Jan. 13, 2007]

Simons: Welch Has Run KBI With Integrity and Professionalism

(By Dolph C. Simons, Jr.)

Kansas and the residents of the state are losing the

services of an excellent lawman.

At the end of May, Larry Welch will step down as director

of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

He has done a superb job as KBI director since assuming the

role in 1994 at the invitation of then-Attorney General Bob

Stephan. Welch became the KBI's 10th director and served in

this position under four Kansas attorneys general, including

the recently sworn-in Paul Morrison.

Whether Welch's decision to leave at this time has anything

to do with the new attorney general is anyone's guess.

However, his announcement about plans to retire said nothing

to indicate he has any differences with the new leadership in

the AG's office.

The KBI does not have a high public profile, and it is

obvious Welch has directed the agency with the goal of being

an excellent arm of the law enforcement business, conducting

its affairs and efforts in a professional manner, not trying

to capture headlines and public attention. Welch and his

associates have been far more interested in capturing those

who violate the law rather than tooting their own horns or

patting themselves on the back.

Welch is a professional and served as a Federal Bureau of

Investigation agent before moving into the KBI director's

office. He has put together an effective, efficient and lean

staff and has gained the respect and high regard of Kansas

legislators. He has kept lawmakers informed about KBI

activities, and his annual reports detail the work of his

agents, scientists and other members of the KBI team.

In his latest report, he notes the success of the KBI in

identification and seizure of meth labs in 2006. Over the

past five years, the number of meth labs seized and put out

of operation has dropped from a high of 846 in 2001 to an

estimated 155 for 2006. He attributed this success to the

support of Kansas legislators and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and

the legislation that provided funding and manpower to

discover, seize and destroy the labs.

He points out, however, ``Before we form a circle, hold

hands and sing `Kumbaya,' let me hasten to admit that even

one meth lab, with all its dangers and attendant dire

consequences is too many, and let me also remind you that, as

I have been advising you since 1997, the majority of

methamphetamine in Kansas, probably more than 80 percent, has

always been of foreign origin, mostly Mexican, and not

manufactured locally.''

Welch tells the lawmakers the effort to seize and shut down

meth labs ``remains one of the most dangerous of all law

enforcement activities.''

He added there still will be meth labs to seek out,

investigate, seize and prosecute, but with the effectiveness

of the current program, KBI agents will be able to spend more

time on efforts to reduce the importation, trafficking and

interdiction of methamphetamine in Kansas. He noted, ``We

will not completely solve our state's methamphetamine

problem, of course, until our nation's Southern and

Southwest borders are better secured, in my opinion. If

that's ever possible.''

Not only has Welch's professionalism added stature and

respect to the KBI, but also his personal manner has

reflected credit on the organization.

The public must have respect for those in the law

enforcement business. They don't have to like a local police

officer, a member of the sheriffs staff, a local judge, a KBI

agent or judges on high state and federal benches, BUT it is

essential that citizens respect these men and women. Those in

the law business, at whatever level, must perform in a manner

that reflects credit on their respective agencies if our

system of laws is to work and be effective.

Larry Welch certainly has done this in how he supervised

and led the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. All law-abiding

Kansans are better off and safer today because of the efforts

of Welch and his fellow agents.

The state will miss Welch, and it is important he be

succeeded by an equally committed, effective and professional

individual.

This is no place for political games to be played; the KBI

office should never be used as a means of passing out a

payback or IOU for some previous political or monetary favor.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute Johnson County Librarian Mona Carmack, who is retiring later this month, and will be honored on January 25, at the Overland Park Sheraton Hotel. Because of scheduled votes in Congress that evening, I will be unable to attend, but want to recognize her today. It is only fitting that the Library of Congress will contain a tribute to an outstanding librarian of our era.

Johnson County is the fastest growing county in Kansas. During her 18 years of exemplary professional service to our citizens, Mona oversaw the expansion of the library system with six new branches, and significant improvements at three others. The library system's holdings increased from nearly 565,000 to 1.5 million during her tenure, and the operating budget increased from $5 million to $21.6 million.

Most amazing of all, during that time, the circulation per capita increased from 6.1 to 16.4, and the percentage of the county's population registered as library users increased from 72 percent to 84 percent. Our county libraries are beautiful, airy, modern facilities, packed with excellent resources, and significantly contribute to the outstanding quality of life that Johnson Countians enjoy.

Mona and her staff have received numerous national library awards, including being named a Finalist in the Innovations in American Government competition in 1998, and culminating in a National Award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2005. Mona was honored by her peers with 2002 awards from the Kansas Library Association and the Mountain Plains Library Association.

Like any good librarian, the issue dearest to Mona's heart is literacy. Literacy is emphasized in children's programming, and the Library, in cooperation with the Johnson County Community College, operates an adult literacy program. Mona also serves on metropolitan literacy organizations, such as the Literacy Kansas City Board and the Metropolitan Alliance for Adult Learning.

After I took office in 1999, Mona was kind enough to give me a tour and briefing of the library. My office has often used the outstanding facilities of the Johnson County libraries to host community office hours with my constituents.

Madam Speaker, we all wish Mona the very best for the next chapter of her life, and hope that she will continue to contribute her leadership and knowledge to our area.

Madam Speaker, I join with the staff of General Motors' Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas, in celebrating the recent designation of GM's Aura model car as ``North American Car of the Year'' at the recent North American International Auto Show. The Aura is manufactured exclusively at the Fairfax plant, which is located in Kansas's Third Congressional District. The Aura's win was the first time GM had won car of the year since the Corvette won in 1998. And to win the award, it had to beat out the redesigned Toyota Camry, the nation's best-selling car model, which had just won the car of the year honors from Motor Trend, as well as the Honda Fit, the subcompact car recently introduced to the U.S. market. As Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com and one of 49 jurors voting for the award, was quoted as saying by CNN, ``It's an undeniable statement about where Saturn has gotten,'' he said. ``You could say it's long overdue, but they are now producing a competitive vehicle in a very competitive class.''

Madam Speaker, in recognition of this outstanding achievement, I am placing in the Congressional Record recent Kansas City Star coverage of this well-deserved designation, and I know that you and the entire House of Representatives join with me in recognizing the designation of the Aura as ``Car of the Year''.

[From the Kansas City Star, Jan. 9, 2007]

GM Aura is ``Car of the Year''

(By Randolph Heaster)

A group of automotive journalists named the Saturn Aura

``North American Car of the Year'' at the North American

International Auto Show in Detroit.

The news that the Saturn Aura won a car of the year award

was a boost for the General Motors Corp.'s Fairfax plant, the

exclusive maker of the new model.

The Aura was named ``North American Car of the Year'' by a

group of 49 automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada

at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The car was launched last August at the Fairfax plant,

which employs nearly 3,000.

``Our employees are known for their commitment to quality

and teamwork,'' said Paul Marr, manager of the Fairfax plant.

``This recognition is a win for Fairfax Assembly and our

community as we strive to keep jobs in Kansas City.''

Union officials at the Fairfax plant could not be reached

Monday. However, Jeff Manning, president of United Auto

Workers Local 31, stated frequently during Aura's launch that

the employees' goal was for it to receive car-of-the-year

honors.

The Aura is the second locally made vehicle to receive such

a recognition this decade. The F-150 pickup, made at Ford

Motor Co.'s Claycomo plant, was named ``Truck of the Year''

by Motor Trend magazine for 2004.

The recognition is a shot in the arm for GM, which has been

struggling since higher fuel prices slowed sales of pickup

trucks and sport utility vehicles. Industry analysts have

stated that GM and the other domestic automakers must better

compete against Japanese auto companies in the midsize

passenger-car market.

GM hopes that this week's auto show will create some buzz

for the new Chevrolet Malibu, which will be unveiled for the

first time. The Fairfax plant, which builds the current

Malibu, will begin producing the redesigned 2008 Malibu in

October.

The Fairfax plant produced 39,699 Auras in 2006. More than

5,800 were sold last month.

The auto show also gave GM's new Chevrolet Silverado the

award for truck of the year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act. All of us know that the Medicare prescription drug law expressly prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating with drug companies on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries, 43 million in this country, for lower prices. Because of this, these beneficiaries in America are a one-person buying group and you have no leverage when you are a one-person buying group. The Veterans Administration has been very successful in working a good benefit for the veterans in this country, 34 million American veterans in this country, and getting a good drug benefit there.

While private plans have been successful in negotiating some discounts for seniors under the program, a recent study released by Families USA shows that seniors still pay as much as 10 times more for some of the commonly prescribed drugs under Medicare than veterans do.

Secretary Thompson when he left office said, ``I would like to have had the opportunity to negotiate.'' And he said to me in a conversation that if he had had the ability to negotiate like a bill that I filed with the gentlewoman from Missouri, we could drive down prices.

As you all know, the Medicare Prescription Drug law expressly prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating with drug companies on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries for lower prices. Because of this, each of the 43 million Medicare beneficiaries in America is a one-person buying group, giving our seniors no leverage to negotiate for better prices.

The Veterans Administration which has had the authority to negotiate prices since 1992, does so for 34 million American veterans, as do large companies on behalf of their employees. Medicare should have the authority to negotiate a group discount for our seniors.

While private plans have been successful in negotiating some discounts for seniors under the program, a recent study released by Families USA shows that seniors still pay as much as 10 times more for some of the most commonly prescribed drugs under Medicare than veterans do under their federal drug benefit.

When Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced his resignation in December 2004, he spoke out against the provisions in the new Medicare law barring him from negotiating with drug companies for lower consumer prices saying, ``I would like to have had the opportunity to negotiate.''

Secretary Thompson based his support on his previous success in negotiating drugs on behalf of the government.

Following the anthrax attacks in 2001, the government negotiated the purchase of 100 million tablets of Cipro, achieving significant savings. Then in 2003, during a flu vaccine shortage, former Secretary Thompson was very successful in negotiating reductions in the price of the FluMist vaccine from $46 per dose to $20 per dose, saving over 55 percent.

It has been one of my main priorities in Congress to allow seniors enrolled in Medicare this same ability to utilize their market power to benefit from lower prices.

In January of 2004, just weeks after the new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan became law, I introduced the Medicare's Equitable Drugs for Seniors Act, the MEDs Act, with my friend Representative Jo Ann Emerson. This legislation, which gained 175 bipartisan cosponsors in the 108th Congress, would have given the Secretary of HHS explicit authority to negotiate lower pharmaceutical drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.

In the 109th Congress, we reintroduced this legislation and we were once again able to form a large bipartisan coalition in support of the legislation.

Despite our success in forming this coalition, we have been unable to bring this issue to a vote until today. I am very pleased that the leadership has chosen to include this as a priority for the House during the first 100 hours of the new Congress and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4, which, if enacted into law, will help reduce the cost of prescription drugs for all American seniors.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, December 20, 2006, the University of Kansas Hospital became the first hospital in Kansas to attain the coveted MagnetTM designation. The Department of Nursing began working toward this goal in 2002.

Since the American Nurses Credentialing Center developed the Magnet Recognition Program' in 1990, approximately 225 facilities-- less than 3 percent of all hospitals--have attained Magnet designation. To join this exclusive group, both the nursing staff and hospital have demonstrated their ability to meet and exceed more than 150 professional standards of excellence.

Magnet designation recognizes the quality and importance of our nursing department. It also emphasizes the important role our nurses play in the hospital's success. Magnet hospitals exemplify the very best in patient care and outcomes. Just 3.5 percent of health care organizations are Magnet hospitals.

This designation proves the commitment of the University of Kansas Hospital to excellent patient care outcomes. Magnet designation means a hospital outperforms others and is statistically proven to have: higher quality care; better patient outcomes; lower mortality rate; significantly higher levels of patient satisfaction; salaries typically above average; excellent nursing recruitment; higher nursing retention; and greater consumer confidence. Madam Speaker, I am proud to have the opportunity to bring this noteworthy designation to your attention, and to the attention of the House of Representatives as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity today to bring to the attention of the Members of the House a recent tribute to Harold Stones, of Topeka, KS, that was published in the Topeka Capital- Journal.

The longtime former executive director of the Kansas Bankers Association, since retiring from that position in 1997, Harold Stones has served as special projects director for Kansas Senator Pat Roberts. As the Capital-Journal article details, at the age of 75, Harold continues to work diligently in the service of his fellow Kansans, working on economic development issues and serving as a liaison with Kansas military families.

I commend Harold Stones to my colleagues and encourage all to take his example to heart!

[From the Capital-Journal, Nov. 28, 2006]

Still a ``Political Junkie''

(By Jan Biles)

Harold Stones retired as executive vice president of the

Kansas Bankers Association in 1997 after 30 years of service.

But instead of taking it easy, he embarked on a second

career--Kansas special projects director for Sen. Pat

Roberts.

Stones, 75, of Topeka, said he had known Roberts for

several years before the senator asked him to join his staff

to work in the areas of economic development and military

affairs.

``I will do this job as long as he wants me to,'' he said.

Stones grew up in a Smith County farming family who taught

him the importance of voting and never shied away from

politics.

``My great-grandfather was a probate judge. My grandfather

was a county treasurer, and my dad was a township

committeeman,'' he said.

After attending Fort Hays State University for a year,

Stones taught in a county school for a year before joining

the U.S. Air Force. When his four-year stint was over, he

returned to Fort Hays State University, where he earned

bachelor's and master's degrees. He was hired by the

university to teach speech and coach the debate team and then

became director of alumni affairs and student placement.

About a decade later, in 1967, he joined the Kansas Bankers

Association. When he celebrated his 25th year there, the

association set up a scholarship fund in his name at Fort

Hays State University. Each year, four students are awarded

scholarships.

``It's a general scholarship for a child of someone who

works at a Kansas bank,'' he said.

Stones' experience at the bankers association gave him the

opportunity to learn more about the ups and downs of the

Kansas economy. The 1980s were particularly hard on the

state's farming, energy and banking businesses.

``Every time a farmer went (under), an ag bank went with

it,'' he said.

Stones tapped into that experience when Roberts tapped him

for a staff position. He traveled throughout Kansas to meet

with local chambers of commerce and economic development

groups. He now is advising Roberts on how to build a high-

tech job base in the state.

When the Iraq war started, Roberts asked Stones to act as

the senator's liaison with Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and

McConnell Air Force Base. He has attended dozens of

deployment and welcome-home ceremonies at the military bases,

as well as memorial and funeral services.

``Senator Roberts writes a letter to each family (who has

lost a loved one in the war) and I hand deliver the letter

and talk to them,'' he said.

One of the highlights of his years with the senator was

traveling to Bosnia in October 1997 as a volunteer to assist

in organizing a multi-ethnic, democratic Bosnia Bankers

Association.

``It was a slow process, but 18 to 24 months later Bosnia

established a Bosnia bankers group,'' he said.

Stones said he exercises on a regular basis at a local

fitness center and continues to be a ``political junkie''--

something that would please his office-holding ancestors.

Above all, he is optimistic about where the country and

state are going.

``The past is gone,'' he said. ``Our best days are yet to

come.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Buck O'Neil, an internationally renowned, distinguished Kansas Citian, who died on October 6th at the age of 94.

John Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neil was born the grandson of slaves in Carrabelle, Florida, on November 13, 1911. He acquired his love for baseball at a young age from his father, who played for the local team when he wasn't working as a foreman in the celery fields. As a teenager, Buck realized that he wanted to do something more with his life, but times were difficult throughout the country during the Great Depression, and he had received little formal education because the local high school was segregated.

When his father told him that, ``There is something better, but you can't get it here, you're gonna have to go someplace else,'' Buck made the decision to try his luck as a baseball player in the semi- professional barnstorming leagues that traveled the entire country. It didn't take him long to attract the attention of the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League, who signed him to his first professional contract in 1937. After a year of playing for the Red Sox, Mr. O'Neil's contract was purchased by the Kansas City Monarchs--the team with which he would spend the rest of his playing career.

The Monarchs were the most successful team in the history of the Negro Leagues, winning the most titles and producing the best players. While playing for Kansas City, Mr. O'Neil won batting titles in 1940 and 1946 and led his team to a convincing victory in the 1942 Negro World Series. He batted .353 as the Monarchs swept the Homestead Grays, 4-0. He was also selected to play in three Negro American League All- Star Games, and would likely have accomplished more during his playing career had it not been for World War II; Mr. O'Neil dutifully served his country for 2 years by completing a tour in the United States Navy from 1943-1945.

Buck stayed with the Monarchs through the end of the 1955 season, serving both as a player and as the team's manager for the final 8 years of his time in Kansas City, all the while facing the harshness of separation and discrimination in a country that was still segregated. Thanks in part to the significant accomplishments of his Monarchs teammate Jackie Robinson, who broke down racial barriers by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers of Major League Baseball in 1947, Buck too was able to join a rapidly-integrating MLB as a scout for the Chicago Cubs. In 1962, he became the first African American coach in the Majors. During his storied career with the Cubs, Mr. O'Neil was responsible for the development of many great major leaguers, like Joe Carter, and he also signed two future Hall of Fame players--Lou Brock and Ernie Banks. After 33 years with the Cubs, Buck returned home in 1988 to scout for the Kansas City Royals.

Despite his myriad accomplishments on the field as a player, manager, and coach, it is Buck O'Neil's accomplishments off the field that demonstrate his love for the game of baseball and his commitment to the essential role that the Negro Leagues played in the integration of both American sport and American society. In 1990, O'Neil was a leader in the effort to create the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. The Museum, located in the historic 18th and Vine district of downtown Kansas City, has excelled for nearly a decade in its mission of educating all Americans about the rich and important history of the Negro Leagues. Buck served as the Board Chairman for the Museum and actively promoted its messages of understanding and triumph over adversity. In addition to his work with the Museum, Mr. O'Neil served as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee from 1981- 2000, working hard to ensure that many of the Negro League players who had been denied entrance into the Major Leagues because of segregation were able to gain a deserved entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

After devoting so many years of his life to promoting the accomplishments of others, many believed that the time for Buck's recognition had finally arrived in the spring of 2006, when he was on a special ballot for entry into the Hall of Fame. Shockingly, the Committee chose not to induct Mr. O'Neil, to the dismay of many--but not Buck. Unaffected by the Hall's decision, he took the high road and offered to speak at the induction ceremony on behalf of those selected, because many of them had passed on. On June 30, 2006, Buck selflessly honored all 17 individuals related to the Negro Leagues who were inducted, giving an inspiring speech and instructing all audience members to hold hands and join him in song. The ovation he received was the loudest and longest of the ceremony.

At the time of his death, Buck O'Neil's efforts were focused on the John ``Buck'' O'Neil Education and Research Center. Scheduled for completion in late 2007, the Center will be an expansion of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum devoted to teaching people of all ages many different aspects of the Negro leagues and baseball. The 45,000 square foot facility will house extensive archives and promises to devote much of its space and funding to state-of-the-art technology and programs that will teach many different things to many different people.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to honor the life of Buck O'Neil, because of his accomplishments while playing and managing in the Negro and Major Leagues, because of his work with the Negro League Baseball Museum, because of his devotion to those who shared in his struggle, valuing their legacies more than his own, and most of all, because of his immense contributions to the game of baseball and American society. When acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns made his film Baseball in 1994, he chose Buck O'Neil as the narrator, because no other individual better captures the history and legacy of our American pastime. He was truly the game's ambassador, and his spirit will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, during the week of September 18, 2006, I was unable to cast recorded votes due to the death of my father and attendance to family matters in Kansas.

On September 19, had I cast my vote on rollcall votes 451, 452, and 453, I would have voted ``yes'' on each one.

On September 20, had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 454, 455, and 456, I would have voted ``no'' on each one. Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 457, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 458, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 459, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 460, I would have voted ``yes.''

On September 21, had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 461, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 462, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 463, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 464, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 465, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 466, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 467, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 468, I would have voted ``no.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 469, I would have voted ``yes.'' Had I cast my vote on rollcall vote 470, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on September 28, 2006, I was unavoidably detained and failed to cast a recorded vote on rollcall vote No. 495. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity today to pay tribute to Accessible Arts, Inc., of Kansas City, Kansas, during the year in which it celebrates its 25th year of service to children with disabilities,

Accessible Arts values children and the arts; above all, access to the arts for children with disabilities is their core principle. Advocacy, education and collaboration are essential components in accomplishing their objectives. Through the arts, children develop critical thinking skills, take risks in a safe environment and experience successes. The challenge of creating something of value instills hope and self-confidence in children of all ages.

In 1981, Accessible Arts founder and first executive director William Freeman saw the need for an organization to advocate for active participation in the arts for all children, regardless of their ability. The result was the Arts with the Handicapped program of the Kansas State Department of Education, which later became Accessible Arts, Inc.

This unique and innovative program has benefited thousands of children, their teachers and parents, This 25th anniversary of the Accessible Arts program is cause for celebration and appreciation of all who have contributed to its development, and to celebrate Accessible Arts' continuing its important work. I join in paying tribute to this unique and valuable program and wish Accessible Arts many more years of successful service to children with disabilities and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my views on H.R. 6166, the Military Commissions Act. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Bush Administration established new procedures for war crime tribunals for terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The United States Supreme Court ruled 5-3 on June 29, 2006, that President Bush's military order in the detention and treatment of the Guantanamo Bay detainees exceeded his authority. Though the court did not dispute the President's authority to hold the petitioner as an ``enemy combatant for the duration of hostilities,'' it found that military tribunals convened to try detainees did not comply with the Uniform Code of Military Justice of the law of war, as embodied by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.

Because of the unique nature of the War on Terror, no current system exists for bringing detainees to trial, many of whom are individuals believed to have committed a serious crime and who may seek to further their cause through the murder of innocent civilians. It is important that the United States establish a judicial process for dealing with illegal enemy combatants and allow for the continued interrogation of detainees while following basic international agreements on humane treatment. H.R. 6166 accomplishes this. This legislation provides a framework through which we can bring enemy combatants to justice through an open military commission system that affords substantial due process. It represents a comprehensive approach to try accused war criminals while recognizing the unique national security situation the United States faces in the War on Terror. The commission system created by H.R. 6166 takes into account the concerns of the Supreme Court, as well as the input of intelligence officers and military lawyers in all branches of the armed services.

Prior to casting my vote for H.R. 6166, I voted for the Motion to Recommit, offered by Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, which would provide expedited judicial review of the statute's constitutionality and require the reauthorization of the legislation in three years. Specifically, the provision would provide for expedited review of a civil action challenging the bill's legality. A three-judge panel in the D.C. District Court would hear the action and the Supreme Court would review a judgment or order of the panel. Additionally, by requiring a reauthorization in 3 years, we give Congress the ability to carefully review how this statute is working in the real world. Unfortunately, the Skelton Motion to Recommit failed by a vote of 195- 228.

While H.R. 6166 is certainly not perfect, it is a step in the right direction. It is essential that our government has the necessary intelligence to prevent future terrorist attacks on our Nation and our allies. As this legislation is implemented, it is important that the Legislative and Judicial branches provide vigorous oversight to ensure that no international laws regarding the treatment of detainees are violated in the name of security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Don Denney, the long-time media relations specialist for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, and Kansas City, KS, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack while at work on September 15.

I wholeheartedly echo the sentiments that Kansas City, KS, Mayor/CEO Joe Reardon shared with the Kansas City Kansan upon learning of Don Denney's death, ``Don Denney was a wonderful and talented individual who gave 100 percent of himself to the community with his job at the Unified Government. We shall always remember Don Denney as a man who gave unselfishly as a public servant and citizen to a community that he deeply loved.''

A graduate of Kansas City's Ward High School in 1970, Denney had owned a Dairy Queen restaurant and worked previously at the Kansas City Kansan, before beginning his tenure with the city of Kansas City in 1994. He remained with the Unified Government after the city and county consolidated governments in 1997. As former Kansan publisher William Epperheimer noted: ``Of all his attributes, loyalty and hard work stood out. Don was a Kansas City Kansan advocate to the end and he worked his tail off for the paper and its readers, just as he was dedicated to the Unified Government and represented it to the metropolitan news media with so much honesty and dedication in his `second career'.''

Don Denney was also well known locally as the athletics announcer for Bishop Ward High School and Kansas City Kansas Community College athletic events, and was planning on announcing the Bishop Ward football game on the evening of the day of his death.

Mr. Speaker, I join with the Unified Government and the citizens of Kansas City, KS, in mourning the untimely death of a dedicated, honest public servant and I include with these remarks a moving tribute to Don Denney that was published in the Kansas City Star.

[From the Kansas City Star, Sept. 16, 2006]

KCK Loses a Friend, Spokesman Denney

(By Mark Wiebe)

Don Denney, the face and voice of Wyandotte County and

Kansas City, Kan., died Friday morning after collapsing at

City Hall.

Denney, 54, began working for the city in 1994 after

leaving his job as a reporter for The Kansas City Kansan. He

was named spokesman for the Unified Government when the city

and county merged in 1997.

But as many at a grief-stricken City Hall said, Denney was

much more than the Unified Government's ``media specialist,''

the man who answered reporters' inquiries or showed up at

early morning fires. He was a well-connected public figure, a

person who effortlessly made friends, who loved his community

and worked hard on its behalf. He considered the employees at

City Hall his family.

``It's a great loss for the city,'' said Hal Walker, the

Unified Government's chief counsel and a good friend. ``He

was nearly as visible as any of the mayors he served.''

Mayor Joe Reardon called Denney a ``wonderful and

talented'' man: ``His love and enthusiasm for our community

was infectious.''

A Kansas City, Kan., native and graduate of Bishop Ward

High School, Denney also was a longtime public address system

announcer at the school's athletic games. Known to many as

``the voice of the Cyclones,'' he devoted much of his free

time to the school.

Unified Government Commissioner Tom Cooley was with Denney

during a meeting Friday morning. He said Denney appeared to

be in good spirits. ``We were laughing and joking, cutting

up,'' he said. ``There was no indication that he was even

uncomfortable.''

But earlier this week, Denney, a diabetic who suffered a

heart attack several years ago, complained of dizziness and

said he had experienced a brief blackout. Wyandotte County

Coroner Alan Hancock said Denney died of cardiac arrhythmia.

As news spread about Denney's death, reporters were quick

to sing his praises. Steve Nicely, a former Kansas City Star

reporter, recalled Denney as an honest reporter and

spokesman.

``He was a conscientious guy, and I think really had a

dedication to the truth,'' Nicely said. ``Sometimes he'd get

into trouble because he'd say something that was a little too

true. I always thought that was a virtue.''

Bob Werly, a former reporter for KMBC-TV, called him one of

the best public information officials he'd ever worked with.

His deep ties to the community didn't hurt.

``I would stand out in the street with him talking,'' Werly

said. ``It just seemed like every other car that came by

either honked or waved.''

Denney is survived by a brother, Fred Denney, and a sister,

Mary Anne Denney. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at

Cathedral of St. Peter, 431 N. 15th St.