Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Wilbur ``Wil'' Billington, a former trustee of Johnson County, Kansas, Community College [JCCC], who recently was honored by JCCC's board of trustees with the designation of ``trustee emeritus'', signifying an individual who demonstrated significant contributions to the college and the community as a trustee.

As a former elected trustee of JCCC, I know Wil Billington and am pleased to have this opportunity to support his award and to share news of it with my colleagues. The JCCC recently issued a news release detailing Wil Billington's designation as ``trustee emeritus.'' I include it with this statement and I know that all House members join with me in celebrating this award, which is richly deserved by a Johnson Countian who has worked diligently in support of higher education and economic development in our community.

Billington Named JCCC Trustee Emeritus

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--At their meeting Jan. 21, the Johnson

County Community College board of trustees named Wilbur

``Wil'' Billington as a trustee emeritus. The trustee

emeritus designation is intended to recognize former trustees

who demonstrated significant contributions to the college and

the community as a trustee.

Billington was nominated by Terry A. Calaway, JCCC

president, and Ben Craig, a longtime supporter of JCCC, who

cited Billington's support of education in the state of

Kansas and in Johnson County. Billington is the second

trustee to receive emeritus recognition. The first was

Virginia Krebs, who was named trustee emeritus in October

2008. Billington will be honored in person at a future board

meeting.

``Wil Billington's vision as a trustee gave Johnson County

Community College a secure foundation on which to build,''

Calaway said. ``Naming him as a trustee emeritus is a fitting

way to remember and honor his educational leadership.''

From 1962 to 1968 Billington was a member and president of

the local board for School District No. 110, one of the

largest K-6 school districts in Johnson County before its

consolidation as part of the unified Shawnee Mission

district. As such, Billington was appointed to the Advisory

Council for Community Colleges that made recommendations to

the Kansas Board of Education for the creation of new

colleges under the Kansas Community College Act of 1965. He

served as chairman of the Master Planning Committee for Post-

secondary Education in Kansas in the early 1970s.

In Johnson County, Billington was asked by the county

commissioners to chair a committee that would study the

feasibility of creating a community college here. The group

published a written report unanimously recommending the

creation of such a college in Johnson County. Billington was

elected to the college's first board of trustees in 1967,

receiving the largest plurality of votes among approximately

30 candidates, serving from 1967 until 1975. As chairman of

the board, Billington and his fellow trustees produced the

college's ``Blue Book,'' a working philosophy that helped

guide the selection of administrators and the development of

the college's curriculum for the following decades.

In January 2000, the JCCC library was named for Billington

in recognition of his years of support of the college.

Billington worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas

City for 35 years, retiring as executive vice president.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to rise in support of bipartisan legislation which I introduced with my colleagues in the Kansas congressional delegation, H.R. 4095, designating the post office located at 9727 Antioch Road in Overland Park, Kansas, as the ``Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office Building.''

Jan Meyers was elected to represent the Third Congressional District of Kansas in 1984 and reelected in five subsequent elections. In 1995, she became the first Republican woman to chair a standing House committee, the Small Business Committee, in more than 40 years. That milestone capped Jan's long tenure as a public servant that began with 5 years of service on the Overland Park City Council and included 12 years in the State senate. As Congressional Quarterly described her, Jan was ``a mild mannered social moderate known for her willingness to compromise . . . Meyers' middle ground instincts make her a case swing vote.''

Janice Lenore Crilly, Jan, was born on July 20, 1928, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the daughter of Howard M. Crilly, a newspaper publisher, and Lenore N. Crilly. Jan and her brother Donn were raised in Superior, Nebraska. In 1948, she graduated with an associate fine arts degree from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri, and with a B.A. in communications from the University of Nebraska in 1951. Following graduation, she worked in advertising and public relations.

Jan Crilly married Louis ``Dutch'' Meyers who eventually became a Kansas City television station executive, and they raised a daughter and son, Valerie and Philip. Jan's career in Kansas GOP politics began in 1966 when she served as Overland Park chairwoman for Larry Winn, Jr.'s campaign for the Third Congressional District U.S. House seat. Two years later, she was the district co-Chair for the first of Senator Robert Dole's string of five successful Senate races. In 1974, Jan chaired Republican Bob Bennett's gubernatorial campaign in Johnson County.

From 1967 to 1972, she served as a member of the Overland Park City Council, presiding for 2 years. In 1972, Jan won election of the Kansas State Senate and served there for the next 12 years, rising to chair the Public Health and Welfare Committee as well as the Local Government Committee. When Representative Winn retired in 1984, Jan entered the GOP primary to succeed him. By that point, the district was a narrow north/south sliver, nestled in the northeast corner of Kansas across the river from the metropolis of Kansas City, Missouri. In a five-way race, she won the party nomination; and in the general election, she faced a formidable opponent in the Democratic candidate, Kansas City Mayor Jack Reardon.

Jan emphasized her long experience in State politics and campaigned around the district. When Congresswoman Meyers arrived in the House after winning that race, she was appointed to the Committee on Science and Technology, the Committee on Small Business, and the Select Committee on Aging. In the 100th Congress, she transferred from Science and Technology to the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Jan was most active on the Small Business Committee where she introduced a number of legislative measures to protect small business interests and to ensure they had fair representation in government. She worked to bring permanent tax cuts for small business. When Republicans took control of the House in the 1994 elections, Jan Meyers was promoted to chair the Small Business Committee. It marked the first time that a Republican woman had chaired the House committee since Edith Nourse Rogers headed Veterans' Affairs in the 83rd Congress from 1953 to 1955.

``Leadership positions come as a result of seniority,'' Jan said. And later she said, ``I sincerely hope that women

continue to run and continue to get elected, and I think that will ultimately result in more women being elected to leadership positions.'' Jan declined to run for reelection in 1996, noting that she wanted to spend more time with her family. ``There are other things in life I want to do, and being a Member of Congress, if you take the job seriously, simply does not leave time,'' Jan told the press. She also said she believed that Members of Congress should serve no more than 10 to 14 years.

Jan returned to Overland Park, Kansas, where she joined foundation boards for a local library and a community college.

Mr. Speaker, Jan Meyers was a valued and important Member of Congress during her tenure in this body, and it is fitting that we vote today to name on her behalf a post office in the city she served as a commissioner. This is bipartisan. I ask for the support of my colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today to rise in support of bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleagues in the Kansas congressional delegation, H.R. 4095, designating the post office located at 9727 Antioch Road in Overland Park, Kansas, as the ``Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office Building''.

Jan Meyers was elected to represent the Third Congressional District of Kansas in 1984, and re-elected in five subsequent elections. In 1995, she became the first Republican woman to chair a standing House committee, the Small Business Committee, in more than 40 years. That milestone capped Jan's long tenure as a public servant that began with 5 years of service on the Overland Park City Council and included twelve years in the state senate. As Congressional Quarterly described her, Jan was ``a mild mannered social moderate known for her willingness to compromise. . . . Meyers' middle ground instincts make her a key swing vote.''

Janice Lenore Crilly (Jan) was born on July 20, 1928, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the daughter of Howard M. Crilly, a newspaper publisher, and Lenore N. (Hazel) Crilly. Janice Crilly and her brother, Donn, were raised in Superior, Nebraska. In 1948, she graduated with an Associate Fine Arts degree from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri, and with a B.A. in communications from the University of Nebraska in 1951. Following graduation, she worked in advertising and public relations. Jan Crilly married Louis ``Dutch'' Meyers, who eventually became a Kansas City television station executive, and they raised a daughter and son, Valerie and Philip.

Jan Meyers's career in Kansas GOP politics began in 1966, when she served as Overland Park chairwoman for Larry Winn, Jr.'s campaign for the Third District U.S. House seat. Two years later, she was district co-chair for the first of Senator Robert Dole's string of five successful Senate races. In 1974, Jan chaired Republican Bob Bennett's gubernatorial campaign in Johnson County. From 1967 to 1972, she served as a member of the Overland Park City Council, presiding for two years. In 1972, Meyers won election to the Kansas state senate and served there for the next 12 years, rising to chair the public health and welfare committee as well as the local government committee.

When Representative Winn retired in 1984, Jan entered the GOP primary to succeed him. By that point, the district was a narrow north-south sliver nestled in the northeast corner of Kansas across the river from the metropolis of Kansas City, Missouri. In a five-way race she won the party nomination. In the general election she faced a formidable opponent in the Democratic candidate, Kansas City Mayor Jack Reardon. Jan emphasized her long experience in state politics and plastered the district with ``Jan Can'' posters. Benefiting from being on a ticket that featured President Reagan and the popular Senator Nancy Kassebaum (who received more votes than Reagan in the November elections), Jan won.

When Congresswoman Meyers arrived in the House, she was appointed to the Committee on Science and Technology, the Committee on Small Business, and the Select Committee on Aging. In the 100th Congress (1987-1989), she transferred from Science and Technology to the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Jan was most active on the Small Business Committee. She introduced a number of legislative measures to protect small business interests and to ensure that they had fair representation in government. She worked to bring permanent tax cuts for small businesses.

When Republicans took control of the House in the 1994 elections, Jan Meyers was promoted to chair of the Small Business Committee. It marked the first time that a Republican woman had chaired a House committee since Edith Nourse Rogers headed Veterans' Affairs in the 83rd Congress (1953-1955). ``Leadership positions come as a result of seniority,'' Jan said later. ``I sincerely hope that women continue to run and continue to get elected, and I think that will ultimately result in more women being elected to leadership positions.''

Jan declined to run for re-election in 1996, noting that she wanted to spend more time with her family. ``There are other things in life I want to do, and being a Member of Congress, if you take the job seriously, simply does not leave time,'' Jan told the press. She also said she believed that Members of Congress should serve no more than 10 to 14 years. Meyers returned to Overland Park, Kansas, where she joined foundation boards for a local library and a community college.

Mr. Speaker, Jan Meyers was a valued and important member of Congress during her tenure in this body and it is fitting that we vote today to name on her behalf a post office in the city she served as a commissioner.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Kansas University Professor John P. [Jack] Davidson, who died on January 10th.

Jack Davidson, along with his wife Mary, was a consistent voice for enlightened, progressive leadership in Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas. I was proud to have him as a constituent and very much appreciated his thoughtful advice on many of the pending issues of the day. Jack was a candidate for the Kansas Board of Education in 1998, the same year I first was a candidate for the U.S. Congress, and he later served a term as an elected member of the Lawrence U.S.D. No. 497 School Board. Jack was a longtime, dedicated Democratic Party activist whose dedication, hard work and creativity will be missed by all who knew him and worked with him through the past several decades. I am pleased to include with this tribute an obituary for Jack that appeared in the Lawrence Journal World.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for this opportunity to pay tribute to a Kansan who worked tirelessly to make his community, his nation and the world a better place.

[From the Lawrence Journal World, Jan. 12, 2010]

Jack Davidson (John P. Davidson) died at home in Lawrence

on January 10. A memorial service is planned at the

Ecumenical Christian Center on Feb. 15.

He was born on July 22, 1924, in Los Angeles, the son of

John Pirnie Davidson and Istalia Rhine.

After graduating from Glendale High School, Jack followed

his interests in rocketry and science to the University of

California, Berkeley.

From 1943 to 1946, he served in the Army Signal Corps in

the European Theater of Operations until he was honorably

discharged as a first sergeant.

Returning to Berkeley, he graduated from the University of

California in 1948, with highest honors in physics.

As a graduate student at Washington University in St.

Louis, he worked with Mary Rieser and others to organize the

Student Committee for the Admission of Negroes. Although most

students supported that effort, Arthur Holly Compton, the

Chancellor, declined to challenge community traditions at

that time. Jack and Mary were married in September 1949.

Jack received his doctorate in 1952, working under Eugene

Feenberg. He did post-graduate work at Columbia University

and eventually published more than 40 research papers, a

monograph, and encyclopedia entries.

He taught at the Brazilian Center for Physical Research in

Rio, and at the Joint Establishment for Nuclear Energy

Research in Lillestrom, Norway. His research for the

Norwegian merchant marine on the possibility of outfitting

the fleet with nuclear reactors included the possibility that

the reactor core might breach containment and melt down

through the hull. This was the first use of the term

``meltdown'' in nuclear reactor literature.

He taught and did research at Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute through 1966, and after that at the University of

Kansas. He was chairman of the Department of Physics and

Astronomy from 1977 to 1989. He also taught at Tsing Hua

University in Taiwan in the summer of 1969.

Jack Davidson led summer camps in astronomy for high school

students for many years. He is a member of the American

Astronomical Society, the American Physical Society, and the

Kansas Academy of Sciences.

After his retirement in 1996, he served on the USD 497

School Board from 1999 to 2003. He was also active in local

Democratic Party politics and in flying clubs.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Duncan Davidson.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Davidson, of the home, and

by four sons, John Pirnie Davidson III and his wife, Shirley

Schaeffer, Scarsdale, New York; Robert Kenneth Davidson and

his wife, Monica Davidson, Ottawa, KS; Tom Davidson and his

wife, Diane Davidson, Lexington, MA; and Jim Davidson,

Lawrence, KS; and by six grandchildren, Jessica, Julia, Anna,

Nathan, Owen, and Alice.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be

made to the Ecumenical Christian Center, 1204 Oread.

Madam Speaker, before my election to the House of Representatives, I served for several years as an elected member of the board of trustees for the Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. This excellent community college is the crown jewel of my home community, and I was very proud to be associated with this outstanding institution of higher education.

During my board service, I got to know Dr. Sally Winship who served as dean of the College's Continuing Education and Community Services. This month, Dr. Winship is retiring after working as a community college educator and administrator for 37 years. She retires as vice president of the College's Workforce, Community and Economic Development Department, and has also served as president of the JCCC Center for Business and Technology.

Sally was originally trained as a dental hygienist and became coordinator of the JCCC program before becoming assistant dean of the Science, Health Care and Math Division in 1987. She received her B.S. degree from Armstrong State College, and then obtained her M.S. degree from Columbia University, and her doctorate in education from the University of Kansas.

During Sally's time at the college, the outstanding Regnier Center for Technology and Business was designed, built, and opened. Her responsibilities included managing over 60 full-time staff and 550 part-time faculty, as well as managing programs serving over 155,000 participants and 480 area businesses.

Sally worked hard to make the Johnson County Community College this area's workforce development resource for the greater Kansas City business community. During her time at the college, it grew in student population, course offerings, campus buildings, prestige and reputation.

Madam Speaker, I join Sally's many friends and colleagues in wishing her health, happiness, and prosperity for the next chapter of her life, and in thanking her for her many, important contributions to our community.

Madam Chair, I rise today to oppose the amendment offered by my colleague, Mr. Minnick. I know my friend and colleague offers this alternative to the Consumer Financial Protection Agency in the spirit of wanting to do all we can to better protect consumers. I certainly share that view, but I don't support this proposed Consumer Financial Protection Council as the best way to accomplish that objective.

This amendment effectively eliminates 4 days of thoughtful markup for CFPA and nearly 50 amendments offered by Republicans and Democrats to improve the bill. I am concerned the amendment before us may be unconstitutional, empowering a three-member State panel to decide how States will take a position that affects their consumer protections. This amendment creates a bureaucratic nightmare. In committee, we worked to focus CFPA on the bad actors that created the financial crisis, not the responsible community banks and credit unions that were lending responsibly and doing what they were asked.

The exceptions for merchants and nonfinancial institutions makes sense as well. CFPA, as currently drafted, will help level the playing field for all community banks and credit unions. The new Consumer Protection Agency will instead be focused on the big banks and nonbanks, like mortgage brokers, that evaded strong supervision and gave us the subprime mortgage crisis that led to the broader financial crisis.

It's time to put an end to those greedy enough to lie, cheat, and steal to the detriment of their competitors, their customers, and our economy. Like our parents and grandparents who gave us Federal Deposit Insurance following the Great Depression, now is the time to give our children and grandchildren strong consumer protections and create the

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of the rule and in support of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, a comprehensive package that the House Financial Services Committee and other committees have worked this year to produce. I commend the leadership of Chairman Frank. Without his hard work and many committee hearings, long committee markups and behind the scenes to listen and address concerns, we would not be on the floor tonight with the bill we have.

We spent over 50 hours debating the various pieces of this regulatory reform package, and our work was bipartisan. Over 50 Republican amendments were accepted along with over 20 bipartisan amendments. This package, Mr. Speaker, contains ideas put forward by Democrats and Republicans, as it should, creating a better and more thoughtful bill that we are considering tonight.

We should never forget why we're here tonight with the most sweeping financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression. Last year, due to years of little oversight of our financial system, credit was overextended and financial firms were overleveraged to a point that was unsustainable.

Henry Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury in the Bush administration, said to a group of us, ``We may not have a market on Monday'' if Congress did not quickly approve the TARP legislation he requested. So more than a year later, it's well past time for Congress to take the next step and create strong, fair, and clear rules of the road for Wall Street.

I believe in free and open markets, but I don't believe in letting people game the system. This bill will make sure that that can't happen by, number one, ending ``too big to fail'' and putting an end to taxpayer bailouts; number two, strengthening investor protections to prevent Bernie Madoff Ponzi schemes; and number three, improving consumer protection so that innocent people are no longer taken advantage of by terms of agreement they don't understand and can't afford.

I worked with my colleagues in our committee offering amendments to strengthen and improve this regulatory reform package such as, number one, the Moore-Meeks amendment, which will require ``too big to fail'' firms and other large financial institutions to conduct stress tests to ensure, in good times or in bad, these firms are fully prepared for the worst; and second, my amendment to strike ``qualified receivership,'' which is a form of conservatorship which would have allowed the government or revive a failing firm. The amendment ensures the next AIG or Lehman Brothers will be required to fail and be put out of its misery. And three, the Moore-Lynch amendment creates a council of inspectors general on financial oversight. This I.G. council will conduct strong oversight of the systemic risk council, ensuring they respond to legitimate concerns that are raised by independent inspectors general.

I urge my colleagues to support the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to guarantee we have tough, new rules of the road for Wall Street to play by and to fully protect consumers, investors, and U.S. taxpayers.

Madam Speaker, since I took office in January, 1999, Becky Fast has worked as my constituent services director. My office has prided itself on a high level of constituent services, and for that Becky deserves much of the credit. I am proud and happy to announce that last Thursday, Becky was honored as ``Social Worker of the Year'' by the Kansas Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Vicki Arnett, LSCSW and the Chair of the Chapter LINC committee presented the award at the 62nd MoKan Clinical Institute in Overland Park (Ritz Charles) on Thursday, October 8, 2009. The Kansas Chapter, National Association of Social Workers represents the practice and profession of social work in Kansas. The event was a two day intensive training on familial sexual abuse with Michael Boniello, LSCSW and difficult ethical problems in social work with Frederic Reamer, Ph.D., of Rhode Island.

Although I was in Washington for scheduled votes, I was pleased to learn that Becky's father drove from Minnesota to Kansas to see her receive the award. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Becky, and am honored to enter into the Congressional Record the remarks made by Vicki Arnett when she introduced Becky as the recipient of the 2009 Kansas Chapter of the National Association of Social Work ``Social Worker of the Year'':

Becky Fast originally was trained as a teacher. Through

that work she found that many students and their families

needed individual assistance through difficult circumstances.

Becky went back to school and became a social worker. Since

then, she has been working in different capacities to help

improve services to many individuals. Her early work has

included authoring several chapters in a book on serving the

aged population as well as service manuals to implement such

programs. She taught social policy for many years and helped

bring attention to the importance of everyday advocacy in the

political arena.

Becky practices Political Social Work. She has been the

Director of Constituent Services for Congressman Dennis Moore

since his victory in 1998. She is one of just a few social

workers across the country to hold such a position. She has

built the constituents program with a focus on applying

social work values and skills to assisting people calling for

help with federal programs. Her program serves as a model for

other congressional offices and Becky willingly shares her

knowledge. Over the years, Becky has mentored many social

work interns and taught them the importance of listening to

caller concerns and responding in a helpful way. She is

constantly making connections to individuals and the

community by establishing access to the Congressman and

helping to suggest ways to solve problems.

Becky has taken advantage of her ability to connect to

people to promote social workers and the profession. For

example, she had several conversations with then Governor

Sebelius and they spoke about social work and delivering care

to people. She was able to mention social work to President

Clinton, and she facilitated a meeting with the Attorney

General on social work safety. Many of the current Kansas

State legislators keep social work on their mind because of

Becky talking to them.

Most recently, after physical threats to the congressional

office, and the town hall meetings had to be canceled for

safety reasons, she was still preparing materials and was

generous in giving time and attention to people expressing

anger and frustration. She does not lose her cool in such

situations. Becky was instrumental in securing federal

funding to support the Teri Mathis Zenner Safety First

conference in October. Becky was one of the original

presenters for Dr. Nancy Humphreys Campaign School in

Connecticut.

Becky has served as the Kansas Chapter, PACE Chair for

several election cycles, served as the Treasurer on the

Chapter Board of Directors and now serves as the Region Ten

Representative on the National Board of Directors of NASW.

She serves on a variety of committees and work groups and in

the Kansas City area. Becky is well known across Kansas and

everyone knows she is a social worker because she proudly

states, ``I am a social worker'' as she does her work.

Congratulations Becky for a well-earned and well-deserved

recognition of the excellence you bring to the social work

profession.

Madam Speaker, on July 17, 2009, I inadvertently voted ``nay'' on final passage of H.R. 3183, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. I should have voted ``aye'' as I strongly support the projects and programs funded through this important piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, during my years of serving in Congress, the Kansas City, Kansas, public schools have had two excellent superintendents. When Dr. Ray Daniels retired in 2005, he was succeeded by Dr. Jill Shackelford, assistant superintendent of schools, who became USD 500's first female superintendent. Although the Kansas City, Kansas, school district faces the same formidable challenges as other urban districts, one great advantage is the stable leadership it has enjoyed. Other districts in our area have had frequent changes of leadership and vision. The KCK School District has continued to pursue an effective and visionary course, made possible by the ``First Things First'' program funded by the Kauffman Foundation. This comprehensive school reform program has brought about heartening improvements in student performance and test scores.

We will miss Dr. Shackelford's warm and caring personality, but I am sure that the KCK Schools will choose another fine leader to succeed her. I am including with this statement a recent Kansas City Star article detailing Dr. Shackelford's announcement.

[From the Kansas City Star, Aug. 11, 2009]

KCK Superintendent, an Advocate for Urban Students, Announces

Retirement

(By Dawn Bormann)

Kansas City, Kan., School District Superintendent Jill

Shackelford--who has been a leading voice for urban, at-risk

Kansas students--announced Tuesday that she would retire in

June.

And it is fair to say that the district's first woman

superintendent has left her mark. Students know her as the

``lady in pink'' who proudly wears pink shoes, pink skirts

and a rhinestone lapel pin that spells ``believe'' in capital

letters. Shackelford, a former reading teacher, praises their

accomplishments and passes out hugs with the nurturing style

of an elementary school teacher.

Education officials know her as the leader of a low-income

district that led the charge for free all-day kindergarten

and posted double-digit gains in assessments. The changes

have stood out at least in part because 83 percent of the

students qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch.

When Shackelford, 65, started five years ago, some casually

mentioned that she might want to tone down her wardrobe and

her feminine approach.

``You know you're the first female, so don't act too

female-ish,'' she said, recalling that advice. ``I was told

to get into your closet and dig out all your black suits.''

It lasted a few weeks. Shackelford had already survived

Stage 3 breast cancer. She didn't need to wear black to prove

herself, she said.

``Out came the pink. Out came my personality, and I was

able to relax,'' Shackelford said.

So the superintendent didn't hide her tears Tuesday when

she officially declared her retirement to her staff at the

district's annual employee convocation. It surprised many but

not everyone gathered at Memorial Hall. Shackelford has

always maintained that she would step down after five years.

It was something she made clear from day one.

``There are times in your life where you know it's somebody

else's turn,'' she said.

In 2005, Shackelford replaced Ray Daniels, who was highly

regarded for his leadership.

``In one sense, you'd say all she had to do was follow up

on the path that Ray Daniels had set. There's some truth to

that,'' said Bill Reardon, the district's lobbyist and a

former state lawmaker. But he pointed out that ``the more you

achieve, the remaining improvements become really

difficult.''

However, she had a proven track record with curriculum

reform for at-risk children.

Shackelford came to the district 13 years ago to work

directly with curriculum. She was among the early leaders who

helped implement First Things First. Thirteen years ago, the

district was 11 percent proficient in reading and 3 percent

proficient in math. Students are now 61 proficient in reading

and 63 percent proficient in math, district officials said.

``There's no other district in the state that's gone from

single digits to 60 (percent),'' she said, praising the

district's more than 19,500 students.

Shackelford credits the success to students, teachers,

custodians, bus drivers and others.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to congratulate the collegiate policy debate team of Brett Bricker and Nate Johnson from the University of Kansas on their National Debate Tournament championship this spring.

Nearly 80 teams competed in this year's National Debate Tournament, held in Austin, TX. After 10 challenging rounds of debate, Bricker and Johnson defeated the defending national champions from Wake Forest to bring home the title. While less prominent than its athletic counterparts, collegiate policy debate is a competitive, academic activity that exists in universities across the Nation. Students spend countless hours throughout the academic year reading articles and forming arguments to debate a national topic on both sides. In addition to the grueling work required by the activity, students must also keep up with their schoolwork, all without the benefit of scholarships.

I am pleased to share with the other members of the House of Representatives a recent article in Kansas Alumni magazine chronicling the champions' story. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Brett Bricker and Nate Johnson on their championship.

Raise the Blue Banner--There's no Room for Argument: KU's Debate Team

Is the Best in the Land

(By Joe Miller)

While other Kansas seniors are enjoying spring break on

beaches in Florida, Brett Bricker is in cold, damp Lawrence,

his nose buried in books. He reads all day, every day, taking

short breaks now and then to grab some food. And he keeps

reading while he eats. At night he can't sleep, so he gets up

and reads some more, plowing through thick, mind-numbing

books about the global economy and farm subsidies, and dense

articles culled from peer-reviewed journals.

lt's grueling, but this is March--tourney time. Bricker

knows he must give his all if he wants to bring the national

championship trophy back to KU.

When he needs a break from reading, he trudges across an

empty campus to Bailey Hall, downstairs to the basement, to

meet with his teammate, fellow senior Nate Johnson. It's a

messy place, with tables and study carrels stacked with books

and photocopied articles, reams and reams of them, and

accordion tile folders and pens and highlighters. And

trophies. Lots and lots of trophies.

``There's too many trophies,'' he says. ``Not enough room

for all of them.''

But Bricker, a math major, and Johnson, a double major in

philosophy and political science, have spent four years doing

all they can to add to the clutter. They first set foot in

this place when they were high school students and were blown

away by the winning tradition showcased on its walls, which

are covered with banners: yellow and red for Final Four

finishes, burgundy for ending the regular season ranked No.

1, and four KU blue ones for national championships: 1954,

1970, 1976 and 1983. ``When you get here, you want to work as

hard as you can to enshrine your name here,'' Johnson says.

Among the banners are several bearing their names, each for

perfectly admirable accomplishments such as earning top seed

in a championship tournament or finishing in the finals or

Final Four. But those aren't good enough for Bricker and

Johnson. The banners that bear their names aren't Jayhawk

blue.

Folks sometimes compare KU's debate program to its storied

basketball program. But that's really doing a disservice to

debate. Over the past 50 years, the Jayhawks won the National

Debate Tournament four times, made it to the NDT Final Four

on 13 occasions, and have qualified for the tourney every

year since 1968.

And, unlike basketball, they do it all without the benefit

of full-ride scholarships. The Jayhawk debate squad, a

perennial national top 10, is a team of walk-ons. ``Our

students debate because they love debate,'' says coach Scott

Harris.

Despite its success, Kansas doesn't attract the nation's

top high school debaters the way rivals do. Other top-ranked

debate programs, such as Northwestern, Emory, Harvard,

Dartmouth and California-Berkeley, reload every season with

champion debaters from the best prep schools in the country.

Kansas builds its success with in-state students who had

little opportunity to compete at the national level.

``Kansas has a great tradition of taking kids who weren't

especially good debaters in high school and making them into

champions,'' Bricker says.

He and Johnson are perfect examples. Both debated in high

school, Johnson in Manhattan and Bricker in Wichita. And

though both qualified for the national championship

tournament, along with hundreds of other kids, neither made

it to elimination rounds, much less the Final Four or

championship.

Yet now they're heading into the final tournament of their

college careers, the storied National Debate Tournament, as

the second-ranked team in the nation, having been edged out

of the top spot by Northwestern in February after a season-

long, neck-and-neck battle.

It would have been nice to finish No. 1, of course. But in

the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter. All that matters

now--indeed, maybe all that ever has mattered--is the NDT.

Last year, Kansas got knocked out in the Elite Eight. Same

thing the year before.

Now the Jayhawks have one last chance to win it for

themselves, and for their coach, who, despite an outstanding

record in his 18 years in Lawrence, has never won the big

one.

Harris came to Lawrence in 1991, after a five-year stint as

director of debate for the University of Louisville, where,

truth be told, he was beginning to feel disillusioned with

the game. It's a high burnout activity,'' he explains.

Observing Bricker and Johnson as they prepare for the NDT,

it's easy to see why. Each works more than 40 hours a week on

debate during the regular season, much more at championship

time. This is in addition to school. And neither of them

sloughs off their schoolwork. Both are graduating with honors

and have shored up plans to continue their studies, Johnson

in law school and Bricker as a master's student in KU's

communication studies program.

Coaching is even more demanding. In addition to managing

several dozen debaters and nine assistant coaches (grad

students in the communication studies department), and

traveling to 18 tournaments a year, Harris also teaches two

classes each semester.

Yet he feels more excited about debate today than ever, he

says, ``because of the quality of students we've had here at

Kansas. I really feel like I've been spoiled. We've had

really good people. I don't know what it is about Kansas.

Maybe it's something in the water that produces kids of high

character.''

Also, he gets a lot of help from the administration and

alumni. Support for debate has always been strong. It helps,

for instance, that the chair of the communication studies

department is not only a former KU debater but also a

national champion: Professor Robert Rowland, c'77, PhD'83,

won the NDT in 1976 with teammate Frank Cross, c'77. But

support strengthened in 2001, when Chancellor Robert E.

Hemenway formed the KU Debate Advisory Committee, a group of

faculty and alumni that raises funds for the program and

builds community across generations of KU debaters.

Mark Gidley, c'83, c'83, who serves on the committee and

helped win Kansas' last national championship, in 1983, says

the effort has benefited the program and alumni. ``We've had

a number of reunions,'' he says. ``It's been amazing to make

connections between debaters from the '40s and '50s and the

'80s and '90s and to see that we all had the same

experiences.''

Mr. Speaker, Kansas City has come a long way from the stockyards and animal shipping that put it on the map. Now it's also the hub of America's animal health industry.

The Kansas City stockyards opened in the late 1800s, and quickly became one of the busiest animal ports in the country. The Kansas City Livestock Exchange was built in 1910 and became the largest building in the world dedicated solely to livestock. The tradition continues today as 45 percent of the country's feedlot-raised cattle and 40 percent of its hogs are found within a 350-mile radius of Kansas City.

Over the years, the stockyards have attracted businesses specialized in animal food and medicine. Today, more than 125 companies involved in the animal health industry are located in the Kansas City metro region, including four of the 10 largest global animal health companies and one of the top five largest animal nutrition companies.

Both Kansas State University and the University of Missouri are leading institutions in animal research. The University of Missouri is home to the prestigious National Swine Resource and Research Center and the Research Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. Kansas State is home to the Biosecurity Research Institute, the only facility of its kind in the world, which researches biosecurity hazards to our food supply and the containment of animal illness.

Just this year, the Department of Homeland Security has also selected Kansas State as the future home of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a $750 million government investment, adding another component to Kansas' animal health resume. Most impressively, 34 percent of the $16.8 billion generated each year by the global animal health industry is based in the Kansas City region.

For these reasons, I would ask that people join me in acknowledging the Kansas City metro region--from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri--as the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Kansas City is still a cow town, and we are proud to be the high-tech cow town of the 21st century. I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 317.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2947) to amend the Federal securities laws to make technical corrections and to make conforming amendments related to the repeal of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 2947, the Securities Law Technical Corrections Act of 2009, drafted by my colleague from Kansas, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins. I commend her work on this bill, Mr. Speaker.

During the 110th Congress, a nearly identical bill, H.R. 3505, sponsored by Congressman Peter Roskam of Illinois, passed the House by a vote of 396-0. The Senate never acted on the measure.

This bill would effectively exclude companies that were subject to regulation under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, which was repealed in 2005, from the definition of investment company and from the definition of securities laws.

Again, I commend Congresswoman Jenkins for sponsoring this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

(Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3179), to amend the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to require the Special Inspector

General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program to include the effect of the Troubled Asset Relief Program on small businesses in the oversight, audits, and reports provided by the Special Inspector General, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3179, the SIG TARP Small Business Awareness Act of 2009, drafted by my colleague from Minnesota, Congressman Erik Paulsen. I commend his work on this important legislation.

This bill was originally offered as an amendment by Congressman Paulsen to S. 383, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act, that was approved by the House on April 25, 2009, by a vote of 423-0, and was later signed into law.

During the markup, I commended Congressman Paulsen for offering his amendment, and I supported the substance of the amendment; but to get S. 383 quickly to the President's desk to equip the SIG TARP with the resources and with the authority he desperately needed, we did not add the amendment to the bill. I am glad Congressman Paulsen has offered this proposal again as a standalone bill so that the SIG TARP can closely monitor how TARP has affected small businesses and can report back to Congress.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3179.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to also raise a point that Congressman Watt had raised in the committee markup in which Congressman Paulsen's proposal was debated.

Congressman Watt offered an amendment that was accepted by voice vote to make sure that, in addition to small businesses, the SIG TARP should review how TARP has affected minority- and women-owned businesses. This is a good idea, and we should make sure TARP is being administered fairly and equally across the board.

I appreciate Congressman Paulsen for working on a bipartisan basis to address this concern and for revising his bill to include it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3179, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2664) to require annual oral testimony before the Financial Services Committee of the Chairperson or a designee of the Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, relating to their efforts to promote transparency in financial reporting.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2664, the Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act, drafted by the gentleman from New York, Congressman Chris Lee.

I commend his work on this bill, H.R. 2664. It is a bipartisan bill that is also sponsored by Congressmen David Scott, Geoff Davis, Mike Castle, and Adam Putnam.

Following the financial crisis our country faced last year, it is clear that we need to improve the oversight and transparency of the financial services industry. This bill would require the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to provide annual testimony to Congress for 5 years. Their testimony will help us to understand and support their efforts to reduce the complexity in financial reporting and to provide more accurate and clear financial information to investors.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I commend Congressman Lee for his work on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act will help provide greater transparency and clarity for investors. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2571) to streamline the regulation of nonadmitted insurance and reinsurance, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2571, the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act of 2009.

I drafted this bipartisan legislation with Congressman Scott Garrett, Congressman Paul Kanjorski, Chairman Barney Frank, and Ranking Member Spencer Bachus. I appreciate their support and the support of the bill's 22 cosponsors.

This bill will provide much-needed reform in the nonadmitted and reinsurance markets. In the 109th Congress, this House unanimously approved the bill by a vote of 417-0. In the 110th Congress, our bill was unanimously approved by voice vote. Unfortunately, the Senate has yet to act, but I believe the third time will be the charm.

Before he retired, Senator Mel Martinez introduced the Senate version of the bill with Senators Evan Bayh, Mike Crapo, and Bill Nelson. I know the other three will pick up where Senator Martinez left off to help enact this legislation into law. Often called the ``safety net of the insurance market,'' surplus lines provides for coverage when the traditional market is not available.

Under today's laws, the regulation of the surplus lines market is, unfortunately, fragmented and cumbersome. This situation reduces insurance availability, leaving policyholders uninsured and with little choice in providers. Similarly, regulation of the reinsurance market is outdated and needs to be improved.

Accordingly, H.R. 2571 specifies that only the tax policies, licensing and other regulatory requirements of the home State of the policyholder govern a surplus lines transaction; it allows sophisticated commercial entities direct access to the surplus lines market; and it prohibits States from voiding established contractual arbitration agreements between reinsurers and primary companies.

Policyholders in a number of States are facing skyrocketing rates. The Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act provides commonsense solutions to the nonadmitted and reinsurance market. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank, again, my friend, the gentleman from New Jersey, Scott Garrett, for his work on the bill. The Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act provides bipartisan, commonsense solutions to improve the regulation of the nonadmitted and reinsurance markets. So I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters regarding H.R. 2571.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, September 9, 2009.

Hon. Barney Frank,

Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Frank: In recognition of the desire to

expedite consideration of H.R. 2571, the Nonadmitted and

Reinsurance Reform Act of 2009, the Committee on the

Judiciary agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as

to provisions that fall within its rule X jurisdiction.

The Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2571 at

this time, it does not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our

Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the

bill or similar legislation moves forward, so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. The

Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation, and

requests your support for any such request.

I would appreciate your including this letter in the

Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the

House floor.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and for the

cooperative working relationship between our two committees.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.,

Chairman.

I yield back the balance of my time.