Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me time very much; and as he so aptly stated, we would not be here today except for the action of Senator Conrad Burns in the last omnibus bill.

What this motion and amendment that we are proposing today is really about, it is not so much about a few wild mustangs and burros, only 31,000 remaining in the wild western grazing lands. But what this is really about, it is about the fact that we have 18,000 permits issued by the Bureau of Land Management to ranchers in the West on 214 million acres of land, of which these ranchers are paying less than six cents per acre, per year. Now that is a good deal, and I can understand why they would be excited about it. They are grazing over 8 or 9 million cows on this land, and we are talking about 31,000 wild mustangs and burros on this 214 million acres of land, and the ranchers do not want any wild mustangs or burros on this land. That is really what this is all about.

The question becomes, is it in the heritage of America to protect the few remaining wild mustangs and burros? This amendment simply reverses the Burns amendment and restores 37 years of public policy of protecting wild mustangs and burros.

I can tell my colleagues I have a lot of cattle ranchers in my district in Kentucky, and they are in Tennessee and Florida and Texas and Alabama and Mississippi and Louisiana and all around this country, and all of them pay a lot more than six cents per acre per year for these permits and for land.

I might also add that these 18,000 permits of ranchers on these grazing lands in the West provide only 2 percent of the cows slaughtered in America, and we all like a good steak. We want to continue slaughtering cows for steaks because they are raised for that purpose; but we also have a responsibility to protect wild mustangs and burros who are native to this country, who have been protected in this country. They simply lost that protection because of a 4,000 page omnibus bill, and none of us was aware that the Burns amendment was in it.

So that is what this amendment is about.

Mr. Chairman, I might add that BLM has already told us that under the Burns language they have no criminal penalties available to them. Even though they may put in a contract that a horse cannot be taken to slaughter they have no recourse if someone does it.

I would remind people once again that these are public lands, 214 million acres of land. We are talking about 30,000 wild horses we need to protect. We have companies like Ford Motor Company taking in horses now, and we have over 214 entities out in the country doing it. I think that there is plenty of money available.

Also, we would urge the BLM to euthanize horses rather than send them to slaughter. That is an option also. But this is a well-intended amendment and it would reintroduce the policy that has been the accepted policy in the U.S. for 37 years.

Mr. Speaker, as the world's attention turns to the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby, frequently called the most exciting two minutes in sports, I would like to turn the House's attention to Jimmy ``Wink'' Winkfield, who is a Kentucky Derby legend. Jimmy Winkfield overcame adversity throughout his life to become one of the greatest jockeys of all time. Not only did Wink win the Kentucky Derby back-to-back in 1901 and 1902, but he is the last African- American jockey to win the derby. For his accomplishments, Wink was inducted into the National Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2004.

Wink was born in Chilesburg, KY, and won his derbies on Kentucky horses. In 1902, His Eminence carried Wink to victory in the 27th running of the Kentucky Derby. His Eminence was bred in Kentucky by O.H. Chenault. In the 28th Run for the Roses, Wink was carried to victory riding Alan-a-Dale, a beautiful horse that was also Kentucky bred by T.C. McDowell.

Jimmy ``Wink'' Winkfield was truly one of the great jockeys of all time and achieved great success despite discrimination and numerous setbacks.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 810.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Hopkinsville Community College.

Learning does not end at high school and whether you are 22 or 92, learning is lifelong. Today, I want to bring to the attention of this House that Hopkinsville Community College in western Kentucky proudly celebrates 40 years of higher education to the citizens of Christian County and surrounding communities in the First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, we need to make it easier for Americans to receive necessary training, to earn a degree, or to take specialized courses that meet the demands of today's job market and help our fellow citizens achieve their full potential. Community colleges like Hopkinsville Community College are an essential part of that effort.

Hopkinsville Community College bridges the gap between people's lives as they are and their lives as they want them to be. Flexibility and courses tailored to individual goals are characteristic of this exceptional community college.

Hopkinsville Community College has been a significant contributor to the economic growth and vitality of Hopkinsville and Christian County. The state of the art training and technology center tailors course work to meet the demands of high tech industry and specialized training.

Hopkinsville Community College also offers tremendous outreach to first generation college students through its Upward Bound/Trio Programs highlighting the flexibility and opportunity that community colleges provide to both traditional and nontraditional students.

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to see that President Bush has proposed in his 2006 budget providing $125 million to promote dual-enrollment programs, so that high school students can take college level courses and receive both high school and post-secondary credit. This new initiative would provide incentives to states so that high school students, particularly low-income and minority high school students, have a greater chance to receive a college education.

Hopkinsville Community College has also partnered with Murray State University to open a campus in Hopkinsville that offers transferable college coursework that will count towards a four year degree. All of these efforts provide convenience, affordability, and flexibility to more of our citizens.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, our community, our state and our Nation are better because of the educational opportunities offered by our community colleges. Hopkinsville Community College is proudly celebrating Forty Years of higher education service and it is my honor to bring their accomplishments before this House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize nominees for the Kentucky New Era/Rotary Academic All Star Team from the Pennyroyal region in western Kentucky.

The Academic All-Star program's purpose is to recognize top academic scholars and performers. Students from Caldwell, Christian, Trigg and Todd Counties of Kentucky were nominated based on their academic performance in seven disciplines: English, foreign language, journalism, mathematics, science, social studies and the creative and performing arts. The students judged on their core academic score, the curriculum of the student, their grade point average, academic honors earned, unique accomplishments and achievements, extracurricular activities (both community based and school-related), employment history, and an autobiographical essay.

Mr. Speaker, education is the foundation upon which we reach our human potential. Students in my District are developing their talents, furthering their education and pursuing their aspirations in life through programs like the Academic All-Star program. Encouragement and recognition develop confidence and achievement among young Americans-- the future leaders of our country.

The following students have been nominated for their academic excellence:

Griffin Blane, Gregory Kyle Rader, Ralph King Anderson IV,

Kody Douglas Carpenter, Dianne Lisette Rousseau, Lauren

Whitney Scott, Jennifer Renea Fowler, Samantha Joy White,

Chad Darrel Brown, Casey Jo Calhoun, Bryan Hill, David

Clayton Blake, Stephanie Leigh Huntsman, Danielle Diane

Brown.

Matthew Wyn Lewis, Kristin Averitt Dickinson, Brittany

Nichole Goodenough, Haylee Laura Lynne Ortiz, Drew Martin

Swain, Sarah Christine Wilson, Marianne Wynn Lassiter, Amy

Beth Shemwell, Brandon Bowron, Jerika Nashea Wilson, Melissa

Nail, Kathryn Elizabeth Gill, Jonathan Christopher Bass,

Zachary Daniel Ferguson, Erika Elaine MacMillan.

Ryan David Mullen, Andrew Christian Chiles, Barry Eli

Knoblock, Paul Thomas Latham, Joshua Allen Fitzhugh, Sarah

Christine Wilson, William Matthew Suiter, Amy Nicole Adams,

Norman Bradley Fox, Juliana Elyse Patterson, Robert Kyle

Whitaker, Pretesh Parmar, Nicholas Pickford Thompson, Dustin

Glynn Kostalek, Ann Marie Crabtree,

Kellye Lynn Smiley, Meera Ramesh Patel, John Hayes Laster,

Emily Scott, Sarah Beth Vied, Alicia Lynn Morris, Ashley

Chewning, Brittany S. Hurt, Brittnee Collins, Chelsea

Barnett, Corrinna M. Kinnard, Janelle Nichol Gilmer, Megan

Gray, Sam Mitchell.

Sherry Cheatham, Wesley Croom, Bree Raquel Hokulani

Goodwin, Brooke Davies, Elizabeth Settle, Emily Beatty, Kate

Milani, Laura Beth Baggett, Morgan C. Murray, Sarah C.

Hazelmyer, Shelley L. Traylor, Taylor Queen, Wendy A.

Johnson, Andrew Landreth, Chelsea Musselman, Jacob Kyle

Langston, Jonathan A. Chavez, Megan Jones.

Melissa Starks, Molly Ware Stuard, Nadeem Ramzi Haroun,

Rachel Brown, Sarah Elaine Howell, Sarah Elizabeth Fields,

Chelsea Rae Prince, Chris Kirkman, Erin Hamilton Oakley,

George W. Barnes, Helen G. Crenshaw, Hunter Carroll, John

Paul Bointnott, Kalleb Anderson Greene, Kelsey Fish, Lindsay

Elizabeth Gray, Shane Veteto.

Mr. Speaker, these students embody the spirit, commitment and sacrifice that we all should strive for in our daily lives. I am proud to represent them in my District. I extend my thanks to these students for their efforts, and I am proud to bring their accomplishments to the attention of this House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Dr. Russell King Heltsley of Hopkinsville, KY, for his contributions to his community, church and family. Dr. Heltsley passed away on December 13, 2004. Dr. Heltsley was a founder of the Hopkinsville, Kentucky Crime Stoppers, a member of the Lions Club and served on the board of directors for the Christian County Health Department. Dr. Heltsley was born on January 26, 1933. He was the son of the late King and Nola Withers Heltsley.

Dr. Heltsley served Hopkinsville as an optometrist for more than 40 years. He successfully owned and operated Heltsley Eye Care. In addition, Dr. Heltsley served his country in the United States Army as a First Lieutenant.

Dr. Russell Heltsley was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was known for his dedication to his family.

I appreciate this opportunity to add his eulogy to the Congressional Record of the 109th Congress.

For Every Remembrance of Russell Philippians 4: 8-9; Philippians 1:3-5

December 16, 2004.

Fredrick Buechner, preacher and writer, wrote a book back

in 1984 entitled, A Room Called Remember. In Chapter 1, last

page, he makes an insightful statement. ``Remember him who

himself remembers us as he promised to remember the thief who

died beside him. To have faith is to remember and wait, and

to wait in hope is to have what we hope for already begin to

come true in us through our hoping.''

We are coming up on the 4th Sunday in Advent, 2004. It is

the season for remembering and hoping. It is a time of

remembering and waiting. It is a season of hope.

In the Epistle lessons from Philippians just read, the

missionary apostle says to his fellow Christians: ``I thank

my God in all my remembrance of you all, making my prayer

with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel . . .''

As members of the community of faith, each of us has our

own remembrances of Dr. Russell Heltsley.

Helen, you will remember the time you had Russell over to

your parents' home when you were dating. Thinking you had

prepared the delicious meal, seeing only your mother in the

kitchen upon his arrival, gave him a lot of concern. Later,

he admitted to you, ``It bothered me a lot.''

You will remember Russell coming home from the hospital

following your surgery, and eating the food you cooked before

entering the hospital, and hearing him tell me he was cooking

for you. I thought that sounded strange and you confirmed

later that all Russell was doing was warming up the food you

had cooked.

John and Russ, you will always remember your dad telling

you boys, ``Always do what's right, whether or not it is

popular.'' May his tribe increase. Russ and John, you will

long remember how proud he was of his family. The entire

family will remember his greatest disappointment in life was

not living to see his grandchildren grow up. You who are

members of the Lions Club will remember Helen coming to help

clean up because her husband couldn't do his part by helping

with the cooking.

Members of the Kentucky Optometry Association will remember

Russell, who held every position in the Association, as the

one who always watched the ``purse strings''. Why am I not

surprised?

All of Russell's friends will remember, for whatever

reason, he seldom ate out. Conservative? Yes!

I will remember Russell as a devoted member of First United

Methodist Church where I served twice as one of his pastors.

He was so predictable, even in his seating patterns.

Confirmed in 1947 by Dr. A. C. Johnson, he remained faithful

to his confirmation vows for the rest of his life.

Grandchildren, you will remember him as a controlling

grandparent who loved you very much. Russell had a good sense

of humor. After fitting me with my first pair of glasses in

the late 1970's, he reminded me that First Methodist folk

would now think they have ``an old preacher''. We will

remember his love for the farm and his dogged support of the

Kentucky Wildcats.

In these verses from Philippians 1 and 4, Paul, the

Missionary Apostle, is speaking to the Philippian

congregation. In the first passage, he says to his fellow

Christians: ``I thank my God in all y remembrance of you all,

making my prayer with joy, thankful for your sharing in the

gospel . . .'' Memory is a gracious gift from God Almighty.

We don't know when our memory will be taken from us and we

will be poor indeed. I well remember those early days of my

ministry at Hopkinsville First Church, and his family members

are part of that memory bank.

Today, we can say Russell has ``fought a good fight, has

finished his course, and has kept the faith.'' In Philippians

4: 8-9, Paul admonishes his friends in the church to a life

of piety. These six qualities of a committed life were the

qualities of Russell's life:

Whatever is true: Little did I know in 1977, when I became

Russell's pastor, I would be entertaining an angel unawares.

He taught that young minister, through his dedicated life to

Christ, how to act conscientiously, by the standards of truth

based on Holy Writ. Russell's convictions were based on what

he believed the truth to be. The truth was never negotiable.

He lived the lesson of truth! Yes, he did!

Whatever is honorable: Russell was truly a gentleman. A

Christian gentleman. An honorable gentleman. The

Interpreter's Bible reminds us that the Greek word literally

translated, reads: ``worthy of reverence''. Very fitting,

huh? His code of ethics was based on the Ten Commandments and

the Beatitudes. He didn't have a copy of either posted on his

front lawn. Didn't need to!

Whatever is just: Russell lived out the doctrine of

justice. I his daily life, and in all his social contacts, he

was a fair and just gentleman. He always played by the rules

of fairness, compassion and justice.

Whatever is pure: A good translation of these words is

this: ``Purify yourself of all mean spirits.'' Russell didn't

have a mean bone in his body. No he didn't! Stubborn, but not

mean! You know something? He never, not one time, told me

``Howard, I have purified myself of all mean spirits.'' He

just quietly went about the business of living a good life.

Whatever is lovely: Again, the Interpreter's Bible says the

original meaning was, ``Whatever is worthy of love.''

(Agape). Russell had a love relationship with all of us,

which was directly related to his love for our Savior Jesus

Christ. Now, separated by almost 30 years from the time I

first met Russell, that memory is just as vivid as ever. He

loved the Lord. He loved his brothers and sisters in Christ.

He loved his family!

Whatever is gracious: The King James Version translates the

statement this way: ``Whatever thing are of good report.'' I

like that. Don't you? Russell blessed me with his positive

and loving spirit. He was truly gracious, always of a good

report. That's Russell. Always spoken well of. Always held in

honor. The time I have left in this world, I sincerely want

to put these qualities to work in my life. Things I have

observed in Russell.

Following Russell's death, ``Rock-a-Bye Baby'' was being

played on the hospital intercom in celebration of the birth

of a baby. Russell would have liked that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to a provision inserted in the FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Title 1 section 142 states ``Any excess animal sold under this provision shall no longer be considered to be a wild-free roaming horse or burro for purposes of this Act.'' This section completely reverses the goal of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which was aimed at stopping wild horses and burros from being harvested for commercial poses without limitation.

The Bureau of Land Management, BLM, oversees approximately 261 million acres. More than 29 million acres of this land is used for wild horse and burro grazing. BLM's responsibilities with regard to caring for wild horses and burros were created by the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act in 1971. Although the act's primary concern is caring for wild horses and burros, it also permits BLM to lease this land for several purposes, such as grazing, mining, and parks. The act and subsequent regulations require BLM to manage wild horses and burros on public lands and protect them from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment, death, and ensure their humane care.

Current law prohibits the sale of wild horses and burros for processing into commercial products. Section 142 will undermine these efforts by allowing wild horses and burros that are at least 10 years old or have been put up for adoption three times to be auctioned. As a cosponsor of the American Horse Protection Act, along with 227 other Members, I am appalled that wild horses and burros could possibly be captured for slaughter.

Horses that are sent to slaughter are often crammed into double decker trailers, where conditions are so bad that many horses arrive at the slaughtering facility injured. Moreover, since there are no export tariffs on horse meat, no profits from this industry remain in America. The profits go directly to Belgium and France, which is where the owners of the only slaughter houses in the United States live. More importantly, the provision is a devastating blow to the equine industry, because they have worked diligently to protect horses from slaughter.

Section 142 was inserted during conference negotiations, leaving many members unaware of the new provision and its impact. In addition, no stand-alone legislation has been introduced and, to my knowledge, the House Resources Committee had not seen this language. Because this provision was inserted behind closed doors, no congressional authorizing committee had an opportunity to comment on this provision and its impact. Additionally, no hearings have been held to get feedback from BLM on possible alternatives. In fact, since 1988, every Department of Interior Appropriations bill has included language that states, ``Appropriations herein made shall not be available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and burros in the care of the Bureau or its contractor.'' Coincidently, this language was left out this year. I believe that if this language was brought before the full House for a vote as stand-alone legislation it would fail, because clearly the majority of the House has gone on record opposing the slaughter of horses.

Mr. Speaker, it does not speak well of this institution when individual members of the House and Senate can change 16 .years of policy by sneaking a provision into the Omnibus without disclosure, discussion, or public knowledge. Horses are part of our American heritage and hold a favored status. They are not food animals in this country and, unlike cows, pigs, and chickens, they should not be bred, raised, or gathered for slaughter.

Mr. Speaker, as we conclude the 108th Congress, I think all of us who served in this body feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment for the legislation that we passed that will have a positive impact on our Nation. I think also many of us have a great deal of regret over legislation that did not pass that we needed to pass to address serious issues facing our great Nation.

I am really reluctant at this time to talk about matters that I find frustrating for me personally, but I am not going to be critical of any Member, of course. But one of the processes that seems to be taking place certainly in the House of Representatives is that each year we take up more and more of the legislative calendar to pass appropriation bills. It seems that each year we do not pass all of the appropriation bills. Then what happens is at the end of the year we come forth with a gigantic omnibus bill. This year was no exception. That is one of the reasons that a few years ago on this floor, we had a vote to go to a 2- year appropriation cycle so that one year we could appropriate money for the government, and the next year we could debate substantive issues.

But as I stated earlier, we find ourselves this year with a gigantic omnibus bill once again. The sad thing about it is that when that bill went over to the Senate, many provisions were placed into that bill, and the Members of the House of Representatives never had an opportunity to vote on the bill. I just want to give one example of a substantive policy that was made because of legislation adopted on the Senate side that was never, we never had an opportunity to vote for on this side.

The Bureau of Land Management oversees approximately 261 million acres of public lands, and more than 29 million acres of that land is used for wild horses and burro grazing. Now, because of section 142 being inserted into the omnibus bill on which there was no disclosure, no one knew about it; as I said earlier, we never had an opportunity to vote on it on the House side, 31 years of policy relating to public lands and wild burros and wild horses grazing on those lands were changed. As a matter of fact, the change will no longer protect those wild horses and burros on the public lands. Someone, and it is unclear who, will decide that there may be an excessive number of these animals out there, and those animals will be disposed of.

Now, prior to this year's omnibus bill, in every appropriation bill relating to BLM lands, it said, ``Appropriations herein made shall not be available for the destruction of healthy, unadopted wild horses and burros in the care of the Bureau or its contractor.'' Of course, the omnibus bill eliminated that language as well.

So we leave here at the end of this 108th Congress by action taken in the dark of night, without the knowledge of anyone, that changes 31 years of policy relating to the way we manage Bureau of Land Management and the animals, the wild horses and burros on those properties.

I, for one, am quite frustrated by this process. It seems that each year we come with gigantic omnibus bills. This one exceeded I have been told over 3,000 pages. Most Members, of course, do not know what was in it. But the really disappointing thing to me, and I stress that, was the fact that on the House side, we never had an opportunity to vote on those changes made by the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss an important issue facing the next Congress. Since enactment of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, obesity rates in America have soared, including among children.

According to a recent briefing provided by the Institute of Food Technologists, ``the most recent data from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) in 2002, 65 percent of Americans were overweight or obese, 30 percent were obese and 4.9 percent were extremely obese. Over 400,000 individuals die each year due to poor diet and physical inactivity. For the first time in 100 years, children face shorter life spans then their parents, as the obesity rate for children has doubled since 1980. The total estimated direct and indirect costs of obesity in the U.S. exceed $117 billion annually. Less than 1/3 of adults engage in the recommended amounts of physical activity. In fact, more than 25 percent of Americans report no leisure time activity at all.''

While evidence suggests that the increase in obesity rates is due primarily to a decline in physical activity rather than an increase in caloric consumption, the problem will not be solved by increased physical activity alone. For the sake of public health, many Americans must modify both their diets and physical activity practices.

We in Congress should examine whether our current food labeling laws are providing for the nutrition information, including claims regarding the health effects and nutritional composition of foods, that consumers need. A realistic appraisal of our food labeling law provides a mixed review:

The law effectively prohibits false or misleading nutrition

information. Uniform food labeling laws facilitate consumer

education and the efficient flow of commerce.

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) and its

implementing regulations took a prescriptive approach that

emphasized fat, which effectively de-emphasized the very

important consideration of total calories in a food. Though

well intentioned, this approach may have exacerbated dietary

problems.

The highly prescriptive approach of the NLEA, combined with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) cumbersome approval process, have resulted in the agency often standing in the way of providing truthful, non-misleading information to consumers. FDA has lost every major First Amendment case regarding implementation of the NLEA. In the landmark decision, Pearson v. Shalala, 164 F.3d 650 (D.C. Cir. 1999), reh'g, en banc, denied, 172 F.3d 72 (D.C. Cir. 1999), the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals even characterized

the government's defense of its stifling, moribund regulatory approach as ``almost frivolous.'' Our law and regulatory systems cannot continue to block or excessively delay delivery of truthful, non-misleading information to American consumers.

To its great credit, the FDA has recently started to issue enforcement discretion letters. that indicate the agency would not take enforcement action against particular qualified health claims that it has determined are truthful and non-misleading, even though those, claims have not been approved pursuant to the excruciatingly slow NLEA process. While I have reservations about this approach, it is clearly a reasoned attempt to be less obstructive of truthful, non-misleading food label statements. For its part, this FDA initiative is likely to improve public health. However, it appears that Congress could do more.

Some of these observations are not new. In 1997, Congress enacted the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA), which provided for streamlined procedures for allowing certain products and claims to get to market. Simply put, FDA can say ``no'' with relative ease and speed, but has extensive clearance procedures with correspondingly long time requirements to say ``yes'' to any petition. So, FDAMA provided for notifications for indirect food additives, as well as for health claims and nutrient content claims based upon authoritative statements of certain scientific bodies or the National Academy of Sciences. Under that system, if FDA does not object to a notification within a specified period, the FDAMA requirements are deemed satisfied and the product or claim approved. Thanks to addition of these provisions, FDA has more expeditiously approved health claims that have provided consumers helpful information regarding the relationships between potassium and the risk of high blood pressure and stoke, and between whole grain foods and the risk of heart disease and certain cancers, as well as nutrient content claims identifying foods that are significant sources of choline and of DHA, EPA, and ALA, specific omega-3 fatty acids. Broader use of this concept must be considered if we are to continue to allow FDA to block a product or claim before it gets to market, but expect advances in science to reach market without delay that is unacceptably costly in terms of public health and capital investment.

Finally, FDA pre-market responsibilities regarding foods are extensive and include a number of matters that are not critical to public health protection, such as temporary permits for test marketing of a food in contemplation of amending its regulatory standard of identity. Often, FDA has explained that they are not handling such matters with a responsible pace because they are low priorities. As a matter of public health protection, such prioritization makes sense. However, it is time for us to review provisions of law and regulation that require agency pre-market approvals regarding low priority matters. If pre-market regulatory scrutiny needs to be maintained regarding such matters, consideration should be given to substituting notification procedures for the dysfunctional processes in place at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I share these observations so that my colleagues may consider them prior to initiating work of the next Congress and in hopes of stimulating debate on the subject.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Mrs. Mary Towles Sasseen Wilson, a distinguished native of Henderson, Kentucky, which I have the pleasure of representing in the House. In recognizing Mrs. Wilson, we also pay tribute to all mothers in this great Nation, as she is responsible in large part for the origination of the Mother's Day holiday.

In 1860, Mrs. Wilson was born Mary Towles Sasseen in western Kentucky. She spent most of her life in Henderson as a school teacher. Had she never become involved in the development and spread of Mother's Day, she still would have been recalled fondly by many western Kentuckians as a tireless, caring, and effective educator.

However, Wilson's story was not to end there. Spurred by the love and devotion she felt for her own mother, in 1887 Mary Sasseen held her first public Mother's Day celebration at the Center Street School in Henderson. In 1893 she published and dedicated to her mother a pamphlet entitled Mother's Day Celebration, which defined the holiday and suggested readings and activities suitable for its celebration.

In subsequent years she worked diligently toward the introduction of Mother's Day observations at schools and towns in Kentucky and elsewhere. When Sasseen attempted in 1899 to become one of the region's earliest female elected officials by running for Superintendent of Public Instruction, commentary regarding the campaign cited her as ``the author and originator of Mother's Day.''

Although Sasseen's attempts to win elective office failed, she continued to work for the furtherance of Mother's Day in America. In 1904 she married Judge William Marshall Wilson and moved to Freeport, Florida, which was to be the site of her untimely death in 1906. Less than a decade later, in response to the efforts of other notable Mother's Day advocates in the tradition of Mrs. Wilson, President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

Mrs. Wilson's efforts were recognized by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1926, when it passed a resolution acclaiming Mary Towles Sasseen as ``the originator of the idea of the celebration of Mother's Day'' and giving her credit for ``her splendid work in attempting to bring to the minds of children everywhere the full admiration, respect, and love due our mothers.''

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that these are efforts no less worthy of commendation today than when they were first carried out and honored over a century ago. It is my distinct pleasure to bring to the attention of this House the noteworthy legacy of Mrs. Wilson and all of the mothers she worked so hard to honor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

We are excited today to have on the floor this legislation relating to prescription drug abuse in the United States, which has reached epidemic proportions. Recent statistics show that 6.2 million Americans abuse prescription drugs. To help combat this problem, many States, such as my own State of Kentucky and about 20 others, have adopted prescription drug monitoring programs to assist physicians and law enforcement officials stop the abuse and prosecute those individuals who are breaking the law.

The cornerstone of most existing drug-monitoring programs is that they allow physicians access to the information before writing a prescription for a controlled substance. Physicians tell us that it is an invaluable tool in treating their patients. However, there is one glaring problem, and that is that these programs operate only intra- state. And as the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) mentioned, it is essential that we have an inter-state program.

To that end, I have been pleased to work with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland), my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, on legislation to address this issue. This legislation, H.R. 3015, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act, creates a grant program housed at the Department of Health and Human Services which will fund the establishment and operation of State-run prescription drug monitoring programs. It establishes standards for reporting data and governs who has access to such information and under what circumstances because of the privacy issues. From the beginning our goal has been to give physicians the tool they need to treat patients, which also provides a better mechanism to prosecute individuals who are allegedly using illegal controlled substances.

I believe this is a good bill, a balanced bill, and one that will provide States with an important tool to curb prescription drug abuse.

I would like at this time to thank all of the cosponsors and give particular thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Bilirakis); the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), ranking member; and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), without all of whom we would not have been successful without their efforts to get this legislation through the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

I would also like to recognize the hard work of our committee staff, particularly Chuck Clapton and Ryan Long and John Halliwell on my staff; and, of course, we could not have done it without the Democratic committee staff, and I would also like to thank them.

I would urge all Members to vote for this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to discuss the situation on Cyprus. The best way to commemorate the twin anniversaries of the coup d'etat and the following events in Cyprus 30 years ago in July 1974 is to make sure that they never happen again. This is only possible if the political problem in Cyprus between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots is settled once and for all. This in turn will make Cyprus a bridge of cooperation, rather than conflict, between Greece and Turkey, and a bastion of stability in the eastern Mediterranean.

A historic opportunity was missed just a few months ago when the ``Annan Plan'' was rejected by the Greek Cypriots by a margin of 3 to 1, while it was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots with a clear majority of 65 percent in separate referenda. The United States, the European Union, Turkey and Greece had given strong support to the Plan as a reasonable compromise.

According to Secretary-General Kofi Annan's recent report to the Security Council regarding the results of the referenda, ``the Turkish Cypriot vote has undone any rationale for pressuring and isolating them.'' Annan also called on U.N. Security Council members to ``give a strong lead to all States to cooperate both bilaterally and in international bodies, to eliminate unnecessary restrictions and barriers that have the effect of isolating the Turkish Cypriots and impeding their development.''

Having demonstrated their conciliatory spirit by letting bygones be bygones, the Turkish Cypriots rightly expect to be reintegrated with the international community in economic, cultural, social and other fields. U.S. and EU assistance to Turkish Cypriots to help them rehabilitate their economy and ease their isolation has been forthcoming but modest. I believe the Turkish Cypriots need and deserve our help in their struggle for justice and a better future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. F.E. Whitney of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

F.E. Whitney has faithfully served his county, his community and his fellow citizens through a lifetime of public service.

Mr. Whitney's family settled in Hopkinsville in 1897. He was born in 1916. He graduated from Kentucky State University in 1937 and returned to Hopkinsville where he still resides today.

Mr. Whitney is a member of what Tom Brokaw termed ``The Greatest Generation'', serving his country honorably in World War II.

Mr. Whitney has been an involved citizen in Christian County and Hopkinsville, Kentucky for over 50 years. He became a member of the Kentucky Association of Realtors in 1958 and was later accepted as a member of the National Board of Realtors. He was the first African American member.

Some of F.E. Whitney's many accomplishments include serving the public as a Realtor and Small Business Owner when he established F. E. Whitney Real Estate Agency, Inc. in 1948. This business remains in operation today.

F.E. Whitney served 21 years on the Hopkinsville City Council. In 1973, he served as Mayor Pro Tem. In 1977, he was elected to the Christian County Fiscal Court where he served over 20 years. Mr. Whitney has served the Pennyrile Area Development District, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, The Pioneer's and his church. He has been an activist for civil rights.

F.E. Whitney was honored by Christian County and the State of Kentucky when the I-24 Welcome Center was named in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. F.E. Whitney embodies the spirit, commitment and sacrifice that we all should strive for in our daily lives. He has not only made a success out of his life, but he has also been a gift to our community. I am proud to represent him in the Congress. On behalf of the citizens of the First District of Kentucky, we thank him for his service and we bring his accomplishments to the attention of this House.

Mr. Speaker, one uplifting message for the American people is the legislation that this House passed relating to the prescription drug benefit under Medicare.

This weekend I hosted three meetings in my district. Vicki Mayes came to one of those meetings. This was what she said. When she used her Medicare-approved drug discount card for the first time a week and a half ago, she was shocked. Drugs that normally cost her $50 cost her only $2.90. On Thursday when she went to the pharmacy for two more refills, drugs that would normally cost her $54 cost her $16.90.

All of us can be proud of this new prescription drug benefit passed by this Congress. As President Bush said, it was the most important expansion of Medicare that we have had since the inception of the Medicare program.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge a group of high school students from my District congratulate them on winning the State of Kentucky Fast Pitch Softball Championship. The Calloway County Lady Lakers won their first state softball championship this year when they defeated Owensboro Catholic by the score of 3 to 2 on June 13th. This was only the second State Championship in the school's history.

I would first like to recognize the team, beginning with the coaches. They include Head Coach, James Pigg, and Assistant Coaches: Eddie Morris, Tom Fox, Troy Webb, Pat McMillen, and Cija Vaughn. Your hard work and dedication is admirable and greatly appreciated. Your team is celebrating this accomplishment today because of your efforts.

The players' teamwork and athletic abilities are also evident with this victory. The players are: Whitney Hendon, Kaysin Hutching, Traci Rose, Kalyn Fox, Aimee Dial, Ashley Chadwick, Chelsea Morris, Marcy Boggess, Danielle McMillen, Megan Starks, Carrie Radke, Jessica Greer, and Jessica Dial. Congratulations on this impressive athletic achievement. Your will and determination are obvious, especially since you were playing the championship game at 2:00 in the morning. This is a honor for your families, your team, your school, and the First District of Kentucky.

Congratulations Lady Lakers, and I wish you continued success in the future.