Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5611, the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act, or NARAB II.

First, I would like to commend my friend, David Scott. We come from two different parties, but a common background in the business community, in the small business community, understanding the issues that business people deal with on a daily basis, and crossing multiple regulatory frameworks dealing with multiple States.

My experience has led to my support and working to develop this bill and to get it passed tonight and hopefully signed into law before the end of year. It was based on my experience as a small business owner, not as an agent, but as a business owner who had employees in several different States, and suddenly found when I reached out to a good friend of mine who was an agent himself that he had to deal with several different agents. It suddenly became very complicated and very costly from a time standpoint. It was inefficient and not cost effective at all for any of us to get these different plans to fit the needs and in compliance with each State.

After I came to Congress, with that experience in the back of my mind, I also heard from many, many agents in the insurance industry, and many small business owners who encountered situations like I had sitting astride the nexus of three States.

Insurance reform has been the subject of discussion for many years now. There are many different perspectives on it. What David and I have tried to do through this bill, and our staffs, is to simply solve a process problem that allows people to work together more effectively. To me, this is the height of bipartisanism at its best. We are working to common cause, to fix a process that helps our citizens across the country.

I am very pleased to see this meaningful and targeted reform measure make it to the floor today after over a year of work. NARAB II goes straight to the heart of the difficulties that insurance agents and brokers, and small business owners who are their customers, face on a daily basis as they try to navigate this web of State licensing requirements.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act would have created the original NARAB system in the event that the States did not satisfy the producer licensing reform objectives outlined in the underlying bill. Ultimately, the States were perceived to have achieved a specified level of licensing reciprocity, and NARAB was never created. Thus, the problem remained.

Nearly 10 years since the passage of Gramm-Leach-Bliley, we are still in need of progress on this issue. H.R. 5611 mandates the creation of NARAB. The board's purposes and function will be generally the same as the provisions of Gramm-Leach-Bliley. In short, agents and brokers licensed in good standing in their home State and meeting NARAB-member criteria will be able to join NARAB. Members will pay the appropriate fees required by each State in which they are licensed, and so this will not eliminate any revenue States currently generate from licensing. NARAB would not have any Federal regulatory authority, an important point that my friend from Georgia highlighted during his remarks as well. This is not an expansion of the Federal bureaucracy, it is a correction to allow the private sector to continue to grow business and create jobs.

I would like to think of NARAB as a stamp of approval for an insurance agent acknowledged and accepted nationwide.

I appreciate the hard work, expertise and advice from all of the insurance industry groups in helping us to come to compromise on H.R. 5611. In particular, the NAIC has been an invaluable source of knowledge, and I appreciate their substantive suggestions for ways we can improve the bill.

We made sure that the State insurance commissioners had a voice in the shaping of this legislation to ensure that State rights were protected, and at the same time we were able to address a direct issue that was affecting these brokers and small business customers.

H.R. 5611 takes a significant step toward improving the way our insurance markets operate within the existing State-based system. I would like to thank in particular Chairman Frank, Ranking Member Bachus, Chairman Kanjorski, and Ranking Member Pryce for their leadership on the important issue of insurance reform and for their support of this bill that Mr. Scott and I introduced.

Lastly, I want to thank my good friend, David Scott, for his work and also his staff, Michael Andel and Tammy McAthey, and my legislative director, Lauren O'Brien, who have worked long and hard to bring this to pass. This has been a great piece of legislation. I urge support for the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, energy is the number one strategic issue facing this Nation. Has the Democratic Congress done anything credible to address it? No. In fact, when they do, they drop a bogus bill in the watches of the night and expect everybody to swallow it.

Their bill still blocks over 80 percent of offshore drilling and has no credible alternatives that are proven, like coal to liquid, oil shale, tar sands or nuclear. This bill is bad for Kentucky. The Democratic leadership has totally misled the American people with this bogus bill.

I rise in opposition. This bill punishes the elderly, working families, our schools and all industry in this country. This bogus measure punishes the heartland of America that grows the food, produces the goods and creates the energy that this Nation runs on.

I call on all Kentuckians and all Americans to stand up and call this Democratic-led Congress what it is, useless. Vote ``no'' on their bill. And Mr. Speaker, give us a vote on a bill that matters, that will change the American people and that will help us build a future: The American Energy Act introduced by Republicans in this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my perspective

on an essential reform to ensure the security of our Nation. We must reform our national security system to ensure effective interagency operations. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and co- chair of the House National Security Interagency Reform Working Group, implementing reform of the national security system is one of my highest priorities. Our current interagency process is broken. There are regulatory, legislative, budgetary, resource and culture impediments to effective interagency operations. These problems are independent of personalities, policies and particular presidential administrations. In order to protect the United States interests and its citizens, it is critical that reform to executive and legislative processes be allowed to better the integration among currently stove- piped departments.

A successfully integrated interagency process will empower the United States to more effectively employ our nonmilitary instruments of power abroad. This ability will allow us to more effectively fulfill our interest while reserving the use of lethal force as a last resort. In fact leaders and policy makers need two things; first, an overarching national strategy that frames the intent of all policy on national security; second, a toolbox of resources that can be configured, hopefully in a preventive way, to fulfill our strategic objectives.

The current interagency system was devised over 60 years ago for a different era and is based on a very specific national security strategy when security was primarily a function of military capabilities wielded by one department in overseas missions. At the time, major combat operations and nuclear deterrence were the principal focus of U.S. national security strategy. This strategy required limited coordination of activities between vertically structured military and civilian departments and agencies.

Today, national security involves a much wider array of issues that can be addressed only with a broader set of capabilities that are highly synchronized and carefully calibrated.

Many agencies are not conscious of or prepared to act in their national security roles. Many civilian departments and agencies do not believe they have a role in the national security system, and the cultures of these organizations produce few, if any, incentives for staff to participate in national security missions. These agencies often lack ``expeditionary'' capabilities. Even if they have the desire to help, they may be prevented from doing so by a combination of factors including personnel shortages, lack of resources, lack of statutory authorizations and regulatory constraints.

Additionally, interagency operations are not governed by standard concepts and procedures. Without common processes, interagency operations tend to be very ad hoc. For example, Paul Bremer, head of the Coalition For Provisional Authority in postwar Iraq believed that he reported to the President through the Secretary of Defense and did not want to be bogged down by ``the interagency process.'' National Security Adviser Rice's senior deputies, simply to get information, were relegated to checking the CPA website every day to see what new orders Bremer had issued. Such arrangements are enormously inefficient and liable to produce erratic outcomes.

We must ensure that civilian agencies have the resources required for effective integration with the Department of Defense. Think what could have been done to deter the growth of criminal militias in Iraq if the Department of Treasury had been able to assist in the rapid implementation of simple electronic banking systems to get money and payroll to the people of Iraq during the post conflict stabilization period.

A new National Security Act is needed to update the organization and procedures created by the National Security Act of 1947. We need to codify an adaptive approach that flattens, simplifies and integrates the agencies of the executive branch and the committees of Congress. We must ensure all departments and agencies that have national security roles have specific objectives, responsibilities and operational planning capabilities so they can protect America's interests.

Second, we should require that personnel who are selected for the Senior Executive Service in departments and agencies with national security roles have professional development via institutional training and operational assignments in agencies other than their own to better understand the national security interagency system. Third, we should strive to build regional expertise across the departments and agencies to ensure a bench of personnel with the knowledge and skills required to accomplish departmental and agency missions in all regions of the world. For example, we should consider better regional alignment between DOD and the State Department.

As my colleagues and I undertake the challenge of crafting reform legislation, I welcome the opportunity to work with all agencies to gain their insights on the way ahead for reform.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Yes, in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 will expand transportation options for some commuters. It doesn't address the underlying problem affecting all Americans.

The current energy climate has highlighted the critical need for America to develop a national energy strategy that will promote energy independence. We can no longer rely on unstable foreign entities to supply us with the resources we need to keep our country running. We need to use American resources to meet American energy needs.

Although section 219 of H.R. 6003 authorizes $1 million to the Department of Transportation to study the potential for renewable biofuels, the bill makes no mention of utilizing the huge proven resources that we have in this country at our fingertips. We need to address the underlying and immediate issues of increasing our domestic supply of energy to reduce prices. This MTR would expand the scope of the study to include those American resources that are now available, like coal, natural gas and oil shale.

One year ago, Amtrak was buying fuel for $2.19 a gallon. As of May 22, 2008, Amtrak was forced to pay $4.26 a gallon. This dubious milestone was achieved 776 days after the current Speaker of the House stated that Democrats had a commonsense plan to bring down skyrocketing fuel prices. That plan has yet to materialize, and a new CNN poll shows that 86 percent of our citizens believe that gas prices will hit $5 a gallon this summer.

Indeed, the majority has pursued a misguided energy strategy that tightens the vice on American consumers in the form of higher taxes and higher energy prices. Frankly, we need to use American resources for Americans now. While I don't object to public transportation as a sound alternative to commuting by car, expanding Amtrak service still doesn't lessen our dependency on foreign oil.

Skyrocketing fuel prices are affecting every aspect of our daily lives. We all know the impact it is having on our family budgets. But it is also having a dramatic impact on many other budgets, ranging from school districts to local governments to the Armed Forces. Even Amtrak's budget is ballooning with these increasing prices. Their fuel budget for 2008 has increased from $125 million to $215 million.

In the areas where American budgets are being hardest hit by gas prices, consuming 16 percent of gross income, they have very little access to Amtrak. How does this bill help those Americans deal with our energy prices?

My constituents can literally no longer afford the empty promises and failed policies of this Congress. What we need now is an action plan that focuses on real solutions that use real resources to address our short and long-term needs, putting all the options on the table to be considered. It will unleash American innovation, create American jobs and lower prices for American consumers.

We need to focus on increasing our domestic energy supply by exploring the resources that rest at our fingertips on the Outer Continental Shelf and in the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve. These resources could significantly increase our domestic oil production and supply a considerable amount of our energy needs. Yet the Democratic majority refuses to allow the American people to access resources that are on their own soil. I echo the recent declaration that we need to drill here, we need to drill now, and then we will pay less.

We need to promote the research and development of renewable resources while investigating the potential for alternative fuels developed from coal-to-liquids, hydrogen, and other new technologies to lessen our dependency on foreign oil supply shocks.

Congress has been historically shortsighted about the use of our most abundant fuel, coal, to boost our energy supply. The United States is estimated to have 40 times the amount of energy stored in coal reserves than we have in our domestic oil reserves. American coal resources in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois exceed the oil resources of Saudi Arabia and is an excellent source for American energy. With oil prices heading towards $150 a barrel, how can we not afford to explore our own domestic resources?

The leaders of this Congress have proven themselves to be out of touch, turning blindly away from any attempt to relieve the American people of their burden with practical solutions. We need to lower prices for the American people. By continually refusing to recognize the problem at hand, the Democratic majority is causing irrevocable harm to our Nation.

I urge all my colleagues to support the motion to recommit the bill to broaden the Locomotive Alternative Fuel Study to include American reserves that will increase domestic oil supply, reduce costs and make us more independent from foreign oil. The best thing that we can do for Amtrak is to lower fuel prices. If we use our resources for Americans, we can ignite a third industrial revolution that will create millions of jobs and provide a future for our children.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Steve Miller, an outstanding community leader in Kentucky's Fourth District. After 22 years as the Executive Director of the Buffalo Trace Area Development District, Steve is retiring to pursue other interests and spend time with family.

After obtaining a degree in Urban Planning at Murray State University in 1977, Steve began his career with the Buffalo Trace Area Development District as a Transportation Planner. While completing a graduate degree in Economic Development, Steve became Associate Director, a title that he held from 1980 to 1986. Since 1986, Steve has been the Executive Director of the Buffalo Trace Area Development District.

Over the course of his 31 year career with the Buffalo Trace ADD, Steve has assisted in the development of six industrial parks, the construction of hundreds of miles of water lines, the fulfillment of several downtown revitalization projects, the inception of groundbreaking workforce development programs and many other initiatives. Steve's contributions to Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Robertson counties are innumerable, and the families of this region live a better life today because of him. I would like to thank Mr. Stephen Miller for his extraordinary service to the entire Buffalo Trace region and to wish him the very best in his next adventure.

Thank you, Congressman Hunter, Chairman Skelton.

I just want to make a statement that I rise in very strong support of this amendment. It is critical right now that we address the challenges between the agencies and the Federal Government.

Over a year ago, Congresswoman Susan Davis and I formed the bipartisan National Security Reform Caucus to begin to address these issues in a new flavor from what now Chairman Skelton began to address as a young Member of Congress in the 1980s, leading to sweeping reforms in the Defense Department, and leading to the concept of jointness between our services that we have today.

We've seen this caucus grow. We've seen terrific hearings that have been done on the Oversight and Investigations Committee pointing to the need for better interoperability between the State Department and the Defense Department. We have many dedicated civil servants and many dedicated military personnel who are actually blocked, in many aspects, from working together because of the silos of the agencies, statutes and regulations in accounting that prevents them from interacting effectively.

I think that one of the things that we need to do as a Nation is to have the ability to more flexibly and agilely use our instruments of national power so that putting troops on the ground, using our kinetic power, is the last thing we do; that we can begin on the soft end with humanitarian efforts, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, reaching out with information, and using very powerful and often unheralded assets like the Agency for International Development, more expeditionary Foreign Service, and allow this interaction to take place in an effective manner. I think that by having this standard advisory panel, we can take the politics out of this and continue to work closely.

I appreciate the chairman's leadership, leading in a bipartisan manner on such a critical issue, convening many meetings and forums, and also participating over a year ago with us on this Council of Foreign Relations effort that brought together much of the interagency community.

Again, I encourage my colleagues to support this. Thank you for your time, and the chairman for his graciousness and procedure.

Notice to Alter Order of Consideration of Amendments

Madam Speaker, The following provides information about earmarks which I have secured through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 as reported out of the House Armed Services Committee and which will be considered by the House of Representatives on May 21-22, 2008.

Requesting Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Other Procurement, Army.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Kentucky Army National Guard.

Address of Requesting Entity: Boone National Guard Center, 100 Minuteman Parkway, Frankfort, KY 40601.

Description of Request: Authorize $1,500,000 for the Virtual Convoy Operations Trainer (VCOT). During FY 09 the Army National Guard will begin fielding the VCOT, which is an upgraded version of the previous HMMWV and Tactical Truck Convoy Trainer. VCOT fielding is the Army National Guard's number one priority for convoy training procurement. The VCOT has been enhanced to allow convoy soldiers to leave their vehicles and conduct independent dismounted operations that will greatly assist training in the identification and disposition of IEDs on the battlefield. Also, the VCOT allows training on several types of vehicles and with various types of weapons. Without this program, our soldiers will continue to have fewer trainers than needed to train counter-IED drills, immediate action drills and convoy operations.

This authorization will allow the KYANG to purchase a VCOT.

During current operations in Iraq, more soldiers have been killed or wounded during convoy operations than at any other time. The VCOT provides the best convoy training available, and it includes training in dismounted operations and combat actions on virtual terrain that includes Baghdad, Tikrit, Samarra, Kabul, and Kosovo.

Requesting Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Other Procurement, Army.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: DRS Technologies, Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 7375 Industrial Road, Florence, KY 41042-2911.

Description of Request: Authorize $2,200,000 for procurement of Multi-Temperature Refrigerated Container Systems (MTRCS). MTRCS is the follow-on generation of refrigeration systems. It provides the capability to transport and store both refrigerated and frozen products in a single container. It consists of an insulated 8' x 8' x 20' International Organization for Standardization shipping container with an engine-driven refrigeration unit that will allow operation on the move. The two compartments are separated by a moveable partition varying proportions of refrigerated versus frozen products resulting in maximum loading of the container.

MTRCS is used principally by subsistence units. It will also be used by medical units for transport and storage of refrigerated medical supplies, including blood products.

The benefit to DOD is more efficient space utilization and reduced transportation requirements. Fewer vehicles will be required to transport food on the battlefield, reducing the number of soldiers exposed to danger from IED's, etc.

The Army Acquisition Objective for MTRCS is 4432 systems, but only 1050 are funded in

the FY08-13 Future Years Defense Plan. This earmark would authorize procurement of an additional twenty systems.

Requesting Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Army.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ashland Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 50 E. River Center Blvd, Covington, KY 41012-0391.

Description of Request: Authorize $300,000 to develop advanced, environmentally-friendly, nano-based rust-corrosion-UV protective spray coatings based upon the Lotus Effect. Such coatings could prevent moisture and associated oxygen from getting to a surface and causing rust or corrosion. These surface-protective coatings would be comprised of materials that are environmentally-benign and durable.

The U.S. military owns vast amounts of equipment and vehicles that see considerable amounts of storage time. This equipment must be either stored indoors or chemically-treated for protection in outdoor storage. Even treatment of equipment for indoor storage adds a significant level of added protection for long-term storage that is non-climate- controlled. Typically, the chemicals used to protect equipment in outdoor storage are not highly-durable thus requiring maintenance and are also typically environmentally noxious or even highly toxic.

Approximately, $200,000 is for development of the Nano-particle Protectant Systems and $100,000 is for development of the Dispersion and Delivery systems. A nano-particle protectant ``system'' is a combination of chemicals that work together to provide the desired protective coating. A dispersion and delivery system is the liquid dispersing system (mixture of liquids) needed to disperse that combination of chemicals. A key element is the equipment to spray the coating on the equipment surface.

Requestinig Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Army.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Ashland Inc.

Address of Requesting Entity: 50 E. River Center Blvd, Covington, KY 41012-0391.

Description of Request: Authorize $2,200,000 to continue development of advanced coolant and lubricant systems utilizing nano-particle systems to enhance the capabilities of military ground vehicles and simplify supply logistics. FY09 will be the third year of this project. The focus will be on transition to commercial production and final testing of stable nanofluids with improved cooling and lubrication properties while meeting all environmental requirements and making these processes commercially scalable.

Approximately, $400,000 will be used to transition production from development to commercial scale; $1,000,000 will be used for engine and vehicle dynamometer testing; and $800,000 is for field demonstrations. A dynamometer is a device that absorbs the power of an engine in the absence of a vehicle to move. The test engine to be used is the new production engine for the HMMVW that has been the engine of choice for that vehicle for the past several years. A test cell is a physical container or room that is properly outfitted for housing an engine- dynamometer combination for controlled and safe operations. Field testing of the nanofluids will occur through use of the HMMWV vehicle with the Optimizer 6500 Turbo-Diesel engine under extreme arctic and desert conditions.

Military vehicles are designed to meet exceedingly strict and arduous cooling, lubrication and overall performance requirements. One of the goals of the Tank Automotive Command is to increase the performance and durability of engines, power trains and their component parts to support Army transformation in the areas of system mobility, durability, reliability and survivability and may ultimately serve to reduce the logistics cost burden for the Objective Force.

Requesting Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Army.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: STARCON.

Address of Requesting Entity: 11631 U.S. Route 23; Catlettsburg, KY 41129.

Description of Request: Authorize $1,000,000 to develop the Cyber Forensics and Tracking Capability (CFTC) tool to support the Department of Defense cyber security operations for protecting digital forensic data for computer and network systems to counter emerging adversary threats. The primary objective of CFTC is preventing emerging cyber adversary techniques, called counter-forensics, whereby the criminal disguises and removes any trace of his illicit and potentially destructive network and computer activities. The CFTC will be demonstrated and tested through field exercises, technology demonstrations and other initiatives. CFTC is envisioned as an important part of the arsenal of cyber security solutions to thwart, track and prosecute adversaries.

CFTC operates in a network-centric environment using existing conventional computing platforms. CFTC is another cyber asset to protect critical systems and networks against increasingly sophisticated adversaries.

Requesting Member: Congressman Geoff Davis.

Bill Number: H.R. 5658.

Account: Operations & Maintenance, Air Force.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: TiER1 Performance Solutions, LLC.

Address of Requesting Entity: 6 East 5th Street, Suite 400, Covington, KY 41011.

Description of Request: Authorize $3,000,000 for the Engineering Training and Knowledge Preservation System (ETKPS). The Air Force is facing significant turnover in its senior technical personnel. The Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) could lose as many as sixty percent of its top engineers over the next three to five years.

Preserving the knowledge base is essential to AFMC and will be a massive undertaking requiring processes and tools to capture operational, technical, and critical thinking knowledge. Integrating the ability to capture, store, align, and transfer knowledge to the next generation workforce through a single, secure Web-based knowledge and training portal is necessary. Functionality of this solution must include the ability to track an individual's skills across competencies throughout his/her career; evaluate all existing training and compare the cost-benefits of competing training approaches; allow experienced personnel to easily create new training and knowledge content in accordance with pre-defined standards; plug into existing defined competencies and skill requirements and capture knowledge from subject- matter-experts to address these; link novices to experts in real-time through a virtual Web Center; categorize, organize and search all knowledge and information across the enterprise; deliver assessments to determine skill proficiencies; deliver information in a variety of ways--through distance learning, on-line reference systems, technical manuals, job aids, mobile devices and other tools. FY 09 will be year four of this ongoing project.

Approximately, $50,000 will be used for requirements analysis; $125,000 will be used for functional design; $225,000 will be used for enhanced feature development; and $250,000 is for USAF system integration; $450,000 is for user acceptance testing; and $1,900,000 is for USAF selected site development. Requirements analysis is an ongoing rigorous process to ensure the product meets the very specific needs of the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). Functional design results in a document used to inform and gain agreement that what is being developed will satisfy the AFMC user requirements. Enhanced feature development results in a prototype developed per the functional design which is presented to AFMC for testing and feedback. USAF system integration establishes proper interfaces between the ETKPS system and existing Air Force IT systems. User acceptance testing is used to evaluate the quality and usability of the product. USAF selected site development will result in the deployment of ETKPS to six Air Force bases insuring consistency across all bases.

These system capabilities will enable AFMC to organize and align information to support on-going training and development of its total workforce. Funding for this effort is critical to AFMC for maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of retaining existing knowledge capital and for building effective training programs that support the development of new personnel.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Army Specialist Jeremy R. Gullett from Greenup, Kentucky, a dedicated soldier who lost his life on May 7, 2008, in the Sabari District of Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

According to his mother, Cheryl, Jeremy had dreamed of joining the service since he was 6 years old. While attending Greenup County High School, Specialist Gullett was a member of the school's Junior ROTC program. He joined the Army in 2003, shortly after graduating from high school. Jeremy was a model citizen. Not only did he serve our country abroad, he was also a volunteer fireman; a loving father to his two young daughters, Kaye and Katie; and a dedicated husband to his wife, Janeth.

Today, as we celebrate the life and accomplishments of this exceptional Kentuckian, my thoughts and prayers are with Jeremy Gullett's family and friends. We are all deeply indebted to Specialist Gullett for his service and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in the House in congratulating the Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team for winning the NCAA Division II National Championship on March 29, 2008. Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 1147, which congratulates the team and the coaches on their impressive victory.

During the championship game, the Norse overcame a nine-point deficit with less than 6 minutes left in the game to beat the University of South Dakota, 63-58. Senior Angela Healy had 14 points and 13 rebounds in the game. In recognition of her performance, Ms. Healy was voted the Elite Eight's Most Outstanding Player.

This win marked the second time in the last decade that the Norse women have won an NCAA national championship in women's basketball. NKU is now the only collegiate women's program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to win two national titles in any sport.

The Norse team consisted of 11 outstanding women who are not only championship-caliber players, but by all accounts students and leaders who are a credit to their community as well.

Coach Nancy Winstel should be applauded for her excellent leadership and dedication to Northern Kentucky University.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the team, the coaching staff, and the entire Northern Kentucky University community for a great season, and to thank my colleagues for their support of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Kyla Bass of Florence, Kentucky. On February 13, 2008, Kyla distinguished herself when her father, Patrick Bass, a Desert Storm veteran, suffered a seizure.

In a display of courage, maturity and composure that far exceeded her 10 years of age, Kyla responded to the emergency quickly and effectively. She administered first aid and then called her mother and grandfather, while simultaneously caring for her younger brother and two cousins who were at home at the time of the emergency.

Kyla attributes her quick thinking and first aid proficiency to the skills she learned in American Heritage Girls Troop KY0727. American Heritage Girls is dedicated to developing young women through service to God, family, community and country.

In recognition of Kyla's heroism, American Heritage Girls has created the Angel Among Us award, which Kyla will receive during the regional awards ceremony on May 16. Her self-control during this event is impressive. Kyla, we're proud of you. Madam Speaker I ask you to join me in commending Kyla Bass for her outstanding actions and character.

Madam Speaker, on April 8, 2008, a new educational collection will be unveiled and celebrated at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, Kentucky.

Chicago's Art Institute and England's Queen Mary's Dolls' House are among the few places in the world where visitors can enjoy expansive collections of miniature buildings and artifacts and Maysville's Kentucky Gateway Museum Center now joins these distinguished institutions. The 3,300 square foot Miniatures Gallery at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is now home to an unrivaled collection of thousands of \1/12\ scale miniatures thanks to a generous donation from Maysville native and resident Kaye Browning. The collection features historic buildings, homes and monuments, including the ancestral home of Lady Diana Spencer, the Fleece Inn in England and the Cox Building in Maysville.

This collection has been a passion of Ms. Browning's for over thirty years. Her donation to the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center represents a substantial investment in the community and is certain to bring many visitors, both young and old, to Maysville to experience this world- class collection and gallery. I thank Ms. Browning for her incredible gift to the museum and for her tremendous dedication to Maysville and the entire region. I want to thank Lou Browning, her husband and partner in this endeavor and the staff and supporters of the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center who have made it a leader in telling the story of our Commonwealth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of the Mason County High School boys' basketball team. The Mason County Royals won the Kentucky State Boys' Basketball Championship on March 22, 2008, at Rupp Arena in Lexington.

The Mason County Royals defeated the Covington Holmes Bulldogs 57-48 in the championship game. Tournament MVP Darius Miller scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the second half of the championship, to lead the Royals to victory. This year marked the 12th time in 28 years that the Mason County Royals advanced to the Sweet Sixteen Tournament and the second time the team has won the Kentucky State Championship. The young men on this team are not only championship-caliber players, by but all accounts, students and leaders who are a credit to their community.

Finally, I want to congratulate the coaches and fans who support the team. Coach Chris O'Hern guided the Royals to victory. The team also received tremendous community support, evidenced by 17,000 fans that traveled to Lexington to attend the game.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating the achievement of the Mason County Royals on their State championship. It's an honor to represent this team in the United States Congress.

Madam Speaker, today, I wish to honor a great man and a true American hero.

MAJ William E. Dickens serves as a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve. In 2005 and 2007, Major Dickens volunteered and was deployed to support the ongoing military efforts of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has worked to establish a foundation of support for the troops in that region and continues to provide an invaluable service to military personnel and their families.

Major Dickens served as the senior Protestant chaplain at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in Iraq, providing a comprehensive ministry to more than 3,100 troops during his deployment. In 2005, while serving at Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, Bill visited more than 5,600 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. During his service there, he made two convoy trips into Iraq to minister to 800 airmen at Camp Bucca who were without a chaplain. As the chaplain for the 445th Airlift Wing, Major Dickens has spent long hours providing reintegration counseling to service men and their families.

For his great service, Major Dickens was chosen as the Reserve Officers Association 2007 Chaplain of the Year. The Reserve Officers Association is a 70,000-member professional association with representatives from all seven of the uniformed services of the United States. This honor recognizes Chaplain Dickens' extraordinary contributions to the welfare, morale, and effectiveness of the armed services.

On the 12th of February, Chaplain Dickens provided the opening prayer for the House of Representatives. I ask the House to join me in congratulating Major Dickens on receiving this great distinction and in offering him our sincerest thanks for his years of service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, Tuesday, February 12, 2008, I was absent from the House due to travel complications.

Had I been present I would have voted:

On rollcall No. 43--``yes''--H. Res. 954, honoring the life of senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008;

On rollcall No. 44--``yes''--H. Res. 909, commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the ``Siege of Savannah'' and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery;

On rollcall No. 45--``yes''--H. Con. Res. 281, celebrating the birth of Abraham Lincoln and recognizing the prominence the Declaration of Independence played in the development of Abraham Lincoln's beliefs.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a great Kentuckian.

Andrew ``Jack'' Fultz served Carter County for most of his life. He coached the Olive Hill High School basketball team from 1951 to 1968, leading the team to the State tournament in 1955, 1956 and 1959. He became a good friend and father-figure to many of his players and maintained that connection long after they were finished playing. Jack ended his career with an impressive win-loss record and was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

In 1983, Jack's 794-page book, A Comets' Tale, was published. The book chronicles the history of Olive Hill High School athletics and serves as a testament to his knowledge and love for the many students that he coached.

Jack served the Carter County Board of Education for 60 years, working as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and supervisor. Though he loved coaching and working for the schools, his family always came first. Jack developed a deep faith in God and became an active member of the First Baptist Church in Olive Hill.

I ask that today, as we pay tribute to Jack's extraordinary life of service that we send to Jean, Jack's wife of 60 years, and the rest of the Fultz family, our deepest condolences. Jack continues to be a role- model for all of us and his memory will live on through his life's work.