Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to cast votes. Had I

been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 401.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Keith Kirkland, the recipient of the 2006 International Paper Conservation Partnership Award.

This award is presented annually to an individual who has achieved significant results in the protection of habitat through a cooperative relationship with a business or company, and Mr. Kirkland, who serves as the Executive Director of The Wolf River Conservancy, is more than deserving.

For more than 20 years, first as a volunteer, and then as an employee of the Conservancy, Mr. Kirkland has championed conservation and has dedicated himself to protecting and enhancing the lands and waters along Tennessee's Wolf River.

Since 2003, when he was appointed Executive Director of the Conservancy, Mr. Kirkland has raised $12.5 million to support the U.S. Corps of Engineers' Wolf River Restoration Project. This successful project has resulted in ensuring the protection of 17,000 acres and forest and wetlands within the Wolf River flood plain.

Furthermore, Mr. Kirkland has also helped to establish the Ghost River State Natural Area, whose protected landscapes serve as a recharge area for the region's aquifer. The establishment of this Natural Area has safeguarded drinking water for one of Tennessee's fastest-growing areas and habitat for threatened and endangered species.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Mr. Kirkland and thanking him for his efforts to protect the forests and rivers of Tennessee. I thank International Paper as well, for recognizing Mr. Kirkland with their award.

Mr. Speaker, on yesterday, June 7, 2006, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to cast votes. On rollcall No. 227, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 228, I would have voted ``no''; on rollcall No. 229, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 230, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 231, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 232, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 233, I would have voted ``yes''; on rollcall No. 234, I would have voted ``yes.''

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your admonishment there.

I thank my friend in leading our delegation, Jim Cooper here in the Congress, and thank him for one skill that he seems to have above many of us here. It is just called math. When you

were in younger grades, they called it math. When you got older, they added some more syllables, they called it arithmetic. But the rules were the same. You can't spend more than you have.

What has happened here over the last few years is really remarkable. I grew up around this place because my dad was in Congress for 22 years. He worked closely with Mr. Spratt and a lot of people who are here now. I was a child, or growing up. I don't mean to date them at all, but I grew up around them and with them.

There was a time when the Republicans were perceived as the party that understood math and Democrats were the party that didn't understand math. Then we elected a President from a little State called Arkansas and he picked a little Senator from my State named Gore, and they came to Washington, as Jim Cooper and I know well, and they forced a different kind of approach on us. And that approach was simply balance the budget, get taxes down for most Americans, get investments going up and allow the private sector to do what it does best, which used to be the mantra of my friends to the right of me, literally and politically.

Wow, what a difference a few years makes once you get in power and you have all of that ability to spend money. Everything from pork spending, and I thank Mr. Cooper for his efforts on the committee for not embarrassing my friends on the right by forcing them to vote on that late in the evening about forcing us to include all of the pork projects, Mr. Chairman, before we voted on them and not allowing people to slide them into pieces of legislation late into the evening.

We have 16 agencies that you can't audit, or several agencies within our government that are not auditable. We have yet to ask, and there was a time when the Republicans would ask these things.

Here we are in 2006 and things have changed. The term ``flip-flop'' was used a lot 2 years ago. The flip-flop is here. We now find the men and women on this side raising these points and not my friends on the other side.

I would remind my friends about their great fiscal management. Eight years before 2000, Mr. Chairman, the U.S. economy added almost 23 million new jobs. That is 237,000 a month. Since 2000, job growth has slowed to a total of only 2.3 million jobs, or 38,000 a month. The normal retort is, well, the economy changed and we are at war. We are, but we have made no adjustments here at the Federal level when it comes to the government.

I will make one last point.

Since 2000, the number of Americans living in poverty has grown by 5.4 million people. When the last President was around, I remind you of the three things he did, he was a Democrat, Mr. Nussle: He abolished an entitlement program called welfare, he balanced a budget, and he created a surplus.

Now, as much as you may want to criticize him and us, math does not lie. And you all are faced with a predicament that I would hate to be in, and perhaps if I had to make the case you are making I would throw it all back on us and try to create funny numbers and talk about debt as the size of the GDP.

You cannot deny this. Bill Clinton abolished that entitlement program, he created a surplus, he balanced a budget. And, unfortunately, under your leadership, all of those things frankly have been abolished.

We have the same amount of emergency spending that you have, Mr. Chairman.

Parliamentary inquiry. Who signed the welfare reform bill that was passed last century?

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor to three pieces of legislation: H.R. 4542, H.R. 4881 and H.R. 2646.

Mr. Speaker, it is with honor I rise today to recognize the great achievement of Russell Gwatney, a noted and respected business leader in the great state of Tennessee and the nation at-large. Russell Gwatney, president for Gwatney Chevrolet, Chevrolet-Isuzu was recently named a finalist for the 2006 Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award.

The Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award is the automobile industry's most prestigious and highly coveted award for car dealers. The award recipients are among the nation's most successful auto dealers. Criteria for the award include recipients' demonstration of a long- standing commitment to effective community service. As a finalist, Mr. Gwatney is one of 66 automobile dealers from more than 19,500 nominees nationwide nominated for the annual award--now in its 37th year.

An Arkansas native, Mr. Gwatney grew up in the car business. His father became a Chevrolet dealer when Russell Gwatney was just 6 years old. Mr. Gwatney started selling cars in 1973 after an illness caused him to leave the University of Arkansas during his junior year. After completing undergraduate studies in 1976, Mr. Gwatney returned to the dealership in sales management, where he later became general manager in 1979 and co-dealer in 1984.

In addition to his business successes, Mr. Gwatney and his dealership have supported a wide range of organizations and philanthropic efforts in the community. As well, he has served as chairman for the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank and also member to the executive committee of the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Gwatney was nominated for the annual Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award by Robert V. Weaver, president of Tennessee Automotive Association. Mr. Gwatney lives in Germantown, Tennessee with his wife Elizabeth. They have three children, including their two sons John and David who have joined the family business.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in recognizing and commending Russell Gwatney and for this great achievement.

Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard all the debate and I am curious. To my friend Mr. Putnam, the President just left Nashville, and out of curiosity does the President know that you all are introducing this after what he said last night?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and I want to first of all congratulate Tim Ryan, because I think he framed this debate as clearly as he should, and as clearly as it has been today, along with both Artur Davis and Rahm Emanuel.

Mr. Speaker, I will yield to Mr. Davis to finish his point, but before doing

that, the only point I wanted to make is that I thought I heard the President say all these things last night about making investments to make the country more competitive. And I just don't know if he knows you all are doing this today. Maybe we should call him and let him know. I am going to send him something, along with Artur and Rahm and Tim, to let him know what we have done, and maybe he won't sign this if and when it arrives on his desk.

I want to clarify something my colleague, Artur Davis from Alabama, said. He said if we cut the tax cut that will go to millionaires this year, it is an average of $103,000. So if you earn $1 million and you are watching, listen closely. If not, it doesn't affect you. You get a $103,000 tax break if you are a millionaire. If we cut it to $90,000, what can you do?

I yield to the gentleman from Alabama.

And that is still a tax cut; is that right?

So, Mr. Speaker, so if millionaires took a $65,000 tax cut as opposed to a $103,000 tax cut, we could pay for the student loan program.

Mr. Speaker, just for the gentleman from Florida, you are saying that these cuts that are being talked about today are imaginary, or are they real? And I would be happy to yield to the gentleman. Are they imaginary cuts or real cuts? Maybe we have got the wrong bill.

I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, I love Mr. Putnam, but he knows he is wrong.

Mr. Speaker, we are making cuts. The President asked us to make investments. That is the reality of what we are doing here this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important work and mission of the Time to Read literacy program.

Since 1985, Time Warner, Inc.'s Time to Read program has worked to address the crisis of illiteracy among American children and adults.

Today, Time to Read is the nation's largest corporate-sponsored volunteer literacy program. I am particularly proud that the Mid-South chapter, which includes Memphis, Tennessee, is the largest Time to Read program in the nation, helping more than 6,000 children and adults every year.

Each week, Time to Read's 33,000 participants meet at more than 550 schools, adult-education centers, prisons, libraries, churches, community centers, clinics and homeless shelters across the nation to learn together how to read.

Time to Read students are matched with reading mentors who use real- life learning materials, magazines and other publications as teaching tools to help inform new readers about everyday culture, life and current events. These reading mentors serve as tutors and role models, giving children the confidence to succeed in school and adults the tools necessary to compete in the workplace.

However, these tireless mentors do much more than help kids and adults learn to read.

Together, they give Time to Read participants hope and an opportunity for a better future.

Time and again, this program has demonstrated its ability to take on this important challenge of raising America's literacy rates. With quiet determination and steadfast commitment, Time to Read volunteers make a difference in the lives of thousands of kids and adults each year.

For this reason, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring the purpose and spirit of the Time to Read Literacy Program, its volunteers and participants.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important work and mission of the Edscholar scholarship program.

Sponsored jointly by Edamerica and Edfinancial Services, the Edscholar program underwrites tuition expenses for qualified incoming freshmen at eligible colleges and universities throughout Tennessee. In a very tangible way, this program acknowledges and rewards outstanding students seeking to improve their lives through higher education.

Today, with the profound need for a more advanced and better trained workforce, college education has never been more valuable. Despite this reality, obtaining a higher education has become increasingly difficult given escalating tuition costs across the nation. Last year alone, tuition at 4-year public colleges and universities rose 7.1 percent, more than double the rate of inflation.

That is why the Edscholar scholarship program is so important; it helps students who otherwise might not have had access to higher education. By funding scholarships for deserving undergraduates, Edscholar helps these accomplished students develop their individual talents and expand their minds.

Just as important, focusing on the individual helps Edscholar achieve its primary goal of improving the quality of life throughout all of Tennessee. By providing these exceptional students with the means to expand their personal and professional leadership skills, Edscholar is helping to educate and train our next generation of leaders.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I ask my colleagues to join with me in honoring the purpose and spirit of the Edscholar scholarship program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Craig Brewer, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Justin Timberlake and WDIA. On Saturday, October 22, 2005, they were honored by the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy for their contribution to our city and the greater creative community.

From W.C. Handy, the father of the blues, B.B. King, Otis Redding, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wilson Pickett, and Al Green to Sam and Dave, Carl Perkins, Rufus Thomas, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, Memphis has long been known for fostering creativity and musical talent. W.C. Handy first made traditional blues music popular, and in the 1950s, Memphis based artists synthesized blues and country into ``rock-a-billy,'' the precursor to rock and roll. At Sun Studios, Sam Phillips helped discover the legends--Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and others--that made Memphis the birthplace of rock and roll. In the 1960s, as the Almanac of American Politics said, ``Memphis once again became the crucible of a new sound, soul music, which emerged as a counterpoint to rock,'' with the Stax sound and artists such as Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MG's and Rufus Thomas.

Mr. Speaker, that creative tradition is alive and well in Memphis as demonstrated by the success of the Recording Academy's honorees.

So much of our city's creative success would not have been possible without the existence of WDIA. It has given a venue to local artists who have gone on to national and international fame. At a time of public and private segregation, WDIA broke down racial barriers. It is still an instrumental part of making our community a better place to live and work.

As one of the most popular music artists performing today, Justin Timberlake is the latest superstar to carry on the Memphis music legacy. Drawing from our rich and diverse music traditions to create multi-platinum records, Justin has earned a rightful place in the pantheon of stars our city has produced over the years.

At Stax Records, Isaac Hayes and David Porter were a dynamic and creative duo that churned out a unique musical sound that became popular throughout the world. We are fortunate that both are still active artists and that Stax has undergone a reincarnation as the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Music Academy where young people are receiving music education and academic skills.

Long part of the Memphis film scene, Craig Brewer was recently catapulted onto the national stage with his critically acclaimed film Hustle & Flow. Our special brand of hip-hop music and film making is getting national exposure as the result of his work. We look forward to his next endeavor about the blues entitled Black Snake Moan.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the following description of the honorees provided by the Recording Academy be included in the Record and ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing their accomplishments.

Craig Brewer: True to the spirit of this city's indomitable, independent tradition, Memphis film maker Craig Brewer is a self-made man. Like Clarence Saunders, Sam Phillips, Elvis Presley, Fred Smith, and dozens more entrepreneurs and free thinkers who have helped put Memphis on the map, Brewer has succeeded where others might fear to even try. In 2000, this unknown screenwriter/director walked away with the Hollywood Film Festival's Best Digital Feature Award on the basis of his self-financed project The Poor And Hungry. Four years later, Brewer struck gold with his hometown rap epic Hustle & Flow, which won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and was subsequently purchased by MTV Films. Now Brewer is applying his midas touch to the fictional story of a rural bluesman, played by actor Samuel L. Jackson. The Paramount Classics film, Black Snake Moan, is currently in production in Memphis with Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, and David Banner.

Isaac Hayes & David Porter: They started out as just a couple of talented Memphis kids trying to make it in the local music scene. Fate brought them to Stax Records. David Porter got there first and became Stax's first staff songwriter. But it was when Grammy-winner Isaac Hayes joined the Stax family that the equation was complete: Hayes +

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Shawn Richard Tallant who has served our country with bravery and distinction as a member of the United States Navy. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Captain Tallant retired from the Navy on July 15, 2005 after 27 years of distinguished service.

Captain Tallant was Commanding Officer of the USS Nashville, which participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the USS Nashville, under Captain Tallant's command, was one of three ships sent to conduct humanitarian operations under Joint Task Force Liberia.

Like all citizens of Tennessee, I am proud of the historical importance of these events and how one of our namesake ships was critical to the success of this Nation's peacekeeping efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia. Captain Tallant's leadership was integral to the Nashville's contributions.

Prior to his service on the Nashville, Captain Tallant was the Executive Officer on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Today, Captain Tallant has joined the private sector involved in the design of future nuclear aircraft carriers.

Captain Tallant is an example of the courage and commitment of our military and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Captain Tallant for his meritorious and distinguished service to his fellow sailors and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Robbie Jackmon, an individual whose continued commitment to public health has improved the lives of countless Tennesseans. Ms. Jackmon retires at the end of the year as the Executive Director of the Office of Minority Health for the Tennessee Department of Health.

Ms. Jackmon served communities within the state tirelessly for nearly 27 years. She has helped Tennesseans in every position she has held. As Director of Treatment Services for the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, she proposed and implemented state policy pertaining to alcohol and drug treatment. As assistant commissioner for the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, she directed

and oversaw a $30 million budget. As Clinical Coordinator for Meharry Medical College she specialized in case management, where she continued to help Tennesseans recover from the ravages of addiction.

Her commitment to the improvement of Tennessee public health has led her to serve on a number of committees and boards of State and National review. Among them are the Advisory Group for the Congressional Office of Technological Assessment, as chair for the Southeastern School on Alcohol & Drug Abuse and the Advisory Board for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee.

In her position as Executive Director of the Office of Minority Health, she served with great stature as chief liaison between the state of Tennessee and the Department of Health and Human Services. She oversaw matters regarding health disparities and HIV/AIDS. In addition, she administered program design, project implementation, grant monitoring and evaluation, and health policy planning to ensure that effective measures are taken to provide Tennesseans with knowledge they need to develop healthier lifestyles.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Tennesseans, I extend my deepest feelings of appreciation to Ms. Jackmon. I commend her long outstanding career, service and commitment to improving the public health of her fellow Tennesseans. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the works of a distinguished woman, and a model citizen.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Don Barber of Memphis, Tennessee who recently retired as Senior Vice President of Air Operations at FedEx Corporation. Don has had an extraordinary career with a remarkable company. Beginning in 1976 as an aircraft mechanic, his career trajectory tracked the success of FedEx Corporation. For 29 years, Don rose through the ranks of the company. He was promoted from mechanic to Managing Director of Engineering in 1982, to Managing Director of Power Plants in 1988, to Managing Director of Airframe Maintenance in 1989, to Vice President of Base Maintenance in 1990, to Vice President of Aircraft Maintenance in 1992 and finally to Senior Vice President of Air Operations in 1998.

Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corporation's founder, Chairman and CEO put it best when he said, ``Don's retirement marks the end of a career that exemplifies FedEx in so many ways, namely that there's little time for the status quo in a company moving at the pace of opportunity around the world.''

Don also received accolades from former Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey for his vision and drive and has been praised by his colleagues for his pivotal roles in the company's most important turning points such as the acquisition of Flying Tiger line and the purchase of the A380 Airbus, the world's largest commercial airplane.

FedEx Corporation is an organization known for its effective use of technology, aircraft, efficiency and commitment to customer service, however it is the company's people--individuals like Don Barber--who have made the company a success story that is known throughout the world. Mr. Speaker I ask that an article on Mr. Barber be included in the Congressional Record and urge my colleagues to join me in honoring him for his service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me this time.

I have voted for every trade agreement, I say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), that has come before this Congress; all the ones that have been listed tonight. I was not here when NAFTA passed, my dad was, but I probably would have voted for it had I been here. Large employers and others in my district and farmers all across my State benefit when markets are open.

But I ran into a problem not long ago. I was traveling through a little area, and, as a matter of fact, the son of this mayor in Crossville, Tennessee, came to me today, Mayor Graham's son, and I ran into a lady who was there with her daughter and granddaughter. Now, the grandmama had just lost her job from a little company called Mallory in Crossville. She is about, almost 60 years old. The daughter is a middle school teacher, eighth grade teacher, and the 11-year-old granddaughter is going to sixth grade.

I felt bad for the grandmother, and I felt okay for the mom, because she had a job. The grandmother worked almost 30 years. But I felt worse for the 11-year-old, because I think about all of these trade agreements and trade policies, and I got to tell you, I like the idea of us being able to sell goods anywhere.

I come back to what the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) said a little while ago here. I do not know what to tell the 60-year-old grandmother anymore, because I used to tell them that jobs would be created once we did these things, but she lost hers. She is past her prime, so where does she go? Does she move to India, China, Singapore, Canada, Mexico? I doubt it. The daughter at least has a job. But the granddaughter is 11 years old, and we did not have a national strategy to teach her math, science, or any of the essentials that she needs to learn to compete in a global society.

President Clinton, who supported all of these trade agreements, at least had an investment agenda that accompanied his trade policies. We have neither now.

The challenge before this Congress this evening is not whether we pass this trade bill in the interests of some of my dear friends in the financial services and in the computer and IP industries and entertainment industries; the question we have tonight is, what are be doing for the 11-year-old girl? Sure, we can produce movies here in town, but will we be producing it here? Sure,

we can make things and have the capacity to do it, but will we be making things here?

I ask my colleagues, as somebody that supported you all the time, I say to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), how do we answer that 11- year-old granddaughter in Crossville, Tennessee?

I will vote ``no'' on CAFTA this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished leader in the Memphis business community, John Pitts Sr., who has recently been selected as a member of the Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame. This

honor is well deserved by Mr. Pitts for his success and influence in the insurance industry, his outstanding contributions to the Memphis community, and his truly exemplary life.

Over 50 years ago, Mr. Pitts co-founded Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance which has grown to become the largest locally-owned independent insurance agency, and one of the largest privately-owned, single-site insurance agencies in the United States. Throughout his career, Mr. Pitts has served locally as president of both the Insurers of Tennessee and the Insurers of Memphis, and he has been active nationally as the State National Director of the Independent Insurance Brokers of America and as the president of the Professional Insurance Agents.

With all of these achievements, Mr. Pitts still affirms that the most rewarding experiences of his professional career have been the instances when he has watched employees develop professionally and has had the opportunity to influence the lives of those who work at Lipscomb & Pitts. Mr. Pitts has been instrumental in leading Lipscomb & Pitts to support many community organizations both with financial resources and with employees' volunteered time.

Mr. Pitts is an Eagle Scout and the father and grandfather of Eagle Scouts. He has received numerous awards for the Boy Scouts of America and currently serves as the chairman of the Eagle Board of Review. Mr. Pitts has also been an active life-long member of his church, Faith Christian Church.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. John Pitts, a man who is a true leader in the insurance industry, the Memphis business community, his local community, and his family on the occasion of his induction into the Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame.