Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1097 to support National Child Abuse Prevention Month. I am committed to preventing child abuse and neglect so that all children can grow and prosper in a safe, nurturing, and healthy environment.

As a father of two children, nothing is more important to me than protecting the welfare of all children. Safe, nurturing, and healthy environments are necessary for the well-being of children and their families. All children need to know that they are special and that they are loved by their parents.

By raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, parents and teachers can protect children from the risks associated with abuse and neglect. By supporting National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Congress can take a strong stand against child abuse and neglect.

My heart goes out to all children and families that have experienced abuse and neglect in their homes.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to vote for this important resolution that will support the establishment of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4056, establishing a Federal Law Enforcement Officers Congressional Badge of Bravery. This resolution will ensure that due public honor and recognition is given to those Federal law enforcement officers who are wounded in the line of duty while protecting our Nation and communities.

Federal law enforcement officers are employed by a multitude of agencies, yet only two of those agencies have distinct awards mechanisms to recognize officers wounded in the line of duty. Adopting this resolution will allow the Attorney General and Members of Congress the opportunity to honor Federal law enforcement officers from their districts and commend their actions, which resulted in being wounded, with a Badge. This honor will bolster recognition for those Federal officers, as well as raising awareness and pride of their work in the communities they serve and protect.

Madam Speaker, I commend Congressman Ellsworth on his leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues today to vote for this important resolution that will give due honor and respect to those Federal law enforcement officers wounded in the line of duty by recognizing them with a Congressional Badge of Bravery.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1020, which recognizes the service and sacrifices that the members of our Armed Forces and their families have made during this time of war. I rise with a heavy heart, because the citizens of western North Carolina were recently reminded of this sacrifice by the death of my constituent, National Guardsman Sergeant Thomas C. Ray, III from Weaverville, North Carolina.

Sgt. Ray joined the Navy in 1985 as a medical specialist and served 3 years of active duty. In 2006, Sgt. Ray joined the Army National Guard and shortly thereafter became a military police officer. Sgt. Ray was assigned to the I05th Military Police Battalion in Asheville, but volunteered to serve with 1132nd Military Police Company when it mobilized in June to go to Iraq. In January of this year, Sgt. Ray was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his service as a gunner. Sgt. Ray was killed in Baghdad, Iraq on March 22, 2008 when a roadside bomb blew up near his vehicle.

Madam Speaker, Sgt. Ray exemplified the bravery and dedication of the men and women of the Armed Forces, and his life of service stands as a tribute to the members of the North Carolina National Guard who have answered the call since before the founding of our Nation. In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sgt. Ray ``stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives--in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.''

I offer a prayer of comfort for the family of Sgt. Ray, including his wife, Linda, his daughter, Sydney, and his mother, Ozelle.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to vote for this important resolution that will give due honor and respect to the service that members of the Armed Services have dedicated to this country. I also ask my colleagues to join me in expressing sympathy for all our fallen soldiers and pray for the swift and safe return of those who continue to serve our Nation in harms way.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the men and women of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard. This past Sunday, April 6th, marked the 60th anniversary of the continuous guard detail provided by the Old Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns is a great military honor that requires the utmost perseverance and dedication by those chosen for the detail. The monument holds the remains of select unknown soldiers from World War I and II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. The guardsmen's vigilant watch over the memorial is a sign of honor and remembrance for all of the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen who have lost their lives in service to the United States and whose remains could not be returned to their families. Each body interred in the memorial is awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest symbol of recognition of service for the United States military.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking the soldiers of the Old Guard for their vigilance and dedication for the past 60 years in providing a constant guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Their efforts ensure that we as a Nation will never forget the

service and sacrifice of all of the men and women who have served our Nation in uniform, including those who never returned.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 1061, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and encouraging people of the United States to pause and remember the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King dedicated his life to fighting for equality for all men and women, regardless of race, creed or class. He was a courageous activist who worked tirelessly to give a voice to Americans whose voices had been silenced.

We live in a society that has undergone infinite change because of this courageous man and his relentless pursuit of a better America. Yet while we have made immense progress in some areas, we must not turn a blind eye to the fact that the work that Dr. King started is not yet complete. Today the responsibility rests on our shoulders to continue his efforts. We must keep working.

The American Dream means something different to everyone. And while it may mean something different to you than it does to your parents or the person sitting next to you at church, I know this: The American Dream is about being able to afford health care, and not having to decide between prescriptions and groceries. It is about being able to earn a wage that is sufficient enough to provide for your family. It is about being able to send your kids to college so they have access to more opportunities than you do.

We teach our children that Dr. King gave his life in Memphis, but we forget to tell them that he was there helping sanitation workers fight for a living wage. We honor Dr. King by name today, but I believe we honor him best by passing legislation that makes it easier for Americans to realize the dream that Dr. King fought for. Most recently, we voted to approve the College Opportunity and Affordability of 2008, which authorizes the Federal Government's major federal student aid programs, among many other things. Our successes in these areas are made in his name and will help serve as a catalyst for even greater movements.

Dr. King's eloquence and determination forced this House to pass long overdue civil rights legislation. This House should never be forced to do the right thing again. Dr. King said: ``Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.'' This House should never be silent on the issues that mattered most to Dr. King, including protecting the rights of working Americans.

I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. The passage of this bill is an important step for those suffering from mental health problems in this country.

I believe it should not be an uphill battle to get treatment for millions of Americans living with mental illness and addiction. Thanks to my colleagues Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Ramstad we are moving towards achieving parity between mental and physical conditions.

While I support the underlying legislation, I oppose the closed rule under which it is being introduced, because it does not provide for an opportunity to address the revenue raisers included in the bill. I am particularly concerned with the offset used to pay for the legislation, specifically the Medicaid prescription drug rebate.

Increasing these rebate rates could have a chilling effect on pharmaceutical research and development for the next generation of treatments, including those that aid patients with mental health conditions that we are attempting to help today.

I urge the passage of this bill. However, as this bill advances to conference, I hope that the final product that returns to the House will not contain an increased Medicaid rebate or any other provision that will deter the innovation of new treatments for the diseases that affect American families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Phil Drake, a constituent of North Carolina's 11th District and the owner of Drake Enterprises.

Drake Enterprises was founded in Franklin, NC, in 1954 by Mr. Drake's father. At the time, the business focused on helping individuals prepare their taxes. When Phil took over the family business in the 1970s, he shifted the company's focus to the development of tax preparation computer software.

Today, that small business started by one man employs more than 300 people in Western North Carolina and Drake software is used by over 20,000 tax professionals across the Nation. In 2006 alone, Drake software delivered over 6 million Federal returns and 5 million State returns.

But, Phil Drake's success extends far beyond his business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit.

Phil has implemented a set of core principles at Drake Enterprises that are an excellent model for all to follow. Those core principles include: a commitment to follow Biblical principles, motivating and helping employees achieve their maximum potential, and rewarding employees for excellence and loyalty.

Phil has not limited those principles to his business; he has shared them with the community. Whether working to bring high-speed Internet access to the mountains through Balsam West Fiber Net, in his church, or being the drive behind Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Phil Drake has been a leader in every sense of the word.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Phil Drake and thanking him for his service to his community and our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of a great friend and statesman, Congressman Tom Lantos. My prayers are with his family and friends during this time of mourning.

Upon my arrival to Congress, Representative Lantos personally invited me to his office to welcome me to this body. I appreciated his kind words and encouragement as I started my work here. Since that time Congressman Lantos has been a wonderful friend of mine and will forever be a source of great inspiration in my professional and personal life.

Congressman Lantos' early life experiences as a Holocaust survivor and as part of the resistance movement against the Nazis shaped his future work as a husband, father, academic, and public servant. At the young age of 16, Mr. Lantos and his family were forced into facist forced labor camps. After escaping twice, Mr. Lantos sought refuge in a Jewish safe house in Budapest run by humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg. After the war ended, he returned to the capital of Budapest in search of his family, only to discover that they had all perished at Auschwitz and other death camps. He reconnected with a childhood friend, Annette, to whom he was married for almost 58 years.

Congressman Lantos has been a champion for human rights, social justice, and civil liberties during his 28 years in Congress. Congressman Lantos' dedication to serving his constituents and this Nation will not be forgotten. His life will be remembered as one of courage, selflessness, and tireless dedication to his principles.

My thoughts and prayers go out Congressman Lantos' wife Annette, his two children, eighteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. I ask my colleagues to join me in solemn remembrance of this great public servant.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend and my brother in Christ, Chad Eaton, for opening the House of Representatives in prayer today.

Chad Eaton is the pastor of Sports Outreach at Biltmore Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina.

Chad is married to Kim Eaton, and they have one son, Cole.

Chad has been a great friend to my family and to me, and to the members of our church. I appreciate the dedication he has shown to reaching the youth in our community for Christ.

I ask my colleagues to welcome Chad as he has led us in prayer this morning.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, we often study how students progress from the beginning of the school year to the end, but what happens after that? How well are high school students prepared for college? How well are college students prepared for the workforce? How long are graduates staying in high-needs fields like nursing? My amendment will help provide long- term data for our State systems' need to answer these questions.

The Shuler amendment will create a grant program to help universities develop studies to measure students' achievement from preschool to college and beyond. This data will also allow State lawmakers to direct resources to programs that are producing top-quality graduates in critical areas. Participation is completely voluntary and complies with all aspects of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

My amendment has also been supported by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Alliance for Quality Teaching, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and 10 other major organizations.

I thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon for their time and their dedication, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

I will yield.

I will yield.

I thank Ranking Member McKeon for his dedication and hard work as well.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present the following poem entitled All Along His Watchtower, which was written by Mr. Albert Carey Caswell in honor of Brent Hendricks, of the 172nd Striker Brigade from Forest City, North Carolina. Mr. Hendricks lost his leg when an IED blew up his humvee.

Bump, bump bump bump bump . . .

Bump, bump bump bump bump . . . bump, bump bump bump bump . .

.

Whether, upon football fields of green . . . or on so Heroic

Battlefields of Honor Seen . . .

All Along His Watchtower, ``They could get no relief'' . . .

Striking Hard, Striking Fast!

A bold heart, That is his motto, That is his path!

Dying twice, when . . . The Dark Riders in the distance, they

began to approach . . .

When Brent, began to howl . . . ``I'm not ready now!''

The Nort Catolacki Kid,

6'9'' . . . built for power and speed . . . 9 sacks in one

football game . . . a man who would not heed!

Until, on battlefields of horror he would bleed . . . In The

Real Game of Life, all for our Country 'Tis a Thee!

Giving up his fine leg, as he did . . .

Brent Hendrick, an Army Man . . .

A Real American Hero, who before us now stands . . .

Strength In Honor, who respects so commands . . . cheating

death, as towards evil he ran . . .

Into that dark valley of death, for our nation to so bless .

. . Striking Hard, Striking fast . . . all in death's

path!

But, when you're 6'9'' . . . and have a 17\1/2\ shoe . . .

You can kick some glutenous maximus too! Now isn't that true!

As this patriot's heart comes into view!

Could we, would we . . . ever such magnificence find so too?

All ready, operations . . . he's had 65!

But, this Heroes Heart . . . will not wilt, will not die!

Like Arnold, he'll be back . . . Back . . . Back . . . Back

in Iraq . . . with his brothers in arms . . . or he'll

resign!

And The Wind Cries Hero!

Do Do Do Do . . .

I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our appreciation for this soldier's dedication to the United States Armed Forces and to this Nation. His service and sacrifice is a shining example of the quality of men and women who serve this great Nation at home and abroad.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA has been the leader in national research on oceans and the atmosphere, and their effect on the human environment.

NOAA evolved from the Survey of the Coast, established in 1807, to an organization that provides daily forecasts, storm warnings, and climate monitoring to a variety of organizations that support marine commerce. NOAA has a presence in each of the 50 States and countries worldwide. NOAA takes part in the most advanced, cutting-edge research, using new and innovative technologies to ensure this country's economic future.

I am very proud that Western North Carolina is home to the National Climate Data Center, the largest archive of weather and global climate related data, including that data collected by NOAA. The center holds data as old as 150 years old, and as recent as a few hours ago.

NOAA, and NCDC, are integral to our Nation's success as a global economy. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the contributions of NOAA.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 3845, the PROTECT (Providing Resources Officers and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats) Act. This legislation takes a strong stand against the exploitation of our children on the Internet.

H.R. 3845 will authorize the largest increase ever in funding for state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate child exploitation, through the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program.

Expanding the ICAC program will build state and local capacity and also modernize the way U.S. law enforcement at every level investigate crimes against children.

Current technologies have assisted local law enforcement to identify over 500,000 individuals trafficking child pornography. Without the necessary resources, however, local law enforcement officials have only been able to investigate 2 percent of these cases.

The PROTECT Act would provide our law enforcement officials the tools and resources to investigate and prosecute these offenders.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the PROTECT Act to ensure the safety of our Nation's children.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 744, recognizing the contributions of Native American veterans. These veterans have served with courage, pride, and honor to protect this country and the freedoms we hold dear.

As we approach Veterans Day, it is imperative that we all remember and honor those who have sacrificed their lives and families for the safety and security of this Nation.

I am very pleased that Congress has passed my legislation that honors Private First Class Charles George, a Native American veteran that served in the Korean War. Pfc. George was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and was raised in the Birdtown community of the Qualla Boundary. He attended Cherokee Schools before enlisting in the U.S. Army and being sent to fight in the Korean War. Pfc. George left his home to fight for our Nation, but the young man did not return to our mountains.

On November 30th, 1952, while fighting in Korea, Private First Class George was killed in action. He died saving the lives of those around him. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina will be renamed the ``Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center'' at the end of this month to honor his actions and valor.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Native American veterans for their valiant service on behalf of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 230, observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I offer my thoughts and prayers to those who have lost family members to breast cancer, and offer hope and encouragement to those who are currently battling the disease.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women aged 45 to 54, and 1 out of 8 women will be diagnosed with the disease over the course of their lifetime. It is expected that over 180,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2007 alone.

Fortunately, there is hope. When breast cancer is detected at early stages the survival rate for women is over 98 percent. Annual mammograms and monthly self-examinations are essential in detecting breast cancer at early stages.

Research has significantly increased our understanding of breast cancer. While there is still no cure for breast cancer, researchers have identified key risk factors for the disease.

I applaud the national and community organizations that promote awareness of breast cancer, offer support to those that are battling the disease, and provide information about early detection. It is imperative that these organizations continue their work to educate women about the disease and encourage monthly self-exams and annual mammograms.

I ask my colleagues to join me in observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month.