Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazer whose passing us mourn by all South Carolinians. The Honorable Janie Glymph Goree was the first female African American to be elected mayor of a South Carolina town. She passed away on January 13, 2009, at the age of 87 and I ask that we take a moment to celebrate her exceptional life and legacy.

Janie Glymph Goree was born in 1921, the youngest of ten children born to sharecroppers Orlander and Chaney Glymph in the Maybinton community of Newberry County. Her parents valued education, but there were limited educational opportunities for black children growing up in the rural, segregated South. Yet one of her teachers recognized her potential and provided her with the education she desperately desired.

Mrs. Goree became the first in her family to attend college. She had been awarded a scholarship to attend South Carolina State College, but financial problems prevented her from going. Although temporarily delayed, she worked as a domestic and eventually earned enough to pay her way through Benedict College in Columbia. Her hard work and determination paid off and she graduated Magna Cum Laude as Valedictorian of the class of 1948. She went on to earn her Masters Degree in Basic Sciences and Mathematics from the University of Colorado in 1959, and did further study at Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin.

For 33 years she taught math at Sims High School and Union High School, where she spent a great deal of time sponsoring extra- curricular programs for the students. Knowing the value of an education, she also tutored illiterate people and instructed Post Office workers. She always sought to improve her knowledge, and participated in numerous workshops and conferences.

Throughout her adult life, Mrs. Goree was active in politics. In 1978, she was elected Mayor of the Town of Carlisle, which made history in South Carolina. A sharecroppers' daughter, who once worked as a maid, was now the first black female to serve as Mayor of a South Carolina town. The same dogged-determination and dedication that led to success in the classroom also enabled Mrs. Goree to have great success as a municipal leader.

During her 22 years as Mayor of Carlisle, she won major grants to improve the city's water system, sewers, administration buildings, recreation areas, and build a fire department. She knew that basic infrastructure was essential to the quality of life for the residents in her community, and she made it her top priority. Always one to seek and share knowledge, Mrs. Goree was very active in organizations that allowed her to take fact-finding trips all over the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica.

She was an active participant in state and national organizations, including leadership positions in the South Carolina Conference of Black Mayors, the Municipal Association, the National Conference of Black Mayors, the Union County Chamber of Commerce and the World Conference of Mayors. She was invited to the White House several times, and interacted with Presidents and world leaders. For her civic work, Mrs. Goree received numerous awards and citations. One of her proudest honors was having the Carlisle Town Hall, which she helped to build, named in her honor.

Mrs. Goree was an active member of Seekwell Baptist Church, where she served as a volunteer, committee person, and Sunday school teacher. She was married to the late Charlie Goree, and is survived by six step- children, a foster son, and 32 nieces and nephews.

Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating the life of this extraordinary woman. Janie Glymph Goree turned life's challenges into a drive to succeed. This pioneer who changed her community was well-known nationally and internationally. Her lasting legacy can be seen on all the streets of Carlisle and in the countless people she helped educate over the years. Her presence will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I move to lay the resolution on the table.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and I congratulate President Obama, our leadership, all of the committee chairs, and the staffs for crafting this legislation under extraordinary circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, this country is facing the worst recession in its history. Economists across the globe have confirmed this fact stating ``the U.S. recession will be the longest and will worsen without heavy government spending.'' Just last month nearly 600,000 jobs were lost which is the deepest cut in payrolls in 34 years and the jobless rate of 7.6 percent is at its highest level in more than 16 years. Moreover of the top 20 monthly job losses in the history of this country 5 have happened in the last seven months.

Mr. Speaker as a student of history, I have tried to find a moment when our country faced such economic and political uncertainty. And as fate would have it, that moment was yesterday, as we marked the 200 year anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birthday and the 100 year anniversary of the NAACP.

As President Lincoln focused his efforts on keeping the Union whole, a great economic and social question loomed. What should the country do with its slaves? President Lincoln felt so strongly about maintaining the Union that he emancipated the slaves but the question of their economic and social well-being remained largely unaddressed.

It took a civil rights movement, Mr. Speaker, led by organizations like the NAACP to highlight the deplorable and inequitable economic conditions freed blacks faced. These conditions lay bare for the world to see in areas like: education, employment, housing, nutrition, and health. And it is these issues, Mr. Speaker, which are addressed in this bill.

For history has taught us that, you cannot pull a country out of recession or move a country forward unless you address these inequities. So while many of my colleagues will talk about all the new technologies and great ideas in this bill, I prefer to focus on the check Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. Where he stated the following:

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a

check. When the architects of our republic wrote the

magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of

Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which

every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that

all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be

guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this

promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are

concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation,

America

has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has

come back marked insufficient funds. But we refuse to believe

that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe

that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of

opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this

check--a check that will give us upon demand the riches of

freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America

of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in

the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug

of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of

democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate

valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of

racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the

time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

Mr. Speaker, we have to act now, so that the families in Sumter, South Carolina will have clean water, so that children at J.V. Martin Junior High School in Dillon, South Carolina will no longer have to learn in a 150 year old school, so that a mother in Charleston, South Carolina will not be homeless, so that kids in Columbia, South Carolina will have a summer job, so that a teacher in Anderson Primary School in Williamsburg, South Carolina will not lose their job, and so that family in Florence, South Carolina looking for a way out of this economic recession will not suffer under a Governor's political ideology.

Mr. Speaker, America works when all of America is working and today we are ensuring that this promise of work in America will not be marked ``insufficient funds.''

I thank the gentleman for yielding time and thank him so much for all that he's done to put together this great package.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this balanced, responsible recovery package that will put America back to work. I want to thank-- in addition to Chairman Obey--Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Rangel, Chairman Oberstar, Chairman Miller, Chairwoman Slaughter, and all the other chairmen who have made sure that the bill reflected the pressing needs of our economy.

I also would like to thank the staffs who worked so diligently in constructing this bill, particularly Amy Rosenbaum in the Speaker's office, Beverly Pheto of the Appropriations Committee, Janice Mayes of Ways and Means, and David Hensfelt of Transportation and Infrastructure.

I have listened intently to the opponents of this legislation, and per their usual prescription, they tell us that only tax cuts can cure this recession. But Mr. Chairman, what good is a tax cut when you don't have a job? America works when Americans work.

In South Carolina, my home State, the unemployment rate is 9.5 percent, the third highest in the Nation. More than 26,000 South Carolinians joined the jobless ranks last month, raising the total number of unemployed in the State to a record 210,000.

Our package is balanced. It has middle class tax cuts, it has business tax cuts, it has investments in our physical infrastructure. It is the right mix of spending and tax breaks to get America working again.

This legislation is pro-growth and pro-business. Allow me to quote from the letter that the National Association of Manufacturers sent yesterday. ``We strongly support a number of provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This legislation--which combines targeted tax incentives and increased investments in areas critical to our competitiveness--will help get our Nation's economy back on track and ensure job creation and sustainable economic growth.''

I also have a stack of letters from business organizations, all endorsing this package, including the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the Community Bankers, and the National Association of Realtors.

President Obama was joined by a dozen CEOs this morning who have endorsed this package. We have a letter from 120 high-tech CEOs endorsing the investments we make in our digital infrastructure.

So in closing, Mr. Chairman, Fortune 100 CEOs from all sectors are telling us that this is the right course of action. I urge my colleagues to choose progress over partisanship. Vote ``yes'' on this recovery package. And let's put Americans back to work.

National Association

of Manufacturers,

Washington, DC, January 27, 2009.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

I appreciate the gentleman yielding me the time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support as an original cosponsor of H. Res. 34, which recognizes Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Hamas terrorists in Gaza and reaffirms the United States' strong support for Israel.

Since Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the Hamas terrorist organization has launched thousands of missile attacks against Israeli civilian targets.

I mourn the loss of life on both sides of this conflict, including the innocent Palestinians who have cynically and deliberately been used by Hamas terrorists as human shields.

In order to end the violence in Gaza, Hamas needs to recognize Israel's right to exist and renounce terror. As the only true democracy in the Middle East, the 111th Congress recognizes Israel's struggle to protect its people, maintain peace with its neighbors, and defend the freedoms of a democratic society.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time and thank him so much for his hard work on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and believe this bill must be enacted as soon as possible to stop our country from falling deeper into recession.

Today, Madam Speaker, we received information that our economy has lost 159,000 additional jobs. This brings the total job loss for this year to 760,000. But Madam Speaker, jobs are not the only thing Americans across this country are losing. They are losing their hold on the American Dream. That dream, Madam Speaker, is economic mobility and homeownership. Nowhere is this problem more acute than in minority communities.

Madam Speaker, this is not only about Wall Street. It's about Broad Street and Walker Street; it's about grocery stores, beauty shops, and barber shops. It's about community banks and auto dealerships.

Madam Speaker, the minority communities are hemorrhaging: jobs, homes, income, and most importantly credit. Consider this fact: African Americans received 35 percent of the subprime purchase loans issued from 2004 to 2007. Of these loans, 62 percent of them were reset to a higher rate by the end of 2008. Many of these homes' values have dropped by 25 percent. Access to refinancing credit is no longer available, and their pension plans have lost substantial value.

These dynamics are devastating to minority communities, and I believe that we must pass this legislation in order to stop the hemorrhaging.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and believe this bill must be enacted as soon as possible to stop our country from falling deeper into recession. Today, Madam Speaker, we were informed that our economy lost jobs for the ninth month in a row. This brings the total jobs lost this year to 760,000. But, Madam Speaker, jobs are not the only thing Americans across this Nation are losing; they are losing their hold on the American Dream. That dream, Madam Speaker, is upward economic mobility and home ownership. Nowhere is this problem more acute than in minority communities.

Madam Speaker, this bill is about more than Wall Street; it is about Broad Street and Walker Street. It is about grocery stores, beauty salons, barber shops, community banks, and automobile dealerships.

Madam Speaker, minority communities are hemorrhaging jobs, homes, income, and most importantly, credit. Consider this fact, African Americans received 35 percent of the subprime purchase loans issued from 2004-2007; of these loans 62 percent of them will reset to a higher rate by the end of 2008. Many of these homes' values have dropped by 25 percent, access to refinancing credit is no longer available, and their pension plans have lost substantial value. These dynamics are debilitating to minority businesses and communities.

These powerful and destructive economic forces coupled with a lost of liquidity on Wall Street have led to the greatest reduction of wealth in the minority community since the Great Depression.

That is why I am here today. I believe this bill must pass. We must ensure that the minority communities do not just survive but thrive.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a tremendous business and civic leader and a great friend. Mr. Gayle Averyt is being honored on October 1st for accomplishing an extraordinary feat--50 years of service to the same employer--Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

After earning a bachelor's degree from Davidson College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Gayle joined the staff of Colonial in 1958 at the age of 25. He rose through the ranks at Colonial, proving himself a very capable and collegial businessman. By 1970, he became Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer at a youthful 37 years of age. He held those positions for 23 years, until assuming the title of Chairman Emeritus of Colonial Life in 1993. That was the same year Colonial merged with UNUM Corporation of Portland, Maine, and he served on UNUM Corporation's Board of Directors from 1993-1999.

Gayle is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Health Insurance Association of America and served as Secretary of the South Carolina Insurance Commission. He also served on the Board of NationsBank, a board member of the National Association (Carolinas) from 1992-1995 and as a member of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Ports Authority from 1995-1999.

Despite his hectic career, Gayle believed in his community and sought opportunities to give back. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Foundation for Columbia's Future and is a former member of the Executive Committee (1979-1995) and Vice President (1988-1995) of the South Carolina State Fair Association. He has been a trustee of the University of South Carolina Business Partnership Foundation and is past president of the University of South Carolina Research and Development Foundation, having served as a Trustee of the Foundation from 1980-1991. He is past president of the University of South Carolina Orchestra Association and served on the board of the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.

Gayle has been awarded numerous recognitions. In 1989, the South Carolina State Chamber of Commerce recognized him as South Carolina Businessman of the Year. The University of South Carolina awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service that same year. He received Distinguished Service Awards from USC and from the Moore School of Business at USC in 1993 and 2006 respectively. In 1994, he received the Order of the Palmetto, which is the highest civic honor awarded by the Governor to individual citizens for outstanding service to the state. Four years later, he was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame.

While Gayle has been a lifelong Republican who has been very active in numerous political campaigns, he has been a very ardent support of me and my political efforts. I am proud to call him a dear friend.

Gayle is married to the former Margaret ``Peg'' Finlay, and the two have three daughters, Caroline, Margaret, and Elinor. They are very active members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Gayle Averyt for a remarkable career at Colonial Life & Accident and a lifetime of dedication to his community. He is a man of honor and integrity. I applaud his many contributions, and extend my best wishes and Godspeed on this tremendous occasion.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to pay tribute to a conscientious constituent, a dedicated educator, and an outstanding role model. Mark Gerald is being honored by the town of Mullins, SC, for his tremendous service as a coach at Mullins High School. This is a job in which he has excelled, never losing focus or dedication even as he suffered debilitating treatments for colon cancer.

Mark Gerald is a 22-year employee of Marion County School District #2. He has held coaching positions for the Mullins High School junior varsity and varsity football teams and the men's basketball programs. He has served as athletic director and head coach of Mullins High School men's varsity basketball program. Coach Gerald has dedicated his adult life to the very district from which he graduated.

He left Marion County and enrolled at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC. After graduation he returned to the community and the people he loved, and has never left. Coach Gerald never turns his back on anyone in need. He reaches into his own pocket when a player needs a pair of shoes, or when a student doesn't have the basic necessities.

As a coach, Mark Gerald believes in creating a family atmosphere for his players. He spends his summer vacations traveling with his team attending summer camps and organizing the annual Mullins High School Alumni game and picnic during the month of July. He helps students young and old. For the youth, he sponsors the Raymond Felton Basketball Camp. He has successfully secured many college scholarships for his graduates. His dedication to athletics and his athletes has paid great dividends. His teams have won several state division titles and a state championship.

In July 2007, Coach Gerald was preparing for the alumni game when he fell seriously ill. He was initially diagnosed with diverticulitis, but within months he learned he had colon cancer. This spring, he successfully underwent surgery to have the diseased portion of his colon removed. Currently he is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Despite his health challenges, Coach Gerald rarely misses a day of work. He schedules his doctors' appointments in the afternoons and never misses any practices or games. He has never let anyone hear him complain, and he continues to smile even through the difficult

times. Last season despite his health crisis, Coach Gerald led his team to a 21-0 regular season and another division title. The only loss of the season came in the state playoffs, and his team lost by only one basket.

Coach Gerald draws strength from his family and his faith. He is married to the former Linda Diane Bethea, and they have two children and two grandchildren. He is also a deacon at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where he has been a lifelong member.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding the outstanding dedication, leadership and determination demonstrated by Mark Gerald. He is an extraordinary example for all of us to follow. I wish him Godspeed, and continued success and happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I want to add a few words about the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Programs. These programs are critically important tools in our Nation's ongoing efforts to eliminate discrimination against minority and women owned businesses. Sadly, the evidence makes clear that race and sex discrimination are still realities for many of the business owners who are working hard to support their families, grow their businesses and contribute to our national economy.

Many disparity studies detailing discrimination against minority and women business owners have been released in every region of the country. While each study is a little bit different, taken together, these studies illustrate that discrimination impacts business owners in every minority group including African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans. The studies also show discrimination against women of every racial group. While hundreds of such studies have been conducted, I will mention just six of the many airport-related studies that have been produced, including: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board Disparity Study Final Report, MGT of America, October 17, 2000; Final Report: Broward County Small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SDBE) Disparity Study, MGT of America, Inc., April 3, 2001; The City of Phoenix, Minority-Women-Owned and Small Business Enterprise Program Update Study: Final Report, MGT of America, April 21, 2005; Race, Sex and Business Enterprise: Evidence from the State of Maryland, NERA Economic Consulting, March 8, 2006; Race, Sex and Business Enterprise: Evidence from Denver, CO, NERA Economic Consulting, May 5, 2006; and Final Report for Development and Revision of Small, Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program, Nashville International Airport, (BNA), Griffin and Strong, PC, September 19, 2007. Let me be clear, these six studies represent a fraction of the airport-related studies that have been conducted--and yet even this small cross-section demonstrates the national scope of the problem and the breadth of its impact. These studies are too long to insert in the record in their entirety under House rules. However, I would

note that these studies were submitted to the record on September 11, 2008 in a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Disparity studies provide us with both statistical and anecdotal evidence. In other words, these studies illustrate both the broad-based statistical impact of discrimination and the personal accounts of discrimination by those who suffer its effects. It is the combination of these two types of data that helps us see how discrimination works and the problems it causes. The anecdotal accounts of discrimination provided in these studies demonstrate the various different ways that discrimination happens. Sometimes, discrimination is caused by prime contractors that simply refuse to work with businesses that are not part of established business networks--the old boy network, if you will. Other times, discrimination occurs in the bid process through bid shopping, uneven and untimely notice, and intentionally deceitful practices by prime contractors that approach DBEs and ACDBEs and ask them to prepare elaborate quotes and bids with no intention of actually using their services.

In other situations, the discrimination happens in access to capital. Just last week on September 11, 2008, the Chair of the Airport Minority Advisory Council, Don O'Bannon, provided testimony before the Senate Small Business Committee outlining the severe difficulty that minority and women owned businesses confront when attempting to obtain working capital. This is not all. Different forms of discrimination reach into every aspect of the efforts by minority and women businesses to participate in airport-related business. There has been discrimination by suppliers, by government officials, by trade associations and in all of the more informal networks through which businesses obtain work. Of course, in the private sector where many of these businesses must obtain the lion's share of their work, there are rarely programs like the DBE and ACDBE programs and, as a result, discrimination has an even larger impact.

The bottom line is this: The DBE and ACDBE programs are still vital to leveling the playing field for minority and women entrepreneurs in airport-related industries. I look forward to working with my colleagues to maintain and strengthen these programs to ensure that we continue the critical work of leveling the playing field to ensure that all American businesses have a fair chance to participate in the airport-related business opportunities.

Let me begin by thanking Representative Susan Davis for allowing me to participate in this session here this afternoon.

I would like to take a moment to say a personal word about my dear friend Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who was a powerful voice for justice, equality and opportunity, who served the people of Ohio's 11th Congressional District and this Nation with passion and dedication. Unfortunately, Stephanie passed away unexpectedly last month, and it is a great loss to this cause and to our country.

Throughout her five terms in Congress, Representative Tubbs Jones tirelessly advocated for campus fire safety and was the author of numerous pieces of legislation on the issue. She introduced, and saw pass, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Campus Fire Safety Month. She was also the primary sponsor of the College Fire Prevention Act, which she introduced in the 107th Congress and then reintroduced in the 108th, the 109th and the 110th.

I am here today to pay tribute to her efforts as a champion for campus fire safety and am proud to take her place as the lead sponsor of the College Fire Prevention Act so that we can continue her legacy by passing this important measure and renaming it the Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act.

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act will establish a demonstration incentive program within the Department of Education to promote the installation of fire sprinkler systems, or other fire suppression or prevention technologies, in qualified student housing or dormitories.

Since January 2000, over 125 people have died in campus-related fires, with over 83 percent of them occurring in off-campus housing. That is why National Campus Fire Safety Month is focused on educating students about fire safety so they can be prepared no matter where a fire should ignite.

Congress has not ignored this growing problem. We realize that knowledge is power, and that is why we passed the provisions of the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act in the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, which became law last month.

This legislation requires the Secretary of Education to report the number of campus-related fires that have occurred and the number of deaths and interests that resulted from those fires. The report will also contain the number of residence hall rooms equipped with automatic fire sprinkler systems and fire alarms. It is also important that this report give parents and students an understanding of how much fire prevention training is provided to students and staff, the college or university's fire safety policies, and any future plans for improving fire safety.

Nearly a year ago, I took to this floor to offer my condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of students lost in a fire at Ocean Isle, North Carolina. Seven students perished in that fire; six from the University of South Carolina, which I proudly represent in this body, and one from Clemson University. At that time, we mourned their lives and the future promise they held and the fact that they were cut short in such a dramatic way.

However, today, I think we can see the legacy of their lives in this room. We have made strides in promoting campus fire safety because of their moving stories, and we will continue to improve campus fire safety to prevent other families from sharing in this tragic experience.

Today, I'm here to pay that favor forward.

I add my voice to those here today to pay tribute to Representative Tubbs Jones' courageous efforts and say that I am committed to the issue of campus fire safety.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a tremendous public servant, Howard Duvall, Jr. After 21 years of stellar service and visionary leadership, Howard is retiring from the South Carolina Municipal Association. His retirement is a great loss to the cities and towns of South Carolina, but we thank Howard for his dedication for so many years.

Howard Duvall is a product of the small South Carolina town of Cheraw, known to many as the birthplace of music legend Dizzy Gillespie. Howard left Cheraw to pursue an education, earning a B.A. in political science from the Citadel and an M.P.A. from the University of South Carolina. He served his country in the U.S. Air Force for 4 years, and continued his service a a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard for 3 years. Howard returned to Cheraw to work in his family's hardware business, and launched a life of public service soon thereafter. In 1974, Howard was elected a member of the Cheraw Town Council. Six years later, he was elected mayor of his beloved hometown.

In June 1986, Governor Dick Riley tapped Howard to serve as his executive assistant. In 1987, he was appointed to the South Carolina Tax Commission, and later that year, he became the director of Intergovernmental Relations for the South Carolina Municipal Association. This move became Howard's calling for the rest of his career. In 1992, he became the executive director of the Municipal Association, and has remained in that post for the last 16 years.

During this time, Howard's family has been his source of support. He has been married to Allianne Turner since 1965, and the two are the proud parents of two daughters and the grandparents of two.

Madam Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join me today in congratulating Howard Duvall for an outstanding career of public service. Howard has demonstrated a strong commitment to the small cities and towns that make South Carolina such a wonderful place to live, work and recreate. His leadership has made our State and Nation a better place, and his daily guidance will be sorely missed. I am proud to call Howard a friend, and I wish him a wonderful retirement and much happiness in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to this exceptional public servant and advocate, who has proudly served his community and the State of South Carolina. Dr. Joseph E. Heyward was recently acknowledged for his service and awarded with The Alpha Award of Honor and Merit by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity on July 20, 2008.

This award was given to Dr. Joseph E. Heyward because of his courage, vision, wisdom and independence of thought and action which characterizes the best leadership in American life. He has distinguished himself through his spirituality, profession and culture. This award recognizes contributions he has made through his ideas, ideals and work.

Dr. Joseph E. Heyward is the fourth of five children and the youngest son of John Wayne and Wilhelmena Wright Heyward. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and educated in the public school system, graduating from Wilson Senior High with recognition for his academic excellence and leadership ability.

After High School, Dr. Heyward attended Hampton Institute in Virginia. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics with a minor in Physics in 1963. He continued his education at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland and received a Master of Arts Degree in Mathematics in 1972. He received a Doctor of Education Degree in Student Personnel Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1987. He also studied Physics at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities by Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina.

While at Hampton University, Joseph E. Heyward joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity through the Gamma Iota Chapter. He then joined the Delta Kappa Lambda Chapter in Florence after his return from a two-year military tour of duty in Europe. Joseph E. Heyward has been a active member in his local chapter since 1967 and has served as its president, secretary and is currently its treasurer.

In his community and civic involvement, Joseph E. Heyward serves as president of four housing boards of directors, a Rotarian, Wachovia Bank of South Carolina Advisory Committee, South Carolina Genetics Board of Directors, South Carolina Housing Advisory Board, a former member of the South Carolina State Board of Accountancy and former member of the Florence Symphony Board.

Dr. Heyward is a member of Cumberland United Methodist Church in Florence, SC. He serves as the Conference Lay Leader for the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and chairs the Board of Laity. He has attended the past six General and Jurisdictional Conferences of the United Methodist Church and currently is the Vice Chair of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders. He also served one quadrennial as a member of the General Council on Finance and Administration for the Methodist Church and currently he is the member of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits for the United Methodist Church and its Executive Committee.

Professionally, Dr. Heyward has taught mathematics and physics on the high school level and served as Assistant Principal and Principal of a middle school. In 1973 he joined the staff of Francis Marion University and went on to hold the position of Director of the University Center and Area Representative for U.S. Senator Ernest ``Fritz'' Hollings from 1978-1980. In 1980 he was recruited and accepted the position of Assistant Superintendent for instruction for Florence District One. He held that position for three years and in 1983 returned to Francis Marion University as Vice President. As a member of the administration at Francis Marion, Dr. Heyward served as Interim Provost of that university on three separate occasions. He retired from the University in June 2006 as Senior Vice President for Student Affairs.

In addition to the many accomplishments and community involvements listed above, Dr. Heyward is a member of the NAACP, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, and Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. He has also held membership in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Southern Association of College Student Affairs, and the South Carolina College Personnel Association.

Dr. Heyward is supported by his wife of 38 years, the former Evelyn Sargent, and their three children, Joseph II, Ryan Christopher and Regina Maria. He has four grandchildren; Joseph E. III, Ryan C, Jaylen C, and Mackenzie A.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the achievements of Dr. Joseph E. Heyward and congratulate him on his recent honor. His life is a testament to the results of hard work, dedication and commitment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend, a constituent, and a distinguished journalist. On June 30, 2008 Barbara Stambaugh Williams retired as editor of the Charleston Post and Courier. Although she will continue to provide weekly columns and serve as editor emeritus, her daily leadership of the paper will be sorely missed.

I first met Barbara when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina in the 1960s and '70s. At that time, I was a young political activist who ran for the State House of Representatives in 1970. Barbara was at that time a reporter for the Charleston News & Courier. In addition, she became the first woman assigned to cover the State Legislature. It was in that role that we first became personally acquainted. It was because of her coverage of that campaign that I came to the favorable attention of John West, who was the winning candidate for governor. In my race for the House, I went to bed election night having been declared a 500- vote winner, but awoke to find that I was a 500-vote loser. When Barbara asked me what happened, I simply responded ``I didn't get enough votes.'' Her reporting of that story precipitated a call to me from Governor-elect West, and he invited me to become the first African American advisor to a sitting South Carolina governor. The rest is history.

Barbara and I continued to cross paths even after I moved to Columbia to join the Governor's administration. I also watched her career with great interest. In 1976, she rose to the position of assistant managing editor of the News & Courier, which was Charleston's morning paper. In 1981, the afternoon paper, The Evening Post, named Barbara its editor. This was historic as she became the first woman in modern times to serve as editor of a major daily newspaper in South Carolina. In 1990, she continued her trailblazing ascent and returned to the News & Courier as its editor.

As was a common trend around the country, the morning and afternoon papers later merged, and in 1991, Barbara became the first editor of the Charleston Post & Courier. Her extraordinary career in journalism spans 47 years, 44 of those with Charleston newspapers.

She is a member of several professional organizations, and in 1992, Barbara served as president of the National Conference of Editorial Writers, which includes newspapers in the United States and Canada. Her numerous awards include the 1962 King Award given to the outstanding newspaperwoman in South Carolina and the 1973 Byliner Award from the Central S.C. Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.

The city of Charleston and the State of South Carolina owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to her for providing decades of insight into the workings of our government and fair-minded opinions of public affairs at the local, state, national and global level. Although her skilled hand will no longer be guiding the Post & Courier on a daily basis, her influence on the newspaper will be felt for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Barbara Williams on an extraordinary career. This trailblazing journalist has made a lasting impact on her profession and her community. I thank Barbara for her important contributions, and wish her a happy and healthy retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful constituent on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Mrs. Cassie Keitt Weeks of Fort Motte, South Carolina will become a centenarian on August 5, 2008. This is a remarkable milestone that few of us are ever able to achieve.

Cassie Keitt is the daughter of the late Hattie Young and Elijah ``Bub'' Keitt of Fort Motte. She was married to the late Jesse Weeks, Sr.

Mrs. Weeks can trace her ancestry to slaves on the Lang Syne Plantation and the Goshen Plantations in Fort Motte. Both Mrs. Weeks and her husband were employed by the Peterkin family at the Lang Syne Plantation until their retirement.

The church is a central part of Mrs. Weeks' life. Her great- grandfather is on the original deed as an organizer of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Fort Motte. It was the first church organized by former slaves in the community, and Mrs. Weeks attends that church today. She is among the church's staunchest supporters and serves in a number of capacities. She is a Church Mother, a member of the Senior Choir and Sunday school class, and serves as a pastor's aide. She is an avid fundraiser, a homecoming and friends and family day captain, and a member of the building and kitchen committees. She also serves as the church historian. When asked about the secret to her longevity, Mrs. Weeks replies, ``trusting in the Lord.'' She also adds, ``I like it on this side. This is all I know, so I will stay as long as I can.''

Among her other pleasures when she was able were making Lye soap and quilting bees. The Weeks home was always the gathering place for friends and family. Today she still enjoys sitting on the porch and entertaining visitors. She is also a very avid voter, and never misses the opportunity to cast her ballot.

Mrs. Weeks family provides her tremendous strength and joy. She is the mother of four children: daughters Rebecca Weeks Brown and Hattie Belle Weeks Scott and sons Jesse Weeks, Jr. (deceased) and Julius Weeks.

She is the grandmother of eight; great grandmother of eighteen; and the great, great grandmother of three. In addition she has a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends.

Madam Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join me today in wishing a happy 100th birthday to Cassie Keitt Weeks. This strong matriarch remains independent and active, and serves as an example to us all. I wish her health, happiness and Godspeed on this momentous occasion!

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent and an extremely talented woman committed to community service at all levels. This month Barbara Crockett Moore will complete her tenure as International Grand Basileus of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She has served in this capacity since 2002, and has proven to be an extraordinary and effective leader.

As the Zeta's International Grand Basileus, Mrs. Moore leads a sorority made up of 100,000 minority and African-American women in America and abroad. She has led the Zetas in national community outreach services, public policy, governmental affairs, and oversees overall administrative function, including its fiscal management. She has focused her leadership on enhancing the Zeta's commitment to community service and all humanity. Her crowning achievement is the implementation of the international initiative known as Z-HOPE: Zetas Helping Other People to Excel. The program has had positive impacts on more than a million people in America and abroad. Z-HOPE has commissioned more than 44 water wells in Ghana, and West Africa and has begun construction on a health center at the Afua Kobi Ampen Girls School in Ghana.

Mrs. Moore is also responsible for launching the Zeta's new program initiative called ZOL, which seeks to empower women in all aspects of their lives. The program encourages women taking charge of their health and inspires women to take on leadership roles in the sorority and their communities. She has made it a priority to grow the sorority's National Education Foundation by one million dollars, and has formed the Zeta Congressional Institute, which will encourage women to seek public office and provide internships for young women in the Washington, DC area at the Washington Institute. Under Mrs. Moore's leadership, the Zeta's completed a two million dollar renovation to the national headquarters in Washington creating state-of-the-art facilities.

Mrs. Moore's success in the Zeta's lead ship stems from her previous work in various capacities in the sorority. She has served as Chair of the National Executive Board, First Anti-Basileus, Chair of the National Membership Committee and as the FIPSC Project Director, where she managed the first federally funded grant awarded to the sorority. Prior to becoming Grand Basileus, she was Chair of the National Capital Campaign that raised money for the headquarters renovations. She has also served as Boule Chief of Protocol, Chair of the Southeastern Regional Board, Southeastern Regional Conference Marshal, South Carolina State Director, and Basileus of the Kappa Eta Zeta Chapter.

In addition to her duties as Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta, Mrs. Moore serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. She is also very active in the community as a member of Project Blueprint, The Columbia Forum, Ebony Keys, the Ridgewood Ladies Golf Club and Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. She is a former board member of the Midlands YWCA, Richland County March of Dimes Foundation, and the Three Rivers Health Care Agency.

She is the recipient of numerous awards including being named one of Ebony magazine's top five organizational leaders in the country. She has been inducted into the United Black Fund of the Midlands' South Carolina Black Hall of Fame and recognized

by the African American Cultural Complex in Raleigh, NC as a ``Woman of Note'' for her exemplary leadership.

Mrs. Moore and her husband, Norman, have one adult daughter, Walletta.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Barbara Crockett Moore for her outstanding service to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and our country. She has selflessly given her time and talents to lead a wonderful organization that is really making a difference in America and overseas. I commend her dedication to service, and look forward to seeing her at work in other leadership roles.