Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary public servant and a tremendous leader in his community and state. Williamsburg County Sheriff Kelvin Washington officially becomes President of the South Carolina Sheriff's Association on August 1, 2007, a remarkable achievement for this history-making law enforcer.

Kelvin Washington was born in Hemingway, South Carolina and was reared by his maternal grandmother, the late Thewoflar Washington. He graduated from Hemingway High School, and attended South Carolina State University. Kelvin went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from American Intercontinental University. His desire to excel in a law enforcement career led Kelvin to complete the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, the FBI's Carolina Command College, and the National Sheriff's Institute. He is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from Troy University.

In 1990, Kelvin joined the City of Florence Police Department as a patrolman. He quickly rose through the ranks becoming a narcotics agent and an investigator. Just three years later, Kelvin joined the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office as the Chief Investigator. Soon he was tapped as the Chief Deputy. In 1998, only 8 years after his law enforcement career began, Kelvin Washington was appointed Interim- Sheriff after the retirement of former Sheriff Jack McCrea. The following January, Kelvin Washington was elected Williamsburg County Sheriff making South Carolina history. Sheriff Washington was the youngest African American ever to be elected Sheriff in his home state, and he is currently one of the youngest African American Sheriffs in the nation. His effectiveness on the job and his popularity with county residents led to his reelection in 2000 and 2004.

Sheriff Washington is a member of Bethlehem A.M.E. Church in his hometown of Hemingway. He also holds memberships in the Chavis Masonic Lodge No. 446, the Kingstree Rotary Club, the Palmetto State Law Enforcement Officer's Association, and the South Carolina Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Washington still finds the time to serve as a board member for the Williamsburg County Boys and Girls Club and Williamsburg County Vital Aging. In 2002, he was selected as the Williamsburg County Area Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the Year.

None of these accomplishments could have been achieved without the support of his wife

of 17 years, the former Patricia McEachin of East Orange, New Jersey, and their three children, Courtney, and twins Kelvin, Jr. and Kelsey.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the achievements of Williamsburg County Sheriff Kelvin Washington. His life is a testament to what one can do if you have a dream and pursue it with all your might. Sheriff Washington truly believes in giving back, and Williamsburg County and the State of South Carolina are certainly the beneficiaries of his commitment, talent and dedication.

I thank my chairman for giving me this time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas.

In fiscal year 2003, while I was a member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, I requested an analysis of the Department of Energy funding, which had been historically received by historically black colleges and universities.

When I met with the subcommittee staff to go over these numbers, I think it is fair to say that we were all shocked. At that time, Mr. Hobson was chair of this subcommittee, and he summoned me to his office, and we sat down to discuss these numbers.

What we found was that over the prior 5 years funding to these institutions by the Department of Energy had been somewhere around 6.8 percent of all of their funding to colleges and universities across the country. In that 5-year period, that number had dropped to 2.8 percent, and we decided that it would be good to take a look at whether or not this could be reversed. I want you to just think about that.

Less than 3 percent of the funding by the Department of Energy was going to these institutions, yet over 25 percent of all black students in higher education were attending these institutions.

Now, my congressional district has seven, I would say to the gentleman from Texas, seven historical black colleges and universities, and he seemed to be discussing this amendment as if it were one.

I would also say to the gentleman that in my congressional district, you will find the University of South Carolina, The Citadel, the College of Charleston, Columbia College, Francis Marion University. And I would say that as far as the University of South Carolina is concerned, in this same subcommittee, you will see some earmarks, if you please, I call it targeted funding, to that institution. Yet I would ask the gentleman why has he singled out the HBCUs with no attention given to the University of South Carolina.

Mr. Chairman, I would suggest to the gentleman from Texas that this funding, $10.5 million, is a very small investment for these students. I applaud the gentleman's desire to be a good steward of the taxpayers' money. But our suggestion is that his focus is misguided. This small investment will pay huge dividends to the constituents I represent, and I rise in the strongest objection to this amendment.

Let me thank our chairman for yielding me this time.

To date, we have spent almost half a trillion dollars on the Iraq war. Over 3,600 American lives have been lost, and more than 26,000 Americans have been wounded. When the President announced his escalation plan 6 months ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it would only last a few months. Majority Leader Boehner said we would know whether or not the escalation succeeded or failed within 90 days. And Secretary Rice said we would not stay married to a plan that is not working.

Since the President announced this surge, we have lost nearly 600 American troops and spent more than $60 billion. In fact, the monthly cost in lives and resources has increased dramatically since the war began.

Today, the American people received an interim report from the President on his escalation plan. This was the verdict: None of the 18 benchmarks he outlined in January have been reached. In fact, it clearly illustrated how far the Iraqi Government is from political progress and national reconciliation.

A recently released national intelligence report concludes that al Qaeda has reconstituted its core network and may be a stronger terrorist organization than it was a year ago. In fact, it could be closer to pre-9/11 strength and reach.

Republicans have spoken out against this war, failed policies in Iraq yet, out of fear of being called names, are reluctant to vote against this resolution.

What have we come to when if people express their consciences, they are called names? It's beneath the dignity of the sacrifices of our men and women, and I ask my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 172) honoring the life of each of the 9 fallen City of Charleston firefighters who lost their lives in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 18, 2007, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

I thank my friend, Mr. Brown, for yielding me this time. Not since 9/11 have we been reminded so poignantly of the sacrifice our first responders make to protect our safety. These nine firefighters gave the ultimate sacrifice last night doing the jobs they loved. As Charlestonians, South Carolinians and Americans, we are grateful for their service and deeply saddened by their loss.

Our hearts go out to their families and their colleagues. This devastating loss is one that touched the hearts of our entire Nation, and we grieve with them.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, ``Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generate by love and you can be that servant.''

These firefighters were public servants in the truest sense. They answered the call to serve their community, and today Charleston and South Carolina are better places for their service.

Among the nine that perished was a combined 123 years of service to the Charleston Fire Department. This is a remarkable testament to their dedication and selflessness. Their experience and service cannot be replaced, and their contributions will not be forgotten.

Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in a moment of silence.

Announcement by the Acting Chairman

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate one of South Carolina's

most faithful and dedicated church leaders as he retires from the ministry. Rev. Dr. James O. ``J.O.'' Rich is a stalwart in upstate South Carolina where he has been the long-serving pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church and is the co-owner of Rich-Colonial Funeral Home.

J.O. was born in Sumter, SC, where he attended Lincoln High School and went on to earn a bachelor's in divinity from Morris College. His dedication to the ministry led him to earn a master's in divinity from the International Theological Center, Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, GA. He completed further study at the Lutheran Southern Seminary, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Morris College in 1975.

Dr. Rich truly committed himself to the teachings of the church and sought leadership positions to help share his faith with a wider audience. He served as president of Baptist education bodies on the State and national levels including the South Carolina Baptist Congress of Christian Education and the Progressive National Baptist Congress of Christian Education.

Within in his own church, Dr. Rich helped expand the educational outreach opportunities. He oversaw the construction of St. Paul Baptist Church's Educational Center as a testament to the church's investment in spiritual and human growth. The center cost $600,000 to build in 1977, but stands today as a central part of the community and the church's outreach ministries.

Throughout his career, Dr. Rich has been a lecturer and author as well. He has spoken on college and university campuses in South Carolina and across the Nation. He also served as the compilation editor of Foundations of Worship, a developmental meditation for families. Other publications by Dr. Rich include, Help, a study guide for Baptists, BTU Report, and articles in the Quiet Hour, the Worker, and In-Teen magazines.

His work and dedication are not just isolated to the church. Dr. Rich believes strongly in giving back to the community. He did so by serving as president of the Anderson Branch of the NAACP for more than 20 years. He chaired the City of Anderson Community Development Corporation, and is a member of the Alston Wilkes Society, Inc., the South Carolina Christian Action Council, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Governor Dick Riley recognized Dr. Rich's dedication and honored him with South Carolina's highest honor, the Palmetto Award. Governor Riley also appointed Dr. Rich to serve as the Third Congressional District's representative to the State Council on Maternal, Infant and Child Health. It was a position for which Governor Carroll Campbell re- appointed him.

In 1986, while serving as president of the Baptist E&M Convention of South Carolina, the Ford Foundation awarded the organization a $180,000 grant to fight teenage pregnancy.

Housing issues are also very important to Dr. Rich. He served as the chairman of the Baptist Service Inc., the housing arm of the Baptist E&M Convention. And while serving as the moderator of the Rocky River Baptist Association, Dr. Rich initiated the building of the Rocky River Residential Care Home, a 60-unit complex for the elderly and handicapped in Anderson.

As a result of all his outstanding community service and dedication to the ministry, his alma mater, Morris College, named one of its men's dormitories in his honor. He has also been the recipient of the Mamie L. Duckett Founder's Day Award given by Benedict College, the Jefferson Award conferred by WYFF-TV, the Howard McClain Christian Action Award issued by the Christian Action Council, and the Pastor of the Year Award granted by the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

His leadership of St. Paul Baptist Church has been an inspiration, and his accomplishments there are too numerous to mention. Yet throughout his service, his loving wife, Arabella, their children Stanley and Stephanie, and now their daughter-in-law Phyllis and grandson Stanford, have been fully supportive of his efforts.

Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in commending Rev. Dr. J.O. Rich for his tremendous service to his faith and his community. He is a living testament to the Bible's admonition ``to whom much is given, much is required.'' Dr. Rich has been given extraordinary talents, and he has used them to honor his faith and his fellow man. I applaud the example he has set for others to follow, and wish him a wonderful retirement and Godspeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful woman who has dedicated her entire career to ensuring that our youngest students receive the best education possible. On Friday, May 25, 2007, Dr. Martha Jean Adams-Beggins is retiring as the Director of South Carolina State University's Family Life Center. Dr. Heggins' retirement is the culmination of a 43-year career in early childhood education.

A native of Florence, South Carolina, Dr. Beggins began her teaching career there after graduating from South Carolina State University (SCSU) in 1964. She spent 2 years as a first grade teacher at Carver Elementary in Florence, and then went on to teach in Cope and Orangeburg, South Carolina before deciding to pursue her master's at Bank Street College of Education in New York. After she earned her advanced degree, Dr. Beggins returned to South Carolina to teach kindergarten at Felton Laboratory School at SCSU. The following year, she became an instructor at the university and went on to become the Assistant Director of Student Teaching.

However, Martha Heggins knew she wanted to pursue her doctorate and moved to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University. While earning her PhD, she was an Instructor of Early Childhood Education, a Teaching Assistant in the Urban Education Department, and the Director of Demonstration Day Care Learning Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She received a Ford Foundation Research Award for her ``Study of the Relationship of Logical Thinking to School Achievement in Elementary School Children.''

Upon earning her doctorate, Dr. Heggins returned home to South Carolina and her beloved SCSU. In 1975, she became an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education and has not left the university since. Over the years, Dr. Beggins has become a highly valued member of SCSU's education department. She has served as an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Director of the Title XX Project, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, and in 1982 became a full Professor.

Dr. Heggins has implemented, directed and served as the Coordinator of the Undergraduate and Graduate Early Childhood Programs at SCSU. Since 1999, she has served as the Director of SCSU's Family Life Center. In this position, she oversees a program for at-risk students and parents from the poorest neighborhoods in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The program focuses on 6 core areas: academic development, personal development, career enrichment, cultural enrichment, family bonding, and recreational development. Under Dr. Heggins' leadership, the program has received national recognition by the Family and Community Violence Prevention Program at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Dr. Beggins has also been involved with the Orangeburg Gang Summit Task Force.

She is a member of the America Association of University Women, the Association for Childhood Education International, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the South Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Organization for Women, Phi Delta Kappa International, and Kappa Omicron Nu. Dr. Heggins has received numerous honors including Teacher of the Year 1991-92 for SCSU's School of Education; Distinguish Faculty Chair 1982-83 at SCSU; and inclusion in a number of Who's Who listings. She is the organizer, founder and vice president of the National Black Child Development Institute at SCSU, which is the first undergraduate chapter in the United States.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Dr. Martha Jean Adams-Heggins for her exemplary career. I commend her dedication to educating young people and to ensuring that those with the least among us are given the tools necessary to succeed in life. I wish her a wonderful retirement and Godspeed.

Last night, Mr. Speaker, I re-read Martin Luther King, Jr.'s ``Letter from a Birmingham City Jail.'' In that letter, King dealt with the notion of timing. He said to us that time is never right; time is never wrong; that time actually is neutral, and it's only what we make it. We can use it constructively, or we can use it destructively.

King went on to say that it's always the right time to do that which is right.

Now, a lot of people on yesterday told me that this was the wrong time to bring this legislation. For a moment, I agreed. But reflecting on Dr. King's admonition that the time is always right to do right, I come before this body today to ask us to use the time that we have before us to do right by those people who may not be like us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the issue of the Iraqi supplemental that we are currently about to redo.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, the President in his regional message indicated that the bill ``is loaded with billions of dollars in nonemergency spending that has nothing to do with fighting the war on terror.'' He went on to say that Congress should debate these spending measures on their own merits and not as a part of an emergency funding bill for our troops.

Mr. Speaker, for 19 months now, we have been trying to get this administration to pay attention to the people on the gulf coast. We have for weeks and months been trying to get the President to support our efforts to make sure that many of the families and friends of our troops, who have been affected in Louisiana, Mississippi, and even in Florida and Texas by this catastrophic event perpetrated by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, get help. Today, we have not been able to get the President to support our efforts as we have tried to address these emergencies.

And so, Mr. Speaker, since we are doing an emergency spending bill, we thought it very appropriate for us to do both international and domestic emergencies all in one piece of legislation. Consequently, we have moved in this legislation to address issues such as the East and West Bank Levee Protection and Coastal Restoration System in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes by inserting into this legislation $1.3 billion. We have added another $30 million for K-12 education recruitment assistance, another $30 million for higher education assistance.

I plan to be in Baton Rouge next week to address Southern University's commencement exercises. I would hope that, as I go there, I can carry them more than mere promises to get them to feeling, once again, that we in this body are paying attention to and responding to the problems that they are suffering, many of them having lost a full year out of their educational pursuits.

I would hope that those children in K through 12 can begin to feel that here in this Congress, with this emergency supplemental, that we are going to respond to them as well.

And then there is the Community Disaster Loan Forgiveness Program. We have put language in this bill to address that issue, $4.3 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants. These State and local grants will be waived, meaning that the Federal Government will be able to finance 100 percent of the grants.

We have been trying for a long time now to get this administration to treat the victims of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in the same way we treated disasters after 9/11 in New York, the same way we treated the earthquakes in California, the same way we treated the Hurricane Andrew down in Florida some years ago and Hurricane Anika out in Hawaii. In each one of those instances, we waived matching requirements. In this instance, we have not. And so we want, in this administration, to waive those requirements of the Stafford Act, the matching requirements, so that we can begin to address these emergencies.

There are other emergencies that we plan to address here, and that is the Children's Health Insurance Program. We think, with 14 States out of money, another 3 States expected to be out of money by September 1, it is an emergency for the children in those 17 States, and I would hope that when we put the final bill together to send back to the President, we will address these emergencies that we have with our people here at home.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great source of pride for my alma mater, South Carolina State University, and our nation's military. The SC State Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) celebrates its 60th anniversary on April 20, 2007. This tremendous program, known as the Bulldog Battalion, has commissioned nearly 2,000 officers in the armed forces, and it has produced nine Army Generals, two Marine Corps Generals and one Air Force General, while contributing a significant number of highly qualified and dedicated soldiers to our nation's military.

Among SC State's notable ROTC graduates are Major General Abraham Turner, a 1976 graduate, who served as the Commanding Officer of Fort Jackson, the Army's largest training base in my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. Second Lieutenant Jerrette Lee, class of 1983, was chosen during his senior year for the coveted Hughes Award, becoming the first African American and graduate of a Historically Black College or University to receive the honor granted to the top ROTC graduate of the year.

Another proud Bulldog Battalion graduate, Colonel Stephen Twitty, led an infantry battalion into Iraq during the early stages of the war on August 18, 2003. His leadership earned him the Silver Star medal for valor.

The remarkable record of the SC State ROTC is due in part to its rich history and tradition. The program was established in 1947 for the purpose of training infantry officers for the United States Army. In 1949, the program graduated its first class with five of the six graduates receiving Army commissions and the sixth joining the Army Reserves.

In 1954, the program expanded its mission beyond producing only infantry officers. Instead, the ROTC became a General Military Science Program, which enabled graduates to serve in any branch of the Anny for which they qualified. From 1947 until 1968, all freshman and sophomore male students were required to enroll in the ROTC program at SC State. Since I am a 1961 graduate, I had the privilege of being part of this tremendous Bulldog Battalion program.

In 1968, SC State partnered with Claflin University, Voorhees College, Orangeburg Technical College and Denmark Technical College to provide ROTC training through SC State's program. The program expanded again in 1972 to allow female cadets to enter for the first time. Today, a total of 254 women have graduated from SC State's ROTC.

Graduates of this prestigious program have participated in every military conflict from World War I to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, representing America with great skill and honor. Today the Bulldog Battalion averages an enrollment of 100 cadets.

Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring South Carolina State University's ROTC program on the occasion of its 60th anniversary. It is my great privilege to have experienced this wonderful ROTC program firsthand and to congratulate the program and its graduates today for their extraordinary contributions to our country. America owes a debt of gratitude to South Carolina State for supporting this extraordinary tradition of military excellence and to its graduates for making their alma mater and their nation proud.

Thank you very much, Mr. Spratt, for yielding me the time. And I want to thank you for putting together one of the most responsible documents that I have seen in my almost 15 years here in the House of Representatives.

This Democrat budget is a giant step in the right direction. This budget lowers taxes on middle-class families. It does not contain one penny of new taxes. Instead, our budget explicitly provides middle- income tax credits, including the marriage penalty, child tax credit, the 10 percent bracket, and the deduction for State and local taxes.

This House budget provides immediate relief for 23 million middle- income families who would otherwise be subjected to the alternative minimum tax and provides for a permanent fix.

I will tell you what I am particularly appreciative of in this budget. This budget responds to the ongoing recovery for the people of the gulf coast region here in our country. It creates a reserve fund of $3.4 billion and provides an additional $1 billion that could be used to meet urgent recovery needs.

This budget maintains the President's tax cuts for 2008, for 2009 and for 2010; and it says, explicitly, that we can extend tax cuts beyond the sunset that the Republicans put in for 2010. But if we extend these tax cuts, we must subject these tax cuts to the same PAYGO rules that we subject new programs to. So there is no cut here. There is responsibility here. And I thank John Spratt for meeting that responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding me this time.

As we work to craft this legislation and build consensus, Americans read headlines that said something like: ``Democrats divided, Democrats in disarray.'' But the truth is we were being deliberative.

We spent weeks listening to the diverse members of our caucus, folding their input into this bill, and I am confident we have produced a strong and pivotal piece of legislation because we drew from the broad spectrum of all of our Members. We are a diverse caucus and our diverse experiences and backgrounds reflect the priorities and perspectives of all Americans. I am proud of our caucus and this legislation we have produced.

We all seek to heal our Nation by ending the Iraq war. For the first time in 4 years, almost to the date, we have an opportunity to vote for binding legislation that changes the course in the Iraq war. This legislation ensures that the United States forces in the field have all the resources that they require, directs more resources to the war against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, improves health care for returning servicemembers and veterans. But most of all, it sets benchmarks and time lines for ending our participation in Iraq.

We all seek to heal our brothers and sisters in the gulf coast who have been struggling for 18 months against the solid indifference of this administration. The emergency supplemental bill waives the 25 percent match required by the Stafford Act so that the victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma can get the service they deserve.

This supplemental is also good medicine for the children in 14 States who have lost their health care. It contains $750 million to fix that problem.

This bill also is good tonic for our veterans and active military who in many instances are suffering as much from broken promises as they are from broken limbs.

This legislation includes money to fix Walter Reed Hospital, gives better military health to our military men, improves veteran housing, and I want to say, Mr. Speaker, I do not quarrel with those people who see this as a vote of conscience. I believe it is unconscionable to ignore children without health care. It is unconscionable to leave survivors of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma without disaster assistance. It is unconscionable to ask our soldiers to fight a war and not provide them adequate training and equipment, and I sincerely believe it is unconscionable to allow this open-ended war to continue, when with this bill, we can begin its ending.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Reverend Dr. Levi C. Chavous on the occasion of his retirement as Pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church in Columbia, SC.

Reverend Chavous began his tenure at Ridgewood in 1967, becoming the church's third pastor. Throughout his 40 years of continuous service, Reverend Chavous has demonstrated extraordinary faith and leadership to the church, the Ridgewood community, and the religious life of the entire state.

A native of Aiken, Reverend Chavous entered the ministry 57 years ago. In preparation for the ministry, he received degrees from Florida Normal College and Union Seminary. Early in his career in the ministry, Reverend Chavous pastored several churches across South Carolina.

Under Reverend Chavous' leadership, Ridgewood Baptist experienced tremendous growth in membership and established important new ministries and programs. Among the highlights are: the 7:45 a.m. Worship Service, the weekly Bible Study Class, the L.C. Chavous Ushers, the Tape and Sound Ministry, the Cherubs Choir, the Pulpit Aid Club, and the Christian Education Board. Reverend Chavous also commissioned the first recorded history of the church and established the Ridgewood Foundation.

In addition to new programs and organizations, Reverend Chavous oversaw the expansion of the church campus by acquiring the Mack's Nursery, the historic Holloway House, and additional parking. The crowning achievement of his administration was the construction of the Ridgewood Family Life Center, which was recently named in his honor.

Reverend Chavous has also served the greater community through his membership on the boards of Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina and his alma mater, Florida Normal College. Furthermore, he previously served as Moderator of the Gethsemane Association and President of the Fellowship Union; and has been active in the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina.

Madam Speaker, Reverend Levi C. Chavous has touched the lives of numerous individuals, and made an indelible impact on the members of his church and the entire community. Along with his lovely wife, Mrs. Lucille S. Chavous, he has won the admiration and respect of the members of the Ridgewood Baptist Church for his 40 years of dedicated service. On Sunday, March 25, 2007, Reverend Chavous will preach his final sermon as Pastor of Ridgewood Baptist Church and I wish him well and godspeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations to the outstanding members of the South Carolina AAA High School Boys' Basketball State Championship team, the Wilson High School Tigers, and their exceptional coach, Bob Wilson.

Wilson High School is located in the 6th Congressional District which I proudly represent. On Saturday night, March 3, Coach Wilson led the Tigers to the first State Championship for a Florence team in 20 years.

That State Championship game took place at the Colonial Center in Columbia, South Carolina. And although the Tigers did not score a single point until the 4th minute of the game, they gathered their wits and started playing with true determination and it all paid off in the end. I am proud of these exceptional athletes and so is their community. They won 23 out of their 29 games this season.

It requires a great deal of discipline to properly balance athleticism and academic requirements, but these young men have excelled at both. There are six seniors on the team this year, and all of them deserve congratulations for their hard work this season.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate each of them on behalf of this Congress: Sam Muldrow, Dominique Lacy, Antwain Lyde, Greg White, Rico Young, Dalwayne Rhodes, Hiram Echols, Jamal Banks, Jamar Graham, Denzel Belin, Daron Cooper, Tracy McFadden, Shamel Brackett, Alan- Michael Thompson, and Trevonte Dixon. Their assistant coaches, Pete McCants, Rodney Barr, and David Littlefield, also deserve recognition for their hard work and devotion to these young men.

Coach Wilson's career speaks for itself: before coming to Wilson High School in 2000, he spent 5 years as head basketball coach for West Florence High School. Prior to becoming a head coach, he served as an assistant at Francis Marion University and West Florence High School.

Remarkably, Coach Wilson was involved in another historic state championship for Florence: he was the assistant coach when West Florence High School won the State Championship in 1986, the last time a Florence basketball team had won until this season.

Throughout his career, Coach Wilson has been a sterling example to his players both on and off the court. The entire State of South Carolina is fortunate to have such a dedicated and tireless advocate and role model for young men and women.

Madam Speaker, I admire the effort and teamwork the members of this team have demonstrated throughout the season and I ask you and my colleagues to join me in wishing them good luck and Godspeed in the future.

Madam Speaker, as a former public school teacher who started his educational pursuits as a 4-year-old in his mother's kindergarten, I proudly rise in support of H.R. 584, legislation to designate the headquarters building of the Department of Education here in Washington as the Lyndon Baines Johnson Federal Building.

Madam Speaker, most people remember President Johnson for his poise and confidence as he assumed the Presidency during a turbulent and mournful time for our Nation. He is also remembered for his leadership and vision with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It was his support in the White House for a movement that I and my brothers and sisters were fighting for on buses and at lunch counters throughout the South and helped bring here today.

But I give special thanks to his work in an area that is dear to my heart, education. President Johnson recognized the power of education to

strengthen the Nation and help bring people out of poverty. He made his name as the first education President by signing into law over 60 education bills during his Presidency, most notably the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the Higher Education Act of 1965.

He was the first President to recognize the need for strong Federal investment in education, backing programs that funded not only elementary and secondary education, but higher education with the Federal student loan program for college and graduate school students. He gave us the Head Start Program, which since its inception has helped millions of disadvantaged children get off on the right foot by providing health, nutritional and educational assistance, recognizing that an investment in our children at an early age pays off in the long run.

His domestic vision for this country was revolutionary in the areas of civil rights and the fighting of poverty. We still see the benefits of his vision for a Great Society today. That is why I am proud to join my colleagues in passing this legislation to designate the Department of Education, the first Federal building in Washington to bear his name. I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time, and I thank her for her leadership.