Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, last week, the week of March 7th, I was excused from the business of the House, however, if I were present, I would have voted in the following manner: Rollcall No. 57, ``aye''; No. 56, ``aye''; No. 55, ``aye''; No. 54, ``aye''; No. 53, ``no''; No. 52, ``no''; No. 51, ``no''; No. 50, ``no''; No. 49, ``no''; No. 48, ``no''; No. 47, ``aye''; No. 46, ``aye''; No. 45, ``aye''; No. 44, ``aye''; No. 43, ``aye''; and No. 42, ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I request that these votes be reflected in the appropriate place of the Congressional Record.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to talk about how President Bush and this Republican Congress have fought to honor America's veterans. As Florida's First Congressional District is home to more veterans than anywhere else in the Nation, keeping the promises to veterans is certainly my priority and it has been one for this Republican Congress as well.

I think it is safe to say that all of our colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, tell their constituents that they support veterans and will keep the many promises we have made to them throughout the years. The difference is that President Bush and our Republican colleagues have kept those promises. It is the Democrats who have not.

Republicans have increased to record levels spending on veterans' health care and benefit programs. We have enacted countless measures to enhance and expand compensation, retirement, health, and medical programs for America's 25 million veterans and their families since becoming the majority party in this Congress.

We have also provided more than $22 billion to allow disabled veterans to receive both their disability compensation and retirement pay, a practice which a 100-year-old law previously prohibited. In fact, Republicans are the only ones who have provided any, any, concurrent receipt benefits for disabled military retirees. Democrats had 40 years to do so as the majority party, and they did not.

President Roosevelt said ``A man good enough to shed blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.'' We should be proud of what President Bush and our Republican colleagues have done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of one of my constituents, who will soon be joining the ranks of the retired commissioned officers of the United States Air Force, Lt. Colonel Pete Gandy.

Colonel Gandy, a master navigator with 3,600 flying hours and a graduate of the Squadron Officers School and Air Command and Staff College, has served his country honorably and faithfully for the past thirty years.

Upon graduation through the ROTC program at Memphis State University, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Colonel Gandy later received training as a navigator at Mather Air Force Base in California.

Throughout Colonel Gandy's career, he was assigned a multitude of important missions for the betterment of our country's security. His work history and past responsibilities have served as a testament of faith and trust that America has bestowed upon him.

While on active duty, he was assigned Chief of the Munitions Maintenance Division, 1st Strategic Air Division at Vandenburg AFB, California, where he was responsible for test launches for Minuteman III and Titan II ICBM re-entry vehicles. Colonel Gandy also served at Strategic Air Command Headquarters at Offutt AFB, Nebraska where he was involved with planning and installation of Minuteman III missiles at SAC bases in North Dakota.

After his training as a radar navigator, Colonel Gandy was assigned to a B-52 combat crew of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota. He served as an instructor and flight examiner with the Wing's Standardization and Evaluation Division during his ARC Light tour to U Tapao Air Base, Thailand and Anderson, AFB, Guam. Upon Colonel Gandy's return to the United States, he received orders to the Plans, Policy, and Programs Division at Headquarters SAC where he worked to increase our Nation's security.

While on inactive duty in the Tennessee Air National Guard as a C-130 navigator, he participated in numerous exercises and deployments to Europe, Central and South America, and Southwest Asia in support of Operations Just Cause and Desert Shield.

In July 1993 Colonel Gandy received a commission in the Louisiana State Guard, promoted to the rank of Colonel, and served as the Disaster Preparedness Liaison for the City of New Orleans. This assignment made him a key player with the state and the city to improve hurricane preparedness.

During his career he was awarded the Defense Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement, among others.

Much of his success was due to the total and unwavering support of his wife, Janice and two children David and Tricia.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize this brave airman for the example he has set for our country, and for Northwest Florida. I offer my sincere thanks for all that he has done for Northwest Florida and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lt. Col. Robert L. Reinlie for his tireless fight for his fellow veterans.

Lt. Col. Reinlie and the late William O. ``Sam'' Schism engaged Col. George ``Bud'' Day, Medal of Honor recipient and former POW, as their attorney. By becoming a plaintiff in a 1996 lawsuit, Lt. Col. Reinlie challenged the United States government to honor healthcare commitments made to WWII/Korea era military retirees.

Lt. Col. Reinlie's extraordinary farsighted vision recognized the need for a plan to support his legal efforts. Lt. Col. Reinlie took it upon himself to begin organizing, what later became the Class Act Group.

With untiring and aggressive pursuit, Lt. Col. Reinlie's efforts were extended into a nation-wide grass roots network that was instrumental in forging Congressional legislation favorable to military retirees. Lt. Col. Reinlie helped initiate this grass roots initiative through billboards, letter writing campaigns, demonstrations, phone and fax communication blitzes, meetings, marches, web sites, letters to editors, press releases, all geared to influencing Congressional attention. His dynamic and selfless leadership and commitment drove him to a presence in Class Act Group office spaces, even when extensive surgery was imminent and during extended rehabilitation.

His tireless dedication served as a contributing and encouraging factor for his attorney, Col. Day, and the legal fight to the United States Supreme Court. This fight led by Lt. Col. Reinlie was a major contributing factor to the military retiree medical benefit now referred to as TRICARE for Life and The Senior Pharmacy Program. The WWII/Korea era military retiree fight is not over and Lt. Col. Reinlie, at the young age of 82, is still in the battle to honor his fellow veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I, on behalf of the United States Congress, salute Lt. Col. Reinlie. With the encouragement and significant contribution from his wife Marilyn, he reflects a great credit upon himself, our Nation, and the courage of soldiers that gave us the freedom we enjoy today. I offer my sincere thanks for all that he has done for Northwest Florida and this great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of one of my constituents who has unselfishly helped and enriched the lives of many of our Nation's veterans, Mrs. Anne Hart.

For the past 10 years, Anne has worked tirelessly and unselfishly as a volunteer within the Office of Veterans' Affairs in Pensacola where she volunteers over 50 hours a week helping veterans file claims. She has been an extremely valuable asset to the VA office and officers with whom she has worked alongside.

Anne's husband was shot down in Vietnam in 1972 and was listed as missing in action until 1978. As a widow with six young children, she confronted the Federal government in 1986 by challenging their identification of her husband from the remains that were found.

At the time, she was unknowingly preparing herself to later help fight for several veterans who have served their country with honor and courage. Anne's struggles have earned her much respect among veterans, who have described her as having a heart of an angel.

Other than helping veterans in need within the Veterans' Affairs office, Anne has come to the aid of many homeless veterans who were persuaded by her influence to abandon the notion of ``giving up.'' She even drove one veteran over 75 miles to his mother's funeral in Alabama.

Anne's job has been to keep veterans' records in order, effectively by making sure all of the facts are quickly verified in order to help facilitate a sometimes difficult claims process. Her faithful service of acting as a sounding board for thousands of veterans has made her a guardian angel to many of the bravest veterans that our country will ever know.

Many veterans, who travel from hundreds of miles to see her, have walked away with the feeling that ``someone really cares.''

Anne is strongly supportive of her government and feels that her obligation is to make sure that they do things the right way.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize this special lady with a big heart, Anne Hart, for the example she has set for our country and for northwest Florida. I offer my sincere thanks for all that she has done for northwest Florida and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor today to pay tribute to a true American patriot on his 93rd Birthday, President Ronald Reagan. As we in Congress move forth with reviewing the president's FY 2005 budget, I recall the words of Ronald Reagan when he submitted his presidential budget. He said,

``Government has an important role in helping develop a country's economic foundation. But the critical test is whether government is genuinely working to liberate individuals by creating incentives to work, save, invest, and succeed. We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.''

Mr. Speaker, as we debate on the proper amount of funding for securing our nation, the greatest tribute we can pay to Ronald Reagan is to develop a budget that allows our children and grandchildren to live in a prosperous economy. For the American people, it was his leadership in economic policy that restored hope for the future.

Thank you Mr. President for your inspiration and leadership which continues to guide our nation and which will help us to protect our freedoms and liberties in the twenty-first century. May you have a wonderful birthday and God bless.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of one of my constituents, a 1998 Hall of Fame inductee and now a respected broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves, Mr. Don Sutton.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Don as an amateur free agent in 1964. He ended his career in 1998 with 324 wins and struck out 3,574 batters, while never missing his turn in the pitching rotation for the Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, Athletics and Angels.

Don, a four-time All Star and the 1977 All-Star Game MVP, reached double figures in wins in 21 of his 23 seasons and struck out over 100 batters in each of his first 21 campaigns. He pitched in four World Series and posted five career one-hit games.

Don, who never spent one day on the disabled list, kept this body and mind in tip-top

shape, enabling him to start at least 30 games in 20 of his 22 seasons.

Sutton started all but 18 of the 774 career games he pitched, which has led many current and former alltime greats to refer to him as one of the most durable and consistent players of all time. He ranks second alltime to Cy Young in games started.

Don has pitched in over 100 innings through 15 games of postseason play. He pitched in a 10-2 win for the Milwaukee Brewers in the final game of the 1982 season to defeat the Baltimore Orioles and win the American League Eastern Division title.

The tall, lean right-hander put away many of his opponents by throwing his feared fastball and signature sweeping curveball. There have been many drawn comparisons by the games top players, writers, and announcers, who have compared him to other legendary pitchers such as Bert Blyleven and Gaylord Perry. To the hearts and minds of Northwest Floridians, Don will always be second to none.

Sutton came full circle in 1988 when he retired in a Dodgers uniform. This spring, Don will begin his 15th season with the Braves, continuing his highly successful career as a broadcaster.

Don is also known as a great family man and showed his pride during his Cooperstown induction when his final thanks went to his wife, Mary, and their daughter, Jackie. Don was surrounded by many of his close friends, former teammates and coaches, including one of his best coaches, his father Howard Sutton, who taught him how to pitch.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize this special person, Don Sutton, for the example he has set in the sports world, his country, and for Northwest Florida. I offer my sincere thanks for all that he has done for Northwest Florida and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I will not say many of the things that a lot of my colleagues have already said on the floor today, but I do want to say thank you to our chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), our subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Simmons), and certainly the ranking member. In fact, I thank all the members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs on both sides of the aisle.

I want to say that the first district of Florida probably includes some of the most striking examples of access to care challenges that this country ever had. I have almost 100,000 veterans that live in the Panhandle. All of them are eligible to receive health care through the VA. Pensacola ranks in the top 10 in veteran populations in the Nation, and Fort Walton Beach tops that list.

Despite these numbers, our community-based outpatient clinic in Pensacola treats twice the number of Panhandle veterans than it was designed to do. Veterans in Fort Walton and farther east must travel to the other side of Eglin Air Force Base, which spans over 700 square miles in the middle of my district, in order to even reach the Pensacola clinic. For VA in-patient care, all of my patients must go to Biloxi, Mississippi, a trip upwards of 200 miles for some of my residents.

I would say in VA's budget submission for this fiscal year, the Pensacola facility was described as ``obsolete.'' This description does not even come close to painting an accurate picture of the crowded and totally inadequate facility. The time to move forward on providing a new facility is now, and this bill sets the pace.

I am proud that the Naval Hospital Pensacola has been ahead of the bell curve on the implementation of co-sharing agreements, as has the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base. Whereas both facilities have the potential to set the pace for the rest of the Nation in regards to issues of VA and DOD resource-sharing, the CARES Commission report acknowledges this in its ``highest priority project request'' for land to build a replacement Pensacola clinic at the Naval Hospital Pensacola, with the Navy to provide contract hospitalization for medicine and surgical care.

This bill, Mr. Speaker, underscores the solidarity amongst all stakeholders in this endeavor. I would say that nothing makes me prouder than to represent the veterans of northwest Florida, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 1156.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam), from Polk County for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I too rise today in support of Senate Bill 117, the Florida National Forest Land Management Act of 2003. This legislation does allow the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of Forestry to close the loop on a patchwork of land that goes from the panhandle of Florida to the tip of the peninsula.

In my district alone some of this land has transferred from the Forestry Service to the Air Force and back to the Forestry Service again. In Okaloosa County, 80 acres are currently leased for the county fairgrounds, complete with ball fields. This parcel is a parcel of land that the Department of Forestry does not want or need, but cannot convey unless this legislation is passed.

Under the Federal sites administration law, Congress can identify specific excess land that can be sold by the Forestry Service and with the money earned purchase State forest areas. This method has already been used in Texas, Mississippi, and in Virginia. For Florida, and, more specifically, my district, this is a win-win. Okaloosa County gets the land; the Department of Forestry can use the money it receives to purchase additional property.

Under the legislation, which has been passed in the Senate and approved by the House Committee on Agriculture, the Secretary of Agriculture may solicit offers for the sale or exchange of the land or reject any offer received under this section if the Secretary determines that the offer is inadequate or is not in the best interest of the public.

For parcels that run adjacent to or are in any way connected to the Air Force's property, which some parcels are, the sale or exchange cannot be executed by the Secretary of Agriculture without the concurrence of the Secretary of the Air Force.

Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting this legislation would not significantly affect the Federal budget, and the measure contains no intergovernmental or private sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant impact on the budgets of State, local, or tribal governments.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leadership for making room on today's calendar for this important piece of legislation. I would like to thank the chairman and also my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), for their assistance in seeing that this measure comes to the floor. I ask for their support and others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Florida Marlins on winning the 2003 World Series. The team is a great source of pride for my home state and proved, against the odds, exactly what it was capable of.

The Marlins certainly had to work hard for their second championship. Their opponent, the New York Yankees, had won four of the last eight World Series. This Florida team surprised many with its victory, but they deserve every bit of praise. Even changing the team's management, mid-season, did not keep them from obtaining baseball's top award.

I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 2003 World Series Champions, and I congratulate the Florida Marlins on a fantastic season. Your Congress is proud of what you have accomplished.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I do rise today in full support of H.R. 1720, as amended, and thank our full committee chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and our Subcommittee on Health chairman, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons), whom we have already heard from today, for their leadership and their efforts to bring this bill to authorize major medical construction to final passage today. This is a good bill, Mr. Speaker, truly a bipartisan compromise, as we have already heard, and one that deserves the full support of each and every Member on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I represent the first district of Florida, an area of record growth and a high concentration of active duty servicemembers, military retired families, and veterans. This bill, as amended, provides a critical and important first step to providing veterans and the military communities that I serve in northwest Florida with state- of-the-art health care in a new, combined Navy-VA clinic in Pensacola.

In VA's budget submission for the fiscal year 2004, the Pensacola facility is described as ``obsolete'' and ``less than half the required space for the current and future workload.'' This description does not paint the true picture of a crowded and totally inadequate facility. The time to move forward on a new, combined facility is now. Our bill sets the stage for that progress on behalf of veterans in my district.

I wish to acknowledge the effort of Julie Catellier, the director of the VA Biloxi and Pensacola facilities, and Captain Richard Buck of the Pensacola Naval Hospital for their creative and tenacious work and cooperation to provide a state-of-the-art VA facility and improve the quality of care for our veterans and military families.

A year ago, the director of the VA Gulf Coast Health Care System and the commanding officer of the naval hospital in Pensacola coauthored an innovative DOD-VA joint business plan. The essential groundwork has been laid; and H.R. 1720, as amended, would authorize a $45 million health care facility as a joint venture between DOD and VA.

Mr. Speaker, I urge strongly that my colleagues support this important legislation for not only the veterans in my district, but for others across the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sue Straughn for her 30 years at WEAR-TV in Pensacola, FL.

In 1972, Sue Straughn began her distinguished career with WEAR as a clerk typist, moving up the ranks to eventually become a news anchor. Every evening at 6 o'clock thousands of families welcome her as an extra dinner guest as she updates them on the community news. She is the trusted face and voice for local news in Northwest Florida.

Sue Straughn's influence reaches far beyond her TV personality, as she has dedicated her time and efforts for the interests of children and reading. She sits on dozens of organizations aimed at family values and improving the quality of life for people of Florida's Panhandle, and has received numerous awards for her work, such as the David R. Thomas Child Advocate of the Year and the Judge John P. Kuder Family Values Award. Her influence has even sparked the establishment of the Sue Straughn Endowment Scholarship Fund.

WEAR and Northwest Florida communities are very fortunate to have such a distinguished newswoman with a genuine concern for local issues.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to thank Sue Straughn for her thirty years of service and offer my sincere appreciation for her work in the communities of Northwest Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bob Gates, a man who has

dedicated years of his life to bring joy to the men and women of the Armed Forces and for whom the dedication of the new welcome center at the Bob Hope Village is named after. The village is a compassionate place providing a home for the surviving spouses of enlisted Air Force personnel.

It is my privilege, as Mr. Gates' Congressman, to honor this great American. Since 1968, Bob Gates has lived in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, near Eglin Air Force Base. Mr. Gates is the former mayor of Fort Walton Beach, a family man, and a man who served his country by piloting Bob Hope's troupe around the world during WWII, in efforts to raise troop morale. Mr. Gates was more than just a pilot for the comedian, but he was also one of his closest friends, a confidant, and a fishing buddy.

It was through Mr. Gates' healthy financial contribution that this new welcome center is made possible. Although, Mr. Gates altruistically mentions, ``It was Bob doing 12 shows here for me that raised the money to get this all started. So our little town of Fort Walton Beach has a very close affinity to the Hope family, more so than any other town.'' Bob Gates has done wonders for our local community. He genuinely cares about surviving military spouses, shares memories of his past adventures, and spreads warmth and joy to all he meets.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to thank Bob Gates for his leadership in Northwest Florida and throughout the world. He has dedicated himself towards helping the residents in our local community and for that we will be forever grateful. On this occasion, we honor one of America's greatest.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. I commend Mr. Chabot and Sen. Santorum for introducing this important legislation, and the conferees for their leadership in protecting the life of the unborn.

As elected representatives, banning what is probably the most hideous medical procedures that could ever be performed may be one of the most important things we can do.

Mythical reports by a few journalists indicate that partial-birth abortions are generally performed in cases in which the baby has profound disorders or the mother faces a dire physical threat.

But hard facts indicated that this horrific practice is far more common than its proponents will admit. In truth, this piece-by-piece abortion is performed thousands of times annually, and the vast majority are performed on healthy babies of healthy mothers.

It must be outlawed.

Today, many will repeatedly give us the details of this so-called ``medical procedure.''

Instead, I would refer my colleagues to these medically accurate images. Doctors have described to us how the baby is pulled partly out of the mother's body, only inches from a completed birth and how an abortionist inserts scissors into the skull creating a hole where the baby's brain can be suctioned out. We have all seen pictures of the lifeless body pulled from the mother and tossed away like trash.

After seeing this, why debate? Partial Birth abortion is murder--the devil is in the details. This isn't about a woman's right to choose. This is about a child's right to live. And no compassionate person wants to see a woman suffer the personal tragedy of abortion. Women deserve better than partial-birth abortion.

I would say that the choice is simple, but there is no choice inherent in our duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is never compromised. The unborn child has no voice and cannot protect itself. It is up to all of us to guarantee their voices are heard and their right to life is protected.

I urge my colleagues to help protect the lives of the most innocent, helpless and defenseless among us and support the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I support S. 3, the ``Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.''

This bill prohibits a heinous and inhumane procedure. Partial birth abortions are a procedure in which a fully viable child is killed just inches from being fully delivered.

This procedure is inhumane and barbaric, and has no place in a civilized society.

Also, a partial birth abortion is not safe for women, and is never necessary to preserve the health of the mother. Unlike other abortion procedures, partial birth abortion involves killing a child that is no longer in the womb.

I strongly support the passage of this conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1078.