Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our Nation's most distinguished and dedicated pastors, Dr. Herb Sadler. After 28 years of faithful service to the Northwest Florida community as pastor of the Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church, Dr. Sadler will leave Gulf Breeze to become the District Superintendent of the Dothan District in Dothan, AL, of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. We are grateful for the time that Dr. Sadler has spent with us in Northwest Florida and we wish him the best in his future position.

Born on February 7, 1942 in Montgomery, AL and raised in Thomasville, AL, Herb holds an undergraduate degree from Livingston University and both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Emory University. Proudly married to his wife Barbara and the father of four wonderful children, Bert, Tracy, Stuart, and Scott, he has been blessed with three grandchildren, Brady, Breanna, and Jacob.

Since 1975 Herb has been at the service of the Gulf Breeze United Methodist congregation, he has overseen the growth of the parish, from 500 members to over 4,000 members, and has personally had a direct influence on the tremendous increase in worship attendance, from 100 people to nearly 2,000 people.

In addition to his duties at Gulf Breeze United Methodist, Herb has served his Annual Conference, Alabama-West Florida, as Chairperson of The Board of Ordained Ministry and as President of the Council on Finance and Administration. He has been a delegate to the 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 Jurisdictional Conferences and the 1992, 1996, and 2000 General Conferences. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College and from 1992 to 2000 he was a member of the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. Currently, he serves as Chair of the Committee on Plan of Organization and Rules of Order of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference.

The author of two books, ``We Can All Be Winners'' and ``Today is the Only Day'', Herb has previously been President of the Gulf Breeze Rotary Club and was a charter member of the Board of Gulf Breeze Hospital, a role he continues to serve in today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to my good friend Dr. Herb Sadler on his new position with the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. Herb was recently named one of the top 11 leaders in Northwest Florida by Climate Magazine and I can think of no person that is more deserving of such an honor. We will be sad to see his him leave, but wish him all the best in his new journey. Mr. Speaker, on this such occasion, we honor one of America's greatest citizens.

Mr. Speaker, House Joint Resolution 4 does not outlaw flag desecration; rather, this proposal merely sets the boundaries by which Congress can enact subsequent legislation, if it so chooses, to prohibit such conduct. H.J. Res. 4 simply returns to Congress the authority that it possessed for over 200 years to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

This past week, I visited North Korea, where freedom is nowhere and democratic thought is oppressed. Our American flag is the most revered and beloved symbol of our Nation, representing all that is American and reminding the world of our love of our freedom and democracy. The flag is a bedrock of our principles and values as a country, leading our men and women into conflicts around the globe and draping the caskets of those same individuals when they return home after giving the ultimate sacrifice in defense of such values. It is the flag to which we pledge allegiance, here on the floor of the House of Representatives, in civic organizations in every town in America, and in schools throughout our country. It is this object and all that it represents that Americans hold so dear.

House Joint Resolution 4 will nullify two erroneous Supreme Court decisions, restoring the original interpretation to the First Amendment that had persisted for over two centuries since the birth of our country. When considering the powers of our respective branches of government in effecting the will of the American people, we should be reminded of the words of Abraham Lincoln in his first inaugural address in 1861, ``If the policy of the government upon vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.''

I commend my colleagues for recognizing the wishes of the American people and restoring the original interpretation and understanding of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights to the Constitution by supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 760, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. I would like to thank Mr. Chabot for introducing this important legislation and for his leadership in protecting the life of the unborn.

As elected officials, banning this horrific practice may be one of the most important matters we will ever do. For years I have listened to the dislike opponents have for this bill and for this cause. And in all honesty, their concerns deeply disturb me.

Throughout this debate, we have repeatedly heard the details of this so-called ``medical procedure.

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 life-less body pulled from the mother and tossed away like trash.

After seeing this, why is their even debate? Partial Birth abortion is murder. Anti-life advocates claim this is about a woman's right to choose. The are wrong. This is about a child's right to live.

President Reagan wrote in his work ``Abortion And The Conscience Of The Nation'', that ``every legislator, every doctor, and every citizen needs to recognize that the real issue is whether to affirm and protect the sanctity of all human life, or to embrace a social ethic where some human lives are valued and others are not. As a nation, we must choose between the sanctity of life ethic and the quality of life ethic.'' For me, like our former president, the choice is simple. We must 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. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of Mrs. Gladys Handrop. Mrs. Handrop has successfully completed over fifty-six years of honorable government service to the citizens of Alabama and Florida.

Mrs. Handrop was first employed in government service in the Escambia County Alabama Tax Assessors office on March 17, 1947. The Escambia County Florida Tax Assessors office later employed her on December 9, 1952.

Mrs. Handrop has been an extremely valuable asset to the agencies and officers by whom she has been employed. She has served under the Honorable Tax Assessors and Property Appraisers Mrs. Frances Botts, Mr. M.B. ``Bill'' Jones, Mr. John R. Jones, Jr. and Mr. Chris Jones.

Mrs. Handrop has displayed never failing loyalty to the citizens, by whom she has been employed and has been a tireless political ally to many honored officers to this county and state.

Mrs. Handrop is known and respected by legal and real estate professionals throughout Escambia County who she has assisted and guided in their practices. She has consistently been a ``family'' member, friend, confidant, role model, source of strength and mentor to all of those with whom she has worked.

On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize this special person for the example she has set in her community. I offer my sincere thanks for all that she has done for Northwest Florida and this great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time.

I do rise today in support of H.R. 100. This remarkable piece of legislation restates, clarifies, and strengthens the legal protections afforded the courageous men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. The current Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 has had only a few minor changes since World War II. The law is in need of a comprehensive updating to reflect the considerable changes that have taken place in the United States over the past 60 years. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 is one of the most far-reaching laws on the books, and its constitutional authority is derived from article 1, section 8 of the Constitution, the War Powers Clause. Its provisions impact all Federal, State, and administrative law.

The process that we come to today of updating this act has been 10 years in the making at the hands of numerous military and government officials and has been a project of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs on which I served for over a year. Each provision has been fully vetted and carefully crafted by experts in the areas of civil law and military affairs. I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman; the attentive Committee on Veterans Affairs staff; and everyone who has had a hand in this particular project over the last decade.

H.R. 100 will bring many major improvements. It will increase coverage in maximum monthly rent of $1,200 to $1,700 to prevent evictions from premises occupied by servicemembers and their dependents. It will expand the right to terminate real property leases by allowing lease termination if a servicemember, while serving, executes a lease and then receives orders for a permanent change of station move or a deployment order of 90 days or more, and it requires a court order before a lessor can terminate a servicemember's installment contract for lease of any personal property, which would apply to all automobile leases.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 100 brings modern relief to our modern Armed Forces and has strong support from the veterans service groups and military associations.

As President Bush said, the peace of a troubled world and the hopes of an oppressed people now depend on the United States Armed Forces. That trust is well placed and our valiant servicemembers deserve to have their

burdens, the ones that they and their loved ones face, reduced as they fight the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, in H.R. 100 we are doing our duty to help ease those burdens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Liza Jackson Preparatory School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on their recent designation as a Model Charter School. As one of only six schools in the state of Florida to receive this designation, Liza Jackson Preparatory has proven itself to be in a class of its own when it comes to the education of our young individuals in Northwest Florida. It is an honor and a privilege to express my sincere congratulations to the entire Liza Jackson Preparatory community on their well-deserved recognition.

Founded by a group of education professionals who wanted more from public education than what was available through the traditional district schools, dedicated staff and extraordinarily involved parents have built Liza Jackson Preparatory into the remarkable institution that it is today. It is a place where the children come first and are taught to obtain the highest levels of achievement that they can.

Liza Jackson Preparatory prides itself on bringing together its dedicated parents in an effort to help guide and design the school's mission. Liza Jackson Preparatory used information gathered by organized parent groups to write its charter, which was subsequently submitted to the Okaloosa County's school board in 2000 and unanimously approved. Initially, the school opened its doors to 560 students in August of 2001 and today I am proud to say that enrollment is filled to capacity with an additional 700 children on the waiting list.

Mr. Speaker, over its first 2 years, Liza Jackson Preparatory School has shown that it is succeeding in its mission; to provide a comprehensive approach to education in order for students to successfully compete in the global community. On this occasion, I offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Liza Jackson Preparatory School on their designation as a Model Charter School, and wish them the greatest of success in all that is to come.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from California for yielding me this time and I do want to associate myself with the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce because I also believe we need an inventory. However, I am a cosponsor of this amendment for two different reasons. One in particular was addressed in a letter that was sent to the leadership of this body and to the body of the Senate. It has been signed by the Governor of the State of Florida, both United States Senators, and all but one of the members of the Florida delegation.

One of the issues that has not been discussed on the floor this morning, Mr. Chairman, though, is a concern that is shared by the United States military. With the closure of Vieques in Puerto Rico, the United States has been heavily dependent on the 724-square mile testing range at Eglin Air Force Base. It is a complex of land with quite a bit of testing ranges. Also, though, there are 86,500 square miles of water ranges off the coast of Florida that stretches from the panhandle all the way down to the Florida Keys. Drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico will generate frequent civilian supply flights as well as create additional maritime traffic in the area. This will in turn prevent much of this airspace from being used for live fire tests of new weapons systems as well as limit the U.S. Navy from conducting carrier battle group flight operations. This long-term mission will be undermined and military training exercises will be hindered if petroleum companies were allowed to explore the area. Now more than ever is absolutely the worst time to hamstring our United States military.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) agreeing to accept this amendment and again I would say that I do support the energy bill, including drilling in ANWR. However, I have for the State of Florida and the other coastal areas a unique interest in this particular amendment.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, April 9, 2003.

Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,

Speaker, House of Representatives, U.S. Capitol, Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of this nation's most dedicated citizens, Sergeant James W. Hallman, Jr. On February 24, 2003, we lost James when he was senselessly gunned down during a morning stroll in Cantonment, the randomly chosen victim of a crime that has no explanation. We will forever miss James, but his impact and influence on our Northwest Florida community will never be forgotten.

A 34-year veteran of the Pensacola Police Department, James was the epitome of every law enforcement officer in the world. James was awarded the prestigious Silver Cross from the department in 1989 for going above and beyond the call of duty when he attempted to rescue two children near the 17th Avenue boat ramp. It was that dedication and determination to serve his community to the furthest lengths of his abilities that made him a hero to all and an officer to whom so many have tried to model themselves after.

Probably best known as the ``Candy Man,'' James could always be found passing out candy to children when he was out patrolling schools and housing developments. As Chief John Mathis said at his funeral, ``there is little doubt in my mind that right now, James is passing out candy to angels in heaven.''

James' dedication to serving his community did not end upon his retirement from the police force in 1998. He was a member of the East Brent Baptist Church, the Brownsville Masonic Lodge, 32 Degree Scottich Rite and York Rite Mason, and the Hadji Shrine Temple. He was a man who lived to serve his community and for that we will be forever grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of Sgt. James W. Hallman for their loss. His friends knew him as a kind man with an easy laugh and his coworkers knew him more for putting his fingers in his pocket to pull out candy than for putting his hand on his gun belt. On this such occasion, we honor one of America's greatest citizens, Sgt. James W. Hallman, Jr., whose legacy will live on long beyond his passing.

Mr. Chairman, Turkey has been our friend and I assume still desires to be an ally of the United States. I have visited Turkey. It is a beautiful country and they have fought side by side with many of our soldiers. Yes, they supported our efforts with Operation Northern Watch. Yes, we support their immerging democracy, but it is important for them to understand that there are consequences to their actions.

Mr. Chairman, when we as Members of Congress cast a vote there are consequences. Earlier this year we asked for their help and they voted ``no''. Well not they want our help and I'm voting ``no''. I think we spend too much money in foreign aid, money that could be used for tax relief, building a strong defense, and paying down the debt.

This week, Turkey agreed to help with resupply and humanitarian aid and assumes that

Uncle Sam is going to pull out his checkbook and write another billion- dollar check without batting an eye.

Mr. Chairman, at a time when our veterans have to wait months to see a doctor and our servicemen in Iraq are risking their lives and chemical attack for the preservation of liberty, isn't it time for Uncle Sam to stop sending blank checks to fair-weather allies?

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 917, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1830 South Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina, as the ``Floyd Spence Post Office Building.''

Floyd Spence began his political career as a Democrat in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1956, but he is remembered for having the foresight and the courage to switch parties. In 1962, he became the first member of the General Assembly to switch to the Republican Party, which helped pioneer the development of the two-party system in South Carolina. In 1966, he was elected as a Republican to the South Carolina Senate where he served as the Senate Minority Leader.

In 1971, Congressman Spence was elected to the Ninety-second Congress, and represented South Carolina's Second Congressional district for thirty years. During his tenure, he served in a numerous positions of leadership: For thirteen years, he was the Ranking Member of the Ethics Committee. In the 104th Congress, he was elected to represent the Tidewater Region on the Republican Policy Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Committee on National Security and after serving as Ranking Member, became Chairman of the Armed Services Committee following the 1995 Republican takeover of the House.

One of the longest-serving Republicans in the House of Representatives, Floyd Spence maintained one of the highest voting attendance records, while consistently supporting a strong national defense and fiscal integrity. Spence once said, ``I make no bones about the fact my Number One priority is defending this country.''

He drew his passion for the military from his own experiences. After graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1952, Spence was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) and the LSM-397. He was the Group Commander of all Naval Reserve Units in Columbia, South Carolina, and was the Commanding Officer of a Naval Reserve Surface Division. After more than 40 years in the United States Naval Reserve, the Congressman retired as a Captain in 1988. Spence was a member of the American Legion, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Congressman Spence was a longtime Pentagon booster from a state that, like my home state of Florida, benefited greatly from his advocacy. He supported the Reagan administration military buildup and opposed the size of post-Cold Ware defense cuts made during the Clinton administration.

Congressman Spence was known for his amiable ways. Although opponents often criticized the lack of his own legislation, Spence was a proud voice against big Washington government and he resisted introducing federal legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was recognized around the world as an authority on defense issues and Communism. His tireless efforts on behalf of our national defense are a testimony to his enduring will to serve and to triumph in the face of adversity. Here is Washington and at home, he was recognized as a man of fiscal integrity and true legislative restraint. As President Bush stated upon his death in 2001, Floyd Spence will be remembered as a true friend of the men and women in our armed services and as a servant of his fellow South Carolinians. He was a leader of great courage and determination.

Mr. Speaker, although I did not have the opportunity to serve with Congressman Spence, I learned a great deal from his example. It is with great admiration that I today support the dedication of the Floyd Spence Post Office Building to a true American patriot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 104, a measure to honor our men and women in uniform and the families who support them.

Mr. Speaker, the meaning of this resolution strikes close to home because many men and women from my district are currently deployed overseas or they are in the cue to be deployed. There must be a remarkable level of stress associated with deployment. Uncertainty can be the largest contributor to this anxiety. Uncertain where they will be sent, uncertain as to what they will see. But rest assured, Mr. Speaker, there is no uncertainty in what they must do.

I know first hand that those airmen from the Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Hurburt Field, are of the best trained, best equipped members in our United States Armed Forces. They go hand in hand with the Rangers who trained at Camp Rudder in the Northwest Florida swamps, the sailors who trained at Pensacola Naval Air Station and Whiting field, the Air Force Reservists from Duke Field and the airmen from the 33rd Fighter Wing, the Nomads, from Eglin Air Force Base.

These are the faces of our forces in Iraq. These men and women, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, are the people who have volunteered to defend our freedom wherever a defense is needed. They protect the very fabric that gives protestors the right to protest, the editorialist the right to editorialize and the security where we can move about our day, completing our routine duties, without fear of oppression or persecution based on our simple, God-given rights.

As you, Mr. Speaker, I've seen many object to our efforts to liberate Iraq. I am deeply troubled by their lack of understanding as to what our troops are battling but at the same time I am proud of our Nation and the beacon of light we shine around the world--that those objections are permitted. Nobody here expects everyone to agree with every policy implemented. But I have yet to see a single protest against the Iraqi regime in downtown Baghdad. I would highly doubt the citizens in Iraq are truly comfortable with living a life of terror at the hands of their own government. I doubt they move about their daily routines without fear of persecution. I know they cannot assemble to oppose the government or publicize their written thoughts that run contrary to the views of the ruling regime.

Mr. speaker, we here in the United States, Western Europe and scores of other countries are fortunate to live in a land where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are abundant, and I would submit, taken for granted. I look forward to the Iraqi people living in the same type of land and I thank the troops for bringing them to our welcoming arms.

May God bless and protect our men and women in Uniform and continue to bless the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Myrtle Grove Volunteer Fire Department. The Myrtle Grove Volunteer Fire Department, consisting of about two dozen men and women, made it first fire run on March 6, 1953.

The station was originally a single-bay building at the corner of 69th Avenue and Lillian Highway. The present building, at Lillian and 72nd Avenue, was completed in 1978. The community and volunteer firefighters raised the money together by knocking on doors.

Over 1,200 calls were taken last year by firefighters, both paid and volunteer, who work from the station to guard the Myrtle Grove area. This responsiveness has given the volunteer firefighters the credibility of professionals.

The Myrtle Grove company is a family-oriented group. Assistant Fire Chief Robert Jordan is the successor and grandson of the original fire chief John ``Pap'' Rolfs Sr. Carl Jordan, father of Robert, served as Assistant Chief for thirty years. Everyone, who serves in the station, is known to have close relationships with one another.

On behalf of the United States Congress and the people of Myrtle Grove, I would like to recognize this group of people for the standard of excellence and bravery that they have shown in their community. I offer my sincere thanks for all that they have done for Northwest Florida and this great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to join with my colleagues in commending the continued dedication, selfless service, and commitment of members of the

Armed Forces and their families during the Globar War on Terrorism and in defense of the United States.

It's difficult to comprehend that nearly 225,000 members of the National Guard and Reserve components have been mobilized for active duty since the start of the Global War on Terrorism. Of that number, more than 166,000 remain on active duty, with thousands facing a second year of active duty away from families and civilian employment.

Additionally, more than 200,000 active-duty personnel have already been deployed to the Persian Gulf theater and thousands of Reservists and National Guard members have been alerted for mobilization or are deploying for a possible war with Iraq. These men and women are on the front lines of our war on terrorism and anywhere else we have asked them to be. One place they are not, is home. They are missing baseball games, soccer matches and all the other creature comforts we tend to take for granted.

A year is a long time to be away from home and a long time to be wondering what is next. For many of our service members, that year grew by an additional three months, then six months and some are now standing at 2-year deployments. They do so with loyalty and dedication.

Mr. Chairman, during the January work period, I had the opportunity to visit our men and women in uniform stationed in Germany, Italy and France. I was struck by their professionalism and commitment to their assigned duties. They are proud to serve. Simple as that. Of course they miss their families, they miss their home and some miss decent television programming. But they are proud to serve and know they will be home soon enough.

We can never say thanks enough to these men and women but I appreciate the opportunity to thanks today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of this nation's most dedicated citizens, Michael J. Quirk. At a time when the President is encouraging all Americans to serve their country in a volunteer capacity, there is no greater example than that of Mr. Quirk. For over 30 years he fought for this nation in the United States military and for

the past 22 years, he has continued his dedication to his nation be serving as a volunteer in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. On March 8th, 2003, the Coast Guard Auxiliary will honor over a half of a decade of service as Mr. Quirk begins his retirement.

During World War II, Mr. Quirk was a member of the famed 56th Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps and achieved the status of Double-Ace. Shot down on his 100th mission, he was subsequently held as a prisoner- of-war at Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany until April, 1945. For his commitment and bravery in the Second World War, he received the Silver Star and was additionally awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he suffered when his plane was shot down.

Mr. Quirk returned to the U.S. in 1945 where he entered Catholic University and pursued his degree. In 1947 though, the call to serve his nation yearned in his heart and he returned to military, joining the U.S. Air Force where he would remain for the next 30 years. Over the course of his career in the U.S. Air Force, he flew with the 4th Fighter Group flying F-80 Shooting Stars, at Langley Air Force Base flying F-86 Sabre jets, in La Paz, Bolivia training Bolivian pilots to fly the P-47, and served at the Central Air Defense Force from 1951-52. In addition, he was the Commander of the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and flew with the 453rd Tactical Fighter Training Wing. After over 30 years of military service, Mr. Quirk retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Colonel in 1977.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Quirk and his wife Kit joined the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as members of the voluntary division of the U.S. Coast Guard. Rising through the ranks, he was named Commodore of the 8th Coastal Region in 1990.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Michael J. Quirk on his retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. His contributions to the United States of America are significant and impressive and I consider him a patriot of the highest order. On this such occasion, we honor one of America's greatest citizens; a committed soldier and dedicated volunteer.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to honor one of Florida's most cherished and dedicated citizens, whom over the course of her life has given an immeasurable amount of time and effort to the community that she has worked so hard to build. On February 15, 2003, the city of Laurel Hill will honor Ms. Ola Richbourg as its Citizen of the Year for 2003, recognizing her long and distinguished period of service to the Laurel Hill community.

Born on March 27, 1921 in the same wood frame home where she lives today, Ola is described by her peers as a lady that will go out of her way to help others. The daughter of John Franklin and Katie Haynes Richbourg, she learned the value of working for her community at an early age from her father who served three terms as a state representative, beginning in 1907. In 1977, she was appointed to the position of County Clerk of Laurel Hill and was subsequently elected, in 1979, to the City Council, where she remained for thirteen years.

Even more remarkable is her history of service to her country. Upon graduating from Laurel Hill High School in 1939 and attending a government-run school in Ocala where she learned shorthand and typing, Ola joined the United States Marine Corps on November 5, 1943, during the height of World War II. It was at a movie that Ola saw a commercial asking women to join the military in order to free up men to fight overseas. To Ola, it was an easy decision. She was simply doing whatever she could to help her country in a time of crisis, but her decision would have a profound impact on the future of our nation. It was her, and many other women's, choice to fight for her country, that would open up all kinds of new doors for women. Following World War II, Ola returned to Laurel Hill, believing she was done with military service. However, shortly thereafter, the Korean War broke out and she reenlisted without hesitation. Dedicating herself to the Marine Corps for nearly two decades, Ola retired as a Tech Sergeant in 1966.

Her strength and determination led her to fight for her country in one of the most important world conflicts of the 20th century and to personally win a battle against cancer of the larynx. Her smile is contagious and her heart as big as they come. She remembers how a nickel could once buy a big RC Cola and lots of candy and that fateful day when she learned where Pearl Harbor was, changing her life forever. It his her kindness and humility that have allowed her to do so much for so many during her life and I know she will continue to do so in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Ola Richbourg as she receives this special recognition as Laurel Hill's Citizen of the Year. Her contributions to the citizens of Laurel Hill and the United States of America are significant and impressive and I consider her a patriot of the highest order. On this such occasion, we honor a great soldier, civil servant, and neighbor; one of America's greatest citizens.