Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman from Alabama for yielding time to me, and I commend him on his leadership and persistence with regard to this legislation. It has been a long time coming, and I am pleased today to support H.R. 522.

Much of my focus as a Member of Congress has been on what can we do to improve the chances that rural America will survive, what can we do to make certain that the communities across our country and the people who live there have a little prosperity today, but they also are able to preserve that way of life in small-town America for future generations.

One of the concerns that is clearly there and can be demonstrated is the need for credit for small loans, the need for credit for small business, the need for credit for small farmers and ranchers. We must take steps that will strengthen the financial opportunities available for citizens of our communities across the country to save, to set their money aside. This will encourage those individuals to be able to do that in larger amounts, without having to take the necessary risks of investing in some more volatile kind of market or shopping for deposit ability in towns far away.

Perhaps, even more importantly, if we want rural America to survive, if we want small business and agriculture to have an opportunity to succeed, they have to have access to credit. The opportunity that this legislation presents is a step in the right direction toward making certain that credit is available to our creditworthy business owners, farmers, and ranchers.

I commend the committee and thank them for their efforts in this regard. I lend my wholehearted support toward increasing the amount of coverage and making it possible for our communities to have a greater volume of assets on deposit in their local bank.

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the fifty-four students from Sacred Heart Senior High School in Salina, Kansas for their upcoming participation in ``The Red Road Travel/Study Tour.'' This experience will include performances at a series of Native American reservation schools in South Dakota from March 16-19, 2003. I commend each of these students for their hard work and success: James Andrewson, David Arpin, Sarah Arpin, Matthew Bachofer, Shannon Bechard, Kyle Berens, Stephanie Bieker, Hillary Blue, Kelly Breckunitch, Matt Broberg, Danielle Budreau, Jennifer Budreau, Jason Bulliegh, Katey Clark, Jason Curran, Kyle Davis, Alan Deneault, Courtney Ducharme, Lauren Ducharme, Christina Fekas, Shandra Francis, Vanessa Greene, Carissa Helvey, Emily Henke, Jessica Herbic, Alex Hernandez, Adria Jerkovich, Anne Kelly, Jessica Kelly, Andy Kinard, Matt Kienda, Jeff Koetting, Abby Luetters, James McKee, Mary Kate McKee, J.J. Neubauer, Ashley O'Brien, Jessica Polich, Michael Ratcliff, Susan Riordan, Lindsey Sandquist, Raquel Santiago, Emily Schmidt, Alisha Schoel, Tine Schoel, Kristen St. John, Marisol Sternke, Janell Straub, Jennifer Suelter, Raul Vasquez, Sarah Vermillion, Tyler Vishnefske, Megan Wells, Lauren Zey.

``The Red Road Travel/Study Tour'' is the latest event in a series which provides performance and educational opportunities for students. Paramount to this tour is the opportunity for these young people to experience a unique and different culture, while expressing good will through their musical talents.

I would also like to recognize their director, Milt Allen, for helping prepare these young musicians. Mr. Allen's commitment and dedication to nurture and encourage our youth shines through the accomplishments of his students. The First Congressional district is proud to be represented by Sacred Heart Senior High School in this meaningful program. I commend Mr. Allen for his excellent job promoting education and the arts among the youth of Kansas.

It is an honor to recognize such a meritorious group.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who affected the lives of many people in Kansas and across the country. This month we mourn the death of Mr. Milton Lloyd Morrison of Salina, Kansas. Milton Morrison was a quiet giant.

A life-long Kansan, Milton was always true to his roots. He lived a life guided by the morals and values we hold dear: abiding faith, faithful service and absolute integrity.

Milton's dedication to his community is renowned. Throughout his life, Milton took a lead role in making certain his community was progressive in pursuits of quality of life issues. His leadership and commitment to his church, college alma mater and professional trade associations were inspired by a favorite quote, ``Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world.''

Milton was by every account a successful businessman. With a disciplined approach he directed Morrison Ventures, a leading grain storage and farmland investment operation. His management style was always marked with trademark methodical thinking and a keen emphasis on patience and perseverance.

Most important to Milton was his family. Over the course of 65 years he and his wife Becky raised two sons, Roger and Richard, and devoted endless love and attention to six grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren.

Milton Morrison made his community, state and nation a better place. I join his many friends and admirers in extending my deepest sympathies to Becky and her family during their time of loss.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record, remarks I gave at a dedication ceremony.

Thank you Senator Dole, Secretary Principi, and distinguished guests, especially our veterans. I'm delighted to be here today on this very special occasion.

I had intended to be very brief, but I concluded that the sooner we get done, the sooner I will go home. The sooner I go home, the sooner I will see my wife, and if she sees the nightly news with me seated so closely to Cindy Close, our favorite KWCH broadcaster, I'll have some explaining to do. So I'm going to take a few moments.

This is an opportunity to pay a moment of tribute and, hopefully, a lifelong tribute, to a great Kansan. Before I do that, I would like to congratulate Senator-elect Dole. Russell, Kansas, must be an amazing place because we have three individuals with significant ties to Russell, Kansas, who are past, present and future members of that exclusive club, the United States Senate: Senator Bob Dole, Senator Arlen Specter, and now Senator-elect, Elizabeth Dole. We are delighted, as Kansans, to congratulate you on your success.

We're here to pay tribute not only to Senator Dole, but to what Tom Brokaw calls the greatest generation. His words are these: ``They came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modem America, men and women whose everyday lives of duty, honor, achievement, and courage gave us the world we have today.''

Bob Dole exemplifies the greatest generation. My purpose in introducing this legislation was not to recognize Bob Dole the Senator, the presidential candidate, or the majority leader. I learned today Bob Dole is the longest-serving majority leader. Senator Dole, I always thought you were the longest-serving Republican candidate for president.

But we recognize him today as that soldier from Russell, Kansas, serving in the mountains of Italy. We recognize him for the consequences of his service and for the course of action he took to rehabilitate his life, and in the process, to change the lives of others. So although we can say many good things about Senator Dole, presidential candidate Dole, and Majority Leader Dole, we are here today to pay tribute to Bob Dole, the soldier.

As you know, Bob Dole seeks no recognition. In 1969, during his first year in the United States Senate, he said, ``Most veterans today want no special recognition or attention. We did our duty, take pride in having served, and seek to live our lives as good and constructive citizens.'' That's Bob Dole. I have no doubt that he's uncomfortable being here today receiving this recognition.

He was also a product of rehabilitation through the VA. We are also here to pay tribute to the men and women who work for the Department of Veterans Affairs. We are here to pay tribute to the volunteers who help those employees take care of the veterans of the United States. What we do in Washington pales in comparison to what individuals do for our veterans who need health care and rehabilitation services. They also are the heroes.

The bill to designate the Wichita VA as the Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center was widely supported. It was introduced in the House of Representatives and supported by our entire congressional delegation. Congressman Tiahrt and I concluded that this was a noble cause to undertake and introduced this bill in April of 2002. Our colleagues in both the House and Senate joined us. My subcommittee and committee passed it unanimously. The bill had 75 cosponsors, republicans and democrats, including the leadership of the House. This legislation was also co-sponsored by a fellow Russell native, Arlen Specter, who will be the new Chairman of the Senate Corp Committee on Veterans Affairs. It passed unanimously in both the House and Senate and was signed by President Bush on May 29th, 2002.

In order to get to this point, the legislation had the support of every veterans' service organization in Kansas. Before we started this effort, we made certain that our veterans' organizations were fully supportive of acknowledging Bob Dole in this manner. And, Senator Dole, every one of them said a resounding, yes, this is an appropriate honor for the soldier, Bob Dole. Many of their leaders are here today, and I thank our veterans' service organizations for their support of this legislation and for all that, they do for the veterans of Kansas.

Bob Dole is a role model and hero. He paid tribute, in his first year in the Senate, to one of his idols, his hero, another Kansan--General Dwight David Eisenhower. Bob Dole, talked about General Eisenhower, in 1969, upon General Eisenhower's death, about his dreams as a boy in Abilene, Kansas.

General Eisenhower could never have envisioned the heights

he was to scale in his lifetime. The honesty and sincerity,

so characteristic of General Eisenhower throughout his life,

can be traced to his heritage of his ancestors and strong

guidance of his mother. His broad grin and good humor that

reflected these qualities made him a popular idol and were

part of his magic. People reacted to the special qualities

exuded by this man. The contributions made by General

Eisenhower are legend. His success in time of war made him a

great leader of men. Thereafter, his unparalleled success in

politics underscored the respect-and confidence he enjoyed by

all Americans.

The words that Bob Dole spoke about his hero, his role model, Dwight David Eisenhower, can today be said about our hero and role model, Bob Dole of Kansas. I grew up within 20 miles of Bob Dole's hometown, and I know the dedication, commitment, love and respect that the people of Russell, Kansas, share for their hometown hero.

Let me conclude by quoting, Bob Dole's own words from Memorial Day 2002.

On the one hand, war represents the ultimate failure of

mankind or at least of the politicians and diplomats

entrusted with keeping the peace. Yet it also summons the

greatest qualities of which human beings are capable--courage

beyond measure, loyalty beyond words, sacrifice, and

ingenuity and endurance beyond imagining.

Today, we pay tribute to Bob Dole's courage, his loyalty, his sacrifice, his ingenuity and his endurance. He is one of those veterans he pays tribute to.

God bless America, and God, thank you for our Bob Dole.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who affected the lives of thousands of people in Kansas and across the country. This month we mourn the death of Mrs. Patricia ``Patty'' Brooks Carey of Hutchinson, Kansas.

As Kansans, we are dutifully aware of our state motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera which translates, ``To the Stars Through Difficulties.'' Patty lived this theme with an unsurpassed passion.

In 1962, with vision and determination, Patty launched a small planetarium in the poultry house on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. From this humble beginning, the planetarium has evolved into a multifaceted space science education museum that today houses one of the world's largest and most significant collections of United States and Soviet space artifacts. Thanks to Patty's devotion, the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center stands as a testament to her mission of excellence.

Patty's dedication to her hometown is legendary. Throughout her life, Patty touched the lives of many--especially those of children--taking a lead role in making certain her community was progressive in pursuits of education, culture and other quality of life issues. Her leadership and service on the board of directors for the Cosmosphere, Community Foundation and hospital were always marked with practicality, persuasion and genuineness.

Most important to Patty was her family. Over the course of 61 years she and her husband Howard J. ``Jake'' Carey, grandson of the founder of Carey Salt, raised three sons, Brooks, Christopher and Michael, and devoted endless love and attention to six grandchildren.

Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon and whose Apollo 17 mission is featured at the Cosmosphere, summed up his goodbye to his friend this way: ``Patty was a very small woman in size, but certainly a big woman in stature. She had a dream, and she stuck with it.'' I can think of no finer compliment.

Patty Carey made her community, State and Nation a better place. I join her many friends and admirers in extending my deepest sympathies to Jake and his family during their time of loss.