Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, the city of Mobile and the State of Alabama, recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor Jorge Alberto Subirats and pay tribute to his memory.

A native of Havana, Cuba, Jorge came to the United States at the age of 12, He, along with his brothers and sisters, left Cuba in 1961 and flew to Miami. Jorge and his siblings soon moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where they were joined by the rest of their family in 1963. Jorge graduated from John Carroll High School in Birmingham in 1967 and from Auburn University in 1972.

A resident of Mobile for 36 years, Jorge was perhaps most widely known for his service as a realtor with Roberts Brothers for 31 years, He was consistently one of the company's top agents each year, an achievement due in large part to the trust and admiration he earned from his clients.

Jorge met every definition of a community leader--he served as a high school teacher and coach, a swim and dive coach, and a Sunday school leader. He was active in many civic organizations, including the Mobile Area Kiwanis Club and the Mobile Association of Realtors.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader, a friend to many throughout Alabama, as well as a wonderful husband and devoted father. Jorge Alberto Subirats will be dearly missed by his family--his wife of 25 years, Valerie Jean Subirats; their four children, Lindsey Loper, Michael Jorge Subirats, Laura Katherine Subirats, and Katherine Anne Subirats; his mother, Elvira Margaret Subirats; his brothers, Fernando Subirats, Gustavo Subirats, and Luis Subirats; and his two sisters, Silvia Theye and Margaret Hopkins--as well as the many countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, Bay Minette and indeed the entire State of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory.

Mr. James H. Faulkner, Sr., known to his many friends simply as Mr. Jimmy, was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life. In a loving tribute, Mobile's Press-Register noted that Mr. Jimmy ``left behind a lasting legacy of achievements that contributed to the economic, educational, and cultural well-being of his community, his county and his state.''

First and foremost, Mr. Jimmy loved Bay Minette; he loved Alabama; and he loved his country. In fact, he was one of the most patriotic men I have ever known.

He answered his Nation's call to service and attained the rank of first lieutenant serving as pilot and flight instructor in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. When Mr. Jimmy went back to Alabama following his military service, he returned to what was already a successful career. He was the owner of the Baldwin Times newspaper and had served as mayor of his beloved Bay Minette. In fact, when Mr. Jimmy was elected mayor in 1941, he was said to be the youngest mayor in America.

Years later, Mr. Jimmy went on to serve Baldwin, Monroe, and Escambia Counties by becoming one of Alabama's most respected and influential State senators. He also ran twice for Governor of Alabama.

Mr. Jimmy blazed a trail of success in the world of business, spanning 42 years as the owner and publisher of a chain of south Alabama newspapers, and he served as president of seven radio stations in Alabama and Georgia. However, he was not a person to rest on his laurels.

Mr. Jimmy's entrepreneurial talents gave him the confidence to start Loyal American Life Insurance Company of Mobile. During most of the past 50 years, he was associated with Volkert & Associates, one of the top engineering, architectural, planning, and environmental firms in the United States. He served on the boards of two Baldwin County banks as well as the board of Alpine Laboratories of Bay Minette.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Jimmy's legacy will be his lifelong dedication to improving education. He served as chairman of the board of directors for Alabama Christian College in Montgomery, which was renamed Faulkner University in his honor and now has campuses in Huntsville and Mobile. He was instrumental in bringing a 2-year college to Baldwin County, which became the James H. Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette. During his tenure as a State senator, Mr. Jimmy was credited with establishing the teachers' retirement system. He was awarded eight honorary doctorate degrees in law and humane letters, and he served on several commissions that worked to improve Alabama's secondary education system.

Over his lifetime, Mr. Jimmy received more than 35 awards. He was named the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Person of the Century in 2000, and in 2003, he was awarded the Alabama Press Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1992, the Alabama State Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution commending Mr. Jimmy for his outstanding personal achievement.

Madam Speaker, there has been no other individual more important to south Alabama or to the life of his community than James H. Jimmy Faulkner, Sr. Mr. Jimmy will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Karlene Faulkner; his sons, James H. Faulkner, Jr., and his wife, Beverly Faulkner, and Dr. Henry Wade Faulkner and his wife, Ann Blackburn Faulkner; his eight grandchildren, and his 14 great grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the memory of former Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones and her lifetime of dedication to the people of Ohio and the United States. I was deeply saddened to learn our colleague passed away so suddenly. We have not only lost a wonderful friend but an individual who made a number of historic achievements during her lifetime.

After graduating from law school at Case Western Reserve University, Stephanie began her career with Cleveland's sewer district before serving as an attorney with the city's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 1976, she served as an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor before her election as Cleveland Municipal Court judge in 1981. Two years later, the governor of Ohio appointed her to a judgeship with the Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County, and in 1991, Stephanie was appointed Cuyahoga County prosecutor.

Stephanie was elected to represent the 11th District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998. Throughout her 5 terms of office, she strove for advances in health care, economic development, and education. Recently, she had become a leader in the fight against predatory lending practices.

Most notably, Stephanie's legacy will be her career filled with firsts. She was the first African-American and the first female to serve as prosecutor in her native Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Stephanie was the first African-American to be chief prosecutor in the State of Ohio's history. She also became the first African-American woman to represent Ohio in Congress and the first to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee.

At the beginning of the 110th Congress, Stephanie was named chairwoman of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, of which I am a member.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones will be deeply missed by her family--her son, Mervyn Jones II and her two sisters--as well as the countless friends she leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, the State of Alabama recently lost a man who made a profound impact on our State and Nation, and I rise today to honor the memory of Judge Arthur ``Bud'' Gamble, Jr.

History will remember Judge Gamble as the district attorney who prosecuted Ku Klux Klansman Collie Leroy Wilkins for the 1965 murder of Viola Liuzzo, a civil rights worker from Detroit who was gunned down in her car following the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march. Judge Gamble's memorable closing argument to the all-white jury led to a hung jury and the eventual federal conviction of the Klansman. Judge Gamble's contributions to the Civil Rights movement, his 23 years of service as circuit judge for Lowndes, Crenshaw, and Butler counties, and his dedicated service in World War II demonstrated he was a true American patriot.

Born on February 9, 1920, in Greenville, Alabama, Judge Gamble joined the Navy during World War II and flew patrol planes in the South Pacific. After the war, he returned to the University of Alabama and earned a Juris Doctor. He began practicing in his hometown and met Roberta Anne Peacock, whom he married in 1949. His love of law led him to serve in the Alabama Senate during the 1950s. He ran unopposed as the chief prosecutor in the circuit and served two terms.

Miraculously, Judge Gamble survived an assassination attempt in 1975 when his car was bombed. He retired almost two decades later in 1992, with much respect from the citizens of the three counties he had served for almost a quarter of a century.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated judge, community leader, and friend to many, as well as a wonderful husband and father. Judge Gamble will be dearly missed by his family--his wife, Roberta Gamble and their daughter, Reverend Eugenia Gamble--as well as the many countless friends he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mrs. Autine Buchanan on the occasion of her 104th birthday.

Born in 1904, Mrs. Buchanan has witnessed much change in our Nation and world. The year she was born, the New York subway first opened and the teddy bear was first produced.

Mrs. Buchanan has lived through two world wars, and watched our nation develop into what it is today. She also witnessed the birth of many modern inventions--like the helicopter, penicillin, motion pictures, stainless steel, and even scotch tape. Through all this change, she has dedicated much of her life to feeding and caring for the needy.

Mrs. Buchanan has been a resident of Mobile and a member of the Fulton Road Baptist Church for 39 years. She is a proud mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is also a member of the LivingWell Health Center in Mobile.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mrs. Autine Buchanan on the occasion of her 104th birthday. She is a friend to many throughout south Alabama, and I know her friends and family join me in wishing her a happy birthday.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Evonik Degussa Industries located in Mobile, Alabama, on 35 years of business and service to our community.

Founded as Degussa, the 160 acre site in Mobile was established 35 years ago. Last year, the German chemical company was purchased by Evonik Industries AG and is now operating as Evonik Degussa Industries. With 44,000 employees in over 100 countries around the world, Evonik Industries is the global market leader in specialty chemicals and presently maintains several locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Mobile plant manufactures a range of products from hydrogen peroxide to a binding agent used in more than 250 products ranging from ketchup to paint. The $1.2 billion complex is the company's largest facility outside of Europe with approximately 700 employees. The Mobile plant has announced several new projects just in the last year. In October, Evonik Degussa announced it is adding a new biodiesel project, which will add production of a specialty chemical used to make alternative fuels. Once fully operational, the new plant will have the annual capacity to produce 60,000 metric tons of alkoxides, a catalyst for biodiesel production.

Evonik Degussa is also adding a $10 million expansion which will allow for the production of ROHACELL, which is high-tech foam used in a wide-range of products including airplane wings and skis. Earlier this year, Evonik Degussa announced it is considering a $65 million expansion to make a chemical for chicken feed.

Evonik Degussa not only creates essentials for everyday use, but the employees and the management team strive to make a positive impact on the citizens of Mobile County through heavy community involvement. The company supports numerous local causes through its ``Essential to the Community'' donation program and gives more than $100,000 each year to the arts, schools, and charitable organizations. In 2006, the Mobile plant donated $115,000 to community activities. These contributions included $55,000 to Mobile civic organizations, $40,000 to educational activities, $10,500 to the arts, and $1,700 to environmental groups.

It is evident Evonik Degussa is passionate about serving the Mobile community, and this dedication deserves recognition. Evonik Degussa exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism and serves as an outstanding corporate citizen of Alabama. Furthermore, their dedication to improving the lives of their fellow citizens sets them apart from many other companies. Evonik Degussa remains a strong supporter of our community and is a wonderful corporate role model.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating both the employees and management team at Evonik Degussa Industries for 35 years of operations in the Mobile area. I know the employees, their friends, families, and members of the community join with me in praising Evonik Degussa Industries for their many accomplishments. I extend my thanks for their continued service to the Mobile, Alabama business community, the First Congressional District, and the state of Alabama.

Madam Speaker, it is with both pride and pleasure that I rise today to honor Tiffany Craig, a WKRG-TV5 special assignment reporter, for receiving a 2008 Edward R. Murrow award.

A native of Scotland, Tiffany finished high school in Houston, Texas, and went on to study radio, television, and film at Sam Houston State University. Her celebrated career began at KTRK in Houston, Texas. From there, she went to work for KVII in Amarillo, Texas, and then to WBMA in Birmingham, Alabama, before joining Mobile's WKRG-TV5 in 2002.

Last year, Alabama landed one of the largest private industrial development projects in the United States, ThyssenKrupp's new $3.7 billion state-of-the-art steel manufacturing and processing facility, and Tiffany traveled to Germany to report from the company's headquarters. She traveled across the Atlantic once again to cover the Air Force tanker competition from the Paris Air Show.

Alabama's First Congressional District and indeed the state of Alabama have been blessed with one good news economic announcement after another over the past 18 months. Tiffany and WKRG have provided widespread coverage of each of the recent economic developments for the city of Mobile. This documentary, ``Mobile's Makeover,'' earned reporter Tiffany Craig, editor Ed Smith, photographer Jud Holson, and producer Jennifer Dale a national 2008 Edward R. Murrow Award.

Honoring outstanding achievements and excellence in electronic journalism, the Murrow Awards are give by the Radio-Television News Directors each year. This year, the Murrow Award was given to 54 news organizations representing networks, cable channels, and television stations.

Madam Speaker, Tiffany Craig's career has already been filled with much achievement, and I rise today to honor yet another of these achievements--a national 2008 Edward R. Murrow Award. May she continue to inform and inspire the people of south Alabama. I know her colleagues, her family, and her many friends join with me in praising her significant accomplishments and a job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson for his leadership and support in creating the Nation's first Secret Safe Place for Newborns program in Mobile, Alabama. As Mobile's Press-Register recently editorialized, `` `Saving newborns' lives is a legacy of which Mobile can be proud.''

The brainchild of former WPMI-TV reporter Jodi Brooks, the Alabama Secret Safe Place program was created in 1998 through the hard work and support of John Tyson. Due to his leadership, every State has established a program similar to Alabama's as an option for mothers who are unable and unprepared to provide for their newborn baby.

These programs allow mothers to turn over their newborns to a local hospital, fire station, police station, or other public entity without being charged with a crime. Within the time limit set by each State's law, the mothers are able to remain anonymous and will not be accused of child neglect. The mothers also continue to have the opportunity, if they wish to change their minds, to return and reclaim their child.

When the Secret Safe Place for Newborns program began, it was all too common for distraught mothers, in most cases teenagers, to abandon their newborns in trash cans or in public places hoping someone would discover them. Some even went so far as to murder their unwanted babies. Due in large part to John's efforts, an estimated 500 newborns across the country have been saved over the past 10 years because of infant safe haven programs.

John often serves as the spokesman for infant safe haven programs speaking to media outlets throughout the country and around the world on efforts to combat the unsafe abandonment of newborns.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in commending District Attorney John Tyson and so many others for their efforts on behalf of newborns in Alabama and across the country. The success of the Alabama Secret Safe Place for Newborns program is a tribute to their efforts to save infants' lives--they are true heroes.

Mr. Speaker, today one of our colleagues introduced the KC-X Recompete Act, and its message is clear: If the warfighter wants a new tanker to replace its aging fleet anytime soon, it has but one choice, the Boeing KC-767. This act would tell the warfighter to take the 767; take it or leave it, or face years of delay if you have to have a new competition.

Boeing's 767, mind you, is judged second best to the more capable, more modern, Northrop aircraft, an aircraft that I am proud would be built in my home State of Alabama.

Yes, the GAO noted procedural errors in the source selection process, but it did not rule on the merits of these two aircraft. And there is no equivocation in terms of which plane the Air Force wants and desperately needs, the KC-45.

Some have tried to preempt regular order and take this decision away from the warfighter. Let's not preempt the voice of the men and women who will take this plane into harm's way. We owe them that much.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Arthur C. (Skipper) Tonsmeire, III on the occasion of the Weeks Bay Resource Center dedicated in his honor.

Skipper Tonsmeire was born in Mobile and grew up in a house of eight boys on Dog River. Skipper loves the outdoors more than anyone I know-- he walks, runs, bikes, and swims at Johnson Beach Park every day, and he loves to fly. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Auburn University in 1965 and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Denver in 1967.

Skipper, who serves as president of the Coastal Land Trust and Weeks Bay Foundation, has been an integral force in land conservation and environmental stewardship throughout the United States and especially in southwest Alabama. The Weeks Bay Foundation supports the Weeks Bay Estuarine Research Reserve in its efforts to protect the pristine coastal area of Baldwin County, Alabama. Skipper actively serves in many other associations and organizations. For instance, he has been the director of the Boys and Girls Club in Baldwin County since 1997. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Rotary Boys and Girls Club of Fairhope as well as the Point Clear Rotary Club.

Skipper has also been extremely instrumental in the protection of 30,000 acres of property in the Mobile Tensaw Delta and has worked extensively with The Nature Conservancy of Alabama on land protection projects throughout the state of Alabama.

Skipper was honored with the 1994-1995 Calder Conservation Award for building alliances over the past 20 years between the local business community, public agencies, and nonprofit conservation groups to protect the environmentally and economically important wetlands of the Alabama Gulf Coast. He also received The Nature Conservancy Distinguished Service Award for Gulf Coast land preservation and was awarded the Gulf Oil Conservation Award and Conservationist of the Year by the state of Alabama.

The property on which the Weeks Bay Multi Purpose Classroom Building was constructed was purchased by the Coastal Land Trust and the Weeks Bay Foundation. In addition to this property, the foundation purchased the former Safe Harbor RV Park and numerous other parcels--all of which have been conveyed to the state of Alabama. As foundation president, Skipper took what was once only a dream and turned it into a reality for the Weeks Bay Reserve. His leadership on these land acquisitions was the driving force behind the success of the project.

Skipper's diligent efforts to preserve our natural resources have ensured that future generations will enjoy coastal Alabama for many years to come. While Skipper would vehemently deny this fact, we all know that had it not been for Skipper Tonsmeire's vision, there would be no Weeks Bay Reserve or Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. His quiet unassuming way has served the treasures of Alabama and our coast well.

Madam Speaker, I cannot imagine a better person whom the Weeks Bay Resource Center should honor other than Arthur C. (Skipper) Tonsmeire, III. It will forever recognize his long-standing commitment to the reserve and to natural resources in the state of Alabama.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout Alabama. I know his family and his many friends and colleagues join me in extending thanks for his service over the years. On behalf of a grateful community, thank you, Skipper, for everything you have done and continue to do for coastal Alabama.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the memory of an exceptional leader, longtime Scoutmaster, and dedicated family man, Mr. Dennis Middleton.

Dennis owned and operated E. L. Middleton and Son Garage in Loxley, Alabama, for the past 40 years. Dennis, along with his wife, Jean, took in and raised several foster children. He also served as an assistant minister of the First Christian Church of Robertsdale for 30 years. As a member of the church, he worked with the Outreach Minister Program ``Life Connection'' which focused on helping ex-offenders. However, the title for which he was most proud was Scoutmaster of Troop 45 in Robertsdale.

For 33 years, Dennis served as a Scoutmaster of Troop 45. He was recently asked what Scouting meant to him, and his answer was ``everything.'' Dennis never expected his life to revolve around Scouting. When asked by the previous Scoutmaster to take charge of Troop 45, he decided to serve until a replacement could be found. Three decades later, he positively influenced countless young lives and was once described as, ``the backbone of Scouting'' in his area.

Dennis was a selfless individual, always eager to help anyone in need. For example, a few years ago during a Cub Scout campout, Dennis spent an entire day working on a broken water well. The Cub Scouts later found out that it was his birthday, and instead of being home celebrating with friends and family, he was at the campground making sure the Cub Scouts had water. In recognition of his tireless efforts on behalf of the Scouts, a Scout lodge at the Silver Creek Campground was recently dedicated in his honor. Humbly, Dennis requested the new building not be named for him and instead follow the Scout tradition of honoring American Indian cultures. Today, the lodge is named Toknaawa Pahni, meaning ``Silver Creek'' in Muscogee, the native tribal group.

The great contributions made by Dennis as Scoutmaster did not go unnoticed. He was honored with several Scout awards, such as, the Silver Beaver and the Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor. He also received the Who's Who Gulf Coast Award in 1989. Dennis was a member of the Order of the Arrow WOA Cholena Lodge No. 322. He attended the Wood Badge SR 550 and was a member of the respectable ``Bob White'' patrol.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Dennis Middleton will be deeply missed by his family--his wife of 43 years, Jean Middleton; his daughters, Sabrina Middleton and Beverly Middleton; his son, Dennis Wayne Middleton; his foster son, Allen Kittrell; his sister, Mary Sue Archer and her husband David; his brother, Charles David Middleton and his wife Lillie; his 13 grandchildren--as well as the countless friends and fellow Scouts he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, the state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor the memory of Mr. James P. Hayes, Jr.

Jim was born in Brewton, Alabama, and graduated from T.R. Miller High School. He then received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Alabama. While at the university, he was a member of the Tau Beta Pi honor fraternity and the Delta Kappa Epsilon social fraternity.

Jim's many years of public service began when he joined former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman's administration in 1999 and served as revenue commissioner. He later served as director of the Alabama Development Office, executive secretary, land commissioner, and senior advisor to Governor Siegelman. Jim also served as director of planning and acquisitions for the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company, and he was director of First Commercial Bank in Birmingham and BancTrust Financial in Mobile.

Not only was he a dedicated public servant, but Jim was also an active civic leader. He was a past president of the Supporters Board of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was a supporter of the Lakeshore Foundation, the Crippled Children's Foundation, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, and numerous other charitable foundations.

In 2002, Jim became president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and restructured the group. Jim led the EDPA out of debt, while working tirelessly to improve the lives of all Alabama citizens.

The work of Jim Hayes did not go unnoticed. In 1994, the University of Alabama named him its Alumnus of the Year. And, he was recently honored when the University of Alabama's James P. Hayes Moral Forum was endowed in his name. In 2004, the University of Alabama bestowed Jim an honorary doctorate and named him a Distinguished Engineering Fellow. In recognition of all his wonderful work, Jim received the Outstanding Civic Leader Award on National Philanthropy Day in 2007.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated businessman, public servant, husband, and friend to all. Jim Hayes will be deeply missed by his wife, Ann Beauchamp Hayes; his sisters, Margaret Hayes Brunstad and Susan Hayes Curry; his five nieces, and his nephew--as well as the many countless friends he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Mobile, Alabama, FBI Field Office on the 100 year anniversary of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Organized in 1908, America's best investigators were brought together and organized to form what is now the FBI. Over the past century, many of the world's most dangerous criminals have been apprehended by the

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a remarkable political strategist and a superior human being, Mr. Tim Baer.

The Birmingham News recently described Tim as ``a plainspoken political operative who helped the GOP take over the state's appellate courts.''

Tim was born near Buffalo, New York, and was raised in Pompano Beach, Florida. However, he called Birmingham, Alabama, home for over 30 years.

In 1986, Tim directed a national GOP telemarketing campaign in 19 states with Republican U.S. Senate candidates. In that year, no Republicans were serving on Alabama's appellate courts. In the following years, Mr. Baer individually managed the victorious campaigns of five Republican hopefuls for the state Supreme Court. He also worked voter identification for numerous Republican candidates in multiple election cycles.

Tim was probably best known for his service as the state of Alabama's Republican Party executive director. He also worked as director of field operations for the Business Council of Alabama, where he raised money for the group's political action committee, Progress PAC. He also served as an aide to former Probate Judge Mark Gaines, where he supervised Jefferson County elections.

In 2000, Tim was instrumental in the successful effort for Alabama Republicans to add to their very slim Supreme Court majority, an effort spearheaded by political consultant Karl Rove. Today, Republicans hold eight of the nine high court seats, due in large part to Tim's efforts.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout the state of Alabama. Tim Baer will be dearly missed by his family--his daughter, Katie Baer; his father, Chet Baer; his sister, Janice Mudd; as well as the countless loyal friends he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, the city of Mobile and the state of Alabama recently lost a dedicated community leader, and I rise today to honor Judge John Lauthlin Moore, III and pay tribute to his memory.

A native of Porterville, Mississippi, Judge Moore received an undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and a law degree from the University of Alabama. After practicing law in Mobile for a number of years, he became the Probate Judge of Mobile County in 1963, a position he held until 1982. After which time, Judge Moore served for 20 years as Supernumerary Probate Judge of Mobile County until his retirement in 2003.

Judge Moore was a lifelong Baptist and a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church. He was a past president of the Alabama Probate Judges Association. He served on the board of directors of the Alabama Archives, and he was a George F. Hixson Fellow of the Kiwanis Club.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader, a friend to many throughout Alabama, as well as a wonderful husband and devoted father. Judge John L. Moore, III will be dearly missed by his family--his wife, Mary Anne Grieme Moore; his daughter, Anne Moore Patton; his son, John L. Moore, IV and his wife Anne; and his grandchildren, James Moore Patton, John Thurman Moore, Thomas Ware Moore and Lauthlin Anne Patton--as well as the many countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.