Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to United States Coast Guard Captain Maury A. Weeks on the occasion of his retirement from active duty.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Captain Weeks is a proud alumnus of the University of Alabama where, in addition to his academic studies, he was employed as a University Police Officer. Following his graduation from college, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1966 and upon completion of basic training at Parris Island was assigned to the Second Force Recon Company. During his enlistment, which ended with an honorable discharge in 1972 with the rank of sergeant, he also attended airborne school and mountain warfare training.

Two years later, Captain Weeks enlisted in the Coast Guard Reserve as a port

securityman, and following his direct commissioning as an ensign in 1978, he was assigned to Reserve Unit Mobile. Here, he served in numerous positions, including training officer and administrative officer. In 1983, he was accepted as a reserve program administrator and was recalled to active duty in May 1984.

Early tours of duty included serving as chief, Reserve Training, Eighth District from 1984 to 1987; and as assistant chief, Port Operations, Marine Safety Office, Mobile from 1987 to 1990. In 1990, Captain Weeks was assigned to Reserve Training Center, Yorktown, as a member of the Port Security School staff. In this position, he was a member of the Port Security Unit (PSU) Training Detachment and was responsible for training PSUs for deployment during Desert Shield/ Desert Storm at Camp Blanding, FL. From 1992 to 1994, he was assigned to the Contingency Planning School as assistant school chief and instructor.

Captain Weeks reported to the Eighth District in 1994 as the assistant chief, Contingency Preparedness Branch and in 1996 was named the branch chief. He became chief, Administration Division, Eighth Coast Guard District in May 1998. In 2000, Captain Weeks became the chief of the Force Optimization and Training Branch at MLC LANT. In this position, he was heavily involved in the recall of over 4,000 reservists in response to the events of September 11, 2001, and Operations Noble Eagle, Liberty Shield, and Iraqi Freedom. In 2005, Captain Weeks became chief of the Personnel Division, MLCA.

Throughout his career, Captain Weeks has demonstrated a tremendous devotion to his country and dedication to his duty. His long list of professional accomplishments are testament to the trust and esteem in which he has been held by both his superiors and subordinates. His career has also been marked with the receipt of numerous decorations and citations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, seven Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Joint Services Achievement Medal, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, three Coast Guard Letter of Commendation Ribbons, both the Coast Guard Reserve and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, and numerous unit citations and special operations service awards.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Captain Maury Weeks for his long and distinguished career of service to our country and congratulating him on the occasion of his retirement. I know his family, his wife, Pamela; the four children they share, Allen, Suzannah, Wayne and Tara; and his many friends join me in praising his many accomplishments and extending thanks for his service on behalf of a grateful Nation.

Madam Speaker, Mobile County and indeed the entire state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the memory of Mr. Ben Buerger.

Since 1956, ``Mr. Ben'' owned and operated Ship and Shore Supplies Inc. on Dauphin Island; his store was truly the heartbeat of the island. His business sold everything from groceries to plumbing fixtures, building supplies and boating needs. He may be best known for riding out 1979's Hurricane Frederic in his store, which was one of the most devastating hurricanes ever to hit the central Gulf Coast. Following the storm, ``Mr. Ben'' set up temporary quarters on the island and worked to provide a consistent supply of necessities to the island's residents when they needed them the most.

``Mr. Ben'' was always there to give a helping hand. For example, in 1959, when the lift span to the old Dauphin Island Bridge became stuck, he used his own boat to ferry stranded tourists and others to the mainland for free. In recognition of all of his efforts on behalf of the people of his community, Mobile's Press-Register awarded ``Mr. Ben'' the M.O. Beale Scroll of Merit in 1963 and in 1968.

To say that Ben Buerger was active in the Dauphin Island community is an understatement; he was truly an ambassador for the island. He served as president of the Dauphin Island Businessman's Association, president of the Dauphin Island Volunteer Fire Department and president of the Mobile County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. ``Mr. Ben'' also served in the U.S. Navy and was a veteran of World War II.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Ben Buerger will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Barbara Buerger; his daughters, Karen Rebecca Moore and Kathryn Barker; his step-daughter, Michele Oliver; his sister-in-law, Caroline Buerger; his granddaughter, Kari Howell; his great-grandson, Nathan Howell; and his step-grandchildren, Anjel Clark and Alex Oliver--as well as the countless friends and fellow islanders he leaves behind.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of an outstanding doctor, a wonderful man, and a truly great American, Dr. Jack Hyman.

Dr. Hyman was born in Tampa, Florida, and graduated as valedictorian from Plant High School. After graduating from the University of Florida, he entered Tulane Medical School and received his M.D. in 1941. He spent a year training in Urology before he was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant. He served in World War II as a physician in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Just two short days after he returned from the war, Dr. Hyman married his longtime sweetheart, Frances Levy.

Upon his return from the war, Dr. Hyman completed his fellowship training in Urology at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. During this time, he received a Master of Science degree from Tulane University and became a diplomat of the American Board of Urology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Hyman then opened his first practice in New Orleans at the Ochsner Clinic. In 1948, Dr. and Mrs. Hyman moved to Mobile where he continued to practice medicine. In 1970, Dr. Hyman opened his second private practice, Urology Associates of Mobile, where he practiced until his retirement in 1998.

Dr. Hyman's service to his community did not stop at the doors of his medical practice. He served as president of Providence Hospital medical staff, president of the Mobile Infirmary medical staff, president of the Mobile County Medical Society, trustee of the board of directors of Mobile Infirmary, trustee of the Mobile Infirmary Foundation Board, president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, president of the Alabama Foundation for Health Care, and founding director of SouthTrust Bank.

And make no mistake, Dr. Hyman's service did not go unnoticed. In 1994, he was awarded the Samuel Buford Word Award, the Alabama Medical Association's highest honor, in recognition of extraordinary service to humanity. Additionally, the Tulane Medical Alumni Association awarded Dr. Hyman the C.D. Taylor Award in 2003, in recognition of his outstanding service to the community.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated doctor, community leader, and friend to many, as well as a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Dr. Jack Hyman will be dearly missed by his family--his lovely wife of 62 years, Frances Levy Hyman; their children, Phillip Hyman and his wife Mary, Bob Hyman and his wife Diane, Cathy Mosteller and her husband Matt, and Ellen Cunningham and her husband Russ; his grandchildren, Julie Hyman Wilkins, Jake Hyman, Michael Mosteller, Clifton Mosteller, Frances Mosteller, Jack Cunningham, Callie Cunningham; his great-grandchild, Tate Wilkins; his sister, Selma Cohen--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 Coach Mike Gottfried on the occasion of his

induction into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame (MSHOF). Begun in 1987, the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame was created by the Mobile Chamber of Commerce to recognize those sports figures whose accomplishments and service have greatly benefited--and reflected credit on--the city of Mobile.

Coach Gottfried, an Ohio native, was a successful head football coach at Murray State, Cincinnati, and Kansas, before going to Pittsburgh, where he had wins over Notre Dame, Penn State, and West Virginia. In 1990, he moved to Mobile at the urging of his brother, University of South Alabama athletics director Joe Gottfried, for what he thought would be a temporary stay on the way to another college football coaching job. Eighteen years later, Coach Gottfried is still a resident of Mobile and is considered by many, including Mobile's Press-Register, as ``one of the city's leading citizens.''

In the late 1990s, Coach Gottfried was approached by then Mobile Mayor Mike Dow and then Press-Register Executive Editor Stan Tiner to gauge whether a postseason bowl game in Mobile could be successful. Using his contacts as a former head coach and as a football analyst for ESPN, he began building support for creating a bowl game in Mobile. That bowl game became the GMAC bowl, a bowl that is repeatedly rated as one of the top 10 bowl games to watch each year. Due in large part to Coach Gottfried's efforts, Mobile, with the GMAC bowl and the Senior Bowl, joined Miami as the only cities in the country to host two major college bowl games every year.

Shortly after the founding of the GMAC bowl, Coach Gottfried and his wife, Mickey, founded Team Focus, a Mobile-based community outreach program that provides fatherless boys with role models and positive influences in order to build character and foster self-esteem, self- worth and self-confidence. The program has grown rapidly, and today, there are camps in seven states and the District of Columbia. Last year, First Lady Laura Bush traveled to Mobile to commend Team Focus. She thanked all of the mentors for ``trying to fill that void in the lives of these boys and being so successful at it.''

Madam Speaker, throughout his life, Coach Mike Gottfried has been an outstanding role model for both children and adults alike. I know his family; his wife, Mickey; and his many friends join me in congratulating him on this remarkable achievement and extending thanks for his service over the years on behalf of the city of Mobile and the state of Alabama.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a great leader, a great man, and a truly great American, Barry H. Gottehrer.

A Bronx native, Barry graduated from the Horace Mann School, Brown University, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

A well-known journalist, Barry worked as an author, sportswriter, and editor at various magazines, including Newsweek. In the mid-1960s, noted reporter Dick Schaap recruited Barry to lead a team of reporters at the New York Herald-Tribune in an examination of the rising crime and racial tensions that were plaguing New York City. The award-winning series, ``City in Crisis,'' was credited with helping to elect John V. Lindsay mayor of New York in 1965.

Barry went on to join the Lindsay administration as a mayoral assistant, and he soon organized the Urban Action Task Forces, described in his New York Times obituary as ``neighborhood-based groups created to anticipate local grievances and to quell unrest.''

In a memoir, ``The Mayor's Man,'' Barry described himself as ``a white in a world of black and brown, a moderate in a world of revolutionaries, trying to bring change where change seemed needed most, trying to buy time until the change would come.''

While serving in Mayor Lindsay's office, Barry created the precursor of the office to promote television and film production in New York. He also instituted a summer jobs program for young people.

Following his tenure in the administration, Barry joined Madison Square Garden as a senior executive before joining MassMutual, where he served as senior vice president of government relations for many years. In 1996, Barry left MassMutual to work as an independent Washington- based consultant.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated public servant, community leader, a friend to many, as well as a wonderful husband and father. Barry Gottehrer will be dearly missed by his family--his wife, Patricia Anne Gottehrer; his children, Kevin Gottehrer, Andrea Kling and Gregg Salem; and his two grandchildren--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 Coach Jim Tate of St. Paul's Episcopal School on the occasion of his induction into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame (MSHOF). Begun in 1987, the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame was created by the Mobile Chamber of Commerce to

recognize those sports figures whose accomplishments and service have greatly benefited--and reflected credit on--the city of Mobile.

A graduate of The Citadel, Coach Tate spent five years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and field artillery officer with a year's service in the Vietnam War. He also earned his master's degree from the University of Alabama.

Coach Tate, a Mobile native, was working in Georgia when St. Paul's headmaster, Rufus Bethea, recruited him to return to Mobile to coach the boys' basketball team. It was not until 1983, however, after interest in the cross country and track programs increased, that Coach Tate was named the full-time coach for both sports, boys', and girls' teams. That very same year, St. Paul's won its first state championship, the same year the first of 17 straight girls' cross country state championships was won with a team of all seventh-graders.

As coach of what Mobile's Press-Register refers to as the ``most dominant girls' cross country program in the country,'' Coach Tate is an institution among American high school track and cross country coaches. In his 30 years at St. Paul's, Coach Tate has led the cross country and track teams to 75 state championships, including a national record of 17 straight girls' cross country state titles.

In 1999, Coach Tate was selected as the national cross country coach of the year. Twenty-five of his former athletes have gone on to compete at the collegiate level in either track or cross country, and currently, St. Paul's has 10 state record holders in track and cross country.

Madam Speaker, throughout his life, Jim Tate has been an outstanding role model for both children and adults alike. I know his family; his wife, Becky; their children, Lee, Luther, Leigh, and Ginny; and his many friends join me in congratulating him on this remarkable achievement and extending thanks for his many efforts over the years on behalf of the city of Mobile, the First Congressional District and the state of Alabama.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor the long and distinguished career of Tom Hamby, on the occasion of his retirement from AT&T Inc.

A native of Social Circle, Georgia, Tom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering at the University of Georgia. He was commissioned in the Army Corps of Engineers and went on to serve 10 years in the reserves and National Guard.

As the Birmingham News described Tom, he is ``one of Birmingham's most influential business leaders.'' With a career spanning over 37 years, Tom has served in various assignments in the network, marketing, and regulatory departments in Georgia, Alabama, and Washington, DC, and he was appointed to his current position, AT&T president--Alabama, in 1999.

In the early 1990s, Tom led the effort to bring caller identification and voice mail products to customers. During his tenure as president, the Alabama Legislature passed landmark telecommunication legislation, which led to greater competition, investment, customer choice as well as new services.

Tom is also well-known in Birmingham and throughout the State of Alabama as a leader in both the business and civic communities. He is chairman of the board of the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Greater Alabama Council of Boy Scouts of America. He is a past chairman of Birmingham's Metropolitan Development Board, the Business Council of Alabama, and the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is a current director on the boards of Protective Life Corp. and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout the State of Alabama. I know his family; his wife, Wyona; and his many friends join me in praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his service over the years on behalf of the city of Birmingham and the State of Alabama.

Tom will surely enjoy the well deserved time he now has to spend with family and his first grandchild, who is due this summer. I wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor the long and distinguished career of Julian Smith, on the occasion of his retirement from Alabama Power Company.

With a career spanning over 34 years, Julian rose through the ranks of the Alabama Power Company. Julian joined Alabama Power in 1974 in the construction department at Greene County Steam Plant. In 1982, he transitioned to the governmental affairs department, and in 1991, he was promoted to vice president of governmental affairs. Julian assumed his current position, vice president of corporate relations, in 2000.

Julian has been active in Alabama politics his entire adult life. He served as corporate liaison to former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. In 2001, he was appointed to the Delta Regional Authority as well as the Alabama Commission on Physical Fitness. Julian also served as corporate liaison for the creation of the Alabama Black Belt Community Foundation, leading Alabama Power to partner with Auburn University in their effort to establish a Regional Foundation for the Black Belt.

Julian serves on the board of trustees for Marion Military Institute. He is an alumnus of Leadership Birmingham. He served on the 1996 Birmingham Soccer Organizing Committee as well as numerous committees for the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. In 1981, the Alabama Jaycees named Julian among the ``Four Outstanding Young Men of Alabama.''

Madam Speaker, 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 praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his service over the years on behalf of the State of Alabama.

Julian will surely enjoy the well deserved time he now has to spend with family and loved ones. On behalf of a grateful State, I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a young man from Hueytown, Alabama, who recently made the ultimate sacrifice while serving as a firefighter for the United States Department of Defense in Mosul, Iraq.

A 1994 graduate of Pleasant Grove High School, Brian's childhood dream was to become a career firefighter. Brian had even interviewed with Mobile Fire-Rescue by telephone from Iraq and would most likely have received a position in the upcoming class of recruits.

In a fitting tribute, the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department honor guard escorted the funeral procession down Interstate 65 from Hueytown to Mobile. The procession was met by the Mobile County Sheriff's Office at the Mobile County line, and the hearse carrying Brian's casket passed under a 30-foot-by-50-foot flag hung from extended ladders of two Mobile Fire-Rescue trucks on its way to the Mobile cemetery where he was laid to rest.

At this difficult time, it is only appropriate for us to pause and give thanks to God that there are still young men like Brian D. Shrader. His life and actions personify the very best America has to offer. I feel certain his many friends and family, as well as his fellow firefighters in Iraq, while mourning the loss of this fine young man, are also taking this opportunity to remember his many accomplishments and to recall the fine gift they each received simply from knowing him and having him as an integral part of their lives.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to take a moment and pay tribute to Brian D. Shrader and his selfless devotion to our country and the freedom we enjoy.

We should also remember his wife, Rebecca Shrader; their three children, Kaitlyn, Hailey, and Jacob; his parents, Richard F. Shrader Sr. and Linda Shrader; and his other relatives and many friends. Our prayer is that God will give them all the strength and courage that only He can provide to sustain them during the difficult days ahead.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Marian Loftin and the Children's Trust Fund of Alabama for 25 years of dedicated service to protecting the children of Alabama.

Created in 1983 by the Alabama legislature, the Children's Trust Fund was created to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. The Children's Trust Fund was unique in the fact that it specifically focuses on solving the problem of child abuse before it occurs.

This state agency, which has its own board, funding and staff dedicated solely to preventing child abuse, is the state of Alabama's only agency designated to preventing child neglect and maltreatment.

Through education initiatives and community involvement, the Children's Trust Fund has worked to increase awareness, prevent the abuse and neglect of children, find new and effective solutions for preventing child abuse before it occurs, and strengthen Alabama families to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating both Marian Loftin and all of those at the Children's Trust Fund on 25 years of service to the children of Alabama and their families. For all their accomplishments, I extend my heartfelt thanks for their continued service to the children of Alabama, the First Congressional District, and the state of Alabama.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor the long and distinguished careers of Majors David and Pat Waite, on the occasion of their retirement from the Salvation Army.

With careers spanning over 40 years, the Waites' service has carried them across the Southeast, to Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, and Alabama. Their ministry also carried them to South America, where they served in Brazil for three years.

Majors David and Pat met as undergraduates while attending Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. David graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and Pat graduated with a degree in elementary education. They married in 1966 while David was in seminary school, and in 1969, David graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a master's of divinity degree.

In 1969, David and Pat entered Officers' Training School. David spent much of this first year of training attending Emory University's Candler School of Theology. As Cadet-Lieutenants, the Waites spent their second year of training in St. Petersburg, Florida, and in 1971, David and Pat were commissioned as officers.

The Waites served in various locations throughout Florida, including Fort Pierce, Jacksonville, Ocala, and Clearwater, before being assigned to the College for Officers' Training in Atlanta, Georgia, where they would stay for three years. Majors David and Pat then went on to serve as corps officers at the Atlanta Temple Corps.

From Atlanta, David and Pat were assigned to Divisional Headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Here, David served as the divisional secretary and Pat served as assistant home league secretary. In 1995, the Waites moved to Austin, Texas, where David was appointed territorial candidates secretary and associate candidates secretary.

In 1997, David was named education secretary. His primary responsibility in this capacity was to transition the Education Department from Territorial Headquarters to the Evangeline Booth College. David was also responsible for opening the School for Continuing Education where he served as assistant principal. During their assignment in Austin, Pat opened the Continuing Education Center and served as its director. She also laid the ground work for the new continuing education programs and the degree completion program.

The Waites received their orders assigning them to Brazil in 1999. In Brazil, David served as associate public relations secretary, public relations secretary, and personnel secretary for the Brazil territory. Pat served as the territorial home league secretary and later, as assistant to the personnel secretary.

The Waites arrived in Mobile in 2002 where David was named area commander and Pat was named coordinator for women's activities. After six years of service in Mobile, the Waites are retiring to San Antonio, Florida, where many fellow Salvationists reside.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing two dedicated community leaders and friends to many throughout Alabama. I know their family, their children, and their many friends join me in praising their accomplishments and extending thanks for their outstanding service over the years on behalf of the First District and the state of Alabama.

Majors David and Pat Waite will surely enjoy the well deserved time they now have to spend with family and loved ones. On behalf of a grateful community, I wish them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, last month the Senate of Alabama including Alabama Senators Pittman, French, Griffith, Brooks, Marsh, Glover, Butler, Waggoner, Bedford, Mitchem, Barron, Bishop, Lindsey, Benefield, McClain, Preuitt, Orr, and Mitchell, passed a resolution recognizing the contributions of William F. Buckley, Jr., to intellectual and philosophical discourse.

Today, I rise to ask that this resolution be entered into the Congressional Record in its entirety:

Whereas, the death of William F. Buckley, Jr., on February

27, 2008, brings to a close a public career of enormous

productivity and significance in the United States and around

the world; and

Whereas, educated by private tutors in Connecticut, in

European Catholic schools, and at Yale University, he was an

intellectual giant with an intimidating vocabulary, finely

tuned debating skills, and a fearless pen; he was at the

forefront of the coalescence of a conservative movement in

the 1960s, introducing a rhetoric still relevant today; and

Whereas, Mr. Buckley founded a magazine, the National

Review; wrote some 55 books, both fiction and nonfiction;

authored editorials published around the country and abroad;

entered into debate on the public stage; and hosted Firing

Line, a long-running television interview and debate program;

and

Whereas, as chief spokesman for a conservative philosophy

which found favor with such political figures as presidential

candidate, Barry Goldwater and then-California Governor,

Ronald Reagan, Mr. Buckley road the wave of public support to

prominence at home and around the globe, luring converts in

his wake; and

Whereas, described by his son, the novelist Christopher

Buckley, as not leaving any stone unturned, Mr. Buckley also

directed his attention to religion where he applied his

conservative mind-set to the tents of Anglican and Roman

Catholicism, writing expositions in defense of a

traditionalistic theology; and

Whereas, rarely does an individual of the modern era

succeed in being heralded as a philosopher of immense

influence in his lifetime; Mr. Buckley's prolific work will

continue to bear scrutiny as western thought evolves; now

therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the Legislature of Alabama, that

we recognize and applaud the contributions of William F.

Buckley, Jr. to the intellectual and philosophical discourse

of the twentieth century, and we offer this resolution in

tribute to an accomplished and distinguished American.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.