Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor the Bayside Academy volleyball team on winning the 2007 2A State Volleyball Championship.

Coach Ann Schilling along with Assistant Coach Brenda Allen led the Bayside Academy varsity volleyball team to the state championship earlier this month, making it the first team in Alabama history to win six consecutive titles. Incredibly, Bayside Academy has won nine of the last 10 state championships in 2A and 16 titles overall.

Founded in 1970 by Baldwin County families, Bayside has an enrollment of 730 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 and ranks as one of the state's premier independent schools.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Bayside Academy Volleyball Team on a great season and state championship. This school deserves public recognition for this great honor, and I extend my congratulations to each member of the team and coaching staff.

Bayside Academy's 2007 Volleyball Team Roster

Names: Maggie Niemeyer; Shelby Builta; Lizzie Williams;

Reynolds Pittman; Emily Allen; Taylor Givens; Gigi Eyre;

Caroline Todd; Sarah Mosteller; Lauren Reibe; Patricia

Sirmon; Savannah Simmons.

Coahing Staff: Head Coach Ann Schilling; Assistant Coach

Brenda Allen.

Madam Speaker, last week one of my constituents, Linda Dickens, submitted a letter to Mobile's Press-Register offering a heartfelt tribute to her father, P.H. Murray.

As we pause this week to salute the men and women who have served in America's Armed Forces and honor the courage and sacrifice of those who continue to serve today, I found her letter especially poignant.

Today, Madam Speaker, I rise to ask that this op-ed piece be entered into the Congressional Record in its entirety, for I found Ms. Dickens' letter an appropriate way to say thank you to the men and women who have done so much to protect this nation:

Salute to a Special Veteran

Veterans Day will not be the same this year because my

special World War II veteran will not be here with me to

celebrate. He was my father, P.H. Murray, who passed away

Sept. 30, one day after his 84th birthday.

He was a great American hero to our family. His American

flag is still flying outside his home, as it did every day he

lived. He went off to war as a boy at the age of 18 and came

back a man. He brought back memories, good and bad, that

would last a lifetime.

He was proud to have served under Gen. George Patton in the

Battle of the Bulge.

He was quite a joker when he was young, and when he was

awakened in the middle of the night to see his commanding

officer, the first time he thought, ``What have I done?'' It

was a good thing, because the officer had learned Daddy had

been a burner at the shipyard before the war, and they needed

men to help burn plows to put on the front of the tanks so

they could go over the hedge rows, which made the tanks turn

over and easy targets for Germans to shoot. This made him

very proud that he had done something special for his

country.

For years as a child I never understood how Daddy could

squat on the floor for hours at a time without moving. It was

because for 19 months he didn't see a chair or a bed.

He never talked to us much when we were little. If only I

had known the nightmares my mom hid from us that he was

having about the war. He had so many memories bottled up in

him.

He was a great father and provider and was always there for

us five kids. He taught us to work hard, prepare for the

future and always value what the men of WWII had done for our

great country. He was proud that he had helped with our

freedom and that we were all able to go to college.

He was a very smart man, even though he didn't go to

college because of his children. He was a quiet man until the

last few years, when he opened up about the war. He began to

tell us stories about the war.

Some were funny, and others you could tell took a toll on

his heart. This is when I really came to realize what the war

had done for us.

I had taken history courses about the war, but they were

nothing like the personal stories Daddy told. He said we

never learned the real history of the war in a history book.

Many young people don't realize what veterans did to keep our

country free.

Daddy lost his two childhood friends in the war. One was

killed and the other so shell-shocked that he could never

come home to live. I remember the trips to see ``Mr. Jim'' at

the Veterans Home in Biloxi. Daddy never forgot about him,

even though he felt sad that he was not able to come home to

his family.

Daddy taught us love, how important family is and that it

doesn't matter what you have, it is what you do with it.

Never forget we are free, and never forget the men who fought

and the ones who gave their lives so we could be free.

He was proud of his WWII hat, which he wore proudly each

day. He was buried with it. It made him feel proud and

honored when someone asked him where he served.

I give all the veterans of this great country a ``five-star

salute,'' as my father would say when you did something good.

Daddy, I give you a ``five-star salute'' for all you did for

me and our country. I will miss you this Veterans Day and all

the other days of my life. Thanks for a job well done.

Linda Dickens, Grand Bay.

Madam Speaker, the State of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Mr. John Edward Grenier was a devoted family man and one of the most respected political strategists in modern Alabama politics.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1930, John Grenier attended Jesuit High School and lettered in track, baseball, and football. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Tulane University. He entered the United States Marine Corps and rose to the rank of captain. He served with distinction in Korea as a pilot, flying over 100 patrols in squadron VMF 312, known as the Checkerboard Squadron.

After receiving an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, John Grenier attended New York University and received an LLM degree in taxation. He worked on Wall Street for a brief time before moving to Birmingham, Alabama, to work with Southern Natural Gas

Company. He later joined the law firm of Bradley Arant Rose & White, where he became a partner. He then joined the firm formerly known as Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville and was a partner for over 35 years before retiring in 2004.

John Grenier's true passion was politics, a passion that changed the course of Alabama politics. He began his political career as chairman of the Jefferson County Young Republicans. In this capacity, he organized a political rally in Birmingham in 1960 for Richard Nixon.

John Grenier organized the modern day Alabama Republican Party and served as the state chairman in 1962. He joined the Goldwater for President Campaign and organized the delegates to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco. John Grenier was the Southern Regional Director for the campaign when Senator Goldwater swept many of the southern states, including Alabama, in his bid for President.

In 1966, Mr. Grenier was the Republican nominee against Democratic U.S. Senator John Sparkman. Even though he lost that race, John fared better than most previous Republicans in what was then a heavily Democratic state.

In 1986, John served as the campaign manager for Guy Hunt's successful bid to become the first Republican governor of Alabama since Reconstruction. He served as Governor Hunt's chief of staff and later managed Governor Hunt's successful bid for reelection.

Madam Speaker, John Grenier was a political leader, strategist and visionary. He loved life and lived it to the fullest, and his passing marks a tremendous loss for all of Alabama. He will be deeply missed by many, most especially his wife, Stella Kontos Grenier; his son, John Beaulieu Grenier; his daughter-in-law, Joy Grenier; his sister, Rosemary Grenier Rivet; his four grandchildren, John Beaulieu Grenier, Jr., Dorothy Monnish Grenier, Evans Barlow Grenier, and Carolyn Youmans Grenier; as well as countless friends he leaves behind.

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

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor the long and distinguished career of Raleigh Wilkerson, on the occasion of his retirement from the Alabama Farmers Federation.

With a career spanning over 33 years, Raleigh served in almost every capacity at the

Alabama Farmers Federation. Raleigh joined the Federation in May 1974 as a field representative for a nine-county region of the Black Belt. He was named director of the beef division 5 years later and has overseen the cotton; meat, goat and sheep; and hay and forage divisions.

In his first year as director of the beef division, Raleigh initiated the annual Beef Tour, which continues to remain popular with Alabama's cattle producers. As beef director, he headed a beef marketing program--a highly successful program that in 1 year helped ship about $30 million worth of Alabama cattle to 19 different States. Even though the marketing program has been phased out, the relationships established with other States are still paying dividends today.

As director of the cotton division, he helped bring the Boll Weevil Eradication Project to Alabama. Because he missed the personal interaction with farmers throughout the State, Raleigh surrendered his position with the Commodity Division in 2003 to return to the field as area organization director. Last year, Raleigh was named president of the newly formed Alabama Youth Agricultural Foundation, an organization that seeks to serve as a perennial source of funding for helping Alabama youth in agriculture. Raleigh has graciously agreed to continue to serve in this capacity until it is more established.

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, his wife, Nancy; their daughters, Allison McCain and Avery Beatty; his many friends; Alabama farmers, and past and present Alabama Farmers Federation employees join me in praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his service over the years on behalf of the city of Camden and the State of Alabama.

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

Madam Speaker, the state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Mr. Robert B. Ingram, Jr., known as Bob to his many friends and family, was one of the most influential and respected political writers in Alabama's history.

Born in Centre, Alabama, in 1926, Bob and his 2 sisters were raised in Cherokee County by his widowed mother during the Great Depression. He graduated from Cherokee County High School and served with distinction in World War II as a radio operator and gunner aboard the USS Panamint. He graduated from Auburn University in 1949 and soon began working for the Cherokee County Herald.

Soon thereafter, Bob joined the Montgomery Advertiser, where he worked as a reporter. He left the world of journalism for several years and served as state finance director for former Alabama Governor Albert Brewer. From 1979 until 1993, he was editorial director at WSFA-TV in Montgomery, and he ended his editorials with the words that became his trademark, ``And that's the way I see it . . .''

Bob Ingram also wrote 2 books, ``That's the Way I Saw It,'' and ``That's the Way I Saw It II,'' published a magazine, and spent 30 years as a political analyst for 3 Montgomery television stations. He received many awards throughout his storied career. He particularly cherished the honor bestowed on him by Auburn University Montgomery with the creation of the Robert Ingram Lecture Series. Four years ago, he was inducted into the communication hall of fame at the University of Alabama, and earlier this year, he received the Mass Media Achievement Award from the Auburn University Journalism Foundation.

Bob Ingram reported on--and was witness to--many of the most pivotal events in Alabama's history, including the civil rights movement and the career of former Governor George C. Wallace. While known for his legendary objectivity, Bob was never afraid to speak his mind. Be it with praise or criticism, Mr. Ingram served as a watchdog for the people of Alabama his entire career. For nearly 50 years, his weekly column, ``The Alabama Scene,'' was a treasure trove of political tidbits, history, and news for Alabamians.

Bob Ingram was also active with several charitable and civic endeavors. He was a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club, and served as a deacon at Cloverdale Baptist Church in Montgomery, where he taught Sunday school for more than 35 years. Most recently, he volunteered his time with the Montgomery Ostomy Association.

The Montgomery Advertiser's tribute to Bob Ingram was especially poignant, stating, ``Most of those who knew Ingram through his writings and television analyses never met him in person, but they felt he was their friend.''

Madam Speaker, Bob Ingram was a reporter, a publisher, an author, a commentator, and a speaker for the better part of a century. He was an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to the field of journalism, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in remembering one of our State's most revered journalists and esteemed citizens.

Bob Ingram loved life and lived it to the fullest, and his passing marks a tremendous loss for all of Alabama. He will be deeply missed by many, most especially his children, Robert B. Ingram III, Beth Ingram Lamberth, and Ragan Ingram; his sister, Rozanne I. Jones; his 8 grandchildren; his great-grandchild; as well as countless friends he leaves behind.

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

Madam Speaker, Wilcox County 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. Robert Miller Creswell, known to his many friends as ``Mr. Bob,'' was a devoted family man and a dear friend to his community.

Born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mr. Bob graduated from Massachusetts State College in Amherst, now known as the University of Massachusetts. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on February 11, 1941. Mr. Bob served with distinction as a combat trooper during World War II, dropping into the battlefields of the Netherlands under hostile Nazi fire.

While stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, Mr. Bob met Grace Morgan, a teacher in Columbus, Georgia. The two married in 1954 and had four children: Barbara, John, Phil and Tom.

Following his service in the U.S. Army, Mr. Bob served in the U.S. Army Reserve until retiring in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel. In 1964, he became reservoir ranger at Lake Allatoona, Georgia. Mr. Bob and Grace brought their family to Camden, Alabama in 1969, when he was promoted to reservoir manager for the Alabama River Lakes.

Hollis Curl, publisher of the Wilcox Progressive Era and personal friend of Mr. Bob, wrote, ``I don't know just what Mr. Bob saw as his major achievement, but I believe it is safe to say that he looked with extreme pride on the family he and his wife, Grace, raised together.'' Hollis went on to write, ``Mr. Bob's tenure as the man in charge of the Corps of Engineers Alabama River Lakes was impressive. Unlike many in similar positions, Mr. Bob was a friend to the community and to the people he served. He knew the role of the Corps and he was a master at abiding by the rules while at the same time helping citizens conform to regulations they might not have understood.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Throughout his life, Mr. Bob Creswell set a standard of excellence second to none. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Grace, and his daughter, Barbara. He will be deeply missed by his family--his sons, Philip M. Creswell, John R. Creswell, and Thomas L. Creswell; two grandchildren, Joshua Morgan Creswell and Laura Grace Creswell; four step-grandchildren, Clayton R. Tartt, T. Hester Tartt, Jennifer R. Goggans, and N. Anne Goggans--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind.

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

Madam Speaker, there are many unsung heroes throughout our great nation who give selflessly of their time in order to help others. Mr. Fred Kelley, of Monroeville, Alabama, is one of these individuals.

Fred has dedicated his life to helping others by encouraging families to take up bicycling. His tireless efforts to promote healthy living have raised over $330,000 for the American Cancer Society. Founder of Monroe County's ``Peddlin' for a Cure,'' the largest fundraising event in the American Cancer Society's southeast division, Fred and his team raised an incredible $140,000 at this year's ride for cancer research.

``Peddlin' for a Cure'' began almost by accident. In 2004, Fred Kelley and Phill Allen, co-hosts of the Morning Show on Monroeville's WMCF 99.3, made a plea to their listeners to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Fred challenged his listeners saying, ``If we can raise $1,000 this morning, I'll ride my bicycle from the Monroeville Square to the Battleship Alabama.'' Within 20 minutes, $5,000 had been raised and numerous callers had volunteered to ride with Fred, and that morning, ``Peddlin' for a Cure'' was born. The first ride to the battleship exceeded everyone's expectations raising $36,000, and in just four years, ``Peddlin' for a Cure'' has raised $334,000 for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, in addition to other cancer fundraising events throughout the country.

Fred's commitment to his community doesn't end there. He is also a volunteer with the Alabama Obesity Task Force in Montgomery and uses his skills as a commercial pilot to volunteer with Pilot's for Christ, an international organization that uses airplanes for missionary work. With Pilot's for Christ, Fred has flown numerous cancer patients for specialized treatments all of the United States.

Earlier this week, President George W. Bush invited Fred Kelley to the White House to personally thank him for his selfless service to others.

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring Fred Kelley for his selfless commitment to helping his community and for inspiring others to do the same. Fred's story serves as an inspiration not only to those of us in southwest Alabama but also to people across the country. Without a doubt, we need more people like Fred Kelley in this world--a true hero.

Madam Speaker, the city of Mobile and indeed the entire state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend. I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to memory of Mr. Non Quincy Adams.

A native and resident of Mobile, Mr. Adams graduated from Murphy High School and attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theater of operation aboard the USS George Clymer and attained the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

After the war, he received degrees in business and law from the University of Alabama. Starting his career as a teenager with First National Bank in 1940, he returned to Mobile after college to practice law. Over the years, he held positions in the trust and commercial areas. During the 1970s, Mr. Adams rose through the ranks to become a member of the board of directors. Later, he became president and in just 4 years, chief executive in 1982. After the bank merged with AmSouth Bank, he was named chairman of AmSouth's Southern region.

In 1974, he was elected to the board of directors of Loyal American Life Insurance Co., and he later became the chairman and chief executive officer of the Modern Banking Association of Alabama. In 1988, Mr. Adams ran for a seat on the Mobile County school board and served a term as the District 2 commissioner. He also served as a director of both the Industrial Development Board of the city of Mobile and the Business Council of Alabama.

Along with his business associations, Mr. Adams served as director of the Mobile Area Council of Boy Scouts and was a trustee of the YMCA. He also served as the director of the Exploreum and was chairman of the Keep Mobile Beautiful Commission. During the 1980s, he was significantly involved with the tree preservation, beautification and revitalization of Bienville Square. Mr. Adams was a deacon and lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Mobile. In 1990, he was bestowed the honor of Mobilian of the Year.

There is no doubt--Mr. N. Q. Adams' contributions to Mobile and the state of Alabama will be long remembered. He loved life and lived it to the fullest, and his passing marks a tremendous loss for all of south Alabama. He will be deeply missed by many, most especially his wife of 54 years, Eran Jobe Adams; his sister, Dora Lee Davidson; his son, Samuel Russell Adams; his daughter, Laura Aline Adams; his granddaughter; and his great-grandson; as well as countless friends he leaves behind.

Our thoughts and prayers go with them all in this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise today to honor Mrs. Carol Gordy as she completes a highly successful term as the 2007 chairman of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA).

Carol has been a distinguished member of the Brewton, Alabama, business community for almost three decades. In 1990, she purchased Natural Decorations Inc., known as NDI, from its original founders. Since that time, Carol and her husband, Joe, have grown the company from 10 to 100 employees and increased sales from less than $1 million to more than $16 million a year.

NDI is located in a small town in Alabama; nevertheless, it is a world-class leading manufacturer of high-end floral and botanical reproductions. Counted among its customers are Neiman-Marcus, Horchow, and interior designers worldwide, with ads appearing regularly in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Veranda, and Traditional Home. NDI also has exclusive licensing agreements with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Versailles Foundation for Monet's Giverney Gardens.

Under Carol Gordy's leadership as both chairman and chief executive officer, NDI has been nominated for 10 ARTS Awards, the premier awards program for the home decorative accessories industry, and received six. In 2001, NDI was inducted into the ARTS Hall of Fame. Additionally, NDI has been recognized for outstanding achievements in workplace safety.

It is this commitment to excellence in her own business that has made Carol such a valuable asset to BCA. In 2005, BCA leaders recognized her dedication to the association and asked her to join other volunteer leaders to serve as the group's first vice-chairman, a position that put Carol in line to be the first woman in BCA's history to serve as chairman.

A native of Dublin, Texas, Carol was raised in New Mexico. She started her first of three retail flower shops in Albuquerque and was the first person from New Mexico ever to be inducted into the American Institute of Floral Design in Washington, DC in 1980.

Carol's commitment to her community is second to none. She currently serves on the boards of A+ Education Foundation, BankTrust, Alabama Technology Network, Rotary International, the Quality of Life Chair for Alabama Communities of Excellence, and the Accessory Division of International Home Furnishings Center, High Point, NC.

Carol is a member of the Governor's Commission on Quality Teaching and has served on the Governor's Commission on Efficiency, Consolidation and Funding. She was a member of Leadership Alabama Class XXIII and served as a judge for the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. She is also a member of Voices for Alabama's Children.

Madam Speaker, there are few individuals more dedicated or more committed to helping their communities than Carol Gordy, and I

would like to offer my congratulations for her service as the first woman chairman of BCA and for her many personal and professional achievements.

I know her husband, Joe, her family and many friends join me in praising her accomplishments and extending thanks for her many efforts on behalf of Brewton and the state of Alabama.

Madam Speaker, it is a personal pleasure and distinct privilege to rise today to recognize one of my state's most outstanding citizens, former Alabama State Senator Ann Bedsole, for being honored by the Alabama School of Math and Science (ASMS) with the recent dedication of the new Ann Smith Bedsole Library.

For over three decades, Ann has been one of South Alabama's most trusted and respected leaders. In 1978, she became the first Republican woman to be elected to the Alabama House of Representatives. At the next state election, she became the first woman ever elected to the Alabama State Senate and, in 1994, she was a candidate for governor. To say she has been a political pioneer, as well as personal inspiration to many of us, would be a considerable understatement.

During her career in the Alabama Legislature, Senator Bedsole was instrumental in the creation of the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile. Working closely with fellow legislators and members of various agencies in state government, she was able to secure support for the institution and has provided a great deal of assistance to the school since it opened in 1991.

In recent years, Senator Bedsole has served as both vice president and president of the ASMS Foundation Board of Directors.

A successful businesswoman, Ann is the owner and operator of Bedsole Farms and president and chairman of the Board of White Smith Land Co. She is also involved in many charitable organizations including serving on the boards of the Sybil Smith Charitable Trust and the J. L. Bedsole Foundation. She has also served on the board of trustees of Spring Hill College and Huntingdon College.

Ann Bedsole's efforts in the fields of volunteerism and fundraising have also led to significant recognition in previous years, and she has been honored as First Lady of Mobile in 1972, Mobilian of the Year in 1993, and Philanthropist of the Year in 1998. She also served as president of Mobile's Tricentennial celebration.

Ann has received the Meritorious Public Service Award from both the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Journal. She also received Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from Mobile College and Huntingdon College.

In 2002, Senator Bedsole was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor. Created in 1965, the Alabama Academy of Honor was established to recognize living Alabamians for their accomplishments and service that greatly benefit or reflect credit on the state of Alabama. Ten members may be elected annually by the Academy of Honor with no greater than 100 living members at a time.

Madam Speaker, Ann Bedsole has spent practically her entire adult life giving to others, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in thanking her for her commitment to so many wonderful missions.

I know her family and friends join with me in praising her accomplishments. On behalf of all who have benefited from her good heart and generous spirit, permit me to extend thanks for her many efforts over the past three decades in making Mobile and the state of Alabama a better place to live and work.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Standard Equipment Co. Inc., located in Mobile, Alabama, for being recognized by the Alabama Retail Association as an Alabama Centennial Retailer.

The Alabama Retail Association, in conjunction with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, sponsors the Retailer of the Year program. Awarded in three categories based on annual sales volume, the awards are presented at the association's annual Retailing Day luncheon.

The designation of Alabama Centennial Retailer by the Alabama Retail Association recognizes century-old retail businesses for their contributions to Alabama's past, present, and future. I am proud to recognize that two of the honorees are located in Alabama's First Congressional District.

One of this year's honorees, Standard Equipment Co. Inc., was founded in 1906 by Richard A. Christian. A distributor of industrial, construction and marine supplies, Standard was originally located at Commerce and St. Anthony streets, but for almost 50 years, the company has operated at Beauregard and Water streets near the state docks. A major supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating products, the company is now owned by E. Burnley Davis Sr. and Robert D. Wilkins.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Standard Equipment Co. Inc. for being recognized as an Alabama Centennial Retailer by the Alabama Retail Association. I know Burnley Davis, the company president, along with the company employees, their friends, families, and members of the community also join with me in praising Standard Equipment Co. Inc. for their many accomplishments and for extending thanks for their continued service to the Alabama business community and the First Congressional District.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and personal pleasure that I rise today to honor and congratulate Mr. Robert W. ``Bubba'' Lee for receiving the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) inaugural Chairman's Award for Leadership and Distinguished Service. Make no mistake, Mr. Lee is most deserving of this high honor; his dedication and service to the business community throughout Alabama has rightly earned him this prestigious award.

Bubba, as he is affectionately known to his family and friends, was honored with this award at the 2007 BCA Governmental Affairs Conference held earlier this year at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. A shining example of volunteer leadership, Bubba has always been known to go above and beyond in everything he does. He has devoted countless hours of his life to making Alabama a better place to live and work.

In recognizing him for this very special award, the Business Council of Alabama chose Bubba because he not only has given unselfishly of his time and resources to the Business Council, but he has also been invaluable to the organization as a leader, visionary, and advisor. Early on, Bubba was one of the original architects of BCA's political structure and the results have been obvious. Thanks in no small part to RCA's leadership over the past 21 years, Alabama has truly become a great place to do business.

Bubba served as chairman of the BCA board of directors from 1995-96 and as chairman of the board of directors of ProgressPAC, BCA's political action committee, from 1992-94. He remains a key member of BCA's Regional Advisory Committee 1.

Madam Speaker, I recognize Bubba today for not only his dedication to BCA but for his leadership at Vulcan, Inc. Serving as president of Vulcan, Inc. since 1986 and as CEO since 1996, Bubba has been--and continues to be--a solid leader in his professional career. A loving husband, father, and grandfather, as well as a leader in his church, Bubba Lee is a friend upon which you can always depend.

I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Bubba Lee for both the great success he has enjoyed in his life and his outstanding service to the city of Foley and the state of Alabama. I know his wife, Cheryl; his daughters, Martha Ann and Beth; his two granddaughters; and his many friends and colleagues are also proud of him. I wish Bubba and his entire family much health and success in the years ahead.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to offer congratulations to Loxley Elementary School for being named a State Champion school for 2006-2007 by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

With the motto, ``EveryBODY is a winner in activity and fitness,'' the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards program offers presidential recognition and awards for physical activity and fitness participation to children ages 6 to 17. The State Champion award is presented annually to three schools in each State having the highest number of students scoring at or above the 85th percentile on the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test.

As a State Champion, Loxley Elementary School is a role model for other schools because of its dedication to helping students encourage physical activity and gain fitness skills along with an understanding of the health benefits of being regularly active. Encouraging adequate amounts of daily physical activity is an excellent way to instill healthy lifestyle habits at an early age.

The five assessments of the President's Challenge Physical Fitness Test measure four components of physical fitness: a one-mile run/walk for heart and lung endurance; curl-ups for abdominal strength and endurance; a ``sit and reach'' stretch for muscular flexibility; pull- ups for upper body strength and endurance; and a shuttle run for agility.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Loxley Elementary School in Loxley, Alabama, for this honor. This school deserves public recognition and our appreciation for their concerted efforts to instill healthy lifestyle habits in the children of south Alabama.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Julius Goldstein & Son Inc. located in Mobile, Alabama, for being recognized by the Alabama Retail Association as an Alabama Centennial Retailer.

The Alabama Retail Association, in conjunction with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, sponsors the Retailer of the Year program. Awarded in three categories based on annual sales volume, the awards are presented each year at the association's Retailing Day luncheon.

The designation of Alabama Centennial Retailer by the Alabama Retail Association recognizes century-old retail businesses for their contributions to Alabama's past, present, and future. I am proud to recognize that two of the honorees are located in Alabama's First Congressional District.

One of this year's honorees, Julius Goldstein & Son Inc., which does business as Goldstein's Jewelry, was founded in 1879 by Julius Goldstein. One of the South's leading fine jewelry stores, it is now owned by Richard Frank Jr., whose family purchased the business in the 1950s. Originally located on Dauphin Street in downtown Mobile, Goldstein's moved to Royal Street in 1905. Relocating to

Bel Air Mall in 1967, Goldstein's was the first of Mobile's jewelry stores to ``move west.'' In 1974, Goldstein's built a second location in the mall, where it stayed until moving to its current location on Hillcrest Road in 2002.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Goldstein's Jewelry for being recognized as an Alabama Centennial Retailer by the Alabama Retail Association. I know Richard Frank Jr., along with the company employees, their friends, families, and members of the community also join with me in praising Goldstein's Jewelry for their many accomplishments and for extending thanks for their continued service to the Alabama business community and the First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, due to an error, I failed to cast a vote on rollcall 939. Had I cast a vote, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 989.