Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Americans from all walks of life--and from all corners of this great country--celebrated Veterans Day 2005.

In our largest cities and our smallest towns alike, people paused, even if for just a moment, to say thank you to the men and women who over the years have helped to keep America free and strong.

Some communities held parades; others held rallies or prayer vigils, especially for the men and women who are currently fighting for freedom in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

And true to what living in a free country is all about, there were also the occasional signs of protests from people in some parts of the country who oppose our current involvement in the global war on terrorism or, for that matter, oppose anything the majority of Americans support.

At St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile, I had the opportunity to wear the hat of a proud parent as the student body held what has become a tradition, the annual St. Paul's school-wide assembly. This year's assembly focused on the meaning of patriotism, as well as a salute to our veterans, a number of whom were in attendance.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday was a beautiful day in Mobile and everyone in attendance witnessed a wonderful tribute to our country, led entirely by the student body. The presentation by the music department set the tone early on with patriotic songs filling the air. It was truly a ``Kodak moment'' of pride in America.

Naturally, Janee and I were especially proud when it came time for our own 4th grader to represent her class and tell about what patriotism means to her. While admitting some degree of prejudice, we were especially proud because Lee wrote her paper on her own, without either her mother or daddy's input. That seemed to make her teacher, Mr. Fricke, pleased as well.

All of the students who took part in Friday's tribute did a great job. Every parent, grandparent, teacher and friend had to be full of pride as the words of more than a dozen young people were somehow woven together to make a beautiful quilt of patriotism and love of country.

While everyone did a superb job, one young lady, Meg McCrummen, a St. Paul's junior who is secretary of the Student Government Association, perhaps captured the moment as well as any I have ever heard with her essay on patriotism. It is as follows:

``For the love of her country, Rosa Parks endangered her life for freedom; for the love of his country, George Washington turned down a real chance for great power because he knew America didn't need a king; for the love of his country, Jeremiah Denton endured torture in the Vietnam War, saying he was `honored to have had the opportunity to serve [his] country,' for the love of their country, people from all over America have come to the Gulf Coast to help clean up the mess left from hurricanes; for the love of their country, individuals support candidates whom they believe will lead America well.

``Patriotism goes far beyond wearing red, white and blue on the Fourth of July; it is a very personal response of gratitude to America. Loving America doesn't at all mean blindly agreeing with leaders. Patriots often speak out against the government they believe is wrong-- but it means acknowledging the tremendous gift of being American.

``Every person here is blessed by the fact that we are American. There is a contagious spirit of justice and goodwill that is evident throughout our history of dealing with people. Our country is the envy of many others, and we know freedoms that some foreigners only dream of.

``But where does that leave us, here at St. Paul's? When asked by his wife on Election Day who she should vote for, a soldier on active duty in Iraq replied, `You vote for whomever you want to . . . that's why I'm over here fighting.'

``Is there something worth fighting for? He believes so. I believe so.

``If not with guns, fight with service to our community. If not in Iraq, then fight injustice in Mobile. And so, I challenge you to pray for our leaders, love America actively, and be thankful for the men and women that saw fit to sacrifice their lives for her freedom.''

Well said, Meg. Well said.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Frank and Ocllo Boykin Hunting Lodge on the occasion of its 100th year.

Stories of Congressman Frank Boykin are certainly not unfamiliar to many in this chamber. For nearly three decades, spanning much of the Depression, World War II, the Korean War, and the space exploration and civil rights eras, Congressman Boykin tirelessly served as the representative of Alabama's First Congressional District.

During this time, ``Mr. Frank'' invited some of the most prominent government, military and business leaders to his hunting lodge in Washington County, Alabama. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of southwest Alabama, ensuring that their needs and concerns were always heard and that their individual problems received the attention they deserved over the course of his 14 terms in the House of Representatives. To say that he loved the people of his district would be an understatement; even the sign at the Boykin Lodge underscored his very love of life... ``Where everything is made for love.''

Starting with his first year in Congress, Congressman Boykin would bring congressional colleagues and other officials to his hunting lodge on a chartered Pullman car. Guests of the Boykin Lodge included three different Speakers of the House and almost every Alabama governor during the congressman's career. The hunts are held a few days after Thanksgiving every year and are attended, even to this day, by local and statewide officials.

Stories of a Boykin hunt weekend almost always included hound dogs, barbecue, cold ``adult beverages,'' a game or two of cards and shotguns. In addition to the hunting stories, the lodge also served as a place for colleagues to relax, enjoy being away from Washington, D.C., and to bond with one another. Many of the friendships fostered at the Boykin Lodge extended far beyond the boundaries of this rural part of Washington County.

It is my sincere hope that the Frank and Ocllo Boykin Hunting Lodge will continue to be such a source of relaxation, good fellowship and camaraderie for another 100 years, and I rise today to salute this proud family and the many contributions they have made toward the betterment of south Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb on the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the episcopacy and to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Mobile.

Mobile native Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb holds a master's degree and a doctorate from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Archbishop Lipscomb was ordained a priest in Rome on July 15, 1956, and was consecrated as the first Archbishop of Mobile on November 16, 1980.

Archbishop Lipscomb has been a pillar of the Mobile Catholic community for almost half a century starting when he was assistant pastor at St. Mary Parish. He has also played an integral role in education, serving as a teacher at McGill Institute and later a lecturer at Spring Hill College.

A popular figure in our community, Archbishop Lipscomb has developed a strong reputation for his dedication to the Archdiocese of Mobile. The archbishop has received numerous honors throughout his life including receiving the rank of Papal Chaplain and the title of Reverend Monsignor by Pope Paul VI and being named ``Mobilian of the Year for 1981.'' He has been an active member in the Catholic Historical Association, Historic Mobile Preservation Society, American Catholic Historical Association, Lions Club of Mobile, and the Mobile Metropolitan YMCA. Recently, under the archbishop's leadership, the archdiocese has made significant contributions to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the silver jubilee of Archbishop Lipscomb's ordination to the episcopacy and being the first archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mobile. I also extend my gratitude to Archbishop Lipscomb for 25 years of service to southwest Alabama. I know his sister, Margaret Joyce Lipscomb Bolton, and his many friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and recognizing this milestone in his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to William E. Breen on the occasion of his retirement after 40 years of faithful public service to this great nation.

Mr. Breen began his public career as a police officer with the U.S. Park Police during the tumultuous 1960s when Washington, D.C. was the epicenter of protest and demonstration. His skills both as a police officer and as an instructor were quickly recognized, and in 1970, he transferred to the U.S. Secret Service.

Over the course of 15 years as a special agent for the Secret Service, William Breen helped protect Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. He also played an integral role during the papal visit of John Paul II to the United States.

Of particular significance, Special Agent Breen was awarded the U.S. Secret Service Valor Award for extreme courage during an assassination attempt on the life of Presidential candidate and Alabama Governor George C. Wallace, in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972. After giving a speech at an open-air rally, Governor Wallace stepped down from the podium to shake hands with the cheering crowd when shots were fired. Special Agent Breen responded immediately providing assistance to the wounded candidate. He covered and removed Mrs. Wallace from her husband's side in order to prevent her from being attacked. After ensuring Mrs. Wallace's safety, Special Agent Breen returned to administer first aid to the governor. For exemplifying the highest standards of bravery, the United States Secret Service presented Special Agent Breen the United States Secret Service Valor Award.

More recently, Mr. Breen served with distinction in the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration. In this capacity, he used his extensive investigative and law enforcement skills to develop and execute programs designed to maintain the integrity and the credibility of Small Business Administration programs. Mr. Breen proved relentless in identifying and eliminating fraud throughout Small Business Administration assistance programs. Perhaps more significant, Mr. Breen's leadership, mentoring, and expertise in training, leaves a legacy that will live on in the agency long after his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, the faithful service of outstanding Americans like Mr. Breen has aided in a measurable way to the well being of this great country. He has made an impact. I am proud to have called Bill Breen my friend for many years, and I am particularly proud he has selected the First District of Alabama as his retirement home.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to highlight some of the exceptional actions taken by our corporate citizens in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

It is common to hear criticism from this floor of our Nation's largest companies, and I think it is only fair to recognize the good these companies do in times of national emergency.

The cover of a September Fortune magazine reads: ``Government Broke Down. Business Stepped Up. How Wal-Mart, FedEx, and Home Depot got the job done after Katrina.''

We have a select committee working hard to address the first part of this headline. We should also recognize and learn lessons from the second part of the headline, how business stepped up.

The Wall Street Journal on September 12, 2005, said, ``The Federal Emergency Management Agency could learn some things from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'' Indeed, FEMA could.

I recall talking to a mayor in my district in September of last year when Hurricane Ivan had just devastated his city and much of the Alabama Gulf Coast. He said the community's demands on the government for basic services such as water, food, and ice were relentless and almost overwhelming. Then the city's Wal-Mart SuperCenter reopened; the cavalry had arrived. The mayor said it was as if a huge weight had been lifted.

Mr. Speaker, this Wal-Mart store did not reopen without careful planning, without superb execution, and without the extraordinary effort of Wal-Mart employees in Alabama and throughout the Wal-Mart distribution system.

The efforts of Wal-Mart and other corporate citizens have been extraordinary in response

to Hurricane Katrina. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has contributed $17 million to relief efforts and donated 19 vacant facilities for use by relief agencies.

After the storm made landfall, the company immediately dispatched pre-positioned trucks to the devastated region bearing $3 million worth of emergency supplies. In addition, Wal-Mart employees personally donated over $9 million.

To quote Fortune magazine, ``The world's biggest company flexed its massive distribution muscle to deliver vital supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina.''

It was this distribution muscle that provided relief to the hardest hit areas. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its employees have earned our respect and our heartfelt thanks.

Mr. Speaker, there are other companies, perhaps not as large, that contributed in quiet, unheralded ways to Hurricane Katrina relief.

One additional company I would like to highlight is EADS, a European aerospace and defense firm that has recently chosen to open a facility in Mobile, Alabama, my home town.

In the chaotic days immediately following landfall of Hurricane Katrina, two EADS helicopters flew dangerous missions to rescue stranded victims, transport medical personnel, and deliver critical supplies to the Gulf Coast, stopping only to load, unload, and refuel.

EADS also coordinated with Airbus to deliver 23 tons of blankets, cots, tents and other items donated by the United Kingdom and France. The aid was flown onboard the Airbus A300-600ST cargo jetliner, also known as the Beluga, from Europe to Brookley Field in Mobile, Alabama.

In addition to the rescue and aid missions, EADS built a mobile medical rescue station in Long Beach, Mississippi. EADS, the German government, and Airbus coordinated to move the 12-ton medical rescue station from Frankfurt to Atlanta. Once in Atlanta, the Airbus Beluga moved it to Mississippi. The rescue station is staffed by 38 doctors and treats approximately 150 patients a day, handling everything from routine immunizations to surgical procedures.

In this time of such extreme adversity for the people of the Gulf Coast, the people of EADS truly came to our aid. I am humbled by their dedication and commitment to help in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly grateful to the national and international corporations that made generous contributions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. I have singled out two for our well-deserved thanks, and I am glad to call them neighbors.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mobile County schools Superintendent Harold Dodge on the occasion of being named Alabama's 2006 Superintendent of the Year.

Dr. Dodge has been a distinguished member of the Mobile, AL, community and a tremendous advocate for the county school system. He came to Mobile in 1998 to be the superintendent of the Mobile County public school system, the State's largest with over 65,000 students and 8,000 employees.

Under the leadership of Dr. Dodge, the Mobile County public school system has implemented a nationally recognized strategic plan that encourages sustained parental and community involvement while focusing on making children proficient in learning. His objectives for the next year include increasing the number of seniors who pass the High School Graduation Exam and increasing the number of Highly Qualified Teachers all while operating below budget projections. I have full confidence that these objectives will be met under the leadership of Dr. Dodge in 2006. During the last year, the Mobile County public school system received State and national attention for the transformation process of its five lowest-performing schools.

Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals more dedicated or more committed to our students than Harold Dodge, and I would like to offer my congratulations for being named Alabama's 2006 Superintendent of the Year and for his many professional achievements. I know his wife, Jean, and his many family and friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his many efforts on behalf of the students of Mobile County and the State of Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor and congratulate Colonel James Kelly, the pilot of the recent space shuttle Discovery Return to Flight Mission and the University of Alabama's first astronaut.

Colonel Kelly earned his master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama in 1996. That same year, he applied for NASA's astronaut class. Colonel Kelly was one of 44 members and one of only 10 pilots selected out of 2,400 applicants.

Colonel Kelly has logged over 3,800 flight hours in more than 35 different aircraft. Additionally, he has logged over 643 hours in space. He served as pilot on both the STS-102 Discovery and the STS-114 Discovery. The STS-102 Discovery was the eighth shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station. The two-week, 5.8 million mile STS-114 Discovery Return to Flight Mission reaffirmed our confidence in NASA and America's successful future in space.

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to commend Colonel James Kelly for his commitment to excellence and his willingness to explore. I thank him for his dedication and brave service to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two heroes whose leadership following Hurricane Katrina is truly inspiring.

Randy Boone, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survivalman, recently wrote me a letter describing the selfless actions of two soldiers from the Army's 1108th Blackhawk squadron: Sergeant Stacy Eubanks and Sergeant Kring.

Immediately following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, Sergeant Eubanks, whose own home was damaged, loaded his truck with ice and water that he delivered to the Mississippi coast. He went from house to house distributing all of the ice and water. He made a second trip that same day, and the following day was joined by a neighbor. Others were soon inspired to join him. Sergeant Eubanks and his fellow volunteers delivered over 5 tons of ice, hundreds of boxes of food, and several hundred cases of water throughout south Alabama and Mississippi. He also organized a caravan with a tractor trailer truck and pickup trucks with trailers loaded with food, water, ice and medical supplies from Mobile to Gulfport, MS.

Sergeant Kring and his family live in Waveland, MS, a community that was completely wiped off the map in the path of Hurricane Katrina. Thankfully, Sergeant Kring's family is alive and well, but their home was destroyed. When Sergeant Kring returned after the storm to what previously was his home, he spotted a group of displaced and disoriented survivors of Katrina gathered in a Waveland K-mart parking lot. Sergeant Kring organized the group, built a temporary shelter and a makeshift triage unit, and began assisting the injured. This parking lot was given the name ``Camp Katrina.'' Sergeant Kring remained there for days until he was able to get outside assistance. I understand that the location later became a portable military medical facility to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Waveland.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Sergeant Eubanks went to Waveland to locate comrades he had not been able to contact. Sergeant Stacy found Sergeant Kring at the ``Camp Katrina'' parking lot. The two tried to recover personal items from the remains of Sergeant Kring's destroyed home.

The 1108th Blackhawk unit stationed at Fort Shelby was training to go to Iraq in October, when Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Because of the massive destruction to our coastal communities and because many of these soldiers' homes were severely damaged or destroyed, it is my understanding that only 50 of the soldiers will be deployed to Iraq. Sergeant Stacy is one of the 50, and I was not surprised to learn that Sergeant Kring has volunteered to go as well.

Mr. Speaker, the selfless dedication of these two gentlemen to their communities in a time of crisis is a tribute to their families, their communities, and their service in the Armed Forces. I am grateful to have these men serving in our Nation's military, and I commend their service.

Mr. Speaker, this week our Nation lost a pioneer of the modern civil rights movement, and I rise today to honor her and pay tribute to her memory. Rosa Parks inspired generations of activists by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

Born Rosa McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, she was the daughter of a carpenter and a teacher. She was small for her age and suffered from poor health, including chronic tonsillitis. She was very young when her parents separated, and she moved to Pine Level, Alabama, with her mother. Rosa was forced to leave school to care for her aging grandmother.

She married barber Raymond Parks in 1932, at her mother's house. It was not until the year following her wedding that Ms. Parks, with the encouragement of her husband, received her high school diploma. She and her husband shared a passion for civil rights. Her husband was an early defender of the Scottsboro Boys, the group of young African Americans who were falsely accused of raping two white women in Scottsboro, Alabama.

It took three attempts for Ms. Parks to register to vote in 1945. The administrator failed her the first two times she took the literacy test. The third time she took the test, she wrote all of her answers on a second piece of paper in the event she would later need to prove she should have passed. Ms. Parks was a volunteer secretary to the president of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP.

In 1955, Rosa Parks was working as a seamstress for the Montgomery Fair department store. On the evening of December 1, 1955, as she waited for a bus to take her home, she had to let a full bus go by. She then boarded a second bus and sat in the middle section next to an African American man. At the next stop, several white people boarded and filled the seats reserved for them, but one white man was left standing. She refused to give up her seat to this man, and the bus driver called the police and had her arrested.

The outrage over her arrest inspired the Montgomery bus boycott and the beginning of the modern civil rights movement. The Montgomery bus boycott ended after the United States Supreme Court on November 13, 1956, declared segregation on buses unconstitutional.

Near the end of her life, Rosa Parks deservedly received many accolades. A museum and library facility located on the Montgomery corner where she boarded the bus is named for her. She has received the Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed by the U.S. government, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian award.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the mother of the modern civil rights movement. A brave American who changed our country for the better, a dedicated and long-time advocate for civil rights, she is a woman whose courage forever changed America for the better.

Mr. Speaker, Clarke 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. Charles T. Browder, Sr., was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life. A native of Monroe County, Alabama, Mr. Browder, for many years worked with his brother in Montgomery. In 1987, he and his family moved to the City of Thomasville, where he founded Browder and Son Veneer, a company which became an anchor of the area's business community and has grown to employ more than 80 men and women.

A popular figure in his community, Mr. Browder developed a strong reputation for his generosity and philanthropy, and was always available to help his friends and neighbors in any way possible. He was active in the congregation of Thomasville United Methodist Church, and was a member of both the Abba Shrine Temple and Oliver Lodge No. 334 F & AM.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my Colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout South Alabama. Mr. Browder will be deeply missed by his family--his wife Annyce L. Browder; his children, Charles T. ``Tom'' Browder and Allen L. Browder; his sister, Gloria B. Lovinggood; his six grandchildren; and his seven great-grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, Mobile 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. Emory Bush ``E.B.'' Peebles, Jr., was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life.

A graduate of Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama, Mr. Peebles received his diploma from the Military College of South Carolina (The Citadel) in 1939. Following his graduation, he joined the United States Army Reserve with the rank of second lieutenant, and was employed by the Southern Industries Corporation. In June, 1941, he was called to active duty as a member of the United States Army and served with distinction during World War II as a member of the 31st Infantry (``Dixie'') Division of the Pacific Theater. For his service, he was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, and he was promoted to the rank of major prior to his discharge in December, 1945.

Following his discharge, he was employed by Ryan Stevedoring in Mobile, and continued to work with that corporation for the next four decades. He retired from the new Ryan-Walsh Stevedoring Company in 1985 as chairman of the business.

In the midst of his intense professional schedule, Mr. Peebles also found time to serve in many community organizations and on several boards of directors. He served on the boards of several area businesses and financial institutions, including the Mobile Gas Service Corporation and the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company. During the mid-1960s, he served as president of the America's Junior Miss Pageant, and in 1969 served as the president of the Mobile Carnival Association. He also helped to make Mobile's Senior Bowl college football all-star game one of the preeminent events in all of college athletics, and served as president of that organization. He was also actively involved in the Mobile Touchdown Club and the Mobile Area Arts and Sports Association, and served as president of the University of South Alabama's Jaguar Club. In 1996, he was named ``Mobilian of the Year.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout South Alabama. Mr. Peebles will be deeply missed by his family--his lovely wife, Barbara Cowen Peebles; his children, E.B. Peebles, III, Laura P. Rutherford, and John D. Peebles; his stepchildren, Alley C. Butler and Douglas L. Ford; and by his seven grandchildren and great- grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, the events we have witnessed during the past 2 weeks on the gulf coast have been nothing short of tragic. Never in my life could I have imagined the scale of devastation which has come to pass in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

The endless stream of video on national television networks and cable stations has provided us with images that until recently we had only seen in devastated Third World countries in other parts of the world.

My district in south Alabama was severely impacted by this monstrous storm. In some areas, such as Bayou La Batre and Dauphin Island, entire neighborhoods and businesses have simply been washed away. As horrific as this impact has been on my constituents, it is only a small part of the overwhelming destruction covering 90,000 square miles along America's gulf coast.

Ninety thousand square miles. To put that in perspective, in the area commonly known as Ground Zero in New York City affected by the terrorists on September 11, it totaled just 16 acres.

As everyone in this Chamber is aware, particularly our friends in Louisiana and Mississippi, the recovery time facing us will be long and difficult. It will require determination, strength of mind, spirit and body; and it will require a sense of unity.

In the days since the storm, we have seen all of these qualities in great abundance, in the people doing such large things as providing housing, jobs and hot meals for displaced families, and those doing such small things as providing a hug to someone in need.

But this recovery will also require one other thing. It will require a tremendous amount of funding. The emergency supplemental measure under consideration here today will provide much-needed funding from local, State, and Federal agencies to continue the seemingly insurmountable task of rebuilding lives, communities, and States.

It is difficult to know what the final cost will be in rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. However, the $10.5 billion in emergency funding approved by this body last week was a good start, and the $51.8 billion measure we are considering today will provide even more vital funding for the rebuilding of America's gulf coast.

I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) for his leadership in this very difficult, yet important, matter. On behalf of my home State of Alabama, I want to especially thank President Bush for his assistance to the impacted region and for his tremendous display of support to those affected by this storm. I am also most grateful to the leadership of this House for responding so rapidly to the great challenges that this emergency funding will help address.

Let me close by urging my colleagues to support this measure and, in so doing, show their support and compassion for the millions of women, men and children impacted in countless ways, both great and small, by this storm. Hope is something Americans should never lose. Let us, by both our words and actions, continue to provide that hope.

Mr. Speaker, knowing that time is precious and that our colleagues from Florida have already engaged the gentleman from California, I would like to raise this question in a colloquy.

Mr. Speaker, as these discussions continue toward a plan that could affect future oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, can the gentleman assure the delegations from all the States that border the Gulf of Mexico that any proposed plan would equitably and fairly consider the interests of those States?

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, one final question. Can the gentleman also ensure that the Governors and appropriate officials from those States will be included in those discussions?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, Baldwin County, Alabama, and indeed the entire First Congressional District recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory.

Senator L. Dick Owen, Jr., was a devoted family man and dedicated public servant throughout his entire life. A native of Bay Minette, Alabama, he was a 1941 graduate of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Governor George Wallace appointed him to the position of Baldwin County Probate Judge in January 1964 following the death of his predecessor, Judge Ramsey Stuart. One year later, he was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, where he served two terms before running for and winning two terms in the Alabama Senate. His work in the state legislature was met with wide praise, and he was honored by the Alabama Wildlife Federation as ``Legislative Conservationist of the Year,'' and, in 1976, by the Alabama Press Association as ``Most Effective Senator.''

Senator Owen was also actively involved in his community and was a charter member of the Bay Minette Rotary Club. He was also honored in 1982 when the performing arts center of Faulkner State Community College--an institution which he helped locate in Bay Minette--was named the ``L.D. Owen Performing Arts Center.'' His devotion to his fellow man was unmatched, and I do not think there will ever be a full accounting of the many people he helped over the course of his lifetime.

Senator Owen was also a proud veteran of the United States Army and served with distinction as a member of the famed 82nd Airborne Division during World War II, where he earned six Bronze Stars. During the Korean War, he returned to active duty, and in 1963 retired from the Army Reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated public servant and long-time advocate for Baldwin County, Alabama. Senator Owen will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Annie Ruth Heidelberg Owen; his son, L.D. Owen, III; his brother, James R. Owen; his sister, Nell Owen Davis; his three grandchildren; and his two great-grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to pay tribute to Commander Pete Riehm on the occasion of his retirement as Commanding Officer of the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Mobile, Alabama.

For the past three years, Commander Riehm has commanded this facility, with its complement of 200 Navy Reserve personnel and 250 Marine reservists, with an incomparable level of leadership and professionalism.

A graduate of the University of Houston, Commander Riehm received his master's degree in military arts and sciences from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Following his commissioning in 1985, Commander Riehm was assigned to the USS DAHLGREN (DDG 43) as Missiles Officer and Damage Control Assistant. Following that assignment, he was transferred in 1989 to a new assignment as an officer recruiter in College Station, Texas. In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, he was stationed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the staff liaison to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.

In 1996, he was transferred to Naples, Italy, and was attached to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Naval Forces Southern Europe Command. Between 1997 and 1998, he served four months; temporary active duty as naval liaison officer to the Stabilization Force stationed in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and was attached to the staff of the fleet commander during the Kosovo campaign. Just prior to receiving his command in Mobile, Commander Riehm completed more military education courses in Newport, Rhode Island, and then served as Damage Control Assistant on board the USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7) during its pre- commissioning, transfer, and shakedown cruises.

Commander Riehm has been recognized for his outstanding performance and career with several awards and decorations, including two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Along with his tremendous involvement in the activities and mission of the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center, Commander Riehm is also actively involved in his community. A resident of Mobile, Alabama, he has been involved with numerous local organizations, including the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission, the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, Operation Home Front, the Navy League, and the Alabama Chapter of the Military Officers Association. He also serves as a member of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee, and was part of a group of Navy personnel which worked with Mobile's Forest Hill Elementary School as part of the Partners in Education program.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Commander Pete Riehm for his tremendous contributions to the citizens of the First Congressional District of Alabama, the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Mobile, and the entire United States Navy. The experience and enthusiasm he has brought to his job and the professionalism he has displayed throughout his career are unquestioned and unparalleled.

He has indeed been a genuine asset both to his office and to the United States military, and I am proud and honored to call him my mend. I wish him and his family--his son, Justin, and his daughters, Jessica and Jennifer--much happiness and success as they enter this new phase of their lives.