Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to William Bartley Crawley, a prominent Alabama farmer, agricultural leader, and conservationist, on the fiftieth anniversary of his death.

In the heart of Pike County near Banks, Alabama, lies State Road 201, a nondescript mile-and-a-half stretch of blacktop one would use if traveling from Brundidge to Monticello and points beyond. The pastoral setting along State Road 201 understates the legacy and the prominence of the man who lived in the white farmhouse along that highway among the rolling fields of peanuts and cotton. By an act of the Alabama Legislature, State Road 201 now bears that man's name: the William Bartley Crawley Highway.

The legacy of Mr. Crawley is as deep and rich as the red dirt road that ran due east from the white farmhouse into the heart of the 3,000 acre Crawley farm.

William Bartley Crawley was born August 21, 1893, the fifth of six children of John Henry Crawley and Laura Jane Stokes. John Henry was a respected farmer in the Banks community and passed his love for farming to his children. William Bartley, or W.B., married Willie T. Brantley in 1913 and spent the years 1915 to 1932 not as a farmer, but as a road contractor, building many of the farm-to-market and butter-and-egg roads on which agriculture in the South had come to depend.

Mr. Crawley ultimately yielded to his passion to farm full-time, and was soon thereafter called on to speak for all the farmers in the community. Thus began what would become a lifetime of service as a leading voice in agriculture in Alabama and the Nation.

Mr. Crawley's first leadership role began in 1933 when he was named Pike County, Alabama's committeeman to the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). The AAA, the forerunner of the Production and Marketing Administration (PMA), was established within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to raise farm prices by limiting and diversifying crop production, and to protect the long-term viability of farming by introducing soil conservation methods. Mr. Crawley quickly rose to prominence in the AAA becoming Alabama state

committeeman in 1935 and serving as Chairman of Alabama's State committee from 1938 to 1948.

During the same period, Mr. Crawley founded, in 1937, the Georgia, Florida, Alabama Peanut Association (GFA) to represent the collective interests of all peanut growers in the region. He served as president of the association from 1937 to 1951 during which time GFA became a political juggernaut with over 93,000 members across six States and wielded significant influence in national agriculture policy.

As president of GFA, Mr. Crawley was called to Washington, D.C., by the Secretary of Agriculture, in December, 1940, to consult on legislation regarding peanut farming. In March, 1941, again in Washington, Mr. Crawley testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee, and one month later the landmark ``Pace Peanut Bill'' became law. Among other things, the 1941 Peanut Bill set up marketing quotas that guaranteed peanut farmers a fair price on peanuts grown on their allotted acres. Ultimately, GFA initiatives raised the price of peanuts from $30 per ton in 1937 to $240 per ton in 1948, while at the same time increasing per-acre yields and introducing important soil conservation measures.

Of course, during his years of public service Mr. Crawley continued to manage a large productive farm in Banks as well as help Willie T. rear a large active family: their sons, Thomas Marion, born in 1914, William Douglas, born in 1915, William Brantley, born in 1919; and James Beard (Corky), born in 1928; and their daughters, Annie Lester, born in 1921, and Jane Carolyn, born in 1924. The concept of service- above-self ran strong in the next generation of Crawleys, and during World War II Mr. Crawley had to call on German prisoners of war interned in nearby camps to work his farm while his own sons and many of his tenants were at war. The husband of one of his daughters was, in fact, himself, a prisoner of war of the Germans.

In 1948, Mr. Crawley was once again called to service in Washington, D.C., this time by President Truman and Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. Brannan, for a full-time leadership position in the Production and Marketing Administration (PMA).

Mr. Crawley was reluctant to move to Washington, as the GFA News reported, because, ``frankly . . . leaving his home, his family, his friends, his farm, and last but not least, his fish pond, is a very unhappy task.'' However, as the paper went on to report about Mr. Crawley, ``But fifteen years spent in working with and for farmers in every county in his state . . . have so channeled his thoughts and formulated his actions . . . he has answered the call to Washington with the same understanding for the needs of American agriculture and the same deep sense of loyalty . . . which characterized his long years of public service.''

In Washington, Mr. Crawley served as assistant administrator of PMA and was responsible for all agricultural conservation programs nationwide. In 1949, Mr. Crawley was confirmed by the Senate for the additional responsibility of serving as one of six members on the Board of Directors of the influential Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). His service on the national stage brought to the Nation the same positive benefits he had earlier delivered for Alabama: higher crop prices, improved per-acre yields, and major improvements in soil conservation methods.

In 1953, Mr. Crawley returned to his farm in Banks and, on July 23, 1955, died at the age of 61. During his life he had never viewed farmers in shades of black and white, but rather fought relentlessly to improve the plight of all farmers. As a testament to his lifetime of inclusion his funeral was officiated by ministers both black and white.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to pay tribute to the outstanding service and the lasting legacy of Mr. William Bartley Crawley, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in recognizing the work and achievements of this native son of Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 11, 2005, I was absent for votes because of my inability to travel due to Hurricane Dennis which hit the State of Alabama on July 10, 2005. I missed rollcall votes Nos. 363 and 364. Had I been present for votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on Nos. 363 and 364.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to pay tribute to the Honorable Charles R. Butler, Jr., on the occasion of his assuming senior status on the bench of the United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama. For the past seventeen years, Judge Butler has served the families of the State of Alabama with compassion, dedication, and a tremendous level of commitment.

A 1962 graduate of Washington and Lee University, and a 1966 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, Judge Butler was hired for his first position with Hamilton, Butler, Riddick and Denniston law firm in Mobile, Alabama. Within two years, he had moved on to work as an assistant public defender and, in 1971, was elected as District Attorney for Mobile County. In 1975, following his work as district attorney, Judge Butler went to work for Butler and Sullivan law firm and, ultimately, returned to a position with Hamilton, Butler, Riddick, Tarlton and Sullivan law firm.

President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Butler to his position as a district judge in 1988, and he began his official duties on November 1 of that year. From July, 1994, to February, 2003, he served as the southern district's chief judge, and he moved to senior status on March 28, 2005.

Along with his many professional responsibilities, Judge Butler has also served as a member of numerous State and Federal justice programs. This long list includes memberships on the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council, the Executive Committee of the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council, the Eleventh Circuit Criminal and Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committees, the Judicial Conference Committee on Criminal Law, and the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. His work in these areas, as well as his professional accomplishments, has also resulted in public recognition and many awards during his long years of public service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Judge Charles R. Butler, Jr., for his tremendous contributions to the citizens of the First Congressional District and of the entire State of Alabama. The experience and enthusiasm he brought to his job and the concern and compassion he displayed for all citizens in our State are unquestioned and unparalleled. He has indeed been a genuine asset both to the district court and to the thousands of men, women, and children he has assisted over the past two decades. I am proud and honored to call him my friend.

Make no mistake, the Judge's talents and experience will continue to be of great value to his colleagues in his new role as senior judge, and I am confident he will continue to remain actively involved in the United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama, and the life of the Mobile community for many years to come. Along with his friends and colleagues throughout Alabama, I wish to extend to Judge Butler and his family all the best now and in the future.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, I was absent for votes due to important official business in my district. I missed rollcall votes Nos. 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303. Had I been present for votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on Nos. 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 303 and ``nay'' on Nos. 293, 299, 300, 301, 302.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Town of Millry, Alabama, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding.

Millry was founded on June 2, 1905, incorporated in 1921, and the community's first election was held in 1922. Millry derived its name from ``Mill Creek,'' which ran almost directly through the center of the town and was a resource which contributed heavily to the community's development. Millry also took its name from the two grist mills and the saw mill located on the creek's fast-flowing waters. Settlers who came to the Millry area were attracted to the fishing at the state lake, the beautiful scenery of the stands of tall pine trees, and the green pastures.

The first schools were run in local homes or in available buildings. In the early 1900s, a small school served by three teachers was constructed. Later, a two-story school building was constructed in 1920, with the first graduating class marching in 1929. Additionally, in those early days, there was only a single church of the Methodist denomination which was built in 1910.

The Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern (AT&N) Railroad was initially supposed to run near the town of Healing Springs, a thriving resort area near Millry. However, Mr. Pettus, the owner of the resort, refused to grant a right-of-way through his property for the railroad. As a result, in 1912 the route was moved one-and-a-half-miles east through the town of Millry. The location of the railroad station, being the nearest station to Healing Springs, was responsible for much of Millry's growth.

It is not known when the town became more commonly referred to as Millry. However, postal records indicate that the first post office was established in Millry on May 21, 1859. Mr. James C. Warrick was the first postmaster. The first post office was located in Healing Springs from 1894 until the present post office in Millry was opened in 1905. Therefore, it is possible that Millry was a town or community as far back as 1859, but maps only show Millry in 1905. Regardless, Millry was by 1918 a booming community. The town's early businesses consisted of three stores, a two-story hotel, a blacksmith shop, a cotton gin and grist mill, a barber, a dentist and a doctor.

The Citizen's Bank was established in the early 1920s but closed during the depression in 1930. By 1922, the Millry Baptist Church was organized in the school building with Reverend H.M. Mason as its pastor and with a congregation of 29 members. By 1960, a brick structure was constructed on the same site to replace the earlier structure.

The current city hall was built during Mayor Carpenter's administration, and a water system and fire department were completed during Mayor Lamberth's administration.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Millry has experienced many changes over the past 100 years. Despite these sometimes difficult challenges, Millry remains one of the most attractive communities in the Washington County area. The nearly 800 residents of Millry, Alabama, are firmly rooted in their proud past, and continue to display an optimistic outlook on the future of their community. The hard work and devotion the leaders of the community have exhibited for the past 100 years has yielded a stable community that will be a continuing success.

It is my hope the Town of Millry enjoys all the best of continued prosperity for the next one hundred years, and it is my distinct pleasure to represent this fine community in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mr. Donald G. Waldon on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Water Development Authority. Mr. Waldon has held this position for the past 20 years and has served the waterway and its many users well. His dedication and hard work have been a powerful asset in helping to develop the waterway and the areas surrounding it.

Mr. Waldon, a native of Columbus, Mississippi, grew up in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1961. He completed his post-graduate studies in science

and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963 and Texas A&M University in 1964. He is also a 1994 graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.

In 1961, Don Waldon moved back to Mobile and began his career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked as a project engineer conducting feasibility studies for water resource projects such as ports and waterways. In 1966, Don became a Budget Examiner in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the Executive Office of the President where he advised the OMB and White House officials, including the president, on major budgetary, policy, and legislative matters involving natural resources. His agency responsibilities included the Interior Department, the Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Valley Authority. From 1969 to 1974, he held the position of Principal Examiner, at which time he assumed the duties of Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior. His responsibilities included management of all land and water resource agencies within the Department of the Interior. At that point in time, they had a total annual budget of nearly $2 billion and nearly 12,000 employees. Additionally, he served on a number of White House task forces, particularly those involving energy during this period.

In 1974, after a successful career in the federal government, Don decided to move back to the south and was hired as the Deputy Administrator at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority. On July 1, 1984 Don took over the position of Administrator, a position he has held for the past 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals who have provided more invaluable service to their community, their state, and their country than Donald Waldon. He is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to public service, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating him on the occasion of his retirement. I know his family--his wife, Jackie, his four children, and his four grandchildren--as well as his colleagues and many friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and extending heartfelt thanks for his many efforts on behalf of the state of Alabama, and indeed, a grateful nation. I would like to wish him much success in all future endeavors as he enters this new phase of his life.

Mr. Speaker, just over ten days ago the First Congressional District of Alabama and indeed, our entire state and nation, said goodbye to another casualty of war in Iraq.

Army Specialist Steven Ray Givens, a native of Houston, Texas, and a longtime resident of Mobile, Alabama, had recently volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq after having already completed an earlier l4-month tour. Steven, a member of the Third Infantry, Third Brigade, of Fort Benning, Georgia, returned to Iraq in mid-January, 2005, and had planned to make a career with the Army. Unfortunately, on May 8, 2005, he was fatally wounded during an attack by Iraqi insurgents.

During his career with the Army, Steven set a standard of excellence and displayed the qualities of discipline, devotion, and dedication to country that are the hallmarks of men and women throughout the long and distinguished history of the American military.

While serving his country with all his ability, Steven also showed great concern and charity for those he fought to liberate, frequently asking his friends and family back at home to send toys and snacks for the children in Iraq. As he left for his second tour he told his family, ``I can do something,'' and he truly did. This dedication to devote his life to serving his country and his concern and charity towards the children are a telling sign of what kind of man Steven was. This young man has shown America and the world the values and ideals our great country stands for.

It is appropriate for us to pause and thank God that there are still young men like Steven, whose life personified the very best America has to offer.

Mr. Speaker, as you can imagine, south Alabama is truly morning the loss of this fine young man. I urge my colleagues to take a moment to pay tribute to Army Specialist Steven Ray Givens and his selfless devotion to not only our country and the freedom we enjoy, but to a people who are in the infant stages of a new life--a new freedom--in their own land.

We should remember his wife, Cayssia Givens, and his two-year-old son, his parents, Joyce and Mike McDuffie, and his other family members 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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong concern over the unconscionable and harmful stalling tactics we are seeing in the confirmation process over in the other body with regard to several qualified judicial nominees.

Two in particular, Justice Janice Rogers Brown, the nominee that the gentlewoman was speaking about just a minute ago, and Judge Bill Pryor, are outstanding jurists; and I am proud that they are both natives of my home State of Alabama.

Justice Brown is a native of Luverne and the daughter of a sharecropper. She has enjoyed an extremely successful career beginning on the Third District Court of Appeals in California and continuing for the past 9 years on that State's State Supreme Court. Judge Pryor, a native of Mobile, was one of our State's finest attorneys general and served with distinction during his temporary appointment on the 11th circuit of the Court of Appeals.

Both of these individuals are experts in their field, and both of them represent the finest in legal minds anywhere in this country, and they deserve a vote.

Mr. Speaker, Mobile County and indeed the entire State of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor her and pay tribute to her memory. Mrs. Lancie B. Thomas was a devoted family woman and a pioneer in the Alabama publishing community.

A native of Beatrice, Alabama, Mrs. Thomas attended the Monroe County Training School, Tuskegee University, and Alabama State University, and following her education she worked for many years as a home economics teacher in the Tuscaloosa County school system. Upon leaving the teaching profession, she began to assist her husband, the late Frank Thomas, with the building of several newspapers throughout the state of Alabama. These included the Selma (Alabama) Citizen, the Alabama Citizen in Tuscaloosa, and the Mobile Weekly Review. The Weekly Review, started in 1943, had its named changed to the Beacon in 1954 and has continued operations to the present day. During her long newspaper career, Mrs. Thomas worked in a variety of positions in the family's newspaper business, including those of vice president, secretary, and treasurer. She eventually became the editor and publisher of the Beacon and continued in that position until her retirement as publisher emeritus in 1997.

Even with her numerous professional obligations, Mrs. Thomas also found time to involve herself in several Mobile community organizations and other causes which had an impact on the local, state, and federal levels. Beginning in the 1940s, she was involved in voter registration efforts throughout Alabama and became involved in numerous political, social, and religious organizations throughout the United States. She was instrumental in the formation of Mobile's Hillsdale Presbyterian Church and served as one of that parish's founding elders, as well as devoting significant time to attending to the needs of the congregation, both young and old alike. Mrs. Thomas served as the vice president of the Presbyterian Woman of South Alabama and was in 1988 selected to represent south Alabama at the Bicentennial Celebration of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

She was also a member of the Alabama Press Association, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Greater Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Federation of Greater Mobile, the South Alabama Region Planning Committee, the Mobile Mental Health Center, the Drug and Alcohol Council, and the Better Business Bureau.

Notwithstanding her significant professional accomplishments, Mrs. Thomas was also recognized on numerous occasions for her impact on her community and on the African-American population in Alabama and across the country. She was honored by the Alabama Press Association for lifetime achievement, and in 1974 was honored by the National Council of Negro Women for her professional accomplishments. Additionally, the NAACP recognized her efforts nationally in 1998, and she is the first African-American to be inducted into Auburn University's Hall of Honor. She has also been recognized by the City of Mobile, the Mobile County Commission, and such organizations as the Drug Education Council, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Throughout her life, Lancie Thomas set a standard of excellence in the newspaper business second to none. More importantly, however, she set a standard of excellence in her achievements specifically on behalf of the American-American community, but also for the entire City of Mobile, her State, and her Nation. She will be deeply missed by her family--her daughter, Cleretta Thomas Blackmon, her stepdaughter, Audrey Thomas, her siblings, Alberta B. Ford, Robert Black, Ruth B. Jefferson, Jency B. Mitchell, Alexander Black, Bennye B. Reasor, and Rufus Black, and her grandchildren--as well as the countless friends she 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. Hugh Thomas Praytor, Jr., known as Tommy to his many friends, was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life.

A native and lifelong resident of Mobile, Alabama, Tommy Praytor was a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and worked as a banker for 48 years. His first job, as a part-time counter at the old Merchants National Bank in Mobile, began during summer breaks during his time in college. Following his graduation, he took a full-time position at Merchants and worked in the bank's computer department. He continued his career with the bank after it became Regions Bank, and spent many years at the end of his career specializing in private lending and in bond issues for municipalities seeking infrastructure and other community improvements.

Even with his numerous professional obligations, Tommy also found time to involve himself in several Mobile community organizations. During his lifetime, he served as a group chairman for Alabama Young Bankers and was treasurer of the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club. Additionally, he served on or was affiliated with the Senior Bowl Committee, the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, the Mobile Bass Master Club, and several Mardi Gras mystic organizations. He was also a longtime member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Mobile and spent several years as both a Sunday school teacher and a member of the church vestry.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Tommy Prayter, Jr., loved life and lived it to the fullest, and his passing marks both a loss for all of south Alabama and a personal loss for me. I was fortunate to call him my friend, and he will be deeply missed by one and all, most especially his family--his wonderful wife of 46 years, Jamie Catlin Praytor, his sons, Hugh Thomas Praytor, III, and Wilson Wrath Praytor, his daughter, Ellen Praytor Wingard, his sister, Carolyn Praytor Smith, and four grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, recently south Alabama lost one of its most colorful personalities, and I lost a dear friend, R.B. ``Dickie'' Williams, III, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, ``Dickie'' was raised on the Williams Plantation in Finchburg, Alabama. After graduating from Monroeville High School and attending Auburn University, he graduated in 1958 with a B.S. degree in pharmacy from Howard College (since renamed Samford University). In 1961, ``Dickie'' moved to Selma, Alabama, and worked for three years on the staff of Swift Drug Company. In 1964, he moved one last time to Monroeville, where he opened Williams Drug Store.

For nearly 40 years, Williams Drug Store was one of the foundations of the businesses found on Monroeville's town square and provided--in addition to one of the best and most efficient pharmacies anywhere in the area--a gathering place for members of the community who would come together for fresh coffee and good conversation. In addition, the store became an unofficial repository of decades of Monroe County history, and during the latter part of his life ``Dickie'' was known as Monroe County's ``unofficial historian.'' During his life, he shared his vast knowledge of county history and personal recollections of life in Monroe County in a column for the town's newspaper, the Monroe Journal, and in a series of four books.

Perhaps most importantly, however, ``Dickie'' was deeply concerned for the personal well-being of his fellow Monroe Countians and for the preservation of his county's and his State's natural and historic sites. During the course of his life, he established the Monroe County Conservation Club and was instrumental in the creation of the Monroe County State Fishing Lake. Additionally, he was a past president of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and for 21 years was an elected Alabama delegate to the National Wildlife Federation. ``Dickie'' was also instrumental in helping to save the Old Monroe County Courthouse from demolition and was one of the founders of the Monroe County Heritage Museum.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a devoted citizen and long-time advocate for Monroe County, Alabama. ``Dickie'' will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Nancy Beeland Williams, his brothers, Charles Robbins Williams and John Bonner Williams, his daughter, Elizabeth Williams Olsey, his son, Richard Russell Williams, his stepsons, Dr. David Stallworth and Jeff Stallworth, his stepdaughter, Nancy Stallworth Weiss, and his 9 grandchildren--as well as the many friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the community of Summerdale, Alabama, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding.

The Town of Summerdale was founded by Eli Summer on October 4,1904, was incorporated in 1929, and was initially intended to

serve as a major tobacco production center. During the first years of its existence, Summerdale saw the creation of numerous businesses including the Cloverdon Store, a turpentine business, a canning factory, and a sawmill. Additionally, community leaders also oversaw the building of a movie theater and the opening of the town's first newspaper, The Summerdale Record. The earliest school in Summerdale held classes in the old Masonic Hall and consisted of just five students and one teacher. A second school building was constructed in 1915, and the most recent of three buildings used for the school continues to be used to this day.

The town's first post office was established in 1905, one year after the formation of the town. Within one year, employees of the post office were delivering mail to residents living along two rural routes in and around the Summerdale area. Tobacco continued to be a major product of the Summerdale area, with one of the leading tobacco manufacturing businesses, the Summerdale Tobacco Warehouse, having been constructed between 1909 and 1910. The Summerdale Tobacco Company continued to operate until the late 1920s when a variety of factors, including the effects of the Great Depression, increasing land prices, and marketing and labor difficulties, effectively brought an end to the production of tobacco products in that area.

Despite the difficulties experienced in the early part of the Twentieth Century, Summerdale today remains one of the most attractive communities anywhere in Baldwin County. The home of Baldwin Electric Management Cooperative (EMC), Summerdale is nestled in the midst of the rapidly growing southern half of the county, just minutes from several of the First District's largest population centers.

Mr. Speaker, the 754 residents of Summerdale, Alabama, are firmly rooted in their proud past, and at the same time are keeping a careful and optimistic eye on the road ahead. The vision displayed by their community leaders during the past 100 years has led to the creation of a stable community and one of the anchors for all of Baldwin County, and I have no doubt that the continued inspired leadership and vision of today's residents and leaders will lead to even greater successes in the years ahead.

It is my hope the Town of Summerdale continues its story of success for another one hundred years.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Antwan Deon Odom of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, on the occasion of his being honored by his community on ``Antwan Odom Day.''

Antwan was born on September 24, 1981, in Mobile, Alabama. During his early years, he worked in Bayou La Batre's seafood industry and during high school worked part-time after class unloading both shrimp boats and crab trucks. Early in life, he became an active football player and played in the Zirlott Park youth football league and, later, at Alba Middle and Alba High schools. Following the merger of Alma and Bryant High schools, Antwan played on the new school's varsity team. His talent and accomplishments on the field drew national attention, and he was named by Parade Magazine to their All-American Team and was also honored as both the Class 6A ``Lineman of the Year'' and the Super Prep Player of the Year. Antwan graduated from Alma-Bryant High School in 2000 and received a full football scholarship to the University of Alabama.

Antwan's outstanding success on the Crimson Tide football team earned him further accolades throughout Alabama and across the country. Following his freshman year, he was named an honorable mention Freshman All-American by Rivals.com. By the end of his collegiate career, Antwan ranked fifth on the university's all time sack leader list with 21 and had registered 98 tackles, 40 quarterback pressures, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five pass deflections, and two blocked kicks. Rather than finish his senior year at Alabama, he opted to declare his eligibility for the 2004 National Football League draft. In the second round of the draft, Antwan was made the 57th pick by the Tennessee Titans.

Mr. Speaker, Antwan Odom is certainly very deserving of being honored with his own hometown celebration. Although he is a youngman who has progressed quite far in just a few short years and who has developed into one of the leading stars in professional football today, he has not forgotten his roots. To this day, he continues to split time between his hometown and his new home in Tennessee, and the fame he has achieved has done little to diminish his love for his family,

his community, and his state. I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Antwan Odom for both the great success he has enjoyed in his life and his outstanding representation of the First District of Alabama. I know his family--his wife Brooke, and his sons, Antwan, Jr., and Baylor--and many friends are also proud of him, and I wish his entire family much health and success in the time ahead.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mr. Bernie Dittman on the occasion of his being honored with the 2005 Alabama Broadcasters' Association's Broadcaster of the Year Award.

This award recognizes outstanding contributions made by members of the Alabama radio and television broadcast community in both their professional field and in the life of their local cities and towns. Bernie Dittman, a long-time friend and resident of Alabama's First Congressional District, as well as an active member of the state broadcasters' association, is a very worthy choice to receive this year's award.

Bernie purchased WABB-AM in Mobile, Alabama, in 1959. This station, previously owned by the Mobile Register newspaper organization, first went on the air in 1948 with call letters that stand for ``Alabama's Best Broadcasters.'' One year later, Bernie moved to Mobile and completely changed the broadcast format of the station. His conversion of WABB from a country station to Top 40 propelled WABB to the position of the leading station in that format and one of the premiere stations anywhere on Alabama's Gulf Coast. In 1973, Bernie took WABB in a new direction when the station added a new FM signal and began to broadcast a progressive rock format. At a time when most automobiles were not equipped with FM receivers, Bernie and his team ran an extensive series of on-air promotions encouraging the installation of low-cost FM receivers.

Under Bernie Dittman's leadership, WABB has become one of the longest-running and most successful Top 40 radio stations in the United States. The station has also spearheaded over the years the move to more equality in the hiring of on-air personalities and staff members; in fact, WABB was one of the stations in south Alabama which early on began to hire women and African-Americans for important announcer positions. WABB has also been a critical part of Mobile's emergency broadcast community and played a crucial role in providing information to listeners during Hurricane Frederic (1979) and Hurricane Ivan (2004). During Ivan, in fact, WABB was one of the few stations in the area able to transmit continuously during the storm without losing power. Following the end of the storm, the station also spearheaded the effort to collect and distribute relief material to neighboring states which had also been severely affected.

Aside from his professional obligations, Bernie has also ensured that WABB and its family of employees take an active role in the life of the Mobile community. For the past 47 years, the station has operated the WABB Community Club Awards Program of Greater Mobile, which has during its existence provided over $250,000 in financial awards to local civic, religious, and cultural institutions. Additionally, the station has been a 40-year sponsor of the Greater Gulf State Fair, a 35-year sponsor of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, and a long-time sponsor of both the Senior Bowl and GMAC Bowl college football games. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Mobile, the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, the Mobile Ronald McDonald House, and numerous other organizations advocating area youth have also benefited tremendously from Bernie Dittman's leadership and community involvement. In fact, the area Toys for Tots program holds the record for the single largest toy collection anywhere in the United States, with over 100,000 toys collected--due in large part to the efforts of Bernie and his entire team.

Bernie has also been a longtime member of the Alabama Broadcasters' Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, and in 2000 was the recipient of the Greater Mobile Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award.

Mr. Speaker, there have been few individuals more important to the broadcast profession in Alabama or to the life of their local

community than Bernie Dittman. He is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to the field of broadcasting, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating him on this remarkable achievement. I know Bernie's colleagues, his family, and his many friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his many efforts over the years on behalf of the First Congressional District and the entire state of Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Ms. Paulette Williams on occasion of her recent retirement from the position of director of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency. Throughout her 40-year career, Paulette has contributed her extensive knowledge and expertise at the local, State, and Federal levels of emergency management and civil defense.

As an area frequently impacted by natural disasters and other such events, particularly during hurricane season each year, Mobile County has a well-established need for an efficient and well-run emergency management system. Paulette Williams has provided the leadership for such an organization, and her presence and expertise has been extremely helpful numerous times during the past several years, most significantly during Hurricane Ivan which made impact on Alabama's Gulf Coast on September 16, 2004. In the hours and days immediately following the storm, Paulette worked tirelessly with her team and with officials from all levels of government to coordinate the emergency relief so vitally needed by the tens of thousands of residents in the county. The work was incredibly difficult and the hours quite long, but through it all she maintained a firm hold on the situation and worked to ensure the county returned to as normal a life as possible in as short a time period as possible.

This work ethic has been a hallmark of her entire career and has resulted in numerous professional accomplishments. In 1992, she was selected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as one of four emergency management staff members from Alabama to assist in the State of Florida following Hurricane Andrew. In 1994, she was invited by the United States Department of Defense to participate in the first International Emergency Management Conference. The Alabama House of Representatives appointed her to serve as a member of the State's Homeland Security Task Force in 2003, and the next year she was chosen by Alabama Governor Bob Riley to serve on the Alabama Citizens Corps Council.

At the present time, she serves as president of Alabama 3, one of the state's two disaster assistance medical teams, and serves on the executive board of the Greater Mobile Emergency Planning Committee. She also serves as the legislative chairperson of the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers.

In addition to her impressive professional resume, Paulette has been recognized numerous times during her career for her outstanding contributions to her career field and her community. She was selected to be included in Who's Who in America for the 1998-1999 year, and she was listed in Who's Who of American Women between 1995 and 2000. Additionally, Governor Riley honored her when he selected Paulette as the first female and first merit employee ever selected for the post of Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals who have provided more invaluable service to their community, their county, and their state than Paulette Williams. She is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to public service, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating her on the occasion of her retirement. I know her colleagues, her family, and her many friends join with me in praising her accomplishments and extending thanks for her many efforts on behalf of Mobile County and the state of Alabama, and I would like to wish her much success in all future endeavors as she enters this new phase of her life.