Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on March 4, 2006, I attended the funeral of Almar LaRon Fitzgerald, an American soldier from Lexington, South Carolina, who gave his life while serving his country in Iraq. This hero of Lexington County who graduated from The Citadel was lovingly eulogized at the Lexington Baptist Church by Pastor Ken Jumper of The Harvest Church of Lexington. Pastor Jumper, with a family of military service, provided an inspiring lesson of hope.

The Funeral Service of LT Almar LaRon Fitzgerald Lexington Baptist

Church

And Jesus said to her, ``I am the resurrection and the

life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies;

and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you

believe this?''

As we were singing this last song, I was reminded of this

scripture where we are given the promise of eternal life. And

yes, we believe this.

I would like to thank the family for allowing me the

opportunity to share in these moments with them, and my

thoughts and prayers are certainly with you.

If I were to say today how I really felt inside, I would

have to say, ``It just ain't right''. But my part today is to

bring, and I have been asked to bring, ``words of comfort''.

With that said, we must understand today that our comfort

will not be found in the context of human understanding. As a

pastor, I am often called upon to explain the unexplainable,

but the unexplainable remains unexplained even after I have

said my piece. There are no real explanations as to why a

quality young man should leave life so early in the day.

However, our comfort today will be found in the context of

our faith. You see that is why we came to the church, sang

some hymns, called a preacher and read some scripture. We

understand that in moments like these we call upon our

faith--a faith that transcends our human understanding and

grief.

We look to the God unseen and an eternity yet unrealized to

anchor our hope. The faith I speak of today is more than just

a general faith in God. It is a specific faith that finds its

foundation in the person of Jesus Christ.

As I pondered my thoughts for today, I was reminded of the

first family created by God. Adam and Eve, the first family,

lost a son. Their son was also lost through an act of

seemingly meaningless violence. And at that time, they had to

deal with the emotions you and I are dealing with today--the

questions of why, feelings of loss and grief, and wondering

where do we go from here. They had to make some sense and

reconcile these thoughts of pain, loss and grief with God and

eternal things.

Today as we think of Almar LaRon Fitzgerald and the life he

lived--a life that served, a life that was savored and well

lived, and ultimately a life that was sacrificed--I would

like for us to turn our attention to ``another Son'' that was

sacrificed.

Adam and Eve had a son that was lost, and God gave them

another son. They named him Seth, and it was in and through

this son they were to find hope. It was through ``another

son,'' Seth, that Jesus Christ was to be born. If you follow

the genealogy of Christ backwards you will find this to be

true. And today, it is through this Son, God's Son Jesus

Christ, that you and I will find our comfort and consolation

from today.

I wish I could explain the unexplainable today. Let me tell

you what I do know. Let me tell you what I do know to be

True, Reliable and Eternal. I know that God is Love. He is,

He has been and He always will be. God created a world of

peace and harmony with no violence, sickness or pain.

Unfortunately, mankind fell and chose to live their lives

their own way. Therefore, we live in a fallen world today--

one that has sickness, pain and death. We must be careful

that we do not allow our pain and hurt to turn to bitterness

against others or against the God who does love us and care

for us.

For you see, it was right in the middle of this fallen

world that God dropped a cross, planted it in the ground and

hung His Only Son upon it. A cross that stands between heaven

and earth. A cross that helps us reconcile life and eternity.

A cross that helps us bear up under the burden of pain and

grief. A cross where Jesus died, sacrificially giving His

life for another. I remember as well, as I think of Almar' s

sacrifice, there is no greater love than this, that a man

would lay down his life for another. So you and I can look to

this cross and find the comfort and hope we need in order to

navigate this life.

We find in this cross two arenas of hope. First of all, the

hope of eternal life. For all those who have accepted Christ

and believe in Him, there is the promise of life after death.

You see, we who believe will see Almar again. There is life

beyond this life. This is the hope and comfort we can have

today.

Now we have the promise of eternal life, but we also have

the promise of a Comforter. Jesus promised that He would be

with us. He would comfort us. He would never leave us or

forsake us. So during the days and weeks ahead and during the

dark nights when no one is there, He will be there. He will

be with me and comfort me in my darkness and most difficult

moment! Can I get a witness in the place today?

This is the hope we have: Jesus and His presence will be

with me and strengthen me, day by day until `that day'. So we

look to the cross and the Son. This is where we find our hope

and peace.

We also find the grace to forgive at the cross. So we must

today forgive those who have hurt us.

The Bible tells us that the power of the cross removes the

sting of death. Death has no hold on us. As death went to

catch Almar in its grip, poof, he was gone. Death looked

around and could not find him. Jesus said those who believe

in me will never taste, experience, death.

And as we forgive, we find peace. Interestingly, Almar gave

his life for peace. So we must forgive others, even as Jesus

hung on the cross and said, ``Father forgive them, they don't

understand.'' May we become peacemakers today.

Finally out of this comfort, may we find courage. The

courage to get up and go on with our lives, learning to live

life to its fullest. The courage to forgive others and be

peacemakers. And the courage to accept Jesus Christ and forge

a path through life that others can recognize and follow.

Now may the peace and grace of Jesus Christ be with us all.

Amen and Amen!

Mr. Speaker, on March 3, 2006, I attended the funeral of SSGT. Jay Collado, an American soldier from Columbia, South Carolina, who gave his life while serving his country in Baghdad, Iraq. The inspiring service was conducted by Fr. Wilbroad Mwape, the Catholic Chaplain of Providence Hospital in Columbia. His message of heroism and hope was presented with great sincerity.

We have gathered here this morning to celebrate life for

Jay, for we believe death is not the end of our life but in

fact the beginning of a New, perfect and eternal life in

God's Kingdom. Jay died honorably and I really feel honored

to be part of this celebration of his life!

Death indeed is a very painful experience for all of us

regardless of whatever age a beloved person died. We moan and

grieve for our beloved people knowing that we will never see

them again as human beings the way we are now! However, we

will moan and grieve not as unbelievers but as believers in

the life after death. And this is why we are here to

celebrate life and not death of SSgt Jay Collado!

To the family of Jay, this is a terrible loss mostly that

Jay has gone at a very young age, he was only 31! You will

really moan and grieve as a family for this great loss of

your beloved one. However, as we have heard from the

scripture readings, death is not the end of life but a

beginning of a perfect and eternal life. Jay has only passed

by from our mother earth and enters into a new life where we

all look forward to be. As we heard, Jesus Christ says, He is

the life and the Resurrection who ever believes in him will

have eternal life. This is what Jay would like each one of us

to know that be is now resting eternally in God's Kingdom.

Jay will always be a gift to you as a family and you will

remember him in all the wonderful time you shared with him.

SSgt Jay died for a noble cause in the country of Iraqi

fighting for a better life of humanity! He indeed died a

hero's death, he is a hero not only for the U.S., but the

whole humanity. Jay will remain a great inspiration not only

to the family, U.S. Marine Corps, or his country but to

humanity as whole. Jay chose to go to Iraq and fight for

freedom, peace and liberty for the Iraqi people and the whole

of Middle East, be would have chosen not to go if he had no

love for humanity. Jay will be remembered for his spirit of

sacrifice not only for the freedom, peace and liberty of U.S.

but the whole humanity. He chose to risk and sacrifice his

life for the love of people. This indeed is a wonderful

inspiration for all of us. Let us remember Jay by imitating

him, to be ready to risk and sacrifice our lives for the

freedom, peace and liberty of all human beings on earth. All

of us here we are enjoying the freedom, peace and liberty

because of people like Jay who sacrificed their lives for us,

many of whom we never knew or met!

This indeed is SSgt Jay Collado's legacy, a young man who

risked and sacrificed his life for love of humanity. He is a

hero; let us honor him by learning from his exemplary life!

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, Senator Russ Feingold sadly reminded America that the Democrat Party is still dancing to the tune of retreat and defeat through appeasement.

Senator Feingold's call to censure President Bush for implementing a legitimate and effective terrorist surveillance demonstrates that Democrats continue to push political ambitions more than our national security.

From Dick Durbin's slandering our troops as communists, to Howard Dean's defeatist remarks about our troops' efforts, to Senator Feingold's careless call to censure our President, it is obvious that Democrats have no positive plan to protect American families.

Instead of proposing ways to prevent terror attacks on our soil, Democrats prefer to spend their time and energy on political tricks that do not serve the interests of the American people. As our enemies continue to issue threats daily against our country, Republicans will remain committed to proactively investigating, capturing and detaining al Qaeda operatives and any other terrorists who seek to attack American families.

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. Speaker, the Army National Guard recently announced it has surpassed its recruitment goals by 7 percent after enlisting 26,000 new soldiers in only 5 months.

As the Guard celebrates its best national record in 13 years, it is clear that Americans are registering in historic numbers to serve their country, States, and communities. Volunteers are showing their resolve in completing the mission for victory in the war on terrorism.

I am also pleased to announce that the South Carolina Army National Guard is now ranked seventh in the Nation for recruitment. As a 31-year veteran of this unit and the father of two Guard members, I am extremely proud of South Carolina's enormous contribution to our national security.

Guard service enables Americans to learn valuable training, meet the most competent and patriotic citizens, protect American families during national catastrophes, and win the war on terrorism.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. Speaker, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently reported that 61 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries in South Carolina have prescription drug coverage, and that almost 50 percent of the beneficiaries of the Second Congressional District where Orangeburg Prep is located have prescription drug coverage.

Since November 15, more than 25 million people have chosen to participate in this new program and are now enjoying substantial savings on the cost of their prescription drugs compared to what they used to have to pay or did not pay with no coverage. The Sun News recently reported that Mary Simms of Lexington registered for the new benefit with her plan that now just costs her $15 a month, where she used to spend $80 on her prior plan.

As the enrollment process continues, I encourage seniors throughout my State to join the millions of other Americans who are now benefiting from this valuable program which will enable them to live healthier, happier and longer lives.

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 2, 2006, The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina, published the following editorial regarding President Bush's historic visit to India and the nuclear agreement between the United States and India.

Historic Reconciliation With India

President George W. Bush's whirlwind, five-day visit to

South Asia is almost certain to have lasting significance. By

visiting India, the world's largest democracy, and also

making a previously unannounced stop in Afghanistan, one of

the world's youngest developing democracies, the president

continues to demonstrate his commitment to political freedom.

The embrace of India, after decades of strained relations,

follows a five-year personal courtship by President Bush. It

ranks as one of the president's most important diplomatic

achievements. Its lasting success depends on maintaining the

right balance in America's relationship with Pakistan, a

vital strategic ally in the war against al-Qaida-led

terrorism, and also with China. After three days in India,

Mr. Bush flies on to Pakistan, the subcontinent's rival

nuclear power and India's foe in three wars.

United States and Indian interests intersect in many areas:

in the fight against Muslim terrorism; in promoting democracy

through a joint Global Democracy Initiative and a new United

Nations Democracy Fund; in combating threats to public health

such as AIDS and pandemic flu; in developing new energy

technologies, including nuclear energy; and in trade.

Economic ties are strong. United States exports to India rose

30 percent in 2005, and despite the controversial outsourcing

of American service jobs to India, the United States trade

surplus with India was $1.8 billion last year.

United States friendship with India also helps

counterbalance China's rising economic and military power in

the Asia region and keep the pressure on Pakistan's President

Pervez Musharraf to suppress Islamic fundamentalist

movements. The administration's most controversial initiative

towards India--a proposal to share peaceful nuclear

technology with a nation that has not joined the Nuclear Non-

Proliferation Treaty--is moving forward. The president was

conducting negotiations up to the last minute by telephone

from Air Force One. If and when details are ironed out, and

India opens its peaceful nuclear activities to international

inspection, New Delhi will take its responsible place in the

rank of the world's nuclear powers. That will place great

pressure on Pakistan to follow suit.

The street demonstrations held to protest, peacefully, the

president's visit, were mostly by Muslims. They served not

only to underscore India's commitment to democracy, but also

to emphasize by contrast the warm reception the president and

first lady were given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,

who broke with protocol to meet them at the airport.

Polls show that the vast majority of the Indian people

welcome what Prime Minister Singh described as ``an act of

historic reconciliation.'' This visit is already being

compared to Richard Nixon's breakthrough journey to Communist

China. By forging a new era in United States relations with

South Asia, the president continues to build a foreign policy

legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Richard (Rich) DeVos, a great American business leader, on the special occasion of his 80th birthday. Rich co-founded Amway Corporation, a direct selling company, based on the principle of helping people live better lives. By providing individuals around the world the opportunity to be entrepreneurs, Amway has become an industry leader, and is now a subsidiary of Alticor, Inc.--a Michigan-based company with international presence and annual sales of $6.4 billion.

Now retired from the company, Rich serves as Chairman of the Orlando Magic, which he and his family acquired in 1991. Rich continues to be a source of inspiration and motivation to others by sharing accounts of his personal challenges and achievements through speaking engagements and writings. Remarkably, Rich did not stop upon reaching his American Dream, but rather continues to encourage others to believe in themselves and pursue their own dreams. Rich DeVos was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on March 4, 1926. He and his wife, Helen DeVos, have four children and fifteen grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Armed Services Committee and a father of three sons serving in the military, I frequently have an opportunity to meet with the dynamic young men and women of the U.S. military. I am always encouraged to hear them describe their pride as Americans and their strong sense of duty to their country. After witnessing the horrific attacks of September 11, these young people understand that their generation will protect our freedoms in the future.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously to ensure that men and women at colleges and universities will continue to have an opportunity to learn about serving in the United States military. America's Armed Forces have created the broadest spread of freedom in the history of the world, which protects American families. By allowing military recruiters to visit college campuses, the Court has ensured that the United States will remain the best military in the world.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. Speaker, today I am happy to congratulate Leslie and Mike Zarrelli of Silver Spring, Maryland, on the birth of their new baby son. Nathaniel Cole was born on February 9, 2006, at 10:46 a.m., weighing 7 pounds and 4 ounces. Nathaniel has been born into a loving home, where he will be raised by parents who are devoted to his well-being and bright future. His birth is a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, as I always say, congressional schedulers have some of the hardest jobs in Washington.

While serving as a scheduler, Amber Cashwell has seamlessly planned a calendar, helped manage the office, and assisted the citizens of the Second District of South Carolina. Throughout her service she has handled her responsibilities with patience, professionalism, and good humor. Her colleagues and I truly appreciate her hard work and dedication.

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Amber began her career in Washington as a staff assistant for Congressman Bob Inglis. In May, 2004, she graduated from Converse College with an impressive double major in French and history.

Tomorrow, Amber will depart the halls of Congress to work at the Moore Van Allen law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am proud of her success and pleased to congratulate Amber on this wonderful opportunity.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Madam Chairman, the National Uniformity for Food Act deserves our full support.

This act is consistent with our long tradition of cautious Congressional oversight of interstate commerce to protect American consumers. The act is simple. By requiring states and the FDA to provide consumers with a single standard for food safety, this important legislation delivers protection to American consumers.

I strongly believe the National Uniformity for Food Act is the best way to apply the safeguards we now have over meat, poultry, drugs, and many other products to packaged food. Under the bill, states would retain their important functions such as sanitation, inspections and enforcement. The act also contains

mechanisms to review state food safety laws and consider them for national application.

This act provides important federal protections, while retaining valuable input from states and coordination between state and federal food safety experts. I strongly appreciate my good friend Congressman Mike Rogers' efforts to ensure that Americans are confident that packaged food they find on our store shelves is safe for them and their families. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this important act.

In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11th.

Madam Speaker, the Italian Government has transformed into a vibrant democracy that delivers liberty and opportunity.

While Italy has historically been recognized for its extraordinary beauty and rich culture, today it is respected internationally as a champion of freedom.

Today, Congress is honored to be joined by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a man who has furthered democracy in his country and throughout the world. As an ally in the global war on terrorism, he has led thousands of Italian troops to join American soldiers in stopping the spread of terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, protecting Italian and American families.

As President Bush said yesterday, Prime Minister Berlusconi is a man who keeps his word. His steady friendship demonstrates his strong belief in persistence and international cooperation.

I join my colleagues in welcoming him to the United States Congress.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. Speaker, with the death of CPT Sandor Lebron Gordon in a tragic car accident on Sunday, November 27, 2005, our State lost a true South Carolina hero.

Captain Gordon led a selfless life, demonstrated by his commitment to his family and his country. The son of Reverend and Mrs. Sammie L. Gordon of Orangeburg, SC, Gordon grew up in a home where love, hard work and concern for others were cherished and honored. It was these characteristics that made him successful in life.

As a husband, his wife and college sweetheart, the former Angela Nicole Strong called him her ``very best friend.'' His son James praised his father for the love and concern he gave him and his little brother Simeon. My son Alan and the men of the 3d of the 178th Field Artillery Battalion who served with Captain Gordon in Iraq said of him ``Sandor always had a smile to share, an ear to listen, and a hand to shake. He was a selfless humanitarian who volunteered to leave the safety of his base to take school supplies, clothes, food and water to the neediest Iraqi children living nearby.''

Captain Gordon was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, the NAACP, and was voted ``Top 20 under 40 Midlands Successful Businessmen'' for the year 2005. A respected small businessman, Captain Gordon made the financial sacrifice to answer his Nation's call to duty in December 2003, and upon returning from Iraq a year later was awarded the prestigious Bronze Star Medal.

His family, friends, and the Iraqi children he lovingly helped will remember Captain Gordon for his selfless dedication to them, our country, and a free Iraq. He is deeply missed by all who knew him.

The Wilson family extends its deepest sympathy to the Gordon family.

Mr. Speaker, today I am happy to congratulate Paige and Christian Stegmaier of Chapin, SC, on the birth of their new baby daughter. Ella Bridges Stegmaier was born on February 16, 2006, at 3:10 p.m., weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces and measuring 20 inches. Ella has been born into a loving home, where she will be raised by parents who are devoted to her well-being and bright future. Her birth is a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, today I am happy to congratulate Lisa and Tucker Eskew of Alexandria, VA, on the birth of their new baby daughter. Elizabeth Carroll Eskew was born on February 23, 2006, at 3:56 p.m., weighing 7 pounds and 1 ounce. Elizabeth has been born into a loving home, where she will be raised by parents who are devoted to her well-being and bright future. Her birth is a blessing.