Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, consistent with House Republican Earmark Standards, I am submitting the following earmark disclosure information for project requests that I made and which were included within H.R. 2847, ``Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.''

Requesting Member: Congressman John Duncan.

Account: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs--Juvenile Justice

Project Amount: $250,000.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Childhelp of East Tennessee, 2505 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919.

Description of Request: This funding will be used to assist Childhelp in expanding its important services to more children in Knox County and the surrounding region who have suffered abuse. Specifically, the Children's Center of East Tennessee will expand its forensic interview capacity and related services to more Knox County children who have, in the past, been turned away, as well as its community based forensic interview and medical examination services.

Requesting Member: Congressman John Duncan.

Account: Department of Justice, COPS Law Enforcement Technology.

Project Amount: $750,000.

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Maryville, 404 W. Broadway Avenue, Maryville, TN 37801.

Description of Request: This funding will be used to allow public safety and public works departments to co-function on the same network and would also allow these departments to communicate directly in an emergency with one another without interference from other users.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a gentleman who has left an impact on every county in Congressional District and touched the lives of everyone in East Tennessee, whether they may know it or not.

Fred Corum exemplifies the concept of government and community service. As the Director of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Region One, Fred has devoted a long career to the safety and quality-of-life of east Tennesseans.

Fred is celebrating his much earned retirement today with a gift back to the people he served: the completion of SmartFix40. This project is the most expensive in state history, reconfiguring Interstate 40 as it crosses through downtown Knoxville. SmartFix40 is not a venture he took lightly.

This massive project required the closure of Interstate 40--a main east to west coast corridor--for fourteen months. The night before the closure, Fred says he could not sleep, and there were plenty more sleepless nights to come. We can only hope that all government servants devote such care and commitment to their work.

Every project Fred has overseen is a true testament to his character, and there was no one more qualified than him to lead the SmartFix40 project. Fred has been on the job with the Tennessee Department of Transportation since 1954, a career that has spanned 53 years and 10 Governors.

As an entry-level worker in 1954, Fred planted stakes in the ground to mark the route of future roads for $150 a month. Eventually, he was promoted to maintenance supervisor for a large portion of my Congressional District, back in a time when there was a lot more snow to deal with. As his career spanned the 1980s, Fred witnessed the advent of the age of conservation, navigating water pollution issues, wildlife preservation, and erosion.

Governor Lamar Alexander appointed Fred the Director of Region One in 1985, and although he thought his job would be up at the end of the Governor's term, he was kept in the position through three more administrations.

Today, decades after he drove his first stake into the ground, Fred is on hand for the reopening of Interstate 40 and the completion of SmartFix40. He goes out at the top of his game, leaving for all East Tennesseans a reconfigured, aesthetically pleasing, and modern stretch of highway.

Fred's ascent through the ranks of the Tennessee Department of Transportation to Director of Region One is an example to all who enter government service. His wife, Loretta, their two sons, four grandchildren, and great-grandson have reason to be very proud.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to call the remarkable service of Fred Corum to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record, and wish Fred a very happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, 3 or 4 years ago, if I had told people that we would be facing this year a budget of $3.6 trillion and facing a deficit of $1.870 trillion, people would have thought that I was crazy. But that is what we're facing.

And because of the terrible financial condition of the Federal Government, all of our expenditures are related, even though they may sound at first like they're unrelated. And so I want to speak tonight briefly on two issues of national significance, even though they may sound unrelated at first.

President Reagan used to say frequently in speeches that government was not the solution; government was the problem. And certainly, there also is an expression called the ``tyranny of good intentions.'' And that cannot be seen more clearly in anything than in the Federal Student Loan Program.

When I go to speak at the University of Tennessee or other colleges and I tell them that my first year at the University of Tennessee it cost $90 a quarter, and then $105 and then $120 and $135 a quarter, $405 for the whole year my senior year at the University of Tennessee, gasps go through the room.

But back when I went to college, anybody who needed to could work part-time and pay all of their college expenses. Nobody got out of college with a debt.

But around that time, or maybe a little bit before, the Federal Student Loan Program kicked in. And the colleges and universities across the country have used that as a means or an excuse to raise their tuition and fees three or four or five times the rate of inflation every year since that program came in.

If I went into any college campus and told those students that the Federal Student Loan Program is one of the worst things that ever happened to them, they would stare at me probably in disbelief. And yet it really is one of the worst things that ever happened to them, because throughout our history, college tuition and fees went up very, very slowly, and went up at the rate of inflation or even less until that loan program came in. And now, ever since that program came in, today, tuition and fees are 3- or 4- or 500-percent higher than they would have been if we'd just left the thing totally alone.

As I said, it's called the ``tyranny of good intentions.'' And the only way to correct that now is to punish colleges and universities that continually raise their tuition and fees at three or four or five times the rate of inflation by saying that we're going to limit or cut off the loans at those universities and colleges that continually raise their tuition and fees above the rate of inflation.

The second thing, and it seems a little unrelated except, as I say, when you're talking about matters that there are significant Federal expenditures on, all these things are somewhat related.

And I'll give another example from my own life. In the early nineties, I went to a reception in Lebanon, Tennessee, and the doctor who delivered me came and brought my records. And I asked him how much he charged back then, and he said he charged $60 for 9 months of care and the delivery, if they could afford it.

And I told him that he probably didn't get anything for me then because my parents didn't hardly have any money at that point.

But we took what was a very minor problem in the mid-sixties and turned into a major problem for everybody. Nobody but Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and Sheldon Adelson, the casino man, people of that rank, could afford or survive a catastrophic medical expense of some sort.

We took what was a very minor problem for a very few people and turned it into a major problem for everybody. Before the Federal Government got heavily into medical care, medical care was cheap and affordable by almost everyone. I started following politics and government very closely in the mid-sixties, and I remember when they came in with Medicare, and they said that was going to be the saviour of the system. Instead, costs exploded.

Then I remember in the mid- and late seventies when they started talking about Medicaid, and they came in with that, that was going to be the saviour of the system. Instead, costs exploded.

Now we're talking about the government getting even more into medical care now, and costs will explode again, and they will explode to a level far higher than the predictions of what the costs will be, because when they first started Medicare, they said it would cost $9 billion after 25 years. And now we're at 400 and, I think, $42 billion on Medicare.

The same thing has happened in regard to Medicaid. And it's really sad what we have done to the American people, and especially to the poor and the lower-income and the working people of this country in these two programs. And if we don't--if we aren't very careful, and if we don't put many free market and free enterprise-type measures and reforms into these bills, then these costs are going to explode, and the poor and the lower-income people and the middle income people are going to be hurt even more by programs that are, as I say, the ``tyranny of good intentions.''

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time, and I want to express my appreciation also to my colleague from Tennessee, Congresswoman Blackburn for bringing this legislation to the floor, very appropriate legislation.

I have come here to express my great admiration and respect for Governor Wilder, in addition to the very kind things that my colleagues, the gentleman from the 9th District, Congressman Cohen, has said, and also what Congresswoman Blackburn has said.

The hills and mountains and valleys of east Tennessee are very, very different from the flat lands of west Tennessee, but we're all Tennesseeans. And even though my district in east Tennessee is very far from Governor Wilder's district in west Tennessee, still, I have known of his work for our State for many years now, and I have great respect for that.

I also have seen him in action each year for many, many years, hosting the annual legislative luncheon at the University of Tennessee. And Governor Wilder did so much for the University of Tennessee, his alma mater and my alma mater.

I read a few years ago that less than 20 percent of the people in the State legislative bodies around the country have served, that less than 20 percent have served more than 12 years. And so turnover in legislative bodies is at a higher rate or level than any time in our history, contrary to what some people think. So anyone who serves in office for such a long number of years as Governor Wilder has really accomplished something that very few people have done in our history. And you don't serve in office for as long as he did without helping thousands and thousands of people and doing many, many good things, both for individual citizens and for the State as a whole.

And so I just wanted to come here briefly. I did not have the privilege of serving in the State senate, as Congressman Cohen and Congresswoman Blackburn did. I never served with Governor Wilder, but I certainly met with him many times and saw him at different inaugurations and at various

events in Nashville and in my hometown of Knoxville. And so I appreciate Governor Wilder, and I admire and respect him, as I said earlier.

And I thank the gentlelady from Tennessee for bringing this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Chair. We have one of the most efficient aviation systems in the world.

However, we still need a great deal of improvement to this system.

We need to modernize our air traffic control facilities to help make travel even more efficient and reduce unnecessary delays which cost our economy millions of dollars every year.

Our last FAA reauthorization bill expired in 2007. Since that time we have been operating on temporary extensions.

I am glad to see that the legislation before us today will continue these vital programs that are needed in our aviation system.

I believe that there is more good than bad in this bill, but I do have some concerns with some of the labor provisions contained in it.

In the 1996 FAA reauthorization bill, we made a technical correction that allowed Federal Express to operate under the Rail Labor Act, as it always has.

I think to change this provision now, without knowing the consequences in this economic climate, could end up hurting our economy.

I hope that we can revisit this matter in the future before this bill is in its final form.

I would also like to state that I am pleased that this bill includes provisions from legislation that I cosponsored which would restrict the use of cell phones on flights.

I believe every passenger should be able to enjoy a flight without having to listen to someone else's conversation.

Most people do not realize that they speak louder on a cell phone than they do during a normal conversation.

Cell phone conversations are often very loud, insensitive to other passengers, and disruptive to others in nearby seats.

This bill is far from a perfect one. In fact, there are other concerns that I have about some of the other sections, including the inspections of foreign repair stations.

This could cause the European Union to retaliate against repair stations located here and potentially cost us some good paying jobs.

However, I feel overall that we should move this legislation forward, and I hope we can address these other concerns as the process goes forward.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding me this time. I rise in support of this resolution to recognize the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a resolution that was introduced by my good friend and neighbor from the First Congressional District of Tennessee, Dr. Roe.

I represent about half of the Tennessee part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Dr. Roe represents the other half of the Tennessee portion, which is, of course, the bigger portion of the national park.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the things of which those of us from east Tennessee are most proud. It has often been said that our national parks are our Nation's crown jewels. If that is true, then the Great Smoky Mountains National Park must certainly be one of the largest jewels in that crown.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is, by far, our most visited national park, with over 9 million visitors each year--approximately three times the number of visitors that go to our second and third largest national parks.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with only 520,000 acres, seems huge to anyone who comes there. Of course, it is very small in comparison. We talk often here about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is 19.8 million acres, which is 36 or 37 times the size of the Great Smokies, but it certainly is one of the most beautiful areas of this country. And more than 50 percent of the Nation's population lies within a day's drive of the park.

Within the park you can find more than 1,500 species of plants, over 200 species of birds, 66 species of mammals, 50 species of fish, and so on. You will also find plenty of recreation opportunities in the park, including 800 miles of hiking and horse trails, and some of the most beautiful valleys and high

peaks anyone has ever seen, such as Cades Cove and Mount LeConte.

Although any time is a great time to visit the park, the views are truly spectacular in the spring, with the blooming of the dogwoods and redbud trees and in the fall when the leaves begin turning various shades of red and orange and yellow.

My hometown of Knoxville is considered by many to be the gateway to the Smokies, and residents of Knoxville played a very important role in establishing the park.

The original idea for a Smokies National Park came from a wealthy and influential Knoxville family, Mr. and Mrs. William P. Davis, who came back from a visit to the national parks out West in the early 1920s with a simple question: Why can't we have a national park in the Smokies?

Very quickly, other influential citizens of Knoxville such as politicians, businessmen, naturalists, and others joined in this movement. Eventually, the legislatures in Tennessee and North Carolina realized that this was a worthy project. Both legislatures appropriated $2 million in 1927.

Although this was a large amount of money, it was not enough. Colonel David C. Chapman of Knoxville joined forces with National Park Service Director Arno Cammerer and began seeking additional sources of funding. Ultimately, they convinced John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to contribute to the cause.

The Rockefeller family was well known for their philanthropy, especially in regards to the National Parks. They made a gift of $5 million to the effort, but only on the stipulation that the funds would be matched. To get the full $5 million, the States and Park Service would have to come up with $5 million on their own.

Once the funding commitments were in place by 1929, it took several more years to acquire the land and develop the facilities. While this land has become almost priceless today, I don't think enough credit or recognition has been given to those families and people from whom land was taken to create this park.

During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration, and other Federal organizations made trails, fire watchtowers, and other infrastructure improvements to the park. The park was officially opened in June of 1934. That date is the date we are commemorating with this resolution.

I would like once again to thank and congratulate Dr. Roe for his very thoughtful resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution celebrating and recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding me this time. It is a very special honor and privilege for me to rise to urge support for a resolution honoring a personal friend of mine, the head women's basketball coach at my alma mater, the University of Tennessee, and that is our great coach, Pat Head Summitt.

The gentleman from New York has very succinctly outlined many of the accomplishments and honors that Coach Summitt has received in her career, but I would like to reiterate some of these things. It is really a phenomenal record that she has.

Coach Summitt has coached for more than 35 years, all with the Lady Vols. Her overall record is 1,005 wins and 192 losses for a winning percentage of better than 84 percent. Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have won 27 Southeastern Conference titles. Coach Summitt and the Lady Vols have won eight NCAA championships. She has been named the NCAA Coach of the Year seven times and SEC Coach of the Year seven times.

Coach Summitt also coached the U.S.A. women's basketball team to the Olympic Gold Medal in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She is the author of two books, ``Reach for the Summitt'' and ``Raise the Roof.'' They are both very inspiring books.

In 1999, Coach Summitt was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2000 she was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, becoming only the fourth women's basketball coach to receive that distinction. Also in 2000, she was named the Naismith Coach of the Century.

On February 2, 2007, Wheaties unveiled a Breakfast of Champions box in her honor, making her the first women's basketball coach to be honored on such a box. Coach Summitt has two streets named in her honor: Pat Head Summitt Street on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus, and Pat Head Summitt Avenue on the University of Tennessee- Martin campus.

Coach Summitt also has a remarkable 100 percent graduation rate, as the gentleman from New York mentioned, with every student athlete who has completed their eligibility at UT either graduating or working toward all of the requirements for graduation within the NCAA-allotted time of 6 years. I don't think there is any other coach, men or women's coach, in this country that can say that. And I will tell you that she also insists on her students taking tough courses that lead to good careers. And we often read in the Knoxville newspapers about the great success of many of her graduates.

Pat Head Summitt is simply an outstanding woman and an outstanding individual in every way, both personally and professionally. And it is a great honor for me to stand here before you today to bring this resolution to the floor honoring Coach Pat Head Summitt and the Lady Vols and congratulating her on achieving that tremendous, just almost unbelievable mark of 1,000 victories.

I urge all of my colleagues to support the resolution.

Madam Speaker, there is perhaps no greater sacrifice an American can make than serving their Country during a time of war, and no one can say the Davis family of Tellico Plains, Tennessee has not answered this call. It is a tradition which spans over ninety years.

Private Hedrick Davis enlisted in the Army's Black Cat Division during World War I. After returning home, he bought a farm, married, and had five sons, who would all go on to answer that same call to service.

Four of the Davis sons--Leonard, Dillard, Clarence, and Guy--joined the Armed Forces as soon as World War II began. All the brothers would fight for their Country and despite the tremendous loss of life in this great campaign, all would remarkably live to tell their tales.

Dillard's story is one that took over fifty years to confirm. While on board the Belgian Troop ship the Leopoldville crossing the English Channel on Christmas Eve, a German Submarine attacked, sinking the boat with a torpedo. In a series of calamities following the strike and a botched rescue, 763 American soldiers died. Dillard managed to survive anid tell the tale that the United States and Great Britain did not admit until the 1990s.

The fifth Davis brother--Rex--was only sixteen-years-old when World War II ended. But he would not be spared from his family's calling. When the Korean conflict escalated into a full-blown war, Rex Davis answered the call. His tale was one of Hollywood legend--literally.

While training at Fort Benning, GA, movie stars Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis filmed the movie ``Jumping Jack'' on base, using Rex and his fellow soldiers as extras. Later, while serving in Korea, another movie star--Patricia Neal--came to entertain the troops. She asked on stage if anyone was from Knoxville and Rex jumped right up, getting his photo taken on stage with Ms. Neal. It is a cherished photograph that in 2003 brought Ms. Neal to tears in Knoxville when she was unexpectedly reunited with Rex.

In his Knoxville home, Rex Davis has files of records documenting the service of his father and four brothers, who together fought and survived three wars. Rex went on to serve on the Knoxville City Council, and he is known to tell a great story. I hope this story is told many times.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to call the remarkable service of Private Hedrick Davis, Master Sgt. Leonard Davis, Staff Sgt. Dillard Davis, Cpl. Clarence Davis, Pfc. Guy Davis, and Cpl. Rex Davis to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record.

Madam Speaker, President Ma of Taiwan will celebrate the one-year anniversary of his taking office on May 20th, 2009. In just one year, the Harvard-educated President has accomplished so much to improve Taiwan's standing on the world stage.

The latest of these accomplishments is Taiwan's acceptance as an official observer at the World Health Assembly that will take place later this month in Geneva. The World Health Assembly, which is part of the World Health Organization, will finally give Taiwan's 23 million citizens a voice at this forum. This is possible because of President Ma's blossoming relationship with mainland China.

In April, officials from China and Taiwan participated in the Chiang- Chen Talks. The talks resulted in the signing of the following agreements: (1) ``Agreement on Joint Cross-Strait Crime-fighting and Mutual Judicial Assistance'' (2) the ``Cross-Strait Financial Cooperation Agreement'' and (3) the ``Supplementary Agreement on Cross- Strait Air Transport.'' All of these agreements will result in improved coordination between the Taiwan

Straits neighbors in the areas of law enforcement, financial exchanges and travel.

Among other successes, President Ma's administration was able to have Taiwan removed from the Special 301 Watch List which is maintained by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The removal shows Taiwan's commitment to preventing the importing and exporting of illegally pirated materials such as DVD's and CD's.

Madam Speaker, I would like to call these accomplishments and the successful first year of President Ma's administration to my colleagues and other readers of the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 774, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4602 21st Street in Long Island City, New York, as the Geraldine Ferraro Post Office Building.

Geraldine Ferraro has spent her life advocating and achieving on behalf of women across the globe. She was born on August 26, 1935, in Newburgh, New York, the daughter of a first-generation Italian American mother and an Italian immigrant father. After high school, she worked her way through Marymount Manhattan College, at times holding three jobs simultaneously. She was the first woman in her family to attain a college degree, and she subsequently became a licensed New York City school teacher.

While still teaching the second grade, Congresswoman Ferraro earned her law degree, attending Fordham law school at night. She was one of only two women in her graduating class of 179, and was admitted to the New York State bar in 1961. She managed to raise three children while working part time as an attorney in her husband's real estate firm. In 1970, she was elected president of the Queens County Women's Bar Association, and in 1974 she was appointed Assistant District Attorney for Queens County, New York, at a time when female prosecutors were rare in

New York City. During her time in the district attorney's office, she became a strong advocate for abused children, and rose through the ranks to head the Special Victims Bureau, which prosecuted rape, and child and domestic abuse cases.

In 1978, she won election to the United States House of Representatives from New York's Ninth Congressional District in Queens. She labeled herself a ``tough Democrat'' and ran on law and order issues.

Upon entering Congress, Congresswoman Ferraro made an immediate impression on her party's leadership and quickly rose through the leadership ranks. She established a reputation in Congress as an advocate for women's rights and gender equality. Then, in the 1984 Presidential election, Walter Mondale chose her as his running mate, making her the first ever female to run on a major party national ticket. Her historical nomination was the culmination of a lifetime of firsts for this lawyer from Queens.

Her accomplishments also include her appointment by President Clinton to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. President Clinton eventually chose her to be the United States Ambassador to the Commission, stating that she was ``a highly effective voice for the human rights of women around the world.'' She has spent a lifetime breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings. I urge my colleagues to support this bill to honor the many achievements and tireless advocacy of Geraldine Ferraro.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).

At this time, I will urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to join my fellow Members of Congress in recognizing a former New York Congresswoman and women's rights advocate by designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 41 Purdy Avenue in Rye, New York, as the ``Caroline O'Day Post Office Building'' for her extraordinary contributions to the State of New York and to American public life.

Born Caroline Love Goodwin in 1869 on a plantation in Perry, Georgia, she was one of four daughters of a socially important family in Georgia. Despite the economic hardships that were widespread during the Reconstruction period, her father's success allowed her and her sisters to attend the prestigious secondary school called the Lucy Cobb Institute.

After graduation in 1886, she briefly studied art in New York at Cooper Union before sailing to Paris, France, where she enjoyed a stimulating life among the great artists of the time.

An independent-minded woman, she supported herself as a freelance artist for the next 8 years. While living in Europe, she met Daniel O'Day, an oil businessman, who persuaded her to abandon her artistic career and return with him to New York in 1901. Although past the age of 30 and beyond the age when most women married in that era, she married Daniel O'Day and moved to Rye, New York.

It was in Rye, New York, where Congresswoman O'Day would start her successful career as a civic activist and politician. Her power of persuasion was so great that although her husband was not politically active, he did become an enthusiastic advocate of women's suffrage and in 1916, after his sudden death, Congresswoman O'Day began working on issues of social welfare and female suffrage in New York. She became active with the New York Consumer's League, the Women's Trade Union, and the Democratic Party. Through these and other organizations, she became close friends with other prominent social activists, including Eleanor Roosevelt.

After spending many years with a well-known activist working for women's suffrage and multiple organizations, she was urged to run for public office. Congresswoman O'Day first ran and won a seat in Congress in 1934 with the public support of her good friend Eleanor Roosevelt.

As a well-regarded Member of Congress, Congresswoman O'Day worked on a number of labor reforms, particularly for the child labor protections of the Walsh-Healey Government Contracts Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. She had a lifelong concern for protecting the rights of disadvantaged people.

As an extension of that concern, Congresswoman O'Day sponsored legislation which stayed the deportation of 7,000 illegal aliens. She strongly supported the Federal anti-lynching law, was instrumental in arranging the memorable concert of Marian Anderson in 1939 scheduled for DAR Constitution Hall, and supported expanding the quota for Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany.

In 1940, despite her sickness, Caroline O'Day won a fourth congressional term. Because of declining health, she did not return to Washington, although she did handle some of her House duties from her home. Sadly, on January 4, 1943, the gentlewoman from New York died at her home.

Congresswoman Caroline O'Day may have been best described after her death by Eleanor Roosevelt who wrote, ``Her high ideals and integrity were an inspiration to all who knew her or felt her influence, and her generosity touched many people and many causes in which she believed. Her passing is a loss not only to her family but to the world.''

It is with great respect and pleasure that I support H.R. 1397.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to rise today in support of H. Res. 299 honoring the millions of dedicated public employees who steadfastly serve our Nation. These highly competent and well-trained public service employees who work at all levels of government, Federal, State and local, are a great example of an excellent workforce both here and abroad. They exhibit their professionalism and expertise as they handle the enormous amount of work that flows through all levels of government on a daily basis. Their sense of dedication and innovation are at the very core of this country's successes. Keeping our Nation running and safe are the emergency responders, the educators and medical personnel, and all others who are part of a larger group that we proudly call public service employees. Without them, our country simply could not function.

When speaking of public sector employees, we must particularly note the brave men and women who serve in the Armed Forces who continue to make all Americans proud as they dedicate their life and limb to keeping us all safe throughout the world. Those on the front lines deserve special recognition for their public service which is truly above and beyond the ordinary call of duty. These soldiers are provided vital strategic support from fellow public service employees both at home and abroad.

When natural disasters hit communities around the country and the world, it is our public service employees who provide support at every level. For this, they should also be commended. It is an honor for me to congratulate these fine citizens for performing challenging and many times thankless jobs with dedication every day. Because of our public service employees, we have a country that is safe and secure for all of us.

For these reasons, I express my strong support of Public Service Recognition Week.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I would like to voice my strong support for H. Res. 269, and I want to commend the primary sponsor of this resolution, Dr. Burgess, from whom we will hear in just a few minutes.

The resolution expresses support for the goals of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. As the weather gets warmer across the country, our Nation's highways will experience a very large increase in motorcycle traffic. Because of the increased ridership and potential for accidents, each year May is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

During the month, State agencies and motorcycle organizations across the country conduct a variety of activities to remind all riders and motorists to share the road. These activities also encourage riders to be properly licensed, receive proper training, never drink and drive, and wear protective head wear.

As the popularity of this mode of transportation increases, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month will continue to help drivers of cars, trucks and motorcycles consider the safety of all users of the road.

In approximately two-thirds of fatal car versus motorcycle crashes, the driver of the car is at fault. The activities associated with this resolution will help make all users of our Nation's highways safer.

Additionally, this resolution recognizes the transportation benefits associated with motorcycling. Motorcycles are a fuel-efficient and congestion-decreasing mode of transportation, in addition to having little impact on our Nation's transportation infrastructure.

From a personal standpoint, Madam Speaker, I will tell you that a couple of years ago the youngest of our four children, my son who is now 23, he bought a used 1979 Honda motorcycle for, I think, $625. Ever since that time, I have read almost every day in the Knoxville News Sentinel something I never noticed before, and that is that almost every day there seems to be a serious motorcycle wreck and often a motorcycle fatality reported on in our local daily newspaper. I have expressed my concern to my son about trying to be as safe as possible, and I believe thus far he is.

I have also noticed that the largest number of motorcycle riders now are people in their forties, fifties, and sixties. Knoxville has hosted several times something called the Honda Hoot where we have over 20,000 motorcyclists come in, most people middle aged and older. So motorcycle ridership is growing by leaps and bounds, and in many ways that is a good thing. But this resolution calls the attention of everyone, motorcycle riders and others, to the need to try to be as safe as possible when using this form of vehicle travel.

I support this resolution and hope it brings attention to motorcycle safety across our Nation's highways as well as the additional benefits of motorcycling. I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor at this time to recognize the primary sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Texas, Dr. Burgess, who has become such a leader in so many areas in this Congress, and this resolution is just another prime example. I recognize him for such time as he may consume.

Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers and so I would just like to urge passage of this very fine resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I will be very brief.

First, I want to commend my colleague, the gentlelady from New York, for her hard work on this over many years, as she has mentioned.

The college student loan program has resulted in many thousands and thousands of college graduates, graduated from college or even before graduation incurring huge, huge debts. And when you add credit card debts on top of that, now the average graduating college student has a combined credit card and student loan debt of $20,402. Many, many thousands have much, much more than that.

And I think this amendment, some of what my friend, the gentleman from Alabama, has discussed, doesn't really pertain to the specific amendment that Ms. Slaughter and I have done.

This amendment applies only to full-time, traditional-age college students, defined as a full-time student and in an institution of higher education who has not reached the age of 21. So this amendment does not apply to anyone over the age of 21.

I think it's a very reasonable amendment and a very minimal limitation or restriction on credit cards. Some universities, many universities across this country have entered into deals with credit card companies, and now they are not only encouraging students to incur huge student loan debts, they're encouraging students to incur credit card debts.

And I just think this amendment will send a message to parents and college students that they at least need to think about. We passed a resolution a couple of days ago encouraging a financial literacy program recognizing the fact that many people don't have the financial literacy they need.

Madam Speaker, Major General Fred Womack USAF (Ret.) of Loudon County, Tennessee has been inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. He is one of the finest members of the Armed Forces I know, and I cannot think of anyone who deserves this honor more.

As a boy, the future Major General loved to build model airplanes and looked skyward with awe and envy as military planes flew in formation overhead. He vowed to one day be one of those pilots. But flying did not come easy. Like every great American story, his dream was realized only after overcoming many obstacles which would have led most men to simply give up.

Because he needed a degree to get into the U.S. Air Force pilot training program, Major General Womack enlisted in the Air National Guard while simultaneously pursuing a college degree. After earning a degree in business, Major General Womack applied for the U.S. Air Force pilot training program; unfortunately, he failed several times to make the minimum weight requirement. His dream was slipping away.

As fate would have it, the Berlin Air Lift called him to service in Germany. While overseas, he hired a pilot instructor and took his first flying lesson.

When he returned from Germany, Major General Womack gained enough weight for acceptance into the U.S. Air Force pilot training program, but another obstacle stood in his way. He was now past the 26-year-old cutoff age for acceptance. It was only through the foresight of Major General/Commander Robert Akin--who issued him a waiver--that Major General Womack finally realized his dream of attending the U.S. Air Force pilot training program.

His love of flight led him to two simultaneous careers, both of which he took to the pinnacle of success.

As an airline pilot for Piedmont Airlines, he went from flying a Martin 404 prop plane to Boeing 767s. He eventually became the airline's Flight Operations and Flying Safety Director and was Chairman of the Air Transport Association Flight Integration Committee. He also served as the project manager for the Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System for the entire airline industry, technology which is still in use today and that has undoubtedly saved many lives.

While achieving success as a civilian pilot, Major General Womack was also making a name for himself in the Tennessee Air National Guard. As Commander of the 134th Consolidated Maintenance Squadron, he achieved an unparalleled safety record. His diligence and devotion to safety as a pilot and commander led him to eventually become the Commander of the Tennessee Air National Guard.

Major General Womack is an example of the opportunities available only in America and a testimony to commitment, patience, and sacrifice. Throughout his careers, Major General Womack says he never felt like he worked a day. We should all be that lucky.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to call the accomplishments of Major General Fred Womack and his induction into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record.