Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to manage the time on this important resolution for the minority to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.

Clean water is critical to the Nation and our standard of living. The Clean Water Act has resulted in significant water quality improvement in the last 35 years. However, we still have work to do before all of our lakes and streams meet State water quality standards.

H. Res. 725 encourages the American people to recognize and celebrate the water quality improvements we have achieved and recommit ourselves to the goals of the Clean Water Act.

No committee in the Congress has done more to work towards the clean water goals that all of us want to achieve than the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which was called, as Chairman Oberstar has mentioned, the Public Works and Transportation Committee for many years before the new name. And no one man who has ever served in this Congress has done more than has Chairman James Oberstar in working to achieve clean water in this country, first as a staff member and then staff director for 11 years for the committee and then for the last 33 years representing his district and, indeed, the entire Nation in working to clean the waters of this Nation.

And we have made great progress over that time. The leading liberal magazine, the New Republic, said in an editorial a short time ago that to listen to some people ``is to learn that the environment is in bad shape today and, with the smallest push, could be in disastrous shape tomorrow . . . Fortunately, this alarm is a false one. All forms of pollution in the United States,'' the New Republic said, ``air, water, and toxic materials have been declining for decades.''

In 1972 only 30 to 40 percent of our waters were estimated to have met water quality standards. Today, monitoring data indicate that 60 to 70 percent of our waters meet these goals and twice as many Americans are served by advanced or secondary wastewater treatment.

Twenty-five years ago, we were losing almost 400,000 acres of wetlands annually; yet the latest data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicate that we are close to achieving a net gain in wetlands nationwide.

Our Nation's health, quality of life, and economic well-being rely on adequate wastewater treatment. Industries that rely on clean water, like farmers, fishermen, and manufacturers,

contribute over $300 billion a year to our gross domestic product.

To provide clean water, our Nation already has invested over $250 billion in wastewater infrastructure. But this infrastructure is now aging and our population is continuing to grow, increasing the burden on our existing infrastructure. If communities do not repair, replace, and upgrade their infrastructure, we could lose the environmental, health, and economic benefits of this investment. And no matter how much progress has been made in the past, you can always do better. People always need to improve, although we need to do this in a way that doesn't overregulate, but that brings about progress in a commonsense, practical manner and one that doesn't impede progress.

Various organizations have quantified wastewater infrastructure needs. The Congressional Budget Office, EPA, and the Water Infrastructure Network have estimated that it could take between $300 billion and $400 billion to address our Nation's clean water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years to keep our drinking water and waterways clean and safe. This is twice the current level of investment by all levels of government. These needs have been well documented in our committee and subcommittee hearings.

We can reduce the overall cost of wastewater infrastructure with good asset management, innovative technologies, water conservation and reuse, and regional approaches to water pollution problems. But these things alone will not close the large funding gap that now exists between wastewater infrastructure needs and current levels of spending.

Increased investment must still take place. That leads to the question where is the money going to come from. There is no single answer to that question. Municipal wastewater services are a State and local responsibility, but there is clearly a strong Federal interest in keeping our waters clean.

With all due respect to President Eisenhower, who I think was a great President and who, especially, was certainly right in warning about the dangers of the excesses of the military industrial complex, I believe there is a legitimate Federal interest in clean water in this country. The people in Tennessee drink the water and use the wastewater systems of people in other States, and the people of other States fish and swim and drink the water in Tennessee. So there is a legitimate Federal interest, I believe.

But what we need is an effective partnership between all levels, Federal, State, and local. That means all partners need to contribute. If we do not start investing in our wastewater system now, it is going to cost our Nation many billions more in the future if we delay.

In any event, the Federal Government, while its role is important, is not going to be able to solve this problem alone. The Democratic Governor of Montana told us at a committee hearing earlier this year that his State did not want the ``long arm of the Federal Government'' imposing regulations that would threaten the livelihoods of ranchers, farmers, and miners. He asked that the Federal Government be a ``partner and collaborator'' with the States in a joint effort to protect water resources.

Clarity and reasonableness and common sense are needed in the regulatory program. It is unknown exactly what are the maximum limits of Federal authority under the Clean Water Act. Neither Congress nor the courts have defined them explicitly. This uncertainty is a matter for much speculation and probably much future litigation. What we may ultimately need is legislation that clearly and reasonably delineates the Federal role and the State role and the local role in regulating activities affecting the Nation's waters.

While the historical perspective of the Clean Water Act is interesting and informative, we must decide under today's circumstances what is appropriate Federal regulation of the Nation's waters.

We should celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act by providing the tools and resources needed to achieve the goals of that act.

We need to reform the Clean Water Act State Revolving Loan Fund program to make it more efficient, effective, and flexible to improve the management of infrastructure assets, fund those activities that will best improve water quality, address the needs of small and disadvantaged communities, and encourage private financing of treatment works to help bring private resources to bear on the overwhelming needs of the Nation's water infrastructure.

It is also time to fashion new water quality management tools so we can continue the job of achieving clean water. These new tools could include utilizing more in the way of performance-based standards than rigid Federal mandates; harnessing market forces within the public and private sectors to safeguard and improve the environment more effectively; protect individual and private property rights; and adequately considering the costs and benefits of government actions so we can set priorities.

It is appropriate today that we celebrate this anniversary of the Clean Water Act, but we must be prudent as we go forward. We all want the same thing, clean water. I encourage all Members to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, Chairman Oberstar was kind enough to mention my 6 years as chairman of the Water Resources Environment Subcommittee. I tried to have an active subcommittee with many hearings because I thought that that work was among the most important that the Congress could deal with, and that's why I'm here tonight, because I don't believe there is any topic, or very few topics, anyway, more important than clean water. And certainly the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) was one of the most active members of that subcommittee.

Another member, though, who has also been very active on these issues is the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), and I yield him such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will just simply close for our side by saying that I think this is a resolution that all of our Members can support. And it is very appropriate to commemorate this 35th anniversary of, as the gentleman from Illinois just said, one of the most important environmental pieces of legislation that this Nation has ever seen.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Gillespie Avenue Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Gillespie Avenue Baptist Church was established on August 4, 1907. The church's first meeting was held in a tent at the site where the church is today. Reverend F.M. Doewell was the first pastor called in September, 1907. He was one of only 15 pastors called to serve over this first 100 years.

On July 1, 1910, the membership began worship services in the basement of the new meeting house with Dr. M.D. Jeffries, President of Carson Newman College, preaching the first sermon in the new building.

On May 7, 1916, the church auditorium was completed and dedicated and a piano was approved and purchased later that same year for the church.

On January 7, 1917, the church voted to borrow money to pay the pastor's salary. The finance report at that time showed a balance of $.16. Eight years later, the enrollment was 426 with an average attendance of 263 and the average Sunday offering was $65.89.

On October 12, 1938, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rose donated a pipe organ to the church in honor of their parents.

The original church building was destroyed by fire on January 22, 1961. Services were held in the new sanctuary on September 2, 1962, where they remain today.

I am proud to have such an outstanding Christian institution in my district.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Gillespie Avenue Baptist Church on its 100th anniversary and may God bless this congregation in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a piece of history in the Second District of Tennessee.

For the past 50 years, as people flew into my district, they weren't just landing in Knoxville but also touching down at a historic Tennessee Air National Guard Base.

Military planes taking off from that runway have been a part of some of the noblest causes of modern times, from the Berlin Air Lift to Operation Enduring Freedom.

It's a history of service that exemplifies the spirit that gave Tennessee the nickname of the Volunteer State, and once again the Knoxville community is at the forefront of that service.

The base is now celebrating 50 years of operations, and it is currently the proud home of the 134th Refueling Wing, as well as the 228th Combat Communications Squadron, the 119th Command and Control Squadron, the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, the Academy of Innovative Ministries, and the 572nd Air Force Band.

It's not just the longevity of the base that is so remarkable, but also the quality of the men and women who serve there. The 134th has been consistently ranked nationally for its superb performance.

I would like to congratulate the nearly 2,000 full-time military and civilian personnel at the base and the many thousands more who pass through the facility each year for training. Their professionalism makes us proud.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to join me as I salute the 50th anniversary of the Air National Guard Base at McGhee Tyson Airport in Blount County, Tennessee. I know the facility and the men and women who operate it will play an important part in protecting our Nation for decades to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for giving me this time. I actually came to the floor to speak on other legislation, but when I realized that this bill was up, I wanted to at least make a couple of comments about it.

I have the privilege of serving as the ranking member on the Highways and Transit Subcommittee. Prior to that, or a few years ago, I served for 6 years as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee. The statistics, or the comparison between aviation and safety on our highways, is just staggering.

Unfortunately, we have more people killed in 3\1/2\ months on our Nation's highways than we have had killed in all U.S. aviation accidents combined since the Wright brothers' flight in 1903. But more importantly I want to commend the authors of this legislation, because we need to do everything we can to call attention to the record of teen drivers and raise the awareness of teenagers as to how dangerous our Nation's highways can be.

According to the most recent statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, our safest drivers, contrary to what a lot of people believe, are those 75 and over. The second safest group of drivers are those 65 to 74.

The 75 and over age group has 2.5 accidents per 10,000 drivers. That compares to the 16-to-20 group which has 13.3 percent per 10,000 drivers. It's an amazing statistic as to how dangerous teenage driving is and how safe our older drivers are.

I just wanted to say that I rise in strong support of this resolution on Teen Driver Safety Week.

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

Madam Speaker, I would like to voice my very strong support for H.R. 3218. H.R. 3218 designates Interstate Route 395 in Baltimore, Maryland, as ``Cal Ripken Way.''

Cal Ripken, Jr. is a native son of Havre de Grace, Maryland, in Harford County, about 35 miles northeast of Baltimore. Cal Ripken, also known as ``Iron Man,'' is best known for his record-shattering streak of playing 2,632 straight games for the American League's Baltimore Orioles over 17 years, from May 1982, through September 1998. An unbelievable record. He retired from Major League Baseball in October 2001, after playing 21 straight years for the Orioles, between 1981 and 2001.

On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games played, a record that had stood for 57 years. On that historic night at Camden Yards, Ripken not only broke the record but also hit a home run in the fourth inning of that game.

His father, Cal Ripken, Sr., was a former baseball player, coach, and scout for the Orioles. In 1987 and 1988, Cal Ripken, Sr. managed the Orioles, and both Cal Ripken, Jr. and his brother Billy played for the team that year, a first in baseball history.

Since leaving the game in 2001, Cal Ripken has dedicated his life and his work to youth. He established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, which uses baseball- and softball-themed programs to help instill leadership qualities, a strong work ethic, sportsmanship, and healthy habits. He also built the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy, the largest baseball academy in the United States, where thousands of young people learn the finer points of baseball and deepen their love for playing it.

He served as the first commissioner of the White House T-Ball initiative for President George Bush from 2001 to 2004. And on July 29, 2007, Cal Ripken was fittingly inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame.

When I was growing up, Madam Speaker, I served 5\1/2\ years as a batboy for the Knoxville Smokies baseball team. I served other seasons as ball chaser, scoreboard operator, clubhouse boy. In my freshman year at the University of Tennessee, I served as a public address announcer. I grew up in minor league baseball. My father gave Earl Weaver his first managerial job in Knoxville, managing the Knoxville Smokies in 1956, and we became a farm club of the Baltimore Orioles. People who later played with Cal Ripken or who he knew through the Orioles like Milt Pappas, Jerry Walker, Ron Hansen, Willie Tasby, Mike Cuellar, Dave Nicholson, and many other players who later played for the Orioles played in Knoxville.

Baseball has meant a lot to me and my family through the years, and it is a real honor and privilege for me to stand here before you today and announce my support for this very appropriate legislation to honor a truly great American, Cal Ripken, Jr.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I will just close by saying that Cal Ripken is certainly a throwback to the old days in which little boys could look up to major league baseball players as real heroes and role models in their lives, and I can't adequately express my great admiration for Cal Ripken.

I urge support for this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida, Ranking Member Mica, for yielding me this time.

I rise in strong support of this bill, offered by our distinguished chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, my good friend (Mr. Oberstar), along with my good friend (Mr. Mica).

Our condolences, in fact the condolences of the entire Nation, go out to the people of Minnesota who were affected by this terrible tragedy.

And I want to recognize Mr. Oberstar's leadership and his efforts to provide an immediate response to this incident. Less than 18 hours after the I-35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River, Mr. Oberstar introduced this bill, H.R. 3311.

This bill authorizes funding to help the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area get back on its feet. It authorizes $250 million from the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program for the repair and reconstruction of the I-35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday night.

Yesterday, the Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters, went to Minneapolis, visited the site, and immediately made available $5 million to pay for traffic-flow adjustments and debris removal associated with this disaster. But this bill takes the first step in providing funding to repair and rebuild this bridge.

While we will not know for several months the final cost to repair and rebuild the I-35W bridge, this bill demonstrates the House's support and certainly the strong commitment from our committee to rebuild this bridge and restore some sense of normalcy to the Minneapolis-St. Paul region.

Mr. Speaker, there was a column in The Washington Post today that repeated some of the statistics you have just heard from the gentleman from Georgia about the number of deficient bridges, but this columnist also said this: ``It's unrealistic to think this disaster is going to spur the Nation to seriously address all its infrastructure problems. We'll talk about the issue for a while, then go out and buy another TV. But we can, and should, at least do a more rigorous inventory and identify the structures that pose the most peril. Yes, it's boring stuff to even think about. But just look at the alternative.''

Those are very true words, Mr. Speaker, and I pledge the support of our subcommittee and to work with all the leadership on our committee to not do what this columnist has said and just forget about this or move on to something else too quickly. We owe that to the people of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Water Resources Development Act, one of the most important bills we will take up in this Congress and I think certainly one of the most important environmental bills; and I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) for yielding me this time.

This bill contains flood control projects, environmental restoration projects, wastewater system improvements, water projects all over the country in rural areas, small towns, medium-size cities and large cities. And in many of these areas, our water systems are 50 or 75 or even 100 years old and are in desperate need for work and improvement and, many times, new construction.

I had the privilege, as my friend from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) mentioned, of serving as chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee for 6 years; and during that time, as the gentlelady from California (Ms. Matsui) mentioned, we passed the WRDA bill twice, once with only 8 votes against it, once with only 14 votes against it. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass in the Senate.

In this Congress, under the leadership of my good friend, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, and my friend, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), and certainly under the leadership of our full committee chairman, our outstanding chairman, Mr. Oberstar, the gentleman from Minnesota, and the Ranking Member Mica from Florida, this bill passed not only the House, but it passed the Senate by a vote of 91-4. So there is tremendous support, bipartisan support, for this legislation from people all over the country.

You know, if an automobile needs an oil change and you don't get it, a very low-cost matter, an engine can later explode and cost thousands of dollars; and that's sort of the situation we're in with many of our water systems from around the country. As several people have noted, this is a 7-year bill, and it deals with these water needs that have built up over all of that time.

I think it's a very fiscally conservative bill. As expensive as it is in one way, it's only a little over a month and a half of what we're spending in Iraq. And comparing these 7 years of built-up needs to what we're doing in the little over 1\1/2\ and a half months in Iraq, I think makes this a very conservative bill.

I had the privilege of chairing the Aviation Subcommittee for 6 years before I chaired the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee for 6 years, and in both of those areas I saw that there were very strong, competing interests in those areas. But, in this bill, we brought all these competing interests together. There was a great deal of compromise that went on and a great deal of work was put into this legislation.

I'm very proud to support this bill. I think it's good for this Nation. I know it's good for my home area of east Tennessee, where we have so many water needs.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to commend everybody who has worked so hard on this legislation. It's very important for this country. There is nothing that the people in this country take for granted like we do our clean water and wastewater systems, and we desperately need this work to be done.

I think this is a bipartisan legislation that all of our colleagues can and should support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida, the ranking member, for yielding me this time; and I thank him for giving me the privilege of serving as the ranking member of the Highway and Transit Subcommittee. It is a pleasure to work with him and Chairman Oberstar and with my good friend, Chairman Peter DeFazio, on the Highway and Transit Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3248 make technical corrections to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, or what we typically call SAFETEA-LU.

This is the fourth time we have worked to finalize these technical corrections to SAFETEA-LU. During the 109th Congress, the House passed H.R. 5689, a bill to make technical corrections to SAFETEA-LU in June, 2006. During the summer and fall of 2006, we worked with the Senate to create the bipartisan H.R. 6233, which was a very similar product to the bill that we passed at the beginning of this Congress. Now we are trying again; and hopefully this bill, H.R. 3248, will go to the President for his signature of this very necessary bill.

As my colleagues have said, this bill makes numerous technical corrections to the Federal Surface Transportation Programs authorized by SAFETEA-LU. The technical corrections included in this bill have been identified by the Department of Transportation and State DOTs and are mostly of a conforming nature or to correct drafting errors.

The most important correction we are making is to strengthen the Federal Highway Research Program by ensuring the continuation of the legacy research programs carried out by the Department of Transportation. This research hopefully will lead to not only safer highways but also less congestion, which is very, very important to this Nation, that we work on that.

The largest section of this bill is section 105, which makes changes to almost 350 of the high-priority projects in section 1702 of SAFETEA- LU. These changes address ``broken'' surface transportation projects, clarifying recipients and increasing certain project funding levels and decreasing others to achieve budget neutrality.

I especially appreciate the fact that Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Member Mica have allowed me to put in language that will allow the city of Knoxville to go forward with a very important transit center project; and, also, I am very pleased that we are rearranging some funding so that the very small town of Calhoun, Tennessee, in my district, can pave some roads. This is very, very important to them. So often we leave out the small towns in rural areas or they don't get nearly as much attention and funding as the big cities do.

This is a very good bill, and I urge the support of all of my colleagues. I think it is one that will pass with total bipartisan support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a hospital that embodies the spirit, standard, and strength of the community it serves.

Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, Tennessee first opened its doors 60 years ago with 50 beds and 12 doctors. Now, with hundreds of beds and doctors and numerous outreach facilities, the hospital sets a new standard for community healthcare.

The citizens of Maryville are blessed to have at their disposal such quality care close to home. People of many other communities its size must often travel to bigger towns for full care, but this is not so in Blount County, Tennessee.

I am extremely honored to represent the fine men and women who work hard every day to make Blount Memorial hospital a source of community pride.

The hospital's transformation into a premiere medical facility could not have occurred without the outstanding leadership of its long-time administrator. Joe Dawson has witnessed many milestones in his 22 years at Blount Memorial, and I am sure he will spearhead many more. I thank him for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to call to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record the article from the Daily Times newspaper, which is reprinted below.

[From the Daily Times, July 25, 2007]

BMH Turns 60

(By Jessica Stith)

With 50 beds and 12 physicians, Blount Memorial Hospital

opened its doors to the community 60 years ago. Now, the

hospital houses over 304 licensed beds, not including the 76

beds in their transitional care center or the 92 beds in

MorningView Village, a senior community. The hospital

currently employs more than 280 physicians on active and

courtesy staffs.

On Tuesday, 24 American flags were unveiled down East Lamar

Alexander Parkway in front of the hospital in celebration of

the hospital's 60th anniversary and in honor of those who

have died in the line of duty, those missing in action and

those who served and continue to serve our Nation.

Past and present employees, board members, physicians,

volunteers, hospital partners from the past and friends of

the Blount Memorial Hospital family joined to celebrate and

recall the history of the hospital.

Two proclamations were presented to the hospital--one from

Blount County and the cities of Maryville and Alcoa and a

second from the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Joe Dawson, who became the hospital's sixth administrator

in 1985, opened the ceremony by welcoming guests in the

birthday celebration of the hospital. ``This is the actual

first day (July 24) Blount Memorial took their first

patient,'' Dawson said.

Dawson said the 24 honor flags would be displayed on

patriotic holidays and the hospital's anniversary each year.

Robert Redwine, president of the hospital's board of

directors, said this year's anniversary theme was, ``Honoring

the past. Ensuring the future.'' Redwine pointed out the rich

history and milestones of the hospital. He said the need for

the hospital arose in the early 1940s when ALCOA Inc.'s North

Plant was built.

The hospital's ``founding fathers,'' Judge George Roberts,

Joe Gamble and A.D. Huddleston. were appointed to investigate

the feasibility of building a publicly owned hospital in the

county.

In 1945, the Federal Works Agency agreed to finance about

50 percent ($200,000) of the $400,000 needed to build it. The

community raised $200,000 that included a $100,000 donation

from ALCOA. The aluminum company's contribution included a

day's pay given by every worker, Redwine said.

A 14-acre site was purchased, and Maryville College donated

0.675 acres of land in front of Walland Highway, where

construction began.

On Blount Memorial's first day of operation, 40 patients

were brought to the hospital by ambulance and six were

admitted. The staff performed two operations, dealt with two

emergencies and delivered a baby boy, Richard Brown.

Since that day, the hospital has grown significantly in its

size and services offered. In the past 10 years, The Good

Samaritan Clinic, Blount Memorial Health Center at Tellico

West in Vonore, Home Equipment Services office, MorningView

Village, Transitional Care Center, Breast Health Center,

Atrium Cafe and an outpatient diagnostic center at

Springbrook have been opened--not to mention many

additions and renovations.

Redwine thanked many partners and friends of the hospital

for their continued support. ``And of course we want to thank

the community for your continued support,'' Redwine said.

``We are here to serve you.'' ``Please remember this is

your hospital. We want you to be proud of it, and we want you

to use it.''

Proclamations read:

Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, Alcoa Mayor Don Mull

and Maryville Vice Mayor Tom Taylor presented a joint

proclamation to the hospital on behalf of the county and

cities. The proclamation ``declares July 24, 2007, as Blount

Memorial Hospital's 60th Anniversary Day,'' and encourages

the community to join the celebration.

State Rep. Doug Overbey and Rep. Joe McCord presented a

proclamation to the hospital stating that the ``General

Assembly is privileged to recognize Blount Memorial Hospital

for its countless contributions to the well-being of the

citizens of Tennessee.''

Senator and retired physician Raymond Finney spoke at the

celebration about how he was glad to be ``back home'' as he

was on staff at Blount Memorial Hospital for 33 years. He

talked about the hospital's accomplishments and credited many

of those to great leadership who have been there for years.

``One of the things that makes this hospital so good is

capable people that stay put,'' Finney said. ``I really

appreciate what's been accomplished here. I know what is

going on across the state in health care, and we have an

exemplary hospital here.''

Dawson said he expects the hospital to continue growing and

believes the hospital will reach many more goals by its 70th

anniversary. ``We're very much a reflection of Blount County

and the changes of Blount County,'' Dawson said.

In the next 5 to 10 years, Dawson said he expects the

hospital will have new technology and said the hospital will

be ``reaching out into the community'' more by building more

primary care and outpatient facilities.

Madam Speaker, the easiest thing in the world to do is to spend other people's money. And it never ceases to amaze how the Federal bureaucracy can rationalize or justify the most wasteful or ridiculous expenditures. But the lavish new embassy we are building in Baghdad and the staffing and expenses for it will just about take the cake.

Here is part of a recent Fox News report: ``It's as big as Vatican City and makes foreign embassies dotting the tree-lined streets of Washington, D.C. look like carriage houses.'' But the barely finished U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is already prime for expansion.

Due for completion in September, the $592 million campus is surrounded by concrete blast walls and features green grass gardens, palm-lined avenues, and volleyball and basketball courts. Available to embassy employees are a PX, commissary, cinema, retail and shopping areas, restaurants, schools, a fire station, power and water treatment facilities, a swimming pool, a recreation center, and the ambassador's and deputy ambassador's residences.

And with months still to pass before it opens, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told a Senate subcommittee in May that additional staffing and housing needs have forced officials to add more structures to the now 21-building site. She asked for an additional $50 million from Congress to make that happen. In other words, almost $600 million is not enough. Then the budget for 2006 for the employees was $923 million, not including salaries and expenses for about 600 employees from other Federal agencies and departments than the State Department.

To a recent story from The Washington Post: ``Mention the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to Lawrence Eagleburger and he explodes.

`` `I defy anyone to tell me how you can use that many people. It is nuts. It's insane, and it's counterproductive. And it won't work,' says the Republican former Secretary of State and member of the Iraq Study Group.''

Secretary Eagleburger said, ``I've been around the State Department long enough to know you can't run an outfit like that.'' And Secretary Eagleburger was reacting to a staffing level of 1,000, twice the size and 20 to 30 times the budgets we have at our embassies in China, Mexico and Britain.

The Post story quoted a senior State Department official as saying, ``Maintaining an oversized mega embassy in Baghdad is draining personnel and resources away from every other U.S. embassy around the world, and all for what?'' The story also said that counting contractors and Iraqi employees, the staff actually is not 1,000, but a staggering and astounding 4,000.

Madam Speaker, I know that many people in our Federal Government want to think of themselves as world statesmen and to feel real important, but it is both unconstitutional and unaffordable for the U.S. to try to govern or police the whole world. And all this certainly goes against every traditional conservative position I have ever known.

Above all, what we are doing building this Taj Mahal industry in Baghdad and allowing an almost $1 billion budget to operate is as far from fiscal conservatism as you can get.

And finally, Madam Speaker, because a previous speaker mentioned General Petraeus's report, let me add this: There is a very important reason why our Founding Fathers, and throughout the history of this Nation our leaders, have always believed in civilian control over the military. The admirals and generals will almost always give positive or optimistic reports saying progress is being made. We have received positive reports from our top military leaders all through the war in Iraq. It is almost like the generals saying they're doing a bad job if their reports are not positive.

Madam Speaker, we should admire, respect and appreciate our military, and I certainly do. But we should not worship them or feel it is somehow unpatriotic to ever criticize any Pentagon waste or any decision a general might make.

Madam Speaker, on August 26, many people from East Tennessee and others from around the Nation will join together to honor Dr. Clarence Sexton on his 40th anniversary in Christian ministry.

Clarence Sexton is one of the finest men I have ever known. Through his work, he has touched thousands of lives in good and positive ways.

He has a heart for service and has shown simple human kindness to countless numbers of people. This world is a better place and many have been saved because of the life Clarence Sexton has led.

The most successful people in the world try some projects that do not go well or even some that fail. But the most important thing is that they never stop trying.

Clarence Sexton is one of the most successful men I know. He is what I call a mover and a shaker, and he would have been a great success in almost anything to which he devoted his tremendous enthusiasm and work ethic.

But God directed him to the Christian ministry, and God has done great and wondrous things through his servant Clarence Sexton.

Temple Baptist Church is now one of the greatest churches in this Nation, But I am even more impressed by the work of Crown College, of which Dr. Sexton is Founder and President, and its many outstanding students and graduates.

I am fortunate that I can call Pastor Clarence Sexton my friend, as he also is to so many others. I want to congratulate him on his 40 years in the ministry, and I know he will continue to do great things in the years ahead.

This Nation needs more men like Reverend Clarence Sexton, of the great Temple Baptist Church in Powell, Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a fine group of sixth graders from my district in Tennessee. The Maryville Intermediate School Sixth Grade Wind Ensemble Band from Maryville, Tennessee, is headed to Chicago for the prestigious 2007 Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra concert.

The event is known in band and orchestra circles as one of the highest honors a musical group can receive. They were chosen to participate only after an extensive audition process in which they competed against other bands and orchestras from high schools, communities, colleges and universities and militaries from around the world.

This is certainly a great achievement in and of itself. But the Maryville band is special in another way; they are the first sixth grade band in the Clinic's 61-year history to be invited to participate. It is an honor that the close-knit community of Maryville can be proud of, and just another example of the incredible spirit of the people of east Tennessee.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to join me as I salute Maryville Intermediate School's Wind Ensemble Band and its directors, George Hayden and RoAnn Romines, on this much-deserved accomplishment. I wish them many more musical scores to come.

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

First of all, I would like to commend Chairman Waxman and my colleague from New York, my longtime friend (Mr. Towns), with whom, as he noted, we share the same birthday, for bringing the Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act to the floor today. I also appreciate their efforts as it moved through committee, and I certainly want to thank him for accommodating comments and concerns we raised during the process. As Chairman Towns noted, he has included and the chairman has included in this legislation concerns that the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) raised and also has included legislation that I introduced, H.R. 2324, in this bill. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I fully support this bill, and I want to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) for his hard work on this, and we will hear from him in just a few minutes.

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee has always sought to improve the performance of the Federal Government, and as anyone who has ever worked in the private sector knows, customer service is the lifeblood of any organization.

As we often look to the private sector for best practices, I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we in the Federal Government are able to capture data on how each and every agency is doing in regard to customer service. The administration continues to work with us on this bill so no unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles are created.

This bill recognizes the importance of the agencies within the Federal Government to be responsive to their various constituencies and for the government to remain accountable to the American taxpayer. Responsiveness and accountability are the things that really are behind this legislation.

I particularly appreciate section 2 in which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall develop standards and measures of customer service performance. I think that is very important and is a first. It has not been done before within the Federal Government. And especially, also, the parts in section 3, which incorporate much of my legislation and require customer service information such as a mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. It requires the appointment of a customer relations representative. And one thing I have noticed, I have gotten letters from Federal Departments and agencies in the past, and there has been no mailing address, no phone number on there, almost as if the people within that Department or agency really didn't want to be bothered by their bosses, bothered by the American people calling on them or finding out how to contact them, and making it very difficult for many people to do so.

Section 5 is another good section of this bill and really is the result of the work of the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), and that includes some incentives in there to do better jobs. Bonuses to Federal employees will now be based, at least in part, on customer service.

So with all of these things, I think this is good legislation. I ask my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 404.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to just simply once again thank Chairman Towns and also thank the primary author of this legislation, Mr. Cuellar, for their work in bringing this bill to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to support what I think is very worthwhile and timely legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

H. Res. 528 commemorates the Town of New Milford, Connecticut, on its 300th anniversary. New Milford is not the largest city, but under the definitions of the State, it is the largest town within the State, with a population of nearly 30,000 residents. This quaint and friendly community is home to thriving businesses and manufacturing industries and has abundant historical roots.

New Milford was established and founded in 1707 when John Noble, Sr. of Westfield, Massachusetts, purchased a large portion of land for his family. More families arrived in the new community soon afterwards, and the settlement began to flourish. Over time, new churches and schools were founded, and in 1774, the town saw 285 of its men leave to serve in the Revolutionary War.

In its 300 years, New Milford has seen weather-related tragedies, devastating illnesses, and damaging fires hit the town. But it has overcome these tragedies and events and today has many successful industries and businesses.

New Milford educates its residents and visitors each year through cultural tours, concert events, art fairs, and camps. It has witnessed much history and seen tremendous growth in its 300 years and is certainly one of the most pleasant places to live in this Nation today.

I am pleased to support H. Res. 528 to honor this historic 300th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will simply close by congratulating the town of New Milford on this historic anniversary, its 300th anniversary. And I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and also the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy) for bringing this matter to the attention of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure to honor a remarkable First Lady and great conservationist, Lady Bird Johnson. And it is with much sadness that the House continues to note her recent passing.

Born in 1912 in Karnack, Texas, in an era when women were not expected to accomplish great things, Mrs. Johnson came to represent strength of character that was the hallmark of her life.

After graduating from the University of Texas in 1933, she married Lyndon Baines Johnson. Mrs. Johnson became the mother of two daughters, certainly her most important work, Lynda Bird and Luci Baines Johnson. She spent the next few decades raising her children and supporting her husband in his political career, which, of course, led him to the Presidency. She was a trusting sounding board for her husband through all his years in the House and Senate and in the White House.

Mrs. Johnson led a nationwide effort to call attention to the beauty and the goal of highlighting historical sites and highways by planting flowering plants and wildflowers. While First Lady, she visited numerous public sites and scenic areas, thus bringing local and national attention to her beautification and conservation initiatives.

As we all have seen each spring in Washington, Mrs. Johnson has left a lasting legacy for all American and foreign visitors to this great city, who can now see incredible numbers of flowers throughout the area. She not only helped beautify Washington, but was also responsible for the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, calling for control of outdoor advertising, as well as the clean-up of junkyards along the national highways.

It is partly because of her efforts that we now have the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, requiring at least one-quarter of 1 percent of funds expended for landscaping projects in the highway system to be used to plant native flowers, plants and trees.

After leaving Washington, Mrs. Johnson enthusiastically continued her conservation efforts throughout her beloved home State of Texas right up until the date of her death on July 11, 2007.

I urge my colleagues to please join me in honoring this great woman of Texas and First Lady of the United States, Lady Bird Johnson, for her untiring efforts in educating a Nation on the benefits of conservation and beautification throughout her lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me just close by saying it has been a privilege for me to handle this resolution on our side.

I know that most of us heard and read and saw some of the beautiful and moving tributes that were made to Mrs. Johnson in her funeral ceremony just a few days ago, especially the tributes from her daughters. And so I think this is a very fitting and appropriate resolution. I commend my good friend, the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Johnson, for bringing this resolution to the floor, and also my friend Mr. Davis.

I urge passage of this resolution.

And Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.