Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to pay tribute to Jim Hinga, a beloved father of three and renowned lawyer, who passed away on March 5. It was a privilege to know Jim and I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Jim was born and raised in Indiana. He received his B.A. from Notre Dame in 1971 where he was known by many as ``Muncie Milkman'' of the Notre Dame basketball team. His achievements on the team led to his induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Silver Anniversary Basketball Team. After earning a law degree from the University of Mississippi, Jim served as a litigator and widely respected mediator in Denver, Colorado for the next 25 years. Jim was often sought out for his talent, intellect, and expertise.

But Jim is remembered first and foremost as a compassionate friend and dedicated family man. He never missed a chance to attend one

of his children's school or sporting events. He took time out of his busy work schedule to call his children and tell them how proud he was of their accomplishments. Jim raised a determined set of talented children who will honor his memory with their good works for years to come.

We can all learn from Jim and can only hope to have his sense of dedication and compassion. His caring personality brightened the lives of those who knew him. Jim will be missed, but remembered by the hundreds of people whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, last week I received an official leave of absence due to the death of my father-in-law, George Jaramillo. Had I been here, I would have voted in the following manner.

For the votes on H.R. 4167, the Food Labeling Act, I would have voted:

``Aye'' on the Cardoza Amendment; ``No'' on the Waxman Amendment; ``No'' on the Capps/Eshoo/Stupak/Waxman Amendment; ``No'' on the Wasserman-Schultz Amendment; ``No'' on the Stupak Motion to Recommit; and ``Aye'' on Final Passage of the HR 4167.

For the votes on H.R. 2829--Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2005, I would have voted:

``No'' on the Previous Question on the Rule; ``Aye'' on the Chabot/ Boswell/Calvert/Cannon/Larsen Amendment; ``Aye'' on Hooley Amendment; ``No'' on the Paul Amendment; ``Aye'' Rehberg/Boozman/King (IA)/Capito/ Souder/Graves Amendment; and ``Aye'' on Final Passage.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I believe that this Congress needs to recognize that caring for our veterans is a continuing cost of the war on terrorism.

My amendment adds $630 million in emergency funding so that the VA can better meet the needs of veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and with this financial relief the VA will also be able to provide better care to the heroes of earlier conflicts.

Here is the situation. The VA projected that it would treat 110,000 Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans this fiscal year. At the end of January, the first third of the fiscal year, the VA had already treated 74,000 veterans. At this rate, the VA will treat twice the number of veterans than projected.

Our veterans need our support now. There is no better place to include funding for our veterans and military families than in the bill addressing the costs of the war.

First, I have added $250 million for mental health. According to a recent Army study, as many as one in three veterans returning from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan will experience symptoms related to mental health problems.

This amendment will make available $9 million to expand veterans' access to family therapy; $168 million to implement the VA's own Comprehensive Mental Health Plan; $24 million for additional substance abuse treatment, one in five post-traumatic stress disorder patients have had substance abuse problems; $35 million to increase capacity to treat returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who need outpatient mental health services; $15 million for increased in-patient PTSD treatments, about a 12 percent increase; $3 million to increase staffing for VA efforts to seamlessly transition returning veterans with the Post-Deployment Health Assessment.

The VA is seeing more and more veterans from previous conflicts with post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a growing concern, and it is smart to provide quality mental health care to our returning veterans now and help forestall greater problems and more expense in the future.

The amendment also adds $110 million for prosthetics, a 10 percent increase. We all marvel at what we have done today to help return veterans to a full life, but it is not cheap. Above-knee replacement costs about $50,000, and then it needs periodic adjustment and maintenance. In past years, the VA prosthetic budget had grown by 17 percent a year. By 2007, the administration would cut back the growth to 12 percent. Now is certainly not the time to cut these important programs.

In another area, I added $200 million for direct medical services. Just like last year, we are already hearing anecdotes about shortages at VA medical facilities. Supply problems, budget problems, we do not need a crystal ball to make these predictions. With all the extra new veterans in need of medical care, there will be another budget shortfall.

This is by no means the fault of the men and women in the VA. The VA has made a real innovation by establishing state-of-the-art polytrauma centers, but they cost real money. These centers treat the worst injuries, sharing information with one another and military hospitals by videophone.

The amendment also adds $15 million for medical and vocational rehabilitation services. Service-disabled veterans applying for vocational rehabilitation and employment services increased dramatically over the last decade, roughly a 75 percent increase. Demand for this service will grow even faster due to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Finally, the amendment includes $55 million for increased staffing to process the growing number of disability claims. Currently, the backlog is more than 370,000 cases, and it is getting worse. In 2005, the VA was averaging 167 days to process one of these claims.

In 2006, it has grown to 185 days. In a time of war, we need to treat our heroes well. Slowing down the process of disability claims is a slap in the face.

Before closing, I would like to acknowledge Chairman Walsh's recognizing that there is a need for VA funding. In fact, he was good enough to grant the VA authority to use $275 million for the construction of a VA Hospital in New Orleans on a need basis.

VA facilities are already feeling the crunch when it comes to their budgets. Why are we not preparing for the future? Why are we willing to let the VA funding run out this year? Why is this administration not willing to fully fund the true cost of the war?

I am here to tell you that we can do better and we must do better. Our troops bravely put their lives on the line and it is our moral duty to provide them the care they were promised. Mr. Chairman, it is high time we stop paying lip service to our veterans and realize that caring for veterans is an ongoing cost of the war. It is high time that we start working towards providing the

VA with the tools needed to provide proper care for our servicemen and -women.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and to support the brave men and women in uniform.

Point of Order

Offered By: Mr. Salazar

Amendment No. 2: In chapter 5 of title I, after the

paragraph relating to ``Military Construction, Air Force'',

insert the following:

Madam Speaker, I speak today in support of the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act of 2005. These important programs are helping us to recover four endangered fish species along the Colorado and San Juan Rivers.

It is essential to these western Colorado water communities that Congress reauthorize the program so we can continue with recovery efforts. I would also like to emphasize that both the Upper Colorado River and the San Juan River are vital water supplies to western Colorado. Over 1,000 water projects are reliant upon the waters in these rivers and tributaries. You can imagine the difficulty of trying to coordinate species recovery with the needs of so many water projects. But that is exactly what we have been able to do and I am proud of their work.

This program can serve as a national model for public and private partnerships for endangered species recovery. It allows water development in accordance to the State and Federal laws to continue while the partners work to recover the endangered fish species. As an individual water user I appreciate how this program does not pass the depletion burdens onto individual water projects and users. It is also very impressive that these partners have been able to work towards species recovery without a single lawsuit filed under the Endangered Species Act.

While water wars are historic throughout the West, this cooperative partnership among the affected parties is truly historic. This is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure after working with my friend and colleague, Representative Mark Udall, that today we will introduce legislation to assist and help protect Rocky Mountain communities. Over the past couple of years, our state has experienced horrific wildfires caused by the ongoing insect epidemic in our forests. It is time to action in order to reduce the risks and protect both life and property.

The Rocky Mountain Forest Insects Response Enhancement and Support Act, or Rocky Mountain FIRES Act, will provide the Forest Service, Interior Department and local communities with a better ability to respond to this serious and growing problem of beetle infestation.

While the various species of bark beetle are native to our forests, these insects create poor forest health conditions and are destroying our forests. A healthy tree can normally defend itself through the production of sap that creates a retardant against the insect, but current drought conditions and density of forests have impacted the production of these natural defenses and the overall health of the forests.

In my district, I am concerned that deteriorating forest health places many mountain communities at greater risk of fire. Our legislation will allow these communities to treat increased fuel risks caused by unhealthy trees and dense forest stands. In fact, we took great care to address the concerns of local communities and have crafted a bill that incorporated the input of diverse constituencies across Colorado.

Finally, I would like to stress that our goal is to provide helpful tools in the treatment of forests areas while still having the proper sideboards in place to protect the environment. We understand the insects play a role in the forest ecosystem and the goal is not eliminate them, but to allow communities and the forest service to respond quicker to catastrophically impacted areas.

This is good legislation that is needed to help protect and preserve Colorado's mountain communities. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer my condolences to the family and friends of Dennis Weaver, who have recently suffered the tragic loss of a great man. Mr. Weaver passed away on Friday, February 26th at his home in Ridgeway, Colorado.

Mr. Weaver was perhaps most famous for his role as Chester Good on ``Gunsmoke'' and for the T.V. series ``McCloud,'' though he appeared in many T.V. movies, films, and even released his own country music album. As a fan of Western classics, I was continually impressed by Mr. Weaver's talent on screen and his ability to bring laughter and happiness to millions of Americans.

The passing of Mr. Weaver strikes a more personal chord because he was such an involved member of the Colorado community. In addition to his work as an actor, Mr. Weaver was also a dedicated activist for many environmental and humanitarian causes. He assisted in founding Love is Feeding Everyone, a program which currently helps to feed 150,000 hungry people a week in Los Angeles County. He has been honored by Haven Hills, a shelter for battered women, and the Pacific Lodge Boys' Home. In addition, he was on the Advisory Board of the ``Center for Environmental Solutions,'' and even resided in his own environmentally friendly solar-powered house that he and his wife built in my Congressional District.

Though I only had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Weaver once, I was struck by his sincerity and his dedication. His talent as an actor is to be admired and his role in the community has been invaluable. He will be greatly missed, not only by his close friends and family, but also by the millions of lives he touched through his work onscreen and his role in the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and commend the twelve Winter Olympic athletes from Colorado's Third District.

Their devotion to country and athletic excellence is truly exemplary and is deserving of our fullest respect and gratitude. And so, I honor the following persons as great athletes, great Coloradoans, great Americans . . .

Gretchen Bleiler from Aspen, who competed in the Women's Snowboarding competition; Jason Smith from Basalt, who competed in the Men's Snowboarding competition; Lanny and Tracy Barnes from Durango, who competed in the Biathlon competition; Rebecca Dussault from Gunnison, who competed in the Cross-Country Skiing competition; Clint Jones from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Skiing Jump competition; Caroline Lavive from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Alpine Skiing competition; Todd Lodwick from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Nordic Combined Skiing competition; Travis Mayer from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Freestyle Skiing competition; Tommy Schwall from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Skiing Jump competition; Johnny Spillane from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Nordic Combined Skiing competition; and Ryan St. Onge also from Steamboat Springs, who competed in the Freestyle Skiing competition.

Their hard work and determination has earned them the title of Olympic athletes and sports heroes. They have made all of us in Colorado and the United States very proud. Once again, I would like to extend a hearty congratulations to all of them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents and a personal friend, Bill Ferguson. Bill Ferguson, or ``Fergie'' as friends like to call him has had a long and distinguished career as a rancher and public servant in Ouray County, Colorado.

Bill Ferguson was raised in Colorado. In the late 1970s he settled in the town of Ridgway. While Bill worked hard as a carpenter and his wife Liza as a waitress, they were able to save enough money to start their own business. The Park Nursery Garden Center soon became the premier native nursery in the area. Fergie also established a 120 acre ranch where he and Liza continue to raise 80-100 head of cattle per year. Both his ranch and his nursery are a great asset to the county and reflect Bill's life long ethic of caring for the land he was part of.

In the 1990's, Bill was instrumental in developing a Geographical Information System program that eventually became the Southwest Data Center. The Center is still a vital tool for land use planning and management for Ouray County, surrounding governments and local citizens in Southwest Colorado.

In 1999, Bill was appointed to the Ouray Board of County Commissioners and won re-election in November of 2000. Bill fought hard for the best interest of his community through the end of his term in 2005. He worked to protect Ouray County's financial interest, preserve the open government process and helped restore the people's faith in government. As a county commissioner, Bill was noted for being the primary force behind legislation to designate Ouray County as a ``Right to Farm'' community, preserving the rights of farmers and ranchers to conduct their business without interference.

A water rights' owner, Bill was appointed by Ouray County for two terms to sit on the Colorado River Conservation District Board of Directors, which is the oldest and most prestigious water conservation district in Colorado. As Ouray County's representative to the Colorado River District, Bill worked on land and water conservation projects for conservations trusts. According to fellow board members, Bill was always the best joke teller--a tough title to earn on a water district board, which is typically filled with amateur comedians. Bill also served on the Colorado River Water Users Association developing GIS- based maps for educational purposes.

With such a long list of accomplishments, it is easy to see that Bill is a leader in every sense of the word, but especially when it comes to water. Bill always has helped lead the fight to protect Western Slope water. I was honored to fight alongside him on many crucial battles to defend our rural way of life.

I have been proud to know and work with Bill Ferguson on issues that are important to the Western Slope of Colorado. He has been a great personal friend, colleague and mentor on many water issues and I am honored to represent him in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate David H. Smith of Rio Blanco County, as the honored recipient of the Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year Award from the Colorado Water Congress.

The career of David H. Smith reflects his extraordinary dedication to the protection of water rights in the State of Colorado. His inspiring leadership on these very important issues is greatly appreciated by all citizens of Colorado.

Mr. Smith's passion for conservation and leadership in water issues lead to a 20-year tenure on the Colorado Water Conservation Board as well as 12 years of service as Rio Blanco County's director on the Colorado River Water Conservation Board. Mr. Smith's commitment to his community extends beyond water issues to service on the county planning commission and the local school board. Mr. Smith himself is a rancher in the region and has devoted his life to the protection and maintenance of this lifestyle.

Family and friends have been quick to praise Mr. Smith as someone who has exemplified genuine concern for the water rights of the citizens of Colorado. Mr. Smith displayed his resolve during the oil-shale boom in the 1970s and 1980s when he guaranteed the preservation of property and water rights in Western Colorado. Later, during the 2002 drought, Mr. Smith was instrumental in negotiating a water-sharing plan for White River Valley ranchers and farmers.

Even with all his public service, Mr. Smith maintains a strong family life, having been married to his wife Sue Ann for 53 years with two sons and a daughter.

Mr. Smith's story is one of compassion and commitment, not only for the protection of the rights of the ranchers and farmers in his region but also for the maintenance of a lifestyle learned from his great- grandfather, an immigrant from Scotland who introduced Mr. Smith to the ideas of irrigation. A life of service and leadership, of achievement and ambition, Mr. Smith's accomplishment is one that deserves recognition and respect by all citizens of Colorado who have benefited from his devotion.

It is a tremendous honor to stand today and publicly recognize Mr. David H. Smith for his many contributions to the community. It is my privilege to extend congratulations to Mr. Smith for the receipt of the Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year Award.

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, I will join the people of Colorado at Mesa Verde National Park to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

On June 29, 1906, Congress designated Mesa Verde as a national park unique for its archaeological treasures, spectacular views, and abundant wildlife. Located at the intersection of four states, Mesa Verde is a tremendous resource to the entire nation and a jewel in my congressional district.

Every year, 450,000 people travel to Southwest Colorado to visit the park. For those who have hiked the trails carved out by the Anasazi Indians, they know that Mesa Verde is truly a special place and one of the finest National Parks in our country. As the first cultural and historic national park in the history of the world, Mesa Verde helped spur Congress to preserve other important historical and archaeological sites.

I am proud to represent Mesa Verde National Park--Colorado's first national park--and its surrounding communities in Montezuma County here in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in appreciation of Commander Steven Stevenson's 21 year of service with the Civil Engineer Corps of the United States Navy. I also wish to congratulate Commander Stevenson on his upcoming retirement.

Commander Stevenson was raised in Western Colorado and graduated from Olathe High School in 1981.

Beginning in his youth, Commander Stevenson chose to put family and country before self, attending the Naval Academy at Annapolis. Upon his graduation in 1985, Commander Stevenson was assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion One, where he served with distinction as Assistant Bravo Company Commander and Assistant Operations Officer.

From 1987 to 1990, Stevenson served as the commander of the Construction Battalion Unit 418 and was selected for the highly competitive US Navy Ocean Facilities Program. Stevenson, displaying his characteristic level of determination and intellect, succeeded in earning a Masters of Science in Ocean Engineering.

When the Navy needed a capable leader to establish a new Construction Battalion Unit during the 1990's, it turned to Commander Stevenson. And when the Navy needed a well educated officer to bring the Seabees into the information age, once again it turned to Commander Stevenson, who went on to modernize everything from Seabee equipment to training.

Commander Stevenson's scholarly and engineering excellence is only exceeded by his devotion to his country. Stevenson represents the very definition of the famous Seabee valor having earned two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation over the course of his career.

Commander Stevenson's life of service exemplifies the Seabee motto ``Constrimus, Batuimus''--``We build, We Fight''. He spent his career building a better and safer future for our country, all the time ready to put his life on the line for that brighter tomorrow and the ideals he has held dear.

And so today I would like to both congratulate Commander Stevenson on his retirement, and personally thank him for his 21 years of devoted service to his country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert Rawlings on his induction into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.

Bob Rawlings was born in Pueblo in 1924 and bravely defended his country during the Second World War, serving in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946. With a degree from Colorado College, Bob then began a career as a reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain in 1947. His enthusiasm and passion for journalism propelled him to the position of Editor and then to President of Star-Journal Publishing Corporation in 1984.

His achievements in the field of Journalism prompted the University of Colorado to induct Bob as a ``Living Legend'' in 1997. The Colorado Press Association named him ``Colorado Newspaper Person of the Year'' in 1989 and the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce gave him the title of ``Outstanding Citizen of the Year'' in 1993.

While Bob is today being honored as a remarkable businessman, his name is equally synonymous with service. Always devoted to his hometown of Pueblo, over the years he has contributed generously of himself to the Colorado State University at Pueblo, and was honored in 2004 as ``Volunteer of the Year'' by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

Even with all of this public activity, Bob is still a family man first and foremost. He and his wife Sandy have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Bob's story is the story of the American spirit. A spirit and life defined by a will to succeed and a desire to give back. It is also a life of service and generosity, of drive and achievement. Bob's persistence, patriotism, and devotion to business and community should serve as an example for us all.

I am honored to be a part of the induction of this great man into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my frustration over the abuse of procedures in the House of Representatives. For the past day we have waited for a chance to debate and vote on the Defense Appropriations Bill. Now, in the early morning, we will do so without any of us having had a chance to thoroughly review the bill. I will vote for the bill--I believe it is right to support our troops as well as Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief efforts. However, I do not support the last minute moves to open up ANWR for drilling by inserting language into an unrelated bill which requires an up or down vote. If ANWR has such widespread support as some argue, then why is it being pushed through on the 11th hour?

Our focus should be on how we can best protect our nation and our troops deployed overseas. I am troubled that the Leadership would use our troops as a weapon to accomplish something which is so unpopular with the American people. I have heard this belief on ANWR drilling expressed over and over again as I travel throughout the district. Yet, somehow, this unpopular provision still found its way into the bill. It is a sad day when our troops are held hostage to a last-minute rider. It is a special interest giveaway that has no place in the defense spending bill.

We have just a few unspoiled lands remaining in our country and we need to protect them. Nobody really knows how much oil ANWR holds, and unfortunately, it will require a significant amount of drilling and testing to find out. Once the exploration starts, we'll have already destroyed part of the environment.

I realize our country has a fundamental imbalance between supply and demand, but drilling in ANWR will provide little relief of that demand. We cannot drill our way out of current energy problems. Likewise, we cannot conserve our way out of our current energy problems. We must diversify our energy portfolio. On my farm, I do not grow just one crop. I must diversify my farming operation to be able handle the ups and downs of the agriculture markets, and that is also what we need to do to with our energy supply. By diversifying our energy portfolio, our country can better handle the volatility of the energy markets.

I know each of us is concerned about how to shape our future energy policy. I can tell you that it should not include ANWR and I will continue on my mission to promote a diverse energy portfolio, one that includes renewable energy sources. It is my hope that we will have a chance to revisit this issue in the near future.

As for the Defense Appropriations Bill, we cannot delay any longer. While I have some serious concerns with the bill, it contains critical funding for our nation's defense and the safety of the brave men and women fighting in our Armed Forces. It would be a disservice to these men and women for Congress to adjourn for the year without passing a funding bill. It would also be a disservice to our fellow Americans in the Gulf Coast Region who have been waiting for months to receive aid. Hurricanes Rita and Katrina may have washed away homes and a lifetime of belongings, but they did not wash away our compassion for others in need. Together we can move forward--together we can do better.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the Skyhawks, Fort Lewis College's Men's Soccer team for winning the 2005-2006 NCAA Division II National Championship. Being undefeated, ranked first in the nation, and then winning the National Championship is indeed a dream season for this phenomenal group of athletes.

The Skyhawks 3-1 victory on December 4th capped an undefeated season with Fort Lewis winning 22 matches. In the Final Four Tournament, Team Captain Bryan Eisenbraun was named most valuable defensive player. John Cunliffe was named most valuable offensive player. These two young men and two other Skyhawks--Nick Clark and Cole Sweetser--were also named All-American soccer players.

The Fort Lewis Skyhawks are the pride of the entire community. These men are positive role models for the younger generation, not only for their talent and dedication to the sport, but because of their dedication to volunteering and giving back to the community. For several years, the coaches and team have been actively involved with the Durango Youth Soccer Association, leading soccer camps, coaching clinics, and hosting club soccer tournaments. The Skyhawk men have taken the time to be mentors for Durango youth and have become like family for many people.

The Skyhawks are a shining example of the values important to all Coloradoans--hard work, dedication, leadership, and working with the community. To Fort Lewis College President Brad Bartels, Coach Jeremy Gunn, Assistant Coaches Darren Morgan, Andy McDermid, James Hall and all the members of the Skyhawk's 2005 men's soccer team: Adam Beach, Jonathan Boyer, Nick Clark, Bernardo Costa, John Cunliffe, Tom Donley, John Eckhoff, Bryan Eisenbraun, Fabian Ferrada, Sean Flanagan, Kyle Fredrick, Ben Gatenbein, Kieran Hall, Ryan Kerr, Nick Kirchhof, Taylor Lavoy, Ryan Parsons, Carter Rice, Casey Roberts, Paul Sanchez, Cole Sweetser, Justin Valashinas, Cliff Wilmes, and Kenny Wood-- congratulations on your victory and thank you for your service to the community.