Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Jaget, who recently competed in the Gobi March, a 7-day, 150-mile footrace across China's Gobi Desert.

Mark is a 39-year-old chiropractor, who, with his brother David, owns three Spinal Rehabilitation Centers in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On June 3, 2006, after completing the six-stage, 7-day footrace across one of the harshest landscapes and climates on Earth, Mark crossed the finish line in a small, remote village in the Xinjiang Province of China. Mark finished the race an impressive 9th overall, with a time of 32 hours and 56 minutes.

This was Mark's first race, and he trained for 9 months in order to prepare for his amazing performance in this self-sustaining test, where the competitors have to carry their own food and supplies. Although participants were provided with a tent, water, and dehydrated meals, this served as little consolation in the extreme heat and rugged terrain.

Mark's motivation to finish the race came by focusing on thoughts of his wife, Clare, and their children, Sebastian, who is 7, and Tristan, who is 5, with whom he had imaginary conversations during the contest to keep his spirits high.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mark Jaget on the floor of the House. I commend him for his overwhelming determination and appreciate his representation of our country and the State of Nevada in the Gobi March.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Ruedy Edgington as he leaves the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).

Ruedy has been at the NDOT for 26 years. He has accepted a position as Parson Transportation Group's Area Manager. In his new

role as Area Manager, Ruedy will manage over 50 Parson's employees in Northern and Southern Nevada and will oversee the road and highway projects in Nevada, Utah, and Idaho.

Upon graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1981, Ruedy began work for NDOT's Bridge Section where he worked for nine years. He then moved on to a position as the Assistant Materials Engineer to gain more experience in the field. In 1998, Ruedy was promoted to the position of chief construction engineer. He was again promoted in 1999 to become the assistant director for operations, and in 2004, Ruedy became the Assistant Director for Engineering. After serving NDOT for over 25 years, Ruedy is apprehensive about his career change, but he is looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities that await him at the Parson Transportation Group.

Over the years Ruedy has led a number of special projects including: streamlining NDOT's in-house National Environmental Policy Act process, scheduling and tracking system for NDOT's in-house projects, developing Disputer Resolution Boards, and developing the initial bridge seismic retrofit program for NDOT.

Ruedy and his family have raised funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and have visited my office during their efforts. Ruedy loves to run and bike, but his favorite activity is spending time with his wife, Allyson, and their sons, Eric, who is 13, and Matthew, who is 10.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Ruedy Edgington on the floor of the House. I commend him for his tremendous efforts for the state of Nevada, as well as his efforts to fight against Juvenile Diabetes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Mr. Thom Reilly as he prepares to resign as the Clark County Manager, which is one of the fastest growing counties in the country with more than 1.5 million residents, and is accepting the position as Vice Chancellor of the University of Nevada Health Science Services Center for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Thom began his service to Nevada in 1987, when he took a policy analyst position in Carson City's Department of Human Resources. While working in Carson City, he had the opportunity to serve as Chief of Social Services, and was subsequently promoted to Deputy Administrator.

In 1991, Thom moved to Las Vegas and joined the Division of Child and Family Services, where he oversaw the Child Welfare System in Nevada. Thom left his state position to work for Clark County in 1997. As Director of Clark County Administrative Services, he served as Chief Administrator, and was responsible for administering and planning Clark County's legislative initiatives, franchise agreements, emergency management, policy and program development, and strategic planning efforts.

In August of 1999, Thom left Clark County to accept a position as Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, UNLV. He has taught a number of graduate level courses in public administration and social work, and continues to teach on a part-time basis. Thom returned to work for Clark County in 2001, as County Manager and Chief Executive Officer.

Thom holds both a Doctorate and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of Southern California, USC, a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University, and a B.A. from Memphis State University. He is the author of numerous articles in the areas of health and human services, environmental planning and citizen participation. Thom is also active in numerous community organizations and serves on the editorial boards for the journals Public Administration Review, PAR, and Administration in Social Work.

Recently Thom has been quoted saying, ``It's been a distinct pleasure to serve the citizens of Clark County and the members of the County Commission, and I've had some wonderful years here and have worked with a lot of very talented people who take their roles as public servants very seriously. Now I look forward to continuing to serve the people of this state in my new role.''

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mr. Thom Reilly on the floor of the House. From the needs of a foster child to the needs of a vibrant and expanding community, Thom has a true gift of serving his fellow man. I am honored to have him as a friend. I commend him for his continued contributions to the state of Nevada and especially the residents of Clark County.

I thank the gentleman from Virginia, and I wish to engage in a colloquy with the chairman.

Mr. Chairman, there are many areas throughout the country that have extremely high tourism rates. The local

law enforcement agencies of these areas have the difficult task of providing services to these tourists on the top of their responsibility to the base population that they represent.

For example, the community of southern Nevada has about 1.8 million people, although we have visitors of over 40 million tourists a year into our community. Local law enforcement is responsible with the safety of these visitors, which places a huge financial strain on the various public safety departments.

The Judiciary Committee has agreed to consider tourism as a factor for law enforcement grants that they authorize and for which your committee provides funding.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate this and look forward to working with you and the authorizing committee.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Andrews

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant Colonel R. Wyn Elder as he assumes command of the 4th Airlift Squadron based out of McChord Air Force Base.

Lieutenant Colonel Elder graduated from the University of Virginia in 1990 and soon thereafter began a distinguished military career. After completing the Aircraft Maintenance & Munitions Officer Course as a Distinguished Graduate, he was assigned to Nellis AFB in Nevada. He served in several different capacities at the squadron and group levels, including Officer-in-Charge, and Munitions Flight and Assistant Officer-in-Charge of the F-16 and A-10 Aircraft Maintenance Units belonging to the United States Air Force Fighter Weapons School, 422d Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron. In April 1994, Lieutenant Colonel Elder was selected for Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB. After completing his training as a Distinguished Graduate, he served as the Executive Officer, 17th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, South Carolina. During this period, Lieutenant Colonel Elder commanded missions as part of Operations Allied Force, Southern Watch, Joint Guardian and Joint Endeavor. Thereafter, Lieutenant Colonel Elder spent two years attached to the White House Military Office as a Presidential Advance Agent. In this capacity, he served as the point man for Air Force One flights throughout the world, including the first U.S. presidential trip to Slovenia. Most recently,

Lieutenant Colonel Elder was selected for admission to the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS). He graduated from SAASS in June of 2004 and was assigned to the position of Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Virginia. Lieutenant Colonel Elder is a senior pilot with over 2200 hours of flight time in the T-38, C-17, and T-1 aircraft.

In addition to his varied professional and academic experiences, Lieutenant Colonel Elder has earned numerous accolades, including: the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Kosovo Campaign Medal.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Lieutenant Colonel R. Wyn Elder. I thank him for his years of exemplary service and congratulate him on his new command. I wish him the best in this new endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my dear friend, Gwendolyn Sue Lowes, as she prepares to move from Henderson, Nevada to Tyler, Texas. Sue has worked in my District Office since I was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002, and has been an invaluable asset and outstanding example of what a person ought to be.

Sue was born on October 12, 1946 in Breckenridge, Texas. She graduated from McCollum High School in San Antonio, Texas. After high school, Sue attended San Antonio Junior College and began working for Traveler's Insurance. She spent more than thirty years in the insurance business. She worked for the prominent San Antonio insurance firm of Cato & Cato for nineteen years and was known among her colleagues and clients as a bright, cheerful, talented person who always went the extra mile to get the job done. After leaving San Antonio, Sue and her husband Ted lived in Florida and Northern California. They moved to Las Vegas in 1992 and began working at my insurance office in 1993. Sue came to my staff with an outstanding reputation in the insurance field. During the ten years she spent at my Farmer's office, she always maintained an extraordinary work ethic, a positive attitude and a friendly demeanor.

In 2003, Sue joined my Congressional staff and has been an incredible asset to my staff and my constituents. Sue balances a variety of duties with grace and skill. She greets

every constituent with a smile. She is a proactive person who actively seeks opportunities to improve her performance and the performance of the office as a whole. She is a loyal, hardworking and selfless person who always meets a challenge with a positive attitude. Sue has coordinated the Military Academy nominations for the students in my district since 2003. She has done an outstanding job recruiting community members to serve on the Academy Selection Committee, organizing outreach to local high school students and developing relationships with each of our great Military Academies in order to facilitate the nomination process. Sue truly makes a difference in the lives of those who have had the privilege of working with her.

Although Sue has an outstanding record of professional performance, she is most outstanding because of who she is. Sue is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She has two children, Margaret Jean ``Maggie'' and John Perry, and three grandchildren. She and her husband have been happily married for eighteen years. Sue is a well-rounded individual who actively pursues her talents and interests. She is an accomplished athlete, an excellent cook, an avid hiker and a talent at many other hobbies. Throughout her life, Sue's warmth, kindness and zest for life have enabled her to nurture strong relationships with her family and friends. Sue is loved and respected by all who know her because of her wisdom, her compassion and her supportive nature.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Sue Lowes for her extraordinary commitment to our community, state and nation, and for achieving excellence in all aspects of her life. She has been a wonderful friend for nearly fourteen years and she is truly an admirable person. She will be greatly missed in my office, but I wish her the very best as she goes back to Texas to begin the next phase of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Manuel Cortez for his outstanding service and memorable impact on the city of Las Vegas. Manuel passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2006 at the age of 67.

Manny, a resident of Las Vegas since 1944, was instrumental in making the city one of the world's top vacation destinations. When Manny took over the Convention Authority, Las Vegas had 73,730 hotel and motel rooms and two major convention centers, including the then-new Sands Exposition and Convention Center, which opened its first phase in late 1990. Las Vegas hosted approximately 21.3 million visitors in 1991, an early stage of what became an unprecedented era of local growth following The Mirage's 1989 debut. By the time that boom halted in summer 2000, Las Vegas had added multiple world-class resorts, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and The Venetian. Today, the city today boasts 129,475 rooms and three of the nation's largest convention centers.

In the period following the terrorist attacks of September 2001 and the subsequent U.S. economic slowdown, Manny oversaw a highly flexible marketing strategy that helped Las Vegas recover more quickly than many competing destinations. Part of Manny's advertising campaign included the forever popular tag line, ``what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.''

On May 5, 2004, Manny resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, a position he held for 13 years.

Manny served four terms as a Clark County Commissioner, beginning in 1976. He also served on the governing board of the University Medical Center, as well as the Las Vegas Valley Water District and the Metropolitan Police Department fiscal affairs boards. He was honored in 1999 by having a local elementary school named for him, and was also named Travel Agent Magazine's United States Person of the Year.

The most important part of Manny's life was his family. He leaves behind his loving wife of 45 years, Joanna Cortez; daughters, Cynthia Musgrove and her husband, Dan, and Catherine Cortez Masto and her husband, Paul; grandson, Andrew Musgrove; granddaughter, Christina Musgrove; mother, Mary Cortez; sister, Patricia Snider; aunt, Mary Tapia; and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward C. Cortez.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mr. Manny Cortez on the floor of the House. He was a good friend who served the residents and guests of Las Vegas with honor, and he will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor CAPT Robert Hallock Smith, a dear friend of mine, for his outstanding service to the United States and memorable impact on the State of Nevada, the city of Henderson, and the Southern Nevada Community. Hal passed away on Monday, June 19, 2006 at the age of 89.

Hal was born in Mitchell, South Dakota on February 9, 1917. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to Ellensburg, Washington. Upon graduation from high school, he moved to Southern California to attend Pasadena City College and The California Institute of Technology, earning a degree in aeronautical engineering. He later attended La Salle University and the Naval War College, taking courses in command training and international political science.

In the late 1930's, Hal was commissioned as a pilot in the U.S. Navy, and served in active duty in World War II and the Korean War as a division officer on the aircraft carrier USS Leyte. Hal worked at the Lake Mead Naval Base and retired as a Navy Captain. He then worked as a partner and manager of Henderson Builders' Supply for 10 years, and was Vice-President for Nevada operations of Prudential Securities/Burrows Smith Division. Hal served on many active service positions including the Henderson Charter Commission, Civil Service Board, Western States Water Council, Clark County Bond Commission, Nevada Ethics Commission, and Nevada State Board of Education. In 1966, Hal was elected to the Nevada State Assembly, serving two terms, and served in the Nevada State Senate from 1988 to 1994. During this time Hal was a member of Rotary Club International, Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. As a capstone to Hal's career, the Clark County School District honored him by naming a school after him, the Hal Smith Elementary School.

Hal's greatest accomplishment in life was his family. On June 1, 1940, Hal married his love Tina. Together they had three children: Victoria who married Colin Holman; Peter who married Marilyn Mendive; and Christy, who married John Winlow. They also have nine grandchildren, Danny, Marc, Erin, Christian, Derek, Amanda, Hal, Katie, and Whitney, and ten great-grandchildren, Isaiah, Danielle, McKenzie, Thomas, Ava, Benjamin, Maia, Grantham, Delaney, and Alexander.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize CAPT Robert Hallock Smith on the floor of the House. My friend Hal served his family, Southern Nevada, and the United States of America with honor, and he will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support for H.R. 5293, the Senior Independence Act of 2006.

This important piece of legislation includes two amendments I authored along with my friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. Davis) regarding elderly abuse prevention and ``cash and counseling.''

Findings from the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study, which was conducted by the National Center for Elder Abuse, suggests that more than 500,000 Americans age 60 and over were victims of domestic abuse in 1996. As shocking and profound as these numbers are, it is possible that they are on the low end as the problem remains greatly hidden, and cases go unreported.

A few of these cases of neglect and abuse have surfaced in the papers. For example, an 82-year-old East St. Louis man with diabetes who spent 2 weeks at a nursing home had to have his left leg amputated because he did not receive proper care.

In another sickening incident, Chicago paramedics found a 94-year-old man lying in bed unattended for so long that the bones had poked through his skin in several places. His daughter, who was supposedly caring for him in her home, was later charged with two counts of criminal abuse.

Educating seniors, professionals, caregivers and the public on abuse is critical to prevention, and this is obviously a position that warrants the attention of this Congress.

My amendment authorizes the Assistant Secretary on Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services to develop objectives, priorities, policy and a long-term plan for carrying out and coordinating elder justice activities.

In addition, this amendment will help States and local entities coordinate their fragmented activities, and I believe it will ultimately improve elder justice efforts across our great country.

I would like to thank my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for taking the lead on the cash and counseling amendment. This amendment will support consumer-driven models of home- and community-based care and help prevent high-risk individuals from spending down their savings to receive Medicaid. It does not create a new program. Instead, it revises language in current law that directs the Administration on Aging to develop policy alternatives for long-term care.

Activities such as cash and counseling programs have the potential to generate significant savings to large taxpayer-funded entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid. So I think this amendment makes fiscal sense, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Davis from Illinois for his help on these important amendments, and also thank Representative Tiberi for his work on the underlying legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5293.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Brytani Caipa for her efforts to protect teens on Internet.

Brytani joined a national effort to protect teens from internet predators by putting together a public service announcement. Brytani's public service announcement focused on protecting our First Amendment rights, while at the same time protecting our children. Her hard work paid off, as her public service announcement placed second nationally in a contest run through the Take Charge Program, and it is currently airing on numerous radio stations.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Brytani Caipa for her efforts to educate teens on Internet safety and protect them from Internet predators. I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Wen Hui Tan for being named the Nevada State winner in the 19th annual National Peace Essay Contest sponsored by the United States Institute for Peace.

Approximately 4,000 students from across the United States wrote essays for this year's topic, ``Controlling the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.'' This contest challenges students to consider some of the most pressing issues confronting international peace and our country's security. This year's topic of nuclear proliferation could not be more timely, and it is also a challenge that the international community will confront for decades to come. Wen's essay, titled ``Nuclear Proliferation: Two Superpowers and Iraq,'' won at the Nevada State level, earning Wen a $1,000 college scholarship and a chance to compete at the national level.

Wen is currently a student at Coronado High School in Henderson, NV. Her passions include volunteering in the children's department of a local library, graphic design, eating foreign cuisine, chemistry, and traveling. With a myriad of interests, she has aspirations of pursuing higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in hopes to train for her future careers as a linguist, pediatric surgeon, and paleontologist.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Wen Hui Tan for being the Nevada State winner of the 19th annual National Peace Essay Contest sponsored by the United States Institute for Peace. I commend her success and wish her the best of luck at the national competition and in all of her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Patrick Jennings, who has diligently served the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization, of which I am the Chairman, for the past several months.

Prior to Patrick beginning his service with the Subcommittee, he served as the retirement policy expert on law enforcement and firefighter issues for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In this role, he took the lead for retirement-related input to the Congressionally-mandated OPM report entitled Federal Law Enforcement Pay and Benefits (July 2004). Patrick served as primary expert for advising the Center for Retirement and Insurance Services on competing survivor claims, state laws on inheritance and marriage, and foreign marriages. He also acted as agency representative in administrative litigation before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, thereby promoting OPM's position in a variety of retirement areas.

Patrick began his service with the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization in January 2005, as a detailee from the OPM. Over the course of the past year and a half, Patrick has proven himself time and again as a man of exemplary professionalism. As Senior Counsel, Patrick's service was of an extraordinary caliber, where he made recommendations on a variety of issues and legislation before the Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Patrick Jennings. The dedication he has shown to the work of the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization is greatly appreciated, and he will be surely missed. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ariel Cohen for her remarkable recovery from pediatric stroke and the inspiration she has provided to other pediatric patients at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH).

Ariel's life was profoundly changed on November 30, 2005 when she was struck with a very rare, often initially misdiagnosed, and almost always seriously debilitating condition--pediatric stroke. Having initially experienced complete paralysis on the left side of her body, Ariel was truly fighting for her life. After eight days in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Ariel entered NRH. Upon her arrival Ariel quickly progressed in the Pediatric Unit at NRH to the point of being able to sit unassisted, and was soon capable of limited weight bearing on her left side.

The first two weeks at NRH saw a striking turn in Ariel's recovery as the strength and control in Ariel's leg, trunk and face progressed rapidly. The Cohen's credit NRH, and specifically the National Center for Children's Rehabilitation, for offering Ariel a well balanced approach to recovery, one that utilized the many disciplines of physical rehabilitation, counseling and aquatic therapy, the most technologically advanced equipment and processes, as well as the incorporation of peer support and an incredible amount of positive reinforcement. Within the first week, Ariel learned to really like and trust her therapists. She looked forward to her sessions, and she was always made to feel successful--no matter how small the gain.

For all that Ariel has received; she has given back--cooking her famous chocolate chip pancakes for the NRH team members who assisted in her rehab, using her own room decorations, surprising a fellow teen at NRH with a room makeover in a well-timed ``sneak attack.'' She was an inspiration for all the pediatric patients at NRH--working incredibly hard with a spirit and determination to recover that has never waned. And while it is true that no 13-year-old girl wants to stand out, Ariel has taken in stride that by standing out, she offers much to other victims of pediatric stroke. From that day in November and Ariel's subsequent ongoing recovery springs a wealth of knowledge on the part of the medical community and, as Ariel hopes, educational resources for other families coping with the effects of pediatric stroke. Every day, Ariel pushes herself to recover more fully, always keenly aware of the gifts she received as a patient at NRH--the keys to own her recovery, mentally, emotionally and physically. As the signs and symptoms of her stroke fade by the day, a complete recovery of use and function now appears probable.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Ariel Cohen. Her recovery from pediatric stroke is truly an inspiration and her efforts to assist in the recovery of her fellow patients are commendable. When I met Ariel, I couldn't help but be inspired by her determination and passion, which is why I am recognizing her today. She is truly a remarkable young woman, and I wish her the best in her continuing recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gibran Baydoun for winning the 2006 National Endowment for the Arts Nevada Poetry Out Loud State Championship.

Gibran Baydoun attends Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada and recently won the Nevada State Finals for the National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Out Loud Contest held in Carson City. Created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, this program encourages high school students to memorize and perform great poems. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English class. This exciting new program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage.

Mr. Speaker, having met and listened to Gibran Baydoun, I am proud to honor him for his success at the Nevada Poetry Out Loud State Championship. Gibran's successful memorization and performance of great poems at the Nevada State Finals is a note worthy achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Frances Wilson, a wonderful woman whom I have known and admired all of my life. My Aunt Frances will be celebrating her 80th birthday on June 17th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Born on July 1st, 1926, Frances was the youngest of four, with three older brothers: Don, Russ, and my Dad Ron. She spent her childhood years in Humbolt, Iowa. On January 19, 1947 Frances married the late Daryl ``Buck'' Wilson and had two children, Sandra and Brian. She also has two grandchildren: Joshua, who married Renee, and Jacob. She also has two great-grandchildren, Sidney and Sawyer.

In 1955 she began work as a telephone operator and was one of the first working mothers in her family. As a very hard-working independent woman, Aunt Frances finished a long employment career in the gift shop of the Gold Strike Hotel and Casino in Boulder City, Nevada, which is now known as the Hacienda Hotel and Casino, retiring at age 77. She currently resides in Denver, Colorado where she is close to her daughter and often visits her son and his wife Carleen in Minnesota.

She is proud of her family and has openly admitted that her greatest joy comes from spending time with her great-grandchildren, who adore their great-grandmother tremendously.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize my aunt, Frances Wilson on the floor of the House. I commend her for her contributions to me, the rest of my family, and for her commitment to the community.