Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I would like first to affirm what was said by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson), who so eloquently gave a very brief overview of the life and work of the Honorable Maynard Jackson. Maynard Jackson was perhaps one of the most profound individuals that I have met in a lifetime. He was very dedicated. He had a lot of energy. He had a lot of perseverance. He had a lot of vision. And indeed he was very spiritual.

As I sat there and heard the gentlewoman from California talk about him, I could not help but think about John the Revelator that sat on the lonely island of Patmos, looked at an old city but envisioned what was great for a new city, and then Maynard Jackson began to build a new city, Atlanta, Georgia, created millions of millionaires, did much to bring the city to the forefront. Maynard Jackson was a very unassuming individual, too. He followed scripture in terms of not boasting about himself but letting his light so shine by his good works.

He is an individual that I will never forget. He is a person that I know his family is in very great sorrow for. He was the son of a Baptist preacher, and so perhaps that explains some of the eloquence that Maynard Jackson had. But this country, not just Atlanta, not just his family but the whole country has indeed lost an incredible, a remarkable individual in that of the Honorable Maynard Jackson.

Mr. Speaker, Sunday, June 15 is Father's Day in America. Children and families will give tribute to men who are wonderful, caring parents. According to the 2000 census, there were 27 million fathers who had children under the age of 18 in their households in the year 2000. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, an estimated 25 million children live absent from their biological fathers, up from under 10 million in 1960. Of the children under 18 in the United States, 66 percent lived with both parents and 5 percent lived with only their father in 2000.

All fathers can be important contributors to the well-being of their children. Kristin Clark Taylor, author of ``Black Fathers, A Call for Healing,'' in her introduction writes:

``We are in need of our fathers. Our stomachs are growling, hungry for their presence. Our throats are parched, thirsty for the moment, the minute, the second that they walk back into our lives and bring smiles.''

I encourage, Mr. Speaker, the fathers across this land to do all that they can do to be with their children, not just for a Sunday holiday but to be a permanent part of their life. To quote Marian Wright Edelman, director of the Children's Defense Fund, ``We do not need an $82 billion bill to correct a $3.5 billion injustice.'' Fathers are struggling to be the best dad for the most part.

I salute Father's Day 2003 and fatherhood. I call upon the Congress to do what they can do to help the fathers, fatherhood and the wannabe fathers through responsible child tax credit legislation.

Happy Father's Day.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to first and foremost commend the leadership of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and those who are ranking here representing this Flight 100, in recognition of the flight of the Wright brothers' incredible and ingenious invention, an item that seeks to annihilate space and circumscribe time.

I am particularly pleased that the protection for the air traffic controllers has been contained in this major piece of legislation. Individuals who lowered 4,000 flights without incident on 9-11 certainly need to be protected for their good work and their expertise.

Mr. Chairman, I had wanted very badly to have an amendment in here, a sense of Congress that would encourage the Department of Transportation to give preference to new entrants into the aviation market in terms of different routes that will eventually culminate in this particular legislation. While I support the major airline industry in this country, and use them twice a week, I think it would be beneficial to be very consumer friendly to

allow some of your lesser-known carriers to be new entrants into this market to enable them to fly to, say, Washington Reagan National Airport at a more consumer-friendly cost than what we are having to pay at present. And we would trust that the Department of Transportation would look at that as a possibility as this measure goes forward.

Mr. Chairman, I commend those who worked laboriously to ensure the passage, and I support the passage of Flight 100.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman from New Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 763 is a bill that designates the Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Indianapolis, Indiana as the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse. Our senior Senator from Indiana, Senator Lugar, who heads the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate, was so kind and gentle enough

to usher Senate bill 763 through the United States Senate. I had introduced the House version of this bill, H.R. 1082, which is cosponsored by the entire Indiana delegation.

Born to two schoolteachers in Shirkeyville, Indiana, but also call Terre Haute, Shirkeyville on January 22, 1928, he began his political career at the young age of 26 with his election to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1958. Having been a citizen of that State for many years, I grew to admire and respect the kind of leadership that the Senator displayed in the Indiana House of Representatives. Senator Bayh rose to become minority leader in 1957 and then went on to become Speaker of the House in 1959.

In 1962 he entered the United States Senate and distinguished himself on the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary. His expertise in constitutional law led him to author two amendments to the Constitution, the 25th amendment on Presidential and Vice Presidential successions which was ratified in 1967, and the 26th amendment lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years of age, which was ratified in 1971. No lawmaker since the Founding Fathers has successfully authored two amendments to the United States Constitution.

In addition to his constitutional work, Senator Bayh wrote landmark legislation on behalf of women. He authored Title 9 of the Higher Education Act, which provided equal opportunities for women, students, and faculty. He also worked diligently on the Juvenile Justice Act and played an integral role in the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

At present, Senator Bayh is a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Venable, Baetjer, Howard and Civiletti.

As a member of the Government Division's Legislative Group, he counsels corporate interests with business before all three branches of government, helping them to affect pending law, build coalitions, advance their causes, and to ensure that their voices and interests are considered in the public dialogue.

Senator Bayh also continues to work on behalf of his long-held passions of education, citizens' rights, and the fight against bias, bigotry, and racism in America. Senator Birch Bayh is respected and admired throughout the State of Indiana and the Nation as a man of dedication and unwavering principles.

This designation, Mr. Speaker, is a most fitting tribute to the outstanding career of a devoted and thoughtful and committed public servant.

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.

Mr. Speaker, as I rise to speak in favor of S. 763, I would like to pay respect to my colleague who also hails from the Midwest, the honorable gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette). There were several occasions where he felt he was being stalked to move this legislation forward, and I am very happy that he remained a gentleman and a genteel man in terms of allowing us to get this out. He indicated he had to have a companion from the other side of the aisle, and I presume he found a companion on the other side of the aisle.

S. 763, as my colleague has mentioned, is a companion bill to the bill I introduced, H.R. 1082, and it really does not matter whose name appears first as author of this bill; the subject matter is very noteworthy on behalf of an individual who served this country well, the honorable former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh from the State of Indiana.

The bill, as Members know, designates the Federal building of the United States courthouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, in my district, as the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse. This is the second legislation I have authored. The first one I did was to put my predecessor's name on a Post Office, and now we are going to put Birch Bayh's name on the Federal building and United States courthouse, and I am pleased to sponsor, and it is cosponsored by the entire Indiana delegation.

As the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) indicated, the Honorable Birch Bayh was born to two school teachers in Terre Haute, Indiana, on July 22, 1928. He began his political career at the young age of 26 with his election to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1954, and in that body he rose to become minority leader in 1957 and then Speaker of the House in 1959. In 1962, he entered the United States Senate where he distinguished himself on the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Committee of the Judiciary.

Now, there is some distinction between Terre Haute, Indiana, and a town called Schererville, Indiana, and apparently the United States Senator wants to be known as coming from Terre Haute instead of Schererville, but Schererville is immediately contiguous to Terre Haute so whichever place the gentleman wants him to be born, I am sure it is fine with him. But in all fairness, there has not been a lawmaker since the Founding Fathers who has authored successfully two amendments to the United States Constitution.

Senator Bayh was the principal architect of title IX, the provision of law which helped give access to athletic achievement for many of our daughters. In his 18 years in the United States Senate, he distinguished himself by ushering successfully through the amendment to the Constitution which provides for the succession of the President which was the 25th amendment to the Constitution, and he also successfully authored and ushered through the 26th amendment to the Constitution which lowered the voting age from 21 years to 18 years of age, which was ratified in 1971.

The Federal courthouse in Indianapolis was called the ``Old Post Office,'' but now it rises to a magnificent building of importance, and that is where our Federal courthouse is located. It will now enjoy the name of a very honorable, incredible, dynamic public servant, the Honorable Birch Bayh. It is very suitable historically to name that building for such a person who served this Nation with distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy that the Honorable Birch Bayh is alive and well, and probably watching the presentation of this matter. I also thank Senator Lugar, who is the senior Senator from Indiana, for authoring this bill and ushering it through the United States Senate.

While I do not agree with them most of the time, we have two Republicans, the honorable gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and I hope that does not impugn his motives, Mr. Speaker, and Senator Lugar, and I speak about those two gentlemen very favorably, and I hope that does not violate House rules that I speak about Republicans favorably in this particular instance.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) for those kind remarks, and I know the Chair would not admonish him as much as it would me.

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

Mr. Speaker, certainly I am totally appreciative of my dear friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), yielding time to me.

When I first came to Congress, and each Congress since, I raised my right hand and swore to uphold and defend our Constitution. I rise today in the spirit of that oath.

Flag desecration offends all of us. Above all, we are a nation of law. Our Supreme Court has consistently held that behavior to be political expression, the very sort of unpopular speech the first amendment was intended to protect. No matter how rude or unpleasant, political expression of opposition to the government is constitutional.

This Congress, Mr. Speaker, is made up of people from all walks of life, of all political, religious, and philosophical persuasions. That does not deduce our patriotism among any of us. I was not born Julia Carson; I was married into the family of Carsons. My husband, Sam Carson, was a 100 percent service-connected Korean War veteran. My son, Sam Carson, is also a veteran of the Marine Corps.

Once again this week, in the fifth Congress in a row, in anticipation of Flag Day we are called upon to consider a bill to bring about an amendment to the Constitution to get around the Supreme Court's repeated holdings that tampering with, insulting, or defiling the flag is protected conduct under the first amendment, the bedrock of our Bill of Rights.

I heard one of my distinguished colleagues indicate how good it is for soldiers to come back into this country and be met by the waving of the flag.

I was very troubled recently to see on the news where so many of our reservists who were called up and who leave families behind, families are in dire straits economically. One particular reservist left a $25,000 job to serve his country and his family; his wife and four children had to move in with her parents in very small and cramped quarters. Yet we do a tax cut and cut out the families of those who are sent to protect the freedom of Iraq and the freedom of America.

Over the years we have made constructive changes to our Constitution. But in the 200 years we have enjoyed its protections, we have never before changed the meaning of the Bill of Rights, not so much as a single comma, recognizing and protecting that document as our freedom shield. I believe that this is no time to change the first amendment's protection of freedom and expression, so basic and so critical to the way American democracy works. This is brought home especially by the sacrifice of soldiers fighting and dying even today to ensure that Iraqi people have the right to speak and live freely and the right to protest against their own government. This is a fundamental value of freedom's promise, no less in Iraq, no less in the United States.

When first I came to Congress, and each Congress since, I raised my right hand and swore to uphold and defend our Constitution. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the spirit of that oath.

Flag desecration offends us all but, above all, we are a nation of law. Our Supreme Court has consistently held that behavior to be political expression, the very sort of unpopular speech the first amendment was intended to protect--no matter how rude or unpleasant-- political expression of opposition to the government.

Once again this week, in the fifth Congress in a row, in anticipation of Flag Day we are called upon to consider a bill to bring about an amendment to the Constitution to get around the Supreme Court's repeated holdings that tampering with, insulting or defiling the flag is protected conduct under the first amendment, the bedrock of our Bill of Rights.

The main objective of the first amendment is to stop Congress and the courts from picking and choosing what kinds of speech are permitted. It is clear that what would be regulated by this amendment is not physical desecration of the flag, but the sentiments expressed by the action.

Over the years we have made constructive changes to our Constitution but in the 210

years we have enjoyed its protections we have never before changed the meaning of our Bill of Rights--not so much as a single comma-- recognizing and protecting that document as our freedom's shield.

I believe that this is no time to change the first amendment's protection of freedom of expression, so basic and so critical to the way American democracy works. This is brought home especially by the sacrifice of our soldiers fighting and dying--even today--to assure the Iraqi people the right to speak and live freely, and the right to protest against their own government. This is a fundamental value of freedom's promise, no less so in places where we would see freedom take new root than here at home.

However offensive such conduct may feel, the answer is not to restrict the freedom to speak. Rather, the answer is to remind our fellow citizens of how important unfettered political speech is to our democracy, how fundamental to our freedom. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson put it well back in 1943--during World War II: ``Freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order.''

Sometimes we make a law because we can and not because we should, a powerful temptation we should resist. Changing the meaning of the Constitution to address hateful conduct by a tiny minority is unnecessary.

Together we have weathered severe crises over the past 2 years, proof that we can withstand the ugly actions of a few misguided protesters. Secretary of State Colin Powell said it well, ``I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. The flag will be flying proudly long after they have slunk away.''

Patriotism that forces reverence for national symbols at the expense of vital constitutional rights is not what our country is about.

I will honor and celebrate the flag by taking a stand for liberty and to support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights by voting to defeat this proposal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Justin Cage, Indiana Mr. Basketball 2003, from Indianapolis, IN.

A senior at Pike High School, Justin Cage has already had a phenomenal basketball career as a team member of the Pike Red Devils Boys Basketball team. Not only has he been named Indiana Mr. Basketball 2003, he also led his team to win the Indiana State Boys Basketball Championship (Class 4A). The Pike Red Devils finished the season with a perfect record of 29-0.

As a four year starter for Pike High School, Justin also contributed to winning the state title in 2001 and finished runner up for 2002.

Justin finished the season averaging 13.4 points and a team high of 7.0 rebounds.

He will continue his basketball career at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, where Justin plans to major in Business Administration.

I ask the House of Representatives to join me in saluting this extraordinary young man in his myriad achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to announce the formation of the Congressional Speedway Caucus. Races like the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500 have become American institutions.

Hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals strive to make these spectacles of speed some of the most exciting events in the world. However, they are beginning to face unique challenges in the post-9/11 world. With some of the speedways in America hosting the largest spectator events in the country, they are already starting to express concern about homeland security needs and how they can better protect the hundreds of thousands of race fans who come to their raceways.

I have one of the greatest events, Mr. Speaker, in my district, the Indianapolis 500 Speedway Race, which is coming up next Sunday. We have 32 Members of Congress who have speedways within their congressional districts. Twenty-two of these have already agreed to be members of this exciting caucus.

I would encourage those with or without speedways in their districts to join the caucus to better represent all of the fans across the world who come to our district who come to this country to enjoy this spectator sport and try to resolve some of the impending issues of these speedways.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert the names of all of the members of the Speedway Caucus who have stepped forward and joined this unique opportunity. They are as follows:

Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA).

Rep. Charles Bass (R-NH).

Rep. Sue Myrick (R-KS).

Rep. Dennis Moore (R-KS).

Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC).

Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC).

Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN).

Rep. John Spratt (D-SC).

Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN).

Rep. Bill Lipinski (D-IL).

Rep. Amo Houghton (R-NY).

Rep. Ken Lucas (D-KY).

Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH).

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN).

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC).

Rep. Cass Ballenger (R-NC).

Rep. Nick Smith (R-MI).

Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA).

Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA).

Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN).

Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC).

Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN).

Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-NV).

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI).

Rep. Mac Collins (R-GA).

Rep. Robert Scott (D-VA).

Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL).

Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ).

Rep. Jim Copper (D-TN).

Rep. John Tanner (D-TN).

Rep. Patrick Toomey (R-PA).

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV).

Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to first extend my gratitude to the gentlemen from Texas, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Hinojosa, along with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, for organizing this special order tonight to discuss minority health issues.

Earlier today, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Native American Caucus held a rally to call attention to the need to increase health care access.

In my home State of Indiana, Mr. Speaker, there were over 1.4 million people who did not have health insurance at some point last year. That is 26 percent of the nonelderly population.

Universal, affordable access to health care would be a major factor in eliminating the vast health disparities for minority populations. Affordable access to health care for the minority populations is a matter of economics as well as life.

I am sure many Members of Congress, Mr. Speaker, saw today where Bethlehem Steel in Maryland has sold out to another company, and all of the longstanding, hardworking employees there subsequently lost their health insurance.

In Indiana, black or African Americans comprise 8.4 percent of Indiana's population. The top leading causes of death plaguing the African American population are heart disease; cancer; cerebrovascular diseases, predominantly stroke; and diabetes.

In the Hispanic population, the leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, and unattended injuries.

In Indiana, a 20 percent excess mortality rate from incidence of heart disease exists for African Americans in comparison to whites; a 23 percent excess mortality rate from incidence of cancer exists for African Americans in comparison to whites; a 23 percent excess mortality rate from incidence of cerebrovascular disease, predominantly stroke, exists for blacks by comparison; a 105 percent excess mortality rate from the incidence of diabetes exists for blacks in comparison to whites. These excess rates not only take life, but create economic hardships of hospitalization, prescription drugs, and loss of income.

April is National Minority Health Month. We need to use this time to reflect on what changes need to be made in the way we view access to health and who gets the best treatment.

In Indiana, African Americans die at a higher rate, 25 percent. Per 100,000 population, cancer, 72 percent more African Americans; diabetes, 33 percent more deaths; heart disease, 73 more African American deaths; stroke, 18 percent more deaths.

The numbers are very troubling and alarming. Mr. Speaker, we must do something to counteract the disparity in health care and health insurance for minorities across this country.

Last year, the Institute of Medicine came out with a study: ``Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care.'' It found that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States tend to receive lower quality health care than any others.

The report made many recommendations as to what should be done; and certainly, Mr. Speaker, we need to consider very seriously universal health care, not just to undergird the disparities that exist in minority health care, but to ensure that people across racial and economic lines access quality medical care in the same spirit and in the same way that current Members of Congress do.

Mr. Speaker, again I would like to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) for calling this special order tonight. I trust that at the end of the conversation and the dialogue, that America will be better informed and Congress will be moved to act.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our esteemed whip, Mr. Hoyer,

and the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Skelton, for organizing this time to reflect on those who have sacrificed so much for this country.

Those members of our military who are still prisoners of war or are missing in action have made the ultimate sacrifice without the opportunity to return home.

We can only hope that those young men and women who have been taken captive in the current conflict will be treated humanely and returned home to us soon.

Mr. Speaker, there is one former POW I would like to single out, current Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan. He entered the United States Navy in 1969 and served as a naval flight officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk.

In May of 1972, Lt. Joe Kernan was shot down by the enemy while on a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. He was held as a prisoner of war for nearly 11 months.

Joe Kernan was repatriated in 1973 as part of the last convoy of prisoners of war exchanged that ended the war, and continued on active duty with the Navy until December of 1974. For his service, Kernan received numerous awards, including the Navy Commendation Medal, two Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He never forgets May 7, ``the day I was shot down.''

It was his 26th mission. He was in the rear seat of an RA-5C Vigilante reconnaissance jet, on a picture-snapping mission to assess bomb damage. They raced along at 650 mph, 80 miles south of Hanoi, then navigated down Highway 1 to take photos of traffic.

They were relatively low--4,500 feet high, compared with the 35,000- foot altitude a B-52 bomber would fly--when anti-aircraft fire hit the plane's tail.

``The nose pitched down very violently,'' he said, and the pilot tried to make it to the potential safety of the U.S.-controlled Gulf of Tonkin. The jet couldn't make it. Kernan ejected, followed closely by the pilot.

``I blacked out on the ejection,'' Kernan said.

``I landed in somebody's front yard on a beautiful Sunday afternoon,'' he recalled. ``When I woke up, I found myself on the edge of a group of people, surrounding me, watching me get up, with people coming at me from everywhere.''

March 27 marked the 30th anniversary of his release from captivity. When looking back on his time in captivity, he minimizes the details of his treatment there, saying the end of the war was not as bad as the beginning.

``What you rely on is your faith, your family, your desire to see them again, your will to survive and the knowledge that you're not going to be left behind. We won't go home without them. That has been a commitment made to everyone who wears the uniform, and it will be honored,'' Kernan said.

We remember those who are still fighting the past wars, those who have not had the chance to come home to the families.

I ask unanimous consent to place in the Record the names of those who have not had the chance to come home from the Korean and Vietnam wars.

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

Korean War POW/MIA--Indiana

Floyd Neal Acton, James Dwight Adams, Herbert D. Akers,

George Anspaugh, Robert Gene Archer, David Baker, Donald

Lewis Baker, Donald Lee Barker, Lester William Bauer, Robert

Allen Beard, Milton Marion Beed, Lowell W. Bellar, Victor

Vernon Bender, A.D. Berry, Charles F. Binge, William Stanley

Blasdel, William J. Bowerman, Allen Milford Bowman, Eldon R.

Bradley, Kenneth Wilber Brock, Kenneth Brown, Thomas James

Brown, Hugh Maynard Burch, Forrest S. Burns, Billie Jack

Byard, Donald Caddell, Stanley Louis Calhoun, Jr., George R.

Chadwell, Richard A. Chappel, Gene Franklin Clark, Harold

Robert Clark, Clyde R. Clifford, James Allen Coleman, Louis

Bernard Conde, Jack Dwayne Conrad, Richard Leon Conrad, James

L. Constant, Folton Cosby, John Harold Cowger, Clarence

Vernon Cox, Jr., Kenneth Lee Cozad, George Eldon Cranor.

Reed A. Criswell, William R. Cunningham, Kenneth Horton

Dally, Howard Dale Dalton, Ezekiel Alfonso Davis, Jack A.

Davis, Norman Glen Davis, George Debaun, Jr., Hobart Decker,

Raymond Alfred Decker, Clayton C. Delong, Gene Alton Dennis,

Stanley L. Dewitt, William L. Dick, Jr., Milton J.

Dinerboiler, James Thomas Doody, Donald D. Drew, James R.

Dunn, Joseph Durakovich, Donald Wayne Eads, John Omer Eaton,

Herbert Phillip Eggers, Howard W. Emrick, William Chester

Enright, Robert Vernon Estes, Don Carlos Faith, Jr., Robert

Clarence Finch, Peter Paul Fluhr, Jr., Edward Leo Frakes, Ned

Charles Frankart, Jack Marvin Frans, George Arthur Frantz,

Charles Garrigus, Clifton E. Gibson, Willard M. Gibson, Clyde

Goe, Robert Goodall, Joseph P. Greene, Jack Walter Griffith,

Edward Allen Gude, John Edwin Guynn, Donald Sewell Hamilton.

Donald Lane Hamm, Keith Edward Hammon, Gilbert Larry

Harmon, Elmer Harris, Jr., Max Eugene Harris, Bannie

Harrison, Jr., Gene N. Hatch, Kenneth Verne Hay, Leo Joseph

Henkenius, James Fella Hill, Robert Lee Hinds, William M.

Hodge, Joseph Francis Holle, Charles Rutherford Holman, Floyd

E. Hooper, Ralph Ernest Hubartt, Jr., Paul F. Hukill, Richard

George Inman, Edward R. Jaynes, William F. Jester, William R.

Jester, Leonard W.E. Jinks, Cornelius A. Jochim, William H.

Johnson, Paul Martin Killar, Lawrence Edward Lander, Robert

Warren Langwell, Everett W. Leffler, Harry H. Liddle, Jr.,

Larry Loveless, Earl Paul Lykins, Delbert Ulysses Mace,

Donald F. Mangus, Everett D. Manion, Donald Lee Marlatt,

Albert F. Martin, Herbert O. Martin, Steve A. Mastabayvo,

Earl E. Mcclain, Charles H. Mcdaniel, Raymond John Mcdoniel,

Edward Q. Mcfarren, James T. Mcintyre, Herbert V. Mckeehan,

Joseph Lawrence Mcanally,

Morris Meshulam, R. Maurice Metzcar, Melvin J. Michaels,

Harry Richard Middleton, Robert G. Minniear, James E.

Mishler, Donald K. Mitchell, John D. Moore, Jr., Clarence

Taylor Morris, David Wesley Morris, Russell F. Morris,

Richard Everett Mullett, Jackie Lee Murdock, Donald William

Myers, Thomas W. Neiswinger, Richard L. Nicholson, Charles

Northcutt, Jr., Richard Lee Olcott, Raymond Edward Pearson,

Virgil L. Phillips, Russell B. Pickens, Lewis Peifer Pleiss,

James Plump, Bobby Lee Pothast, Bernard Clayton Reynolds,

Donald Ray Rice, Alexander David Rider, Charles D. Riley,

Marvin L. Rodman, Edward F. Ross, Robert Lewis Ross, Gene

Robert Ruby, John Earl Rush, Marle D. Scott, Richard Dale

Scott, Donald R. Sechman, Clifford Gene Selman, Luther Dean

Serwise, Gerald Ivin Shepler, Wallace Simmons, Jr., Charles

Edward Sizemore, Charles E. Smith, Leland Ford Smith, Marvin

W. Soderstrom, Donald E. Spangler,

Alvin Lowell Stebbens, Paul P. Strawser, Charles

Sturdivant, Gene Alfred Sturgeon, Harold Paul Suber, Edwin

Felix Tabaszynski, James Willis Talley, John Edward Thurman,

Robert Eli Titus, William Wilber Toops, Robert Jerome Tucker,

Robert William Turner, Gene Lewis Wagner, Richard L. Wasiak,

Robert Lee White, Robert Louis White, Robert Dewitt Wilder,

Grover Lois Williams, Merble Eugene Wilson, John George

Woliung, Bernard M. Zekucia,

vietnam war pow/mia--Indiana

William W. Bancroft, Jr., Charles Elberg Beals, Quentin

Rippetoe Beecher, Stephen Eugene Briener, Harry Franklin

Carver, Charles Dennis Chomel, Lawrence Clark, Thomas D.

Clem, Kenneth Lloyd Crody, Gene Edmond Davis, Phillip Allen

Ducat, Dean Arnold Duvall, George Curtis Green, Jr., Ralph L.

Harper, Steven W. Heitman, John Wayne Held, Samuel Eugene

Hewitt, John Russell Hills, Donald Russell Hoskins, George A.

Howes, Paul F. Johns, James Reed Johnson, Grayland Jones,

Karl E. Klute, Charles Allen Knochel, Robert J. Kuhlman, Jr.,

Bennie Richard Lambton, Michael Lautzenheiser, Karl Wade

Lawson, Charles W. Lindewald, James Michael Lyon, Robert L.

Mann, Jerry Dean Martin, James Maurice McGarvey, Francis B.

Midnight, Harry E. Mitchell, Ronald Wayne Montgomery, Ralph

Edward Moore, John M. Nash, William L. Nellans, Larry Stephen

Newburn, Thomas Aquinas Parker, Russell Arden Poor, George

Ray Posey, Billy L. Rogers, Charles Edward Rogers, Charles

David Schoonover, Ronald Eugene Smith, Ronald P. Soucy, Sr.,

Bruce Wayne Staehli, Kenneth A. Stonebraker, John F. Stuart,

John Steiner Stuckey, Jr., Donald Joesph Trampski, Raymond

Anthony Wagner, Junior Lee Whittle, Thomas T. Wright, Robin

Ray Yeakley, Jeffrey Jerome Young.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Katie Gearlds, Indiana Miss Basketball 2003, from Beech Grove, IN.

A senior at Beech Grove High School, Katie Gearlds has already had a phenomenal basketball career as a team member of the Beech Grove Hornets Girls Basketball team. Not only has she been named Indiana Miss Basketball 2003, she also led her team to win the Indiana State Girls Basketball Championship, scoring a 3A title-record of 33 points.

She was named MVP of the McDonalds All-American game, Nike All- American, Parade Magazine All-American, and Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana.

Katie finished the season with 2,521 points, placing her fourth in State career scoring in Indiana.

As a student at Beech Grove High School, Katie has also had an outstanding academic career with a grade point average of 3.8.

Katie will continue her basketball career with a 4-year scholarship at Purdue University where she plans to major in Pharmacy.

I ask the House of Representatives to join me in saluting this extraordinary young lady in her myriad achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Lawrence Central High School, Indianapolis, IN, on winning first place at the Indiana We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution state competition. Lawrence Central High School will travel to Washington, D.C. to represent the State of Indiana in the national civics competition this month.

I would like to congratulate Drew Horvath and his Competitive Government Law class students: Laura Bacallao, Loren Bondurant, Daniel Booth, Brian Boyer, Brad Cobb, Annalise Corman, Dana Courier, Kate Dobson, Sean Eagan, Kathryne Feary, Sarah Gilliland, Angela Hurd, Matt Kite, Ellen Kizik, Anna Krauter, Cassie Lomas, Regan Long, Emily Nave, Jennifer Ramage, Emily Rhodes, Lindy Rider, Ella Seet, Ilya Shulkin, Tina Spears, Joanna Stafford, Kim Tisdale, Rachel Townsend, and Audrey Veneck.

I applaud Principal Caroline Hanna and the educators of Lawrence Central High School who have developed an enriched educational program which challenges students and encourages academic achievement.

The We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program is the most extensive educational program in the country, developed specifically to educate young people about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. More than 1,200 students travel from across the United States to compete in the national competition held in Washington, D.C.

The national competition is modeled after hearings in the United States Congress, consisting of oral presentations by high school students before a panel of audit judges on constitutional topics. The students are given an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Their testimony is followed by a period of questioning by the judges who probe the students' depth of understanding and ability to apply their constitutional knowledge.

Congratulations to Lawrence Central High School! I wish you good luck at the national competition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the thousands of Americans who voiced their support for affirmative action admissions policies at colleges and universities on April 1, here in Washington, DC.

For twenty five years the affirmative action policies at our nation's colleges and universities have produced a stronger and better educated America. We must not turn the clock back now when so much is at stake for the future of America.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud that 25 Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis students journeyed to Washington last week to say that affirmative action policies strengthen not weaken this nation.

Vanessa Villegas-Densford was one of those law students. Vanessa, the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, arrived in this country when she was 8 years old. She didn't speak English and was placed in classes for learning-disabled students. She worked hard to overcome so many obstacles and her dream is to practice law and serve the Hispanic American community. Her dreams, determination and drive to serve, balanced an average law school test score and won her acceptance at 9 of the 12 law schools to which she applied. She attends Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis.

Without affirmative action, the Hispanic community, Indiana and America may well have missed the bright promise that Vanessa offers in spite of her average law school test score.

Gerald Bepko, interim President of Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis is quoted in a recent Indianapolis Star article saying, ``You cannot rely on numbers (test scores and grades) alone. You need to know the person.''

I'm proud that Indiana University supports an affirmative action admissions program.

It's sad, Mr. Speaker, when our young people can see this nation embroiled in conflict in the highest court of the land, not about the athletic factor or the alumni factor or the legacy factor in college admissions, but race.

The case against affirmative action is weak, resting, as it does so heavily, on myth and misunderstanding.

One myth, ``The only way to create a color-blind society is to adopt color-blind policies.'' The facts show that a so-called color-blind system tends to favor White students because of their earlier educational advantages. Unless preexisting inequities are corrected or otherwise taken into account, color-blind policies do not correct racial injustice--they reinforce it.

Another myth is ``Affirmative action may have been necessary 30 years ago, but the playing field is fairly level today.'' Not true, despite the progress that has been made, the playing field is far from level.

Women continue to earn 76 cents for every male dollar. African Americans continue to have twice the unemployment rate, twice the rate of infant mortality, and make up just over half the population of people who attend four years or more of college. In fact, without affirmative action the percentage of African American and Hispanic students at many selective schools would drop to minuscule percentages of the student body.

That decline would effectively choke off African American and Hispanic access to top universities and severely restrict progress toward racial equality.

Mr. Speaker, this is America and we can do better than that. So I commend the advocacy and passion of those who marched last week. I have no doubt that they understand what could be lost if this precious opportunity is eliminated.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the end of the era for Indianapolis, with the end of the long and exciting career of an Indianapolis broadcasting giant, Lee Giles.

These are times of trial for our nation. As is our country's custom, in circumstances like these we turn our faces steadily toward television, our window on the world, watching the events of far away, days of desperation and long nights of noise on parade through our living rooms. In those hours as we celebrate the devotion and the valor of our armed forces, we celebrate again the tremendous service television does to inform and link the people.

And Lee Giles, retiring next month as News Director of WISH TV, Channel 8, in Indianapolis and central Indiana, after forty years at the station, has witnessed history's march, at home in our city and the world around. 1963, his first year of service in Indianapolis, was marked by the loss of John F. Kennedy. Then came the war in Vietnam. 1968, the year he became news director at WISH, we lost Dr. Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy, too. Other tragedies and other wars, intermixed with events of excitement and celebration, followed in full flow.

Many have been the events--happy and sad--that he witnessed and helped to distill and project to our community during this full career. And, throughout those years his work has been underscored by extra service to the profession: on the Society of Professional Journalists/ Jane Pauley Task Force on Mass Communication Education and the faculties of Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis and Butler University. At the same time, his life has been punctuated by professional honor: induction into The Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame and receipt of the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation's First Amendment Service Award.

Mr. Speaker, it is ever vital that we recognize, celebrate and honor those whose accomplishments are an inspiration to all. Lee Giles' long and steadfast service to broadcasting, to the vital news center of that art and to his community, has been a life of true professional distinction. Let us render Lee Giles a special salute on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I know there is a hard and fast rule that we cannot refer to someone in the other body, but since this person is no longer a Member of the United States Senate, let me dedicate my remarks to the Honorable Max Cleland, who became a triple amputee in the Vietnam War and who is no longer in service in the United States Senate.

I rise today to speak about the dignity of our Nation's veterans. Last week, Mr. Speaker, we offered and passed a resolution asking for the country to pray and to fast. I did not realize that at that time, according to what I am told, many of our troops in harm's way were down to one meal a day. I did not realize at the time that it was them that we were asking to fast.

As General Omar Bradley once stated, ``We are dealing with veterans, not with procedures. We are dealing with their problems, and not ours.''

I have a constituent who served his country in Vietnam, Mr. Bob Creasy. He was exposed to Agent Orange, the defoliant used to fight the war. Mr. Creasy did not realize at the time how deadly and poisonous the chemical was. Actually, none of us did. Many years later he experienced symptoms and illnesses that can now be validated and linked to his exposure to Agent Orange.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs claims that Bob is not eligible for compensation because he did not come forward when the symptoms first occurred. The symptoms, however, were not recognized as being caused by Agent Orange until very recently.

Why can we not validate the disability and compensate accordingly at this time? Is it that the Veterans' Administration is very restricted and limited in resources and will escape obligations any way and however they can?

What of our brave women and men who served in the first Gulf War? What of the Gulf War Syndrome? We are sending hundreds of thousands of young women and men into harm's way at this very moment, and at the same time we are cutting benefits for those who served in previous wars.

My observation, Mr. Speaker, is not extracted from a comic book. My name is Julia Carson, married to Sam Carson, a veteran of the Korean conflict, United States Marine Corps, who is now 100 percent service- connected disabled. My son, Sam Carson, United States Marine, served his country well, fortunately during peacetime.

It is not that I do not understand the plight of veterans, Mr. Speaker; I know the plight of veterans. There are over 25 million veterans in this great Nation of ours, and in Indiana alone there are 562,000. Are we supposed to tell them after serving in the military, defending our country, preserving our freedom, that the services that they need are unavailable in order to pay for a tax cut?

I heard another rumor emanating from the administration about ``shared sacrifices.'' I suppose those ``shared sacrifices'' are relegated to the have-nots and the have-even-less. To pass a budget that cuts mandatory spending from the President's budget by $15 billion is unconscionable. Even that budget was $3 billion too low to fully fund the needs of those who have served this country so ably.

As our distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) recently stated, ``Our Nation must not require those who serve in uniform to bear the financial costs of their service-connected disabilities.''

Give me a break. A tax break for those who need no tax break, who earned their wealth off of the United States of America, and now we are asking them to take more; and we give less to the people who are responsible for our well-being, for the most part, the veterans of this Nation?

There is no excuse to delay the needed medical care for our veterans. We need to show them with deeds and not with words that, regardless of their mission, we support their dedication to their jobs and that we are for them in their time of need.

Last week, Mr. Speaker, I recited the words of the first President of the United States, George Washington, whose words are worth repeating at this time:

``The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.''

Mr. Speaker, we must not fail our veterans.