Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers). It is indeed a pleasure for me to welcome my colleague Ben Chandler here this evening.

Ben, it has been kind of lonely up here from Kentucky for us Democrats, and now we have doubled the amount of Democrats from Kentucky, and that is really great.

In Kentucky we are known for thoroughbred racing, and of course Ben comes from the heart of the thoroughbred country. And the success of thoroughbreds are based on bloodlines. If one has great bloodlines, they are successful in racing. And Ben comes here with great bloodlines.

And I am sure you are really going to be successful, and I am happy to share this moment with you and all your friends and your family, Jennifer and your three kids. It is great for you to be here, Ben. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, as the cochair of the Congressional Horse Caucus and a Member from Kentucky, I agree with the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers). Kentucky is where more thoroughbreds are born each year than in any other State. I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, an amendment that seeks to change the very intent of the bill before us. Horse racing is one of the most highly regulated industries, and we do not want to do harm to an industry that employs well over half a million people nationwide.

The title of the bill, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act, says it all. The intent is to address the problem of unlawful, unregulated gambling over the Internet. H.R. 2143 does this while respecting existing Federal and State gambling laws.

We have heard supporters of this amendment argue that it is needed because it will keep the bill from expanding Internet gambling. This is just not true. In fact, the bill itself without this amendment deals only with the use of credit cards and other bank instruments in connection with unlawful Internet wagering. The bill does not change any Federal or State gambling provision. It does not make any unlawful gambling lawful. It does not make any lawful gambling unlawful. And it does not override any State prohibitions or requirements.

The National Governors Association is opposed to this amendment because they understand and support this distinction in the bill and its purpose. Governors in States like Kentucky that allow lawful, state-sanctioned and regulated gaming activities such as pari-mutuel horse racing know the importance of the economic impact of gaming in the form of jobs and tax revenue generated to the State. State governments across the country are grappling with shortfalls.

Regardless of what you hear, that is what passage of this amendment will do. We need to oppose this amendment and support H.R. 2143.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to comment on the Federal Communications Commissions recent ruling regarding unbundled network elements. It seems the FCC just can't learn from past mistakes since their network unbundling rules have twice been found by the courts to be contrary to Congressional intent under the 96 Telecommunications Act. Now, these rules have led to massive job cuts among carriers and their suppliers, discouraged investments in new plant and equipment, and slowed the introduction of new, innovative services to consumers.

I call on the FCC to implement strong, regulatory reform that will fix its unbundling rules, to help restore this vital sector of the economy. Among the needed reforms is the removal of switching as an unbundled element. Switching is competitive and widely available. FCC policies should promote real facilities based competition not false, parasitical, government regulated competition. Real competition stimulates investment and benefits consumers and should be encouraged.

It is important that any reform the FCC undertakes should undermine its earlier decisions on special access services, particularly on safe harbors that have been approved by the courts.

When addressing wireline DSL, or broadband, the FCC must arrive at new rules that reflect the state of intermodal competition from cable providers, who have the dominant share of today's broadband marketplace. Competition is needed in broadband and I hope the FCC rules will stimulate that.

Not updating the regulations further discourages investment and undermines a national broadband policy that would benefit rural areas like those in my district. Congress gave the FCC the responsibility to address these issues and it is time the FCC moves forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington's 150th anniversary.

On July 29th, 1853, his Holiness Pope Pius IX issued the papal bull, Apostolici Miniserii, establishing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington. For the past 150 years, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington has contributed to and has met the spiritual, academic, and social needs of individuals from childhood through adulthood in Kentucky.

Today, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington consists of forty- seven parishes, six missions, three Catholic hospitals, four homes for the elderly, two residential care facilities for children, three special centers for social services, a retreat center, a diocesan college, seven high schools, two private high schools, twenty-seven diocesan and parochial elementary schools, two private elementary schools, and five diocesan cemeteries. The total Catholic population of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is over 88,000.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington has been able to use its vast resources to enhance the quality of life for all individuals that live in Northern Kentucky. A portion of what they have been able to do includes assisting those in need through adoption and pregnancy services, counseling services, community and volunteer organizing services, and substance abuse treatment services. The actions of organizations such as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington are what define a community. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent this community.

I ask my colleagues to join me to honor the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington which has changed the lives of thousands of Kentuckians throughout the past 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate William T. (``Bill'') Robinson III for receiving the prestigious Themis Award. The criteria for this award is ``Extraordinary service by an attorney to the Cincinnati Bar Association, the legal profession and/or the general community, which displays a high level of commitment, dedication or courage.'' Bill Robinson has certainly met this criteria.

Bill currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and Member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association (ABA). He has served as State Delegate to the ABA Nominating Committee, President of the National Caucus of State Bar Associations, member of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Bar Presidents and is chairing the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Activities and Services and the ABA Standing Committee on Substance Abuse. Bill served as 50th President of the Kentucky Bar Association, founding Chair of the Kentucky IOLTA Fund, President of the Kentucky Bar Foundation, Co-Founder & President of the Salmon P. Chase American Inn of Court. Bill is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a Sustaining Member of the American Bar Foundation, Member of the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, and a Sustaining Member of The American Law Institute.

In addition to his significant accomplishments in his chosen profession, Bill has a distinguished history of serving our local business community. As a co-founder of the Metropolitan Growth Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, he played a key role in the creation of the ``Gallis Report'' which has become a catalyst for a multi- jurisdictional, regional approach toward a wide range of strategic policy, planning and development initiatives throughout our Tri-State region. Bill also was a Founding Board Member and Secretary/Treasurer of the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation, the Vice Chair for Economic Development for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, and the Chair of the Partnership for Greater Cincinnati, a multi- million dollar initiative for economic development in the region; and a Founding Board Member of CINCY-TECH USA, the new economy initiative of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber. Bill is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Finance Committee Board of Directors of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport where he has served on the Board and helped direct the airport's emergence as one of the world's most modern and efficient airports.

Bill grew up in Cincinnati, was educated at the Anthenaeum of Ohio and St. Gregory Seminary, Thomas More College and the College of Law at the University of Kentucky. He

is an educator and serves on the Board of Mount St. Joseph College. He has served on the Board of Thomas More College, the Board of the Anthenaeum of Ohio, the Board of Covington Latin School and on the Board of the Greater Cincinnati Literacy Task Force, the Visiting Committee at the College of Law, University of Kentucky, the Visiting Committee at Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University, Adjunct Professor at Chase, and President of Redwood School and Rehabilitation Center where he is currently Chair of the Dorothy Wood Foundation.

Bill has served and continues to serve the legal profession, the community, and the Cincinnati Bar Association with the highest level of dedication, professionalism, and commitment. Bill can be proud of the positive impact that he has had on the quality of life in our regional community and I commend him on his many accomplishments.