Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Pomeroy substitute to House Resolution 8. And I argue that anyone in this body who is currently concerned about our ballooning national debt should vote in favor of the substitute.

The Pomeroy substitute is fair, and it covers those who need tax exemption now, America's small businessmen and America's farmers.

It is clear from the debate today that the majority of Members in this body believe that our farmers and small businessmen and -women need relief from the estate tax, and I will do all I can to ensure that these hardworking Americans get their due tax relief. In my opinion, the Pomeroy substitute does this by increasing the estate tax exemption level in 2006 by $3 million for individuals and $6 million for couples. Additionally, from 2009 forward, the tax exemption level would be $3.5

million for individuals and $7 million for couples. This will fully cover 99.8 percent, 99.8 percent of all the estates in this country. Only two out of every 1,000 would not be totally covered.

I know my friends on the other side of the aisle desperately want to make sure that the Paris Hiltons of America are fully covered, but they have done pretty good the last 100 years; and I am sure under the Pomeroy bill in the future they will continue to do pretty good.

Additionally, the substitute bill eliminates the liability for tax on gains accrued before death. This is incredibly important to those children who may decide to sell the small farms and businesses they have just inherited. By using the stepped-up basis to calculate the value on an estate at a time of death, the substitute bill is actually making the Tax Code simpler and less cumbersome. It seems to me that this is important to us. It is important to the President, and it is important to many of us in Congress.

I will do all that I need to do in order to support estate tax relief for farmers and small business owners in my district. But would it not be a great message to send to the Senate and to the American people by providing them with the estate tax relief they want and need without breaking the bank? It seems to me that it is the fiscally conservative thing to do. I truly believe we have got to stop this liberal policy of borrowing and spending.

To my friends on the right who believe that any estate tax is so vile that you took your polling advice and decided to start calling it the death tax, you should read Leviticus 25 containing God's message to Moses that every 50 years, called the Jubilee, all possessions must be returned to the original owners. I invite you to read that scripture.

You had a chance in 2002 to increase the benefits by giving the tax relief to the estates of all Americans. Why did you not? It clearly was not to keep the budget balanced. Was it political? Every year around tax time and every 2 years around election time, you come back with permanent tax repeal. I think now is the time to do it. Let us get it done.

The Pomeroy substitute bill is a bill we need to send to the Senate. It is a fair bill. It is fiscally responsible. It should be the House's bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Mr. Paul Rogers, who recently passed away following an extended illness. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and community. The following is a brief biography of Brother Rogers and some of the accomplishments of his long and fruitful life:

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. His father, Andy W. Rogers, was a Deacon at the West End Church and Trustee for the purchase of the Central building in 1941. The Rogers family were charter members at Central (McMinnville). It was here Paul received his early training and encouragement to enter the ministry.

Upon receiving his baccalaureate degree from David Lipscomb University in Nashville and master's degree from Harding Graduate School of Religion in Searcy, AR, he embarked on a long and fruitful career in the ministry. Brother Roger's first sermon was delivered at Central Church of Christ in Birmingham. He began preaching in November, 1952 every Sunday at the Old Jefferson Church of Christ in Smyrna, Tennessee and preached there until graduation from Lipscomb in 1956. He worked as Associate Minister at Church Street Church in Lewisburg, Tennessee 8 months in 1956 and moved to Centerville Church of Christ in January 1957.

Brother Rogers was the Minister of the Centerville Church of Christ, Centerville, Tennessee for more than 48 years. No preacher in the fellowship of Churches of Christ has a longer tenure at his congregation and at no rural church quite as large as the Centerville church according to Jim McInteer, president of 21 st Century Publishing, a book publisher affiliated with the Churches of Christ. In these years, worship attendance has grown from 350 to 700; annual contribution from $19,000 to $600,000.

The congregation has built a new church building, new church camp valued at $1,000,000; off-street parking for 300 cars; $200,000 Outreach Center for benevolence and senior citizens work; a 75-unit, $2,500,000 apartment complex, Tulipwood for senior citizens, and a new $1,200,000 Educational and Fellowship Complex recently constructed. He has also conducted over 800 funeral services in Hickman County, Tennessee.

He was the first president of the Centerville Elementary PTA, past Chairman of Hickman County Library Board, served on Bluegrass Regional Library Board, chairman of Centerville Beautiful Commission, former President of Centerville Kiwanis Club, served on City Industrial Board, served on the Board of Trustees at Clover Bottom Developmental Center for the Retarded in Nashville, Tennessee, and served on Board of First Farmers and Merchants Bank, Centerville, Tennessee. Brother Rogers was awarded Honorary Membership in Hickman County Jaycees for service to the community, selected as Alumnus of the Year in 1975 at Harding Graduate School of Religion, voted Centerville Man of the Year for 1978, selected as Alumnus of the Decade at David Lipscomb College in 1982, received the Distinguished Christian Service Award from Harding University 1988, honored by Tennessee State Legislature in 1983 for long ministry and service in Centerville, honored by Tennessee House of Representatives in 1992, honored in 1997 by Tennessee State Senate on 40th Anniversary with the Centerville Church for the longest full-time tenure among churches of Christ in Tennessee history, selected in December 1999 by the Gospel Advocate as one of ``100 Trailblazers of the 20th Century'' among Churches of Christ, and in 2004 received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hickman County Chamber of Commerce to name a few.

Brother has given lectures at David Lipscomb University, Faulkner University, Freed-Hardeman University, Abilene Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, Harding University, Harding Graduate School of Religion, Western Christian College, Blue Ridge Encampment, Training for Service Series in Chattanooga, North Alabama Training for Service Series in Florence, Alabama, Training for Service Series in Memphis, Training Series in Evansville, Indiana. Yosemite Bible Encampment, Yellowstone Bible Encampment. He served on the Board of David Lipscomb University 1986-2003 and was secretary of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation at David Lipscomb University.

His minister includes; touring Israel and studying archaeology there in 1969, working on the London, England Campaign in 1963, and preached in India in 1975. He also traveled and preached behind the Iron Curtain in 1977, made three trips to the Holy Land, and frequent mission trips to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Brother Rogers was the author of the following books and booklets: My God and My Service; My God and My Marriage; Things Surely Believed Among Us (4th printing in 2004); Let the Earth Hear His Voice; When Freedom is Gone; Comments on Revelation;

Building Up The Church In A Small Town; God Give Us Christian Homes. His most recent books are I Have Much People In This City (depicting 125-year history of the Centerville Church); and These Forty Years (a biography of his ministry with the Centerville Church).

He accomplished all these things in life while at the same time being a loving husband to the former Judy Johns and father to four children and six grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Paul Rogers today. His dedication and selflessness to his community are examples to all who wish to lead. All the honors and awards that Brother Rogers has received in his life still do not do justice to recognize the contribution this man has made to his community and the world. Paul will be missed very much by all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, after 30 years of dedicated and distinguished federal service, Betty Loy will be retiring from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During that time she supported six CDC Directors and seven Deputy Directors.

Beginning her career in the federal government with the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Loy later came to CDC's Office of Director as a part-time employee. Following the resignation of Director Dr. Bill Foege (1977-1983), Loy was asked to work in the Director's office till a new Director was designated and staff were selected. Having enjoyed her part-time position in the Director's office Betty applied for the full-time position, and was subsequently selected.

In June 2002, after nearly two decades of service as the Special Assistant to the Director, Betty left to become a Management and Program Analyst working as the liaison with partner organizations and visitors.

It is safe to say Loy has been the voice and face of CDC to a who's who of public health leaders, Atlanta community leaders, Congressional dignitaries, distinguished visitors and even TV and movie stars. She is virtually a walking, talking history book of CDC.

Betty has said of her job, ``I've been privileged to work for some of the best people ever.'' Well, Betty, the same could be said about you. Former CDC Director, James Mason, MPH, MD, said the feeling is mutual, ``Betty Loy, rightfully referred to as `CDC's Ultimate Ambassador' will leave a lonely gap at CDC. Her skills, competence, in-depth, knowledge, perspective and warm pleasant personality made her a valuable partner to me and a series of other CDC Directors and Deputies.''

In retirement, Betty plans to travel, spend time with friends, family, her children and grandchildren, and work on family genealogy. We wish Betty all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for years of service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, Sam and Betty Kennedy of Columbia started their life together on November 6, 1954, at the Methodist Church, in the small Tennessee community of Culleoka. They reached the 50 year milestone on November 6, 2004, and celebrated this occasion with family and friends at Greenway Farms, their home for more than 40 years, a few weeks later.

Sam, the fifth of eight children, grew up the son of a dentist and farmer, Dr. Henry Grady and Annie Porter Delk Kennedy, farm wife and teacher. An attorney and newspaper publisher, Sam has served as general sessions judge, district attorney and county executive of Maury County.

Raised the daughter of Columbia Daily Herald Editor and Publisher John and Elizabeth Read Ridley Finney, Betty attended Agnes Scott College and Emory University's School of Journalism. According to family lore, Sam and Betty met on a street in Columbia in 1953 when Betty was soliciting newspaper advertising. During the following months their courtship continued and they fell in love.

After the passing of Betty's father John Finney, Sam left his law career and with Betty led the Daily Herald, as publisher until 1983 when the paper was sold. Today, they own and operate the Lawrence County Advocate, the Waverly News Democrat, the News Leader, and the Buffalo River Review.

Over their 50 year marriage, Sam and Betty have been blessed with two children and five grandchildren.

Sam Kennedy, Jr. is an assistant U.S. Attorney and is married to Mary Susan Betty Kennedy, a business professor at Columbia State Community College. Their son, Sam Kennedy III is a junior at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Their daughter, Berry, is a freshman at Yale.

Elizabeth Kennedy Blackstone is the editor of the Parsons News Leader. She is married to Billy Blackstone, a partner with the law firm of Stokes, Bartholomew, Evans and Petree. The Blackstones have three children--Emory, Jack, and Eliza. We all should take a moment and applaud their accomplishment and their commitment to one another.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Albert Routier Vaughan passed away on December 25, 2004, after a distinguished career spanning 42 years with the U.S. Secret Service and Vanderbilt University and a well-earned retirement. He was a resident of Highlands, North Carolina, at the time of his death.

Mr. Vaughan was born Albert Pouletaud in Paris, France, but became friends with a detachment of U.S. Marines in World War I. These marines were instrumental in getting him to the United States. Ted Vaughan, a sergeant in the detachment, gave young Albert instructions on how to reach the Vaughan household in Nashville. Ted Vaughan was a law enforcement officer. He helped young Albert, who became a Vaughan, with his career as a U.S. Secret Service Agent.

Mr. Vaughan served with distinction in his 32 year career with the Secret Service. He received many distinguished awards, including the prestigious Albert Gallatin award. He served ably under five presidents from Hoover to Kennedy.

After his retirement from the Secret Service, Mr. Vaughan served for 10 years as Director of Safety for Vanderbilt University in Nashville. His experience in the Secret Service proved invaluable for his position at Vanderbilt. He greatly enhanced the safety and security of the university and its environs during his tenure.

Mr. Vaughan was laid to rest on December 29, 2004, in his adopted hometown of Nashville. We are grateful that Mr. Vaughan as a young man adopted this country as his own and that those U.S. Marines were able to secure his passage. We are thankful for his long and distinguished service to our country and to Vanderbilt and for his life of service. We extend our heart-felt condolences to his family.

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Clarkrange High School Chess Team for winning the 2004 National K-12 Grade Championships Chess Tournament. This marks the second national title for the Clarkrange High School Chess team in the past 5 years, winning the 2000 title in Charlotte.

The tournament, sponsored by the United States Chess Federation, was held in Orlando, FL, at Disney World's Dolphin Resort. Over 1,500 chess players representing 44 States and hundreds of schools participated in this tournament. The competition pits each grade level against itself. Clarkrange entered three teams in the competition.

The ninth grade team took the national championship at that level, the 10th grade team just missed the championship by half a point and took second place, two CHS assistant coaches took third place in the collegiate competition.

Members of the Clarkrange chess squad include Coach Michael Cross, Assistant Coaches Matthew Human and Joe Wright, students Andrew Simonton, Justin England, Ryan Hunley, Michael Davis, Simmy Jenkins, Chris Snow, Coty Phillips, and Dillon McCann.

These young men will have something to be proud of for the rest of their lives. May they continue to challenge themselves and excel in everything they do in life. They have made Fentress County, Tennessee very proud. Congratulations, Clarkrange High School Chess Team.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Pulaski Citizen for its contributions to the citizens of Giles County, Tennessee.

The Pulaski Citizen is the longest-running newspaper in the history of Pulaski and Giles County, spanning 150 years from 1854 to 2004. It's also one of the oldest continuously operating in the State of Tennessee. Its weekly visits into the homes of Giles Countians have brought national, state and local news.

The Pulaski Citizen was especially crucial in the days before radio, television and the internet as the only news media available to so many people. It has served the business community equally as well by printing the advertisements that promote these businesses, often contributing greatly to the success of so many of the hundreds of varied businesses that have called Giles County home.

Community improvement and growth has been a primary function of the Pulaski Citizen under the leadership of the McCord, Romine, Smith and Lake Families. Through the editorial urgings of the Pulaski Citizen, community life in Pulaski and Giles County has been greatly improved by such things as a water works, a fire department, improved telephone service, new and better schools, an outstanding college, playgrounds for our children, and hundreds of other benefits for our community.

The Pulaski Citizen is the oldest existing business in Pulaski, Tennessee. It has been in continuous publication since December 16, 1854, except during the Civil War. Pulaski was occupied by Union troops from the spring of 1862 until the end of the war. Most, if not all, businesses in Pulaski were forced to close during the Union occupation. Publication resumed on January 5, 1866 and has been continuous since that time.

In honor of the 150th birthday of the Pulaski Citizen, one page each week during 2004 has been dedicated to taking an historic look at how the paper covered current events that are now the ``popular'' record of our history with staff writer Claudia Johnson selecting material for weekly installments and for a book in commemoration of the sesquicentennial.

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk and discussion in the media recently about our country's morals which played an important role, I think, to many in our recent elections. I personally welcome these discussions, but I am saddened by the fact that there has been little talk about the moral values of the government's borrow-and-spend economic policies.

Tonight we will have a vote to raise the debt ceiling for the third time in the last 3 years. Why? Because Congress has been content to manage the American taxpayers' money in a way that immorally disregards the well-being of our Nation's economic future. I believe it is immoral for this country to keep racking up debt as far as the eye can see and to pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. I think it is immoral to borrow and spend and ask our soldiers to make the ultimate sacrifice while we refuse to make even marginal sacrifices in our fiscal policies.

Mr. Speaker, last week on Thursday, November 11, the 278th Regimental Combat Unit left for Iraq. Many of these brave men and women of this National Guard unit come from Tennessee and from my congressional district. I was able to visit the 278th in Fort Shelby, Mississippi, the day they went off to defend our country. I wish them luck and offer my prayers for their safe return home. Now I wish our soldiers' government would take the steps necessary to curb this deficit spending, to reinstate true budget enforcement measures like PAYGO, and to pay down this Nation's debt, instead of continuing to raise the ceiling, so that our troops when they return home, they are not left with footing the bill for a war they so bravely fought. As we continue to discuss morality in America, I hope we will not continue to ignore the immoralities of our current fiscal policies.

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk and discussion in media and throughout the country about morals and the role they played in the elections. I personally welcome these discussions, but I am saddened by the fact that there has been little talk about the moral values of the government's ``borrow and spend'' economic policies.

This week, we will have a vote to raise the debt ceiling for the third time in the last 3 years. Why? Because Congress has been content to manage the American taxpayers' money in a way that immorally disregards the well-being of our Nation's economic future.

I believe it is immoral for this country to keep racking up debt as far as the eye can see only to pass it on to our children and our grandchildren. I think it is immoral to continue to borrow and spend and ask our soldiers to make the ultimate sacrifice while we refuse to make even marginal sacrifices in our fiscal policies.

Mr. Speaker, last week, on Thursday, November 11, the 278th Regimental Combat Unit left for Iraq. Many of these brave men and women of this National Guard unit come from my district in Tennessee. I was able to visit the 278th in Fort Shelby, Mississippi, the day they went off to defend our country. I wish them luck and offer my prayers for their safe return home.

Now I wish our soldiers' government would take the steps necessary to curb this deficit spending, to reinstate true budget enforcement measures like pay-go, and to pay down this national debt instead of continuing to raise the ceiling, so that when our troops return home, they are not left footing the bill for a war they so bravely fought. As we continue to discuss morality in America, I hope we will not continue to ignore the immoralities within our current fiscal policies.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4516, the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization Act of 2004.

I had the pleasure of working on this legislation with my esteemed colleague across the aisle, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), who does an excellent job on the Committee on Science, and I look forward to having more opportunities to work with her on other important policy goals that we are able to impact at the Committee on Science.

The bill authorizes research and development activities at the Department of Energy to provide for the design, the development and the deployment of powerful computing systems, including both hardware and software. It will lead to the development of the computational tools needed for solving the most demanding science and engineering problems. The activities authorized will constitute part of the ongoing interagency information technology research and development program established by the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991.

H.R. 4516 will build on the demonstrated expertise of the Department of Energy in advancing the technology needed for designing and building the most powerful scientific computing systems in the world.

Equally important, the bill provides for the development and deployment of leadership-class computing systems, such as the system recently announced for installation at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which will provide access on a competitive basis for the research community in the United States.

The effect of the bill will be to put into the hands of researchers the tools they need to attack the most challenging problems in science and engineering, as well as to accelerate the development of the computing tools needed to underpin industrial competitiveness and our national defense.

Finally, H.R. 4516 will help to implement the Federal plan for high- end computing that was released earlier this year by the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Mr. Speaker, I commend this legislative measure to my colleagues and recommend its passage by the House, as amended by the other body.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I look at this particular road bill, the reauthorization, I think of comments made back home, where it is called road kill. In essence, what is happening with this legislation and the reauthorization, quite frankly our folks back home will call it road kill; and let me explain why.

We have individuals this morning that got up in my district and districts throughout this country and they have traveled to work at the factory or at their workplace, and in many cases in my district, on unsafe roads. So this legislation will provide, if enacted, as it should have been, will provide a safe way for working moms and dads to go to work and return to their families later that afternoon, and in many cases working at low-wage jobs.

We have also heard that maybe we can pass this legislation in a lame duck session. Well, that obviously is not going to happen. But I submit to you that is what we have been doing the past year and a half: we have been having a lame duck session. And quite frankly with the lame duck session we have been having concerning transportation needs, we have provided an avenue for many of our folks back home to be sitting ducks, sitting ducks that unless we pass this legislation and fully fund it, as many of us on this side of the Chamber have asked for, it may bring about a situation where the American public and the jobs that we have will bring about an economy that will create a dead duck scenario.

It is my hope that we realize, as we engage in the next 8 months, and I am sure that is what is going to happen, that for the American public and the safety of the American public and the American workers, that we pass an adequately funded reauthorization bill that will help build roads to many of our rural areas; that will help the inner cities with mass transit; and will bring about safe traveling as well as providing an economic boost.

Many years ago, Mr. Speaker, when our interstate systems were built, it helped bring about what we called ``just-in-time manufacturing.'' Small rural areas could in fact become the suppliers for the assembly lines of American manufacturers. As a result of that, we were able to move from small rural areas the products being built there, or that portion of it, to the larger manufacturing companies and create jobs in rural areas. We, in fact, by languishing and not fulfilling our responsibilities are bringing about a situation and circumstance for many of our workers and many of our families and our economy that will not be able to compete should, say, China decide to do as we did in the 1950s and the 1960s.

I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would say to the gentleman from New York that my intention is to vote for a reauthorization bill adequately funded. Unfortunately, we do not have that option.

Mr. Speaker, my hope is that we do what is right and that we put first the safety of the American public and pass the reauthorization bill at the level it should be.

Mr. Speaker, without a doubt, the provisions of the District of Columbia's gun laws that have the most adverse effect upon the largest number of law-abiding District residents, are the ban on using firearms to defend yourself at home, the handgun ban, and other measures that prevent or discourage the purchase of rifles and shotguns.

Much has already been said about those provisions of the District's gun laws, so I would like to address a provision that hasn't received the same amount of attention.

I refer to the section of the District's laws that define various types of firearms, particularly the definition of ``machine gun.''

As is fairly common knowledge, machine guns were invented in the late 1800s, and they are fundamentally the same today as they were then. They fire repeatedly as long as you hold the trigger down. They are the only firearms that operate in that way. And they all operate in that way.

Federal law defines a machine gun appropriately, as a gun that shoots--and I quote--``automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.'' I know of no one who disagrees with that definition.

The problem is, the District also defines some semi-automatic firearms as machine guns.

Semi-automatic firearms were also invented in the late 1800s, but that is about where the similarity between them and machine gun ends.

Like a lever-action, bolt-action, or pump-action firearm, or a revolver, a semi-automatic firearm fires only once when you pull the trigger.

I realize that not everyone is clear on that point. ``Gun control'' supporters have gone to considerable lengths to suggest that a semi- automatic fires like a machine gun. For example, in the context of the ``assault weapon'' issue, ``gun control'' supporters often claim that semi-automatics ``spray fire.''

That does not change the facts, however. Thus, federal law correctly defines a semi-automatic firearm as one that, among other things--and I quote--``requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.''

And so that no one misunderstands, let me be clear that conforming the District's definition to the Federal definition, does not change the law with respect to the ownership or possession of machine guns. Such guns are regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934 and will remain regulated under that law.

Conforming the District's definition will mean only that District residents will not be prohibited from owning semi-automatic firearms that are legal to possess under federal law.

Mr. Speaker, Fred Hatmaker of LaFollette and Knoxville, TN, recently passed away at the early age of 63.

Fred was a good friend not only to me, but many within the community. He can best be characterized as one who loved to be in the middle of things. Fred was always there for a laugh, a serious discussion, a game of cards, and was more than willing to take a good humored poke at someone whenever an appropriate occasion arose.

Fred was an educator, banker, and businessman. He was as devoted to his professions as he was to his friends and family. He was restless in every venture he undertook. I think this came from his need to find his place in the world. This I can say for sure, he brought an unending amount of energy with him and will forever be remembered for his storytelling. You can rest assured that he probably never believed what he said himself.

Fred will be missed very much by all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment having been activated and mobilized as the 278th Regimental Combat Team has some of Tennessee's finest soldiers. They are currently

training in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, before moving to the National Training Center in Ft. Irwin, California, for additional training. Before departing for their duty location in Northern Iraq they will return to Tennessee where they will appropriately have a sendoff on Veterans Day.

Headquartered in Knoxville, the 278th is the only enhanced Armored Cavalry Regiment in the National Guard and one of only two in the United States Army. The 278th is the largest unit in the Tennessee Army National Guard, with units stretching from one end of Tennessee to the other. A large portion of the 278th's soldiers live in the 4th Congressional District.

While visiting the 278th at Camp Shelby I talked with soldiers from across the 4th District. Every soldier I talked with expressed a devotion to family and country. Our troops have the energy and patriotism needed to encourage democracy abroad by promoting strong American values and ideals. The families should know that their loved ones are receiving world class training and equipment.

In a State that claims Sgt. Alvin York as its native son no one should be surprised that Tennessee is appropriately named the Volunteer State. This largest callup of Tennessee National Guardsmen only further demonstrates our commitment to country. I would like to ask everyone to pray for our brothers and sisters who will shortly be put in harm's way. May God look after our troops and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to welcome back the 1175th Transportation Company of the Tennessee National Guard. The soldiers, who deployed to Fort Knox, Kentucky in February 2003, had been in Kuwait and Iraq since April 2003. When they returned home in mid-May 2004 they were surrounded by loved ones who hadn't seen them in over a year.

The transportation company was involved in various aspects of transportation, convoy operations and supply missions. Within the first

96 hours of arriving in Kuwait they pulled their first mission--not an easy feat. Often, they drove Humvees mounted with .50 caliber machine guns, escorting vital equipment throughout Iraq. The unit logged some 2.3 million miles in the 13 months they were overseas.

I am very proud of the safety and performance record of the 1175th. They served with distinction by implementing the largest track vehicle movement since World War II not once, but twice in the matter of a few months, while training in the U.S. They also had the best safety record and operational readiness status of the other 15 plus transportation companies working in Iraq/Kuwait.

Iraq is hot, dry, and dusty. Sometimes temperatures reached upwards of 135 to 140 degrees. Knowing the numerous dangers and environment it surprised me to read and hear statements from soldiers such as Sergeant Tommy Adcock say, ``Our Country has taken care of us, now it's payback time.''

It is sad that the 1175th lost two of its own. Staff Sergeant Nathan Jerome Bailey and Staff Sergeant David Leroy Lyod lost their lives defending a country they cared so deeply about. We need to remember that our countrymen are making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this country. These men and women have served honorably and with distinction. What makes our country so great are all of the brave Americans that step up and defend this great nation. For that I say thank you and God Bless.