Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute posthumously to Fort Campbell's Deputy Garrison Commander, Sam Johnson for his vital role and tireless commitment to his duties and country.

Sam Johnson began his career at Fort Campbell in 1972. He was the first civilian to fill the position of Youth Activities Director. Mr. Johnson quickly rose to the top at Fort Campbell, continually becoming the first civilian to fill the posts of Outdoor Recreation Director, Recreation Services Officer, and even being transferred to Panama in the Cold War to oversee the entire Army Recreation Program.

After serving in Panama, Mr. Johnson returned to Fort Campbell to, yet again, become the first civilian to hold the title and responsibility of Deputy Director of Personnel and Community Activities. In just a few years, he became Director of Personnel and Community Activities. Mr. Johnson's excellent administrative skills shined in his position as Deputy Resource Manager, which helped him to obtain his appointment as the only civilian to ever serve as Deputy Garrison Commander.

For the past 11 years, Mr. Johnson has served as Deputy Garrison Commander. His love for his country is evident by his devotion to his job. Despite his diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, he still continued with his duties. Mr. Johnson was able to perform his responsibilities as Deputy Garrison Commander until his recent death. Deputy Garrison Commander Sam Johnson emulated his principles of hard work and never giving up.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend the gratitude of myself and the entire Nation to Sam Johnson in recognition of his outstanding commitment and service to Fort Campbell and to our country. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him and offering comfort to his family and Fort Campbell, as they will truly miss Sam Johnson, a man of true courage and character.

Mr. Speaker, on the legislative day of Thursday, June 5, 2003, the House voted on H. Res. 258 that provided for the consideration of S. 222 and S. 273. On House rollcall vote No. 245, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the University of Michigan's Survival Flight program for their critical role in providing emergency care to the residents of Michigan.

The University of Michigan's Survival Flight is an air medical transport program that extends the University Health System's care. This service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. They have the capabilities to transport critical patients from area hospitals to specialized treatment facilities, transport directly from an emergency scene, transfer neonates and organ transport teams, and provide back-up in disaster situations. Survival Flights consist of three advanced Bell 430 medical helicopters and one Cessna Citation jet.

Now in their 20th year, the Survival Flights have a perfect safety record and are recognized as the top emergency medical air program in the Nation. Each year, over 1,600 patients are safely transported through the Survival Flights program.

University of Michigan Survival Flights are to be recognized for their success and dedication

to the survival of Michigan patients. Since their inception, Survival Flights have demonstrated outstanding courage and commitment to the State of Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend the gratitude of myself and the entire nation to the University of Michigan Survival Flights in recognition of 20 years of service. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking them and wishing them continued success as they serve the citizens of the great State of Michigan.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) for their efforts here.

I want to disagree with the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) for a moment. I used to be an FBI agent. And the old saying ``It takes money to make money'' is as true for organized crime as it is for any other business in America. This is not about Las Vegas. This is about offshore entities; Russian organized crime establishing offshore sites to develop low-cost/high-revenue venues where they can do two things: A, make a tremendous return on their investment; and B, launder money. And they are not laundering money that they have earned by betting or working in legitimate businesses. They are laundering money that they obtained illegally from drug sales, from prostitution rings, from pornography rings, from street gang street tax, from street

taxing businesses who are trying to operate in New York and Miami and Los Angeles.

These are exactly the kinds of activities that this bill will at least attempt to put a tool in the toolbox to stop. The FBI already has several cases today involving organized crime using Internet gambling to launder money. They use this money and turn it around to do pretty awful things, not only in America but now internationally. And they have become very, very sophisticated at how they get there.

It would be sticking our heads in the sand if we do not stand up and say we will not tolerate organized crime using the Internet to negatively influence our communities and our business community all across America.

This is dangerous, dangerous stuff. And to compare this to soccer games in Las Vegas is both naive and shortsighted. I would encourage the gentlewoman to understand where we seek to go and the very types of people we seek to stop with this bill.

I would also take this opportunity to urge this body to reject the Sensenbrenner and Cannon amendment. We are very, very close here today to taking one step closer to knocking organized crime off their feet. That is a poison pill that may slow that endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle at what I think is an important moment to recognize some other unsung heroes.

Earlier today we recognized those very brave men and women who wear the uniform of the United States military and all of their sacrifices, and certainly rightly so. We have also discovered, I think recently, the many forms that patriotism can take. Maybe it is the spouse of a soldier who keeps the home fires burning. It is every American who believes in liberty's blessings and who cares to pursue every opportunity and every challenge that democracy offers. But during Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, both of those operations, we have seen a new patriot emerge.

You can imagine, Mr. Speaker, at the time of your notice as a Reservist or a National Guardsman or -woman all across this country when that notice comes in and your country calls. You have trained for it, you have prepared for it, you are willing to serve. But there is always in the back of your mind that great concern about the family that you leave behind. Will they be taken care of? Will my employment be there when I get home? The law requires that at least your employment be there when you get home, but really nothing more. What we saw is that when those soldiers gathered up their family and kissed and hugged them good-bye and went off to do America's good service, our employers, from smaller companies to large companies, stood tall. Because the people who were called up were building cars for GM and Ford, they were delivering packages for United Parcel Service, they were mechanics, they were nurses, they were doctors, they were paramedics, police officers; they were machinists in small shops all across America. Maybe they were working retail. Maybe they were financial advisers.

In all of those cases, in many, many cases all across this country these companies stood up and have gone beyond the call of duty in an effort to maintain their aid and comfort to the soldiers who serve our great Nation. In many cases, they provided differential pay for these soldiers and sailors and Marines and airmen and women, those in the Coast Guard. They provided continued health care for those families. They continued insurance, all on their own accord. Some even offered full payment of their services even though they were not working. We had a smaller company, a fourth-generation company, Magnolia Marketing Company in Louisiana, who offered its employees when they were notified that they would leave, that upon their departure they would be paid in full in addition to their military salaries, and stepped up even further by setting up a fund with the United Way and challenged everybody on a matching grant of $35,000 for those companies who could not afford those kinds of things to provide some help to those families who were left behind when their country called. This happened again and again and again, from Michigan to California, from Maine to Florida, and everybody in between.

Mr. Speaker, there is a new breed of patriot in America, somebody that understands that the war on terror is fought by every one of us, not just those who wear the uniform so proudly and so bravely, but those of us at home who need to stand tall and make sure that the home fires are burning, that they know that our love and compassion for them usurps our sole concern for the bottom line.

We need to stand tall today together supporting H. Res. 201, to stand tall for every business who went beyond the call of duty and stood firm for the men and women who serve so that their families would not have to worry when they got home. Mr. Speaker, they deserve our praise and our admiration. They deserve the call of patriot as we stand here and recognize them today with the passage of H. Res. 201.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Jerry S. Chastain for his brave service in the United States Military during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Upon his graduation from the Citadel, Lieutenant Colonel Chastain was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps. Since then, he has served both at home and abroad in the United States, Europe and Kuwait. Some of his assignments include Supply Platoon Leader and Battalion S-4, Supply and Services Officer, A Company Commander, Future Readiness Officer, Executive Officer for the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, and J4 Logistics Commander. In all of his positions, he has demonstrated integrity and excellent leadership.

Lieutenant Colonel Chastain has been recognized with many honors during his time in the military. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Three Oak Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the NATO medal, the Army Staff Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Lieutenant Colonel Chastain has repeatedly demonstrated his devotion and commitment to this country. He has boldly stood in defense of our Nation and a free world. He serves as an admirable role model for his three sons and for all American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend the gratitude of myself and an entire Nation to Lieutenant Colonel Jerry S. Chastain for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his courageous efforts and wishing him well as he returns home.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Duane A. Gamble for his brave service in the United States Military during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lieutenant Colonel Gamble graduated from Western Maryland College in 1985 with the honor of a Distinguished Military Graduate. After graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Ordnance in the Regular Army. Lieutenant Colonel Gamble then attended the Florida Institute of Technology, earning a Masters of Science in Logistics Management in 1994. He has also completed many courses in military education during his time of service.

In the past 18 years, Lieutenant Colonel Gamble has served in a variety of logistics posts including Platoon Leader, Forward Area Support Coordinator and Support Operations Officer, Executive Officer and Logistics Operations Officer, and Deputy Commander. He currently holds the position of Commander of the Taskmaster Battalion and Commander of the Bastogne Brigade Support Area. His fine service has been recognized with awards and decorations that include the Bronze Star Medal, the Master Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Lieutenant Colonel Gamble has served bravely in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Hurricane Andrew Disaster Relief, Operation Joint Endeavor, and, most recently Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has repeatedly demonstrated his devotion and commitment to this nation and stood boldly in defense of a free world. He is an admirable role model for his two young daughters and for all American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend the gratitude of myself and an entire nation to Lieutenant Colonel Duane A. Gamble for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his courageous efforts and wishing him well in his next assignment as Assistant Chief of Staff for the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Joe D. Dunaway for his heroic service in the United States Military during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Upon graduating from Northeastern Oklahoma State University in May of 1985, Lieutenant Colonel Dunaway completed several different courses at Fort Rucker, Alabama and Fort Eustis, Virgina. His initial assignment was to the 4th Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fulda, Germany. There, Lieutenant Colonel Dunaway held positions that included Command Aviation Platoon Leader and Air Cavalry Troop Commander. In 1990, he returned to the United States and served at both Fort Eustis and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he attended the Command and Central Staff College and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division as the Division Aviation Maintenance Officer, AVIM Company Command of Company A, and Battalion Executive Officer for the 8-101st Aviation Regiment.

During his time in the military, Lieutenant Colonel Dunaway has been recognized with many honors. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with a silver oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Master Aviator Badge, an Air Assault Badge, and an Airborne Badge.

Lieutenant Colonel Dunaway's involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom as the 8-101st Battalion Commander marked his second tour of duty. He served as a role model for all as he bravely stood in defense of our nation and a free world. His devotion and commitment to this country are commendable.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend the gratitude of myself and the entire nation to Lieutenant Colonel Joe D. Dunaway for his participation in this latest conflict in Iraq. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his fine service and wishing him well as he returns to the Aviation Branch to serve as Branch Chief.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to highlight the benefits that competition in the telecommunications industry has bestowed upon this nation.

In the seven years since the passage of the Telecommunications Act, millions of consumers and thousands of businesses have been given choices and enjoyed savings never before experienced during more than a century of monopoly control. In fact, it is estimated that if telecom competition were allowed to flourish across the nation, our citizens could save more than $9 billion a year on their telephone bills.

Take, for example, LDMI Telecommunications, a competitive telecom provider who offers services in Michigan. LDMI's President & CEO, Patrick O'Leary, has files full of letters from customers who are grateful to have a choice among providers and are able to save a significant amount of money in the process.

Here's what some of LDMI's customers have to say:

``When long distance was a monopoly we could only afford

five inside sales reps due to the high cost of phone calls.

Thanks to the lowest phone rates we've ever enjoyed, we now

have sixteen inside sales reps and our market is now the

continental United States. Our sales are over five million

dollars. None of this growth would have been possible without

competition in the telecommunications industry.''--a supplier

of paper rolls for business machines in New Hudson, Michigan

``Since we became an LDMI customer in August, 1994, we have

enjoyed not only excellent rates and saving, but have also

experienced extremely courteous and overly competent customer

service and technical support. To say that we are satisfied

with the high quality of service and incredible savings would

have to be considered an understatement.''--a law firm in

Saginaw, Michigan

These reactions are extremely common among the millions of customers who are relying on competitive telecommunications providers for their voice and data communications services. LDMI, and many other small competitive companies who offer the same quality and cost-effective services to consumers and small businesses, would not exist but for the rules that require the Bell companies to provide competitors access to the public switched telephone network at reasonable, non-discriminatory rates.

Telecom competition serves as an economic catalyst, as well. As you can see from these customer testimonials, consumers and business owners have a great incentive to re-invest the savings on their telephone bills into new equipment or services. Moreover, the economy is bolstered by the spending of competitors and the Bell companies themselves on new technology, new networks, and innovative service packages. In fact, studies show that since passage of the 1996 Act, alternative telecom service providers have generated more than $100 billion in capital expenditures on state-of-the art infrastructure, while the Bells have accounted for another $50 billion in spending as a direct result of competition in their markets.

We must work to ensure that consumer benefits and economic stimulus are not stifled by government actions over voice and broadband services. The FCC is poised to issue an order that would preserve competition through the use of the Unbundled Network Element Platform-- or UNE-P. The Commission should be thorough in its consideration of the details of the rules it is about to issue to ensure that competition remains viable, consumer choice is protected and technological innovation is allowed to blossom.

Mr. Chairman, I have an important story to tell in a very brief time.

The person you will see here is named Hannan Shahib, a young girl, 15 years old, was injured, burned severely in coalition bombings. Because of the heroic action of our military soldiers on the ground, she was able to survive this, keep her arm due to their great work, and is now at the University Hospital in Michigan receiving treatment.

We have been after the DOD for some time to help us facilitate more of these injured Iraqi children. And I will tell you, when this gal got up off the stretcher to walk to that airplane all on her own, all of these soldiers in that tent, and I happened to be there that day, there were cheers and tears and every one of those soldiers realized that they were there as liberators and not conquerors.

But I tell you what, Mr. Chairman, when we went to the Department of Defense, the bureaucrats down the road, the only tears were frustration. We are getting calls now from different military medical providers in Iraq asking for help. We cannot get any help out of the bureaucrats down the road. For 3 days, Northwest Airlines, Immigration, Department of State, private sector came together to make this happen. It took 3 weeks, 3 weeks for the Department of Defense to even make a decision to let her ride on an airplane to Frankfurt, Germany. We have lost a little girl we were working on this weekend. She was 7 years old. If they had only made a decision, just given us a decision, she might be alive today, in the good care of an American hospital today.

Two hundred people of Hannan's family showed up that day to whisk her off and wish her well. They were crying and cheering and praising the United States of America. We need to do this.

We need to do this. We can do this. We need to show the Iraqi people that our muscles are big, but our hearts and our compassion are bigger. The soldiers on the ground are doing heroic work every day; and they are asking us, Members of Congress, to help them out. We need to nudge the folks down there in the ivory tower, tell them to not worry about the wax that is on the floor; but tell them to start worrying about the soldiers in the dust making these kinds of things happen. They are identifying these children. We can help them, but we need DOD to help. We need to get them out of Baghdad to a commercial airport so we can get them here. All the rest is paid for.

The American people have stood up and said, We are going to help these kids. We have two burn centers around the country standing by ready to go, free of charge to the Federal Government because they feel so strongly that this is important and we need to have it happen. We have talked to as many people as we possibly could, Mr. Chairman, over there at the Department of Defense, and we have asked for help.

As I stand here today, this has been 2 weeks since she has been here; and by the way, those doctors were able to save her arm. Had she been there one more day, she would have lost her arm. Her mother told me just the other day this last weekend that when she calls home there are other folks who are there getting ready to lose their limbs. This is only due to a lack of decision on behalf of the Department of Defense.

The military folks on the ground are doing the right thing. They are standing up. They are showing compassion. They are reaching out. We need to do this, Mr. Chairman. We need an answer from DOD. We need them to stand up and do the right thing and stand up for these soldiers in the field who are doing miraculous things.

Mr. Speaker, on the legislative day of Wednesday, May 7, 2003, the House voted on two amendments by Mr. Bell of Texas to H.R 766, the Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003. On House rollcall votes No. 165 and No. 166, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Edgewood Elementary School in Okemos, Michigan for its 39 years of service to the community. This institution has continuously provided a nurturing atmosphere of learning and support for all the staff that serve there and the students who pass through its doors.

Edgewood Elementary School has a history of academic excellence. In both 2001 and 2002, it received the Golden Apple Awards for high achievement, an honor presented by the State of Michigan. Yet the school provides more than just a space to learn. It is a trusted pillar in the neighborhood, a place where students, staff, parents, and community members come together and build lifelong relationships.

Mr. Speaker, Edgewood Elementary School's dedication to promoting superior education while fostering an environment of care is an example to all institutions. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing its many achievements.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds) for working with me on this important issue to the Great Lakes. Twenty percent of the world's freshwater is to be found there. And what we have found in this important debate on energy and where we are going in America and getting to conservation and getting away from foreign dependence is science tells us there are places that we should be drilling for oil and natural gas to become less dependent. This is not one of them. What we see here is Mr. Chris and we will find it on Lake Erie. This is a tugboat with an attitude; 550 wells on the water, on the freshwater today on the Canadian side of Lake Erie. They are looking to do 40 more. Science tells us this: we should not be on the Great Lakes poking a hole in the bottom to get oil or natural gas. Not the way to do it.

We are standing here today to tell our good friends, the Canadians, to straighten up their act. Neighbors do not do this to each other. This is not a healthy way, an environmentally friendly way, a sensible way, a logical way to extract those resources. There is a way that they can do it that does not jeopardize 20 percent of the world's fresh drinking water.

Today I stand with my friend from New York to say please to our friends from Canada to do the right thing, to stand up for the future of this country and the future of the environmental safety of those Great Lakes. We are blessed with those Great Lakes in the Midwest, and I would hope that we could stand together today and send a very clear message to our Canadian friends to cease and desist and take Mr. Chris and send him back to the docks.

And to the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), who wants to stick a straw and slurp up those Great Lakes, I will say to him that I will challenge him every day. If he wants to have some of that Great Lakes water, he has got to live in Michigan in February.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his work on this energy bill.

To my good friends from New York, I do appreciate their efforts here, however misguided. This is like trying to treat obesity by mandating smaller pants sizes. This does not consider energy costs or slowing sales on behalf of car companies due to the recession. It does not consider higher production costs.

And what it means is, they will take research and development money and take it away from research and development to reengineer these vehicles, which means lower weight. Lower weight means more fatalities.

If the Members believe in hydrogen vehicles, if the Members believe in hybrid vehicles, if the Members believe in the future of automobiles being cleaner and having the weight and size for safety, this is not the bill. This amendment will take $73 billion away from auto manufacturers, from researching and developing hybrid and hydrogen technology and flush it down the tubes to reengineer for less weight and taking vehicles out of production.

We all want to get to the same place. Let us stand up for the security of our jobs, the health of our Nation, and the safety of those who drive. Let us soundly reject this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Peggy Savage Dunn on being named the 2003 Michigan Elementary Science Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Science Teachers' Association. Her commitment to instilling a passion for learning in her students serves as an example for all teachers to follow.

One of Mrs. Dunn's greatest achievements was the design and creation of an outdoor classroom at Central Elementary School in Okemos, Michigan. The project took three years to implement and involved securing multiple grants and community support. The outdoor classroom is a garden area filled with various flowers and plants that serves as habitat for several animal and insect species. All students and educators at the school have the opportunity to use the outdoor classroom to enhance their studies. It was recently distinguished with the title of a ``schoolyard habitat'' by the National Wildlife Foundation.

Mrs. Dunn is also committed to furthering the use of technology among her pupils. She

maintains a class website every year. On her website, her students can find posted assignments and lessons. Furthermore, she updates the page with the class' activities and work for others to view.

Mr. Speaker, Peggy Savage Dunn's dedication to advancing science in elementary education is evident to all those around her. Earning the 2003 Michigan Elementary Science Teacher of the Year award is a well- deserved honor. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing her worthy achievement and her commitment to excellence in education.