Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday, June 7, 2006.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 29, 2006, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 418, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the gentleman from Georgia's Amendment.

This provision, if enacted, would permit the Army Corps of Engineers to make an end-run around an ongoing Federal lawsuit.

It would reprogram already appropriated funds away important existing river projects.

It would also cause severe distress to Alabama's waterways, harming both navigation and power production.

The Corps of Engineers' manual on the A-C-T River Basin hasn't been revised since 1951.

This revision hasn't occurred even though nine dams, including four structures built by the Corps, have since been constructed in the A-C-T Basin.

Furthermore, the President's Fiscal Year 2007 budget request did not include a request for this action.

It is important to note that the entire Alabama delegation--along with members of the Florida delegation--have been working with the Corps to resolve this issue.

The language included in this bill, if left intact, would simply allow the current litigation process to be completed.

And it would not allow funds appropriated for Fiscal Years 2006 or 2007 to be used to revise the A-C-T Basin manual.

I would like to associate myself with the remarks made by my colleague Congressman Aderholt, as well as the other members of the Alabama and Florida delegations in opposition to this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Essie Mae Maxwell, of Coosa County, Alabama. Ms. Maxwell turned 103 years old on April 20th, which she celebrated with family and friends in her Kellyton home.

From 1903 until today, Ms. Maxwell has lived a full life that has seen many transitions in our country's history. She remembers growing up as a witness to the introduction of cars, computers, and laundry machines. She enjoys reading the Bible and newspaper, both without her glasses, on a daily basis. A mother of eleven, she has inspired her family from her oldest child to her youngest great-great grandchild.

I am proud to recognize Ms. Maxwell today in the House, and congratulate her on her 103rd birthday. I wish her the best and many more enjoyable times with her family and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask the House's attention today to recognize George Webb Rowell of Lee County, Alabama, in anticipation of his 90th birthday on May 31, 2006.

In 1916, Mr. Rowell was the seventh born child to a poor farming family in Loachapoka, Alabama, where he resides today. He was the only son to serve overseas in World War II, beginning his service with the U.S. Army in June of 1941. He served in the 1st Army under General Eisenhower, with the 3rd Armored Division in the 703rd Tank Battalion. It was his division that landed on the beach in Normandy on D-Day, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, entered France and marched through Belgium to Germany to defeat the enemy. Mr. Rowell spent four years and four months in the Army, and his service was awarded with a Silver Star.

When he returned home he attended a trade school to learn farming techniques. He and his wife raised five children on a small farm. Mr. Rowell is a devout Christian, a patriot, and an American Hero to his family and his country.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the House's attention to the life of George Rowell today, and I thank my colleagues for helping honor an American who so bravely served our Nation as a member of our Greatest Generation.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask the attention of the House today to pay tribute to Sandra Bridges Newkirk, who has devoted her life to her work and service in Lee County, Alabama. After 40 years with Auburn University's Department of Health and Human Performance, Mrs. Newkirk is anticipating retirement on May 15, 2006.

Mrs. Newkirk has accomplished much at Auburn University and is wholly deserving to be recognized for contributing to some of the University's firsts. As the first volleyball coach, the first intramural director, and the first Women's Athletic Director at Auburn, she has proven to be a monumental supporter of health and wellness. Mrs. Newkirk advanced women's sport programs in Alabama and worked to elevate such programs to a competitive basis. The Department of Health and Human Performance is sure to miss her as one of its professors.

In addition to her dedication to Auburn University, Sandra Bridges Newkirk has also contributed greatly to the Lee County community, including her service as a mediator with the Lee County Court System for adults.

I salute Mrs. Newkirk for her contributions to Auburn University, Lee County, and for the betterment of the entire State of Alabama.

Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4954, the SAFE Port Act. And first I would like to commend the gentleman and the gentlewoman from California, Mr. Lungren and Ms. Harman, for their leadership on this strong, bipartisan bill.

Also, thanks to the effective leadership of Chairman King, the committee passed this bill on April 26 by a vote of 29-0.

Madam Chairman, this bill is a comprehensive proposal and helps safeguard our ports, all without disrupting commerce. For example, the bill authorizes the Container Security Initiative. This effort would identify and examine high-risk containers at foreign ports before they are loaded onto ships bound for the U.S.

The bill also contains provisions which would help track and protect containers on the way to our shores.

The bill also establishes a new Directorate for Policy, Planning and International Affairs at DHS.

This provision, which is a product of my subcommittee, implements one of the findings of Secretary Chertoff's top-to-bottom review. In particular, the new Directorate would, A, review all departmental cargo, security programs, policies and initiatives; B, develop department-wide cargo security policies; and, C, coordinate departmental cargo security programs with other Federal departments and agencies.

Madam Chairman, port security is especially critical in my home State of Alabama, where the Port of Mobile has an economic impact of at least $3 billion per year on my State. It is the 12th busiest port in the U.S. and employs more than 118,000 Alabamians. Last year alone, this facility imported and exported 42,000 containers and 50 million tons of cargo. It is also the largest coal import terminal in the country and is expected to process 144,000 cruise ship passengers this year alone.

The SAFE Port Act is a good bill. It is a bipartisan solution for helping strengthen the security of our country, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the young men of Avondale Pack 67 in Alexander City, Alabama, and also to den leader Laurie Carter for their work to preserve the memory of the crew of an Air Force aircraft which was lost in their community over a decade ago.

April 17 marks the 11th anniversary of the crash of an Air Force C-21 jet which was en route from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The C-21 was transporting eight personnel including Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, the Honorable Clark G. Fiester, and Major General Glenn A. Profitt, II, when it suffered mechanical problems. The plane attempted to land at T.C. Russell Field in Alexander City.

Tragically, the aircraft lost altitude and went down in a wooded area south of the airport, taking the lives of all aboard. A statement released from the Secretary of the Air Force at the time noted that, ``Two of the Air Force's senior leaders were on board the plane.''

The families of the victims of that tragedy left a small memorial on the site of the crash to remember their loved ones. But the site, which is heavily wooded, was grown over until the scouts of Pack 67 intervened. On March 18 the scouts of Pack 67, hiked to the site of the memorial, cleared the brush and trimmed the trees that had covered it. They placed small U.S. flags for each of the eight Air Force personnel who lost their lives that day in 1995.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to personally salute the young men of Pack 67 and their leader, Laurie Carter, for not only doing a good deed, but for honoring the memory of these fallen heroes. We can all learn from the example of these community-spirited scouts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and pay tribute to Dr. William L. Lester, the longtime Provost at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, who passed away on February 6, 2006.

Dr. Lester was dedicated to academics. He first arrived in Tuskegee University in 1968 to work as a mathematics instructor, and later left in 1970 to pursue his doctorate at Southern Methodist University. He returned to Tuskegee in 1974 to head the Mathematics Department, and later served as Assistant Provost in the Academic Affairs office. He became Tuskegee's Provost in 1984.

Dr. Lester was truly a model citizen, both for the university community and his family. His tireless work on behalf of Tuskegee helped make the institution the world-renowned university it is today. He will be sorely missed. His memory lives on through his wife, Virda, and their children.

I am privileged to have the opportunity to honor the late Dr. William L. Lester today, and appreciate the House's attention to the life and legacy of this important Alabamian.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 677, a resolution recognizing the importance of the NASCAR-HBCU Consortium. On February 8, 2006, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, NASCAR, announced a new collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Universal Technical Institute.

The effort, known as the NASCAR-HBCU Consortium, focuses on increasing the number of job opportunities for African American students in racing, technology, automotive safety and sports marketing. I am especially pleased that over 40 Members of Congress have joined my colleague, Representative Watt, and me in introducing this resolution.

Being from Alabama, I have firsthand knowledge of many of the partners in this consortium. As a race fan, I have spent many days at the Talladega Super Speedway, a facility that I am proud to represent here in Congress. In addition, I have the honor of representing three of the leading HBCUs in the Nation: Talladega College, Alabama State University, and Tuskegee University. Their excellence and commitment to education are known across our Nation.

In Alabama, we have been blessed by a thriving and growing automotive industry. Both Honda and Hyundai have built large plants in my congressional district, and they employ thousands of Alabamians with good jobs at good wages.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical that all our young folks have the skills to compete for these jobs. This new partnership should help more of tomorrow's workers take advantage of these new opportunities.

I also call on the United States Departments of Education and Labor to support this consortium as well. And finally I would like to thank Speaker Hastert for his participation at the announcement of this consortium.

Also I wish to thank Majority Leader Boehner and Chairman McKeon for expediting this resolution for consideration. With that, I respectfully ask the House for its support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Freddie Hart, a well known Alabamian who will soon have a street dedicated to him in his honor on Friday, February 17, 2006.

Mr. Hart was born Fred Segrest on December 21, 1926 to sharecropper parents in Lochapoka, Alabama. He was later raised in Phenix City, Alabama. He taught himself to play the guitar at the age of five and only finished school past the second grade. He later pursued his musical interests by getting involved in bands, and landed his first recording contract with Capitol Records. In 1959, his first hit recording was ``The Wall.'' In 1971, his song ``Easy Lovin'' went to number one on the charts, won two Grammys, and was named ``Song of the Year'' for 1971 and 1972 by The Country Music Association. In 1991, he was awarded the Governor's Achievement Award, and in 2001 was inducted in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

I am delighted Mr. Hart will soon be honored with this important recognition, and congratulate him for his many accomplishments. It is my honor to pay tribute to Mr. Hart today in the House, and wish him many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Auburn University on its Sesquicentennial Celebration. On February 1, 1856, then-Governor of Alabama, John Winston, signed a charter that established the East Alabama Male College, a small, private male liberal arts college. One hundred fifty years later, Auburn University has become one of the pre-eminent research universities in the South, and most certainly one of our state's most proud and cherished institutions of higher learning.

The University was founded on a three-part mission: instruction, research and outreach. Auburn maintains this mission to this day, boasting an enrollment of over 23,000 students and employing a highly talented faculty of over 1,200. Many of its 13 schools are ranked among our nation's best, and its athletic program certainly is cause for celebration for thousands and thousands of fans and alumni every year.

I am honored today to congratulate Auburn University on its first 150 years, and am proud and humbled for the opportunity to represent its students, faculty and administrators here in the House of Representatives. I thank the House for joining me for this important occasion, and wish Auburn all the best in its next 150 years, here in the ``loveliest village on the plains.'' War Eagle!

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to pay tribute to Miss Laura Steele, an Auburn University student who recently led an effort to change the University's ``Holiday Tree'' back to its more traditional name, ``Christmas Tree.''

In December of 2005, Miss Steele took issue with an attempt to rename the school's traditional tree. In a widely publicized initiative, Steele, a senator-at-large and Chairwoman of the Auburn College of Republicans, introduced a resolution before the Student Government Association calling for the more traditional ``Christmas Tree'' name to be restored for use at Auburn.

Her campaign gathered hundreds of signatures in support of the effort, and led to more than 20,000 calls of support to student leaders. She garnered the support of our state legislators, Governor Riley, and influential leaders across our state and around the world. I was delighted to see her resolution adopted, and am pleased that next year Auburn's tree will once again be known as its Christmas Tree.

We are indeed proud of Miss Steele. Her efforts to recognize and promote the true meaning of Christmas here at Auburn should serve as a reminder for us all that our belief in the Almighty is one of the core strengths of our nation. I applaud her efforts, and congratulate her for her leadership, her courage, and abiding faith.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant and member of the community, Ms. Ruth Cotney, of Chambers County, Alabama. Ms. Cotney is a well-known and highly respected individual who has served her community, held public office, and is now completing her 50th year of employment at the Chambers County tax office.

In 1955, Ms. Cotney began her career at the Chambers County Courthouse in a time where most tax bills were written by hand. In 1979, Ms. Cotney was appointed by Governor Fob James to replace the retired tax collector. She completed the balance of the term, ran again, and won in 1984 for a 6-year term. She retired in 1991, but continues to work part-time at the tax collector's office.

I am proud to recognize Ms. Cotney today in the House, and congratulate her on her long and fulfilling career in service to the people of Chambers County. I wish her many more years of continued success and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Lucy Noles Green, of Randolph County, Alabama. Ms. Green had a very special birthday recently, having turned 105 years old on December 31, a day which she celebrated with family and friends in the Hawk community where she lives.

From 1900 until today, Ms. Green has lived in the Hawk community. She has enjoyed life, and fondly recalls playing the organ and sewing. She has witnessed the introduction of cars, computers, and laundry machines, wars, depressions, and peaceful times alike. She was married to Thomas Emmett Green for sixty years, and together they raised five sons. These days Ms. Green enjoys visitors and family, and her 14 grandchildren.

I am proud to recognize Ms. Green today in the House, and congratulate her on this important milestone in her life. I wish her all the best and many more enjoyable years with her family and friends.