Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I want to express the need for discussion on true immigration reform.

With over eight million illegal immigrants in the U.S., and approximately half a million more entering the U.S. annually, it is now time for Congress to be diligent in trying to truly engage in discussion on how we can effectively manage immigration here in the

Mr. Speaker I rise today to honor Sgt. First Class Troy ``Leon'' Miranda, who died on May 20, 2004, in Iraq. Leon was 44 years old and of Wickes, AR, part of my Congressional District. I wish to recognize his life and achievements.

Those who knew Leon well say he was destined to be a soldier from an early age. He signed on with the Army Reserve in 1984. In Iraq, a staff sergeant in the National Guard, he served as a commander of his unit, specializing in combat warfare, germ warfare, and chemical warfare. Leon was deployed last October in large part due to his specialized training.

The Miranda family received a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Arkansas Distinguished Service Medal on Leon's behalf. Leon lost his life while making the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country, and I will be forever grateful to him for his courageous spirit.

Leon gave his life to serve our country and will forever be remembered as a brother, son, hero, and friend. My deepest condolences go out to his parents, Bobby and Carlos, and his brother, Phillip. I know Leon was proud of his service to the U.S. Army and to our country. He will be missed by his family, fellow soldiers, and all those who knew him well.

Mr. Speaker, the great communicator, an all-American patriot, relentless pursuer of freedom, these qualities describe America's 40th President, Ronald Reagan.

We can all agree that President Reagan's enduring love for his country and his idealistic outlook renewed faith and hope to a generation of Americans. My fond memories of President Reagan will include, among others, that defining moment nearly 14 years ago as I

watched with pride as he, as a former President, chiseled away at the Berlin Wall. I was truly moved by the immense joy and pride that he radiated and that radiated on the faces around him. You see, it had not been that many years before that in his famous speech he said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''

President Reagan's commitment and service to our country and the world will be forever remembered in the hearts and minds of people around the globe. I join millions of others throughout the world who continue to keep Mrs. Reagan and their family in my heart and in my prayers as we pay tribute to the 40th President of the United States of America, former President Ronald Reagan.

Mr. Speaker, in my home State of Arkansas, nearly 75,000 people are out of work today. Unemployment has increased by 19 percent in the last 3\1/2\ years.

However, our Nation's Treasury Secretary John Snow is visiting Arkansas today to talk about how President Bush's tax policy reforms are actually creating jobs in Arkansas. All the President's tax cuts for the wealthy have given us is the largest deficit ever in our Nation's history, tax cuts that our children will be forced to pay.

For Secretary Snow to come to Arkansas today and tell Arkansans the administration's economic plan is creating jobs shows a blatant disregard for what Arkansas families are really facing. Working families do not need more rhetoric; they need jobs, they need affordable health care, they need a real Medicare prescription drug plan and, yes, they need lower gasoline prices, all things this administration has failed to do.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following for the Record.

Summary of Testimony Presented to the Committees on Agriculture,

Forestry and Economic Development of the Arkansas Legislature at

Camden, Arkansas, April 29, 2004

(Prepared by the Arkansas Waterways Commission, 101 E. Capitol, Suite

370, Little Rock, AR 72201)

This summary provides a digest of testimony presented both

verbally and in writing to the Committee on Agriculture,

Forestry and Economic Development of the Arkansas

Legislature. Although not a verbatim transcript, the summary

is intended to faithfully represent the facts, statements and

comments made during the hearing.

Economic Catastrophe

Catastrophic job loss and far reaching economic and

environmental disruption to south Arkansas and northeast

Louisiana will result from failure to fund Corps of

Engineers' operations and maintenance of the Ouachita/Black

River Navigation System. An approximately $8 million savings

to the Army Corps of Engineers would result in a net loss in

tax revenue to the federal treasury.

The above summarizes unanimous consensus of more than two

dozen representatives of city, county and state government,

business and industry who testified in support of continued

funding of the Ouachita/Black River Navigation System during

a meeting of the Arkansas Legislature's House and Senate

Interim Committees on Agriculture, Forestry & Economic

Development, April 29, 2004 in Camden, Ark. The hearing was

attended by some 150 interested participants.

The 336-mile long Ouachita/Black River Navigation System

that includes 117 miles in Arkansas, is facing a $8.2 million

funding cut in the proposed 2005 budget that begins in

October, 2004. The budget proposal of $1.9 million budget for

recreation on the system will not only eliminate maintenance

on the system's four locks and dams, two of which are in

Arkansas, but will prohibit their operation, thus eliminating

navigation on the waterway. This also puts many of the other

economic, environmental and recreational activities supported

by the river system in jeopardy.

The waterway was targeted for a budget cut because it falls

into a category of waterway considered by the federal Office

of Management and Budget as ``low-use.'' OMB considers

waterways as low-use if cargo shipped on the system is less

than 1 billion ton-miles annually. The Ouachita/Black River

Navigation system had more than 800 million ton miles of

usage in 2001. Other economic factors or benefits of

waterways projects are not considered in the ``low use''

definition.

Representatives from private industry, river associations,

municipalities in Arkansas and Louisiana as well as federal

and state agencies presented concerns in terms of the

industry and economic losses in light of two possible

scenarios: if navigation on the system were discontinued or

if the navigation pools created by the system locks and dams

were not available. Environmental and recreational losses

were also addressed.

A representative from Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's

office and congressional staff members from the Arkansas

delegation presented statements in support of continued

funding of the waterway at current levels. Their concerns

have been expressed to the President and appropriate

committees in the U.S. Congress.

Consensus emerged on several key points:

The savings to the federal government by reducing funding

on the Ouachita/Black River Navigation System would be far

outweighed by the tax revenue lost.

Reduction in the funding of the river system has much

broader consequences than simply the loss of navigation. The

river has become a source of economic development, jobs,

power and water supply as well as recreation. Considerable

investments by private businesses and governments to harness

the resources of the river were made with the assurances that

it would continue to be available for use.

Before any decision to close or change the operation of the

Ouachita/Black River Navigation System is made, a thorough

study should be made to identify long term environmental,

social, economic and hydraulic impacts.

The modern day history of the Ouachita River begins with

settlements at Monroe, La. and Camden, Ark. in 1783. More

than $700 million was invested in construction of the current

four locks and dams.

Colonel Rick Clapp, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, Vicksburg District, said the Vicksburg District is

capable of using as much as $18 million annually on the river

system for operations, and maintenance. Clapp said the

district is evaluating possible reduced operation

alternatives if the Ouachita River receives only the $1.9

million as proposed in the 2005 budget.

He anticipated that in that case, the lock gates would be

shut and the locks would cease operation on October 1, 2004.

The dam gates would be positioned and most of the project

staff would be moved or furloughed. Minimum staff would

remain for safety and security purposes. Clapp speculated

that the 2 budget would be used for these minimum activities

and to initiate a study that would identify long term

environmental, social, economic and flood control impacts of

project closure. No studies have been done on the impact of

closing the Ouachita/Black River Navigation System.

Clapp said that if the project were put into caretaker

status, meaning the locks closed and dam gates set with

minimal maintenance performed, there could be deterioration

on the project that could take significant funds to put it

back into operation at a later date.

Loss of Navigation

Closure of the locks on the river system would eliminate

navigation and significantly affect the area's industry and

economy.

Denny McConathy, owner of Cross Oil Refining in Smackover,

Ark. testified that his company, in business since 1923, uses

the river to bring oil via barge from Louisiana and Texas

gulf coasts to make products that go into a variety of oils,

adhesives, metal working fluids, rubber compounds and other

materials.

Last year the company brought 79 barges of oil up the river

and expects to bring up more than 100 barges this year. That

oil is valued at more than $68 million. It would take more

than 11,000 trucks to transport that volume- a task that

would be physically and logistically impossible as well as

economically prohibitive.

Cross Oil has more than 500 customers and projects 2004

sales of between $125-150 million. Cross Oil employs 125

people, has an annual payroll of $6.5 million and the

majority of employees live within 25 miles of the plant. In

2003, the company paid property taxes of more then $350,000

to Union and Ouachita Counties. Of that, $290,000 funded the

Smackover school system and more than $16,000 was paid to the

city of Smackover.

Investments the company has made in its facilities were

made with assurances that the Ouachita River would be

available for use. Loss of the use of the river threatens the

company's existence and the local economy. In 1995 the

company invested more than $47 million in the refinery,

packaging plant and river terminal and a $2 million expansion

of the lube oil packaging plant that is underway

with completion expected by July. Local companies

performed all the expansion work. In addition, the company

has 970 accounts payable vendors, most within 100 miles of

the plant, who were paid approximately $100 million in

2003.

``Cross alone puts more money back into our government in

the form of payroll taxes, employee income taxes, income

taxes, etc., to more than pay for the costs of maintaining

the navigation system,'' McConathy wrote in a letter to the

Arkansas Waterways Commission.

Keith Garrison, executive director of the Arkansas

Waterways Commission, said that waterborne transportation has

a significant economic impact in Arkansas. A 2002 report by

the Mack Blackwell Center for Rural Transportation concluded

that waterborne transportation had an $811 million annual

economic impact on the state. He emphasized the efficiency of

barge transportation, pointing out that one barge can carry

the equivalent of 60 semi-trucks or 15 freight cars. It would

take an additional 40 million trucks on our nation's highways

or 10 million rail cars to carry what is not carried on our

inland waterways nationwide, he said.

Garrison said that cuts in funding to the Corps of

Engineers budgets for navigation

maintenance have been going on for more than 12 years while

there have been steadily increasing repair and maintenance

needs on our nation's waterways.

With freight movements predicted to double to 12 billion

tons by 2015, the use of the waterways will be even more

important. More than 70 percent of freight currently moves by

truck. Without increased use of our waterways, the U.S. would

have to more than double the interstate highway miles

available to meet that demand.

Paul Revis, executive director of the Ouachita River Valley

Association, emphasized that the river's four locks and dams

are critical to the operations on the river system.

Maintenance work is 20 years behind schedule because of

continued budget cuts to the Corps of Engineers.

International competitors like Europe, China and Brazil have

recognized the value of their inland waterways and are

investing more money in them while the U.S. is cutting

waterways budgets, making the U.S. less competitive. He said

that benefits used for authorizing a project are frequently

different from those needed to keep it open, referring to the

impact the river has on industry and the economy in the area

beyond its intended navigation benefits.

Doug McNeely of Bunge North America, said his company is

part of the world's largest processor of grains and oil

seeds. It operates in 19 states on the Mississippi River and

its tributaries. Bunge employs 100 people at 13 facilities in

Arkansas and 250 people in 14 locations in Louisiana. McNeely

manages two grain elevators on the Ouachita River in

Louisiana. These elevators purchase soybeans, corn, wheat,

and sorghum from 400 local farmers. In a half-century of

presence on the river, he said that the use of waterways to

move grain has significantly increased farm income. McNeely

said any decision by the federal government to abandon its

investments in rivers like the Ouachita and Black will be

immediately felt in the pocketbooks of local farmers and

communities. His company estimates that loss of river

transportation for the grain and soybeans shipped by these

facilities would add transportation costs and decrease prices

paid to farmers by approximately 14 cents per bushel. This

could mean a loss to farmers of $1.4 million each year.

Greg Richardson of the Louisiana Port of Columbia, located

about 25 miles south Monroe, La. on the Ouachita River, said

public ports in Louisiana contribute $33 billion to state's

economy each year and create 270,000 jobs. He said that the

volume of tonnage has always been a problem on the Ouachita

River system and that this funding battle is fought every

year. Richardson emphasized the need to actively fund the

river system to make it more user-friendly.

Ouachita Terminals is working to develop, construct and

operate an intermodal/multimodal containerized cargo facility

in West Monroe, Louisiana. With the continuance of the

Ouachita's nine-foot navigation channel, Ouachita Terminals

believes the facility has the potential to bring in enough

cargo to end the future concerns over the ton mile criteria

used for funding the river system.

In addition, representatives from Davidson Terminals and

Sunshine Oil Company; Tressenderlo Davison Chemical LLC;

Louisiana Oil Marketing Association; West Monroe, Louisiana

Port; Placid Oil & Refinery; Valero Petroleum; Tensas Basin

Levee District; and Petron, Inc. presented oral or

written testimony outlining their concerns about the

effects that would result from the inability to use the

Ouachita River for navigation.

Expected Job Losses and Increased Costs

Tressenderlo said it would be a loss of 50 jobs and the

jobs associated with $11 million spent on barge use.

Cross Oil, loss of 125 jobs, revenue to area including

money paid in taxes and to outside vendors.

Estimated $1.4 million loss to farmers resulting from lower

prices paid from Bunge.

Placid Oil, gasoline and fuel manufacturer, said closure of

terminal on Black River in Archie, LA would cause prices to

rise because oil would have to move by truck, increasing

costs by $500 million and wear and tear on roads.

Velero Energy estimates fuel prices could rise up to 8

cents per gallon for consumers around the Monroe, LA area if

terminal in Monroe is closed due to loss of navigation on

Ouachita River.

The Tensas Basin Levee District in LA fears loss of

navigation will mean bank destabilization, threatening 120

miles of flood control levees that would put many towns and

citizens in danger with no identifiable source of revenue to

fund bank stabilization projects and levee setbacks.

Loss of Navigation Pools

Closing of the Ouachita/Black River Navigation system

presents not only a challenge for navigation, but also

threatens industry and economic development as well as the

economy of south Arkansas and northeast Louisiana. Although

the system was built as a navigation project, over its more

than 100-year history, the river's resources have been used

to provide water to local communities as well as a benefit to

industry. Any changes to how the river is operated and

maintained has the potential to change the quality and

quantity of pools of water formed between the locks. These

pools of water have served as the life-blood of many cities

and industries. In addition, without the ability to use the

waters of the river, restrictions on the use of the ground

water of the already-stressed Sparta Aquifer would have to be

put into place to insure the area would have a viable water

supply in the future.

Pete Parks, vice chairman of the El Dorado Water and

Wastewater Commission and Ken Rudder, vice president of the

Union County Water Conservation Board said El Dorado and

Union County have invested $6.8 million over the last 5 years

to develop the Ouachita River as an alternative water source

other than the Sparta Aquifer. The aquifer, which currently

provides potable water to areas along the Ouachita River and

in Louisiana, is in a critical ground water area. Water from

the Sparta Aquifer is being used faster than it can be

replenished. The entire project will cost more than $67

million and area businesses have invested millions of dollars

more in water conservation measures in addition to donations

of land and right-of-ways for facilities. In addition, Union

County is working on a multi-million project with several

area companies to provide treated discharge water back into

the Ouachita River. The great pools of water available now

allow for dilution. If the water would have to be further

treated to meet EPA and ADEQ standards, additional millions

of dollars would have to be spent by El Dorado and Union

County. This could possibly result in the closure of two El

Dorado plants.

In deciding to use the Ouachita River for its water source,

the Union County Water Board explored every other option to

come up with a water supply. This included looking at creeks

and hollows to build a dam to create a lake for water and it

was not possible because the necessary water resources in

that part of the state do not exist. The river was the best,

most economical and viable source of water.

Georgia-Pacific Corporation, which operates seven

facilities along the river in Arkansas, provides more than $2

billion to the economy of Arkansas along with more than 3,200

jobs. These plants and jobs would be threatened if Georgia-

Pacific could not use the Ouachita River for its operations.

The Arkansas Electric Cooperatives use the Ouachita River

to both run a power generating station near Camden and

receive the fuel oil used at the facility.

The plant uses river water for power generation. The pool

levels maintained as part of the navigation system are vital

for allowing the plant to generate, especially during periods

of low river flow and high temperatures, when electrical

demand is peak. If the pool level were no longer maintained,

the plant may be forced to discontinue operation during these

periods due to operational concerns and environmental

restraints. This would cause not only an impact on the

electrical system in the area, but could result in a loss

of jobs and a blow to the local economy.

Mark Bowles, environmental support manager for Entergy

Services, Inc. said two Entergy power plants located in

Monroe, LA rely heavily on a dependable water supply from the

Ouachita River as cooling water for the power production

process. The company's Sterlington plant uses its river

intake system to take in approximately 1.5 million gallons of

river water per day. Both plants were built along the

Ouachita River in the 1950's and early 1960's with the belief

that there would be an adequate and dependable supply of

water to meet the area's electricity demands. The loss of

pool elevation along the Ouachita River would require

modifications to the intake facilities that would cost

several million dollars at each plant. These costs would be

passed along to ratepayers. The loss of minimum river levels

would immediately cease operations at both plants and make

future operations of these plants at a reasonable cost

unlikely. Loss of these plants would impact Entergy's ability

to provide low cost power to customers, especially during the

peak electricity demand summer months.

John Terry of the U.S. Geological Survey, testified that

the inability to use the water supply of the Ouachita/Black

River Navigation System, would further endanger the Sparta

Aquifer, the region's ground water supply that is already

stressed.

Todd Fugitt, of the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation

Commission, testified that a budget cut in the operation and

maintenance budget of the Ouachita/Black River Navigation

Project would force the commission to consider water use

permits and associated allocation of water from the river in

south Arkansas. Budget cuts to the river system would

threaten the growth and sustainable use goals of the surface

water and ground water resources of all of southern Arkansas,

and would impact Louisiana as well. If water from Ouachita

River could not be diverted for use, the Commission would be

forced to consider regulation of groundwater to bring areas

like Union County within reasonable, sustainable water use

scenarios. This would mean a reduction of about 64 percent of

the current ground-water use in Union County.

James Tilley, manager of Camden Water Utilities, said that

the city of Camden's only source of potable drinking water

has been the pools of water created by the Ouachita/Black

River Navigation System. If the river system was closed and

the pool elevations change, Tilley said it would be highly

likely that there would be periods during the year that

Camden would be unable to provide water to its customers. In

2003, Camden drew about 900 million gallons of water out of

the Ouachita River to supply 6,000 domestic customers and

four water associations in the surrounding area. Recently,

Camden has spent more than $11 million in upgrades to

the water system. The city has no alternative water source.

In addition, representatives from TECO/Union Power Station;

Union County Water Board, El Dorado Chemical/Great Lakes

Chemical/Lion Oil; International Paper; and the City of

Monroe, LA presented oral or written testimony expressing

their concerns about the effects to their businesses or

cities if the navigation pools on the Ouachita River were not

available for use.

Expected results of loss of pools on Ouachita/Black River Navigation

System

Increased depletion of the Sparta Aquifer resulting in

ground water restrictions for areas of south Arkansas and

resulting economic impact of those restrictions.

The loss of millions of dollars already invested to develop

the river as a water source for El Dorado and Union County

and increased expenses to treat water being returned to river

by industrial users to meet EPA and ADEQ standards.

Potential closure of three electric power plants serving

the area along with increased costs to area consumers for

electrical power.

Potential closure of seven paper products facilities

located on the Ouachita River and elimination of as many as

3,200 jobs.

Potential loss of water supply for the city of Camden, AR

and resulting undetermined costs of studying and developing

an alternative water source.

Environmental and Recreational Losses

The precise dollar value of changes to the environmental

and recreational climate of to south Arkansas if the

Ouachita/Black River Navigation System is closed are

difficult to calculate.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission believes the loss of

the navigation pool on the Ouachita River would have far

reaching environmental and recreational impacts. The river

has a high recreational value and attracts hundreds of

thousands of visitors each year for fishing, boating, hunting

and other recreational activities. These visitors pour

millions of recreation dollars into the local economy.

In Arkansas alone, there are 37 public access areas

constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas

Game and Fish Commission and other groups on the Ouachita and

Saline Rivers. Changes in the operation of the lock and dam

system would make many of the rivers' boat launching sites

unusable. These changes will also affect the environmental

characteristics of the river and associated wetlands and

overflow areas.

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism reports that

in 2003, travelers in the five Arkansas Counties in the Lower

Ouachita River Valley spent more than $118 million,

generating more than $9 million in tax revenue to state and

local governments.

Summary

Closure of the Ouachita/Black River Navigation System would

have a profound, far-reaching effect on the economy and

environment of south Arkansas and northeast Louisiana.

Although the system was built as a navigation project, its

economic benefit has gone far beyond its value as a

navigation system. The river has become the very life-blood

of many cities, industries and recreational pursuits. Its

value to the environment and as a water resource supporting

the continued growth and economic vitality of south Arkansas

and northeast Louisiana is beyond measure. Operation of the

navigation project should not be closed, nor should it be

changed, without a comprehensive study of the consequences of

such actions.

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend our Nation came together and honored the thousands of veterans who have dedicated and sacrificed so much to protect our national security. I had the privilege and honor to join World War II veterans here on our Nation's Mall in Washington, D.C., for the dedication of the World War II Memorial, to honor them and their many contributions to our great democracy and, yes, to remember the 400,000 who died during World War II.

At a time when a new generation of veterans is being created in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are some in Congress who want to cut funding for veterans. The administration's proposed budget for 2006 would cut $900 million from the Veterans' Administration. A loss of $900 million would force the VA to disenroll 140,000 veterans and lay off about 10,750 full-time employees, among many other things.

It is all about priorities. We must keep our promises to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, today the new prescription drug discount cards went into effect as part of the Republicans so-called Medicare bill that passed in December. Few seniors have signed up for these so-called discount cards because they provide little, if any, significant savings.

Under the new law, beneficiaries can only sign up for one card a year, but the drug companies who offer these cards can switch the drugs they cover every week. So a senior who signs up for one particular card just to save money on a specific drug may find that a week later that card no longer helps them, and many drug companies are starting to jack up their prices just so they can offer discounts without losing a dime in profits.

Mr. Speaker, we can do better than this by our seniors. We should and must allow the government to use the purchasing power of 41 million seniors to lower the cost of prescription drugs, but the current Medicare law prohibits this from happening.

I urge my colleagues to pass a real meaningful Medicare prescription drug plan this year.

Mr. Speaker, are we better off today than we were 4 years ago? Let us look at the facts.

Three years ago, our country was thriving. We were running on a $236 billion budget surplus and 22 million jobs were created between 1992 and 2000. However, today 9 million Americans are out of work and 44 million Americans are without health insurance. Gas prices are at a 23- year high, and household income has decreased by almost $1,500. We have the largest budget deficit ever for the second year in a row in our Nation's history. Our government spends $900,000 more a minute than it takes in, and it borrows $1.1 billion a day. Corporate profits are up, but wages for working families are down. It is the most anemic growth since World War II.

So are we better off today than we were 4 years ago? I think it is easy to see the answer is clearly ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 12, 2004, I missed a vote to table the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2660, the Labor-HHS Appropriations Act of fiscal year 2004, offered by Representative George Miller. Had I been present, I would have voted no on the motion to table.

Although the FY04 omnibus appropriations bill included the FY04 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, technically, it is still in conference and motions to instruct are in order. By tabling this motion to instruct, it will injure the working men and women of Arkansas's Fourth Congressional District, and the nation who often depend on overtime pay to make ends meet. I support the Senate language to prohibit the use of funds to issue or enforce a regulation that would take overtime pay away from any employee who, under current regulations, is entitled to overtime pay.

On April 23, the Labor Department published a final overtime eligibility rule in the Federal Register that will take effect later this year. The final rule differs from the proposed rule in that it substantially expands the Fair Labor Standards Act's (FLSA) exemptions and threatens the overtime rights of millions of workers. For instance, the final rule greatly expands the exemption for administrative employees, thus creating loopholes for employers to potentially exploit hard working Americans. Additionally, the final rule expands the learned professional exemption to workers without college degrees and jeopardizes the overtime protection of blue collar workers considered ``management.''

Working families in the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas depend on overtime pay to feed their families, make their mortgages, and contribute to this great society. Any action by our government to reduce this simple process in unconscionable.

It is for these reasons that had I been present, I would have voted no on the motion to table Representative George Miller's Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2660.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Staff Sergeant Hesley Box, Jr, of Chidester, Arkansas, who died on May 6, 2004, fighting for his country. Hesley, just 24 years old, was part of the Arkansas National Guard, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry, 39th Brigade Combat Team. I wish to recognize his life and achievements.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss Hesley Box, Jr. from Arkansas's 39th Brigade, who died while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hesley lost his life while making the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country, and I will be forever grateful to him for his courageous spirit.

Hesley gave his life to serve our country and will forever be remembered as a hero. My deepest condolences go out to his parents, Barbie and Hesley, his brother, Tarcus, his wife, Alexis, their daughter, TaDarius, and their son, Zacheas. I know Hesley was proud of his service to the U.S. Army and to our country. He will be missed by his family, fellow

soldiers, and all those who knew him and counted him as a friend. I will continue to keep Hesley and his family in my thoughts and prayers.

Mr. Speaker, as the Congress and the country mark Cover the Uninsured Week, I add my voice to those who are ready to do something meaningful about the problem of the uninsured.

Nearly 80 percent of the uninsured are the working poor, and often work in small businesses. They have jobs and are trying to do the right thing, but they cannot afford an insurance policy for themselves or for their families.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that association health plans are the answer, but more than 500 organizations representing millions of people oppose these plans, association health plans, because they know that they will compound the problem by creating an unlevel playing field that will likely lead to cherry- picking, adverse selection, and yes, increased costs for sicker individuals.

I urge my colleagues to support the Kind substitute, which will provide a tax credit to businesses that will pay for 50 percent of the premium for health insurance for their employees.

Mr. Speaker, in America we have 44 million people today without health insurance. We are the only industrialized nation in the world where people go without health insurance. And who are they? It is the folks that are trying to do the right thing and work. Unfortunately, they are working jobs with no benefits.

Nearly 80 percent of the uninsured are the working poor and often work in small businesses. They have jobs and are trying to do the right thing, but cannot afford a policy, an insurance policy, for themselves or for their families.

Each weekend as I go back home to Arkansas, I meet more and more small business owners, and I understand this because my wife and I are small business owners. We provide health insurance for our employees back home. And just as it is for us, I learn it is for so many small business owners across this Nation. They are struggling to be able to continue to afford the premiums, not only for their employees but for themselves as well.

Association Health Plans, quite frankly, are not the answer. It would do little to help the 44 million uninsured Americans. In fact, Mercer Consulting analyzed the Association Health Plans proposal and found that the number of the uninsured would increase by over 1 million as a result of coverage losses among workers in small firms and their dependents.

I support the Kind substitute that truly addresses the problem of the uninsured in this country. It is fully paid for. It will not preempt State law, and it offers meaningful and immediate help to small businesses.

The substitute legislation would create a Small Employer Health Benefits Plan similar to the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan and would offer coverage to all small businesses with fewer than 100 workers.

This legislation works with existing State laws and does not preempt State laws regarding health care coverage.

Also, this legislation goes far beyond vague words and empty promises and actually commits Federal funds to aid small businesses in offering insurance to its employees by offering to help subsidize the cost of insurance for small businesses to the tune of 50 percent of the cost of the premiums.

I urge my colleagues to support the Kind substitute and oppose H.R. 4281.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Arthur L. Felder of Lewisville, AR, who died on April 24, 2004, fighting for his country in Taji, Iraq. Arthur ``Bo'' Felder, just 36 years old, was one of four soldiers killed during an attack on the base camp of the Arkansas's 39th Infantry Brigade. I wish to recognize his life and achievements.

Bo spent nearly two decades serving the Army and National Guard. During that time, he served in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Honduras. While not serving our country, children were Bo's passion, and he spent much of life involved with youth. He worked at Step One Alternative school in Little Rock, a school for kids with legal troubles, and served as a youth director at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in North Little Rock.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of soldiers from Arkansas's 39th Brigade, who died while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. These brave Americans lost their lives while making the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country, and I will be forever grateful to them for their courageous spirit.

Bo gave his life to serve our country and will forever be remembered as a hero, a son, and a father. My deepest condolences go out to his son Jaelun, eight years old, his daughter Amari, four years old, his mother, Dr. Cheryl Stuart, his brothers, Robert Stuart and Littrelle Felder, and two sisters, Gwendolyn Gingery and Kelana Greer. I know Bo was proud of his service to the U.S. Army and to our country. He will be missed by his family, fellow soldiers, and all those who knew him and counted him as a friend. I will continue to keep Bo and his family in my thoughts and prayers.

Mr. Speaker, as the proud son of public school educators and a father of two children attending public school, I am concerned about the state of education in America.

Education is one of America's most fundamental building blocks. A solid education system is what drives our Nation's prosperity and paves the way to a brighter future for our great country. Yet, our President, for the third year in a row, wants to cut funding for our public education system. Though the President promised to support our teachers, he tried to cut teacher quality programs by $268 million in the 2004 budget.

Our President has repeatedly slashed funding for the Pell grants, which allows thousands of deserving students the opportunity to go to college. And his proposed budget for 2005 slashes funding for the No Child Left Behind program which the President has repeatedly identified as one of his top priorities by $8 billion.

Our children deserve a real education system that provides them with a solid, quality education.

Mr. Speaker, Monday, May 10, marks the first observance of World Lupus Day. Coordinated by the Lupus Foundation of America, this event will focus on accurate lupus diagnosis, improved patient healthcare services, and increased research into the treatment and cure of lupus. I am pleased the Arkansas chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America will host World Lupus Day activities. The chapter has scheduled a public open house on May 10 in its main office located in Hot Springs that will feature a live radio broadcast on KLAZ-105.3, videos of lupus patients sharing their experiences, and dissemination of educational materials.

Started in October 1993, in the guestroom of the founder's home, the Arkansas chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America has grown to 200 members and serves the entire State of Arkansas. Mrs. Jamesetta Smith saw the importance of starting the chapter when she and her husband moved to Arkansas in 1992. As a lupus patient herself, Jamesetta knows about the importance of education and support for those directly and indirectly impacted by the devastating disease. Lupus patients need someone to talk to who understands and knows firsthand about the physical and emotional challenges that lie ahead. To help these individuals, the chapter's Hot Springs and Ft. Smith offices host monthly support groups, free of charge. To support the Arkansas chapter's many efforts and awareness activities, patients, family members, and supporters come together regularly to raise funding.

It is estimated that nationally 1 out of every 185 persons has lupus. According to the Lupus Foundation, about 1.5 million Americans have a form of the chronic, incurable disease that can result in severe joint pain and swelling, fevers, fatigue, and other health effects, including organ failure and death. Needless to say, lupus is a widespread disease that touches the lives of millions of Americans. I am glad Mrs. Jamesetta Smith, Founder of the Arkansas Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, took on the challenge of developing and implementing a chapter and based it in my Congressional District. She and the chapter's volunteers are to be commended for their hard work in informing Arkansans about the symptoms and health effects of lupus and providing important facts to help the public better understand the impact of the disease.