Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity today to honor Lieutenant Colonel Joselyn LLoyd Bell, Jr., Congressional Liaison Officer, Army House Liaison Division, Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison, who will retire September 30, 2008. I wish to congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Bell upon his retirement after twenty years of distinguished military service to our Nation.

I came to know Lieutenant Colonel Bell over the last year while he served as an Army legislative liaison officer to the U.S. House of Representatives. A steadfast dedication to Soldiers, their families, the Army, and our Nation has been the hallmark of his remarkable military career during which he has distinguished himself as both a soldier and leader.

Colonel Bell's assignment to the Army's House Liaison Office was the culmination of an outstanding military career. Prior to assuming this position, Colonel Bell served as a Defense Collection Manager at the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon, and later at the Defense Intelligence Analysis Center in Washington, DC, where he worked within the Intelligence Community to ensure intelligence assets were properly postured to answer the Nation's most demanding and urgent needs.

A military intelligence officer, Lieutenant Colonel Bell received his commission through the Army ROTC program at the University of Central Arkansas. A series of command and staff positions followed. His first assignment was as a Surveillance Platoon leader and later Company Executive Officer in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division (Motorized) at Fort Lewis, Washington. He went to war in August 1991, after Iraq invaded Kuwait, serving as a Platoon Leader and Interrogater in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Following the Persian Gulf War, Colonel Bell held several military intelligence assignments in positions of increasing responsibility. In 2001, Colonel Bell was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia, where, following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, he participated in the development of combat plans and orders for Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom.

In 2003, he went to war again as the Chief of the 3rd Infantry Division's Analysis and Control Element directing intelligence operations and producing intelligence in support of the invasion that destroyed the Iraqi Armed Forces and removed the Iraqi Regime.

After his tour of combat, he returned to Fort Stewart as the Executive Officer of the 103rd Military Intelligence Battalion, quickly resetting the Battalion for a second deployment to Iraq.

Lieutenant Colonel Bell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College.

His outstanding service has been recognized with numerous awards including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Services Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal. He proudly wears the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.

Lieutenant Colonel Bell's selfless service, dedication to duty, leadership, and loyalty represent the highest traditions of military service. He is a true soldier and scholar.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Lieutenant Colonel Joselyn LLoyd Bell, Jr. for his service to our Army and our Nation. I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to his wife, Amy, and five children--Shelby, Jordan, Chalci, Tanner and Sydnee--for their many sacrifices and for their service to the Nation alongside their Soldier. We have all benefited from the service of such a man and such a family. I wish him and his family all the best in a well deserved retirement.

I'd like to thank the gentleman from Utah for leading this discussion this evening on energy.

As the gentleman mentioned, I'm fortunate to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and on the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee. Through my work there, I've been working on ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to address this energy crisis facing America and, quite frankly, facing the world, and I think there are several ways to do it.

There is no silver bullet. It's going to take a multifaceted approach. As Congress, we can't control the demand for oil in the world, but as a Congress, we can make an impact on the supply, and that's what I believe that this Congress needs to do.

Here is what we do know: In the next 8 years, there will be 100 million new cars on the road, 100 million new cars on the road in the next 8 years, not here but in China and in India.

Here is the other thing we know: If we do not change our current energy policy in this country, sometime in the next 12 to 20 years, depending on whose numbers you want to believe, we will go from being 60 percent dependent on foreign oil to being 100 percent dependent on foreign oil.

I've got a plan that, I believe, can go a long way toward fixing that. While we have a gasoline crisis today, in the next 35 years, it will be an electricity crisis. I've got a bill, H.R. 5437. It's called the American-Made Energy Act. It's 155 pages long. It's a multifaceted bill that takes a multifaceted approach to this energy crisis. Again, there is no silver bullet. Quite simply, my bill does this:

I propose that we drill in ANWR. There are 19 million acres in ANWR. My bill proposes to drill on 2,000 of them--one-sixth the size of the Dulles Airport. We've already got a pipeline going to Alaska, to ANWR, that can handle 2 million barrels a day; we're only putting 1 million in it. Let's fill it up and put the other 1 million barrels in it.

Additionally, we can drill off the coast. In fact, it was by executive order that Bush One chose to shut down drilling near the coast of Florida. That was a mistake. They're drilling much closer to the coast in Alabama than they are in Florida today because of an executive order issued by former President Bush, often referred to as Bush 41, I believe.

So this is not a Democrat or a Republican problem. I think both parties, quite frankly, have some blame to share here, but we don't have a Democratic energy problem or a Republican energy problem; we've got an American energy problem, and we need to fix it as a Congress. I think it would be most helpful if we did it, quite frankly, in a bipartisan way.

I'm not talking about drilling off the coast or in ANWR and utilizing 1940 or 1950 technology, not even utilizing 1990 technology. I'm talking about doing it while utilizing 21st century technology that can allow us to do it, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and yet remain good stewards of this environment, of this land that God has given us to care after.

Then there are the lease and royalty payments from drilling in those areas. By drilling in those areas, we meet our short-term oil needs. We've got some great ideas. I've actually test-driven a hydrogen fuel cell car. You can drive it. It sounds like an electric golf cart, and it runs like a regular car, and when you stop, if you jump out and run to the tailpipe with a clean glass, in time, it'll pour you a half a cup of water. They tell me you can drink it. I didn't try, Madam Speaker, but they say you can.

I mean these are not Star Wars-ish ideas. These are not ideas of the next century or of the next generation. They're here, but we need an energy policy that embraces them and that moves them from the science lab to every street corner in America where you see a gas pump today.

So my bill does this: It says drill in ANWR, utilizing new environmental technology. Drill off the coast, utilizing new environmental technology. Then the revenue from the lease and royalty payments, it's estimated, will total $80 billion. I want to take that $80 billion and put every dime of it into alternative and renewable fuels to move these ideas from the science lab to the marketplace.

This year, this administration will spend less than $4 billion on alternative and renewable fuels. Now, for a country boy from Hope, Arkansas, $4 billion sounds like a lot of money, but to put it in perspective, we will spend that amount in Iraq in the next 10 days. Bill Gates will spend twice that amount on research and development for Microsoft Corporation alone this year. When President Kennedy said he was going to put a man on the Moon, he didn't just say it; we invested in it. In today's dollars, it was $90 billion, and we did so much more than put a man on the Moon. We grew a new generation of innovators in this country

who have created and who have invented a lot of the technologies that we're now beginning to take for granted.

It's time for another President Kennedy ``let's go to the Moon''- sized investment and, this time, with alternative and renewable fuels so we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil. That's exactly what I try to accomplish with the American-Made Energy Act, H.R. 5437.

I'd like to thank the gentleman from Utah for allowing me to come and to speak on my bill for a few minutes this evening, and I appreciate his leadership on these energy issues.

With that, I yield back to him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend William ``Bill'' Edwards of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who passed away June 1, 2008, at the age of 79.

I will forever remember Bill Edwards as a good friend, a devoted public servant and someone who cared deeply about improving the quality of life in Hot Springs and Garland County Arkansas. As a natural born leader, he excelled at every task he took on and was an inspiration to all of us who knew him.

Bill Edwards served the people of Hot Springs as Alderman and City Director for more than 35 years, however, most people just knew him as a caring friend. He was one of those rare individuals who never forgot the importance of maintaining a high degree of customer service to ensure that all those he worked with over the years were in good hands. From his very first day on the job working for the people of Hot Springs and Garland County, his number one priority was always the person he was talking with, and he would not stop working until he had exhausted every possibility to help out that individual.

Bill Edwards's leadership in Hot Springs was guided by his dedication to the city and to all of those who work and reside in our beloved state. I truly believe the Hot Springs Sentinel Record, the local paper which covered him over the years, said it best in their editorial on June 3, 2008, by stating, ``It is not an exaggeration to say that this director had a `heart for Hot Springs.' '' Whether it was helping a constituent, promoting tourism in the city, or simply putting a big smile on a friend's face, he knew only one way to do it--with a big heart.

Bill Edwards will always be known for his outstanding service to Hot Springs and the surrounding communities. I extend my deepest condolences to his two daughters, Brenda Deaton of Texarkana, Texas, and Laura Rivera of Leander, Texas; his two sisters, Margaret Bennett of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Martha Young of Hot Springs, Arkansas; his three brothers Jimmy Edwards, Charles Edwards and Mike Edwards, all of Hot Springs, Arkansas; and to his nieces, nephews, and numerous friends. Bill Edwards will be greatly missed in Hot Springs, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 14. 2008. I was not present for the rollcall vote 320.

Had I been present for rollcall 320, the Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 4040. the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Tom Ed Hays of Hope, Arkansas, who passed away May 7, 2008, at the age of 73.

I will forever remember Tom Ed Hays as a good friend, a keen businessman and someone who cared deeply about improving the quality of life in southwest Arkansas. As a natural born leader, he excelled at every task he took on and was an inspiration to all of us who knew him.

Tom Ed Hays was born and raised in Arkansas, and was always proud to call Arkansas his home. After beginning his banking career in Texas, he returned home to Hope to join his father and uncle in the family-owned bank, First National Bank of Hope. His ambition and dedication helped him rise from cashier to president and CEO of the bank, a role which he held until the time of his passing. Under his guidance and leadership, the bank underwent significant expansion and spread to communities throughout southwest Arkansas.

While Tom Ed Hays' economic development efforts had a tremendous impact on the region and will never be forgotten, his gentlemanly nature is what everyone will talk about for years to come. The numerous accolades and awards he received over the years are a testament to his deep conviction of community service and civic responsibility.

Tom Ed Hays will be remembered for his outstanding service to Hempstead County, southwest Arkansas, and to the entire State of Arkansas. Above all, he will be sorely missed as a friend. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Betty Jo Fite Hays; his three sons, Thomas Hays III of Cambridge, England, Daniel Fite Hays of Hope, and John Julian Hays of Hope; his sister, Nancy Hays Gottwald of Richmond, Virginia; and to his eight grandchildren and countless friends. Tom Ed Hays will be greatly missed and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Eddie Harrison of Waldron, Arkansas, and to recognize his 45 years of dedication and commitment in the classroom at Waldron High School as he embarks on his retirement from teaching.

I commend Mr. Eddie Harrison for his efforts and accomplishments over the years and applaud his hard work and devotion to improving the quality of education for countless students at Waldron High School. As a son of public school educators, I believe the most important component of a child's education is having a quality teacher like Mr. Harrison in the classroom.

Mr. Harrison's school day did not start and end with a bell, instead it began with early morning meetings and concluded when the last buzzer sounded at a sporting event. He dedicated his time to multiple organizations and was always the first to volunteer for projects at hand.

When Mr. Harrison is not in the classroom or on the campus of Waldron High School, he can be found at the Waldron First Baptist Church where he serves as Deacon and is actively involved in his church's ministry. He is also a proud uncle, whose devotion to his family is second to none.

Eddie Harrison's presence in the classroom will be greatly missed by the students, faculty and staff of Waldron High School, where his legacy of excellence will forever be remembered. I know that his heart will never drift far from Waldron, and that he will continue to be a fixture in the community and a role model for all that have the opportunity to know him.

I have always believed that there is no greater form of public service than that performed by those who teach our children. I congratulate Eddie Harrison on a job well done for 45 years of teaching at Waldron High School. I wish him a successful future of happiness and fulfillment in his next endeavor, and am proud to commend his selfless work to help shape a new generation of innovators.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to recognize my dear friend, Rev. Dr. and State Senator Hank Wilkins IV, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who just delivered our opening prayer and is our guest chaplain of the day.

Rev. Dr. Wilkins' deep faith and dedication to his community and State is an inspiration to all of us who know him.

Throughout his 31 years in the ministry, Rev. Dr. Wilkins has emphasized the need for faith in our daily lives.

I'm proud to have had the distinct honor to serve with Hank in the Arkansas State legislature. As both senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church and as an Arkansas State Senator, Reverend Wilkins puts the people he represents first and is a true ambassador for Arkansas.

It's been a blessing for me to know Hank and his wife, Phyllis, and their family, and I hope that this message of compassion, this prayer of compassion and respect for others will be one that we all strive to achieve.

As we go about doing the work of the people, let us remember the prayer Rev. Dr. State Senator Hank Wilkins delivered on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on this day.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend and former colleague in the Arkansas State Senate, Jack Gibson of Boydell, Arkansas, who passed away April 24, 2008.

I will forever remember Jack Gibson as a good friend, a devoted public servant and someone who cared deeply about improving the quality of life in southeast Arkansas. As a natural born leader, he excelled at every task he took on and was an inspiration to all of us who knew him.

Jack Gibson served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a decorated naval pilot, and has been recognized for shooting down the last enemy aircraft of the war. After the war, he returned home to southeast Arkansas to pursue his true passion of agriculture. His advocacy for the industry began while working with his father at their family-owned farm, cotton gin and agricultural spraying service, where he learned the importance of farming to our economy. As a member of the Farm Bureau for over 50 years, as well as his affiliation with numerous other agricultural organizations, he relentlessly promoted the value and resources the agriculture community contributes to the fabric of our State and Nation.

Jack Gibson was also a distinguished State senator representing Arkansas State Senate District 35 for 12 years. He was a thoughtful and diligent senator who admirably represented all those he was elected to serve. I was honored to serve with him in the Arkansas Senate where I experienced his tireless and dedicated work on agriculture and economic development issues facing Arkansas. His leadership in the Senate, whether as a Chairman or Member of a committee or council, was guided by his dedication to the State of Arkansas and to all of those who work and reside in our beloved State. The opportunity to get to know and work with Jack Gibson will forever be etched fondly into my memory.

Jack Gibson will always be known for his outstanding service to our country and his community. Above all, he will sorely be missed as a friend. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Elizabeth Haniken Gibson; his son, Stephen Anderson Gibson of Boydell, Arkansas; his daughter Marcie Elizabeth Gibson of Little Rock, Arkansas; his sister, Mary Jane Bowman of Dermott, Arkansas; and to his nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. Jack Gibson will be greatly missed in southeast Arkansas and throughout the State, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Dorothy Moore of Arkansas City, Arkansas, who passed away April 9, 2008, at the age of 97.

Dorothy Moore, affectionately known as ``Miss Dorothy'' to all that knew her and throughout the state of Arkansas, was a tremendous woman and an inspiration to everyone who called her a friend. Raised on her family's farm in Southeast Arkansas during the Depression and the Great Flood of 1927, she learned the importance of small town values such as hard work, honesty, compassion for others, and reverence for all which she exemplified throughout her life and were evident in all she did.

Faithful to her community, Miss Dorothy returned home to Arkansas City after college to begin her lifelong career in public service. For over two decades Miss Dorothy served as the Deputy Collector in the Desha County Sheriff's Office while her husband, Robert S. Moore, held the post of Sheriff. During this time she was the backbone of her wonderful family as well as a trusted political advisor to her husband. After her husband's life was tragically cut short, it was Miss Dorothy who stepped in and completed the remainder of his term as Desha County Sheriff--a role that was only fitting for a person dedicated to her community and committed to public service.

After Miss Dorothy completed her time as Sheriff, her political journey in Arkansas continued as she was selected by then-Governor Bill Clinton to serve on his staff. Her friendly style and warm smile became so contagious around the office that she was asked to continue working for Arkansas's next two governors. Her numerous years spent working in the Governor's office established her as a legendary figure in Arkansas history.

Miss Dorothy was a great ambassador for Desha County and Southeast Arkansas as she worked tirelessly to create a strong sense of community in everything she did. I was truly honored and humbled to be able to speak at Miss Dorothy's funeral, and I will always cherish the fond memories I have of her. It is with great admiration and heartfelt respect that I will remember a lady who was a mother figure to an entire state, and whose class and dignity will always represent what Southern Hospitality should be.

I send my deepest condolences to her daughter Dorothy Lee Moore Paige and her husband David of Davis, California; her son State Representative Robert S. Moore Jr. and his wife Beverly of Arkansas City; and to her four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous friends across the state. Miss Dorothy will be greatly missed in Desha County and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I will continue to keep her family in my thoughts and prayers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend, Chicot County Judge Fred Zieman of Lake Village, Arkansas, who passed away March 18, 2008, at the age of 69.

I will forever remember Judge Zieman as a devoted family man and someone who cared deeply about improving the quality of life in southeast Arkansas. This dedication to make his community and Chicot County a better place to live was evident throughout his tenure as Chicot County Judge.

As a native son of Arkansas's Delta region, farming was in Judge Zieman's blood. He began his career as an agriculture pilot in Lake Village before becoming a commercial airline pilot in Texas. Upon retirement in 1980, he returned home to Lake Village and pursued his true passion in agriculture.

Judge Zieman was later successfully elected to serve three terms as Chicot County Judge when he decided to try retirement for a second time. However, his devotion to southeast Arkansas quickly led him back to public service, and 4 years later later he was again elected to serve as County Judge--a position he honorably held until his passing.

Aside from his stalwart leadership and devotion to Chicot County, Judge Zieman actively contributed his time and hard work to numerous other endeavors to benefit the Delta region. The Delta was immensely important to Judge Zieman, and this was apparent in his service as a state vice-president of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association, as a member of the Delta Grassroots Caucus, and in the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District Inc., where he contributed fresh ideas and developed new initiatives to make our beloved State a better place to live.

Judge Fred Zieman will forever be remembered for his steadfast devotion to the people of southeast Arkansas. Above all, he will sorely be missed as a friend. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Patricia Zieman; his two sons, Mike Zieman of Monticello, Arkansas, and Sam Zieman of Spring, Texas; his daughter, Charlotte Yandell of Spring, Texas; his sister, Jan Hellmers of Lake Village, Arkansas; and to his seven grandchildren and countless friends. Fred Zieman will be greatly missed in Lake Village, Chicot County, and throughout southeast Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Chairman, earlier today my Blue Dog colleagues and I stood together to offer our official endorsement of Chairman Spratt's budget because it is clear that we share the common goal of eliminating wasteful government spending, adhering to strict PAYGO principles, and finally addressing the long-term fiscal challenges facing this country. Not only does this budget resolution begin to address our long-term fiscal challenges, it also includes measures that crack down on wasteful government spending so that no tax dollar is wasted.

This budget continues to take steps to reverse the reckless fiscal policies of the past 7 years of Republican rule by incorporating strict PAYGO rules. It does this in two ways: First, it provides for fiscally responsible tax relief for 23 million middle-income Americans by including a fully offset fix to the alternative minimum tax; second, Chairman Spratt's budget resolution includes a commitment to the extension of the same statutory PAYGO requirements which proved instrumental in turning the large deficits of the early 1990s under a Republican into record-budget surpluses under a Democrat for the first time in over 40 years.

The Blue Dogs are committed to addressing the serious long-term fiscal challenges facing the United States, and we should confront these challenges earlier rather than later so that we do not pass the burden of unmanageable debt on to our children and grandchildren.

This administration, this Republican administration, has borrowed more money from foreigners in the past 7 years than the previous 42 Presidents combined. It is time to restore common sense and fiscal discipline and accountability to our government. That's what this budget resolution does, and I'm pleased to stand and speak in support of it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend Eunice Pettigrew of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who passed away February 8, 2008, at the age of 92.

Eunice Pettigrew was a beacon of light and an inspiration to all of those who knew her and were blessed to call her friend. As someone who was determined to make the most out of life, Eunice chose to make her focus one of selfless service, and throughout her life she never stopped giving back to her family and her community. She was well known in Jefferson County for teaching cosmetology at what is now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and for owning her beauty shop which led her to become only the second African-American inspector of cosmetology in the State of Arkansas.

While her motherly spirit and knack for teaching was apparent in Eunice's daily work, it was also representative of her selfless nature in life. She took great joy in helping others and worked tirelessly to create a strong sense of community in Pine Bluff. She took great pride in serving as PTA president of her children's schools for over 10 years, working tirelessly to ensure the best education for every student. She was also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and was named to Who's Who in the Southwest by the nationally recognized Who's Who in America publication.

Eunice was passionate about studying her family's genealogy, which she successfully traced back for centuries. It is because of her research and work in this field that I have my most cherished memory of Eunice, dating back 6 years ago. Due to Eunice's work, I had the distinct privilege to read a manuscript into the Congressional Record of the House of Representatives based on her grandfather, Isaac Johnson, and his service to our country as a Buffalo Soldier, and I will forever be grateful for that opportunity to commemorate in history her proud family heritage.

I send my deepest condolences to her children, Carol Thomas of Chicago, Illinois; Alonzo Pettigrew, Jr., of Pine Bluff; Paula Patterson of Little Rock; George Pettigrew of Kansas City, Missouri; Robert Pettigrew of Kansas City, Missouri; and her 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren as well as three generations of nieces and nephews. Eunice Pettigrew will be greatly missed in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, and throughout the State of Arkansas. I will continue to keep her family in my thoughts and prayers, and I am honored to speak to her wonderful life as a dear friend.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of George Earl McNeely of McGehee, Arkansas, who passed away February 8, 2008, at the age of 80.

I will forever remember George McNeely as a good friend, a devoted family man and someone who cared deeply about improving the quality of life in his community. As a natural born leader, he was an inspiration to all who knew him. After attending high school in McGehee and Tillar, he continued his education at the University of Arkansas. Mr. McNeely then honorably served his country in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

After the war, George McNeely returned home to southeast Arkansas to pursue his true passion of agriculture. As one of the original founders of catfish farming in Arkansas, he was a true business pioneer and his contributions to aquaculture helped revolutionize the industry. In his spare time, he dearly loved the outdoors and the opportunity to share all of the recreational opportunities it offered with his friends and family. In addition to catfish farming, he devoted his time and energy to numerous other passions that included land clearing, demolition and ag-aviation.

Along with his tremendous leadership in the field of agriculture, George McNeely was active in numerous other worthwhile endeavors throughout his community. He was a longstanding member of the Freemasonry and the Shriner's of North America. Perhaps none of his work or involvement as a Shriner was more important than all the time he contributed helping disabled and burned children at the Shriner's Hospital for Children.

George McNeely will always be known for his outstanding service to our country and his community. Above all, he will sorely be missed as a friend. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Mary Ann McNeely; his sons, David Earl McNeely of McGehee, Arkansas and James Allen McNeely of Magnolia, Arkansas; and to his numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. George McNeely will be greatly missed in McGehee, Desha County, and throughout the state of Arkansas, and I am truly saddened by this loss.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, I was not present for votes due to a delayed United Airlines flight.

Had I been present for rollcall 29, Commending the Houston Dynamo soccer team for winning the 2007 Major League Soccer Cup, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall 30, Recognizing the significance of Black History Month, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall 31, Remembering the space shuttle Challenger disaster and honoring its crew members, who lost their lives on January 28, 1986, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of William ``Sykes'' Harris of Warren, AR, who passed away January 15, 2008, at the age of 89.

Sykes Harris was a true pioneer in the wood flooring business in south Arkansas. After nobly serving his country in World War II, he returned to his childhood home of Warren, where he began a lifetime in business making a positive impact on countless Arkansans through Wilson Oak Flooring, which he would successfully own and operate for nearly 25 years.

Although Sykes Harris had a career in business, his calling and real passion was in community development. The City of Warren and its residents were extremely fortunate to gain from his selfless gifts of time and energy to make his community a better place to live. He took a keen interest in seeing businesses flourish throughout Warren and Bradley County, and this was evident through his service in the Warren Rotary Club, the Warren Country Club and the Warren Bank and Trust Company.

In addition, Sykes Harris was deeply honored to be appointed by then- Governor Bill Clinton to serve on the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas in 1983. Upon completing his 10-year term, the City of Fayetteville recognized his invaluable contributions and efforts by naming him an honorary citizen and presenting him with a key to the city. When Sykes was not working in business or giving back to the community, he could be found relaxing and sitting on his floating duck blind in Arkansas City with any number of family and friends.

I send my deepest condolences to his daughter, Sally Harris Barnett, of Casscoe, AR; his sister, Frances Harris Hedrick of Warren, AR; and to his numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sykes Harris will be missed by his family, his community and all those who knew him and called him a friend. His focus on the community and his spirit of selfless service to others will never be forgotten. I will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.