Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, It is with a sincere pleasure to recognize the finalists of the 2003 LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship Program. This special honor is an appropriate tribute to the academic accomplishment, demonstration of leadership and responsibility, and commitment to social involvement, demonstration of leadership and responsibility, and commitment to social involvement displayed by these remarkable young adults. We all have reason to celebrate their success, for it is in their promising and capable hands that our future rests.

The finalists of the LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship Program are being honored for showing that same generosity of spirit, depth of intelligence, and capacity for human service that distinguished the late LeGrand Smith of Somerset, Michigan. They are young men and women of character, ambition, and initiative, who have already learned well the value of hard work, discipline and commitment.

These exceptional students have consistently displayed their dedication, intelligence and concern throughout their high school experience. They stand out among their peers due to their many achievements and the disciplined manner in which they meet challengers. While they have already accomplished a great deal, these young people possess unlimited potential, for they have learned the keys to success in any endeavor.

As a Member of Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to join their many admirers in extending our highest praise and congratulations to the finalist of the 2003 LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship program.

Mr. Speaker, on the prescription drug program that we are about to vote on this week, I am not an expert on health care or prescriptions; but I have observed over the years what happens when government takes over some of these programs. The big change of course was when we amended the Social Security bill in 1965 to add Medicare. We estimated at that time that the cost of Medicare by 1990 would be $9 billion. It was $70 billion projected 2003 to be $26 billion, but the actual cost today is $265 billion. This bill we are estimating at $400 billion. I suggest that is a very low estimate, and the second 10 years is the greater challenge because of retirements.

To seniors, the danger is they are going to start out with choice on whether seniors keep their current Medicare and other insurance; but eventually as government goes broke and needs the money, there is the tendency to force everybody in the program to moderate the cost of the program. Industry is promoting this system because eventually they are going to reduce their prescription drug coverage to the retirees that they are now paying for. After that comes rationing. I think there are a lot of disadvantages for seniors in this bill, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the previous speaker on several issues, and that is that we should delay this bill and try to improve it. And I am going to make comments suggesting that it is not fair to seniors, but it is not fair to our kids and our grandkids. I have four children, and they are trying to save money to send my grandchildren to college. And one question I would pose is, why should they pay more taxes to pay for seniors' prescription drugs?

The retiring seniors that we are going to see over the next 10 years are probably the wealthiest seniors this country has ever had in the past, probably will ever have in the future. Mr. Speaker, we now expect a vote on the addition of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare on June 26. And this vote would authorize the largest expansion of our entitlement programs since we amended the Social Security bill back in 1965 and added Medicare. So Social Security, because of the allure of more senior votes, Members of Congress and the President decided to expand the benefits to seniors to add Medicare.

When Medicare was under consideration in 1965, a few Members realized the sort of burdens that would come to place on future taxpayers, and Chairman Wilbur Mills of the House Committee on Ways and Means predicted in September of 1964 that the costs of even part A of Medicare, which was then under consideration, would soon exceed projections and that ever-increasing taxes would be needed to finance it. He predicted it would come to pass that Medicare costs would leave Congress hamstrung, facing uncontrolled increases in costs and to the indefinite future. Mills dropped his opposition to Medicare under pressure from the President of his own party, but he was right about the program's consequences.

This summer, as Congress considers the largest single expansion of any entitlement program since 1965, we should consider how a prescription drug benefit will burden future workers and taxpayers and not give seniors what they expect. The Federal Government is in serious financial problems. When the baby boomers start retiring in the next 10 to 12 years, we see more people going out of the workforce, if you will, paying in to Social Security and taxes and taking out benefits from Medicare and Social Security.

When the Federal Government comes to a pinch in another 12 to 15 years, guess what is going to happen to the prescription drug program that has been promised? Number one, I suggest that government, Congress and the President will say, well, to reduce costs, we need to spread the costs over a wider segment of the population, and so we are going to require all seniors, regardless of whether you have prescription drugs in your retirement program or not, regardless of whether you have a good insurance program that covers prescription drugs, we are going to require everybody to take the government's system.

Guess what comes next as government faces this fiscal pinch? Rationing, and then the government will follow what many other countries have done such as Canada and many other countries that have government-run programs. They are going to say, well, we are going to limit the prescription drugs that are available to seniors. This proposal suggest that $400 billion, and it is pretty much used up, is going to be required for spending in the next 10 years for prescription drugs. We should think carefully about the consequences of making a whatever-it-costs commitment into the indefinite future.

I chair the Subcommittee on Research in Science and the medical technology is now expanding more rapidly than our ability to pay for it. That means the medical technology of the future is going to be very impressive and very successful on maintaining our health and helping us to live longer. In fact, the future has suggested that in the next 20 years, anybody who wants to live to be 100 can do so, but it will cost money. And we are sort of programming that we will pay for those benefits, whether it is $40,000 a treatment or $60,000 a treatment after they

finish their first deductible and the 3,000 or whatever we end up with. And that is another question, none of us have read this bill yet.

It now looks like a bill we will consider this week will add prescription drug benefits with minimum offsets for Medicare. It is not fair to our kids to add this responsibility to everybody else's kids and grandkids and my 10 grandkids, and I would hope we look more carefully at this and review it over the Fourth of July recess and come back and try to have a better bill.

This will add enormous liabilities to a Medicare system which is already predicted to be insolvent. Economists calculate that the newly created unfunded liability of such a reform is $7.5 trillion. This means that a prescription drug bill that adds 12 percent to Medicare's costs comes with a present cost of $7.5 trillion, or a bit more than the entire public debt. You add this to an unfunded liability of $9 trillion for Social Security and you end up saddling our kids with a huge debt.

These projections assume that prescription drug costs will grow at the same rate as the rest of Medicare, and that the prescription drug benefit will not be expanded over time. Recent history would suggest that prescription drug costs are growing more rapidly than the rest of Medicare. In 1965, OMB projected that Medicare would spend $9 billion in 1990. The actual figure was $67 billion. Having projected $26 billion in spending for 2003, we will spend $245 billion. Because medical technology--the cost of prescription drugs will be much higher.

This drives home the point that any expansion of Medicare imposes a cost on taxpayers. Such a reform basically transfers the burden from retirees to taxpayers. More accurately, it means that we are transferring costs from us to our children and grandchildren. We're spending now and sending the bill to people who are yet to be born or too young to defend themselves.

This is selfish and it is wrong. I'm not against a prescription drug benefit if it is responsible. But it must not place heavy and increasing burdens on workers, taxpayers, and the economy in the future. I oppose the bill that is now under consideration because it does not meet this test.

Once again, we have not had an opportunity to see and review a bill on an important topic before we are required to vote on it. It is rumored, in fact, that changes are still being made. Few members will actually know exactly what's in this bill until after it has passed.

I believe that the better approach would be to release the bill tomorrow and then delay the vote until after the upcoming Fourth of July work period. That would allow all of us in Congress to read the bill, consult with our constituents, and make a fully informed decision on a program that could profoundly affect our future and that of our children and grandchildren.

I urge Congress to reject the bill tomorrow so we can take a more responsible and deliberate approach to reforming an important program like Medicare.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about how much debt and how much of an increased tax there is going to be placed on my 10 grandchildren and everybody else's grandchildren and children. Let me just review what we have been doing on increased spending.

Discretionary increases have averaged 6.3 percent each year since 1996 and 7.7 percent each year since budget balance was reached in 1998. By this chart, you can see the red line where we have taken off on increased spending, not just keeping up with inflation, but 6.3 percent every year, which is two and three times the rate of inflation, and, in one year, four times the rate of inflation. How big can government get? How big do we want government to be?

This week we are considering a prescription drug program. The next chart, Mr. Speaker, shows what is going to happen to the total debt of this country. The blue line is the gross Federal debt. The debt held by the public is the green line.

Actually, we have two debts in this country. First, is the amount we borrow from Social Security. In 1983, we expanded the Social Security tax, increased the FICA tax, your payroll tax for Social Security, more than ever before in the history of the country and it is still going wrong. In fact, when we started Social Security, it was 1.5 percent of payroll, and now it is 12.4 percent of payroll. Seventy percent of American workers today pay more in their payroll tax than they do in the income tax. So we have been borrowing from Social Security right along, and

this is the purple line coming up at the bottom and increasing to $10 trillion.

Already today we have a $9 trillion unfunded liability in Social Security. That means if we invested $9 trillion today, with interest it could keep Social Security solvent for 75 years. The alternative is we continue to increase taxes on somebody, someplace, to pay promised Social Security benefits, or we cut those benefits.

Now I want to talk about what we are about to approach this week, and that is having the largest increase in entitlement programs that has been passed by this Congress in 39 years.

What happened 39 years ago? We amended the Social Security bill in 1965 to include Medicare. The original estimates of the cost of Medicare as a percent of GDP is now just a small fraction of the actual costs of Medicare. In fact, Medicare is going bankrupt. It is going broke. There is going to be less money coming into Medicare and to Social Security than what is required to pay promised benefits. So we have been doing fiscal creative accounting, using general fund money trying to keep up. But now we are adding to the costs to Medicare by adding prescription drugs.

Dr. Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at Hoover Institute. He says, ``Why should seniors be singled out to be subsidized by taxpayers, except that their votes are being sought after by both parties?''

That was true in 1965. Both sides of the aisle decided they wanted to get more votes from seniors, so they amended Social Security to add the Medicare program. Now both sides of the aisle and the President are trying to get more votes from seniors, so we are adding a prescription drug program.

I have 10 grandchildren, Mr. Speaker. They are going to be saddled with the largest debt in history. I see our Pages in this Chamber. They are the generation at risk. Why should they be asked to pay for a senior drug program? The retireing seniors today are probably the wealthiest seniors we are going to ever see in history.

We are losing our manufacturing base. We are spreading ourselves so thin with more government spending that we are mounting a massive debt for our kids and our economy.

Grandparents; as you look at prescription drugs, I think you have got to start thinking about what we are saddling our kids with.

I would like to pose a question: Why should my kids, who are trying to save enough money for their kids to go to college, pay for prescription drugs for seniors?

Let me ask another question, and that is about my 10 grandkids. Why should we pass this large increase in entitlement programs, which is going to mean a huge debt for all grandkids to deal with?

What we are doing is increasing the debt of this country more rapidly than ever before in history. It took the first 200 years of this Congress, of this Nation, to amass a $450 billion debt, the first 200 years. And now we are having a debt increase that we are passing on to our kids that amounts to about $450 billion per year.

Mr. Speaker, adding prescription drugs to Medicare is one of the most unfair burdens that Congress and the President have placed on future generations in a long, long time.

I have 10 grandkids and now, for a Medicare program that is already broke, insolvent Congress is adding benefits. We are reaching into the general fund to pay for Medicare. Medicare and Social Security are going to be insolvent within the next 10 to 14 years.

Yet we are adding a new prescription drug burden to Medicare, moving into socialized medicine, and making my kids and 10 grandkids and everybody else's responsible to pay for seniors' drug prescriptions.

Actually, today's retiring seniors are probably the most wealthy and better off than any generation of Americans. Yet we are placing a burden on our kids, and young workers who are trying to save money to send their kids to college. We are placing a huge burden on my grandkids to pay off the debt. We are actually borrowing the money,

Mr. Speaker, to pay for this huge expansion in socialized medicine.

Mr. Speaker, It is a sincere pleasure to recognize the finalists of the 2003 LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship Program: Ashley Herlein of Spring Arbor, Michigan; Kristen Przybylski of Clinton, Michigan; Brian Jones of Battle Creek, Michigan; and Evelyn Levine of Albion, Michigan. This special honor is an appropriate tribute to the academic accomplishment, demonstration of leadership and responsibility, and commitment to social involvement displayed by these remarkable young adults. We all have reason to celebrate their success, for it is in their promising and capable hands that our future rests.

The finalists of the LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship Program are being honored for showing that same generosity of spirit, depth of intelligence, and capacity for human service that distinguished the late LeGrand Smith of Somerset, Michigan. They are young men and women of character, ambition, and initiative, who have already learned well the value of hard work, discipline, and commitment.

These exceptional students have consistently displayed their dedication, intelligence, and concern throughout their high school experience. They stand out among their peers due to their many achievements and the disciplined manner in which they meet challengers. While they have already accomplished a great deal, these young people possess unlimited potential, for they have learned the keys to success in any endeavor.

As a Member of Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to join their many admirers in extending our highest praise and congratulations to the finalist of the 2003 LeGrand Smith Congressional Scholarship program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the contribution and service of Mr. Scott Giles to the United States Congress. Scott is an outstanding public servant, truly committed to effecting positive change and improving the lives of all Americans.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Scott since January 2001, when he was appointed to serve as deputy chief of staff for the House Committee on Science. And as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research, I have had the benefit of Scott's expert advice and diverse legislative talents on a wide range of issues.

Scott's expertise on Federal research and development and education policy has been key to our Subcommittee's legislative success, and to the Science Committee's growing influence in the House of Representatives. Scott was lead staff negotiator on several pieces of legislation we successfully sheparded through the Committee, to the House floor and eventually, onto the President's desk. Most notable of these pieces of legislation were the Cybersecurity Research and Development Act (Public Law 107-305) and the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-368), which included the National Math and Science Partnerships Act and the Tech Talent Act.

But Scott's impressive career began long before he came to the Science Committee. From 1982 to 1986, he served as legislative director for his Rochester, NY hometown Representative, the Honorable Frank Horton (R-NY). In 1986, he took a job as a senior associate and team leader at Cassidy & Associates. At Cassidy he provided government and public affairs services to colleges, universities, hospitals and non- profit organizations.

After 10 years at Cassidy, Scott and his wife, Kate headed to the University of Virginia, where Scott pursued a doctorate in ethics. In 1997 he felt the lure of Congress once again when he was asked to serve on the professional staff of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions HELP. On the HELP Committee, Scott advised the Chairman on budget, education and research policy, served as the Committee's chief staff negotiator for budget and appropriations and was a principal staff member on the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 1998, and the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998.

Now, Scott, Kate and their three children, Abigail, Sam and Eliza, are embarking on a new adventure. They are moving north to Vermont, where Scott has been appointed Vice President of Policy, Research and Planning for the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation. Although the students and universities in Vermont are thrilled with this move, Congress is losing a valuable, incredibly talented staff member.

On behalf of Chairman Boehlert and all the members and staff of the Science Committee, thank you for your service to Congress. Scott, we wish you all the best in your future.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Union City, MI that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Dianne Parkison teaches history at Union City High School. She is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Not only has Mrs. Parkison taught me a better respect for the struggles that have been endured throughout the history of the United States, she has taught me a lot about life.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Mrs. Parkison's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Dianne Parkison's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teenage tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Dianne Parkison's impact on her students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mrs. Dianne Parkison as a master teacher. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers.- Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Grand Ledge, Michigan that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mr. Kim Spalsbury teaches government and American literature at Grand Ledge High School. He is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mr. Spalsbury is dynamic, knowledgeable and puts forth a lot of extra effort.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Mr. Spalsbury's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Kim Spalsbury's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Kim Spalsbury's impact on his students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mr. Kim Spalsbury as a master teacher. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Jerome, MI, that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Margo Fenstermaker teaches English at Hanover Horton High School in Horton, MI. She is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mrs. Fenstermaker is an inspiring, encouraging and optimistic woman who instills a sense of respect for others.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Mrs. Fenstermaker's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Mrs. Fenstermaker's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Margo Fentersmaker's impact on her students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mrs. Margo Fenstermaker as a master teacher. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Pittsford, Michigan that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mr. John Irelan teaches social studies at Pittsford High School in Pittsford, Michigan. He is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mr. Irelan is not the type of teacher to sit in the lounge during his free time; he is in his room or the hallway to have contact with the students. As my psychology, sociology, economics and government teacher, he always relates course material to `real-life' situations.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Mr. Irelan's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

John Irelan's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Mr. John Irelan's impact on his students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mr. John Irelan as a master teacher. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Tecumseh, Michigan that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mr. Carl Novak teaches mathematics at Tecumseh High School. He is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for mathematics. In one student's own words, ``Mr. Novak has continually challenged me to do my best throughout high school. His vast knowledge of mathematics, and his dedication to family and community displayed positive character and professionalism.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Mr. Novak's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Mr. Novak's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Carl Novak's impact on his students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mr. Carl Novak as a master teacher. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Jackson, Michigan and most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mr. Craig Booher teaches history at Napoleon High School in Napoleon, Michigan. He is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mr. Booher is very passionate and knowledgeable about history. When he teaches, he is full of energy and it makes us eager to learn.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Mr. Booher's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Craig Booher's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Mr. Craig Booher's impact on his students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mr. Craig Booher as a master teacher. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Hillsdale, Michigan who most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership who were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mr. Andy Brown teaches Advanced Reading, Writing and Research at Camden-Frontier High School in Camden, Michigan. He is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mr. Brown has taught me the English language and how to convey my thoughts in an organized, precise way. He encouraged me to go after my dreams and accomplish my goals.'' The respect and gratitude of his students speaks well of Mr. Brown's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Andy Brown's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Mr. Andy Brown's impact on his students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mr. Andy Brown as a master teacher. We thank him for his continuing dedication to teaching and his willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.

Mr. Speaker, education is the key for our Nation's future prosperity and security. The formidable responsibility of molding and inspiring young minds to the avenues of hope, opportunity and achievement rests partly in the hands of our teachers. Today I would like to recognize a teacher from Battle Creek, Michigan that most influenced and motivated exceptional students in academics and leadership that were winners of the LeGrand Smith scholarship.

Mrs. Jody Owens teaches English at Athens High School in Athens, Michigan. She is credited for instilling in students an enthusiasm for the subject and for life itself. In one student's own words, ``Mrs. Owens works to bring out the best in everyone. She also has the kindest heart I have ever known.'' The respect and gratitude of her students speaks well of Mrs. Owen's ability to challenge young minds to stretch the mental muscles and strive to achieve the best that is in them.

Mrs. Owen's excellence in teaching challenges and inspires students to move beyond the teen-age tendency toward surface study and encourage deeper thought and connections to the real world. No profession is more important in its influence and daily interaction with the future leaders of our community and our country, and Jody Owen's impact on her students is certainly deserving of recognition.

On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I am proud to extend our highest praise to Mrs. Jody Owens as a master teacher. We thank her for her continuing dedication to teaching and her willingness and ability to challenge and inspire students for leadership and success.