Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this proposed amendment by the gentleman from Georgia.

We all sympathize with the needs of the water resources that each State has, but we feel the language in the bill is necessary as it is written to prevent the Corps of Engineers from interfering in litigation which is meant to allocate those resources in a fair way among the States of Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Mr. Chairman, let me say, if the manuals are revised and are allowed to go forward, it is our belief that it will cause great harm to the State of Alabama. We will have real concerns over inadequate water for drinking, power generation, navigation, recreation and wildlife. For this reason, it is essential that all three States come to a mutual, equitable water-sharing agreement.

We do not believe it is appropriate for the Corps of Engineers to unilaterally step in and to create water distribution without the approval of all three States. With all due respect to Mr. Deal's concern, I must ask for a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5037, offered by my colleague from Michigan. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude not only to the fallen soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine, but to their families as well. At their darkest hour, their grief does not need to be exploited by those trying to make a political point. This intentional disruption of a brief period of time meant to honor a fallen hero goes against the very fiber of American decency. Free speech and public protests are a right; however, taunting and tormenting families at the very moment they bury

heir dead is not a right; it is abhorrent. This bill gives the family members of our fallen heroes the respect that they are owed, and the peace that they deserve as they bury their loved ones. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill, and I hope it is then acted on quickly by the Senate and signed into law by the President.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Mr. William Newton Heaps and to recognize his many accomplishments. He is truly a man who embodies the American principles of hard work, dedication to one's family and service to one's community. William Heaps was born August 20, 1930 to Johnnie and Louise Vandiver Heaps and raised on a farm in Franklin County in Alabama's Fourth Congressional District. While residing in Russellville, Alabama, William Heaps was manager of the Farmers' Co-Op for numerous years. Later he moved to Clanton, Alabama and there he was sales representative for Fuller Supply Co. of Birmingham for 29 years until his retirement in March of 2000. As an adult he attended singing schools in addition to being privately taught by F.R. Morgan, a student of Vaughan Normal School of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. ``My Title to Those Mansions'' was the first song written by William Heaps and it was published in 1966 by Vaughan Music Company. This was the first of over 100 songs that he has written. As a member of the First Methodist Church of Clanton, William Heaps has served for several years on the administrative board. He has also served as Chairman of the Chilton County Gospel Singing Convention. He was a representative for the Vaughan and the Tennessee Music Companies for a number of years. He has served on the Supreme Cabinet, as Chaplin, as Vice-President and as President of the Convention. He currently serves as a representative for the Gospel Heritage Music Company. He has been a great supporter of and actively engaged in the Alabama State Gospel Singing Convention for many years. As he continues to write music, he resides in Clanton with is wife, Bernice. They have two twin daughters, Shelia Mims and Shirley Henley, and a son Tommy Heaps, who is now a Methodist Minister. They also have one granddaughter, Laura Heaps, and two grandsons, Will Heaps and Scott Mims. William Heaps is a true ``Christian Gentleman'' who is compassionate and respectful toward others. He is a great ``encourager'' with a positive outlook and sound advice. He is an inspiring role model for all of us and I join his friends and colleagues in recognizing one of Alabama's great composers of gospel songs.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague, John D. Dingell, of Michigan, on his 50 years of service in the United States House of Representatives this week. He is rightfully called ``the Dean of the House,'' as the longest currently serving Member of the House. Only two Members of the House have ever served longer, and Congressman Dingell's congressional career began at age 29, when he won election to succeed his father. John Dingell is known as a Member who is passionate about the welfare of the constituents he represents, and more broadly, all the residents of the United States. He shares his father's great passion for health care for all persons, and was key to the passage of many health care bills, including the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Mammography Quality Standards Act. His work on health extends naturally to the environment as well, both in terms of holding polluters accountable for cleanup, and in working to preserve America's outdoor treasures for future generations. Michigan, of course, borders Canada, and Congressman Dingell has done outstanding work both in resolving pollution issues with Canada and in creating North America's first international wildlife refuge. As ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and former chairman, John Dingell is known for his extensive knowledge and wisdom, and commands deep respect from both sides of the aisle. I am sure there have been many temptations over the years to leave congressional service for a more lucrative career, but it is a testimony to his dedication and integrity that he has reached this milestone in his career. I extend to him, and to his wife Deborah, and the entire family, my sincere congratulations.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this legislation, the Border Protection Antiterterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act.

I support this bill for several reasons, but I think one of the things that must be noted is it provides the Federal Government with needed authority to secure the borders.

It also closes the loopholes in current law that illegal immigrants and their facilitators exploit to enter and remain in the United States illegally. It is estimated that more than 11 million people, as it has been brought out here today, enter the U.S. illegally. That number includes those who have stayed over their visa and those who have entered this country illegally in the first place.

Of course, America is a very charitable Nation. We welcome those with open arms who wish to live here, who wish to work here, raise a family here and eventually become naturalized citizens. That is why we have a legal process to do so.

Since September 11, 2001, we as a Nation have had to reevaluate our willingness to have among us so many noncitizens that are here illegally. For the sake of our national security, for the sake of government programs that many of our colleagues on this side also cherish, we must pass a bill to begin to perform our duties to secure our borders.

This bill also facilitates cooperation between border sheriffs and Federal law enforcement by authorizing reimbursements to local sheriffs, along the border, for the cost of enforcing immigration laws and detaining illegal immigrants until transferred to Federal custody. This has been a growing problem, and the clarification provided in this bill and the financial resources are important.

Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act. I support this bill because it provides the Federal Government with needed authority to secure our borders. It also closes loopholes in current law that illegal immigrants and their facilitators exploit to enter and remain in the U.S. illegally. It's estimated that there are more than 11 million people in the U.S. here illegally. That number includes those who have overstayed their visas and those who have entered the country illegally.

America is a charitable nation; welcoming those who wish to live, work, raise a family and eventually become naturalized citizens. This is why we have a legal process to do so. Since September 11, 2001 we, as a nation, have had to re-evaluate our willingness to have among us so many non-citizens that are here illegally. For the sake of our national security, and for the sake of the government programs that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle cherish, we must pass this bill and begin to perform our duty to secure our borders.

Since the changes will increase the number of illegal aliens in Federal custody, this bill includes provisions to increase the number of beds available to house these illegal aliens. The Department of Homeland Security will expand capacity to house those awaiting court hearings or removal.

I want to thank the Chairman for yielding time and I'll close by asking all of my colleagues to support this bill; it is long overdue and a vital first step towards improving border security.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor Mr. James Bertral Galloway, who

was born on November 3, 1924, in the Hopewell Community near Geraldine, Alabama. Mr. Galloway was a Navy veteran who served stateside in Chincoteague, Virginia as an air mechanic, near the end of WorId War II. He later married the former Miss Pauline Mayes on October 17, 1970. Until retirement, the two of them taught school at Geraldine High School. Mrs. Galloway taught remediation for 30 years, and Mr. Galloway taught history and also coached basketball.

As a devoted teacher, Mr. Galloway also had a passion for the contributions of veterans to our society, and a desire to honor those contributions. Mr. Galloway started the Geraldine Veterans Day Program. Spanning three decades, 2005 marks its 31st year. This program has become a Geraldine staple, and its special nature is attested to by the fact that it prompts surrounding communities to make plans to attend each year.

In recent years, the Geraldine School administration, in conjunction with the Student Government Association, has sponsored the Veterans Day Program and has taken it to new heights. The well-organized program, with the participation of the SGA, sponsors, faculty, and of course the veterans themselves includes being escorted to special seating, commemorative speeches, drama productions, and martial music in front of the student body, which numbers over 1,100. Each veteran is recognized by name, service branch, years of service and theater of operations. There is a special memorial component of the program, to honor those veterans who have passed away during the year. Upon conclusion of the formal program, the veterans and their families share a meal together and have the opportunity to visit the school, where the halls and doorways have been decorated with a patriotic theme.

It is with sadness I note that Mr. James Galloway passed away on July 13, 2005. I want to publicly express how deeply he will be missed. His efforts will not be forgotten or unnoticed, and although we mourn his absence, we celebrate his many years of unselfish service to the community. His sincerity and devotion to country and service shine to this day. The Veterans Day Program at Geraldine School is one that has enriched countless lives for 31 years. Through Mr. James Bertral Galloway's efforts, and those who followed him, the Geraldine School community has a greater appreciation of the sacrifices made by our veterans.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 564. I inadvertently voted ``aye.'' I would like the record to reflect that I meant to vote ``no.''

Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Moran of Virginia

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

Mr. Chairman, the Endangered Species Act is a well-intentioned law that has failed in its implementation. Originally billed as a way to recover and rehabilitate endangered species, it has failed at that goal.

As it has been pointed out, less than 1 percent of species listed have recovered in the entire history of the act. Almost 3 times that many still listed are believed to already be extinct. Many species that were listed in error, yet because of flaws in the act, they are still listed. This bill today will greatly improve the recovery process so that species may be restored and removed from the list.

Mr. Chairman, one of those species is the Alabama sturgeon. It was listed years ago even though it was never proven to be genetically distinct from any other sturgeon.

It's simply a regular sturgeon living in Alabama. The economic cost of its listing has been estimated at $1.5 billion.

Mr. Chairman, I and the rest of the Alabama delegation worked directly with the gentleman from California to ensure that the bill is helpful to landowners in Alabama and Southeast. The Endangered Species Act today creates an adversarial relationship between landowners and the government.

Landowners have little incentive to conserve species on their property. However, this bill will create cooperative conservation agreements between landowners and the government. It will also provide long overdue compensation to landowners whose property has been ``taken'' by the Endangered Species Act.

I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain, the Reverend Donald J. Young. Reverend Young's life has been one of service to God and to his country.

After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1969, he joined the United States Army and served in Korea. When he left the Army in 1973, he worked in Illinois as a manager of Finance America. He could have had a long career for Finance America, lived in Illinois and raised his family. Instead, he again answered a call to serve and entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating from there in 1981. Since entering Seminary his service has taken him to communities in Virginia, in Florida, and most recently in the State of Alabama.

In 1995, he was an Associate Pastor of Education and Senior Adults at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise, Alabama. In 2002, he began serving in his present role as Minister of Education and Senior Adults at the 12th Street Baptist Church in Gadsden, Alabama. He and his wife have one daughter, Dawne, who resides in Orlando, Florida.

Reverend Young is joined today by his wife, Deborah, and several members of the 12th Street Baptist Church in Gadsden, along with several others from the Fourth Congressional District. I appreciate the prayer that Reverend Young has offered this afternoon. It is an honor to have him as our guest here in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Donald G. Waldon on the occasion of his retirement as the Administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority. I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize his many accomplishments. He is truly a man who embodies the American principles of hard work, dedication to one's family and service to one's community.

Don is a native of Columbus, Mississippi but grew up in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1961 with a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering and completed post graduate studies in science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963 and Texas A&M in 1964. He is a 1994 graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute and the recipient of the Southern Industrial Development Council's 1994 Robert B. Cassell Award for Best Research Thesis.

Don joined the Army Corps of Engineers in 1961, where he worked in Mobile until 1966, conducting feasibility studies for water resource projects such as ports and waterways, including some early ideas for the Tenn-Tom Waterway. In 1966 he went to work for the Office of Management and Budget of the Executive Office of the President where he advised OMB and White House officials, including the President, on major budgetary, policy and legislative matters involving natural resources.

Don worked for OMB until 1974 when he was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior, a position he held until September, 1975. His duties included management responsibilities for all land and water resource agencies within the Department of the Interior, which at the time had a budget of nearly $2 billion and approximately 12,000 employees. He had oversight over reclamation projects and the development of oil fields, coal mining on public lands, the Alaska Pipeline, the measures taken under the Nixon Energy Initiative, and served on a number of White House task forces, involving energy.

In 1975, on the advice of Tenn-Tom project Administrator Glover Wilkins, Don entered an exchange program inside the Federal Government and came to the Tenn-Tom on a 2-year basis, but ultimately stayed for 30. In 1979 Don resigned from the Federal Government and remained with the Tenn-Tom, taking the position of Deputy Administrator. When Glover Wilkins retired in 1984 Don was appointed to the post of Administrator, a position he has held ever since.

As Administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority Don has worked tirelessly to promote the development of the Waterway, exploring economic and trade opportunities, and addressing potential barriers to the Waterway's beneficial use. Under Don's leadership the Waterway has resulted in approximately $5 billion in expanded industry. The Waterway has had a tremendous impact on the local communities, not just with industrial development, but by bringing in recreation and tourism dollars as well.

Apart from his leadership of the Tenn-Tom Waterway Authority, Don is active in a variety of organizations devoted to the development of our waterways. He is President of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Council, Vice-Chairman of the National Waterways Conference, Inc., Director of the Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals, Inc. (a national trade group representing inland ports), Executive Committee member of the U.S. Maritime Administration's Heartland Intermodal Partnership, Vice-President of the Alabama-Tombigbee Rivers Coalition and an Advisory Board Member of the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Donald G. Waldon for his many accomplishments and his enduring impact on his country, community, friends and family. He is a man of great dignity and character who takes pride in the accomplishments of those he has helped over the years. Don is an inspiring role model for all of us and I join his friends and colleagues in wishing him God's richest blessings in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S.J. Res. 19, a joint resolution calling upon the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. As a Commissioner of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), I am pleased to continue to work with my fellow commissioners in Congress, the Administration and our counterparts in the other 54 member nations.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had its origin in the early 1950s when the Soviet Union first proposed the creation of an all-European security conference. However it wasn't until November 1972 when representatives from the original 35 nations met for nearly three years to work out the arrangements. On August 1, 1975, the leaders of the original 35 participating States gathered in Helsinki and signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Also known as the Helsinki Accords, the Final Act is a binding agreement consisting of three main sections, known as Baskets, regarding political, economic and human rights.

Since 1975, the number of countries signing the Helsinki Accords has expanded to 55, reflecting changes such as the breakup of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Institutionalization of the Conference in the early 1990s led to its transformation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, effective January 1995.

The Helsinki Final Act and the process it began provided an important backdrop against which President Ronald Reagan, standing in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, could boldly declare, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'' This began the process of systemic change, eventually leading to the release of hundreds of cases of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience as well as the reunification of tens of thousands of families.

In a step designed to preserve the unity of the Helsinki process, each country that joined the OSCE after 1975 submitted a letter in which the accepted in their entirety all commitments and responsibilities contained in the Helsinki Final Act, and all subsequent documents adopted prior to their membership. To underscore this continuity, the leaders of each of these countries signed the actual original 1975 Final Act document.

I have been particularly interested in working with former Chairman Smith and now with Chairman Brownback on human rights and religious freedom. There remains a great deal of work to do on these matters throughout the OSCE member countries. I look forward to continuing to work with the OSCE members and their outstanding staff.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor Mr. and Mrs. Jesse R. Baxter, Jr. J.R. Baxter, Jr., was born in Lebanon, Alabama on December 8, 1887. Clarice Howard was later born in Henagar, Alabama on October 1, 1897. The two married on June 23, 1918. They shared a commitment to faith and a love for music. Along with V.O. Stamps they founded Stamps-Baxter Music & Printing Company, in 1926. As devoted Christians, they committed their lives to furthering the gospel by setting it to music. Stamps-Baxter Music & Printing Company has played a crucial role in the promotion of gospel music worldwide. Mr. and Mrs. Baxter passed away in January 1959 and May 1972, respectively. However, their contributions to the composition, publishing, and distribution of gospel music are greatly appreciated and will benefit many generations to come. The Baxters were loved and respected by many and leave a legacy of service and humility. It is an honor to know that Mr. and Mrs. Baxter were both born and raised in DeKalb County, Alabama, which I have the privilege of representing as part of Alabama's Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 810. This bill, which we have already heard today, would reverse the embryonic stem cell policy instituted by the President of the United States in 2001, and I believe it is very misguided, in my opinion.

I wish to thank the majority leader, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) for their work on this legislation against H.R. 810. They have already outlined many of the reasons why the bill should be defeated, but I would like to share some additional thoughts.

First, let me say that good people can disagree on this issue. However, what we are discussing today is the Federal funding of the embryonic stem cell. According to the statement of administration policy this morning, the administration strongly opposes passage of H.R. 810. The bill would compel all American taxpayers to pay for research that relies on the intentional destruction of human embryos to obtain stem cells, overturning the President's policy that supports research without promoting ongoing destruction.

There are other vast financial resources available to fund this controversial issue. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote against and not allow embryos to be killed for Federal funding research that is ethically and scientifically uncertain.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain, Mr. James Sanford Brinkerhoff. Jim has served selflessly as a campus minister on the Auburn University campus for 22 years, working with the Auburn Church of Christ and Auburn Christian Student Center.

Auburn University is the largest university in the State of Alabama and is therefore a crucial component of Alabama's educational system. Jim works very hard to ensure that, in addition to receiving outstanding education, Auburn students are exposed to the teachings of Jesus.

Through campus ministry, Jim has impacted the lives of many through counseling, teaching, service, and friendship. Students with whom he has worked now stretch across the globe with a common affection and respect for this man.

Jim is joined this morning by his wife, Mary, and their three children, Amy, Anna and Ben. I appreciate the prayer that Reverend Brinkerhoff offered this morning; and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), who represents the Third Congressional District, and I are honored to have him as our guest in the United States House of Representatives, especially on this day as we celebrate the National Day of Prayer.