Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to voice my strong support for H.R. 748. And I thank the Committee on the Judiciary for allowing Members to speak on this bill and also particularly the gentlewoman from Florida, who brought this legislation to the floor and who has worked on this legislation to get it through.

Needless to say, this bill is something that many of us feel very strongly about, that will protect our daughters of minor age from those who would seek to harm them or that would interfere with that parental/ child relationship.

In my State, for example, Alabama, we have a one-parent consent or judicial bypass law that is currently on the books. Three of the States that border Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi, have laws that are at least as stringent as those in Alabama. The fourth State, Florida, currently has no parental involvement statute in effect, which in essence means that minor children from Alabama can be taken into Florida to have an abortion with no parental involvement.

I in no way believe that this legislation punishes young women. It was put there to protect them. Therefore, I

would urge my colleagues to vote in support of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it is Sunday evening, a time when those of us in the House of Representatives are usually not in session. But tonight is an unusual night and the circumstances before us are unusual.

It goes without saying that we of course are discussing the life and death of Terri Schiavo. The situation that Terri is in has been discussed here on this floor tonight already, and you only have to turn on the news or pick up a newspaper to learn about it. However, as I have watched, as I have listened, as I have read the news, I have been shocked at some of the inaccurate statements that have been made about Terri's condition.

The bottom line is that once Terri is dead, it will be too late to reconsider what else we will do. The truth is Terri is not brain dead. She is awake. She is aware of her surroundings. Terri is not on artificial life support. No extraordinary measures are being taken. She does need assistance in being fed, but that is not unusual. I have a perfectly healthy 1-year-old little boy, and he needs assistance in being fed, perhaps not through a feeding tube, but nonetheless he needs help.

As I said, this is an unusual situation. Usually Congress writes laws with a broad brush, but every once in a while an unusual situation will require special legislative action. That is a situation for us tonight, Mr. Speaker.

Tonight, the possible life or death of Terri Schiavo is before us. I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and may we as a Nation continue to protect the most innocent and most vulnerable among us so that the United States of America will continue to be that light on the hill, that beacon of hope for all mankind.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. David Emerson Housel on the occasion of his retirement as Auburn University Director of Athletics. I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize his many accomplishments.

David is truly a man who embodied American principles of hard work, dedication to one's family, and service to one's community.

On April 1, 1994, David Housel became Auburn University's thirteenth Director of Athletics. Upon accepting the job, he stated that his one goal was to leave Auburn and the athletic department better than he found it. This goal was achieved.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on much longer about this gentleman who was born and grew up in Pickens County, Alabama in the Fourth District but time does not permit this morning.

It is a great privilege to honor David Emerson Housel for his many accomplishments and his enduring impact on his country, his community, friends and of course family. He is a man of great dignity and character who takes pride in the accomplishments of those he has helped over the years. David continues to be an inspiring role model for all of us and is the embodiment of the Auburn creed.

I know I join the Auburn faithful and all Alabamians in wishing David God's richest blessing in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, today I have the privilege to honor Mr. David Emerson Housel on the occasion of his retirement as Auburn University's Director of Athletics. 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.

David Emerson Housel was born on October 18, 1946 and grew up in the small, west Alabama town of Gordo. In 1956, at the age of ten, David attended his first Auburn University football game, a 34-7 victory over the University of Alabama at Legion Field in Birmingham. After the game he wrote letters to both schools asking for information about their football teams. David told the story to Mr. Neal Sims of the Birmingham News in the December 26, 2004 issue: ``Auburn sent a football guide, along with a note thanking me for being an Auburn fan. I got an Alabama media guide and a bill for two dollars''. As Mr. Sims reports: ``Alabama got its two bucks. Auburn got his heart, and together school and devotee have been linked ever since he grew from child to man.''

David graduated from Gordo High School in 1965 and enrolled in Auburn University on June 9 of the same year. He graduated with a degree in journalism in 1969 and, after eight months with the Huntsville News (during which time he maintained a mailing address in Auburn) he returned to his Alma Mater to accept a job in the Ticket Office, where he worked from 1970 to 1972. He taught journalism from 1972 to 1980 when he rejoined the athletic staff as Assistant Sports Information Director, He was named Director in 1981 and Assistant Athletic Director in 1985.

On April 1, 1994 David became Auburn's thirteenth Director of Athletics. Upon accepting the job he said, ``People may agree or disagree with decisions that are made, but they will never be able to question the reasons for those decisions. There will be no agenda other than the betterment of Auburn.'' His one goal was to leave Auburn and the athletic program better than he found it. This goal was achieved. Under David's leadership Auburn won seven team national championships (in the previous thirty-eight years Auburn had captured only one national championship). Auburn has won twenty-nine Southeastern Conference titles in the last ten years (in the previous ten seasons, Auburn had won eight titles). During David's tenure, the Athletic Department has posted its highest graduation rates ever. Also, the Department operated in the black financially every year, one of the very few Division 1A programs to do so on a consistent annual basis.

Being the humble man that he is, David refuses to take credit for these accomplishments. Instead he gives credit to the Board of Trustees, the President, and above all, to the Auburn people. ``This is the work of Auburn people,'' he says. ``Whatever we have been able to accomplish is a direct reflection of Auburn people and their support of the school they love.''

David is a past president of the SEC Sports Information Directors, a former chair of the NCAA Public Relations and Communications Committees. He served on the District III Postgraduate Scholarship Committee and has served as chair of the Dean's Council for Auburn's College of Liberal Arts. He also served as a member of the NCAA Championships Cabinet and the Executive Committee of the Southeastern Conference.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Auburn Bank, the Auburn Wesley Foundation, the Lee County Red Cross and is a member of the Birmingham Pledge Advisory Board. He is an honorary member of the Auburn Football Lettermen Club and the University Singers. He is a member of the Sports Information Directors' Hall of Fame, the Tony Brandino Hall of Fame and the Gordo Athletics Hall of Fame. He is also an award winning free lance writer and has written two books, ``Saturdays to Remember'' and ``From the Desk of David Housel, A Collection of Auburn Stories.''

In 1982 the Alabama Chapter of the National Football Foundation recognized David with their Contribution to Amateur Football Award. He has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Walter Camp Foundation of New Haven, Connecticut and the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club for his career contributions to the sport of college football.

Of all of David's accomplishments, perhaps his greatest achievement was convincing the former Susan McIntosh to marry him. Susan is a retired third grade teacher at Wright's Mill Road Elementary School in Auburn and they were married on June 15, 1985. David and Susan are faithful members of Auburn First United Methodist Church.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor David Emerson Housel 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. David continues to be an inspiring role model for all of us and is the embodiment of the Auburn Creed. I know I join the Auburn faithful in wishing David God's richest blessings in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor Mrs. Sue L. Glidewell. She embodies the American principles of hard work, dedication to one's family, and service to one's community. I would like to recognize this outstanding citizen and public servant and her many accomplishments.

Mrs. Sue Glidewell was born on August 14, 1931 in Marshall County, Alabama. She later moved to Etowah County and graduated from Gadsden High School in 1949. She married the late H. L. Glidewell in 1950 and had four children: Cathy, who passed away in August of 1976, Gina Passmore, Kelly Stephens and H. L. Glidewell, Junior. She has five grandchildren.

As a young woman, she joined the workforce in 1949 when she accepted a position with the Credit Bureau of Gadsden. She first entered public service as an employee of the City of Gadsden Water Department in 1950. This was just the beginning of her many exceptional years in public service. She began her career with Rainbow City in 1967 when she began working as the city clerk. She served in this capacity for thirteen years before being elected Mayor in 1980. In 2004 she stepped down from the office of Mayor after having completed twenty-four years of service to her city.

Mrs. Sue Glidewell is a past President and a past Vice-President of the Alabama League of Municipalities. While Mayor, she served on the League's Executive Committee as well as the Committee on State and Federal Legislation. She was also a member of the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee for the National League of Cities. She is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation and is a member of the Coosa River Development Task Force and the Etowah County Baptist Association Foundation Executive Committee. Mrs. Glidewell is a member of the Coosa Valley Baptist Church where she sings in the choir and teaches Sunday School.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Mrs. Sue L. Glidewell for her many years of accomplishments and her lasting impact on her community and family. I am proud to have worked with Mayor Glidewell for the past several years and am grateful for her leadership. I know the leaders of Rainbow City and Etowah County will build upon the legacy that she leaves behind. She continues to be an inspiring role model for all of us, and I wish her all the best in the coming years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 310. Passage of this bill will mark a very important step, in my opinion, toward protecting American children.

I especially do want to thank the committee for their work on this bill, and the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) and the gentleman from Michigan (Chairman Upton) for their work on this legislation.

The purpose, of course, of the legislation that we are discussing today is to return decent, family-friendly broadcast television and radio to families across America. I should note that this legislation in no way changes the FCC's current definition of obscenity, indecency, or profanity. Rather, it enables the agency to enforce the existing rules.

As has been stated here already on the floor today, it would allow the FCC to impose a fine of half a million dollars against broadcasters for every violation of obscene, indecent, and profane material. Of course, additionally the bill will allow the FCC to fine networks and entertainers for up to half a million dollars if they willfully or intentionally violate indecency standards by airing obscene, indecent, or profane material.

Mr. Speaker, I would urge the passage of H.R. 310 today and would urge my colleagues to wholeheartedly support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor Jim D. Raby who is celebrating his 70th birthday. Jim is a man who embodies the American principles of hard work, dedication to one's family, and service to one's country and I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize this wonderful man and his many accomplishments.

Jim was born on August 10, 1934 in the town of Jeff, Alabama. He grew up as a sharecropper in north Alabama, growing primarily cotton. He graduated from Monrovia High School in 1952 and briefly attended Andrew Jackson Business School in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1954, Jim joined the U.S. Navy and served his country honorably as a Seabee and as a Communications Technician.

Following his discharge from the service, Jim began work in Huntsville, Alabama for the Army Ballistics Missile Agency (ABMA) as an electronic technician. There he had the distinction of working with the former German Rocket Team, including Dr. Werner Von Braun, during the infancy of the U.S. Space Program. In 1960, ABMA was transformed into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Jim joined the new agency as a Charter Member. He worked on almost every phase of the Pegasus, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs.

Jim's contributions included development of specifications and standards for electronic manufacturing, specifically soldering and crimp terminations as well as cable and harnesses. He installed many of these cables and harnesses in the original Mercury capsule. Jim then established schools for each of these subjects and performed lead activities in the fabrication of electronics for the Saturn and Apollo programs. Jim moved to various contractor facilities (as a NASA employee) throughout the United States to provide NASA guidance on manufacturing methods and techniques as well as providing Quality Assurance functions. He had the last word on flight readiness of electronic and electrical installations and in troubleshooting these systems when problems arose. The Moon landing during the summer of 1969 was the climax of this great era in Jim's life.

Jim left NASA in 1975 to work for the U.S. Navy at China Lake, California. While at China Lake, Jim developed the Soldering Standardization Program which standardized requirements DoD-wide and the Solder Training and Certification Program. He also started the Electronic Manufacturing and Production Facility (EMPF).

In 1984, Jim left the Navy to start Soldering Technology International, a family business in which he is still active. Soldering Technology International (STI) helps customers build more reliable electronic hardware. Under Jim's guidance, the company has twice been selected to INC Magazine's INC 500 list of fastest growing private companies. STI was also selected as Huntsville/Madison County's Small Business of the Year in the business services category for the year 2000. STI currently employs 45 people and has customers in all 50 states as well as 40 countries around the world.

Of all Jim's achievements, he is most proud of his family--wife Ellen, son David, daughter-in-law Sheila, and beautiful granddaughter Ashley. He is also proud of the many friends and admirers that he has come to know over the years.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Jim D. Raby for his many accomplishments and his enduring impact on his country, community and family. Jim has been and continues to be an inspiring role model for all of us, and I wish him the best of wishes on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that we mourn the death of Mr. Truman Glassco, who recently passed away at the age of 73. I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize this wonderful man.

Truman, a lifelong resident of Boaz, AL, in Marshall County, was born in 1931. Known by all as a wise, humble, loving, generous and prayerful man, his significant contributions to society fell primarily in three areas: Christian Fellowship, Community Service, and Education.

Truman dedicated so much of his life to spreading the Gospel through his commitment to the Alabama State Gospel Singing Convention and the Bethany Baptist Church. He was an active member of the Alabama State Gospel Singing Convention for over 40 years, serving in various positions including President in 1972 and 1989 and subsequently serving on the Board of Trustees from 1992 until his death this year. Also, the congregation of his church benefited tremendously from his service as deacon for 45 years, a Sunday school teacher for 38 years, and as Choir Director for 17 years. As if this is not impressive enough, he also served as the President of the Alabama School of Gospel Music from it's inception in 1986 until his death.

Mr. Glassco demonstrated outstanding leadership to the Boaz community as well. He held various offices in the Boaz Chamber of Commerce including President for 4 years and Secretary for 18 years. The Chamber further recognized his contributions to society when it selected Truman as their ``Man of the Year'' in 1987 and ``Educator of the Year'' in 1985. He was a long-time member of the Boaz Civitan Club, serving as President and holding various other offices. The Civitan Club recognized Truman's achievements by voting him ``Man of the Year'' in 1974.

After earning three masters degrees, Truman served 38 years in public education, 22 years as a principal and 8 years as Assistant Superintendent of Education. Snead College named him ``Alumnus of the Year'' in 2004, an honor which was accepted posthumously by his wife, Dr. Bobbie Glassco. Although he never had children of his own, he was lovingly called ``Papa Truman'' by hundreds of young people.

The town of Boaz, Alabama benefited tremendously from Truman's kindness and selfless service to his fellow citizens. I had the privilege of first meeting Truman Glassco and his wife Bobbie as a young boy at Antioch Baptist Church in Marion County Alabama at a convention singing. Many people can tell you that he was a ``real Christian man who made a real Christian difference in an indifferent world.'' I could not agree more. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to his wife Bobbie, along with his family and friends. Yes, Gospel Music lost a dear friend when it lost Truman Glassco.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to mourn the death of Dr. James Rutledge, who recently passed away at the age of sixty-five. I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize his many accomplishments.

Jim was born December 8, 1938 in Ironton, Ohio. Shortly thereafter his family moved to Ashland, KY where he graduated from Ashland High School in 1956, received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kentucky in 1960, and attended medical school at the University of Louisville and received his Doctorate of Medicine in 1964 followed by a 2-year rotating internship.

Jim joined the Air Force at the rank of Captain and served his country as a General Medical Officer at Warner Robbins Air Force Base and in Thailand during the Vietnam War in 1967 and 1968. He attained the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Following his return from Thailand, Jim did a 4-year residency in Pathology at the University of Louisville and became board certified in Anatomical and Clinical Pathology in 1972. From 1973 until 1980 Jim was Pathologist and Medical Director of Laboratory Medicine at Greenview Hospital and Bowling Green-Warren County Hospital in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Jim was married to Rhonda Martin in Bowling Green, Kentucky on July 8, 1978. They moved their family to Jasper, Alabama in February 1980 and Jim began his work with Pathology Associates as Surgical and Clinical Pathologist and Medical Director of Laboratory Medicine at Walker Baptist Medical Center.

Jim, along with Rhonda, supported good government by supporting candidates and the

Republican Party in his county. As the years passed Jim continued to support many activities of the Republican Party at the local, state and national level. Jim was a man who loved his family and was devoted to them. He also loved and served his country with honor during his military service and as an active citizen dedicated to the security of our American heritage and the growth of good government.

The Town of Jasper, Alabama benefited tremendously from his kindness and selfless service to his fellow citizens. During Jim's life he served others as a physician helping care for those who needed his oversight, knowledge and expertise in their time of illness. Dr. Jim Rutledge was a man who loved his God, his wife, his family and his country. He was a true American Hero to so many during his life. He was a man many depended upon--a man of little fanfare but deep wisdom and compassion. All who knew Jim were encouraged and uplifted because of having crossed his path. He was a quiet man, a man of great dignity and character who served others and took great pride in the accomplishments of those he helped and loved. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and community at this difficult time of bereavement.

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise this morning to remember the life of Dr. James Rutledge, who recently passed away at the age of 65. I am honored to stand before this body of Congress and this Nation to recognize some of his many accomplishments.

He was born in Ironton, Ohio. He was educated in Kentucky. He joined the air force after receiving his degree in medicine. He served his country honorably, and for his service in Thailand during the Vietnam War, he attained the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Jim and his wife Rhonda moved their family to Jasper, Alabama, which is located in the Fourth Congressional District in February of 1980, and he served as the medical director of laboratory medicine at Walker Baptist Medical Center.

Dr. Jim Rutledge was a man who loved his God, his wife Rhonda, his family and his country. He was a true American hero to so many during his life. He was a man many depended upon, a man of little fanfare but deep wisdom and compassion.

Our prayers continue to go out to Jim's family, friends and community at this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on much longer about this man but time does not permit. However, I will put an extended tribute to Dr. Rutledge in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Marriage Protection Amendment. I am proud to be counted among the cosponsors of this constitutional amendment this afternoon.

In the history of our country, I do not believe anyone has ever said that our system of democracy would be easy. Our Constitution was designed to set us on a path, but it also gave us the ability to change that path when it became necessary. Our Founding Fathers wanted to ensure that we took that process very seriously. They set the bar very high.

Today, many of us here in this body believe that the time has come to change paths, and many people in our country agree. It is time that their voices are heard in this debate.

Today on the floor we have heard a litany of questions about why we are considering this issue. Yes, there are important bills that need to be considered: health care, homeland security, education, jobs. All of them need to be addressed, and no one would argue with that.

But how could anyone say that protecting marriage and the future of the American family is not a top priority? Marriage and the family is the very foundation of our society. It is the activist judges in Massachusetts and Oregon that have compelled the Congress to act, not the other way around.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation this afternoon as we support the marriage between a man and a woman.

Mr. Chairman, I want to commend Chairman Knollenberg and the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee Staff once again for their hard work and efforts to produce an excellent bill for us to consider here today.

The importance of our willingness here in Congress to immediately and effectively take care of the needs of our men and women in the Armed Services, and to look after their families, certainly goes without saying. It does not matter whether they are located here at home protecting our homeland security, or whether they are directly in harm's way while serving abroad to serve their country. We must support them in every way that we possibly can.

This legislation represents a vital and immediate need for our troops and their families--to provide adequate and improved facilities for training and equipment; to provide better housing for these brave men and women, and their families, who unselfishly protect our national interests on a daily basis; to provide quality of life improvements such as chapels, child development centers, schools, and fitness centers; to better equip our hospitals and medical and dental facilities; for public safety and security here in our local communities; and to ensure the continued strength, construction and development of our overseas bases and our weapons systems that protect American interests.

The sacrifice that these men and women have made to this Nation demands our attention and steadfast support to help them do the job that they have chosen to do, and to better their lives in any way that we can find. Many of you are concerned that this bill contains an increase on the cap on Federal contributions to the Military Housing Privatization program from $850 Million to $1.3 Billion in this Fiscal Year. This money is urgently needed to fully fund family housing construction and maintenance, and to eliminate inadequate housing that our troops must live in. This funding directly supports two bases in my home State of Alabama, at Redstone and at Fort Rucker, and I want to rise in support of the men and women serving there.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank the Chairman for an excellent bill, and to urge its passage to fully support these men and women in our Armed Services.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his leadership on this issue and for his leadership here in the Congress on this issue of space exploration for many years.

Today, it has already been mentioned that we celebrate the accomplishments of NASA's Apollo 11 mission. Of course, it was back in 1961 that President Kennedy challenged NASA to meet the goals of sending people to the Moon and back. It was an exciting day only 8 years later when Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins represented all Americans when the first human steps were taken on the Moon.

President Bush has issued a new challenge for NASA, the vision for space exploration. I wholeheartedly support NASA in this endeavor, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. NASA is important to this country's economic well-being, and it inspires our children to dream of distant worlds that they may actually see in their lifetime. It may be one of our children or one of our grandchildren who take the first steps on Mars.

Although achieving the President's new vision may be some years in the future, we should all be aware of the many benefits and the spin- offs from NASA that reach all citizens of the United States, including those in each of our districts every day.

NASA-inspired communications satellites connect the world. Other NASA-launched satellites enable weather forecasters to track hurricanes, wildfires, volcanoes, and also assist emergency workers in those areas to prepare ahead in time of events that could have devastating impacts. The NASA power source used to separate the solid rocket boosters from the Space Shuttle is used in Lifeshears, a rescue tool which quickly cuts debris to free victims when they have been in accidents.

NASA has also made tremendous contributions to the medical field. NASA, technology first used to monitor the health of astronauts in space, has enabled health workers in today's hospitals to monitor many patients. One NASA researcher realized that his work study in small particles suspended in liquids could possibly help to detect cataracts, a condition that his father had suffered from. Now the instrument he designed is being adapted to identify other eye diseases, diabetes, and possibly even Alzheimer's.

Another NASA researcher, driven by his own hearing problem, used expertise that he had gained as an electronics instrumentation engineer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to develop the Cochlear Implant. This device has restored hearing for thousands and allowed others born deaf to hear for the very first time.

A silicone chip originally developed for the Hubble Space Telescope makes breast cancer screening less painful, less expensive, and results in less scarring than the traditional biopsy.

If that is not enough for you to support NASA's budget, consider their dedication to the youth of this Nation. NASA-sponsored or cosponsored programs such as the Student Launch Initiative, the Annual Moonbuggy Race and the Team America Rocketry Challenge reach out directly to our young people and inspire them to look within themselves to invent, create, dream and strive for accomplishments.

NASA's Explorer Schools Programs have touched hundreds of minority and poverty-stricken communities to help educators in those systems with grants, materials, teaching guides and support for their math and science programs. NASA continues to benefit students even after they reach the college and university level through numerous grants, fellowships and programs.

Through these and other programs, NASA and Vision for Space Exploration will inspire this Nation's youth, motivating future generations to study math, science and engineering. The work these young people will aspire to assists them to reach dreams beyond their imagination. What better memorial could there be for the noble astronauts who have given their lives in pursuit of space and exploration than to create a brand-new generation of explorers and visionaries?

As I have detailed here, all citizens of the United States of America benefit in some way from NASA, whether from the thousands of jobs that were created in support of the programs, the commercial spin-offs from the research and technology developed, or by the impact of our young people through NASA's education initiative.

I hope my colleagues this afternoon will join me as we look forward to supporting NASA's budget for fiscal year 2005 and as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Apollo mission.

Madam Speaker, what do you say about a man like Ronald Reagan that has not already been said? Ronald Reagan took the oath of office here in Washington D.C. in 1981 and, actually, just a short distance from where we are standing here this afternoon. At that time that he took office, I was 15 years old. I did not realize at that time the impact that this new President would have on this Nation and the world. I did not realize the moral and strong leadership that he would provide this Nation.

Ronald Reagan served in the highest office of our land throughout my time in high school, college, and my first couple of years of law school. And with most of America, I listened to the tributes as they started pouring in over this past weekend. During the weekend and since that time, President Reagan's speeches, his remarks and comments have been played and reviewed time and time again.

However, over the weekend I heard one speech that I had never heard before. It was a speech that President Reagan delivered at a prayer breakfast

in Dallas, Texas, on the morning of August 23, 1984. It is so relevant to our situation today that if you did not know better, you would think he delivered the speech just a few days ago.

He discussed religion and its role in the political life of our Nation. He made clear from the beginning of his speech that he was not speaking as a theologian or as a scholar, but rather as someone who had been around for quite a few years.

He talked about the critical role in the political life of this Nation that faith and religion had played and, furthermore, how that had worked to benefit our Nation.

He went on to say that the Founders understood that there was a divine order which transcends the human order. He then eloquently stated that he believed George Washington knew the city of man cannot survive without the city of God, and that the visible city will perish without the invisible city.

While time will not permit me to discuss all of his remarks today, I would like to include his remarks in the Record that President Reagan made at that prayer breakfast in Dallas in 1984. Of course, it would not be appropriate to talk about Ronald Reagan without talking about how much he loved life and how much he valued life. He was a man of compassion, and people of all ages would do well to emulate Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Remarks at an Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast in Dallas, Texas, August 23,

1984

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, very much. And, Martha

Weisend, thank you very much. And I could say that if the

morning ended with the music we have just heard from that

magnificent choir, it would indeed be a holy day for all of

us.

It's wonderful to be here this morning. The past few days

have been pretty busy for all of us, but I've wanted to be

with you today to share some of my own thoughts.

These past few weeks it seems that we've all been hearing a

lot of talk about religion and its role in politics, religion

and its place in the political life of the Nation. And I

think it's appropriate today, at a prayer breakfast for

17,000 citizens in the State of Texas during a great

political convention, that this issue be addressed.

I don't speak as a theologian or a scholar, only as one

who's lived a little more than his threescore ten--which has

been a source of annoyance to some--[laughter]--and as one

who has been active in the political life of the Nation for

roughly four decades and now who's served the past 3\1/2\

years in our highest office. I speak, I think I can say, as

one who has seen much, who has loved his country, and who's

seen it change in many ways.

I believe that faith and religion play a critical role in

the political life of our nation--and always has--and that

the church--and by that I mean all churches, all

denominations--has had a strong influence on the state. And

this has worked to our benefit as a nation.

Those who created our country--the Founding Fathers and

Mothers--understood that there is a divine order which

transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a

form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order

is religion.

The Mayflower Compact began with the words, ``In the name

of God, amen.'' The Declaration of Independence appeals to

``Nature's God'' and the ``Creator'' and ``the Supreme Judge

of the world.'' Congress was given a chaplain, and the oaths

of office are oaths before God.

James Madison in the Federalist Papers admitted that in the

creation of our Republic he perceived the hand of the

Almighty. John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme

Court, warned that we must never forget the God from whom our

blessings flowed.

George Washington referred to religion's profound and

unsurpassed place in the heart of our nation quite directly

in his Farewell Address in 1796. Seven years earlier, France

has erected a government that was intended to be purely

secular. This new government would be grounded on reason

rather than the law of God. By 1796 the French Revolution had

know the Reign of Terror.

And Washington voiced reservations about the idea that

there could be a wise policy without a firm moral and

religious foundation. He said, ``Of all the dispositions and

habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and

morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man

(call himself a patriot) who (would) labour to subvert these

. . . finest [firmest] \1\ props of the duties of men and

citizens. The mere Politician . . . (and) the pious man ought

to respect and to cherish (religion and morality).'' And he

added, ``. . . let us with caution indulge the supposition,

that morality can be maintained without religion.''

\1\ White House correction.

I believe that George Washington knew the City of Man

cannot survive without the City of God, that the Visible City

will perish without the Invisible City.

Religion played not only a strong role in our national

life; it played a positive role. The abolitionist movement

was at heart a moral and religious movement; so was the

modern civil rights struggle. And throughout this time, the

state was tolerant of religious belief, expression, and

practice. Society, too, was tolerant.

But in the 1960's this began to change. We began to make

great steps toward secularizing our nation and removing

religion from its honored place.

In 1962 the Supreme Court in the New York prayer case

banned the compulsory saying of prayers. In 1963 the Court

banned the reading of the Bible in our public schools. From

that point on, the courts pushed the meaning of the ruling

ever outward, so that now our children are not allowed

voluntary prayer. We even had to pass a law--we passed a

special law in the Congress just a few weeks ago to allow

student prayer groups the same access to schoolrooms after

classes that a young Marxist society, for example, would

already enjoy with no opposition.

The 1962 decision opened the way to a flood of similar

suits. Once religion had been made vulnerable, a series of

assaults were made in one court after another, on one issue

after another. Cases were started to argue against tax-exempt

status for churches. Suits were brought to abolish the words

``under God'' from the Pledge of Allegiance and to remove

``In God We Trust'' from public documents and from our

currency.

Today there are those who are fighting to make sure

voluntary prayer is not returned to the classrooms. And the

frustrating thing for the great majority of Americans who

support and understand the special importance of religion in

the national life--the frustrating thing is that those who

are attacking religion claim they are doing it in the name of

tolerance, freedom, and openmindedness. Question: Isn't the

real truth that they are intolerant of religion? [Applause]

They refuse to tolerate its importance in our lives.

If all the children of our country studied together all of

the many religions in our country, wouldn't they learn

greater tolerance of each other's beliefs? If children prayed

together, would they not understand what they have in common,

and would this not, indeed, bring them closer, and is this

not to be desired? So, I submit to you that those who

claim to be fighting for tolerance on this issue may not

be tolerant at all.

When John Kennedy was running for President in 1960, he

said that his church would not dictate his Presidency any

more than he would speak for his church. Just so, and proper.

But John Kennedy was speaking in an America in which the role

of religion--and by that I mean the role of all churches--was

secure. Abortion was not of religion--and by that I mean the

role of all churches--was secure. Abortion was not a

political issue. Prayer was not a political issue. The right

of church schools to operate was not a political issue. And

it was broadly acknowledged that religious leaders had a

right and a duty to speak out on the issues of the day. They

held a place of respect, and a politician who spoke to or of

them with a lack of respect would not long survive in the

political arena.

It was acknowledged then that religion held a special

place, occupied a special territory in the hearts of the

citizenry. The climate has changed greatly since then. And

since it has, it logically follows that religion needs

defenders against those who care only for the interests of

the state.

There are, these days, many questions on which religious

leaders are obliged to offer their moral and theological

guidance, and such guidance is a good and necessary thing. To

know how a church and its members feel on a public issue

expands the parameters of debate. It does not narrow the

debate; it expands it.

The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as

morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are

necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it

because we are imperfect, and our government needs the

church, because only those humble enough to admit they're

sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in

order to survive.

A state is nothing more than a reflection of its citizens;

the more decent the citizens, the more decent the state. If

you practice a religion, whether you're Catholic, Protestant

Jewish, or guided by some other faith, then your private life

will be influenced by a sense of moral obligation, and so,

too, will your public life. One affects the other. The

churches of America do not exist by the grace of the state;

the churches of America are not mere citizens of the state.

The churches of America exist apart; they have their own

vantage point, their own authority. Religion is its own

realm; it makes its own claims.

We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever.

We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison

our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We

court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are

free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a

faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of

and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public

questions.

I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and

encouraging of all religious. And this does not weaken us; it

strengthens us, it makes us strong. You know, if we look back

through history to all those great civilizations, those great

nations that rose up to even world dominance and then

deteriorated, declined, and fell, we find they all had one

thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their

fall was their turning away from their God or gods.

Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no

prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the

material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses

perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society.

And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.

If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we

will be a nation gone under.

If I could just make a personal statement of my own--in

these 3\1/2\ years I have understood and known better than

ever before the words of Lincoln, when he said that he would

be the greatest fool on this footstool called Earth if he

ever thought that for one moment he could perform the duties

of that office without help from One who is stronger then

all.

I thank you, thank you for inviting us here today. Thank

you for your kindness and your patience. May God keep you,

and may we, all of us, keep God.

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Major Timothy C. Dunn NCOA Commandant of the 124th Regiment of the Vermont Army National Guard, a former member of the Alabama Army National Guard and Alabama native recently returned from Kabul, Afghanistan.

While stationed in Afghanistan, his duties included mentoring and advising the Sergeant Major of the Afghan National Army. During his travels throughout the Afghan Army Battalions, he noticed that the Afghan Army was wearing different rank insignia from the American, French, British and Korean. Sergeant Major Dunn along with two other Sergeant Majors decided to create the insignia of the Afghan National Army. He wanted to create something that the Afghan National Army would be proud to wear.

After the new rank insignia was completed, Sergeant Major Timothy Dunn met with the Afghan Ministry of Defense to see if they liked the idea. To the Sergeant Major's surprise, they liked the new insignia and immediately adopted the new insignia. It is still to be determined as to where the insignia will be located on the uniform. This will soon be decided by the Afghan National Army.

It is with great honor and pride that Sergeant Major Dunn has served our country. To this day his exemplary service has represented our area and moreover this great nation. I applaud him for his courageous and meritorious efforts while serving in the United States Military.

I want to publicly say, not only to Sergeant Major Timothy C. Dunn, but to all the troops serving our country, thank you for your hard work and dedication to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Of course, as has been said on numerous occasions this morning, we are considering the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. I joined 136 Members of this body to cosponsor this legislation, and I want to commend the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) for her sponsoring this legislation this morning. I do believe the time has come for the House to pass this legislation again and help ensure that it is signed into law. And again, as has been stated this morning, this legislation takes an important step that recognizing that violence against an unborn child, against the will of a mother, can be prosecuted in the Federal courts.

This law is very simple. It would establish that if an unborn child is injured or killed during the commission of an already defined Federal crime of violence, then the assailant may be charged with a second offense on behalf of the second victim, the unborn child. This bill recognizes an unborn child as a separate victim in the eyes of the Federal law.

I have supported this law previously; but as I stand here today, the bill takes on a little bit different meaning. My wife, Caroline, is due to give birth on Monday in Alabama to our second child; and looking at her and feeling the baby move and seeing the sonograms, I do not think there is a shadow of a doubt that the child is a child. This child certainly deserves the full protection of the law.

Caroline reminded me just a few weeks ago that she and Laci were at about the same stage of their pregnancies during the Christmas holidays, and of course that is when she was killed during that time. So it, like I said, takes on a special meaning not only for me but also for my wife, Caroline. But if something should happen to any mother or to any child who is in the womb and they become a victim of a crime, I think the American people would want to see justice on behalf of both individuals, the mother and the child.

So I respectfully ask my colleagues this morning to send a strong message to the Senate and to the President that our goal is to protect the most vulnerable and the most innocent among us.