Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Michael Van Rassen upon his retirement from the U.S. Army after more than 20 years of outstanding service to our country. After his retirement on August 31, 2005, Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen will reside in my Congressional district.

Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen has been assigned to several key military positions throughout his career, which culminated as the Product Manager for Fielding and Integration for Air and Missile Defense Command and Control Systems (AMDCCS) Product Office in Madison, Alabama, a position he has held since 2002. It is in this role that Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen will leave an enduring mark on the future of the Army.

He was instrumental in the deployment of the Forward Area Air Defense Command, cross leveraging software capabilities through the Air and Missile Defense Planning and Control System program, designing and validating the critical need for the Air Defense Aerospace Management Cell, leading the DOD Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar initiative for deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen has distinguished himself throughout his military service in challenging and diverse assignments. Throughout his career, he has received many medals and awards for his ability to lead by example, encourage excellence from his peers and subordinates, effectively manage the Army's resources, and consistently produce outstanding results. I commend Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen for his ability to energize a diverse staff toward a common purpose, setting high standards and inspiring his staff to achieve them.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of North Alabama, I congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Van Rassen for his 20 years of service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of North Alabama's most influential leaders, Mr. John Caddell. Mr. Caddell, who will turn 95 on Saturday, is a popular lawyer in Decatur, Alabama who has done a great deal to help further the quality of life for all individuals in our community.

Still active in his law firm of Harris, Caddell, and Shanks, Mr. Caddell has always found time to share his thoughts on important community issues. He has been recognized for his leadership and commitment by the Kiwanis Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Alabama Academy of Honor, and the University of Alabama.

Mr. Caddell is a board member and volunteer for many community organizations. He has served as a trustee for the University of Alabama system, First National Bank of Decatur, the Alabama State Democratic Executive Committee, and the Decatur General Hospital Foundation amongst others. He is also an elder and a Deacon for the First Presbyterian Church of Decatur.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Caddell's family and friends in Decatur are gathering today to celebrate his 95th birthday with a surprise party. I rise, on behalf of everyone in North Alabama to thank him for everything he has done for the area and wish him a happy, healthy 95th year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of North Alabama's most compassionate and dedicated leaders, Mrs. Cathy Anderson. Cathy is currently the CEO and President of Woody Anderson Ford in Huntsville, Alabama.

Mrs. Anderson was recently awarded the prestigious Ford ``Salute to Dealers'' Award. The Salute to Dealers Award was established to demonstrate Ford Motor Company's commitment to its dealers that improve the lives of those in need in their communities. I have known Cathy for many years and cannot think of anyone who deserves this award more than her.

Before she joined her late husband at his Ford dealership, Cathy was a state social worker who worked with abused children and their families. Her work has gone a long way in providing an effective system for intervention and treatment. She continues her work with children today as a strong supporter of the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville.

Cathy is also on the forefront of methamphetamine prevention in North Alabama. In 2004, she hosted a methamphetamine educational forum for hospitality workers in Madison County. Cathy understood that a number of meth labs are found in hotel and motel rooms and organized this forum to help point out the signs of meth abuse and teach others what they can do to help eradicate meth in the community.

Mr. Speaker, Cathy's work with children and methamphetamine abuse is quite remarkable and has helped raise the overall quality of life in North Alabama. I consider it a great privilege to have worked with Cathy on a wide variety of issues and to call her my friend.

On Friday, April 22, the North Alabama community will gather to honor and celebrate all of Cathy's achievements. I rise today, to join in their celebration and to congratulate her on behalf of everyone in North Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, with profound sadness, I rise today to honor the life of my good friend and mentor, former U.S. Representative Tom Bevill. He passed away on March 30, 2005, one day after his 84th birthday.

Congressman Bevill served in this Chamber for the State of Alabama for 30 years. He was the Chairman of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. He was a powerful Congressman, who always remembered the people of Alabama who elected him. Under his chairmanship, he helped ensure that the State received funding for vital programs and projects and did a tremendous amount to improve the overall quality of life for his constituents.

Mr. Speaker, to honor the life and accomplishments of Tom Bevill, we must talk about the person he was. He was a devoted husband and father, a patriot and a statesman.

Mr. Bevill inherited me when I was elected to Congress in 1990. Actually, I had first met him in 1980 when he was getting off of Air Force One with President Carter in Huntsville. What a distinguished man he was coming down those steps, and I am talking about Tom Bevill. I had just been elected District Attorney of Madison County and I was meeting the man I had heard so much about, Tom Bevill. A powerful member of Congress and the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water.

In 1991, I was a dangerous creature, a freshman Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Bevill and his entire office became like family to me. He went out of his way to teach me everything he could and he let other members know that I was his partner, though I knew I was a very junior one.

One of the first legislative battles we fought together was over funding for NASA's Space Station. I had thousands of jobs at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville connected to the space station. A Michigan Member was offering an amendment to an appropriations bill to kill the whole program, ending my jobs. So a number of us, including Mr. Bevill, organized to defeat the amendment. Mr. Bevill, like a good teacher, sent me to talk to this Michigan Member.

Now Chairman Bevill didn't do all this work ``for'' me, he always did it ``with'' me. In this case, he sent me to talk to the man, alone. I did not know this man, but off I went, and I talked to him, or tried to, and it did not go well at all.

This man from Michigan put his hand on my shoulder, grinned and said, ``You might as well kiss those jobs goodbye.'' He was crude and rude. So I reported this back to Chairman Bevill and he said, ``You don't say? Well, truth be known the man is practically a communist. But, we'll beat him.'' And we did. Chairman Bevill was brilliant on the floor during the debate. We saved those jobs and probably mine too. And the Space Station is out there in Space. But, I sure learned a lot from Tom Bevill.

I can see him now. Always neatly dressed, hard at work for his Alabama and his Country. Chairman Bevill was from a different, and I have to say better era. A time in the U.S. House when members were civil and even courteous to one another. They might disagree and often did, but they walked away as friends. And they did it with dignity.

Tom Bevill was always at the Thursday morning prayer breakfast. He sat in the same place every week with his friends. He took me with him the first time I went and I was and am a better person for it. He showed me where members of Congress could eat lunch in the Capitol. As often as I could I would eat there, watching and listening to Tom Bevill and his friends. Members were always trying to talk to Tom Bevill, to ask him for something, and he was always kind and courteous.

The Alabama delegation, seven of us, would tend to gather at every vote in the same area of the House Floor. Mr. Bevill would watch our votes and every now and then he would make a comment. A careful comment--``Bud, are `we' being a politician today or a statesmen?'' or ``I find that `our' people in Alabama don't see this issue the way some do . . .'' Offering wonderful, helpful, wise advice, that was the kind of man he was.

And so, every now and then some, not many, will say to me in my district in North Alabama, ``You are going to be another Tom Bevill,'' or at least that's the way I hear it in my mind. They probably actually say, ``You keep this up and you `might' be another Tom Bevill.'' Then I know, that after 15 years, I have heard the best compliment one could pay . . . To be compared to Tom Bevill

He gave us so much and I will miss him dearly.

To his children, Susan, Don, and Patty, thank you for letting us share him with you and your families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of everyone in North Alabama, to show my thanks to Congressman Bevill and honor him as a true American leader. There won't be another one like Tom Bevill.

I thank my friend from Missouri for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I think a number of important points have been made today, but I rise today in strong support of this bill and in opposition to the estate tax. Some of the previous speakers on this side of the aisle have made reference to the fact that a number of us on the Democratic side have worked

over this issue since actually the early nineties. I know the gentleman's predecessor Jennifer Dunn and I and a number of people from this side of the aisle had worked hard together to look for a commonsense way that we could end this burden which, in my opinion, is an extreme burden on the small business community and on the farm community.

I do not know about the other speakers, but when I go back to my district and I am mixing and mingling with the folks where they eat breakfast or where they have dinner or where they gather, it is my farm families that bring this issue up. In north Alabama where I come from, we have some of the most productive farm families of any district in the country. For generations, they have struggled and used tax lawyers and tax strategies to try to find a way to effectively pass that farm on to the next generation that we want to continue engaging in that farm business. But they are overwhelmed by this issue.

In 2001, we did a good step, not a great step but a good step. We passed some temporary relief. But the reality is that if we do not permanently repeal the death tax, you have almost got to time your death for the benefit of your family. That is outrageous. So let us make sure that we bury this issue once and for all.

According to the Congressional Research Service, estates that included farm or business assets represented 42.5 percent of the 30,000 plus taxable estate tax returns filed in 2003. It is not fair to say that this is just a rich person's issue, that the estate tax only affects the wealthy, because, according to that same Congressional Research Service, estates over $5 million accounted for only 6.8 percent of taxable estates.

In this day and time, assets are accumulated in a different way than they were 20 years ago, 25 years ago, 30 years ago or even more than that. For the benefit of those farmers, for those small manufacturers, for the local car dealers, the independent car dealers, the realtors, the funeral directors, the grocers, the family restaurant owners, the florists, the convenience store owners and many others, let us end this unfair tax burden.

I urge the Members to support this.

Mr. Speaker, with profound sadness, I rise today to honor the life of former U.S. Senator Howell Heflin. Senator Heflin served in the U.S. Senate on behalf of the State of Alabama for 18 years. He was a nationally known and popular Senator, who fought tirelessly for the people of Alabama. He passed away on March 31, 2005 at the age of 83.

Before his election to the Senate, Senator Heflin was Chief Justice of the Alabama State Supreme Court. As Chief Justice, he was the lead author of the Alabama Judicial Code, which reformed Alabama's outdated legal system. His grass roots efforts established a model for future constitutional reform not only in Alabama but across the nation.

During his time in the Senate he was known for his sharp wit and deep understanding of the issues being addressed by Congress. He had an innate ability to describe difficult and complex subjects in such a way that most anyone could understand and form an opinion on them.

Senator Heflin was a strong advocate for civil rights, the Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and southern agriculture along with many others. His work helped lay the foundation for the new technological economy of North Alabama.

Senator Heflin was respectably referred to by his colleagues as ``The Judge,'' because of his position as Chief Justice and his long tenure as Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee. It was said that he ruled over the

Chamber with an iron fist and demanded his fellow Senators live up to higher standards.

Mr. Speaker, Senator Heflin commanded respect from his colleagues, and made the least among us feel as important as anyone else. He was a friend to me during and after his time in Washington. He will be missed by all who knew him.

On behalf of everyone in North Alabama, I respectively rise to honor and pay tribute to a great American leader.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Angeline Nazaretian, known by her friends and colleagues as Angie, upon her appointment as Grand Electa for the Order of the Eastern Star in the State of Alabama. Dr. Nazaretian lives in my Congressional District and is a member of the Athens Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. The Order of the Eastern Star is the world's largest fraternal organization to which both men and women may belong.

Dr. Nazaretian moved to Athens in 1958 and has demonstrated a deep commitment and strong love for her adopted community ever since. She has done a great deal to help further the quality of life for young and senior individuals in the area.

She retired from Athens State University in 1999, after forty-two years as a Professor of Health and Physical Education and the Director of Alumni Affairs. During her tenure at Athens State, she worked with the faculty and students, local churches, and schools in the Athens- Limestone community to develop physical education programs in elementary and secondary level schools.

Dr. Nazaretian is a board member and volunteer for numerous community organizations. As an instructor for the American Red Cross, she developed numerous programs in First Aid, Water Safety, and C.P.R. She also served as a member of the R.S.V.P. Advisory Board, where she helped organize a Fitness Program for the Elderly, which is now part of the Community Wellness program. Furthermore, Dr. Nazaretian is recognized as one of the first leaders in Alabama to develop the Special Olympics program in the State.

Mr. Speaker, for her hard work and dedication, Dr. Nazaretian is respected by all who know her. On April 2, the Athens community gathered to celebrate and honor her achievements. I rise today, to join in their celebration and to congratulate her on behalf of everyone in North Alabama.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coach Vann Pettaway and his Alabama A&M University Basketball team on winning its first Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship and earning a spot in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. This is the first time that the Bulldogs have been invited to the NCAA Tournament in the seven years the program has been a Division I member.

The A&M Bulldogs finished this historic season with a record of eighteen wins and thirteen losses, culminating on Sunday afternoon with a nationally televised seventy-two to fifty-three victory over the Alabama State Hornets. In that game, Obie Trotter led all players with a game-high twenty four points, five assists and six steals and was named the SWAC's tournament MVP. Joe Martin finished second with seventeen points and six rebounds.

All of us in North Alabama are proud of our hometown heroes and will be rooting for the Bulldogs on Tuesday night when Coach Pettaway leads his team against the Oakland University Golden Grizzles in Dayton, Ohio. All published accounts have said that the Bulldogs are playing their best basketball right now and are motivated to show the Nation why they deserve a spot in this tournament.

Mr. Speaker, these student athletes have set a fine example for future athletes in our community. Their hard work, commitment, and dedication, on and off the court, are a large part of the team's success.

On behalf of everyone in North Alabama and all Bulldog fans across the Nation, I rise today to congratulate the Alabama A&M Bulldogs and wish them the best of luck against Oakland University.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor James W. Evatt for his many years of service to the Boeing Company and our Nation's defense programs. Jim is stepping down from his role as vice president and general manager of Boeing's Missile Defense Systems and vice president and general manager for the Missile Defense National Team Systems Engineering and Integration program. He has held both positions since 2001.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Jim joined the Boeing Company in 1987 after 22 years of Government service. During his tenure as vice president and general manager, he was responsible for Boeing's Ground-based Midcourse Defense program, the Airborne Laser, Advanced Tactical Laser program, Boeing's Air and Missile Defense program, and the Laser and Electro Optical Systems program. He was also responsible for all

Boeing missile defense programs including its work on PAC-3, SLAMRAAM, Avenger, and advanced systems initiatives. Furthermore, he was instrumental in creating the missile defense market area within the company and aligning it with the Missile Defense Agency to ensure a seamless working relationship on the programs critical to national security.

In addition to his Boeing responsibilities, Jim is a member of the Air Force Association's Science and Technology Committee and the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

Mr. Speaker, Jim has been an integral part of our national security for many years. His experience, dedication, and knowledge will be greatly missed. On behalf of everyone in north Alabama, I rise to thank him for his service and join his colleagues, family, and friends in congratulating him on a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize SGT Jay C. Peacock who was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions of heroism during the Vietnam War. SGT Peacock, known as Clay, received the Bronze Star during a special ceremony on Veterans Day, November 11, 2004.

During the Vietnam War, SGT Peacock was a Ground Radio Operator for the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron. On October 26, 1969, during an attack by the North Vietnamese Army, SGT Peacock was deployed by helicopter into the Special Forces Camp at Bu Prang. Heavy fighting with constant artillery, mortar, and small arms fire continued through October 28th.

Mr. Speaker, SGT Peacock distinguished himself during the attack by dividing his time between his radio operator duties and taking care of the Officer in Charge who was wounded on the second day of the North Vietnamese siege.

At dusk on the second night, supporting aircraft were called to help prevent the North Vietnamese from overrunning the camp. Knowing that their friendly position had to be marked for supporting aircraft, SGT Peacock put himself in the line of fire to successfully mark their position with strobe lights from his survival vest. Because of his unselfish actions, the aircraft were able to force the North Vietnamese army to retreat.

Mr. Speaker, although his heroic actions took place over 30 years ago, SGT Peacock received his long overdue and much deserved medal surrounded by family and friends on Veterans Day. With great pleasure, I rise today to congratulate this wonderful achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the members of the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army for being named the ``Best Overall'' AUSA Chapter in the country. Chapter President Joe Fitzgerald accepted the award on behalf of chapter members during the AUSA National Convention in Washington.

AUSA is dedicated to supporting the U.S. Army and maintaining a strong national defense. AUSA achieves its goals by supporting the needs and interests of soldiers, retirees, and family members.

As the home of Redstone Arsenal, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, and numerous defense partners, North Alabama has earned an excellent reputation for its role protecting the warfighter and defending our national security.

The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of AUSA, which was founded in 1959, has been a strong advocate and voice for North Alabama's warfighters. All of us in North Alabama are very proud of the hard work and commitment AUSA has always exhibited.

Mr. Speaker, this award is wonderful news for our community and I rise on behalf of everyone in North Alabama to express our sincere congratulations to the members of the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4504, the Safe and Timely Interstate Placement Act of 2004. I congratulate the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) as well for bringing this very important piece of legislation to the floor of the House in what might be one of our last weeks in session here. I also want to congratulate the majority leader for the passion he has brought to this issue as well.

We have had many discussions about the plight of those children that do not have a safety net under them, particularly foster children, and foster children that could be eligible for adoption as well.

I began my career after law school as an assistant district attorney, and I was assigned to juvenile court. In those days in Alabama we were to assist the welfare department with issues of removal of children. I learned more than I ever wish I had to learn about children that were in foster care, vulnerable children, abused children, physically abused, sexually abused, and often both as well.

What I found out the hard way, though, is that the system does not protect those children. The bureaucracies work against what we can do to place and protect those children. I got actively involved with the Foster Parents Association down there in north Alabama, and their frustrations with the bureaucracy were many.

This piece of legislation today accomplishes just about everything that we need to accomplish. It deals with the placement of children across State lines, and the bureaucracies have worked against that. My colleagues have pointed out how much longer it takes to place those children.

This legislation as well speaks to States that have opted out of Federal requirements. There should be criminal background checks. There should be restrictions on who is eligible to adopt children. Most States are not doing those background checks, and consequently most of those States are not protecting children the way they should. So this makes this uniform.

Another important issue that is covered in this legislation is it authorizes up to $10 million through fiscal year 2008 for incentive payments to the States for $1,500 for each interstate home study completed within 30 days. It wants to force the States to do those home studies quicker.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good piece of legislation, it should not be controversial, and our Members should support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend, Reverend Franklyn G. Broyles, Jr. of Huntsville for receiving the 2004 Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award. This award is given annually to a person in the Huntsville community who has displayed exemplary community leadership.

Reverend Broyles was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama and after graduating from Vanderbilt Divinity School, Reverend Broyles returned to North Alabama and currently serves as the Minister of Church and Community with the Faith Presbyterian Church. He also serves as the Executive Minister of the Huntsville Association for Pastoral Care and Program Director of the Huntsville area chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice.

Reverend Broyles has also vigorously given his time to the community. He was the first Administrative Director of Hospice of Huntsville and he served as the Director of the Campus Ministry Association at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for fifteen years. Reverend Broyles has also volunteered his leadership to numerous community organizations.

Additionally, Reverend Broyles is known for his strong commitment to worldwide and interfaith understanding. His service in interagency, worldwide, and interfaith work has earned him close to thirty awards.

Mr. Speaker, Frank's ability to bring people together and provide a positive influence on the entire community is something that we all should strive to do. On behalf of the people of North Alabama, I would like to congratulate Frank Broyles for being named the 2004 Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award winner.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Reverend Coy J. Hallmark of Huntsville for receiving the 2004 Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award. This award is given annually to a person in the Huntsville community who has displayed exemplary community leadership.

As an undergraduate at the University of North Alabama, Reverend Hallmark received his first pastoral appointment at a church in Lexington, Alabama. After earning a Master of Divinity Degree from Emory University, Reverend Hallmark was commissioned as a chaplain in the United States Army in 1983. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel with the 279th Signal Battalion in the Alabama National Guard where he provides spiritual support and supervision for the battalion chaplains in Huntsville, Florence, Mobile and Ft. Lewis, Washington.

In 1986, after returning from a military exercise in South Korea, Reverend Hallmark became an associate pastor at my church, the First United Methodist Church of Huntsville, a role he has served ever since. During his tenure, the church has seen a large increase in its membership and it has been more inclusive and accessible.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Reverend Hallmark has vigorously committed his time volunteering for numerous community organizations that promote the welfare of persons with disabilities and provide them with access to assistive technology devices and services to increase independence in the home, school, and work environments. This issue is close to Coy's heart. His daughter, Rachel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in 1982.

Mr. Speaker, Reverend Hallmark has been a well respected and thoughtful member of our church and community for many years. On behalf of the people of North Alabama, I congratulate my friend, Coy Hallmark on being named the 2004 Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award winner.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an important group of individuals whose hard work and dedication has made a tremendous impact on the lives of numerous children throughout North Alabama.

For over twenty years, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Alabama has provided hundreds of children with a positive influence and a strong foundation to help guide them through adolescence. Every volunteer does a great deal to improve the quality of life of these children and to help them develop goals and aspirations of their own. For its hard work and continued commitment, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Alabama is recognized nationally for its performance as one of the best agencies in the country.

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 100th year of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and on August 14th, a reunion and centennial picnic was held in Huntsville. This picnic was an opportunity for everyone involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters to come together, trade success stories, and relive the times each volunteer and child has had together.

Mr. Speaker, I've always believed that our children should have an opportunity to succeed and be an active participant in our communities. I'm pleased that there are a large number of individuals who are committed to helping less fortunate children in our area. I rise today to commend each and every person who is involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters and join in their centennial celebration.