Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor COL Keith Lovejoy of the United States Army. Colonel Lovejoy, who is retiring, has been the Garrison Commander of Fort Benning in the Second Congressional District of Georgia, which I am privileged to represent.

Keith Lovejoy is a native of California. He holds a bachelor of arts from Norwich University, and a masters in personnel administration from Central Michigan University. He also has completed several intensive and challenging military training graduate courses, including one at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Colonel Lovejoy, who is retiring after a more than 30-year career of service to the United States, has held a variety of troop and command positions both in the United States and overseas. The bases across the country where he has served include Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Hood, Texas; and now, Fort Benning, Georgia.

In between his postings at Army bases, Colonel Lovejoy also taught those who also sought to serve. From 1989 through 1993, he served as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

Over the years, Colonel Lovejoy has become a very decorated officer. He is a recipient of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals. His many awards speak for themselves about his commitment to our country.

Colonel Lovejoy is married to the former Carol Jean Barber of Columbus, Georgia. They have two children: Justin, a recent graduate of Kansas State University and now a First Lieutenant stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Jessica, currently a student at Auburn University.

Through many postings, and many assignments in different places that I am certain placed strain on himself and his family, Colonel Lovejoy, in every sense, epitomizes the meaning of the phrase ``service above self.''

Madam Speaker, it indeed is an honor and a privilege to know this great man who not only shows the qualities of a dedicated soldier, but also does what is best for his country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Annette Morman, a member of the Georgia Municipal Association, the Mitchell County Hospital Authority, and a citizen of the Second Congressional District of Georgia, which I am privileged to represent.

Annette Morman is a native of Baconton, Georgia. She attended Dent- Reynolds Elementary School and graduated from Camilla Consolidated High School in 1966. She then furthered her education by attending both the Albany Technical College and Albany State University.

Ms. Morman is a very dedicated woman in many aspects of her life. She helps the children of her community through her job as a caseworker for the Mitchell County Department of Family and Children Services. For 34 years, she has guaranteed children in the area are protected and receive proper care. She truly epitomizes the motto, ``no child left behind.''

In addition to her service to children throughout the county, Ms. Morman leads her community through civic involvement. She has served on the Baconton City Council for 14 years in the same seat that her father, James E. Morman, once held. While on the council, she has served on the Recreation Committee, Budget Committee, and Chaired the Grand Opening Dedication of the Jackson Davis House.

Ms. Morman also serves on the Workforce Investment Board, the Mitchell County Democratic Executive Committee, and the Mitchell County School Board Facility Committee. Ms. Morman is also a devoted member of St. James Missionary Baptist Church, where she has served in numerous capacities.

Ms. Morman is the loving mother of two children: Olivia Dionne Morman and Dexter Dwayne Morman and the proud grandmother of five grandchildren.

Madam Speaker I am so pleased to honor this great woman who not only exemplifies the qualities of a dedicated activist for children, the community, and the church, but also epitomizes everything great about the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 22 and 23, 2008, on very urgent business. Had I been present for the twelve votes which occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday, I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6493, Rollcall vote No. 512; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1311, Rollcall vote No. 513; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1202, Rollcall vote No. 514; I would have voted ``no'' on the Motion to Adjourn, Rollcall vote No. 515; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1363, Rollcall vote No. 516; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1363, Rollcall vote No. 517; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6532, Rollcall vote No. 518; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 3221, Rollcall vote No. 519; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6545, Rollcall vote No. 520; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6545, Rollcall vote No. 521; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1344, Rollcall vote No. 522; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 1344, Rollcall vote No. 523.

Madam Speaker, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends, fellow Scouts of the four young men--Josh Fennen, 13, Sam Thomsen, 13, and Ben Petrzilka, 14, from Omaha, Nebraska, and Aaron Eilerts, 13, from Eagle Grove, Iowa--who were killed on June 11, 2008, when a tornado hit their campsite in western Iowa.

As an Eagle Scout myself, I am saddened, but also very proud of the young men in Iowa, and their poise and strength in the face of one of Mother Nature's most ferocious storms. These young men lived up to our pledge which says:

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country

and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

mentally awake, and morally straight.

The tornado destroyed the four cabins of the 1,800-acre camp and ripped up tents. However, in the critical moments caused by the disaster and through the rubble, these brave men exemplified our motto of being prepared when they immediately set up triage operations to assist and, most likely, save the lives of other young men who were in grave danger.

As a Member who represents an area of the country which, unfortunately, experiences more than its share of hurricanes and tornados, I know all too well the devastation severe weather causes. And, as a Scout, having participated in camping experiences similar to the Iowa Scouts' experience, I know and appreciate the challenges those young men faced.

So today, I ask that you join me in taking this opportunity to recognize the four heroes lost that day.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) and 288 other bipartisan cosponsors in support of H.R. 3229, the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act.

In the history of organized military operations, the infantry occupies a unique place of honor. Life as an infantryman is a constant barrage of exercise and training often in brutal situations that simulate combat zone operations.

Due to the very nature of an infantry position of work with arms, bombs, and physical stress, casualties occur in both war and peacetime situations. The infantry is the main combatant in war. It fights the battle at the root and cuts off the enemy at the knee. It is at once the most fearless, courageous, noble, intelligent and selfless branch of the military.

From crossing the ice-filled Delaware River to walking the streets of Baghdad, it is the infantryman who is willing to pay the ultimate price to protect American freedoms.

I am proud to represent ``The Home of the Infantry,'' Fort Benning, here in Congress, and I am humbled and honored to be a cosponsor of this legislation. A great nation is measured in part by how it remembers those who defended, preserved, and contributed to its heritage. The United States Army Infantry has contributed greatly over the years at a tremendous human cost, and it is incumbent upon those of us serving in Congress to pay tribute to their sacrifices.

The minting of the infantry coin will not cost the taxpayers any money and the sale of the coins will completely cover the cost of the minting. The mint will actually receive a small profit from every coin that is sold. Money raised from the sale of the coins will help make sure that the National Infantry Museum located at Fort Benning will always be the keeper of the history, artifacts, and memories of our brave Army Infantry.

The National Infantry Museum sits on a 200-acre site that will serve as a tribute to the infantry's legacy of valor and sacrifice, and will also serve as a functional area for basic training graduations and other special and community events. The museum will honor infantry soldiers for their selfless service to our country while also preserving for all time the history that so poignantly tells their stories.

I want to thank Major General (Retired) Jerry White and Colonel (Retired) Greg Camp for their years of hard work and dedication in making the National Infantry Museum a reality. In addition, I would like to thank Congressman Lynn Westmoreland as well as Edward Jones from Congressman Westmoreland's office, and Jonathan Halpern and Ed Larkin from my staff for their steadfast efforts on this project.

I urge my colleagues to please join me in supporting this legislation and in supporting our proud Army Infantry.

I urge the adoption of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 70, the Fiscal Year 2009 budget resolution.

I want to commend Chairman Spratt, Ranking Member Ryan, as well as Senators Conrad and Gregg, for their outstanding work in fashioning a fiscally responsible budget that will improve our Nation's flagging economy and address vital funding priorities.

Many people in Georgia and across the Nation are struggling in these difficult times.

They are struggling with skyrocketing energy costs, especially the high gasoline prices. In some parts of the Georgia's Second Congressional District, the price of a gallon of gas is over four dollars. It is having a ripple effect in many if not all sectors of the economy.

They also are struggling with the rising cost of health care and education. It is especially troubling to me why programs which help low- and middle-income Americans--especially veterans--afford medical care and a college education have been placed on the chopping block by our President over the last 7 years.

They are struggling with the weakening housing market. As many as two million Americans may see their mortgage rates increase in the next two years, with many of them losing their homes as a result of bad lending practices. Tens of millions of homeowners could see the value of their homes--their primary investment--drop in value as well.

America needs to put its fiscal house in order if it wants to retain its competitive edge and remain strong into the future.

I am pleased that the Fiscal Year 2009 budget resolution rejects the President's harmful discretionary spending cuts and makes important investments in veterans' health care, Medicare and Medicaid, affordable housing, education initiatives, our Nation's transportation infrastructure, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.

As a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, I am especially glad that the budget resolution brings the budget into balance by 2012 and fully complies with the PAYGO rule. It is difficult to believe that over the last 7 years we have gone from a $5.6 trillion surplus to a $3.2 trillion deficit. Our gross Federal debt is approaching $10 trillion dollars--the highest it has ever been in the Nation's history. The amount of this debt that is held by other countries such as China, Japan, and the OPEC nations also has more than doubled since the Bush administration took office in January 2001.

The budget resolution demonstrates that it is possible to fund vital programs, provide middle-income tax relief, eliminate the deficit over the next 5 years, pay down the national debt, and promote economic growth--all in a fiscally responsible manner. I strongly support this conference agreement, and I urge my colleagues to approve it.

Madam Chairman, I have an amendment that I would like considered.

I rise today to introduce an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act which, if enacted, will provide 180 days of transitional health care for servicemembers who leave active duty and choose to join the National Guard or the Ready Reserves. The text of this amendment is H.R. 5609, which is a bipartisan measure with 51 cosponsors.

Many of our citizens, Madam Chairman, joined the Armed Forces out of a sense of duty and desire to serve our Nation. They joined with the clear understanding that we must have volunteers who are willing to serve to defend our country's freedoms and our way of life.

Our transitional health care amendment will offer the departing soldier, sailor, marine, or airman and their family a bridge of comfort for 180 days after they leave active duty if they join either the National Guard or one of the Ready Reserves.

This amendment will provide former servicemembers with additional time to find a job, to enroll in college, or relocate to another city, with the peace of mind that if a health problem arises, they will not be left without a place to turn or unmanageable medical bills. At a time when we ask so much of our all-volunteer force, this small measure is a benefit which our servicemembers really have earned.

Our veterans are not looking for a handout, they are really looking, as this amendment will provide, for a lift up. It will keep our best- trained soldiers and proven leaders in the Guard and Reserves and enable our military to continue the fight against a determined and unpredictable enemy.

Since September 11, 2001, we have had over 600,000 members of the Guard and the Reserves called to active duty. Without the Guard and Ready Reserves, our ability to defend against enemies both foreign and domestic would be greatly reduced. With the potential to retain 13,000 additional trained soldiers, sailors, marines or airmen for these forces, I believe that this amendment will save our Guard and our Ready Reserves significant cost in retraining new recruits.

This legislation is supported by the National Guard, the Army and the Air, the Army Reserve, the Navy Reserve, the Marine Corps Reserve, the Air Force Reserve, the Coast Guard Reserve. In addition, it's supported by the Guard and Reserve professional organizations, as well as the leading veterans organizations, including the National Guard Association, the Association of the United States Army, the Reserve Officers Association, Military Officers Association of America, the National Association for Uniformed Services, the VFW, and the American Legion.

So I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment, which demonstrates that we are serious about helping our servicemembers while keeping a trained and ready reserve force.

Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I'm pleased to cosponsor this amendment which would provide public access to the names of the graduates and instructors of WHINSEC, which is located at Fort Benning, where I'm privileged to represent.

I have been in this House some 16 years, and every one of those 16 years I have found myself in the position of defending this school. Throughout my years of representing Fort Benning, I've visited on many occasions this institute, and consistently I've supported the institute's efforts to provide civil and military training and leadership skills to our friends and our partners in Latin America. They do a tremendous job.

It serves as a unique, creative and a powerful tool in preserving democracy and fighting the global war on terror, promoting human rights, and facilitating international cooperation in our hemisphere.

But every fall we have hundreds of thousands of protesters who come to our city and cause millions of dollars to be spent in security because the protestors believe that some sinister activities take place at this school. Transparency is the only way to put the lie to that, and to show the wonderful work that takes place at that school.

And so I agree with my colleague, Mr. McGovern. We've been on different sides of this issue for many years. But with regard to this, I believe it's appropriate that transparency be there, and that the personnel who attend or teach at the institute should be made public as a matter of transparency. I believe that allowing information will prevent attempts to discredit the institute, will fortify the public's belief in its mission.

We must keep open the channels of information that show WHINSEC's true purpose, namely, that protecting human rights and building democratic governments requires a continued, concerted effort by friends, both at home and abroad.

Please join me in supporting this to secure that the institutions that we entrust promote democratic principles.

Please, I ask this House to join me in supporting this effort to ensure that the institution that we entrust to promote democratic principles remains open for review and discussion.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and help us put the lie to

all of these protesters that come down and pretend, or that, through misinformation, believe that some sinister activities are taking place there. Please support this amendment. It's good for the school, and it's good for American democracy.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with Representatives Todd Tiahrt, Jeff Miller, Doris Matsui, Jo Ann Emerson, John Tanner and 76 other cosponsors of H. Res. 1026 to commemorate the Congressional Club on its 100th anniversary.

The Congressional Club was established in 1908 ``to promote sociability among its members, create a common meeting place, and further a personal acquaintance among the women of the Congressional circle.'' In the early 20th century, Members of Congress actually had little time for making friends outside of Congress and/or government. It largely fell upon the wives to forge acquaintances in the Nation's capital, since many of them led solitary lives while away from their home States.

In 1914, the club moved into a Beaux Arts-style mansion located on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U Street, Northwest, here in Washington, D.C., where it continues to be the meeting place to this day. It has maintained its mission of serving as a place for spouses of Members of both the House and the Senate to develop nonpartisan, bipartisan, I might say, friendships. In addition, its membership has been broadened to include both female and male spouses as more women have been elected to Congress over the last century.

The club also counts among its members spouses of Supreme Court Justices and the President's Cabinet, as well as former First Ladies. It has been a center for service since its founding, providing aid to our Nation's soldiers; supporting local police and fire departments; hosting receptions for senior citizens, the disadvantaged, young people and spouses of ambassadors. It is entirely self-supporting from membership dues and the sale of the Congressional Club cookbook, which includes recipes and signatures of Members of Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, as well as members of the club.

It's interesting to note that 100 years ago this May it took the charm of a determined wife of a Member of Congress to get the Federal legislation incorporating the club approved by the House of Representatives. The House minority leader, John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, had opposed the bill and was using parliamentary procedures to delay and to defeat the bill.

History has it that when Mrs. Williams, his spouse, who favored the club, heard about her husband's opposition, she invited him to lunch the day that the measure was to be considered on the House floor. After lunch, he withdrew his opposition and his request for a recorded vote, saying that, ``It is the opinion of the gentleman from Mississippi that there will not be a roll call because it would cause a great deal of unhappiness in Washington.''

As the proud spouse of the current president of the Congressional Club, Vivian Creighton Bishop, I'm pleased to be the sponsor of this resolution commemorating the club on reaching this important milestone.

I want to commend a number of people for their outstanding work in bringing this resolution to the floor: Richard Henkle on Congressman Tiahrt's staff; Doug Thompson on Congressman Tanner's staff; Denise Wilson on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee; and Jonathan Halpern on my staff. I also would like to thank Vicki Tiahrt, Susie Skelton and Lydia de La Vina De Foley for their excellent efforts in support of the club and, of course, in support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank my colleagues who are cosponsors for their extraordinary support of this resolution, and I urge its immediate adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Conference Report of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. I'd like to thank the conferees who worked diligently, day and night for weeks, to craft this bipartisan agreement.

This bill provides an adequate safety net for our farmers and guarantees an affordable and nutritious food supply for the youngest and most vulnerable among us, all in a fiscally responsible way. This bill also helps producers of all commodities stay on the land they hold and love so they may continue with their livelihood, and encourages conservation of natural resources and land for use by future generations.

The bill before us today addresses many of the needs of those in southwest Georgia and Georgia's Second Congressional District, which I represent. The peanut rotation program in the conference agreement, which we paved the way for in the House bill last summer, will bring peanut growers into the next generation of agriculture by encouraging a cleaner, greener method of planting while ensuring an affordable and accessible supply to the markets that rely on U.S.-grown peanuts.

I'm also pleased that Congress has seen fit to include $100 million for Pigford Claims. This funding will begin to make up for USDA's historical inability to govern our Nation's agriculture programs in a fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory manner.

Many in this legislative body believe this bill is not perfect; truth be told, I am among them. I have concerns about this legislation's ability to completely serve our family farmers in the face of skyrocketing fertilizer and diesel costs, an unstable commodities market that could

see prices plummet just as easily as it saw prices skyrocket, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns that decimate entire crops in mere seconds.

Despite those worries, I am even more concerned by those who view this bill as not having reformed our commodity programs enough.

No, not every single reform requested by President Bush has been met. No, we haven't reduced the AGI to $200,000, or completely rearranged the accounting in this bill to deal with the changing baselines and budgetary gimmicking touted by the White House.

But, there has been meaningful compromise on behalf of the lawmakers to whom this legislation is most important. This legislation meets the White House demands by more than half way; this legislation represents billions of dollars to not just rural America, but to people living in every corner of this country.

And, if we can spend billions of dollars fighting a war and rebuilding another country, including supporting that country's land use and agriculture programs, I think we ought to be able to find it within our means here in Congress to support American agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, we must pass this conference report today, and we must do it by a sizable margin to send a message to the President that we will not be bullied by his negotiating tactics.

Today, I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle ``Let us not let the `perfect' be the enemy of the `good'.'' Let us pass this conference report today for our farmers and the others across this great Nation who rely on a safe and domestically grown food source.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the first girls' State championship basketball team from the city of Columbus, Georgia, the Kendrick High School Lady Cherokees.

On Saturday, March 8, 2008, the Lady Cherokees finished a perfect season with a 79-67 win over Carrolton High School. The victory followed three years of close calls for the Lady Cherokees--in 2005, 2006, and again last year in 2007--during which they found themselves in the finals or semifinals of the state basketball tournament, only to lose by slight margins.

However, 2008 proved to be the year of the Lady Cherokees. Their victory in this year's AAA State championship embodied 3 years of frustration, hard work, and determination bursting forth into a singular moment of athletic perfection and teamwork.

With a 32-0 record, the Lady Cherokees became only the third girls' basketball team in the last decade to complete a perfect season. Additionally, the team's seniors completed their high school career with an astonishing 121-5 record.

I cannot put into words the amount of pride that everyone in Columbus, and indeed in the Second Congressional District, has in being able to call this outstanding group of young women its own. They have accomplished a special goal, one that could not have been possible without the unrelenting support and encouragement from their coach, Sterling Hicks, as well as their families, schoolmates, and everyone in the community who believed in their ability to bring home a State championship trophy.

Madam Speaker, these special young women have worked hard, persevered, made sacrifices, and developed the character that will help them to succeed in other aspects of life.

I am proud to represent them and once again congratulate them on their history-making achievement.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent yesterday afternoon, April 14, on very urgent business. Had I been present for the three votes which occurred yesterday, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 886, rollcall vote No. 183; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 994, rollcall vote No. 184; and I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 3548, rollcall vote No. 185.

Madam Speaker, I'm honored to sponsor this bipartisan resolution, along with Representatives Buyer, Shimkus and Taylor, to congratulate the United States Army Reserve on its 100th anniversary, which will be formally celebrated on April 23, 2008.

The resolution, which has 260 cosponsors, also commemorates the contributions of Army Reserve veterans who've helped to ensure that the United States' vital national security interests are protected and defended in times of war and peace.

I'm very gratified by the outpouring of bipartisan support that this resolution has received. It's indicative of the high regard and esteem in which the Army Reserve is held among Members of Congress and the American people.

As a current member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, as well as the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Committee, I've been extremely impressed by the level of commitment that Army Reserve soldiers bring to their work, and by their high degree of professionalism. They truly are ``twice the citizen,'' as Winston Churchill once remarked.

Today, the U.S. Army Reserve is composed of more than 30,000 officers and 150,000 enlisted soldiers. They have an active presence in 1,100 communities across our Nation, contributing military values, important job skills, and economic support. They are husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They are our neighbors, our friends, our acquaintances and our colleagues at work. These soldiers can be called up at any time to serve our Nation, and they must be trained and prepared to respond at a moment's notice.

Here in the House of Representatives, 24 Members, including myself, have been privileged to serve in the Reserves. In fact, two of the lead sponsors of this resolution, Representatives Steve Buyer and John Shimkus, still serve in the Army Reserve.

As this resolution notes, the role of today's Army Reserve soldier has expanded and changed dramatically since President Roosevelt first requested that Congress establish a reserve of trained officers. On April 23, 1908, Congress responded to the President's request by establishing a permanent reserve corps of trained medical officers. The modest corps represented the humble start of what is today a multi- faceted operational and strategic force.

Since then, their duties have expanded. The Army Reserve is now an integral component in any active U.S. Army mission. They have answered the call of duty in World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Panama, the Gulf War, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and, of course, since September 11, 2001, in Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Through October 31, 2007, 102 Army Reserve soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, an additional four Reserve officers have lost their lives in combat. We dedicate this resolution to their memory and to the memory of all Reserve soldiers who fought and died defending our Nation's freedoms throughout our history.

We dedicate this resolution to our living heroes as well, to those men and women who continue their service to our Nation in the U.S. Army Reserve today.

I want to commend several staff members for the outstanding work in bringing this resolution to the floor: Kevin Coughlin, Joe Hicken and John Chapla on the House Armed Services Committee, Tim Welter and Abel Carreiro on Congressman Buyer's staff, Grant Culp from Congressman Shimkus' staff, Randy Jennings on Congressman Taylor's staff, David Whitney on the House Judiciary Committee, Lieutenant General Jack C. Stultz and Lieutenant Colonel Rob Young of the Army Reserve, and Jonathan Halpern and Ed Larkin on my staff.

Madam Speaker, I, again, thank my colleagues who are cosponsors for their extraordinary support of this resolution, and I urge its immediate adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1061, authored by my good friend from the Georgia delegation, Mr. John Lewis.

Since his death 40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has come to be known as a visionary who drove political and social change in our country. And, as the Civil Rights movement evolved, he was an indispensable figure who made historic progress toward fulfilling the country's promise of freedom and justice for all.

As a student at Morehouse, I was greatly influenced by his faith- oriented philosophy--something which still guides me today. I remember meeting him on the Morehouse campus, where he had been a student himself a few years before and where he often returned.

Before deciding on Emory Law School, I entertained the notion of going to seminary just as Dr. King did. In the end I decided to become a lawyer, in part because I realized that every time Dr. King went to jail, he needed a lawyer to help to get him out.

Unfortunately I never had the privilege of helping him get out of jail. Forty years ago this month, I marched behind the mule-drawn wagon that carried his coffin, and I sang at his funeral as a member of the Morehouse Glee Club. It was an experience that will always remain vivid in my memory.

Of course, Martin Luther King, Jr. was not a perfect person. He never claimed to be. Like all of us, he was a human being. But he possessed an abundance of qualities that ultimately made him an heroic and patriotic figure.

He had unwavering faith not only in God, but also this country. He possessed limitless courage and sacrifice in the name of that faith, and endured numerous beatings, jailings, and dangers. He showed tremendous organizational skill by bringing people together and forging a consensus when no one else could.

And his brilliant oratorical skill--eloquence and logic coupled with an appeal to better ourselves.

In his eulogy for Dr. King, Dr. Benjamin Mays said:

``[Dr. King] had faith in this country. He died striving to

desegregate and integrate America to the end that this great

nation of ours, born in revolution and blood, conceived in

liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are

created free and equal, will truly become the lighthouse of

freedom . . .''

Martin Luther King, Jr. will be remembered this week as a great leader of the civil rights era, a humanitarian, a man of God, a crusader, and by his family, as a loving husband and father.

Additionally, many of us remember a man who lived his life in pursuit of this country's founding principles. So as we commemorate his life with this resolution in the United States House of Representatives--I would also like to remember him as one of America's great patriots.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Representatives Steve Buyer, Gene Taylor, Jeff Miller and 41 additional members, to introduce legislation to provide transitional health care for the Selected Reserves.

When an active duty soldier is involuntarily separated from the Army, he or she is afforded 180 days of transitional health care at no cost. Unfortunately, those soldiers who have served honorably and simply leave active duty at the end of their contractual agreement with one of the military services are not afforded transitional health care.

The brave men and women who join the ranks of our proud military deserve every consideration upon their release from active duty. This legislation provides an important measure to the servicemembers and their families as they move to civilian life. It seeks to keep the skilled military members in the Guard and Reserves.

Without our dedicated Guard and Reserves forces, it is impossible to keep the threat of terrorism at bay and sustain the Global War on Terrorism. Retaining these highly skilled men and women is paramount in maintaining

our Nation's security. Skills learned while serving on active duty and carried to the Guard and Reserves will provide for future national and world threats. This small incentive allows departing service members a period of adjustment without worrying about a sudden illness or a health emergency.

It is interesting to note that since September 11, 2001, we have had over 600,000 members of the Guard and Reserves called to active duty. Without the Selected Ready Reserves, our ability to defend against enemies foreign and domestic would be greatly reduced. The strength of our Guard and Reserves has always been those former active duty servicemembers who join their ranks.

Those servicemembers also represent a trained pool of military talent available to serve our Guard and Reserves in a different capacity . . . a citizen patriot. Congress should act quickly to help support our Guard and Reserves by passing this bill. I am proud to sponsor this bill along with the many co-sponsors and encourage you to support this important measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Representatives Todd Tiahrt, Jeff Miller, Doris Matsui, Jo-Ann Emerson, and John Tanner, to introduce a resolution to commemorate the Congressional Club on its 100th anniversary.

The Congressional Club was established in 1908 ``to promote sociability among its members, create a common meeting place, and further a personal acquaintance among the women of the Congressional circle.'' In the early 20th century, Members of Congress actually had little time for making friends outside of Congress or Government. It largely fell upon the wives to forge acquaintances in the Nation's Capital, since many of them led solitary lives while away from their home States.

In 1914, the club moved into a Beaux Arts-style mansion on the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U Street, Northwest, in Washington, DC, where it continues to be the meeting place to this day. It has maintained its mission of serving as a place for spouses of Members of both the House and Senate to develop non-partisan friendships. In addition, its membership has been broadened to include both female and male spouses as more women have been elected to Congress over the last century.

The club also counts among its members spouses of Supreme Court Justices and the President's Cabinet, as well as former First Ladies. It has been a center for service since its founding--providing aid to our Nation's soldiers; supporting local police and fire departments; and hosting receptions for senior citizens, the disadvantaged, and spouses of Ambassadors. It is entirely self-supporting from membership dues and the sale of the Congressional club cookbook, which includes recipes and signatures of Members of Congress, First Ladies, Ambassadors, and members of the club.

It is interesting to note that 100 years ago this May, it took the charm of a determined wife of a Member of Congress to get the Federal legislation incorporating the club approved by the House of Representatives. The House Minority Leader, John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, had opposed the bill and was using parliamentary procedures to defeat the bill.

History has it that when Mrs. Williams, who favored the club, heard about her husband's opposition, she invited him to lunch the day the measure was on the House floor. After lunch, he withdrew his opposition and his request for a recorded vote, saying that ``it is the opinion of the gentleman from Mississippi that . . . there will not be a roll call because it would cause a great deal of unhappiness in Washington.''

As the proud spouse of the current president of the Congressional Club, Vivian Creighton Bishop, it likely would cause a great deal of happiness in my household and the households of many other Members if this resolution is voted upon in the near future. I am pleased to be the sponsor of this resolution commemorating the club on reaching this important milestone and I urge its quick adoption.