Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a forgotten soldier whose achievements mandate acknowledgement from this deliberative body. The Second Congressional District of Georgia is proud to call the late Maceo Snipes--a man of distinction--one of our own. In recognition of his service and tragic death, a memorial service was held in his honor on Saturday, July 21, 2007.

On March 28, 1909 Maceo Snipes was born to the late John and Lula Snipes in Taylor County, Georgia. At the age of 34, he enlisted into the U.S. Army, where he honorably fought in World War II.

Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Rupert, Georgia, where his courage continued to exemplify. Maceo Snipes made history in Taylor County, when he made a statement by voting in the 1946 primary election. In this process, he became the first African-American to vote in Taylor County since the Reconstruction.

Unfortunately the novelty actions of Mr. Snipes led others to bigotry. The next day Maceo Snipes was shot at his family home in Taylor County, Georgia. Three days following the brutal shooting, Maceo Snipes died in Atlanta, GA. The day was July 17, 1946. Although he died, his diligent spirit will continue to live in the memories of Georgians. For years to come, proponents of civil rights will look to his example for inspiration.

So on this 24th day of July, 2007, I with great honor commend Maceo Snipes for his service and bravery. Snipes is a credit to the ideal American, who devoted his life to his community and our country.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I represent Fort Benning; and I represent the WHINSEC, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. This is a fine institution. It's designed and it is functioning, created just in 2001 in response to the critique that you have heard today over and over again to promote professional education and training to eligible nations in the Western Hemisphere in democratic principles that are set forth in the charter of the Organization of American States.

You have heard all of this critique, but if you look at the bill itself that we are debating tonight, on page 65, language is put in here specifically to address these concerns. It says, ``That the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations, no later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, a report addressing how the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation IMET program for fiscal year 2008 contributes to the promotion of human rights, respect for civilian authority and the rule of law, the establishment of legitimate judicial mechanisms for the military, and achieving the goal of right sizing military forces.''

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent yesterday afternoon, June 18, on very urgent business. Had I been present for the three votes which occurred yesterday evening, I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 2563, rollcall vote No. 499; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Con. Res. 151, rollcall vote No. 500; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 233, rollcall vote No. 501.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Lenore Golden Shackelford of Quitman, GA. In recognition of her 60 plus years of service to her community in south Georgia and her nomination by the National Coalition of One Hundred Black Women as a ``Woman Who Inspires.''

Ms. Shackelford, a native of Quitman, GA, has spent the greater balance of her life in service to the community there. In 1950 she started her professional career as a Social studies teacher and Girls' Basketball Coach at Morven Rosenwald High School in Brooks County. She went on to teach the fourth and fifth grades at New Empress Elementary School in Brooks County before returning to school and receiving her Certification in Guidance and Counseling from Florida A & M University in 1959.

She returned to service in education as a Social Studies Teacher and School Counselor at Washington Street High School in Quitman, GA. Ms. Shackelford was one of the first certified school counselors in the state of Georgia and the first school counselor in Brooks County.

Ms. Shackelford was a devoted teacher and counselor, who made it her mission to have direct interaction with each of her students in order to help them have productive futures. During her 30 years as a school counselor, Ms. Shackelford was also very active in her community. She coordinated community committees to address personnel issues in the Brooks County School System, organized Human Rights Committees, and played an instrumental role in establishing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Brooks County Public Schools.

So, on this the 19th day of June, 2007, I with great honor commend Ms. Lenore Golden Shackelford, for her many years of unheralded service to the people of Brooks County. She is truly a credit to the Second Congressional District of Georgia, the State of Georgia, and the United States as a whole.

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among veterans who access the VA health care system is markedly higher than that of the general population. Furthermore, barriers within this system contribute to already late diagnoses of HIV among veterans. Early diagnosis is crucial because the sooner an HIV-infected person begins treatment, the more manageable and the more cost effective their treatment will be.

I speak today as a member of the subcommittee with concern about the impact of HIV/AIDS on veterans, not only in Georgia, but throughout the Southeast and every major city around the Nation.

The need for action on this issue, Mr. Chairman, is exemplified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent Heightened Response to HIV/AIDS in African American Communities initiative. These actions follow the September 2006 release of the CDC's revised HIV testing guidelines, which advise HIV testing become a routine part of medical care.

The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States and, therefore, the largest provider of HIV care in the country. However, VA's current HIV testing policy is based on an outdated testing model which is inconsistent with the CDC guidelines.

Compared to the general population, the prevalence of HIV infections is higher among those accessing the VA health care system. A recent study that was conducted by a VA researcher found that at the time of diagnosis 55 percent of HIV-positive veterans had already developed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, which takes roughly 10 years to develop after it's initially contracted.

Even more disturbing is the fact that most of these veterans had accessed the VA health care system on an average of six times before they were ever diagnosed with this disease. This outdated VA HIV testing policy denies veterans sensible and what is now recommended as standard access to HIV screening in other health care systems.

I applaud the chairman for his leadership in making health care for veterans a priority in the VA appropriations bill. Mr. Chairman, I'm hoping that we can work together to further explore this important issue and address it in an appropriate way as we move forward on the VA Appropriations measure for fiscal 2008.

At this point, I'd like to ask the chairman of the subcommittee if he would be so kind as to yield to Mr. Jackson from Illinois to speak to the issue of HIV prevalence among veterans.

I thank the gentleman, our subcommittee chairman, for his tremendous work and bringing our bill to the floor.

Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to rise in full support of our FY 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

As a member of the subcommittee, I am extremely proud of the work that the subcommittee and members on both sides of the aisle have done in crafting a bill which truly supports America's servicemen and -women and their families by boosting military construction funding so that they can have more effective training facilities, better housing, health care and day-care facilities, providing an unprecedented $21.4 billion investment in military construction, family housing and BRAC, or nearly $207 million more than the President's request.

Just as important, I am extremely proud to join my subcommittee colleagues in recommending a historic expansion in support and resources for our Nation's veterans. This bill includes the largest single increase in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration, increasing the VA budget by $6.7 billion above the 2007 level and $3.8 billion above the President's request.

For the first time in history, funding for VA medical care exceeds the budget of the veterans service organization's independent budget that has been going on now for decades. This will ensure quality health care for 5.8 million patients, including about 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, who the VA will treat, expectantly, in FY 2008.

This bill will provide veterans with health care and benefits that we have promised them, resulting in the hiring of more qualified doctors and nurses to improve medical services to our veterans and to reduce the waiting times for doctor appointments and to provide more help to veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury, PTSD, mental health care issues and lost limbs to rebuild their lives. This is truly an accomplishment that all of us, as Members of this august body, should be very proud of.

Of note, our bill also provides funding that gives much-needed nonrecurring maintenance of the VA health care facilities, $500 million above the President's request to prevent a Walter Reed-type situation from occurring in the VA medical system. It will significantly reduce the 400,000 claims backlog of veterans that are waiting for disability and other benefit determinations.

It will provide for better barracks, housing, training facilities for our troops when they return from combat through an unprecedented $24.4 billion investment in military construction, family housing and BRAC, $207 million more than the President's request.

It provides funds to grow our military forces to begin the process of supporting an additional 65,000 Army, 27,000 Marine and 9,000 National Guard troops that will increase our ultimate end strength.

I have the privilege and the honor of representing Fort Benning and Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, and the men and women who work, live and train at this great military facility, who are defending and serving our great Nation with dignity, honor and distinction.

As such, I was very pleased that our subcommittee saw fit to include full funding for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Account, which is also known as BRAC, at the level of $8.2 billion. This level of funding will be critically important to military facilities, such as Fort Benning, which are expected to see and experience significant new personnel as a result of BRAC and the global repositioning of our forces around the world.

While we in the Columbus area continue to have some concerns with respect to what impact the BRAC process may have on our local school systems in terms of potential dramatic increases in school enrollment, we continue to be encouraged by the interest and support shown by our colleagues on the subcommittee, particularly Mr. Edwards, our chairman.

Finally, I would like to recognize and thank the staff of the subcommittee, Carol Murphy, Mary Arnold, Walter Hearne, Tim Bishop and Donna Shabaz, majority staff; Liz Dawson, Deana Baron and Jamie Swafford, minority staff; and, of course, Michael Reed on my staff for their hard work.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent yesterday afternoon, June 11, on very urgent business. Had I been present for the three votes which occurred yesterday evening, I would have

voted ``aye'' on H.R. 2356, rollcall vote No. 448; I would have voted ``aye'' on S. 676, rollcall vote No. 449; I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 418, rollcall vote No. 450.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Command Sergeant Major Douglas M. Greenway of Ft. Benning, GA. The Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army's Infantry School, he will soon retire from the Army after a long career of distinguished service.

CSM Greenway entered the Army in 1979, completed Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, GA. He graduated from Sergeants Major Academy Class 50 and completed all levels of the Non-Commissioned Officer Educational System, NCOES, including the Sergeants Major Academy and Command Sergeants Major Course.

CSM Greenway also has honorably and dutifully served his country in several posts, both stateside and abroad, including Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Just Cause in Panama.

Concurrent with his service, CSM Greenway has been honored with numerous awards and medals, most notably the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Ranger Tab, the Master Parachutists Badge, and Drill Sergeants Badge.

In addition to his many years of service, honors, medals, and commendations from countless colleagues, last month CSM Greenway made history: he and his son, Brandon, were the first father and son team to compete in the Best Ranger Competition, a grueling competition held every year at Fort Benning that demands exceptional navigational skill, great physical strength and a keen intellect.

Madam Speaker, at this time in our nation's history, we are in need of leaders, of individuals who step forward and exemplify the concept of ``service above self.'' We need more people like Command Sergeant Major Douglas M. Greenway.

It is an honor to recognize him here today. I humbly thank him for his service and for his contribution, not just to Fort Benning, but to the United States of America.

Madam Speaker, my wife Vivian, all of our colleagues here in the Congress, and all of the hundreds of workers here on Capitol Hill were deeply saddened to learn of the death of our friend and colleague, Juanita Millender-McDonald.

Words are never adequate at a time of loss. Only one who has worn the garment of bereavement can truly understand the pain that comes when a family must confront the inevitable that one has been taken from its midst. Yet, upon prayerful reflection we must all allow our tears to melt into joy, because truly we have been blessed to have known, to love, and to have been a part of the life of this very, very exceptional woman.

Juanita was a lady of achievement, of service, of public distinction, of beauty, of grace, of dignity. She was elegant and she was eloquent. She was the epitome of refinement, but she was committed. She was intellectual, she was a lady of principle, and she was an advocate for justice.

Juanita was a person of great courage. She took on the toughest fight, but she fought it with dignity. Even in her illness, she took on that tough fight. I was happy to call her my friend, but I was happier for her to call me friend and confidante.

The poet wrote, ``Full many a gem of purest ray serene, the dark unfathomed caves of oceans bear; full many a flower is born to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness on the desert air.'' We are blessed and so happy that Juanita's sweetness was not wasted, but that we and the world are better because she was here.

We wish Godspeed and the consolation of the Holy Spirit for her husband, her children, and her grandchildren as we share in your loss and bid our good friend and colleague farewell.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend a company that has made Columbus, GA, the Second Congressional District of Georgia and the United States proud. Synovus, a diversified financial services holding company based in Columbus, GA, recently was named by Forbes magazine to their Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies.

To create the list, Forbes looked at more than 1,000 publicly traded companies with at least $1 billion in revenue, and chose 400 based on metrics, earnings forecasts, corporate governance ratings, and other public company information. Of course, Forbes selected these companies not just for their financial performance, but also for their leadership, innovation, and execution.

The story of Synovus epitomizes the American spirit, exemplifying the kindness, innovation and enterprising character that has come to define this country. In the 1880s, a mill worker at Eagle and Phenix Mill in Columbus caught her dress in a piece of machinery. As her dress tore, her life savings, which she had sewn into her hem thinking it was the safest place for her money, spilled across the floor.

G. Gunby Jordan, the mill's secretary and treasurer, happened by and offered to keep her money in the mill safe and pay her monthly interest on the deposits. He soon offered the same service to all the mill workers, a system which years later, inspired Mr. Gunby to establish the institution that became Columbus Bank and Trust Company--Synovus' lead bank.

More than a century has passed since that torn dress, and like the act that founded Synovus, the company has continued to operate on the principles of integrity, character, treating people right and doing the right thing.

And it has served the company in good stead: Today, Synovus is one of the largest and strongest financial institutions in the Southeast, with 39 banks and $31 billion in assets.

Indeed, I am proud to have this company in my district. Please join me in congratulating Synovus and its 14,000 employees on receiving this award.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend a company that has made Columbus, GA, the Second Congressional District of Georgia and the United States proud. Aflac, Inc., a company that epitomizes corporate citizenship and responsibility towards its employees, recently was named by Forbes magazine to their Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies.

To create the list, Forbes looked at more than 1,000 publicly traded companies with at least $1 billion in revenue, and chose 400 based on metrics, earnings forecasts, corporate governance ratings, and other public company information. Of course, Forbes selected these companies not just for their financial performance, but also for their leadership, innovation, and execution.

Founded in downtown Columbus, GA, in 1955 by brothers John, Paul and Bill Amos, the American Family Life Insurance Company ended its first year with 6,426 policyholders and $388,000 in assets. Today, Aflac has over $56 billion in assets and insures 40 million people worldwide. Additionally, Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States.

As it has gained respect around the world, Aflac has been an asset to my district, providing 3,800 employees in our area with good jobs and a positive work environment. In addition to this year's award from Forbes, Aflac has received many others, including being named among Fortune magazine's ``Best Places to Work'' for 9 years running, as one of the ``Best Companies for Diversity'' by Black Enterprise magazine, and among the ``100 Best Companies for Working Mothers'' by Working Mother magazine.

Aflac also makes significant contributions to the community, including a gift of nearly $34 million to the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service at Children's HealthCare in Atlanta.

Indeed, I am proud to have this company in my district. Please join me in congratulating Aflac and its 69,000 U.S.-based agents on receiving this award.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to stand this afternoon to give some remarks about our colleague and dear friend, Charlie Norwood.

Shakespeare wrote that all the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players. Each has his entrance and his exit. One man in his time may play many parts.

So it was with Charlie. Charlie was a son, a son to Charlie Norwood, Sr., and Lola. He was a husband to Gloria. He was a father to Charlie and Carlton and a grandfather. And he was a cousin to two very, very wonderful ladies down in Valdosta who said that they often prayed for Cousin Charlie, because they just couldn't understand how he became a Republican.

Charlie was a student. Charlie got his bachelor's. He studied dentistry. He was a soldier. He served his country. He was in Vietnam. But Charlie was a public servant. Charlie believed in serving leadership, and he lived it.

Charlie really was great, because measured by the standards of Jesus, that he who is great among you shall be your servant, and he who is greatest shall be servant unto all, Charlie measured up.

Charlie was a fighter. Charlie fought hard for any principle in which he believed. He didn't give up, as you heard, on the Patients' Bill of Rights. He was a fierce competitor. I often didn't agree with him, but I had to admire his tenacity, because he was a fighter. And all the way to the end, Charlie fought. He fought for life.

We are all blessed, really blessed, to have known Charlie. And Gloria was devoted to Charlie. She took leave from her duties as a member of the Congressional Club to attend to Charlie, to give Charlie her best efforts in his last days.

But Charlie served well. He really embodied God's minute. I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it; forced upon me, can't refuse it; didn't seek it, didn't choose, did it; I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it; just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.

Thank you, Charlie. You used your minute well.

Mr. Speaker, I support the troops, their families, and those who have sacrificed so much in this war. But like others who supported the Iraq efforts in the past, I have serious reservations about the President's new way forward.

On Friday, this House will vote on a resolution asking Members to support our troops but oppose the President's plan to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. For me, this will be a sobering moment. I have spent many days agonizing over the issue, and I do not take lightly the judgment to rebuke the decision of the President, our Commander in Chief. But I have sent off and welcomed home thousands of soldiers at Fort Benning. I have seen the anguish on the faces of families as they watch their loved ones march off towards the uncertainty and peril that awaited them in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen the troops return home to those same families, their faces reflecting the elation, relief, and joy of seeing their loved ones safe at home. I have seen the veterans return with Purple Hearts, having lost arms, legs, and suffering from the mental trauma that results from war and the adverse impacts on their families. I have also stood and listened to Taps played over the bodies of too many who have returned in flag-draped coffins. Mr. Speaker, it is time for a change.

The situation in Iraq has become very grave. Like General Schoomaker and countless others, I believe we should not surge without a purpose, and that purpose should be measurable in its outcome. Thus far, the President has not set forth a clear marker against which the purpose and the outcome can be measured. Previous increases in troop strength have not brought a reduction in violence or quelling of sectarian strife. Rather, the problems have intensified, casualties have increased, and political situations show more cracks, corruption, and signs of instability every day.

There are those who say we should not oppose the President's plan without presenting an alternative. I think that may be a fair challenge, but there is another way. We need a new strategy that is based on redeployment rather than further military engagement, one that is centered on handing Iraq back to the Iraqis. As Congressman Murtha has stated: Iraq cannot make the political progress necessary for its stability and security until U.S. forces redeploy. To achieve stability in Iraq and the region, we must redeploy from Iraq.

Why, you might ask? 91 percent of the Sunnis, 74 percent of the Shia want us out. 70 percent of Americans want us out. 72 percent of Americans who served in Iraq last year believe that we should be out by now. 61 percent of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S. led forces. They see us as occupiers and want us out. The longer we stay, the more troops we send, the more violence we see, and the more we help recruiting of radical extremists. So we must redeploy first from Saddam's palaces in Baghdad, then from the cities, the factories, and universities. We must give the country back to the Iraqis and let them govern themselves and rebuild.

Next, we must execute a robust and diplomatic effort, and we must regain our credibility by denouncing aspirations for permanent bases. We must shut down Guantanamo and bulldoze Abu Ghraib prison. These are black eyes on the face of our international credibility. We must articulate clearly a policy of no torture, no exceptions. Then, we must engage dialogue with Iraq and all of its neighbors to promote investment of resources and cooperation for security by the other Arab countries in the region.

Most importantly, we need to repair and restore our strategic military reserves that have already been stressed to the breaking point. Because of the large force already in Iraq, Army ground forces here at home are not mission ready. This is because of both equipment and personnel shortages. The National Guard that remains at home is woefully unready to meet their statutory obligations based on natural disasters, wildfires, terrorism, and other threats to the homeland. The large presence in Iraq has drained readiness and equipment and personnel from the rest of our military. The surge will cost us dearly in billions of dollars and time, and we desperately need to repair, to reconstitute, and to reset our forces to face other significant threats at home and around the world.

We cannot stay the course we are on. We must change. Support our troops and our long-term national security by voting for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Continuing Resolution and commend my colleagues in moving forward from the budgetary crisis left to us the 109th ``Do-Nothing'' Congress. I especially commend Chairman Obey for the overall balance and fairness reflected in this CR given the difficult choices confronting him and the leadership in tackling such a complex fiscal policy challenge. I am pleased to see that key areas such as Veterans and Defense Health, Homeland Security, Transportation, Education and Social Security will be provided modest increases in funding to keep pace with inflation.

However, I am concerned that not fully funding BRAC will likely delay some projects--for example in my district, Fort Benning may not have the ability to undertake the new construction projects planned in conjunction with the growth resulting from the BRAC process.

Additionally, I recognize the explosion of congressional earmarks in recent years which funded special interest projects and promulgated negative perceptions about this legislative body. But the complete omission of earmarks on this year's CR is disconcerting. I am supportive of the process knowing that my district, which is among the poorest in the country, has benefited tremendously from earmarks. Specifically in my district, previously House-approved projects that stand to lose in the CR include funding for: hospitals; water management systems; family counseling and youth mentoring; cancer education and early detection; upgrading sewer systems; and the list goes on.

In many cases, the earmark process has provided an important vehicle for Members of Congress to direct much needed federal support to very worthy projects and organizations which otherwise would be ignored.

We must not throw the ``baby out with the bathwater.'' Moving forward, I pledge to work closely with the leadership on real and effective reforms especially in regards to transparency, efficiency, accountability, and ethics.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a company that has done much for the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia, Flowers Foods, recently named by Forbes magazine as one of the best managed companies in America.

To create the list, Forbes looked at more than 1,000 publicly traded companies with at least $1 billion in revenue, and chose 400 based on metrics, earnings forecasts, corporate governance ratings, and other public company information. From that list, Forbes editors picked one best-managed company from each of the 26 industries represented--and Flowers Foods was among the ``best of the best.'' Forbes selected these companies not just for their financial performance, but also for leadership, innovation, and execution.

Flowers Foods is a leading producer and marketer of packaged bakery goods in the United States. The company operates 36 highly efficient bakeries that produce breads, buns, rolls, snack cakes and pastries which are distributed to foodservice and retail customers in the Southeastern, Southwestern, and Mid-Atlantic States, and frozen to national foodservice and retail customers.

Founded in Thomasville, GA in 1919 by brothers William Howard and Joseph Hampton Flowers, Flowers Foods produces many well-known brands of baked goods including Nature's Own, Sunbeam, ButterKrust, Mi Casa and Bluebird.

In Thomasville alone, which is in my district, Flowers employs 550 people at one bakery. Statewide, Flowers employs 2,110 people at seven bakeries.

Flowers Foods is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, ticker symbol FLO.

Again, please join me in congratulating Flowers Foods on their recent award. It is an excellent company and an integral part of the business community of the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably absent yesterday afternoon, January 11, on very urgent business, having joined President Bush in his visit to Ft. Benning, which, as you know is located in my district. Had I been present for the three votes which occurred yesterday afternoon, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 15, rollcall vote No. 21; I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 3, rollcall vote No. 20; I would have voted ``no'' on H.R. 3, rollcall vote No. 19.