Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 96) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as an aside, it is a pleasure to be here this morning again and see the House presided over by a cagey veteran from the Fifth District of Washington.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 96 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for the 22nd Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service to be held on May 15, 2003. The service will be held on the West Front of the Capitol grounds and is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and its Auxiliary.

The event is open to the public and free of charge, and the sponsor assumes responsibility for all expenses and liabilities related to the event. Additionally, the sponsors of the event must comply with all applicable regulations relating to the use of the Capitol grounds.

This memorial service honors 161 peace officers that have given their lives in the line of duty during the year 2002. Officers gave their lives protecting every State in the Union. This service will honor, and I would like to recognize at this time, four peace officers killed in the line of duty in my home State of Ohio during last year.

Deputy Sheriff Robert Michael Tanner, of the Muskingum County Sheriff's Department, shot and killed on January 8;

Patrolman Eric Bradford Taylor, of the Massillon Police Department, shot and killed on August 9;

Officer Mary Lynn Beall, of the Dayton Police Department, shot and killed on August 25;

And Park Ranger James Pitney of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, killed on December 17.

Each of those officers, Mr. Speaker, was killed while protecting their community.

This memorial service is a very important event. I encourage all of our colleagues to attend this service in honor of our fallen heroes. I support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 53) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 53 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds on June 21, 2003, for the 62nd annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby. This event is open to the public and free of charge. The sponsor of the event assumes all of the responsibilities and liabilities associated with the event. Additionally, the sponsors must comply with all applicable regulations relating to the use of the Capitol grounds.

Children participating in the event range in ages from 9 to 16 and compete in three open divisions depending on their level of experience. The races will occur on Constitution Avenue between Delaware Avenue and Third Street, Northwest.

Winners of the event will go on to represent the Washington Metropolitan Area at the national finals to be held in Akron, Ohio, later in the summer, which are held every year.

I support the resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the gentleman from Tennessee has ever had the thrill of being present during the running of the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I was very fortunate during this last redistricting period to pick up places in Summit County, which is where the city of Akron, Ohio, is located, together with the gentlemen from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) and (Mr. Brown) from your side of the aisle, and we now represent the environs in and around the Akron area.

Clearly, Akron, like a lot of the urban centers across America, has been through some tough times. It used to be known as the Rubber Capital of the World. We had Goodyear, Goodrich, and Firestone all located within the environs of Akron, Ohio. But one of the great prides and joys of our northeastern Ohio area is having the honor of having the national finals of the soap box derby occurring in Akron, Ohio. It is something that is widely attended. It is an experience where these youngsters who are 9 to 16 years of age learn not only the thrill of competing against their peers from all over the country, but they also have the opportunity to actually build the vehicles that they will race here in Washington and also in Akron, Ohio; and they learn craftsmanship as well as teamwork and a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

So I really appreciate the gentleman coming to the floor today and managing the bill on behalf of the minority, and I hope all of our colleagues will support our legislation. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

The last speaker, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello), served as the ranking member on this subcommittee during the last Congress; and although we are pleased to have the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) as our new ranking member, the service that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello) provided to the subcommittee was greatly appreciated by those of us on our side of the aisle; and we do miss his guidance and leadership on a number of these important resolutions. It is an honor to serve in the Congress with him.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time to indicate I am glad we received that announcement because I had run out of soap box derby things to talk about.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 58) honoring the City of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and its many partners for the Festival of Flight, a celebration of the centennial of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight, the first controlled, powered flight in history.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 58 introduced by our distinguished colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) honors the City of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and its many partners for the Festival of Flight, a celebration of the centennial of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight, the first controlled, powered flight in history.

Mr. Speaker, on December 17, 1903, a pair of Ohio bicycle shop owners and brothers named Orville and Wilbur Wright realized their lifelong dream of operating an engine-powered flight machine. On that historic day, they had traveled about 120 feet in the air for 12 seconds at the helm of the 1903 Flyer, a vehicle they had constructed after years of labor and research. The Wright brothers were pioneers in the truest sense of the term. Their strong desire to create a flying vehicle was frustrated only by the fact that there was so little aeronautical data that existed at the time on which to base their efforts. But the Wright brothers focused their ambition into building a wind tunnel from which they could generate their own empirical information on how to lift a vehicle into the air. They even designed and constructed their own lightweight gas-powered engine that produced only 12 horsepower, but was a massive innovation at the time.

The brothers began large-scale testing of their ideas with the combination kite and glider in 1900. Their ideas tested on this aircraft were further refined into a glider they fashioned in 1901. Using the information generated from their glider along with the wind tunnel data, Orville and Wilbur constructed the Flyer in 1903. The plane featured the two-tiered wing design with two propellers that we have all seen in the photographs. The wings were 40 feet long and were separated 5 feet apart, one on top of the other. The plane weighed right around 700 pounds. Comparatively, a Boeing 747 today has an overall wing span of more than 231 feet and weighs 875,000 pounds at takeoff.

Mr. Speaker, this House ought to commemorate the Wright brothers' inspirational story. It is hard to argue against the notion that few events in the 20th century had greater social, cultural, or economic impacts on today's world than Orville and Wilbur Wright's first momentous flight. Therefore, I urge all Members to join Fayetteville, North Carolina, in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight by supporting the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 58.

I want to thank and commend the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) for introducing this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1505) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2127 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the ``Jim Richardson Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1505 has been introduced by our esteemed colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt), and it designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2127 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, North Carolina as the ``Jim Richardson Post Office Building.''

Mr. Speaker, State Senator Jim Richardson of Charlotte, North Carolina was a venerable public servant who deserves acknowledgment by this House. Mr. Richardson earned one term as a State representative, followed by 4 terms in the Senate of the Tarheel State. His time serving in the North Carolina State legislature followed a distinguished 33-year career with the United States Postal Service. He reached the rank of postmaster in Mount Holly, North Carolina, and was recognized with a Postal Service Certificate of Appreciation for his outstanding career. By all accounts, Jim Richardson was one of the most friendly and most wonderful men one would ever meet.

Sadly, Mr. Speaker, I understand that Mr. Richardson was diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago and he is conducting a brave fight. I know I speak for all Members when I say that the thoughts and prayers of this entire House are with Mr. Richardson and his family.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge all Members to support the adoption of H.R. 1505. I want to thank our colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt), for introducing this meaningful measure.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 145) to designate the Federal building located at 290 Broadway in New York, New York, as the ``Ted Weiss Federal Building''.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 145 designates the Federal building located at 290 Broadway in New York City as the Ted Weiss Federal Building. Ted Weiss was born in Gava, Hungary, in September of 1927. He and his family fled Eastern Europe to escape Nazi persecution on the last passenger ship to leave Hamburg, Germany, arriving in the United States in 1938.

Ted Weiss graduated from Hoffman High School in South Amboy, New Jersey, in 1946. He served for 1 year in the United States Army. He then went on to earn a bachelor's and a law degree from Syracuse University, graduating in 1952. Ted Weiss became a naturalized citizen in 1953, the same year that he was admitted to the practice of law in New York.

In 1955 Congressman Weiss became an assistant district attorney for New

York City and in 1962 was elected to the New York City Council where he was an influential advocate on a number of critical issues. After 15 years of service as a councilman, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 for the 95th Congress and was reelected to each of the succeeding seven Congresses. During his tenure in the House, Congressman Weiss diligently served as a leader on the House Banking Committee, as well as on the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Government Operations.

He faithfully served this body and his adopted country until his untimely death in September of 1992. The naming of this Federal building in his honor is a fitting tribute to a respected former colleague.

I want to commend our colleague and former committee member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), for his persistence in bringing this legislation, not only this Congress, but in the past Congress. For reasons of schedule and other matters, it was not successfully negotiated through the other body. I hope by bringing it up today and moving it through the House in an expeditious fashion we can receive the same result in the Senate and get this fitting bill to the President of the United States for his signature so that this building may be appropriately named.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 145, the bill just passed.

Mr. Speaker, I recently lost a dear friend and revered colleague, Lake County Probate Judge Fred V. Skok, who died January 10 after a brief illness.

Judge Skok left behind a beloved wife of 39 years, Linda; daughters Heidi Skok Thorp of Glenmont, NY, and Gretchen Skok DiSanto of Concord Township; sons-in-law James Thorp and Dino DiSanto, and two grandsons, Harry Thorp and Hugh Thorp. A daughter, Christine Marie Skok, and his parents, Victor and Mary (Shume) Skok, are deceased

Judge Skok was a legal legend in Lake County. He was elected County Prosecutor in 1960 and Probate Court Judge in 1972. He was set to retire this year after serving 30 years on the bench. He was a 1952 graduate of Princeton University and earned his law degree at the former Western Reserve University Law School in Cleveland.

I consider myself blessed to have known Judge Skok for many years, and I looked to him as a mentor while I served as County Prosecutor before coming to Congress. Judge Skok was a quiet, scholarly man with a tremendous wit and a voracious intellect. He was revered in legal circles and doing the right thing was second nature to him.

Judge Skok will also be remembered for his great devotion to Lake Metroparks, and maintaining the environmental beauty of Lake County. As a 30-year resident of Concord Township, few things brought more pride to the judge than preserving the sprawling park space by his home and throughout the county.

The passing of Judge Skok brought great sadness to those who knew him. On behalf of the 14th Congressional District of Ohio, I share my heartfelt condolences with his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my dear friend, Millie Teuscher, who recently stepped down as Lake County Commissioner after 14 historic years. Millie will be greatly missed by everyone in the county. She has the distinction of being the first and only female commissioner in the 162-year history of the body.

Millie is one of my oldest and closest friends in Lake County. I first got to know Millie when she was a councilwoman in Mentor, and later was thrilled when she sought office at the county level. She was part of a historic sweep of county offices by Republicans in the late 1980s, and really changed the face and tone of county government in Lake County. She brought an ``every woman'' sensibility to her job, and while she played the role of government watchdog with zeal, she was also admirably compassionate about the problems facing county residents and employees. Over her many years of elected office, she probably doled out an equal number of hugs and handshakes. She was not one to exert ego or insist on formalities, and was known to everyone as simply ``Millie.''

Millie Teuscher will be remembered for working diligently to improve Lake County and make it an economic leader in Northeast Ohio. Our county could never have a better guardian and cheerleader, and she will be sorely missed.

I wish Millie the best in her retirement, and know how much she is looking forward to spending more time with her beloved husband, Bob. On behalf of the 14th Congressional District of Ohio, I thank Millie for her years of friendship and public service, and wish she and Bob all the best in the world.