Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4302) to amend title 21, District of Columbia Official Code, to enact the provisions of the Mental Health Civil Commitment Act of 2002 which affect the Commission on Mental Health and require action by Congress in order to take effect, as amended.

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 the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4302, the District of Columbia Civil Commitment Modernization Act of 2004.

I introduced this legislation, along with the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), in order to amend the authorities of the D.C. Commission on Mental Health. The Commission is a branch of the D.C. Superior Court that presides over civil commitment hearings and makes recommendations to the court.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is important because the current mental health care system in the District is outdated, and these improvements are imperative and long overdue. First, H.R. 4302 will limit the duration of civil commitment to one year from indeterminate. The bill includes provisions that will create a streamlined procedure for civil recommitment, permit the commission to determine the least restrictive setting for the patient's care and permit qualified psychologists to join the panel of doctors who preside over commitment hearings. In addition, these changes will enable private hospitals to provide emergency in-patient psychiatric treatment, relieving a significant financial burden from the District of Columbia.

H.R. 4302 is based on the D.C. Mental Health Civil Commitment Act of 2002 which passed the D.C. Council last year. Today's legislation is necessary, because the D.C. Home Rule Act requires congressional approval of measures that affect the D.C. Superior Court.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to join with the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia and myself to help the District modernize its mental health care practices and end the era of Federal court cases against the city.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, urge adoption of the bill, and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 129) to provide for reform relating to Federal employment, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 the Senate bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 129, the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act, is a momentous step toward effectively reforming the Federal civil service system. For 2 years, the Committee on Government Reform has worked to revitalize the management structure of specific departments and agencies: Homeland Security, Defense, NASA, the SEC and the GAO, to name a few. This legislation provides the rest of the Federal Government many of the flexibilities authorized for these specified agencies.

As we increase flexibilities provided to agencies and managers, we enhance their ability to manage their workforce. S. 129 is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union and the administration, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Mr. Speaker, S. 129 will help Federal managers build a strong workforce by allowing managers to use recruitment, relocation and retention bonuses in a more strategic manner. This legislation also ensures that agencies will effectively manage their employee training efforts.

Under this bill, agencies will be required to align their training with performance plans and strategic goals, establish a comprehensive management succession program, and provide special training to managers who are dealing with unacceptable performances. In addition, it streamlines critical pay authority for positions that are difficult to fill and enhances annual leave benefits. It also allows workers to take time off in exchange for travel, and offers many other positive reforms for the Federal civil service.

Despite all of these reforms, it is our hope that the bill would include two additional provisions that we unfortunately had to remove due to direct spending implications, as well as a provision dealing with air traffic controller retirement.

The first provision would have corrected current inequities in retirement benefit calculations for part-time Federal service under the Civil Service Retirement System. The second would have codified the current practice of providing civil service retirement credit for attendance at one of the four Federal military service academies. And the final provision would have taken the air traffic controller retirement policy that was included as part of last year's aviation authorization bill and conformed it to existing government-wide enhanced annuity retirement policy.

Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Government Reform intends to pursue all of these legislative initiatives in the 109th Congress, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on these issues.

I want to commend the work of the Subcommittee on Civil Service on this legislation, especially our former chair, the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Ranking Member Davis). Their good work and cooperation is reflected in this bill before us today, and their dedication to improving the Federal service generally is of great importance as we seek to make our government more competitive in the labor market.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, I have made my top priority the transformation of the Federal Government into an organization that is more efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the American people. For this to occur, the establishment of a modernized human capital management system is of utmost importance. S. 129 is integral to this effort, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

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

I again want to thank my ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for

their work. It has been a good bipartisan operation. I thank, of course, the sponsors from the other body as well. I urge my colleagues to support this.

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

Mr. Speaker, I offer strong support for House Resolution 761 that honors Lance Armstrong on his record-setting victory in the 2004 Tour de France. In July, Lance Armstrong proved again that he remains the world's greatest cyclist by winning his sixth consecutive Tour de France, an all-time record. I was pleased to advance this resolution to the House floor from the Committee on Government Reform, which I am privileged to chair, and I strongly urge its adoption by the full House.

As someone who previously coped with two bouts of melanoma, I am particularly in awe of Lance's perseverance to outlast a pernicious form of testicular cancer. Incredibly, at just age 25, Lance learned that cancerous cells had spread to his abdomen, lungs and brain. Through extensive treatments provided by his outstanding doctors, Lance was pronounced cancer-free within a year of his diagnosis.

Lance's wonderful recovery was perhaps only topped by his astounding comeback. Winning the 1999 Tour de France highlighted his return to racing, just over two years after he beat cancer. He became only the second American to ever win the race. As we all know, Lance did not stop after one victory. He has returned to France each of the last five summers, and he has won the race five more times.

Lance Armstrong personifies hope for those suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses, and indeed, all Americans. Therefore I am pleased that the House is taking time to pay tribute to his tenacity, work ethic and patriotism.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I congratulate Lance Armstrong on his awesome performance in the 2004 Tour de France and wish him the very best in his future pursuits.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3193, and I respect the gentleman from Indiana's perspective on this issue. I think there is room in the House for disagreement. But my opposition is based on the legislation's blatant and potentially dangerous assault on home rule in the District of Columbia.

There is an appropriate place for debate on D.C.'s gun laws, and that place is the chambers of the District of Columbia Council, not the floor of the House of Representatives.

This bill repeals protections from gun violence that have been sought by the citizens of the District. It would end the city's ban on semi- automatic assault weapons, its ban on armor-piercing or ``cop killing'' ammunition, its requirement for gun registration. Even if we want to debate the merits of the gun laws, no one should question the importance of keeping fully loaded assault weapons off the streets of the Nation's capital.

Ninety-seven percent of all guns used in crimes in the District originate outside the District. Children in the Nation's capital are already at risk. This year, 21 young people in the District, all of them under 18 years of age, have been killed, most of them by gunshot. Our priority should be in reducing this disturbing rise in juvenile slayings, and I do not think this legislation helps.

The crime rate, by the way, in the city is going down. The police chief was quoted just last week as saying a 13 percent drop in overall crime this year, 24 percent reduction in homicides this year.

Proponents of this bill want to frame this debate in terms of the constitutionality of the District's law, but that is a straw man. Earlier this year, a U.S. District Court rejected constitutional challenge to the District's statute. This is a home rule fight. We do not allow the city a vote on the House floor, and now, we are taking away the rights of the Council and the elected mayor of the city to make decisions that they have made and will omit Oak Park, Chicago, Evanston, Illinois. We are not touching those areas that have representation in this body. We are just dealing with the Nation's capital. For our system of federalism and democracy to work, States and localities need to be able to make their own decisions on these sorts of matters, even if some of us think they are bad decisions.

We are only here today because of Congress's plenary power over the District. This is a constitutional authority that is unfortunately occasionally abused as it is in this case.

I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Pegi Miller, who will retire on October 1, 2004, after completing 20 years of Federal Service.

Mrs. Miller began her career in 1976 as a non-appropriated fund employee at the Bolling AFB Child Care Center, where she served as a Clerk/Receptionist until October 1984. She then moved to the Pentagon to work for the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the General Counsel, for a short time. Mrs. Miller served next in the Office of the Air Force Civil Engineer until 1987, when she assumed her current duties as a Legislative Assistant in the Congressional Inquiries Division, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison Directorate. In this capacity, Mrs. Miller performed superbly across a broad spectrum of

Congressional issues, brilliantly and expertly assisting the Directorate in providing timely responses to tens of thousands of inquiries from Congress.

During her 17 years of work in the Office of Legislative Liaison, Mrs. Miller has provided dedicated and professional service to both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. She has developed close working relationships with many Congressional offices, and her efforts have greatly enhanced Congressional understanding of Air Force issues. The distinctive accomplishments of Mrs. Pegi Miller culminate a distinguished career in the service of the Federal Government, and reflect great credit upon herself and the Department of the Air Force.

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 the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 4657, a bill to improve the administration of Federal pension benefit payments for District of Columbia teachers, police officers, and firefighters. This simple reform will streamline the pension process for these individuals and the Federal Government. H.R. 4657 will transfer pension benefit assets that are currently held in two Federal trust funds to a single, newly created trust fund.

The bill also extends to retired judges the same rights of review of benefit denials. These rights include the same review standards for benefits that currently apply to retirees in the D.C. Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement Plan.

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is the Treasury Department presently uses unnecessary resources to maintain two pension funds when only one is needed. H.R. 4657 corrects this. This bill is budget neutral, and I support the passage and am pleased to be joined tonight by the distinguished gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who are also cosponsors of this legislation.

Under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Treasury Department and the District of Columbia share responsibility for the D.C. Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement Plan and under the defined benefit retirement plan for all District judges.

Originally two separate retirement funds, the Supplemental Fund and the Trust Fund, were created. Unlike the Trust Fund, the assets of the Supplemental Fund had to be invested in public debt securities. This provision was dropped 2 years later as part of an appropriations act, thereby eliminating the primary reason for having two separate funds. So instead of administering two similar funds, the passage of this legislation promotes greater efficiency in the management of D.C. pensions. It also extends to retired judges the same rights of review of benefits denial that currently apply to those in the D.C. Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement Plan. This is a matter of fairness and transparency. The retired judges would receive the same standards of review for factual determinations, interpretations, and construction of benefit provisions.

Finally, H.R. 4657 would also transfer administration of the retirement plans from the District of Columbia Office of Financial Operations and Systems in the Chief Financial Officer's Office to the District of Columbia Retirement Board.

The passage of this bill is beneficial to pensioners and the Treasury Department as it promotes more efficient accounting and investing and extends similar treatment to pensioners in all three retirement programs.

I urge my colleagues to support it, and I thank my colleagues for working with me on it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5133) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11110 Sunset Hills Road in Reston, Virginia, as the ``Martha Pennino Post Office Building''.

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. 5133.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5133, sponsored by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), designates the postal facility in Reston, Virginia, as the Martha Pennino Post Office. The entire Virginia delegation supports this legislation, and I am pleased to join them tonight.

On September 17, Virginia's Fairfax County, which I represent, lost one of its most influential community leaders, Martha Pennino. I rise tonight to honor and remember Martha Virginia Pennino, a former vice chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, with whom I served for 12 years on the board.

Mrs. Pennino died September 17, 2004, at Inova Fairfax Hospital at the age of 86, leaving a long and lasting legacy.

Known as Mother Fairfax, Mrs. Pennino was born in 1918 in Roanoke, Virginia, and was raised in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She received a bachelor's degree from Emerson College in Boston.

Mrs. Pennino served three terms on the Vienna Town Council prior to being elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in November 1967, representing what was then the Centreville District.

From 1968 to 1991, Mrs. Pennino was at the center of nearly every major decision made in Fairfax County. She was involved with such projects as the Dulles Toll Road, the Reston Hospital Center, South Lakes High School, the Reston Community Center, and the Reston Regional Library.

Mrs. Pennino played an instrumental role in the planned community of Reston, which was taking shape when she took office and was also critical in getting Interstate 66 built inside the beltway.

During her years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Mrs. Pennino was deeply committed to helping the poor and homeless. She pushed for the building of the Embry Rucker shelter for the homeless, supported building low-cost housing, and buying and renovating the rundown Stonegate apartment complex. Prior to the construction of the shelter, she even provided cots in her supervisor's office and opened it at night for people with nowhere else to go.

Mrs. Pennino received many accolades for her work in Fairfax County. In 1985, she was awarded the Tom Bradley Regional Leadership Award from the National Association of Regional Councils. The group cited her efforts in developing the first energy policy for a metropolitan area, the region's car-pool program, and a fair-share housing program. Washingtonian Magazine named her Washingtonian of the Year.

Mrs. Pennino was also involved with many community boards and foundations. She was a member of the Advisory Board of the Northern Virginia Youth Services Coalition, director of the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, a commissioner on the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and a member of the Board of Visitors of George Mason University.

Additionally, Mrs. Pennino served as President of the Virginia Association of Counties of the Virginia Municipal League and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for 17 years, holding posts of president and chairman.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to express my gratitude to Martha Virginia Pennino for her service to Fairfax County and the mark she has left on her community. She will be sorely missed. In recognition of her dedicated service, I ask that the Reston Post Office be renamed in her honor.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I had the pleasure of serving on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors with Martha Pennino for 12 years. I want to say I am very grateful for the opportunity to have known her and to have worked with her on so many projects. She was a classy lady, and I am going to miss her.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5133.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Martha Virginia Pennino, a former vice chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Mrs. Pennino died September 17, 2004 at Inova Fairfax Hospital at the age of eighty-six.

Mrs. Pennino was born in 1918, in Roanoke, Virginia and was raised in Gloucherster, Massachusetts. She received a bachelor's degree from Emerson College in Boston.

Mrs. Pennino served three terms on the Vienna Town Council prior to being elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in November 1967, representing what was then the Centreville District. From 1968 to 1991 Mrs. Pennino was at the center of nearly every major decision made in Fairfax County. She was involved in such projects as the Dulles Toll Road, Reston Hospital Center, South Lakes High School, the Reston Community Center and the Reston Regional Library. Mrs. Pennino played an instrumental role in the planned community of Reston, which was taking shape when she took office. She became one of the longest- serving members of the Board of Supervisors spending 24 years on the board. Mrs. Pennino served as Vice Chairman for 17 years.

During her many years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Mrs. Pennino was deeply committed to helping the poor and homeless. She pushed for the building of the Embry Rucker shelter for the homeless, supported building low-cost housing and buying and renovating the run- down Stonegate apartment complex. Prior to the construction of the shelter, she even provided cots in her supervisor's office and opened it at night to people with nowhere else to go.

Mrs. Pennino received many accolades for her work in Fairfax County. In 1985, she was awarded the Tom Bradley Regional Leadership award from the National Association of Regional Councils. The group cited her efforts in developing the first energy policy for a metropolitan area; the region's car-pool program and a fair-share housing program. In 1986, Washingtonian magazine named her ``Washingtonian of the Year.''

Mrs. Pennino was also involved with many community boards and foundations. She was a member of the advisory board of the Northern Virginia Youth Services Coalition, director of the Northern Virginia Community Foundation, a commissioner on the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and a member of the Board of Visitors of George Mason University. Additionally, Mrs. Pennino served as president of the Virginia Association of Counties of the Virginia Municipal League and was a member of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for 17 years, holding posts of president and chairman.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to express my gratitude to Martha Virginia Pennino for her service to Fairfax County. I call upon my colleagues to join me in applauding Mrs. Pennino's past accomplishments and remembering her dedication to her community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Agudas Achim Congregation, a conservative synagogue located in the city of Alexandria, Virginia.

In conjunction with this anniversary, honor is being paid to the military veterans of the congregation throughout the Veteran's Day weekend of November 12-14, 2004.

Jewish servicemen and servicewomen have served and continue to serve proudly in all branches of the United States as career and reserve servicemen and servicewomen. From Bunker Hill and the Battle of Springfield (NJ) to Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge, from Pusan, South Korea to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam as well as Afghanistan and Iraq, Jewish servicemen have worn the uniform of the United States proudly--defending democracy and the freedoms we all cherish as Americans.

We remember those who fearlessly paid the ultimate price in defending the United States of America during times of war. We also recall those who have bravely fought and returned home as well as those who continue to fight for the freedoms and liberties that make this nation great-- the same freedoms and liberties such as freedom of religion that brought hundreds of thousands of Jewish people to the United States escaping despotism and religious tyranny.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to congratulate Agudas Achim Congregation on their 90th anniversary. I call upon my colleagues to join me in honoring the congregation's military veterans.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to honor Ada Katheryn Lewis on her 80th birthday as well as her many years of dedication to the surrounding community.

Ms. Lewis was born September 27, 2004, in Wayne County, NC to Charles and Annie Coor. She then graduated from Atlantic Christian College, cum laude in 1945 and began teaching. Throughout her teaching career, she taught in Johnston, Franklin, Wilson, and Pitt Counties.

In 1962, Ms. Lewis received her MA in Educational Administration with honors from East Carolina University. In 1978, she was appointed assistant superintendent of Pitt County Public Schools, becoming the first-ever woman to hold such a position at that level in North Carolina.

In 1982, Ms. Lewis retired from the Public School System and became the first director of the Rural Education Institute at East Carolina University, ECU. She held this position until 1986 when she retired and became a consultant for the Institute. She holds the title of Professor Emeritus and was appointed ``Visiting Lecturer'' to the ECU School of Education as well as being named ``Distinguished Educator.''

Ms. Lewis has been recognized by virtually every appropriate institution for nearly 50 years of dedication to the education of those that were influenced by her teachings.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Lewis for her years of service to the youth of America and her dedication to the human mind. Her contributions and efforts are much appreciated and will always be remembered. Her service is an exemplary example of an ideal citizen.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Chapter 1116 of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), located in Vienna, Virginia.

Founded in 1921, NARFE is a multi-tiered, political, nonpartisan organization dedicated to preserving the earned retirement benefits of all federal civilians. Membership eligibility includes current, former, and retired federal civilians, as well as their spouses and survivor annuitants. Chapter 1116 is one of over 1600 NARFE chapters nationwide.

The Vienna chapter hosts speeches from state and local officials as well as those running for specific offices. NARFE officers from state and national organizations address issues of interest to those retired as well as the general public. Musical programs, talks and discussions about home and garden maintenance as well as historical and cultural issues add variety to the meetings.

Currently, the Vienna chapter has 668 members under the leadership of president Ginger King and first vice-president ``Van'' Van Huizen. The chapter prides itself on approaching all issues in a realistic and humanitarian manner. Its members have worked tirelessly for the benefits of federal retirees and all elderly, cooperating with local, state, and federal agencies to do so. Members assist shut-in seniors and provide convenience items and comfort to those in retirement homes. On a national level, NARFE contributes to Alzheimer's research and sponsors a college scholarship program.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to congratulate NARFE Chapter 1116 on 35 years of success. They have become a strong organization committed to serving the interests of their members and their community. I call upon my colleagues to join me in applauding the chapter members' past accomplishments and in wishing Chapter 1116 the best of luck in the many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong and solemn support of this resolution, which marks the anniversary of the most deadly terrorist attack in history. September 11, 2001 is a day none of us will ever forget.

We continue to mourn, along with the loved ones of the departed, the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives. We celebrate the spirit of selflessness that led so many brave firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel to risk--and in some cases, lose--their lives trying to save others. And we remain in awe of the passengers of Flight 193, who took the defense of our homeland into their own hands and sacrificed their own lives in the process.

The tragic events of that day have spurred this Nation to a new sense of purpose, a recognition of the need to fight terrorism head-on and to lead an international coalition to spread the powerful ideals of freedom and democracy to corners of the world that have for too long struggled in the shadows of totalitarianism.

We have turned the darkness of terrorism into the light of opportunity--our greatest challenge has become our greatest strength. I urge passage of H. Res. 757.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark F. Grady for his years of dedicated service to the George Mason University School of Law.

Dean Grady has been a pivotal member of the George Mason community for 6 years, both as Dean and professor of law. Students enjoy his wisdom and expertise in the area of law.

As the dean of the School of Law, Mr. Grady has played an important role in the success of the school and its students. Through his guidance, George Mason has become the youngest law school ranked in U.S. News and World Report's top tier.

Under Dean Grady's direction, the School of Law has become a national leader not only of law but also economics and technology. In 1999, the National Center for Technology and Law was established. This center examines the causality of the existing legal structure and the society's evolving economy. Through this relationship, new fields of course work were created that allow the student to gain the necessary skills to succeed in both technology and communications.

George Mason School of Law is one of the most innovative schools in the country. Due to its emphasis on intellectual property, technology law and the legal application of economic methods, George Mason was also ranked in the top 10 in the Nation for an outstanding faculty in law and economics in University of Texas Professor Brian Lieter's Ranking of Law Faculty Quality for 2003.

Professor Grady should be honored and commended for his dedication to not only the School of Law but also the surrounding community. With his instruction and guidance, he has enabled Mason Law graduates to pursue careers in numerous fields and become successful attorneys who practice law with great distinction and honor.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dean Grady for his years of service and dedication to George Mason University. His contributions and efforts are noted and greatly appreciated. I wish him the best of luck in all future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Mr. Ernest J. Gregory is retiring after 37 years of exemplary Federal service, initially with the United States Air Force and then as a career civil servant in the Department of Defense (DoD). Mr. Gregory is a gifted leader and manager, and has served his country with dignity, honor and integrity.

Ernest Gregory, a native of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a 1967 graduate of the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from that institution. He began his service to the Nation in 1968, when he entered the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer at the Strategic Air Command, Loring Air Force Base, Maine.

Upon completing his military term in 1972, Mr. Gregory was hired as a staff auditor for the U.S. Army Audit Agency in Philadelphia. He proved to be quite skilled and soon was promoted to auditor-in-charge. Mr. Gregory continued his illustrious civilian career at the U.S. Army Security Center with various assignments, including: chief, internal review (1976-1979), financial systems analyst (1979-1980), deputy comptroller (1980-1981) and senior financial systems analyst (1981- 1982). During his time at the Army Security Center, Mr. Gregory played a key role in developing and implementing financial management performance objectives. He simultaneously earned a Masters of Business Administration in 1979 from Syracuse University.

In 1982, Mr. Gregory was selected to join the Army secretariat staff as assistant comptroller for internal review, office of the comptroller of the Army. He was a relentless master in reviewing financial management systems and integrating measures to address shortcomings uncovered during the process. In recognition of his talent and dedication, Mr. Gregory was promoted in 1987 to director, internal review, office of the assistant secretary of the Army (financial operations). He again challenged the financial management community and was a model civil servant, embracing opportunities and creating new methodologies in an environment of continual development. Additionally, in 1988, he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

In January 1993, the Army acknowledged Mr. Gregory's abilities and leadership, elevating him to the Senior Executive Service and the position of deputy assistant secretary of the Army for financial operations. As deputy assistant secretary, he was responsible for all Army policy, programs, systems and procedures associated with the service's accounting and finance operations, financial systems and internal review and controls. He took charge of combating fraud, waste and abuse. He also was the primary ambassador on financial management issues to external stakeholders. Mr. Gregory's efforts to integrate financial requirements and responsiveness with emerging functional systems, such as the Single Stock Fund and the Defense Integrated Military Human Resource System, were successful and greatly improved Army financial management.

Mr. Gregory was again promoted in February 2002, when Ms. Sandra Pack, then assistant secretary of the Army (financial management and comptroller), chose him as her principal deputy. (When she departed the Army in December 2003, he succeeded Ms. Pack as acting assistant secretary and served in that role for eight months.) During his tenure as principal deputy, Mr. Gregory shared responsibility for the development, formulation

and advocation of policies and programs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. Army resource management. He took bold and decisive measures to improve business procedures, and tirelessly pursued financial system integration and streamlining of Army processes. For instance, Mr. Gregory led the Army-wide effort to eliminate the Installation Supply Buffer and associated annual maintenance costs, while integrating supply management and financial processes. These changes reduced processing cycle time from four days to one, improving the flow of spare parts to tactical units and saving taxpayers $9 million. Mr. Gregory also helped to steer the Army's transformational business initiatives program and the Army Business Initiative Council, through which the Army has gleaned more than $1 billion in monetary benefits. He administered implementation of Army Budget and Performance Initiatives, as well, including designing and deploying a training package and reviewing metrics for the fiscal year 2005 budget.

Mr. Speaker, in this final position Mr. Gregory also had a significant impact on the House Government Reform Committee. His forthright information and proactive attitude assisted our committee in addressing the financial management challenges of mobilized Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve soldiers. He identified the problem--processing limitations caused by separate pay and personnel systems--and played a significant role in crafting a solution. His commitment to solving pay issues for all soldiers, whether active or reserve component, exemplifies his devotion to our men and women in uniform.

On every day of his service to our country, Mr. Gregory demonstrated honor, integrity and personal courage. He projected the values and the broad perspective of the government, and provided the solid executive skills demanded by the American public. He helped to ensure that the Army was of the highest quality and was responsive to the needs, policies and goals of the Nation.

Mr. Gregory's leadership and attention to people were truly outstanding. He actively participated in the personal and professional development of both military and civilian subordinates and peers. He was a premier team builder within the office of the assistant secretary of the Army (financial management and comptroller) and a truly exemplary leader, empowering those with whom he worked and motivating them to achieve at higher levels than they thought possible.

Mr. Gregory's character and accomplishments have earned him numerous awards. He was the first civilian to be honored with the Finance Corps Regiment Award. He also has received two Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards, the Executive Excellence Award for Executive Achievement, the Special Act Award--Kuwait Reconstruction Program, the Leonard H. Kerman Memorial Award, the Meritorious Civilian Award, the Superior Civilian Service Award, multiple Outstanding Performance Awards and several Significant Accomplishment Awards.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ernest J. Gregory, a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, retires after 37 years of Federal service to the United States of America on the 2nd day of October, 2004. He, his lovely wife, Johanna, and their children, Maura, Ernie and Jason, deserve the thanks and praise of this grateful Nation, which he has faithfully served for so long. I know the members of the U.S. House of Representatives will join me in wishing him and his family all the best in the years ahead.

Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order against section 506. This provision violates clause 2(b) of House rule XXI. It proposes to change existing law and, therefore, constitutes legislation on an appropriation bill in violation of House rules.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, first let me state I realize this amendment is subject to a point of order so I will withdraw the amendment, but I want to take the opportunity to raise an important issue that is of great importance to the Fairfax County school districts which I represent.

Mr. Chairman, No Child Left Behind requires the Department of Education to use the most up-to-date poverty data from the Census Bureau when determining eligibility for title I grants. The intent behind this requirement is sensible. We want title I funds going where they are most needed.

That said, two of the four available title I grant programs, Targeted Grants and Education Finance Incentive Grants, have a 5 percent cutoff for eligibility. If a school district falls below this level, they lose all funding through these grants. There are no hold-harmless provisions for a drop in poverty rates.

In the case of Fairfax County, our most recent poverty figures fell about 1 percent to 4.94 percent. While this figure represents a small number of students, 106 students to be exact, it has equated to a 26 percent reduction in title I funds.

We lose almost $3\1/2\ million for losing 106 students. That is about $33,000 a student. My concern is not just that my local school district has lost $3.3 million for the coming school year, it is that a school district like Fairfax County can hover at around the 5 percent level year after year, and this makes it impossible to plan effectively since it is unclear from one year to the next whether these funds will be available.

Our amendment would implement hold harmless provisions for targeted and EFIG grants. The first year the school district fell below the 5 percent level, it would still be eligible for two-thirds of the amount they received the previous year. The second year it would be eligible for one-third. The third year it would lose eligibility.

In my estimation such a stair-step system would better reflect a true change in the demographics of a given school district and allow better planning from year to year. As I said, this equates to almost $33,000 a student for a loss of 106 students.

I will withdraw the amendment, but hope that the members on the authorizing committee and appropriation committees will work with us in the future to try to look at such a stepped approach, which I think makes for better planning.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.