Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 760, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.

Partial-birth abortion is an inhumane procedure which is never necessary to preserve the health of the mother. Indeed, this procedure poses serious health risks to the mother, and it is unnecessarily brutal to the baby. I have heard from numerous physicians that there are other safe methods for terminating a pregnancy when the life of the mother is in danger, and the American Medical Association has stated that partial-birth abortion is not an accepted medical practice.

H.R. 760 addresses the constitutional issues raised by the Supreme Court decision in Stenberg v. Carhart. It does so by using a more precise definition of the gruesome partial-birth procedure, clearly distinguishing between this and other forms of abortion. Furthermore, H.R. 760 provides extensive congressional findings which show that a partial-birth abortion is never medically necessary to preserve the health of a woman.

The House has passed this legislation in previous Congresses, yet a final vote did not take place in the Senate or in conference. The Senate recently passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. We now have a historic opportunity to pass this legislation and send it to the White House for the President's approval. I strongly support enactment of a ban on partial-birth abortion, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 760.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution to recognize the efforts of those who have contributed to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Today we recognize and thank those soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and all the individuals in our defense and intelligence communities whose commitment and dedication ensure our continued success. They are members of the greatest fighting force the world has known, representing not only our Nation's strength, but our bravery, skill, honor and resolve. We also thank their families, who so graciously share their loved ones with their country.

Liberty must be guarded and defended, and no nation has given more in this defense than America. Throughout our history, our Nation has been blessed to have individuals willing to

make the ultimate sacrifice in order to keep the flames of freedom and liberty burning brightly throughout the world. They selflessly dedicate their life to protecting freedom, ensuring liberty, and defending the principles of this country through great personal sacrifice. On behalf of a grateful Nation, we pay tribute to these brave men and women.

Today, as we recognize and commend the actions already taken, we also renew our commitment to ensuring the security of our homeland. We renew our commitment to destroying Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations that threaten the free world. We do not know what the future holds, however we can say with certainty that because of the men and women we honor with this resolution, we will prevail.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor Helen Winter as the Mason District Council of Civic Associations' Citizen of the Year.

Although Ms. Winter can boast many civic contributions, the most dramatic impact she has had on her community is her involvement with her local Adopt-a-Highway campaign. Since 1985 Ms. Winter has supervised the cleanup of Little River Turnpike, the area between Hummer Road and Braddock Road. This stretch is located between Fairfax City on the west and the City of Alexandria on the east; it is an unincorporated area and as such the Little River Turnpike would likely be cluttered with litter without the careful watch of Ms. Winter.

In addition to the Turnpike, Ms. Winter spearheads the adoption of two other stretches of highway: Braddock Road between Little River Turnpike and Backlick; and John Marr Drive, between Backlick and the Columbia Pike.

Ms. Winter has innovatively incorporated the Sheriff's Weekender Work Program into her efforts. She uses citizens who have been sentenced to serve community service in lieu of fines or jail time to work on her clean-up teams.

In addition to her important work in the Adopt-a-Highway program, Ms. Winter is a former president of the Clean Fairfax Council. The council has enjoyed Ms. Winter's membership for the last 18 years. She heads the Annandale Cleanup Day for the Council.

Ms. Winter is also a member of the Annandale Central Business District Planning Committee, and Chairwoman of the Beautification & Business Recognition Committee. While in these positions she has been responsible for the recognition awards to businesses that improved the appearance of the city of Annandale. Such improvements include: attractive street lamps, metal benches, trash receptacles, bus shelters, brick sidewalks, trees, flowers and shrubbery.

Furthermore, Ms. Winter is a member of the Annandale Woman's Club and the Virginia State Women's Golf Association. She is also active in the Pinecrest Women's Golf Association, where she served two terms as president from 1999-2001.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, it is with great pleasure that I extend this recognition to Ms. Helen Winters. She is a well-respected and much endeared member of her community. Her contributions to the city of Annandale, Fairfax city and the State of Virginia abound. I am very pleased to honor and congratulate Ms. Winter on her many years of service and involvement. I call upon my colleagues to join me in applauding her for all that she has done.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department.

Established in 1903 at the behest of Vienna Town Councilman Leon Freeman, the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department has a long and distinguished history. Councilman Freeman served as the Department's first chief and remained active in the Department until 1936. Starting with his tenure and continuing to the present, the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department has consistently set the standard for fire safety in Fairfax County, having implemented a laundry list of groundbreaking fire safety initiatives. At the time of its founding, no other volunteer fire department existed in the region, making the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department the first of its kind in Fairfax County. It also acquired the first motorized fire protection in Fairfax County: a 1919 Model T Ford truck.

The Vienna Volunteer Fire Department exemplifies the success that can be achieved by volunteerism. Working together with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department career staff, volunteers provide professional emergency response capabilities to the Town of Vienna and surrounding Fairfax County. Supported primarily by citizen donations and departmental fundraising activities, the department was able to stay up-to-date by purchasing over $500,000 worth of equipment in 2002. The volunteers attend fire and medical training courses and host public education events during Kids Safety Week and Fire Prevention Week.

In our nation's time of need on September 11, 2001, the Fairfax County career staff assigned to Vienna were deployed to the Pentagon to assist with fire and rescue operations.

To help cover both Vienna and other areas in Fairfax County during their absence, the volunteers staffed additional emergency medical units, playing a vital role in helping our community to cope with the crisis.

Today, the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department consists of over 50 active volunteer firefighters, EMTs and administrative personnel. The membership also includes 13 Life Members, each having served 20 years or more, and some having served more than 60 years. Their dedication to public service has been selfless, consistent, and invaluable to the region. Fairfax County is truly indebted to the assistance provided by the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating these outstanding individuals on their century of service.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding me this time.

First of all, civil servants have had a large role in shaping this. There have been nine pilot programs the Department of Defense has piloted through the years, and in all of those cases, civil servants have, in many cases contrary to the labor bosses, opted for the new system as opposed to the old system with which they are currently operating.

The problem with the current system today is that we are contracting out where we ought to be able to use Federal employees because we do not have the flexibility in terms of deployment. So we are using uniformed officers behind desks to get jobs done, Federal contractors to get jobs done, what Federal workers are, in many cases, more capable of doing, and that is wrong.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman, but let me just say it is 320,000 uniform personnel doing jobs that civil servants are certainly capable of doing. These are 320,000 we had to call up from the Reserves to do work, potentially, that could have gone and stayed with their families and everything else because of these arcane rules.

In addition to this, Under Secretary Wolfowitz testified under oath that this would increase the number of Federal civil servants. So this idea that it is going to lead to more contracting out is not only bunk, it is disingenuous, it is wrong, and I think it takes civil servants in the wrong direction.

Let me correct a couple of other things that have been said in the debate. We had a Member yesterday say that the right to receive veterans preference is gone, the right to discrimination protection, gone. Veterans preference, located in chapters 33 and 35 of title V, those are nonwaivable under this legislation. Discrimination protection is located in 2302(b)(2) of title V

and explicitly referred to in this legislation. Overtime pay in chapter 55 of title V, also nonwaivable.

In fact, for middle-level managers, what we have done is corrected some inequities in overtime pay. Currently, GS-12s, 13s, and 14s receive less working overtime than they receive in ordinary pay, and we have corrected that in this. This is a benefit to managers. We have raised the level that SES'rs and managers can get in bonus over what the current level is. So we have raised the levels of what Federal employees can earn.

As far as collective bargaining, NSPS states that we must ensure that employees may organize, bargain collectively, and participate through labor organizations of their own choosing. As for the right to an attorney, which was alleged to have been taken away, we do not mention it, but neither does the underlying legislation, and we have established an independent review panel to consider employee grievances.

We have worked hard on this legislation. We held a couple of hearings in the Committee on Government Reform on this, but, most importantly, this is designed from nine pilot programs where the Federal employees themselves have spoken to this and have voted strongly to opt for the new systems versus the existing system. It does not pay for performance; it pays on a seniority basis.

This will allow us to expedite hiring. It will allow us to do the kinds of things that we have already given other Federal agencies. This is not new ground. There are numerous Federal agencies currently, in sections 71, 73, and 75, that we have waived or altered, and we do this here. In fact, there is less flexibility here than Congress recently gave to the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, I might add, my colleagues who are arguing against this opposed those provisions in the Department of Homeland Security bill. We had an ensuing election on this issue. The voters spoke, and I think we have visited this issue once. There are fewer flexibilities here than we have in that as well.

I want to say a couple of other things. The Committee on Armed Services also had a day-long hearing and a 2-day markup of the DOD authorization bill. Dozens of the amendments offered there were also offered in our committee, and the votes were party line on these issues. They want to bring these same issues to the floor. I am not happy with every part of this rule. I had several amendments, particularly on the procurement side, that were part of the Committee on Government Reform's markup that were not included in the DOD bill that I could not get offered here. I understand the disappointment of those Members who are not able to have those heard at this point.

But 40,000 employees with over 20 years of experience want a new system, and defense of the current system not only leads to more outsourcing, it does not lead to the kind of performance-based pay and the salary levels that many of our best Federal employees are deserving of.

I worked in the private sector for a number of years. I worked for a company where our best asset was not our computers or our building; it was our people. They walked out the door every night; and we prayed to get them back because replacing them was costly, it created more inefficiencies, and it made us less competitive.

Those factors in the private sector ought to be extended to the public sector because our employees are our best asset, too. But I think we need to treat them well, I think we need to give them appropriate safeguards, which this legislation does. The unknown and the concerns by some on the other side are that all of this is not written by Congress. But we have put appropriate safeguards in this legislation. This will be part of a later debate, but I certainly support the rule.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

As I stated earlier, we debated these thoroughly in both committees. I cannot speak to every amendment that is being offered on the floor of the House. I understand the gentleman's concern. I know we will get debate on the motion to recommit, and we are debating it now. But I was also disappointed in not being able to offer some amendments. In addressing that issue, I think that is probably above my pay grade.

Although we were privileged to have the gentleman testify before us.

I appreciate the gentleman's comments, and we did take some of his suggestions in the markup. The gentleman's testimony was not for naught.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I include for the Record an editorial from the Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld, printed in today's Washington Post.

Defense for the 21st Century

(By Donald H. Rumsfeld)

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) laid out a number of objections on

this page yesterday to the president's proposed Defense

Transformation Act for the 21st Century. I respect Mr.

Skelton's long service, but I disagree with many of his

stated objections. Here is why.

Skelton argues that this legislation is the most sweeping

overhaul of the Defense Department since the 1986 Goldwater-

Nichols Act. He may be right--but that is precisely the

point. We are at this moment fighting the first wars of the

21st century with a department that has management and

personnel systems developed decades ago, at the height of the

Cold War.

The threats we face today are notably different from that

era. We learned on Sept. 11, 2001, that our nation is

vulnerable to enemies who hide in the caves and shadows and

strike in unexpected ways. That is why we must transform our

armed forces. Our forces need to be flexible, light and

agile, so they can respond quickly and deal with surprise.

The same is true of the men and women who support them in the

Department of Defense. They also need flexibility, so that

they can move money, shift people, design and deploy new

weapons more rapidly and respond to the continuing changes in

our security environment.

Today we do not have that kind of agility. In an age--the

information age--when terrorists move information at the

speed of an e-mail, money at the speed of a wire transfer and

people at the speed of a commercial jetliner, the Defense

Department is still bogged down in the bureaucratic processes

of the industrial age.

Consider: we have more than 300,000 uniformed personnel

doing jobs that should be done by civilians. That means that

nearly three times the number of troops that were on the

ground in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom are doing

nonmilitary jobs that should be done by civilian personnel.

Why is that? It's because when managers in the department

want to get a job done, they go to the military. They know

they can manage military people, put them in a job, give them

guidance, transfer them from one task to another and change

the way they do things. They can't do that with the civil

service, because it is managed outside the Defense Department

by others, with a system of rules and requirements fashioned

for a different era.

The defense authorization bill has grown from only one page

in 1962 to a whopping 534 pages in 2001. The department is

required to prepare and submit some 26,000 pages of

justification, and more than 800 required reports to

Congress each year--many of marginal value, most probably

not read. Since 1975, the time it takes to produce a new

weapons system has doubled, even as new technologies are

arriving in years and months, not decades.

We are working to fix problems that we have the freedom to

fix. We have reduced management and headquarters staffs by 11

percent, streamlined the acquisition process by eliminating

hundreds of pages of unnecessary rules and red tape, and

begun implementing a new business management structure. But

we also need legislative relief. That is why we are asking

for:

Measures for transforming our system of personnel

management, so that we can gain more flexibility and agility

in the way we manage the more than 700,000 civilians in the

department. And let me be clear: The provisions we have

proposed explicitly bar nepotism.

Expanded authority for competitive outsourcing so that we

can get military personnel out of nonmilitary tasks and back

into the field.

Measures to protect our military training ranges so that

our men and women in uniform will be able to train as they

fight, while honoring our steadfast commitment to protecting

the environment.

It is true, as Rep. Skelton notes, that the Goldwater-

Nichols Act took four years for Congress to pass. But we do

not have four years to wait before we transform--the new

threats are here now. If anything, our experience in the

global war on terror has made the case for transformation

even more urgent. Because our enemies are watching us--

studying how we were successfully attacked, how we are

responding and how we might be vulnerable again. In distant

caves and bunkers, they are busy developing new ways to harm

our people--methods of attack that could kill not 3,000

people, but 30,000 or 300,000--or more. And they are not

struggling with bureaucratic red tape fashioned in the last

century as they do so.

The fact is that the transformation of our military

capabilities depends on the transformation of the way the

Defense Department operates. This does not mean an end to

congressional oversight. What it means is that we need to

work together to ensure the department has the flexibility to

keep up with the new threats emerging as this century

unfolds.

Mr. Chairman, I offer amendment No. 4 made in order under the rule.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise to offer an amendment to authorize the establishment of a Human Capital Performance Fund, a fund that would enable agencies to reward their highest-performing and most valuable employees at various and sundry GS levels. This is a common-sense idea that the current civil service laws prohibit.

In his fiscal year 2004 budget submission to the Congress, the President proposed the creation of a Human Capital Performance Fund that would provide for a base pay increase of up to 10 percent to individual employees based on exceptional employees' contribution to an agency's mission. H.R. 1836, the Civil Service and National Security Personnel Improvement Act, which the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and I introduced last month, included this language that I am offering here today. In addition, the Human Capital Performance Fund was approved by the Committee on Government Reform during its consideration of this legislation.

The incentive payments paid to employees from this performance fund would be, number one, in addition to an employee's current salary and general schedule grade; second, continuing rather than just a one-time bonus; and, third, part of a base pay for purposes of retirement and other benefits.

This amendment would authorize $500 million for the fund for fiscal year 2004, in which 90 percent would be available to the agencies. The other 10 percent would be used to train Federal managers on how to effectively manage and evaluate employee performance.

To qualify for funds from this fund agencies must submit a plan demonstrating its performance management system supports its strategic goals and performance objectives and is able to make a meaningful distinction in individual performance.

In addition, the Committee on Government Reform included additional requirements that agencies must certify that their agency plans contain certain elements that are essential to a good performance management system, such as adherence to merit principles, transparency, employee feedback, and sufficient training.

The statement of administration policy strongly endorses the authorization of the performance fund. I believe it will go a long way toward moving the government-wide human capital management agenda forward. I urge adoption of this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Chairman, not only are we for it, there is language in this underlying legislation that calls for pay parity to the maximum extent practicable.

Absolutely.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 15 seconds.

Let me assure the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) that this is in addition to. This is supplemental to what would ordinarily be paid. The underlying legislation speaks to that. This is a half billion in additional compensation to Federal employees, and I want to put that on the record.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for some of the clarifications he brought forth. It is very clear that underlying pay parity is something I feel strongly about. That needs to be in the record.

In addition, this bonus builds for calculations for retirement, something that current bonuses do not. Pay parity has been an issue not just with this administration but with previous administrations, and we have joined together in a bipartisan way to overturn those, and will be fighting that battle again this year.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. Chairman, hopefully this bonus pool will reward hard-working Federal employees who exhibit great merit. I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, this amendment was offered and rejected in the Committee on Government Reform.

The gentleman is right, it was 100 years ago; and today we are in an information age when terrorists move information at the speed of an e- mail, money at the speed of a wire transfer, and people at the speed of a commercial jet liner. But the Department of Defense is still bogged down in bureaucratic processes in an industrial age that goes back 100 years.

Now, we preserve the rights the gentleman talked about, and he alluded to the fact, I am holding up the bill and ask you to read these. This section 9902 has 10 pages of fundamental employee protections. We include Chapters 33 and 35 of title V, which cover veterans' preferences with nonwaivable chapters.

The NSPS strictly forbids political patronage and mandates that the Department comply with all existing civil service protections, sex, age, race discrimination. That is in section 2301 and section 2302 of title V.

Nepotism protections, section 2302, are not waived. They remain in this legislation.

The amendment would require employees to be able to collectively bargain. The legislation at 9902 specifically says that employees may organize, bargain collectively, and participate through labor organizations of their own choosing. And section 9902, the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) offered an amendment in committee that sets up an independent employee review panel appointed by the President, not the Secretary of Defense. The McHugh amendment took care of that problem.

These flexibilities are less in most cases than what we just gave the Department of Homeland Security less than a year ago and which dozens of other government departments have. We need to understand that. And they are based on the experience of nine pilot programs and 40,000 employees who have voted, in many cases against the union bosses who oppose them, to continue these kinds of reforms.

Let us take the civil service into the 21st century, and let us pay our employees what they are worth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Art Kellar, an outstanding citizen of Fairfax, Virginia, who, for over half a century, has served his community and country.

Art and his wife Betty made the initial gift to establish the Inova Kellar Center in 1992. The Kellars personally understood the need for a mental health care facility for children and adolescents--and their families--suffering from substance abuse and mental health problems, so they decided to do something about the lack of such a facility in our area by starting the Inova Kellar Center. The Center reaches out to children and families suffering from the effects of mental health and substance abuse problems. The Center offers programs ranging from in- home services for families with at-risk adolescents to a fully certified, accredited therapeutic day school providing comprehensive treatment to its pupils. Children and adolescents from Northern Virginia, DC, and suburban Maryland currently come to the Inova Kellar Center for treatment. A not-for-profit outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment center, the Inova Kellar Center has filled what was a gaping void in our community since its founding over a decade ago.

Mr. Kellar's contributions to the community, however, began long before 1992. He served our country in the Second World War in Italy, moving to Fairfax upon his return from service. He has long been an innovator and creator--a quick glance at his biography reveals the word ``founder'' perhaps more often than any other word! He founded OK Broadcasting in 1955 with George Olsen and sold it in 1978. He also founded EZ Communications in Fairfax in 1967 with WEZR-FM, which then expanded to Charlotte, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Miami, and St. Louis. At the same time he acquired 9 stations in other cities, finally selling the flagship station in 1996 at a sizable profit for his many investors.

A generous philanthropist, Mr. Kellar has used his high earnings to make the community a better place, giving kindly to the aforementioned Inova Kellar Center and George Mason University. Here is a man who donates his resources to bettering two crucial pillars of society: Health and Education. And he understands that the way to make a difference in the world is to start in your local community. Mr. Kellar loves golf and the Redskins--it seems to follow naturally that he loves and works to improve northern Virginia. Literally thousands of workers owe their careers to Mr. Kellar. Northern Virginia joins these people in their debt of gratitude to Art Kellar, and extends him heartfelt thanks for his continuing role in bettering the lives of children, adolescents, and families. Mr. Chairman, the life and service of this Virginian serve as a shining example to all who wish to improve health and education through civic and philanthropic involvement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary group of men and women in Northern Virginia. This year, members of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 364 in Woodbridge, Virginia have received several awards and honors and several members are serving as officers at District and Department level. These accomplished individuals are valued contributors to the Northern Virginia community, and I commend them for their efforts.

As the 2002-2003 16th District President, Barbara A. Stevenson presided over 11 Units in the Northern Zone, Department of Virginia.

Kara Byrd served as the Commander of Post 364 and was honored twice for her hard work this year. She was the recipient of the Department of Virginia Member of the Year Award for 2001-2002. She also earned the Kathleen Seefeldt Community Service Award from the Dale City Civic Association.

Devon Cabot served as Honorary Junior Vice President, Southern Division for 2002-2003.

Laura Carruthers served as Department of Virginia Junior Secretary for 2002-2003.

Unit 364 Junior President Meaghan Cabot received the Department of Virginia Junior Member of the Year Award for 2001-2002.

Receiving the American Legion Auxiliary National Award for the most outstanding Unit Community Service Program in the Southern Division for 2001-2002 was Cathy Carruthers, also the Department of Virginia National Security Chairman for 2002-2003.

Another multiple award winner, Marcia Wheatley, served as Department of Virginia Legislative Chairman for 2002-2003. She was chosen for the American Legion Auxiliary National Award for the most outstanding Unit Legislative Program in the Southern Division for 2001-2002 and also received the Catherine Spellane Citizen of the Year Award presented by the Dale City Civic Association.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the men and women who serve the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 364. Their constant efforts on behalf of the community, state, and nation deserve our highest praise. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating this group of extraordinary citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Centennial Committee of Korean Immigration as they celebrate 100 years of Korean immigration to the United States.

A century ago, 102 Koreans immigrated to Hawaii as sugar plantation workers, the leaders of a new wave of Korean immigration to the U.S. Today, the Korean-American community has grown to 2 million, making it the fifth largest Asian community in the U.S. Korean-Americans have overcome many challenges along the way; however, the success the Korean-American community currently enjoys is largely due to the perseverance and hard work of those first immigrants to Hawaii 100 years ago.

The United States has benefited greatly from the participation of the Korean-American community in business, medicine, the arts and many other fields. Moreover, the Korean-American community has flourished here. The 11th District of Virginia exemplifies this symbiotic relationship, with a large and vibrant Korean-American community making lasting contributions to Northern Virginia. As the Representative of a district that has greatly benefited from the participation of its Korean-American citizens, I was an original co-sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 297, which recognizes the contributions of Korean-Americans during the past 100 years in business, science, the arts and other fields. This resolution passed in the House of Representatives by a 417-0 vote on September 23, 2002.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I applaud the leadership of the Centennial Committee of Korean Immigration in commemorating the achievements and contributions of Korean-Americans in the United States. Efforts like theirs are what make our representative democracy work: they have helped not only to educate the American public about the values and accomplishments of the Korean-American community, but also to secure a more effective representation of those communities throughout the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud supporter of the excellent Fairfax County, Virginia, Public School System to recognize one of its shining lights. Dr. Janis Lynn Paushter, a 26-year contributor to our nationally recognized school system and principal of Fairhill Elementary School since 1991, is retiring at the end of this year's term.

The common sentiment of parents, teachers and students at Fairhill School on learning of her decision to retire is disappointment. Dr. Paushter is loved and respected throughout the Fairhill community for her leadership qualities, her excellence as a role model, her talents as a fair and trusted administrator and her genuine love for her students, associates and her position.

Dr. Paushter earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University, her Master's degree from Columbia University, and conducted additional post-graduate studies at George Mason University. She has been honored with numerous educational awards and has been invited to lecture on educational matters at Oxford University in England, Korea, and China.

Later this year, she will be relocating to Florida to establish a horse ranch with help from her two Jack Russell terriers and her German shepherd. Thanks to her talents as a mentor, her shining light will not be extinguished as she leaves, but illuminated more brightly through her associates and students.

I ask her colleagues to join me today in recognizing and commending Dr. Janis Paushter for her untiring support of thousands of Fairfax County students and in thanking her for all she has accomplished for education during her illustrious career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2, the Jobs and Growth Tax Act of 2003.

Although there is general consensus among many economic forecasters that our economy is poised to grow at a faster pace than it has over the last year, action is necessary in order to hasten the recovery. While GDP has continued to increase, the modest increases we have been witnessing are not sufficient to stabilize employment. Consumer confidence and spending have improved, however business and investor confidence have not followed suit. The legislation before us today will stimulate growth and investment, and expedite our economic recovery.

First, this legislation will increase purchasing power for all Americans through an acceleration of the 2001 tax cuts for individuals. Accelerating tax relief from the marriage penalty, increasing the child tax credit, expansion of the 10 percent tax bracket and providing working families with relief from the AMT will help to give our economy an immediate stimulus.

Secondly, this package creates business and investment incentives to spur business growth, ultimately leading to job creation. Increases in depreciation allowances for business and an increased allowance for expensing capital purchases for small business will promote capital investment, putting more money back into the economy and creating more jobs. These provisions will work to counteract the general climate of caution in the business sector that has resulted in layoffs, a reluctance to invest in new capacities, and aggressive actions to maintain low levels of inventories.

Finally, the bill reduces the tax rate on dividends and capital gains to spur investment and business growth. Today, we are faced with the simple fact that the overall economy cannot improve until the stock market recovers. Additionally, today, eighty-four million Americans, over 50 percent of our population, are invested in the stock market, and investment plays an increasingly important role in our individual financial security. With much of this investment in 401(k)s, IRAs and pension plans, it is vital to many Americans that we do all we can to increase the growth of the stock market. Additionally, capital gains tax reductions have historically resulted in freeing stranded capital locked in mature investments as well as increasing capital for new investment. The reduction of the tax rate on dividends and capital gains to 5 percent and 15 percent will increase the purchasing power of individuals, stimulate investment and capital formation in business, and increase job creation through business growth.

For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure, in support of an immediate stimulus and infusion of confidence in our economy, in support of creating jobs, and in support of long-term economic stability and growth for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 213, which expresses the sense of the House that public service employees should be commended for their dedication and service to the Nation during Public Service Recognition Week.

There was a time when we were taught that ``public service is a public trust.'' That is true, but it is something more as well. In the aftermath of September 11, it is clear that public service is the bedrock of our Republic. Public sector employees, who have always been vital to the efficient, effective running of the government, now find themselves at the heart of our war on terrorism. It is the job they do that not only improves our quality of life, but also keeps us safe from those who would do us harm.

It is fitting that we set aside a week to recognize the indispensable contributions of those in public service. They have chosen public service despite the fact that the private sector could often have offered a more lucrative career. That said, there is no reason we should take their selflessness for granted. They still deserve our best efforts to enhance pay and benefits, provide improved and innovative training opportunities, and to re-examine the cultural barriers that unfortunately persist in government that make life less than ideal for public sector workers. In short, we must show those already in public service that we appreciate the job they do for us. We must also show those contemplating a career in public service that there are many advantages and opportunities to doing so.

Mr. Speaker, only one in six college-educated Americans expresses significant interest in working for the Federal Government. At the same time, half of the Federal workforce will be eligible to retire within the next 5 years. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us in Congress to reinvigorate a culture of public service across the country. We can do so taking the steps I have described above. As Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, I have been working hard to craft initiatives that will allow us to retain those employees we already have, while attracting the best and brightest of our young people to the public sector. I am confident we will be successful.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank those in public service for their dedication and commitment to our great Nation. I also want to reaffirm my commitment to giving them the best professional opportunities and working environment possible.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honor Ms. Erin Beaulieu upon her selection as one of two recipients of the Virginia 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community Award.

Erin, a Red Cross member and eighth-grader at Whitman Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia, started a Red Cross student chapter at her school and encouraged her fellow students to become involved! The chapter now boasts more than 30 members dedicated to helping the American Red Cross respond. For her efforts, she was selected from more than 24,000 nominees to receive a Spirit of Community Award.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, constitute America's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service. The award was created with the intent to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example.

Erin should be extremely proud to have been singled out from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Erin for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future. I call upon my colleagues to join me in applauding Erin for all that she has done.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Chief Edward L. Stinnette upon his retirement as Fire Chief of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department after 30 years of distinguished and dedicated service to the Department.

Chief Stinnette first joined the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in January 1973 as a firefighter. From 1973 through 1985, he gained a great deal of operational experience within the Department as a company officer. He also did tours as a shift commander, recruit school coordinator, and station coordinator. Chief Stinnette was promoted to Lead Battalion Chief in 1985, and 2 years later was named Deputy Fire Chief.

Starting in March of 1992, Chief Stinnette became responsible for the daily operations of the department as Assistant Chief of Operations. He also served as the leader of the Virginia Task Force One when it was deployed to Oklahoma City, following the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building. Initially appointed as Active Fire Chief December 7, 1998, he was appointed to Fire Chief on April 19, 1999.

As Fire Chief, he has been responsible for over 1,400 uniformed and civilian employees, hundreds of volunteers, and a budget of $112 million. Chief Stinnette is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the State Fire Chiefs Association of Virginia. His strong leadership skills and devotion to serving the community will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I wish the very best to Edward Stinnette as he is recognized for his years of service to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. During his 30 years of service, he certainly has earned his recognition, and I call upon all of my colleagues to join me in applauding his tenure.