Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the nation's longest serving Hispanic Senator, Dennis Chavez.

Yesterday, as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15th to October 15th, I hosted a screening of a documentary about Senator Chavez called El Senador, in conjunction with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. I was privileged to be joined by Senator Chavez's daughters, Mrs. Gloria Tristani and Mrs. Ymelda Dixon, his granddaughter, Ms. Gloria Tristani, and Wayne Coy, the husband of Cissie Coy, who is Mrs. Dixon's daughter.

It was a pleasure to work with the family and the rest of the Dennis Chavez Foundation to bring that event together. And many thanks are due to Paige Martinez, the extraordinary filmmaker behind El Senador, who has correctly deemed the legacy of Senator Chavez as an important part not only of New Mexican history, but also of American and world history.

I have the privilege of representing the 3rd district of New Mexico, the state that Senator Dennis Chavez represented for 32 long years. My father, Stewart Udall, served in the U.S. Congress with Dennis Chavez in the late fifties and early sixties. He has always said that what he saw in Senator Chavez was a visionary and a man of courage.

In 1944, Senator Chavez cosponsored a bill to prohibit discrimination in employment. Such forward thinking was not well received by the Southern senators at the time. A legendary filibuster and eventual interference by President Truman forced him to withdraw his bill. Twenty years later, in 1964, these rights were finally secured with the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. A true visionary, Senator Chavez was far ahead of his time in progressive thinking.

Dennis Chavez was also a man of courage. At the height of anti- Communist sentiment in the 1950s, he was one of the first to denounce the activities of Joseph McCarthy, and expose him for being a demagogue. Imagine the kind of courage it took speak out loudly against McCarthy's Committee on Un-American Activities during a time when spreading fear of Communist infiltration was rampant. The following is a quote by Senator Chavez from a

speech he gave on the Senate floor about the McCarthy hearings in 1950:

``I should like to be remembered as the man who raised a voice and I devoutly hope not a voice in the wilderness at a time in the history of this body when we seem bent upon placing limitations on the freedom of the individual. I would consider all of the legislation which I have supported meaningless if I were to sit idly by, silent, during a period which may go down in history as an era when we permitted the curtailment of our liberties, a period when we quietly shackled the growth of men's minds.''

Just outside the Old Senate Chamber in the Capitol stands New Mexico's only statue in the building. At the base, there is a quote in three languages: Spanish, English, and Navajo--a testament to New Mexico's diverse population. It reads, ``He left a mark that will never be forgotten in the hopes that others would follow.'' It's a tall statue, imposing statue--one with mighty big shoes to fill.

I appreciate this opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Senator Dennis Chavez during the 2004 Hispanic Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to New Mexico's Bataan Death March veterans.

Last night, two units based in New Mexico that were part of the Bataan Death March were awarded the 2004 Citizen Patriot Unit Award by the Reserve Forces Policy Board, a senior board within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Two of my constituents were able to represent the 44 survivors of the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery units of the New Mexico National Guard at the awards ceremony. They are Colonel Vicente Ojinaga, of Santa Fe, and Staff Sergeant Ernest Montoya, of Albuquerque.

Colonel Ojinaga and Staff Sergeant Montoya participated in one of the darkest hours of World War II. The defense of the Philippines in World War II was courageous and heroic, and the battle at Bataan was long and desperate. Outnumbered, short-supplied, diseased, starving and exhausted U.S. and Filipino soldiers surrendered on April 9, 1942. They were alone and the last to lay down their arms. What ensued has been called one of the most savage and brutal events of World War II.

Of the some 78,000 Prisoners of War who marched 65 miles and were then imprisoned, 1,800 were members of New Mexico's 200th and 515th Coast Artillery. Of these 1,800 New Mexicans, one-half did not survive during the inhuman ordeals. Of those who survived, one-third died during the first year after returning home.

I want to say to these two courageous and honored soldiers that few will ever be able to comprehend the magnitude of the extreme illness, starvation, loneliness, abuse and humiliation that you and your fellow soldiers endured. We will also never, ever be able to thank you enough for what you did to protect the very freedoms we enjoy today.

Mr. Speaker, this week, as thousands of Native Americans from all over the country convene in Washington to celebrate the opening of the newest museum on the National Mall, I rise to introduce a bill that will restore justice to many of our Nation's Native American veterans, the American Indian Veterans Pay Restoration Act.

Prior to 2001, Native Americans who served their country in the armed forces had their active duty pay taxed by the state, despite claiming the reservation as their home. The law is now well established that this policy was wrong and, in keeping with tribal sovereignty, the policy of withholding states taxes on these soldiers' pay was changed. This position is reflected in administrative opinions, Fatt v. Utah, 884 P2d 1233 (Utah 1994), a 2000 Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion, a Department of Defense (DOD) policy instituted in 2001, and most recently, in Public Law 108-189, a law that passed this House unanimously.

However, while these changes stopped the improper practice of withholding taxes, the changes do not apply retroactively. Current federal law provides that statutes of limitations toll during a member's service, but the ability to recover withheld taxes is still limited by state statute of limitations on filing for refunds. The result is that hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of tribal members whose state taxes were improperly withheld during their service to our country are unable to recover the money that is owed to them.

The American Indian Veterans Pay Restoration Act remedies this situation by creating a program within DOD to return these erroneously withheld taxes to qualifying Native American veterans. This program will centralize and facilitate distribution of funds and recovery of funds from the states. Veterans seeking to recover their money will submit an application to DOD providing evidence of military service, improper taxation, and domicile on a reservation. In addition to veterans, the program will serve Native Americans who were on active duty prior to 2001 and who remain on active duty.

Nearly 16 percent of the Native population 16 years and older are veterans. Native Americans have the highest rate of service to our country of any ethnic group in the U.S. We are daily reminded of the sacrifice made by those who choose to don the uniform and serve our country, and this week we have also been reminded, of the importance of preserving and honoring Native American cultures and traditions. The introduction of this bill serves as a timely effort to keep our promise to our Nation's Native American veterans, and I ask the support of my colleagues.

I would like to thank the original cosponsors of the bill-- Representative George Miller, who led the effort to change the Pentagon's policy on withholding state taxes on Native American servicemembers in 2000, Representative Nick Rahall, the Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee, and Representative Dale Kildee, a co- chair of the Native American Caucus. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this common sense bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2511, the Chimayo Water Supply System and Espanola Filtration Facility Act of 2004. Both of these communities located in my district are in dire need of improvements to their water facilities and I am pleased that the House is acting today to address the needs.

The unincorporated community of Chimayo, home to 3,000 citizens and the world-famous Santuario de Chimayo, currently relies on individual wells for their potable water. They also are forced to rely on largely deteriorated septic sysgtems to dispose of wasterwater. The absence or deterioration of sewer and water infrastructure in the region results in 75 percent of well samples taken having significant contamination. Also, because of the unreliability of the well water, some residents use free-flowing water from irrigation ditches for drinking, also containing high levels of different types of contamination. This situation is so badly in need of remedy, that in 2001 the region was declared an emergency area and required National Guard tanker trucks to bring potable water to the area. Still today Chimayo remains an emergency area.

To address this situation, S. 2511 directs the Secretary of Interior, in cooperation with State and local authorities to conduct a feasibility study of constructing a water supply system for Chamayo. In conducting the feasibility study, the Secretary is to consider various options for supplying water, long-term operation and maintenance costs, and local water resources. The bill would also direct the Secretary to provide emergency water assistance to Chimayo, which may include water treatment, installation of an emergency water supply system and installation of transmission and distribution lines.

Similarly in need of improved water infrastructure is the City of Espanola. Currently the City's water system produces approximately 1,000 gallons per minute less than is needed to provide for its current population. This production shortfall has resulted in inadequate water pressure throughout the city. The chronic lack of pressure is prevalent especially in the portion of the City where the Espanola Hospital is located. The City has twice declared a state of emergency due to lack of adequate water and water pressure, and has been forced to call on the National Guard to supply water to the hospital.

S. 2511 authorizes the Secretary of Interior to provide financial assistance to the City of Espanola for the construction of a water filtration facility, and to the nearby Pueblos of Santa Clara and San Juan for related infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, both of these communities will greatly benefit from this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill, and I would like to thank the two New Mexico Senators for their work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 211, which includes language to establish the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. I am pleased to have sponsored H.R. 505, companion legislation to S. 211 as introduced and passed in the Senate. That version of the Senate legislation only provided for establishment of the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. The bill before us today, however, includes an additional 100 pages of legislative language pertaining to other heritage area designations. Nevertheless I am pleased that we will be moving one step closer to making the Northern Rio Grande Heritage area a reality.

The establishment of the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area is a citizen-driven effort to protect the remaining significant resources representative of the Spanish and Pueblo colonial era in north-central New Mexico. The bill identifies the northern New Mexico counties of Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Taos as a National Heritage Area-- an elite designation from Congress reserved for areas regarded as a significant resource.

Northern New Mexico boasts many sites of historic and cultural signficiance. Our state is a blend of pueblo and Hispanic cultures, making it a very unique and special place in our country. This legislation would identify many of the sites that tell northern New Mexico's story, help preserve them and, in the process, allow them to be more thoroughly enjoyed by New Mexicans and visitors to our state. Preservation would directly lead to economic development of this area through enhanced tourism.

The legislation creates a non-profit corporation governed by a 15 to 25 member board of trustees charged with developing a management plan for the heritage area. The board will consist of representatives from the state, affected counties, tribes, cities and others. The corporation's plan would consist of recommendations for identifying, conserving and preserving cultural, historical and natural resources within the heritage area, along with strategies to promote tourism of the region's natural and cultural assets.

The Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area is supported by the city of Espanola, the city of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, Rio Arriba County, Taos. County, La Jicarita Enterprise Community, the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association, and the Eight Northern Pueblos. I urge my colleagues to join me and these communities and organizations in support of this legislation by voting for its passage today.

I rise today to encourage my colleagues to vote for passage of H.R. 4593. Title II of this legislation is the Ojito Wilderness Act. The Ojito Wilderness Study Area consists of about 11,000 acres of BLM land characterized by pristine and dramatic landforms and rock structures, and by several rare plant populations that are indigenous to the area. Title II of H.R. 4593 designates this area as permanent wilderness and enables the Pueblo of Zia to buy land to unite the disparate pieces of their tribal lands. I sincerely appreciate the effort of Representative Heather Wilson, my New Mexico colleague and the cosponsor of H.R. 3176, The Ojito Wilderness Act, which was introduced last year and is being voted on today as part of Mr. Gibbons' wilderness bill.

I am honored on many levels to have helped get this bill to the floor of the House of Representatives. Forty years ago last month, while my father Stewart Udall was Secretary of the Interior, President Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act, written to assure that some lands of the United States were left in the natural state in which humans found them. I am proud to follow in my father's footsteps by doing my part to help create the first new wilderness designation in New Mexico in over 25 years. But even more so, I am humbled by the hard work of so many New Mexico residents who have come together and fought for years to make this a reality. The cooperation exhibited among the Pueblo of Zia, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, private landholders adjacent to the lands, corporations operating in this area, and government, state and local officials has been phenomenal, and all of New Mexico should be proud.

This proposal has been under consideration for many years, and I am pleased we have the opportunity today to take an important step toward making it law. In 1991, Manuel Lujan, the Secretary of the Interior in the former President Bush's cabinet, recommended the Ojito area to Congress for wilderness designation. The BLM has evaluated this area and found it qualifies for full wilderness status and protection.

The legislation has the explicit support of the Governor of New Mexico, the counties of Sandoval and Bernalillo, individual members of State government including our State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons, the Pueblo of Zia and its members, the adjacent private land owners and individuals who graze their cattle on the land, numerous environmental groups, mineral extraction companies in the region, and business owners and private citizens living and working nearby.

Beyond its scenic and natural beauty, the Ojito Wilderness Study Area and the surrounding lands are also recognized for their high density of cultural and archeological sites, including sites that have religious significance to Pueblo Indians.

This legislation is extremely important to the Pueblo of Zia. The Pueblo's reservation lands currently lie in two noncontiguous sections. Zia has made a concerted effort over many years to adjoin its reservation lands. This legislation will help make this long-standing goal a reality. The Pueblo has consistently and openly worked in cooperation with other interested parties to reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement for the protection of these important lands as undeveloped open space with continued public access.

The Wilderness Act is one of the most poetic laws ever written, defining wilderness as ``an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain'. The ability to experience our country's ``untrammeled'' natural beauty and to learn and teach our children about nature on publicly owned lands is one of the most important reasons for wilderness designations. I thank my cosponsor in the House Heather Wilson, Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall of the Resources Committee, their staff and all of the people who worked on this legislation for helping us move one step closer to giving our children and grandchildren the legacy of nature's gifts.

I urge my fellow Members to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the reforms to the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program, EEOICPA, included in H.R. 4200, the FY05 Defense Authorization Act.

When EEOICPA was enacted in 2000, hopes were high. My constituents who became ill as a result of their work with radioactive materials felt that help was finally on the way. Four years later, the snail's pace of claims processing at the Department of Energy has only further hurt these workers.

Today, however, Congress will enact crucial EEOICPA reforms. All valid claims will be paid by the Department of Labor, thereby eliminating the need for claimants to go to state workers compensation systems. This also eliminates the need for a willing payer, which until now has been a significant roadblock for rewarding meritorious claims. Most importantly, funding the medical and workers' compensation benefits in this program will be mandatory. This ensures that the fate of our nuclear workers will not be subject to the whims of the annual budget.

These veterans of the Cold War have waited long enough to be compensated for the illnesses they incurred while serving their nation. I applaud these reforms, and I will continue to monitor the program closely to ensure that it works as intended.

Another significant change to the EEOICPA in this bill is that former uranium workers who were compensated under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act will now be eligible for payments under EEOICPA, and will now receive assured payments rather than relying on discretionary appropriations. This is a promising step in the right direction for uranium workers, and I look forward to continuing work on the RECA program to address the needs of other qualifying groups, such as the downwinders.

I would like to thank the numerous people who worked incessantly on these reforms. It is my hope that these reforms help get this program back on track.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today greatly disappointed, but unfortunately not surprised, that the majority has once again decided to trump substantive policy with petty politics. As we are well aware, in late August the bipartisan 9/11 Commission issued the report they diligently prepared regarding the circumstances surrounding the horrific and tragic terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. I immediately called upon the Majority to bring Congress back in session to respond to the 9/11 Commission Report. Sadly, the Majority has ignored a great number of the recommendations of the bipartisan report.

As part of their report, the 10 members of the commission made 41 recommendations to prevent future terrorist attacks. In fact, H.R. 10 contains only 11 of these recommendations. Equally alarming to the number of recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission that are not included in this bill, is the number of recommendations not made by the 9/11 Commission that are included in this bill. Amazingly, the Majority has inserted over 50 extraneous provisions not found anywhere in the 9/ 11 Commission Report. Several of these are so controversial that even the 9/11 Commission itself and families of victims of the tragic events of 9/11 have voiced their opposition to H.R. 10.

Mr. Chairman, thankfully for those of us who recognize this legislation for what it is, a partisan attempt at political gain, we can take solace in the fact that the Senate just yesterday passed the bipartisan Collins-Lieberman-McCain legislation. This legislation reflects the unanimous, bipartisan recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and is also similar to Mr. Menendez's substitute that I will support today. It is my hope that the legislative product that emerges from conference with the Senate will much more accurately reflect the 9/11 Commission recommendations that H.R. 10 does today. The future security of our Nation depends on it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2511, the Chimayo

Water Supply System and Espanola Filtration Facility Act of 2004. Both of these communities located in my district are in dire need of improvements to their water facilities and I am pleased that the House is acting today to address the needs.

The unincorporated community of Chimayo, home to 3,000 citizens and the world-famous Santuario de Chimayo, currently relies on individual wells for their potable water. They also are forced to rely on largely deteriorated septic systems to dispose of wastewater. The absence or deterioration of sewer and water infrastructure in the region results in 75% of well samples taken having significant contamination. Also, because of the unreliability of the well water, some residents use free-flowing water from irrigation ditches for drinking, also containing high levels of different types of contamination. This situation is so badly in need of remedy, that in 2001 the region was declared an emergency area and required National Guard tanker trucks to bring potable water to the area. Still today Chimayo remains an emergency area.

To address this situation, S. 2511 directs the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with State and local authorities to conduct a feasibility study of constructing a water supply system for Chimayo. In conducting the feasibility study, the Secretary is to consider various options for supplying water, long-term operation and maintenance costs, and local water resources. The bill would also direct the Secretary to provide emergency water assistance to Chimayo, which may include water treatment, installation of an emergency water supply system and installation of transmission and distribution lines.

Similarly in need of improved water infrastructure is the City of Espanola. Currently the City's water system produces approximately 1,000 gallons per minute less than is needed to provide for its current population. This production shortfall has resulted in inadequate water pressure throughout the city. The chronic lack of pressure is prevalent especially in the portion of the City where the Espanola Hospital is located. The City has twice declared a state of emergency due to lack of adequate water and water pressure, and has been forced to call on the National Guard to supply water to the hospital.

S. 2511 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the City of Espanola for the construction of a water filtration facility, and to the nearby Pueblos of Santa Clara and San Juan for related infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, both of these communities will greatly benefit from this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill, and I would like to thank the two New Mexico Senators for their work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 211, which includes language to establish the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. I am pleased to have sponsored H.R. 505, companion legislation to S. 211 as introduced and passed in the Senate. That version of the Senate legislation only provided for establishment of the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. The bill before us today, however, includes an additional 100 pages of legislative language pertaining to other heritage area designations. Nevertheless, I am pleased that we will be moving one step closer to making the Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area a reality.

The establishment of the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area is a citizen-driven effort to protect the remaining significant resources representative of the Spanish

and Pueblo colonial era in north-central New Mexico. The bill identifies the northern New Mexico counties of Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Taos as a National Heritage Area--an elite designation from Congress reserved for areas regarded as a significant resource.

Northern New Mexico boasts many sites of historic and cultural significance. Our State is a blend of Pueblo and Hispanic cultures, making it a very unique and special place in our country. This legislation would identify many of the sites that tell northern New Mexico's story, help preserve them and, in the process, allow them to be more thoroughly enjoyed by New Mexicans and visitors to our State. Preservation would directly led to economic development of this area through enhanced tourism.

The legislation creates a non-profit corporation governed by a 15- to 25-member board of trustees charged with developing a management plan for the heritage area. The board will consist of representatives from the State, affected counties, tribes, cities and others. The corporation's plan would consist of recommendations for identifying, conserving and preserving cultural, historical and natural resources within the heritage area, along with strategies to promote tourism of the region's natural and cultural assets.

The Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area is supported by the city of Espanola, the city of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, Rio Arriba County, Taos County, La Jicarita Enterprise Community, the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association, and the Eight Northern Pueblos. I urge my colleagues to join me and these communities and organizations in support of this legislation by voting for its passage today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 306, which honors the service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces.

The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and I have had the privilege of representing large portions of the Navajo Nation, one of the largest tribes in the United States. New Mexico also is the home of two Apache nations and 19 pueblos.

According to the last Census, there are now over 190,000 Native American veterans, constituting the highest rate of service of any ethnic group in our country. Two weeks ago when the Museum of the American Indian opened on the National Mall, Native Americans from around the hemisphere traveled to Washington to celebrate, honor, and preserve Native American culture. One aspect of that culture is the value of service. One of the best examples is the Navajo Code Talkers, a group of soldiers who have been credited with saving the lives of countless American soldiers with their unbreakable code in the Second World War.

These individuals risked their lives for our freedom at a time when some considered them second-class citizens. Their code was so successful and so critical to keep secret that some Code Talkers were guarded by fellow Marines whose role was to kill them in case of imminent capture by the enemy. The Code Talkers set a fine example of service for generations to come.

A reminder of the brave service that Native Americans provide to our country was brought to light once again last year when Army Private First Class Lori Piestewa of Arizona gave her life in the war in Iraq. Private Piestewa is believed to be the first Native American woman to be killed in the U.S. Armed Forces combat.

This concurrent resolution, which calls for the establishment of a National Native American Indian Veterans Day, is a fitting way to honor America's first sons and daughters in arms. This concurrent resolution's adoption will serve as a tribute not only to the Native Americans who have served our country well but also to their families and communities who have supported them.

I urge its adoption and have enjoyed very much working with the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the other cosponsors on this, and I

urge all Members to support this concurrent resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Military Families Leave Act, a bill that will take a small step to help ease the burden of military families in this country.

Nearly everyday we hear stories about the hardships of the families of our nation's soldiers. Family members of deployed soldiers

face unique challenges, especially in the first days and weeks after the member has been summoned to duty. The National Military Family Association has testified that it hears from many families about the difficulties of balancing new family and personal requirements with their regular duties when a family member is deployed. As members of Congress, we too hear from constituents who struggle with this balance. I believe there are measures we can take to ease this burden and increase flexibility in the lives of our military family members.

The legislation I am introducing today is one of the steps we can take in that direction. The Military Families Leave Act allows spouses, parents, or children of military personnel who are serving on, or are called to active duty, in support of a contingency operation to use their Family and Medical Leave Act benefits for issues directly related to deployment. The bill does not extend the FMLA to anyone; it simply allows those who already qualify for the FMLA to use that benefit in new specific instances. For example, if a woman's husband is deployed for a contingency operation, she can use her FMLA benefit to secure power of attorney or to arrange for necessary childcare. Or, in a single parent situation, the mother or father of the deployed servicemember could use his or her FMLA benefit to care for a grandchild. This bill has been carefully drafted to stipulate that this leave could only be taken for issues directly relating to or resulting from the deployment of a family member.

This bill is a companion to a bill introduced by Senator Russ Feingold S.683. That bill was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2004 Iraq Supplemental Appropriations bill, but it was unfortunately subsequently stripped in conference. However, this bill continues to have widespread support from military reserve, active duty, and military family organizations.

I would like to submit for the record support letters from the Reserve Enlisted Association, the National Military Family Association, and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. Others who support this bill are the Military Officers Association of America, the National Guard Association of the United States, and the Reserve Officers Association.

The time is ripe to show our military families that we are listening to their concerns. The Military Families Leave Act represents a small measure of relief for the families of the men and women who serve in our armed forces. I ask that my colleagues join me in assisting our military families by supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men from New Mexico who have died in Iraq. Five New Mexicans and more than 1,000 American military servicemen and -women have made the supreme sacrifice for their Nation on the battlefields of Iraq.

The five are Lance Corporal Christopher Ramos of Albuquerque; Sergeant Moses Rocha of Roswell; Sergeant Lee Duane Todacheene of Farmington; Specialist James H. Pirtle of La Mesa; and Sergeant Tommy L. Gray of Roswell. All five have been part of the ultimate sacrifice.

No words can ever express adequately the gratitude and reverence that Americans feel for these men. Nor can we ever repay the debt incurred to them and their families, whose anguish can only inadequately be tempered by a grateful Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering that five New Mexicans and more than 1,000 fellow Americans stood and fell for all of us. My prayers go out to the families of these fallen heroes, and I hope they know this country honors their sacrifices and recognizes their passing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding me this time and for his leadership on the Committee on Resources and on this bill. I also want to thank the chairman for his leadership and also the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), who I have worked very closely with on this bill, the Healthy Forest Youth Conservation Corps.

This legislation will allow the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to contract directly with the youth service and conservation corps to carry out rehabilitation and enhancement projects in our parks and forests, placing a priority on those projects that prevent and suppress forest fires. This partnership between the Federal Government and the Nation's service and

conservation corps will provide cost-effective assistance in preventing forest fires and restoring damaged forests lands.

In addition to providing additional resources to control forest fires, the program will offer important work experience to low-income, disadvantaged, and often minority youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who, through the corps, will develop the skills and habits they need to become productive citizens. Research has shown that youth who complete corps programs have higher rates of employment and earn more than their counterparts. Corps members also score higher on measures of personal and social responsibility and are more likely to earn a college degree.

Finally, not even taking into account the obvious financial benefits to society from protecting at-risk youth, corps generates $1.60 in immediate benefits for every $1 in cost. I encourage my colleagues to vote for passage of the Healthy Forest Youth Conservation Corps Act to enable local youth corps to work with the Federal Government to protect their communities. This is an opportunity to utilize cost-saving human resources to conserve, maintain, and protect Federal land. It is an investment in our environment and our country's youth.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3734 and to honor Mr. Joe Skeen of New Mexico. Joe served New Mexico with distinction and dedication. During the 4 years we served together in the Congress, I found Joe to be a true gentleman and a statesman.

Today, I am pleased that we will be passing this legislation to name the Federal building in Roswell, New Mexico, after Joe. It is an excellent tribute to honor a great man.

One of the things I respected about him the most was his bipartisanship, and I think every Member of Congress, Democrat and Republican, every Member of this House, loved him for that. He loved this institution. He had a great sense of humor. He did not take this place, where we do this the serious business of the country, too seriously, and he would always have a good story or a quip.

It is difficult to capture with words the impact and the significance that Joe has meant not only to New Mexicans, but to the citizens of the United States and the institution of the Congress as well.

During his tenure as New Mexico's longest-serving U.S. House Member, he built a dedicated and talented staff on Capitol Hill. He was renowned for his tireless work on behalf of agrarian interests. Although he did not get the credit he deserved, he also helped steer millions of Federal dollars to our State.

I was proud to work with Joe on legislation that helped return mineral rights to the Acoma Pueblo. That bill, now Federal law, was easily steered through Congress by Joe's knowledge of the legislative process. While we were ultimately not as successful as we would have liked, we also fought together to change the dairy sections of the 2002 farm bill that were unfair to our State's strong milk and cheese industry. Through it all, I enjoyed working with him every step of the way.

Throughout his years of service, he was a model of integrity and truth. The way he approached his job is the way every elected official should, as a highly principled individual who stuck to his beliefs. He walked his talk. While we did not agree on everything, he always did what he believed in his heart to be true, and he always worked in a bipartisan way to accomplish important work.

Again, this is a deserved honor for a great public servant.