Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I am on the floor again. I come to the floor about once a week to talk about a bill, H.R. 693, to repeal the tax on the death gratuity.

The history of this is that in 1991 the United States Congress enacted legislation that created going from $3,000 to $6,000 the death gratuity. The death gratuity is a payment to the families who have lost a loved one in uniform, whether they be training or they be in war.

A couple of years ago I heard about this tax; and I thought about how unfair, how unacceptable that any family who has given a loved one in uniform for this country should have to pay a tax on a very small amount of money known as the death gratuity of $6,000. A year ago I introduced a bill that would take care of this tax and remove it. It was put in a larger package by the House leadership, which I appreciated, and sent over to the other body; but they did not act on the legislation. So we went another year that families who lost loved ones paid a tax on their gift of that loved one to this Nation and for freedom.

Again this year, Madam Speaker, we sent a bigger bill over with this language in it that would repeal the tax, but the other body will not take it up. And I want to give some examples of this, Madam Speaker.

From September 2001 through December 2001, 292 families in America had to pay a tax on their gift, that gift being a family member in uniform. In the year 2002, 1,007 families had to pay Uncle Sam for their gift of their loved one in uniform who died fighting for freedom. Already this year it is over 300. I do not know what the total will be when we reach December 31.

Madam Speaker, let me show a photograph of a young man who is 6 years old. His name is Tyler Jordan. Tyler is holding the American flag under his arm as he is looking at his daddy's casket. Tyler's father was a gunnery sergeant named Phillip Jordan, who was killed in Iraq fighting for freedom.

I look at this little boy, I saw it in the newspaper and it struck me so personally, I decided to try to get a copy of this young boy's face. Tyler's mother is going to get a bill from Uncle Sam, is not giving your daddy enough without receiving a tax from Uncle Sam on a small amount of money, $6,000, the death gratuity.

I want to read an e-mail from a father who e-mailed me last week. ``Dear Representative Jones, Thank you for your support of H.R. 693. Our son, Sergeant Jacob Frazier, was killed in action on March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan. Upon being told we would be taxed on

a portion of the $6,000 benefit, I was shocked and insulted. My son was not married, but I am sure there are numerous young widows who do not need another complication in their life.

``Our country should not add to their burden with additional taxation. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you in Illinois to get this bill passed. Speaker Hastert is my Congressman, and I would be happy to get in touch with him.''

Madam Speaker, I am asking the House leadership to please bring to the floor H.R. 693 as a stand-alone bill and let us send it to the other body. The photographs behind me are a few of the faces of young men and one woman who have died fighting for Afghanistan in Iraq. I have written to the President of the United States and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and I am calling on Republicans and Democrats. This is an issue of morality. It is the right thing to do to say to the families who have given their loved ones, you do not owe us a tax.

Madam Speaker, I thank God for the gift of our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless them. Those who have lost loved ones I ask God to please hold in his arms and comfort those who have given their loved ones for freedom.

Let us pass this legislation before we leave in November. Let us not ask Tyler Jordan and his mother to pay a tax on the gift of his father and her husband.

God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who was part of our Nation's Greatest Generation, Lou Rotterman, who was called home by his Maker in July of this year.

Lou was a fixture on the Hill and in Washington for over 30 years. He was an old-school press secretary and speech writer who worked behind the scenes to put the people he believed in into the spotlight.

Like former President Reagan, he believed that much could be done when you did not worry about who got the credit.

Indeed, Lou Rotterman worked as an executive assistant and press secretary for Jack Kemp from 1972 until 1981, a period in which the New Yorker went from being a freshman Congressman, best known from his days as a Buffalo Bills football great, to one of the conservative intellectual powerhouses of the modern Republican Party. Kemp, as we all know, championed the Kemp-Roth across-the-board tax cuts signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1981. Lou Rotterman, along with his counterpart Jim Brady, who worked with then-Senator Bill Roth's office, helped mobilize support for that historic measure.

As David King of the American Conservative Union wrote in The Hill newspaper, ``Kemp would not have succeeded without Lou Rotterman, and Reagan would not have been the President he was without the ideas that the two promoted.''

As respected as Rotterman was among Congressional press secretaries, he was far more than a Capitol Hill fixture.

Like many in his generation, he volunteered to fight in World War II. At the Battle of Leyete Gulf, Rotterman was a tail gunner on a crew that had to ditch in the ocean. For his bravery in that battle, Lou Rotterman was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for what was called a valiant attack on a large task force of Japanese. In the citation, Rotterman was hailed for his bravery, coolness, and determination displayed. His superior magnificent teamwork was also noted, a hallmark of Lou Rotterman's professional life.

Recently a journalist friend of Rotterman's said, ``You can judge the measure of a man by how he treats those who aren't in a position to help him.'' The journalist said, ``Lou was that way towards me.''

Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Rotterman had a distinguished career in journalism with the Dayton Daily News. During that time, he interviewed both Richard Nixon and John Kennedy during the 1960 Presidential campaign.

Rotterman never ducked a challenge. In the beginning of his career as a beat reporter, he once posed as a minister and walked out on a rain- soaked edge of an office building with a policeman to lure a suicidal man back to safety.

Lou Rotterman was the product of an earlier generation. He went to war, served his country, and raised a family.

Lou Rotterman is gone, but his successors are out there today working just as hard as he did. We do not read their names in the paper, because they are not in it for the glory. But they do their part to make the world a better place for all of us.

Simply put, Lou Rotterman was part of the Greatest Generation that understood sacrifice, duty, honor, and country. He will be missed by all that knew him.

Mr. Speaker, I close by asking God to please bless America, and bless our men and women in uniform.

Mr. Speaker, I am back on the floor today to talk about the repeal of the death gratuity tax on the families who have given their loved ones to die for freedom in America.

Mr. Speaker, behind me are the faces of just a few of those who have died in either Afghanistan or Iraq. In the year 2001, there were 292 families that received a bill from Uncle Sam in the way of a tax because their loved one died in uniform fighting for freedom. In the year 2002, there were 1,007 families that received a bill from Uncle Sam because their loved one died in uniform for freedom.

Already in 2003, it is well over 280 families.

Mr. Speaker, the history on this issue is that prior to 1991 or 1992, there was a $3,000 death gratuity that was given by the government to the families whose husband or wife or daughter or son died in uniform. It could be in an accident or war situation.

The Congress in the early 1990s increased that from $3,000 to $6,000, but what happened is it did not go through the proper committee to take the tax off.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have a bill that is H.R. 693 to repeal this tax; and in fairness to the committee and to both sides, it has been supported by both sides. The committee of jurisdiction, the Committee on Ways and Means, included this language in a larger package to bring tax relief to the military, which was fine with me; but the Senate will not move the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I think it is absolutely unacceptable, deplorable that we do not take this tax off the families who are giving loved ones.

Let me show a photograph of a young boy whose name is Tyler Jordan. This was a shot in a national newspaper that I saw, and I was so touched by it that I wanted to have a copy of it. Tyler's father was a gunnery sergeant named Phillip Jordan. He was killed in Iraq. In the photograph of Tyler, he has an American flag that was taken off his father's coffin under his arms and he is looking at the father's coffin. How tragic that is within itself, but adding to that tragedy is that next year his family is going to get a bill from Uncle Sam, a bill of $6,000, which is not enough; but we need to take this tax off so that the families who have lost loved ones will not be paying a penalty for giving the loved one who died for freedom and died for this country.

This week I received an e-mail from the father of Sergeant Jacob Frazier, and I want to read this, Mr. Speaker. It says, ``Thank you for your support of H.R. 693. Our son, Sergeant Jacob Frazier, was killed in action on March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan. Upon being told we would be taxed on a portion of the $6,000 benefit, I was shocked and insulted. My son was not married, but I am sure that there are numerous young widows that do not need another complication in their lives. Our country should not add to their burden with additional taxation. Let me know if I can do anything to help you here in Illinois to get this bill passed.''

Mr. Speaker, I am going to call on the House leadership, both parties, and ask the House leadership to please before we leave in November bring up H.R. 693, stand-alone bill. I have got many supporters from the Democratic side and the Republican side. Bring it to the floor, and let us morally do what is right for those families who have given their loved one.

Mr. Speaker, I actually wrote the President of the United States on September 17 and asked him to please use the executive office to contact the leadership in the House and the Senate, both parties, to move this legislation. In the last paragraph I wrote this sentence to the President of the United States: ``Given the very little time left in this legislative session, failure to do so will result in more American military families not only giving a loved one for freedom but also suffering the unacceptable indignity of being taxed on that gift.''

Mr. Speaker, we do a lot of good things around here and a lot of things we debate. We disagree, both parties and within our own parties. But this is one of those issues that it is simple. It is morally the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, I close by asking God to please bless our men and women in uniform and, God, please bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take the Special Order time of the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- lehtinen).

Mr. Speaker, tonight I am on the floor again. I am asking the House leadership and also the Democratic leadership to please bring to the floor H.R. 693, the Military Death Gratuity Tax Repeal.

Mr. Speaker, let me explain to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that in the early 1990s, the Congress increased from $3,000 to $6,000 a death gratuity that is given to the family of a loved one who has died in uniform for this country. The Committee on Ways and Means, and it was not their fault, but the bill, the increase, was not sent to their committee so they could eliminate the tax. So since the early 1990s, anyone who has died in uniform for this country, their families have received a death gratuity of $6,000 and also the next year receive a tax bill from Uncle Sam.

Mr. Speaker, now that we are fighting for freedom for the Iraqi people, our troops in Afghanistan and also in Iraq have been killed, and God bless and rest their souls and bless their families, but, Mr. Speaker, the reason I am on the floor tonight is I am asking the House leadership, both Democrat and Republican, to please, before we leave here in early November, to bring this bill to the floor and let us pass it in a bipartisan way and send it to the other body.

In fairness to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), ranking member, and the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas), they have included this language for 2 years in a larger bill to help our families in the military. But the other body, Mr. Speaker, has not passed the legislation.

So I hope that the Congress, the House, will join me in asking the leadership, both majority and minority, to bring this bill to the floor and let us send it to the other body and ask them to please pass this as a stand-alone bill.

Mr. Speaker, behind me are the photographs of those who have died for freedom. There are a lot more than these photographs, quite frankly. I have these photographs outside of my office in 422 Cannon because I do not want anybody to ever walk by my office and not understand the cost of freedom. We can see that it says, ``Let us never forget,'' faces of fallen heroes. These are young men and one woman from across this Nation who have given their lives for freedom, and yet Uncle Sam next year will send a tax bill to those families.

We are talking about, Mr. Speaker, that in the year of September 11, 2001, there were over 292 families that had to pay this tax. In 2002, there were 1,007 families that had to pay this tax. It is important that we pass this legislation this year. It should have passed 2 years ago, but that is not the House's fault. It is the other body's.

Mr. Speaker, let me also read part of an e-mail I received recently. It happens to be from a constituent of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), Speaker of the House. It says: ``Dear Representative Jones, thank you for your support of H.R. 693. Our son, Sergeant Jacob Frazier, was killed in action on March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan. Upon being told we would be taxed on a portion of the $6,000 benefit, I was shocked and insulted. My son was not married, but I am sure that there are numerous young widows that do not need another complication in their lives. Our country should not add to their burden with additional taxation.''

Mr. Speaker, that is why I will continue to come to the floor of the House until the House leadership, both Republican and Democrat, bring this bill to the floor. Yes, we are doing a lot of important things on the floor of the House, but yet there is time to bring this bill to the floor. And let us in a bipartisan way, as we have done before, pass this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to share with the Members on the floor of the House, this is a young man whose name is Tyler Jordan. He is 6 years old. He has under his arm the flag that was draped upon his daddy's casket. His father was a gunnery sergeant in the United States Marine Corps named Phillip Jordan, who was killed in Iraq. We are looking at this photograph of this young man who is hurting very badly because his father has died for this country. But should we not in Congress, who are not being fired at with bullets, say to those who are dying for freedom not only for the Iraqi people, but for the American citizens that to this young man Tyler Jordan we are not going to send a bill from Uncle Sam asking him to pay a tax on the measly $6,000?

That is not enough, Mr. Speaker, but that is not the issue tonight. The issue tonight is we need to remove this tax.

I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless America. Let us pass this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue that I bring to the floor. As you can see behind me, these are the faces of just a few of the men and women who have died for this country, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. I bring this to the floor because last year I introduced a bill to repeal the tax on the death gratuity.

The death gratuity, Mr. Speaker, is a ``thank you,'' if you will, not enough, but it is a check that is given to the families of those who have given loved ones in uniform that have died for this country. I want to say to the leadership on both sides that last year you did, and I thank both sides, put the language from that bill into a larger bill to bring tax relief to our men and women in uniform, but the other body did not pass the bill.

This year, I put the bill back in as H.R. 693, to repeal the tax on the death gratuity. It was put into a larger bill known as the Military Tax Fairness Act, supported by both sides, sent to the other body, known as the Senate, and they still have not moved that bill. So I am coming to the floor as much as possible to ask the leadership on the House side, both Republican and Democrat, to please bring up as a stand-alone bill, H.R. 693.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to show you another photograph. This is a young fellow whose father was killed in Iraq. His name is Tyler Jordan. His father was a Gunnery Sergeant killed while fighting for freedom in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I bring this to the floor because this next year, his mother will receive a tax bill from Uncle Sam.

Mr. Speaker, how much does a family have to give? It gives a loved one, who has died for freedom, to protect the American people. Why can we not, as a Congress, send to the President, before we leave in November, a bill to say that we are going to repeal the tax on the death gratuity?

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the leadership on the House side, both Republican and Democrat, will join me in bringing this bill to the floor as a stand-alone bill, and let us send it to the other body and ask them to please look into their own hearts and pass that legislation and send it to the President. No family that has given a loved one, and in many cases a child, a father, a husband, should be asked next year by Uncle Sam to pay a tax on that gift.

So, with that, Mr. Speaker, I am going to close, as I do all over my district, the Third District of North Carolina, the home of Camp Lejeune Marine Base, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Mr. Speaker, I ask God to please bless the men and women in uniform; I ask God to please bless the families of the men and women in uniform; I ask God to please hold the families who have lost loved ones in His loving arms. I ask God to please bless the House and Senate, that we will do what is right in the eyes of the Lord; and I ask God to please bless the President of the United States, that will he have courage and wisdom to what is right for this Nation, today and tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I close three times by asking God, God please, God please, God please continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding me this time, and I thank my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for his comments. He well stated the case for this land transfer.

Mr. Speaker, I think many times that we all, no matter which side we are on, Democrat or Republican, we want to do what we think is right for the people of this country, as well as the environment. And as the gentleman from New Jersey said, my friend, and the gentleman from Arizona previously, this is a win-win for the Park Service and the taxpayers. Very seldom do we have debates on the floor where we can have both parties coming together and saying that this is a win for the taxpayer and this is a win for the Park Service.

I want to just share with my colleagues, I have three or four photographs I would like to show. I have had the pleasure of getting to know these wonderful people from the Cherokee Tribe in Cherokee, North Carolina, the home of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor), who wanted to be here today, but is running late because of his flight. These are the people that I think, and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) can speak to this better than I when he speaks in a few minutes, that of all of the people in this country that have been neglected, it has to be the Indians. I have never met such nice people, and meek and easy-going, intelligent people.

As was said by the gentleman from Arizona, the young student from Cherokee High School that came down and testified before the committee, I had an opportunity to meet with Cory and some of his classmates in my office in the Cannon Building. They were saying to me, Congressman, it does not make any sense about this land transfer. We have tried to transfer this land for 3 or 4 years now, and nothing has ever come of it. And it is time that our kids, our children, K through 12, have a better environment to learn.

This photograph, Mr. Speaker, to my left is a gym wall that is cracked and pushing inward. I will hold this up. This, in itself, shows us that the buildings are in a terrible situation. This is just one of three or four photographs I would like to show.

Mr. Speaker, this is a photograph, it says, high school, major cracks in walls. This is just a regular classroom, and we can see the major cracks that have already developed in this building. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) said, this school is over 40 years old, 40 years old. All we are asking for today is a land swap. The Indians, by God, have given the Federal Government more than they have ever received from the Federal Government. That is a known history of this country. But in this case, this is a swap that is to the benefit of the environment and to the Park Service. But there again, I want to show this to the Members on the House Floor today, this is a major structural problem that the high school has in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, this is another, if you will, crack at the school that I want everyone to see. I imagine anyone that is watching today can see that fairly well. But to my friends on the Democratic side, that is just another example of just how deplorable this school is and why this land swap needs to take place. Again, this land swap is supported by the majority on both sides.

We all know about trailers. The Cherokee Indians are spending a lot of their time in trailers, but we know that is true outside of the Cherokee Tribe. That is one of the problems that we as a Nation need to address as it relates to other schools. But, Mr. Speaker, this actually comes down to the fact that these school buildings are structurally unsafe and have been condemned. I am not sure if the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), my friend, might have said that, but I want to reaffirm if he did say it, these buildings have been condemned. So this is the only opportunity and option that these students have.

The Cherokee leadership has been for 4 and 5 years coming here to Washington, meeting with the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor) and the two Senators from North Carolina, just asking the Interior Department to just transfer this land, to swap it. And we, the American Government, get a better deal when it comes to the cost and the price of the land.

As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) said, and I will close in just a second, that 218 acres of pristine land that contains two endangered species, that is now owned by the Cherokees, will be transferred to the Federal Government. In turn, the Federal Government will transfer 143 acres of nonpristine land and has no endangered species on that land.

So, Mr. Speaker, I see this as a win.

Mr. Speaker, I am back on the floor tonight to say to the House and to the other body, the Senate, that we need to pass legislation to remove the tax that is sent to the families of those who have given their loved one to die for this country.

Mr. Speaker, I want to introduce my colleagues to a young man whose name is Tyler Jordan. Tyler's father, gunny sergeant Phillip Jordan, died for this country. He died in Iraq. He gave his life for this country. Yet, Mr. Speaker, because we have not removed a tax on the death gratuity that will be sent to his family this year, next year his family will have to pay a tax on $6,000.

Last year I put a bill in that would remove this tax; and it was supported by both parties, Democrat and Republican. It was sent in a larger bill to the Senate, but the Senate could not find the time to pass the legislation. This year again, the House, in a bipartisan way, Democrat and Republican, have sent to the Senate a larger bill with this provision in it to remove this tax on this death gratuity, and the Senate still has not taken the time to pass it.

Behind me are faces of those who have given their lives for this country. Their families next year will receive a tax bill from Uncle Sam. Mr. Speaker, I think when a family gives a loved one dying for freedom, the least that the House and the Senate can do is to repeal this tax.

The history of this is that in the early 1990s, there was a $3,000 death gratuity sent to the family. It was increased to $6,000, but the Congress did not take off the tax on the additional $3,000, so that means on the $6,000 death gratuity that is sent to the family, a tax will have to be paid. Mr. Speaker, I am going to call on the House leadership, both Republican and Democrat, the Senate leadership, and the President of the United States that we not leave here in November of this year and say to the families who have given a loved one that you are going to receive a tax bill from Uncle Sam.

I look at this young man that I hold up again, his name is Tyler Jordan. His father, Phillip, a Marine, gunny sergeant, died for this country. Yet not only did he give up his father, but also his family is going to be asked to pay a tax. This is unacceptable. There are many issues that we debate here in the House of Representatives, many issues that are so important; but is there anything more important than to say to a family, you gave a loved one for this country. The least we can do is to eliminate this tax.

So I am asking my colleagues on both sides of the political aisle to please help me encourage the House leadership, both Republican and Democrat, that we not leave this year without sending to the floor of the House H.R. 693, a bill that I have introduced supported by both sides, the military death gratuity tax repeal, get it to the floor and pass it. Because I do not want to come back here in 2004 and think that we have asked a family that gave a loved one that they had to pay a tax.

Let me give my colleagues a quick example. On September 11 of 2001, over 292 military families paid a tax on the gift of a loved one. In the year 2002, if this bill had passed last year, but since it did not pass, 1,700 families had to pay a tax on the gift of a loved one who died for freedom in America.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope as I conclude tonight that as we look at the faces of these who have given their lives for America, we look at the little boy who gave his father for this country, that we will not leave here in November without passing H.R. 693 on the floor of this House and let us send it to the other body and ask them to pass that legislation. I am going to write a letter to the President of the United States, send it tomorrow, and ask the President to please get behind this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I close as I do in my district and I did last night: I ask God to please bless our men and women in uniform, to please bless their families, and I ask God to please in his loving way in

his arms to hold the families who have given their loved ones dying for freedom. I ask God to please bless the American people, to bless the House and Senate that we will do what is right in the eyes of God Almighty. I ask God to please be with the President of the United States so that he will do what is right for the future of this country. And I ask three times, God please, God please, God please continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of one of the most compassionate people to have walked the earth: Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

I was not fortunate enough to personally know Mother Teresa, but I have been blessed to stand within twenty feet of this incredible woman. A few years ago, we presented Mother Teresa with the Congressional Gold Medal.

Arriving early, I was able to sit near enough that I could see every detail of Mother Teresa's face. Though she was old and weathered, one thought struck me as I stared at this living saint, ``What a beautiful face.''

Through her years in Calcutta she had seen illness and death, mourning and tragedy. She was rugged and aging, but, Mr. Speaker, she still possessed a perfectly beautiful face of love.

Were she still with us today, Mother Teresa would have celebrated her birthday on August 27. This year, Pope John Paul II will honor the life and service of Mother Teresa by beatifying her on October 19.

Mr. Speaker, to be honest, words cannot do this holy servant justice. I am convicted of my own inability to serve as selflessly as she did. This saint did the Lord's work on a daily basis, with no desire to be recognized, thanked or applauded.

I am certain that when she went Home to meet her Maker, she was greeted at the gates of heaven by the Father, with arms open wide, saying to her, ``Well done, my good and faithful servant.''

Each of us should seek to serve with even one-third of the heart that Mother Teresa had. She is an example to us all of what a difference one life can make to so many millions.

Mother Teresa used to say, ``There is joy in transcending self to serve others.'' Mr. Speaker, to all of us in Congress, I truly pray we can find such joy--such pure and selfless joy.

Happy Birthday, Mother Teresa. And may God bless the souls of those who still remain on this earth, seeking to carry on the tradition of servitude you left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend my friend and a fellow North Carolinian, W. Cloyce Anders of Raleigh, who is completing his highly successful term as President of the nation's largest insurance association--the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA)--later this month in Las Vegas. He was elected to IIABA's Executive Committee in September 1997. Cloyce is president of VFIS of North Carolina and Anders, Ireland & Marshall, Inc., both of Raleigh as well as a managing partner of Independent Agency Services, LLC, of Durham.

Even before his service as IIABA president, Cloyce's career as an independent insurance agent was marked with distinguished service and dedication to his clients, community, IIABA, the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC), and his colleagues across the country. His service to his peers began with his involvement at the state level with IIANC. He served as IIANC president for a year beginning in 1989 and represented the state on IIABA's National Board of State Directors from 1992 to 1997. In recognition of his outstanding service, he was honored by the North Carolina association as its Agent of the Year, Young Agent of the Year, Educator of the Year, and Committee Chairman of the Year.

Cloyce also is a concerned and highly active member of his community. He has served as president of several community organizations, including the Craven County Chamber of Commerce, New Bern Jaycees, Craven County Committee of 100; and as chairman of the Salvation Army Craven County Board, Craven County March of Dimes, Craven County Heart Fund, Craven County Cancer Drive, Craven County Committee of 100, and Salvation Army Building Fund Drive. He is a member of the North Carolina Fire & Rescue Commission and is the facilitator for the Wake County Fire Commission. He also is chairman of the North Carolina Safety Workers Compensation Fund.

I laud Cloyce for his tireless and selfless leadership of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America and the many accomplishments benefiting all independent insurance agents and brokers realized during his tenure as President. I know that even though Cloyce will step aside as IIABA leader soon, he will remain involved with the Association because he is a concerned leader and wants to continue helping his colleagues build for a strong and secure future. Congratulations on a job well done, Cloyce!

Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor today because let me first explain the posters on my left and right are the faces of young men and women who have died fighting for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also, Mr. Speaker, I hold up a photograph of a young man from Connecticut whose name is Tyler Jordan, 6 years old. He has the American flag folded under his arm, and he is looking at the casket of his father who died for freedom. Gunny Sergeant Phillip Jordan from Connecticut died for freedom.

Mr. Speaker, the reason I am on the floor today is that last year I introduced a bill that would repeal the tax on the death gratuity. The American military family receives when a loved one dies a small amount of money. It is $6,000, and there is a tax on $3,000 of the $6,000. And last year we passed in a larger bill a repeal, and it was sent to the other body and they did nothing with it. This year again the House has passed the same language which was in H.R. 693, the Military Death Gratuity Tax Repeal, the bill I put in. It was put into a larger bill that went to the Senate, and they still have taken no action. Let me tell the Members what that means.

From September 11, 2001, to December 31, 2001, over 292 military were killed and their families paid a tax on the gift of their son or loved one fighting for freedom. That is absolutely horrible in my opinion, Mr. Speaker. And in the year 2002, 1,007 families had to pay a tax on the death of a loved one. Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that we, the House, have done our part and we have sent to the other body legislation to repeal this tax. It is unacceptable that any family in this country who has a loved one who has died for freedom would get a bill tax due from Uncle Sam. And, Mr. Speaker, I am calling on the House leadership to bring up H.R. 693, bring it to the floor as a stand-alone bill, let us pass it and send it over to the other body, because if we will do that, Mr. Speaker, I will go on every radio show I can get on, every TV show I can get on, and ask that we not leave this October/November without passing this bill to eliminate the tax on the death gratuity. $6,000 is not enough. We need to raise that, but there is one thing we can do, take off the tax.

Again I hold up the photograph of this young man, Tyler Jordan, who gave his father to this country, and why in the world should his family, in the year 2004, get a tax due bill from Uncle Sam? Is not giving the life of a loved one fighting for freedom enough?

So, again, Mr. Speaker, I ask the House leadership, both Republican and Democrat, to join me and bring to the floor H.R. 693. Let us repeal this death tax and send it over to the other body, and let us put pressure on them to get it to the President so that the other Phillip Jordans throughout this country will not have a mother or father saying I owe Uncle Sam tax on the gift of my loved one.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I want to close by asking God to please bless our men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless the families of our men and women in uniform, and I ask God in His loving way to hold in his arms those who have lost ones fighting for freedom, and I ask God to bless the American people, the House and Senate that we will do what is right. I ask God to give strength and wisdom to the President of the United States. And I ask God three times, please, God; please, God; please, God, continue to bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation aimed at honoring American Prisoners of War from the Greatest Generation.

Over two years ago, two of my constituents who were POWs during World War II in the Pacific Theatre approached me about awards they felt they should have received. The Japanese has imprisoned each of the men, one of whom was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. These men were beaten, tortured and starved--one weighed 70 pounds when he was liberated. After their release, each of them was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal because of their internment. However, despite the harsh and sometimes violent treatment received at the hands of their captors, neither received the Purple Heart.

Current law for POWs held prior to 1962 requires documentation from the camps or detailed statements from former POW commanding officers in order to be eligible for the

Purple Heart. But the Japanese, and later the North Koreans, certainly provided no documentation. Now when World War II and Korean war vets are dying by the thousands every day, it is becoming even harder to find survivors from specific camps.

The bill I am introducing recognizes the hardships borne by World War II and Korean war POWs by providing additional assistance to those who would have earned the award if they had today's record keeping. It requires the Department to provide some additional historical information from the period and gives them some benefit of the doubt with respect to injuries.

This legislation is not about lowering the standard for a sacred award--the Purple Heart. Instead it is about properly recognizing the realities of the horrible suffering endured in the Japanese and North Korean POW camps for a small number of surviving heroes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act. This legislation is a simple provision aimed to provide a small amount of relief to surviving beneficiaries of military retirees.

As my colleagues may be aware, federal regulations require the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) to terminate payment of the retired pay upon notification of the retiree's death. Once the surviving spouse or beneficiary notifies the finance center, DFAS then electronically withdraws the entirety of the last payment from the deceased retiree's checking account. Then several weeks later, the retiree's beneficiary will receive a check in the mail containing a pro-rated portion of the military pay for the days for which the retiree was still living.

The current process rightfully and sensibly seeks to only pay military retirees for when they are alive, but it can and often does have an adverse impact on the retiree's beneficiary. Many of these surviving spouses or caregivers are living on fixed incomes. When the retirement pay is deposited, they use those funds to pay things like rent, medical expenses, or other living expenses. Automatically withdrawing those funds can inadvertently cause rent checks to bounce and place great additional financial strain on a beneficiary when they are already faced with great loss and the prospect of additional costs associated with the military retiree's death.

In many respects, a military spouse has provided equal service and sacrifices as the military members themselves. While they may not face the perils of combat, they often raise families alone, endure long separations, and provide a mutual safety net for other military families. This legislation seeks to recognize that sacrifice by forgiving the overpayment made to the surviving beneficiary if that beneficiary has a joint bank account with the military retiree. In order to offset some of the minimal cost, the recipient receiving the overpayment would forgo the first month of Survivor Benefit Plan payments. The individual amounts will be small, but they will provide great comfort to those who are already losing much.

In closing, I would like to thank the Fleet Reserve Association for their great assistance in working with me on this legislation. They are dedicated advocates for military personnel and their families, and this is just one more example of their efforts. I look forward to working with the Fleet Reserve Association and many other colleagues in seeing enactment of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2427 to allow affordable prescription drugs to be sold in this country. American consumers continue to pay drug prices that are 30 to 300 percent more than in Europe and other industrialized nations and this is wrong.

The citizens of the 3rd District of North Carolina are like the citizens across this nation--they are looking to the Congress for help--prescription drugs in this country must be more affordable.

H.R. 2427 would allow individuals, pharmacists and wholesalers in America access to FDA approved drugs from FDA approved facilities in industrialized nations.

Studies show that over 50 percent of our nation's current drug supply comes from FDA approved laboratories overseas; the only difference is that American consumers do not benefit from the lower prices available in these foreign countries.

Those outside of Congress who are opposed to this bill have spent millions of dollars to keep American consumers from benefiting from H.R. 2427. In my opinion they have taken the low road in this debate.

Mr. Speaker I will close by saying that the citizens of America have the right to have access to affordable prescription drugs. The costs of research and development by pharmaceutical companies should not be on the backs of American consumers.

Like President Reagan said, ``markets are more powerful than armies.'' Allow for prescription drug importation and let the R&D costs be bourn by all the countries who are benefiting from these drugs.

It is my sincere hope that we can pass this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, we know it is a very difficult budget year and lots of decisions have to be made. I have 61,000 retired veterans and military retirees, combined, that live in the Third District of North Carolina, the home of Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. And like each and every one of my colleagues, I know we all care about our vets, but let me say that sometimes, for all of us who serve, you get a little bit wondering, what are our priorities? And with all of the responsibilities we have, should those vets be number one for this country?

I believe those of us who had the privilege to serve--and no, I do not have a military background, but Members do not need a military background to appreciate those who put the uniform on for this country.

Mr. Chairman, I think about those young kids at Walter Reed and those young kids at Bethesda who lost a limb, many are paralyzed, and in the short term they will be taken care of, but how about 3 and 4 and 5 years down the road? We are losing beds and losing care. America is too great to let this happen.

Let me say, Mr. Chairman, in closing, that many of my vets ask me, we find this money for foreign aid, we find $15 billion for Africa, and they want to help the AIDS victims in Africa, but they agree and I agree, they should come first. Then if we have extra money, let us help the other people; but for God's sake, let us not forget our vets. We made a promise a few months ago that it would be $1.8 billion.

I know the chairman and the ranking member are two of the finest men here in the House, and this is not their doing or their fault, but let us reestablish our priorities and let us take care of those who are willing to give their lives for us.