John Boozman

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. We also accept the amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Will the gentlewoman yield again?

Mr. BOOZMAN. Thank you, Mr. Roskam. We appreciate you bringing this amendment forward. I think it will be a useful tool that we can evaluate in the future. We appreciate your hard work and certainly do not oppose it and will support it.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Thank you, Mr. Oberstar. Mr. Chairman, we have no problems with the amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN. We appreciate you bringing forth your amendment. We understand your concern, and we will certainly not oppose your amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BOOZMAN. Thank you very much for yielding. We appreciate the gentlewoman's bringing this forward, and we certainly don't oppose it.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chair, I also ask the gentlewoman to yield.

Mr. BOOZMAN. We also do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray).

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim a minute of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Again, we very much support this amendment and thank the chairman for bringing it forward, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time, although I am not in opposition.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Does the gentleman have any more speakers?

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act: Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: EERE Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, 2404 North University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72207; Arkansas State University College of Agriculture, PO Box 1080, State University, AR 72647; College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, 101 Conner Hall, Athens, GA 30602 Address of Requesting Entity: see above Description of Request: The funding of $1,900,300 will be used to help industry expand to commercial production of cellulosic ethanol and to develop viable feedstock production and alternative uses for by- products. Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 1105 Account: Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Arkansas Address of Requesting Entity: 119 Ozark Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: The funding of $475,750 will be used to purchase additional testing instrumentation, materials and alternate energy storage and transmission prototype development for the University of Arkansas's electric test facility.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of America's firefighters. Not a day goes by that I don't read or hear a story of the dangers and sacrifices our firefighters face to protect us. We are so blessed to have such great men and women who are dedicated to ensuring our safety. The work that they do in our communities is an important job that requires our commitment to help provide funds for resources and training that enables them to perform their jobs as best as they can. I have been proud to support Arkansas's firefighters in the past by helping to secure grant funding and that work will continue. Last year when the barracks at Fort Chaffee caught fire, our firefighters braved high winds to contain the fire and protect our communities. That blaze required the help of numerous firefighters including men and women who volunteer their time to help keep us out of harm's way. According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, the biggest challenges facing volunteer fire departments and emergency services are retention and recruitment. We can help ease those hurdles with new legislation that offers incentives to those who are at the forefront of fires. The Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Act and the Volunteer Firefighter/EMS Gas Price Relief Act show our appreciation for the work that is imperative to protecting our rural communities. Firefighters put their lives on the line for their fellow citizens, and my appreciation for these Americans who help protect us is immeasurable. I urge the House Committee on Ways and Means to consider these bills, and for Congress to offer more support to all of the men and women who serve our communities with such valor.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information for publication in the Congressional Record regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009: Earmark: Arkansas Research and Technology Park, $100,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Salaries & Expenses Agency: Small Business Administration (SBA) Name/Address: University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation, 535 Research Center Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used to develop a new research facility at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park Earmark: Arkansas School Resource Officer Program, $500,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: OJP-Byrne Discretionary Grants Agency: Department of Justice Name/Address: Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at the University of Arkansas, 7723 Colonel Glen Road, Little Rock, AR 72204 Description: The funding will be used by CJI's School Violence Resource Center to develop a program to provide education and training for school resource officers and school officials, provide safe school on-site assessments of Arkansas schools, and provide safe school crisis intervention and management. Earmark: Arkansas Methamphetamine Education and Training Project, $500,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: COPS Meth Agency: Department of Justice Name/Address: Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at the University of Arkansas, 7723 Colonel Glen Road, Little Rock, AR 72204 Description: The funding will be used to provide the Arkansas law enforcement community with methamphetamine-focused courses that emphasize officer awareness and safety, effective management and investigation of methamphetamine-related cases, and the identification and rescue of Arkansas's methamphetamine-affected children. Earmark: National Child Protection Training Center: Southern Region, $500,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: OJP-Byrne Discretionary Grants Agency: Department of Justice Name/Address: North West Arkansas Community College, One College Drive, Bentonville, AR 72712 Description: The funding will be used to establish a national training center for the Southern region of the U.S. for the purpose of reducing cases of child abuse and improving support for victims of child abuse Earmark: City of Fayetteville's Simulcast System for Public Safety Communication, $500,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: COPS Law Enforcement Technology Agency: Department of Justice Name/Address: City of Fayetteville, AR, 113 W. Mountain, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used for the purchase, installation and implementation of a three site ASTRO 25 LE simulcast radio system for emergency preparedness. Earmark: City of Fayetteville wastewater system improvements, $300,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Name/Address: City of Fayetteville, AR, 113 W. Mountain, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used to continue the existing initiative of rehabilitation of the regional wastewater system and for infrastructure reconstruction. Earmark: May Branch Flood Control Project, $109,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Investigations Agency: Corps of Engineers Name/Address: City of Fort Smith, AR, P.O. Box 1908, Fort Smith, AR 72902 Description: The funding will be used to make improvements to the May Branch drainage way for flood damage reduction Earmark: Pine Mountain Dam, Arkansas, $478,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Investigations Agency: Corps of Engineers Name/Address: River Valley Regional Water District, 811 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, AR 72921 Description: The funding will be used to complete the general reevaluation study and continue work on the EIS for construction of a lake for flood control, water supply, fish and wildlife enhancement and recreation. Earmark: Ozark-Jeta Taylor Powerhouse, $16,555,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Construction Agency: Corps of Engineers Name/Address: Corps of Engineers, 700 West Capitol Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 Description: The funding will be used to replace turbines with a new design to correct flaws that are causing extensive outages. Earmark: White River Minimum Flows, $5,000,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Construction Agency: Corps of Engineers Name/Address: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205 Description: The funding will be used to continue work toward the implementation of Minimum Flows at Bull Shoals and Norfolk Dams on the White River pursuant to Section 132 of the FY2006 Energy and Water Resources Development Act (P.L. 109-103). Earmark: Sparks Regional Medical Center Cancer Treatment Center, $1,189,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: HRSA-Health Facilities & Services Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Name/Address: Sparks Regional Medical Center, 1001 Towson Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72917. Description: The funding will be used to relocate and expand radiation therapy and oncology services to a central cancer center Earmark: University of Arkansas Medical School (UAMS) IT Project, $95,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: HRSA-Health Facilities & Services Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Name/Address: UAMS, 4301 W. Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205 Description: The funding will be used to purchase the equipment that will allow for both distance education for the Northwest Arkansas satellite campus, as well as telehealth in rural areas. Earmark: North Arkansas College Health Science Facility, $190,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Higher Education (includes FIPSE) Agency: Department of Education Name/Address: North Arkansas College, 1515 Pioneer Drive, Harrison, AR 72601 Description: The funding will be used to purchase equipment for the new allied health facilities at the South Campus. Earmark: Razorback Transit System, Fayetteville, AR, $570,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Buses and Bus Facilities Agency: Federal Transit Administration Name/Address: University of Arkansas, Transit and Parking Department, 155 Razorback Road, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used for environmental, security and bus upgrades. Earmark: Statewide Bus and Bus Facilities, $950,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Buses and Bus Facilities Agency: Federal Transit Administration Name/Address: State of Arkansas, Arkansas Highway and Transit Department, 10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72203 Description: The funding will be used to supplement the State's current buses and bus facilities, as well as assist in the procurement of ADA vans and small buses for 250 community human service organizations. Earmark: I-540 Interchange Improvements, Washington and Benton Counties, $1,900,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Interstate Maintenance Discretionary Agency: Federal Highway Administration Name/Address: State of Arkansas, Arkansas Highway and Transit Department, 10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72203 Description: The funding will be used to make improvements along I- 540, including adding lanes at on and off ramps and adding capacity to cross streets to allow for the traffic coming from and going to the Interstate. Earmark: Bella Vista Bypass, $380,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Surface Transportation Priorities Agency: Federal Highway Administration Name/Address: State of Arkansas, Arkansas Highway and Transit Department, 10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72203 Description: The funding will be used to continue work on the Bella Vista Bypass, which is a critical link to the completion of I-49. Earmark: Rail Trolley Extension, Fort Smith, AR, $237,500 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Surface Transportation Priorities Agency: Federal Highway Administration Name/Address: City of Fort Smith, P.O. Box 1908, Fort Smith, AR 72902 Description: The funding will be used for design and engineering for the western and eastern extensions of the existing electric trolley rail system, which will provide direct links with the Convention Center, Trolley Museum, Fort Smith Museum of History and the new U.S. Marshals Museum. Earmark: Endophyte Research, $994,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Salaries & Expenses Agency: Agricultural Research Service Name/Address: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, ALTH 214, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72704 Description: The funding will be used for the continuation of University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Endophyte research programs. Earmark: National Center for Agricultural Law, $654,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Salaries & Expenses Agency: Agricultural Research Service Name/Address: National Center for Agricultural Law, 107 Waterman Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used to continue programs at the National Center for Agricultural Law, the leading source of objective, scholarly and authoritative agricultural and food law research and information. Earmark: Animal Science Food Safety Consortium, $939,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: SRG Agency: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service Name/Address: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, E212 AFLS Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used for the continuation of cutting edge research into all areas of poultry, beef and pork meat production from the farm to the consumer's table, including providing solutions for current priorities and long term anticipated needs. Earmark: Geographic Information System, $1,248,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: SRG Agency: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service Name/Address: University of Arkansas, JBFIT 304, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used for the continuation of the University's participation in the National Consortium for Rural Geospatial Innovations in America (RGIS), which is comprised of eight sites across the country that helps bring the benefits of geographic information systems and related spatial information technologies to rural and tribal America. Earmark: Institute for Food Science Engineering, $775,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: SRG Agency: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service Name/Address: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture 1FSE, E212 AFLS Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used to carry out IFSE's research on value added processing, safety, nutritional value, packaging storage and distribution of food products. Earmark: Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, $2,582,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: Rural cooperative development grants Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service Name/Address: National Center for Appropriate Technology, 207 W. Center Street, Fayetteville, AR 72702 Description: The funding will be used for the continued operation of the ATTRA national program, which provides free technical assistance to farmers, ranchers and others in all 50 states seeking information on sustainable agriculture technologies, farm energy and information for marketing and adding value to farm products. Earmark: Enhancing Agricultural Profitability through Specialty Crops, $164,000 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman (AR-03) Bill Number: H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 Account: SRG Agency: Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service Name/Address: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, E2I2 AFLS Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description: The funding will be used to provide profitable production and processing systems new, innovative and transitioning agricultural producers and processors.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the floor my constituents' opposition to the Economic Stimulus Package recently signed into law. The American people are hurting. Too many jobs have been lost, and too many hard working Americans are worried about their future. Every day I receive calls from Arkansans opposed to Congress recklessly throwing around billions of dollars in an attempt to spend our way out of this crisis by running headlong into more debt. The American people do need action; but responsible, focused action that will create jobs and return tax dollars to working Americans immediately. This is the time-proven and fastest way to truly stimulate our economy. We cannot afford, nor can our children afford, an $800 billion mistake which gives too little attention to creating and saving jobs and securing our retirement savings. I can't say to the average Arkansan fearful of losing their job that this stimulus will save their jobs and help their lives--so it does not deserve our support. I urge Congress to work harder and together for a focused, responsible bill that will save jobs, create jobs, and protect pensions.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the stimulus package that our colleagues behind closed doors because of the lack of stimulus. The American people are hurting. Too many jobs have been lost, and too many hard working Americans are worried about their future. Every day I receive calls from Arkansans opposed to Congress recklessly throwing around billions of dollars in an attempt to spend our way out of this crisis by getting more into debt. The American people do need action; but responsible, focused action that will create jobs and return tax dollars to working Americans immediately. This is the time-proven and fastest way to truly stimulate our economy. We cannot afford nor can our children afford--an $800 billion mistake which gives too little attention to creating and saving jobs and securing our retirement savings. I can't says to the average Arkansan who is fearful he or she will lose their job that this stimulus will save their jobs and help their lives it--so it does not deserve our support. I urge Congress to work harder and together for a focused, responsible bill that will save and create jobs and protect pensions. Mr. TERRY, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. I come to the floor to oppose this bill reluctantly. When I am home in my District I talk to my neighbors, old school friends, and folks in the coffee shop, they share with me the economic problems they are facing--fellow workers being laid off, difficulty in meeting the house payment because there is now only one wage earner. Small business owners are laying off people due to slow sales especially at car dealerships, retail stores, and restaurants. The slow down of the U.S. economy has not missed my community--folks are hurting and Congress needs to act in ways that will jump start the housing markets, get credit and lending flowing, increase U.S. exports and provide tax relief so families have more money in their pocket to pay for daily household expenses. But Mr. Speaker, I have many worries about the massive bill that we have before us today. I worry there is too much spending in this so-called ``Stimulus'' package. The cost of this bill today is $791 billion. Over time the bill will cost $1.138 trillion. There is too much spending on government programs that should be funded through the normal appropriations process, not in this bill. Under the guise of stimulus, the huge increase in these government programs significantly raises the baseline on which future spending cannot be sustained without large tax increases. This policy could be devastating to our economy and prolong the current economic recession. I worry that too little of the package goes toward the most effective tools for creating jobs for small business owners, like lower taxes and tax credits. In fact, the only help directed to small business, net operating loss, carry-back was reduced by this bill from $1 billion to $2 billion. The home buyer tax credit was reduced from $35 billion to $2 billion; the car tax credit to purchase a new car was reduced from $11.5 billion to $2 billion. Infrastructure money for roads and bridges was $67 billion, which I appreciate, although my request to add $13 billion for combined sewer operations funds in the infrastructure section fell on deaf ears. Compare this to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid $8 billion for a high speed train from Las Vegas to Disneyland. The priorities in this bill are wrong. The small business tax breaks and infrastructure spending make up about $100 billion of the total $791 billion in the bill, but accounts for 2.5 million jobs of the 3.5 million jobs the White House has estimated will be retained or created by H.R. 1. Mr. Speaker, to state it another way, $691 billion of the spending may retain or create just one million jobs, most of which will be government bureaucrats that populate the big gray buildings in Washington, DC. That does little or nothing for job creation in my District. I worry that printing nearly a trillion dollars of new money will result in inflation that will create economic problems over the next several years that will negate any short term gains that might be achieved by this package. I worry that this additional trillion dollars of new money will create new economic problems by ``crowding out'' private investment dollars that otherwise might be available to stimulate our private sector economy, create new jobs, and grow the economy. Instead, the U.S. government will be sucking up those dollars to pay off its debt. Not to mention the burden this places on our children and grandchildren who will be saddled with the responsibility of paying off that debt. I am also very frustrated with the non-stimulus liberal policies that found their way into this bill. Two of these policies have earned a lot of attention. First, there is more than $1 billion for ``comparative medical treatment research'' that will be spent by a new panel of non- physicians that reviews the medical treatment decisions of physicians and healthcare professionals. Many feel that this treatment review committee could result in the rationing of treatments of drugs for patients, or even deny medical care to some people, especially seniors. Some have labeled this a form of ``euthanasia.'' While I don't foresee that any time soon, it is very scary. Another liberal policy that was put in this bill is the reversing of welfare reform, which was the ``Welfare to Work'' program that was enacted on a bipartisan basis in 1996. This legislation will encourage individuals to remain on welfare who would otherwise be given two years to develop skills and training to get a job and move off of the welfare rolls. The roll-back of this program will end up costing the taxpayers more money and reduce a job pool that many employers looked to for entry level hires. Mr. Speaker, this 1,100 page bill was made available to Members at 10:30 p.m. last night. I suspect the majority of my colleagues, like me, have not had time to read through this bill line for line. We do not know what other policy shenanigans have been tucked into this massive bill. I am also frustrated that a viable alternative, at least half the cost, was not even considered. The Republican alternative focused on small business owners and manufacturers, tax relief, consumer incentives to purchase new homes and cars and truck, along with infrastructure funding. Economists estimate this alternative would have created over 6 million jobs, twice the jobs at half the cost of the measure before us. But this alternative bill was stiff-armed by the Majority. Mr. Speaker, it is because of all these worries and frustrations that I am not able to support this package. We could have worked on a bipartisan basis to craft a bill that we could all support. But we were not given a chance to do that. This bill was written behind closed doors by a small group of House Democrats. The American people deserve better from us. I will be voting against this bill.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Attorney Robert C. Balfe III for his commitment and service to the citizens of this country. Bob has done a tremendous job at the helm of the Western District of Arkansas, working to bring justice to criminals and initiating programs to make our streets safer. One of Bob's top priorities has been targeting crimes against children. Indictments of child sexual predators increased by 800% in the Western District of Arkansas in part due to the creation of Project Safe Childhood Task Force which is dedicated to the identification and apprehension of online child sexual predators. The list of Bob's accomplishments is lengthy, from the successful implementation of an Immigration Crimes Task Force to a Financial Crimes Task Force and an anti-gang initiative. You don't have to look far to see how the citizens of the Western District of Arkansas have benefited from Bob's leadership and vision. I thank him for a job well done and I thank his wife Jennifer and his young sons, Ryan and Luke for the sacrifices they have made to allow Bob to serve the people of Arkansas.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Arkansas Executive Director of Farm Service Agency, Dotson Collins, for his commitment to this country. Dotson has led a life of service, first in the U.S. Armed Forces. He studied agriculture under the GI Bill and he used that knowledge and understanding to become a leader in the field. Dotson first served as USDA State Executive Director under President Ronald Reagan and President George H.W. Bush. In 2006, under President George W. Bush he was anxious to do it again. Dotson devoted his life to helping Arkansas. The list of positions he has held is impressive, from Labor Commissioner and Director of the Commodity Food Stamp Division, to Policy Advisor of Agriculture, Veterans and Military Affairs, Environment and Rural Development. In roles that would leave the rest of us tired, Dotson found time to serve as President of the Christian Union Council, a position he has held for the last 20 years and he's looking at ways he can continue to help Arkansans. I appreciate the leadership Dotson has shown and most of all I appreciate his friendship.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the Pope County, Arkansas Sheriff Jay Winters for his dedication, commitment and selflessness he has shown on the job and in the community. Sheriff Winters has served his community admirably, first for the U.S. Army then as a officer for the Russellville Police Department, then as the Deputy Sheriff of Pope County and for the last 18 years, as Sheriff. His influence is felt throughout the community, volunteering with the Russellville Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, the Arkansas River Valley Boys and Girls Club and as an active member of the First Assembly of God Church in Russellville where he serves as a Deacon and a Sunday School teacher. I have had the privilege to work with Jay on many different projects, most recently in an effort to help with recovery efforts from a tornado in Atkins. Now after more than two and a half decades in law enforcement Jay is retiring. He'll be able to spend his time focusing on his family, his wife Sheena, daughter Amber Morgan and her husband Ryan, son J.J. and the light of his eye, his granddaughter Kyleigh. I appreciate his friendship and example. I am honored to have had the opportunity to have worked with such a great man, and thank him for his service.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Arkansas' USDA Rural Development Director, Roy G. Smith for his outstanding efforts to improve the quality of life for all rural Americans. Roy has been a lifelong champion for rural communities; both as a farmer and as an advocate, joining the Farmers Home Administration, a predecessor to today's USDA Rural Development 40 years ago. Under his guidance countless Arkansans have benefitted from millions of dollars in projects to make their lives better. We are blessed to have had Roy at helm for the past three and a half years and I am blessed to have him as a friend. I have enjoyed the Rural Development Tours where he showcased just some of the latest funded projects. I have been to many check presentations with Roy and I will remember his encouragement of getting civic leaders to sign the check ``to get enough signatures to make the check float.'' Roy has done a tremendous job of meeting the needs of rural Arkansans. His leadership will be missed but his influence will be felt for years to come.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Dr. David Land, a gracious contributor to the Third District of Arkansas, who passed away earlier this year. Dr. Land was the superintendent of Omaha schools for more than 22 years, but he wasn't just an administrator. He was a mentor and a friend to the staff and students who knew him as ``Doc.'' Doc spent his life as an educator and showed that actions do speak louder than words. He fixed tiles in the cafeteria, jump-started students' cars, drove the bus to field trips and wrote grants for the small school district. These actions weren't out of the ordinary for this extraordinary man. He was named the Arkansas Rural Association's 2005 Northwest Arkansas Superintendent of the Year. Doc spent his life as an administrator, but it wasn't just a job, it was something that he loved. When a friend talked to him and asked about retirement, Doc said, ``What else would I do? This is my life.'' Madam Speaker, Doc will certainly be missed. I thank my colleagues for the opportunity to honor and celebrate the life of this wonderful man.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of the devotion and commitment Jack and Dollie Harvey have shown their community. In their 40 years of marriage, they have worked together to help others. Their romance was born out of tragedy with each of them being widowed at a young age. Instead of dwelling on the hardships they faced in losing a loved one and, eventually, the challenges of merging their two families, they became more mindful of the needs of those around them. They helped rebuild after the 1976 Teton Dam collapse; ``adopted'' the homeless; taught at a juvenile detention center; ministered in migrant camps throughout the Southwest; volunteered at a community recreation center; counseled the terminally ill and their families; organized and managed summer camps for children from low- income families; entertained at nursing homes, state hospitals and city missions; and gave their time, money and energy to every opportunity for service that came their way. Like many other Americans their age, the Harveys have to stretch their Social Security check to cover their monthly expenses. But they don't worry so much about paying the bills. Quite often, their biggest concern is just finding the energy to breathe. Jack, 78, who suffers from a chronic respiratory disease, and Dollie, 71, a cancer survivor tethered to oxygen, squeeze their numerous doctor's appointments and her frequent transfusions and injections into a hectic schedule devoted to ministering to others. Sundays are busy days for the couple: teaching Sunday school, practicing for Christmas programs and guest preaching, their efforts continue to make a difference and inspire all of those who meet them. Their lessons have not been lost on their 8 children, 16 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, who include ministers, educators, law enforcement personnel, healthcare professionals, a social worker, military members and Arkansas and U.S. Government officials. Jack and Rollie long ago adopted the motto not to pass on peacefully but to charge ahead helping others until they drop--exhausted and totally spent--into the grave. Truly, it is this kind of commitment, this type of dedication, that makes America grew.