John Boozman

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3665.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, last Congress, myself, Mr. Waxman in the House, Senator DeWine, Senator Kennedy in the Senate, became aware of a very serious problem. The FDA had claimed jurisdiction over all contact lenses, and then in April of 2003 announced that it did not feel like it had jurisdiction over contact lenses that did not have any power in them anymore. In other words, there were lenses that were sold for the purpose of changing eye color, sold at Halloween to enhance; if you were going to a whatever and wanted to look kind of wild, you could buy these lenses. Up until then, everyone agreed that a contact was a contact, but when they got to looking at their statute, they were very concerned that they did not have any jurisdiction. As a result, these lenses began being sold at flea markets, began being sold at places where you get your nails done, and when they were sold, no one told them how to put them in and take them out, there was no effort at all to teach anything about hygiene, the disinfecting solutions that you needed to prevent your eyes from becoming infected. Dr. Steineman at Case Western Reserve about this time started seeing a tremendous incidence in eye infections related to these lenses. Let me just tell my colleagues about a couple of them. Here is an example of a young gal that was 16 years old. Her boyfriend supplied her with these colored contact lenses, did not have any power in them, so they were not regulated. The patient admitted to sharing the colored contact lenses with her younger brother, again doing this because she had no idea of how you take care of this type of situation. You say, well, it is just a 16-year-old. Here is an example of a 26- year-old that also bought contact lenses at a flea market that made him have cat eyes. This individual developed a very significant, very severe infection, which probably resulted in loss of vision. Today what we are trying to do by passing this bill is to close the loophole which everybody agrees needs to be done. So the real heroes of this have been the FDA. We have worked very, very hard with them and have gotten language that they have agreed to; Dr. Steineman, in doing the early work in identifying this; and ophthalmology, optometry that have really pressed the issue in the House; the manufacturers of the particular lenses; Senator DeWine and Senator Kennedy in the Senate; and then also Mike Enzi, the chairman of the committee over there that really took this upon himself to get this thing passed. Mr. Waxman has done a tremendous job of working with us and just really going through in an effort to get the particular language that would get this done without affecting the jurisdiction of the FDA. So I really appreciate the gentleman from California; also, Chairman Barton and Chairman Deal in allowing this to go forward to get this to the floor. These were the guys that really allowed us to get this done. We had a goal of getting this done before Halloween, and I think we are almost there. The other thing I would like to do, which needs to be done more than we do it, is thank our staffs. They have put in literally countless hours trying to get this thing worked out. Again, I would urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. I think it is something that needs to be done, and it is one of those things that as a result of us getting this done today truly will protect our youth, protect people in keeping them from experiencing a devastating eye injury. I also want to thank the majority leader, Mr. Blunt, for getting this scheduled, again before Halloween.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a dedicated educator, Joel Stubblefield, who passed away last week. Mr. Stubblefield assumed the role of chancellor at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, in 2002. Without his vision and efforts, that role would have never existed. While he always gave the credit to others, Mr. Stubblefield's initiatives transformed Westark, which was a very successful 2-year community college which he had been president of for many, many years, into a full-fledged 4-year institution that became part of the University of Arkansas system. Under his stewardship, UAFS blossomed, the faculty ranks doubled, student enrollment nearly doubled and private giving, a measure of the school support, skyrocketed. He worked tirelessly to accomplish these feats. In fact, he worked so hard that at one point the school's trustees had to vote to force him to take a vacation. Madam Speaker, 2 days ago I joined over 1,000 people at the UAFS campus to say our final good-byes to Joel Stubblefield. While he may no longer be with us, the impact he left on the community of Fort Smith will remain literally for generations to come. He was dedicated in every way to making a difference in the lives of his students, and our communities are a better place because of his efforts.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a dedicated educator, Ms. Betty Lynn Reagan, who passed away earlier this month. For 47 years, Ms. Reagan taught school in Rogers, Arkansas. As a former member of the Rogers School Board and the father of three daughters who attended public schools there, I can personally attest to the impact Ms. Reagan had on the lives of her students. She was greatly respected in the classroom, in the education community and the community at large. Throughout her career, Ms. Reagan received a number of awards and commendations, including induction into the Education Hall of Fame in 1995. However, the most notable came in 1989, when the community renamed a school for her and her sister Mary Sue, also a long time teacher and outstanding educator. Reagan Elementary will serve as a reminder for future generations of the impact that Betty Lynn and Mary Sue Reagan have had on our community. Mr. Speaker, Betty Lynn Reagan will certainly be missed. However, her legacy will live on for generations to come. Rogers School District Superintendent Janie Darr summed it up best when she said: Because of Betty Lynn, the School District and the City of Rogers is a much, much better place. I thank my colleagues for the opportunity to honor and celebrate the life of this wonderful woman.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 388) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the July, 2005, measures of extreme repression on the part of the Cuban Government against members of Cuba's prodemocracy movement, calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners, the legalization of political parties and free elections in Cuba, urging the European Union to reexamine its policy toward Cuba, and calling on the representative of the United States to the 62d session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to ensure a resolution calling upon the Cuban regime to end its human rights violations, and for other purposes.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis).

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) would normally be here. The gentleman is very, very concerned about this resolution and is very, very supportive of it, but he currently has a markup, a committee vote that he is in the process of doing, so, again, I have the opportunity and honor of going ahead with this in his stead. H. Res. 388 is a resolution which condemns the gross human rights violations committed by the Cuban regime and expresses support for the right of the Cuban people to exercise fundamental political and civil liberties. As a member of the Committee on International Relations, I would like to thank my colleague the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart) for introducing this resolution, which highlights the atrocious human rights violations the Cuban people continue to suffer at the hands of Castro's oppressive regime. Mr. Castro continues to hone his craft, that is to say, his systematic reign of fear and intimidation of his own population. This past July, the Castro regime renewed its efforts to stamp out the pro- democracy movement. This resolution sends a strong message to the Cuban Government that the world will not forget those people who are languishing in Cuban prisons for the so-called crime of speaking out against the injustices perpetrated by the Castro regime. Many of the dissidents arrested July remain in custody, and several of them face long sentences in prison for threatening to undermine Cuba's Communist government, according to Amnesty International and other organizations. As U.S. service men and women put their lives on the line to bring freedom and democracy to areas of the world that have long suffered in the shadow of tyranny, Cuba represents a prime example in our own hemispheres of what can happen if any nation shuns democracy and subjugates itself to the whims of dictatorship. As it stands now, Cuba is the only nation in the hemisphere that is a complete dictatorship, and since the earliest days of the regime, Castro has not only stifled efforts to promote freedom and democracy in Cuba, but he has also actively been involved in promoting communism and dictatorships around the world, most especially in Central and South America. The fall of Castro's principal benefactor, the Soviet Union, may have caused a shift in Castro's tactics, but he has never abandoned his ambition to export communism. I am very concerned about the state of affairs in the Western Hemisphere, and I am convinced that there will never be true, lasting peace and freedom in the region until we solve the Cuba problem once and for all. The only acceptable solution is a free and democratic Cuba. I have hope there will be a day when the light of democracy shines in Havana, a day when free expression and free elections replace the current hopeless status quo. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. We owe it to the thousands of Cubans who risk their lives every year to flee the Communist regime by any means necessary, even attempting to brave the hazardous 90-mile crossing between the United States and Cuba on makeshift rafts, as well as those languishing in Cuban jails, to further open the eyes of the world community to the true evils of the Castro regime. We must never forget them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart), the original sponsor of the resolution.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart).

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 388.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ranking Member Lantos and Chairman Hyde for their leadership and such a bipartisan effort for these human rights issues. Again, we truly appreciate their leadership.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of Arkansas' most generous philanthropists, Mrs. Pat Seamans Walker. Next week, Pat will be presented with the prestigious Arkansas Children's Award. There is good reason Pat is receiving this honor. Since Pat and her late husband Willard founded the Willard and Pat Walker Foundation in 1986, she has made it her goal to improve the quality of life in communities across Arkansas. It is impossible to list all of the donations that the Walkers have made over the years in the short amount of time allotted to me. I would, however, like to give my colleagues a brief description of Pat's generosity. Over the years, her foundation has given millions to educational institutions in Arkansas, millions to health care research and community health care centers in Arkansas, and hundreds of thousands of dollars to community libraries in the Third District of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, the examples that I have given are just a few of Pat Seamans Walker's gifts to Arkansas. Arkansas is extremely appreciative of her generosity. She certainly deserves this prestigious award, and I congratulate her on this honor.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I appreciate all of the hard work in crafting the Interior bill, the conference report; and I very much support it. I really rise today, though, to talk about something a little bit different. Mr. Speaker, in a few hours, U.S. Army Sergeant Arthur Raymond McGill will be laid to rest. A third district native, Sergeant McGill gave his life serving his country in Iraq when his convoy detonated an improvised device. I rise today to mourn this tragic loss and honor his courageous life. Sergeant McGill grew up in the northwest Arkansas communities of Gentry, Decatur, and Gravette. At the age of 17, he joined the National Guard and later enlisted in the Army. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed. Sergeant McGill valued family more than anything else and wanted to set a positive example for his daughter, Kaylee, who his aunt said was the love of his life. Though his life was cut short, Sergeant McGill did set a wonderful example for Kaylee and us all through his selfless and noble service to his country. Mr. Speaker, at the age of 26, Sergeant Arthur Raymond McGill made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is a true American hero, and I certainly ask my colleagues to remember his family, remember his friends in their thoughts and prayers during these very difficult times.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, this Sunday is Parents Day, an annual day commemorating the contribution parents make to our society. Parents Day provides an opportunity to recognize and promote parenting as a central vocation for our families and communities. In 1994 Congress passed a resolution establishing the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents Day. According to the resolution, Parents Day is established for recognizing, uplifting and supporting the role of parents and rearing of children. And in that vein I would like to recognize one truly special set of parents, Mike and Becky Kneeland of Van Buren, Arkansas. They will be receiving Arkansas' Parents of the Year Award this Sunday, and I am honored to be able to recognize them on the House floor today. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating the Kneelands and all the other wonderful parents across the country. Their efforts and sacrifices are molding the future of this Nation, and parents like the Kneelands are setting a wonderful example for all of us.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce H.R. 3279, the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization Act of 2005. I am especially pleased that the Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, Ms. Herseth, as well as Ms. Brown-Waite, Mr. Evans, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Filner, Mr. Baker, and Ms. Berkley join me as original cosponsors. H.R. 3279 would reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, or HVRP, through 2009, currently the authority for this program expires at the end of fiscal year 2006. The legislation would also retain the authority to appropriate $50,000,000 to HVRP for each fiscal year. HVRP, administered by the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service, is designed to take the men and women who are probably the most difficult population of veterans to serve off the streets and return them as productive contributors to society. It is a tall order and one that presents unique challenges to both the government and those who deliver services to homeless veterans. It is a well known fact that a very high percentage of this Nation's homeless have mental health and substance abuse issues. Unfortunately, homeless veterans are not immune to those concerns. In fact, some are so debilitated that they will never fully return to society outside a very structured environment. HVRP funds are awarded on a competitive basis to eligible applicants such as: State and local Workforce Investment Boards, public agencies, for-profit/commercial entities, and non-profit organizations, including faith based and community based organizations. Grantees provide an array of services utilizing a case management approach that directly assist homeless veterans as well as provide critical linkages for a variety of supportive services available in their local communities. The program focuses on employment and veterans receive the employment and training services they need in order to re-enter the labor force. Job placement, training, and development, career counseling, and resume preparation, are among the services that are provided. Supportive services such as clothing, provision of or referral to temporary, transitional, or permanent housing, referral to medical or substance abuse treatment, and transportation assistance are also provided to meet the needs of this target group. The emphasis on helping homeless veterans get and retain jobs is enhanced through coordination with various veterans' services programs and organizations such as the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program Specialists and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives, veteran service organizations, and the Departments of Veterans' Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services. Today, VA estimates the number of homeless veterans to be about 185,000. This is a far too large of a number, in my mind, one homeless veteran is one too many. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this important legislation.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, due to a death in my family, I was absent from the House of Representatives on Friday, June 24, 2005. Should I have been in attendance, I would have voted in the following manner: Rollcall 310: no. Rollcall 312: aye. Rollcall 314: no. Rollcall 318: no. Rollcall 321: aye.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, due to important constituent casework meetings, I was absent from the House of Representatives for portions of Thursday, June 30, 2005. Should I have been in attendance, I would have voted in the following manner: Rollcall 346, ``no''; rollcall 356, ``no.''

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep appreciation for our Nation's volunteer honor guards. As the Greatest Generation continues to age, a number of our World War II heroes are passing on. Volunteer honor guards serve as ceremonial guards, flag detail, rifle squads, and pallbearer escorts at many of these funerals. The men of these honor guards receive no pay for their service. They purchase their own uniforms and provide their own transportation. Many of them are over age 70. I would like to take a moment to personally thank the 23 men of the Bella Vista Honor Guard who served at my brother's funeral earlier this year. The men of the Bella Vista Honor Guard serve at more than 100 funerals in Benton and Washington counties in the Third District of Arkansas. Sometimes they serve at two funerals a day. They are so representative of the thousands who volunteer nationwide to ensure that our veterans are given the honor and remembrance they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I know I speak on behalf of our entire Nation when I express my gratitude for the dedicated men of America's volunteer honor guards.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 125th anniversary of the Wiederkehr Wine Cellars near Altus, AR. Many of my colleagues might be surprised to know that fine wine is being produced in this small western Arkansas town and, in fact, has been for the past 125 years. In 1880, Johann Andreas Wiederkehr emigrated from Switzerland to America, choosing a spot in the beautiful Ozark Mountains to plant the grapes, blackberries and persimmons that would make the blend for his first wines. He chose the spot in the Ozark Mountains to settle because the soil, climb and shape of the countryside closely matched the conditions that had led to some of Europe's greatest wines. One of the finest wineries in the country, the original cellar has been converted into the Weinkeller Restaurant, specializing in authentic dishes from the Wiederkehr family's homeland of Switzerland. The cellar is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Wiederkehr family on this milestone. I encourage my colleagues to take a tour of Arkansas' wine country on their next vacation.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to offer an amendment that would give the United Nations greater flexibility in the peacekeeping operations that they are involved in by allowing voluntary military personnel to serve at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York. This was the norm until early 1999. Over time, 130 experienced officers had been loaned. They had expertise in mission planning, logistics, all of the things that are so important in these types of missions. There was a lull and because of the complaint of some of the other nations that 85 percent of this group came from developed countries, it was discontinued. As a member of the Committee on International Relations, I frequently hear of the problems that we have with peacekeeping, the atrocities in various parts of the world. Again, I think that this is a situation that would greatly remedy that. Rotating these professionals into the U.N. on a periodic basis provides a means for introducing new ideas, techniques, and experience without having to deal with terminating contracts or moving people and positions. It allows the system to deal with unexpected demands. The U.N.'s new operational responsibilities demand a more flexible approach. I think the other thing is that this would not cost anything. This would be a mechanism where, in fact, I think we could save a great deal of money by being much more efficient. We are asking the United Nations to be more effective with their planning and their operations. The other thing that is important is that in no way does this require our Department of Defense to assign any U.S. military personnel. It only leaves the door open. I want to thank my chairman and thank the ranking member for their work on this and, again, our staffs. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Not too long ago, my wife came to me. She had, the night before, seen a program on television. She said, John, is it true that the U.N. peacekeepers are trading sex for peanut butter with 9- and 10-year-old kids? She could not believe it. I looked at her, and I said, Cathy, it's true. That is happening. I talked to Chairman Smith and he subsequently held hearings. They came over and assured us that things were getting better. We were told that basically the implication was on the battlefield, these things happen, sexual abuse occurs. My response was, This isn't sexual abuse. That taking pictures of 9- and 10-year-old kids, exploiting them, was child abuse and a criminal matter. We heard that there would be zero tolerance. A week later, another television program and the guy said, We have heard there is going to be zero tolerance. He said, What does that mean? He showed pictures of these guys sneaking out at night to a village, again to do their work and showed a picture of a guy riding around in a U.N. vehicle with a prostitute. I think we have worked, we have held our hearings, we have coerced. I think the time now is to demand accountability. Again, I would ask all of my colleagues to vote for this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the sacrifice made by Lance Corporal Aaron Mankin of Rogers, Arkansas. I grew up with Aaron's father Steve, and my children grew up with Aaron. They are a wonderful family. Last month Aaron, a photographer and writer for the Public Affairs Office at Camp Fallujah, was badly wounded while serving in Iraq. He suffered intense burns and major lung damage when the armored vehicle he was traveling in ran over a land mine in Northern Iraq. I had been in Fallujah several weeks before, and by chance Aaron saw I was there. He actually showed us around, and I cannot tell you how proud I was of him and how proud he was of being a marine serving his country in Iraq. Aaron was sent to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio and placed in the ICU. The damage to his lungs was so extensive that he was placed on a ventilator. He had third-degree burns on his arms and had to have his thumb and two-thirds of his index finger on his right hand amputated. Aaron's will to persevere is strong though, Mr. Speaker. He is off the ventilator, and he recently took his first steps since the accident. He has told his parents that he is looking forward to rejoining his fellow marines after rehab, and because of the Lord and His blessing, the doctors at Brook Army Medical Center feel positive about his chances of doing that. Mr. Speaker, at the young age of 23, Aaron has made a tremendous sacrifice for his country. He is a true American hero. I ask my colleagues to keep Aaron and his family in their thoughts and prayers as he continues down the path of recovery.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 242, I was detained concerning a pressing legislative matter, Base Realignment in the 3rd District of Arkansas, and unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''