John Boozman

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons).

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering today H.R. 1257, the Selected Reserve Home Loan Equity Act. This legislation would save more than $50 million over 10 years and is similar to a bill the House passed in the 107th Congress, H.R. 2095. This measure makes the VA home loan program for members of the Selected Reserve permanent and reduces the funding fee charged to the Selected Reserve home loan applications to the same amount as that paid by active duty servicemembers. Under current law, the reservists may participate in VA's home loan program through 2009. In the past decade, however, reservists have been increasingly called upon to participate on active duty for extended periods to support the national defense. Indeed, members of the Selected Reserve have become an integral part of America's total force, and they should be afforded the same home loan benefit as active duty veterans. The CBO estimates that VA will guarantee 9,000 additional loans a year between 2010 and 2013 due to this legislation. Additionally, H.R. 1257 will provide uniformity in the funding fees charged to members of the Selected Reserve and active duty veterans for VA home loans. Today in most cases a reservist pays three-quarters of a percent higher funding fee than that charged active duty veterans. This policy exists despite data indicating that the foreclosure rates for members of the Selected Reserve have been almost one-third lower than that of other veterans. Again, Mr. Speaker, with our country relying more and more on reservists, they certainly deserve equality in fees with other veterans. Finally, this bill would affect the home loan guarantee fees for veterans qualifying for second or subsequent home loans with no downpayment. The fees for veterans who obtain a subsequent VA home loan would be raised from 3 percent to 3.3 percent for loans closed before October 1, 2011, and then reduced to 2.15 percent for loans closed between October 1, 2011, and September 30, 2013. CBO estimates that the bill would save $4 million in 2004, $4 million over 5 years, and $51 million over 10 years. Mr. Speaker, this bill was unanimously recommended by our committee. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) for his work in introducing this measure, as well as the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Benefits, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud), for considering this bill in a timely fashion. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2003, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the most important bills the Committee on Veterans' Affairs brings to the floor each year. H.R. 1683 would provide, effective December 1, 2003, a full cost-of-living adjustment to the compensation veterans receive for their service-connected disabilities. Survivors receiving dependency and indemnity compensation, DIC, would also receive this increase. The basic purpose of the disability compensation program is to provide a measure of relief from the impaired earning capacity of veterans disabled as a result of their military service. As of April, 2003, more than 2.4 million veterans were receiving service-connected disability compensation. These benefits are paid monthly and range from $104 for a 10 percent disability to $2,193 for a 100 percent disability. Additional monetary benefits are available for our most severely disabled veterans as well as those with dependents. Spouses of veterans who died on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability likewise are entitled to monetary compensation as the Nation assumes in part the legal and moral obligation of the veteran to support the spouse and children. Depending on their spouse's rank or grade in service, a spouse receives between $948 and $2,021 monthly. Currently, there are more than 295,000 surviving spouses and more than 29,900 children receiving dependency and indemnity compensation. At the end of 2003, VA will have paid approximately $14.2 billion for the year in compensation benefits. With the cost-of-living adjustments estimated at 2 percent, that number will rise to approximately $14.6 billion for 2004, a $335 million increase. I would like to commend the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) and the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud), the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Benefits, for considering this bill in a timely fashion, ensuring that veterans receive their COLA. As the new chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) has proven himself a leader and advocate for our Nation's veterans and their survivors. I appreciate his diligence and dedication to the committee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a young Arkansas student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Shelby Crawford of Eureka Springs has just been named one of the top youth volunteers by The 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ms. Crawford is being recognized for organizing a petting zoo event that raised more than $1000 for a local horse rescue center. In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Ms. Crawford are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The program that brought this young role model to our attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past eight years, the program has become the Nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, with nearly 150,000 youngsters participating since its inception. Ms. Crawford should be extremely proud to have been singled out from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Ms. Crawford for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities, and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill that would greatly expand the mandate of the Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs Joint Executive Committee. This committee would be tasked to oversee the realm of collaborative efforts of not just health, but also benefits and other areas to promote increased resource sharing between the two departments. While statutory authority to allow resource sharing has existed for more than 20 years, the latest figures tell us that the level of sharing between the VA and DOD remains relatively low. The Federal Government can and must do more to increase resource sharing whenever and wherever feasible. This bill would allow the Joint Executive Committee to identify changes in policies, to improve services, efficiencies and opportunities for collaboration in order to deliver benefits and services to beneficiaries of both departments. Inefficiencies and duplication not only waste taxpayer dollars, they shortchange military personnel, retirees and veterans seeking the services offered by VA and DOD. I believe the expansion of this Joint Executive Committee would facilitate necessary discussions and decisions that will ultimately lead to greater efficiencies within and between the two departments. I would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) of the Veterans Affairs Committee for his cooperation in developing this very important piece of legislation. It is time that these departments seize the opportunity and take full advantage of the benefits that come from sharing their extensive resources.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 107, a resolution commending and supporting the efforts of Students in Free Enterprise, and I thank the gentleman for bringing this resolution forward. Madam Speaker, I authored this resolution with the strong support of the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) to recognize Students in Free Enterprise, more commonly known as SIFE. SIFE is a nonprofit organization started in 1975, which seeks to instill in college students a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, the free enterprise system. Students in Free Enterprise has grown to become one of the largest university-based organizations in the world. SIFE teams are active on more than 1,400 college and university campuses in 33 countries around the world. In my home State of Arkansas, we have SIFE teams on 18 university and college campuses. It is wonderful to see the opportunities that SIFE has provided to students across Arkansas. Working together as a team and through the mentorship of faculty advisers, SIFE students apply their classroom experiences to develop and implement educational outreach programs that teach individuals in their communities the principles of market economics, entrepreneurship, personal financial success, and business ethics. Madam Speaker, I will insert into the Record a copy of an article published by the Wall Street Journal on January 14, 2003, entitled ``Program Puts College Students on Business-Leadership Paths.'' The article details a student who was the first in her family to go beyond high school and entered college with a vague dream of being a real estate broker. While attending community college, she found SIFE and went on to compete against other SIFE teams on the regional and national level. This former student has finished her bachelor's degree and is now the manager of the Washington, D.C. office of KPMG. Thousands of success stories just like this one are associated with SIFE and the efforts of their president, Alvin Rohrs. Mr. Rohrs is to be personally commended. Alvin Rohrs has been SIFE's president and chief executive officer since 1983. He successfully reversed the organization's fortunes by seeking a diverse board of directors to energize the organization. Rohrs was a SIFE chapter adviser at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri in 1983 when SIFE's national board hired him to try to reverse the organization's fortunes. SIFE started with a bang in 1975, but lost its spark in the early 1980s as the U.S. economy faltered and SIFE's backers, large industrial corporations, cut their contributions. The roster of SIFE schools had shrunk from 100 in 1981 to 18 two years later. To get the energy back, Rohrs sought influential board members from half a dozen members in 1983. SIFE's Free Enterprise Dream Team, what most of us would call a board of directors, now numbers more than 200 strong. Their board is comprised of presidents and CEOs from a wide variety of corporations, including Wal-Mart, Black & Decker, Valvoline, and American Greetings; and neither Rohrs nor his board believes the organization is close to reaching its potential. Madam Speaker, I commend Mr. Rohrs on his 20-year anniversary as president of SIFE, and I recognize the incredible organization that has made a difference in the lives of millions. I encourage my colleagues to vote their support of H. Res. 107. The aforementioned article is as follows: [From the Wall Street Journal, Jan. 14, 2003] Program Puts College Students On Business-Leadership Paths When Carole Clay Withers enrolled at Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN, 15 years ago, she had never flown in an airplane or eaten in a restaurant with tablecloths. The first member of her family to go beyond high school, she wanted to see more of the world than her native rural Tennessee and had a vague dream of becoming a real- estate broker. Then she found SIFE, or Students in Free Enterprise. When her economics professor talked up the nonprofit organization, based in Springfield, MO, as a place where she could learn about business firsthand by doing entrepreneurial projects with fellow students, ``I flew down the hall to sign up,'' says Ms. Withers. Her five-person SIFE team taught business concepts to elementary-school students by creating coloring books that showed how crops planted in the region eventually were marketed and sold world-wide. The team competed against other college SIFE teams in regional and national contests, where they were judged by corporate executives. ``When my team made it to the finals at the national championship in Kansas City, and I stood on the stage fielding questions from the judges, I felt my life had changed,'' says Ms. Withers. ``I realized that if I could answer all the questions being posed by some of the country's most powerful executives, I had what I needed to become an executive myself.'' She completed her bachelor's degree in accounting and now is a manager at the Washington, DC, office of KPMG. ``If not for SIFE, I would probably be working in a low-paid factory job,'' she says. SIFE is offering a lesson all good managers should help to teach: that business is a part of the fabric of every community, that it is a skill that needs to be learned by everyone to some degree in order to survive, and that the smallest venture can have world-wide reach. SIFE has chapters at 797 colleges nationwide and more than 500 schools overseas, providing opportunities for students who come from modest backgrounds and have little exposure to big business. It has spread to elite campuses such as Notre Dame and Harvard in recent years, but its roots are in smaller schools in the Midwest and South. Yet its mission--igniting an early passion for business innovation and leadership by challenging students to launch projects in their communities--is global in scope and sophisticated in its approach. ``We encourage students to take what they learn in an economics class and use it to show others how free enterprise can improve lives,'' says Alvin Rohrs, president and chief executive of SIFE. Last year, five SIFE students from the University of Ghana, in Accra, taught 20 villages in Kpomkpo how to make soap from locally available coconut and palm oil. Production began after three weeks of training, with help from Ghana's women's ministry. The initial trainees have since trained others, launching a cottage industry. Founded 23 years ago, SIFE received much-needed help from Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and his then-chief operating officer, Jack Shewmaker, in the mid-1980s. ``It developed just like Wal-Mart, in small towns that didn't have a lot of other resources,'' says Jack Kahl, former CEO of Cleveland- based Henkel Consumer Adhesives and a longtime SIFE board member. Over the past decade, SIFE has expanded rapidly and recruited almost 200 executives to its board, currently headed by Thomas Coughlin, president and CEO of Wal-Mart. Some other companies represented on the board are 3M, Black & Decker, Coca-Cola, AT&T, ConAgra, Nestle and Pfizer. Along with judging regional, national and the international World Cup SIFE competitions, board members farm talent from SIFE teams. Some 35 percent of management trainees hired by Wal- Mart are SIFE alumni. RadioShack in another heavy recruiter. Luke Robinson, who last year earned an M.B.A. from La Sierra University, Riverside, Calif., says his experience as president of the school's SIFE team from 2000 to 2002 altered his ambitions. ``I went from being a back-office, analytic accounting type to being quite at ease in front of large crowds and wanting a front-room leadership position,''he says. His team, which won the World Cup championship last year, launched more than a dozen projects, including a child-care business course in Riverside that helped about 200 welfare mothers establish day-care businesses; a campus cleaning business; a cow bank in Karandi, India, which purchased 20 milking cows for families to help start a small dairy business; and a llama bank in Peru. ``As a student you're often discounted as wet behind the ears, but in SIFE we came up with ideas and showed they could work,'' says Mr. Robinson, a grants manager for La Sierra's business school and a consultant to small businesses in the area. ``In SIFE, I got project-management experience that lots of people don't get until they've been working for 5 or 10 years. And most beneficial of all, I learned how to talk to people and interact with them.''

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain, Pastor Dave Stewart of Wayne, Michigan. Although Pastor Dave is not my constituent, he happens to be the father of my office manager, Liz Yeager. Pastor Dave is an energetic man who has led a full life. Although he began his working career in public service, he decided to pursue a life in the ministry at age 34. Since then, Pastor Dave has served seven different United Methodist churches throughout Michigan. He is currently the senior pastor at First United Methodist Church of Wayne. Pastor Dave also has a big heart. Throughout the years he and his wife Ellen, son Kirk and daughter Elizabeth have opened their home to many friends and adopted family. Pastor Dave's faith in the Lord gives him an eternal outlook that encourages him to face each day with energy and joy. This is evident in the way he loves those around him. Mr. Speaker, it has been my sincere pleasure to have Pastor Dave open the House in prayer.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 132. This legislation expresses that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling against the Pledge of Allegiance is inconsistent with the Supreme Court's interpretation of the first amendment. The Pledge of Allegiance brings together people of different backgrounds in a shared expression of support for our country. Before the start of business in the House of Representatives, my colleagues and I proudly recite the Pledge of Allegiance, just as I proudly said it before every school board meeting back home in my hometown of Rogers, Arkansas. Our pledge to support our country and the beliefs on which it was founded is an important part of our everyday life. Every time an American turns to the flag to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, they are reminded of all that has been sacrificed in the name of our country and for our freedom. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit outraged people across the country by ruling the phrase ``one Nation under God'' makes the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. It is unbelievable that a Federal court would rule that the Pledge of Allegiance violates our first amendment. Mr. Speaker, perhaps now more than ever the need for the unity in America exists. I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) for bringing this legislation before us, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of House Resolution 132.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr.Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Certainly as an Arkansan I am very aware of the West Nile disease. My brother, Fay Boozman, the Director of Arkansas' Health Department, testified before a Congressional committee that it is very possible that more Arkansans will be infected with the West Nile virus this year. This estimate reflects the fact that the number of cases has steadily increased in Arkansas since the West Nile virus first appeared in 2001. Arkansas is certainly not alone in this trend. In fact, epidemiologists expect that in the upcoming season the virus will reach all 48 contiguous States, which is why Congress needs to act now. States like Arkansas cannot afford to dip into their emergency funds to combat the spread of West Nile virus. This bill will help States and localities fight this virus by authorizing matching grants of up to $100,000 for their mosquito abatement programs. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. John) for their leadership on this issue and for bringing this bill to the floor for a vote. I encourage my colleagues to pass this bill and provide much needed relief to our State and local governments who are on the front lines of this fight.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make note of the 50th Anniversary of the German-American Fulbright Educational Exchange Program. Our former colleague, Senator J. William Fulbright, was a champion of education and cultural exchange. In 1946, Senator Fulbright passed legislation creating the Fulbright Program, an international educational exchange program. Prior to that, the German-American Fulbright Program was created based on an agreement signed in 1952 by the US High Commissioner, John J. McCloy, and the German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. The German- American Fulbright Program is an educational exchange organization funded by both the German and American governments that seeks to promote academic excellence and cultural understanding between the United States and Germany through scholarly exchanges. Since its inception, the German-American Fulbright Program has played a leading role being both the largest and most varied Fulbright program in the world. The year 2002 marks the 50th Anniversary of the creation of the bilateral German-American program. I am proud that this program of peace and education stemmed from the work of Senator Fulbright, a fellow Arkansan. It has fostered not only educational exchange but symbolizes the strength of the alliance between our nations. Mr. Speaker, Senator Fulbright best described this excellent program when he said, ``The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.'' I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the optometry community for over 24 years, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge World Sight Day. Today, the National Eye Institute, the Lions Club International, Lighthouse International, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness will host World Sight Day this year with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library. Here in the Nation's capitol there will be adult and children's programs educating this community about the importance to understanding and preventing blindness and what they can do to help. While working as an optometrist in Northwest Arkansas with groups such as the Lions Club and others which provide eye care for those unable to afford it, I saw first hand how important education and availability of services are to preventing blindness. Dealing with blindness is a serious challenge to the individual, and their families. Today sheds light on what people can do within their communities to end preventable blindness and provide the facilities needed to deal with blindness. Every volunteer in these programs has the potential to change lives. All to often, we take for granted how precious our senses are to our daily lives. I commend these organizations in declaring October 10th, 2002 as World Sight Day and in promoting the importance of vision throughout America's communities.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, last night President Bush followed through on a promise to the American people when he stood before a crowd gathered in the Cincinnati Museum Center and outlined the reasons Saddam Hussein's regime must be dealt with now. The President acknowledged the doubts some Americans have about confrontation with Iraq, and he offered answers to those questions. He outlined why Iraq is unique and why we cannot afford to wait to act. He explained how Saddam's regime has oppressed the Iraqi people and violated United Nations resolutions for the past 11 years by continuing his quest for weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Speaker, September 11 taught us that we are vulnerable and that there are those who wish to harm us. I commend the President for taking steps to convince the public that Saddam Hussein is a very real threat that must be dealt with before he follows through on his desires to use weapons of mass destruction against the American people.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Van Buren Lions Club for serving the Van Buren community for 80 years. I salute the dedication and leadership provided via the motto “We Serve.” Having formerly been a member of the Rogers Lions Club, and having practiced optometry for 25 years, I truly value the club's accomplishments in eye care. The legacy founded in Chicago in 1917 by Melvin Jones has grown into an organization which boasts a membership of 1.4 million. Accepting the challenge first posed by Helen Keller to become “Knights of the Blind” in the crusade against darkness, Lions have provided 3 million cataract surgeries, funded 68 eye clinics and hospitals, and have screened 6 million patients for eye disease. They also distribute 4 million pairs of eyeglasses annually in developing countries. Having personally assisted with the distribution of eyeglasses in Haiti, I can honestly say that the efforts of the Lions truly impact the lives of those less fortunate. I encourage each member of the Van Buren Lions Club to continue the work of this valuable organization. Their contributions to the Lions Club International Foundation, which funds Leo Clubs, Youth Camps, the International Youth Exchange, and the annual consultation at the United Nations, serve to bring hope to many. Mr. Speaker, on this historic 80th anniversary, I applaud the Van Buren Lions for their dedication to the world's largest service organization. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to recognize them.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, my brother Fay Boozman, the director of Arkansas's Department of Health, recently testified before a congressional committee that it is very possible more Arkansans will be infected with the West Nile virus this year. Arkansas has seen six human cases of the virus so far, including one death. This time last year, Louisiana had only seen one human case. This year Louisiana has documented more than 260 cases. States like Arkansas cannot afford to dip into their emergency funds to combat the spread of West Nile every year. This bill will help States and localities fight this virus by authorizing matching grants by up to $100,000 for the mosquito abatement programs. I commend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), chairman, and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. John) for their leadership in this area and for producing and introducing this bill in the House. I encourage my colleagues to pass this bill and provide much-needed relief to our State and local governments who are on the frontlines of this fight.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, it has been over 5 months since we passed H.R. 3762, the Pension Reform Security Act. This issue is still a concern to the third district of Arkansas, yet Congress has not completed work on the legislation that will protect my constituents' pensions. The bill we passed back in April evens out the playing field between senior level executives and the men and women of their workforce. This bill relaxes diversification rules for rank and file workers, enhances worker access to quality investment, and provides a number of much- needed retirement security reforms. Mr. Speaker, pension reform and protection are critical to restoring investor confidence in our faltering marketplace, and the completion of this bill is critical to the agenda of the 107th Congress. I encourage my colleagues in the House to reaffirm our commitment to pension protection by voting for House Resolution 540 today.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I join with my colleagues today in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program. I commend the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) for introducing this resolution and for her strong support of this wonderful organization. For the past 100 years, 4-H has taught young Americans to grow through their accomplishments. They have developed our youth, including my daughters and some of my staff members, into responsible, civic- minded citizens through their fun and rewarding educational programs. Next to church, 4-H as probably had the most influence of any organization in my own family. I was honored to serve as a member of the 4-H advisory board in Tenton County, Arkansas; and all three of my daughters were members of the program that taught them skills from sewing to cooking to raising cattle. I do not have any chicken stories to tell, but we have countless stories to tell in everything from learning how to cook and sew to raising rabbits, sheep, whatever. As we recognize the 100th anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development Program today, I believe it is important to reflect on what the organization stands for: dedication to our youth and communities. The 4-H motto simply states, ``To make the best better.'' I think they have done an excellent job working to make the best better over the past 100 years, and I wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. As a member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, I rise in strong support of the rule and of the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act. The modified open rule provides for an equal debate on this fair and balanced legislation. I would like to commend the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Mica) for introducing the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act. With the input of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), I think we have come up with some very responsible legislation that establishes a pilot program for deputizing pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. We have made great strides since 9-11 to ensure that air travel is safe from terrorists. However, we are years from equipping all planes with reinforced cockpit doors, and currently we do not have air marshals on every flight. H.R. 4635 provides a strong layer of security and an important last line of defense against terrorist hijackings. It allows qualified pilots to volunteer to carry guns and to use deadly force to defend the cockpit against terrorist hijackings. Passengers entrust pilots with their lives every time they board a plane. In addition, many pilots have a law enforcement or military background and have experience with firearms. Mr. Speaker, the terrorist threat is real and our aviation system is still vulnerable to attacks. The bill, as it stands, is the result of a bipartisan compromise which the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure worked very hard to produce. I encourage my colleagues to support the rule and vote yes on H.R. 4635.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4635, the Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act. This responsible legislation establishes a trial program to deputize pilots to carry guns in the cockpit, which would provide one last line of defense against terrorist attacks. We have made great strides since 9-11 to ensure that air travel is safe from terrorist threat. However, heightened security and reinforced cockpit doors are not enough. And while I am in full support of the Federal air marshal program, the reality is that there are not enough air marshals for every flight. I have spoken with a number of pilots who support the concept of guns in the cockpit, and a majority of my constituents have voiced their desire to have this added level of security on their flights. Mr. Speaker, the terrorist threat is real and our aviation system is still vulnerable to attacks. I commend the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) for their hard work in the Committee on Transportation to create this sensible plan and encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4635.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) for introducing H.R. 1979. I also would also like to state my sincere opposition to the Oberstar amendment. One of the airports in my district, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, otherwise known as XNA, would be eligible under the reimbursement provision to be reimbursed for their AIP entitlement funds for a portion of the costs they incurred when they built and equipped the tower. AIP entitlement funds are allocated by law to these small airports. This is money that the airports have a rate to as a matter of the formula in the law to be used for any eligible purpose. Congress has wisely left the decision to local authorities as to an individual airport's use of the entitlement funds, and this provision simply gives local authorities another option as they contemplate the range of safety, security and capacity-enhancement needs at their facility. From my calculations, XNA would be eligible to be reimbursed for roughly $177,000, which was the cost of equipping their tower. This may not seem to be a large amount of money, but we have experienced a 46 percent growth in passengers over the past 5 years and are the third- fastest-growing county in the Nation, so $177,000 goes a long way towards improving and expanding the facility. Although the tower at XNA is very small, it adds an incredible level of safety to the large volume of travelers, including myself, who utilize the airport. In northwest Arkansas, there are four airports located within a 30 mile radius of each other. As I mentioned, XNA is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country. While most airports experienced a detrimental decline in passengers after September 11, XNA continued to see a continued growth in traffic. Just a few miles away from XNA is the Rogers Airport, which is the second-busiest airport in the State in terms of flight operations. As Members can tell, the air space over northwest Arkansas is very crowded. Mr. Chairman, the addition of contract towers has improved safety in my region exponentially because the towers allow the air traffic controllers to monitor the air space and give pilots the direction they need. If we do not allow our airports to be reimbursed from their entitlement funds, we will be penalizing them for having the foresight to invest in public safety. I urge Members to vote against this amendment.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) for introducing H.R. 1979 for which I am a proud cosponsor. The Small Airport Safety, Security and Air Service Improvement Act would change the law to allow small airports to not only use their AIP money to build a new or replacement FAA contract tower, but also to use AIP funds to equip their tower facilities. This legislation is very important to my rural Third District of Arkansas. Currently I have three contract towers in my district located at the Fayetteville, Springdale and Northwest Arkansas Regional Airports. In addition, a fourth airport in my hometown of Rogers, Arkansas, has recently begun construction on their tower. What is amazing is all of these airports are within a 30-mile radius of each other. We have been blessed with a booming economy in this part of the State, and, therefore, we have a large volume of business travelers. Rogers Airport is the second busiest airport in the State in terms of flight Operations, and Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is the second busiest airport in the State in terms of passengers. With four very busy airports all within a very close proximity, we have extremely crowded airspace. Most of the flights coming into my airports originate from large hubs. The planes are passed from FAA towers to airports that generally do not even have radar screens. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1979 would allow the airports of the third district of Arkansas who operate under a visual flight rule to use their AIP funds to acquire the terminal radar displays which they so desperately need to monitor the busy airspace. I fly home almost every weekend, and each time I am thankful that my airports had the visionary foresight to build contract towers. They have increased air safety exponentially with the addition of the towers. I fully support H.R. 1979, which would give local authorities the ability to use their AIP money to fund the construction, renovation, and equipage of their contract tower. Allowing airports to use their AIP money for contract towers promotes local control and advocates safety. Who knows the needs of our airports better than the local airport managers? I hope all rural districts can benefit from the contract towers as my district has.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a Medicare prescription drug benefit that provides immediate, meaningful savings for American seniors. The Department of Health and Human Services released a study yesterday that stated the House Republican plan will give seniors a 60 percent to 85 percent savings per prescription and cut their out-of- pocket costs by as much as 70 percent. This same HHS study confirmed that our plan creates a fiscally responsible benefit that results in immediate savings for American seniors. The study backs us up by pointing out that the Democrats plan does not help seniors until 2005. That is too long to wait, as this relief cannot come soon enough. Twelve million do not have prescription drug coverage at all. Quality health care for seniors should not end when they turn 65. Our proposal would deliver 21st century prescription drug coverage by providing a voluntary, affordable prescription drug benefit as a permanent entitlement to Medicare beneficiaries. I encourage my colleagues to support this proposal that will save seniors across the country money on their prescription drug bills.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude for the efforts of all those involved in restoring the historic Wolf House in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The newly restored Wolf House will have its grand reopening on May 18th. Built in 1829 by Jacob Wolf, the building served as the county courthouse for what was then Izard County, Arkansas and now provides a good glimpse into how life was in that era. Nearly two years ago, architect Tommy Jameson led a team of craftsmen in the restoration of the 180 year-old structure. Working closely with Preservation Consultant Joan Gould, they strove to maintain historical accuracy of the project, restoring the oldest public building in Arkansas to its original form. The restoration effort leaves the state with a building that purely interprets how structures might have appeared in the early 19th century Ozarks. The Wolf House is now open for self-directed walking tours and I encourage my colleagues to visit this historic site if they are ever in Baxter County. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to praise the hard work of everyone involved in the restoration of the Wolf House.