Jo Bonner

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to pay tribute to the Honorable Charles R. Butler, Jr., on the occasion of his assuming senior status on the bench of the United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama. For the past seventeen years, Judge Butler has served the families of the State of Alabama with compassion, dedication, and a tremendous level of commitment. A 1962 graduate of Washington and Lee University, and a 1966 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, Judge Butler was hired for his first position with Hamilton, Butler, Riddick and Denniston law firm in Mobile, Alabama. Within two years, he had moved on to work as an assistant public defender and, in 1971, was elected as District Attorney for Mobile County. In 1975, following his work as district attorney, Judge Butler went to work for Butler and Sullivan law firm and, ultimately, returned to a position with Hamilton, Butler, Riddick, Tarlton and Sullivan law firm. President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Butler to his position as a district judge in 1988, and he began his official duties on November 1 of that year. From July, 1994, to February, 2003, he served as the southern district's chief judge, and he moved to senior status on March 28, 2005. Along with his many professional responsibilities, Judge Butler has also served as a member of numerous State and Federal justice programs. This long list includes memberships on the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council, the Executive Committee of the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council, the Eleventh Circuit Criminal and Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committees, the Judicial Conference Committee on Criminal Law, and the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. His work in these areas, as well as his professional accomplishments, has also resulted in public recognition and many awards during his long years of public service. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Judge Charles R. Butler, Jr., for his tremendous contributions to the citizens of the First Congressional District and of the entire State of Alabama. The experience and enthusiasm he brought to his job and the concern and compassion he displayed for all citizens in our State are unquestioned and unparalleled. He has indeed been a genuine asset both to the district court and to the thousands of men, women, and children he has assisted over the past two decades. I am proud and honored to call him my friend. Make no mistake, the Judge's talents and experience will continue to be of great value to his colleagues in his new role as senior judge, and I am confident he will continue to remain actively involved in the United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama, and the life of the Mobile community for many years to come. Along with his friends and colleagues throughout Alabama, I wish to extend to Judge Butler and his family all the best now and in the future.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, I was absent for votes due to important official business in my district. I missed rollcall votes Nos. 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303. Had I been present for votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on Nos. 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 303 and ``nay'' on Nos. 293, 299, 300, 301, 302.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Town of Millry, Alabama, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding. Millry was founded on June 2, 1905, incorporated in 1921, and the community's first election was held in 1922. Millry derived its name from ``Mill Creek,'' which ran almost directly through the center of the town and was a resource which contributed heavily to the community's development. Millry also took its name from the two grist mills and the saw mill located on the creek's fast-flowing waters. Settlers who came to the Millry area were attracted to the fishing at the state lake, the beautiful scenery of the stands of tall pine trees, and the green pastures. The first schools were run in local homes or in available buildings. In the early 1900s, a small school served by three teachers was constructed. Later, a two-story school building was constructed in 1920, with the first graduating class marching in 1929. Additionally, in those early days, there was only a single church of the Methodist denomination which was built in 1910. The Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern (AT&N) Railroad was initially supposed to run near the town of Healing Springs, a thriving resort area near Millry. However, Mr. Pettus, the owner of the resort, refused to grant a right-of-way through his property for the railroad. As a result, in 1912 the route was moved one-and-a-half-miles east through the town of Millry. The location of the railroad station, being the nearest station to Healing Springs, was responsible for much of Millry's growth. It is not known when the town became more commonly referred to as Millry. However, postal records indicate that the first post office was established in Millry on May 21, 1859. Mr. James C. Warrick was the first postmaster. The first post office was located in Healing Springs from 1894 until the present post office in Millry was opened in 1905. Therefore, it is possible that Millry was a town or community as far back as 1859, but maps only show Millry in 1905. Regardless, Millry was by 1918 a booming community. The town's early businesses consisted of three stores, a two-story hotel, a blacksmith shop, a cotton gin and grist mill, a barber, a dentist and a doctor. The Citizen's Bank was established in the early 1920s but closed during the depression in 1930. By 1922, the Millry Baptist Church was organized in the school building with Reverend H.M. Mason as its pastor and with a congregation of 29 members. By 1960, a brick structure was constructed on the same site to replace the earlier structure. The current city hall was built during Mayor Carpenter's administration, and a water system and fire department were completed during Mayor Lamberth's administration. Mr. Speaker, the Town of Millry has experienced many changes over the past 100 years. Despite these sometimes difficult challenges, Millry remains one of the most attractive communities in the Washington County area. The nearly 800 residents of Millry, Alabama, are firmly rooted in their proud past, and continue to display an optimistic outlook on the future of their community. The hard work and devotion the leaders of the community have exhibited for the past 100 years has yielded a stable community that will be a continuing success. It is my hope the Town of Millry enjoys all the best of continued prosperity for the next one hundred years, and it is my distinct pleasure to represent this fine community in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mr. Donald G. Waldon on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Administrator of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Water Development Authority. Mr. Waldon has held this position for the past 20 years and has served the waterway and its many users well. His dedication and hard work have been a powerful asset in helping to develop the waterway and the areas surrounding it. Mr. Waldon, a native of Columbus, Mississippi, grew up in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1961. He completed his post-graduate studies in science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963 and Texas A&M University in 1964. He is also a 1994 graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. In 1961, Don Waldon moved back to Mobile and began his career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked as a project engineer conducting feasibility studies for water resource projects such as ports and waterways. In 1966, Don became a Budget Examiner in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the Executive Office of the President where he advised the OMB and White House officials, including the president, on major budgetary, policy, and legislative matters involving natural resources. His agency responsibilities included the Interior Department, the Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Valley Authority. From 1969 to 1974, he held the position of Principal Examiner, at which time he assumed the duties of Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of the Interior. His responsibilities included management of all land and water resource agencies within the Department of the Interior. At that point in time, they had a total annual budget of nearly $2 billion and nearly 12,000 employees. Additionally, he served on a number of White House task forces, particularly those involving energy during this period. In 1974, after a successful career in the federal government, Don decided to move back to the south and was hired as the Deputy Administrator at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority. On July 1, 1984 Don took over the position of Administrator, a position he has held for the past 20 years. Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals who have provided more invaluable service to their community, their state, and their country than Donald Waldon. He is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to public service, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating him on the occasion of his retirement. I know his family--his wife, Jackie, his four children, and his four grandchildren--as well as his colleagues and many friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and extending heartfelt thanks for his many efforts on behalf of the state of Alabama, and indeed, a grateful nation. I would like to wish him much success in all future endeavors as he enters this new phase of his life.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, just over ten days ago the First Congressional District of Alabama and indeed, our entire state and nation, said goodbye to another casualty of war in Iraq. Army Specialist Steven Ray Givens, a native of Houston, Texas, and a longtime resident of Mobile, Alabama, had recently volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq after having already completed an earlier l4-month tour. Steven, a member of the Third Infantry, Third Brigade, of Fort Benning, Georgia, returned to Iraq in mid-January, 2005, and had planned to make a career with the Army. Unfortunately, on May 8, 2005, he was fatally wounded during an attack by Iraqi insurgents. During his career with the Army, Steven set a standard of excellence and displayed the qualities of discipline, devotion, and dedication to country that are the hallmarks of men and women throughout the long and distinguished history of the American military. While serving his country with all his ability, Steven also showed great concern and charity for those he fought to liberate, frequently asking his friends and family back at home to send toys and snacks for the children in Iraq. As he left for his second tour he told his family, ``I can do something,'' and he truly did. This dedication to devote his life to serving his country and his concern and charity towards the children are a telling sign of what kind of man Steven was. This young man has shown America and the world the values and ideals our great country stands for. It is appropriate for us to pause and thank God that there are still young men like Steven, whose life personified the very best America has to offer. Mr. Speaker, as you can imagine, south Alabama is truly morning the loss of this fine young man. I urge my colleagues to take a moment to pay tribute to Army Specialist Steven Ray Givens and his selfless devotion to not only our country and the freedom we enjoy, but to a people who are in the infant stages of a new life--a new freedom--in their own land. We should remember his wife, Cayssia Givens, and his two-year-old son, his parents, Joyce and Mike McDuffie, and his other family members and many friends. Our prayer is that God will give them all the strength and courage that only He can provide to sustain them during the difficult days ahead.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong concern over the unconscionable and harmful stalling tactics we are seeing in the confirmation process over in the other body with regard to several qualified judicial nominees. Two in particular, Justice Janice Rogers Brown, the nominee that the gentlewoman was speaking about just a minute ago, and Judge Bill Pryor, are outstanding jurists; and I am proud that they are both natives of my home State of Alabama. Justice Brown is a native of Luverne and the daughter of a sharecropper. She has enjoyed an extremely successful career beginning on the Third District Court of Appeals in California and continuing for the past 9 years on that State's State Supreme Court. Judge Pryor, a native of Mobile, was one of our State's finest attorneys general and served with distinction during his temporary appointment on the 11th circuit of the Court of Appeals. Both of these individuals are experts in their field, and both of them represent the finest in legal minds anywhere in this country, and they deserve a vote.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, Mobile County and indeed the entire State of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor her and pay tribute to her memory. Mrs. Lancie B. Thomas was a devoted family woman and a pioneer in the Alabama publishing community. A native of Beatrice, Alabama, Mrs. Thomas attended the Monroe County Training School, Tuskegee University, and Alabama State University, and following her education she worked for many years as a home economics teacher in the Tuscaloosa County school system. Upon leaving the teaching profession, she began to assist her husband, the late Frank Thomas, with the building of several newspapers throughout the state of Alabama. These included the Selma (Alabama) Citizen, the Alabama Citizen in Tuscaloosa, and the Mobile Weekly Review. The Weekly Review, started in 1943, had its named changed to the Beacon in 1954 and has continued operations to the present day. During her long newspaper career, Mrs. Thomas worked in a variety of positions in the family's newspaper business, including those of vice president, secretary, and treasurer. She eventually became the editor and publisher of the Beacon and continued in that position until her retirement as publisher emeritus in 1997. Even with her numerous professional obligations, Mrs. Thomas also found time to involve herself in several Mobile community organizations and other causes which had an impact on the local, state, and federal levels. Beginning in the 1940s, she was involved in voter registration efforts throughout Alabama and became involved in numerous political, social, and religious organizations throughout the United States. She was instrumental in the formation of Mobile's Hillsdale Presbyterian Church and served as one of that parish's founding elders, as well as devoting significant time to attending to the needs of the congregation, both young and old alike. Mrs. Thomas served as the vice president of the Presbyterian Woman of South Alabama and was in 1988 selected to represent south Alabama at the Bicentennial Celebration of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. She was also a member of the Alabama Press Association, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Greater Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Federation of Greater Mobile, the South Alabama Region Planning Committee, the Mobile Mental Health Center, the Drug and Alcohol Council, and the Better Business Bureau. Notwithstanding her significant professional accomplishments, Mrs. Thomas was also recognized on numerous occasions for her impact on her community and on the African-American population in Alabama and across the country. She was honored by the Alabama Press Association for lifetime achievement, and in 1974 was honored by the National Council of Negro Women for her professional accomplishments. Additionally, the NAACP recognized her efforts nationally in 1998, and she is the first African-American to be inducted into Auburn University's Hall of Honor. She has also been recognized by the City of Mobile, the Mobile County Commission, and such organizations as the Drug Education Council, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Throughout her life, Lancie Thomas set a standard of excellence in the newspaper business second to none. More importantly, however, she set a standard of excellence in her achievements specifically on behalf of the American-American community, but also for the entire City of Mobile, her State, and her Nation. She will be deeply missed by her family--her daughter, Cleretta Thomas Blackmon, her stepdaughter, Audrey Thomas, her siblings, Alberta B. Ford, Robert Black, Ruth B. Jefferson, Jency B. Mitchell, Alexander Black, Bennye B. Reasor, and Rufus Black, and her grandchildren--as well as the countless friends she leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, Mobile County and indeed the entire state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Mr. Hugh Thomas Praytor, Jr., known as Tommy to his many friends, was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life. A native and lifelong resident of Mobile, Alabama, Tommy Praytor was a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and worked as a banker for 48 years. His first job, as a part-time counter at the old Merchants National Bank in Mobile, began during summer breaks during his time in college. Following his graduation, he took a full-time position at Merchants and worked in the bank's computer department. He continued his career with the bank after it became Regions Bank, and spent many years at the end of his career specializing in private lending and in bond issues for municipalities seeking infrastructure and other community improvements. Even with his numerous professional obligations, Tommy also found time to involve himself in several Mobile community organizations. During his lifetime, he served as a group chairman for Alabama Young Bankers and was treasurer of the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club. Additionally, he served on or was affiliated with the Senior Bowl Committee, the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, the Mobile Bass Master Club, and several Mardi Gras mystic organizations. He was also a longtime member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Mobile and spent several years as both a Sunday school teacher and a member of the church vestry. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout south Alabama. Tommy Prayter, Jr., loved life and lived it to the fullest, and his passing marks both a loss for all of south Alabama and a personal loss for me. I was fortunate to call him my friend, and he will be deeply missed by one and all, most especially his family--his wonderful wife of 46 years, Jamie Catlin Praytor, his sons, Hugh Thomas Praytor, III, and Wilson Wrath Praytor, his daughter, Ellen Praytor Wingard, his sister, Carolyn Praytor Smith, and four grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, recently south Alabama lost one of its most colorful personalities, and I lost a dear friend, R.B. ``Dickie'' Williams, III, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. A native of Mobile, Alabama, ``Dickie'' was raised on the Williams Plantation in Finchburg, Alabama. After graduating from Monroeville High School and attending Auburn University, he graduated in 1958 with a B.S. degree in pharmacy from Howard College (since renamed Samford University). In 1961, ``Dickie'' moved to Selma, Alabama, and worked for three years on the staff of Swift Drug Company. In 1964, he moved one last time to Monroeville, where he opened Williams Drug Store. For nearly 40 years, Williams Drug Store was one of the foundations of the businesses found on Monroeville's town square and provided--in addition to one of the best and most efficient pharmacies anywhere in the area--a gathering place for members of the community who would come together for fresh coffee and good conversation. In addition, the store became an unofficial repository of decades of Monroe County history, and during the latter part of his life ``Dickie'' was known as Monroe County's ``unofficial historian.'' During his life, he shared his vast knowledge of county history and personal recollections of life in Monroe County in a column for the town's newspaper, the Monroe Journal, and in a series of four books. Perhaps most importantly, however, ``Dickie'' was deeply concerned for the personal well-being of his fellow Monroe Countians and for the preservation of his county's and his State's natural and historic sites. During the course of his life, he established the Monroe County Conservation Club and was instrumental in the creation of the Monroe County State Fishing Lake. Additionally, he was a past president of the Alabama Wildlife Federation and for 21 years was an elected Alabama delegate to the National Wildlife Federation. ``Dickie'' was also instrumental in helping to save the Old Monroe County Courthouse from demolition and was one of the founders of the Monroe County Heritage Museum. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a devoted citizen and long-time advocate for Monroe County, Alabama. ``Dickie'' will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Nancy Beeland Williams, his brothers, Charles Robbins Williams and John Bonner Williams, his daughter, Elizabeth Williams Olsey, his son, Richard Russell Williams, his stepsons, Dr. David Stallworth and Jeff Stallworth, his stepdaughter, Nancy Stallworth Weiss, and his 9 grandchildren--as well as the many friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the community of Summerdale, Alabama, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding. The Town of Summerdale was founded by Eli Summer on October 4,1904, was incorporated in 1929, and was initially intended to serve as a major tobacco production center. During the first years of its existence, Summerdale saw the creation of numerous businesses including the Cloverdon Store, a turpentine business, a canning factory, and a sawmill. Additionally, community leaders also oversaw the building of a movie theater and the opening of the town's first newspaper, The Summerdale Record. The earliest school in Summerdale held classes in the old Masonic Hall and consisted of just five students and one teacher. A second school building was constructed in 1915, and the most recent of three buildings used for the school continues to be used to this day. The town's first post office was established in 1905, one year after the formation of the town. Within one year, employees of the post office were delivering mail to residents living along two rural routes in and around the Summerdale area. Tobacco continued to be a major product of the Summerdale area, with one of the leading tobacco manufacturing businesses, the Summerdale Tobacco Warehouse, having been constructed between 1909 and 1910. The Summerdale Tobacco Company continued to operate until the late 1920s when a variety of factors, including the effects of the Great Depression, increasing land prices, and marketing and labor difficulties, effectively brought an end to the production of tobacco products in that area. Despite the difficulties experienced in the early part of the Twentieth Century, Summerdale today remains one of the most attractive communities anywhere in Baldwin County. The home of Baldwin Electric Management Cooperative (EMC), Summerdale is nestled in the midst of the rapidly growing southern half of the county, just minutes from several of the First District's largest population centers. Mr. Speaker, the 754 residents of Summerdale, Alabama, are firmly rooted in their proud past, and at the same time are keeping a careful and optimistic eye on the road ahead. The vision displayed by their community leaders during the past 100 years has led to the creation of a stable community and one of the anchors for all of Baldwin County, and I have no doubt that the continued inspired leadership and vision of today's residents and leaders will lead to even greater successes in the years ahead. It is my hope the Town of Summerdale continues its story of success for another one hundred years.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Antwan Deon Odom of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, on the occasion of his being honored by his community on ``Antwan Odom Day.'' Antwan was born on September 24, 1981, in Mobile, Alabama. During his early years, he worked in Bayou La Batre's seafood industry and during high school worked part-time after class unloading both shrimp boats and crab trucks. Early in life, he became an active football player and played in the Zirlott Park youth football league and, later, at Alba Middle and Alba High schools. Following the merger of Alma and Bryant High schools, Antwan played on the new school's varsity team. His talent and accomplishments on the field drew national attention, and he was named by Parade Magazine to their All-American Team and was also honored as both the Class 6A ``Lineman of the Year'' and the Super Prep Player of the Year. Antwan graduated from Alma-Bryant High School in 2000 and received a full football scholarship to the University of Alabama. Antwan's outstanding success on the Crimson Tide football team earned him further accolades throughout Alabama and across the country. Following his freshman year, he was named an honorable mention Freshman All-American by Rivals.com. By the end of his collegiate career, Antwan ranked fifth on the university's all time sack leader list with 21 and had registered 98 tackles, 40 quarterback pressures, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five pass deflections, and two blocked kicks. Rather than finish his senior year at Alabama, he opted to declare his eligibility for the 2004 National Football League draft. In the second round of the draft, Antwan was made the 57th pick by the Tennessee Titans. Mr. Speaker, Antwan Odom is certainly very deserving of being honored with his own hometown celebration. Although he is a youngman who has progressed quite far in just a few short years and who has developed into one of the leading stars in professional football today, he has not forgotten his roots. To this day, he continues to split time between his hometown and his new home in Tennessee, and the fame he has achieved has done little to diminish his love for his family, his community, and his state. I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating Antwan Odom for both the great success he has enjoyed in his life and his outstanding representation of the First District of Alabama. I know his family--his wife Brooke, and his sons, Antwan, Jr., and Baylor--and many friends are also proud of him, and I wish his entire family much health and success in the time ahead.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mr. Bernie Dittman on the occasion of his being honored with the 2005 Alabama Broadcasters' Association's Broadcaster of the Year Award. This award recognizes outstanding contributions made by members of the Alabama radio and television broadcast community in both their professional field and in the life of their local cities and towns. Bernie Dittman, a long-time friend and resident of Alabama's First Congressional District, as well as an active member of the state broadcasters' association, is a very worthy choice to receive this year's award. Bernie purchased WABB-AM in Mobile, Alabama, in 1959. This station, previously owned by the Mobile Register newspaper organization, first went on the air in 1948 with call letters that stand for ``Alabama's Best Broadcasters.'' One year later, Bernie moved to Mobile and completely changed the broadcast format of the station. His conversion of WABB from a country station to Top 40 propelled WABB to the position of the leading station in that format and one of the premiere stations anywhere on Alabama's Gulf Coast. In 1973, Bernie took WABB in a new direction when the station added a new FM signal and began to broadcast a progressive rock format. At a time when most automobiles were not equipped with FM receivers, Bernie and his team ran an extensive series of on-air promotions encouraging the installation of low-cost FM receivers. Under Bernie Dittman's leadership, WABB has become one of the longest-running and most successful Top 40 radio stations in the United States. The station has also spearheaded over the years the move to more equality in the hiring of on-air personalities and staff members; in fact, WABB was one of the stations in south Alabama which early on began to hire women and African-Americans for important announcer positions. WABB has also been a critical part of Mobile's emergency broadcast community and played a crucial role in providing information to listeners during Hurricane Frederic (1979) and Hurricane Ivan (2004). During Ivan, in fact, WABB was one of the few stations in the area able to transmit continuously during the storm without losing power. Following the end of the storm, the station also spearheaded the effort to collect and distribute relief material to neighboring states which had also been severely affected. Aside from his professional obligations, Bernie has also ensured that WABB and its family of employees take an active role in the life of the Mobile community. For the past 47 years, the station has operated the WABB Community Club Awards Program of Greater Mobile, which has during its existence provided over $250,000 in financial awards to local civic, religious, and cultural institutions. Additionally, the station has been a 40-year sponsor of the Greater Gulf State Fair, a 35-year sponsor of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, and a long-time sponsor of both the Senior Bowl and GMAC Bowl college football games. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Mobile, the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, the Mobile Ronald McDonald House, and numerous other organizations advocating area youth have also benefited tremendously from Bernie Dittman's leadership and community involvement. In fact, the area Toys for Tots program holds the record for the single largest toy collection anywhere in the United States, with over 100,000 toys collected--due in large part to the efforts of Bernie and his entire team. Bernie has also been a longtime member of the Alabama Broadcasters' Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, and in 2000 was the recipient of the Greater Mobile Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award. Mr. Speaker, there have been few individuals more important to the broadcast profession in Alabama or to the life of their local community than Bernie Dittman. He is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to the field of broadcasting, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating him on this remarkable achievement. I know Bernie's colleagues, his family, and his many friends join with me in praising his accomplishments and extending thanks for his many efforts over the years on behalf of the First Congressional District and the entire state of Alabama.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Ms. Paulette Williams on occasion of her recent retirement from the position of director of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency. Throughout her 40-year career, Paulette has contributed her extensive knowledge and expertise at the local, State, and Federal levels of emergency management and civil defense. As an area frequently impacted by natural disasters and other such events, particularly during hurricane season each year, Mobile County has a well-established need for an efficient and well-run emergency management system. Paulette Williams has provided the leadership for such an organization, and her presence and expertise has been extremely helpful numerous times during the past several years, most significantly during Hurricane Ivan which made impact on Alabama's Gulf Coast on September 16, 2004. In the hours and days immediately following the storm, Paulette worked tirelessly with her team and with officials from all levels of government to coordinate the emergency relief so vitally needed by the tens of thousands of residents in the county. The work was incredibly difficult and the hours quite long, but through it all she maintained a firm hold on the situation and worked to ensure the county returned to as normal a life as possible in as short a time period as possible. This work ethic has been a hallmark of her entire career and has resulted in numerous professional accomplishments. In 1992, she was selected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as one of four emergency management staff members from Alabama to assist in the State of Florida following Hurricane Andrew. In 1994, she was invited by the United States Department of Defense to participate in the first International Emergency Management Conference. The Alabama House of Representatives appointed her to serve as a member of the State's Homeland Security Task Force in 2003, and the next year she was chosen by Alabama Governor Bob Riley to serve on the Alabama Citizens Corps Council. At the present time, she serves as president of Alabama 3, one of the state's two disaster assistance medical teams, and serves on the executive board of the Greater Mobile Emergency Planning Committee. She also serves as the legislative chairperson of the Alabama Association of Emergency Managers. In addition to her impressive professional resume, Paulette has been recognized numerous times during her career for her outstanding contributions to her career field and her community. She was selected to be included in Who's Who in America for the 1998-1999 year, and she was listed in Who's Who of American Women between 1995 and 2000. Additionally, Governor Riley honored her when he selected Paulette as the first female and first merit employee ever selected for the post of Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals who have provided more invaluable service to their community, their county, and their state than Paulette Williams. She is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to public service, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating her on the occasion of her retirement. I know her colleagues, her family, and her many friends join with me in praising her accomplishments and extending thanks for her many efforts on behalf of Mobile County and the state of Alabama, and I would like to wish her much success in all future endeavors as she enters this new phase of her life.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Ms. Linda Jones on the occasion of her being honored with the 2004 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This award, established in 1983, recognizes outstanding science and mathematics teachers in grades K-12 in all fifty states and each of the four U.S. jurisdictions. This White House award is currently recognized as the nation's highest commendation for elementary and secondary math and science teachers. During this year's nomination process, 600 applications were submitted for this honor. Out of that tremendous number of nominations, Linda Jones was one of only 95 winners nationwide and one of only two from the state of Alabama. Linda has been a distinguished member of the Baldwin County, Alabama, school system for over 30 years. A native of Louisiana, she graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and went on to earn a master's degree at the University of South Alabama. Additionally, she received an educational administration certificate from Alabama State University. During the course of her teaching career, she earned her National Board certification and in 2001 was awarded with Baldwin County's Teacher of the Year Award. In an article which ran in the Mobile Register acknowledging this award, students and colleagues were interviewed and asked about the impact Linda has made in their lives and in the life of her school. To a person, each singled out her ability to challenge their limits and to achieve more than they could have possibly imagined. Moreover, she was recognized for going outside of the limits of her normal job description and work day to provide as many opportunities for her students as possible. Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals more important to the development of our young men and women in this country than those who commit themselves to educating these children. Ms. Linda Jones is an outstanding example of the quality individuals who have devoted their lives to the field of education, and I ask my colleagues to join with me in congratulating her on this remarkable achievement. I know her colleagues, her family, and her friends join with me in praising her accomplishments and extending thanks for her many efforts on behalf of the schoolchildren of Baldwin County and the state of Alabama.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, the entire state of Alabama recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Senator Howell Heflin was a devoted family man and dedicated public servant throughout his entire life, someone who devoted nearly a quarter-century in public service to the residents of Alabama. Born on June 19, 1921, the son of Reverend and Mrs. Marvin Heflin, Senator Heflin was a native of Poulan, Georgia, and spent his childhood moving from one Alabama community to another before his family settled in Colbert County. He was a 1942 graduate of Birmingham-Southern College. Within a short time following his graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served during World War II in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He was wounded twice during his service and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action before being discharged in 1946. Following the completion of his military obligations, he enrolled in the law school at the University of Alabama and graduated from that institution in 1948. From 1948 until 1970, Senator Heflin worked as a prosecuting attorney in the City of Tuscumbia before winning election as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. For the next six years, he served with distinction on the court and is known for many accomplishments during that time, including implementing large reforms of the state court system that eliminated years of backlogged cases. He earned so much respect for his work as Chief Justice that, even after having been elected to the United States Senate, friends, colleagues, and admirers continued to refer to him as ``The Judge.'' First elected to the Senate in 1978, Senator Heflin served with distinction for 18 years and ably represented the interests of all Alabamians. During his three terms, he served most notably as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and as both chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, a position he held for 12 years. Additionally, he served as a member of that body's Agriculture Committee and was a strong and able advocate for the interests of Alabama's agricultural community. During his three terms in Congress, Senator Heflin developed a reputation of working with his colleagues to find common ground on numerous issues, and always with the best interests of his constituents at heart. Many times, he put partisanship aside to support issues for which he saw great benefit, but which others were actively working to oppose. And while his personal views tended towards the conservative end of the spectrum on defense and financial matters, he was more progressive on social issues. In fact, two African-American federal judges from Alabama, U.W. Clemon of Birmingham and Myron Thompson of Montgomery, were both championed by Senator Heflin. In an article appearing in the Mobile Register following the senator's death, former Alabama Congressman Sonny Callahan was quoted as saying, ``He was always there for us when we needed him. We had common goals for Alabama and worked towards those goals.'' Perhaps these words more than many others spoken in the days following his passing are an accurate summation of the tremendous work completed during his long career and of the faith and trust he in turn earned from his constituents. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated public servant and long-time advocate for the state of Alabama, a man whose significant impact and dedication to the needs and interests of his constituents will be felt for many years to come. Senator Heflin will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Elizabeth Ann Heflin, his son, Tom Heflin, and his two grandchildren--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, the world this week suffered an immeasurable loss, and millions of men, women, and children in all corners of the globe lost their champion and a voice for those who do not have a platform to speak for themselves. His Holiness John Paul II, Bishop of Rome, head of the Catholic Church, and the spiritual leader of nearly one billion people, was a man who made an immeasurable difference in the path taken by the world in the last quarter of the Twentieth Century and the first part of the Twenty-First Century. His quiet strength, determination, and belief in the power of non- violent opposition were instrumental, along with the efforts of President Ronald Reagan and many other leaders around the world, in bringing an end to the old communist regimes which had become entrenched in the capitals of Europe. He was a man who had developed an insurmountable inner strength and faith which, even after the loss of his entire family during the early years of his life and the perils he faced under the heel of Nazism and communism, was unshakable. His love and work on behalf of the Catholic Church and of the people of his native Poland--indeed, of men, women, and children of all faiths and all walks of life--were the driving force in his rise to become a bishop and archbishop in Krakow, Poland, and ultimately his election as pontiff. I was never fortunate to meet the Holy Father myself, but I have met many individuals who had such an opportunity. In talking with them, and in reading the countless reports of people around the world who were in his presence, it is clear to see how truly remarkable this man was and how moving a meeting with him could be. He was a man of hope, a man of vision, and a man of unceasing faith, and in his 26-year papacy those qualities were shared with peoples and nations around the world in his over 100 trips away from Vatican City. Mr. Speaker, there are many times in life where we refer to someone's character and manner of living their life as signs that they are a saint. Karol Wojtyla was such a person who may indeed receive sainthood for his work--a young man from Poland who early on dedicated his life to his faith and his church and who grew into Pope John Paul II, a man who never lost that dedication and who impacted countless people around the world. His life and his work will be discussed and, remembered far into the future, and it is my hope his life and his leadership serve as an inspiration for all of us for many years to come.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, the Fourth District of Alabama, and indeed the entire state, recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Congressman Tom Bevill was a devoted family man and dedicated public servant throughout his entire life, and has the distinction of being the longest-serving congressman ever to come from Alabama. I am certain many in this chamber recall with great fondness and vividness their memories of working closely with this tireless advocate for the needs of his constituents and his state. Born on March 27, 1921, and a native of Walker County, Alabama, Congressman Bevill spent his childhood in the mining community of Townley, witnessing the ravages of the Great Depression on his family, his friends, and his neighbors. He was a 1943 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Commerce and Business Administration. Within a short time following his graduation, he joined the United States Army and rose to the rank of captain, leading one of the units which went ashore in France on June 6, 1944. Ultimately, Congressman Bevill retired from the U.S. Army Reserves with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1948, he completed his legal studies at the University of Alabama School of Law and embarked on an 18-year career practicing law in Jasper, Alabama. All told, Congressman Bevill spent 38 years in public office. Elected to the Alabama State House of Representatives in 1958, he served for eight years before embarking on a campaign which would ultimately lead to his winning the seat for the Seventh (later Fourth) Congressional District at the end of 1966. He would go on to serve 15 terms in this chamber and become one of the most effective and well-respected advocates for the state of Alabama ever to serve in the United States Congress. Congressman Bevill became such an effective representative for his district and for the state--and became such an influential member of the House of Representatives that he was often referred to as ``Alabama's third senator.'' Indeed, the work he accomplished during his three decades in this chamber, particularly as a member of the full Committee on Appropriations and, for nine terms, as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, had important and long-lasting effects on the economic growth of the state of Alabama. To this day, signs of his influence and successful efforts on behalf of his district and his state can be found throughout Alabama, and his name has been attached to some of the most important public centers anywhere in the state. These include the Tom Bevill Chair of Law at the University of Alabama, the Tom Bevill Energy, Mineral, and Material Science Research Building, also at the University of Alabama, and the Tom Bevill Center for Advanced Manufacturing Technology at Gadsden. In addition to his long and successful career in the House of Representatives, Congressman Bevill received numerous awards and citations in recognition of his distinguished career. Along with honorary doctorates he received from Livingston University, the University of North Alabama, and Troy State University, he was inducted into both the Alabama Academy of Honor and the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Perhaps more than any other two projects, Congressman Bevill should be remembered for his work on two of the most significant transportation projects in Alabama history: the Memphis-to-Birmingham highway known as ``Corridor X,'' and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. ``Corridor X,'' when completed, will provide a vital link between the two cities in Alabama and Tennessee and will provide tremendous benefits and incentive for further economic development in north Alabama. The Waterway has already provided incalculable benefits for Alabama's economy and has resulted in thousands of jobs for men and women throughout our state. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated public servant and long-time advocate for the state of Alabama, a man whose significant impact and dedication to the needs and interests of his constituents will be felt for many years to come. Congressman Bevill, who was preceded in death in 2001 by his beloved wife of 58 years, Lou, will be deeply missed by his family--his daughters, Susan Bevill Livingston and Patricia Bevill Warren, his son, Don Bevill, his six grandchildren, and his three great-grandchildren-- as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a recent contribution of Mr. Quin Hillyer, editorial writer for the Mobile Register. As many in this chamber are aware, former Alabama Attorney General and current 11th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge William Pryor has faced numerous difficulties with his nomination to a full-time position on that court by the President. As I speak today, it is my understanding that Judge Pryor's nomination to a lifetime appointment will again come up for consideration within the next few months. During introductory remarks I delivered at the original confirmation hearing for then-Attorney General Pryor, I stated that he has earned the political respect of many, including his political foes. He has consistently sided with constitutional precedent in making his decisions, and throughout his career he has received very high ratings for his legal ability and very high ethical standards. Judge Pryor has received the backing and strong support for a lifetime appointment to the 11th Circuit from men and women from all across Alabama's political spectrum. Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful Judge Pryor will receive a favorable and impartial decision on the matter of a permanent appointment to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and I would encourage those involved in that process to take a fair and unbiased look at his record. To that end, Mr. Hillyer has written what I feel is a very impassioned and well- reasoned argument for why Judge Pryor should receive this appointment. This article appeared in the Wall Street Journal on March 3, 2005, and I ask my colleagues to carefully consider the comments he makes here. Cross Country: Pryor Impressions (By Quin Hillyer, Mobile Register) If judicial nominations represent the spear-point of all of the partisan battles in Washington, former Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor is the poison on the spear. Judge Pryor, whose renomination to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals could get a Senate hearing as early as March 9, has become a folk hero to conservatives nationwide while drawing fierce denunciations from liberal editorial pages. Come to Alabama, though, and the cognoscenti from all shades of the political spectrum find the controversy badly misguided. Here, the Republican Pryor--at age 42, now serving a mere temporary appointment to the 11th Circuit--is the darling not just of right-leaning editorial boards. He enjoys near- universal support even from newspapers that endorsed Al Gore and John Kerry, from elected officials both Democrat and Republican, black and white--and even from the Democrat who Mr. Pryor defeated for attorney general. The liberal Anniston Star, for instance, in the same editorial that urges filibusters against most of President Bush's nominees, writes that ``Pryor, who possesses a brilliant legal mind, cannot be so easily dismissed. . . . Pryor has been proven capable of setting aside his ideology when it matters most. . . . [He] helped shut down [Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's Ten Commandments] sideshow and, in the process, displayed personal courage. That alone ought to convince Democrats currently blocking a vote on Pryor to give him a chance.'' Why do Alabamians so strongly back Judge Pryor? Because they've seen him in action defending Democratic lawmakers against Republican lawsuits, defying the Republican governor (Fob James) who appointed him, and spending countless hours establishing a youth mentorship program through the attorney general's office. They know him, up close, as a man of integrity and compassion. National critics have gone to prodigious lengths to muddy that home-state record. Unfairly so. Consider that critics have accused Judge Pryor of being insensitive to women because he successfully argued against one small portion of the Violence Against Women Act. But Judge Pryor's constitutional point was virtually incontrovertible, namely that rape doesn't qualify as ``interstate commerce.'' His goal was to keep authority for prosecuting rapes in state courts, where (in Alabama at least) the juries are likely to be harder on rapists than elsewhere. Meanwhile, he has been praised throughout Alabama by groups that aid victims of domestic violence. Mobile's Penelope House women's shelter even named him to its Law Enforcement Hall of Fame. The story is similar on every issue on which he has been criticized. Somebody served Sen. Dianne Feinstein poorly, for example, when providing her a quote from Judge Pryor that made it sound like he advocated the Christianization of government. But the quote came from a speech to his alma mater--McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, in Mobile--the point of which was not that the government should be Christian but that Catholics have a duty to be good citizens. (As it turned out, he was citing St. Thomas Aquinas, hardly a great threat to the American order.) Critics have also accused him of race-based opposition to one portion of the Voting Rights Act. Why, then, is Judge Pryor supported by Alabama's lone black, Democratic congressman, and by its two most prominent black, Democratic legislators, and by its black Democratic National Committeeman? And on the case in question, Judge Pryor was backed by Georgia's black, Democratic AG, Thurbert Baker, who also endorsed Bill Pryor's judicial nomination. Obviously, there is a disconnect between the interest-group and liberal-media assumption that Southern conservatives, especially Alabama ones, likely have racist tendencies, and the obvious reality of Judge Pryor's genuinely warm relationships with so many of Alabama's black leaders. Part of the explanation lies in the fact that Alabama has indeed come a long way since Bull Connor. Also important is that Judge Pryor's native Mobile, especially its old-line Catholic sector in which he grew up, handled civil rights with far more aplomb than Bull Connor's Birmingham--and with virtually no violence. Early on, then-Mayor Joseph Langan peacefully integrated the city's bus lines. And Bill Pryor's own high school, where his father was band director, integrated comfortably in the '60s, well before he matriculated. Judge Pryor would say, correctly, that his jurisprudence aims at helping neither victims nor powerful interests, but merely at following precedent and the Constitution. In his closing arguments against the judicial vigilantism of Alabama's then-Chief Justice Roy Moore, he said: ``In our system, a judge must follow the final decision of other judges, even when he is convinced they're wrong. . . . The answer this court must provide to every judge in Alabama is that no judge is above the law.'' That's why, against his own personal predilections, he refused, as attorney general, to enforce part of a new state law against partial birth abortions: because that section contradicted clear U.S. Supreme Court precedent. That's why, against his own predilections, he enforced the very portion of the Voting Rights Act that he and his Georgia Democratic counterpart opposed. And that's why the leader of Alabama's top black, Democratic organization endorsed him as a judge who ``will uphold the law without fear or favor,'' while former Democratic AG Bill Baxley said Judge Pryor always acts ``without race, gender, age, political power, wealth, community standing, or any other competing interest affecting his judgment.'' Yes, we in Alabama proudly support Bill Pryor. His career-- as public intellectual, successful prosecutor, cultural- bridge-builder and man of conscience even at his own political peril--represents many of the traits the national media has always said Alabama lacks. Until he came along, our most famous exemplar of such character was the fictional Atticus Finch. Now that we can offer a real-life Atticus, we're more than a little angry that the Washington elites want to reject him.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to honor Mrs. Marietta Murray Urquhart on the occasion of her being honored by the Mobile City Council of Beta Sigma Pi International Sorority with the organization's 2004 ``First Lady of the Year'' Award. Beta Sigma Pi International Sorority was founded in 1931 for the purpose of providing women with opportunities for community service and as an outlet for cultural and social activities. Seven local chapters of the organization are currently active in Mobile, and since 1945 one woman has been selected each year for the ``First Lady of the Year'' Award. This honor is bestowed to an individual based on her contributions to the business, cultural, and civic life of the community. Mrs. Urquhart has been a distinguished and active member of the Mobile, Alabama, community for over two decades. In 1982, she and her husband, Bill, chose to make Mobile their home upon Bill's completion of medical school and his residency. Almost immediately, she took a strong role in the life of her city, with special emphasis on issues involving children and education. Over the next 22 years, she became extremely involved in several local organizations. She has served as president of the board of directors of Leadership Mobile and as a member of the board of Volunteer Mobile. Additionally, she was selected to serve as president for the St. Paul's Episcopal Church Women of the Church. Her strong interest in the development and growth of the Mobile community also led to her service on the board of directors for the Providence Hospital Foundation, the Providence Foundation Flower Show, and for the Maritime Museum and the Mobile Tricentennial Commission. Mrs. Urquhart has also devoted a tremendous amount of time and effort to expanding opportunities for children in the Mobile community. She has served on the Mobile Advisory Board for the Department of Human Resources, and has been actively involved with the Salvation Army. As president for the Junior League of Mobile, she was committed to establishing wide-ranging community goals for children and worked extensively with the Mobile County School System, the United Way, and the Greater Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Finally, she served with distinction on the UMS-Wright Preparatory School Board of Trustees and was the first woman ever selected to chair that organization. Finally, Mrs. Urquhart has served on the boards of the Medical Alliance of Mobile County, Mobile 2000, and the Alabama State Commission for Volunteer and National Service. Most recently, she was nominated to serve as a member of The University of Alabama Board of Trustees. The nomination submitted by the Medical Society of Mobile County for this award included the following passage: ``Our Nominee lives by the philosophy: `Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. Words speak boldly of intentions. Actions speak louder than words. It is making time when there is none. It is coming through time after time, year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of, the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.''' Over the years, I have seen Marietta put this philosophy into action time and again and make one significant and meaningful contribution after another for her community. Our city and our state are richer because of her work, and I am proud and honored to call her my friend. Mr. Speaker, there are few individuals more dedicated or more committed to helping their communities than Marietta Murray Urquhart, and I would like to offer my congratulations on both the ``First Lady of the Year'' Award and for her many personal and professional achievements. I know her husband, Bill, and her many family and friends join with me in praising her accomplishments and extending thanks for her many efforts on behalf of Mobile and the state of Alabama.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, Mobile County, and indeed the entire State of Alabama, recently lost a dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his memory. Mr. Joel O. Swanson was a devoted family man and dedicated community leader throughout his life. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Mr. Swanson moved at an early age to Port Arthur, Texas, with his father and mother, Captain and Mrs. Joel Arvid Swanson. In 1951, he and his family moved back to Mobile and established the advertising department for a local supermarket chain, Delchamps. Over the next four decades, he worked tirelessly to continue Delchamps' growth in the Mobile area, serving as advertising manager, corporate secretary, and executive vice president. He continued to work in the family business until his retirement in 1991. In the midst of his intense professional schedule, Mr. Swanson always found time to serve with many community organizations and on several boards of directors. He served as president of the boards for the Mobile Mental Health Association, the Lions Club of Mobile, the Mobile Opera, and Symphony Concerts of Mobile. Additionally, he was a member of the Lions Club of Mobile and took an active role in the Museum of Mobile Board and the Friends of the Library. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a dedicated community leader and friend to many throughout South Alabama. Mr. Swanson will be deeply missed by his family--his wife of 61 years, Marilyn Morris Swanson; his children, Jan Swanson, Joel Craig Swanson, and Kirk Swanson; and one granddaughter--as well as the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this difficult time.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend and colleague who recently retired from Capitol Hill after three decades of exemplary service. Nancy Tippins, a native of Auburn, Alabama, and graduate of Auburn University, first came to Washington, DC, in 1975 and accepted a position as legislative assistant on the staff of my predecessor, Representative Jack Edwards. Following Jack's retirement in 1984, Nancy was hired by my immediate predecessor, Representative Sonny Callahan, as his legislative director. During her tenure with Sonny, Nancy became an invaluable member of the legislative team, a role made even more important in 1994 with Sonny's appointment as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs. She quickly developed a thorough and extensive knowledge of subcommittee operations and the appropriations process, and during Sonny's chairmanship became an integral part of the team drafting each year's Foreign Operations appropriations bill. Nancy's hard work and dedication to her colleagues and to the people of south Alabama won her wide admiration from Members and staff alike, and she developed a strong and well-deserved reputation for being a team player and a reliable source for assistance and information. It would be difficult to adequately describe the tremendous gifts and skill Nancy brought to our office in Washington. Admired by members and staff on both sides of the aisle, she brought great levels of knowledge to the job and displayed tremendous dedication to the residents of Alabama's First Congressional District. As my legislative director for the past two years, I found my new job as a member of this chamber made much easier as a result of the breadth of knowledge Nancy possessed. Having worked side-by-side with her for twenty years, it was not hard for me to develop a deep and genuine respect for Nancy and for her long string of professional successes. It is due in large part to Nancy Tippins that my first term continued what has become a time-honored tradition of dedicated public service for the people for south Alabama. Mr. Speaker, while the retirement of Nancy Tippins marks a tremendous loss for my office and for her many friends in Washington, DC, it also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Nancy's life. I ask my colleagues to join with me in saluting her for thirty years of exemplary public service to this body and to the people of Alabama. We extend to her our very best wishes and our heartfelt thanks for everything she has brought to this great city; my hope is for only the best of good health, happiness, and prosperity in the years ahead.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Alabama, and I want to give my sincerest congratulations to him for providing this leadership in bringing this issue, this discussion, to the American people today. Madam Speaker, as we celebrate our Nation's 79th annual Black History Month, it is only appropriate to reflect on the accomplishments of Alabama's Tuskegee Airmen. These brave soldiers came from every corner of the United States with the ambition of serving their country to the best of their ability. The Tuskegee Airmen were committed and capable. Their success demonstrated that a soldier's ability is determined by his skill and persistence, not by creed or color. Tuskegee's established airfield and proven civilian pilot training program made it an obvious choice for the location of a center to instruct America's first African American military aviators. Upon receipt of the contract granted by the U.S. Army Air Corps, Tuskegee Institute began the training of America's original black aviators in 1941. The first cadets accepted their silver wings in March of 1942. In recalling the 15,000 missions completed by the Tuskegee Airmen, we note a distinguished record of service. The airmen destroyed over 1,000 German aircraft, one enemy destroyer, and many enemy installations. They also boast the extraordinary record of flying over 200 bomber escort missions over Europe without the loss of a single bomber to enemy fire. The accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen did not go unnoticed by their peers and associates. They returned home bearing the honor they deserved, including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, 8 Purple Hearts, and 14 Bronze Stars. Their triumphs in the air exhibited undaunted courage and capacity that were certainly to equal that of any pilot prior to or certainly thereafter. With the assistance of the men and women of the Army Air Corps, the Tuskegee Airmen made integration into our military possible. In 1948, President Harry Truman enacted Executive Order Number 9981, which directed equality of treatment and opportunity in all of the United States Armed Forces. In time, order 9981 led to the end of racial segregation in our military. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my constituents in Alabama, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the achievements and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Their successful endeavor into military flight provided inspiration to a new generation of aviators. On March 24, 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group received the Presidential Unit Citation for its longest bomber escort mission to Berlin, Germany. On the 50th anniversary of such an accomplishment, I rise to honor these men who succeeded not only in great military feats, but also in breaking down the barriers and boundaries of racial segregation. As Tuskegee University's President Dr. Benjamin Payton said, ``The Tuskegee Airmen story is about much more than flying airplanes, it is about teaching people to soar.'' Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman who is proud to represent Tuskegee University in his congressional district, the third district of Alabama.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the members of the Baker High School Marching Band for their participation in the 2004 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Baker High School, located in Mobile, Alabama, is without question very proud of the efforts of its band. For several months, the 220 members of this group, both musicians and flag corps participants, worked tirelessly in preparation for a performance which took place in front of thousands of men, women, and children lining the streets of Manhattan, and for an audience of millions watching the parade on television here in the United States and around the world. The members of the band spent the past two years holding multiple fundraisers to raise the money necessary to make this trip to New York. These efforts, which included gift wrapping, selling coupon books to friends and neighbors in the Mobile area, and bagging groceries at local supermarkets, were extremely successful and provided the band with the means to travel to this event. Even the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan could not dampen either the enthusiasm or determination of these fine young men and women to participate in this Thanksgiving Day tradition. The one hour, 45-block walk down Broadway from Central Park to 34th Street in lower Manhattan gave the band and flag corps ample opportunity to demonstrate its abilities, and they did not disappoint. The total of 96 songs performed by the band were enthusiastically received by the thousands along the parade route, and their talents were showcased even further when NBC gave the band the chance to perform for its nationwide television audience on that morning's broadcast of the ``Today Show.'' Mr. Speaker, the residents of Mobile, Alabama, are extremely proud of all of the young men and women who participated in this event. I ask my colleagues to join with me and with the families of all of these students in praising them and their band director, Tripp Morris, for a fine showing for south Alabama and a fine performance for the entire country.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a young man from the First Congressional District of Alabama who recently made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom abroad. Lance Corporal Brad Faircloth, a native of Mobile, Alabama, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In July of this year, Brad's unit was deployed to Iraq in support of ongoing military operations in that country. It was there that, on November 25, 2004, he was killed while he and other members of his unit conducted house-to-house searches in Fallujah, Iraq, looking for members of that country's insurgent movement. Brad set a standard of excellence and displayed the qualities of discipline, devotion, and dedication to country that are hallmarks of men and women throughout the long and distinguished history of the American military. Following his 2002 graduation from Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama, and after one year as a student at Delta State University in Mississippi, Brad chose to join the Marine Corps. In recent days, many members of his family said he did so in large part in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, because he felt he should do his part in the fight to protect his country. Brad was an extremely conscientious and dedicated marine, and he was honored recently with the presentation to his family of three Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Medal. Mr. Speaker, I feel certain his many friends in Mobile County and his comrades in the United States Marine Corps, while mourning the loss of this fine young man, are also taking this opportunity to remember his many accomplishments during his brief 20 years, and to recall the fine gift they each received simply from knowing him and having him as an integral part of their lives. I urge my colleagues to take a moment and pay tribute to Lance Corporal Brad Faircloth and his selfless devotion to not only our country and the freedoms we enjoy, but to a people who are but now in the infancy of a new life--a new freedom--in their own land. We should also remember his mother, Kathleen Faircloth-Smith; his stepfather, Paul Smith; his grandparents, Dewey and Helen Faircloth; his uncle, Tim Faircloth; and his other family members and many friends. Our prayer is that God will give them all the strength and courage that only He can provide to sustain them during the difficult days ahead. It was Joseph Campbell who said, ``A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.'' Make no mistake, young Brad Faircloth was not only a dedicated marine who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in the uniform of his country, but he was also a true American hero.

Mr. BONNER

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I rise to pay tribute to former Congressman Sonny Callahan on the occasion of his being honored by the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission with its Patriot of the Year Award. Congressman Callahan is certainly no stranger to many in this chamber. For 18 years, he served as the representative of Alabama's First Congressional District, during which time he established a level of public service second to none. During his nine terms in the House of Representatives, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of south Alabama, ensuring that their needs and concerns were heard and that their individual problems received the attention they deserved. He displayed a tireless dedication to all citizens of the First District who, in turn, demonstrated their confidence in his abilities by returning him to Washington, D.C., time and again for almost twenty years. At the national level, Congressman Callahan was one of the most effective and well-liked members to ever serve in the House. A strong believer in responsive and responsible government, he was very conscious of the necessity to work with members from both sides of the aisle and was a master at forging alliances with colleagues regardless of party affiliation. From 1994 to 2000, he served as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs. For the following two years, he served as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee's Energy and Water Subcommittee. In both positions, he brought both a deliberative approach and a desire for consensus-building to his committees. His strong leadership skills and his desire to work in unison with his colleagues engendered a great level of devotion and praise among the men and women with whom he served. More than anything else, however, the Patriot of the Year Award is a tribute to Congressman Callahan's efforts on behalf of the veterans in his district. Having served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, he has for many years been keenly aware of the many challenges facing men and women who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces of the United States. Many thousands of Alabamians who devoted large parts of their lives in service to their country could always count on Sonny to provide a voice for them in agencies where they would otherwise have not been heard, and support for them when they had nowhere else to turn. Mr. Speaker, I can think of no higher honor that could be bestowed on a man whom I not only consider to be tremendous congressman and mentor, but a close personal friend. Along with his family--his wife, Karen, his sons, Scott, Chris, and Patrick, and his daughters, Shawn and Kelly--and his many friends and former colleagues, I wish to extend to Congressman Sonny Callahan my warmest congratulations on receiving the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission's Patriot of the Year Award.