Jeb Bradley

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, pursuant to the rule, I offer amendment No. 3.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. There are two ways that States are able to administer IDEA requirements. One way is for States to have $500,000 of administrative funds as part of the grant that are capped, but with an inflation adjustment; or, alternatively, States are able to use up to 20 percent of that grant for administration purposes. However, small States such as mine, New Hampshire, generally do not qualify for this provision to be able to use the 20 percent figure because it is less than the $500,000. This $500,000 cap, which was authorized as part of the reauthorization law in 1997, therefore places large administrative burdens on small States such as New Hampshire as the accountability standards of not only the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, but also the No Child Left Behind law have increased. This increases costs to small States, federally mandated costs on States such as mine. Some of the issues that are involved are greater accountability requirements, improving academic performance, expanded data collection, as well as fiscal accounting requirements. What my amendment does is lift the cap from $500,000 to $750,000. Amendment No. 3 does not increase costs to the Federal Government, as there is nothing that mandates the expenditure of these funds. Rather, it allows States to spend up to this new cap, as needed, in order to comply with the accountability provisions of this law and the No Child Left Behind law as it affects special education. So for that reason, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Honorable Ruth Griffin upon receiving the first annual 2003 Lifetime of Service Award from City Year New Hampshire. This award is given in recognition of New Hampshire citizens who have committed themselves to making a difference in their neighborhood, city, and state. Ruth's thirty years of public service are a testament to her love of New Hampshire and her desire to make it an even better place to live. Ruth claims her greatest joy in life is service to others, and she remains committed to this adage by participating in numerous community service events and programs, along with performing her civic duties as an elected official. It is clear she has lived up to this motto through her work with the Portsmouth Housing Authority Commission and the Portsmouth Board of Education. She extended her service beyond the Seacoast to all of New Hampshire by serving as a State Representative and State Senator, and she currently serves as an Executive Councilor. She is also a long-standing supporter of law enforcement, as evidenced by her lifetime membership in the 100 Club of New Hampshire and her past tenure on the Portsmouth Police Commission. Ruth gives one hundred percent of her time and efforts to bettering the lives of those less fortunate. She is a role model for the concepts of citizenship, teamwork, and appreciation of difference, the ideals on which City Year is based. Ruth is a shining example of what good citizenship is all about. She has raised the bar for those who want to be public servants. I am proud to represent such an outstanding citizen and community leader in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute executive councilor Ruth Griffin, who is a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and has been a long-time member of the executive council in New Hampshire as well as a dedicated public servant. Ruth is receiving a lifetime achievement award tonight from the City Awards of the United States. Her long-time recognition in New Hampshire is unqualified by her success. She has served as a State senator, a State representative on local boards and commissions. She is a friend of many and has always been a dedicated servant of those less fortunate. Mr. Speaker, I have had the pleasure of working with her for a number of years as a member of the New Hampshire legislature. I call her a friend and a mentor.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 170) recognizing the 40th anniversary of the sinking of the U.S.S. Thresher.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 170, the resolution under consideration.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise today to honor the memory of the crew of the U.S.S. Thresher, an American nuclear submarine which was lost with all hands during sea trials off the coast of Cape Cod 40 years ago. The Thresher was the first of a new class of nuclear submarines that would prove to be instrumental in ending the Cold War. I speak today to commend the bravery and heroism of 129 men who lost their lives in this terrible accident, and to honor all of our men and women in the armed services who have given their lives to protect our freedoms. The nuclear attack submarine, U.S.S. Thresher, was commissioned on August 3, 1961 under the command of Commander Dean Axene. This was the second ship to carry the name Thresher, and was built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has a long and distinguished history of building and maintaining the Navy's submarine fleet. During World War II, Portsmouth established a record for building the largest number of submarines during a single calendar year, 31 in 1944. On October 18 of that year, the Thresher sailed south to Puerto Rico, where she conducted sea trials of her weapon systems and diving mechanisms. Upon completion of these extensive tests, the Thresher returned to her home port of Portsmouth for an overhaul before commencing active duty. After finishing the overhaul, she was escorted by the U.S.S. Skylark to an area 300 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There she conducted a series of deep-diving tests. During one of these tests, the Skylark received a number of garbled transmissions from the Thresher, followed by what sounded like rushing water. After an extended loss of communications with the submarine, a search and rescue team was deployed. In April 1963, it was determined that she had gone down taking all 129 lives of her crew. The brave men who served on this submarine died while in service of their country, but their sacrifice was not in vain because from this tragic accident came the creation of the United States Navy SUBSAFE program. This program increased the standards of all United States Naval submarines' reserve buoyancy, allowing submarines to rise to the surface more quickly and easily, even when damaged or flooding. Because of the success of this program, the United States Navy has the safest submarine force in history. It is important not to forget the role that the United States submarine fleet played in winning the Cold War. It was the power and strength of the United States submarines that provided an invaluable deterrence which enabled the United States to win the Cold War and end the threat of Soviet aggression. The submarine crews who gave their lives while protecting the United States made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and should be honored as they stand on eternal patrol. During this time of conflict and unrest, I believe we must pay tribute to the crew of the Thresher and all submarine crews who have given their lives to protect the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy as American citizens. I urge strong support for this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated New Hampshire resident who has devoted over 30 years of his life to public service, Mr. Ernie Barka. Ernie passed away Monday, March 10, at the age of 80. He was a true civic leader in his community, devoting his life to others and improving the quality of life for residents, not only in his hometown but all over southern New Hampshire. He worked tirelessly to help those less fortunate and was a champion for the elderly and for children. The son of Lebanese immigrants, Ernie learned strong family values and the importance of respect for others while working in his parents' grocery store. The strong work ethic instilled by his parents during his childhood carried over to all aspects of his adult life, particularly in his community and civic involvement. Ernie served most recently as Rockingham County Commissioner and was a former State representative and former school board member in the town of Derry. Ernie is credited with launching the Meals on Wheels program in Rockingham County. Leaders like Ernie exemplify the true spirit of civic responsibility and he will be truly missed. His efforts to make New Hampshire a better place to live have made a lasting impact on the people of New Hampshire that both knew him and knew of him. I am happy to have called Ernie my friend.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kimberly Greenwood of Greenland upon her recognition as a 2003 Prudential Spirit of Community State Honoree by Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. This honor, which is bestowed upon one middle school and one high school student volunteer from each state, is designed to emphasize the importance our nation places on service to others. Kimberly's actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities. Kimberly proves that with a little creativity and a lot of passion, one person can make a difference that has profound ripple effects in his or her community. Motivated to educate her peers about the growing hunger problem, Kimberly faced the daunting task of planning events that would hold the attention of middle school students. Kimberly's creativity in planning events and fundraisers is a testament to her dedication to making a lasting impact on her peers. Kimberly organized a raffle, bake sale and a ``dress-down pass sale,'' which allowed purchasers to wear everyday clothes instead of their school uniform for one day. Her keen business savvy proved successful, as she raised over $750 for local and national charities. In order to highlight the program's impact, Kimberly collected all of the wasted food from the students' lunch period each day for one week during the food fast and weighed it. By the end of the week, the students had cut the amount of food they wasted by twenty pounds, and had achieved a greater respect for their own good fortunes. Kimberly is a living example of how people of all ages need to think about how to work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Kimberly are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. She truly exemplifies what is good about today's youth. I applaud Kimberly for her efforts to make her community a better place to live and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. It is an honor to represent her in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Mr. Estrada has proven himself to be an extremely qualified candidate for this position. A lawyer with a distinguished educational background, Mr. Estrada has argued 15 cases before the United States Supreme Court, all before the age of 40, which is truly an accomplishment. In addition, he has received a unanimous ``well qualified'' evaluation from the American Bar Association, its highest ranking. Mr. Estrada has spent time at the Justice Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations and has demonstrated a commitment to upholding the integrity of the law. He has been called ``an extraordinarily legal talent'' and ``genuinely compassionate'' by a former Solicitor General, two accolades which lend much support and credibility to his nomination.

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire

Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jay Taylor upon his retirement from the position of economic development director for the city of Manchester, New Hampshire. Jay's tireless efforts to revitalize the Queen City's economic base have proved successful, as evidenced by Manchester's booming downtown and night life. Ten years ago, New Hampshire's largest city and financial center faced a deep recession and a bleak economic future. Today, Manchester boasts a new arena, an expanding airport, and a reenergized night life of new shops and restaurants due, in large part, to Jay's hard work. Without Jay's guidance and keen business savvy, Manchester would not be the prosperous economic heart of New Hampshire that it is today. Manchester and the State of New Hampshire are fortunate to have dedicated individuals like Jay working to make this city and this State a great place to live and do business.